JP2000002986A - Photosensitive material processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently and surely wash a roller and a guide outside a liquid. SOLUTION: Both side walls 46A of a guide member 46 are provided with a washing nozzle 58 which can jet washing water toward a guide surface 48 while diffusing it. Then, an inclined surface 54 provided on the guide surface 48 on the washing nozzle side is provided with a triangular washing water diffusion means 56. Since one part of the jetted washing water 84 is abutted on the diffusion means 56 and more diffused in the width direction of the guide surface, the width of a water current 84A flowing on the surface is sufficiently spread even near the nozzle 58 and the washing area of the guide surface 48 near the nozzle 58 is enlarged. Further, a pair of rollers positioned under the guide surface 48 is surely washed by the washing water dropping from the guide surface even in the vicinity of the washing nozzle of the roller pair that is, the vicinity of the respective end parts thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus for immersing a photosensitive material in a processing liquid for processing and cleaning guides and rollers provided outside the liquid with a washing water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a photosensitive material processing apparatus such as an automatic developing apparatus, an image-exposed photosensitive material is sequentially immersed in a processing solution such as a developing solution, a bleaching solution and a fixing solution for processing.

In an automatic developing apparatus, a transport rack for guiding and transporting a photosensitive material by rollers and guides is provided in a processing tank for storing these processing liquids, and a crossover portion is provided between adjacent processing tanks. The transporting rack guides and transports the photosensitive material and transports the photosensitive material while immersing the photosensitive material in a processing solution to process the photosensitive material.

By the way, a processing liquid adheres to the surface of the photosensitive material which is conveyed and sent out in the processing tank.

The processing liquid adhered to the photosensitive material and taken out adheres to the surface of guides and rollers outside the liquid that comes into contact with the photosensitive material at the crossover portion.

[0006] The processing liquid adhering to the surface of the guides and rollers outside the liquid causes components in the processing liquid to precipitate if the non-processing state of the photosensitive material continues for a long time, and the photosensitive material to be newly processed This may cause damage to the surface or cause uneven processing.

For this reason, in the automatic developing apparatus, for example, washing water is spouted from a nozzle at a predetermined timing toward a guide or a roller outside the liquid to wash out the processing liquid adhering to the surface of the guide. In some cases, a cleaning mechanism is provided to prevent components in the processing liquid from depositing on the surface of the guide outside the liquid.

Conventionally, a photosensitive material processing apparatus in which a nozzle is provided on a side plate of a crossover portion is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-82907.
There is a photosensitive material processing apparatus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-26095.

In this photosensitive material processing apparatus, cleaning water is diffused and ejected from a nozzle between the guide surface outside the liquid and the roller to clean the guide surface and the roller.

[0010]

However, the washing water injected toward the space between the guide surface and the roller is
They may not contact the guide surface or the roller, and may fall and be wasted without contributing to the cleaning.

Further, in order to improve the cleaning properties of the guide surface and the rollers near the nozzle, it is necessary to increase the spray angle of the cleaning water.

If the jetting angle of the washing water is increased, the reaching distance of the washing water becomes shorter, so that the washing water reaches the guide surface and the end of the roller (the side opposite to the nozzle side).
It is necessary to increase the capacity of the pump, and as a result, the amount of washing water used increases.

Since the washing water used for washing falls into the treatment tank, there is a concern that the concentration of the treatment liquid in the treatment tank falls below a specified value when the amount of washing water used increases.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and does not increase the number of parts and complicates the structure. An object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus capable of uniformly cleaning the entire surface of a photosensitive material.

[0015]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the photosensitive material is provided between a plurality of processing tanks for immersing and processing the photosensitive material, and extends in the transport width direction of the photosensitive material and transports the photosensitive material. A cleaning water jetting means provided on at least one end of the photosensitive material in the conveying width direction of the photosensitive material conveying guide whose guide direction is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction is jetted while diffusing cleaning water at a predetermined pressure. A photosensitive material processing apparatus for cleaning a photosensitive material transport guide and cleaning a transport roller disposed below an inclination of the photosensitive material transport guide with cleaning water falling from the photosensitive material transport guide, wherein the cleaning water jetting means is provided. And a diffusion means for diffusing a part of the washing water jetted out of the photosensitive material conveying guide in the width direction of the photosensitive material conveying guide.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the first aspect,
Cleaning water of a predetermined pressure is diffused and jetted from a washing water jetting means provided at one end of the photosensitive material in the conveying width direction, and the washing water cleans the surface of the photosensitive material conveying guide.

Further, a part of the cleaning water jetted out of the cleaning water jetting means and abutted thereon can be diffused by the diffusing means in the width direction of the photosensitive material conveying guide (the direction along the photosensitive material conveying direction). Therefore, it is possible to spread the washing water even to the portion where the washing water does not spread when the diffusion means is not provided, and the surface of the photosensitive material transport guide is uniform over a wide area as compared with the case where the diffusion means is not provided. Can be washed.

