JPH0413127A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the constitution simple and to prevent color slippage of an output image by making an adhering means serve as such a means that it moves an aligning means in order to make a mask original plate and a photosensitive recording medium adhere to each other. CONSTITUTION:The adhering means 201 is a means by which the aligning means 31 can be moved and the mask original plate 15 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 adhere to each other. That is, plural mask original plates 15, on which monochromatic, light-shielding images are formed by color- decomposing the image information, are successively aligned in the prescribed positions on the photosensitive recording medium 50 by the aligning means 31. Then, the adhering means 201 make the mask original plate 15 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 adhere to each other; this adhering means 201 moves the aligning means 31 to make them adhere to each other. Thus the constitution is made simple, and color slippage of the output image is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records an image by exposing a photosensitive recording medium using a mask original.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, there is an image recording apparatus in which three mask original plates color-separated corresponding to the three primary colors of light are sequentially brought into close contact with a photosensitive recording medium and exposed to light to obtain a color image on the photosensitive recording medium. In this apparatus, as shown in FIG.
3, the mask original plate 1 is conveyed and aligned onto the glass plate 34 of the alignment device 31.
5 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 were brought into close contact.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-described apparatus, pack tension is applied to the photosensitive recording medium 5o at the center of rotation of the roll of the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the cartridge 51, and the exposure table 52 is lowered. At this time, a length corresponding to the amount by which the exposure table 52 is lowered is pulled out from the storage cartridge 51, and when the exposure table 52 is raised after exposure, a mechanism is provided that rewinds the photosensitive recording medium 50 in a direction to take up the slack. The problem was that it required

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording device that is easy to configure and has no color shift in output images.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the image recording device of the present invention includes a plurality of mask original plates formed by color-separating image information to form monochromatic light-shielding images, and a plurality of mask original plates formed by color-separating image information. The apparatus includes positioning means for sequentially aligning specific positions on a photosensitive recording medium, and close contact means for bringing the mask original and the photosensitive recording medium into close contact, and the close contact means is configured such that the positioning means is movable. It is characterized in that it is a means for bringing the mask original plate and the photosensitive recording medium into close contact with each other.

[Function] According to the present invention having the above configuration, the positioning means sequentially positions a plurality of mask originals formed by color-separating image information to form monochromatic light-shielding images at specific positions on the photosensitive recording medium. Make adjustments. Next, the contact means brings the mask master and the photosensitive recording medium into close contact, and this contact means makes the positioning means movable and brings the mask master and the photosensitive recording medium into close contact.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram in which a monochrome laser printer (hereinafter referred to as a laser printer) 1 and an image recording device 20 are combined and arranged.

First, the laser printer 1 is mounted on top of the image recording device 20. In the laser printer 1, a polygon scanner 2 irradiates a charged photoreceptor 3 with laser light, thereby drawing an electrostatic latent image. The photoconductor 3 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed is developed by a developing device 4, and the toner image is transferred onto plain paper or an OHP sheet fed from a paper feed cassette 5, and fixed by a fixing device 6. Normal laser printer 1
records data transmitted from the host computer.

The output from the laser printer 1 is sent to the paper bus switching section 10.
If a black and white image is required, the document is sent to the monochrome output tray 11 or to the automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) tray 12; if a color image is required,
After being delivered to the ADF tray 12, it is taken into the image recording device 20.

The sheets sent to the ADF tray 12 are taken into the image recording device 20 one by one by the ADF paper feed roller 13, and a set of three sheets of monochrome printed paper output from the laser printer 1 is recorded as an image. Mask master plate 15 (15R) of device 20.

15G, 15B).

Next, the configuration of the image recording device 20 will be explained.

A positioning device 31 is provided at the bottom of the main body of the image recording device 20.
The ADF tray 12 and the alignment device 31 are connected by a mask original transport path 21. On both the left and right sides of the positioning device 31 are roller pairs 22 whose rotational direction can be controlled. 23. 24, 25, 26, 27, games) 28, 29, and a mask original storage section 102 are arranged. A pair of glue curler rollers 101 is arranged in the middle of the mask original transport path 21 to remove curls from the mask original 15 discharged from the laser printer 1.

The used mask original plate 1 is placed on the outside of the roller pair 26 and 27.
There is a mask original discharge tray 30 for discharging the mask original plate 5.

The positioning device 31 is composed of a sensor (not shown), a pair of rollers 32 and 33 placed near both left and right ends, and a glass plate 34 placed between them. position on the photosensitive recording medium 50
It is to be matched against.

An exposure device 41 is arranged below the alignment device 31, and the exposure device 41 is movable in the left-right direction along the alignment device 31.

The exposure device 41 is a linear white light source (hereinafter referred to as a lamp).
42, a reflecting plate 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, and a filter unit 44 including a red filter 44R, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 44B.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-14304.
The main material is a photocurable resin using a photopolymerization initiator known from Publication No. 4, and includes a photocurable resin that cures with light of red, green, and blue wavelengths, cyan, Microcapsules containing magenta and yellow dye precursors are coated on a base sheet.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 is housed in a cartridge 51 so as not to be exposed to light. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is routed from inside the cartridge 51 to the take-up roller 54 through a buffer 55, a separation roller 64, a pressure developing device 70, and a drive roller 57. . Further, the positioning device 31 is raised by a cam 201 and is configured to bring the mask original 15 conveyed onto the glass plate 34 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 located at the lower part of the exposure table 52 into close contact. Also fixed roller 5
6 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 by the cam 202, and is arranged so as to fix the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52 during exposure of the mask original 15.

