JPH02171777A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow an operator to easily judge the number of sheets where an image is formed by arithmetically operating and displaying the maximum consecutive number of sheets where the image can be formed within the desirable consecutive number of sheets which is set based on the quantity of a needed consumable material. CONSTITUTION:A memory 180 which stores the initial winding quantity of a photosensitive material A and an image receiving paper C, the processed quantity of the photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C, the date and the hour when water in a water application part 17 is exchanged, the number of sheets that the contamination of new water is allowed and water application can be executed and the maximum number of sheets which can be housed in a rejection tray 118 is provided. Besides, a device is constituted by providing an arithmetic operation means 182 which reads out information from the memory 180 and performs an arithmetic operation, a control panel 184 which inputs the number of sheets where the image is formed to the arithmetic operation means 182, a display part 186 which displays the result of arithmetic operation and a control means 188 which controls the operation of the display part 186 based on the result of the arithmetic operation. Thus, the number of sheets where the image can be successively formed is easily judged and the operation of the device is avoided being interrupted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of continuously forming images on a plurality of sheets.

[Conventional technology]

Heat-developable photosensitive materials are well known as image-forming materials, and the heat-developable photosensitive materials and their processes are described in, for example, 24 of Basics of Photographic Engineering Non-Silver Salt Photographic Cotton (published by Corona Publishing, 1982).
Pages 2 to 255, video information published in April 1978, page 40,
Fubretsu Handbook of Photography (
Neblett' 5Handbook of Pho
tography and reprography)
7th Ed, Juan Nostrand,
Line hold Cumber 1-- (Van No5t
Rand Reinhold Company) 32~
It is described on page 33.

Furthermore, many methods have been proposed for obtaining a color image by heat development.

A method in which a mobile dye is released in the form of an image by heating, and this mobile dye is transferred to a dye-fixing material (image-receiving material) with a mordant using a solvent such as water, or a method in which a high-boiling point organic solvent is used to transfer the mobile dye to a dye-fixing material. A method in which the dye is transferred to a dye fixing material using a hydrophilic hot solvent built into the dye fixing material, and a method in which the mobile dye is heat diffusible or sublimable and is transferred to a dye receiving material such as a support have been proposed. ing.

As an apparatus for carrying out this type of image forming method, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-75247, an exposure head is used in an exposure section to expose a color image onto a heat-developable photosensitive material. Afterwards, an image forming solvent such as water is applied to the heat-developable photosensitive material using a roller, and this is sent to a heat-developing section, and an image-receiving material is brought into close contact with the heat-developable photo-sensitive material after heat development, and sent to a transfer section. Image forming apparatuses have been proposed in which an image is thermally transferred to an image receiving material in a transfer section.

Further, a heat development transfer device has also been proposed in which a heat development photosensitive material and an image receiving material are superimposed and development and transfer are performed simultaneously.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

2. Description of the Related Art In apparatuses that form images by exposing a photosensitive material to transmitted light or reflected light from a document or electrically processed image information, images are frequently formed on a large number of sheets in succession. For example, when forming 100 images in a row, the initial setting is to set the number of images to 100 from the operation panel.
The image forming apparatus is activated by manually operating the activation switch.

After the image forming apparatus is activated, the operator can temporarily move away from the image forming apparatus, and only needs to return to pick up the image formed object when the set number of images have been formed.

However, the remaining amount of consumables necessary for image formation in the image forming apparatus, such as image forming materials such as photosensitive materials and image-receiving materials, or the above-mentioned image forming solvents, and the amount of image forming media discarded after image formation or the obtained If the allowable storage capacity of image forming materials is insufficient to form the desired number of images,
After forming images up to the maximum possible number of sheets, the image forming apparatus displays, for example, the number of sheets on which images have not been formed and suspends operation.

In other words, for the safety of the apparatus, the image forming apparatus operates by prioritizing the remaining amount of image forming consumables and the allowable storage capacity of image forming media or image forming objects over the set number of images to be formed. It is not necessarily possible to form images on the specified number of sheets.

For example, the operation of the image forming apparatus may be interrupted immediately after the operator sets the number of images to be formed to a large number, operates the image forming apparatus, and moves away from the image forming apparatus. Therefore, even if the operator returns to the image forming apparatus after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the desired number of images will not have been formed.

In order to solve this inconvenience, it is conceivable to display the amount of image forming elements, but it is extremely difficult for the operator to judge the maximum possible number of continuous images to be formed from the displayed amount.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide an image forming apparatus that allows an operator to easily determine the number of images to be formed.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] The above object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of continuously forming images on a plurality of sheets based on the amount of consumables necessary for image formation.
This is achieved by an image forming apparatus having a calculation means for calculating the maximum possible number of consecutive images to be formed within a set desired number of consecutive images, and a display means for displaying the calculation result.

In addition, the above purpose is for an image forming apparatus capable of forming images on multiple sheets in succession to within a desired number of consecutive sheets, which is set based on the permissible capacity of the image forming medium discarded after image formation or the obtained image formed material. This is achieved by an image forming apparatus having a calculation means for calculating the maximum possible number of consecutively formed images, and a display means for displaying the calculation result.

In other words, the remaining amount of image-forming materials such as photosensitive materials and image-receiving materials, or consumables such as image-forming solvents necessary for image formation,
Alternatively, by calculating the maximum possible number of continuous image forming sheets from the image forming medium to be discarded after image formation and the allowable storage amount of the obtained image forming materials, and displaying this result, the operator can perform continuous image forming. You can easily recognize the number of sheets. Therefore, the operator should consider whether there is no inconvenience in leaving the image forming apparatus immediately after operation, or whether it is better to set the number of images to be formed again after replenishing the image forming elements.
can be easily determined.

One of the image forming materials 1 used in the present invention is a photothermographic material.

This heat-developable photosensitive material basically consists of photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-providing compound, a reducing agent (
In some cases, the dye-donating substance also serves as a reducing agent), and if necessary, organic silver salts and other additives can be contained.

The above-mentioned photosensitive material may be one that gives a negative image upon exposure, or one that gives a positive image.

There are two methods for producing a positive image: a direct positive emulsion as a silver halide emulsion (a method using a nucleating agent, and a method using a light fogging method).
A method using a dye-donating compound that emits a positively diffusible dye image can be adopted.

In the photosensitive material described above, the marketable dye can be transferred to an image-receiving material having a dye-fixing layer, and this transfer can be performed simultaneously with thermal development.

There are various methods for transferring diffusible dyes, such as transferring to a dye fixing layer using an image forming solvent such as water, transferring to a dye fixing layer using a high boiling point organic solvent, and transferring to a dye fixing layer using a hydrophilic thermal solvent. A transfer method has been proposed, and a method of transferring to a dye fixing layer having a dye-receiving polymer by utilizing the thermal diffusivity or sublimation of a diffusible dye has been proposed, and the present invention may be applied to any of these methods.

Specifically, the photosensitive materials and image-receiving materials that can be used in the present invention include U.S. Pat.
, No. 867, No. 4,478,927, No. 4,50
7.380, 4,500.626, 4,4
No. 83,914, JP-A No. 58-149046, No. 58
-149047, 59-152440, 59-
No. 154445, No. 59-165054, No. 59-1
No. 80548, No. 59-168439, No. 59-17
No. 4832, No. 59-174833, No. 59-174
No. 834, No. 59-174835, No. 61-2324
No. 5, No. 62-65038, European Patent Publication No. 210,6
60A2, 220°746A2, etc.

Further, the image forming solvent includes, for example, water, and this water is not limited to so-called pure water, but includes water in the widely conventional sense. In addition, pure water, methanol, DMF,
A mixed solvent with a low boiling point solvent such as acetone or diimbutyl ketone may be used. Furthermore, a solution containing an image formation accelerator, an antifoggant, a development stopper, a hydrophilic heat solvent, etc. may also be used.

[Embodiment]

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Inside the housing 12 constituting the image forming apparatus, there is a photosensitive material supply section 13 that stores the photosensitive material A, an image reading section 15 that reads image information carried on the document S, and a latent image formed on the photosensitive material A. Exposure section 16, water application section 17 that applies water to photosensitive material A, image receiving paper supply fi41 that stores image receiving paper C, overlapping section 19 that superimposes image receiving paper C on photosensitive material 1=lA, photosensitive A heat development transfer section 21 that heats the material A and the image-receiving paper C, and a peeling section 23 that separates the image-receiving paper C from the photosensitive material are provided, respectively.

A transparent document support glass plate 14 on which a document S is placed is arranged on the upper surface of the housing 12, and the image reading section 15 is arranged below this document support glass plate 14. That is, the image reading unit 15 scans the entire surface of the original support glass plate 14 in the same direction by the light source 18, the mirror 20a1, the imaging lens/filter unit assembly 30, and the light source 18, etc. moving mirror 2
0b, 20c and fixed mirrors 20d, 20e.

2Of, which are surrounded by a partition wall 22,
Optically isolated from other parts. However, in this case, an exposure opening 34 for the exposure section 16 of the photosensitive material A is defined in the partition wall 22 at a portion through which the optical axis 32 of the image reading section 15 reflected by the fixed mirror 2Of passes. A shutter device 35 and a shutter control device 36 are arranged in the exposure opening 34 .

Further, a standard white plate 302 is provided near the original support glass plate 14 so as to be exposed to the light source 18 .

On the other hand, the photosensitive material supply section 13 is provided on the left side of the housing 12 and is kept light-tight. This photosensitive material supply B
13 is loaded with a removable photosensitive material magazine 54 in which the photosensitive material A is wound up and stored.

The photosensitive material A has a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, a dye-providing substance, and a reducing agent on a support.

The photosensitive material supply section 13 has roller pairs 56a to 56d for conveying the photosensitive material A from the magazine 54 to the exposure section 16. In this case, roller pair 56a.

A cutter 58 for cutting the diagonally inserted photosensitive material into predetermined lengths is disposed between the cutters 56b. Also, a pair of rollers 56c.

The exposure table 60 disposed between 56d and 56d is connected to the exposure opening 3 defined at the bottom of the partition wall 22 surrounding the image reading section 15.
4.

In front of the exposure section 16 (hereinafter, "front" refers to the downstream side with respect to the traveling direction of the photosensitive material, etc.) is provided with a conveyance path consisting of a pair of rollers 56e and a guide plate.

The exposure section 16 performs imagewise exposure on the photosensitive material A to form a latent image, and the photosensitive material I)A on which the latent image has been formed is conveyed to the water application section 17 via the conveyance path.

The water application section 17 is for facilitating the transfer of the latent image formed on the photosensitive material A, and is composed of a roller pair 56, a squeeze roller pair 176, a guide plate 172, and a water tank 174. Then, the water tank 174 is filled with water, and the photosensitive material is conveyed while being immersed in the water.

The photosensitive material A coated with water is squeezed by a pair of squeeze rollers 176.
It is conveyed to the overlapping section 19 by.

On the other hand, on the right side of the housing 12, a receiving paper supply section 41 for supplying the receiving paper C is provided. The image receiving paper supply section 4
1 is a receiving paper magazine 43 that stores rolled receiving paper C;
is loaded.

A dye fixing material containing a mordant is applied to the image forming surface of the image receiving paper C.

The image receiving paper C in the magazine 43 is fed out by a pair of rollers 56h, and cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 44 disposed in front of the pair of rollers 56h.

The cut image-receiving paper C is conveyed to the overlapping section 19 by a pair of rollers 56i.

In front of the overlapping part 19, the overlapping photosensitive materials Δ
A heating development transfer section 21 is provided which heats the image receiving paper C, develops the latent image on the photosensitive material A, and transfers it onto the image receiving paper C.

The heat development transfer 121 is surrounded by a heat insulating WK wall 62, and is wrapped around a hollow cylindrical heating drum 74 containing a halogen lamp 72 and the outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 74 at an angle of about 270°. (The winding length is 240m.
m>, 4 belt support rollers 76.77.78.80
an endless belt 84 as a suppressing means supported by an endless belt 84; and a bonding roller 85 that contacts the circumferential surface of the heating drum 74 and bonds the photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C that are conveyed to the heat development transfer FiB 21 before heating. including
The photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C are heated in a superimposed state. By this heating, the latent image on the photosensitive material A is developed and transferred onto the image receiving paper C to develop color.

The surface of the heating drum 74 is coated with Teflon, and is further heated to about 90° C. by a halogen lamp 72.

Furthermore, the endless belt 84 is made of aromatic polyamide fiber (
For example, it has a structure in which a heat-resistant material such as Kevlar or Nomex (both registered trademarks of DuPont) is coated with carbon-containing silicone rubber, and is electrically conductive. With such a configuration, the heating drum 74
Generation of static electricity due to friction between the endless belt 84 or the photosensitive material A is prevented.

When the photosensitive material A is heated in the thermal development transfer section 21 (between the heating drum 74 and the endless belt 84) while being overlapped with the image receiving paper C, a mobile dye is released, and at the same time, this dye is transferred to the image receiving paper. The image is transferred to the dye fixing layer C to obtain an image.

A peeling section 23 is provided within the partition wall 62, and the peeling section 23 includes a first peeling claw 232 for peeling the photosensitive material A from the image receiving paper C, and a first peeling claw 232 for peeling the image receiving paper C from the heating drum 74. It consists of two peeling claws 234 and a roller 56j that discharges the image receiving paper C to the outside of the partition wall 62.

In front of one side of the heat development transfer section 21, there is a waste tray 118 for discarding the heated photosensitive material A peeled from the image receiving paper C by the peeling claw 232, and a roller pair 56k for supplying the photosensitive material into the waste tray 118. is provided. The waste tray 118 is provided below the heat development transfer section 21 .

Further, in front of the other side of the heat development transfer section 21, there is a take-out tray 120 that accommodates the heated image-receiving paper C, and roller pairs 56β, 56m, 5 that transport the heated image-receiving paper C to the take-out tray 120.
6n is provided, and the image-receiving paper C on which the image has been transferred is led out to the take-out tray 120.

Further, a color density detection unit 124 for detecting the color density of the image on the image receiving paper C is arranged between the pair of rollers 56m and 56n. The color density detection unit 124 includes an illumination device 126 that illuminates the image surface of the image receiving paper C, and a color photosensor 128 that receives reflected light from the image receiving paper C due to this illumination.

The present device further includes a color density control unit 1 connected to the imaging lens/filter unit assembly 30 and the photosensor 128 and disposed at a proper location within the housing 12.
50, the color density control unit) 150, a photosensitive material supply section 13, an image reading section 15, a drive system (not shown) for the image reading section 15, an image receiving paper supply section 41, a cutter 44, 58, and a shutter control device 36. , a system control device (not shown) connected to the water application section 17, the heat development transfer section 21, and the peeling section 23 to control the entire apparatus.

Next, the operation when continuously forming images on a large number of image receiving sheets C will be explained.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the operating mechanism during continuous image formation, showing the remaining amount of photosensitive material A and image receiving paper C, the degree of water contamination in the water application section 17, and the number of sheets of photosensitive material A stored in the waste tray 118. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an operating mechanism for displaying the number of consecutive images that can be formed in accordance with the invention.

The operating mechanism includes the initial loading amount of photosensitive material A and image receiving paper C, the processed amount of photosensitive material A and image receiving paper C, the date and time of water replacement in the water coating section 17, and water coating processing while allowing for contamination of fresh water. a memo U l 80 for storing the number of sheets that can be formed and the maximum number of sheets that can be stored in the waste tray 118; a calculation means 182 for reading information from the memory 180 and calculating it; and an operation panel 184 for manually inputting the number of images to be formed on the calculation means 182. A display section 186 that displays the calculation results, and a display section 18 that displays the calculation results.
control means 188 for controlling the operation of 6.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for calculating the number of sheets on which continuous images can be formed based on the remaining amount of photosensitive material A and image receiving paper C.

First, in step 190, the set number of continuous sheets X is manually entered from the operation panel 184 to the control device 188, and then in step 192, the initial winding amount Y, , Y2 of the photosensitive material A and the image receiving paper C, and the number of processed sheets 2. , 22 are read from memory 180.

Next, in step 194, the remaining amounts V, , V, of the photosensitive material A and image receiving paper C are calculated, and then in step 196, the remaining amounts V1. V2
The number of sheets U, , U2 on which images can be formed is calculated from. Here, the fraction U is rounded down.

Next, the calculation of the number of images that can be formed according to the degree of water contamination in the water application section 17 will be explained.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for calculating the number of images that can be formed according to water contamination.

When the set number of consecutive sheets X is entered manually in step 200, the date and time when the water was replaced in the water applicator 17 is read out in step 202. The water in the water application section 17 is replenished during processing, but as water is applied to a large number of photosensitive materials A, the water becomes dirty. Therefore, the number of sheets that can be processed is determined so that contamination can be tolerated before the next replacement due to water cutoff. In step 204, the number Y3 of sheets that can be processed after this water exchange is read out.

Next, in step 206, the number of processed sheets Z3 after the water exchange is read out.

Then, in step 208, the number of sheets that can be processed, U3, is calculated, taking into account the number of sheets Z3 that has been subjected to the water coating process after the water exchange.

Next, the calculation of the number of sheets on which images can be formed based on the amount of photosensitive material accommodated in the waste tray 118 will be explained.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for calculating the number of sheets on which images can be formed based on the amount of photosensitive material stored in the waste tray 118.

First, in step 212, the set number of sheets X is entered manually, and then in step 214, the maximum number Y of photosensitive materials A that can be accommodated in the waste tray 118 is read out from the memory 180.

Next, in step 216, the number of processed sheets Z is read out.

Next, in step 218, the maximum number of accommodated sheets Y4
The number of sheets of photosensitive material A that can be stored in the waste tray 118, the number of sheets U that can be stored, is calculated from the number of processed sheets Z and the number of sheets that have been processed.

Next, the calculation of the number of sheets on which images can be formed based on the amount of image-receiving paper C accommodated in the take-out tray 120 will be explained.

FIG. 6 shows image receiving paper C accommodated on the take-out tray 120.
3 is a flowchart for calculating the number of sheets that can be formed on an image based on the amount of images.

First, in step 222, when the set number of sheets
Maximum number Y of receiving paper C that can be stored on 0
, is read out from the memo IJ l 80.

Next, in step 226, the number of ejected sheets Z is read out.

Next, in step 228, the number U5 of sheets of photosensitive material A that can be stored on the take-out tray 120 is calculated from the maximum number of sheets Y that can be accommodated and the number Z of already discharged sheets.

Through the above calculation, continuous image formation is performed based on the diagonal feeding of the photosensitive material, the remaining amount of image receiving paper C, water stains, the amount of photosensitive material Δ accommodated in the waste tray 118, and the amount of image receiving paper C accommodated on the take-out tray 120. Possible number of sheets U1. U2.03. U-
, US is required. Next, based on each element (number of sheets that can be continuously formed images u, U2.U3°U=, Us) is compared and determined, and the minimum value of the number of sheets that can be continuously formed is determined.

Next, the determined minimum value of the number of sheets that can be continuously formed is compared with the set number of sheets X, and the magnitude relationship between these is displayed on the display section 186.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the display section 186.

The display section 186 performs display using liquid crystal light emission. Display section 18
6 contains the set number of sheets manually entered from the operation panel 184,
The above-mentioned number of continuous images that can be formed is displayed, and their magnitude relationship is represented by, for example, a code or a color. In addition, the number of sheets on which continuous image formation can be performed is displayed based on the remaining amount of photosensitive material A, the remaining amount of image receiving paper C, water stains, the accommodated amount of waste photosensitive material A, and the accommodated amount of ejected image receiving paper C.

