JP2001125214A - Photosensitive material processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a form that an initial loop forming operation hardly affects a first processing section of a photosensitive material processing device having the first processing section which processes the photosensitive material under transportation, a second processing section which processes the photosensitive material in stoppage, a loop forming region, first rollers which supply the photosensitive material from the first processing section to the loop forming region, second rollers which can supply the photosensitive material from the loop forming region to the second processing section and may be changed over between the pinching posture and release posture of the photosensitive material and a guide plate which is changed over between a first posture to guide the photosensitive material to the second rollers without via the loop forming region and a second posture to guide the photosensitive material to the loop forming region. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a control means which holds the guide plate 26 in the first posture and the second rollers 32 at the release position, transports the photosensitive material by the first rollers 24, changes over the posture of the guide plate to put the photosensitive material into the loop forming region 30 upon passage of the front end of the photosensitive material along the second roller to a prescribed extent and changes over the second rollers to the pinching position.

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, and more particularly, to a first processing section for processing a photosensitive material being conveyed at a constant speed, and to the photosensitive material rather than the first processing section. A second processing unit positioned downstream of the transport direction for processing the photosensitive material, a loop forming region capable of accumulating a loop-shaped photosensitive material between the first and second processing units,
A first transport roller capable of supplying a photosensitive material that has been processed in a processing unit to the loop forming region, and a photosensitive material that has passed through the loop forming region can be supplied to the second processing unit;
A second conveying roller provided so as to be switchable between a sandwiching posture in which the photosensitive material sent from the loop forming region is sandwiched from both sides and a sandwiching releasing posture in which the photosensitive material is released from being sandwiched; A first guiding attitude for guiding the photosensitive material sent from the first transport roller toward the second transport roller without passing through the loop forming area, and a second guiding attitude for guiding the photosensitive material to the loop forming area. The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus including a guide unit that can be switched between the two, and a control unit that can perform an operation of switching each posture of the second transport roller and the guide unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the above-described photosensitive material processing apparatus, the processing speed of the photosensitive material in the first processing unit (generally, the processing speed of the first processing unit matches the transfer speed of the first transfer roller) And the processing speed of the photosensitive material in the second processing unit (generally, the processing speed of the second processing unit is equal to the conveyance speed of the second conveyance roller in a normal operation state). In order to smoothly perform the above process, there is known a device in which a loop forming region is provided between the first and second processing units.

That is, if the loop-forming region is configured so that the loop-shaped photosensitive material is always accumulated,
Even if there is a slight difference between the supply speed of the photosensitive material from the first processing unit and the speed of the photosensitive material that can be sent to the second processing unit, this speed difference is equal to the length of the loop formed by the photosensitive material. Since the change in speed can be absorbed, the processing itself in the first and second processing units is not affected by the aforementioned speed difference, and the processing in both processing units proceeds smoothly.

Conventionally, as an operation for first forming a loop of a photosensitive material in a loop forming area, the control means is configured to execute the following operation. That is, first, the guide unit is held in the first guiding posture (that is, the posture in which the photosensitive material sent from the first conveying roller is guided toward the second conveying roller without passing through the loop forming area), The photosensitive material is transported by the first transport roller while the
When the photosensitive material passes through the second transport roller, the second transport roller is switched to the holding position, and then the guide unit is switched to the second guiding position to move the photosensitive material into the loop forming area. With the entrance path opened and the second transport roller stopped, transport of the photosensitive material toward the second transport roller by the first transport roller is continued. As a result of this last operation, the leading end of the photosensitive material is kept in a fixed position by the stopped second transport roller, and the portion following the leading end of the photosensitive material is looped by the pushing force exerted by the first transport roller. The loop is forcibly advanced gradually into the forming area, and a loop having a sufficient length for the above-described purpose is formed in the loop forming area.

[0005]

However, when the control means is configured to execute a series of operations as in the above-described prior art, the last stage of the series of operations, that is, the leading end of the photosensitive material is performed. When the first transport roller pushes the more upstream side of the same photosensitive material toward the second transport roller while keeping the same at a fixed position by the second transport roller,
The transport roller receives a relatively large resistance from the photosensitive material, and as a result, a phenomenon occurs in which the transport speed of the photosensitive material by the first transport roller temporarily decreases.

That is, in fact, after a loop of a certain size is formed in the loop forming area, in other words, once a sufficiently deformed portion is completed, the first transport roller is driven by the photosensitive material with a relatively easy driving force. Can be extruded. However, at an extremely early stage, such as when the photosensitive material has not yet started forming a loop at all or has formed only a loop of a small size, the first transport roller is the first and second transport rollers. Relatively large resistance is received from the portion of the photosensitive material located between them. This resistance is presumed to be a phenomenon caused by the stiffness of the photosensitive material (in other words, the tendency of the photosensitive material not to be curled). And, in particular,
In the case of a photosensitive material having such a characteristic that a cross-sectional shape crossing the longitudinal direction is curved while keeping a straight line along the longitudinal direction, the resistance tends to be larger.

