JP2000019702A - Chemical delivery port assembly for automatic developing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent respective chemicals from mixing with each other at delivery ports when supply of a processing supply liquid is stopped, in the event that the plurality of chemicals are delivered at positions relatively near to each other and that they are mixed into a processing liquid to produce the processing supply liquid. SOLUTION: Because a thin-walled tapered tongue member 114 is formed in one body with a delivery opening part 106 of each of four pipe conduits 110 in a pipe assembly 110, liquid cut-off is made quicker at the delivery opening part 106 and therefore neighboring liquids are inhibited from mixing with each other. Thus, phenomena, such as deposition and solidification, caused by liquid mixing at the delivery opening part 106 and needing future maintenance, are prevented and maintainability can be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is used in an automatic developing machine for immersing a photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter referred to as a "photosensitive material") in a processing solution stored in a processing tank and performing development processing. The present invention relates to a chemical solution discharge port assembly of an automatic developing machine for guiding a replenisher to be replenished based on a chemical solution.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an automatic developing machine for photosensitive materials, a plurality of processing tanks such as a developing tank, a fixing tank, and a washing tank are arranged. Each processing tank stores a processing solution such as a developing solution, a fixing solution, and washing water, and the photosensitive material is sequentially immersed in the developing solution, the fixing solution, and the washing water to be developed. The developed photosensitive material is dried in a drying section and discharged.

[0003] Here, the processing liquid is deteriorated with time or deteriorated due to processing, and a replenisher is replenished as necessary to recover the processing capacity.

For example, a developer is supplemented with a developer replenisher. The developer replenisher has three types of chemicals (agent A, agent B and agent C).
Agent) and water.

At this time, it is preferable to mix immediately before or immediately after replenishment to the developing tank. For this reason, the four types of chemicals (including water) are guided from the respective tanks to the vicinity of the developing tank by independent pipes, and are mixed when discharged to the developing tank.

At the end of each conduit, that is, at the portion attached to the side wall of the developing tank or the like, an integrally molded product with a close discharge port is applied in order to secure piping space and improve mixing of a chemical solution. In this integrally molded product, four conduits are formed,
Four discharge ports are provided on the surface of the developing tank facing the developer surface.

As a result, the four types of chemicals (including water)
Since the inks are ejected in a state of being close to each other, they are easily mixed in the developer.

As described above, a discharge tank is not provided directly toward the developing tank, but a mixing tank for mixing four chemicals (including water) is provided in advance, and the four chemicals (including water) are provided in the mixing tank. (Including water), mixed, and then fed into a developing tank.

[0009]

However, since the discharge ports in the above-mentioned conventional integrated molded product are provided on the same plane, each liquid remaining in the vicinity of the discharge ports when the replenishment of the replenisher is stopped is adjacent to each other. The liquid may flow around the liquid discharge port and mix. If the mixture is left for a relatively long time after the mixing, precipitation or solidification occurs due to the mixing of the chemical solutions, and in the worst case, the discharge port is blocked.

In consideration of the above fact, the present invention discharges a plurality of chemical solutions relatively close to each other and mixes them in the processing solution to generate a processing replenisher. It is an object of the present invention to provide a chemical solution discharge port assembly of an automatic developing machine that can prevent mixing of each chemical solution at a discharge port and prevent precipitation or the like caused by the mixing.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of discharge ports for separately discharging a plurality of chemical solutions which become photographic processing liquids by mixing are provided close to each other, and the discharge ports are provided. A discharge port assembly disposed above one tank for receiving these liquid chemicals, wherein each of said discharge ports is provided for preventing contact between the liquid chemicals remaining near the adjacent discharge port during non-discharge. It is characterized by a liquid drainage structure.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the discharge port is provided with a liquid draining structure, when the chemical liquid is not discharged, the liquid draining structure ensures that the liquid is drained, and the liquid is temporarily removed due to surface tension or the like. Even if they are held in a protruding state, they are completely separated from the adjacent liquids and do not mix.

