JP2000003021A - Blower and photosensitive material processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of functional parts related to the flow of air. SOLUTION: In a printer processor for processing photographic paper, air blown from the blower provided inside the printer processor is heated by a heater unit and made to blow off to ward the photographic paper from a slit formed on a nozzle, so that wetted photographic paper is dried. A part of the air blowing from the slit comes in contact with the inner wall surfaces of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 7th covers 34, 36, 38 and 46 which are the molding of synthetic resin and is sucked by the blower again. Since a duct being another part independent of the covers is not used for an air passing path, the number of parts is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air blower for blowing air toward a predetermined object, and a photosensitive material processing apparatus for blowing dry air onto a photosensitive material wetted with a processing liquid to dry it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a photosensitive material processing apparatus such as an automatic developing apparatus, an exposed photosensitive material is sequentially immersed in a processing solution such as a developing solution, a bleaching solution, and a fixing solution to be processed. Is sprayed and dried.

[0003]

A general automatic developing apparatus has a blowing means (a so-called dryer) comprising a heater and a blower for generating warm air, and an outlet (nozzle or the like) for blowing warm air toward the photosensitive material. And a duct for guiding the warm air generated by the blowing means to the outlet.

Further, since it is necessary to keep the temperature of the processing liquid in the processing tank filled with the processing liquid, it is not preferable that hot air hits the processing tank (and the processing liquid). For this reason, a hot air cutoff plate for guiding hot air from the drying section to the outside of the processing tank (that is, to prevent entry into the processing tank) may be provided between the processing tank and the drying section.

[0005] Further, when warm air generated inside the apparatus hits the outer cover or the like, the outer cover may become hot, and a heat insulating material may be attached to the outer cover to prevent this.

The above-mentioned functional components relating to the flow of air, such as the duct, the hot air blocking plate, and the heat insulating material, are dedicated components.
For this reason, ducts, hot air blocking plates, heat insulating materials, and the like are factors that increase the number of components of the apparatus.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned facts, and has as its object to provide a blower and a photosensitive material processing apparatus capable of reducing the number of functional components related to the flow of air.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blower, comprising: a blower for blowing out sucked air; a blower for blowing air blown from the blower toward a predetermined object; At least, the air blown out from the blower, the air blown out from the blower outlet and the air contact member that is contacted by any of the air sucked by the blower, and at least a part of the blower and the blowout outlet And an outer cover that surrounds the outer cover, wherein the air contact member is an inner wall of the outer cover.

In the blower according to the first aspect, the blower blows the sucked air.

[0010] The air blown out from the blowing means is blown out from a blowout outlet toward a predetermined object.

Further, at least one of the air blown out from the blower, the air blown out from the blower outlet, and the air sucked by the blower comes into contact with the air contact member.

The air contact member only needs to contact at least one of the air blown out from the blower, the air blown out from the blower outlet and the air sucked by the blower, and changes the direction of the flow of the air. Or shut off the air flow.

Further, since the air contact member is the inner wall of the outer cover, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with a case where the outer cover and the air contact member are separate bodies.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the blower according to the first aspect, the air contact member includes at least air blown from the blower, air blown from the blower outlet, and the blower. It is characterized in that it constitutes at least a part of a conduit for passing any of the air sucked by the means.

In the blower according to the second aspect, the air contact member constitutes at least a part (or all) of the pipeline, and at least air blown from the blower means,
Either the air blown out from the outlet or the air sucked by the blower passes through the pipe. Since at least a part (or all) of the conduit is formed of an air contact member, the number of parts is reduced as compared with a case where a dedicated duct or the like for passing air is used as another part.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the blower according to the first or second aspect, the outer cover has at least two wall surfaces facing each other with an air layer interposed therebetween. .

In the blower according to the third aspect, the exterior cover has at least two wall surfaces facing each other with the air layer interposed therebetween, so that the exterior cover can have a heat insulating effect without using a separate heat insulating material. Become.

