JP2002062601A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need for loop parts of large sizes for the purpose of absorbing the speed difference between the feed speed of photosensitive materials and the development processing speed of a development processing section in exposure and to prevent the increase of the size of the device and the complication of its structure in consequence of the loop parts of the large sizes. SOLUTION: The exposure intervals from the completion of the exposure of the N-th frame (N is a natural number) before the start of the exposure of the (N+1)th frame are so set that the average transporting speed of the photosensitive materials 92 by nip rollers 100 to 107 is equaled to the development processing speed in the development processing section 96 in exposure scanning of the N-th frame and the (N+1)th frame to the photosensitive materials 96. The transportation of the photosensitive materials 92 is so controlled that the exposure of the (N+1)th frame is started at the timing at which the exposure intervals elapse after the completion of the exposure based on the image information of the N-th frame.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming a latent image by scanning and exposing a long photosensitive material based on image information, and performing a developing process on the photosensitive material on which the latent image is formed. The present invention relates to an image recording device that forms a visual image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, image information recorded on a photographic film (hereinafter simply referred to as "film") such as a negative film or a reversal film or a printed matter is photoelectrically read, and the read image is converted into a digital signal. Thereafter, a digital photo printer system (hereinafter simply referred to as “photographing”) that performs various image processing to form image information for recording, scans and exposes a photosensitive material such as photographic paper with recording light modulated according to the image information, and prints. Printer systems ”) are being developed. Such a photo printer system basically includes a scanner device and a printer device. Here, the scanner device reads an image recorded on a document such as a film, performs image processing on the read image in accordance with an operation by an operator, determines an exposure condition to be performed later, or displays the image on a monitor. Further, the printer device scans and exposes the photosensitive material with a laser beam or the like according to the exposure condition determined by the scanner device,
The image processing apparatus includes an exposure processing unit that forms a latent image on the photosensitive material, and a development processing unit that performs a developing process on the photosensitive material on which the latent image is formed to form a visible image.

In the above-described scanner device, for example, a film is irradiated with a slit-like reading light extending one-dimensionally along the main scanning direction, and the film is moved in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the one-dimensional direction. By moving
The film is scanned two-dimensionally. The transmitted light carrying the film image transmitted through the film forms an image on a light receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD line sensor and is converted into an electric light amount signal by photoelectric conversion. This light amount signal is amplified, converted into a digital signal by A / D conversion, subjected to various image processing such as correction of characteristic variation, density conversion, magnification conversion, etc. by each CCD element, and is applied to a display such as a CRT. Reproduced as a visible image. The operator looks at the reproduced image on the display, and if necessary, further applies correction such as gradation correction and color / density correction to the reproduced image.
If the reproduced image passes the finished print, it is output to the printer as image information for recording.

In an exposure processing section of a printer device, if an image recording by raster scan (light beam scanning) is used, three primary color photosensitive layers formed on a photosensitive material, for example, R, G, and B are used. The three types of light beams corresponding to color exposure are modulated in accordance with image information for recording and deflected in the main scanning direction, and the photosensitive material is transported in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction. Thus, the photosensitive material is two-dimensionally scanned and exposed by a light beam modulated according to image information, and the image of the film read by the scanner device is recorded as a latent image on the photosensitive material.

[0005] At this time, the photosensitive material is loaded in an exposure processing section in a form wound in a roll shape.
The roll-shaped photosensitive material is drawn downstream along a predetermined transport path, and is punched in advance by a hole punch between regions (frames) of the photosensitive material where an image is recorded, and is formed in a region sandwiched between a pair of holes. Exposure is performed with a light beam so that one latent image is formed. The portion of the photosensitive material on which the latent image has been formed is carried out from the exposure processing section to the development processing section.
In the development processing section of the printer device, development processing according to the photosensitive material, for example, in the case of a silver halide photographic photosensitive material,
Development processing such as development → bleaching and fixing → washing → drying →
Output as a finished print.

[0006] In the developing section of the printer device as described above, in order to perform stable developing processing on the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material is conveyed at a constant developing processing speed set according to the type of the photosensitive material. It is desirable to continue. On the other hand, in the exposure processing section of the printer device, the scanning speed of the photosensitive material at the exposure position needs to be constant during the scanning exposure by the light beam, but the exposure processing based on the image information corresponding to the Nth frame (N is a natural number). Is completed, the next (N +
1) Since the time interval (exposure interval) until the start of the exposure based on the image information of the frame is not always constant, a plurality of exposure operations are continuously performed based on the image information corresponding to each of the plurality of frames. In such a case, the average feeding speed of the photosensitive material at the exposure position varies depending on the variation of the exposure interval.

