JP2004325147A - Liquid level detecting sensor and treating agent dissolving device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid level detecting sensor and a treating agent dissolving device that prevent malfunctions caused by an organic substance crystallization, or the like, of a solution, or the like, and corrosion, secure operation stability with an inexpensive configuration, and prevent corrosion at the junction section between an electrode and an electrical wire for securing operation stability. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid level detecting sensor has a plurality of rod-like electrodes 10 made of a conductive material; covers each electrode with a cover tube made of an electrical insulating material to the rear end other than the tip of a liquid level detection section 13 while a connection section 16 with the electrical wire 14 is included; and a tip sealing section 15 for sealing the portion between the cover tube and the electrode at the tip side. The liquid level detection sensor and the treating agent dissolving device can prevent malfunctions caused by the organic substance crystallization, or the like, of the solution, gas, or the like, and corrosion, can secure the operation stability with an inexpensive configuration, and can prevent corrosion at the junction section between the electrode and the electrical wire for securing the operation stability. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid level detection sensor and a processing agent dissolving device that detects a storage amount of a processing liquid using the liquid level detection sensor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Developing, fixing, and stabilizing the processing of the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material are performed by immersing the photographic material in each processing tank filled with a processing solution of a developing solution, a fixing solution, and a stabilizing solution in a developing machine. When performing continuous processing in a developing machine, each processing solution is replenished from a processing solution replenishing device in order to keep the performance of each processing solution constant. In such a processing liquid replenishing apparatus, a replenishing processing liquid in which a processing agent is dissolved in water is stored in a dissolving tank, and the processing liquid is appropriately replenished to each processing tank. In this case, a liquid level detection sensor including a plurality of electrodes is provided in the dissolving tank to detect the amount of liquid stored in the dissolving tank (for example, see Patent Document 1 below).
[0003]
In the liquid level detection sensor as described above, the exposed electrode is arranged so as to extend to one or more liquid levels to be detected, and the liquid level is detected. In addition, the solution dissolves a variety of components, and in some cases, countermeasures have been taken by forming an insulating coating on the electrodes to protect the electrodes from sensor malfunction and corrosion due to crystallization of these components. However, this countermeasure is not sufficient in terms of operational stability, costs are high, and if the corrosion of the joint between the electrode and the electric wire progresses, it may cause a malfunction.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-127342
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and is intended to prevent malfunction and corrosion due to crystallization of a dissolved substance such as a solution and to secure operation stability with an inexpensive configuration and a liquid dissolving apparatus for treating agents. The purpose is to provide. It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid level detection sensor and a processing agent dissolving device which are capable of preventing corrosion of a joint between an electrode and an electric wire and ensuring operation stability.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a liquid level detection sensor according to the present invention includes a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes made of a conductive material, and each of the electrodes is covered with a coating tube made of an electrically insulating material except for a liquid detection part at the tip. In addition to covering the end, a tip sealing portion for sealing between the coating tube and the electrode is provided on the tip side.
[0007]
According to this liquid level detection sensor, the electrodes are covered to the rear end with a coating tube made of an electrically insulating material, except for the liquid detection section at the front end, and the space between the coating tube and the electrode is sealed at the front end side. In the detection sensor, malfunction and erosion of the electrode due to crystallization of a conductive or semiconductive dissolved substance, splashing of liquid due to splashing, and the like can be prevented, operation stability can be ensured, and the sensor can be configured at low cost.
[0008]
In the liquid level detection sensor, it is preferable that the distal end sealing portion includes a sealing tube having a relatively short length and an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the covering tube. Since the outer diameter of the sealing tube is larger than the inner diameter of the covering tube, the covering tube can be securely sealed at the distal end by attaching the covering tube so as to be pressed into the sealing tube of the distal sealing portion. it can. In addition, it is preferable that a coating tube is comprised from a flexible tube.
[0009]
In this case, it is preferable that the sealing tube is attached to the electrode by press-fitting or bonding so as to seal the space between the sealing tube and the electrode, thereby securely sealing the space between the sealing tube and the electrode. Can be.
[0010]
Further, each of the electrodes has a joint for connecting an electric wire for transmitting an electrode state, and by covering the covering tube including the joint, the joint between the electrode and the electric wire can be protected, and the corrosion of the electrode can be prevented. Can be prevented and operation stability can be ensured.
