Printer device and digital camera with printer

Abstract

Provided are a printer device and a printer-equipped digital camera which make it possible to suppress deflection of an instant film due to self-weight, and prevent a decrease in image quality.　A printer part (13) comprises a film pack chamber (23), an exposure head (50), a conveying roller pair (53), a spreading roller, and a support rib (51c). The support rib (51c) is provided between the film pack chamber (23) and the exposure head (50) in a conveyance direction, and supports an instant film (28) from the side facing the exposure head (50).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer device and a digital camera with a built-in printer. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Various types of mobile printer devices or digital cameras with built-in printers are commercially available, which are designed to record images taken with a digital camera or a smartphone on a recording medium such as instant film.

[0003] Printers or digital cameras with printers that use instant film as a recording medium typically have a configuration that includes a loading chamber, an exposure head, a transport roller, and a spreading roller. An instant film pack containing multiple sheets of instant film stored in a case is loaded into the loading chamber. The exposure head exposes an image onto the instant film transported from the loading chamber. The transport roller is located downstream of the exposure head in the transport direction and clamps and transports the instant film. The spreading roller is located downstream of the transport roller in the transport direction and spreads the developer by squeezing the developer pod on the instant film. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-43548 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Instant film as a recording medium comes in a variety of sizes, and a type of instant film known as a wide-format film, which has a width greater than its transport dimension, is currently on the market. The applicant is considering using this wide-format instant film in the above-mentioned printer device or digital camera with a printer.

[0006] However, when using wide-format instant film, the instant film discharged from the instant film pack may be pulled down by its own weight before reaching the pair of transport rollers. instant It is thought that bending may occur in the width direction of the film. If instant film is transported in a bent state and exposed by the exposure head or the developer is spread by the spreading roller, there is a possibility that the image quality will be degraded, for example, due to the exposed image being stretched by the amount of bending or uneven spreading of the developer.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a printer device and a digital camera with a printer that can suppress bending of instant film due to its own weight and prevent deterioration of image quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the printer device of the present invention comprises a loading chamber, an exposure head, a transport roller, a spreading roller, and a support rib. An instant film pack is loaded into the loading chamber. The instant film pack comprises at least a plurality of instant film sheets and a case that stores the instant film sheets in a stack and has a feed opening formed therein for feeding the instant film. The exposure head exposes an image onto the instant film transported from the loading chamber. The transport roller is disposed downstream of the exposure head in the transport direction of the instant film. instant The instant film ejected from the film pack is transported further downstream in the transport direction. The spreading roller is located downstream of the transport roller in the transport direction and spreads the developer by clamping the instant film and squeezing the developer pod. The support rib is located between the loading chamber and the exposure head in the transport direction and supports the instant film from the side facing the exposure head.

[0009] It is preferable that a plurality of support ribs are provided in the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction, each of the support ribs having a sliding surface that slides against one side of the instant film, and that the sliding surface be formed in a curved shape.

[0010] The support rib is preferably disposed at a position away from the trajectory of the instant film and at a position where it will slide when the instant film is bent.

[0011] The support rib is preferably formed integrally with a support member that protrudes from the exposure head toward the instant film, and the support member is preferably fixed to the exposure head.

[0012] The loading chamber is formed in a box shape with one side open, and has a loading lid that covers the open side of the loading chamber, and a film pressing plate that is attached to the loading lid and stored in the case. Film holder Equipped with Film holder The loading lid preferably has a pressing member that contacts the film cover member and a biasing member that biases the pressing member, and a plurality of biasing members are provided in the width direction and the conveying direction of the loading lid. Film holder It is preferable that each spring has a different spring constant.

[0013] A digital camera with a printer according to the present invention comprises the above-described printer and an imaging unit having an imaging optical system, capturing an image of a subject, and outputting image data to a printer device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress bending of the instant film due to its own weight and prevent deterioration of image quality. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a digital camera with a printer. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a central vertical cross-sectional view of the digital camera with a printer. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the digital camera with a printer with the loading lid in the closed position. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the digital camera with a printer with the loading lid in the open position. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an instant film pack. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an instant film pack. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the instant film pack. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an instant film. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the printer unit with the device housing omitted. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exposure head and the surrounding area of ​​the support member. [Figure 14] FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exposure head and a support member. [Figure 16] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part around a support member. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a digital camera with a printer with the loading lid in the open position and an instant film pack loaded. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a digital camera with a printer loaded with an instant film pack. [Figure 19] FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the film pressing portion. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the support rib and the instant film. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] [Outline of digital camera with printer] 1, a digital camera 10 with a printer of the present invention comprises a camera body 11, an imaging unit 12, and a printer section 13. On the front surface of the camera body 11, an imaging window 15 and two release switches 16A and 16B are provided.

