JP2002082422A - Thermal processor and method to be applied to process film including resistance heating element and film including such heating element - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal processor which has the conventional wet process processor or an independent heating element and is low in cost and complexity. SOLUTION: The thermal processor and the method are applied to process films having resistance heating layers. The thermal processor has a voltage source for impressing current to a conductive member like a conductive roller of the processor. The conductive roller comes into contact with the film having the resistance heating layer in order to apply the current to the resistance heating layer and to heat the resistance heating layer. The heat from the resistance heating layer plays the role of heating the film in order to develop the image on the film.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal processor and a method for processing film. More specifically, the present invention relates to a processor and method for processing a film having a resistive heating element and a film structure including the resistive heating element.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the conventional practice of color photography, silver halide films are developed by chemical techniques that require several steps including development, bleaching, and fixing of the latent image. While this technique has evolved over the years and results in very good images, it requires some chemicals and precise control of development time and temperature. Furthermore, conventional silver halide chemical development techniques are not particularly suitable for use with compact developing equipment. Chemical techniques, which are wet processing techniques, cannot be easily implemented in homes or small offices.

[0003] Imaging systems that do not rely on conventional wet processing have received attention in recent years. A photothermal imaging system is used to generate the silver image. Generally, these imaging systems exhibit very low levels of radiation sensitivity and are primarily used where only low imaging speeds are required. A method and apparatus for developing a thermally developed film is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,537,767. A summary of the photothermal imaging system is published in Research Disclosure, Volume 170, June 1978, Item
17029 and Volume299, March 1989, Item29963. Heat-developable color photographic materials are described, for example, in U.S. Pat.
No. 02,240 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,365.

[0004] US Patent No. 6,048,110 discloses a thermal development device that uses a thrust cartridge.
Furthermore, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Compa
Commercial products such as Color Dry Silver supplied by ny,
And Pictography supplied by Fujifilm Co., Ltd.
^{TM and} Pictrostat ^TM are on the market.

[0005] The purpose of a thermal processor is to provide a low cost processor for film. Generally, this has been accomplished by using a separate resistive heater in the form of a plate or drum that contacts the film and facilitates image development. While this system is low cost for wet processing, it can still require the use of extra equipment for the resistive heater, further complicating the processor.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal processor which is low in cost and complexity with respect to conventional wet processing equipment or thermal processing equipment having independent heating elements.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the invention, a thermal processor includes a conductive member adapted to contact a photosensitive medium, and a conductive member for transferring heat to the photosensitive medium in contact with the conductive member. A voltage source for applying a current to the member.

In a further aspect of the invention, a conductive antihalation layer or resistive heating element is incorporated into or coated on the film structure. By way of example, the resistance heating element may be on the front side of the film strip, or preferably,
Heating of the film, coated on the back side, is realized by passing a current through this resistance heating element.

In a further aspect of the invention, the film structure comprises at least one imaging layer on a first surface, a conductive antihalation layer or a resistive layer on a second surface opposite the first surface. It has a film support having a heating element. The conductive antihalation layer is adapted to heat and develops at least one of the imaging layers when current is passed through the conductive antihalation layer.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a thermal processor for processing a film includes a first pair of rollers defining a first nip to feed the film through the film in the direction of the film path; A second pair of rollers defining a second nip to feed the film in a direction. The second pair of rollers is located downstream of the first pair of rollers with respect to the direction in which the film is fed. One roller of the first pair of rollers and one roller of the second pair of rollers each have an electrically conductive coating, and the rollers are adapted to move when the film is fed in the direction of the film path. , On the first side of the film path to contact one side of the film. The processor further includes one roller of the first pair of rollers and a second roller.
Current is applied to one roller of the first pair of rollers and one roller of the second pair of rollers to heat the film in contact with one of the pair of rollers. Has a variable voltage source adapted to apply

In another aspect of the invention, a thermal processor for processing a thermal film includes a first non-conductive roller positioned to define a first nip for passing the thermal film therethrough. And a second non-conductive roller positioned to define a second nip therebetween for passing a thermal film therethrough, and a second conductive device. A second roller device including a first roller and a first and a second roller device.
And a variable voltage source adapted to apply heat to the first and second conductive rollers to transfer heat to the thermal film and develop an image on the film in contact with the conductive rollers.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a thermal processing method includes passing a thermal film in a direction of a film path including at least one conductive member, and applying a current to the at least one conductive member. And developing an image on a thermal film.