By the way, the resistance which the first transport roller receives from the portion of the photosensitive material located between the first transport roller and the second transport roller is constant at a constant speed regardless of the magnitude of the resistance. The processing result of the first processing unit, which is configured on the assumption that the photosensitive material being transported is processed,
It can have a more or less negative effect. For example,
When the photosensitive material is a photographic film, and the first processing unit comprises a film scanner unit that scans analog image information carried on an image frame of the photographic film by a line scanner and converts it into digital image information. If the first transport roller receives the resistance during scanning, an unexpected change occurs in the speed at which the photographic film moves relative to the line scanner, that is, the scanning speed, and accurate scanning cannot be performed. Therefore, if the purpose of the scanning is to obtain a correction value at the time of projection exposure, for example, it is not recognized as a substantial problem, but is different from the photographic film on which the analog image information is based. Output to image carrier (exposure to photographic paper or other photographic film, printing to paper, display film or other media via inkjet printer, direct output to projector means such as CRT)
In the case of scanning for the purpose of acquiring data used for the above, there is a possibility that a non-negligible stripe unevenness called banding may appear in the output image.

If the photographic film processing apparatus pre-scans the photographic film by the line scanner, it first identifies a boundary portion (empty portion) that separates the image frames, and thereby determines the actual position of the image frame. If the configuration is specified, and the image frames specified in this way are separately and subsequently main-scanned, during the scanning operation of each image frame, that is, the line scanner passes through the blank portion. Stopping the first transport roller halfway does not affect the result of the main scan, so there is no problem. However, performing pre-scanning to identify a missing portion is disadvantageous in increasing the processing speed of the final photosensitive material. That is, if the processing speed of the photosensitive material is taken into account as an important factor, it is advantageous to configure the scanning so as to be performed at a constant sub-scanning speed across the transparent portion.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the above-described prior art photosensitive material processing apparatus, the operation of forming the initial loop of the photosensitive material in the loop forming area is performed by the first transport roller. An object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus which hardly affects the speed at which the photosensitive material is transported.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the present invention has the features described in claims 1 to 9. Incidentally, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention,
The control means controls the second conveying roller so that the front end of the photosensitive material fed from the first conveying roller is pinched by the second conveying roller.
As an operation before being sent to the processing unit, the photosensitive material by the first transport roller is held while the guide unit is held in the first guide attitude and the second transport roller is held in the pinch release attitude. The conveyance toward the second conveyance roller is performed by the first
The transfer is performed at a transport speed that matches the transport speed in the processing unit. During this time, the guide is performed when the leading end of the photosensitive material has passed the second transport roller by a predetermined length based on the transport by the first transport roller. Means is switched from the first guiding posture to the second guiding posture to guide a portion of the photosensitive material following the leading end into the loop forming area, and
The configuration is such that the transport roller is configured to be switched to the holding position.

In order to have such a characteristic configuration,
In the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the first processing unit starts processing one photosensitive material, the guide unit is held in the first guiding posture, and the photosensitive material is moved by the first transport roller. (The first transport roller may belong to the first processing unit, and in this case, if the processing in the first processing unit is started, the transport by the first transport roller is also started soon) When the leading end of the photosensitive material exceeds the second conveying roller by a predetermined length, the guiding means is switched from the first guiding posture to the two guiding posture, thereby guiding the portion of the photosensitive material following the leading end into the loop forming area. Then, the second conveyance roller is switched to the holding posture.

As a typical example, the transport of the photosensitive material by the first transport roller may be continued until the first processing unit finishes processing the same photosensitive material up to the rear end thereof at a constant speed. . That is, the nipping by the second transport roller is performed while the transport of the photosensitive material by the first transport roller is continued, and thereafter, the nipping by the first transport roller is performed until the rear end of the photosensitive material is separated from the first processing unit posture. The transport of the photosensitive material is continued without interruption at a constant speed. Further, when the leading end of the photosensitive material is pressed against the second transport roller, the operation of pushing the photosensitive material into the loop forming area by the first transport roller is started, that is, when the initial loop of the photosensitive material is formed. Is that the portion following the leading end of the photosensitive material has already been guided to the loop forming area. In other words, since the curved portion of the photosensitive material has already been somewhat formed, the leading end of the photosensitive material is pressed against the second transport roller. At the moment
The transport roller does not receive any special resistance from the photosensitive material. Therefore, the operation of forming the initial loop of the photosensitive material in the loop forming region hardly affects the speed of transporting the photosensitive material by the first transport roller.

