Color printer

• US 5,953,103 A
• Filed: 05/29/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan A.
• Application Number:
  US08/864,986
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 355/32, 355/35, 355/38, 347/135, 347/238, 347/239, 347/255, 359/223, 359/224, 359/292
• US Class Current: 355/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/504 Reproducing the colour component signals line-sequentially

Abstract

A color printer prints a color image on photosensitive material by utilizing a digital micromirror device. The digital micromirror device is provided with four micromirror arrays constituted of plural micromirrors. The four micromirror arrays record four lines on a photographic paper at the same time while the photographic paper is successively advanced at constant velocity. Red exposure sequence, green exposure sequence and blue exposure sequence are performed in order while the photographic paper is advanced by L. Each of the exposure sequences is changed in order every advancement of photographic paper by L/3. The photographic paper passes through four lines projected by the four micromirror arrays in order. Accordingly, a pixel on the photographic paper is exposed four times at the ceiling by four micromirrors arranged on a same row for each color. Accordingly, multiple exposure is performed during advancement of the photographic paper.

Claims

1. A color printer for printing a color image on a photosensitive material, comprising:

a micromirror device provided with N (N is an optional natural number) micromirror arrays which are juxtaposed and each of which has M (M is an optional natural number) micromirrors arranged in line, said micromirror being changeable between a valid reflection state in that light is reflected to an image forming optical path and an invalid reflection state in that light is reflected to an eliminating optical path;

advancing means for successively moving said photosensitive material in perpendicular direction to said micromirror arrays;

sequence control means for performing a first exposure sequence, a second exposure sequence and a third exposure sequence in order in synchronism with advancement of said photosensitive material by said advancing means, said first exposure sequence being performed by light of first wavelength band, said second exposure sequence being performed by light of second wavelength band and said third exposure sequence being performed by light of third wavelength band;

driving means for driving said N micromirror arrays in accordance with image data of N lines relative to each of said exposure sequences;

a first light source for applying said light of first wavelength band to said micromirror device in said first exposure sequence;

a second light source for applying said light of second wavelength band to said micromirror device in said second exposure sequence;

a third light source for applying said light of third wavelength band to said micromirror device in said third exposure sequence; and

projecting optical system for projecting reflected light from said micromirror set in said valid reflection state on said photosensitive material.

2. A color printer according to claim 1, wherein each of said first to third light sources is LED unit.

3. A color printer according to claim 2, wherein said light from each of said first to third light sources is applied to said micromirror device via a balance filter, said balance filter performing shading correction.

4. A color printer according to claim 1, wherein said photosensitive material is a color silver salt photosensitive material, said light of first wavelength band is light of red sensitive range for said color silver salt photosensitive material, said light of second wavelength band is light of green sensitive range for said color silver salt photosensitive material and said light of third wavelength band is light of blue sensitive range for said color silver salt photosensitive material.

5. A color printer according to claim 4, wherein said photosensitive material is a photographic paper or a film.

6. A color printer according to claim 4, wherein said sequence control means changes said exposures sequence so as to perform said first to third exposure sequences in order while said photographic material is advanced by one line of said color image.

7. A color printer according to claim 6, wherein each of said exposure sequences is performed while said photosensitive material is advanced by a third of said one line of said color image.

8. A color printer according to claim 4, wherein said N is a multiple of three, and said sequence control means changes said exposure sequence every advancement of said photosensitive material by one line of said color image.

9. A color printer according to claim 1, wherein each of said micromirrors is changed between said valid reflection state and said invalid reflection state by static electricity force.

10. A color printer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said N micromirror arrays is controlled relative to period of said valid reflection state in each said exposure sequence, and for rest of said N micromirror arrays, said period of said valid reflection state is constant in each said exposure sequence.