[0017] The camera body 11 has a roughly square shape when viewed from the front. The digital camera with printer 10 uses instant film 28 (see Figure 7). The instant film 28 is a wide-format instant film whose width is longer than its transport direction.

[0018] The imaging window 15 is disposed in the center of the front surface of the camera body 11. The imaging window 15 exposes an imaging optical system 19 (see FIG. 2) that constitutes the imaging unit 12.

[0019] 2, the imaging unit 12 is provided with an imaging optical system 19 and a solid-state imaging element 20. The solid-state imaging element 20 is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor, and has a light-receiving surface configured with a plurality of pixels (not shown) arranged in a two-dimensional matrix. Each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element, and performs photoelectric conversion on the subject image formed on the light-receiving surface by the imaging optical system 19 to generate an imaging signal.

[0020] The solid-state imaging device 20 includes signal processing circuits (none of which are shown) such as a noise reduction circuit, an auto-gain controller, and an A / D conversion circuit. The noise reduction circuit performs noise reduction processing on the imaging signal. The auto-gain controller amplifies the level of the imaging signal to an optimum value. The A / D conversion circuit converts the imaging signal into a digital signal and outputs it from the solid-state imaging device 20 to an internal memory (not shown). The output signal from the solid-state imaging device 20 is image data (so-called RAW data) having one color signal for each pixel.

[0021] When at least one of the release switches 16A and 16B is pressed, the solid-state image sensor 20 is driven to capture an image of a subject.

[0022] A film ejection opening 21 is provided on the top surface of the camera body 11. From the film ejection opening 21, instant film 28 is ejected after printing images.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 3, loading lid 22 is attached by hinge 22e to the rear side of camera body 11. Hinge 22e supports loading lid 22 so that it can rotate freely between an open position (the state shown in Fig. 4) and a closed position (the state shown in Fig. 3). Note that a locking mechanism and an unlocking mechanism (not shown) are provided between camera body 11 and loading lid 22. The locking mechanism holds loading lid 22 in the closed position, and when the unlocking mechanism is operated, loading lid 22 rotates from the closed position to the open position.

[0024] 4, an instant film pack 24 containing instant film 28 is loaded into a film pack chamber (loading chamber) 23. The loading lid 22 has a plurality of film pressing portions 22a on its inner surface.

[0025] A rear display unit 17 and an operation unit 18 are provided on the outer surface of the loading lid 22, i.e., on the rear surface of the camera body 11. The rear display unit 17 is configured, for example, by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel. Image data for one frame output from the solid-state imaging device 20 is sequentially input to the rear display unit 17 and displayed as a through image.

[0026] Shooting begins when the photographer presses at least one of the release switches 16A and 16B. During shooting, image data is acquired from the solid-state image sensor 20. This image data is subjected to known image processing by an image processing unit (not shown) and then compressed. Image processing includes, for example, matrix calculation, demosaic processing, gamma correction, brightness conversion, color difference conversion, and resizing. The processed and compressed image data is recorded in an internal memory (not shown), such as a flash memory, provided within the camera body 11.

[0027] When the menu switch 18a of the operation unit 18 is pressed, an image is reproduced and displayed on the rear display unit 17 based on the image data recorded in the built-in memory. When an image that the photographer wants to print is displayed on the rear display unit 17, the photographer can press the print switch 18b of the operation unit 18, and the printing process by the printer unit 13 will start.

[0028] [Instant film pack composition] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the instant film pack 24 includes a case 26, a film pressure plate 27, a plurality of instant films 28, and a film cover 30.

[0029] As shown in Figure 6, case 26 stores a stack of multiple instant films 28 and one film cover 30. Case 26 is made of a material such as thermoplastic resin or a paper resin made by mixing thermoplastic resin with cellulose. Case 26 is composed of a box-shaped case member 31 and a lid 32 that covers an opening formed on the back side of case member 31.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 7, the case member 31 has an exposure opening 31a for exposing the instant film 28. In the following description, the surface of the instant film pack 24 on which the exposure opening 31a is formed is referred to as the "front," the surface opposite the "front" is referred to as the "rear," the surface facing the film ejection opening 21 of the camera body 11 is referred to as the "top," and the surface opposite the "top" is referred to as the "bottom." Within the case member 31, a film cover 30 is placed in front of the frontmost instant film 28 that is first loaded into the exposure opening 31a. This allows the film cover 30 to light-tightly close the exposure opening 31a. A notch 31b is provided at the bottom of the exposure opening 31a to receive a well-known claw member 57 (see FIGS. 9 and 10) provided on the camera.

