JPH10186529A - Printing developing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To share a printing developing machine by analog exposure and a photographic printing developing machine by digital scanning exposure for common use by providing a loop forming part for photosensitive material and a reserver for exposed photosensitive material. SOLUTION: The 1st loop forming part 58 and the 2nd loop forming part 62 are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of a subscanning carrying system 60 in a carrying device 22, respectively, and the loop of the photosensitive material A is formed between the system 60 and the carrying means (carrying roller pairs 56 and 98) on the upstream and downstream sides of the system 60. Furthermore, the reserver 34 housing the exposed photosensitive material A is arranged on the downstream side of a back print part 32. Thus, the difference of an exposure method such as the difference of the carrying speed of the material A at the time of exposure between the printing developing machine by the analog exposure where exposure is performed by stopping the material A and the printing developing machine where the digital exposure is performed while subscanning and carrying the material A is absorbed, whereby the same developing device is shared for common use.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of a photographic printing / developing machine by digital exposure, and more specifically, a developing device (processor) can be shared with a conventional photographic printing / developing machine by analog exposure. The present invention relates to a digital baking developing machine that can be used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, an image photographed on a photographic film (hereinafter, referred to as a film) such as a negative film or a reversal film is printed on a photosensitive material such as photographic paper by projecting light of the film onto the photosensitive material. The exposure is performed by so-called direct (analog) exposure in which the photosensitive material is surface-exposed with the projection light.

On the other hand, in recent years, a printing apparatus using digital exposure, that is, an image recorded on a film is photoelectrically read, the read image is converted into a digital signal, and then various image processing is performed. 2. Description of the Related Art A digital photo printer that scans and exposes a photosensitive material with recording light modulated according to the image data, records an image (latent image), develops the image, and outputs it as a print (photograph) is used as image data for recording. It was put to practical use.

In a digital photo printer, a film is read photoelectrically, and color density correction is performed by signal processing to determine exposure conditions. Therefore, the operator does not need to determine the exposure conditions and adjust the filters and the like at the time of exposure.
Also, since the exposure time is constant according to the image size,
Efficient work can be performed. Moreover, it is possible to freely perform editing of a print image such as synthesis of a plurality of images, image division, etc., and various kinds of image processing such as color / density adjustment and contour emphasis, and output a print processed freely according to a use. be able to. In addition, since a print image is basically handled as image data, it is possible to supply not only a print output but also image data to a computer or the like, and further save the image data on a recording medium such as a floppy disk. You can keep it. Further, according to the digital photo printer, it is possible to output a print in which a higher quality image is reproduced in terms of resolution, color / density reproducibility, and the like as compared with the conventional direct exposure print.

[0005] Such a digital photo printer basically comprises a scanner (image reading device), an image processing device, and a printing and developing machine. In a scanner, reading light emitted from a light source is incident on a film to obtain projection light carrying an image photographed on the film, and this projection light is imaged on an image sensor such as a CCD sensor by an imaging lens. The image is read by photoelectric conversion, and is sent to an image processing device as film image data (image data signal). The image processing apparatus performs predetermined image processing on the image data sent from the scanner, and sends the image data to a printing / developing machine as output image data (exposure conditions) for image recording. In the baking developing machine, for example, if the apparatus uses light beam scanning exposure, while modulating the light beam according to the image data sent from the image processing apparatus, and deflecting this light beam in the main scanning direction, By transporting the photosensitive material (photographic paper) in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction, the photosensitive material is scanned and exposed (printed) by a light beam to form a latent image, and then developed according to the photosensitive material. And the like to obtain a reproduced print of the image photographed on the film.

[0006]

In such a digital photo printer, as a photosensitive material to be printed, a silver salt photographic photosensitive material similar to a conventional analog exposure photosensitive material is used. Therefore, the photosensitive material after exposure (printing) is subjected to the same wet development process of color development, bleaching and fixing, and washing with water. However, although the printing apparatus for analog exposure and the printing apparatus for digital exposure perform the same wet processing, they have different exposure methods, and therefore cannot share a developing device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a conventional photographic printing and developing machine using direct (analog) exposure. The conventional printing / developing apparatus 200 basically includes a printing apparatus 202 having an exposure section 206 and a printing / conveying section 208, and a developing section 1
4. Developing device 18 having drying unit 16 and discharge unit 17
It is composed of In such a printing / developing machine 200, the photosensitive material A is not cut off in the middle, and the image photographed on the film on the photosensitive material A is printed and exposed in the exposure section 206 and the printing / conveying section 208.
After being subjected to the development processing in, drying is performed in the drying unit 16, and the sheet is cut into individual prints in the discharge unit 17 to form a print.

Specifically, when the film is transported by the film carrier 210 and set at a predetermined position,
Light is emitted from the light source unit 212 of the exposure unit 206 to the film, and the projected image is displayed on a monitor. The operator determines the exposure condition (color / density correction amount) and the like by looking at the monitor image, inputs the information using a keyboard or the like of the operation table 214, and inserts a color filter of the exposure unit 206. On the other hand, the photosensitive material A pulled out from the photosensitive material roll
Are positioned and held at the exposure position 216,
When the operator issues an exposure instruction, the light source unit 2
Light is applied to the film from 12 and the projected light is applied to the photosensitive material A at the exposure position 216 as shown in FIG. 5, and the photosensitive material A is exposed. Further, when the exposure is stopped, frame information indicating a boundary of one print (one frame), sort information indicating a boundary of one film, or the like is formed by a punch (perforator) or the like.

After the exposure, the photosensitive material A is conveyed to the developing unit 14 after the back print is recorded, and while being conveyed at a predetermined speed, the color developing tank 136 and the bleach-fixing tank 13 are conveyed.
8. In each of the rinsing tanks 140 (140a to 140d), color development, bleach-fixing, and rinsing processes are sequentially performed, developed, dried in the drying unit 16, and formed earlier in the discharge unit 18. In accordance with the detection of the frame information, each print is cut into one print and stored in the sorter 144 in accordance with the sort information.