[0011]
Further, by providing a rear end sealing portion for sealing between the covering tube and the electrode on the rear end side of each of the electrodes, the rear end side of the electrode can be sealed. In this case, it is preferable that the covering tube be fastened with a fastening member such as a tie wrap band at the rear end sealing portion. Further, similarly to the above-mentioned front end sealing portion, the rear end sealing portion includes a sealing tube having a relatively short length and an outer diameter larger than the covering tube, and the sealing tube is provided between the sealing tube and the electrode. Is preferably attached to the electrode by press-fitting or bonding so as to seal.
[0012]
Further, it is preferable that the coated tube is formed of a highly water-repellent material, or that the surface of the coated tube has high water-repellency.
[0013]
The treatment agent dissolving apparatus according to the present invention includes a dissolution tank that dissolves a treatment agent in a solvent to adjust a treatment liquid, and the above-described liquid level detection sensor, and the treatment liquid in the dissolution tank is detected by the liquid level detection sensor. The liquid level of the processing liquid is detected by detecting the liquid level of the processing liquid.
[0014]
According to this treatment agent dissolving apparatus, the electrodes are covered to the rear end with a coating tube made of an electrically insulating material except for the liquid detection portion at the front end of the liquid level detection sensor, and the front end side is sealed between the coating tube and the electrode. Therefore, malfunction of liquid level detection and erosion of the electrode due to crystallization of a conductive or semiconductive dissolved substance of the processing liquid can be prevented, and stability of the liquid level detection operation can be secured. For this reason, the storage amount of the processing liquid can be accurately detected. Further, since the liquid level detection sensor can be configured at low cost, it contributes to a reduction in the cost of the entire apparatus.
[0015]
When the dissolving device for dissolving the treating agent is provided with a stirrer in the dissolving tank for stirring the treating solution when dissolving the treating agent in the solvent, the agitating causes the treating solution to splash and scatter and adhere to the electrode. Also, the liquid level detection sensor does not malfunction because the electrode is covered with the covering tube.
[0016]
Further, when the treatment liquid is accumulated in the dissolution tank up to the maximum storage amount, each electrode is placed in the dissolution tank so that there is an area where the coating tube of each electrode does not sink in the treatment liquid. Preferably, they are arranged.
[0017]
In addition, a fixing member for fixing each of the electrodes to the dissolving tank is provided, and the gap between the coating tube and the electrode can be sealed by fixing each of the electrodes on the rear end side by the fixing member. . In this case, the rear end sealing portion described above can be omitted.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a rod-shaped electrode for constituting the liquid level detection sensor according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a liquid level detection sensor provided with a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes of FIG.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 1, a rod-shaped electrode 10 has an elongated rod-shaped conductive portion 11 made of a conductive material such as stainless steel (for example, 304 stainless steel), and is electrically connected to the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 to be in an electrode state. , A joint 16 provided at the upper rear end of the rod-shaped conductive part 11 for electrically connecting the rod-shaped conductive part 11 and the electric wire 14, and a liquid at the tip end of the rod-shaped conductive part 11. A covering tube 12 covering the entirety including the rod-shaped conductive part 11 and the joint part 16 except for the detection part 13 is provided.
[0020]
The coating tube 12 can be formed of a vinyl chloride tube having electrical insulation and flexibility, but may be formed of another material such as a silicon tube depending on the application. The outer diameter of the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 is preferably in the range of 3 to 10 mm.
[0021]
Further, a sealing tube 15 whose length is relatively short and whose outer diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the coating tube 11 is pushed into the distal end side of the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 where the liquid detecting portion 13 of the rod-shaped electrode 10 is exposed. It is press-fitted. Thereby, the sealing tube 15 is attached so as to tighten the rod-shaped conductive portion 11, and a sealing structure that reliably seals between the sealing tube 15 and the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 can be configured. The length of the sealing tube 15 is preferably about 5 mm or more and about 20 mm or less, and can be made of the same material as the covering tube 12, but may be another material.
[0022]
Further, the coating tube 12 is pressed into the sealing tube 15 having a large outer diameter on the side of the distal end 19a. Thereby, the covering tube 12 is attached so as to tighten the sealing tube 15, and a sealing structure that reliably seals the space between the covering tube 12 and the sealing tube 15 on the distal end 19 a side of the covering tube 12 can be configured. . Therefore, the space between the rod-shaped conductive part 11 and the coating tube 12 can be reliably sealed at the tip end side of the rod-shaped conductive part 11 by each of the sealing structures.
