JP2942683B2 - Treatment liquid supply and drainage structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a water supply and drainage structure for processing <br/> management solution that provided in the image recording apparatus for image recording process using the two kinds of image recording materials.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known an image recording apparatus which performs an image recording process using two types of image recording materials, for example, a photosensitive material and an image receiving material.

In this type of image recording apparatus, a water application section for applying a processing liquid to a photosensitive material is disposed. In this water application section, after water as a processing liquid is applied to the photosensitive material, heat is applied. It is sent to the development transfer section. Then, in the heat development transfer unit, the photosensitive material after water application is superimposed on the image receiving material, and in this state, is wound so as to be in close contact with the outer periphery of the heating drum, so that the image of the photosensitive material is transferred to the image receiving material. ing.

[0004] By the way, the water application section 262 has
As shown in (1), a coating tank 264 is provided, and above the coating tank 264, a guide plate 270 constituting a passage portion of the photosensitive material 16 is provided. This guide plate 2
70 is provided with a through hole 272, and a water supply pipe 278 is provided.
Are connected. The lower end of the water supply pipe 278 is inserted into the replenishment tank 286 through the open lid 284,
The water in the replenishment tank 286 is supplied to the application tank 264.

The water application tank 264 has a drain port 290, an overflow port 294, and an auxiliary overflow port 295. A drain pipe 296 is connected to the drain port 290, and the overflow port 2
A drain pipe 203 is connected to 94, and water discharged from the water coating tank 264 due to a natural head is supplied to the replenishing tank 2.
86.

Further, the water flowing into the auxiliary overflow port 295 is supplied to the replenishing tank 2 through a drain pipe 205.
The water is drained to a tank tray 207 disposed below the 86.

However, if a storage section for installing the replenishment tank 286 is provided below the main components of the image recording apparatus 10, the entire apparatus becomes large and the storage space becomes large. Also, the open lid 284 is opened and the replenishment tank 286 is opened.
Desorption is not able to improve desorption operability. Further, in order to collect the water discharged from the application tank 264 in the replenishing tank 286, drain pipes 203 and 296 are provided. By connecting the drain pipes 203 and 296, the drain pipe 209 is directly connected to the replenishing tank 286. , The drain pipe 209 bends at this connection point,
The water discharged by the natural head can be refilled successfully
86 may not be collected. For this reason, water stays in the drainage pipes 203 and 296 and rots.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above fact, the present invention provides a processing liquid supply / drainage structure in which processing liquid recovered from a coating tank to a processing liquid replenishment tank by natural head does not stay on the way. The purpose is to:

[0009]

[0010]

In the treatment liquid supply / drainage structure according to the present invention, two different types of image recording materials are used, and while one of the image recording materials is conveyed, the image is exposed and the treatment liquid is applied in a water application section. After that, the other image recording material is provided in an image recording apparatus that performs image recording processing in close contact with and superimposed,
Supplying a processing liquid to the water application section, or collecting a processing liquid discharged from the water application section, and a processing liquid replenishment tank housed inside a door provided in the image recording apparatus so as to be openable and closable; A water supply means for supplying a processing liquid to the water application unit via a water supply pipe freely connectable to a liquid replenishing tank; and a door which is closed by an urging force when the door is open, is pressed and opened in a closed state, and replenishes the processing liquid. A check valve having a drain port engaged with a collection port of a tank; a discharge pipe communicating the check valve with a discharge port of the water application unit; and a discharge pipe provided in the discharge pipe, and in a power-on state of the image recording apparatus. It is characterized by having an electromagnetic valve that opens and closes when the power is off, and a drain pipe connected to the check valve and communicating with the overflow port of the water application unit.

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

In the processing liquid supply / drainage structure having the above-described structure, a water supply means for supplying the processing liquid to the water application section, for example, a water supply pipe is freely connectable to the processing liquid replenishing tank. Therefore, if the water supply pipe is pulled out, only the processing liquid replenishing tank can be easily removed.