[0031] An outlet 31c is formed on the top surface of the case member 31. The outlet 31c is slit-shaped. The instant films 28 or film covers 30 are fed out of the instant film pack 24 one by one from the outlet 31c by a claw member 57 inserted into the notch 31b of the case member 31.

[0032] A light-shielding seal 31d is attached to the case member 31 so as to block the outlet 31c from the outside. The light-shielding seal 31d is formed in a flexible sheet shape. The light-shielding seal 31d is attached only to one edge of the long side of the outlet 31c so as not to interfere with the instant film 28 or film cover 30 passing through the outlet 31c.

[0033] 7, the cover 32 has a pair of openings 32a, a pair of unit support projections 32b, a pair of crimping pins 32c, and a support piece 32d. The pair of openings 32a are formed at a predetermined distance above and below, and serve as entrances for the film holder 22a provided on the digital camera with printer 10 when the film is loaded into the digital camera with printer 10.

[0034] A pair of unit support protrusions 32b are provided vertically on both side edges of the lid 32, with their central arc-shaped portions projecting toward the exposure opening 31a. The unit support protrusions 32b come into contact with both side edges of the backside of the last layer of instant film 28, pushing the instant film 28 up in an arc-shaped manner with its central portion projecting toward the exposure opening 31a. This prevents a gap from forming between the film cover 30 and the exposure opening 31a.

[0035] The pair of caulking pins 32c are for attaching the film pressure plate 27. The support piece 32d supports the central portion of the last layer of instant film 28 from behind, preventing the central portion of the instant film 28 from bending in a direction that curves toward the lid 32.

[0036] Film pressure plate 27 consists of two sheets 27a and 27b made of elastic synthetic resin. When loading lid 22 is closed, sheet 27a is pressed by multiple film holders 22a and curves convexly toward lid 32. Sheet 27a is formed with opening 27c and a pair of holes 27d. Opening 27c is formed vertically in the center of sheet 27a and is for inserting support piece 32d. A pair of caulking pins 32c are inserted into the pair of holes 27d to attach film pressure plate 27 to lid 32.

[0037] The sheet 27b has an opening 27e and a pair of holes 27f. The opening 27e is formed in the center of the sheet 27a and is for inserting the support piece 32d. A pair of crimping pins 32c are inserted into the pair of holes 27f. The lower end 27h of the sheet 27b is attached to the lower end 27g of the sheet 27a. This prevents the sheet 27a from sagging and prevents light leakage from the pair of openings 32a. Furthermore, when the sheet 27a is elastically bent by the multiple film retaining portions 22a, the sheet 27b pushes up the instant film 28 in a substantially flat state. As a result, the frontmost film cover 30 or the instant film 28 is pressed against the rear side of the front surface of the case member 31.

[0038] An L-shaped protrusion 24c is provided on both side surfaces 24a, 24b of the instant film pack 24. The protrusion 24c is provided to prevent the instant film pack 24 from being loaded backwards.

[0039] [Instant film composition] As shown in Figure 8, instant film 28 is a so-called mono-sheet type film, consisting of a mask sheet 33, a photosensitive sheet 34, a cover sheet 35, a developer pod 36, and a trap section 37. Mask sheet 33 is formed into a sheet shape from a thin synthetic resin and has a screen opening 33a. Photosensitive sheet 34 is provided with a photosensitive layer, a diffuse reflection layer, an image-receiving layer, etc. Cover sheet 35 has an exposure surface 28a that faces exposure head 50, which will be described later.

[0040] The developer pod 36 is formed in a generally bag-like shape and contains developer 38. The developer pod 36 is attached to the end of the photosensitive sheet 34 on the outlet 31c side, and is wrapped by the end of the mask sheet 33. The trap portion 37 is attached to the end of the photosensitive sheet 34 opposite to the outlet 31c side, and is similarly wrapped by the end of the mask sheet 33.

[0041] When printing, the instant film 28 is exposed to printing light by irradiating the photosensitive layer. During development, the developer pod 36 is torn open, and developer 38 is poured into the gap 39 between the photosensitive sheet 34 and the cover sheet 35. The image formed by the exposure of the photosensitive layer is inverted by the diffuse reflection layer and transferred to the image-receiving layer. Thus, a positive image appears on the positive image observation surface 40 of the photosensitive sheet 34, which is exposed through the screen opening 33a.