That is, in the printing / developing apparatus 200 using analog exposure, the photosensitive material A is intermittently conveyed, and the exposure is performed with the photosensitive material A stopped. for that reason,
At the time of stoppage, frame information indicating the boundary of each print, sort information indicating the boundary of one film or the like can be formed. Cutting or the like for each sheet can be performed. In addition, one print of a normal size (so-called L size) is as small as 127 mm even in the longitudinal direction, and therefore, when various wet processes are continuously performed as in a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material, such a process is performed. It is more advantageous to cut into one print after finishing each process in terms of the design of the developing unit and the like.

On the other hand, in the digital exposure, as described above, the light beam modulated according to the image to be recorded is deflected in the main scanning direction, and the photosensitive material is conveyed in the sub scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. Thus, the photosensitive material is two-dimensionally scanned and exposed by a light beam carrying an image.
Here, the stop of the sub-scanning conveyance during the exposure leads to the occurrence of image unevenness or the like. Therefore, the conveyance cannot be stopped halfway to form frame information or the like. In addition, in consideration of rising and the like, stopping the sub-scanning conveyance leads to a decrease in productivity and loss of the photosensitive material. Therefore, it is preferable that the sub-scanning conveyance is not stopped as much as possible.

That is, in digital exposure in which scanning exposure is performed while the photosensitive material is continuously conveyed, frame information and the like cannot be formed. A back print indicating various information is recorded on the back side of the print, but without the frame information, the back print cannot be positioned. The transport speed and the timing are different. Therefore, in order to perform the scanning exposure in the digital photo printer, the photosensitive material must be cut into a print size first, cut into a sheet, exposed, and then subjected to a developing process. Therefore, an analog printing developing machine that performs development processing of a photosensitive material while maintaining a long strip shape, and a digital printing development machine that performs development processing after forming a cut sheet,
Since the exposure method is different, a developing device cannot be shared, and it is necessary to develop, design, and manufacture a completely different device despite performing the same wet processing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printing and developing apparatus for digital scanning exposure which can share a developing device with a printing and developing apparatus for analog exposure which has been widely used in the past.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a photosensitive material supply section for loading a photosensitive material wound in a roll shape, a transporting means for transporting the photosensitive material along a predetermined path, Exposure means for two-dimensionally scanning and exposing the material by digital exposure while sub-scanning and transporting the material, a first loop forming section disposed upstream of the exposure means in the sub-scanning transport direction, and the sub-scanning transport direction of the exposure means A printing apparatus having a second loop forming section disposed downstream, a reservoir for temporarily storing the exposed photosensitive material, and a discharge means for discharging the photosensitive material from the reservoir; and a developing device for developing the exposed photosensitive material. And a developing device which outputs the print as a print. The developing device is attachable to the printing device.

[0015]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of a printing / developing machine of the present invention. A printing / developing machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a printing / developing machine of the above-described digital photo printer, and is read by an image reading device such as a film scanner, and an exposure determined by an image processing device according to the read image. According to the conditions (image data = image recording), the photosensitive material A is scanned and exposed by light beam scanning exposure to form a latent image, developed, and printed to reproduce a captured image on a film. The output device is basically composed of a printing device 12 and a developing device 18. The developing device 18 is provided with a printing developing device 200 for analog exposure.
Is the same as the developing device 18 of FIG.

The printing device 12 includes a transport device 22 and a light beam scanning device 24. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the transport device 22, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the light beam scanning device 24 (and the sub-scanning transport system 60).

The transport device 22 performs recording of image position information, image exposure (burning), back printing, and the like while extracting the photosensitive material A wound in a roll shape and transporting the photosensitive material A along a predetermined path. Material supply unit 26, frame information forming unit 2 for recording image position information
8, exposure unit 30, back print unit 32, reservoir 3
4. It has a transport means for transporting the photosensitive material A along a predetermined route passing through these portions, and an electrical unit 20 in which a control board, a power supply unit, and the like are stored.

The photosensitive material supply section 26 is a section for loading a magazine 27 in which the photosensitive material A wound in a roll is housed in a light-shielding housing. , On the upper side of the transporting device 22, on the side of the exposing means including the exposing unit 30 and the light beam scanning device 24. The configuration of the photosensitive material supply unit 26 is not particularly limited,
All known configurations of printing apparatuses using the photosensitive material A wound in a roll shape can be used.

A pull-out roller pair 36, a sensor 38, and a guide 40 are arranged downstream of the photosensitive material supply section 26 in the transport direction of the photosensitive material A (hereinafter, referred to as downstream). A loop forming unit 42 is provided. The pull-out roller pair 36 pulls out the photosensitive material A from the magazine 27 loaded in the photosensitive material supply unit 26. In order to facilitate the removal of the magazine and the passage of the photosensitive material A, the photosensitive material A is drawn by a known method. Is configured to be freely pinched / opened. The sensor 38 detects the presence or absence of the photosensitive material A at the time of loading (passing of the photosensitive material A) or rewinding (winding of the photosensitive material A into the magazine 27). In addition, as the sensors used in the printing / developing machine 10 of the present invention, including the sensor 38, all known sensors used for detecting a sheet-like material such as an optical sensor and a mechanical sensor can be used. It is. The guide 40 adjusts the width according to the size (width) of the photosensitive material A stored in the magazine 27 loaded in the photosensitive material supply unit 26. In this regard, regarding this point, the guides 52a, 52b, 90,
The same applies to 104 and 122.

The draw-out loop forming section 42 is a section for forming a loop (slack) of the photosensitive material A to absorb the conveyance and stop of the photosensitive material A by the frame information forming section 28 arranged downstream. , A conveying roller 44, guide rollers 46 and 48 for guiding the photosensitive material A from the guide 40 to the frame information forming unit 28, a guide 49, and a sensor 52.

