Photocopying – Using microcapsules – Exposure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-03-20
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Using microcapsules
Exposure
C355S406000, C430S138000, C347S262000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06204914
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type for irradiating light corresponding to image data onto printing paper of a photosensitive microcapsule type to selectively cure photosensitive microcapsules, and after that, applying pressure to collapse the microcapsules which have not cured, and developing the color of a color developing material which is brought into contact with an image receiving layer to generate an image, and to an image processing system with a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional printing paper of a photosensitive microcapsule type is divided into a roll film with microcapsules applied to the surface thereof, which microcapsules encapsulate a color developing material in combination with a photo-curing material, and a sheet paper with an image receiving layer applied to the surface thereof for carrying out development by closely adhering the image receiving layer to the surface of the roll film to which the microcapsules are applied.
In a printing apparatus using the conventional printing paper of a photosensitive microcapsule type, first, while the roll film is being fed, light is irradiated correspondingly to image data to selectively cure the photo-curing material. Next, the surface of the roll film to which the microcapsules are applied and the image receiving layer of the sheet paper are overlapped and are guided between rolling rolls, and pressure is applied to collapse microcapsules which have not cured. Further, heat is applied to facilitate the color development of the color developing material which comes into contact with the image receiving layer to generate an image on the sheet paper. Finally, the roll film is separated from the sheet paper and is wound.
Accordingly, in the conventional printing apparatus, a cassette for containing a stack of sheet papers with the image receiving layer applied thereto is adopted to be inserted in a chassis. The conventional printing apparatus comprises a roll film supporting device for attaching thereto a roll film with microcapsules applied thereto, a winding device for winding the roll film thereon, a feed roll for feeding the roll film, a pickup roll for feeding a sheet paper from the cassette, exposure means for irradiating onto printing paper fed from the cassette while flashing light of a predetermined wavelength correspondingly to image data inputted from the external to make uncollapsible the microcapsules which get the light, pressurizing means for guiding between a pair of rolling rolls and applying pressure to the roll film and the sheet paper which are overlapped and selectively collapsing microcapsules which did not get the light and have not cured to get in contact with the image receiving layer to cause color developing reaction of the color developing material, heating means for applying heat to the color developing material capable of the color developing reaction by getting in contact with the image receiving layer to facilitate the color development to generate an image on the printing paper, a motor, power transmitting means for transmitting the rotation of the motor to movable elements including the pickup roll and the feed roll, and a controller for controlling the apparatus.
In order to know whether the printing paper contained in the cassette is monochrome or full color, or whether the printing paper is highly sensitive or not, and the like, paper with a bar code printed thereon on top of the top printing paper is fed to read and decode the bar code thereby specifying the kind of the printing paper and, according to the kind of the printing paper, the intensity or irradiation time of the light of the predetermined wavelength is changed.
The conventional printing apparatus has the following problems.
(1) Since the printing paper is divided into the roll film and the sheet paper, the film and the sheet paper are required to be separately supplied and wound, and thus, the size of the apparatus is large (desktop size).
(2) In case the cassette is exchanged before all the printing paper is used up and then, the original cassette is again replaced, since the paper with the bar code printed thereon necessary for knowing whether the printing paper is highly sensitive or not can not be fed again, the kind of the printing paper can not be specified. Therefore, it is not possible to exchange the cassette before all the printing paper is used up and then replace again the original cassette, and it is necessary that all the printing paper is used up. For that reason, it was not possible to select such an option that sepia color is first printed and then full color printing is carried out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type which can make printing paper of a photosensitive microcapsule type generate an image by irradiating light corresponding to image data to selectively cure photosensitive microcapsules, and after that, applying pressure to collapse microcapsules which have not cured, and developing the color of a color developing material which is brought into contact with an image receiving layer, and in particular, which can be microminiaturized to be as small as a cigarette case, and, an image processing system with the printing apparatus.
Further, the present invention provides a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type by which the kind of the printing paper can be specified even if a cassette is freely exchanged before all the printing paper is used up, and an image processing system with a printing apparatus.
In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type comprises printing paper feeding means for intermittently feeding printing paper of a photosensitive microcapsule type, and a scan having an axial direction disposed perpendicular to the feeding direction of the printing paper, opposite ends pivotably supported by a chassis, and a clockwise spiral groove and a counterclockwise spiral groove grooved so as to cross each other on the way such that both ends of the grooves are connected to form a. The printing apparatus further comprises a motor attached to the chassis for rotating the scan shaft, a carriage slidably fitted on the scan shaft and having a pin engaged with the spiral groove to reciprocate the carriage by the rotation of the scan shaft, light emitting diodes provided on the carriage and in proximity of the printing paper for selectively irradiating onto the printing paper light corresponding to image data when the carriage scans, and pressurizing means for applying pressure to the printing paper to which light is irradiated for selectively collapsing photosensitive microcapsules to develop color thereby to generate an image.
Further, according to the present invention, a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type comprises a cassette for containing printing paper of a photosensitive microcapsule type, and printing paper pickup means for, when the cassette is inserted in a cassette insert opening in a case, feeding manually or automatically the printing paper to a place from which the printing paper is intermittently fed by the printing paper feeding means.
Further, according to the present invention, a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type is structured such that the printing paper feeding means is made to intermittently feed the printing paper through an intermittently rotating mechanism by the motor or another motor.
Further, according to the present invention, a printing apparatus of a photosensitive microcapsule type is structured such that the printing paper feeding means comprises a protruding member provided on the carriage for elastically protruding from and withdrawing into the carriage, a paper feed roller having a rotational center axis in parallel with the moving direction of the carriage, a
Fujioka Hidenori
Inagaki Shigeru
Adams & Wilks
Mathews Alan A.
Seiko Instruments Inc.
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