[0042] The film cover 30 is formed in a sheet-like shape that is thinner than the instant film 28, and has light-blocking properties and flexibility. The film cover 30 is a molded synthetic resin product, formed from polystyrene containing carbon black, for example. In other words, the film cover 30 has greater rigidity than the instant film 28. When the instant film pack 24 is loaded into the film pack chamber 23 for use, the film cover 30 is ejected into the film ejection opening 21 by a pair of spreading rollers 54 (see Figures 9 and 10), which will be described later.

[0043] [Printer section configuration] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the printer unit 13 is composed of an exposure head 50, a film support member 51, a roller drive mechanism 52, a pair of conveying rollers 53, a pair of unfolding rollers 54, an unfolding control member 55, a device housing 56 (see Figure 11), a claw member 57, a claw member drive mechanism (not shown), an ejection guide 58, and a control unit 59.

[0044] 10, the device housing 56 and the like are omitted from the illustration to avoid complication. However, in reality, as shown in FIG. 11, the exposure head 50, the roller drive mechanism 52, the conveying roller pair 53, the spreading roller pair 54, the spreading control member 55, nine The printer unit 13 is configured by attaching the claw member 57, the claw member drive mechanism, and the like.

[0045] In the following description, the conveying direction in which the conveying roller pair 53 conveys the instant film 28 is referred to as the Y direction, the width direction of the instant film 28 perpendicular to the Y direction is referred to as the X direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Y direction is referred to as the Z direction.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 12, the device housing 56 is formed in a box shape with an open rear side of the camera body 11, and is integrally provided with the film pack chamber 23. In addition to the film pack chamber 23, the device housing 56 also has a frame portion that supports the exposure head 50, roller drive mechanism 52, transport roller pair 53, spreading roller pair 54, claw member 57, etc., but these are not shown in Fig. 12. The device housing 56 is formed from a resin material.

[0047] An L-shaped notch 23c is formed on both side surfaces 23a, 23b of the film pack chamber 23. The L-shaped notch 23c fits into an L-shaped protrusion 24c provided on both side surfaces 24a, 24b of the instant film pack 24, thereby preventing the instant film pack 24 from being loaded in the wrong direction.

[0048] The film pack chamber 23 is also provided with a positioning protrusion 23d that determines the positioning in the X direction with respect to the instant film pack 24. The positioning protrusion 23d is formed in a wedge shape that gradually increases in thickness along the Z direction, i.e., the front-to-rear direction of the camera body 11.

[0049] An elastic member 23f is provided on the bottom surface 23e of the film pack chamber 23 to position it in the Y direction. The elastic member 23f is a rectangular parallelepiped member made of sponge or rubber. When the elastic member 23f returns from a compressed state to its original state, an elastic force acts, pressing the top surface 24e of the instant film pack 24 against the top surface 23g of the film pack chamber 23. The top surface 23g of the film pack chamber 23 has an opening that leads to the transport roller pair 53.

[0050] The film pack chamber 23 also has a notch 23h. The claw member 57 enters the interior of the instant film pack 24 through the notch 23h and feeds the instant films 28 out of the instant film pack 24 one by one.

[0051] As described above, the instant film pack 24 is loaded into the film pack chamber 23. An image is recorded by the printer unit 13 on the instant film 28 ejected from the instant film pack 24.

[0052] 9, the device housing 56 contains the pair of conveying rollers 53 and the pair of spreading rollers 54. Specifically, the device housing 56 is provided therein with bearings (not shown) that support the pair of conveying rollers 53 and the pair of spreading rollers 54.

[0053] [Configuration of the conveying roller pair and the spreading roller pair] 13, the pair of conveying rollers 53 and the pair of spreading rollers 54 are rotationally driven by a roller drive mechanism 52 to convey the film cover 30 and the instant film 28. The roller drive mechanism 52 includes, for example, a motor serving as a drive source and a drive transmission gear train that transmits the rotational drive force.

[0054] The transport roller pair 53 is made up of a capstan roller 61 and a pinch roller 62. The capstan roller 61 and pinch roller 62 are positioned so that they sandwich the transport path of the instant film 28 (see Figure 9). The capstan roller 61 is positioned on the side facing the exposed surface 28a of the instant film 28. The capstan roller 61 is made up of a pair of cylindrical spike roller members 61a, a drive gear 61b, and a rotating shaft 61c that holds the spike roller members 61a and the drive gear 61b. The spike roller member 61a has spikes with a plurality of tiny protrusions formed on its peripheral surface.

