GB1579766A - Film processing apparatus incorporating squeegee means - Google Patents

Description

(54) FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SQUEEGEE MEANS (71) We, DAINIPPON SCREEN SEIZO KAsusHIKt-KAlsHA, a Japanese Company, of 1-1, Tenjin-kitamachi, Teranouchi-agaru 4chome, Horikawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Japan, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a film processing apparatus incorporating a squeegee means, more particularly, to a film squeegee mechanism incorporated between several treating liquid tanks of the automatic film developing apparatus.

Automatic film developing apparatus includes a developing means, a fixing means, a washing means, and a drying means. An exposed film is successively passed through the continuous-treating means, whereby the film is successively developed, fixed, washed and dried, and then the finished film is discharged.

Many film processor transport means have been heretofore proposed, as shown in Figure 1 to 6. However, the conventional film transport means have defects such as carrying a large amount of treating liquids from one treating liquid tank to another, undesirable overdevelopment, uneven development, neighbouring effect or deterioration of grain quality.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a squeegee mechanism for automatic film developing apparatus free from the defects described above.

According to the present invention this object is accomplished by providing an automatic film processing apparatus comprising a developing tank, a fixing tank and a washing tank, each capable of being filled with appropriate liquid, a transport means including transport rollers adapted to transport a film consecutively through the liquids in the respective tanks and a squeegee means arranged between successive tanks and adapted to scrape off liquids remaining on the film in order to minimize the amount of liquid carried over by the film from one tank to the next, the said squeegee means comprising a squeegee roller or bar and a back up roller for holding the film in contact with said squeegee roller or bar and the arrangement being such that, in use, the back up roller rotates with the moving film whilst there is relative movement between the surface of the squeegee roller or bar and the film surface in contact therewith.

The present invention will be further explained with reference to the following description of the prior art and the present invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional film processing apparatus incorporating roller type film transport means with the use of pairs of rollers in a transfer portion between two tanks; Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal sectional views of a conventional fi]m processing apparatus incorporating roller type film transport means with the use of a guide member in a transfer portion; Figures 4 to 6 are longitudinal sectional views of a conventional film processing appara tus incorporating a belt roller type film transport means with the use of a guide member in a transfer portion;; Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a film processing apparatus according to the present invention incorporating a film transport means similar to that shown in Figure 2, in which a squeegee roller is reversely rotated in direct contact with the uppermost film transport roller, and Figure 8 is the same as Figure 7 except that a squeegee roller is reversely ro tated not in direct contact with the uppermost film transport roller; Figures 9 and 10 are longitudinal sectional views of a film processing apparatus according to the present invention incorporating a roller type film transport means similar to that shown in Figure 3; Figures 11 to 14 are longitudinal sectional views of a film processing apparatus according to the present invention incorporating a belt roller type film transport means similar to that shown in Figure 4;; Figure 15 is a perspective view of a film pro cessing apparatus according to the invention as shown in Figure 12; Figures 16 to 19 are longitudinal sectional views of a film processing apparatus according to the present invention incorporating a belt roller type film transport means similar to that shown in Figure 5; and Figures 20 to 23 are longitudinal sectional views of a film processing apparatus according to the present invention incorporating a belt roller type filin transport means similar to that shown in Figure 6.

Referring first to the conventional film processing means illustrated in Figures 1 to 6; In Figure 1, a plurality of pairs of parallel film transport rollers 2 nip and transport a film 1 in treating liquid tanks and also in tlie trans fec portion.

In Figure 2, the film 4 is nipped and transported by a plurality of pairs of film transport rollers 3 in the treating liquid tanks and transported along a guide member 5 in the transfer portino.

In Figure 3 one set of film transport rollers is composed of a relatively large roller 6 and two relatively small parallel rollers 7 contacting opposite ends of a diameter of the large roller 6.

Thus, a plurality of sets of one large roller 6 and two small rollers 7 forms a feed-in and a feedout transport path. Tiie film 8 is nipped and transported by and between the large and small rollers 6 and 7 in tlie liquid tanks, and is fed along tlic guide member 9 in the transfer portion.

Alternatively, conventional belt roller type film transport means may be used. In Figure 4, the feed-in and feed-out transport belts 10a, 10/v and a single line of transport rollers 11 rotating in contact with both tlie belts 10a and 101) form the transport paths through which the film 12 travels in the liquid tanks, and the film is transported along the guide member 13 in the transfer portion.