Furthermore, the discharge pipe communicating with the discharge port of the water application section and the end of the drain pipe communicating with the overflow port of the water application section are connected to check valves, respectively. The drain port of the check valve is closed by the urging force when the door is open, and is opened when pressed in the closed state to engage with the recovery port of the processing liquid replenishment tank. For this reason, it is not necessary to connect the ends of the discharge pipe and the drain pipe directly to the processing liquid replenishment tank, so that the drain pipe and the drain pipe do not bend due to opening and closing of the door, and the drain path is shortened. The processing liquid collected by the stagnation does not stay on the way and rot.

Further, since the check valve is automatically closed by the urging force when the door is opened, there is no liquid leakage. This leak prevention is released when the power of the image recording device is turned on.
This is more reliably achieved by a solenoid valve that closes when the power is off.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Schematic Configuration of Image Recording Apparatus) FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image recording apparatus 10.

In the image recording apparatus 10, after the photosensitive material magazine 14 is set, the nip roller 18 is operated, and the photosensitive material 16 is pulled out by the nip roller 18. When the photosensitive material 16 is pulled out by a predetermined length, the cutter 20 operates and the photosensitive material 16 is cut into a predetermined length.

After the operation of the cutter 20, the cut photosensitive material 16 is transported by transport rollers 19, 21, 23, 24 and 26. Transport rollers 19, 21, 23, 24, 2
The photosensitive material 16 transported by 6 is inverted and transported to the exposure unit 22 with its photosensitive (exposure) surface facing upward. When the photosensitive material 16 is nipped by the transport roller 23, the driving of the transport roller 23 is temporarily stopped, and the photosensitive material 16 enters a standby state immediately before the exposure unit 22.

Next, the driving of the transport rollers 23 and 24 is started, and the photosensitive material 16 passes through the exposure section 22 at a predetermined speed. The transfer of the photosensitive material 16 (the exposure unit 2
At the same time, the exposure device (not shown) is operated to scan and expose the photosensitive material 16 located at the exposure unit 22.

After the exposure is started, after the exposed photosensitive material 16 is once sent to the switchback section 40,
It is fed into the water application section 62 by the reverse rotation of the transport roller 26.

In the water application section 62, the conveyed photosensitive material 1
The guide block 7 is driven by the supply roller 66.
0 and the coating tank 64, and further nipped and conveyed by a squeeze roller 68. Water application section 62
Photosensitive material 16 coated with water as a processing liquid in
Is sent to the thermal development transfer unit 104 by the squeeze roller 68.

On the other hand, as the scanning exposure of the photosensitive material 16 is started, the image receiving material 108 is also pulled out of the material receiving magazine 106 by the nip roller 110 and transported. When the image receiving material 108 is pulled out by a predetermined length, the cutter 112 operates to cut the image receiving material 108 into a predetermined length.

After the operation of the cutter 112, the conveying rollers 190, 186, and 114 are transported while the cut image receiving material 108 is guided by the guide plate 182 of the image receiving material conveying section 180.
Conveyed by When the leading end of the image receiving material 108 is nipped by the transport roller 114, the image receiving material 108 enters a standby state immediately before the thermal development transfer unit 104.

In the thermal development transfer unit 104, when it is detected that the photosensitive material 16 has been sent between the outer periphery of the heating drum 116 and the bonding roller 120 by the squeeze roller 68, the conveyance of the image receiving material 108 is restarted. While being sent to the bonding roller 120, the heating drum 11
6 is activated.

The bonding roller 120 and the water application section 6
A guide plate 122 is arranged between the second squeeze roller 68 and the photosensitive material 16 fed from the squeeze roller 68 is reliably guided to the bonding roller 120.
Further, a blade guide 124 is disposed between the bonding roller 120 and the transport roller 114 of the image receiving material 108, so that the image receiving material 108 can be securely attached to the bonding roller 1.
You will be guided to 20.