[0055] The pinch roller 62 is disposed on the side facing the positive image observation surface 40 of the instant film 28. The pinch roller 62 is composed of a roller member 62a, a drive gear 62b, and a rotation shaft 62c. Both ends of the roller member 62a are supported by the device housing 56 so as to be able to move freely within the thickness range of the instant film 28, and are pressed against the capstan roller 61 by a spring 66 that serves as a pressing mechanism. Therefore, the pinch roller 62 is elastically supported in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the instant film 28.

[0056] Drive gears 61b and 62b are provided at both ends of rotating shafts 61c and 62c and mesh with each other. One end of the rotating shaft 61c is connected to a motor via a drive transmission gear train. Therefore, when the motor rotates, the capstan roller 61 and pinch roller 62 rotate synchronously. The spike roller members 61a securely hold both side edges of the instant film 28 discharged from the instant film pack 24, allowing it to be transported further downstream in the transport direction, i.e., toward the unfolding roller pair 54.

[0057] The spreading roller pair 54 is composed of spreading rollers 63, 64, and is arranged downstream in the conveying direction relative to the conveying roller pair 53. The spreading roller 63 is arranged on the side facing the exposure surface 28a of the instant film 28. The spreading roller 64 is arranged on the side facing the exposure surface 28a of the instant film 28. Positive The spreading roller 64 is disposed on the side facing the image observation surface 40. Both ends of the spreading roller 64 are supported by the device housing 56 so as to be freely movable within the thickness range of the instant film 28, and are pressed toward the spreading roller 63 by a spring 67 (see Figure 9) that serves as a pressing mechanism. Therefore, the spreading roller 64 is elastically supported in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the instant film 28. A motor is connected to one end of the spreading rollers 63, 64 via a drive transmission gear train. Therefore, when the DC motor rotates, the spreading rollers 63, 64 rotate synchronously.

[0058] The discharge guide 58 is disposed downstream in the conveyance direction from the pair of spreading rollers 54. The pair of spreading rollers 54 grips the entire width of the instant film 28 being conveyed by the pair of conveyance rollers 53 and conveys it to the discharge guide 58. The developer pod 36 of the instant film 28 is crushed by being gripped by the pair of spreading rollers 54. This causes the developer to be spread in the gap 39 (see FIG. 8). The instant film 28 sent out from the pair of spreading rollers 54 is then conveyed toward the discharge guide 58.

[0059] A development control member 55 (see FIG. 9) is provided between the pair of transport rollers 53 and the pair of spreading rollers 54. The development control member 55 comes into contact with the positive image observation surface 40 of the instant film 28 that has been transported, and controls the distribution of the developing solution as it spreads by rubbing the positive image observation surface 40 of the instant film 28. The development control member 55 extends parallel to the width direction of the instant film 28 that is being transported and in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the instant film 28. The development control member 55 is formed integrally with a plate-shaped support member 55a, and is fixed to the device housing 56 via the support member 55a.

[0060] The tip of the development control member 55 is perpendicular to the exposure surface 28a of the instant film 28 being transported, and in a cross section parallel to the transport direction, protrudes toward the instant film 28 beyond the clamping position where the development roller pair 54 clamps the instant film 28. This allows the development control member 55 to reliably rub the positive image observation surface 40 of the instant film 28.

[0061] The transport roller pair 53 transports the instant film 28, which has been sent out from the instant film pack 24 by the claw member 57, toward the film discharge opening 21. Note that the exposure position P (see FIG. 9), where the exposure head 50 exposes the instant film 28 with printing light, is located between the delivery opening 31c of the instant film pack 24 and the transport roller pair 53. In other words, the transport roller pair 53 is located downstream of the exposure head 50 in the transport direction of the instant film 28 (toward the film discharge opening 21). Then, exposure by the exposure head 50 is performed while the instant film 28 is being transported by the transport roller pair 53.

[0062] It should be noted that the lens 60 constituting the exposure head 50 needs to have a focal length of at least a certain value. As the lens 60 (see FIG. 16), for example, a SELFOC lens (registered trademark) is used.

[0063] The control unit 59 controls the exposure of the exposure head 50 based on the image data. Exposure by the exposure head 50 is performed by moving the instant film 28 line by line and sequentially exposing the line images onto the instant film 28. In this way, one frame's worth of image is exposed onto the photosensitive layer of the instant film 28. The instant film 28 is then transported by the transport roller pair 53 toward the spreading roller pair 54.

