US3245330A - Wet electronic copying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1966 YOSHIRQ o s 3,245,330

WET ELECTRONIC COPYING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1963 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,245,330 Patented Apr. 12, 1966 3,245,330 WET ELECTRONIQ COPYING APPARATU S Yoshiro ()lrishima, Gsaira, Japan, assignor to Minolta Camera Kabushilri Iiaisha, Osaka, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 325,898 Claims priority, application Japan, Nov. 29, 1962, 37/5 3,004 3 (Jlaims. (Cl. 951.7)

The present invention relates to a novel, useful, Wet electronic photocopying apparatus capable of completely interlocking and copying even an extended length of original picture without any hindrance.

One object of the present invention is to provide a wet electronic photocopying apparatus capable of copying an extended original picture without any large sized equipment. In order to accomplish such an object, the original pictures and sheets of sensitized paper are adapted to be transmitted synchronously on rollers rotated by a mo torized chain transmission, and the electrical charging of sensitized papers, projection and all other steps from the sensitization to development in solution are also adapted to be efiected during the chain transmission.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wet photocopying apparatus capable of continuously copying an original picture of unlimited length or a number of short original pictures. In order to accomplish such an object, predetermined motions are adapted for automatic control by means of microswitches and the apparat-us of this invention is so arranged to be capable of using an extended length of sensitized paper.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wet electronic photocopying apparatus capable of copying smoothly by a single person. In order to accomplish such an object, the apparatus according to the present invention is so designed as to solve a problem of difference in feeding velocities of sensitize-d paper between a short stop at the root and an advancement at the front end of the sensitized paper including the light-exposure and developing portions by gradually and consecutively advancing sheets of paper in the shortest passage, in retreating a movable guiding plate forming a round-about route of sensitized paper against a spring, while the end of original picture sheet synchronously operates cutter, and moreover, the outlet for original picture or drawing to be copied is arranged to be below the inlet for the original picture and the operator.

In accordance with the present invention, a length of sensitized paper from a roll is continuously transmitted on rollers, and receives a projected image of the original pictures being synchronously transmitted; after passing through an electrically charging portion, a bright portion of such image electrically conducts charging, while a dark portion of the image conducts loading, thereby potentially forming socalled electronics photoimages, then the sensitized paper bearing the p-hotoimages is passed through developing solution to complete a developing step, after which it is transmitted on a belt until it reaches to a suitable position below the inlet for the original picture. Thus, required steps of operation are automatically regulated by microswitches on the apparatus. Namely, a lamp is lit by the action of a microswitch at the same time as the original picture is inserted, and a first roller for transmitting sheets of sensitized paper is started simultaneously; a cutter for cutting the sensitized paper is actuated at the same time as the original picture passes through a predetermined point. Thus the sensitized paper is cut into the same length as the original picture, so that complete gearing may be performed, unlike the intermittently transmitting device wherein the sensitized paper is stopped once while images are received by the paper; it is, therefore, possible to copy even a long extended original picture with no interruption.

Furthermore, the present invention is also contemplated to provide an improved developing means for Wet electronic photocopying apparatus. In such developing means, a developing liquid is stirred or circulated by ejecting a Well-known developing solution containing pulverized powder for assisting electronic development through a centrifugal pump with a liquid medium, and a liquid tank is shut off from outside with a partition to prevent evaporation of content; in addition, the surface of a guide block in a developing dish constituting a guiding passage for sheets of sensitized paper is adapted for use simultaneously as an electrode to prevent edging efliect of electronic photopict-ures.

In the following, the present invention is further described in detail in connection with an embodiment illustrated by Way of example in the accompanying drawings, of which FIG. 1 is a schematic constructional view of the apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan of a developing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional front view of line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view on line IVIV in FIG. 2.

It is to be noted that, though the present invention is thus described in detail the present invention is not to be limited thereby, since it is of course possible to make various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. It is also to be noted that similar parts are represented by similar symbols throughout all the drawings and descriptions therefor.

