Photographic paper exposing method and an optical digital printer employing this method

Abstract

An optical digital printer comprising a paper storage (PM) for storing photographic paper in roll form, a digital printing unit () having an irradiating surface () for line-exposing the photographic paper based on image data, a developing unit () for developing the photographic paper exposed by the digital printing unit, a transport mechanism for transporting the photographic paper along a paper transport line extending from the paper storage to the developing unit, a first paper accommodating box (RB) disposed between the paper storage (PM) and the digital printing unit (), and a second paper accommodating box (RB) disposed between the digital printing unit and the developing unit (). The transport mechanism includes a paper loader () for feeding the photographic paper transported from the paper storage into the first paper accommodating box, an exposure control roller () for drawing the photographic paper from the first paper accommodating box and causing the photographic paper to move past the irradiating surface (), and, in time of exposure, for causing the photographic paper to move past the irradiating surface while feeding the photographic paper back into the first paper accommodating box, and a paper transport direction switcher () for selectively feeding the photographic paper having moved past the irradiating surface, without being exposed, toward the second paper accommodating box, and feeding the photographic paper having moved past and exposed by the irradiating surface toward the developing unit.