The guide 49 is configured to be movable by a motor 49M, and is positioned (closed) so as to guide the photosensitive material A from the guide roller 46 to the guide roller 48 when the photosensitive material A is passed. Normally, as shown in FIG. 2, it is arranged at a position to retreat from the loop (open). The guide 49 has a driven roller (not shown) that comes into contact with the transport roller 44 when the photosensitive material A is disposed at a position where the photosensitive material A is guided from the guide roller 46 to the guide roller 48. The photosensitive material A is nipped and transported by the roller 44 and the driven roller. Sensor 52
Detects that a loop having a predetermined size is formed in the pull-out loop forming section 42. The pull-out roller pair 36 outputs the photosensitive material A in accordance with the loop detection result by the sensor 52. Pulled out of magazine 27.

The frame information forming unit 28 is arranged downstream of the drawer loop forming unit 42. In the image forming apparatus 10 of the present invention, which can share the conventional analog exposure printing developing device and the developing device 18, the photosensitive material A is not cut off in the middle of the normal operation, but is continuously in a belt shape. Exposure and development processing are performed, and the print is cut at the final discharge unit 17. Therefore, for subsequent cutting of the photosensitive material A, positioning of exposure and back print, image position information such as frame information indicating a boundary of each print and sort information indicating a predetermined unit number of one film or the like. Need to be formed. The frame information forming unit 28 is a part that forms the frame information and / or the sort information.

The printing / developing machine 10 shown in the figure is for forming frame information and sort information by, for example, punching a square hole. The frame information forming section 28 includes a punch 50 for forming frame information and the like. It has guides 52a and 52b arranged upstream and downstream of the punch 50, and a sensor 54 for detecting the presence or absence of the photosensitive material A. The punch 50 is activated when the transport roller pair 56 of the first loop forming section 58, which will be described later, transports and stops one sheet of the photosensitive material A, and pierces the photosensitive material A into a predetermined shape to form a single print. Form corresponding frame information. After forming the frame information for the set number of prints, the punch 50 forms the sort information. The formation of the frame information and the like may be a line or dot mark recorded by various recording means such as thermal transfer using an ink ribbon, other than the perforation by the punch 50. In this case, a back print unit 32 to be described later may be arranged at the position of the frame information forming unit 28, and this may have a function of forming frame information and the like.

The exposure unit 3 is located downstream of the frame information forming unit 28.
0 is placed. In the illustrated apparatus, the exposure unit 30 and the light beam scanning device 24 shown in FIG. 3 two-dimensionally expose the photosensitive material with a light beam by digital scanning exposure to form a latent image. . The exposure unit 30 basically includes a first loop forming unit 58, a sub-scanning conveyance system 60, and a second loop forming unit 62.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the light beam scanning device 24 and the sub-scanning transport system 60. The printing apparatus 10 shown in the drawing.
The light beam scanning device 24 applies a light beam L of three primary colors modulated according to image data, that is, a recorded image (corresponding exposure density) to the main scanning direction (the direction of arrow a in FIG. 3; (Vertical direction)
While exposing the photosensitive material A at a predetermined exposure position by the exposure drum 80 and the nip rollers 82 and 84 constituting the sub-scanning conveyance system 60, the photosensitive material A is exposed in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of arrow b in the drawing) orthogonal to the main scanning direction. By transporting material A, 3
The photosensitive material A is two-dimensionally scanned and exposed by the light beam L to record a latent image.

The light beam scanning device 24 includes a three-laser-beam diagonal incidence optical system for scanning and exposing a photosensitive material A having a spectral sensitivity peak of the three primary colors in the visible light region using a light beam of the three primary colors. The laser light source 64 (64R, 64G, 6
4B), a collimator lens 66R, a condenser lens 67 (67R, 67G, 67B), and an AOM (acousto-optic modulator) 68 (68R, 68G) along the traveling direction of the light beam L emitted from the laser light source. , 68B), a reflection mirror 70 (70R, 70G, 70B), a cylindrical lens 72 (72R, 72G, 72B), a polygon mirror 74, an fθ lens 76, a cylindrical mirror 78, and a reflection mirror 79. .

The three-light-source non-multiplexing optical system includes three laser light sources 64R and 64 that emit light beams having predetermined narrow-band wavelengths corresponding to red (R) exposure, green (G) exposure, and blue (B).
G, 64B, the light beam L emitted from each light source is reflected from the reflection surface 7 of the polygon mirror 74 at a slightly different angle from each other.
4a is an optical system that is incident on one point.
4R is a semiconductor laser (LD) that emits a light beam Lr having a wavelength of 680 nm for R exposure.
SHG that emits a light beam Lg having a wavelength of 532 nm for exposure
The laser light source 64B is a wavelength conversion laser (B-SHG) using an SHG element that emits a light beam having a wavelength of 473 nm for B exposure.
HG).

The collimator lens 66R includes the laser light source 6
The light beam Lr emitted from the 4R is shaped into parallel light. The condenser lenses 67R, 67G, 67B are:
Each light beam L (Lr, Lg, Lb) is condensed on the corresponding AOM 68. AOM68R, 68G, 6
8B modulates each light beam L according to the image data signal of each color output from the above-described image processing apparatus. In the present invention, the method of modulating each light beam is not particularly limited. For example, various light modulators other than the AOM may be used, or the laser light source may be directly modulated.
Further, the modulation may be intensity modulation or pulse width modulation.

The reflecting mirrors 70R, 70G, and 70B are for turning the respective optical paths of the respective light beams L so as to be incident on the same point on the reflecting surface 74a of the polygon mirror 74. It is deflected in the main scanning direction. Cylindrical lenses 72R, 72G, 7
The 2B, the fθ lens 76, and the cylindrical mirror 78 constitute a surface tilt correction optical system, and corrects the surface tilt of the polygon mirror 74. Further, the fθ lens 76 outputs the light beam L
Is formed at any position on the main scanning line. The cylindrical mirror 78 constitutes a surface tilt correction optical system with the cylindrical lens 72, and also bends each light beam L and makes it incident on the reflection mirror 79. The reflection mirror 79 bends each light beam L again and performs sub-scanning conveyance. The light is incident on an exposure position (scanning line) on the photosensitive material A that is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by the system 60.

