JP2001201797A - Photographic printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To rationally constitute a photographic printing device capable of effectively utilizing the end portion of roll type photographic paper. SOLUTION: This device is equipped with an end portion processing means F performing processing for feeding the roll type photographic paper 1 by cutting off the leading end of the paper 1 or processing for feeding the paper 1 without cutting off the trailing end of the paper 1, and also an information printing means G exposing information other than the image information of a photograph by an exposure head 23 to the paper 1 formed by the means F and performing development processing by a development processing part De.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a supply / conveyance section for supplying rolled silver halide photographic paper to a print size and supplying the cut paper. The present invention relates to a photographic printing apparatus provided with a print processing unit having an exposure head for printing image information of a photograph converted into a digital signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a photographic printing apparatus constructed as described above, an exposure head for exposing image information converted into a digital signal onto photographic paper, and a development processing unit for developing the photographic paper exposed by the exposure head There is an exposure head that cuts a photographic paper drawn from a roll-shaped photographic paper housed in a photographic paper magazine into a print size and supplies the print head. The photographic paper magazine is configured to be detachable from the main body of the apparatus. When a photographic paper magazine containing unused roll-shaped photographic paper is set in the apparatus, the leading end of the photographic paper is inserted into the apparatus. When the photographic paper in the photographic paper magazine has been consumed, the leading edge is cut off by a length that can be transported, and the paper is sent out without passing through the development processing unit. There is also a type in which a control mode is set so that an end portion is passed through a developing processing unit without being exposed while leaving a length that can be conveyed, and is sent out. The reason why the leading end of the photographic paper is cut is to remove dirt and damage from the leading end of the photographic paper and to obtain an appropriate cut surface. This is for the purpose of preventing the size of the printing paper from being shortened due to the cutting and falling into a state in which the printing paper cannot be transported.

[0003]

As described above, when the printing paper is fed without exposing the leading edge and the trailing edge of the photographic paper without performing exposure, printing is performed while avoiding an area where dirt or damage may be present. This is effective in improving the quality of printing and eliminating the inconvenience of leaving photographic paper in the apparatus, but there is room for improvement in that photographic paper including usable areas is wasted.

An object of the present invention is to rationally construct a photographic printing apparatus that can effectively use the end of a roll-shaped photographic paper.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a supply / conveyance unit which supplies rolled silver halide photographic paper to a print size and supplies the cut paper. In a photographic printing apparatus having a print processing unit having an exposure head that prints digital image information of a photograph on a silver halide printing paper of a supplied print size, the roll-shaped silver halide printing paper When a new position is set at a position that can be transported by the supply transport unit, the leading end process of cutting and sending the leading end of the silver halide photographic paper to a set length,
Alternatively, when the remaining amount of the rolled silver halide photographic paper is reduced to a preset length, the supply / transport unit is controlled to perform a rear end process of sending the rear end silver halide photographic paper without cutting. The end processing means is provided, and the print processing unit is controlled on the silver halide photographic paper on the front end side or the rear end side obtained by the end processing means to print information other than the image information of the photograph. The operation and the effect are as follows.

According to a second feature of the present invention (claim 2), according to claim 1, information other than image information of the photograph is processed by the photograph printing apparatus, such as the number of prints, the print size, the number of orders, and the like. The operation and effect are as follows.

A third feature of the present invention (claim 3) is the system according to claim 1, wherein the information other than the image information of the photograph represents information from a sensor provided in a device constituting the photographic printing apparatus. It is composed of information, and its operation and effect are as follows.

A fourth feature of the present invention (claim 4) is that according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising storage means for storing information other than image information of the photograph, and If the photographic paper at the end is obtained by the leading edge processing or the trailing edge processing after holding the information other than the image information of the photograph, the information stored in the storage means for the silver halide photographic paper is obtained. The processing mode of the information printing means is set so as to perform printing, and its operation and effect are as follows.

