JPH0486823A - image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To equal the densities of output images in spite of the use of microcapsule paper varying in thickness by mating the thinner recording paper when a photosensitive recording medium is thick in a pressure developing means and mating the thicker recording paper when the recording medium is thin, thereby maintaining always the specified thickness over the entire part. CONSTITUTION:Bar codes are printed at the front end of the microcapsule paper 12 and the kind of the paper 12 is discriminated by an optical reader. The thicker color developing paper 41 is selected by a control section in the case of the thinner paper 12. One sheet of the color developing paper 41 is taken out by a paper feed mechanism 43 in accordance with a driving signal and is transported to a pressure developing device 22. The capsule coated surface and the color developer coated surface are thereby mated and are pressurized by a large-diameter roll 22a and a back up roll 22b, by which the latent image on the microcapsule paper is transferred onto the color developing paper 41. On the other hand, one sheet of the thinner color developing paper 28 is taken out by a paper feeding mechanism 30 and is mated with the paper 12 and is pressurized when the thick microcapsule paper 12 is loaded. The pressure to be applied to the capsules is the same even if the microcapsule paper 12 is either kind and, therefore, the densities of the images to be outputted to the color developing paper 28, 41 are the same.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that performs pressure development by combining a photosensitive recording medium on which a latent image has been formed by exposure to light and a recording paper coated with a color developer. Regarding.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as an image forming device, microcapsule paper (photosensitive recording medium) is used, which carries microcapsules in which a dye precursor is encapsulated and whose mechanical strength changes in response to light, and which is exposed to light according to image information. After the granular developer toner selected by the user was brought into close contact with the electrostatically coated recording paper, the microcapsules with lower mechanical strength on the microcapsule paper were destroyed by pressure development, and this destruction caused the toner to flow out. It is known to form an image on the recording paper by reacting with a dye precursor.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the microcapsule paper proposed in Jikai No. 58-88739, etc., as a result of improvements in its sensitivity, etc., different types of microcapsule paper may coexist on the market. became. Among these different types of microcapsule paper, there are differences in the thickness of each base film, differences in the amount of microcapsules applied, presence or absence of an aluminum film deposited, and the thickness of the aluminum film. Due to the difference in thickness, microcapsule paper has different thicknesses as a whole.

Here, the pressurizing force σ by the pressurizing roll is expressed as follows: thickness of the pressurized object is H1, heavy load is P10-le equivalent radius is ρ, Young's modulus of the pressurized object is E1, Poisson's ratio of the pressurized object is It is known that if ν, it can be expressed as 2 E. As is clear from this, the pressing force σ changes depending on the thickness H of the object to be pressed. Microcapsules are destroyed depending on the amount of exposure, that is, the degree of curing and the pressure applied, so even if the latent image is on microcapsule paper exposed in the same way, it will be output on developer paper if the applied pressure is different. The density etc. of the image will be different.

If the thickness of the color developer paper is always constant, the density of the output image will be different when microcapsule papers of different types are pressure developed using the same pressure roll type pressure developing device.

In order to avoid this drawback and equalize the pressure applied by the pressure developing device even if different types of microcapsule paper are used,
An image forming apparatus in which the load applied to the pressure roll of the pressure developing device was variable was also considered, but the apparatus was complicated and large-scale and was not practical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the density of output images is the same even when different types of microcapsule papers with different thicknesses are used.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve such an object, in the present invention, when one type of photosensitive recording medium is loaded from among a plurality of types of photosensitive recording media having different thicknesses, the type of this photosensitive recording medium is determined. a plurality of types of recording paper having different thicknesses corresponding to the plurality of types of photosensitive recording media; a paper feeding means for taking out one type of recording paper from among the plurality of types of recording paper; a pressure developing means for stacking and developing under pressure the exposed recording paper and the photosensitive recording medium on which a latent image has been formed; and a type of recording paper corresponding to the type of the photosensitive recording medium discriminated by the discriminating means. The present invention is configured to include a control section that controls the paper feeding means.

[Effect]

For example, when there are two types of photosensitive recording media, one thick and one thin, two types of recording paper, one thin and one thick, are prepared. Therefore, when a thinner type of photosensitive recording medium is loaded,
Based on a drive signal from the control section, a sheet of thicker recording paper is taken out by the sheet feeding means and conveyed to the pressure developing means.