Further, since the washing water is sufficiently diffused to the surface of the photosensitive material conveying guide near the washing water jetting means by the diffusing means, a portion of the roller near the washing water jetting means from the photosensitive material conveying guide (that is, the roller). A sufficient amount of the washing water that falls to the vicinity of the end of the roller) can be sufficiently secured, so that the roller can be uniformly washed over a wide range.

The washing water jetting means may be provided at both ends of the photosensitive material transport guide. Further, a plurality of diffusion means may be provided in the photosensitive material transport guide.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the diffusion means is provided near the nozzle of the photosensitive material conveyance guide, and is diffused from the cleaning water jetting means. A feature is that one end in the diffusion direction of the jetted cleaning water abuts.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the second aspect,
One end in the diffusion direction of the washing water that is diffused and ejected from the washing water ejecting means comes into contact with the diffusing means, so that the portion of the photosensitive material transport guide near the nozzle can be reliably washed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the second aspect, both ends of the photosensitive material transport guide in the transport width direction of the photosensitive material are inclined in a direction away from the photosensitive material. It has an inclined surface, and the diffusion means is formed at a position on the inclined surface which does not contact the photosensitive material.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the third aspect,
A part of the washing water diffused and ejected from the washing water ejecting means is diffused by the diffusing means formed on the inclined surface, so that the surface of the photosensitive material transport guide can be uniformly washed over a wide range.

Further, since the diffusion means is formed at a position on the inclined surface which does not contact the photosensitive material, the diffusion means does not affect the photosensitive material.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A printer processor 10 according to one embodiment of the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the printer processor 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer processor 10 includes a printer unit 14 having a light source unit 12 for scanning a laser beam and printing an image on a photographic paper P.
The printer unit 14 has a long photographic paper P
Is mounted in a paper magazine 18 for winding and storing the paper.

The photographic paper P stored in the paper magazine 18 is pulled out from the outer peripheral edge of the roll and is irradiated from the light source unit 12 to print an image by a laser beam.

Further, the printer unit 14 is provided with a cutter 20. The photographic paper P on which an image is exposed is cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 20 and is sent to a processor unit 22 provided on the side. Sent in.

The processor section 22 includes a color developing tank 24 for storing a color developing solution, a bleach-fixing tank 26 for storing a bleach-fixing solution, and rinsing tanks 28A to 28D for storing washing water.

The photographic paper P sent to the processor unit 22
Are a color developing tank 24, a bleach-fix tank 26, and a rinsing tank 28.
After being conveyed in order through A to D and subjected to color development, bleach-fixing and washing processing, it is sent to the drying unit 30.

The photographic paper P sent to the drying unit 30 is heated and dried in the drying unit 30, then is conveyed upward from the drying unit 30, and is discharged outside the machine.

The printer processor 10 includes a color developing tank 24, a bleach-fixing tank 26, and a rinsing tank 28.
A transport rack 32 constituted by rollers and guides is provided in each of A to D.

[0034] As shown in FIG.
A large-diameter roller 36 is vertically arranged between a pair of rack side plates 34 (only one is shown in FIG. 2) (only a part is shown in FIG. 2), and both sides (left and right sides on the paper surface) and a lower end of the roller 36 The roller 3 (not shown) has a roller 3
6, a small-diameter roller 38 for sandwiching the photographic paper P is disposed and immersed in the processing liquid.

On the entry side of the transport rack 32 (on the left side in FIG. 2), a length 35 is inserted between a pair of rack side plates 34.
A roller pair 40 having a length of 0 mm is provided, and a roller pair 42 also having a length of 350 mm is provided on the output side (right side in FIG. 2). These roller pairs 40 and 42 are disposed above the surface of the processing liquid. I have.

As described above, the transport roller of this embodiment is
Since the length is as long as 350 mm, the photographic paper P having a maximum width of 12 inches can be transported. When the photographic paper P having a narrow width is transported, it can be transported in three rows.

On the upper part of the transport rack 32, a roller pair 4
A guide member 46 that forms a crossover portion 44 together with 0 and 42 is provided. The guide member 46 of the present embodiment is a molded product of a synthetic resin.

The guide member 46 is provided on the lower surface on the upstream side in the transport direction of the photographic paper P with the photographic paper P fed from the upstream side.
Is formed on the downstream side lower surface, and a guide surface 50 for guiding the photographic paper P sent out from the roller pair 42 to a processing tank adjacent to the downstream side is formed.

The guide surface 48 is inclined so that the downstream side in the transport direction of the photographic paper P is the lower side.
0 is inclined so that the downstream side in the transport direction of the photographic paper P is on the upper side.

For this reason, the transport rack 32 is
The printing paper P guided to the roller pair 40 by the
After being guided in a substantially U-shape by the rollers 6 and 38 and immersed in the respective processing liquids, they can be guided and conveyed by the roller pair 42 and the guide surface 50 and sent out.

In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the guide surface 48 with respect to the horizontal plane is set at 27 °, and the inclination angle of the guide surface 50 with respect to the horizontal plane is set at 12 °.

As shown in FIG. 3, these guide surfaces 4
8 and 50, the upstream side in the transport direction of the photographic paper P (left side in FIG. 3) is a flat flat surface 48A, 50A, and the downstream side in the transport direction is an uneven surface 48B, 50B.