On the other hand, the sub-scanning transport system 60 is an exposure drum 80 which transports the photosensitive material A in a sub-scanning direction (direction of arrow b) substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction while holding the photosensitive material A at a predetermined exposure position.
And an exposure drum 80 sandwiching the exposure position in the sub-scanning conveyance direction.
Two nip rollers 82 and 84 pressed against
It has a sensor 86 for detecting the above-mentioned frame information and the presence or absence of the photosensitive material A, and a guide 90. The photosensitive material A is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by the exposure drum 80 and nip rollers 82 and 84.

As will be described in detail later, if the amount of the photosensitive material A in the first loop forming portion 58 exceeds a predetermined amount, the photosensitive material A is sub-scanned and conveyed by the sub-scanning conveyance system 60, and the frame information The image recording position is detected by detecting the frame information formed by the forming unit 28 by the sensor 86,
Further, when the recording start position of the photosensitive material A is conveyed to the exposure position (scanning line), the scanning exposure of the photosensitive material A by the light beam L modulated according to the recorded image as described above is started. Here, the light beam L is deflected in the main scanning direction, and the photosensitive material A is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. As a result, the photosensitive material A is two-dimensionally scanned by the light beam L. And the entire surface is exposed.

As described above, in the printing / developing machine 10 for performing digital scanning exposure, it is preferable that the exposure is performed while the photosensitive material A is being conveyed in the sub-scanning direction, and that the sub-scanning conveyance is not stopped as much as possible. It is necessary to stop the conveyance of the photosensitive material A when forming the frame information and the like by the punch 50,
Further, the transfer speed of the photosensitive material A and the execution timing are different for the determination of the recorded image and the formation of the frame information and the like, the exposure of the photosensitive material A, and the back print described later. In addition, in the scanning exposure, an error in the sub-scanning conveyance at the time of the exposure directly leads to a deterioration in image quality such as uneven streaks of the image. Therefore, in order to obtain a print on which a high-quality image is recorded, it is necessary to transport the photosensitive material A by the sub-scanning transport system 60 with high accuracy.

Therefore, in the printing / developing machine 10 of the present invention, the first loop forming section 5 is provided upstream of the sub-scanning conveyance system 60.
8, a second loop forming section 62 is disposed on the downstream side, and a photosensitive material is provided between the conveying means (conveying roller pairs 56 and 98) upstream and downstream of the sub-scanning conveying system 60 and the sub-scanning conveying system 60. A loop is formed. Further, as described later, a reservoir 34 for storing the exposed photosensitive material A is disposed downstream of the back print unit 32.

The printing / developing machine 10 of the present invention has the loop forming portion and the reservoir, so that the transport of the photosensitive material A for forming the frame information and the like can be stopped or backed while performing the sub-scanning transport of the photosensitive material. It is possible to record prints, expose, back print, develop, etc. without cutting the photosensitive material A, and finally cut the photosensitive material A to make one print I have to.
In addition, by having these, the adverse effect of the conveying means disposed upstream and downstream on the sub-scanning conveyance of the photosensitive material A, that is, so-called back tension, is eliminated, and the sub-scanning conveyance of the photosensitive material A with high accuracy is enabled. . Further, as will be described later, the reservoir 34 absorbs a difference in processing speed between exposure and development (exposure is usually faster).
That is, in the present invention, the first loop forming section 5
8. By having the second loop forming unit 62 and the reservoir 34 as a speed control buffer, a printing and developing machine by analog exposure for stopping and exposing the photosensitive material A and performing digital exposure while sub-scanning and transporting the photosensitive material A Absorb the difference in the exposure method such as the difference in the transport speed of the photosensitive material A at the time of exposure with the printing / developing machine 10 of the present invention. The device 18 can be shared, thereby reducing the development, design, and manufacturing costs of the digital photo printer.

The first loop forming section 58 includes a pair of conveying rollers 56 disposed downstream of the frame information forming section 28 and a guide 8.
8 and a sensor 92. The conveying roller pair 56 is driven by a pulse motor, and after the previous frame information is formed, the image size of the next frame to be recorded is determined, and
When the loop of the photosensitive material A is no longer detected by the sensor 92, the photosensitive material A is printed for one print of the determined image.
Is transported. That is, the transport roller pair 56 is
The conveyance for each sheet is performed intermittently. After this transfer, punch 5
As described above, 0 is activated and frame information corresponding to one print is formed. The guide 88 is a motor 8
8M so that it can be moved.
The right end in the figure is located near the guide 90, that is, positioned so as to guide the photosensitive material A to the guide 90 (closed), and when the leading end paper feeding is completed, the end is rotated by the motor 88M and shown in FIG. In a normal state, that is, a position retracted from the loop of the photosensitive material A (open).

In the illustrated apparatus, the size of the loop formed in the first loop forming section 58, that is, the amount (length) of the photosensitive material A is determined by the photosensitive material A by the transport roller pair 56 and the sub-scanning transport system 60. (For example,
The conveyance of the photosensitive material A by the sub-scanning conveyance system 60 is controlled in accordance with the amount of the photosensitive material A in the first loop forming section 58 and the like. That is,
The amount of the photosensitive material A and the image size of the first loop forming section 58 and the image size are determined (although image data is sent to the light beam scanning device 24), and the first transport roller pair 56 is used.
If the sum of the amount of the photosensitive material A that has not been sent to the loop forming section 58 exceeds the size of the frame to be exposed next, the sub-scanning transport system 60 transports the photosensitive material A in the sub-scanning direction, and Exposure is performed. Since a loop is formed in the first loop forming section 58, the sub-scanning conveyance system 60
The sub-scanning conveyance can be performed irrespective of the stop of conveyance of the photosensitive material A by the conveyance roller pair 56 and the formation of frame information and the like by the punch 50.

