JPH0990594A - Processing device for photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To process a photosensitive material by uniformly heating the material with a heat roller. SOLUTION: The heat roller 36 is provided with an outer cylinder 70 and an inner cylinder 72 arranged coaxially, and a hollow part 74 closed by a shaft end member 76 is formed. Water is enclosed in this hollow part 74 as a heating medium 34, and when the inner cylinder 72 is heated by turning on a halogen lamp 66, this heating medium 34 is heated and evaporated. The heating medium 34 evaporated at the hollow part 74 radiates heat on the outer cylinder side to heat the outer cylinder 70. The outer cylinder 70 is heated to be at a constant temp. over the whole area, and also the temp. lowering is restrained by the heating medium 34 when the temp. is partially lowered. In this way, a partial temp. lowering at the time when the heat roller 36 comes into contact with the photosensitive material, is prevented and an unevenness due to heat is hardly caused on the photosensitive material.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus which uses a heat roller when heating a photosensitive material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some processing apparatuses used for heat-development of a heat-developable photosensitive material use a heat roller as heat-development processing means. Specifically, the peripheral surface of the photothermographic material having a latent image is heated to a predetermined temperature and brought into contact with each other, thereby converting the latent image into a visible image.

In this case, since the photothermographic material is brought into direct contact with the heat roller, the thermal efficiency is much higher than that of other heating means such as warm air or infrared heater, and the development processing can be carried out in a short time. Has the advantage that it can be made compact.

When the peripheral surface of the heat roller heats the photothermographic material, the temperature of the peripheral surface of the heat roller is lowered by the photothermographic material. Further, when the heat roller has a long dimension along the axial direction, a temperature difference occurs between the central portion and both end portions along the axial direction. As a result, the temperature on the peripheral surface of the heat roller becomes uneven, and the photothermographic material that subsequently contacts the peripheral surface of the heat roller cannot be sufficiently heated. And so on. In particular, when a large-sized photothermographic material is heated, a difference in heating temperature occurs between the front end and the rear end of the photothermographic material, and the image density differs.

When the heat source of the heat roller is controlled so as to suppress the temperature decrease on the peripheral surface of the heat roller, the temperature rises conversely. Further, when the photothermographic material having a narrow width is passed through, the temperature rises on both sides in the axial direction of the heat roller which is not in contact with the photothermographic material. Further, it takes time to restore the temperature of the heat roller thus raised to the original level.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to use a heat roller that is efficiently heated without causing temperature unevenness on the outer peripheral surface thereof and prevents uneven heating when a photosensitive material is heated by the heat roller. It is an object of the present invention to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus capable of finishing a photosensitive material with good quality.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photosensitive material processing apparatus in which a heat roller which heats an outer peripheral surface to a predetermined temperature by controlling a heat generation amount of a heat source provided in an axial center portion. A photosensitive material processing device for heating a photosensitive material by bringing the photosensitive material into contact with the heat roller, wherein the heat source is arranged in an axial center portion and a hollow portion sealed between the heat source and the outer peripheral surface is provided. It is characterized by including the formed outer peripheral cylinder and a heat medium which is enclosed in the hollow portion and is vaporized by being heated by the heat source.

According to the present invention, the hollow portion is provided between the outer peripheral cylinder and the heat source, and the heat medium is enclosed in the hollow portion. The heat medium is heated and vaporized by a heat source to reach a saturated state, and thereafter,
Due to the temperature difference between the heat source side and the outer peripheral cylinder side, heat is radiated and vaporized repeatedly to circulate. That is, when the temperature of a part of the outer peripheral cylinder is lowered, the heat medium in contact with the lowered portion radiates heat to heat the outer peripheral cylinder, and the radiated heat medium is condensed and the pressure is reduced (volume decrease), A new heat medium flows in place of the heat medium that has radiated heat, and the heat medium is circulated.

By enclosing the heat medium in the hollow portion provided between the heat source and the outer peripheral cylinder, the outer periphery in contact with the vaporized heat medium can be heated so as to have a uniform temperature. When a temperature difference occurs, this temperature difference can be suppressed.

A second aspect of the present invention is the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the outer peripheral cylinder is provided between the outer cylinder and the outer cylinder coaxially arranged with the outer cylinder. It is characterized by a double structure including an inner cylinder forming a closed hollow portion.

According to the present invention, the double structure is formed by forming the hollow portion between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, and the heat from the heat source is transmitted to the substantially entire area of the inner surface of the outer cylinder via the heat medium. by this,
The entire outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder can be heated substantially uniformly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the hollow portion is long in the outer peripheral cylinder over both ends in the axial direction and is even along the circumferential direction. It is characterized in that a plurality of heat pipes are provided at intervals, and a heat pipe in which the heat medium is sealed is inserted and arranged in each hollow portion.

According to the present invention, by embedding the heat pipes in the outer peripheral cylinder at equal intervals, it is possible to suppress the temperature difference caused by the heat pipe along the axial direction of the outer peripheral cylinder, and the outer peripheral cylinder contacts the heat medium. Since it does not occur, corrosion of the outer peripheral cylinder due to the heat medium can be prevented.

