JPH0368943A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a finished image from being impaired by displaying the exchanging time of interchangeable goods which are deteriorated with time in addition to displaying the replenishing time of consumable goods. CONSTITUTION:A cutter 18 for a heat developable photosensitive material 16 and a supplying roller 44 for an image receiving material 32 are controlled by a control part 70 and the remaining usable times is displayed on a display part 74 by being subtracted from the usable times every rotation of the roller 44. Then, plural timers 70A are incorporated in the control part for the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 32 having the possibility of being deteriorated with time. When it exceeds the specified time corresponding to the deterioration to such an extent that the finished image is impaired, a message designating the exchange is displayed on a display part 72. Therefore, the deterioration of the finished image, which is caused by the deterioration of an emulsion surface in case the material is not used for a long time, is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records a desired image on an image recording material and then performs predetermined processing as necessary to obtain a visible image.

[Prior art]

exposing the image to an image recording material, such as a heat-developable photosensitive material;
This heat-developable photosensitive material is superimposed on an image-receiving material and heated,
An image recording apparatus is known in which a heat-developable photosensitive material is thermally developed and an image is transferred to an image-receiving material to obtain an image.

In this type of image recording device, when exposing a photothermographic material, the photothermographic material is wound up in layers in a magazine and cut into a predetermined length, and then the photothermographic material is exposed to light. The photosensitive material to be developed is wound around the exposure drum, and the exposure drum is rotated at high speed (main scanning). In this state, exposure is performed while moving the exposure head in the axial direction of the exposure drum (sub-scanning).

In addition, the image recording device is equipped with a heating drum and an endless pressure belt that presses against the outer periphery of the heating drum.Furthermore, near the endless pressure belt, there is a rubber overlapping roller that contacts the outer periphery of the heating drum. is located. The image-exposed photothermographic material is superimposed on the image-receiving material by the superimposing roller, and then fed between the heating drum and the endless pressure belt.

Note that the exposed surface of the heat-developable photosensitive material is coated with water after exposure processing to improve adhesion to the image-receiving material. A predetermined amount of this water is stored in a tank inside the device, and is circulated and guided to the water application roller. The heat-developable photosensitive material is coated with water by coming into contact with this water coating roller.

Incidentally, the heat-developable photosensitive material and the image-receiving material are consumables, and the amount stocked in the apparatus decreases depending on the image recording process. Therefore, in the image recording device,
These remaining amounts are detected, and when they are below a predetermined amount, they are displayed on the display section. This allows the operator to recognize the remaining amounts of the photothermographic material and the image receiving material, Vfi.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional display as described above, only the time to replenish is displayed. In general, the sheet surface (emulsion surface) on which chemicals, etc. are applied to the surface of heat-developable photosensitive materials and image-receiving materials.
is known to deteriorate over time due to exposure to air. Therefore, even if there are remaining numbers in the image recording device,
When image recording processing is not performed for a long time, the emulsion surface of the stock photothermographic material or image-receiving material deteriorates over time, causing problems in the finished image. Current image recording devices do not display such deterioration over time.

The present invention takes the above facts into consideration, and in addition to the timing of replenishing consumables,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording device that can display the replacement timing due to deterioration over time and prevent problems from occurring in finished images.

[Means to solve the problem]

An image recording device according to the present invention is an image recording device that records a desired image on an image recording material and then performs predetermined processing as necessary to obtain a visible image, and includes the image recording material and records a visible image. a deterioration state detection means for detecting a deterioration state of the consumables, and a deterioration state detection means for detecting the deterioration state of the consumables; and display means for displaying replenishment or replacement of consumables when the consumables are replaced or when replacement is required based on the detected value by the deterioration state detection means.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, the display means not only informs when the consumables need to be replenished, but also displays when the consumables deteriorate over time. That is, the image recording material, which is a consumable item, deteriorates when exposed to air for a long period of time, and if image recording processing is performed in this state, the finished image will be impaired. Therefore, the deterioration state detecting means detects the deterioration of the consumable item, and displays the information when the deterioration state reaches a level where the finished image is affected. With this display, deteriorated consumables can be replaced, so that a properly finished image can always be obtained.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 shows an image recording apparatus 10 according to this embodiment.

A magazine 14 is disposed on the machine base 12 of the image recording apparatus 10, and a roll-shaped photothermographic material 16 is housed within the magazine 14.

The heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is pulled out from its outer periphery, cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 18, and then wound around the outer periphery of a rotating drum 20 in the six directions of arrows.