Therefore, for example, when high-temperature air is blown out from the blower, the temperature rise on the outer surface of the outer cover can be suppressed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing tank for processing a photosensitive material with a processing liquid, a blowing means for blowing out sucked air, and a method for processing air blown from the blowing means with the processing liquid. An outlet for blowing on the photosensitive material, an exterior cover surrounding at least a part of the blowing means and the outlet, and at least air blown from the blowing means, air blown from the blowing port, and the blower A photosensitive material processing apparatus comprising: an air contact member that makes contact with any of the air sucked by the means; wherein the air contact member is an inner wall of the outer cover.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect,
The photosensitive material is processed by the processing solution in the processing tank.

On the other hand, the blower blows out the sucked air. The air blown out from the blower is blown out from the blow-out port and blown onto the photosensitive material wetted by the processing liquid, thereby promoting the drying of the photosensitive material.

Further, at least one of the air blown out from the blower, the air blown out from the outlet and the air sucked by the blower comes into contact with the air contact member.

The air contact member only needs to contact at least one of the air blown out from the blower, the air blown out from the outlet and the air sucked by the blower, and changes the direction of the flow of the air. Or shut off the air flow.

Further, since the air contact member is the inner wall of the exterior cover, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with a case where the exterior cover and the air contact member are separate bodies.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the air contact member includes at least air blown out from the blower, air blown out from the blower outlet, and It is characterized in that it constitutes a part of a pipeline through which any of the air sucked by the blower passes.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect,
The air contact member is at least a part (or all) of the pipeline
At least one of the air blown out from the blower, the air blown out from the outlet, and the air sucked by the blower passes through the pipeline. Since at least a part (or all) of the conduit is formed of an air contact member, the number of parts is reduced as compared with a case where a dedicated duct or the like for passing air is used as another part.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the fourth or fifth aspect, the outer cover is at least two facing each other across an air layer.
It is characterized by having two wall surfaces.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the sixth aspect,
Since the exterior cover has at least two wall surfaces facing each other with the air layer interposed therebetween, the exterior cover can have a heat insulating effect without using a separate heat insulating material.

Therefore, for example, when high-temperature air is blown out from the blowing means, the temperature rise on the outer surface of the outer cover can be suppressed.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to any one of the fourth to sixth aspects, the air contact member includes a light which enters the processing tank from outside. Is shielded from light.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 7,
Since the air contact member blocks light that enters from outside into the processing tank, there is no need to use a light-shielding plate or the like as a separate component, and the number of components is reduced.

The inner wall of the exterior cover referred to in the present invention includes all parts facing the inside of the apparatus, for example, parts protruding inside the apparatus.

[0033]

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.

The printer unit 14 is provided with a cutter 20. The photographic paper P on which an image has been 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.

Each of these tanks has a well-known transport rack 32 provided with a plurality of rollers 29 (see FIG. 4) for transporting the photographic paper P.
The photographic paper P sent to the processor section 22 is sequentially transported in the color developing tank 24, the bleach-fixing tank 26, and the rinsing tanks 28A to 28D, where the color developing, bleach-fixing, and washing processes are performed. After that, it is sent to the drying unit 30.

The photographic paper P sent to the drying unit 30 is dried by being blown with warm air in the drying unit 30, then conveyed to the upper side of the drying unit 30, and discharged outside the machine.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer processor 1
Reference numeral 0 includes a main frame (frame) 31 assembled from a square pipe (or L-shaped steel or the like), a steel plate or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
Is a first cover 34 whose side surface is a molded product of a synthetic resin.
The second cover 36, the third cover 38, the fourth cover 40, the fifth cover 42, the sixth cover 44, the seventh cover 46, the eighth cover
The first cover 3 is covered by a cover 48.
The fourth to eighth covers 48 are screwed to the main frame 31, respectively. The first cover 34 to the eighth cover 48 may be detachably attached to the main frame 31 with a ball catch, a magnet catch, or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a transport unit 54 having a pair of rollers 50 and 52 for transporting the photographic paper P carried out from the rinsing tank 28D upward inside the drying unit 30 and a belt conveyor. 56, a box-shaped nozzle 60 provided with a plurality of slits 58 for blowing hot air toward the photographic paper P is provided.