[0023]
Further, the covering tube 12 is sealed by being fastened by a fastening member 17 such as a tie wrap band on the rear end 19b side.
[0024]
As described above, the rod-shaped electrode 10 covers the rod-shaped conductive part 11 except for the liquid detecting part 13, the joint part 16, and a part 18 of the electric wire 14 with the covering tube 12, and seals the front end side and the rear end side. By doing so, the space between the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 and the coating tube 12 can be sealed. Therefore, especially when the rod-shaped electrode 10 is immersed in a liquid on the tip 19a side of the coating tube 12 or in a gas atmosphere, the liquid or gas is prevented from entering between the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 and the coating tube 12. it can.
[0025]
Next, a liquid level detection sensor provided with a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid level detection sensor 20 includes a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes 10a, 10b, and 10c, and each of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c is configured in the same manner as in FIG. It is covered with 12b and 12c.
[0026]
The liquid detecting portions 13a, 13b, 13c are exposed from the respective coating tubes at the lower tip side of the respective rod-shaped electrodes 10a, 10b, 10c, and the electric wires 14a, 14b are respectively disposed from the upper rear end side of the respective rod-shaped electrodes 10a, 10b, 10c. , 14c extend.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 2, the rod electrode 10a is the longest and forms the common electrode, the rod electrode 10b is shorter than the rod electrode 10a so as to detect the low liquid level L1, and the rod electrode 10c is the higher liquid level. It is shorter than the rod-shaped electrode 10b so as to detect the level L2.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 2, when the liquid level detection sensor 20 is attached to a solution tank or the like and the liquid level of the solution is at a low level L1 as indicated by the solid line in the figure, the electrical connection between the rod-shaped electrodes 10a and 10b is established. Since the electrical connection is not established between the rod-shaped electrodes 10a and 10c, it can be detected that the liquid level is equal to or higher than the low level L1. Further, when the liquid level of the solution is at the high level L2 as shown by the broken line in the figure, electrical connection is made between the rod-shaped electrodes 10a and 10b, and electrical connection is also made between the rod-shaped electrodes 10a and 10c. , It can be detected that the liquid level is equal to or higher than the high level L2.
[0029]
According to the liquid level detection sensor 20 as described above, the gap between the coating tubes 12a to 12c and the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 of FIG. 1 is securely sealed at the tip ends of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c as shown in FIG. However, it is possible to prevent the solution or corrosive gas from entering between the coating tubes 12a to 12c and the rod-shaped conductive portion 11. Further, since the rear end side of each of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c is also sealed with the fastening member 17 of FIG. 1, the intrusion of the solution or gas can be more reliably prevented.
[0030]
As described above, the coating tubes 12a to 12c can protect the rod-shaped conductive portions 11 and the bonding portions 16 in FIG. 1 in the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c, and can prevent corrosion of the rod-shaped conductive portions 11 and the bonding portions 16, Operational stability can be ensured. .
[0031]
In addition, since the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 is covered with the coating tubes 12a to 12c except for exposing the liquid detection portions 13a to 13c on the tip sides of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c, the conductivity in the solution in the liquid level detection sensor 20 is reduced. Malfunction due to crystallization of a semiconductive dissolved substance or splashing of liquid due to splashing can be prevented, and operation stability can be ensured.
[0032]
The configuration for the above-mentioned operation stability can be easily realized with a covering tube or a sealing tube made of a material such as vinyl chloride as described above, and furthermore, a commercially available tie wrap band or the like. , And can be configured at low cost. Conventionally, measures to form an insulating coating on the electrode are effective means when the number of production is large, but when supplying a small amount, the cost tends to be high, and measures for the joint are insufficient. According to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be provided at low cost irrespective of the supply amount, and the joint can be sufficiently protected.