According to another feature of the present invention, a method of assembling a thermal film includes providing at least one imaging layer on a first side of a support of the thermal film, and providing on the second side of the support. Providing a conductive layer.

[0014]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,
FIG. 1 shows an overall operation flow of the thermal process. As shown in FIG. 1, a cassette or cartridge 50 having a photosensitive medium therein, such as an exposed film or a thermal film 5, has a processor 7 for development and processing.
Supplied to Film 5 is preferably in a thrust cartridge. The thrust cartridge may be any cartridge that allows the film to be pulled from the cartridge and rewound into the cartridge several times while providing light-tight storage, especially before exposure and development. A typical example of such a cartridge is a cartridge used in an advanced photo system (APS) for color negative film. These cartridges are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,306 to Robertson et al. And Robertson.
U.S. Patent No. 4,832,275. U.S. Patent No. 6,048,11 to Szajewski et al.
No. 0 shows a further example of a device for thermally developing a thermal film using a thrust cartridge, which device has a magnetic reader and a writer. However,
The present invention is not limited to this,
Other methods or types of cassettes for supplying to the hopper may also be utilized. Further, the processor 7 can be adapted to receive and / or extract film from specially designed single-use cameras.

Processor 7 processes film 5 to develop an image on the film. The film 5 is then fed to an image scanner 11 for scanning and digitizing the image produced on the thermally processed film 5. A central processing unit (CPU) 14 digitally processes the scanned image to provide an appropriate digital file. The monitor 15 can be used to view the image and the progress / status of the film processing. After scanning, the digital file can be sent to a printer 19 to print the digital file and obtain a hardcopy output. As a further option, a file output or a digital file writer 21, such as a compact disk writer or a floppy disk writer, may be provided to provide the digital file output. Further, the digital file may be transmitted over the Internet using, for example, network service provider 17. The thermal process of a thermally developable film according to the present invention generally involves applying heat to the thermal film with a processor 7 to develop an image on the film. In conventional approaches, heating was performed using a separate heating element, such as a heating plate.

In the features of the present invention as shown in FIG.
No separate heating element is required. More specifically, in the present invention, the film 5 functions as a heat applicator and includes a resistance heating element, a heating layer, a conductive portion, or a conductive antihalation layer 39. More specifically, the film 5 includes a support 37, and a resistive heating layer or a conductive antihalation layer 39 is provided on or incorporated into one side of the support 37. The other side of the support 37 has an imaging layer 35. Therefore, applying a current through the resistance heating layer 39 serves to heat the resistance heating layer 39 and transfer heat to the film 5. Heat is transferred to the imaging layer 35 for the purpose of developing an image on the film 5.

The resistive heating layer 39 may be any material that provides accurate sheet resistance to facilitate film heating and development within a range of voltages that would be substantial in a single automated machine. As a non-limiting example, if the film path is 1
5 cm, and assuming that the voltage available to process the film is 100 V, about 100 W of power in the 1 cm film width direction to develop the film within the required time frame. Assuming that it must be supplied, the resistive heating layer 39 on the film 5
Requires a sheet resistance of about 10Ω / □. Therefore, 1
A sheet resistance in the range of ~ 100Ω / □ is desirable. This may be a resistance heating layer or an antihalation layer metallized resistance heating layer, a conductive oxide such as tin oxide or indium tin oxide, a conductive polymer such as polyacetylene, or graphite or metal particles. It can be realized by using in the form of a polymer that is impregnated or conductive by including a sufficient amount of conductive particles or conductive particulate material such as.

A schematic detail of the processor 7 according to the invention is shown in FIG. Processor 7 includes a conductive assembly having a conductive member. More specifically, the processor 7
Comprises a first roller arrangement, assembly including a first non-conductive roller 25a and a first conductive roller 25b;
Alternatively, it has a pair 25 and a second roller arrangement, assembly or pair 27 including a second non-conductive roller 27a and a second conductive roller 27b. Non-conductive rollers 25a and 27a are placed on one side of the film path for film 5 so as to contact the first side of film 5. The conductive rollers 25b and 27b are connected to the second side of the film path 5 so as to contact the second side of the film 5.
On the side of. Further, rollers 25a and 25b
Define a first nip therebetween and feed and pass the film 5 through these first nips while the rollers 27
a and 27b are located downstream of the rollers 25a and 25b with respect to the direction in which the film is fed, defining a second nip therebetween and feeding the film 5 through these second nips.