According to the first feature, the information printing means prints the image information of the photograph on the silver halide printing paper on the front end side or the silver halide printing paper on the rear end side obtained by the edge processing means. Since other information is printed, information that does not need to be handed over to the customer, such as information related to print processing, can be printed and left in a visible state. In other words, in the present invention, the print processing unit originally used for printing the image information of the photograph is set so that printing can be performed on the print paper at the end, and information other than the image information of the photograph is provided to the print processing unit. Just send data to print a color chart for development test, numerical values, characters, etc., symbols, graphs, etc., the leading end of a roll of photographic paper, or
The necessary information can be printed by effectively utilizing the rear end.

According to the second feature, the number of prints, the print size, or the number of orders can be recognized simply by using the silver halide photographic paper at the front end or the rear end of the roll-shaped photographic paper. In addition, based on this information, the management of the photographic paper inventory and the management of the developing solution can be easily performed.

According to the third feature, the operation status of each part of the apparatus is grasped based on information from a sensor by using the silver halide photographic paper at the leading end or the trailing end of the roll-shaped photographic paper. As a result, the device can be easily managed.

[0012] According to the fourth feature, information that is not noticed by the operator as in the case where a problem occurs in the photographic printing apparatus during the printing process and is naturally restored, or information on the previous day's work, However, by storing the information in the storage means, the information can be printed on the silver halide photographic paper at the leading end or the trailing end of the roll-shaped photographic paper so that the information can be recognized by the operator. Become.

[Effects of the Invention] Accordingly, a photographic printing apparatus capable of effectively utilizing the end of the roll-shaped photographic paper has been rationally constructed. In addition, information related to the printing process can be easily confirmed and recorded in a printed state, and information related to the photographic printing device can be easily confirmed and used for inspection and adjustment of the device.
Both the information with the passage of time and the information with the passage of time can be reliably printed on the silver halide photographic paper and recognized by the operator.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a printing unit A that performs an exposure process and a development process on a silver halide photographic paper (hereinafter, referred to as photographic paper 1), a process of information necessary for the printing unit A, and And an operating section B for transferring information to the printing section A, the photographic printing apparatus is constituted. The photographic printing apparatus is also called a digital minilab, and the printing unit A transports the roll-shaped photographic paper 1 stored in the two photographic paper magazines M, M to the inside of the apparatus and cuts it into a print size. At the same time, the photographic paper 1 cut in this way is exposed
The photographic paper 1 after the exposure is sent to a developing section De having a plurality of developing tanks for development, and the drying section Dr
After drying, the sheet is sent to the upper surface of the apparatus, sent from the horizontal conveyor 2 to the sorter 3, and sorted and collected in order units. The operating section B includes a scanner S for converting a frame image of the photographic film 4 into a digital signal at a position above the desk-shaped object, and a display 5 for displaying various information.
And a console 6 for inputting information to a desk portion of the desk-like object, below which processing of image data scanned by the scanner S and processing as processing means for controlling the photographic printing apparatus The processing unit 7 is provided with an input / output unit 8 for inputting / outputting information from a storage medium such as an MO drive and an FD drive. In this photographic printing apparatus, the exposure unit Ex
And a development processing unit De constitute a print processing unit.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the photographic printing apparatus, a general-purpose computer is used as the processing device 7, and the processing device 7 is composed of hardware such as a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an I / O interface, and has a memory. A hard disk HD as a means,
A signal system for controlling each of x, development processing unit De, drying unit Dr, display 5, console 6, and input / output unit 8 is formed. The scanner S is a halogen lamp 1 as a light source.
Light control filter 11 for light from 0, mirror tunnel 1
2, a system for adjusting the color distribution and intensity distribution of the light beam and supplying the light beam to the photographic film 4 supported on the film carrier 13, and transmitting the light transmitted through the frame image of the photographic film 4 to the mirror 14 and the optical lens 15. And a system for guiding the CCD line sensor 16 to the R (red), G
The mirrors are arranged by arranging photoelectric conversion elements having filters of respective hues so as to take in in a state of being separated into three primary colors of (green) and B (blue) in three rows along the main scanning direction. By swinging the photographic film 4 or moving the photographic film 4, the image information can be continuously taken in the sub-scanning direction. The image information captured by the scanner S is stored in a frame memory, which is a RAM of the processing device 7, in a state where the image information is managed for each frame on an order basis.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the exposure unit Ex is provided with a photographic paper 1 from one of two photographic paper magazines M, M.
And a cutter 22 for cutting the photographic paper 1 from the introduction / transportation mechanism C1 into a print size. A pre-transportation mechanism C2 having a large number of drive rotary type pressure rollers 24 for transporting the printing paper 1 cut to the print size to an exposure position where the exposure head 23 is disposed, and an exposure for the printing paper 1 , A post-conveying mechanism C3 having a number of drive rotary type pressure rollers 25 for sending out the photographic paper 1 exposed by the exposing head 23, and a post-conveying mechanism C
And a distributing mechanism C4 for distributing the photographic paper 1 conveyed in 3 to three rows of conveying paths and sending it out. The photographic paper from the distribution mechanism C4 is sent to the development processing unit De in a parallel state on a three-row conveyance path, and then is dried and sent out by the drying unit Dr. Although not shown in the drawings, each of the introduction / transport mechanism C1, the cutter 22, the front transport mechanism C2, the rear transport mechanism C3, and the distribution mechanism C4 is interlocked with an electric motor such as a stepping motor which is driven independently. The introduction and transfer mechanism C
1 and the previous transport mechanism C2 constitute a supply transport unit.