[0033]
Next, a processing agent dissolving apparatus according to the present embodiment for replenishing an automatic developing machine with a processing solution will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a view of the inside of the treatment agent dissolving apparatus as viewed from the front. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an attached state of three rod-shaped electrodes constituting a liquid level detection sensor provided in the processing agent dissolving device of FIG.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 3, a processing agent dissolving apparatus 30 includes a dissolving tank 21 for dissolving a processing agent for developing a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material in a solvent such as water to adjust a processing liquid; A storage tank 22 is provided below and stores the processing solution adjusted in the dissolving tank 21, and a replenishing pump 28 for feeding the processing solution from the storage tank 22 to an external automatic developing machine through a pipe 29.
[0035]
In the dissolving tank 21, the treating agent cartridge 23 located at the upper part of the dissolving tank 21 is opened, and the treating agent 23b is dropped and supplied by opening the bottom 23a as shown by the broken line in FIG. Water is supplied from 26. The processing liquid adjusted by opening the valve 27 a in the middle from the dissolving tank 21 through the pipe 27 is sent to the storage tank 22.
[0036]
The dissolving tank 21 includes a stirring unit 25 having blades for rotationally driving the motor 24 to stir the processing liquid therein, and the rod-shaped electrodes 10a, 10b, and 10c similar to those shown in FIGS. Is provided with a liquid level detection sensor 20 for detecting the liquid level. Each of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c is arranged such that there is an area where the coating tubes 12a to 12c do not sink into the processing liquid when the processing liquid has accumulated up to the maximum storage amount in the dissolving tank 21.
[0037]
The liquid level detection sensor 20 can detect liquid levels at two high and low positions in the dissolving tank 21 as in FIG. Further, the replenishment pump 28, the valve 27a, the motor 24, and the like are collectively managed by the control device based on the detection result of the liquid level detection sensor 20 and the like.
[0038]
As shown in FIG. 4, the liquid level detection sensor 20 includes a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes 10 a, 10 b, and 10 c on a metal fixing plate 31 on a metal fixing plate 31 above a melting tank 21. It is assembled by being fixed by.
[0039]
That is, each of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c is sandwiched between the concave portion 32a of the mounting bracket 32 and the concave portion 33a of the mounting bracket 33 in the vicinity of a part 18 of the electric wire 14 of FIG. 1 covered with the coating tubes 12a to 12c. In this state, the fittings 32 and 33 are tightened by being screwed. The rod-shaped electrodes 10 a to 10 c are fixed to the fixed plate 31 and attached by screwing the respective mounting brackets 32 to the fixed plate 31.
[0040]
Since the fixed portions of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c by the fixing plate 31 are covered with the coating tubes 12a to 12c, they are non-conductive to the metal fixing plate 31.
[0041]
As described above, since the conductivity from the liquid level to be detected to the fixing plate 31 for fixing the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c is eliminated, the trouble of coating the fixing plate 31 with the insulating film is omitted, and the malfunction is performed by simpler and cheaper means. Can be prevented.
[0042]
4, the rear end side of each of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c is sealed, so that the fastening member 17 as shown in FIG. 1 can be omitted, but the sealing effect may be further enhanced without omission. .
[0043]
According to the processing agent dissolving device 30 described above, since the liquid level detection sensor 20 is configured in the same manner as in FIGS. 1 and 2, the liquid level detection sensor 20 is caused by crystallization of a conductive or semiconductive dissolved substance of the processing liquid. It is possible to prevent the malfunction of the liquid level detection, the corrosion of the rod-shaped conductive portion / joined portion in the rod-shaped electrode due to the processing liquid and the gas generated from the processing liquid, and to ensure the stability of the liquid level detection operation. For this reason, since the storage amount of the processing liquid in the processing tank 21 can be accurately detected, the adjusted processing liquid can be sent to the storage tank 22 with good timing.
[0044]
Further, when the treatment liquid is stirred by the rotation of the stirring unit 25 with the blade when dissolving the treatment agent in water in the dissolution tank 21, even if the treatment liquid splashes and scatters and adheres to the rod-shaped electrode. The liquid level detecting sensor 20 does not malfunction because the rod-shaped conductive portions 11 of the rod-shaped electrodes 10a to 10c in FIG. 1 are covered with the coating tubes 12a to 12c. Further, since the liquid level detection sensor 20 can be configured at a low cost, it contributes to a reduction in the cost of the entire processing agent dissolving device 30.