Therefore, if the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention heat-develops a photothermographic material with a heat roller, the temperature change of the peripheral surface of the heat roller when the photothermographic material comes into contact with the heat roller is suppressed. You can As a result, of course, in the width direction of the photothermographic material,
It is possible to heat substantially uniformly from the front end to the rear end, and it is possible to prevent deterioration of the finished quality such as development unevenness when the photothermographic material is heat-developed.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a heat developing apparatus 10 using a heat roller of the present invention. The heat developing apparatus 10 has a structure in which an insertion opening 22 is formed in an upper portion of a casing 20 having a shape in which two boxes are vertically stacked. An insertion table 24 is provided in the insertion port 22 so as to project substantially horizontally from the lower peripheral edge, and further extends from the insertion port 22 into the casing 20. Material (hereinafter referred to as "photosensitive material 26")
Are placed on the upper surface of the insertion table 24 and fed into the casing 20.

The photosensitive material 26 which is heat-developed by the heat-developing apparatus 10 records an image by photothermography (photosensitive thermal image forming method). As an example, JP-A-3-
There are photosensitive / thermosensitive recording materials disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 87827 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-256959.

The light-sensitive and heat-sensitive recording materials disclosed in these publications contain a photocurable composition containing an electron-accepting and polymerizable vinyl monomer and a photopolymerization initiator, and an electron-donating colorless dye. Photosensitivity including microcapsules
A monosheet recording material having at least two heat-sensitive layers and an ultraviolet absorbing layer provided between the light-sensitive and heat-sensitive layers. This photosensitive / thermosensitive recording material is obtained by curing a photocurable composition containing an electron-accepting and photopolymerizable vinyl monomer and a photopolymerization initiator by imagewise exposure, and uniformly heating after imagewise exposure. Color is developed by contacting the electron-accepting monomer with the electron-donating colorless dye in the microcapsules in the uncured portion. In the cured part, the diffusion of the electron-accepting monomer is slowed down, the contact with the electron-donating colorless dye is prevented, and the color is not developed. At least 2 photosensitive / heat sensitive layers
By providing the layers and making the coloring hues of the respective layers different and the photosensitive wavelength regions of the respective layers different, images of different colors can be independently formed in the respective layers.

Specifically, the back layer is formed on one side of the support, and the yellow color forming layer, the magenta color forming layer, the cyan color forming layer and the protective layer are formed on the other side. The image formation is performed by using a UV light source (for example, a high-pressure mercury lamp), performing three-wavelength exposure with a UV bandpass filter, and then heating the entire surface at 60 ° C to 200 ° C.

The thermal developing device 10 is a Y (yellow) plate, M
Position each original film that has been color-separated into (magenta) plate, C (cyan) plate and BK (sumi) plate,
The photosensitive material 26 is sequentially exposed to form a latent image. Next, the heat developing device 10 heats the photosensitive material 26 to obtain a visible image. Note that such a process may be performed by, for example, inspecting the original film layout for any errors, whether the original film is laid out correctly, whether there is an error in color or characters, etc., before actual printing is performed using each color-separated original film. It is used for plate work, that is, for producing a color proof.

A heat roller 36 is disposed inside the heat developing device 10 (inside the casing 20), and the heat roller 36 has a substantially box-shaped heat shield plate with one surface open. It is surrounded by 28. A pair of guide plates 30 and 32 are arranged above the tip of the insertion table 24 inside the casing 20 and between the tip of the insertion table 24 and the heat roller 36.
The tip of the photosensitive material 26 inserted along the upper surface of the sheet 4 is guided toward the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36.

Around the heat roller 36, backup rollers 38, 4 contacting the outer peripheral surface of the heat roller 36.
0 and 42 are rotation directions of the heat roller 36 (direction of arrow A)
Are arranged in order at predetermined intervals. The backup roller 38 is provided near the upper surface of the guide plate 32, the backup roller 42 is provided below the heat roller 36, and the backup roller 40 is provided between the backup roller 38 and the backup roller 42.
The peripheral surfaces of the backup rollers 38 to 42 are the heat roller 3
The photosensitive material 26 is brought into contact with the peripheral surface of the heat roller 6, rotates integrally with the heat roller 36, and holds the photosensitive material 26 with the heat roller 36 with a predetermined holding force.

A motor 44 is provided in the casing 20.
The endless timing belt 50 is wound between the pulley 46 attached to the drive shaft 44A of the motor 44 and the pulleys 48 attached to the shaft ends of the backup rollers 38 to 42. Has been. As a result, the driving force of the motor 44 is transmitted to the backup rollers 38 to 42, the backup rollers 38 to 42 are rotationally driven in the direction of arrow B, and the heat rollers 36 are rotated by the rotation of the backup rollers 38 to 40. To do. An idle pulley 52 is provided between the pulley 48 of the backup roller 42 and the pulley 46 of the motor 44, and the timing belt 50
Therefore, the heat roller 36 and the backup rollers 38 to 42 are accurately rotated according to the driving force of the motor 44.

Photosensitive material 2 inserted in casing 20
6 is guided by the guide plates 30 and 32, is fed between the heat roller 36 and the backup roller 38, and is conveyed while being in contact with the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 by the backup rollers 38 to 42. In the thermal development device 10,
For example, the photosensitive material 26 is set to be conveyed at a preset constant speed of 10 to 100 mm / sec, but the conveying speed can be appropriately changed.

