JP2001224945A - Treating agent dissolution device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the degradation in the durability of a filter by the collision of the liquid flow generated by stirring against the surface of the filter. SOLUTION: The filter unit 48 loaded into a filter unit loading section 40 is constituted by housing a filter section 126 into a filter unit housing section 122 formed to an approximately arcuate shape. This filter section is mounted with a filter element 54 on a plane section 52 formed to the surface on the inner side of a dissolution tank 14 and the filter unit housing section is closed between wall surfaces 120A and 120B by the surface of this filter element. The water stream generated by stirring of the water flows along the wall surfaces 120A and 120B and the collision of the water on the surface of the filter element and the particles of the treating agent not dissolved in the water is suppressed, by which the degradation in the durability and filter performance of the filter element is suppressed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a treating agent dissolving apparatus for dissolving a powdery or granular treating agent while stirring a liquid such as water to produce a treating solution. More specifically, the present invention relates to a processing agent dissolving apparatus provided with a filter for filtering out a processing agent remaining after being completely dissolved.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some processing solutions such as a developing solution and a fixing solution used in photographic processing are formed by dissolving a powdery or granular processing agent (a developer or a fixing agent) with water. Such a processing agent is enclosed in, for example, a PET exclusive bottle, and can be used as a processing solution for processing a photosensitive material by dissolving it in water so as to have a predetermined concentration.

When a processing solution is produced using a processing agent, a dedicated dissolving apparatus is used. This dissolving device uniformly supplies the treating agent into the dissolving tank by supplying the treating agent into the dissolving tank after supplying an amount of water according to the amount of the treating agent in the bottle, and stirring the water. To be dissolved.

[0004] In such a dissolving apparatus, after dissolving the treating agent in the dissolving tank, a valve provided on a pipe connected to the bottom of the dissolving tank is opened, and a stock tank in which the treating solution is placed downward is opened. To a photographic processing device such as an automatic developing device.

In the dissolving tank, it takes time to dissolve all the treating agent in the bottle in a predetermined amount of water, and the dissolving tank may not be completely dissolved and may be stirred in a particulate state. When such a treating agent is sent to a ball valve or the like, it enters between the inner wall surface of the valve and the valve body and accumulates, causing a malfunction of the bubble.

[0006] For this reason, a filter is provided in the dissolving device so that the processing agent which has not been completely dissolved during stirring and is in a particulate state is not sent to a valve or the like by the filter.

[0007]

However, when a filter is arranged in a dissolving tank for stirring water, the water to be stirred directly hits the filter and applies water pressure to the surface of the filter. The pressure applied to the surface of such a filter pushes the particulate processing agent, which cannot be completely dissolved during stirring, into the filter mesh, causing a decrease in the function of the filter, a decrease in the durability, a valve, etc. In this case, there is a problem that the intrusion into the piping causes malfunction of the valve.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has as its object to propose a dissolving device for dissolving a treatment agent in which a filter disposed in a dissolution tank for stirring a liquid such as water is prevented from having reduced durability. I do.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a powdery or granular processing agent and a liquid for dissolving the same are mixed and stirred in a dissolving tank. Is generated and discharged through a filter, wherein the filter is arranged such that its surface is continuous with the inner wall of the dissolving tank on a smooth surface.

According to the present invention, the filter is arranged so that the surface of the filter forms a smooth surface with the inner wall of the melting tank.

A second aspect of the present invention is a processing agent which forms a processing solution by mixing and stirring a powdery or granular processing agent and a liquid for dissolving the same in a dissolving tank and discharges the same through a filter. In the dissolving apparatus, the filter is arranged so that the surface thereof follows the liquid flow when the liquid is stirred in the dissolving tank.

According to the present invention, the filter is arranged in the dissolving tank such that the surface of the filter follows the flow generated when the liquid is stirred in the dissolving tank.

By disposing the surface of the filter along the inner wall surface of the dissolving tank and the flow of the liquid in the dissolving tank, the filter impedes the flow of the liquid and the processing agent stirred in the dissolving tank. This prevents the powder or granular processing agent that cannot be completely dissolved during stirring from colliding with the filter surface at a high speed, reducing the frequency of clogging of the filter and replacing the filter. Alternatively, the frequency of cleaning is reduced.
Further, since the water pressure on the filter is reduced, it is possible to prevent the filter from being damaged by the water pressure.