[0045]
As described above, the present invention has been described with the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications can be made within the technical idea of the present invention. For example, in FIG. 1, the difference between the inner diameter of the sealing tube 15 and the diameter of the rod-shaped conductive portion 11 and the difference between the outer diameter of the sealing tube 15 and the inner diameter of the covering tube 12 are reduced, and the adhesive is pressed before the press-fitting. A small amount may be filled between the distal end of the part 11 and the distal end of the coating tube 12, and the sealing tube 15 may be fixed by press-fitting.
[0046]
Also, a sealing structure similar to that of the sealing tube 15 on the lower front end side may be provided on the upper rear end side of the rod-shaped electrode.
[0047]
Further, the water repellency of the coated tube may be enhanced by applying a fluororesin coating to the coated tube as necessary. Further, a material having high water repellency such as a fluororesin may be used as the material of the covering tube.
[0048]
Further, the processing agent cartridge 23 in FIG. 3 is a processing agent for a developing process, but it is needless to say that another processing agent such as a fixing process may be used. Further, the liquid level detection sensor shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be applied not only to the processing agent dissolving device as shown in FIG. 3 but also to another device having a configuration for detecting the liquid level.
[0049]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the liquid level detection sensor and processing agent dissolution apparatus of the present invention, malfunction and corrosion due to crystallization of a dissolved substance such as a solution or gas can be prevented, operation stability can be ensured with an inexpensive configuration, and electrodes and electric wires can be secured. The operation stability can be secured by preventing the corrosion of the joint with the metal.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a rod-shaped electrode for constituting a liquid level detection sensor according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a liquid level detection sensor including a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a treatment agent dissolving apparatus according to the present embodiment, and is a view when the inside is viewed from the front.
4 is a perspective view showing an attached state of three rod-shaped electrodes constituting a liquid level detection sensor provided in the processing agent dissolving device of FIG. 3;
[Explanation of symbols]
10, 10a to 10c: rod-shaped electrode 11: rod-shaped conductive part 12, 12a to 12c: coated tube 13, 13a to 13c: liquid detection part 14, 14a to 14c: electric wire 15.・ Sealing tube (tip sealing part)
Reference Signs List 16 joining portion 17 fastening member 20 liquid level detection sensor 21 dissolving tank 30 treating agent dissolving device 32, 33 mounting bracket (fixing member)

Claims (11)

Equipped with a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes made of a conductive material,
Each of the electrodes was covered up to the rear end with a coating tube made of an electrically insulating material except for a liquid detection portion at the tip, and a tip sealing portion for sealing between the coating tube and the electrode was provided on the tip side. A liquid level detection sensor characterized by the above-mentioned. The liquid level detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein the distal end sealing portion includes a sealing tube having a relatively short length and an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the covering tube. The liquid level detection sensor according to claim 2, wherein the sealing tube is attached to the electrode by press-fitting or bonding so as to seal between the electrode and the electrode. 4. The liquid level detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the electrodes has a joint for connecting an electric wire that transmits an electrode state, and the covering tube covers the joint including the joint. 5. . The liquid surface according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a rear end sealing portion that seals between the covering tube and the electrode is provided on the rear end side of each of the electrodes. Detection sensor. The liquid level detection sensor according to claim 5, wherein the rear end sealing portion includes a fastening member for fastening the covering tube. The rear end sealing portion includes a sealing tube having a relatively short length and an outer diameter larger than the covering tube, and the sealing tube is press-fitted or bonded to the electrode so as to seal between the electrode and the electrode. The liquid level detection sensor according to claim 5, wherein the liquid level detection sensor is attached by: The liquid level detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the coating tube is formed of a highly water-repellent material, or a surface of the coating tube has high water repellency. . A dissolution tank for dissolving the treatment agent in a solvent to prepare a treatment solution,
A liquid level detection sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A processing agent dissolving apparatus, wherein a liquid level of the processing liquid is detected by detecting a liquid level of the processing liquid in the dissolving tank by the liquid level detection sensor. The electrodes are arranged in the dissolving tank so that there is an area where the coating tube of each electrode does not sink in the treating liquid when the treating liquid is accumulated up to a maximum storage amount in the dissolving tank. The treatment agent dissolving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: A fixing member for fixing each of the electrodes to the dissolving tank,
The processing agent dissolving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the electrode is fixed at a rear end side by the fixing member to seal a gap between the coating tube and the electrode.

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