The concave and convex surfaces 48B and 50B have an arc-shaped cross section along the transport width direction of the photographic paper P, and have rib-shaped protrusions extending along the transport direction fixed along the transport width direction of the photographic paper P. The projections are formed at intervals, and the tops of the projections are set on the same plane as the flat surfaces 48A and 50A.

As described above, by forming the uneven surfaces 48B and 50B on a part of the guide surfaces 48 and 50, it is possible to prevent the photographic paper P wet with the processing liquid from being brought into close contact with the guide surfaces 48 and 50 and not being conveyed. are doing.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
Longitudinal direction (transport width direction of photographic paper P: arrow W direction in the figure)
Both ends are inclined in a direction away from the virtual extension surface of the guide surface 48 as the distance from the guide surface 48 in the longitudinal direction of the guide surface 48 is increased, and are not in contact with the printing paper P guided and conveyed by the guide surface 48. A surface 54 is provided.

The inclined surface 54 has an angle θ with respect to the guide surface 48.
1 (about 7 ° in the present embodiment).

On the inclined surface 54, a washing water diffusion means 56 protrudes near the guide surface 48.

The most protruding portion of the washing water diffusing means 56 is set below the virtual extension surface of the guide surface 48 so as not to contact the photographic paper P.

The cleaning water diffusion means 56 has a substantially triangular shape when the inclined surface 54 is viewed in a plan view, and the inclination angle θ 2 of the inclined side surface 56 A with respect to the transport direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4B) is In this embodiment, the angle is set to 65 °.

As shown in FIG. 5, the inclination angle θ3 of the inclined side surface 56A with respect to the guide surface 48 (or the guide surface 50).
Is preferably 10 ° to 75 °, and in the present embodiment, 30 °
Is set to

The height h (measured in a direction perpendicular to the guide surface 48 or the guide surface 50) of the washing water diffusion means 56 is as follows.
In this embodiment, it is set to 0.5 mm. As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning nozzle 58 is provided on the downstream side of the color developing tank 24, and on the upstream and downstream sides of the bleach-fixing tank 26 and the rinsing tanks 28A to 28D.

The cleaning nozzles 58 mainly supply cleaning water supplied from a cleaning water supply device 64 described later to the guide surface 4.
The jetting water is jetted toward 8, 50, and a part of the jetting water comes into contact with the washing water diffusing means 56 provided on the inclined surface 54.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the cleaning nozzles 58 of each transport rack 32 are provided integrally with the nozzle unit 60.

FIG. 6A shows only the vicinity of the upper portion of the transport rack 32.

The nozzle unit 60 includes the guide member 4
6, a through hole 46B formed in the upper part of one side wall 46A.
The pawl portion 60 </ b> A extending from the nozzle unit 60 is inserted and engaged with the guide unit 46, and is assembled with the guide member 46 to the transport rack 32.

Further, the nozzle unit 60 is provided with a water supply port 62, and the cleaning water supplied from the water supply port 62 is dispersed to each of the cleaning nozzles 58 at a uniform pressure.

As shown in FIG.
Has a substantially cylindrical shape at the tip end, and a spout (not shown) for spouting cleaning water is formed at the center of the tip end.

At the tip of the cleaning nozzle 58, a groove 58A is formed radially outward from the vicinity of the spout at the axial center. Therefore, the cleaning water supplied to the cleaning nozzle 58 at a predetermined pressure and spouted out is diffused at a spray angle θ4 to one side in the radial direction along the groove direction of the groove 58A.

The cleaning water diffused and ejected from the cleaning nozzle 58 has one end in the diffusion direction substantially coincident with the axis C of the cleaning nozzle 58, and the other end has an angle θ4 with respect to the axial direction. Further, the cleaning water spouted from the cleaning nozzle 58
Almost no diffusion occurs in the direction perpendicular to the diffusion direction. That is, the cleaning nozzle 58 is a so-called oblique flat nozzle, and when the cleaning water is jetted on a plane perpendicular to the axis C of the cleaning nozzle 58, the cleaning water is applied in an elongated straight line to the plane. Touch

The cleaning nozzle 58 according to the present embodiment is configured so that when the cleaning water is supplied at 0.9 kgf / cm ² , the cleaning water is diffused and jetted at 15 °.

As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the cleaning nozzles 58 located on both sides of the guide surface 48
Is parallel to the guide surface 48, and the direction of the groove 58A (not shown in FIG. 4) is arranged to face the upper guide surface 48 (that is, the longitudinal direction of the groove 58A is aligned with the guide surface 48). 90 °), the cleaning water is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 58 so as to spread along the conveying width direction of the photographic paper P (the direction of the arrow W in FIG. 4) and to the guide surface 48 side.

Similarly, the cleaning nozzles 58 located on both sides of the guide surface 50 are also arranged so that the axial direction is parallel to the guide surface 50 and the direction of the groove 58A is directed toward the upper guide surface 50 (ie, the direction of the groove 58A). The longitudinal direction of the groove 58A is the guide surface 5
(90 ° with respect to 0), and the cleaning water is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 58 so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle (details will be described later) with respect to the conveying width direction of the photographic paper P and diffused toward the guide surface 50 side. I do. In addition, as shown in FIG.
The distance L between the axis C and the guide surface 48 (same for 50) is
It is set to 4mm.