The cutter 18 is provided with a counter 19 that counts the number of times the cutter 18 is operated. The counter 19 is connected to the control section 70 and supplies the control section 70 with a pulse signal according to the operation of the cutter 18 . The control unit 70 recognizes the number of sheets of photothermographic material used based on the number of pulses of this pulse signal. Furthermore, the number of sheets to be processed (100 sheets) corresponding to the maximum photothermographic material 16 that can be accommodated in the magazine 14 is stored in the memory of the control section 70 .

An exposure head 22 is disposed corresponding to the outer periphery of the rotating drum 20, and rotates the rotating drum 20 at high speed to expose an image onto the wound photothermographic material 16.

After exposure, the photothermographic material 16 is transferred by rotating the rotating drum 20 in reverse (
direction of arrow B), the scraper 24 rotates the rotating drum 20.
After being peeled off from the film and being coated with water as an image forming solvent in a water application section 26, it is sent to a heat development transfer section 28, which is a heat development transfer device.

In the thermal development transfer section 28, a heating drum 34 and an endless pressure belt 36 serving as pressure contact means are arranged.

The heat-developable photosensitive material 16 coated with water is transferred to a heating drum 34
The heating drum 34 is supplied between the
It is designed to be sandwiched and conveyed over approximately 2/3 of the circumference and thermally developed.

The endless crimping heald 36 is wrapped around the tension roller 37 in the vicinity of the portion where the overlapping roller 60 is wrapped around the heating drum 34.
It is placed in a state where it is pressed against the outer periphery of.

On the other hand, a tray 30 disposed below the thermal development transfer section 28
Inside are a plurality of image receiving materials 3 cut to a predetermined size.
2 is accommodated. This image receiving material 32 is placed on a tray 30
The sheets are sequentially taken out one by one by a supply roller 44 disposed on the side of the sheet and sent to the thermal development transfer section 28.

The maximum number of image-receiving materials 32 that can be accommodated in the tray 30 is 50, and this number is stored in advance in the memory of the control unit 70. The rotation of the supply roller 44 is controlled by the control section 7.
The number of rotations is controlled at 0, and the number of rotations matches the number of used image receiving materials 32. Therefore, the control unit 70 can recognize the number of used image-receiving materials 32.

The image receiving material 32 sent to the thermal development transfer section 28 is transferred by the overlapping roller 60 arranged in contact with the outer periphery of the heating drum 34 (between the overlapping roller 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 34). It is superimposed on the photothermographic material 16 and is supplied between the heating drum 34 and the endless pressure belt 36 .

When the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is heated while superimposed on the image-receiving material 32 in the heat-developable transfer section 28, it is thermally developed and the image is transferred to the image-receiving material 32, so that an image is obtained on the image-receiving material 32. It has become.

A pair of peeling claws 48 are disposed on the sides of the thermal development transfer section 28 so as to correspond to the outer circumferential surface of the heating drum 34 , and their tips slightly contact the outer circumferential surface of the heating drum 34 .

The peeling claw 48 moves together with the heating drum 34 and engages with the photothermographic material 16 located inside, thereby peeling the photothermographic material 16 together with the image receiving material 32 from the outer periphery of the heating drum 34. There is.

A pair of separation rollers 50 are arranged below the peeling claw 48 and correspond only to both ends of the image receiving material 32 in the width direction.
Furthermore, a conveyor belt 52 is wound around the separation roller 50. The conveyor belt 52 wound around the separating roller 50 engages only at both ends of the image receiving material 32 in the width direction, and separates the image receiving material 32 from the photothermographic material 16 and conveys it in a bent manner. .

The separated photothermographic material 16 is stored in a waste photosensitive material storage box 5.
9, the − direction image receiving material 32
After being dried by a heater 54, it is delivered onto a take-out tray 56 formed at the top of the machine base 12.

A display section 72 is attached to the outer surface of the machine base 12. This display section 72 is connected to the control section 70,
When the remaining number of either the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 or the image-receiving material 32 becomes 0, a message is displayed to prompt the replenishment of the corresponding photo-thermally developable material 16 or image-receiving material 32.

The control unit 70 also includes a plurality of timers. The OA is built-in and is always in operation. This timer? In this embodiment, two OAs are provided, one for the heat-developable photosensitive material 1 which is a consumable item.
6 and the image receiving material 32, and are reset when these are replaced. Further, the control unit 70 stores in advance a predetermined time period corresponding to deterioration of the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 to the extent that the finished image is affected. When the time measured by the timer exceeds this predetermined period, a message instructing replacement, for example, "Please replace the photothermographic material" is displayed on the display section 72.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step 100, it is determined whether or not recording is to be started. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 102, where the image recording process described below is performed.

