JP2000112099A - Washing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washing device capable of more rapidly washing racks for transportation. SOLUTION: The respective racks 120A to 120C of the transportation racks 120 are respectively submerged into washing liquid in washing tanks 12A to 120C. Air bubbles are blown to the racks 120A to 120C from pipes 24 while the transporting rollers of the racks 120A to 120C are kept rotated in the washing liquid, thereby washing is executed. At this time, the air bubbles are respectively blown off in the respective washing tanks 12A to 12C, and since the air bubbles efficiently collide against the respective racks 120A to 120C, the washing efficiency is improved and the washing time is shortened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a photographic photosensitive material transport rack of a photographic photosensitive material processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus is provided with a developing tank, a fixing tank and a washing tank in a casing. The developing tank, the fixing tank, and the washing tank store the respective processing solutions of the developing solution, the fixing solution, and the washing water, and the transport racks of the developing rack, the fixing rack, and the washing rack are detachably provided. .
Each transport rack is provided with a plurality of transport rollers that are stretched between opposed side plates and transport the photographic photosensitive material. A driven gear is provided at an end of each of the transport rollers, and meshes with a driving gear provided on the processing tank side. Therefore,
The transfer roller (driven gear) is rotationally driven by transmitting a rotational driving force from a driving source such as a motor to the driving gear. When the photographic photosensitive material is inserted into the casing from the insertion opening of the casing, the photographic photosensitive material is immersed in each processing liquid by sequentially passing through the developing tank, the fixing tank, and the washing tank due to the rotation of the transport roller. Each processing of a developing process, a fixing process, and a washing process is performed. The photographic light-sensitive material that has come out of the washing tank is subjected to a drying process in a drying section, and then is discharged to the outside through a discharge port of the casing.

Incidentally, the following dirt adheres to the transport rack.

[0004] Silver ions in the emulsion of the photographic film are reduced and deposited on the side plates of the developing rack and on the transport rollers. The dye is eluted from the back surface of the photographic film into the developing solution, is carried into the fixing tank, and adheres to the developing rack, the side plate of the fixing rack, and the transport roller. Aluminum not only precipitates from the fixing solution on the side plate of the fixing rack and the transport roller, but also the fixer is brought into the washing tank, and the aluminum adheres to the side plate of the washing rack and the transport roller.

In order to remove such dirt, it is necessary to clean the transport rack. The cleaning is performed by removing the transport rack from the processing tank.

In order to efficiently clean the transport rack, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-265167 discloses an apparatus for cleaning an object to be cleaned. This cleaning device cleans the transport rack by immersing the transport rack arranged in the cleaning tank in the cleaning liquid and blowing bubbles to the transport rack. In addition, by driving the transport roller of the transport rack at the time of cleaning, dirt attached to the transport roller can be satisfactorily removed. In addition, by drying the carrier rack while swinging it after the washing, the carrier rack can be efficiently dried.

[0007]

However, there is a demand for further shortening the cleaning time in order to improve the efficiency of the cleaning operation.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus capable of cleaning a transport rack more quickly.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to claim 1 is provided in a developing tank, a fixing tank, and a washing tank of a photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus. A cleaning device for cleaning a transport rack including a gear mechanism for driving the transport roller, wherein each of the transport racks disposed in the developing tank, the fixing tank, and the washing tank is stored and supported. A washing tank in which a washing solution is stored,
Bubble generating means for generating bubbles in each of the cleaning tanks storing the cleaning liquid.

The operation of the first aspect of the present invention will be described.

The transport racks provided in the developing tank, the fixing tank, and the washing tank used in the photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus and the like are contaminated with use. Therefore, each transport rack is extracted from the photographic material processing apparatus or the like and inserted into a separate washing tank. As a result, the processing rack is completely submerged in the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank. Therefore,
Bubbles are generated inside each cleaning tank by the bubble generating means. Since the transport racks are inserted into separate washing tanks one by one, bubbles efficiently collide with the transport racks (transport rollers). As a result, dirt on each transport rack is efficiently removed.

As described above, instead of inserting three transfer racks into one washing tank, each transfer rack is inserted into a separate washing tank, and bubbles are generated in each washing tank. Efficiently colliding with the transport rack, the cleaning capacity is improved, and the cleaning time is shortened.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the driving means for driving the transport roller by meshing with the gear mechanism by supporting the transport rack in the cleaning tank. It is characterized by having.

The operation of the invention described in claim 2 will be described.