Referring to the drawings, by 1 is meant a casing; 2 a motor; 3 pairs of opposite rollers; 4 a guide plate; 5 and 6 microswitches; 7 a plane perspective plate; 8 a pushing stand; and 9 a transmission belt respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the motor 2 in the casing 1 is so arranged as to drive the one part of each pair of opposing rollers 3, 25, a excepting driving-out roller A, by a suitable chain-transmitting means (not illustrated). At the back of an original picture stand 26, is arranged a guide plate 4 provided in turn with a narrow clearance 27, through which the original picture passes, and with the microswitch 5 at the inlet for the picture entrance, interlocking respectively with a clutch B to drive a roller A for rolling out a long rolled sensitized paper 28 and with the cutter 18 for cutting said sensitized paper. The original picture itself drives the other microswitch 6, which is electrically connected to an illuminating lamp C, comprising a lamp and a reflection shade (neither of them are illustrated), and which is arranged at an outlet of guide plate 4. As it proceeds to the right, the original picture is held in a plane state in contact under pressure with the plane perspective plate 7 by means of the transmission belt 9 which is driven by a roller pair 0, and by means of the pushing stand 8 elastically held by a suitable spring (not illustrated) against the plane perspective plate 7. The plate 7 has a guiding portion (not illustrated) at the inlet, inclined towards an illuminating portion B through which the original proceeds by means of a pair of facing rollers 12. As the rear portion of the original picture moves off the microswitch 5, the cutter 18 is driven for cutting the sensitized paper.

Reflected rays of light pass between the perspective plate 12 and the spring-contact and push-contact plate 13 via the mirror 10 and projecting lens 11, similarly as in the case of original pictures, and onto the sensitized paper on the transmission belt 14 which is advanced to the left by a roller j, so that corresponding images are formed on such sensitized paper 28 during the transmission. In this case, the image forming velocity and sensitized paper transmission velocity are of course synchronous and equal, because each of the rollers are of chain-transmission, and upon departing from the transmission belt 9. The original picture actuates the microswitch 15 as the rear portion of the original picture passes through the roller to extinguish the illumination lamp C. and thence passes through the curved guiding plate 16 for changing direction, and is transmitted on the rollers e and f in order to be collected at the outlet 17. It is to be noted that when the original picure is short, it is possible for the guide plate 4 to be divided in two parts which are supported by appropriate rollers.

The front end of the rolled sensitized paper 28 is driven by the roller A an dextended to the cutter 18; an electromagnetic cylinder (not illustrated) being driven simultaneously with passage of the front end of the original picture, by the mioroswitch to start clutch B, so that the roller A is set for rotation. The sensitized paper is then passed through a clearance between the outer stationary guiding plate 19 and the inner movable guiding plate 20, both ends of which are pivoted and which are held by spring members (not illustrated). The sensitized paper proceeds along the transmission belt 14 which is driven by the roller j and passes below the charging de vice 21 to be charged with electricity, to be imparted with light sensitivity and sensitized by receiving images synchronously proceeding with the original picture, while being brought in contact with the plane perspective plate 12. The plate 12 has an inclined guiding plane portion (not illustrated) through which the sensitized paper proceeds and is pressed into contact therewith by the pressure-plate 13. In departing from the transmission belt 14, the sensitized paper is passed over the roller 1', and proceeds along a curved bottom portion 29 of developing device 22 that is filled with a developing solution for electronic photography. The solution is mixed with minute particles of black powder in an insulating liquid, to assist the development during the advancement and transmission on the transmission belt. The sensitized paper is thence driven by the roller 11 and and placed on the transmission belt 23 driven by the roller g to be collected at the outlet 24. Adjacent the transmission belt 23, a drier means such as a heat radiation device or a fan D is provided to assist the drying effect.