For this reason, in the conventional printer, even if the average feeding speed of the photosensitive material at the exposure position does not match the developing speed of the photosensitive material by the developing unit, the exposure operation and the developing process by the exposing unit are performed. A loop is formed on the photosensitive material between the exposure position and the development processing section in order to continue the development processing by each section. Thus, even if the average feed speed at the exposure position does not match the development processing speed of the development processing unit, the size of the loop portion of the photosensitive material is changed over time, and the exposure of the exposure processing unit is performed. The operation and the development processing of the development processing unit can be performed simultaneously.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional printer device as described above. In the exposure processing section 12 of the printer device 10, three loop portions L3, L4, L5 are formed on the long strip-shaped photosensitive material 11 downstream of the exposure position S of the photosensitive material 11 by the laser unit 14. The exposure processing unit 12 includes a loop portion L along the conveyance path of the photosensitive material 11.
Back printer 1 for back printing between the printer 3 and the loop portion L4
6 and the first cutter 18 are arranged, and the second cutter 20 is arranged between the loop portion L4 and the loop portion L5. Here, the loop portion L3 is provided to cut off the transmission of vibration to the exposure position S when the back printer 16 operates, and the loop portion L5 is provided when the photosensitive material 11 is cut by the second cutter 20. This is provided so as not to generate tension on the photosensitive material 11 on the downstream side. The loop part L
Reference numeral 4 denotes when the photosensitive material 11 is cut by the first cutter 18,
In order not to generate tension on the photosensitive material 11 on the downstream side of the first cutter 18, and even when the average feeding speed of the photosensitive material 11 at the exposure position S does not match the development processing speed of the development processing unit 22, the exposure processing is performed. It is provided so that the exposure operation of the section 12 and the development processing operation of the development processing section 22 can be performed simultaneously.

Specifically, in the exposure processing section 12, when the average feed speed at the exposure position S is higher than the development processing speed by the development processing section 22, the loop portion L4 is gradually increased, and the exposure position S is increased. When the average feed speed in is lower than the development processing speed by the development processing unit 22,
The loop portion L4 is gradually reduced, and a part of the photosensitive material 11 on which the loop portion L4 has been formed is sent to the development processing unit 22 side. Thus, in the printer device, the exposure operation and the development processing can be continued for a long time even when the average feeding speed at the exposure position S and the development processing speed by the development processing unit 22 do not match.

[0010]

However, in the printer device 10 shown in FIG. 3, the exposure operation of the exposure processing unit 12 and the development processing operation of the development processing unit 22 are performed simultaneously for a long period of time. The size of the section L4 must be sufficiently large, and a large storage space is required inside the apparatus to store the large-sized loop section L4.

The printer unit 12 includes a development processing unit 2.
In case of troubles such as jam of photosensitive material 11 in 2
The second cutter 20 must be disposed downstream of the loop portion L4 in the exposure processing section 12. That is, when a transport trouble of the photosensitive material 11 occurs in the developing processing unit 22,
It is necessary to cut the photosensitive material 11 on the upstream side of the development processing unit 22 to remove the photosensitive material 11 in the development processing unit 22,
When the photosensitive material 11 is cut by the first cutter 18 arranged on the upstream side of the large-sized loop portion L4, the photosensitive material 11 is cut.
Loss increases. For this reason, the printer 10
When a transport trouble of the photosensitive material 11 occurs in the development processing unit 22, the second cutter 2 disposed downstream of the loop L4
0 cuts the photosensitive material 11 to suppress the loss of the photosensitive material 11.

Therefore, in the printer device 10 as shown in FIG. 3, a large-size printer is used to absorb the speed difference between the average feeding speed of the photosensitive material 11 at the exposure position S and the developing speed of the developing unit 22. Since the loop portion L4 needs to be provided, the size of the apparatus increases to accommodate the loop portion L4, and since the second cutter 20 needs to be provided along with the loop portion L4, the number of parts is reduced. There is a problem that the device structure increases and the device structure becomes complicated.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for a large-sized loop portion for absorbing a speed difference between the speed of feeding a photosensitive material during exposure and the speed of a developing process in a developing portion in consideration of the above facts. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of preventing an increase in the size of the apparatus and a complicated structure caused by the large-sized loop portion.

[0014]

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, the control means controls the average conveying speed of the photosensitive material by the conveying means to be close to or equal to the developing processing speed. Based on the image information stored in the storage unit, an exposure interval from the completion of exposure of the Nth frame (N is a natural number) by the exposure unit to the start of exposure of the (N + 1) th frame is set, and the image information of the Nth frame is set. By controlling the transport of the photosensitive material by the transport unit so that the leading end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame reaches the exposure position at the timing when the exposure interval elapses from the completion of the exposure based on the exposure operation, the exposure operation by the exposure unit and When the developing operation by the developing unit is performed simultaneously, the average conveying speed of the conveying unit and the development of the photosensitive material in the developing unit Since the processing speed can be approximated or equalized, the distance between the exposure position and the development processing unit is adjusted to absorb the difference between the speed of transporting the photosensitive material during exposure (sub-scanning speed) and the development processing speed in the development processing unit. In this case, both the exposure operation at the exposure position and the development processing operation of the development processing unit can be performed simultaneously over a long period of time without forming a large-sized loop portion on the photosensitive material.