The direction of the axis C of each of the cleaning nozzles 58 is parallel to the guide surface 48 or the guide surface 50. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning nozzle 58 corresponds to the guide surface 50 for guiding the printing paper P obliquely upward. The cleaned nozzle 58 has its axis C
Are directed upward in the inclination direction of the guide surface 50, and the washing water is ejected toward the longitudinal center portion of the upper edge of the guide sheet 50 in the inclination direction of the photographic paper P.

In this embodiment, the angle θ5 between the axis C of the cleaning nozzle 58 corresponding to the guide surface 50 and the longitudinal direction of the guide surface 50 is set to 3 °.

On the other hand, the axis C of the cleaning nozzle 58 corresponding to the guide surface 48 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the guide surface 48, and the cleaning water is ejected along the longitudinal direction of the guide surface 50. I have.

In the conventional printer processor, since the paper width (the width of the photographic paper P) corresponds to a maximum of 8 inches, the guide surface can be cleaned by disposing the cleaning nozzle only on one side in the photographic paper width direction. In the present embodiment, in the case of a photographic paper P having a maximum width of 12 inches and a narrow width, three rows are conveyed, so that the width of the guide member 46 constituting the crossover section 44 is wide in the photographic paper width direction, and cleaning from both sides is performed. Water injection is required.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a schematic configuration of a cleaning water supply device 64 for supplying cleaning water to the cleaning nozzle 58. FIG.

The washing water supply device 64 includes a washing water tank 66 provided inside the printer processor 10 for storing washing water, a filter 72, and a washing water pump 68.

The washing water stored in the washing water tank 66 is used as washing water for replenishing the rinsing tanks 28A to 28D and diluting water for diluting the replenisher of the color developing solution and the bleach-fixing solution. It may be used for correcting the evaporation.

The washing water sent from the washing water pump 68 is branched in two directions, and each is supplied to the electromagnetic valves 80A to 80H.

The electromagnetic valves 80A and 80B are connected to water supply ports 62 of a nozzle unit 60 (not shown) provided on the transport rack 32 of the color developing tank 24 via piping.

The nozzle unit 60 provided on the transport rack 32 of the color developing tank 24 has only one washing nozzle 58 on the downstream side.

The electromagnetic valves 80C and 80D are connected to water supply ports 62 of a nozzle unit 60 (not shown) provided on the transport rack 32 of the bleach-fixing tank 26 via piping.

The electromagnetic valves 80E and 80F respectively have a water supply port 62 of a nozzle unit 60 (not shown) provided on the transfer rack 32 of the rinsing tank 28A via a forked branch, and
A water supply port 62 of a nozzle unit 60 (not shown) provided on the transport rack 32 of the rinsing tank 28B is connected.

Further, the electromagnetic valves 80G and 80H are respectively provided with a water supply port 62 of a nozzle unit 60 (not shown) provided on the transport rack 32 of the rinsing tank 28C via a branch.
A water supply port 62 of a nozzle unit 60 (not shown) provided on the transport rack 32 of the rinsing tank 28C is connected.

The cleaning water pump 68 and the electromagnetic valves 80A to 80H are controlled by a cleaning control circuit 82 (see FIG. 8).

A cleaning signal from a control unit (not shown) of the printer processor 10 is input to the cleaning control circuit 82. When the cleaning signal is input,
The cleaning pump 68 is operated for a predetermined time, and while the cleaning pump 68 is operating, the electromagnetic valves 80A to
80H is activated.

Although the electromagnetic valves 80A to 80H are normally closed to prevent the supply of the cleaning water to each nozzle unit 60, the electromagnetic valves 80A to 80H are opened when the water supply pump 68 is operating, so that the inside of the cleaning water tank 66 is opened. Is supplied to the nozzle unit 60, and the cleaning water at a predetermined pressure can be ejected from the cleaning nozzle 58.

Each of the electromagnetic valves 80A to 80H is sequentially turned on for a certain period of time (two or more are not turned on at the same time) to supply cleaning water to a predetermined nozzle unit 60. The washing water is ejected from a number of washing nozzles 58 at the same time to prevent the ejection pressure of the washing water from being reduced.

In this embodiment, when the washing water is jetted, a pressure of 1.4 kgf / cm ² is applied to the washing nozzle 58 of the nozzle unit 60 provided on the transport rack 32 of the color developing tank 24, A pressure of 1.3 kgf / cm ² is applied to the cleaning nozzle 58 of the nozzle unit 60 provided on the transfer rack 32, and a pressure of 1.3 kgf / cm ² is applied to the cleaning nozzle 58 of the nozzle unit 60 provided on the transfer rack 32 of the rinsing tanks 28 </ b> A to 28 </ b> D. 1kg
The f / cm ² water pressure is applied.

