JPH0419746A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To absorb the changed amount of the length of a path of a photosensitive recording medium without especially providing a tentional mechanism by providing a control device controlling drive of a drive device driving a buffer roll, and controlling tension of a photosensitive recording medium. CONSTITUTION:When exposure is completed in an exposure device 41, and an original is separated from a photosensitive recording medium 50, slack generated in the photosensitive recording medium 50 is absorbed by imparting tension by a buffer device 55. At this time while the buffer roll 101 of this buffer device 55 is controlled by a control device, it is also driven so that a desired tension is imparted to the photosensitive recording medium 50. Thus, the tension of the photosensitive recording medium 50 supported by the buffer roll 101 can be adjusted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION C. Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, and more particularly to a buffer device that temporarily accommodates an exposed photosensitive recording medium before a developing device.

[Background Art] In general, an exposure device that exposes a mask original plate, which is a manuscript, and a photosensitive recording medium in close contact with light, a pressure developing device that stacks the exposed photosensitive recording medium on a developer paper and develops it under pressure, and the above-mentioned exposure device and pressure development An image recording apparatus is known which is provided with a buffer device for temporarily storing an exposed photosensitive recording medium between the image recording apparatus and the apparatus.

In such an image recording apparatus, the mask master and the photosensitive recording medium are brought into close contact with each other and separated by moving the exposure table up and down, so at this time the photosensitive recording medium moves and the exposure position is blurred, resulting in exposure to light. In order to absorb changes in the path length of the recording medium, a tensioner mechanism is provided that applies a constant tension to the photosensitive recording medium when the exposure stage is separated from the photosensitive recording medium.

[Invention or problem to be solved]

However, since such a tensioner mechanism requires a considerable amount of space, there is a problem in that the entire image recording apparatus becomes large in size. Furthermore, so-called face-up paper ejection, in which paper is ejected with the image side of the color image facing up, cannot be achieved with a configuration in which the photosensitive recording medium is buffered after pressure development. In this case, if a tensioner mechanism and a buffer mechanism are constructed, the image forming surface side of the photosensitive recording medium comes into contact with the roller twice, resulting in a problem that the image quality deteriorates.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus that can absorb changes in the path length of a photosensitive recording medium even if it has a tensioner mechanism. purpose.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides an image recording apparatus comprising an exposure device that exposes a photosensitive recording medium, and a buffer device that temporarily stores the photosensitive recording medium exposed by the exposure device before a developing device, wherein the buffer device It has a buffer roller against which the recording medium comes into contact, a drive device that drives the buffer roller, and a control device that controls the drive of the drive device, and the control device controls the tension of the photosensitive recording medium. It is characterized by

[Effect]

When exposure is completed in the exposure device and the document is separated from the photosensitive recording medium, the slack that occurs in the photosensitive recording medium is absorbed by applying tension to the photosensitive recording medium using a buffer device. At this time, the buffer roller of this buffer device is controlled by the control device and driven to apply a desired tension to the photosensitive recording medium. This allows the tension of the photosensitive recording medium supported by the buffer roller to be adjusted.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. Reference numeral 1 in the figure is a monochrome laser printer, and this monochrome laser printer 1 is stacked on top of the color image recording device 20. In the laser printer 1, a polygon scanner 2 irradiates laser light or an electrostatic latent image onto a charged photoreceptor 3. The photoreceptor 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 OHP sheets fed from a paper feed cassette 5, and fixed by a fixing device 6. Typically, the monochrome laser printer 1 records data transmitted from a host computer.

The output from the laser printer 1 is sent to the paper path switching unit 10.
If a black and white image is required, it is fed to the monochrome output tray 11 or automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) tray 12, and if a color image is required, it is fed to the ADF.
After being sent to the I-ray 12, the color image recording device 20
taken inside.

The sheets sent to the ADFhray 12 are taken one by one into the color image recording device 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13, and a set of three sheets of monochrome printed paper output from the laser printer 1 is formed. Mask original plate 15 (15R, 15G, 15B) of color image recording device 20
) is used as.

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

An alignment device 31 is located at the bottom of the main body of the color image recording device 20, and a mask original transport path 21 is connected between the ADF h-ray 12 and the alignment device 31. On both the left and right sides of the positioning device 31, there are a pair of rollers 2223, which can control the rotational direction.24. 25. 26
．． 27, a gate 2829, and a mask original storage section 92 are arranged.

In the middle of the mask original transport path 21, a pair of glue curler rollers 91 is arranged to remove curls from the mask original 15 discharged from the laser printer 1. roller pair 26
．． On the outside of 27, there is a mask original discharge tray 30 for discharging the used mask original 15.