As a result, it is not necessary to provide a large storage space for storing a loop portion formed on the photosensitive material between the exposure position and the development processing section inside the apparatus, so that the apparatus can be downsized. . Further, since it is not necessary to form a large-sized loop portion on the photosensitive material between the exposure position and the development processing section, it is not necessary to provide a cutter for cutting the photosensitive material accompanying the large-sized loop portion. Further, loss of the photosensitive material when removing the photosensitive material in the exposure processing section can be suppressed.

Here, the control means controls the transport of the photosensitive material by the transport means by changing the transport speed of the photosensitive material by the transport means, temporarily stopping the transport of the photosensitive material by the transport means, and stopping at a predetermined timing. Restarting the photosensitive material transport direction by the transport means, returning the photosensitive material upstream by a predetermined distance by reversing the photosensitive material transport direction by the transport means, and then returning the photosensitive material transport direction to the downstream direction. . Note that the average transport speed by the transport unit during the development process is a speed defined by (the amount of movement of the photosensitive material in the downstream direction) / (the development process time),
When the photosensitive material moves in the upstream direction, the moving amount of the photosensitive material becomes a negative value.

Further, in order to set the exposure interval so that the average transport speed of the photosensitive material by the transport means during the development processing by the development processing unit is close to or equal to the development processing speed, it is necessary to set the exposure interval in the Nth frame. At the time of exposure based on image information, at least the (N + 1) th frame of image information needs to be stored in the storage means. That is, the transport speed of the photosensitive material by the transport unit at the time of exposure needs to be maintained at a constant speed (sub-scanning speed) corresponding to the pixel density and the like. Is different. The time during which the transport speed of the photosensitive material is maintained at the sub-scanning speed varies according to the size of the image recorded on the photosensitive material along the transport direction. Therefore,
At the time of exposure based on the image information of the Nth frame, the control unit determines at least the size of the image of the (N + 1) th frame along the transport direction based on the image information corresponding to the plurality of frame areas stored in the storage unit. If the pixel density and the like are not recognized, an appropriate exposure interval cannot be set.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A photo printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Structure of Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows the structure of a photo printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The photo printer system 30 includes a scanner device 32 for reading image information recorded on a film, and a printer device 34 for recording an image on a photosensitive material based on an image signal from the scanner device 32.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scanner device 32 includes a scanner section 38 for reading an image recorded on each frame (frame area) of the film 36, and the scanner section 3
And a system control unit 39 that processes the image information from the printer 8 and controls the photo printer system 30. The scanner unit 38 is provided with a roller 40 for transporting the developed film 36. The roller 40 is rotated by a torque from a motor 42 and transports the film 36 along a predetermined transport path.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scanner unit 38 irradiates the film 36 with light (diffused light) for reading and transmits light transmitted from the light source unit 48 and transmitted through the film 36. CCD line sensor 49
An imaging optical system 50 for imaging is provided on the upper side. In the light source unit 48, a light source 52, a dimming filter 54, and a light diffusion box 58 are arranged along the optical axis.
Further, the imaging optical system 50 determines that the transmitted light from the film 36 is C
It is driven along the optical axis by a focusing motor (not shown) so that an image is formed on the CD line sensor 49.
The CCD line sensor 49 converts the transmitted light from the film 36 into an image signal as an electric signal, and outputs the image signal to the system control unit 39.

The system control unit 39 has a scanner control interface (I / I) for controlling the scanner unit 38.
F) 62, A / D converter 6 for converting an image signal read by CCD line sensor 49 into a digital image signal
4. The digital image signal output from the A / D converter 64 is corrected for the effects of shading and dark current, and a high-quality image signal is input from the first image processing unit 66 and a keyboard 86 described later. A second image processing unit 74 that further performs image processing on the digital image signal that has been subjected to the image processing by the first image processing unit 66 according to the correction value or the like is provided.

The system control unit 39 includes the second image processing unit 7
4 includes a frame memory 68 for temporarily storing the digital image signal processed by the image processing unit 4 and a modulator driver 76 for outputting an LD drive signal modulated based on the digital image signal sent from the frame memory 68. Here, the frame memory 68 independently accumulates one frame of digital image signal, or outputs the accumulated one frame of digital image signal to the modulator driver 76 and the first memory unit 70 and Second memory unit 72
It has.