In the present embodiment, in order to convey a photographic paper P (photosensitive material) having a width of 10 inches or more, or even 12 inches or more, a pair of rollers 40 and 42 and a guide length (a side wall 46A of the guide member 46). (Interval) is 350 mm. (Operation) Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

In the printer processor 10, a laser beam is scanned on the photographic paper P drawn from the paper magazine 18 to print an image.

The printing paper P, which has been printed, is placed in the cutter 20.
Is cut into a predetermined length and sent to the processor unit 22.

In the processor section 22, the photographic paper P on which the image has been printed is conveyed through the color developing tank 24 and the bleach-fixing tank 26 to perform color development and bleach-fixing. The photographic paper P is transported to the rinsing tank 28D in order, and the photographic printing paper P is washed with the washing water stored in each of the rinsing tanks 28A to 28D.

The photographic paper P, which has been washed, is subjected to a drying process in the drying unit 30 and then discharged as a photographic print.

Here, in the printer processor 10, at the time of start-up for starting the operation of the apparatus one day, at the end of the operation, and when the non-processing state of the photographic paper P continues for a predetermined time in the processor section 22, the printer processor 10 A cleaning signal is output from a control unit (not shown) to the cleaning control circuit 82, and the cleaning control circuit 82 operates the cleaning water supply device 64.

The cleaning control circuit 82 first controls the cleaning water pump 6
8 is operated to supply the cleaning water of a predetermined pressure from the cleaning water tank 66 to each of the electromagnetic valves 80A to 80H.

Then, the cleaning control circuit 82 sequentially outputs an open signal to the electromagnetic valves 80A to 80H for a predetermined time.

Thus, the cleaning water is jetted from the cleaning nozzle 58 of each nozzle unit 60 for a certain period of time.

In the present embodiment, the discharge rate of the cleaning water 84 jetted from the cleaning nozzle 58 is 3 ml / sec or more.
It is controlled to be 20 ml / sec or less.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, one cleaning nozzle 58 is connected to each of the electromagnetic valves 80A and 80B, and two cleaning nozzles 58 are connected to each of the electromagnetic valves 80C and 80D. Cleaning nozzles 58 are connected, and four cleaning nozzles 58 are connected to each of the electromagnetic valves 80E, F, G, H.

In the present embodiment, the bleach-fix tank 26, the first rinse tank 28A, the second rinse tank 28B, and the third rinse tank 28
The amount of the cleaning water 84 that falls on each of the C and fourth rinsing tanks 28D (i.e., the amount of water used) is kept constant by adjusting the discharge time. However, the color developing tank 24 is not applied since the washing nozzle 58 is provided only on the outlet side.

As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, when the cleaning water 84 spouted from the cleaning nozzle 58 reaches the inclined surface 54 and the guide surface 48 (or the guide surface 50), the cleaning water 84 is applied to the surface. Creates a water flow 84A that spreads in the width direction and flows to the opposite side.

Here, a part of the jetted washing water 84 comes into contact with the washing water diffusing means 56, so that the guide surface 48 is formed.
Since the water flow 84A is further diffused in the width direction of the guide surface 50 (or the guide surface 50), the width of the water flow 84A is sufficiently increased even in the vicinity of the cleaning nozzle 58, and the cleaning area of the guide surface 48 near the cleaning nozzle 58 is expanded.

In this embodiment, the guide surface 48
(Or guide surface 50) the water flow 84 flowing along the surface
A reaches the center of the guide surface 48 in the longitudinal direction within 0.3 seconds.

As described above, the guide member 4 disposed outside the liquid
The surface of the guide surfaces 48 and 50 of 6 is the water flow
The treatment liquid (and the precipitates of the components in the treatment liquid) which has been washed by A and taken out by the photographic paper P and adhered to these surfaces is washed away.

Here, from the cleaning nozzle 58 corresponding to the guide surface 50 for guiding the photographic paper P obliquely upward, the cleaning water 84 is supplied to the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the edge of the guide surface 50 on the upper side in the inclination direction of the photographic paper P. (Because the angle θ5 between the axis C of the cleaning nozzle 58 and the longitudinal direction of the guide surface 50 is 3 ° toward the upper side in the inclined direction), the direction of the water flow 84A is also It follows the jetting direction, and the water flow 84A can reliably clean the longitudinal center part of the upper end in the inclined direction of the guide surface 50,
Further, the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent guide surface 48 can be cleaned. That is, in the present embodiment, the jetting angle of the cleaning water ejected from the cleaning nozzle 58 is reduced (15 ° in the present embodiment), and the reaching distance of the cleaning water is extended. This has the effect of improving the cleaning performance of the guide surface 48.

When the direction of the axis C of the cleaning nozzle 58 is coincident with the longitudinal direction of the guide surface 50 (that is, θ5 is 0 °), the direction of the water flow 84A is near the cleaning nozzle 58. Of the guide surface 5
0 is inclined, so that the direction of the water flow 84A changes to the lower side in the inclination direction as it moves away from the washing nozzle 58, and reaches the center in the longitudinal direction of the upper end of the guide surface 50 in the inclination direction. There is a risk of disappearing.