Therefore, adjacent discharge ports can be made closer to each other, so that the size of the assembly can be reduced, and the mixing performance after the discharge can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the liquid draining structure is a thin tapered tongue member formed so as to protrude around the discharge port. And

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the liquid draining structure is constituted by a thin tapered tongue member. Thereby, the discharge ports are not substantially coplanar,
It is possible to prevent sneaking around the adjacent discharge port. In addition, the tapered shape makes it easier for droplets leaking from the ejection port to fall.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the liquid draining structure is a partition member comprising a cutout or a wall provided between a plurality of discharge ports. It is characterized by:

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the liquid draining structure is constituted by a partition member. As a partition member, a wall surface is the most effective, so that even if there is a discharge port on the same plane, the liquid can be prevented from flowing around by the wall surface. Further, a cutout may be formed instead of the wall surface, and the cutout portion separates the surface on which the discharge port is formed, so that the same effect as the wall surface can be obtained.

[0018]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an automatic developing apparatus 10 applied to the present embodiment. The automatic developing device 10 develops, fixes and rinses a sheet-like film 12 which is a kind of photosensitive material, and then finishes the film by drying. In the automatic developing apparatus 10, the film 12 having various lengths along the transport direction can be processed. That is, processing can be performed on a so-called sheet film 12S cut for each image or a film 12R in which a plurality of images are continuously recorded and wound on a roll. Hereinafter, when the film form is specified, it is distinguished from the sheet film 12S and the roll film 12R as described above.

In the automatic developing apparatus 10, a processing solution processing section 1 is provided.
6 and a drying unit 18 are provided. Processing liquid processing unit 16
Is composed of a developing tank 22, a fixing tank 24, and a washing tank 26 partitioned along the transport direction of the film 12. Rinsing tanks 28 and 30 are provided between the developing tank 22 and the fixing tank 24 and between the fixing tank 24 and the washing tank 26.

In each of the rinsing tanks 28 and 30,
Water is supplied as a rinsing liquid. In the automatic developing apparatus 10, when the water overflowing from the rinsing tanks 28 and 30 to the developing tank 22 and the fixing tank 24 is replenished with the developing replenisher and the fixing replenisher. Used as dilution water. That is, the replenisher is replenished to the developing tank 22 and the fixing tank 24 such that the replenisher stock replenished to the developing tank 22 and the fixing tank 24 is diluted with water overflowing from the rinsing tanks 28 and 30. And in the fixing tank 24. Also, the developer in the developing tank 22 and the fixing tank 24
The fixing solution inside is heated by passing through a heat exchanger while being circulated by a pump (not shown), and is maintained at a predetermined temperature at which the film 12 is optimally finished. During the circulation of the developing solution and the fixing solution, the replenishing stock solution replenished in each of the developing tank 22 and the fixing tank 24 and the dilution water are stirred so as to be uniformly mixed.

An insertion roller 36 is provided near the film insertion port 32 of the automatic developing apparatus 10. The film 12 inserted from the insertion port 32 by sliding on the insertion table 34 is inserted into the insertion roller 36. And is drawn into the automatic developing device 10. Note that, instead of the insertion table 34, a scanner or the like that exposes and outputs the film 12 may be arranged, and the film 12 output from the scanner may be sent from the film insertion port 32.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the developing tank 22, the fixing tank 24, and the washing tank 26 has a developing rack 40, a fixing rack 42, and a washing rack 44 as processing racks.
Is provided. Each of the developing rack 40, the fixing rack 42, and the washing rack 44 is a pair of rack side plates,
A plurality of roller pairs 5 spanned between 46, 48, 50
8 and a guide 60, which form a substantially U-shaped conveyance path.

Further, above the developing tank 22, the fixing tank 24 and the washing tank 26, crossover racks 52, 54, 5
6 are arranged. Crossover rack 52, 5
4 and 56 are a pair of rack side plates 62 and 64,
Between the rollers 66, a pair of rollers 68 and 70 and a guide portion 92 are stretched.

Each of the crossover racks 52, 54, 56 includes a developing rack 40 and a fixing rack 42 from above.
And a washing rack 46. Thereby, each crossover rack 5
Each of the guide portions 92 of 2, 54 and 56 is
2. The surface of the processing liquid (developer, fixing liquid and washing water) stored in the fixing tank 24 and the washing tank 26 is covered, and the area where the processing liquid comes into contact with air is reduced.

The roller pairs 70 of the crossover racks 52 and 54 are disposed in the rinsing tanks 28 and 30, respectively, and a part of the lower roller is used for rinsing liquid supplied to the rinsing tanks 28 and 30. Soaked. The insertion roller 36 is disposed on the crossover rack 52.