The system control section 39 is connected to a printer control I / F 75 for controlling the printer 34, a hard disk 78 for storing digital image signals processed by the second image processing section 74, and a display I / F 80. A CRT monitor 82 for playing back a visible image based on a digital image signal or displaying image processing conditions and the like, as necessary, and a keyboard I / O.
A keyboard 86 connected to the data bus 60 via F84 to input image processing conditions, correction values of image processing conditions, image search information, and the like, and a communication port 88 connected to another digital photographic printer system via a communication line. Further, a CPU 90 for controlling the entire system is provided.

Here, when the image on the film 36 is read by the scanner section 38, the CPU 90 stores the digital image signal subjected to the image processing by the second image processing section 74 on the hard disk 78. Is input, a digital image signal corresponding to this frame number is retrieved from the hard disk 78.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer device 34 includes an exposure processing section 9 for forming a latent image on the photosensitive material 92.
4. A developing section 96 for developing the photosensitive material 92 to convert the latent image into a visible image is provided.

The exposure processing section 94 is provided with a magazine 98 in which a photosensitive material 92 wound in a roll shape is loaded. Photosensitive material 92 extracted from magazine 98
Is transported by a plurality of nip rollers 100 to 108 arranged along the transport path. Each of these nip rollers 100 to 108 has four transport motors 110.
A to 110D. Here, the transport motors 110A to 110D are composed of step motors,
The motor rotates by a rotation amount proportional to the number of drive pulses input from the four motor drivers 112A to 112D. The exposure processing unit 94 includes a nip roller 100 and a nip roller 101 along the conveying direction of the photosensitive material 92.
And a hole punch 114 is disposed between them. The hole punch 114 forms a through hole at the boundary between a pair of adjacent frame regions of the photosensitive material 92.

The exposure processing section 94 includes a nip roller 103.
Between the first Hall sensor 11 and the nip roller 104
A drum 118 is supported at a position downstream of the first Hall sensor 116 by a predetermined distance so as to press against the non-image forming surface (back surface) of the photosensitive material 92.
In the exposure processing section 94, a laser unit 120 is disposed on the opposite side of the drum 118 via the photosensitive material 92, facing the photosensitive material 92. The laser unit 120 uses an LD (not shown) as a laser emission source.
As a result, a laser beam modulated based on digital image information is emitted, and the laser beam is deflected along the width direction (main scanning direction) of the photosensitive material 92. This laser beam
The light enters the pressure contact portion of the photosensitive material 92 set as the exposure position S with the drum 118, and scans and exposes the photosensitive material 92 at the exposure position S to form a latent image on the photosensitive material 92.

The exposure processing section 94 includes a nip roller 105.
The second Hall sensor 122 is located between the
And a back printer 124. The back printer 124 is located downstream of the second Hall sensor 122 by a predetermined distance, and prints various information on the back surface of the photosensitive material 92 as necessary. In the exposure processing unit 94, a third Hall sensor 126 and a cutter 128 are disposed between the nip roller 106 and the nip roller 107, respectively. The cutter 128 is located downstream of the third Hall sensor 126 by a predetermined distance, and cuts the photosensitive material 92 at a desired timing.

In the exposure processing section 94, the nip roller 100 to the nip roller 101, the nip roller 102 to the nip roller 103, and the nip roller 104 of the photosensitive material 92
Loop portions L1, L2, L3 between the nip roller 105 and the nip roller 107 to the nip roller 108, respectively.
L5 is formed.

In forming the loop portion L1, while the photosensitive material 92 is nipped by both the nip roller 100 and the nip roller 101, the nip roller 100 on the downstream side is rotated while rotating the nip roller 100 on the upstream side with respect to the loop portion L1. The rotation of 101 is stopped. Thereby, the loop portion L1 is formed between the nip rollers 100 to 101 of the photosensitive material 92.
Is started. At this time, for example, when the size of the loop portion L1 reaches a target size, the loop portion L1 is detected by a loop sensor (not shown) provided on a guide member or the like for guiding the formation of the loop portion L1. Nip roller 101 on the downstream side in synchronization with turning on of the loop sensor
Restart the rotation of. When the loop portion L1 is further reduced and the loop sensor is turned off, the rotation of the nip roller 101 is stopped until the loop sensor is turned on. This allows
The loop portion L1 of the photosensitive material 92 is maintained at a substantially constant size. Further, the other loop portions L2, L3, and L5 also have the downstream nip roller 1 as in the case of forming the loop portion L1.
It is formed by controlling the rotations of 03, 105, and 108, respectively.

Here, the loop portion L1 of the photosensitive material 92 is
Even after the photosensitive material 92 in the magazine 98 is exhausted, it is formed so that the scanning exposure on the photosensitive material 92 at the exposure position S is continued for a certain period of time. Thereby, the magazine 9 can be read without interrupting the exposure operation by the exposure processing unit 94.
8, a new photosensitive material 92 can be loaded.