On the other hand, the second loop forming section 62 is provided with a sensor 94, a guide 96, and a pair of conveying rollers 9 toward the downstream direction.
8. It has a sensor 100. Guide 96 is a motor 96M
When the paper is passed, the right end in the figure is located near the transport roller pair 98, that is, positioned so as to guide the photosensitive material A to the transport roller pair 98 (closed). Is completed, it is rotated by the motor 96M to be in the normal state shown in FIG. 2, that is, a position retracted from the loop of the photosensitive material A (open). The sensor 94 is a sensor for detecting a loop of the second loop forming unit 62.

The conveying roller pair 98 is a conveying roller driven by a pulse motor. When the loop of the second loop forming section 62 is detected by the sensor 94, the photosensitive material A is intermittently backed up by one print. The sheet is conveyed to the print unit 32. That is, when the amount of the photosensitive material A in the second loop forming section 62 is less than the predetermined amount, the photosensitive material A
When the photosensitive material A in the second loop forming section 62 exceeds a predetermined amount, the transport by the transport roller pair 98 is performed. By having the second loop forming section 62, the sub-scanning conveyance can be performed completely independently of the back printing.

In the apparatus shown in the drawing, in a normal state, the transport of the photosensitive material A by the transport roller pair 98 (bending transport section 107) is performed at a predetermined position from the position where the sensor 100 detects the frame information or the detected position. Since it stops at the position, it detects that the photosensitive material A for one print has been conveyed.

The control of the first loop forming section 58 and the second loop forming section 62 is not limited to the above example, but includes the sub-scanning conveyance system 60, the conveyance roller pair 56, and the conveyance roller pair 92.
The transport of the photosensitive material A by the method described above may be controlled so that the amount of the photosensitive material A in each loop forming portion becomes a predetermined amount (range) in accordance with the speed of image determination and image exposure. Further, each loop forming section is preferably controlled so that the amount of the photosensitive material A does not exceed a predetermined maximum amount.

Hereinafter, a description will be given of the paper passing from the drawing loop forming section 42 to the second loop forming section 62 and the initial formation of the loop. In the printing / developing machine 10 in the illustrated example, the passage of the photosensitive material A is performed until the sensor 100 detects the leading end of the photosensitive material A. More specifically, when the photosensitive material magazine 27 is mounted on the photosensitive material supply unit 26, first, the photosensitive material A is transported until the leading end of the pull-out roller pair 36 is detected by the sensor 38. At this point, guide 40,
The width adjustment of 52a, 52b, 90 and 104 is performed,
Further, the guides of all the loop forming portions including the reservoir 34 are closed. The nip roller 82 of the sub-scanning conveyance system 60
And 84 are located away from the exposure drum 80.

Next, the pull-out roller pair 36, the conveying roller pairs 56 and 98, etc. are driven to linearly convey the photosensitive material A to a position where the sensor 100 detects the leading end. The transport of the photosensitive material A at each site is confirmed by the sensors 54 and 86.

When the photosensitive material A has been transported so far, the nip rollers 82 and 84 of the sub-scanning transport system 60 abut the exposure drum 80 to clamp the photosensitive material A, and the guide 49 of the drawing loop forming section 42 is opened. I do. When the guide 49 is opened, the pull-out roller pair 36 and the transport roller 44 are driven to form a loop of the photosensitive material A in the pull-out loop forming section 42. When the loop is detected by the sensor 52, the loop formation is terminated. . The subsequent transport of the photosensitive material A to the pull-out loop forming section 42 is as described above.

When the loop formation of the drawing loop forming section 42 is completed, the guide 88 of the first loop forming section 58 and the guide 96 of the second loop forming section 62 are opened. When both guides are released and the first image to be recorded is determined, the punch 50 operates to form frame information indicating the leading end of the image,
The transport roller pair 56 transports the photosensitive material A by one print of the determined image. After that, with the confirmation of the image, etc.
Intermittent conveyance of each print by the conveyance roller pair 56 and formation of frame information by the punch 50 are performed, and a loop is formed in the first loop forming unit 58. In this way, when the loop formed in the first loop forming section 58 has a size detected by the sensor 92, the sub-scanning conveyance system 60 is driven, and the first frame information is
The photosensitive material A is conveyed to a position detected by the above. Subsequent conveyance of the photosensitive material A in the first loop forming section 58 is as described above.

On the other hand, when the scanning exposure of the photosensitive material A (the transport of the photosensitive material A by the sub-scanning transport system 60) is started, the second exposure is performed.
A loop is also formed in the loop forming section 62. When the loop reaches a size detected by the sensor 94, the conveying roller pair 98 (the bent conveying section 107) is driven to convey the photosensitive material A to a position where the first frame information detected by the sensor 100 is detected. Subsequent second loop forming section 62
The transportation of the photosensitive material A in the above is as described above.

The back print section 32 is disposed downstream of the exposure section 30 (second loop forming section 62), and the bent transport section 107 is disposed downstream of the back print section 32. The printing / developing machine 10 performs information recording on the back surface, that is, back printing, in which various data of the printing such as the photographing date of the original film and the recording date on the photosensitive material A are recorded on the back surface of the print. In the apparatus, this back print unit 32 does this.

The back print unit 32 includes a printing device 102
And a guide 104 for supporting the photosensitive material A at a predetermined position at the time of back printing. The illustrated device performs back printing by, for example, thermal transfer using an ink ribbon cassette. Perform the back print. As the printing apparatus 102, all known recording means such as pressure-sensitive transfer and ink-jet can be used in addition to thermal transfer using an ink ribbon cassette. The bent transport section 107 transports the photosensitive material A on which the back print is recorded to the reservoir 34 in synchronization with the transport roller pair 98 of the second loop forming section 62 described above.