The processor 7 further includes a conductive roller 2
It has a variable voltage source 30 to supply current to 5b and 27b. In a feature of the invention, voltage source 30 may include a contact brush 31 that conducts current from the voltage source to rollers 25b and 27b. In the present invention, the film 5 having the resistive layer 39 as shown in FIG. 2 comprises the resistive layer 39 facing and / or contacting the conductive rollers 25b and 27b while the imaging layer 35 is non-conductive roller 25a. And 7a are moved through the processor 7 in a manner facing or touching it. The current from the voltage source 30 is applied to the conductive roller 2 through a contact brush 31 or other type of conductive medium.
5b and 27b. Conductive roller 25b
And 27b contact resistive layer 39, current flows to resistive layer 39 to heat resistive layer 39.
The current heats the film 5 including the imaging layer 35 and heats the resistive layer 39 to develop an image on the film 5.

The processor 7 may further include a temperature sensor 40 that can determine the surface temperature of the film. Temperature sensor 40 may include a pyrometer, thermocouple, or any useful temperature sensing device. The output from the temperature sensor 40 is
It may be used in feedback control to control the voltage supplied by the variable voltage source 30 on the rollers 25b and 27b.

The non-conductive rollers 25a and 27a
It may be a rubber roller or a roller coated with rubber,
The conductive rollers 25b and 27b may be metal or metal-coated rollers.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a unique thermal processor and film structure in which heat for film development is supplied via a voltage source and a resistive heating layer provided or incorporated into the film.

It is noted that the present invention is not limited to the conductive roller arrangement shown. The current can pass uniformly through the film of known length, and when the film is supplied to the processor, the area through which the current passes can be moved in the direction of the film to make uniform contact with the resistance heating layer of the film Other devices may be utilized within the context of the present invention.

For example, a conductive device instead of a roller may have sufficient force to maintain contact with the film while allowing the film to be fed, eg, a bar that contacts the film by a spring. Or it may have a lever. The bar or lever can be attached to a voltage source as described. This optional arrangement can be retrofitted, for example, into existing processors with rubber rollers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an operation flow of an overall thermal process according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a film structure having a resistance heating element according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a thermal processor according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 5 film 7 processor 11 image scanner 14 central processing unit 15 monitor 17 network service provider 19 printer 21 file writer 25a, 27a non-conductive roller 25b, 27b conductive roller 30 voltage source 31 contact brush 35 imaging layer 37 support 39 Anti-halation layer 40 Temperature sensor 50 Cartridge

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G03C 7/407 G03C 7/407 7/46 7/46 F term (Reference) 2H016 AA00 AG01 BA00 BC03 2H023 AA00 FA09 FD00 2H112 AA03 AA11 BA08 BC01 BC09 BC15 BC41 2H123 AB00 AB03 AB23 AB28 BA00 BA48 BA63 CB00 CB03

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A conductive assembly including a conductive member adapted to contact a photosensitive medium, and supplying an electrical current to the conductive member to transfer heat to the photosensitive medium in contact with the conductive member. A thermal processor having a voltage source. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one imaging layer on a first surface; and a conductive antihalation layer on a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the conductive halation layer is a conductive antihalation layer. A film structure having a film support, wherein the blocking layer is adapted to heat and develop the at least one imaging layer when current is passed through the conductive antihalation layer. 3. A thermal processor for processing a film, comprising: a first pair of rollers defining a first nip for feeding a film therethrough in the direction of a film path; and a direction in which the film is fed. A second pair of rollers downstream of said first pair of rollers and defining a second nip for feeding said film through in the direction of said film path; One roller of the first pair of rollers to heat a film in contact with one roller of the pair of rollers and one roller of the second pair of rollers; and A variable voltage source adapted to apply a current to one of the rollers of the second pair of rollers; one of the rollers of the first pair of rollers; and the second pair of rollers. Roller One of the rollers of the, each have a conductive coating, a thermal processor in which the film is placed on one side of the film path so as to contact with one side of the film when fed in the direction of the film path.