When the photothermographic material 16 pulled out from the magazine 14 is cut by the cutter 18 and wound around the outer periphery of the rotating drum 20, the rotating drum 20 rotates at high speed, and the exposure head 22 cuts the photothermographic material 16 in the width direction. An image is exposed in the center.

After exposure, the photothermographic material 16 is peeled off by a scraper 24, coated with water by a water coating section 26, and sent to a thermal development transfer section 28.

On the other hand, the image receiving material 32 in the tray 30 is taken out one by one by the supply roller 44, and further,
The heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is superimposed on the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 by the superimposing roller 60 disposed at 8, and then the heating drum 34 and the endless pressure belt 36 (only partially wrapped around the tension roller 37)
will be supplied between.

The heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 sent to the heat-develop transfer unit 28 are heated to about 90° C. by a halogen lamp 38 while being superimposed on a heating drum 34.
and the endless crimping belt 36, approximately two parts of the heating drum 34
/ The image recorded on the photothermographic material 16 is transferred to the image-receiving material 32 while being pinched and conveyed over three rounds to be thermally developed.

After the transfer, a peeling claw 48 moves with the heating drum 34 and engages with the photothermographic material 16 located inside, thereby peeling the photothermographic material 16 together with the image-receiving material 32 from the outer periphery of the heating drum 34.

The image receiving material 32 peeled off from the outer periphery of the heating drum 34 is
It is separated from the photothermographic material 16 by a conveyor belt 52 wrapped around a separation roller 50 and taken out to a takeout tray 56 via a peak 54 . On the other hand, the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 is sent to a waste photosensitive material storage box 59.

When the image recording process is completed, the process moves from step 102 to step 104, and each consumable item and replacement item is counted based on the number of pulses corresponding to the number of times the cutter 18 is operated.

That is, since the number of sheets of heat-developable photosensitive material 16 used matches the number of times the cutter 18 is operated, the number of sheets processed is subtracted from the previously stored number of sheets (100) each time the cutter 18 is operated. Furthermore, since the number of rotations of the roller 44 matches the number of rotations of the image receiving material 32, the number of sheets to be processed (50) is subtracted from the previously stored number of sheets to be processed each time this roller rotates.

In the next step 106, it is determined whether or not the fullness of these calculated values has become "0", and if the determination is negative, the process moves to step 107. In step 107, it is determined whether or not the time measured by the timer 70A exceeds a predetermined time, and if the determination is negative, the process moves to step 100.

If an affirmative determination is made in step 106, it is necessary to notify the worker of replenishment, so the process moves to step 108.

In step 108, a message corresponding to the "0" is displayed on the display section 72. for example,
If the image-receiving material 32 runs out, the message "Please replenish the image-receiving material" is displayed, and then the process moves to step 110, where it is displayed that the image-receiving material 32 is "0".

Further, if an affirmative determination is made in step 107, for example, if the time measured by the timer 70A corresponding to the photothermographic material 16 exceeds a predetermined time, it is determined that the finished image will be affected by deterioration over time, and the display section 72 will display " Please replace the photothermographic material.'' is displayed.

In the next step 114, it is determined whether the replenishment or replacement has been completed and the remaining number has been reset. If the determination is affirmative, the process moves to step 100.

This reset is performed by a worker manually operating a reset button or the like after replacement or replenishment. Note that this may be done automatically.

In this way, in this embodiment, not only a display for replenishment but also a display for replacement due to deterioration over time is provided, so that if the image recording device 10 has not been operated for a long time, It is possible to determine whether or not consumables need to be replaced before the start of the recording process, and it is possible to prevent problems that may impede the finished image.

In this embodiment, the heat-developable photosensitive material 16 and the image-receiving material 32 are used as consumables, but since the water in the tank 29 may also deteriorate over time, the state of deterioration of this water may be detected.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the image recording device according to the present invention has the advantage of being able to display not only when to replenish consumables but also when to replace them due to deterioration over time, thereby preventing problems with finished images. have an effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control flowchart according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an image recording apparatus according to this embodiment. 10... Image recording device, 16, 28, 32, 70, 70A, 72, heat-developable photosensitive material, heat-developable transfer section, image-receiving material. Control unit, timer, display unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An image recording device that records a desired image on an image recording material and then performs predetermined processing as necessary to obtain a visible image, which is a consumable that includes the image recording material and is consumed as the image is recorded. a deterioration state detection means for detecting a deterioration state of the consumable; and a deterioration state detection means for detecting a deterioration state of the consumable, and when replenishment is required based on a detected value by the depletion state detection means or the deterioration state An image recording device comprising: a display means for displaying replenishment or replacement of consumables when replacement is required based on a value detected by the detection means.