As described above, when the photosensitive material A in the second loop forming section 62 is detected by the sensor 94, the conveying roller pair 9
The photosensitive material A is intermittently conveyed one print at a time by the bending conveyance unit 8 and the bent conveyance unit 107. Back print unit 3
2 performs back printing on the back surface of the photosensitive material A in synchronization with the conveyance. Here, the photosensitive material A is the sensor 100
Therefore, the conveyance is stopped at the position where the frame information is detected, and the position of the back print by the printing device 102 is set accordingly.

The sensor 11 is located downstream of the bending conveyance section 107.
0 and the first cutter 112 are arranged, and downstream thereof,
A reservoir 34 is arranged. The first cutter 112 is not used in a normal operation state. For example, after the exposure operation is completed, the photosensitive material A is cut when discharging all the exposed photosensitive material A stored in a reservoir 34 described later. The sort information and the frame information are detected by the sensor 110, and the photosensitive material A is cut by operating the first cutter 112 at the rear end of the print on which the image is recorded.

Downstream of the first cutter 112, the reservoir 3
4 are arranged. As described above, in the printing / developing apparatus 10 that can share the developing device 18 with the conventional printing / developing apparatus using analog exposure, the processing is basically performed in a band form from the exposure to the end of the development processing. Although the photosensitive material A is finally cut into one print, the processing speeds of the image recording unit 12 and the developing unit 14 are not the same, and the processing speed of the image recording unit 12 is faster.

The reservoir 34 is a place for temporarily storing the exposed photosensitive material A. By having the reservoir 34, the difference in the processing speed is absorbed, and the exposed photosensitive material A that cannot be developed in time is absorbed. Can be accommodated here and kept in a standby state, so that there is no need to stop the exposure operation by controlling the development, and the operation can be performed continuously. Also,
For example, by storing a certain amount of the exposed photosensitive material A here, the printing operation can be continued even during unattended operation, and high-efficiency printing can be performed. In addition, by holding the exposed photosensitive material A in the reservoir 34 for a predetermined time or longer, the regression of a latent image caused by light beam scanning exposure (a phenomenon in which an image is deteriorated if the elapsed time after exposure is short) is also prevented. High quality images can be obtained.

In the printing / developing machine 10 of the present invention, the reservoir 34 may be an ordinary box capable of storing the photosensitive material A, and may have a guide or the like for preventing the photosensitive material A from being twisted. Is also good. Further, in order to more suitably prevent the photosensitive material A from being twisted, the width of the reservoir 34 may be adjustable according to the size of the photosensitive material A in the width direction.

The reservoir 34 has a guide 114 movable by a motor 114M, and a sensor 116 for detecting the photosensitive material A in the reservoir 34. Guide 1
Reference numeral 14 denotes the conveying means 1 at the right end in the drawing when the leading end paper is passed.
18, that is, positioned so as to guide the photosensitive material A to the transporting means 118 (closed).
It is moved by the motor 114M to a normal state shown in FIG. 2, that is, a position retracted from the loop of the photosensitive material A (open). The sensor 116 is connected to the reservoir 3
4 to detect that a predetermined amount or more of the photosensitive material A is stored in the reservoir 4 (the formation of a loop of a predetermined amount or more in the reservoir 34). When the loop is not detected, the second cutter 124 described later operates to cut the photosensitive material A.

As described above, development processing usually takes longer than exposure (burning) as described above. If processing is continuously performed in a normal state, the exposed photosensitive material to the reservoir 34 is exposed. The capacity of the material A gradually increases.

The capacity of the reservoir 34 is not particularly limited.
However, there is the problem of the latent image regression described above, and it is preferable that the light beam L has a high light amount in consideration of the exposure speed. In this case, the problem of the latent image regression becomes more serious.
For this reason, in the printing / developing machine 10 of the present invention, it is preferable that the developing process is performed after a certain period of time, usually 30 seconds or more (standby), after the exposure. It is preferable that the length of A is 4 m or more, and the exposed photosensitive material A stays in the reservoir 34 so as to sufficiently fill this time, and is then carried out.

In the apparatus shown in the figure, as a preferred embodiment, the photosensitive material supply unit 26 and the exposure means (the exposure unit 30 and the light beam scanning device 2)
4), a reservoir 34 is disposed below the photosensitive material supply unit 26 and the exposure unit, and an electrical unit 20 is disposed beside the reservoir 34. With such a configuration, a large space is formed below the printing and conveying device 22, and the entire space can be used as the reservoir 34. In the configuration of the printing and developing device 10, The capacity of the reservoir can be maximized without wasting space, and the capacity of the reservoir can be set as desired according to the size of the apparatus.

Downstream of the reservoir 34, the bent transport section 11
8 is arranged, and the second cutter 124 is arranged downstream thereof. The bent transport section 118 transports the photosensitive material A out of the reservoir 34 and transports the photosensitive material A to a fifth loop forming section 125 described later.
The photosensitive material A is conveyed in accordance with the detection result of. The transport speed of the photosensitive material A by the bent transport unit 118 is set to be higher than the transport speed of the developing unit 14 of the developing device 18 (the transport unit 132 of the third loop forming unit 125).
The sensor 119 is a sensor for detecting frame information and the presence or absence of the photosensitive material A. The second cutter 124 is a cutter for cutting the photosensitive material A at the time of trouble or the like. For example, when the amount of the photosensitive material A stored in the reservoir 34 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, or in the developing unit 14 or the like. When a trouble occurs, the photosensitive material A is cut by the second cutter 124 so that the exposed photosensitive material A stored in the reservoir 34 is cut.
It is possible to prevent the photosensitive material A from being unnecessarily pulled by the developing unit 14 and to damage each transporting means of the printing and transporting device 22.