On the other hand, when a thicker type of photosensitive recording medium is loaded, a sheet of thinner recording paper is taken out by the paper feeding means and conveyed to the pressure developing means based on a drive signal from the control section. In this way, in the pressure developing means, when the photosensitive recording medium is thick, the thinner recording paper is combined, and when the photosensitive recording medium is thin, the thicker recording paper is combined, so the overall total of the photosensitive recording medium and the recording paper is The thickness is always constant. Therefore, regardless of the type of photosensitive recording medium (two types in this case), the pressure applied to the photosensitive recording medium is determined by the fact that the overall thickness is approximately equal.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, an original platen glass 2 and an original platen cover 3 are provided on the top plate of the image forming apparatus 1, and a desired original 4 is set face down on the original platen glass 2. Ru. A light source using a halogen lamp 5 or the like is disposed at the top of the image forming apparatus 1, and irradiates light in a line toward the document table glass 2 through a slit provided on the upper surface of the apparatus.
Light emitted from the halogen lamp 5 is transmitted through the transparent document table glass 2 and reflected from the document 4 placed thereon. The light reflected from the original 4 is reflected by a reflecting mirror 8.9a,
The light is directed by a group of reflective mirrors 9b, passes through a filter 6 for adjusting the color tone of the formed image, and enters a projection lens 7. The light projected by this lens 7 is then diverted by a reflective mirror 10. An image is formed on a photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium (hereinafter referred to as microcapsule paper) 12 located along an exposure table 11.

The movements of the reflecting mirrors 8, 9a, 9b, lens 7, and /h halogen lamp will be explained. If the transport speed of the microcapsule paper 12 is ■, and the projection magnification is m, then the moving speed of the mirror group of the halogen lamp 5 and the reflection mirror 8 is (l/'m).
XV, the moving speed of the reflecting mirror 9a9b is (1/2 m) x
By setting the value v, it becomes possible to expose the image on the original 4 onto the microcapsule paper 12. reflective mirror 8,
The reflecting mirrors 9a, 9b and the Haloken lamp 5 are attached to a member that is slidable about the shaft 13.

On the other hand, the long microcapsule paper 12 is wound around a cartridge shaft 14 and housed in a cartridge 15 that can be removed from the machine body, and a magazine is used to load the cartridge 15 into a desired position in the machine body. There are 16 available. In the magazine 16, a roll 17a17b is used to sandwich a leader tape pasted to the tip of the microcapsule paper 12 only during initial paper feeding, and to send the microcapsule paper 12 to a predetermined conveyance path inside the machine.
The microcapsule paper 12 sent out from the cartridge 15 is guided by a tension roll 19, passes above the exposure table 11, passes through openable and closable drive rolls 2Qa and 20b, and is transferred to a dancer roll 21. The microcapsule paper 12, whose slack has been adjusted by the dancer roll 21, passes through the pressure developing device 22 and the separation roll 23, reaches the winding shaft 24, and is pressed by the presser member 25. This microcapsule paper 1 is attached to the leader tape attached to the capsule paper 12.
A bar code indicating the type of thickness (thick and thin in this embodiment) of 2 is printed, and an optical reading device 61 (discriminating means) provided on the presser member 25 reads the thickness. ＼-Distinguish the type by projecting light onto the coat. In addition,
After leaving the cartridge 15, the unexposed microcapsule paper 12 is maintained in an unexposed state by a light shielding cover.

Further, the conveyance speed of the microcapsule paper 12 is controlled by a drive roll 20 on the upstream side of the dancer roll 21.
On the downstream side, it is controlled by a pressure fixing device 22 and a separation roll 23. The feeding speed of the drive roll 20 is synchronized with the moving speed of the halogen lamp 5, lens 7, and mirror groups 8.9a and 9b as described above. Therefore, as the halogen lamp 5, lens 7, and mirror groups 8, 9a, and 9b move to scan the original 4, a latent image of a predetermined run of the original 4 is formed on the microcapsule paper 12 as it passes through the exposure table 11. Formed sequentially.

Below the pressure developing device 22, two types of recording paper (hereinafter referred to as developer paper) 28.
Paper feed cassettes 29.42 containing paper sheets 41 are provided in upper and lower stages, and a suction cup-like paper feed mechanism 30.43 that sucks paper using negative pressure suction is provided in each paper feed cassette 29.43. It is set up. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, whether the type of microcapsule paper 12 is determined by the optical reading device 61 or whether this result is
is output as a signal. From the control unit 62 to the drive circuit 63
．． A drive signal is output to one of the paper feed mechanisms 64, and a drive current is passed to the corresponding paper feed mechanism 30.43, thereby driving one of the paper feed mechanisms 30.43.

Either one of the color developing papers 28.41 is taken out one by one by one of the corresponding paper feeding mechanisms 30.43,
Corresponding feed rolls 31a, 31b or feed roll 4
4a and 44b, and is carried into the pressure developing device 22. The pressure developing device 22 is a microcapsule paper 12.
When the beginning of the portion where the latent image is formed comes, nipping is performed together with the developer paper 28.