The two magazines M, M are a print section A
As shown in FIG. 3, the high level is referred to as a first set position R1, and the low level is referred to as a second set position R2.
1 includes a first set switch SW1 for detecting that the magazine M is mounted, and a second set switch SW2 for detecting that the magazine M is mounted at the second set position R2. The magazine M is provided with a support shaft 28 for rotatably supporting the rolled photographic paper 1 and a pair of pressure rollers for transporting the rolled photographic paper 1 supported by the support shaft 28 in a pressed state. 29, and the pressure roller 29
One pressure roller 29 so that the roller can be driven from outside the magazine.
Is provided with an input gear 30 composed of a spur gear.
When the magazine M is set at any of the first and second set positions R1 and R2, a drive gear 31 that meshes with the input gear 30 of the magazine M is provided at the first and second set positions R1 and R2, An access motor 3 that can be switched in the forward and reverse directions so as to drive the respective drive gears 31, 31.
2 and 32, and a photo interrupter type presence / absence sensor 33 for determining the presence / absence of the photographic paper 1 on the lower side of the conveyance from the pressure roller 21. When the printing paper 1 is introduced from the magazine M into the printing unit A, the printing paper 1 is driven in the normal rotation direction in synchronization with the access motor 32 and the introduction / transportation mechanism C1 to move the end of the printing paper 1 into the apparatus. It is something to send. Conversely, when the photographic paper magazine M is removed while the photographic paper 1 is used (consumed) halfway, the access motor 32 and the introduction / conveyance mechanism C1 are synchronously driven in reverse to drive the apparatus. Control is performed to return the photographic paper 1 introduced into the magazine to the magazine.

The exposure head 23 forms three rows of exposure lines on the photographic paper 1 so as to perform exposure of light beams of three primary colors of R (red), G (green) and B (blue) along the main scanning direction. During exposure, the photographic printing paper 1 is fed in the sub-scanning direction while synchronizing with the speed at which the photographic printing paper 1 is fed in the sub-scanning direction. A control mode is set such that the line-shaped data is read line by line, transferred to the exposure head 23, and the exposure head 23 is driven. The exposure head 23 is a fluorescent beam type, a liquid crystal shutter type, a DMD type or an F type.
Use of an OCRT or the like is possible.

In this photographic printing apparatus, the image processing means E is constituted by software for controlling printing of the information of the frame image stored in the frame memory. Is performed, the photographic film 4 is set on the scanner S as described above, and the image information of the frame image of the photographic film 4 is separated into three colors and stored in the frame memory as digital signals in advance. After that, the image processing means E sends the image information stored in this way to the exposure head 23 to expose the photographic paper 1 of the size set at the time of ordering by the set number of sheets, and to carry out development processing. After being sent to the section De for development and drying in the drying section Dr, the sorter 3
Are collected in order units.