The loop portion L2 has a hole punch 114
Is activated to move the photosensitive material 9 downstream of the hole punch 114.
2, the supply of the photosensitive material 92 to the exposure position S is continued without increasing the tension on the photosensitive material 92, and the hole punch 114 is used to stop the supply of the photosensitive material 92 to the exposure position S.
It is formed to block the transmission of vibration to

The loop section L3 is connected to the back printer 124.
The loop portion L5 is formed in order to cut off the transmission of vibration from the shutter 12 to the exposure position S.
Even when the supply of the photosensitive material 92 to the downstream side of 8 is temporarily stopped, the photosensitive material 92 is formed so that the supply of the photosensitive material 92 to the development processing unit 96 is continued without causing an increase in tension.

As shown in FIG. 2, the developing section 96 includes a developing tank 130, a bleaching tank 132, a fixing tank 134, and a washing tank in order from the entrance to the exit of the photosensitive material 92 in the developing section 96. 136 are arranged. Further, in the developing section 96, a dryer 138, a hall sensor 140, and a cutter 142 are arranged downstream of the washing tank 136 toward the exit side of the photosensitive material 92 in the developing section 96.
Is arranged. Here, the developing tank 130 and the bleaching tank 13
2. In the fixing tank 134 and the washing tank 136, a developing solution, a bleaching solution, a fixing solution and water are stored, respectively.

The developing section 96 is provided with a nip roller 144 for transporting the photosensitive material 92 into the developing tank 130. On the downstream side of the nip roller 144, the photosensitive material 92 is bleached, the fixing tank 134, the washing tank 136 and Dryer 1
A plurality of guide rollers 146 each of which is transported into the inside 38 are arranged. In addition, dryer 138 and Hall sensor 1
A nip roller 148 for carrying out the photosensitive material 92 to the outside of the exposure processing unit 94 is provided between the nip roller 148 and the nip roller 148. Here, the nip roller 144 and the guide roller 146
And the nip roller 148 are connected to a common transport motor 150, respectively.
The photosensitive material 92 is caused to run at a predetermined development processing speed by the torque from 50. The development processing speed is the same as that of the photosensitive material 92.
Are set in accordance with the type of the developer, the temperature of the developer, and the like, and are kept at a constant value within the error range unless these change.

(Operation of Embodiment) Next, the operation of the photo printer system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

First, when an image recorded on the film 36 is read by the scanner unit 38, the scanner control I / O
The motor 42 and the light source unit 48 are driven by F62. As a result, the roller 40 connected to the motor 42 rotates, and the roller 40
Is transported, and the reading light from the light source unit 48 is applied to the film 36. This reading light is applied to the film 36.
Through the CCD line sensor 4 by the imaging optical system 50.
9.

The image signal from the CCD line sensor 49 is converted by the A / D converter 64 into a digital image signal. This digital image signal is output to the first image processing unit 66, and the first image processing unit 66 removes the influence of shading and dark current. The digital image signal subjected to the image processing by the first image processing unit 66 is converted into a second image processing unit 74.
Output to The second image processing unit 74 includes a keyboard 86
The digital image signal is further subjected to image processing in accordance with the correction value and the like input from the CPU, and the digital image information subjected to the image processing is stored in the hard disk 78.

The photo printer system 30 of the present embodiment
In the case where a plurality of frame areas on the film 36 are continuously read by the scanner unit 38 and a plurality of images are continuously recorded on the photosensitive material 92 based on the image information read from these frame areas, After at least two frames of digital image information are stored in the hard disk 78, image recording by the printer device 34 is started. In the internal memory of the CPU 90,
Print management information input from the keyboard 86 or the like is stored in association with the frame number of the digital image information stored in the hard disk 78. The print management information includes information relating to the size (print size) of the image recorded on the photosensitive material 92, the designation of the print photograph having an edge, and the like.

When recording an image on the photosensitive material 92, the CPU 90 synchronizes with the start of outputting the N-th frame of digital image information from the first memory unit 70 of the frame memory 68 to the modulator driver 76, and stores the second memory from the hard disk 78. The digital image information of the (N + 1) th frame is transferred to the unit 72. At this time, the transfer speed of the digital image information from the hard disk 78 to the second memory unit 72 is sufficiently faster than the output speed of the digital image information from the first memory unit 70 to the modulator driver 76. Before the output of the digital image information from the unit 70 to the modulator driver 76 is completed, the transfer of the digital image information from the hard disk 78 to the second memory unit 72 is completed.