On the other hand, a turn guide 54 is provided between the backup roller 38 and the backup roller 40 and between the backup roller 40 and the backup roller 42. The turn guide 54 is laid over a pair of substantially L-shaped brackets 56, and a surface of the support plate having elasticity such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on the heat roller 36 side is made of glass cloth or the like. Using the one provided with the surface member, the intermediate portion contacts the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 and presses the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 with a predetermined pressing force. As a result, the heat roller 3
The photosensitive material 26 conveyed along the peripheral surface of 6 is uniformly pressed by the backup rollers 38 to 42 and the turn guide 54, and is brought into close contact with the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36.

Heat roller 3 of backup roller 42
A scraper 58 is provided on the downstream side in the six rotation directions. The scraper 58 is formed of, for example, a thin-walled (thickness of about 350 μm) synthetic resin plate such as PET, is attached to a bracket 60, and has a tip protruding from the bracket 60 toward the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36. It is in contact with the peripheral surface of 36. Heat roller 36
The front end of the photosensitive material 26 that has been wound around and passed between the lower backup roller 42 and the heat roller 36 is separated from the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 by the scraper 58.

Below the scraper 58, the guide plate 6 is directed obliquely downward from the vicinity of the backup roller 42.
2 are provided. The guide plate 62 has a tip opposite to the backup roller 42 attached to the lower peripheral edge of the discharge port 64 provided in the casing 20. When the photosensitive material 26 is separated from the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 by the scraper 58, it is guided to the discharge port 64 by the guide plate 62, and is discharged to the outside of the thermal developing device 10 from the discharge port 64. The photothermographic material 2 discharged from the discharge port 64
6 is housed in, for example, a basket.

A halogen lamp 66 serving as a heat source is provided at the center of the heat roller 36 and the shaft. Further, between the backup roller 42 and the backup roller 38, a temperature sensor 68 such as a thermistor for detecting the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 is provided close to the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36. In the heat developing device 10, the halogen lamp 6 is responsive to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 68.
6 is turned on / off to heat the outer peripheral portion of the heat roller 36, and the surface temperature (surface temperature of the outer peripheral surface) is maintained at a preset temperature (for example, 100 ° C.). In the heat developing device 10, a safety thermostat (not shown) is provided so as to face the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36, and when the peripheral surface temperature of the heat roller 36 exceeds a predetermined temperature, the halogen lamp 66 is turned off,
The heat roller 36 is prevented from overheating.

In the heat developing apparatus 10, the photosensitive material 26 wound around the heat roller 36 is backed up by the backup rollers 38-4.
0 and the turn guide 54 make the heat roller 3 uniform.
The latent image recorded on the photosensitive material 26 is converted into a visible image by pressing against the peripheral surface of the heat roller 6 and developing with heat by the heat of the outer peripheral surface of the heat roller 36. In the present embodiment, the temperature of the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 is maintained at 100 ° C.
The temperature of the peripheral surface of 6 can be set according to the characteristics of the photosensitive material 26. In the heat developing device 10, the temperature of the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 is set to the photosensitive material 2 when the operation of the device is started up.
When it is detected that the temperature reaches the optimum temperature for heat-development of No. 6, a lamp (not shown) provided on the outer surface of the casing 20 is turned on to display that "processing is possible", and the heat-development apparatus 10 is activated. It notifies that the photosensitive material 26 is ready for processing after the start-up is completed.

As shown in each of FIGS. 1 to 3, the heat roller 36 includes an outer cylinder 70 whose outer peripheral surface contacts the photosensitive material 26, and an inner cylinder coaxially arranged inside the outer cylinder 70. The inner cylinder 72 is formed of a cylinder 72, and the heater 6 is attached to the axial center of the inner cylinder 72.
6 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hollow portion 7 of the heat roller 36 formed by the outer cylinder 70 and the inner cylinder 72.
4 is tightly closed and sealed by the shaft end member 76 of the heat roller 36. This closed hollow part 74
The inside thereof is depressurized to a predetermined pressure and water (hereinafter referred to as "heat medium 34") is enclosed as a heat medium. Since water as a heat medium is depressurized inside the hollow portion 74, it is vaporized at a relatively low temperature and saturated with water vapor depending on the heating temperature of the halogen lamp.

As shown in FIG. 3, the heat medium 34 is vaporized by receiving heat from the inner cylinder 72 heated by the halogen lamp 66, and the vaporized heat medium 34 (water vapor) is on the outer cylinder 70 side having a low temperature. Flows to the outer cylinder 70 and contacts the inner surface of the outer cylinder 70 to radiate heat and transfer the heat to the outer cylinder 70. Heat medium that radiates heat 3
No. 4 condenses and reduces the ambient pressure, so a new heat medium 34 flows into this portion. Also, the condensed heat medium 3
No. 4 is vaporized by receiving heat from the halogen lamp 66 and maintains the inside of the hollow portion 74 in a saturated state.