Therefore, maintenance of the treatment agent dissolving device becomes easy. In addition, since the processing agent that cannot be completely dissolved has no force to force the filter to pass through, the filter can perform its original function and pass only the processing liquid in which the processing agent is completely dissolved. Can be In addition, since the filter does not provide resistance to the liquid flow, the speed of the liquid flow can be increased, and the stirring efficiency can be improved.

According to the present invention, when the treatment liquid is discharged through the concave portion formed in the inner wall surface of the dissolving tank, the filter may be arranged so as to close the concave portion. The filter may be arranged in the dissolving tank by mounting a filter unit having the filter on the outer surface thereof in the dissolving tank.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a treatment agent dissolving apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

The treatment agent dissolving apparatus 10 has a frame 12 assembled in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has two dissolving tanks 1 on its upper side.
Stock tanks 18 and 20 are arranged on the lower side, respectively. In FIG. 1, a water supply tank 22 is provided on the back side of the apparatus (on the back side of FIG. 1). A water supply pipe (not shown) is connected to the water supply tank 22, and stores water supplied via the water supply pipe.

Water supply pumps 24 and 26 are provided below the water supply tank 22. Water supply pumps 24, 26
The suction side is open to the water supply tank 22 and the discharge side is connected to the dissolution tanks 14 and 16. Thus, in the treatment agent dissolving apparatus 10, water is supplied from the water supply tank 22 to the dissolution tank 14 by the water supply pump 24, and water is supplied from the water supply tank 22 to the dissolution tank 16 by the water supply pump 26.

At a predetermined position on the upper surface of the processing agent dissolving apparatus 10, for example, a powdery or granular form used as a processing agent for developing and fixing a photographic photosensitive material such as a photographic film and a fixing solution. The respective bottles 28 containing the developer and the fixing agent are loaded. The inside of the bottle 28 is sealed by, for example, sealing the bottle mouth 28A with a sealing material (not shown).

The developer and fixing agent in the bottle 28 are dissolved in water in the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 to generate a developing solution and a fixing solution. The developing solution and the fixing solution generated in the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 are transferred from the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 to stock tanks 18 and 20 below them and stored therein. That is, the treatment agent dissolving device 10 includes the dissolving tanks 14 and 16
The developer and the fixing agent can be used for dissolving the developer and the water in the water to generate the developing solution and the fixing solution. In the processing agent dissolving apparatus 10, one of the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 generates a developing solution, and the other generates a fixing solution.

The treatment agent dissolving device 10 includes a replenishing pump 3
0 and 32 are provided. The refill pumps 30, 32
Are connected to pipes 34A and 34B inserted into the stock tanks 18 and 20, respectively. On the discharge side of the replenishing pumps 30 and 32, the developing solution or the fixing solution is supplied to each processing tank of an automatic developing device (not shown) using the processing solution (developing solution and fixing solution) generated by the processing agent dissolving device 10. The supply nozzle is connected to the supply nozzle.

With such a configuration, the treatment agent dissolving apparatus 1
0 indicates a replenishing pump 3 according to a request from the automatic developing device.
By operating 0 and 32, the developing solution and the fixing solution stored in the stock tanks 18 and 20 are supplied to the automatic developing device. Further, the processing agent dissolving device 10
Is provided with a water replenishing pump 36. By operating the water replenishing pump 36 in response to a water supply request from the automatic developing device, water can be replenished to the automatic developing device together with the developing solution and the fixing solution. I have.