As a result, according to the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention, the first processing section is not affected by the second processing section which stops the photosensitive material and performs processing, and It is possible to process at a stable and constant processing speed from the front end to the rear end of a single photosensitive material without being affected by a delicate decrease in the transport speed due to the operation of forming the initial loop by the photosensitive material. it can.

More specifically, in the first guide posture, the guide means guides along an initial transport path extending from the first transport roller toward the second transport roller without passing through the loop forming area. A guide plate having a surface, wherein the guide plate is in the second guide posture of the guide means,
The guide surface is displaced from the initial transport path so as to deviate toward the loop forming area, and the guide unit further includes:
The photosensitive material is pressed against the guide surface of the guide plate in the first guide position, and enters the loop forming area beyond the initial transport path in accordance with the switching of the guide unit to the second guide position. It can be configured to include auxiliary guide means.

According to this structure, the leading end of the photosensitive material is reliably sent to the end of the second transport roller along the guide surface of the guide plate without dropping into the loop forming area. When the guide plate is switched to the second guide position from the state in which the guide unit is in the first guide position and the photosensitive material is pressed against the guide surface of the guide plate by the auxiliary guide unit, the photosensitive material is inevitable. In addition, since the auxiliary guide means pushes the guide plate together with the guide plate toward the loop forming area, an operation of forming an initial loop in the loop forming area before the second transport roller sandwiches the photosensitive material is reliably executed. The "predetermined length", which should be set in advance as a reference for switching the guide means from the first guide posture to the second guide posture, in other words, "how many centimeters of the leading end of the photosensitive material have passed the second transport roller. Switch the guiding means from the first guiding posture to the second guiding posture when
In accordance with the switching of the guide plate to the second guiding posture, when the photosensitive material is pushed into the loop forming area side, it is determined that the leading end of the photosensitive material is not entrained to the loop forming area side. Good.

[0016] More specifically, the auxiliary guide means includes:
A roller that rolls on the surface of the photosensitive material that slides on the guide surface of the guide plate, and a spring that biases the roller toward the guide surface in the first guide posture of the guide unit. In this case, when the guide unit is switched to the second guide posture, the roller may be pushed into the loop forming region by the spring. According to this structure, the photosensitive material is pressed against the guide surface by the roller that can roll to the maximum, so that the photosensitive material is supported by the auxiliary guide means based on the pushing operation of the first transport roller to form an initial loop. When the paper is pushed to the end of the second conveyance roller while being pressed on the guide surface and sliding on the guide surface, there is little possibility of being damaged by the auxiliary guide means.

Particularly, in the guide surface of the guide plate, in the first guide posture of the guide means, the photosensitive material pressed against the guide surface by the auxiliary guide means projects toward the loop forming area. A configuration having such a curved surface can be adopted. According to this structure, as the first stage of the initial loop formation, when the portion following the leading end of the photosensitive material slides on the guide surface based on the pushing operation of the first transport roller, the portion is already in the aforementioned portion. Is formed with a curved surface protruding toward the loop forming area, so that a part of the photosensitive material is more reliably pushed into the loop forming area side as the guide plate is switched to the second guiding posture. It is.

An optical sensor pair for detecting that the leading end of the photosensitive material sent from the first transport roller has exceeded the second transport roller by the predetermined length is provided downstream of the second transport roller. You should leave it. With this configuration,
The control means moves the guide means from the first guide attitude to the second guide attitude in response to a detection signal output from the pair of optical sensors, that is, a signal notifying that the leading end of the photosensitive material has exceeded the second transport roller by a predetermined length. What is necessary is just to switch to the guidance posture. Thus, the portion following the leading end of the photosensitive material is guided into the loop forming region.

Further, a pair of optical sensors capable of detecting a loop portion of the photosensitive material accumulated in the loop forming region can be arranged in the loop forming region. With this configuration, the control unit can detect whether the photosensitive material loop having a fixed length always exists in the loop forming region by the optical sensor pair. In particular, the control means
When the second transport roller attempts to transport the photosensitive material by a certain length in order to advance the processing in the second processing unit, the loop having a length long enough that the loop is not lost by the execution of the transport is formed. Until it can be confirmed that the loop exists in the loop forming area (that is, in order not to affect the processing in the first processing unit, the transfer is performed within a range where the loop in the loop forming area does not disappear by the execution of the transport. It is necessary to advance the processing in the second processing section), and the execution of the conveyance by the second conveyance roller can be waited.