The endless belt 62 of the belt conveyor 56
Is a mesh shape in which microholes are formed innumerably, so that a part of warm air blown out from the slit 58 can pass through.

The drying section 30 is provided with a blower 62 at a lower portion.

The blower 62 has a suction port 62A in the direction of arrow B.
More air is sucked, and the sucked air is blown upward (in the direction of arrow U).

A heater unit 64 for heating the air is connected to the air blowing side of the blower 62, and further above the first duct 6 for guiding the heated air upward.
6 are connected.

The above-described nozzle 60 is connected to the upper end of the first duct 66, and the warm air blown out from the first duct 66 is supplied to the inside of the nozzle 60.

The upper cover 74 covers the upper part of the rinsing tank 28D, and shields the interior of the processor unit 22 from light.
A and the rising part 74B rising along the fourth cover 40
It has.

The rising portion 74B is provided with a slit 75 for allowing air to pass therethrough.
A handle 76 to be gripped when attaching / detaching 4 is formed.

A plurality of reinforcing ribs 78 extending in the vertical direction are formed on the inner surface of the rising portion 74B, and a hot air cutoff portion 80 having a fixed width is integrally formed below the ribs 78. Is formed. Note that the hot air blocking unit 80 also has a role of blocking light that enters the processing tank from the drying unit 30 side. (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.

On the other hand, in the drying section 30, as shown in FIG. 2, the air blown out of the blower 62 is heated by the heater unit 64, and is passed through the first duct 66 to the nozzle 6.
0 (the flow of air is indicated by a two-dot chain line arrow Wa).

The hot air blown into the nozzle 60 (the flow of the hot air is indicated by a two-dot chain line arrow Wb) is
Head to side 8.

From the slit 58, the belt conveyor 56
Warm air (arrow Wc) is blown toward the photographic paper P (not shown in FIG. 2) conveyed in the above.

The photographic paper P, which has been washed, is provided with slits 58.
Dried by warm air blown from
It is discharged outside the device.

A part of the hot air blown out from the slit 58 is supplied to the inlet of the blower 62 through the duct 68, the duct 70 and the duct 72 as shown by arrows Wd, We and Wf in FIGS. It is returned to 62A, and the other part is discharged out of the apparatus through the slit 75 of the upper cover 74.

The blower 62 sucks a part of the warm air blown out from the slit 58 and also sucks the outside air from the outside air inlet 47.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the duct which is a separate component independent of the cover is not used, the number of components is reduced.

As shown in FIG. 4, a part (Wg) of the warm air blown out from the slit 58 tries to flow into the rinsing tank 28D. Since the hot air blocking portion 80 of the upper cover 74 is provided, warm air does not flow into the color developing tank 24, the bleach-fix tank 26, the first rinsing tank 28A to the fourth rinsing tank 28D. Accordingly, problems such as a change in the temperature of the processing liquid, evaporation of the processing liquid, and deformation of the transport rack 32 and the like do not occur.

Further, the warm air blocking section 80 also has a light blocking function, and it is not necessary to use a light blocking plate or the like dedicated to light blocking as a separate component, and the number of components is reduced.

The temperature of the outer surface of the first cover 34 closest to the slit 58 tends to be high. However, in order to prevent the temperature from rising, as shown in FIG. It is preferable to provide a double wall structure provided.

In order to prevent the air in the air layer 82 from expanding and deforming the first cover 34, it is preferable to form a through-hole 84 in the first cover 34 and to communicate the air layer 82 with the outside air. .

For example, the first cover 34 having the double wall structure shown in FIG. 8 can be obtained by core slide molding.

When the first cover 34 is formed in this manner, there is no need to attach a heat insulating material, and the number of parts can be reduced.
The labor for pasting can be reduced.