Further, since the guide surfaces 48 and 50 are inclined, a part of the water flow 84A (ie, the washing water 84) falls downward in the inclination direction of the guide surfaces 48 and 50, and
The surfaces of roller pairs 40, 42 (during rotation) located below 8, 50 are cleaned.

In the present embodiment, the water flow 84 is sufficiently diffused near the cleaning nozzles on the guide surfaces 48 and 50.
The vicinity of the cleaning nozzle of the roller pair 40, 42, that is, the vicinity of each end of the roller pair 40, 42 can be reliably cleaned with the cleaning water 84.

The guide surfaces 48 and 50 and the roller pair 4
Wash water 84 used for washing 0 and 42 falls into each processing tank.

As described above, in the printer processor 10 of the present embodiment, since the washing water diffusing means 56 is provided near the washing nozzle 58, the guide surface 4 is efficiently and reliably provided.
8, 50 and the surfaces of the roller pairs 40, 42 can be reliably cleaned, and the guide surfaces 48, 50 can be cleaned for a long time.
In addition, it is possible to prevent the components in the processing solution from depositing on the roller pairs 40 and 42, and the components in the processing solution that have been deposited can damage the surface of the photographic paper P to be newly processed or cause uneven processing. Can be prevented, and a high-quality photographic print can be obtained.

In this embodiment, the cleaning water diffusion means 56
The inclination angle θ2 of the inclined side surface 56A is set to 65 °, but the inclination angle θ2 can be changed as appropriate according to the case where the diffusion angle of the water flow 84A is changed or various conditions.

Further, in this embodiment, the inclination angle θ3 of the inclined side surface 56A is set to 30 °, but it is 10 ° to 75 °.
° is a preferred range. When the inclination angle θ3 is smaller than 10 °, the contacting cleaning water 84 is diffused (ie,
When the angle exceeds 75 °, the resistance of the water flow 84A is increased.

In this embodiment, the cleaning water diffusion means 56
Is set to 0.5 mm, but may be set to 2 mm or less so as not to hinder the straightness of the washing water.

In the present embodiment, the inclination angle of the guide surface 48 with respect to the horizontal plane is set at 27 °, and the inclination angle of the guide surface 50 with respect to the horizontal plane is set at 12 °, but may be set at an angle other than the above. Of course. However,
Cleaning water 8 is applied to the roller pairs 40 and 42 from the guide surfaces 48 and 50.
In order to drop 4 sufficiently, it is preferable to set the inclination angle to 5 ° or more.

In this embodiment, the distance L between the axis C of the cleaning nozzle 58 and the guide surface 48 (same for 50) is set to 4 mm, but this distance L is preferably 3 mm or more.
When the distance L is less than 3 mm, the reach of the water flow 84A on the guide surface 48 (same for 50) becomes shorter, and the water flow 84A can reach beyond the center in the longitudinal direction of the guide surface 48 (same for 50). I cannot do it.

Here, the washing water is sprayed at an injection angle (θ4) of 15 °.
The cleaning nozzle 58 of the present embodiment, which jets the cleaning water at a jetting angle of less than 10 °, the cleaning nozzle of the comparative example, which jets the cleaning water at an jetting angle of 30 °, the cleaning nozzle of the comparative example, which jets the cleaning water at an jetting angle of 30 °. Using the cleaning nozzle of the comparative example exceeding 40 ° and the arrival distance of the water flow 84A when the distance L was changed, the result as shown in the graph of FIG. 10 was obtained. The washing nozzle 58 used for measuring the reaching distance of the water flow 84A is arranged in the smallest rinsing water amount, for example, the first rinsing tank 28A.

From the results shown in FIG. 10, the injection angle (θ
4) is set to 15 ° and the distance L is set to 4 mm so that the reaching distance of the water flow 84A is 175 mm or more (roller pair 4
0, 42 or more), and the guide surface 48 (5
It can be seen that more than half of the length can be reliably washed. Although the cleaning performance at the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the surfaces 48 and 50 is advantageous, the amount of water supplied near the cleaning nozzle 58 is small and the guide surfaces 48 and 50 do not spread over the entire guide surface.
In addition, the cleaning performance near the cleaning nozzle 58 is disadvantageous for both the roller pairs 40 and 42.

When the injection angle (θ4) exceeds 40 °, the cleaning performance near the cleaning nozzle 58 is advantageous, but the water flow distance is reduced, and the cleaning performance at the longitudinal central portions of the guide surfaces 48 and 50 is disadvantageous. become.

When the distance L decreases, the water flow 84A
And the cleaning distance of the portion far from the cleaning nozzle 58 is reduced. On the other hand, when the distance L increases, the distance until the cleaning water 84 spouted from the cleaning nozzle 58 reaches the guide surface 48 increases, and the force (pressure) of the cleaning water 84 at the time of contact with the guide surface 48 decreases. , The ability to flush the water flow 84A in the jetting direction is reduced,
The reach of the water flow 84A becomes short.

The distance L can be appropriately changed according to various conditions.