Hereinafter, the main part of the treatment agent dissolving apparatus 10 will be described. The developer and the fixing agent are expressed as processing agents without particular distinction, and the description will be made on the assumption that this processing agent is dissolved in water to generate a processing liquid. Further, the processing agent developing device 1
0, the melting tank 14 and the stock tank 18 side,
The dissolving tank 16 and the stock tank 20 have substantially the same configuration. Hereinafter, the dissolving tank 14 and the stock tank 18 will be mainly described as examples, and the description of the dissolving tank 16 and the stock tank 20 will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the melting tank 14 is a blown hollow container having a substantially cubic outer shape, and has a substantially rectangular opening 38 formed on the upper surface. Supported by the frame 12 (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
A part of the side wall of the projection 4 is projected, and a filter unit loading section 40 having a semi-cylindrical inner surface shape is formed at the tip of the projected side wall. Further, the bottom of the dissolving tank 14 is inclined downward of the filter unit loading section 40,
Further, an opening 42 is formed at the bottom of the filter unit loading section 40 so as to protrude downward in a tubular shape so as to discharge the processing liquid generated in the dissolving tank 14 from the dissolving tank 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the melting tank 14 has
One end of a pipe 44 is connected to the opening 42. The other end of the pipe 44 is open at the top of the stock tank 18, and the pipe 44 is provided with an electrically operated valve 46 using a ball valve or the like at an intermediate portion. Thus, in the processing agent dissolving device 10, the processing liquid in the dissolving tank 14 is caused to pass through the filter unit loading section 40 and flow down to the stock tank 18 by opening the valve 46.

A liquid level sensor 58 is provided in each of the stock tanks 18 and 20. The liquid level sensor 58 includes a pair of electrodes 60A arranged in the stock tanks 18 and 20,
60B. In the treatment agent dissolving device 10,
Each of the pair of electrodes 60A and 60B detects whether or not the level of the processing liquid (developing liquid and fixing liquid) in the stock tanks 18 and 20 has dropped below a predetermined level. In addition, the generation of the fixing solution is promoted, and the shortage of the developing solution and the fixing solution supplied to the automatic developing device is prevented.

In the treatment agent dissolving apparatus 10, an upper plate 62 is provided at the upper end of the frame 12. As shown in FIG. 3, a rectangular hole 62A wider than the opening 38 is formed in the upper plate 62 at a position above the opening 38 of the melting tank 14. With such a configuration, the opening 38 of the dissolution tank 14 is opened in the treatment agent dissolution apparatus 10.

The upper plate 62 is provided with a lid 64 that can take a position for covering the rectangular hole 62A and a position for not covering the rectangular hole 62A. As shown in FIG. 4, one end of the lid 64 has a hinge 10.
The upper end 62 is rotatably connected to the upper plate 62, and the other end is fixed to the upper plate 62 so as to be appropriately detached by a screw (not shown). In addition, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
4 is a rectangular hole 6 of the upper plate 62 when the rectangular hole 62A is covered.
2A to cover the opening 38.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Are provided with two loading ports 66 in which the bottles 28 are loaded. In the treatment agent dissolving device 10, the loading port 6
6, the bottle 28A is loaded with the bottle opening 28A facing downward, so that the processing agent in the bottle 28 is filled in the opening 3
8 can be put into the melting tank 14. In the present embodiment, two loading holes 66 are provided on the lid 64.
For example, in one of the loading ports 66, only the bottle 28 containing the developer can be loaded,
The other loading port 66 has a bottle 2 containing a fixing agent.
Only 8 can be loaded.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a support bar 106 is attached to the lid 64. One end in the longitudinal direction of the support bar 106 is pivotally supported by the lid 64 via a pin 108. As shown in FIG. 3, when the cover 64 covers the rectangular hole 62A, a receiving hole 110 for receiving the support bar 106 is formed. The support bar 106 moves together with the cover 64 by rotating the cover 64 in a direction to open the opening 38 of the melting tank 14, and is pulled out from the storage hole 110.

As shown in FIG. 4, a notch 112 is formed in the support bar 106 at the end opposite to the pin 108, and the inner portion of the notch 112 is
It is 4. The support bar 106 has an accommodation hole 110.
When the cover 64 is pulled out of the lock member 114, the not-shown hook portion formed on the peripheral edge portion of the housing hole 110 facing the notch 112 enters the lock portion 114 from the notch 112, and the weight of the lid body 64 increases. The downward movement is the upper plate 62
Is blocked. As a result, the lid 64 is held at a predetermined rotation position by the support bar 106.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a cover 68 is further provided on the upper surface of the treatment agent dissolving device 10 to further cover the upper part of the lid 64. An insertion port 70 is formed in the cover 68 at a position facing the loading port 66 provided in the lid 64. Each bottle 28 is loaded into the loading port 66 of the lid 64 by being inserted from the insertion port 70 of the cover 68 with the bottle port 28A facing downward.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lid 64 is provided with a punching mechanism 72 for each of the loading ports 66 (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 4). This piercing mechanism 72
Is provided with a piercing blade 74, and the sealing member closing the bottle opening 28A is broken by swinging the piercing blade 74 toward the bottle opening 28A by an actuator (not shown). When the sealing material breaks, the loading port 6
The treatment agent falls into the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 from the bottle opening 28A of the bottle 28 loaded in 6.