When the processing rack is supported by the cleaning tank, the driving gear mechanism of the transport roller meshes with the driving means. That is, the drive mechanism can rotate the gear mechanism and the transport roller provided on the transport rack. Therefore, since the gear mechanism and the transport roller are washed while being rotated, dirt on the transport roller and the gear mechanism can be uniformly removed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the driving means is inserted into a driving source provided outside the cleaning tank and a hole provided in a side wall of the cleaning tank. And a gear provided on the shaft and meshing with the gear mechanism, and a mechanical seal is provided between the shaft and the hole.

The operation of the invention will be described.

The driving means includes a shaft inserted into a hole provided in a side wall of the cleaning tank. Although the cleaning liquid may leak along the shaft because the shaft rotates, the mechanical seal is provided between the shaft and the hole, so that the cleaning liquid can be prevented from leaking from the cleaning tank. Therefore, the cleaning efficiency is improved.

The present invention described in claim 4 is the first to third aspects of the present invention.
In the invention described in any one of the above (1) to (4), the air bubble generating means is a pipe disposed on a bottom surface of the cleaning tank in a longitudinal direction of the cleaning tank and connected to a compressed air supply source, And a plurality of holes are formed along.

The operation of the invention will be described.

A pipe is provided on the bottom surface of the washing tank along the longitudinal direction of the washing tank, and a plurality of holes are formed along the longitudinal direction of the pipe. . As described above, since a large number of bubbles can be generated at the same time, the cleaning time of the transport rack can be further reduced.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a cleaning apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, a photographic photosensitive material processing apparatus equipped with a transport rack to be cleaned by the cleaning apparatus will be schematically described.
Next, the cleaning device will be described.

As shown in FIG. 7, the photographic material processing apparatus 100 includes a photographic film 1 inserted through an insertion port 102.
04 is a developing tank 10 containing a developing solution, a fixing solution, and washing water.
6. After being conveyed continuously to the fixing tank 108 and the washing tank 110 for processing, the drying is performed by the drying unit 112 and
Store in 4.

Developing tank 106, fixing tank 108, washing tank 11
In each of the processing tanks 0, a transport rack 120 is provided at the time of attachment / detachment. A large number of transport rollers 116 and guide plates 118 disposed between opposed side plates of the transport rack 120
However, the photographic film 104 is transferred to each of the processing tanks 106, 108, 1
It is guided so as to be sufficiently immersed in the processing solution of No. 10.

The transport rack 120 includes a developing rack 120A, a fixing rack 120B, and a washing rack 120C which are inserted into the developing tank 106, the fixing tank 108, and the washing tank 110, respectively.
(See FIG. 1). Each of the racks 120A to 120C is connected by a connecting plate 122 at the upper end position,
An edge 124 is formed to protrude around. Each rack 12
In 0A to 120C, one end of the shaft of the transport roller 116 projects outside the one side plate 126, and a driven gear 128 is mounted. The driven gear 128 can mesh with a drive gear of the photographic material processing apparatus 100. Although omitted in the figure, the side plate 12
On the outside of 6, a gear mechanism is formed by a number of driven gears for transmitting a driving force to the plurality of transport rollers 116.

Next, the cleaning device 10 for cleaning the transport rack 120 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning device 10 includes a developing rack 120A, a fixing rack 120B, and a washing rack 12A.
It has cleaning tanks 12A, 12B, and 12C that store 0C. The cleaning tanks 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C are containers formed by rectangular side plates and a bottom plate that are open at the top, and include the developing tank 106, the fixing tank 108, and the water washing tank 1 of the photographic photosensitive material processing apparatus 100.
It is formed in the same shape as 10.

Around the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C, a side plate 14 higher than the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C surrounds the circumference.

On the side of each of the washing tanks 12A to 12C, there is provided a water injection port 18 connected from a water supply pipe 16 having an electromagnetic valve. An overflow pipe 20 is connected to an upper part of the side plate 14. Therefore, by opening the electromagnetic valve of the water supply pipe 16, water can be supplied into each of the cleaning tanks 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C, and the water level of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning device 10 can be maintained at a predetermined position by the overflow pipe 20.

Further, a drain port 22 is provided on the bottom of each of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C, and the cleaning liquid can be drained by opening the on-off valve 23.

The washing liquid here is water,
It may contain an additive such as a surfactant.