As the trailing end of the original picture comes out of roller 3, the cutter 18 is thereby actuated by the microswitch 5, and the sensitized paper 28 is cut by the actuated cutter. That is, the cutter edge 30 begins to cut the sensitized paper from one end of the width, and reaches to the other end after a short interval of time. Even during this operation the sensitized paper 28 is continuously advanced by the transmission roller A. Consequently, the resulting irregularities can be solved, in that the sensitized paper is fed across a short path, after the paper having been placed in an illustrated, dotted position, by rotating the inner movable guiding plate 20 consecutively clockwise against a spring (not illustrated) of the inner movable guiding plate 20, whereby the sensitized paper moves over a curved passage along the outer stationary guiding plate 19 between the cutter 18 and roller 25.

The developing device 22 for the copier is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 to 4 and includes a centrifugal pump 33 driven by a motor 32 mounted in a casing frame 31. The pump is provided with a jet tube 37 having one or a plurality of branch tubes 36 opening to a suction hole 34 and corner portions of liquid tank 35. A main tube 38 is connected to a guide block 41 secured in a developing dish outside a partition wall 39. The dish 40 has a rib 42, leaking hole 43 and an overflow outlet 44 serving to guide the sensitized paper 28 as shown in FIG. 1. The guide block 41 is provided with a main hole 45 and a plurality of drain holes 46; a curved surface 47 of said guide block opposite the rib 42 of said developing dish is made electroconductive and simultaneously adapted to serve as an electrode. In addition, a curved path 48 for the sensitized paper 28 to pass therethrough is formed. The overflow outlet 44 of developing dish 40 is provided opposite an auxiliary vessel 50 having a water outlet 49 at the bottom. The leaking hole 43 is formed in a small path, and the capacity of a pump, main hole 45, flowing down hole 46, overflow outlet 44- and a water discharging hole 49 are, of course, so designed that the liquid may flow in an appropriate quantity in the developing dish 40 during the course of development.

Thus, in the main developing apparatus of the aforementioned construction, the sensitized paper having been transmitted from roller 1', through a copying step, that is, the advancing of the original picture as well as sensitized paper 28, charging, exposure by starting or" a motor unillustrated, is advanced on the curved path 48; simultaneously with the starting of said motor, the developing liquid in the liquid tank 35 is allowed to enter from the suction hole 34 and to an ejecting tube 37 by the centrifugal pump 33 which is driven by the motor 32, where-by the developing liquid is ejected from a branch pipe 36 through the opening of the corner portion of liquid tank 35 and is stirred continuously. The liquid rising in the main tube 38 is poured in the main hole 45 of guide block 41 and collected in the developing liquid dish 40 from down-draining hole 46, a majority of which overflows from the over-flow outlet 44 into the auxiliary tank 50 and returns from the water discharging hole 49 to the lower tank portion because the leaking hole 43 is smaller and a predetermined quantity of flowing developing liquid is remained constant so as to fill the curved path 48. In consequence, the sensitized paper 28 to be therein absorbed requires particles in the liquid, while advancing and passing through the curved path 48 formed by the curved surface 47 of guide block 41, i.e. the surface of electrode and the guiding rib 42, to be adhered to squeeze out the remaining liquid at the roller [1, dried and transferred to the following drying step. Upon stopping of motor 32, the developing liquid returns in the liquid tank 35 by flowing out of the leakage hole 43 and water discharge hole 49.

From the foregoing description, it has been ascertained that, according to the present developing device, developing particles liable to precipitate at the corners of liquid tank 35 are ejected and stirred partly by jetting power of centrifugal pump 33, in order to direct uniformly conditloned liquid toward suction hole 34 and simultaneously feed developing dish 40 with liquid continuously so as to let the liquid flow through numbers of holes 46 in the stationary guide block 41 of the developing dish; the sensitized paper is always immersed in fresh liquid and posltioned opposite the curved surface 47 which is electroconductlve and has polarity, thereby advantageously keeping a uniform thickness throughout the whole picture by avoiding so-called edge effect liable to occur in an electronic photograph, that developing particles are concentrated only near the periphery of the picture and dispersed 1n the inner area of the picture, and moreover since the liquid tank 35 is isolated from outside by the partition wall 39 and developing dish 40 or the auxiliary tank 50, the evaporation of developing liquid can advantageously be avoided. I