In the printer device 34, when a through hole is detected from the photosensitive material 92 conveyed in the downstream direction by the first hole sensor 116, the printer control I / F 75 based on the detection signal from the first hole sensor 116. Thus, the leading end position of the frame area before exposure (Nth frame) is determined. When the leading end of the N-th frame area reaches the exposure position S, the printer control I / F 75 synchronizes with the laser unit 120 from the modulator driver 76.
To output an LD drive signal based on the digital image information of the Nth frame. Thereby, the laser unit 120
And the laser light is deflected along the main scanning direction, and the Nth frame region of the photosensitive material 92 is exposed and scanned by the laser light.

The laser unit 120 repeatedly exposes and scans the N-th frame area by the laser beam at every sub-scanning cycle corresponding to the pixel density of the recorded image until the rear end of the N-th frame area reaches the exposure position S. Then, a latent image corresponding to the digital image information is formed in the Nth frame area. During this scanning exposure, the photosensitive material 92
Is transported downstream at the exposure position S at a sub-scanning speed corresponding to the image density of the recorded image.

Here, the sub-scanning speed is determined by the
6, the development processing speed of the photosensitive material 92 is sufficiently higher. Therefore, when the image recording in the (N + 1) th frame area is started while maintaining the sub-scanning speed after the Nth frame image recording, one or both of the loop portion L3 and the loop portion L5 in the photosensitive material 92 are started. The size will gradually increase. For this reason, in the photo printer system 30 of the present embodiment, the exposure processing unit 94
Immediately after the image recording of the Nth frame by (N + 1),
The image recording in the frame area of the frame is not started, and N
At the timing when a predetermined time (hereinafter, this time is referred to as “exposure interval T”) has elapsed after the completion of the image recording of the frame, the image recording to the (N + 1) th frame area is started. Here, the exposure interval T is a time set by the CPU 90 when the N-th frame image is recorded on the photosensitive material 92, and the average transport speed of the photosensitive material 92 at the exposure position S is equal to the development processing speed. Is set to

On the other hand, the frame area of the Nth frame of the photosensitive material 92 is conveyed in the downstream direction as the image recording in the frame area of the Nth frame and thereafter is performed, and the back printer 124
Is printed on the back. Print information corresponding to the back printing is input from the CPU 90 to the printer control I / F 75 in advance, and the printer control I / F 75 detects a through hole corresponding to the Nth frame region by the second hole sensor 122. Thereafter, the back printer 124 is operated at the timing when the photosensitive material 92 is transported in the downstream direction by a predetermined distance, whereby a symbol or the like corresponding to the print information is printed on the back surface of the frame area. here,
The back printer 124 is configured by, for example, an impact type dot printer, and temporarily stops the movement of the photosensitive material 92 when printing on the photosensitive material 92. At this time, the photosensitive material 92 is supplied from the loop section L5 to the developing section 96. Further, the vibration transmitted to the photosensitive material 92 when the back printer 124 is operated is blocked by the loop portion L3, thereby preventing the vibration from the back printer 124 from deteriorating the accuracy of the exposure scanning at the exposure position S.

The Nth frame area of the photosensitive material 92 that has passed the printing position by the back printer 124 is:
While being conveyed at a predetermined development processing speed, it is carried out from the exposure processing section 94 to the development processing section 96, and passes through the development tank 130, the bleach tank 132, the fixing tank 134, and the washing tank 136 in the development processing section 96. The photosensitive material 92 having the latent image formed in the frame region of the Nth frame is subjected to a development process, a bleaching process, a fixing process, and a washing process, and the latent image is developed. Is formed.
After the frame area of the N-th frame is dried with warm air by a dryer, it is cut by the cutter 142 to a print size, and is processed as a single photograph into the development processing unit 96.
It is carried out from inside.

In the exposure processing section 94, when the Nth frame is the last image read from the film 36 by the scanner section 38 and the digital image information of the (N + 1) th frame does not exist, the Nth frame and the subsequent frames are read out. When the photosensitive material 92 used for image recording is changed to another photosensitive material 92, the rear end side of the N-th frame region of the photosensitive material 92 is cut by the cutter 128. As a result, the photosensitive material 92 including the frame region up to the N-th frame is not stopped in the developing section 96,
The development processing on the photosensitive material 92 including the frame area up to the frame can be continued. Also, when a failure such as a jam of the photosensitive material 92 occurs in the development processing unit 96 and it is necessary to remove the photosensitive material 92 from the inside of the development processing unit 96, the cutter 128 of the exposure processing unit 94 uses
Disconnect. This makes it possible to remove the photosensitive material 92 from within the development processing unit 96 while keeping the photosensitive material 92 in the exposure processing unit 94 as it is.

Next, the operation of transporting the photosensitive material 92 from the completion of the image recording in the Nth frame area by the exposure processing section 94 until the exposure interval T elapses will be described. A margin is formed between an arbitrary frame area in the photosensitive material 92 and a frame area adjacent thereto, and it is desirable that the width of the margin in the conveying direction of the photosensitive material 92 be as small as possible. , For example, 3
mm.