The developer sheet 60 is constructed by coating a base paper with a developer disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-88739, and is placed in the cassette 61 so that the developer-applied surface faces downward. It is set.

At the top of the cassette 61, a suction cup 62 for feeding the developer sheets 60 one by one is arranged.

The pressure developing device 70 is composed of a pair of pressure rollers 71 and the like that superpose the photosensitive recording medium 50 on which a latent image is formed by exposure and the color developer sheet 60 and develop the image under pressure.

The heat fixing device 80 includes an upper casing 83 containing a heater 81 and an impeller 82, and a lower rubber roller 84 for conveying the developer sheet 60. 85. 86 and roller 87
An endless belt 89 installed between the roller 88 and the roller 88
A paper discharge tray 63 is attached to the outside of the heat fixing device 80.

In the apparatus configured as described above, the operation when obtaining a plurality of color images from one set of mask originals will be described below.

First, a mask original plate 1 for red is printed using a laser printer 1.
5R is created. This mask original plate 15R is a mask original plate in which toner, which is a light-shielding image, is placed on other parts of the microcapsules coated on the photosensitive recording medium 50 in order to harden the microcapsules containing a cyan dye precursor. be.

At this time, the mask original plate 1 outputted from the laser printer 1
5R is delivered to the ADF tray 12 and fed into the image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13. The mask original 15R fed into the image recording device 20 passes through the mask original transport path 21 and is sent to the positioning device 31 by the roller pair 24, 22. On the way, the curl of the mask master plate 15R is corrected by the curler roller 101.

At this time, the gate 28 is at the position indicated by the solid line.

Next, the alignment device 31 transports the mask original 15R to an appropriate exposure position by the roller pair 32, and then uses a drive source (not shown) to read the alignment mark printed on the mask original 15R with a sensor. move it into place.

Immediately before positioning, the cam 202 moves the exposure table 52
A fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the photosensitive recording medium 50 to fix it to the exposure table 52.

After the alignment is completed, the alignment device 31 is raised by the cam 201, and the glass plate 34 of the alignment device 31 is raised.
contacts the exposure table 52 and brings the mask original 15R and the photosensitive recording medium 50 into close contact.

When the positioning device 31 comes into close contact with the exposure table 52, the lamp 4
2 lights up, and the exposure device 41 performs scanning exposure in the direction of arrow A in order to expose the photosensitive recording medium 50 with red light through the red filter 44R. When the exposure is completed, the lamp 42 is turned off and the exposure device 41 moves back in the direction of arrow B. At this time, the filter unit 44 of the exposure device 41 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and the green filter 44G is positioned above the lamp 42.

While the exposure device 41 moves backward, the alignment device 31 is lowered by the rotation of the cam 201, and the mask original 15R is separated from the exposure table 52 and the photosensitive recording medium 50.

Even after the exposure of the red mask original 15R is completed, the photosensitive recording medium 50 remains fixed to the exposure table 52 by the fixed roller 56 pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52.

Next, when the green mask original 15G created by the laser printer 1 passes through the ADF lay 12, the ADF paper feed roller 13, the recurler roller 101, and the mask original transport path 21, and reaches just before the roller pair 24, the roller The pair of rollers 24, 22, 25, 27 and the pair of rollers 32 and 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original 15R to the right, and at the same time the mask original 15R is sent out from the alignment device 31, the mask original 15G is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gates 28° and 29 are located at the positions indicated by solid lines, and the exposed mask original plate 15R is located at a
- It is held by stopping the rotation of the roller pair 27 while being sandwiched between the roller pair 27 and with its rear end passing through the gate 29.

The mask original 15G guided by the alignment device 31 is aligned with the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the same manner as the mask original 15R, and then the alignment device 31 is raised to align the mask original 15G with the photosensitive recording medium 50. I am brought into close contact with this. Thereafter, the lamp 42 is turned on and exposure to green light is performed via the green filter 44G. After the exposure is completed, the alignment device 31 is lowered to a predetermined position. The exposure device 41 is moved back to the original position, and the filter unit 44 is moved so that the blue filter 44B is positioned above the lamp 42.

Next, the blue mask original 15B created by the laser printer 1 is similarly fed to the image recording device 20, and is conveyed just before the roller pair 24.
4, 22, 25, 26 and the pair of rollers 32, 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original 15G to the right, sending out the mask original 15G from the alignment device 31 and transporting the mask original 15B. It is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the position shown by the solid line, and the gate 29 is located at the position shown by the broken line. This is maintained by stopping the rotation of pair 26.

The mask original 15B guided to the alignment device 31 is
It is brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a similar operation. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to blue light through the mask original 15B.

Through the above operations, a latent image of a desired color image is recorded on the photosensitive recording medium 50.