The piercing blade 74 has a shape such that the sealant is broken while leaving a part of the sealant.
To prevent it from falling inside. A conventionally known configuration can be used as the perforation mechanism 72 and the perforation blade 74, and a detailed description is omitted in the present embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lid 64 is provided with a bottle cleaning nozzle 76 toward the inside of the bottle 28 loaded in the loading port 66. As shown in FIG. 1, a bottle cleaning pump 78 is provided in the frame 12. The bottle cleaning pump 78 has a suction side connected to the water supply tank 22 and a discharge side connected to the bottle cleaning nozzle 76.
The bottle cleaning nozzle 76 is configured to eject water toward the inside of the bottle 28 by the operation of the bottle cleaning pump 78.

A predetermined amount of the processing agent is sealed in the bottle 28, and the processing agent for one bottle is dissolved in the dissolving tank 14.
By dissolving with a predetermined amount of water supplied to the inside, a processing solution having a predetermined concentration is generated. For this purpose, after the treatment agent in the bottle 28 is dropped into the dissolution tanks 14 and 16, the bottle cleaning pump 78 is operated at a predetermined timing,
Water is spouted from the bottle washing nozzle 76 into the inside of the bottle 28 to wash the inside of the bottle 28. As a result, the processing agent remaining in the bottle 28 without dropping is removed from the dissolving tank 1
4 and 16, and when the sealing material of the bottle opening 28A is closed without blocking the hole 28A, the sealing material is pushed into the bottle 28 with water jetted from the bottle washing nozzle 76. The entire amount of the processing agent in the bottle 28 is surely dropped into the dissolving tanks 14 and 16.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4,
The lid 64 is provided with a stirring device 80 together with the liquid level sensor 82. The liquid level sensor 82 includes a plurality of electrodes 92
The upper ends of these electrodes 92 are attached to brackets (not shown), and the brackets are attached to the lid 64 so that the lid 64 covers the opening 38 of the melting tank 14. When, the tip of each electrode 92 is located at a predetermined position in the melting tank 14.

As shown in FIG. 4, for example, the electrode 92
It consists of two electrodes 92C, 92L, 92M and 92H. The electrode 92M operates the water supply pump 24 (or water supply pump 26) before the treatment agent is dropped into the dissolution tank 14, and the amount of water supplied to the dissolution tank 14 (or dissolution tank 16) is adjusted to a predetermined value. This is for detecting whether or not the level has been reached. The electrodes 92C and 92L have a length reaching the vicinity of the bottom surface of the melting tank 14. Electrode 92
H, when the water level (liquid level) in the dissolution tank 14 reaches a necessary and sufficient amount to dissolve the processing agent contained in one bottle 28 and obtain a processing solution of a predetermined concentration, The length of the tip is in contact with the liquid surface of the water.

In the processing agent dissolving apparatus 10, the detection sensor 82
Water is supplied to the dissolving tank 14 while confirming the detection state of, and the treating agent is dissolved in an appropriate amount of water. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the bottom surface of the lid 64
A cylindrical electrode cover 96 that integrally surrounds the electrode 92 is attached. In the detection sensor 82, since the electrode 92 is surrounded by the electrode cover 96, even if the periphery of the electrode cover 96 is wavy due to water supply to the dissolving tank 14, agitation, or the like, the fluctuation of the liquid level is surrounded by the electrode cover 96. The influence on the liquid surface around the electrode is minimized.

The stirring means 80 is driven by a stirring motor 84.
It is attached to the upper surface of. The drive shaft 84A of the stirring motor 84 extends to the opposite side via the lid 64, and the upper end of a shaft 86 to which the stirring fin 88 is attached at the lower end is fixed.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
When the end of the drive shaft 84A is pivotally supported by the lid 64 and the lid 64 is at a position covering the opening 38 of the melting tank 14, the end extends into the melting tank 14 through the opening 38. The stirring fin 88 attached to the shaft 86 is located at a position near the bottom of the dissolving tank 14.