On the other hand, the photosensitive material 92 is temporarily stopped at the exposure position S of the exposure processing section 94, and the nip rollers 100 to 10 are stopped.
In order to accelerate the photosensitive material 92 from the stopped state to the sub-scanning speed when the transport of the photosensitive material 92 is restarted by the step 7,
An acceleration distance of at least mm is required. For this reason, the exposure processing section 94 rotates the nip rollers 103 and 104 in the reverse direction when the image recording in the Nth frame area is completed. As a result, the transport direction of the photosensitive material 92 is reversed from the downstream direction to the upstream direction. Thereafter, when the leading end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame coincides with the standby position upstream of the exposure position S by a predetermined distance, the transport of the photosensitive material 92 is temporarily stopped. The distance from the standby position to the exposure position S is sufficiently longer than the acceleration distance required to accelerate the photosensitive material 92 from the stopped state to the sub-scanning speed.

The CPU 90 calculates an exposure interval T based on the print size of the (N + 1) th frame during the exposure scanning of the Nth frame area, and sets this in the printer control I / F 75. Here, the exposure interval T is a time length that makes the average conveying speed of the photosensitive material 92 by the nip rollers 100 to 107 equal to the developing processing speed of the photosensitive material 92 in the developing processing unit 96. That is, since the sub-scanning speed is sufficiently higher than the development processing speed, it is necessary to increase the exposure interval T as the dimension of the (N + 1) th frame of the recorded image in the sub-scanning direction increases. On the contrary,
As the size of the (N + 1) th frame of the recorded image along the sub-scanning direction becomes shorter, the exposure interval T also needs to be shorter.

On the other hand, the printer control I / F 75 sets the timing at which the exposure interval T set by the CPU 90 has elapsed since the completion of the scanning exposure of the Nth frame.
The transport of the photosensitive material 92 in the downstream direction is restarted so that the leading end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame reaches the exposure position S. At this time, the time (= t1) required to return the front end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame to the standby position, and the front end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame are moved from the standby position to the exposure position S. Time (= t2) required for each is constant,
The stop time (= t3) of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame at the standby position is calculated by the following equation (1).

T3 = T− (t1 + t2) (1) Therefore, the printer control I / F 75 starts counting time by the internal timer from the time when the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame is stopped at the standby position. At the timing when the time measured by the timer reaches t3, the conveyance of the photosensitive material 92 in the downstream direction is restarted. Thus, at the timing when the exposure interval T has elapsed from the completion of the exposure scanning of the Nth frame, the leading end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame reaches the exposure position S, and the transport speed of the photosensitive material 92 at this time becomes the sub-scanning speed. Become.

During exposure scanning of the frame area of the photosensitive material 92, the nip roller 10 on the downstream side of the loop L5 is scanned.
Numeral 8 is maintained at the developing speed. As a result, the size of the loop portion L4, which has been reduced when the conveyance of the photosensitive material 92 for stopping the exposure interval T is stopped, increases during the exposure scanning of the (N + 1) th frame, and when the conveyance of the next photosensitive material 92 is stopped. Also, the photosensitive material 92 can be supplied from the loop section L5 to the developing section 96.

Thereafter, as in the case of the frame area of the Nth frame, at the time of exposure scanning based on the image information of the (N + 1) th frame, the CPU 90 transfers the digital image information of the (N + 2) th frame from the hard disk 78. The data is transferred to the first memory unit 70, and the (N + 1) th frame and (N +
2) Repeat the operation of calculating the exposure interval T with the frame and setting it to the printer control I / F 75.
When the transfer of the last digital image information from the hard disk 78 to the frame memory 68 is completed, the CPU 90 outputs to the printer control I / F 75 information indicating that image recording on the photosensitive material 92 is completed using the digital image information. Thus, when the exposure control for the frame area based on the last digital image information is completed, the printer control I / F 75 separates the frame area from the unexposed photosensitive material 92 by the cutter 128.

According to the photo printer system 30 according to the present embodiment described above, the CPU 90 sets the exposure interval T such that the average transport speed of the photosensitive material 92 by the nip rollers 100 to 107 becomes equal to the development processing speed.
Is set in the printer control I / F 75, and the end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame at the timing when the exposure interval T elapses from the completion of the exposure scanning based on the image information of the Nth frame. By controlling the conveyance of the photosensitive material 92 by the nip rollers 100 to 107 so as to reach the exposure position S, when the exposure scanning by the laser unit 120 and the development processing by the development processing unit 96 are simultaneously performed, respectively, The average transport speed 107 and the developing section 96
In order to absorb the difference between the sub-scanning speed of the photosensitive material 92 at the exposure position S and the development processing speed at the development processing unit 96, the development processing speed of the photosensitive material 92 at the exposure position S can be made equal. The exposure scanning and development processing unit 9 at the exposure position S can be used without forming a large-sized loop portion L4 (see FIG.
6 can be performed simultaneously over a long period of time.