Next, the cam 202 is rotated to separate the fixed roller 56 and the left end of the exposure table 52, and the buffer 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow E, thereby removing the photosensitive recording medium 50.
The unexposed area of the cartridge 51 is located below the exposure table 52.
It is drawn from within. The driving roller 57 transports the photosensitive recording medium 50 and stops it when the leading edge of the latent image reaches the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 .

In synchronization with the movement of the photosensitive recording medium 50, the developer sheet 60
is sent out from the cassette 61 by a suction cup 62, and is conveyed to a position where the leading edge of the developer sheet 60 corresponds to the leading edge of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50, and then stopped.

Next, by a drive device (not shown), the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 is rotated in the direction of the arrow and pressed against the roller 71 . At this time, by rotating the cam 202 again, the fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is fixed to the exposure table 52. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is conveyed under pressure while being overlapped with the color developer sheet 60, and the uncured microcapsules on the photosensitive recording medium 50 are destroyed by the pressure, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is
A color image corresponding to the upper latent image is developed on the developer sheet 60.

By rotating the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 in the direction of the arrow, the buffer 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow F. The color developer sheet 60 is peeled off from the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a separation roller 64 and guided toward a heat fixing device 80 .

In the heat fixing device 80, the color developer sheet 60 is heated by a heater 81 and by air circulating in a casing 83 by an impeller 82, thereby promoting color development of a color image. Along with this, a binder polymer (binder resin) for fixing the color developing medium to the base paper of the color developer sheet 60
is thermally melted, the surface becomes smooth, and the surface of the color developer sheet 60 has an appropriate gloss. The color developer sheet 60 that has been subjected to color development and gloss treatment is discharged to a paper discharge tray 63.

During the above-described series of development and coloring/glossy processing, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is held and fixed between the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56. Therefore, while the development processing for one screen is being performed, the next exposure point is It is possible to perform exposure processing on the latent image of a color image.

When exposing the second color image, first, the mask original 15B at the exposure position is sent to the left, and the mask original 15R held at the position of the roller pair 27 is sent to the alignment device 31 by the rollers. vs. 24, 22, 2
5.27 and the roller pair 32.33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15R to the left. At this time, gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by solid lines. The mask original plate 15B is held between the pair of rollers 24, and the rotation of the pair of rollers 24 is stopped at a position where the rear end passes through the gate 28, and the mask original plate 15B is held. The mask original 15R sent to the alignment device 31 is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to red light through the mask original 15R.

Next, the mask original 15R at the exposure position is sent to the left, and the mask original 15G held at the position of the roller pair 26 is aligned with the roller pairs 22, 23, 25, and 26 in order to be sent to the alignment device 31. The pair of rollers 32 and 33 of the device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15G to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by broken lines. The mask original 15R is held between the pair of rollers 23 and held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 23 at the position where the rear end passes through the gate 28. The mask original 15G sent to the alignment device 31 is
It is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is exposed to green light through the mask original 15G.

Next, the mask original 15G at the exposure position is sent out to the right, and the same operation is performed to send the mask original 15B held at the position of the roller pair 24 to the alignment device 31, so that the color is printed on the photosensitive recording medium 50. A latent image of the image is formed to form a color image on the developer sheet 60.

By repeating the same operation, one set of mask originals 1
5, a predetermined number of color images can be output.

After obtaining the required number of color images from the same mask original 15, each mask original 15 is discharged from the roller pair 27 or the roller pair 26 to the paper discharge tray 30.

In addition, if the next mask original 15 is output from the laser printer 1 while a series of color images are being exposed, it is stored in the ADF ray 12 and the exposure of the previous set is completed. Then, the ADF paper feed roller 13 feeds the paper sheets one by one into the image recording apparatus 20.

In addition, if you want to reuse a mask master output from another laser printer or a previously used mask master, please use the AD
By setting it on the F tray 12, the mask original can be input.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, since the alignment device 31 is raised to bring the mask master into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium, the device for removing slack from the photosensitive recording medium is Since this is not necessary, the configuration is easy, and since the photosensitive recording medium is not moved during contact exposure, it is possible to provide an image recording apparatus with no color shift in the output image, which is an industrially advantageous effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 show embodiments embodying the present invention. Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of an image recording device, and Figure 2 shows an example in which a mask original and a photosensitive recording medium are in close contact with each other. , FIG. 3 is a diagram when the mask original and the photosensitive recording medium are separated from each other, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional image recording apparatus. In the figure, 15 is a mask original, 20 is an image recording device, 21 is a mask original transport path, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 2
7, 32.33 is a roller pair, 28°29 is a gate, 31
34 is a glass plate, 50 is a photosensitive recording medium, and 201 and 202 are cams.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of mask originals formed by color-separating image information to form monochromatic light-shielding images, and alignment means for sequentially aligning the mask originals to specific positions on a photosensitive recording medium. and,
In the image recording apparatus, the image recording apparatus includes a contact means for bringing the mask master and the photosensitive recording medium into close contact, wherein the contact means is a means for making the positioning means movable and bringing the mask master and the photosensitive recording medium into close contact. Features of the image recording device.