In Figure 5, the transport belts 14 and several rows of transport rollers 15 rotating in contact with the belts 14 constitute the feed4n and feed < out paths through which the film 16 is transported in the liquid tanks, and the film 16 moves along the guide member 17 in tloe transfer portion In Figure 6, the transport belts 18 and several rows of feed-in and feed-out transport rollers l9a and 191) constitute the feedqn and feedout paths tllrough wliiclo the film 20 is transported in the liquid tanks, and the film 20 travels along the guide member 21 in the transfer portion.

In the film transport means with guide mein- hers shown ill Figures 2 to 6, the treating liquid of one tank carried by the filno is mixed with the next treating liquid in the next tank; for instance, the developing liquid is mixed with the fixing liquid which follows, resulting in deterioration of the fixing liquid. Accordingly, perfect film treatment cannot be performed and frequent addition of large amounts of fresh treating liquids at required, which is an economic disadvantage.

In the transfer portion between the developing and fixing liquid tanks the developing liquid carried by the film continues to take effect unnecessarily, causing deterioration of grain quality in the case of lithographic type films, and hence it is very difficult to maintain consistent developing results.

It is true that, in Figure 1, in the transfer portion of the film transport means, the film 1 is nipped and transported by the pairs of rollers 2 and the developing liquid is squeezed from the film surface by the rollers 2 rotating in the direction of the moving film. Accordingly, the amount of the developing liquid brought to the following fixing tank is less than in those systems shown in Figures 2 to 6. However, since the film is squeezed by pressing both its surfaces as it moves, the developing liquid cannot be removed satisfactorily from the film surfaces. In addition, because of the many contacts of the film to the rollers in the transfer portion, there will be many occurrences of uneven development of the film in proportion to tlie number of rollers.

Furthermore, in the case of intermittent treatments of film at separate times, since at first no roller in the transfer portions is wet with the developing liquid, the condition of the roller surfaces changes with the lapse of time, and the squeezing of the film is not uni form until the roller surfaces are fully moistened with developing liquid, resulting in an increase of the occurrence af uneven development.

In the belt roller type film transport means shown in Figures 4 to 6, no film squeegee mechanism in the transfer portions has been hitherto proposed, and only attempts to shorten the time for the film to pass through the transfer portions have been reported.

In the roller type film transport means shown in Figures 2 and 3, no mechanism for the exclusive purpose of squeegeeing the film is provided in the transfer portions, and the uppermost film transport rollers are merely used for both the transport and the squeezing of the film. As a result, the defects described above such as unnecessary over-development, occurrence of uneven development and mixing of the treating liquids have not yet been completely removed.

In Figures 7 to 23, examples of systems according to the present invention are shown.

In Figures 7 and 8 film transport means of the type shown in Figure 2 is provided with a squeegee mechanism according to the present invention.

In Figure 7, the squeegee mechanism is composed of a squeegee roller 25 which rotates in the opposite direction to the moving film and an idling back up roller 26 which rotates in the direction of the moving film; this mechansim is located just after or above the uppermost pair of film transport rollers 22 and 23 on one side of the partition separating the developing and the fixing liquid tanks. The film 24 is nipped and transported upwards by and between a row of pairs of transport rollers 22 and 23 which ro tate in the direction of the moving film and squeeze off a part of the developing liquid car ried by the film surfaces. Further developing liquid is then scraped off the film by a squeegee roller 25 which rotates in the direction against the moving film in contact with the uppermost roller 22, and is backed-up through the film by the back-up roller 26.Thus the amount of the developing liquid carried by the film surface is minimized.

The squeegee roller 25 reduces the developing liquid layer on the film surface to such an ex tent that the progress of development in the transfer operation is reduced to a minimum, that neighbouring effect does not occur and grain quality does not deteriorate, and that the dev eloping liquid does not form into droplets on the film.

The dimension of the diameter of the squeegee roller 25 is in a range of 1/4 to 3/4 of and pre ferably is about 1/2 of that of the uppermost roller 22 when the squeegee roller 25 is driven by frictionally contacting with the uppermost roller 22 by its own weight but it is not restricted when the squeegee roller is driven by its own separate drive means.

The film 24 is transferred along the guide member 29 provided in the transfer portion and then is nipped and transported by the pairs of transport rollers 27 and 28 of the following fixing liquid tank. Since as much as possible of the developing liquid is removed from the film surfaces as described above the film 24 is prevented from over-development and occurrence of uneven development is minimized in the transfer portion, and the amount of developing liquid transferred to the fixing liquid tank is also minimized.