A driving force of a driving source (not shown) is transmitted to each of the developing rack 40, the fixing rack 42, the rinsing rack 44, and the crossover racks 52, 54, 56. 36, the roller pair 58 and the roller pairs 68, 70
2 in the transport direction.

When the film 12 inserted from the film insertion port 32 is nipped by the insertion roller 36, the film 12 is drawn into the processing liquid processing section 16 and is transported in the developing tank 22 by the developing rack 40. Thereafter, the film 12 is sent into the fixing tank 24 via the rinsing tank 28 by the crossover rack 52. When the film 12 fed into the fixing tank 24 is conveyed while being immersed in the fixing solution and is subjected to the fixing process, the film 12 is sent to the washing tank 26 via the rinsing tank 30 by the crossover rack 54 and subjected to the washing process. Is done. The film 12 is provided in the rinsing tanks 28, 3
0, the surface is washed by a rinsing liquid (water) pumped by the lower roller of the roller pair 70, and the processing liquid adhered to the surface of the film 12 from the processing tank on the upstream side and taken out is removed. Washed off.

When the film 12 processed with the processing liquid in each processing tank is pulled out from the washing tank 26, it is conveyed to the drying unit 18. The roller pair 70 provided on the crossover rack 56 is moved from the washing tank 26 to the drying unit 1.
When the film 12 is conveyed to the surface 8, it also has a role of a squeeze for squeezing out moisture adhering to the surface of the film 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drying unit 18 includes
The film 12 is held in a substantially horizontal state by a plurality of roller pairs 72.
Is formed. The film 12
After being conveyed in the drying section 18 while being pinched by the roller pair 72, it is directed downward by a roller 74 and a guide 76 provided at the most downstream side, and is discharged from a discharge port 78 formed in the machine frame 14 to a receiving box 80. It is discharged toward.

The drying section 18 has a plurality of infrared heaters 82 and a reflecting mirror 8 arranged vertically above and below the transport path of the film 12.
6 are provided. In the drying unit 18, the conveyed film 12 is heated and dried by radiant heat emitted from the infrared heater 82. A guide 84 formed of a stainless steel wire is provided between each of the infrared heaters 82 and the conveyance path of the film 12, and guides the film 12 to the downstream side while preventing the film 12 from contacting the infrared heater 82. .

In the drying section 18, a fan 88 is disposed on the opposite side of the film 12 from the conveyance path with the infrared heater 82 interposed therebetween. These fans 88 take in air outside the machine and blow it onto the surface of the film 12 as dry air. A blowing pipe 90 is disposed downstream of the drying unit 18 with the conveyance path of the film 12 interposed therebetween. Outside air sucked by a fan disposed below the drying unit 18 is supplied to the blowing pipe 90 as drying air, and the drying air is blown to the surface of the film 12.

The drying air blown from the fan 88 and the blowing pipe 90 removes moisture evaporated from the surface of the film 12 to promote drying. The fan 88 maintains the temperature of the surface of the film 12 heated by the infrared heater 82 within a predetermined temperature range.

In the automatic developing machine 10 having the above structure, it is necessary to periodically supply a processing replenisher to each processing liquid tank.

In particular, the processing replenisher used in the developing tank 22 (hereinafter referred to as a developing replenisher) is formed by mixing a plurality of chemicals. In the present embodiment, the developing replenisher is
Agent A, Agent B, Agent C and water are mixed and produced.
Here, if the mixing is performed before the replenishment time, the deterioration with the lapse of time is promoted, so that the mixing is performed immediately before the replenishment to the developing tank 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, a developing replenisher supply pipe assembly 100 is attached to the side wall of the developing tank 22. The pipe assembly 100 is an integrally molded product made of hard rubber.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a rectangular flange portion 102 is formed in the pipe assembly 100, and is tightly fitted to the side wall of the developing tank 22.
A first pipe 104 bent in an inverted J-shape is formed from above the flange 102, and the discharge opening 10 is formed.
6 is facing down. The projecting opening 106 is located inside the developing tank 22.