In the heat roller 36, the outer cylinder 70 and the inner cylinder 7
A heat pipe is formed between the two, and the heat of the inner cylinder 72 is transferred to the outer cylinder 70 via the heat medium 34 to uniformly heat the outer cylinder 70. The temperature of the heat roller 36 is controlled by detecting the temperature of the surface of the heat roller 36 (outer cylinder 70) by a temperature sensor 68 and controlling the halogen lamp 66 to be turned on / off to keep the surface temperature of the heat roller 36 constant. .

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the heat developing apparatus 10, the halogen lamp 66 is turned on to heat the heat roller 36 before the heat developing process of the photosensitive material 26.
The outer peripheral cylinder 70 is heated to detect the temperature of the surface of the outer peripheral cylinder 70 (the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36) by the temperature sensor 68, and the peripheral surface temperature of the heat roller 36 heats the photosensitive material 26 in an optimum state. The temperature is raised to a preset temperature (100 ° C. in this embodiment) so that development can be performed.

At this time, in the heat roller 36, the heat medium 34 in the hollow portion 74 receives heat from the inner cylinder 72 heated by the halogen lamp 66, is vaporized, and is in a saturated state. The saturated heat medium 34 (water vapor) circulates in the hollow portion 74 and uniformly heats the low temperature outer cylinder 70 from the inner surface.

The heat developing device 10 is turned on to turn on the motor 44.
Is turned on, and the images recorded on the Y plate, the C plate, the M plate, and the BK (Sumi) plate are sequentially superposed, and the photosensitive material 26 imagewise exposed is placed on the insertion table 24 to start the processing. When the startup of the thermal development device 10 is completed and the insertion of the photosensitive material 26 placed on the insertion table 24 from the insertion port 22 is detected by an insertion sensor (not shown), the motor 44 is turned on. The processing of the photosensitive material 26 may be started.

Photosensitive material 2 placed on insertion table 24
6 is fed into the casing 20 from the insertion port 22 along the surface of the insertion table 24, sandwiched between the heat roller 36 and the backup roller 38 which are rotated by the driving force of the motor 44, and then drawn in. It is wound around 36 and is conveyed while being in close contact with the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 by the backup rollers 38 to 42 and the turn guide 54.

The photosensitive material 26 having the exposed latent image is
The latent image formed on the photosensitive material 26 is transformed into a visible image by being heated by the heat transmitted from the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 heated to a predetermined temperature by the halogen lamp 66 (heat development).

When the photosensitive material 26 which has been heat-developed by the heat roller 36 passes through the backup roller 42 on the downstream side, it is peeled off from the peripheral surface of the heat roller 36 by the scraper 58 and sent out toward the discharge port 64,
It is stored in a cage (not shown) or the like.

The outer cylinder 70 of the heat roller 36 comes into contact with the photosensitive material 26 and heats it so that the photosensitive material 2
The temperature of the portion in contact with 6 decreases. When the temperature decrease of the outer cylinder 70 appears on the inner surface of the outer cylinder 70, the heat medium 34 in contact with the inner surface of the outer cylinder 70 with the decreased temperature radiates heat to heat the outer cylinder. The heat medium 34 that radiates heat condenses and causes a partial pressure difference in the hollow portion 74, and a new heat medium 34 flows into the portion where the pressure difference occurs, and the entire temperature of the outer cylinder 70 becomes a constant temperature. Heat to. The condensed heat medium 34 receives heat from the inner cylinder 72 and is vaporized to maintain the inside of the hollow portion 74 in a saturated state.

A temperature change occurs in the heat medium 34 vaporized in the hollow portion 74, and the heated heat medium 34 circulates in the hollow portion 74 to maintain a constant temperature and pressure inside the hollow portion 74. Meanwhile, the outer cylinder 70 is heated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the outer cylinder 70 from partially lowering and to uniformly heat the photosensitive material.

The heat roller 36 applied to this embodiment
And a comparison result of changes in the surface temperature of a conventional heat roller that does not use the heat medium 34 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the heat roller 36 of this embodiment, the outer cylinder 70 has an outer diameter dimension D _{1 of} 70 mm and a wall thickness t.
₁₃ mm aluminum pipe, inner cylinder 72 has outer diameter D ₂
It is composed of an aluminum pipe having a thickness of 25 mm and a thickness t _{2 of} 3 mm. The conventional heat roller is configured so that only the halogen lamp 66 of the heat roller 36 and the outer cylinder 70 (aluminum pipe having an outer dimension of D ₁ 70 mm and a wall thickness t ₁₃ 3 mm) are used. The surface temperature is detected by eight thermocouples that are evenly arranged along the axial direction.On / off control of the halogen lamp 66 is performed by a temperature sensor 68 that is arranged so as to face the intermediate portion in the axial direction of the heat roller. The PID control method was used, which detects the surface temperature and predicts the change in the surface temperature from the detection result.

The change in the surface temperature of the heat roller 36 and the heat roller of the conventional example at the time of passing the paper is that the heating time of the photosensitive material 26 having a width dimension of 375 mm × a vertical dimension of 750 mm is about 60 by centering and vertically passing. The rotation speed of the heat roller, that is, the conveying speed of the photosensitive material 26 was set so as to be seconds, and the measurement was performed.