The example according to the invention shown in Figure 8 is the same as shown in Figure 7 except that the squeegee roller 25 is not in contact with the uppermost transport roller 22, and therefore must be independently driven, and thus the functions and effects in this case are almost the same as shown in Figure 7.

In Figures 9 and 10, a film processing apparatus according to the present invention incorporates a squeegee mechanism applied to the film transport means shown in Figure 3.

The functions and effects are the same as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The film 35 is nipped and sent by and between the transport rollers 30 and 31 and then 30 and 32 in the developing liquid tank and then is fed between the squeegee roller 33, which rotates in the direction against the moving film, and the idling back-up roller 4, which rotates in the direction of the moving film. The developing liquid is scraped off by the squeegee roller 33, and then the film travels along the guide member 36 in the transfer portion, and then is nipped and transferred by and between the transport rollers 37 and 38 and then 37 and 39 in the fixing liquid tank.

In the examples shown in Figures 7 to 10, a pair of supplementary squeegee rollers, rotating in the direction of the moving film, can be installed prior to the squeegee rollers 25 and 33, in order to increase the squeegee effect obtained according to the present invention, when the contact point of the uppermost transport rollers 22 and 23 or 30 and 32 is positioned in the developing liquid and hence they do not function at all as squeegee rollers.

Figures 11 to 23 show film processing apparatus according to the invention with belt roller type film transport means equipped with a squeegee mechanism.

In Figures 11 to 14, an apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a squeegee mechanism applied to the film transport means shown in Figure 4. The film 43 is nipped and transported by and between a plurality of transport rollers 40 and transport belts 42 in the developing liquid tank, is pre-squeezed by the uppermost transport roller 40, (or by the supplementary squeegee roller 47 rotating in the direction of the moving film which may be provided prior to the squeegee roller 41 as the needs of the case demand), is squeezed by the squeegee roller 41 rotating in the direction against that of the moving film, is transported along the curved guide member 44 in the transfer portion, and then is nipped and transported by and between a plurality of transport rollers 46 and transport belts 45.The squeegee roller 41 reduces the developing liquid layer of the film surfaces to such an extent that the progress of development in the transfer portion is reduced to a minimum, that neighbouring effect does not occur and grain quality does not deteriorate, and that the developing liquid does not form droplets, as described above.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the film processing apparatus according to the invention shown in Figure 12. The transport endless belts 24 forming belt racks are stretched between a pair of upper and lower rollers. A worm wheel 52 secured to one end of the upper roller engages with a worm 51 on a worm shaft 50 connected to a drive means (not shown) such as an electric motor and thus the belts 42 are moved by the drive means and inpart motion to the developing film.

A plurality of transport rollers 40 composing roller racks are also driven by an endless belt (not shown) extended to the worm wheel shaft.

In this case, since the contact point of the uppermost transport roller 40 to the transport belt 42 is positioned under the surface of the developing liquid and thus the uppermost transport roller 40 cannot serve as a squeegee roller, the supplementary squeegee roller 47 rotating in the direction of the moving film is provided.

The ends of the supplementary squeegee roller 47 are supported by the bearings of the frame (not shown) and it is contacted with the belt 42 with propel pressure, and thus it is idlingly driven by tlie belt 42.The squeegee roller 41 rotating in the direction against the moving film is also supported by the bearings of the franc in the same manner as the supplenlentary squeegee roller 47 and contacts with the supplementary squeegee roller 47 and the belt 42 by its own weight. I However the squeegee roller 41 is rotated in tlie direction against tlie moving film because of tlic fact that the filill is slippery and therefore tulle frictional force between the squeegee roller 41 and the supplementary squeegee roller 47, which operates to rotate tloe squeegee roller 41 in a direction opposite to tloe motion of the moving film, overcomes the frictional force between the squeegee roller 41 and the moving fill.

The dimension of the diameter of the squeegee roller 41 is in a range of 1/4 to 3/4 and preferably about 1/2 of gloat of the supplementary squeegee roller 47 or the upperulost transport roller 40 wloen the squeegee roller 41 is driven by frictional contact witli the nipplenoentary squeegee roller 47 or the transport roller 40.