The bottom of each of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C is
As shown in FIG. 4, a pipe 24 for generating air bubbles is provided in the longitudinal direction. The pipe 24 has a plurality of holes 26 formed at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction.
The pipe 24 is provided with a compressed air supply 28 and a solenoid valve 30,
It is connected via a pressure adjusting valve 32 for adjusting the air pressure supplied to each pipe 24. Therefore, by opening the solenoid valve 30 to the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C in which the cleaning liquid is stored, bubbles are generated from the hole 26 of the pipe 24. In addition, by adjusting each pressure adjusting valve 32, the amount of bubbles generated in each of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C can be adjusted. For example, the generation amount of bubbles is increased in the cleaning tank 12A in which the highly dirty developing rack 120A is inserted, and the generation amount of bubbles is reduced in the cleaning tank 12C in which the less dirty cleaning rack 120C is inserted. Can be done.

A shaft 40 is rotatably disposed above the longitudinal ends of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C (see FIGS. 1, 3, and 4). One end of the shaft 40 projects outside the side plate 14, and a timing pulley 42 is mounted on the shaft. On the other hand, a drive motor 46 on which a timing pulley 44 is mounted is provided outside the side plate 14. A timing belt 48 is wound between the timing pulleys 42 and 44. Therefore, by driving the drive motor 46, the timing belt 48
The shaft 40 is rotationally driven via the.

Each of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12
A drive gear 50 is formed at a position corresponding to the upper part of the transport rack 120. When the racks 120A to 120C of the transport rack 120 are inserted into the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C, the driven gear 12
8 can be engaged. Drive gear 50 and driven gear 1
The worm gear 28 is preferably a worm gear composed of a worm and a worm gear.

The shaft 40 is provided with a hole 52 in the side plate 14.
However, a mechanical seal 54 is provided between the hole 52 and the shaft 40 to prevent leakage of the cleaning liquid.

The mechanical seal 54 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 7, a seal member 56, a slidable member 58 fitted to the seal member 56, a slidable member 60 sliding with the slidable member 58, a spring 62, and a receiving member 6 of the spring 62.
And 4.

A mounting member 68 having a hole 66 whose diameter is smaller than that of the hole 52 is screwed into the hole 52 of the side plate 14. The seal member 56 is in contact with the mounting member 68.

The shaft 40 is attached to the rubber sealing member 56.
A hole 70 having a slightly larger diameter is formed. Also,
A ring-shaped slidable member 58 is fitted into the concave portion 72 of the seal member 56.

The sliding member 58 made of ceramic has a hole 74 having the same diameter as the shaft 40. However, since it is fitted to the seal member 56, it does not rotate with the shaft 40.

The sliding member 60 includes a ceramic sliding portion 76 whose end faces slide with the sliding member 58, a rubber mounting portion 78, and outer peripheral portions of the sliding portion 76 and the mounting portion 78. And a metal cover 80 to be mounted. Since the sliding member 60 is press-fitted into the shaft 40, the mounting portion 78 rotates integrally with the shaft 40, and the frictional force with the mounting portion 78 also rotates the sliding portion 76 integrally.

The mounting portion 78 of the sliding member 60 (the metal cover 8)
One end of the spring 62 is in contact with the step portion of (0). The other end of the spring 62 is in contact with a receiving member 64 that is in contact with the enlarged diameter portion 82 of the shaft 40.

Therefore, the sliding portion 76 of the sliding member 60 normally urged in the direction A by the spring 62 slides (rotates) while being pressed against the member 58 to be slid, thereby reducing the rotation of the shaft 40. Nevertheless, the watertightness between the sliding portion 76 and the slidable member 58 is maintained. The shaft 40
Even if is slightly displaced in the B direction, the pressing force between the sliding portion 76 and the slidable member 58 is maintained within a predetermined range by the elastic force of the spring 62. Further, the rubber mounting portion 7 of the sliding member 60 is provided.
8 is crimped to the shaft 40,
The water does not leak out along.

The operation of the cleaning device 10 thus configured will be described.

First, the transport rack 120 is extracted from the photographic material processing apparatus 100, and each of the racks 120A to 120A
C is inserted into the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C of the cleaning device 10.
At this time, the transport rack 120 is supported by the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C by the edge 124 and is positioned at a predetermined position. At this time, the driven gear 128 meshes with the driving gear 50 mounted on the shaft 40.

In the cleaning apparatus 10, the cleaning liquid is filled up to the position of the overflow pipe 20. Therefore, the transport rack 120 is completely immersed in the cleaning liquid including the transport roller 116 (the driven gear 128).