Here, the image receiving material 108 conveyed to the thermal development transfer unit 104 is synchronized with the conveyance of the photosensitive material 16, and the laminating roller 12 is moved in a state where the photosensitive material 16 is advanced by a predetermined length.
0 and the heating drum 116 and are superposed. The photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 108 superimposed by the laminating roller 120 are sandwiched between the heating drum 116 and the endless pressure contact belt 118 in the superimposed state, and approximately two thirds of the circumference of the heating drum 116 ( (Between the winding roller 134 and the winding roller 140). Further, the superposed photosensitive material 16 and image receiving material 108 are heated by the heating drum 116 and the endless pressure contact belt 1.
18, when the heating drum 116 is completely settled.
Temporarily stops the rotation, whereby the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 108 are heated. When the photosensitive material 16 is heated during the nipping conveyance and the stop, the movable dye is released, and at the same time, the dye is transferred to the dye fixing layer of the image receiving material 108 to obtain an image.

Thereafter, when the photosensitive material 16 and the image receiving material 108 are nipped and conveyed and reach the lower portion of the heating drum 116, the peeling claw 154 is moved by the cam 130, and the image receiving material 1 is moved.
The peeling claw 154 engages the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 that is transported a predetermined length earlier than the length of the photosensitive material 16 to peel the leading end of the photosensitive material 16 from the outer periphery of the heating drum 116. Further, the pinch roller (not shown) presses the photosensitive material 16 by the return movement of the peeling claw 154, whereby the photosensitive material 16 is pressed by the pinch roller while the bending guide roller 1 is pressed.
It is wound around 42 and moved downward.

The photosensitive material 16 wound around the bending guide roller 142 is further transported by the photosensitive material discharge rollers 158 and 160 while being guided by the guide roller 162. At this time, the photosensitive material 16 is dried by the drying fan 165 of the drying unit 50 and discarded. It is accumulated in the photosensitive material storage box 178.

On the other hand, the heating drum 1 is separated from the photosensitive material 16.
Image receiving material 108 moving while being in close contact with 16
Is sent to the peeling roller 174. When the leading end of the image receiving material 108 is nipped by the peeling roller 174 (between the heating drum 116), the peeling claw 1 is again actuated by the cam 130.
76 is moved, and the peeling claw 17 is
6 are engaged, and the image receiving material 108 is peeled off from the outer periphery of the heating drum 116.

The image receiving material 108 peeled off from the outer periphery of the heating drum 116 by the peeling claw 176 is further moved downward while being wound around the peeling roller 174, and guided by the receiving material guide 170 while receiving the material discharging rollers 172, 1.
The sheet is conveyed by 73 and 175, and is discharged to the tray 177 while being dried by the drum fan 168 and the ceramic heater 210 at this time.

As described above, the image recording apparatus 10 sequentially
A plurality of image recording processes are continuously performed.

(Storing Structure of Replenishment Tank) FIG. 1 is an external view of the image recording apparatus 10.

The image recording apparatus 10 is formed in a box shape as a whole, and a front door 13 and a side door 15 are attached to the machine base 12. Machine 1 by opening each door
2 can be exposed. Each door is provided with a safety device using a so-called interlock mechanism (not shown) so that the power of a predetermined portion is turned off at the same time when the door is opened.

At the inside of the front door 13, a pair of holders H each having an upper portion and a side portion facing each other and having a bottom plate 300 are attached at regular intervals as shown in FIG. I have. The holder H is attached at an interval such that the replenishing tank 86 can be detached from the upper opening. A limit switch 302 is provided on the bottom plate 300 of the holder H formed on the right side in the drawing, whereby the display of the image recording apparatus 10 indicates whether or not the replenishment tank 86 is mounted. I have. A water sensor 30 is provided on the right side of the holder H.
4 is provided to detect the position of a float 306 provided on the side of the replenishing tank 86 described later.

The replenishing tank 86 is a thin flat container that is long in the height direction and short in the thickness direction, and has a size that does not interfere with the photosensitive material magazine 14 of the image recording apparatus 10 when the front door 13 is closed. ing. At the top of the refill tank 86,
A handle 308 is formed so that the operator can easily carry the refill tank 86.