This restrict ion of the dimension of tile diameter of tile squeegee roller 41 is determined so gloat the progress of tho developulent in the transfer portion may be restricted to a minimum, so gloat neigloboring effect may not occur and grain quality may not deteriorate, so that the developing liquid layer on the film surface may be minimized so that it does not form droplets. and so that the fill 43 can travel without hindrance, as described above.However the abovemention- ed diameter is not restricted when the squeegee roller 41 is driven by other types of own-drive means, as shown in Figures ]3 and 14.

In Figures 16 to 19, an apparatus according to the invention comprises a squeegee mechanism applied to the filioo transport means shown ill Figure 5.

Tie fllrn 61 is nipped and transported by and between the transport rollers 48 and the transport belts 60 in the developing liquid, is presqueezed by the uppermost transport roller 48, (or by the supplementary squeegee roller 55 rotating in the direction of the moving film which is provided prior to the squeegee roller 49 as the needs of the case demand), is squeezed by the squeegee roller 49 rotating in the direction against the moving film in order to minimize the devel opine liquid carried by the film surfaces, is impelled along the curved guide member 62 in the transfer portion, and then is nipped and transported by and between the tralosloort rollers 53 and the transport belts 54.

The squeegee roller 49 rotates preferably in contact with the uppermost transport roller 48 or the supplementary squeegee roller 55, as shown in Figures 16 to 18, but it can be provided apart from the rollers 48, 55 and independently driven and the itlioctions and effects are al most the same as those shown in Figures 17 to 19.

In Figures 20 to 23, a film processing apparatus according to the present invention includes the film transport means shown in Figure 6.

These cases are the same as those shown in Figures 11 to 14 except that the transport belts 56, 58 and the transport rollers 57, 59 are arranged in reverse positions and hence the functions and effects are the same as those shown in Figures 11 to 14.

According to tloe present invention at least one stationary roller or bar can be used instead of the squeegee roller, and the same functions and effects could be expected. In this case, as before, the back-up roller backing up the stationary roller or bar rotates in the direction of the moving film - WHAT WE CLAIM IS::- 1 . An automatic film processing apparatus comprising a developing tank, a fixing tank and a washing tank, each capable of being filled with appropriate liquid, a transport means including transport rollers adapted to transport a fiim consecutively through the liquids in the respective tanks and a squeegee means arranged between successive tanks and adapted to scrape off liquids remaining on the film in order to minimize the amount of liquid carried over by the film froni one tank to the next, the said squeegee means comprising a squeegee roller or bar and a back up roller for holding the film in contact with said squeegee roller or bar and the arrangement being such that, in use, the back up roller rotates with the moving film whilst there is relative movelllent between the surface of the squeegee roller or bar and the film surface in contact therewith.

2. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 1 , wherein the squeegee means comprising at least one squeegee roller which is rotatable in a direction against that of the moving film.

3. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein uppermost transport rollers are arranged to pre-squeegee the treating liquids carried by the film prior to the squeegee means when contact points of the upper most transport rollers to the film are positioned above treating liquid surfaces.

4. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein each squeegee roller is driven by its own drive means.

5. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein each squeegee roller is arranged to be driven by frictionally contacting with the uppermost transport rollers by its own weight.

6. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein ta least one supplementary squeegee roller rotatable in the direction of the moving film is arranged to pre-squeegee the treating liquids carried by the film prior to the squeegee means when contact points of the uppermost transport rollers to the film are positioned under treating liquid surfaces.

7. Film processing apparatus according to

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   (not shown) and it is contacted with the belt 42 with propel pressure, and thus it is idlingly driven by tlie belt 42.The squeegee roller 41 rotating in the direction against the moving film is also supported by the bearings of the franc in the same manner as the supplenlentary squeegee roller 47 and contacts with the supplementary squeegee roller 47 and the belt 42 by its own weight. I However the squeegee roller 41 is rotated in tlie direction against tlie moving film because of tlic fact that the filill is slippery and therefore tulle frictional force between the squeegee roller 41 and the supplementary squeegee roller 47, which operates to rotate tloe squeegee roller 41 in a direction opposite to tloe motion of the moving film, overcomes the frictional force between the squeegee roller 41 and the moving fill.

   The dimension of the diameter of the squeegee roller 41 is in a range of 1/4 to 3/4 and preferably about 1/2 of gloat of the supplementary squeegee roller 47 or the upperulost transport roller 40 wloen the squeegee roller 41 is driven by frictional contact witli the nipplenoentary squeegee roller 47 or the transport roller 40.