The positioning device 31 includes a sensor (not shown), a pair of rollers 3233 placed near both left and right ends, a glass plate 34 placed between them, and the like.

An exposure device 41 is arranged below the alignment device 31, and this exposure device 41 is connected to the alignment device 3.
It is movable in the left and right direction along 1. The exposure device 4
1 includes a linear white light source (hereinafter referred to as a lamp) 42, a reflecting plate 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, a red filter 44R, a green filter 44G, and a blue filter 44.
It is composed of a filter unit 44 consisting of B.

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 in Publication No. 4, and includes a photocurable resin that cures with light of each wavelength of red, green, and blue, and cyan, magenta, Microcapsules containing 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 passed from inside the cartridge 51 between the glass plate 34 and the exposure table 52, passed through a buffer device 55, a separation roller 64, a pressure developing device 70, and a drive roller 57, and is then routed to a take-up roller 54. ing. The exposure table 52 is lowered by a cam 53 and is configured to bring the mask original 15 conveyed onto the glass plate 34 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 into close contact. Further, the fixed roller 56 is arranged so as to be pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 when the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position, and to fix the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52 during exposure of the mask original plate 15. has been done.

The developer sheet 60 is constructed by coating a base paper with a developer described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5888739, and is set in the cassette 61 with the developer coated side facing downward. has been done. At the top of the cassette 61, there is a suction cup 62 for feeding the developer sheets 60 one by one.
or are placed.

The pressure developing device 70 is composed of a photosensitive recording medium 50 on which a latent image has been formed by exposure, and a pair of pressure rollers 71 for overlapping a color developer sheet 60 and developing it under pressure.

The heat fixing device 80 is installed between a casing 83 containing a heater 81 and an impeller 82 in the upper part, rubber rollers 84 and 8586 for conveying the color developer sheet 60 in the lower part, and rollers 87 and 88. It consists of a nintress belt 89, and a paper discharge tray 63 is attached to the outside of the heat fixing device 80.

Note that the buffer device 55 has a configuration as shown in FIG. Here, reference numeral 101 in the figure is a buffalo roller, and both ends of this buffalo roller 101 are fixed with support members 102 and 102.
is fixed to the timing belt 103.103.

These timing belts 103, 103 are connected to pulleys 104,
104104.104, and this -
The pair of pulleys 104.104 is the stepping motor 105
It is connected to the. In addition, this stepping motor 10
An arm 106 is fixed to the main body of 5. moreover,
The main body of the stepping motor 105 is fixed,
This rotating shaft 105a is supported by bearings 107 and 107. The arm 106 is urged in the direction of the arrow in the middle by a spring 108. Further, a stopper 109 for suppressing rotation of the arm 106 is provided at a proper location on the main body. Note that a control device 110 is connected to the stepping motor 105, and the driving of the stepping motor 105 is controlled by signals from the control device 110.

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

First, a mask original plate 15R for red is created by the monochrome laser printer 1. This mask original version 15R is
This mask original plate has toner as a light-shielding image placed on the other portions of the microcapsules coated on the photosensitive recording medium 50 to harden the microcapsules containing a cyan dye precursor. At this time, the mask original 15R outputted from the monochrome laser printer 1 is fed into the color image recording apparatus 20 by the ADF paper feed roller 13 sent to the ADFI-ray 12. The mask original 15R fed into the color image recording device 20 passes through the mask original transport path 21 and is sent to the positioning device 31 by a pair of rollers 24.degree. 22. On the way, the curl of the mask original 15R is corrected by the curler roller 91. 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 reads the alignment mark printed on the mask original 15R with a sensor.
Move 5R to the specified position.

Immediately before positioning, the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position by the cam 53. Here, Buffalora 101
is controlled to move as shown in FIG. The shaft is kept under tension.Then, as the exposure table 52 continues to descend, the fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is moved to the exposure table 52. It is pulled out from the storage cartridge 51 by a length corresponding to the amount by which the exposure table 52 is lowered.

When the exposure table 52 is further lowered from this state, since the photosensitive recording medium 50 is fixed by the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56, as the exposure table 52 is lowered, the buffer roller 101 or the arrow F in FIG. Move in the direction and move to the desired position. At this time, since the control device 110 holds the stepping motor 105 in a locked state, the stator side of the stepping motor 105 is rotated in the direction of arrow M in FIG. Therefore, the arm 106 also moves in the M direction against the biasing force of the spring 108, and the strike collar 109
distance from. Once this happens, the portion of the photosensitive recording medium 50 downstream of the fixed roller 56 is maintained in a tensioned state by the spring 108. Also, at this time, on the upstream side of the fixed roller 56 of the photosensitive recording medium 50, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is pulled out from the cart rerun 51 as the exposure table 52 descends, and a hack is applied to the roll shaft in the cart rerun 51. A state of tension is maintained by tension.

