JPH0456943A - image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain miniaturization by generating a mask original edition by inverting a desired image in right and left directions by a mask original edition generator, and forming an image on a photosensitive recording medium by irradiating the mask original edition with light from the print plane of the mask original edition. CONSTITUTION:The mask original edition 15 generated by a monochromatic laser printer 1 in a state where the desired image is inverted in right and left directions is sent from a link carrier path 103 to an aligning device 31 in a color image device 20 as it is, and it is carried to a correspondent exposing position by the aligning device 31. Thence, after the mask original edition 15 is adhered on the photosensitive recording medium 50 by descending an exposure board 52, the lamp 42 of an exposure device 41 is lit, and the image can be formed on the photosensitive recording medium 50 by irradiating the mask original edition 15 with the light from the print plane of the mask original edition 15. Thereby, it is possible to omit a mechanism for the inversion of the mask original edition, and to attain the miniaturization as an image processing device.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is a method of forming an image on a photosensitive recording medium by contact exposure of a photosensitive recording medium and a mask original created by a mask original creating device based on color image information. The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus configured to form images.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as the above-mentioned image recording apparatus, one shown in FIG. 2 is generally known.

That is, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a monochrome laser printer 1 as a mask original production device and a color image recording device 20 combined and arranged.

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

A positioning device 31 is located at the bottom of the main body of the color image recording device 20, and between the automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 12 located at the top of the device and the positioning device 31,
They are connected by a mask original transport path 21. A pair of rollers 2 whose rotation direction can be controlled are provided on both the left and right sides of the positioning device 31.
2,24°25.26.27 are arranged.

An exposure device 41 is located below the alignment device 31.
An exposure table 52 is arranged above.

The exposure device 41 is movable in the left-right direction along the alignment device 31, and includes a linear white light source (hereinafter referred to as a lamp) 42, a reflection plate 43 that reflects light from the lamp 42, and the like. The exposure table 52 can be moved up and down by a cam 53.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 passes from inside the cartridge 51 between the positioning device 31 and the exposure table 52, and then passes through the take-up roller 5.
It has been extended to 4. 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.

Next, the steps up to exposing the image of the mask original 15 onto the photosensitive recording medium 50 will be explained.

First, a mask original 15 is created by the printer 1 .

At this time, the mask original 15 output from the printer 1 is
ADF paper feed roller 13 feeds the paper into the color image recording device 20 . ADF)
The paper sent to the tray 12 is taken into the color image recording device 20 one by one by the ADF paper feed roller 13.
It is used as the mask original plate 15 of the blank image recording device 20.

Max original plate 15 fed into color image recording device 20
passes through the mask original transport path 21 and is sent to the positioning device 31 by roller pairs 24 and 22.

Next, the alignment device 31 transports the mask original 15 to an appropriate exposure position by a roller pair 32, and then the exposure table 52 is lowered by a cam 53 and comes into contact with the alignment device 31, and the mask original 15 and the photosensitive recording The medium 50 is brought into close contact with the medium 50.

When the exposure table 52 comes into close contact with the alignment device 31, 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 with light through the MAx original 15. When this exposure is completed, the lamp 42 is turned off and the exposure device 41 moves back in the direction of arrow B.

Through the above operations, an image is recorded on the photosensitive recording medium 50.

After this process is completed, the color developer sheet 60 is superimposed on the exposed surface of the photosensitive recording medium 50, pressure developed, and the color developer sheet 60 is output.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in response to the recent demand for miniaturization of image recording devices mainly used as office equipment, in the above conventional example, the mask master 15 produced and output by the monochrome laser printer (mask master production device) 1 is Since an image was formed on the photosensitive recording medium 50 by irradiating light from the lamp 42 of the exposure device 41 from the side opposite to the printing surface, the mask original plate 15 was
It was necessary to turn the front and back sides of the For this reason, it is necessary to provide a mechanism such as an ADF for inverting the mask original 15, which makes it difficult to downsize the image forming apparatus. That is, if the mask original plate 15 is not reversed, a horizontally reversed image will be output on the color developer paper sheet 60.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus that can be miniaturized by omitting a mechanism for inverting a mask original.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve this object, the image recording apparatus of the present invention exposes the photosensitive recording medium by exposing the photosensitive recording medium with an exposure device while bringing the mask original created by the mask original creation device and the photosensitive recording medium into close contact with each other based on color image information. In an image recording device configured to form an image on a surface, a mask original plate is created by printing a desired image horizontally inverted by the mask original plate making device, and light is irradiated onto the mask original plate from the printed surface of the mask original plate. An image is formed on a photosensitive recording medium using a photosensitive recording medium.