Further, four circular pipe-shaped second pipes 108 are projected below the flange portion 102.
Each of them is connected to a replenisher generation chemical tank or a water tank via a pump (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 4, the first pipe 10
Four pipes 110 are provided in 4 and each independently communicates with the four pipes 110 of the second pipe. Thus, when the pump is driven, the agent A, the agent B, the agent C, and water pass through the second pipe 108 and the first pipe 104 and are discharged from the discharge opening 106.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the distal end face of the first pipe 104 in which the discharge opening 106 is formed has a stepped shape, and two inner pipes 110 are connected to two outer pipes. Projecting from the conduit 110 of FIG. In addition, each pipeline 1
A tongue member 114 as a thin taper-shaped liquid drain portion is formed at the distal end portion 10. The tongue member 114 has a tapered inner and outer periphery. Of these, the inner peripheral taper serves to increase the surface tension, and as shown in FIG. 5, each liquid is held in a protruding state.

Further, the outer peripheral taper is formed in the adjacent pipe 110.
Has the role of preventing the liquid from moving to the
When the liquid runs out at 0, the liquid droplets which are separated from the conduit 110 and are going to flow into the opening of the adjacent conduit 110 are shaken off (see a chain line in FIG. 5).

That is, the tongue member 114 prevents the chemicals (including water) from mixing with each other at the discharge opening 106 before replenishing the development. As a result, maintenance such as precipitation and solidification at the discharge opening 106 is required. Phenomena can be suppressed.

The pipe assembly 10 as described above
By applying 0, each chemical solution (including water) is mixed after dropping onto the liquid surface of the developing tank 22, has a function as a developing replenisher, and recovers the deterioration of the developing solution due to deterioration over time and processing deterioration. Can be done.

The operation of the present embodiment will be described below.

In the automatic developing apparatus 10, when an operation start is instructed by operating an operation panel (not shown), the developing tank 2 is operated.
A start-up process is performed so that each of the developer in the fixing tank 2, the fixing liquid in the fixing tank 24, and the inside of the drying unit 18 has a predetermined temperature. When the start-up is completed and the film 12 inserted through the insertion port 32 is detected, the automatic developing device 10 sets the developing rack 40, the crossover rack 52,
The fixing rack 42, the crossover rack 54, the washing rack 44, the crossover rack 56, and the rollers in the drying unit 18 are driven.

As a result, the film 12 inserted from the insertion port 32 is drawn into the processing liquid processing section 16 from the insertion port 32, and is immersed in the developing solution, the fixing solution, and the washing water in order to perform the developing, fixing, and washing processes. Is performed. At this time, as the transport speed of the film 12 gradually increases, the film 12 is given a predetermined tension, and is transported smoothly without any slack.

When the film 12 has been washed,
While being sent to the drying unit 18 while being squeezed, and is conveyed in the drying unit 18, it is heated by the radiant heat from the infrared heater 82, and is subjected to the drying process by the drying air blown from the fan 88 and the blowing pipe 90. Is discharged.

Here, in each processing tank in the processing liquid processing section 16, it is necessary to replenish the processing replenisher in accordance with the aging of the processing liquid and the processing deterioration. In particular, when the developing replenisher is replenished to the developing tank 22, it is necessary to mix and replenish three kinds of chemicals (agent A, agent B, agent C) and water.

In this embodiment, a pipe assembly 100 is used as a pipe for replenishing the developing tank 22 with the replenishing solution. This pipe assembly 10
Numeral 0 denotes a rubber integrally molded product in which four pipes 110 are provided in parallel in advance, and can send four kinds of chemicals (including water) to the developing tank 22 independently of each other.

That is, the pipe assembly 100 is
The flange 102 is tightly fitted into the side wall of the developing tank 22, and the discharge opening 106 faces the liquid surface of the developing tank 22. The second pipe 108 sucks up the respective chemicals (including water) from the tank for the agent A, the tank for the agent B, the tank for the agent C, and the water tank independently via a pump. It is guided by the inverted J-shaped first pipe 104 communicating with the pipe 108 and discharged from the discharge opening 106. The four discharged chemicals (including water) are mixed in a developer and have a function as a development replenisher.

As described above, in this embodiment, each chemical solution (including water) is made independent until the developer replenisher is replenished to the developer, so that the developer replenisher is deteriorated or deteriorated by mixing before replenishment. No chemical change.

Further, a thin tapered tongue member 114 is formed integrally with the discharge opening 106 of the pipe assembly 100 according to the present embodiment.

The tongue member 114 is tapered on both the inner and outer circumferences, so that the surface tension is increased on the inner circumference and the liquid is prevented from flowing around on the outer circumference.