In this photographic printing apparatus, when the leading end of the unused photographic paper 1 is normally introduced into the apparatus from the photographic paper magazine M, the length of the photographic paper 1 which can be conveyed can be conveyed. Then, control is performed to send the frame image from the developing processing unit De to the outside of the apparatus via the drying processing unit Dr without exposing the frame image.
When the photographic paper 1 inside the photographic paper 1 is exhausted and the rear end of the photographic paper 1 is drawn into the apparatus, the rear end of the photographic paper 1 is maintained in a transportable length without being cut by the cutter 22. The developing processing unit De and the drying processing unit Dr
Is controlled to be sent out of the apparatus via the. Software, hardware,
Alternatively, the edge processing means F is constituted by both software and hardware, and is set in the processing device 7. Further, in the present invention, information printing means comprising software for printing information other than image information of a photograph on the leading end portion of the printing paper 1 and the rear end portion of the printing paper 1 thus separated. G is set in the processing device 7.

That is, in the photo printing apparatus, information other than the image information of the photograph includes information such as the number of prints in each order, the print size, the number of orders, the total number of prints, and the like. Is set, and system information indicating the operation status of the apparatus is set based on a signal from a sensor (not shown) provided in a device constituting the photographic printing apparatus, and any one of the processing information and the system information is set. By performing an input from the console 6 so as to perform one or both prints, the set information is stored in a hard disk HD as a storage unit (a non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM may be used as a storage unit). Is automatically performed. If the selection of printing the processing information has been made, the processing device 7 continues to perform the processing of counting the order that the print processing has been performed by the photographic printing device and the print size and the number of prints corresponding to the order. To store the data on the hard disk HD. Further, when the selection to print the system information is made, the processing device 7 inputs a signal from a sensor (not shown) provided in the photographic printing device to monitor the status of the device,
For example, if you want to know the temperature change of the developing solution,
The process of storing the change in the liquid temperature within the set time in the hard disk HD is automatically performed. In particular, when a device in the device temporarily falls into an abnormal state and recovers naturally, a process of setting information such as date and time information and a location where an error occurred so that the situation can be specified and a process of saving the information as system information are performed. Is to do.

An outline of a process for printing information other than image information of a photograph at the leading end position of the photographic paper 1 can be shown as a flowchart in FIG. 5. In this process, the first and second set switches SW1 are used. , SW2, when it is determined that the photographic paper magazine M has been set in the apparatus based on a signal from any of them, and when control for introducing unused photographic paper into the apparatus is started, the presence / absence sensor 33 is activated. On the basis of the timing at which the leading edge of the photographic paper 1 is detected,
Is transported by a predetermined amount (length) in the introduction direction and stopped, and in conjunction with the stop, the cutter 22 is operated to cut off the leading end of the photographic paper 1 (this processing is performed by an edge processing means). F. Steps # 101 to # 104), the photographic paper 1 thus separated is conveyed to the position of the exposure head 23, and the exposure head 23 uses the photographic paper 1 for characters, numerals, symbols,
Exposure of either processing information or system information or both information (information other than photographic image information) is performed using graphics, graphs, and the like, and after this exposure, the development processing unit De
(# 105 to # 10)
7 steps).

An outline of a process for printing information other than image information of a photograph at the rear end position of the photographic paper 1 can be shown as a flowchart in FIG. If the presence / absence sensor 33 detects the rear end of the printing paper 1 after the situation where the rear end of the printing paper 1 is drawn into the apparatus (step # 201), the printing paper connected to the rear end of the printing paper 1 continues. 1 is not cut (this processing is performed by the edge processing means F), and after the exposure of the photographic paper 1 already cut to the print size and sent to the exposure position is completed, the photographic paper 1 at the rear end is removed. Exposure head 23
And the exposure head 23 exposes processing information and / or system information using characters, numbers, symbols, graphics, graphs, or the like, or both information (information other than photographic image information). And after this exposure, it is sent out to the developing section De (# 20).
2 to # 207 steps).