[Effect]

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration, a mask original plate is created by horizontally inverting a desired image using a mask original plate creation device, and light is irradiated onto the mask original plate from the printed surface of the mask original plate to expose it. By forming an image on a recording medium, there is no need to turn the mask original upside down, and thereby a mechanism for reversing the mask original can be omitted and a fractional version can be achieved.

〔Example〕

An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a monochrome laser printer 1 and a color image recording device 20, which serve as a mask original production device, combined and arranged.

First, the monochrome laser printer 1 is mounted on top of the color image recording device 20. In this monochrome laser printer 1, an electrostatic latent image is drawn on a photoconductor 3 by irradiating laser light with a polygon scanner 2, and the photoconductor 3 on which this electrostatic latent image is formed is transferred to a developing device 4. Plain paper or OH developed with
A toner image is transferred onto the P sheet and fixed by a fixing device 6, and the monochrome laser printer 1 records data transmitted from the host computer and outputs a desired output image as a horizontally reversed image. This horizontal reversal of the output image can usually be performed by software of the printer or data conversion by the host computer.

The paper output from this monochrome laser printer 1 is then directly sent to the color image recording device 2 as a set of 3 sheets.
0, and the original mask 15 (15R, 15G) of the color image recording device 20.

15B).

That is, the distance between the exit of the monochrome laser printer 1 and the entrance of the mask original transport path 21 of the color image recording device 20 is 1/4.
They are directly connected by an arc-shaped connecting conveyance path 103.

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 the alignment device 31 and the connecting conveyance path 103 are connected by a mask original conveyance path 21.

On both the left and right sides of the alignment device 31, there are roller pairs 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 whose rotation direction can be controlled.
Gates 28 and 29 and a mask original storage section 102 are arranged. In the middle of the mask original transport path 21, a pair of glue curler rollers 101 is arranged to remove curls from the mask original 15 discharged from the monochrome laser printer 1. Further, a mask original discharge tray 30 for discharging the used mask original 15 is arranged outside the roller pair 26, 27.

The alignment device 31 includes a sensor (not shown),
It mainly consists of pairs of rollers 32 and 33 placed near both left and right ends, and a glass plate 34 placed between them.

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. This exposure device 41 includes a linear white light source (hereinafter referred to as a lamp) 4.
2. The filter unit 44 mainly includes a reflector 43 that reflects the light from the lamp 42, 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. 62143044.
The main material is a photocurable resin using a photopolymerization initiator known in the publication, and the photocurable resin is cured by light of each wavelength of red, green, and blue, and cyan, magenta, and yellow. These are either microcapsules containing each of the dye precursors or coated onto a base sheet.

The photosensitive recording medium 50 is housed in a cartridge 51 so as not to be exposed to light. This photosensitive recording medium 50 is
It passes from inside the cartridge 51 between the glass plate 34 and the exposure table 52, passes through a buffer 55, a pressure developing device 70, a separation roller 64, and a drive roller 57, and is routed to the take-up roller 54. 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 pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 when the exposure table 52 has been lowered to a predetermined position, and is configured to fix the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52 during exposure of the mask original 15. It is located in

The color developer sheet 60 is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-88739.
It is constructed by applying the color developer shown in the above publication onto a base paper, and is set in a cassette 61 with the developer coated side facing downward. A suction cup 62 for feeding the color developer sheets 60 one by one is arranged at the top of the cassette 61.

The pressure developing device 70 is mainly composed of a photosensitive recording medium 50 on which a latent image is 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 constructed between a casing 83 containing a heater 81 and an impeller 82 in the upper part, rubber rollers 84, 85, 86 for conveying the color developer sheet 60 in the lower part, and rollers 87 and 88. It mainly consists of an endless belt 89, and on the outside of this heat fixing device 80,
A paper output tray 63 is attached.