That is, by forming a taper on the inner peripheral side, the diameter of the discharge opening gradually decreases, and as shown in FIG. 4, the liquid is protruded without separating from the discharge opening 106 due to surface tension. Will be retained.

On the other hand, by forming a taper on the outer peripheral side, droplets that temporarily protrude from the discharge opening 106 and move to the adjacent discharge opening 106 due to capillary action are suppressed by the tapered surface, and fall to the developing tank 22. Can be done.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when four kinds of chemicals (including water) are replenished to the developing tank 22 without mixing, the four kinds of pipes 110 are integrally formed with the pipe. By applying the assembly 100, four types of chemicals (including water) can be independently replenished from almost the same location, so that the four types of chemicals (including water) are mixed immediately after falling into the developer. And the non-mixed state can be maintained until then.

Further, since the thin-walled tapered tongue member 114 is formed integrally with each of the discharge openings 106 of the four conduits 110 in the pipe assembly 100, the liquid discharge at the discharge openings 106 is improved, and the adjacent liquids are improved. Mixing of them can be suppressed. As a result, such as precipitation and solidification due to liquid mixing at the discharge opening 106,
A phenomenon that requires maintenance later does not occur, and maintenance workability can be improved.

Furthermore, since the four conduits 110 are formed as an integral product, the piping space is extremely small, and interference with gears for driving rollers and the like can be prevented.

In the present embodiment, the discharge opening 10
Although the distal end face of the first pipe 104 provided with 6 is stepped, it may be so-called flush as shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the tongue member 114 is used.
Was formed integrally with the discharge opening portion 106, but as shown in FIG. 7, a notch portion 114 having a predetermined width was provided between the respective conduits 110, and the liquid was drained by the notch portion 116 so that the liquid droplet was discharged. It is also possible to prevent the discharge openings 106 from reaching the adjacent discharge openings 106. The width of the cutout 116 is preferably 3 mm or more. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, the same effect can be obtained by providing a vertical wall portion 118 instead of the cutout portion 116.

In this embodiment, the structure in which the pipe assembly 100 is made to correspond to the developing tank 22 has been described as an example. However, other processing liquid tanks (the fixing tank 24, the rinsing tank 28,
30 or the like. In addition, a mixing tank for mixing four types of chemicals (including water) is provided in advance before being sent to each processing liquid tank, and a pipe assembly 100 is provided in the mixing tank.
After mixing in the mixing tank, the mixture may be sent to the processing liquid tank.

[0061]

As described above, the chemical solution discharge port assembly of the automatic developing machine according to the present invention discharges a plurality of chemical solutions relatively close to each other and mixes them in the processing solution to generate a processing replenisher. In this case, when the replenishment of the processing replenisher is stopped, there is an excellent effect that it is possible to prevent mixing of the respective chemical solutions at the discharge port and precipitation or the like caused by the mixing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an automatic developing apparatus applied to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an attached state of a pipe assembly provided on a wall surface of a developing tank.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pipe assembly.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view taken along line V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a modified example of a discharge opening.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a modified example of a discharge opening.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a modified example of a discharge opening.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Automatic developing apparatus 12 Film 16 Processing liquid processing part 22 Developing tank 24 Fixing tank 26 Rinse tank 28, 30 Rinse tank 100 Pipe assembly 102 Flange part 104 First pipe 106 Discharge opening 108 Second pipe 110 Pipe 114 Tongue Material (liquid drainage part)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Moto Suzuki 1250 Takematsu, Minamiashigara-shi, Kanagawa F-term in Fuji Kikai Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Reference) 2H098 AA05 BA22

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A discharge port for separately discharging a plurality of chemical solutions that become a photographic processing solution by mixing them is provided close to each other, and is disposed above one tank for receiving the discharged chemical solutions. Wherein the discharge ports are provided with a liquid drainage structure for preventing contact between chemical solutions remaining near adjacent discharge ports during non-discharge. Machine liquid outlet assembly. 2. A chemical liquid discharge port assembly according to claim 1, wherein said liquid draining structure is a thin tapered tongue member formed so as to protrude around the discharge port. 3. The chemical liquid discharge port of an automatic developing machine according to claim 1, wherein said liquid drain structure is a partition member comprising a cutout or a wall provided between a plurality of discharge ports. Assembly.