In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the groove 58A of the cleaning nozzle 58 (corresponding to the diffusion direction of the cleaning water 84) is
90 ° to the guide surface 48 (or 50),
Although not necessarily 90 °, the longitudinal direction of the groove 58A is 90 ° ± 15 ° with respect to the guide surface 48 (or 50).
Is preferably within.

If the angle of the groove 58A with respect to the guide surface 48 (or 50) in the longitudinal direction deviates more than 90 °, the ability to push the water flow 84A in the jetting direction is reduced, and as a result, the reach of the water flow 84A is shortened. Would.

When the discharge amount of the cleaning water 84 ejected from the cleaning nozzle 58 is less than 3 ml / sec, the reach of the water flow 84A on the guide surface 48 (same for 50) is shortened, and the water flow 84A is There is a possibility that it may not be possible to reach beyond the central portion in the longitudinal direction of 48 (also 50), and the cleaning water 84 does not spread over the entire width in the longitudinal direction of the guide.

On the other hand, if the discharge amount of the cleaning water 84 ejected from the cleaning nozzle 58 exceeds 20 ml / sec, the cleaning water 84 is used more than necessary, and the cleaning water 84 is wasted. In some cases, the color developing solution or the bleach-fixing solution may be reduced to a specified concentration or less by the washing water 84.

Since the cleaning water diffusing means 56 of this embodiment is a mere projection, it can be formed at the same time when the guide member 46 is formed.

Further, the cleaning water diffusion means 56 may be attached as a separate component.

In any case, the cleaning area can be expanded with a simple configuration, and the amount of water used can be minimized.

In this embodiment, the cleaning nozzle 58 is provided with the groove 58A so as to jet the cleaning water 84 while diffusing it. However, the shape of the jet port of the cleaning nozzle 58 is not limited to this. Any shape may be used as long as the cleaning water 84 is ejected so as to diffuse in a predetermined range.

Although the cleaning water diffusing means 56 of this embodiment is a triangular protrusion, the present invention is not limited to this, and any shape other than a triangle can be used as long as the cleaning water 84 can be diffused. Or a concave portion (groove, hole, etc.).

The washing water diffusing means 56 has one washing nozzle 5
8, a plurality of cleaning water diffusion means 5 may be provided.
6 may be appropriately dispersed.

In this embodiment, the side walls 46A on both sides are used.
Although the cleaning nozzle 58 is provided, the cleaning nozzle 58 may be provided only on one side wall 46A if the guide surfaces 48 and 50 are short.

In the present embodiment, the present invention has been described by taking as an example the printer processor 10 which processes the photographic paper P by providing the printer section 14 and the processor section 22 as a photosensitive material processing apparatus, but the present invention is applied. The photosensitive material processing apparatus is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is applied to various photosensitive material processing apparatuses in which another photosensitive material such as a general exposure printer for processing a film or a printing plate is immersed in a processing liquid to perform processing. can do.

Here, in the conventional photosensitive material processing apparatus, the washing water ejected from the oblique nozzle is reflected at the step portion to supply the washing water to the near side (near the nozzle), and the washing water is transmitted along the guide surface to form the roller. The washing water is supplied to the back side, and the washing water is supplied by another nozzle at a location where the oblique nozzle cannot supply the washing water.

Referring to the drawings, in the conventional apparatus, as shown in FIG. 12, an area in which the cleaning water 84 is supplied from the injection nozzle (oblique nozzle) 602 to the roller 600 (hereinafter, an injection area 604). Is called Roller 600
Therefore, the cleaning water 84 was sprayed from a different spray nozzle to a portion other than the spray area 604 because the cleaning water 84 was not uniform over the entire area. However, there is a point in the roller nip where cleaning water 84 is supplied from a plurality of injection nozzles (that is, the supply is partially excessive), and there is a problem that water overflows from the nip and the amount of cleaning water increases.

When the length of the roller 600 is increased in order to perform processing while transporting the photosensitive material in a plurality of rows such as two rows and three rows, the cleaning water 84 ejected from the ejection nozzle 602 reaches the entire roller 600. You can not let it.

That is, conventionally, a roller or guide having a length of 8 inches can be cleaned by jetting the cleaning water 84 from a nozzle on only one side in the longitudinal direction.
If the roller or guide width is 0 inches or more, or even 12 inches or more, a good cleaning effect cannot be obtained only from one side.

However, in the present embodiment, cleaning nozzles 58 are provided on both sides of the guide surfaces 48 and 50 so that the cleaning water 84 is provided.
The direction of spraying, the amount of washing water, etc. are specified as described above, so that a good washing effect can be obtained with a minimum necessary amount of water even for rollers and guide widths of 10 inches or more, and even 12 inches or more. It has become.

That is, a sufficient amount of the cleaning water 84 jetted from the cleaning nozzle 58 is applied to the nip near the end of the pair of rollers 40 and 42 by the effect of the cleaning water diffusing means 56 near the nozzle. In addition, the water flow 84A of the guide surfaces 48 and 50
Is strong near the nozzle (ie, fast),
As the distance increases, the momentum decreases (i.e., the speed decreases). For this reason, the water flow 8 of the guide surfaces 48 and 50
The washing water 84 that falls from 4A to the roller pair 40, 42 is
A large amount falls at a portion relatively far from the cleaning nozzle 58, but does not fall as far as a portion relatively near.