As a result, the mask original 15 created by the monochrome laser printer 1 with the desired image horizontally reversed as described above is sent as it is from the connecting conveyance path 103 to the alignment device 31 in the color image device 20. This positioning device 31 transports it to an appropriate exposure position.

Then, after lowering the exposure table 52 and bringing the mask original 15 and the photosensitive recording medium 50 into close contact, the lamp 42 of the exposure device 40 is turned on to irradiate light from the printed surface of the mask original 15 to the mask original 15. An image is formed on the photosensitive recording medium 50 by using the photosensitive recording medium 50.

Next, mask original plates 15 (15R15G,
15B) will be described next.

First, the monochrome laser printer 1 creates a red mask original 15R by horizontally inverting a desired output image, and this mask original 15R is directly fed into the color image recording apparatus 20 from the connecting conveyance path 103. and,
Mask original plate 15 fed into color image recording device 20
R passes through the mask original transport path 21 and passes through the roller pair 24.22.
It is sent to the alignment device 31 by. 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 in the position shown by the solid line.

Next, the alignment device 31 transports the mask original 15R to an appropriate exposure position by the pair of rollers 32, and then uses a sensor to read the alignment mark printed on the mask original 15R, and then uses a drive source (not shown) to move the mask original to a suitable exposure position. 1
Move 5R to the specified position.

Immediately before alignment, the exposure table 52 is lowered to a predetermined position by the cam 53, and the fixed roller 56 is pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52 to fix the photosensitive recording medium 50 to the exposure table 52. After the alignment is completed, the exposure table 52
3, the mask original plate 15R and the photosensitive recording medium 50 are further lowered to contact the glass plate 34 of the alignment device 31.
and bring them into close contact.

When the exposure table 52 comes into close contact with the alignment device 31, 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 by irradiating red light from the printed surface of the mask original plate 15R via 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,
A filter unit 44 of the exposure device 41 is moved by a drive source (not shown), and a green filter 44G is positioned above the lamp 42.

While the exposure device 41 moves backward, the exposure table 52 is raised by the rotation of the cam 53, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is separated from the alignment device 31 and the mask original 15R. At this time, pack tension is applied to the photosensitive recording medium 50 at the center of roll rotation of the photosensitive recording medium 50 in the cartridge 51, and when the exposure table 52 is lowered, a length corresponding to the amount of descent of the exposure table 52 is applied. When the photosensitive recording medium 50 is pulled out from the storage cartridge 51 and the exposure table 52 is raised after exposure, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is rewound in a direction to take up the slack.

Even after the exposure is completed by the red mask master plate 15R, the exposure table 52 only rises to a predetermined position, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is moved to the exposure table 52 by a fixed roller 56 pressed against the left end of the exposure table 52. remains fixed.

Next, a green mask original 15G is created by horizontally inverting the desired output image using the monochrome laser printer 1. When the roller pairs 22, 24, 25, 27 and the roller pair 32, 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original 15R to the right, the mask original 15R is rotated to the right.
At the same time as the original mask 15G is sent out from the alignment device 31, the original mask 15G is transported to the exposure position and stopped.

At this time, gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions indicated by solid lines,
The exposed mask master plate 15R is held between a pair of rollers 27,
The roller pair 27 is held in a state where its rear end has passed through the gate 29 by stopping the rotation of the roller pair 27.

The mask original 15G guided to the alignment device 31 is aligned with the photosensitive recording medium 50, as in the case of the mask original 15R, and then the exposure table 52 is lowered 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 exposure table 52 is raised to a predetermined position. Exposure device 41
moves the filter unit 44 so that it is returned to its original position and the blue filter 44B is positioned above the lamp 42.