In this way, the microcapsule-coated surface of the microcapsule paper 12 on which the latent image has been formed and the developer-coated surface of the color developer paper 28 are brought into contact with each other on the inside, and the large-diameter roll 22
a and the backup port 22b, and pressure is applied. This pressure destroys the unexposed microcapsules and forms an image on the developer paper 28. The microcapsule paper 12 and the color developer paper 28 discharged from the pressure developing device 22 are separated by a separation roll 23. Thereafter, the color developing paper 12 on which an image has been formed by promoting color development by the heat fixing device 32 is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 33 by a paper discharge roll 32b. The separated microcapsule paper 12 is passed through a separation roll 23 and wound onto a winding shaft 24.

Here, the microcapsule paper 12 is as shown in FIG.
An aluminum film 46 is deposited on one side of the base film 45 to increase exposure efficiency, and photocurable microcapsules 47 are coated on the other side of the base film 45, and these microcapsules 47 will be described later. A dye 49 that develops color with a color developer 48 is enclosed. As described above, this microcapsule paper 12 has a total thickness due to differences in the thickness of the base film 45, differences in the size of the applied microcapsules 47, and differences in the thickness of the aluminum film 46 deposited. There are different types.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a base film 50, a thin aluminum film 51, microcapsules 52, and small microcapsule paper 53.
It is thinner as a whole compared to .

By the way, the color developer paper 2 stored in the paper feed cassette 29
8, as shown in FIG. 3, one side of the base paper 54 is coated with a color developer 48. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the color developer paper 41 stored in the paper feed cassette 42 has a thick base paper 55, and is thicker than the color developer paper 12 as a whole.

Here, the operation will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. A bar code is printed on the leader tape attached to the tip of the microcapsule paper 12.53, and the magazine 16 is loaded (step S).
. The optical reader 61 reads the information written in the barcode and determines the type of microcapsule paper 12.53 (step S2). When the microcapsule paper 12 is of the thinner type, the controller 61 selects the thicker color developing paper 41 (step S3). Control unit 6
Step S of taking out one sheet of the thicker color developing paper 41 shown in FIG.
4), and transported to the pressure developing device 22. As shown in FIG. 6, the coated surface of microcapsules 52 on which a latent image has been formed by exposure to light on microcapsule paper 53 and the developer 4 on developer paper 41 are shown.
8 application surfaces together and pressurized by large diameter roll 22a and backup roll 22b. Microcapsule 5
2 is destroyed depending on the amount of exposure, that is, the degree of curing and the pressure applied, and the encapsulated dye or color developer 4
The latent image on the microcapsule paper 53 is transferred onto the color developing paper 41.

On the other hand, when the thicker type of microcapsule paper 12 is loaded, one sheet of the thinner color developer paper 28 shown in FIG. It is transported to the device 22.

Therefore, the microcapsule paper 12 and the color developer paper 28 are combined and pressurized by the large-diameter roll 22a and the backup roll 22b, but when the microcapsule paper 12 is thick, the thinner color developer paper 28 is combined to reduce the total thickness. h
1, and when the microcapsule paper 53 is thin, the thick developer paper 41 is added to give the total thickness, and the total thickness h of the microcapsule paper 12.53 and the color developer paper 28.41 is made equal to h2. . Therefore, regardless of the type of microcapsule paper 12.53, the pressure applied to the microcapsules 47.52 is the same since the overall thicknesses h1 and h2 are approximately equal. Therefore, microcapsule paper 1
Regardless of the type of color developer paper 28°41, the density of the image is the same.

In the above embodiment, two types of microcapsule paper, one thick and one thin, were described, but if the microcapsule paper has several thicknesses, the color developer paper may be used accordingly. There are several types of paper feed cassettes, each of which is stored in a plurality of paper feed cassettes.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a plurality of types of recording paper having different thicknesses are used depending on a plurality of types of photosensitive recording media, and one type of recording paper is most suitable for one type of photosensitive recording medium. When I took out the photosensitive recording medium and this recording paper, I made it so that the overall thickness would be constant.
Even if the type of photosensitive recording medium is different, the pressure applied to the photosensitive recording medium by the pressure developing device is the same, and the density of the image output on the recording paper is the same.

2.53...Microcapsule paper, 8.41 ・Developer paper, 2 (22a, 22b) ・ 0.43...Paper feeding mechanism, 1... optical reading device, 2...Control unit.

pressure developing device,

Claims (1)

[Claims] When one type of photosensitive recording medium is loaded from a plurality of types of photosensitive recording media having different thicknesses, a discriminating means for discriminating the type of the photosensitive recording medium, and a discriminating means corresponding to the plurality of types of photosensitive recording media are provided. A plurality of types of recording paper having different thicknesses, a paper feeding means for taking out one type of recording paper from among the plurality of types of recording paper, and a photosensitive recording medium on which a latent image is formed by exposing the taken out recording paper to light. and a control unit that controls the paper feeding unit to take out a type of recording paper corresponding to the type of photosensitive recording medium determined by the determining unit. An image forming apparatus characterized by: