Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – With temperature or foreign particle control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-14
2002-04-30
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
With temperature or foreign particle control
C355S067000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06381001
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and more particularly, to an image reading apparatus in which images recorded onto a photosensitive material are read by reading light from the photosensitive material in a conveyed state. The present invention also relates to an image recording apparatus in which images recorded onto a photosensitive material are recorded onto a photosensitive material for recording by irradiating light from the photosensitive material onto the photosensitive material for recording such as a photographic printing paper or the like in a conveyed state.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a so-called digital photo printer in which images of a photographic film are extracted by a CCD and the extracted images are digitally processed and scan-exposed onto a photographic printing paper has been proposed.
In this digital photo printer, image information recorded onto the photographic film is optically read, the read images are converted into digital signals and subjected to various image processings such that image information for recording is formed. Then, the photosensitive material is scan-exposed by recording light which has been modulated in accordance with this image information. The images (latent images) are recorded and printed in developing processing.
The digital photo printer can freely effect editing such as the composition of a plurality of images, the division of an image, or the like; editing layout of a print image such as editing of characters and an image, or the like; and various image processings such as expansion/contraction, adjustment of color/density/gradation, conversion of negative/positive photographic film, emphasis of outline, or the like. Further, in the conventional direct exposure print, all of the image density information regarding density resolution, space resolution, color/density reproducibility, or the like recorded onto the photographic film cannot be reproduced. However, the digital photo printer can obtain a print in which substantially 100% of image density information recorded onto the photographic film is reproduced.
Further, in the digital photo printer, the image information recorded onto the photographic film or image processing conditions of that information can be recorded (stored) in an external memory or external media such as a memory, a hard disk, or the like provided at the device. Accordingly, when extra printing or the like is carried out, it is not necessary to have a photographic film having original images and to reset processing conditions. Thus, an operation such as the making of extra prints or the like can be carried out rapidly and efficiently. Other services include applied services such as the editing of digital image data recorded by a digital camera or the like and the output of the image to a printer or the like; recording of images of a photographic film onto an external media; transfer of digital image data to a distant place using an internet function; and the like.
A device of this sort is a type of production equipment. Consequently, in this device, it is necessary that images are read in a short time, that so-called processing capacity is high, and that various types of photographic films having a variety of exposure levels are finished with high image qualities. Accordingly, in order to read an input image at a predetermined processing capacity as high quality image data, a larger amount of illuminating light is required for, for example, a negative photographic film which has been overexposed.
Further, in the above-described image reading apparatus, it is known that visible optical components which are required for reading color images also have thermal energy. Consequently, a light source for reading the color image naturally restricts the wavelength region which can be cut and, even if the wavelength components which are not required for reading are cut and light is irradiated, a complete heat insulating effect is not obtained. Thus, when a large amount of light is irradiated, thermal energy accumulates on the photographic film original in proportion to the amount of light, the temperature of the photographic film rises more than a permissible temperature of the photographic film components, and the quality of the photographic film thereby deteriorates. The deterioration of the quality of the photographic film includes temporary deterioration of quality (reversible fading) or permanent deterioration of quality (irreversible fading, deformation of a photographic film base, or the like).
Once irreversible heat damage is inflicted on the photographic film, the film cannot be restored. The function of protecting a photographic film should be one of the most important subjects when the device is constructed. In this case, if the illuminating light is used only for effective illumination, there is the concern that heat damage will be inflicted on the photographic film as described above. Thus, it is necessary to provide any means which prevents rising of the temperature of the photographic film.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was developed in light of the above circumstances, and the object thereof is to provide an image reading apparatus and an image recording apparatus which can effectively prevent deterioration of the quality of a photosensitive material.
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention comprises: a conveying device which conveys a photosensitive material; an illuminator which irradiates light onto the photosensitive material which is conveyed by the conveying device; a reading device which reads light from the photosensitive material in a state in which the photosensitive material is conveyed by the conveying device; and a cooling device which cools at least one of a region of the photosensitive material onto which the light is irradiated, and a reverse surface of the region.
Namely, the conveying device conveys the photosensitive material and the illuminator irradiates light onto the photosensitive material which is conveyed by the conveying device. The reading device reads light from the photosensitive material in a state in which the photosensitive material is conveyed by the conveying device.
The cooling device cools at least one of the region of the photosensitive material onto which the light is irradiated and the reverse surface of the region.
Thus, when the light from the photosensitive material is read in a conveyed state, because the photosensitive material is cooled even if the amount of light irradiated onto the photosensitive material is increased, deterioration of the quality of the photosensitive material can be prevented.
Namely, the structure which is suitable for the image reading apparatus of the present invention is as follows. Namely, the image reading apparatus of the present invention comprises: a conveying device for conveying a photosensitive material; a CCD having three lines which are disposed in the conveying direction and extend in the direction which intersects the conveying direction for reading an image; a lens device which serves as means of projecting the photosensitive material image onto the CCD; and an illuminator which irradiates light onto the photosensitive material which is conveyed by the conveying device.
Further, the present invention comprises a cooling device which cools at least one of a region of the photosensitive material onto which the light is irradiated and a reverse surface of the region.
In a suitable aspect of the image reading apparatus relating to the present invention, there are a setup equipment which performs image processings on read images and determines the exposure conditions of recorded images, an image processing device which performs various image processings on the read images, and a recording equipment which records (stores) the read images.
Note that even if the above-described 3-line CCD is, e.g., an area sensor or the like, the sensor is, in fact, described as a 3-line CCD if
Inoue Toshiyuki
Katakura Kazuhiko
Konagaya Tatsuya
Nishio Tomonori
Sakaguchi Yasunobu
Adams Russell
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Kim Peter B.
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