Incremental printing of symbolic information – Light or beam marking apparatus or processes – Scan of light
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-28
2004-08-31
Pham, Hai (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Light or beam marking apparatus or processes
Scan of light
Reexamination Certificate
active
06784911
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a heat developing apparatus and its control method for providing an image of appropriate density at all times.
According to the prior art, the heat developing apparatus used for heat development of a light sensitive film for heat development containing a latent image formed thereon is used in various manners. Some heat developing apparatuses are equipped with multiple film loading sections for use as a large-capacity tray for reducing the frequency of film supply, and others are designed to permit selection from different-sized films (14 in×17 in or 11 in×14 in) or to permit selection from films of the same size having different base densities. Further, in the heat developing apparatus, the sensitivity of the film may vary according to the lot when loaded with a new film package. Therefore, the first sheet is exposed and developed on a tentative basis according to a predetermined exposure pattern. Then the density is measured, the difference from a desired density is fed back to the process system, and the obtained density is maintained at a constant level in the step of so-called calibration. Density correction is performed for the subsequent heat development, thereby providing an image of appropriate density in some cases, according to the prior art. However, especially the heat-processable photo-sensitive material has relatively large variations of sensitivities according to the lot. So special emphasis is placed on this calibration step.
The distribution of temperature in the apparatus may undergo temporary change when the cover or the like is released to load the film on the main unit side of the heat developing apparatus, or power supply to the major portion of the equipment may be shut off for the purpose of ensuring electric safety when the door is opened. In the exposure system using acousto-optic modulation (AOM) means in this case, the characteristics of the AOM driver circuit as well as the temperature in the exposure section may undergo changes. Further, if the light sensitive film for heat development is left in the apparatus for a long time, the sensitivity is known to change and the sensitivity is found to deteriorate. If the temperature inside the apparatus is high, sensitivity tends to deteriorate easily in some cases. As a result, in some of the prior art heat developing apparatuses, calibration is automatically performed immediately when the door is closed after the tray has run out of film and the door has been opened to load a new film package.
However, when the film immediately after having been loaded does not sufficiently conform to the temperature in the apparatus, and the exposure system and the AOM system in particular is easily subjected to the temperature characteristics of the driver. If calibration is performed under these conditions, correction has not been conducted adequately in some cases. Further, for example, when the upper and lower trays are used as the aforementioned large-capacity tray after calibration, the film of the upper tray is used automatically if the lower tray runs out of film. During the time, a new film is loaded into the lower tray and calibration is performed. Actually, there is time before the film on the lower tray is used, and calibration data becomes invalid in some cases under the influence of the temperature history in the apparatus during this time, according to the prior art.
In view of the aforementioned problems involved in the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat developing apparatus and its control method that eliminates the adverse effect of the variations in temperature inside the apparatus upon the development density and ensures an image of appropriate density at all times.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the aforementioned object, the first heat developing apparatus of the present invention comprises:
supply means (unit) having multiple loading sections for loading a heat-processable photo-sensitive material,
exposure means (unit) for forming a latent image on the aforementioned heat-processable photo-sensitive material fed by the aforementioned supply means in response to an image signal or a predetermined signal for measuring density,
development means (developing unit) for heat development of a heat-processable photo-sensitive material containing the aforementioned latent image,
means (a device) for gaining information on the density of the aforementioned developed heat-processable photo-sensitive material, and
control means (controller) for controlling either or both of the aforementioned exposure means and the aforementioned developing means in such a way that the difference from a desired density is corrected based on the aforementioned density information;
wherein correction is performed by the aforementioned control means based on the aforementioned density information obtained by forming and developing a latent image in response to the predetermined signal for measuring the aforementioned density, when the aforementioned image signal is received and a print request is received after a new package incorporating the aforementioned heat-processable photo-sensitive material has been loaded on the aforementioned loading section.
This first heat developing apparatus provides correction by control means when the apparatus has received a print request, not immediately after a new package including the heat-processable photo-sensitive material has been loaded. So the heat-processable photo-sensitive material can be exposed and developed after it has been corrected for density at the temperature inside the apparatus immediately before exposure and development of the heat-processable photo-sensitive material. This properly eliminates impact upon development density of the variation of sensitivity of the heat-processable photo-sensitive material due to changes of temperature in the apparatus and characteristic changes of exposure means, thereby ensuring an image of appropriate density at all times.
The second heat developing apparatus of the present invention comprises:
supply means having multiple loading sections for loading a heat-processable photo-sensitive material,
exposure means for forming a latent image on the aforementioned heat-processable photo-sensitive material fed by the aforementioned supply means in response to an image signal or a predetermined signal for measuring density,
development means for heat development of a heat-processable photo-sensitive material containing the aforementioned latent image,
means for gaining information on the density of the aforementioned developed heat-processable photo-sensitive material, and
control means for controlling either or both of the aforementioned exposure means and the aforementioned developing means in such a way that the difference from a desired density is corrected based on the aforementioned density information;
wherein correction is performed by the aforementioned control means based on the aforementioned density information obtained by forming and developing a latent image in response to the predetermined signal for measuring the aforementioned density if the aforementioned image signals have already been received when a new package incorporating the aforementioned heat-processable photo-sensitive material is loaded on the aforementioned loading section.
This second heat developing apparatus provides correction by control means when multiple signals are input to the apparatus and the system is waiting for printing, not immediately after a new package including the heat-processable photo-sensitive material has been loaded. So the heat-processable photo-sensitive material can be exposed and developed after it has been corrected for density at the temperature inside the apparatus immediately before exposure and development of the heat-processable photo-sensitive material. This properly eliminates impact upon development density of the variation of sensitivity of the heat-processable photo-sensitive material due to changes of temperatur
Horiuchi Makoto
Umeki Mamoru
Konica Corporation
Muserlian Lucas and Mercanti
Pham Hai
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