On the upper surface of the replenishing tank 86, a receiving port 310 to which the water supply pipe 78 is connected is provided upright.
A water suction pipe (not shown) extends from 0 to the bottom of the refill tank 86. A U-shaped transparent pipe 312 is connected to the right side surface of the replenishing tank 86.
Of water comes in. In this pipe 312, a float 306 is provided, and a water amount sensor 304 is provided.
Is used to detect the water level. As the water amount sensor 304, for example, a colored float 3
An optical sensor that receives the reflected light of No. 06 is used.

On the other hand, a cylindrical body 316 having a circular recovery port 314 formed at the end thereof is provided upright on the left upper surface of the replenishing tank 86. An operating pin 3 is provided on the bottom of the collecting port 314.
When the front door 13 is closed, it comes into contact with a pressing body 320 of the check valve 103 described later.

(Water supply / drainage structure of water application section) As shown in FIG. 3, an application tank 64 is disposed in the water application section 62. Further, a pair of supply rollers 66 is disposed at an end of the application tank 64 on the upstream side in the photosensitive material 16 transport direction.
Further, a pair of squeeze rollers 68 are disposed at the downstream end of the photosensitive material 16 in the transport direction.

A guide block 70 is mounted above the coating tank 64 so as to face the coating tank 64. The guide block 70 is formed of a metal material such as aluminum, and a portion between the guide block 70 and the coating tank 64 is a passage portion of the photosensitive material 16.
Therefore, the photosensitive material 16 whose skew has been corrected by the supply roller 66 is transferred to the guide block 70 and the coating tank 6.
4, the water supplied to the application tank 64 is applied, and is further nipped and conveyed by the squeeze roller 68 to remove excess water.

A plurality of rows of ribs (not shown) are formed on the bottom surface of the coating tank 64, that is, the surface through which the photosensitive material 16 passes.
6, the photosensitive material 16 reduces the frictional resistance when the photosensitive material 16 passes between the guide block 70 and the application tank 64, and damages a predetermined position of the photosensitive material 16. That can be prevented. The application tank 64 is provided with a drain port 90 communicating with the housing of the squeeze roller 68, an overflow port 94 communicating with the overflow tank 92, and an emergency overflow port 95 communicating with the emergency overflow tank 93. I have.

The coating tank 64, the guide block 70, and the squeeze roller 68 having the above-described structure are configured as one unit as a whole, and a guide rail (not shown) formed on the lower surface of the unit is formed on the upper surface of the support plate 331. By engaging with the guide groove, the photosensitive material 16 can be detached in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction.

A water supply pipe 78 is connected to the water passage hole 101 of the guide block 70 of the water application section 62. A pump 80 and a filter 8 are provided at an intermediate portion of the water supply pipe 78.
2 are arranged, and the end of the water supply pipe 78 is
As shown in FIG. 4, it is connected to a receiving port 310 of the replenishing tank 86. The end of the water supply pipe 78 is located at the front door 1
The length is set so as not to hinder the opening / closing operation of No. 3.

By driving the pump 80, the water in the replenishment tank 86 is sucked in through the water supply pipe 78, and can be filled (replenished) in the application tank 64.

On the other hand, the discharge port 90 of the coating tank 64
The other end of the discharge pipe 96 is connected. An electromagnetic valve 98 is disposed at an intermediate portion of the discharge pipe 96. This solenoid valve 98 is normally closed (when the power is turned on), but is opened when the power is turned off, and replenishes the water in the application tank 64 via the discharge pipe 96 with the refill tank 86. Can be discharged to Further, the solenoid valve 98 is fixed in a state of being slightly inclined with respect to the machine base 12, thereby preventing drainage from remaining inside.

The end of the discharge pipe 96 extending from the solenoid valve 98 is connected to the check valve 103. The check valve 103 further includes an overflow port 9.
4 and the ends of drain pipes 105 and 107 communicating with the emergency overflow port 95 are connected.

As shown in FIG. 5, the check valve 103 has a drain port 324 that can be engaged with the recovery port 314 of the refill tank 86. A disk 328 is provided in the cylinder 326 communicating with the drain port 324, and a cylindrical insert 330 is provided on both surfaces at the center of the disk 328.
And a pressing body 320 are protruded in the axial direction.