According to this, in the conventional heat roller,
It takes about 20 minutes to rise from the room temperature to the temperature (100 ° C.) for heating the photosensitive material 26, and even after the completion of the raising, there is a temperature difference of about 10 ° C. between the central portion and both ends. It was Further, while the photosensitive material 26 is being heated, the central portion in contact with the photosensitive material 26 is kept within about 1 ° C. under the control of the halogen lamp 66. A temperature rise of about 3 ° C. is observed in the non-existing portion, and after processing the photosensitive material 26, the set temperature (100
It took about 10 minutes to return to ° C).

On the other hand, in the heat roller 36 applied to the heat developing apparatus 10, the startup time from room temperature is about 1
It takes only 5 minutes, and the heat medium 34 enclosed in the hollow portion 74 flows in the axial direction of the heat roller 36 in the hollow portion 74 to suppress the temperature change. The temperature difference is about 3 ° C, which is much smaller than the conventional one.

In the heat roller 36, this is the outer cylinder 70.
By circulating the heat medium 34 heating the inside of the hollow portion 74, a large temperature difference does not occur between the central portion and both end portions along the axial direction of the heat roller 36, and the entire area of the outer cylinder 70 is substantially uniform. Because it was able to heat to. That is, the outer cylinder 70 can be efficiently heated by the halogen lamp 66.

Next, in the heat roller 36, the photosensitive material 2
By processing No. 6, the temperature of the central portion was increased by about 1 ° C. in order to suppress the temperature decrease when the photosensitive material 26 and the outer cylinder 70 contact each other, but the temperature of both end portions not in contact with the photosensitive material 26 is increased. The temperature rise is also about 1 ° C, and the temperature difference along the axial direction of the heat roller 36 can be prevented. The time required for the heat roller 36 to return to the set temperature after processing the photosensitive material 26 was about 1 minute. That is,
The heat roller 36 can return to the set temperature in an extremely short time as compared with the conventional heat roller. In addition, photosensitive materials 26 of different sizes (width dimension 880 mm x vertical dimension 66
The same measurement result was obtained even when 0 mm) was treated.

As a result, in the heat roller 36 used in the heat developing device 10, the vaporized heat medium 34 is used to form the outer cylinder 70.
Can be uniformly heated, and the temperature does not change partially, and it is not necessary to heat the halogen lamp 66 unnecessarily, and an energy saving effect can be obtained. Therefore, the thermal developing apparatus 10 can finish the photosensitive material 26 with good quality without causing density unevenness due to the change of the heating temperature.

In the present embodiment, water is used as the heat medium 34, but the present invention is not limited to this, and alternative fluorocarbons,
Various materials such as methanol, ammonia, a mixture of diphenyl and diphenyl oxide (for example, trade name THEMS) can be used. The heat medium is preferably selected in consideration of the corrosiveness of the container (the outer cylinder 70 and the inner cylinder 72 in the heat roller 36) that contains the heat medium.

When copper is used as the material of the container for accommodating the heat medium, surface treatment with nickel, tin, chrome plating, copper oxide or the like can be used as the heat medium of alternative CFCs, methanol or water. When stainless steel is used, ammonia, alternative CFCs, methanol, etc. can be applied. Ammonia, CFC substitute, methanol, etc. can be applied by surface-treating zinc, tin, chromium plating, etc. using steel. Further, when aluminum is used as the container for containing the heat medium, when the surface treatment such as alumite or boehmite is performed, the alternative CFC can be used as the heat medium. [Second Embodiment] In the second embodiment, the basic configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same parts are given the same numbers and their explanations are omitted. .

A heat roller 80 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4, 5A and 5B. In the heat roller 80, a thick wall portion 84 having a hollow inside is formed at a predetermined interval on the outer peripheral cylinder 82, and a thin heat pipe 86 is inserted and attached in the thick wall portion 84. The heat pipe 86 is composed of a copper pipe 88 in which water is sealed as the heat medium 34, and the outer peripheral cylinder 82 is connected by the halogen lamp 66.
It is configured to be heated together with.

As shown in FIG. 5 (A), the heat pipe 8
Since 6 is arranged long along the axial direction of the heat roller 80, when the temperature difference of the outer peripheral surface occurs along the axial direction of the heat roller 80, the vaporized heat medium 3 inside
4 circulates along the axial direction of the heat roller 80, and the outer peripheral cylinder 82 of the heat roller 80 is controlled so as to suppress this temperature difference.
To heat. As a result, the heating efficiency of the halogen lamp 66 can be improved.

Further, since the heat roller 80 has a structure in which the copper tube 88 and the outer peripheral cylinder 82 surround the heat medium 34, there is no fear of leakage of the heat medium 34 and the safety can be greatly improved. Since the heat medium 34 and the outer peripheral cylinder 82 do not come into direct contact with each other, it is possible to prevent the heat roller 80 from being corroded by the heat medium 34.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5B, the heat roller 80 is provided with four heat pipes 86, but the number of the heat pipes 86 is not limited to this. In the heat roller 80A shown in FIG.
A heat pipe 86 is arranged in 2A at a distance smaller than that of the heat roller 80. That is, by increasing the number of the heat rollers 86 and narrowing the interval between the heat pipes 86 adjacent to each other, not only in the axial direction of the peripheral surface of the heat roller 80, as in the heat roller 36 of the first embodiment described above. It is possible to suppress a partial temperature change that occurs along the rotation direction. [Third Embodiment] In the third embodiment, the basic structure of the heat roller is the same as that of the first embodiment.
The same parts are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 7 shows an image recording apparatus 100 used as an example of a photosensitive material processing apparatus. In the image recording apparatus 100, the inside of the machine casing 102 is shielded from light, and the machine casing 10
A photosensitive material magazine 104 is arranged in the unit 2. The photosensitive material magazine 104 is a photosensitive material 1 containing photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-providing substance, and a reducing agent on a support.
06 is rolled and accommodated.