As a result, it is not necessary to provide a large storage space for storing the loop portion L5 between the exposure position S and the development processing section 96 inside the apparatus, so that the apparatus can be downsized. Further, since it is not necessary to form a large-sized loop portion L5 on the photosensitive material 92 between the exposure position S and the development processing section 96, the second cutter 20 attached to the large-sized loop portion L5 (see FIG. 3). Is not provided, loss of the photosensitive material 92 when removing the photosensitive material 92 from the inside of the exposure processing section 94 can be suppressed.

Here, the average transport speed of the photosensitive material 92 by the nip rollers 100 to 107 during the developing process is the speed defined by (the amount of movement of the photosensitive material 92 in the downstream direction) / (the developing process time). And the photosensitive material 92
Is moved in the upstream direction, the moving amount of the photosensitive material becomes a negative value.

In the photo printer system 30 of the present embodiment, an exposure interval T is set based on the image information (image size) of the (N + 1) th frame at the time of exposure based on the digital image information of the Nth frame. However, when digital image information for two or more frames has been stored in the hard disk 78 except for the digital image information for the Nth frame, the exposure interval T is set based on the digital image information for two or more frames. You may do it. In this case, the length of the exposure interval T between each of three or more frame regions is leveled, and the average transport speed of the photosensitive material 92 by the nip rollers 100 to 107 is more accurately adjusted to the developing process speed. It becomes possible to match.

The width of the margin formed between the pair of adjacent frame regions in the photosensitive material 92 is longer than the distance required to accelerate the stopped photosensitive material 92 to the sub-scanning speed. In this case, after the exposure scanning of the Nth frame is completed, the photosensitive material 92 is stopped for a time corresponding to the exposure interval T without reversing the transport direction of the photosensitive material 92, and then the photosensitive material 92 is transported in the downstream direction. Should be restarted.

[0060]

As described above, according to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, a large-size loop portion for absorbing the speed difference between the photosensitive material feeding speed at the time of exposure and the developing speed of the developing portion. Can be eliminated, and increase in the size of the device and complication of the structure due to the large-sized loop portion can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a photo printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a configuration of a printer device in the photo printer system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a configuration on a downstream side of an exposure position in a conventional printer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 30 photo printer system (image recording device) 39 system control unit (control unit) 68 frame memory (storage unit) 70 first memory unit (storage unit) 72 second memory unit (storage unit) 76 modulator driver (exposure unit) 92 photosensitive material 94 exposure processing section 96 developing processing section 100 to 108 nip roller (transporting means) 110 transport motor (transporting means) 112 motor driver (transporting means) 120 laser unit (exposure means) 128 cutter 75 printer control I / F (control) means)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A conveying means for conveying a long photosensitive material along a predetermined conveying path, and a front end of a frame area before exposure of the photosensitive material being conveyed downstream by the conveying means has a predetermined exposure position. At the timing of reaching, the exposure of the frame region is started based on the image information corresponding to the frame region, and an exposure unit that forms a latent image in the frame region, and the photosensitive material that is transported out of the transport path by the transport unit. A developing section for developing the photosensitive material while conveying the photosensitive material at a predetermined developing processing speed to make a latent image formed in the frame area a visible image; and a developing section corresponding to a plurality of continuously arranged frame areas. Storage means for storing image information and outputting image information corresponding to the frame area to the exposure means when the exposure means exposes the frame area; Based on the image information stored in the storage unit, the exposure unit starts exposure from the Nth frame (N is a natural number) such that the average transport speed of the material is close to or equal to the development processing speed. (N +
1) The exposure interval until the start of the exposure of the frame is set, and at the timing when the exposure interval elapses after the completion of the exposure based on the image information of the Nth frame,
+1) control means for controlling the transport of the photosensitive material by the transport means such that the leading end of the frame area of the frame reaches the exposure position. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means conveys said photosensitive material downstream at a constant speed higher than said development processing speed by said conveying means when said exposing means exposes said photosensitive material to a frame area. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein
3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein after the exposure of the frame is completed, and before the exposure of the (N + 1) th frame is started, the transport of the photosensitive material is temporarily stopped by the transport unit. 4. The control means according to claim 1, wherein
After the exposure of the frame is completed and before the exposure of the (N + 1) th frame is started, the transporting direction of the photosensitive material is reversed by the transporting means, and the leading end of the frame area of the (N + 1) th frame is moved a predetermined distance from the exposure position. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the photosensitive material is moved to a standby position on the upstream side and the photosensitive material is temporarily stopped.