In this state, the transport rack 1 is
20 is washed.

First, the drive motor 46 is driven to rotate the shaft 40. Thereby, each transport roller 116 is rotated via the driving gear 50 and the driven gear 128.

At the same time, compressed air is supplied from a compressed air supply source 28 to the pipe 24 to blow air bubbles out of the holes 26.

At this time, inside the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C, air bubbles blow out from the hole 26 of the pipe 24 disposed on the bottom surface. As a result, the bubbles collide with the racks 120A to 120C, thereby removing the dirt on the transport rack 120.

Since the transport rollers 116 (driven gears 128) of each of the racks 120A to 120C are rotating,
The bubbles collide with the orbiting surface of the transport roller 116 (the driven gear 128), and the dirt can be uniformly removed.

Further, the cleaning liquid is stirred by the upward movement of the bubbles due to the buoyancy and the disappearance of the bubbles, so that the cleaning effect of the transport rack 120 is enhanced.

The water supply pipe 16 is connected to the cleaning tanks 12A to 12A.
The cleaning liquid containing dirt is discharged from the overflow pipe 20 by replenishing water in C, and the cleaning tanks 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> A.
The cleaning liquid in 12C is kept in a clean state.

In particular, in the cleaning apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, since the pipes 24 serving as the bubble generating means are disposed on the bottom surfaces of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C, the racks 120A to 120A inserted into the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C are arranged. Bubbles can efficiently collide with 120C to remove dirt in a short time. In other words, the bubbles are less likely to float without colliding with the racks 120A to 120C (the transport rollers 116 and the guide plates 118), so that the bubbles are used efficiently for cleaning. Therefore, the cleaning time is reduced, and the working efficiency is improved.

Further, since a pipe 24 is provided in the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C and a plurality of holes 26 are formed along the longitudinal direction, a large number of air bubbles are simultaneously generated in each of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12C. Can be blown out. Therefore, the cleaning by the bubbles becomes more efficient, and the cleaning time can be shortened.

Further, in the cleaning apparatus 10, the transport rack 1
Each of the 20 racks 120A to 120C is connected to each of the cleaning tanks 12A to 12A.
Since it is only inserted into and fixed to the 12C for cleaning, a mechanism for vibrating the rack as in the related art (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-265167) is unnecessary. Therefore, the entire cleaning device becomes compact.

Since the cleaning device 10 is entirely covered by the cover 90 (see the two-dot chain line portion in FIGS. 2 and 4) and the cleaning is performed in the sealed area, the cleaning liquid and dirt are scattered outside the device. Is prevented and workability is improved. Also,
By providing a hole in the cover 90 and forming the hole in a chimney shape, overflow of the cleaning liquid can be prevented.

In this embodiment, the developing rack 120
A, the fixing rack 120B, and the washing rack 120C are integrally formed as the transport rack 120, but it is also possible to wash separately formed racks.

[0059]

According to the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the transport rack can be easily and quickly cleaned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a cleaning device and a transport rack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part showing a cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing a cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the female seal according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the female seal according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a photographic material processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Cleaning apparatus 12A-12C Cleaning tank 24 Pipe (bubble generation means) 50 Drive gear 54 Mechanical seal 100 Photosensitive material processing apparatus 116 Transport roller 120A Developing rack (transport rack) 120B Fixing rack (transport rack) 120C (Transport rack) 128 Follower gear

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A transport rack provided with a transport roller and a gear mechanism for driving the transport roller, the transport rack being disposed in a developing tank, a fixing tank, and a washing tank of the photographic material processing apparatus. A cleaning device, comprising: a cleaning tank in which a cleaning liquid is stored and supported by each of the transport racks disposed in the developing tank, the fixing tank, and the washing tank; and a bubble in each of the cleaning tanks in which the cleaning liquid is stored. And a bubble generating means for generating air bubbles. 2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving unit that drives the transport roller by meshing with the gear mechanism when the transport rack is supported by the cleaning tank. . 3. The driving means includes: a driving source provided outside a cleaning tank; a shaft inserted through a hole provided in a side wall of the cleaning tank and rotated by the driving source; and a driving means provided on the shaft. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a gear that meshes with the gear mechanism, and a mechanical seal is provided between the shaft and the hole. 4. A pipe provided on the bottom surface of the washing tank in a longitudinal direction of the washing tank and connected to a compressed air supply source, wherein a plurality of the bubble generating means are provided along a longitudinal direction of the pipe. The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a hole is formed.