For this reason, the roller pairs 40 and 42 (length 10
(In inches or more), a region where the cleaning nozzle 58 mainly supplies the cleaning water 84 (hereinafter, referred to as a jetting region 500).
11A, when the cleaning water 84 is ejected from the left side of the drawing, as shown conceptually in FIG. 11A, the vicinity of the cleaning nozzle 58 on the left side and the opposite side from the near side in the longitudinal center ( It is slightly closer to the end (right side in the figure). On the other hand, FIG.
As shown in (B), the spray area 500 of the cleaning water 84 of the cleaning nozzle 58 on the right side of the figure is in the vicinity of the cleaning nozzle 58 on the right side and the end (left side in the figure) on the opposite side from the near side in the longitudinal center. A little closer to you. It should be noted that, in actuality, even in a region other than the illustrated injection region 500, the injection region
Although less than 0, the cleaning water 84 is supplied by falling.

In this embodiment, the cleaning water 8 is supplied from the cleaning nozzles 58 on both left and right sides (both longitudinal sides) of the roller pairs 40 and 42.
4, the cleaning area 500 of the other cleaning nozzle 58 compensates for a part where the supply amount of the one cleaning nozzle 58 seems to be insufficient (that is, a part other than the cleaning area 500 in the figure). As a result, the roller pair Rinsing water 84 can be supplied to almost all of 40 and 42.

It is to be noted that increasing the number of nozzles on both sides to improve the cleaning performance in the vicinity of the nozzles is disadvantageous because the cleaning performance of the guide surfaces 48 and 50 is reduced due to an increase in the amount of cleaning water and a decrease in the discharge pressure.

[0134]

As described above, the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention has the above-described structure, so that the entire surface of the rollers and guides disposed outside the liquid can be used without increasing the number of parts and complicating the structure. It has an excellent effect that it can be washed uniformly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a printer processor applied to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a schematic configuration of a transport rack, taken along a transport direction of photographic paper.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the guide member.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the guide surface viewed from below, and FIG. 4B is a view of the guide surface viewed from the front;
(C) is a view of the guide surface as viewed from the photographic paper transport direction.

FIG. 5 is a view (partly enlarged view of FIG. 4 (C)) of the washing water diffusing means as viewed from a photographic paper transport direction.

FIG. 6A is a schematic perspective view of the upper part of a transport rack,
(B) is a schematic perspective view of the nozzle unit attached to the transport rack.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a cleaning nozzle applied to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a part of a schematic configuration of a cleaning water supply device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a part of a schematic configuration of a cleaning water supply device.

FIG. 10 shows the distance L between the axis of the cleaning nozzle and the guide surface,
It is the graph which put together the experimental result which shows the relationship between the jet angle of washing water, and the reach of the water flow of a guide surface.

FIG. 11A is an explanatory diagram showing an ejection region by a left cleaning nozzle, and FIG. 11B is an explanatory diagram showing an ejection region by a right cleaning nozzle.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an ejection area by one oblique nozzle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P Photographic paper (photosensitive material) 10 Printer processor (photosensitive material processing device) 24 Color developing tank (processing tank) 26 Bleaching and fixing tank (processing tank) 28A First rinsing tank (processing tank) 28B Second rinsing tank (processing tank) 28C Third rinse tank (processing tank) 28D Fourth rinse tank (processing tank) 40 Roller pair (roller) 42 Roller pair (roller) 48 Guide surface (photosensitive material transport guide) 50 Guide surface (photosensitive material transport guide) 54 Slant Surface 56 Cleaning water diffusion means (Diffusion means) 58 Cleaning nozzle (Washing water jetting means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive device which is provided between a plurality of processing tanks for immersing and processing a photosensitive material, extends in a width direction of the photosensitive material, and a guide direction of the photosensitive material is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction. A cleaning water jetting means provided at least on one end side in the conveying width direction of the photosensitive material jets washing water of a predetermined pressure while diffusing it to the material conveying guide to wash the photosensitive material conveying guide, and cleans the photosensitive material conveying guide. A photosensitive material processing apparatus for cleaning a transport roller disposed below the inclination of the photosensitive material transport guide with cleaning water dropped from the photosensitive material transport guide, wherein a part of the cleaning water jetted from the cleaning water jetting means is exposed to the photosensitive material. A light-sensitive material processing apparatus, comprising a diffusion means for diffusing in a width direction of the material transport guide. 2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion unit is provided near the nozzle of the photosensitive material transport guide, and one end of the cleaning water in the diffusion direction that is diffused and jetted from the cleaning water jetting unit abuts. Item 2. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to Item 1. 3. The photosensitive material transport guide has an inclined surface inclined in a direction away from the photosensitive material at both ends in the transport width direction of the photosensitive material, and the diffusing unit is configured to be in contact with the photosensitive material on the inclined surface. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the photosensitive material processing apparatus is formed at a position where the photosensitive material does not contact.