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 photosensitive material processing apparatuses. The photosensitive material processing device is not limited to this, for example, a film,
The present invention can be applied to various photosensitive material processing apparatuses for processing other photosensitive materials such as a printing plate.

Further, the blowing means may not only blow out the sucked air but also blow out hot air or cold air.

The present invention also relates to a blower (eg, air conditioner, humidifier, dehumidifier, air purifier, hot air heater, refrigerator, hot air All of them can be applied to a toilet seat with a blower.

[0071]

As described above, in the blower according to the first aspect, since the air contact member is the inner wall of the outer cover,
This has an excellent effect that the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where the exterior cover and the air contact member are separated.

Since the blower according to the second aspect has the above-described structure, it is not necessary to use a dedicated duct or the like for passing air as a separate part, and the number of parts is reduced. Has the effect.

Since the blower according to the third aspect has the above-described structure, the outer cover can have a heat insulating effect without using a heat insulating material separately. For example, when warm air is blown out from the blower. In addition, it has an excellent effect that the temperature rise on the outer surface of the outer cover can be suppressed.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect, since the air contact member is the inner wall of the outer cover, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where the outer cover and the air contact member are separated. It has an excellent effect.

Since the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect has the above-described structure, it is not necessary to use a dedicated duct or the like for allowing air to pass therethrough as a separate part, thereby reducing the number of parts. It has an excellent effect.

Since the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the sixth aspect has the above-described structure, the outer cover can have a heat insulating effect without using a heat insulating material separately. For example, warm air is blown out from a blower. In this case, it has an excellent effect that the temperature rise of the outer surface of the outer cover can be suppressed.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the present invention, the air contact member shields light entering from outside into the processing tank, so that there is no need to use a light shielding plate or the like as a separate component.
It has an excellent effect of reducing the number of parts.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an external view of the printer processor with a partial cover removed, as viewed from the rear side of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the printer processor as viewed from the back side of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a part of a rinsing tank and a drying unit.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an upper cover.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another configuration of the first cover.

[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 rinsing tank (processing tank) 28D Fourth rinsing tank (processing tank) 62 Blower (blowing means) 58 Slit (air outlet) 34 First cover (exterior cover, air contact member) 36 Second cover (exterior cover, Air contact member) 38 Third cover (exterior cover, air contact member) 40 Fourth cover (exterior cover, air contact member) 46 Seventh cover (exterior cover, air contact member) 74 Upper cover (exterior cover, air contact member) ) 80 Hot air cutoff (air contact member)

Claims (7)

[Claims] A blower for blowing out the sucked air; a blower for blowing the air blown from the blower toward a predetermined object; at least air blown from the blower, the blower An air contact member that makes contact with any of the air blown out and the air sucked by the air blowing means, and an exterior cover surrounding at least a part of the air blowing means and the air outlet, the air contact member comprising: A blower, which is an inner wall of the outer cover. 2. The air contact member is at least a part of a pipe through which at least one of the air blown from the blower, the air blown from the outlet, and the air sucked by the blower passes. The blower according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The blower according to claim 1, wherein the exterior cover has at least two wall surfaces facing each other with an air layer interposed therebetween. 4. A processing tank for processing a photosensitive material with a processing liquid, a blowing means for blowing out sucked air, and a means for blowing air blown from the blowing means onto the photosensitive material after processing with the processing liquid. An outlet, an exterior cover surrounding at least a part of the blower and the blower, and at least any of air blown from the blower, air blown from the blower, and air sucked by the blower. A photosensitive material processing device comprising: an air contact member that contacts the photosensitive material; and the air contact member is an inner wall of the exterior cover. 5. The air contact member forms at least a part of a pipe through which any of the air blown out from the blower, the air blown out from the blower outlet, and the air sucked by the blower is passed. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus comprises: 6. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the exterior cover has at least two wall surfaces facing each other across an air layer. 7. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the air contact member blocks light entering from outside into the processing tank.