In the state shown in FIG. 7, the number of sheets on which images can be formed is 63 sheets based on the remaining amount of photosensitive material A, the number of sheets on which images can be formed on 36 sheets based on the remaining amount of image-receiving paper C, and the number of sheets on which images can be formed on sheets based on the degree of water contamination. The number of sheets on which images can be formed is 41 sheets based on the amount of waste photosensitive material A stored therein, and the number of sheets on which images can be formed based on the amount of image receiving paper C stored on the take-out tray 120 is 75 sheets.

Therefore, the minimum number of sheets that can be continuously formed is 36 sheets. Further, the set number of continuous image recording sheets is 58 sheets, and the symbol "<" indicates the magnitude relationship with the number of sheets that can be continuously formed, and indicates that the set number of image recording materials cannot be obtained continuously.

Through the above control, the display 1186 displays the number of sheets on which continuous images can be formed and the set number of sheets, and if the number of sheets on which continuous images can be formed is less than the set number, the operator can insert the photosensitive material diagonally or replenish or replace the image receiving paper C. By replacing the water in the water application section 17, collecting the photosensitive material A in the waste tray 118, collecting the image receiving paper C on the take-out tray 120, etc., it is possible to increase the number of sheets on which continuous images can be formed.

Furthermore, even if the number of sheets on which continuous image formation is possible is less than the set number, images are formed for the number of sheets on which continuous image formation is possible, and after image formation is completed, the photosensitive material A or image receiving paper C is replenished or replaced, and the water coating section 17 is Exchanging the water, collecting the photosensitive material A in the waste tray 118, collecting the image receiving paper C on the take-out tray 120, etc., and forming an image by newly setting the remaining number of sheets that was less than the set number. Can be done.

Note that the above control is for when using photosensitive material A or image receiving paper C of the same size, but when using photosensitive material A or image receiving paper C of different sizes, the sizes of photosensitive material A and image receiving paper C may be changed. Control is performed by considering it as a parameter.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, when an image forming apparatus performs image formation on a large number of sheets, it is possible to easily judge whether all the set number of sheets can be continuously formed or up to how many sheets can be formed continuously, and the set number of sheets can be easily determined. If it is not possible to continuously form a large number of sheets, it is easy to determine what to do about it. therefore,
It is possible to avoid interrupting the operation of the image forming apparatus during continuous image formation, and the operability of the image forming apparatus is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus, Figure 2 is a block diagram of the operating mechanism for displaying the number of sheets that can be continuously formed, and Figures 3 to 6 are for displaying the number of sheets that can be continuously formed. Flowchart, FIG. 7 is a plan view of the display section. Reference numeral 10 in the figure Image recording device 12 Housing 13
Photosensitive material supply section 14 Document support glass plate 15 Image reading section 17
Water application section 18 Light source 19 Overlapping section 21 Heat development transfer section 23 Peeling section 30 Imaging lens/filter unit 7) assembly 32 Optical axis 36 Shutter control device 41 Receiving paper supply section 43 Receiving paper magazine 44.58 Cutter 54 Sensitive material magazines 56a to 56n Roller pair 60 Exposure table 72 Halogen lamp 74 Heating drum 6, 77,
78. 80 4 Endless belt 5 Pasting roller 18 Waste tray 20 Take-out tray 24 Color density detection unit 26 Lighting device 28 Color photo sensor 50 Color density control unit 72 Guide plate 180 82 Calculating means 84 Operation panel 88 Control means 02 White plate photosensitive material C Receiving paper memory 186 Display section 234 Peeling claw belt support roller No. 2 Funeral map No. 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In an image forming apparatus capable of continuously forming multiple images, a calculation means calculates the maximum possible number of continuous images to be formed within a set desired number of continuous images based on the amount of consumables required for image formation; , an image forming apparatus having a display means for displaying calculation results. (2) In an image forming apparatus that is capable of forming images on multiple sheets in succession, the maximum number of sheets within the desired number of sheets can be set based on the permissible storage capacity of the image forming medium that is discarded after image formation or the obtained image formed material. An image forming apparatus comprising a calculation means for calculating the number of possible continuous image formation sheets and a display means for displaying the calculation result.