A third loop forming section 125 is arranged downstream of the second cutter 124. Third loop forming unit 125
Is a part forming a loop for finally absorbing the difference between the processing speed of the printing and conveying device 22 and the processing speed of the developing unit 14 and the conveyance and stop of the photosensitive material A by the bent conveyance unit 118, and is directed downstream. Guide roller 126, sensor 128, guide 130, photosensitive material A to developing device 18
(Transfer unit 132 for sending out to (developing unit 14), sensor 13
4

The guide 130 is configured to be movable by a motor 130M. When the leading end of the photosensitive material A is passed, the left end in the figure is near the guide roll 126, that is, the photosensitive material A is transported to the guide roll 126 (the bent transport section 118). ) Is guided to the conveying means 132 (closed), and when the leading-end paper feeding is completed, the sheet is rotated by the motor 130M to the normal state shown in FIG. (Open).

The sensor 128 includes a third loop forming section 125
The bent conveying section 118 does not operate when the loop is detected by the sensor 128, and operates when the loop is no longer detected by the sensor 128. A predetermined amount (for example, one print) of the photosensitive material A is supplied to the third loop forming unit 12.
To 5. The stop of the transport is controlled by, for example, detection of frame information by the sensor 119. In the state where the loop is no longer detected by the sensor 128, the reservoir 3
When the loop is not detected by the sensor 116 of No. 4 or when the waiting time in the reservoir 34 for the image carried out from the reservoir 34 is shorter than a predetermined time, the bending conveyance section 118 does not operate and the cutter 124 operates. To cut the photosensitive material A.

Hereinafter, the paper passing from the reservoir 34 to the third loop forming section 125 and the formation of the loop will be described.
As described earlier in the loop formation in the pull-out loop forming section 42 to the second loop forming section 62, the photosensitive material A waits at the position where the tip is detected by the sensor 100, and the second loop forming section 62 When the amount of the photosensitive material A becomes equal to or more than a predetermined amount,
The transport roller pair 98 and the drive bending transport section 107 are driven to perform back printing while the photosensitive material A is in the reservoir 3.
4 is carried. Here, since the guide 114 is closed as described above, the leading end of the photosensitive material A is
8. In addition, the bending conveyance section 118 is driven in synchronization with the conveyance of the photosensitive material A by the bending conveyance section 107 and the like, and when the tip of the photosensitive material A is detected by the sensor 119, the conveyance of the photosensitive material A by the bending conveyance section 118. Stops, the motor 114M operates to open the guide 114, and the photosensitive material A is stored in the reservoir 34.

The waiting time of the leading image of the photosensitive material A stored in the reservoir 34 is equal to or longer than a predetermined time set in accordance with the prevention of the regression of the latent image, and the amount of the photosensitive material A stored in the reservoir 34 (printing) (The number of sheets) exceeds the amount corresponding to the amount corresponding to the developing unit 14 from the reservoir 34, the bent conveying unit 118
Drives to transport the photosensitive material A to the third loop forming section 125. As described above, since the guide 130 of the third loop forming unit 125 is closed, the leading end of the photosensitive material A is transported by the transporting unit 132 and is loaded into the developing unit 14. When the tip is detected by the sensor 134, the motor 130
M operates to open the guide 130. Subsequent conveyance of the photosensitive material A by the bent conveyance section 118 is as described above.

The photosensitive material A, which has been exposed, is then conveyed to a developing device 18 where it is subjected to a developing process, drying and cutting.
The prints are sorted and sorted. This developing device 18
Is the same as the above-described printing / developing machine 200 using analog exposure, and includes a developing unit 14, a drying unit 16, and a discharge unit 17. The developing device of the printing / developing machine of the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the developing device may include only the developing unit 14 or only the developing unit 14 and the drying unit 16.

The developing section 14 is a wet type developing apparatus corresponding to the type of the photosensitive material A to be used. For example, if the photosensitive material A is a silver halide photographic material, as shown in FIG. Developing tank 136, bleach-fix tank 138, washing tank 14
0a, 140b, 140c, and 140d, and the exposed photosensitive material A is transported by a transport roller or the like, sequentially immersed in each processing tank, subjected to predetermined processing in each processing tank, and developed. And the latent image is visualized. The photosensitive material A after the development is dried in a drying unit 16 by a known method such as hot air drying, and is conveyed to a discharge unit 17.

In the present invention, since the developing device 18 is used in common with an analog printing device, the type of photosensitive material used, the composition of the processing solution and the like are different, and the processing time and temperature of the development are changed accordingly. Since there may be a case where the temperature is different, it is preferable to have an adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of each processing tank and the transport speed (that is, processing time) in the developing unit 14.

The discharge section 17 includes a cutting section 142 and a sorter 14
4 The cutting section 142 has a sensor 146 for detecting frame information and sort information, and a cutter 148 for cutting the photosensitive material A.
The photosensitive material A is cut in accordance with the detection of the frame information to make a finished print. On the other hand, the sorter 144 is a normal sorter having a large number of shelves. The sorter 144 rotates or slides in accordance with the result of the sorting information detected by the sensor 146 of the cutting section 142 to switch the shelf for storing the finished print. Then, a predetermined number of finished prints according to the sort information are sorted and stored.

The printing / developing machine 10 according to the present invention described above comprises:
This is a single unit for exposing and developing the photosensitive material A. However, in large-scale developing laboratories that produce a large number of prints, development processing is performed using a dedicated developing device capable of high-speed processing. In this case, the photosensitive material A that has been exposed
Is wound by a winder connected to the printing device 12 and supplied to the developing device. Here, in the printing device 12 of the printing and developing device 10 of the present invention, not only the developing device 18 but also the winding device can be used in common with the conventional printing and developing device for analog exposure. FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an example in which the winding device 150 is connected to the printing apparatus 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, the winder 150 is
It has a winding core 152, a tension roller 154, guide rollers 156 and 158, and sensors 160 and 162. As shown in FIG. 1, the tension roller 154 has one end pivotally supported by an arm 168 rotatably supported by a support shaft 164, and is urged weakly (in the direction of the arrow) by urging means (not shown). Have been. By having the tension roller 154, the loading and stopping of the photosensitive material A from the printing apparatus 12 can be stopped or resumed.
2 can absorb the rotation and stop of the photosensitive material A
Of the photosensitive material A in the printing apparatus can be prevented from being adversely affected by the winding. Further, the winder 150
Include sensors 160 and 16 for detecting arm 168
2 are arranged.