Next, a mask original plate 15B for blue is created by horizontally inverting the desired output image using the monochrome laser printer 1, and this mask original plate 15B is fed to the color image recording device from the connecting conveyance path 103, and is transferred to the roller pair 24. In the state where the mask original plate 15G is conveyed immediately before, the roller pairs 24.22, 25.26 and the roller pair 32.33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated in the direction of conveying the mask original plate 15G to the right. While sending it out from the alignment device 31,
The mask original 15B is transported to the exposure position and stopped. At this time, the gate 28 is located at the position shown by the solid line, the gate 29 is located at the position shown by the broken line, and the mask original 15G after exposure is
It is held by stopping the rotation of the roller pair 27 while being held between the roller pair 26 and with its rear end passing through the gate 29.

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 then exposed to blue light through the mask original 1'5B.

Through 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 from each other, and the buffer 55 is moved in the direction of the arrow E to remove the unexposed portions of the photosensitive recording medium 50. is ejected from 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 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,
After being conveyed to a position where the leading edge of the color developer sheet 60 corresponds to the leading edge of the photosensitive recording medium 50, it is stopped.

Next, the pressure roller 71 of the pressure developing device 70 is pressed against the roller 71 while being rotated in the direction of the arrow by a drive device (not shown). At this time, by lowering the exposure table 52 to a predetermined position again, the fixed roller 5 is attached to the left end of the exposure table 52.
6 is pressed, and the photosensitive recording medium 50 is fixed to the exposure table 52.

On the other hand, the photosensitive recording medium 50 is overlapped with the color developer sheet 60 and is fed under pressure, and the uncured microcapsules on the photosensitive recording medium 50 are destroyed by the pressure and a latent image is formed on the photosensitive recording medium 50. Color image corresponding to color developer sheet 6
0 is developed.

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 the separation roller 64, and is also transferred to the heat fixing device 8.
You will be guided in the direction of 0.

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. At the same time, the binder polymer (binder resin) for fixing the color developer medium to the base paper of the color developer paper sheet 60 is thermally melted, and the surface becomes smooth, giving the surface of the color developer sheet 60 an appropriate gloss. It will be done. 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 by the exposure table 52 and the fixed roller 56. Exposure processing of the latent image of the next color image can be performed.

When exposing the second color image, first, the mask original 15B at the exposure position is sent out to the left, and the roller pair 2
In order to send the mask original 15R held at position 7 to the alignment device 31, roller pairs 24, 22, 25 are used.
．． 27 and the pair of rollers 32 and 33 of the alignment device 31 are rotated so as to convey the mask original 15R to the left. At this time, the gates 28 and 29 are located at the positions shown by solid lines.

The mask original plate 15B is held between the roller pair 24 and the gate 2
At the position where the rear end passes through 8, the rotation of the pair of rollers 24 is stopped and 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 then exposed to red light through the original mask 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 sent to the alignment device 31 using the roller pair 22.
．． 23.25.26 and positioning device roller pair 32.3
3 is 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 a position where the rear end passes through the gate 28.

The mask original 15G sent to the alignment device 31 is
It is brought into close contact with the aligned photosensitive recording medium 50. The photosensitive recording medium 50 is then exposed to green light through the mask original 15G.

Next, the mask original 15G at the exposure position is sent 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 color is placed 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, it is possible to output a predetermined number of color images.

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.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, a mask original plate is created by printing a desired image by horizontally reversing it using a mask original plate making device, and light is applied to the mask original plate from the printed surface of the mask original plate. By irradiating the image with light to form an image on a photosensitive recording medium, there is no need to flip the mask master from front to back, and a mechanism for reversing the mask master can be omitted, thereby reducing the size of the image processing device. It has the effect of being able to

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a color image recording apparatus showing an embodiment embodying the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example. 1... Monochrome laser printer (mask original printing device), 15... Mask original plate, 20... Color image recording device, 31... Positioning device, 41... Exposure device,
44... Filter unit, 50... Photosensitive recording medium, 52... Exposure table, 60... Color developer sheet, 70...
...pressure developing device, ...thermal fixing device, connecting conveyance path.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image recording apparatus that forms an image on a photosensitive recording medium by exposing a photosensitive recording medium with an exposure device while bringing the mask original created by a mask original creation device based on color image information into close contact with the photosensitive recording medium, wherein the mask A mask original plate is created by printing a desired image horizontally inverted using an original plate making device, and an image is formed on a photosensitive recording medium by irradiating light onto the mask original plate from the printed surface of the mask original plate. Features of the image recording device.