[0064] [Support member configuration] 13, the film support member 51 is formed in a plate shape that protrudes from the exposure head 50 toward the instant film 28 and extends in the X direction (width direction). The film support member 51 is fixed to the exposure head 50.

[0065] 14, film support member 51 is integrally formed with fixed piece 51a, which is fixed to exposure head 50, protruding piece 51b, and two support ribs 51c and 51d. Fixed piece 51a has a fixing hole 51e and a positioning recess 51f. Protruding piece 51b protrudes from fixed piece 51a toward the instant film 28 and, together with fixed piece 51a, forms a substantially L-shaped cross section.

[0066] 15, the exposure head 50 has a female screw hole 50a and a positioning protrusion 50b. The positioning recess 51f of the film support member 51 fits into the positioning protrusion 50b of the exposure head 50. This positions the film support member 51 relative to the exposure head 50. Meanwhile, the film support member 51 has a male screw 71 attached to the fixing hole 51e. The male screw 71 is fastened and fixed into the female screw hole 50a of the exposure head 50. This fixes the film support member 51 to the exposure head 50.

[0067] The support ribs 51c and 51d protrude further from the protruding piece 51b toward the instant film 28 and are spaced apart from each other in the X direction. In this embodiment, two support ribs 51c and 51d are provided in the X direction, but this is not limiting, and three or more support ribs may be provided.

[0068] 16, the support ribs 51c and 51d are provided between the film pack chamber 23 and the exposure head 50 in the Y direction, and support the instant film 28 from the side where the instant film 28 faces the exposure head 50. Note that, here, the space between the film pack chamber 23 and the exposure head 50 specifically refers to the space between the film pack chamber 23 and the lens 60 of the exposure head 50.

[0069] The support ribs 51c and 51d have sliding surfaces 51h at their tips on the instant film 28 side. Note that while FIG. 16 only shows the support rib 51c and the sliding surfaces 51h of the support rib 51c, the support rib 51d also has a sliding surface 51h of a similar shape. The sliding surface 51h is formed in a curved shape. Specifically, the sliding surface 51h includes an arc-shaped curved surface having a central axis parallel to the X direction, and further, all corners are rounded.

[0070] Support ribs 51c and 51d are positioned at a distance from the trajectory of instant film 28 (position indicated by the two-dot chain line). Note that the trajectory of instant film 28 here refers to the trajectory when instant film 28 is transported without bending and while maintaining a flat state. The position through which instant film 28 actually passes (position indicated by the solid line) is separated from the trajectory (position indicated by the two-dot chain line). For this reason, support ribs 51c and 51d are positioned so that they will slide if instant film 28 bends.

[0071] As mentioned above, the lens 60 that constitutes the exposure head 50 may require a focal length of at least a certain length, which requires a distance of dimension L from the surface of the lens 60 to the instant film 28. Dimension L is, for example, 2.8 mm or more. Therefore, the instant film 28 cannot be supported by the lens 60 that constitutes the exposure head 50. Therefore, the printer unit 13 is provided with support ribs 51c and 51d that support the instant film 28.

[0072] [Film holding section configuration] 17, when the loading lid 22 is in the open position, the film pack chamber 23 is open, and when the loading lid 22 is in the closed position, the loading lid 22 covers the open back surface of the film pack chamber 23 (the state shown in FIG. 3). The instant film pack 24 is positioned in the X and Y directions relative to the film pack chamber 23, and is further positioned in the Z direction by placing the loading lid 22 in the closed position. Specifically, a plurality of film holders 22a to 22d provided on the loading lid 22 position the instant film pack 24 in the Z direction.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 18, when an instant film pack 24 is loaded into the film pack chamber 23 and the loading lid 22 is in the closed position, the multiple film pressing portions 22a to 22d enter the interior of the instant film pack 24 through the opening 32a and press the film pressing plate 27. This presses the instant film 28 inside the instant film pack 24 in the stacking direction. Note that in Fig. 18, the instant film 28 is not shown to avoid complication, but in reality the instant film 28 is stacked between the film pressing plate 27 and the film cover 30.

[0074] 19, film pressing portion 22a is composed of a pair of pressing members 77, a holding frame 78, and a spring 79 (biasing member) (spring member). Film pressing portions 22b to 22d have the same configuration as film pressing portion 22a, so their description will be omitted. Holding frame 78 holds pressing member 77 and is fixed to the inner wall surface of loading lid 22.