A disk-shaped suppressing plate 98 is attached to the shaft 86 below the liquid level above the stirring fin 88. If the suppression plate 98 is not attached, when the stirring motor 84 is driven, the stirring fin 88 rotates, and the liquid level fluctuates or bubbles when stirring the inside of the dissolution tank 14. When the suppression plate 98 is attached, it is possible to suppress the water in the vicinity of the liquid surface from being sucked by the stirring fins 88, and to reduce the fluctuation or bubbling of the liquid surface.

The cover 64 is provided above the shaft 86.
Is provided in the vicinity of. The flange 90 is located above the liquid level when a predetermined amount of water for dissolving the processing agent is introduced into the dissolving tank 14, and when the shaft 86 rotates, water near the liquid level is 86 is prevented from rising.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the dissolving tank 14 has a side wall 120 on the filter unit loading portion 40 side protruding in a substantially mountain shape in plan view. A filter unit housing section 122 that constitutes the filter unit loading section 40 is formed at the distal end. The inner surface of the filter unit housing section 122 is a concave surface having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and is formed so that the axial direction is the vertical direction. An opening 42 is provided at the bottom of the filter unit accommodating portion 122, and the upper portion is a filter unit insertion portion 124 in which a circular insertion opening 40A is formed.

The filter unit 48 is inserted into the filter unit loading section 40 from the insertion port 40A. FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the filter unit 48 has a substantially cylindrical outer shape, and one end in the axial direction is the filter portion 126 and the other end is the cylindrical portion 1.
28, and the insertion port 40 is
A and inserted into the filter unit loading section 40.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5A and 5B, the filter unit 48 has a bracket 138 attached to the upper end thereof via a packing 136 formed of an elastic member or the like. I have. The filter unit 48 is fixed to, for example, the upper plate 62 via the bracket 138 when the filter unit 48 is loaded in the filter unit loading section 40 (not shown). At this time, the filter unit 48 causes the protrusion 50
Is fitted into the opening 42 and fixed.

The filter unit 48 includes a cylindrical body 128
Are formed with a plurality of ribs 132. The rib 132
The longitudinal direction is along the axial direction, and faces the inner surface 124 </ b> A of the filter unit insertion portion 124 on the opening 38 side. When the filter unit 48 is loaded in the filter unit loading section 40, the rib 132
Is in contact with the inner surface 124A of the filter unit insertion portion 124, and the arc-shaped inner surface 1 of the filter unit housing portion 122
The peripheral surface facing 22A is brought into close contact with the inner surface 122A. Thereby, the filter unit 48
And inner surface 122A of filter unit housing 122
In the meantime, it is possible to prevent the processing agent remaining without being dissolved during stirring from entering and accumulating.

The filter unit 48 includes the filter unit 1
A protrusion 50 is formed at the tip of 26. The projection 50 enters the opening 42 when the filter element 48 is loaded in the filter unit loading section 40. As a result, the processing liquid in the dissolving tank 14 passes through the filter unit 48 and
It is to be discharged from. In addition. As shown in FIG. 2, a packing 130 is attached to the protrusion 50 to prevent the processing liquid from flowing around the protrusion 50.

As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 (A), FIG. 5 (B) and FIG.
26 has a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape, and the plane portion 52 formed by the substantially semicircular shape is directed toward the inside of the melting tank 14. The filter element 54 is attached to the flat portion 52.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Is disposed at a substantially central portion of the dissolving tank 14. In the dissolving tank 14, when the stirring fin 88 is driven to rotate, water is circulated in a convection along the shaft 86, and the stirring fin 88 is rotated. Water flows along the rotation direction of the stirring fin 88 around the center 88.

The flow of the water is changed, for example, by rotating the stirring fin 88 in the direction of arrow A (clockwise in FIG. 6) from one wall surface 120A formed across the filter unit housing 122 to the other wall surface. The flow is directed toward 120B.