When the exposure table 52 or positioning device 31 is in close contact with the lamp 4
2 is turned on, and the exposure device 41 performs scanning exposure in the direction of arrow A in order to expose the photosensitive recording medium 50 to light through the red filter 44R and the mask original plate 15R. 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 exposure device 41
The filter unit 44 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and a green filter 44G is positioned above the lamp 42.

After the exposure is completed, the exposure table 52 rises, and the slack in the photosensitive recording medium 50 that occurs downstream of the fixed roller 56 is absorbed by moving it in the E direction in the figure by the biasing force of the buffer roller 101 or the spring 108. Ru. Furthermore, at this time,
A hack tension is applied to the photosensitive recording medium 50 at the roll rotation center so that the photosensitive recording medium 50 is rewound by a cart rerun 51 in a direction to take up the slack that occurs on the upstream side of the fixed roller 56 of the photosensitive recording medium 50. The predetermined tension may be approximately 2 kgf for a photosensitive recording medium 50 having a width of 2238 mm.

In this way, even after the exposure of the red mask original 15R is completed, the exposure table 52 only rises to a predetermined position, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is transferred to the fixed roller pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52. 56, it remains fixed to the exposure table 52.

Next, the green mask original plate 15G created by the monochrome laser printer 1, the ADF tray 12, the AD
When passing through the F paper feed roller 13, recurler roller 91, and mask original transport path 21, and coming just before the roller pair 24, move the roller pair 22, 2425.27, the roller pair 3233 of the positioning device 31, or the mask original 15R to the right. The mask original 15R is sent out from the alignment device 31, and at the same time, the mask original 15G is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the games h28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by solid lines, and the exposed mask original 15R is sandwiched between the pair of rollers 27, and the rotation of the pair of rollers 27 is stopped with the rear end passing through the gate 29. It is maintained by this.

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 brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50 by lowering the exposure table 52. I am made to do so. At this time, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is maintained in a tensioned state by the buffer device 55 and the cartridge 51, as in the case of the mask original 15R. 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 exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position while controlling the tension of the photosensitive recording medium 50, as in the case of the mask original 15R described above. The exposure device 41 is moved back to the original position, and the filter is moved so that the blue filter 44B is positioned above the lamp 42. 44.

Next, the blue mask original 15B created by the monochrome laser printer 1 is similarly fed to the color image recording device 20, and transported just before the roller pair 24. Positioning device 3
The pair of rollers 3233 of 1 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original 15G to the right, and the mask original 15G is sent out from the alignment device 31 and the mask original 15B is rotated.
is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, Gate 28
is located at the position indicated by the solid line, and the gate 29 is located at the position indicated by the broken line, and the exposed mask master 15G is sandwiched between the pair of rollers 26 and the rotation of the pair of rollers 26 is stopped when the rear end has passed the gate 29. It is maintained by letting

The mask original 15B guided by the alignment device 31 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.

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

Next, the exposure table 52 is raised to the initial position, the fixed roller 56 and the left end of the exposure table 52 are separated, and the buffer device 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow E.
An unexposed portion of the photosensitive recording medium 50 is pulled out from within the cartridge 51 below the exposure table 52. The drive roller 57 transports the photosensitive recording medium 50 and stops the photosensitive recording medium 50 when it reaches the leading edge of the latent image or the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 .

Thereafter, the stepping motor 105 is driven to drive the buffer roller 101 in the direction of the arrow E in FIG. It is located at the position indicated by the solid line in the figure.

By moving the buffer roller 101, the exposure stage 5
An unexposed photosensitive recording medium 5o is located in the second portion, and preparation for exposure of the second sheet is completed.

When exposing the second color image, first,
The mask original plate 15B at the exposure position is sent out to the left,
The mask original plate 15R is held at the position of the roller pair 27.
A pair of rollers 24 .
22.25.27 and the roller pair 32 of the alignment device 31
．． 3.3 is rotated so as to convey the mask original 15R to the left. At this time, the cage 2829 is located at the position indicated by the solid line. The mask original 15B is held between the pair of rollers 24, and is held by stopping the rotation of the pair of rollers 24 at a position past the rear end of the cage 28. Positioning device 31
The mask original plate 15R sent to the photosensitive recording medium 50 is aligned and brought into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium 50. Photosensitive recording medium 5
0 is exposed to red light through the mask original plate 15R.

Next, the mask original 15R at the exposure position is sent to the left, and the mask original 15G held by 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 masking original 15G to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by broken lines. Mask original plate 15R has roller pair 23
The roller pair 23 is held by stopping the rotation of the roller pair 23 at a position past the rear end of the gate 28.