[0075] The pair of pressing members 77 are held by a holding frame 78 so that the tip portions 77a and the rotation shafts 77b face each other and are positioned in opposite directions. The holding frame 78 is fixed to the loading lid 22, for example, by screws. The spring 79 is a torsion coil spring, and is attached between the pressing members 77 and the holding frame 78. The spring 79 biases the pressing members 77 so that the tip portions 77a rotate upward in the figure. This causes the tip portions 77a to press the film pressing plate 27.

[0076] As shown in Figure 20, Film holder When the loading lid 22 is in the closed position, a plurality of the 22a to 22d are provided in each of the X direction and the Y direction of the loading lid 22. That is, two rows of the 22a to 22d are provided in the Y direction. Film holder 22a, 22b, and Film holder 22c, 22d are lined up, and further, in each row, Film holder twenty two a , 22b, and Film holder The elements 22c and 22d are arranged side by side in the X direction.

[0077] Also, Film holder The spring 79 constituting 22a to 22d is Film holder The spring constants of the springs 22a to 22d can be different from each other. In this case, for example, Film holder twenty two a , than the spring constant of spring 79 that constitutes 22b, Film holder The spring constant of the spring 79 constituting 22c and 22d is increased.

[0078] As described above, in the digital camera with printer 10, support ribs 51c, 51d are provided between the film pack chamber 23 and the exposure head 50 in the Y direction, supporting the instant film 28 from the side facing the exposure head 50. Therefore, even if the instant film 28 bends due to its own weight, the support ribs 51c, 51d slide against the instant film 28. This suppresses bending of the instant film 28 and prevents a deterioration in image quality. Furthermore, the provision of multiple support ribs 51c, 51d reduces the sliding resistance experienced by the instant film 28.

[0079] As shown in Figure 21, if the support ribs 51c, 51d were not present, the instant film 28 would bend in the width direction (X direction) due to its own weight (as shown by the two-dot chain line). In this case, there is a possibility that the image quality will deteriorate by the amount of the bending. In contrast, the present invention is provided with the support ribs 51c, 51d described above, which minimizes bending of the instant film 28 and allows the instant film 28 to be transported to the exposure head 50 and the spreading roller pair 54 while maintaining a substantially flat state (as shown by the solid line). This prevents a deterioration in image quality.

[0080] As described above, in the digital camera with printer 10, the loading lid 22 has a plurality of holes in the X and Y directions. Film holder 22a to 22d are provided. Film holder The spring constant of the springs 79 constituting the rollers 22a to 22d can be reduced. Film holderWhen the instant film pack is equipped with a spring member with a spring constant of at least a certain level, it is necessary to use a spring member with a spring constant of at least a certain level in order to constantly press down on the instant film from when all the instant film remains in the instant film pack until there is only one film left. Film holder This increases the size of the components, which in turn leads to an increase in the size of the printer device.

[0081] Furthermore, when using a spring member with a large spring constant, as in conventional printers, the pressure varies greatly depending on whether there are many sheets of instant film remaining or only one sheet left. This causes the flatness of the instant film to vary depending on the number of sheets remaining, which can affect the transport performance of the transport roller pair and ultimately lead to a decrease in image quality. Film holder If the fluctuation in pressure caused by the pressing force is large, the instant film may get caught in the ejection port.

[0082] In contrast, in the present invention, multiple Film holder 22a, 22b or Film holder 22c and 22d are provided, Film holder The spring constant of the springs 79 constituting the springs 22a to 22d can be reduced. Film holder The components 22a to 22d can be made smaller. Furthermore, by reducing the spring constant of the spring 79, it is possible to reduce fluctuations in the pressing force due to the remaining number of instant films 28, preventing a decrease in image quality.

[0083] In addition, the loading lid 22 has a plurality of holes in the X and Y directions. Film holder 22a to 22d are provided, Film holder The spring constants of the springs 79 constituting the springs 22a to 22d can be made different. Film holder This increases the degree of freedom in designing the spring constant of the springs 79 that make up 22a to 22d, and further reduces fluctuations in the pressing force due to the number of instant films 28 remaining.

[0084] In the above embodiment, a coil spring is used as the spring 79, but this is not limiting and other spring members such as a leaf spring may also be used. Also, in the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a digital camera with a printer is shown. Appointment However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be applied to a printer device alone.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the hardware structure of a processing unit that executes various processes, such as the control unit 59, is various processors as follows: The various processors include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), which is a general-purpose processor that executes software (programs) and functions as various processing units, a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), a programmable logic device (PLD), which is a processor whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and a dedicated electric circuit, which is a processor having a circuit configuration designed specifically for executing various processes.

[0086] A single processing unit may be configured with one of these various processors, or may be configured with a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, a combination of a CPU and an FPGA, or a combination of a CPU and a GPU). Also, multiple processing units may be configured with a single processor. Examples of multiple processing units configured with a single processor include, first, a configuration in which one or more CPUs and software are combined to form a single processor, as typified by client or server computers, and this processor functions as multiple processing units. Second, a configuration in which a processor is used to realize the functions of an entire system including multiple processing units on a single IC (Integrated Circuit) chip, as typified by a system-on-chip (SoC). In this way, the various processing units are configured with one or more of the above-mentioned various processors as a hardware structure.

[0087] Furthermore, the hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electric circuit in the form of a combination of circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 10. Digital camera with printer 11 Camera body 12 Imaging unit 13 Printer section 15 Imaging window 16A release switch 16B Release switch 17 Rear display 18 Control section 18a Menu switch 18b Print switch 19 Imaging optical system 20 Solid-state imaging device 21 Film outlet 22 Loading lid 22a~22d Film holder 22e Hinge part 23 Film Pack Room 23a, 23b both sides 23c notch 23d Positioning protrusion 23e bottom 23f Elastic member 23g top 23h notch 24 instant film packs 24a, 24b side 24c protrusion 24e Top 26 cases 27 Film pressure plate 27a sheet 27b seat 27c aperture 27d hole 27e aperture 27f hole 27g lower end 27h Lower end 28 Instant Film 28a Exposure surface 30 Film Cover 31 Case material 31a Exposure aperture 31b Notch 31c outlet 31d Light-blocking sticker 32 Lid 32a aperture 32b Unit support protrusion 32c rivet pin 32d support piece 33 Mask Sheet 33a Screen aperture 34 Photosensitive sheet 35 Cover Sheet 36 Developer Pod 37 Trap section 38 Developer 39 Gap 40 Image observation surface 50 exposure heads 50a female screw hole 50b Positioning protrusion 51 Film support member 51a Fixed piece 51b Projecting piece 51c, 51d Support rib 51e Fixing hole 51f Positioning recess 51h sliding surface 52 Roller drive mechanism 53 Conveyor roller pair 54 Spreading roller pair 55 Deployment control member 55a Support member 56 Equipment housing 57 Claw member 58 Ejection Guide 59 Control Unit 60 lenses 61 Capstan Roller 61a Spike crawler member 61b Drive gear 61c Rotating shaft 62 Pinch roller 62a Roller member 62b Drive gear 62c Rotating axis 63, 64 Unfolding roller 66, 67 Springs 71 Male thread 77 Pressing member 77a Tip 77b Rotating shaft 78 Retaining frame 79 Spring L dimension P exposure position

Claims

1. a loading chamber into which an instant film pack is loaded, the instant film pack including at least a plurality of sheets of instant film each having a developer pod and a case for storing the instant films in a stacked state and having a delivery port for delivering the instant films; an exposure head that exposes an image onto the instant film transported from the loading chamber; a transport roller disposed downstream of the exposure head in a transport direction of the instant film, and transporting the instant film discharged from the instant film pack further downstream in the transport direction; a spreading roller disposed downstream of the conveying roller in the conveying direction, which spreads the developer by sandwiching the instant film and squeezing the developer pod; a support rib provided between the loading chamber and the exposure head in the transport direction, the support rib supporting the instant film from the side facing the exposure head; The support rib is positioned in a printer device so as to be spaced apart from the trajectory of the instant film when the instant film is transported without bending and while remaining flat, and so as to slide when the instant film bends due to its own weight.

2. The support ribs are provided in a plurality in a width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, The support ribs each have a sliding surface that slides on one side of the instant film, 2. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding surface is formed into a curved surface.

3. The support rib is formed integrally with a support member that protrudes from the exposure head toward the instant film, 3. A printer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support member is fixed to an exposure head.

4. The loading chamber is formed in a box shape with one side open, a loading lid that covers the open surface of the loading chamber; a film pressing portion provided on the loading lid for pressing a film pressing plate stored in the case; 4. A printer device according to claim 1, wherein the film pressing portion has a pressing member that contacts the film pressing plate and a biasing member that biases the pressing member, and the film pressing portion is provided in a plurality of positions in the transport direction of the loading lid and in a width direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

5. the biasing member is a spring member, 5. The printer device according to claim 4, wherein the spring members have different spring constants for each of the film pressing portions.

6. 6. A digital camera with a printer, comprising: a printer device according to claim 1; and an imaging unit having an imaging optical system, capturing an image of a subject, and outputting image data to the printer device.

Images