The filter element 54 is arranged so as to cover the filter unit housing 122 by the filter section 126 of the filter unit 48 being formed in a semi-cylindrical shape, and the surface is disposed between the filter unit housing 1 and the filter element 126.
The wall 120A and the wall 120B where the 22 is formed are smoothly connected to each other so that water flows along the surface of the filter element 54.

In the treating agent dissolving apparatus 10, the surface of the filter element 54 is arranged in the direction along the flow of water caused by stirring, thereby preventing the filter element 54 from becoming a resistance to the flow of water, and at the same time, the surface of the filter element 54 is stirred. This prevents the water or the treatment agent that is not dissolved in the water from colliding with the surface of the filter element 54.

The operation of the present embodiment will be described below.

The loading port 66 of the lid 64 provided opposite to the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 and the bottle 28 containing the developer and the fixing agent are loaded. At this time, the bottle 28
Inserts the bottle opening 28A closed by the sealing material from the insertion opening 70 formed in the cover 68.

When the bottle 28 is loaded into the loading port 66 and the process is started, the punching mechanism 72 is operated at a predetermined timing, and the sealing material closing the bottle opening 28A is broken by the punching blade 74. As a result, the developer and the fixing agent contained in the bottle 28 respectively fall into the dissolving tanks 14 and 16.

When the sealing material is determined by the perforating mechanism 72, the bottle cleaning pump 78 is operated at a predetermined timing, and water is spouted out of the bottle cleaning nozzle 76 into the bottle 28 to adhere to the inner surface of the bottle 28. The remaining developer and fixing agent are flowed down into the dissolving tanks 14 and 16. The water used to wash the bottle 28 is supplied to the dissolving tank 1
Nos. 4 and 16 are collected and used as water for dissolving the processing agents (developer and fixing agent).

On the other hand, when the developer and the fixing agent are supplied to the dissolving tanks 14 and 16, the water supply pumps 24 and 26 are operated, and the developer stored in the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 in one bottle 28 is supplied. And an amount of water necessary for dissolving the fixing agent. As a result, the processing agent dissolving apparatus 10 dissolves a predetermined amount of the processing agent contained in one bottle 28 in a predetermined amount of water to generate a processing solution having a predetermined concentration.

When the developer and the fixing agent are dissolved in water in the dissolution tanks 14 and 16 to generate the developer and the fixing solution, the valve 46 is opened. As a result, the developing solution and the fixing solution in the dissolving tanks 14 and 16 pass through the filter element 54 of the filter unit 48, flow down to the stock tanks 18 and 20, and the stock tanks 18 and 20.
Is stored in

In the dissolving tank 14, when the treating agent and water are charged, the stirring means 80 operates to stir the water and the treating agent, to promote the dissolution of the treating agent in water and to obtain a uniform concentration. Is generated. Further, a filter element 54 is disposed in the dissolving tank 14, and the generated processing liquid is passed through the filter element 5.
4 is transmitted and discharged.

As shown in FIG. 6, the dissolution tank 14
A filter unit housing 122 is formed between the wall surface 120A and the wall surface 120B of the side wall 120, and the filter unit 1 of the filter unit 48 is provided in the filter unit housing 122.
26 are arranged. The filter unit housing portion 122 is formed as a concave portion having a substantially semi-cylindrical concave surface, and has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape into which the filter portion 126 of the filter unit 48 enters the concave portion. As a result, when the filter unit 48 is loaded, the filter element 54 is attached to the wall surfaces 120A, 120B of the side wall 120.
Between the wall surfaces 120A and 120B.

Therefore, the flow of water between the wall surfaces 120A and 120B due to the stirring by the stirring fins 88 is in the direction along the surface of the filter element 54, and is not dissolved in the water or water in the dissolving tank 14. The flow of the particles of the processing agent does not hit the surface of the filter element 54.

When the water in the dissolution tank 14 is agitated, a flow of water is generated in the dissolution tank 14. When this flow of water collides with the surface of the filter element 54, the water pressure applied to the surface of the filter element 54 increases, and the durability of the filter element 54 decreases. In addition, particles of the treatment agent that are not dissolved in water may be pushed between the meshes of the filter element 54 to cause clogging or may pass through the mesh.

On the other hand, since water or particles of the processing solution not dissolved in water do not hit the surface of the filter element 54, it is possible to prevent the durability of the filter element 54 from being lowered. Also, the filter element 5
No clogging or the like occurs due to the particles of the processing agent not dissolved in the mesh No. 4 being pushed.