The mask original 15G 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 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, and the two are placed on the photosensitive recording medium 50. A latent image of the second color image is formed.

On the other hand, the photosensitive recording medium 50, which is accommodated on the buffer device 55 and on which the latent image of the first color image has been formed, is developed in parallel with the exposure of the second sheet.

That is, when exposure of the second sheet is started, the drive roller 57 is driven again, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is conveyed.

In synchronization with the movement of the photosensitive recording medium 50, the developer sheet 60 is fed out from the cassette 61 by a suction cup 62, and reaches a position corresponding to the tip of the developer sheet 60 at the tip of the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium 50. transported.

Next, the pressure developing device 70 is driven by a drive device (not shown).
The pressure roller 71 is not rotated in the direction of the arrow, but is pressed against it. At this time, since the second sheet is being exposed on the exposure table 52 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. Therefore, the stepping motor 105 is rotationally driven in synchronization with the rotation of the drive roller 57, the buffer roller 101 is moved in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 1, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 conveyed by the drive roller 57 is supplied. At this time, in order to apply pack tension to the upstream side of the fixed roller 56 of the photosensitive recording medium 50 by the biasing force of the spring 108, the arm 106 or the stopper 10
control device 110 so as to be held spaced apart from 9;
The rotational speed of the stepping motor 105 is controlled by.

Further, the color developer cartridge 60 is peeled off from the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a separation roller 64, and the color developer cartridge 60 is peeled off from the photosensitive recording medium 50 by a separation roller 64.
You will be guided in the direction of

In the heat fixing device 80, the color developer sheet 60 is heated by a heater 81 and heated by air circulating in a casing 83 by an impeller 82, thereby promoting color development of a color image. At the same time, the binder polymer (binder resin) for fixing the color developing medium to the base paper of the color developer cartridge 60 is thermally melted, and the surface becomes smooth, and the surface of the color developer cartridge 60 has a moderate gloss. can get. The color developer sheet 60 that has been subjected to color development and gloss processing is discharged to a paper discharge tray 63, and a first color image is output.

During the above-described series of development and color gloss processing, the exposure table 52
In some cases, the exposure of the second sheet is completed, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is stored in the buffer device 55 again.

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 onto the paper discharge tray 30 from the roller pair 27 or the roller pair 2G.

Also, if the next mask master plate 15 or monochrome laser printer 1 is output while a series of color images are being exposed, the ADF hray 12 will be stored and the exposure process for the previous set will be completed. Then, the ADF paper feed roller 13 feeds the paper sheets one by one into the color image recording apparatus 20.

Furthermore, when reusing a mask original output from another monochrome laser printer or a previously used mask original, the mask original can be input by setting it on the ADF hray 12.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the buffer device 55 according to the present invention. Here, reference numeral 201 in the figure indicates a buffalo roller, and both ends of the buffalo roller 201 are fixed with support members 202, 202. Also,
This support member 202 is a timing belt 203, 203
Fixed. This timing held 203203
are pulleys 204, 204. ..., and this pair of pulleys 204, 204 are connected to the DC motor 2.
It is connected to 05. Note that this DC motor 205 is supported and fixed on a support stand 206. Furthermore, an encoder 207 is provided on the opposite side of the rotating shaft 205a of the DC motor 205 from the pulley 204. A sensor 208 is provided near the encoder 207 to detect the rotation speed of the encoder 207.

The DC motor 205 and the sensor 208 are connected to a motor driver 209, and the motor driver 209 controls a constant current to maintain the position according to the count number of the encoder 207 and the DC motor 205 at a constant torque. Control takes place. Further, a control device 210 is connected to the motor driver 209, and the control device 210 controls the DC motor 205 via the motor driver 209 so as to apply a predetermined tension to the photosensitive recording medium 50. As a result, it is possible to expect the same actions and effects as in the first embodiment.

〔Effect of the invention〕

By configuring the present invention as described above, the tension applied to the photosensitive recording medium can be controlled by the buffer device, and the overall size of the apparatus can be reduced. In addition, there are effects such as being able to reduce costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a buffer device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a buffer device according to another embodiment. 41... Exposure device, 50... Photosensitive recording medium, 55... Buffer device, 101.201... Buffer roller, 105... Stepping motor (drive device) 110.210... Control device, 205 ...DC motor (drive device).

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image recording apparatus comprising an exposure device that exposes a photosensitive recording medium, and a buffer device that temporarily stores the photosensitive recording medium exposed by the exposure device before a developing device, the buffer device is configured such that the photosensitive recording medium is It has a buffalo roller to be brought into contact, a drive device for driving the buffalo roller, and a control device for controlling the drive of the drive device, and the control device controls the tension of the photosensitive recording medium. image recording device.