On the other hand, a boss 332 is formed on the bottom surface of the cylinder 326, and an insert 330 is removably inserted into the inner periphery thereof. Further, a pressing spring 334 is attached to an outer peripheral portion of the boss portion 332, and urges the disk 328 toward the drain port 324.

A valve body 336 having a curved upper surface is fixed to the drain port 324 side of the disk 328 in such a manner as to be fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the pressing body 320. This valve 3
In the state 36, when the front door 13 is open, the pressing spring 334 is pressed against the peripheral edge of the drain port 324 to close the check valve 103.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the refill tank 86 is detachable inside the front door 13 by the holder H, so that it is not necessary to separately provide a storage section for the refill tank 86 below the image recording apparatus 10. A water supply pipe 78 for supplying water to the coating tank 64 is also freely connectable. Further, a check valve 103 to which the ends of the discharge pipe 96 and the drain pipes 105 and 107 are connected is a collection port at the same time when the front door 13 is opened. 3
Since it is detached from 14, the operability of attaching and detaching the refill tank 86 is not hindered.

Further, since the state of attachment / detachment of the replenishment tank 86 is displayed on the display unit by the operation of the limit switch 302, the user does not forget to attach it.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
When the valve is opened, the drain 324 of the check valve 103 is opened.
Is closed by the valve element 336 by the urging force of the pressing spring 334, so that no liquid leaks. FIG.
When the front door 13 is closed as shown in FIG.
20 is pressed against the urging force of the pressing spring 334 by an operating pin 318 provided in the recovery port 314 of the replenishment tank 86, the valve body 336 is separated from the drain port 324, and the drain port 324 and the recovery port 314 are connected. As a result, the water drained from the discharge pipe 96 and the drain pipes 105 and 107 is reliably collected in the refill tank 86.

Further, the discharge pipe 96 and the drain pipe 10
Since it is not necessary to connect the ends of the drain pipes 5 and 107 directly to the replenishing tank 86, the ends of the discharge pipe 96 and the drain pipes 105 and 107 do not bend during the desorption operation, and the drain path is shortened. The processing liquid collected by the stagnation does not stay on the way and rot.

The solenoid valve 98 provided in the discharge pipe 96 is opened when the power of the image recording apparatus 10 is turned on and closed when the power of the image recording apparatus 10 is turned off.

[0056]

According to the present invention, the processing liquid recovered from the application tank to the replenishment tank by natural head does not stay on the way.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an image recording apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an application tank and a water supply / drainage structure of a water application section.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a replenishing tank mounted inside a door of the image recording apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an operation state of a check valve when a door is opened.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an operation state of a check valve when a door is opened.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing an application tank and a water supply / drainage structure of a conventional water application section.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 image recording device H holder 62 water application section 78 water supply pipe (water supply means) 80 pump (water supply means) 86 replenishment tank (treatment liquid replenishment tank) 96 discharge pipe (discharge pipe) 98 solenoid valve 103 check valve 105 drainage pipe (drainage) Pipe) 107 Drainage pipe (Drainage pipe) 314 Collection port 324 Drainage port

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] (1) using two different types of image recording materials,
Exposure while conveying the image recording material of
After applying the liquid, the other image recording material is
Provided in an image recording apparatus that performs an image recording process together,
Supply the processing liquid to the water application section, or from the water application section
The discharged processing liquid is collected, and is automatically opened and closed by the image recording apparatus.
Replenishment tank stored inside the door provided
And, through a water supply pipe that can be freely connected to the processing liquid replenishment tank,
Water supply means for supplying the processing liquid to the water application section, and opening of the door
In the state, it is closed by the biasing force and is pressed in the closed state.
And engage with the recovery port of the processing solution replenishment tank.
A check valve having a drain, the check valve and the water
A discharge pipe that communicates with a discharge port of the coating unit;
Provided when the power of the image recording apparatus is turned on,
A solenoid valve that closes in the off state and a connection to the check valve
Drain pipe communicating with the overflow port of the water application section
And a treatment liquid supply and drainage structure.