Accordingly, the maintainability of the filter element 54 can be improved, and it is not necessary to frequently perform maintenance such as cleaning and replacement of the filter element 54.

Further, since the flow of water does not collide with the surface of the filter element 54, the filter element 54 does not become a resistance to the flow of water, and efficient stirring can be performed.

Furthermore, since the particles of the processing agent that are not dissolved in water (processing liquid) do not pass through the filter element 54 and are discharged from the dissolving tank 14, the particles of the processing agent that cannot be completely dissolved during the stirring are removed. The valve 4 may enter the gap between the inner surface of the valve 46 and the valve body and accumulate there.
6 can be prevented from causing an operation failure such as an open / close failure.

The embodiment described above does not limit the configuration of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the flat portion 52 formed on the filter unit 48 is
In FIG. 7, the filter element 54 is arranged so as to be planar. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a curved surface portion 150 that enters the filter portion 126 is formed instead of the planar portion 52, and along the curved surface portion 150, The filter element 54 may be arranged so that the surface is curved concavely. In this manner, the curved surface of the filter element 54 is concavely curved, so that the stirred water
Can be prevented from flowing near the surface of the filter element 54, and even if the liquid flow enters the surface of the filter element 54, the liquid flow can flow smoothly along the surface of the filter element 54, Collisions can be more reliably prevented.

The present embodiment does not limit the configuration of the dissolving tank to which the present invention is applied, the configuration of the treating agent dissolving apparatus using the dissolving tank, and the like. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to a dissolving tank and an apparatus for dissolving a processing agent having an arbitrary configuration that generate a processing solution by dissolving a processing agent such as a developer or a fixing agent in a liquid such as water.

[0071]

As described above, according to the present invention, by disposing the filter surface smoothly along the inner wall of the dissolving tank or along the flow of the liquid, the filter is placed on the surface by the pressure from the liquid flow. Can be prevented. As a result, an excellent effect of suppressing a decrease in the durability of the filter and maintaining stable filtration performance over a long period of time can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a processing agent dissolving apparatus to which the present embodiment is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a dissolving tank applied to the present embodiment and a filter unit mounted on the dissolving tank.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an upper portion of a melting tank showing a drilling mechanism provided on a lid body.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the dissolving tank viewed from a direction different from FIG. 3 of the dissolving tank.

FIG. 5A is a schematic front view of a filter unit viewed from a filter side which is an inner side of a dissolving tank, and FIG.
It is a schematic sectional drawing of the filter unit along 5B-5B line of (A).

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the dissolving tank cut along a horizontal direction and viewed from above.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a dissolution tank showing an example of a surface shape of a filter element applicable to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Processing agent dissolution apparatus 14, 16 Dissolution tank 40 Filter unit loading part 48 Filter unit 50 Projection part 52 Flat part 54 Filter element 80 Stirrer 84 Stirring motor 88 Stirring fin 120 Side wall 120A, 120B Wall surface 122 Filter unit accommodation part 124 Filter unit Insertion part 126 Filter part 128 Tube part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A treatment agent dissolving apparatus for mixing and stirring a powdery or granular treatment agent and a liquid for dissolving the same in a dissolution tank to generate a treatment liquid, and discharging the same through a filter. A treatment agent dissolving apparatus characterized in that its surface is arranged so as to be continuous with the inner wall of the dissolving tank on a smooth surface. 2. A treatment agent dissolving apparatus for mixing and stirring a powdery or granular treatment agent and a liquid for dissolving the same in a dissolution tank to generate a treatment liquid and discharging the same through a filter, An apparatus for dissolving a treatment agent, wherein a surface thereof is arranged along a liquid flow when the liquid is stirred in the dissolution tank. 3. The filter according to claim 1, wherein the filter is arranged so as to close the recess when the treatment liquid is discharged through a recess formed in the inner wall surface of the dissolving tank. 3. The treatment agent dissolving apparatus according to 2. 4. The filter according to claim 1, wherein a filter unit provided on an outer surface of the filter is mounted on the dissolving tank, so that the filter is disposed on the dissolving tank. 3. The treatment agent dissolving device according to item 1.