   This restrict ion of the dimension of tile diameter of tile squeegee roller 41 is determined so gloat the progress of tho developulent in the transfer portion may be restricted to a minimum, so gloat neigloboring effect may not occur and grain quality may not deteriorate, so that the developing liquid layer on the film surface may be minimized so that it does not form droplets. and so that the fill 43 can travel without hindrance, as described above.However the abovemention- ed diameter is not restricted when the squeegee roller 41 is driven by other types of own-drive means, as shown in Figures ]3 and 14.

   In Figures 16 to 19, an apparatus according to the invention comprises a squeegee mechanism applied to the filioo transport means shown ill Figure 5.

   Tie fllrn 61 is nipped and transported by and between the transport rollers 48 and the transport belts 60 in the developing liquid, is presqueezed by the uppermost transport roller 48, (or by the supplementary squeegee roller 55 rotating in the direction of the moving film which is provided prior to the squeegee roller 49 as the needs of the case demand), is squeezed by the squeegee roller 49 rotating in the direction against the moving film in order to minimize the devel opine liquid carried by the film surfaces, is impelled along the curved guide member 62 in the transfer portion, and then is nipped and transported by and between the tralosloort rollers 53 and the transport belts 54.

   The squeegee roller 49 rotates preferably in contact with the uppermost transport roller 48 or the supplementary squeegee roller 55, as shown in Figures 16 to 18, but it can be provided apart from the rollers 48, 55 and independently driven and the itlioctions and effects are al most the same as those shown in Figures 17 to 19.

   In Figures 20 to 23, a film processing apparatus according to the present invention includes the film transport means shown in Figure 6.

   These cases are the same as those shown in Figures 11 to 14 except that the transport belts 56, 58 and the transport rollers 57, 59 are arranged in reverse positions and hence the functions and effects are the same as those shown in Figures 11 to 14.

   According to tloe present invention at least one stationary roller or bar can be used instead of the squeegee roller, and the same functions and effects could be expected. In this case, as before, the back-up roller backing up the stationary roller or bar rotates in the direction of the moving film - WHAT WE CLAIM IS::- 1 . An automatic film processing apparatus comprising a developing tank, a fixing tank and a washing tank, each capable of being filled with appropriate liquid, a transport means including transport rollers adapted to transport a fiim consecutively through the liquids in the respective tanks and a squeegee means arranged between successive tanks and adapted to scrape off liquids remaining on the film in order to minimize the amount of liquid carried over by the film froni one tank to the next, the said squeegee means comprising a squeegee roller or bar and a back up roller for holding the film in contact with said squeegee roller or bar and the arrangement being such that, in use, the back up roller rotates with the moving film whilst there is relative movelllent between the surface of the squeegee roller or bar and the film surface in contact therewith.
2. 2. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 1 , wherein the squeegee means comprising at least one squeegee roller which is rotatable in a direction against that of the moving film.
3. 3. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein uppermost transport rollers are arranged to pre-squeegee the treating liquids carried by the film prior to the squeegee means when contact points of the upper most transport rollers to the film are positioned above treating liquid surfaces.
4. 4. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein each squeegee roller is driven by its own drive means.
5. 5. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein each squeegee roller is arranged to be driven by frictionally contacting with the uppermost transport rollers by its own weight.
6. 6. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein ta least one supplementary squeegee roller rotatable in the direction of the moving film is arranged to pre-squeegee the treating liquids carried by the film prior to the squeegee means when contact points of the uppermost transport rollers to the film are positioned under treating liquid surfaces.
7. 7. Film processing apparatus according to

   Claim 6, wherein each squeegee roller is arranged to be driven by frictionally contacting with the supplementary squeegee rollers by its own weight.
8. 8. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein each squeegee roller is arranged to be driven by its own drive means.
9. 9. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the dimension of the diameter of the squeegee rollers is in a range of 1/4 to 3/4 of that of the uppermost transport rollers or of the supplementary squeegee rollers.
10. 10. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the dimension of the diameter of each squeegee roller is 1/2 of that of the uppermost transport roller or of the supplementary squeegee roller.
11. 11. Film processing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the squeegee means comprise at least one stationary roller or bar, and a back up roller contacting with the stationary roller or bar and which is rotatable in the direction of the moving film.
12. 12. Film processing apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to any of the embodiments shown in Figures 7-23 of the accompanying drawings.