A draw-out roller, a nip roller 108 and a cutter 110 are arranged near the photosensitive material draw-out port of the photosensitive material magazine 104, and above the cutter 110, a photosensitive material conveying section constituted by a plurality of rollers and a guide plate. 11
2 are provided. The photosensitive material 106 pulled out from the photosensitive material magazine 104 by the pull-out roller and the nip roller 108 is sent to the exposure section 114 while being inverted by the photosensitive material conveying section 112 when cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 110. The photosensitive material 106 is accommodated in the photosensitive material magazine 104 with the photosensitive surface facing downward, and is conveyed while being inverted by the photosensitive material conveying portion 112, so that the photosensitive surface is moved upward in the exposure portion 114. Be directed.

In the exposure unit 114, the exposure point is between the transport rollers 116 and 118, and the photosensitive material 106 passes between these transport rollers 116 and 118. An exposure device 120 including three types of LDs, a lens unit, a polygon mirror, a mirror unit and the like (all not shown) is provided directly above the exposure unit 114. In the exposure device 120, for example, a document on which an image is recorded is irradiated with light, and the reflected light is irradiated to an exposure point, so that the conveyance roller 11
The photosensitive material 106 passing between 6 and 118 is slit exposed.

A switchback section 122 is provided beside the exposure section 120, and a water coating section 124 is provided below the switchback section 122. When the photosensitive material 106 passing through the exposure point of the exposure unit 114 is exposed by the exposure light emitted from the exposure device 120, the photosensitive material 106 is once sent to the switchback unit 122, and thereafter, the conveyance direction is changed by the switchback unit 122. It is changed and sent to the water application section 124 while being inverted so that the photosensitive surface faces downward.

In the water application section 124, water heated to a constant temperature (40 ° C. as an example, but not limited to this) is uniformly applied to the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material 106, and then excess water is applied. Is removed by the squeeze roller 126 and sent to the heat development transfer section 128.

In the machine frame 102, a receiving material magazine 130 is loaded on the side of the photosensitive material magazine 104. The image receiving material magazine 130 contains the image receiving material 132, which has a dye fixing material having a dyeing agent applied on its image forming surface, wound into a roll shape. The image receiving material 132 is the photosensitive material 106.
The width of the image forming surface is slightly smaller than that of the image receiving surface, and the image forming surface is directed upward and pulled out from the receiving material magazine 130.

A nip roller 134 and a cutter 136 are provided in the vicinity of the image receiving material take-out port of the receiving material magazine 130, and a receiving material conveying section 138 is provided from the side of the cutter 136 to the upper side. The image receiving material 132 drawn out from the image receiving material magazine 130 is cut by the cutter 136 into a length matched with the photosensitive material 106, and then sent to the heat development transfer section 128 by the image receiving material conveying section 138. The width of the image receiving material 132 is slightly shorter than that of the photosensitive material 106, and the length of the image receiving material 132 in the transport direction is also small.
Cut a little shorter.

The receiving material conveying section 138 is provided with the heat development transfer section 128.
A conveyance roller 140 is provided in the vicinity of. Transport roller 1
Reference numeral 40 also serves as a registration roller for so-called skew correction of the image receiving material 132 conveyed by the image receiving material conveying section 138, and skew-corrects the image receiving material 132 and sends it to the heat development transfer section 128.

The heat development transfer section 128 is provided with a heating drum 142 having the same structure as the heat roller 36,
Around the heating drum 142, a bonding roller 144 and an endless pressure contact belt 146 are provided. Photosensitive material 1
06 is sent between the heating drum 142 and the bonding roller 144. The image receiving material 132 is the photosensitive material 10.
6 is synchronized with the conveyance of the photosensitive material 106 and the heating drum 14.
It is sent into the space between the two and bonded to the photosensitive material 106.

In the heating drum 142, the inner cylinder 150 is coaxially arranged in the outer cylinder 148, and the heat medium 34 is enclosed in the hollow portion between the outer cylinder 148 and the inner cylinder 150. At the axial center of the heating drum 142, the halogen lamp 1 serving as a heat source
52 are provided. The heating drum 142 heats the heating medium 34 by radiant heat generated when the halogen lamp 152 is turned on and maintains the heating medium 34 in a vaporized state.
The outer peripheral surface, that is, the entire peripheral surface of the heating drum 142 is uniformly heated. The halogen lamp 152 is the heating drum 1
The temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 142 is maintained within a predetermined temperature range by being controlled by the temperature detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) provided so as to face the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 142.

The endless pressure contact belt 146 is the heating drum 14
2 is wound around a plurality of winding rollers arranged along the circumferential surface of the heating drum 142, and the endless outer side is wound around the heating drum 142 between the winding rollers 154 and 156 at both ends. The peripheral surface is pressed. The laminating roller 144 and the endless pressure contact belt 146 are rotationally driven in synchronization with the rotation of the heating drum 142.

The photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 132, which are bonded by the bonding roller 144, remain in the overlapping state with the heating drum 142 and the endless pressure contact belt 146.
Between the heating drum 142 and the heating drum 142, the heating drum 142 is nipped and conveyed while being wound around about 2/3 of the circumference. The heating drum 142 is
The photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 132 are joined together by the endless press belt 14.
The rotation of the photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 132 is stopped by temporarily stopping the rotation in a state of being housed between the photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 132. Photosensitive material 106
Are heated to release a movable dye, and the movable dye released from the photosensitive material 106 is transferred to the image receiving material 132.
And the image is formed on the image receiving material 132.

A bending guide roller 158 and a peeling claw 160 are provided below the heating drum 142, and a peeling conveying section 162 is provided below the bending guide roller 158. The bending guide roller 158 presses the peripheral surface of the heating drum 142 with a predetermined pressure, and the photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 132, which are sandwiched between the endless pressure contact belt 146 and the heating drum 142, are heated by the heating drum 142. It is sandwiched between and transported.

The tip of the peeling claw 160 is brought into contact with the peripheral surface of the heating drum 142 in synchronism with the rotation of the heating drum 142, so that the photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material which are nipped and conveyed by the bending guide roller 158 and the heating drum 142. 132
Of these, only the leading end of the photosensitive material 106 that is ahead by a predetermined length is engaged, and the leading end of the photosensitive material 106 is peeled off from the heating drum 142. The photosensitive material 106, the tip of which is peeled off from the heating drum 142, is peeled off from the heating drum 142 so as to be wound around the bending guide roller 158 and separated from the image receiving material 132. The photosensitive material 106 peeled off from the heating drum 142 is sent to the waste photosensitive material storage box 164 by the peeling and discharging section 162 and accumulated.

A peeling roller 166 and a peeling claw 168 are arranged downstream of the peeling claw 160 in the rotating direction of the heating drum 142. The peeling roller 166 holds and conveys the image receiving material 132 from which the photosensitive material 106 is separated, with the heating drum 142. The peeling claw 168 comes into contact with the tip of the image receiving material 132 that is nipped and conveyed by being pressed against the peripheral surface of the heating drum 142 by the peeling roller 166, and peels the tip of the image receiving material 132 from the peripheral surface of the heating drum 142.

The image receiving material 132 peeled from the heating drum 142 by the peeling roller 166 and the peeling claw 168 is guided and conveyed by the guide plate and the conveying roller of the material receiving and discharging unit 170, and the tray 172 protruding from the machine frame 102. Are discharged to and accumulated. A heating / drying unit such as a ceramic heater (not shown) is provided at an intermediate portion of the material receiving / delivering unit 170, and accelerates drying of the image receiving material 132 separated from the heating drum 142.

The image recording apparatus 100 configured as described above
Then, when heating the photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 132, the rotation of the heating drum 142 is stopped and the heating drum 14 is stopped.
2 and the endless pressure welding belt 146 are held so as to be wrapped. The heating drum 142 includes the photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 1.
Although 32 radiates heat partially from the contact portion, the heating drum 1
The heat medium 34 in 42 can quickly supply heat to the portion of the outer cylinder 148 where the temperature has dropped. Heating drum 142
Is the heat-sensitive medium 34 and the image-receiving material 13 by the heat medium 34.
While preventing partial temperature drop in the contact area with 2,
The photosensitive material 106 and the image receiving material 132 are heated.

Therefore, in the image recording apparatus 100, heating unevenness, temperature unevenness during heating, and the like do not occur, so that the finished quality of the image receiving material 142 does not deteriorate due to heating unevenness and temperature unevenness during heating. A high quality image can be formed. [Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 8 shows an image transfer apparatus 180 applied to the fourth embodiment as a photosensitive material processing apparatus.

In the image transfer device 180, the heating drums 142 are arranged vertically in pairs inside a machine frame 182. Between the heating drums 142, 142, a conveyed sheet body 184 inserted from the outside of the machine frame 182 is provided with a guide plate 186.
Guided by

The conveyed sheet body 184 is made of the photosensitive material 106.
And an image receiving sheet 190 corresponding to the image receiving material 132 are integrally laminated, and the image sheet 188 and the image receiving sheet 190 are mounted on the thin reinforcing aluminum sheet 192 as necessary. It is location. In the image transfer device 180, an image sheet 188 that has been imagewise exposed in advance and an image receiving sheet 190 are inserted in an overlapping manner, and the heating drums 142, 142 are connected to the guide plate 18
When the conveyed sheet body 184 guided by 6 is nipped and conveyed, the image receiving sheet 190 is heated while being pressed against the image sheet 188, and an image corresponding to the image exposed on the image sheet 188 is transferred to the image receiving sheet 190. Then, an image is formed on the image receiving sheet 190.

Above and below the guide plate 186, the auxiliary heater 19 surrounded by the reflection cover 194 is provided.
6 are arranged respectively. The reflection covers 194 are open toward the heating drums 142 facing each other, and reflect the radiant heat of the auxiliary heater 196 toward the heating drums 142 to efficiently heat the outer peripheral surface of the heating drums 142.