As a more specific example, the photosensitive material is a photographic film having a plurality of image frames separated by a boundary portion, and the first processing section includes an analog image information carried on the image frames. A film scanner that scans and converts it into digital image information, wherein the scanning is configured to be performed at a constant sub-scanning speed across the boundary, and the digital image obtained by the film scanner The information can be configured to be usable as image data used for output to an image carrier different from the photographic film on which the analog image information is based. With this configuration, since the image frame and the boundary that separates the image frame are scanned at the same speed at the same time, there is no need to perform a prescan to specify the boundary, and only the image frame is specified. Since there is no need to perform a main scan, a quick scanning operation can be performed. Moreover, after the scanning of one photosensitive material as a whole is completed, only the image data relating to the image frame is extracted from the entire digital image data obtained, and then output to another image carrier based on this image data. it can.

As a more specific example, further, the second processing section temporarily stops the long photographic film,
It is possible to adopt a configuration including a cutter for separating the photographic film of a predetermined length between image frames one after another. With this configuration, an operation generally called simultaneous printing can be executed using the photosensitive material processing apparatus.

That is, for example, according to a typical case of a 35 mm film, one developed photographic film (negative or positive) having 24 or 36 image frames is placed in the longitudinal direction of the film. If it is inserted into the first processing section, scanning of the image information of each frame is sequentially started in the first processing section, and then a loop of a predetermined length is formed in the above-described manner. After the leading end arrives at the second processing unit, the second processing unit, for example, basically has 6 frames (or 5 frames).
When loops exceeding the length of (frame) have been accumulated in the loop forming area, the operation of cutting the photographic film for six frames by the cutter may be started. On the other hand, if the photographic paper is exposed based on the image information obtained by the first processing unit, developed, dried, and output in the form of a print,
A short strip-shaped photographic film (also called a piece film) cut into pieces by a cutter and inserted in a transparent bag called a film sheet or a sleeve, and these finished prints can be returned to the customer.

Alternatively, the photosensitive material is a long photographic paper, and the first processing unit includes a line exposure head composed of light emitting elements arranged in a main scanning direction, and a line exposure head on the photographic paper. Means for transporting the photographic paper in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the line exposure head to form a planar latent image, wherein the second processing unit continuously feeds the photographic paper from the first processing unit. It is possible to adopt a configuration that includes a cutter that cuts the long photographic paper that is received according to each image frame while the photographic paper is stopped.

In the case of this configuration, a loop forming area is provided between the line exposure head and the cutter, and an initial loop forming operation is performed similarly to the operation on the photographic film. If the cutting by the cutter is performed at a timing corresponding to the progress of the printing, the change in the transport speed of the photographic paper caused by the repetition of the stop and the transport of the photographic paper performed in the second processing unit in order to execute the cutting operation by the cutter is reduced. Since the light is absorbed by the loop formed in the loop forming area, it does not affect the line exposure operation by the line exposure head of the first processing unit. (2) The operation of applying pressure to the transport roller for the first time does not affect the speed of transporting the photographic paper for exposure by the line exposure head. Photo print is obtained. As a result, even if the initial loop forming operation is performed while the line exposure operation is being performed by the line exposure head, the image output by the line exposure is not affected by the initial loop forming operation. If the initial loop forming operation is performed before the line exposure operation is started because the image may have an adverse effect such as banding or the like, the image is equivalent to the distance between the line exposure head and the second transport roller. Photographic paper must be discarded without being exposed, resulting in waste of photographic paper).

Other features and advantages of the present invention include:
The description will become apparent from the description of the embodiment using the drawings.

[0026]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing one embodiment of a photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the present invention.

(Overall Configuration of Photosensitive Material Processing Apparatus) This photosensitive material processing apparatus mainly comprises a film scanner 100
(An example of a first processing unit), an enveloper unit 300 (an example of a second processing unit), a loop forming unit 200 provided between the film scanner unit 100 and the enveloper unit 300, and a control unit that controls the operation of these units. It consists of 400.
The photosensitive material targeted by the photosensitive material processing apparatus is a photographic film 1 that has been subjected to development processing. Here, the photographic film 1 may basically be a long roll film in which a plurality of images are arranged in parallel through a transparent portion, and the length of the film and the number of frame images are arbitrary. The width of the film may be a film having a width of about 60 mm called 120 (brownie) or 220, or a film having a width of 24 mm called APS. However, in the present specification, the present invention will be described in accordance with a case where a photographic film 1 having a width of 35 mm called 135 is used for convenience.