What is claimed:

1. Wet electronic photocopying apparatus, com rising a guiding plate provided with a clearance passage for original pictures, a clutch for actuating a cutter in response to switch means at the inlet of said guiding plate, a nncroswitch for an illuminating lamp at the outlet of said guiding plate, a plane perspective plate having inclined surfaces at the ends, a belt conveyor for original pictures stretched across said plane perspective plate and a pushing bed in contact with said perspective plate under action of a spring, said illuminating lamp being placed opposite said plane plate, said illuminating lamp being placed partly opposite a charging device via a reflecting mirror and lens, said charging device having another pushing bed in contact with another perspective plate under action of another spring, another belt conveyor stretched between said another pushing bed and perspective plate, thereby constituting a light-exposure part of said apparatus; rolled sensitized paper having a driving portion and a cutter operatively connected with said switch means, a guiding path for sensitized paper being provided with one side secured with each other and supported by a spring next to said light exposure portion, a developing device and a transmitting belt opposite the heating or drying device being provided, the outlet for sensitized paper sheets being provided below the inlet for the original picture.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the rolled sensitized paper is long and adapted to be transferred by a clutch and driving roller to a cutter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,002,434 10/1961 Reuter 95-1.7 3,003,404 10/1961 Metcalfe et al. 951.7 3,124,484 3/1964 Magnusson 118637 3,130,079 4/1964 Von Meister 118-637 3,155,546 11/1964 Dirks 118-637 3,169,457 2/1965 Kaminstein 951.7 3,181,420 5/1965 Rautbord et a1. 951.7

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. WET ELECTRONIC PHOTOCOPYING APPARATUS, COMPRISING A GUIDING PLATE PROVIDED WITH A CLEARANCE PASSAGE FOR ORIGINAL PICTURES, A CLUTCH FOR ACTUATING A CUTTER IN RESPONSE TO SWITCH MEANS AT THE INLET OF SAID GUIDING PLATE, A MICROSWITCH FOR AN ILLUMINATING LAMP AT THE OUTLET OF SAID GUIDING PLATE, A PLANE PERSPECTIVE PLATE HAVING INCLINED SURFACES AT THE ENDS, A BELT CONVEYOR FOR ORIGINAL PICTURES STRETCHED ACROSS SAID PLANE PERSPECTIVE PLATE AND A PUSHING BED IN CONTACT WITH SAID PERSPECTIVE PLATE UNDER ACTION OF A SPRING, SAID ILLUMINATING LAMP BEING PLACED OPPOSITE SAID PLANE PLATE, SAID ILLUMINATING LAMP BEING PLACED PARTLY OPPOSITE A CHARGING DEVICE VIA A REFLECTING MIRROR AND LENS, SAID CHARGING DEVICE HAVING ANOTHER PUSHING BED IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE PLATE UNDER ACTION OF ANOTHER SPRING, ANOTHER BELT CONVEYOR STRETCHED BETWEEN SAID ANOTHER PUSHING BED AND PERSPECTIVE PLATE, THEREBY CONSTITUTING A LIGHT-EXPOSURE PART OF SAID APPARATUS; ROLLED SENSITIZED PAPER HAVING A DRIVING PORTION AND A CUTTER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID SWITCH MEANS, A GUIDING PATH FOR SENSITIZED PAPER BEING PROVIDED WITH ONE SIDE SECURED WITH EACH OTHER AND SUPPORTED BY A SPRING NEXT TO SAID LIGHT EXPOSURE PORTION, A DEVELOPING DEVICE AND A TRANSMITTING BELT OPPOSITE THE HEATING OR DRYING DEVICE BEING PROVIDED, THE OUTLET FOR SENSITIZED PAPER SHEETS BEING PROVIDED BELOW THE INLET FOR THE ORIGINAL PICTURE.

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