A guide plate 198 is provided on the downstream side of the heating drums 142, 142 in the conveying direction of the conveyed sheet body 184.
200, transport rollers 202, 202 and cooling fan 2
04 and 204 are arranged in pairs in the order above and below. The upper guide plate 198 is provided with a limit switch 206. When the limit switch 206 contacts the transported sheet body 184, the passage of the transported sheet body 184 can be detected.

The image transfer device 180 includes a heating drum 142.
When the limit switch 206 detects the passage of the leading edge of the conveyed sheet body 184 heated by the auxiliary heater 1,
96 is operated to heat the heating drum 142.

The heating drum 142 is heated from the inside by the halogen lamp 152 at the axial center even when the heating drum 142 comes into contact with the transported sheet body 184 and the temperature drops due to the operation of the auxiliary heater 196. In addition to the above, the auxiliary heater 196 also heats from the outside.

When the outer cylinder 148 is heated from the outside, the heating drum 142 heats the heat medium 34 sealed between the outer cylinder 148 and the inner cylinder 150 by the heated outer cylinder 148.
Therefore, in the heating drum 142, not only the portion irradiated with the radiant heat from the auxiliary heater 196, but the entire area of the outer cylinder 148 is uniformly heated by the radiant heat from the auxiliary heater 196, and the heating drum 142 is conveyed. A partial temperature change of the outer cylinder 148 due to contact with the body 184 can be prevented.

That is, the heating drum 1 to which the present invention is applied.
42 (heat roller 36) can uniformly heat the outer cylinder by a heat source provided inside, and even if a part of the outer cylinder is partially heated, the entire area of the outer cylinder can be uniformly heated. Has become.

In the third and fourth embodiments, the example in which the heating drum 142 having the same structure as the heat roller 36 is used has been described, but the heat roller 8 applied to the second embodiment is used.
A heating drum having the same structure as 0 may be used. In the embodiment of the present invention, the heat developing device 10 for heating and developing the photosensitive material 26, the photosensitive material 106 (image sheet 188) and the image receiving material 132 (image receiving sheet 190) are heated, and the photosensitive material 106 is heated.
Image receiving material 13 by transferring an image corresponding to the exposed image
2. Image recording device 100 and image transfer device 18 for forming
However, these do not limit the configuration of the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention. The present invention can also be applied to a photosensitive material processing apparatus which, when processing various silver salt photographic photosensitive materials such as photographic paper and film, wraps a photosensitive material processed with a processing solution around a heat roller and heat-drys it. . In this case, the photosensitive material can be uniformly heated along the width direction of the photosensitive material, and the photosensitive material can be uniformly heated along the conveying direction. Therefore, the photosensitive material can be finished with good quality without causing unevenness in drying.

[0082]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a partial temperature difference on the surface of the outer peripheral cylinder of the heat roller, so that the photosensitive material can be uniformly heated and processed. . Further, in the present invention, since the heat medium is interposed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder of the heat roller, the photosensitive material can be heated while maintaining a uniform temperature throughout the outer cylinder. Even when the material is wound and heat-developed, the entire surface of the photothermographic material can be heated at a uniform temperature, and it has an excellent effect of preventing finish defects such as development unevenness due to uneven heating temperature.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a heat developing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a heat roller applied to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heat roller shown in FIG. 2 taken along the radial direction.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a heat roller applied to the second embodiment.

5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heat roller shown in FIG. 4 cut along the radial direction, and FIG. 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heat roller shown in FIG. 4 cut along the axial direction. .

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view similar to FIG. 5A showing a modified example of the heat roller applied to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus applied as a photosensitive material processing apparatus to the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image transfer device applied as a photosensitive material processing device to the fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 heat developing device (photosensitive material processing device) 34 heat medium 36, 80 heat roller 66 halogen lamp (heat source) 68 temperature sensor 70 outer cylinder (outer peripheral cylinder) 72 inner cylinder (outer peripheral cylinder) 74 hollow part 82 outer peripheral cylinder 86 heat pipe 88 copper tube (narrow tube) 100 image recording device (photosensitive material processing device) 106 photosensitive material 132 image receiving material 142 heating drum (heat roller) 148 outer cylinder (outer peripheral cylinder) 150 inner cylinder (outer peripheral cylinder)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive material treatment for heating a photosensitive material by bringing the photosensitive material into contact with a heat roller whose outer peripheral surface is heated to a predetermined temperature by controlling the amount of heat generated by a heat source provided at an axial center portion. In the device, the heat roller has an outer peripheral cylinder in which the heat source is disposed in an axial center portion and a closed hollow portion is formed between the heat source and the outer peripheral surface; and the heat source sealed in the hollow portion. And a heat medium that is vaporized by being heated by the photosensitive material processing apparatus. 2. A double structure in which the outer peripheral cylinder includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder which is disposed coaxially with the outer cylinder and forms the sealed hollow portion between the outer cylinder and the outer cylinder. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 3. A heat pipe in which a plurality of hollow portions are provided in the outer peripheral cylinder over both ends in the axial direction and are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction, and the heating medium is enclosed in each hollow portion. 2. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein is disposed.