When the leading end of the photographic film 1 is loaded from the film loading port 100a of the film scanner unit 100,
The film scanner unit 100 scans the photographic film 1, that is, successively reads analog image information included in a large number of frame images on the photographic film 1 and converts it into digital image information.
Then, the photographic film 1 is discharged from 0b. The obtained digital image information is stored in the memory means of the control means 400. The portion of the photographic film 1 discharged from the film scanner unit 100 is sent to the envelope unit 300 via the loop forming unit 200. In the enveloper section 300, a plurality of frames at the leading end of the photographic film 1 are stored in a sleeve or a film sheet 50 to which a pocket-shaped storage section is connected.
Is temporarily stopped in a state where it is inserted into one of the pockets, and is divided into short piece films 2 each having in principle six (or five) image frames, one after another at a blank portion. 2 is collected while being inserted into the film sheet 50. Incidentally, the photographic film 1 to be loaded from the film loading port 100a is separated by a transparent portion.
In the case of a photographic film 1 of a normal length provided with frames or 36 image frames, when the leading end arrives at the enveloper section 300 and the first piece film 2 is divided, the same single film is used. The scanning operation near the middle or the rear end of the photographic film 1 is performed by the film scanner unit 100.

In this photosensitive material processing apparatus, in order to reduce the size of the entire apparatus and improve the processing speed, after performing a pre-scan for specifying a blank portion (or an accurate position of each frame image), The method of performing the main scan for each frame image sandwiched between the specified blank portions is not adopted. Therefore, the film scanner unit 100
Is to scan the entire frame from the first frame image to the last frame image by scanning from the substantially leading edge to the substantially trailing edge of the photographic film 1 at a constant speed (without interrupting the scanning at the blank portion). Perform a full scan. In other words, the digital image information obtained by scanning includes:
The blank portion is also included as a part of the information, and is used when forming print information for outputting an image in the next process or another printer device or output information to various monitor screens. Delete data about.

On the other hand, as described above, the enveloper unit 3
The processing performed in 00 is performed while the photographic film is temporarily stopped. In other words, the first purpose of the loop forming unit 200 provided between the film scanner unit 100 and the envelope unit 300 is that the processing speed between the envelope unit 300 and the film scanner unit 100 is different. This is because, by absorbing the difference in transport speed, the processing operation in the enveloper section 300 involving the temporary stop of the photographic film 1 does not affect the acquisition of digital image data in the film scanner section 100.

(Configuration of Film Scanner Unit) The film scanner unit 100 mainly includes an illumination optical system 4 and an imaging optical system 1.
5 and an auto film mask 12. The illumination optical system 4 mainly includes a halogen lamp 6 in a lamp house 5,
The light control filter 8 adjusts the color distribution of the light beam from the halogen lamp 6 as necessary, and the mirror tunnel 10 adjusts the intensity distribution. The imaging optical system 15 mainly includes
It comprises a lens unit 16 including a zoom lens, a mirror 18 for changing the direction of irradiation light, and a photoelectric conversion unit 20 for processing a transmitted light beam obtained through the photographic film 1. As the photoelectric conversion unit 20, a linear CCD extending in the main scanning direction is used. The auto-film mask 12 is disposed between the illumination optical system 4 and the imaging optical system 15, and determines the irradiation range of light to the photographic film 1 and scans the photographic film 1 with the linear CCD for scanning. The sheet is conveyed at a constant speed in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction.

More specifically, a photoelectric conversion unit 20 that receives a light beam and performs photoelectric conversion includes three CCD sensors 20a and 20b assigned to detect each color of RGB.
20c. Here, each CCD sensor is a line sensor in which a large number (for example, 5,000) of CCD elements are arranged in parallel in the main scanning direction, that is, in the width direction of the photographic film 1. Control of the charge accumulation time is performed. CC for red
A color filter that allows only the red component of the light transmitted through the photographic film 1 to pass through the imaging surface of the D sensor 20a, and a color filter that allows only the green component to pass through the imaging surface of the green CCD sensor 20b has a blue color. The imaging surface of the CCD sensor 20c is provided with a color filter that allows only the blue component to pass therethrough, and basically performs photoelectric conversion of only the blue, red, and green components. Each pixel signal output from each CCD sensor is sampled and held, and each pixel signal becomes a continuous image signal. Each pixel signal is converted into a digital signal of a predetermined number of bits (for example, 12 bits), Is stored in the memory means.

The auto film mask 12 comprises a lower mask body 12a located below the photographic film 1 to be conveyed.
And an upper mask main body 12b supported by a hinge (not shown) with respect to the lower mask main body 12a and capable of swinging operation between a closed posture and an open posture.
The film inlet 100a and the film outlet 100b described above are formed between the upper mask body 12b and the upper mask body 12b. The lower mask main body 12a is provided with a through-hole forming block (not shown) for guiding light emitted from the illumination optical system 4 and transmitted through the photographic film 1 to the imaging optical system 15 as slit light. In addition, the auto film mask 12
A film mask for running the photographic film 1 supported between the lower mask main body 12a and the upper mask main body 12b at a predetermined speed and crossing under the slit light along the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. It has an internal transport mechanism (not shown).

(Structure of Envelope Unit) The envelope unit 300 mainly feeds the pockets 50 a of the film sheet 50 one by one from the long film sheet 50 held in a roll shape to the downstream of the photographic film 1. A supply mechanism 64, a cut-off portion determination sensor S4 for stopping a drop-off portion adjacent to the sixth frame of the photographic film 1 inserted in the supplied pocket 50a in principle at the cutting portion, and cutting Dropout monitoring sensor S arranged on the line
5. The cutter 66 is provided for cutting the transparent portion while confirming the transparent portion at 5.

(Structure of Loop Forming Section) Loop Forming Section 20
0 has a loop forming area 30. The loop forming area 30 includes the film scanner section 100 and the enveloper section 3.
00, it extends below a film transport path that extends substantially horizontally. The loop forming unit 200 includes a first film leading edge sensor S1 disposed downstream of the auto film mask 12 and a plurality of first conveyance units driven at a conveyance speed that matches the conveyance mechanism of the auto film mask 12 within the film mask. Rollers 24, 24. The first transport rollers 24, 24 are connected to the photographic film 1 discharged from the automatic film mask 12 by the first film leading edge sensor S1.
The drive is started in response to the detection of the leading end of the photographic film 1, and the photographic film 1 is transported toward the envelope unit 300. Further, a plurality of second transport rollers 32 and 36 for transporting the photographic film 1 further downstream are provided on the downstream side of the loop forming area 30. One of the variable-position rollers 32 of the second transport rollers 32 and 36 has a pinching posture in which the photographic film 1 is pinched between the rollers 36 (rollers that do not displace) from both sides by an actuator 34 such as a solenoid, and the like. It is provided so as to be switchable between a pinching release posture in which 1 is released.

The upper end of the loop forming area 30 has a first
A first guiding posture for guiding the photographic film 1 sent from the conveying rollers 24, 24 toward the second conveying roller without passing through the loop forming region 30, and a second guiding for guiding the photographic film 1 into the loop forming region 30; Guide means 26 and 28 are provided which can be switched between the postures. The guide means 26 and 28 include a guide plate 26 supported swingably around the axis X. The smooth guide surface 26 a formed on the guide plate 26 extends substantially along the initial transport path RI that extends substantially horizontally from the first transport rollers 24, 24 toward the second transport roller 32 without passing through the loop forming area 30. ing. Then, the guide plate 26 is displaced in the second guide posture such that the guide surface 26a deviates from the initial transport path RI to the loop forming area 30 side. Further, the guide means includes a pair of auxiliary guide means 28, 28 arranged in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the photographic film 1 to press the photographic film 1 against the guide surface 26a of the guide plate 26 in the first guide position. The auxiliary guide means 28, 28 are provided with rollers 28a, 28a.
And compression springs 28b, 28b for urging the rollers 28a, 28a toward the guide surface 26a (here, downward). The rollers 28a, 28a are the first transport rollers 24,
24, the guide surface 26 of the guide plate 26
It is rotatably supported so that it can roll on the surface of the photographic film 1 sliding on 6a. Auxiliary guide means 28,
28 enters the loop forming area 30 beyond the initial transport path RI in response to the switching to the second guiding posture,
At the time of this approach, the photographic film 1 is moved to the loop forming area 30.
It has the function of being taken inside.

Since the guide surface 26a of the guide plate 26 has a concavely smooth curved surface that opens upward, the auxiliary guide means 28, 28 in the first guide posture of the guide means.
The photographic film 1 pressed against the guide surface 26 a has a curved surface that always projects toward the loop forming region 30. As a result, the second
A loop of the photographic film 1 is easily formed according to the switching to the guiding posture. Downstream of the variable position roller 32, a second film leading end sensor S2 for detecting that the leading end of the photographic film 1 sent from the first transport rollers 24, 24 has passed a predetermined length through the variable position roller 32 is disposed. Have been. The second film leading edge sensor S2 may be constituted by a pair of optical sensors similarly to the first film leading edge sensor S1. A loop sensor S3 that can detect a loop portion of the photosensitive material accumulated in the loop forming region 30 is disposed in the loop forming region 30.

(Operation of control means)
After the photographic film 1 is loaded into the film loading opening 100a of the automatic film mask 12, the control means 400 executes the processing of the photographic film 1 in the following procedure. This processing content includes an operation for forming an initial loop.

<First Step> First, the photographic film 1 is started to be conveyed leftward at a constant speed by the conveyance mechanism of the automatic film mask 12 in the film mask, and scanning from the leading end of the photographic film 1, that is, acquisition of a digital image is started. . When the scanning proceeds and the first film leading edge sensor S1 detects the leading end of the photographic film 1, the motor M1 is driven to start driving the first transport rollers 24,24. At this time, the guide plate 26 is still in the first guide posture capable of guiding the photographic film 1 to the downstream side along the initial transport path RI (see FIG. 2). The leading end of the photographic film 1 fed by the driving of the first transport rollers 24, 24 is
8a and 28a and the guide surface 26a of the guide plate 26. Since the pressing force by the auxiliary guide means 28, 28 is sufficiently weak, the photographic film 1 is driven by the rollers 28a, 28a.
Starts sliding between the guide surface 26a. As shown in FIG. 2, at this stage, the variable rollers 32 of the second transport rollers 32 and 36 are separated upward from the fixed rollers 36.

<Second Step> When the second film leading edge sensor S2 detects the leading end of the photographic film 1 fed by the first transport rollers 24, 24, in other words, the leading end of the photographic film 1 When the length exceeds a predetermined length, the guide plate 26, which is swingably supported, is opened downward as shown by a dashed line in FIG. 3 (switching to the second guiding posture) by driving the motor M2. At this time, the pair of rollers 28a, 28a
Due to the action of b and 28b, the photographic film 1 is displaced downward, and the portion following the leading end of the photographic film 1 is entrained into the loop forming area 30 (see FIG. 3). However, since the amount of downward displacement of the rollers 28a, 28a is small, the leading end of the photographic film 1 returns to the upstream side only by about several millimeters, and therefore,
It does not fall into the loop forming area 30 to the leading end of the photographic film 1. After the switching of the guide plate 26 to the second guiding position is completed, the variable position roller 32 is switched to the clamping position by driving the actuator 34, and the leading end of the photographic film 1 is moved to the variable position roller 32. And the roller 36 (see the variable position roller 32 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 3). However, at this time, the variable position roller 32 and the roller 36 are not driven yet.

<Third Step> The amount of loop in the loop forming area 30 gradually increases based on the scanning operation that is continuously performed and the transport operation by the first transport rollers 24, 24. 1
The motor M3 is driven only when the end of the loop formed by is detected. Thereby, the second transport roller 32,
36 is driven to start an operation of feeding the photographic film 1 once formed with the loop in the loop forming area 30 toward the enveloper section 300 (see the leading end of the photographic film 1 shown by a dashed line in FIG. 4). Thereafter, the second transport roller 3
When the photographic film 1 is conveyed to the downstream side by 2 and 36, the photographic film 1 is stored in the pocket 50a of the film sheet 50 while being cut off by the cutter 66 while specifying the cutout portion by the cutout portion determination sensor S4. At this time, the second
The transport timing of the photographic film 1 by the transport rollers 32 and 36 is performed such that a predetermined amount of loop is maintained in the loop forming area 30. Specifically, when the loop of the photographic film 1 is changed from a state in which the loop of the photographic film 1 does not block the loop sensor S3 to a state in which the loop is stopped, the second transport rollers 32, 3
6, the photographic film 1 is advanced by six frames (this operation returns to a state where the loop does not interrupt the loop sensor S3), and the loop is looped again based on the transport operation by the first transport rollers 24, 24. When the sensor S3 is shut off, a series of operations for sending the next six frames to the enveloper 300 side for processing is continued (see the arrow pointing up and down in FIG. 4).

When the scanning to the rear end of the photographic film 1 is completed, the cutting by the cutter 66 and the insertion operation into the pocket 50a are continued regardless of whether or not a loop is formed in the loop forming area 30. When the piece film including the rear end of the photographic film 1 is inserted into the pocket 50a, the film sheet 50 is cut off from the roll-shaped film sheet 50, and all processes are completed.

[Another Embodiment] <1> In addition to the photographic processing apparatus described in the above embodiment, a film development processing section for developing and drying a photographic film and a memory for the control means are temporarily stored. A digital exposure unit for exposing photographic paper based on the accumulated digital image information and a photographic paper development processing unit for developing and drying the exposed photographic paper may be provided integrally. In this case, digital data is output based on the photographic film 2 that has been developed, separated, and stored in the film sheet 50 from the photographic film after photographing, and the analog image information carried on the photographic film. A so-called simultaneous printing process, which can be simultaneously performed by the photographic paper, can be performed consistently.

<2> Alternatively, unlike the above embodiments, the photosensitive material may be long photographic paper. In this case, for example, the first processing unit includes a line exposure head including light emitting elements arranged in the main scanning direction, and a line printing head for forming a planar latent image on the printing paper by the line exposure head. Means for transporting the exposure head in the sub-scanning direction, wherein the second processing unit stops the continuous printing paper from the first processing unit. What is necessary is just to set it as the structure containing a cutter which cuts into the shape corresponding to each image between them. Also in this case, if a loop forming area is provided between the first processing unit and the second processing unit and the initial loop forming process is performed in the same process as in the above-described embodiment, the photographic printing paper is stopped for cutting by the cutter. The influence of the operation does not affect the quality of the output image by the line exposure head.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an initial loop forming operation of the photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an initial loop forming operation following FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a photographic film transport operation after forming an initial loop.

[Explanation of symbols]

 24 first transport roller 26 guide plate 28 auxiliary guide means 30 loop forming area 32, 36 second transport roller 100 film scanner section 200 loop forming section 300 envelope section S2 second film leading end sensor

Claims (9)

[Claims] A first processing unit for processing the photosensitive material being transported at a set speed; and a second processing unit for processing the photosensitive material at a position downstream of the first processing unit in the transport direction of the photosensitive material. 2 processing unit, a loop forming area in which a loop-shaped photosensitive material can be accumulated between the first and second processing units, and a photosensitive material processed in the first processing unit can be supplied to the loop forming area. A first transporting roller, and a photosensitive material that has passed through the loop forming area can be supplied toward the second processing unit, and a sandwiching posture in which the photosensitive material sent from the loop forming area is sandwiched from both sides. A second transport roller provided to be switchable between a nip release position in which the nip of the photosensitive material is released, and the photosensitive material sent from the first transport roller without passing through the loop forming area. The first guide that guides toward the second transport roller And a second guide position for guiding the photosensitive material into the loop forming region, and a switching unit that can perform a position switching operation between the second conveying roller and the guide unit. A photosensitive material processing apparatus provided with a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to hold a tip of the photosensitive material sent from the first transport roller between the second transport roller and the second photosensitive roller.
As an operation before being sent to the processing unit, the guide unit is held in the first guiding posture, and the second conveying roller is held in the pinching release posture, and the photosensitive material is moved by the first conveying roller. The conveyance toward the second conveyance roller is performed by the first
The transfer is performed at a transport speed that matches the transport speed in the processing unit. During this time, the guide is performed when the leading end of the photosensitive material has passed the second transport roller by a predetermined length based on the transport by the first transport roller. Means is switched from the first guiding posture to the second guiding posture to guide a portion of the photosensitive material following the leading end into the loop forming area, and
A photosensitive material processing apparatus configured to switch a conveying roller to the holding position; 2. The guide means includes a guide surface along an initial transport path extending from the first transport roller to the second transport roller without passing through the loop forming area in the first guide attitude. Including a guide plate, the guide plate is displaced in the second guide posture of the guide means so that the guide surface deviates from the initial transport path to the loop forming area side, and the guide means further includes: The photosensitive material is pressed against the guide surface of the guide plate in the first guide position, and enters the loop forming area beyond the initial transport path in accordance with the switching of the guide unit to the second guide position. 2. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary guide means. 3. The guide device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary guide unit includes a roller that can roll on a surface of the photosensitive material that slides on the guide surface of the guide plate, and the roller in the first guide position of the guide unit. A spring for urging the guide means toward the guide surface, and when switching the guide means to the second guide posture,
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the roller is pushed into the loop forming area by the spring. 4. The guide surface of the guide plate, in the first guide posture of the guide means, the photosensitive material pressed against the guide surface by the auxiliary guide means projects toward the loop forming area. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 2, which has such a curved surface. 5. An optical sensor pair for detecting that the leading end of the photosensitive material sent from the first transport roller has passed the predetermined length through the second transport roller is provided downstream of the second transport roller. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: 6. The optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein a pair of optical sensors capable of detecting a loop portion of the photosensitive material accumulated in the loop forming region is disposed in the loop forming region. Photosensitive material processing equipment. 7. The photographic film according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive material is a photographic film having a plurality of image frames separated by boundaries.
The processing unit includes a film scanner that scans analog image information carried on the image frame of the photographic film and converts the analog image information into digital image information. The scanning is performed at a constant sub-scanning speed across the boundary. The digital image information obtained by the film scanner can be used as image data used for output to a different image carrier from the photographic film on which the analog image information was based. Certain claim 1
7. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 6, above. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second processing unit includes a cutter for temporarily stopping the long photographic film and successively cutting the photographic film into a predetermined length between image frames.
3. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1. 9. The photosensitive material is a long photographic paper,
The first processing unit includes a line exposure head including light emitting elements arranged in a main scanning direction, and the line exposure head configured to form a planar latent image on the photographic paper by the line exposure head. Means for transporting the head in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the head, wherein the second processing section stops the continuous photographic paper continuously sent from the first processing section. 9. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a cutter for cutting in accordance with each image frame.