Processing information such as the number of orders and the total number of prints processed by using one photographic paper magazine M is to be printed on the photographic paper 1 at the rear end of the photographic paper magazine M, and is stored in a unit time. The processing information and the processing information for one day are to be printed on the rear end or the front end of the photographic paper 1 generated after the lapse of the time. The processing information for one day can be printed at the rear end of the photographic paper 1 when all of the photographic paper 1 of the photographic paper magazine M is consumed in the processing for one day. Is printed with the date on the rear end of the photographic paper 1 of the photographic paper magazine M already set on the next day (later day). Further, the system information is to be printed at the rear end or the front end of the photographic paper 1 generated after the set time elapses together with the set date and time information.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7A, when an unused photographic paper 1 is introduced into the apparatus, the leading edge is controlled by the above-described control so that the photographic paper 1 can be transported. The printing paper 1 having the length L is cut off based on the position T, and either the processing information or the system information, or both information (information other than the photographic image information) is applied to the printing paper 1 thus cut off. 7), and as shown in FIG. 7B, when the printing paper 1 is completely consumed and the rear end of the printing paper 1 is detected by the presence / absence sensor 33, the printing paper 1 is first cut to the print size. Even when the image can be exposed longer than the dimension in the transport direction of the photographic paper 1 (denoted by P), no exposure is performed,
Exposure of either the processing information or the system information, or both information (information other than the photographic image information) is performed using the entire area V of the photographic paper 1.
According to the present invention, when the rear end of the photographic paper 1 is capable of exposing image information and has a sufficient length for exposing the information, as shown in FIG. This does not prevent exposure of information of a photographic image to P) and exposure of information to a margin region V. By the way,
When the frame image is thus exposed, the operator needs to cut the photographic paper 1 after the processing.

As described above, the present invention is configured by focusing on the fact that the exposure head 23 provided in the photographic printing apparatus can perform exposure of not only image information of a photograph but also characters, numerals and symbols. In addition to the original processing mode for printing frame image information (photographic image information) on a photographic film, processing information related to photographic printing, system information related to equipment constituting a photographic printing apparatus, , Both information, photographic paper 1 which was conventionally discarded
By configuring to print on the edge, the waste of the photographic paper 1 can be eliminated and the edge of the photographic paper 1 can be effectively utilized, and the information required by the operator can be visually recognized and the photograph can be taken. The management of the printing apparatus and the status of consumption of the photographic paper 1 and the developing solution can be grasped, so that it is easy to make a decision such as deciding when to purchase them, and moreover, such information can be recorded. I have.

[Other Embodiments] In addition to the above-described embodiment, the present invention can be configured to print information only on the leading end side of photographic paper or only on the trailing end side of photographic paper. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to a photographic printing apparatus that prints image information stored in a storage medium such as a memory card or an MO, such as image information captured by a digital camera.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a photographic printing device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a photographic paper transport system of an exposure unit.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a photographic paper transport system from a photographic paper magazine.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a photo printing device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a leading edge print routine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a trailing end print routine.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of processing of an end portion of photographic paper;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Silver halide photographic paper 23 Exposure head C1 Supply / conveyance means F Edge processing means G Information printing means HD storage means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A supply / conveyance unit for supplying rolled silver halide photographic paper cut to a print size and supplying the same, and a digital signal is supplied to the print / size silver halide photographic paper supplied from the supply / conveyance unit. A photographic printing apparatus including a print processing unit having an exposure head for printing photographic image information, wherein the roll-shaped silver halide photographic paper is newly set at a position where it can be transported by the supply transport unit. The leading edge processing of cutting and sending the leading end of the silver halide photographic paper to a set length, or the trailing edge of the silver halide photographic paper when the remaining amount of the silver halide photographic paper falls to a preset length. Along with an end processing means for controlling the supply / conveying section so as to perform a rear end processing for sending out the photographic paper without cutting, the silver halide photographic paper on the front end side or the rear end side obtained by the end processing section Against Photographic printing apparatus controls the cement processor comprises information printing means for causing printing of information other than the image information of the photograph. 2. The photo print according to claim 1, wherein the information other than the image information of the photo is processing information indicating the number of prints processed by the photo print device, the print size, the number of orders, and the like. apparatus. 3. The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information other than the image information of the photographic picture is constituted by system information indicating information from a sensor provided in a device constituting the photographic printing apparatus. 4. A storage device for storing information other than the image information of the photograph, and after storing information other than the image information of the photograph in the storage device, the tip processing,
Alternatively, when the photographic paper at the end is obtained by the rear end processing, the processing form of the information printing means is set to print the information stored in the storage means on the silver halide photographic paper. Item 4. The photographic printing device according to any one of Items 1 to 3.