The winding core 152 is a core rod for winding the photosensitive material A. The winding core 152 is engaged with a rotation driving source (not shown), and is driven and stopped according to the detection result of the arm 168 by the sensors 160 and 162. Then, the photosensitive material A is wound up. Specifically, when the photosensitive material A is carried in and the arm 168 rotates downward and is detected by the sensor 162, the winding core 152 rotates to wind up the photosensitive material A. Conversely, when the photosensitive material A is taken up by the take-up core 152 and the arm 168 rotates upward and is detected by the sensor 160, the take-up core 152 stops rotating. Photosensitive material A wound on winding core 152
Is removed from the winder 150 and used for development.

The printing / developing machine 10 of the present invention basically has such a configuration, and its operation will be described below. When the loop is no longer detected by the sensor 52 of the pull-out loop forming unit 42, the pull-out roller 36 is driven to draw out a predetermined amount of the photosensitive material A from the photosensitive material magazine 27 and transport it to the pull-out loop forming unit 42. The photosensitive material A conveyed to the drawing loop forming unit 42 is then conveyed to the frame information forming unit 28. As described above, in the illustrated apparatus, when the image to be recorded is determined and the loop is no longer detected by the sensor 92, the first loop forming unit 58
Roller pair 56 of photosensitive material A for one print
Is transported, the frame information forming unit 28 drives the punch 50 every time the photosensitive material A is transported by one print to form frame information (and / or sort information).

The photosensitive material A on which the frame information is formed is carried into the first loop forming section 58, and when the amount of the photosensitive material A in the first loop forming section 58 exceeds a predetermined amount, the sub-scanning conveyance system 60 is driven. The wafer is conveyed to the exposure unit 30 and is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction while being held at a predetermined exposure position by the exposure drum 80.
By this conveyance, the sensor 86 detects the frame information, the exposure start position of the photosensitive material A by the light beam scanning device 24 is detected, and when the exposure start position of the photosensitive material A is conveyed to the exposure position, the exposure condition is satisfied. The photosensitive material A conveyed in the sub-scanning direction is scanned and exposed by the light beam L modulated in accordance with the light beam and deflected in the main scanning direction to form a latent image. The photosensitive material A on which the latent image has been formed is carried into the second loop forming section 62, and when the amount of the photosensitive material A in the second loop forming section 62 becomes equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the conveying roller pair 98 and the like are driven to back up. Print section 3
2 is transferred.

The photosensitive material A on which the latent image has been formed passes through the back print section 32, and the information such as the frame number is back printed by the printing device 102 using the ink ribbon cassette. Here, as described above, the photosensitive material A carried out from the second loop forming unit 62 temporarily stops at the position where the frame information is detected by the sensor 100, and the amount of the photosensitive material A in the second loop forming unit 62 is reduced. Accordingly, since one print is conveyed to the back print unit 32 one by one, the back print position may be appropriately determined according to the distance from the sensor 100 to the printing device 102.

The photosensitive material A on which the back print has been performed is
It is housed in the reservoir 34 by the bending conveyance section 107 or the like,
stand by. The loop of the third loop forming unit 125 is the sensor 1
The photosensitive material A which is not detected by the
Is detected to wait for a predetermined time or more, the bending conveying section 118 is driven, the photosensitive material A is carried out of the reservoir, conveyed to the third loop forming section 125, and from there, the photosensitive material A is transferred to the developing section 14. Conveyed.

The photosensitive material A conveyed to the developing unit 14 is successively subjected to color developing, bleach-fixing, and washing processes in each tank and developed while being conveyed at a predetermined speed. Then, the cutting unit 142 of the discharge unit 17 cuts each print according to the detection of the frame information by the sensor 146 to obtain a finished print, and is stored in the sorter 144 according to the sort information.

Although the baking developing machine of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course.

[0077]

As described in detail above, the printing / developing machine of the present invention is a printing / developing machine for performing digital scanning exposure, and shares the developing device with the printing / developing machine for analog exposure which has been widely used in the past. Therefore, the design, development, and manufacturing costs of the apparatus can be significantly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a printing / developing machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a transfer device of the printing and developing machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a light beam scanning device and a sub-scanning conveyance system of the printing and developing machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram when a winding machine is connected to the printing apparatus of the printing and developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a conventional printing and developing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 printing developing machine 12 printing device 14 developing unit 16 drying unit 17 discharge unit 18 developing device 20 electrical unit 22 transport unit 24 light beam scanning unit 26 photosensitive material supply unit 28 frame information forming unit 30 exposure unit 32 back print unit 34 reservoir 50 Punches 56, 98 Transport roller pair 58 First loop forming section 60 Sub-scanning transport system 62 Second loop forming section 80 Exposure drum 82, 84 Nip roller 102 Printing device 136 Color developing tank 138 Bleaching and fixing tank 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d Rinse with water Vessel 142 Cutting part 144 Sorter 148 Cutter 150 Winding machine

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive material supply section for loading a photosensitive material wound in a roll form, a transport means for transporting the photosensitive material along a predetermined path, and a two-dimensional scanning by digital exposure while sub-scanning and transporting the photosensitive material. An exposing means for exposing, a first loop forming part arranged upstream of the exposing means in the sub-scanning transport direction, a second loop forming part arranged downstream of the exposing means in the sub-scanning transport direction, A printing apparatus having a reservoir for temporarily storing the photosensitive material and a discharge means for discharging the photosensitive material from the reservoir; and a developing apparatus attachable to the printing apparatus for developing the exposed photosensitive material and outputting it as a print. And a printing / developing machine comprising: