JP2007171837A - Photosensitive material processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photosensitive material processor which has a plurality of development processing sections arranged, side by side, in the conveying direction of a photosensitive material while at least one of the development processing sections comprises an out-tank conveying mechanism conveying the photosensitive material outside a processing tank wherein the photosensitive material can vertically be conveyed in processing liquid and an out-tank processing unit equipped with a liquid dipping section supplying the processing liquid to the photosensitive material conveyed in the out-tank conveying mechanism, the photosensitive material processor having less risk that part of the processing liquid to be supplied to the photosensitive material at the liquid dipping section contaminates upstream-side processing liquid. <P>SOLUTION: The photosensitive material processor is equipped with a sending-in roller pair 53 that receive the photosensitive material P from an upstream side of the out-tank processing unit 50 and send it in the liquid dipping section, and a squeezing mechanism comprising a guide member 71 supporting a base material surface of the photosensitive material P and an elastic blade 72 pressing the photosensitive material against the guide member 71 across the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material P is arranged, side by side, with the sending-in roller pair 53 in the photosensitive material conveying direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention has a plurality of development processing units juxtaposed along the conveyance direction of the photosensitive material, and at least one of the plurality of development processing units is a process capable of conveying the photosensitive material in the vertical direction in the processing liquid. The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus including an out-of-tank transport mechanism that transports outside a tank and an out-of-tank processing unit that includes a liquid immersion unit that applies a processing liquid to the sensitive material transported through the out-of-tank transport mechanism.

  As this type of photosensitive material processing apparatus, there is Patent Document 1 shown below as prior art document information related to the present invention. In the light-sensitive material processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a transport device is provided that transports above the liquid level of a plurality of continuous processing tanks, and at least on the lower surface of the light-sensitive material transported by the transport device, The processing liquid is applied by a processing roller (immersion part) partially immersed in the liquid level of the processing tank. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the photosensitive material is introduced into the liquid in each processing tank and then pulled up again to the liquid level in the tank and transferred to the next processing tank, the processing is repeated in all steps of the development processing unit. Since the conveyance distance of the material is shortened, it is possible to speed up the photosensitive material processing.

JP-A-4-268554 (paragraph numbers 0013 and 0014, FIG. 1)

  However, in the light-sensitive material processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a part of the processing liquid to be applied to the light-sensitive material by the rotating processing roller (liquid immersion portion) is processed upstream of the partition between the tanks. There was a risk of entering the tank and contaminating different types of processing solutions. Incidentally, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the first tank of the five washing tanks is not applied with a transport mechanism for transporting the photosensitive material outside the processing tank. The processing solution in the upstream bleach-fixing tank is less likely to be contaminated.

  Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art sensitive material processing apparatus exemplified above, a part of the processing liquid to be applied to the photosensitive material by the liquid immersion portion is used as an upstream processing liquid. An object of the present invention is to provide a light-sensitive material processing apparatus that is less likely to be contaminated.

A first characteristic configuration of the present invention has a plurality of development processing units juxtaposed along the conveyance direction of the photosensitive material, and at least one of the plurality of development processing units moves the photosensitive material up and down in the processing liquid. Sensitive material comprising an out-of-tank processing unit including an out-of-tank transport mechanism that transports outside a processing tank that can be transported in a direction, and a liquid immersion unit that applies a processing liquid to the sensitive material transported in the out-of-tank transport mechanism A processing device comprising:
The out-of-tank processing unit includes a pair of feed rollers that receive the sensitive material from the upstream side of the out-of-tank processing unit and send it to the liquid immersion unit, and further, a guide member that supports the base material surface of the sensitive material, A squeeze mechanism including an elastic blade that presses the photosensitive material against the guide member via the photosensitive surface is arranged in parallel with the pair of feeding rollers along the photosensitive material conveyance direction.

  Therefore, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the first characteristic configuration of the present invention, the photosensitive material is conveyed outside the processing tank while being subjected to the processing liquid in at least one of the development processing units. Compared with a configuration in which the material is made to enter the liquid and the process of pulling it up again on the liquid surface of the tank is repeated, the photosensitive material processing is speeded up. In addition, the feed roller pair that presses and sandwiches the photosensitive material from above and below and the squeeze mechanism that also supports the photosensitive material from above and below cooperate to move the processing liquid applied in the liquid immersion section upstream. Since it can prevent, the process liquid of an upstream side becomes difficult to be contaminated.

  Another feature of the present invention is that liquid supply means is provided for supplying a processing liquid from the downstream side to the upstream side in the photosensitive material transport direction with respect to the liquid immersion part.

  With this configuration, since the processing liquid is supplied to the photosensitive material from the downstream side, the photosensitive material moves to the downstream side in the process of being transported by the out-of-tank transport mechanism while being treated with the processing liquid from the liquid supply means. As a result, it comes into contact with a fresh and high-capacity processing solution with little chance of contact with the photosensitive material, and is transferred to the next tank in a state where the processing level has advanced more efficiently.

  In another aspect of the present invention, a back printing mechanism for forming a back printing field composed of reference data on the back surface of the photosensitive material is provided on the upstream side of the development processing unit, and the feeling of the pair of feeding rollers is provided. An annular relief groove for avoiding contact with the back printing field is formed on the outer periphery of the roller on the side that supports the back surface of the material, and contact with the portion of the guide member that can contact the back printing field is avoided. A relief groove is provided in the elastic blade.

  In this configuration, an annular relief groove is formed on the outer periphery of the feeding roller on the side that supports the back side of the photosensitive material, so that the undried components of the ink used in the back print column are exposed to the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material. It is avoided that the toner is transferred to the photosensitive surface through the feeding roller on the supporting side and the quality is deteriorated. In addition, when an annular relief groove is formed on the feed roller in this way, a phenomenon is observed in which the upstream processing liquid adhering to the photosensitive material rear surface portion corresponding to the annular relief groove is brought into the downstream treatment tank. It is done. However, in this configuration, since the back printing escape groove is not formed in the guide member, the upstream processing liquid adhering to the photosensitive material back surface portion corresponding to the annular relief groove of the feeding roller is squeezed by the guide member. For example, it is collected in an upstream tank or the like, and the amount of processing liquid brought in is effectively limited. Further, since the elastic blade is provided with a relief groove that avoids contact with the portion of the guide member that can come into contact with the back printing column, the ink component adhering to the elastic blade is exposed to the photosensitive material via the elastic blade. The risk of contaminating the surface is also suppressed.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
〔overall structure〕
The photographic printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is generally called a digital minilab, which converts a frame image of a developed photographic film F into a digital signal, processes the converted digital image data, and performs basic processing of the entire system. An operation block A to be controlled and a print block B to perform exposure processing and development processing on a silver salt type photographic paper P as a photosensitive material, and to send out after drying processing are provided.

[Operate Block]
The operating block A includes a film scanner 2 that captures the frame image of the photographic film F as a digital signal by photoelectric conversion to the console 1, a display 3 that displays various information, and various processes necessary for image processing and printing. And an image processing device 4 composed of a general-purpose computer. On the upper surface of the console 1, a keyboard 5 for inputting information to the image processing apparatus 4 and a mouse 6 functioning as a pointing device are provided.

  The image processing apparatus 4 corresponds to the structure of each medium so as to acquire image data from a disk type medium such as CD or MO, or to acquire image data from a semiconductor type medium (not shown). The media drive 7 is provided. The image processing apparatus 4 includes an interface that realizes not only image processing such as color correction and density correction but also processing related to printing by operating the keyboard 5 and the mouse 6 according to the display on the display 3. .

  The film scanner 2 mounts a film carrier 2A suitable for the size of the photographic film F on the upper surface of the light source unit and starts scanning, whereby the photographic film F is conveyed in the longitudinal direction, and the photographic film is synchronized with this conveyance. F image is guided to the photoelectric conversion unit from the zoom lens to the upper part, and the photoelectric conversion unit converts the three primary colors R (red), G (green), and B (blue) into digital signals as image data. The acquired image data is transferred to the image processing apparatus 4 and stored.

[Print Block]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the print block B accommodates the exposure unit Ex, the development unit De (an example of the light-sensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention), and the drying unit Dr in a casing 10 having a dark box structure. In the form. Further, after the drying process, the photographic paper P sent out from the discharge unit 11 at the top of the housing 10 is sent in the horizontal direction by the transport belt 12, and the photographic paper P is sorted and stacked on the tray 13 </ b> A of the sorter 13 in order units. It is configured.

[Exposure part]
As shown in FIG. 2, the exposure unit Ex includes two photographic paper magazines M, M arranged at the lower part, an advance roller 20 that draws photographic paper P from one of the two photographic paper magazines M, and a print size. A cutter 21 that cuts the photographic paper P, an exposure transport unit 23 that performs exposure processing in the main scanning direction by the exposure head H while transporting the photographic paper P supplied by the nipping and transporting unit 22 in the sub-scanning direction, and this exposure transport. A rear transport unit 24 that sends out the photographic paper P exposed by the unit 23 and a chucker C that can displace the photographic paper P sent out from the rear transport unit 24 in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction are arranged in two rows of distribution paths. A sorting unit 25 for sorting and a relay transport unit 26 for feeding the sorted printing paper P to the developing unit De are provided.

The exposure transport unit 23 includes a plurality of transport roller pairs that can be switched between a pressure-bonding state and a release state in which the photographic paper P is pressure-bonded, and smooth transport is performed by switching the plurality of transport roller pairs between the pressure-bonding state and the release state. Realized. The exposure head H used here reflects light rays from laser light sources of three primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) by a polygon mirror that rotates around the vertical axis. The exposure in the form of scanning in the main scanning direction is realized.
In the drying block Dr, a plurality of pressure-conveying type conveyance rollers 15 and the photographic paper P conveyed by the conveyance rollers 15 are heated by a heater in order to convey the photographic paper P delivered from the development block De to the discharge unit 11. And a blower 16 for supplying dry air.
A back printing printer 27 is provided between the cutter 21 and the exposure transport unit 23 to form a back printing column CP on the back surface of the photographic paper P by an ink jet method. The back print column includes reference data including a date when a print is created from the photographic paper P, and correction values (collection values) such as density correction and color correction performed by the image processing apparatus 4.

[Development part]
The developing unit De stores one color development processing tank 31 for storing the color development processing solution (CD) from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the photographic paper P, and stores the bleach-fixing processing solution (BF). A development processing tank 30 is provided in which one bleach-fixing processing tank 32 and four stable processing tanks 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D for storing a stable processing liquid (STB) are formed in this order. The four stable processing tanks 33A, 33B, 33C and 33D capable of transporting the photographic paper P in the processing liquid in the vertical direction are collectively referred to as a stable processing tank 33.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a sub tank 30S in which each processing solution circulates is provided at the side of each of the color development processing tank 31, the bleach-fixing processing tank 32, and the four stable processing tanks 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D. The processing liquid in the sub tank 30S is supplied from the pump 35 to the respective processing tanks via the tube-shaped circulation path 36. The development tank 30 and the sub tank 30S communicate with each other so that the processing liquid can freely flow, and the liquid level L of each processing liquid is equal.

  Management of the liquid level L of the processing liquid, replenishment of the processing liquid, and temperature control of the processing liquid are performed in the sub tank 30S. Moreover, about the four stabilization processing tanks 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D, the liquid level of the stabilization processing tank 33D at the most downstream position in the conveyance direction of the photographic paper P is the highest, and the liquid level is higher at the upstream stabilization processing tank. By using a cascade connection in which L is set low, the stable processing liquid supplied to the sub tank 30S of the stabilization processing tank 33D at the most downstream position in the transport direction of the photographic paper P is upstream of the transport direction of the photographic paper P in each sub tank. The processing liquid is replenished in such a form that it is sequentially supplied to the sub tank on the side by overflow.

  In addition, the four stabilization processing tanks 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D are arranged in the conveying direction of the photographic paper P from the upstream one to the first stabilization processing tank 33A, the second stabilization processing tank 33B, the third stabilization processing tank 33C, and the fourth. This is referred to as a stable treatment tank 33D. As shown in FIG. 3, a transport mechanism for transporting the photographic paper P is provided in each of the color development processing tank 31, the bleach-fixing processing tank 32, and the stabilization processing tank 33.

[Transport mechanism]
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the transport mechanism includes an introduction rack 41 including a plurality of pressure roller pairs 40 that receive the photographic paper P from the relay transport unit 26 of the exposure unit Ex, and photographic paper from the introduction rack 41. A U-turn path is formed by a plurality of pressure rollers 42 so that P is fed into the liquid surface from the surface of the color developing solution (CD) in the color developing tank 31 and pulled up onto the liquid surface after processing in the immersed state. And a crossover rack 45 provided with a plurality of pressure roller pairs 44 so as to send the photographic paper P from the submerged rack 43 to the submerged rack 43 of the bleach-fixing processing tank 32.

  Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, in the stable processing tank 33, this transport mechanism is configured to transfer the photographic paper P sent from the submerged rack 43 of the bleach-fixing processing tank 32 onto the liquid surface. Provided with an out-of-tank processing rack 50 (an example of an out-of-tank processing unit) that performs a stabilization process by supplying a stable processing liquid (STB) while horizontally feeding outside the processing tank above the stabilization processing tanks 33A and 33B. Yes.

  Further, the transport mechanism includes a submerged rack 43 that transports the printing paper P from the outside processing rack 50 up and down while being immersed in the processing liquid of the third stable processing tank 33C, and the submerged rack 43. A crossover rack 45 for feeding the photographic paper P from the liquid, a submerged rack 43 for feeding the photographic paper P from the crossover rack 45 to the fourth stabilization processing tank 33D, and the photographic paper P from the submerged rack 43 for printing. A squeeze rack 47 provided with a plurality of pressure roller pairs 46 is provided so as to send out to the drying section Dr while removing the stable treatment liquid (STB) adhering to the paper P by squeezing.

The submerged rack 43 of the bleach-fixing processing tank 32 and the submerged racks 43 of the third and fourth stabilization processing tanks 33C and 33D have the same structure and function as the submerged rack 43 of the color development processing tank 31. Then, the photographic printing paper P is fed into the liquid surface from the liquid surface of the processing liquid, processed in the immersed state, and then processed by transporting it up on the liquid surface.
The crossover rack 45 disposed at an intermediate position between the third stabilization processing tank 33C and the fourth stabilization processing tank 33D is a crossover rack 45 disposed between the color development processing tank 31 and the bleach-fixing processing tank 32. Has the same structure and function.

[Outside treatment rack]
The out-of-tank processing rack 50 includes a case 51 arranged in a form spanning the bleach-fixing processing tank 32 and the third stable processing tank 33C, and the photographic paper P is placed inside the case 51 below the first, An outside tank transport mechanism TE for transporting outside the second stable treatment tanks 33A and 33B is provided. The out-of-tank transport mechanism TE receives a photographic paper P sent out from the submerged rack 43 of the bleach-fixing processing tank 32, and a press-fitting type introduction roller pair 52 for receiving the photographic paper P and a first stabilization process for the photographic paper P from the introduction roller pair 52. A pair of pressure-bonding type front conveying rollers 53 that are sent to the first outside-the-tank processing unit T1 disposed immediately above the tank 33A and the photographic paper P that is sent out from the first outside-the-tank processing unit T1 are used as the next second stable processing tank. A pair of pressure-bonding intermediate rollers 54 to be fed to the second outside-the-tank processing unit T2 disposed immediately above the 33B, a post-conveying roller pair 55 for sending out the photographic paper P from the second outside-the-cell processing unit T2, and this after-conveying roller A discharge roller pair 56 for feeding the photographic printing paper P from the pair 55 to the submerged rack 43 of the third stabilization processing tank 33C on the downstream side is provided.
As shown in FIG. 8, the peripheral surface of the upper roller constituting the introduction roller pair 52 is in contact with the back printing column CP formed on the substrate surface side of the photographic paper P by the back printing printer 27. An annular relief groove is formed to avoid this. A similar annular relief groove is also formed on the upper rollers constituting the other transport roller pairs 53, 54, 55, 56 belonging to the out-of-tank transport mechanism TE.

In the first outside processing unit T1 and the second outside processing unit T2 of the outside processing rack 50, the upper block 57 and the lower block 58 sandwich the conveyance path (horizontal path) of the photographic paper P from above and below. The brush 90 which contacts the photographic paper P is provided on the lower surface side of the upper block 57 and the upper surface side of the lower block 58.
The brush 90 includes a generally rectangular plate-shaped brush body 90a and a hair-like body 90b composed of a large number of bundles implanted on one side of the brush body 90a. Since the upper block 57 and the lower block 58 are members of exactly the same shape, they can be used interchangeably. The upper block 57 and the lower block 58 have a concave space in which the brush body 90a is detachably accommodated with a screw or the like. This concave space has a shallow tray-like shape for storing the stable treatment liquid (STB) on the implantation surface of the hair-like body 90b of the brush body 90a even in the state after the brush body 90a is attached in the lower block 58. Sufficient depth is provided so that the concave space V remains.

  The upper block 57 and the lower block 58 include a plurality of supply passages 57A and 58A (liquid supply means) for supplying the stabilizing treatment liquid to the proximal end portion of the hair-like body 90b, and the supply passages 57A and 58A. Ports 57B and 58B (liquid supply means) for supplying a stable treatment liquid (STB) from the outside are formed. As shown in FIG. 4, manifold portions 57M and 58M are formed at the downstream ends of the ports 57B and 58B to diversify one path in each port 57B and 58B into a plurality of supply paths 57A and 58A. ing. The tray-like concave space V and the hair-like body 90b cooperate to constitute a liquid immersion unit that applies a stable treatment liquid to the photographic paper P being conveyed. Further, openings 57E and 58E for discharging the stable processing liquid in the concave space V to the upstream side in the transport direction are formed at the upstream ends of the upper block 57 and the lower block 58 in the transport direction. The stable treatment liquid discharged from the openings 57E and 58E is collected in a form that flows down by its own weight into the respective stabilization treatment tanks 33 immediately below.

  Since the treatment liquid stored in the concave space V sinks at least the base end of the hair body 90b below the liquid surface of the treatment liquid, it rises to the distal end side of the hair body 90b due to capillary action of the hair body 90b. The absolute amount of the processing liquid in which the processing liquid is continuously located on the surface of the photographic paper P can be secured. Furthermore, the action of the liquid supply means for continuously exchanging the processing liquid in the concave space V and the boundary film of the processing liquid formed in the vicinity of the photosensitive material surface by rubbing the surface of the photographic paper P are continuously provided. The processing liquid on the surface of the photographic paper P is frequently replaced with a fresh one by the boundary film breaking action of the crushing hairs 90b, so that the processing reaction between the surface of the photographic paper P and the processing liquid components easily proceeds. Become.

Among the transport rollers constituting the out-of-tank transport mechanism TE, at least a front transport roller pair 53 adjacent to the upstream side of the first out-of-tank processing unit T1, and an intermediate roller adjacent to the upstream side of the second out-of-tank processing unit T2. The pair 54 is a tangent line formed between the upper and lower rollers, and is 5 ° to 10 ° downward with respect to the photosensitive material conveying surface formed by the set of tips of the hairs 90b (liquid immersion part) of the lower block 58. It is configured to tilt in the range of °. Accordingly, the photographic paper P fed by these roller pairs is fed in an inclined posture in which the emulsion surface (lower surface) is pressed against the tip of the hair-like body 90b. As a result, the destructive action of the boundary film by the hairs 90b becomes more reliable, and the processing effect on the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P by the stable processing liquid is enhanced.
Incidentally, when referring to the positional relationship between the upper block 57 and the lower block 58 provided with the brush 90, the photographic paper P is adapted so as to correspond to the positional deviation state of each of the conveying roller pairs 53 and 54 that are inclined as described above. The lower block 58 is displaced by several millimeters upstream from the upper block 57 along the conveying direction.

The emulsion surface (lower surface) of the photographic paper P that is fed generally horizontally by the out-of-tank conveyance mechanism is rubbed and supported by the tips of the hairs 90b of the lower block 58, and is directed upstream from the supply path 58A in the conveyance direction. It is processed with the stabilized processing liquid sent out. Each of the hairs 90b continues to break the boundary film, and as a result, it serves to supply new fresh stable processing solution near the emulsion surface.
On the other hand, the base material surface (upper surface) of the photographic paper P fed generally horizontally by the transport mechanism is directed toward the upstream side in the transport direction from the supply path 57A while being rubbed and supported by the tips of the hairs 90b of the upper block 57. Then, it is processed by a stable processing liquid that is fed out and supplied near the tip of each hair 90b. The stabilization processing liquid sent out from the supply path 57A flows on the base material surface of the photographic paper P toward the upstream side in the transport direction based on its own mass, and is supplied to the vicinity of the tip of each hair 90b. Each hairy body 90b continues to break the boundary film, and as a result, the stable treatment liquid located near the substrate surface is always efficiently exchanged with a fresh stable treatment liquid.

The stable processing liquid (STB) stored in the sub tank 30S of the first stabilization processing tank 33B circulates from the pump 35 to the port 57B of the upper block 57 and the port 58B of the lower block 58 of the first outside processing unit T1. It is supplied via a path 36, a first supply pipe 37a connected to the circulation path 36, and a second supply pipe 37b connected to the first supply pipe 37a. In addition, the stable processing liquid stored in the sub tank 30S of the second stabilization processing tank 33B is circulated from the pump 35 to the port 57B of the upper block 57 and the port 58B of the lower block 58 of the second tank outer processing section T2. 36, the first supply pipe 37a connected to the circulation path 36, and the second supply pipe 37b connected to the first supply pipe 37a. In addition, since the pump 35 is a structure which supplies a process liquid to the bottom part of a process tank, the circulation path 36 is connected with the bottom part of a corresponding process tank. The first and second stable treatment tanks 33A and 33B contain a liquid reducing block 80 for reducing the amount of the stable treatment liquid stored in the first and second stable treatment tanks 33A and 33B. A liquid block 80 is formed so as to penetrate therethrough.
In the above embodiment, the brush 90 is used as the friction support means. However, sponges, nonwoven fabrics, and the like can be used instead. Moreover, although what used the pump 35 for the circulation of a stable treatment liquid (STB) was used, you may comprise so that a dedicated pump may be provided in the tank of a stable treatment tank.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the photographic paper P is brought into contact with the base surface side of the photographic paper P at the intermediate position between the introduction roller pair 52 and the front conveyance roller pair 53 at the nip portion of the front conveyance roller pair 53. A guide plate 71 for guiding and an elastic blade 72 for pressing the photographic paper P against the guide plate 71 through the emulsion surface side of the photographic paper P are provided. The guide plate 71 is made of a smooth stainless steel plate, and the elastic blade 72 is made of an elastomer such as rubber or polyurethane. The guide plate 71 scrapes the bleach-fixing processing solution (BF) of the bleach-fixing processing tank 32 from the substrate surface of the photographic paper P, and the elastic blade 72 is the bleach-fixing processing solution of the bleach-fixing processing tank 32 from the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P. By scraping off (BF), both work as a fixed squeeze mechanism. Similarly, a guide plate 73 that guides the base surface side of the photographic paper P and an emulsion surface side of the photographic paper P are provided at an intermediate position between the rear conveyance roller pair 55 and the discharge roller pair 56. And an elastic blade 74 that presses the guide plate 73 against the guide plate 73. The guide plate 73 scrapes off a relatively high stability treatment liquid (STB) from the substrate surface of the photographic paper P, and the elastic blade 74 provides a relatively high fatigue treatment liquid (STB) from the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P. ).

As shown in FIG. 8, an ink escape groove is formed at a position corresponding to the annular relief groove formed on the peripheral surface of the introduction roller pair 52 in the tip portion of the elastic blade 72 that contacts the substrate surface of the photographic paper P. 72a is formed. The upper guide plate 71 is not formed with an ink escape groove, but since the ink escape groove 72a is formed on the elastic blade 72, the back print column CP formed on the substrate surface side of the photographic paper P is not provided. Even if the remaining undried ink component adheres to the guide plate 71, there is no possibility that the ink component is transferred to the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P via the elastic blade 72.
Incidentally, the downstream end surface of the guide plate 71 extends slightly downstream (within a range of 2 to 7 mm) from the downstream end portion of the elastic blade 72.

  The elastic blade 72 is attached to a blade support 82 made of metal or the like that is fixed to the case 51 of the out-of-vessel processing rack 50. Below the blade support 82, a first liquid for collecting the bleach-fixing processing solution (BF) scraped from the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P by the elastic blade 72 into the upstream bleach-fixing processing tank 32. A recovery guide plate 82a and a second liquid recovery guide plate 82b for recovering the stable processing liquid sprinkled up by the front conveying roller pair 53 to the first stable processing tank 33A are provided. From the lower ends of the first liquid recovery guide plate 82a and the second liquid recovery guide plate 82b, the recovered liquid falls in the form of droplets by transferring the recovered liquid to each liquid level, and the liquid level in each tank The flow guide means 83 such as a rod, string or chain for preventing the splashing is extended downward and immersed in each liquid level.

The pair of front conveying rollers 53, the guide plate 71, the elastic blade 72, and the blade support 82, which are arranged adjacent to the upstream side of the first outside processing unit T1, cooperate with each other, and thus the first outside processing unit T1. Thus, it functions as a partition means for preventing the stable processing liquid supplied toward the upstream side from entering the bleach-fixing processing tank 32 on the upstream side.
Further, a stable processing liquid scraped from the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P by the elastic blade 74 is also collected below the blade support 84 supporting the downstream elastic blade 74 in the second stable processing tank 33B. A first liquid recovery guide plate 84a and a second liquid recovery guide plate 84b for recovering the stable processing liquid sprinkled up by the discharge roller pair 56 to the third stable processing tank 33C are provided. Also from the lower ends of the first liquid recovery guide plate 84a and the second liquid recovery guide plate 84b, a flow guide means 83 having a rod shape, a string shape or a chain shape extends downward and is immersed in each liquid level.

  Similar to the elastic blade 72 described above, the portion corresponding to the annular relief groove formed on the peripheral surface of the rear conveying roller pair 55 in the tip portion of the elastic blade 74 that contacts the base material surface of the photographic paper P. Also, an ink escape groove (not shown) is formed. The upper guide plate 73 does not have an ink escape groove, but the elastic blade 74 has an ink escape groove, so that it remains in the back printing column CP formed on the substrate surface side of the photographic paper P. Even if the undried ink component is attached to the guide plate 73, there is no possibility that the ink component is transferred to the emulsion surface of the photographic paper P via the elastic blade 74. The downstream end surface of the guide plate 73 extends further downstream than the downstream end portion of the elastic blade 74.

  As can be understood from FIGS. 2 and 3, the basic structure of the developing unit De of this photographic printing apparatus is basically the same as a general known developing unit. However, any two of the four stable treatment tanks 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D are not provided with a general submerged rack 43 and a crossover rack 45. Instead, an outside treatment is performed on the upper part of the treatment tank. A rack 50 is provided. In the out-of-tank processing rack 50, the photographic paper P is conveyed horizontally, and the stable processing liquid sent from the pump 35 for circulating the stable processing liquid (STB) is supplied to the out-of-tank processing racks T1 and T2. Thus, a change to the extent that the supply pipe 37 is provided has been made. Then, the processing time is obtained by performing an active process of supplying the stable processing liquid STB while feeding the photographic paper P horizontally and linearly in the outside processing rack 50 and rubbing the photographic paper P with the brush 90. Can be shortened. In this way, the processing time can be shortened by performing a simple modification that does not significantly change the conventional stable processing tanks 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D of the print block B.

  In particular, since the introduction roller pair 52 and the front conveyance roller pair 53 of the outside processing rack 50 are transmitted with the driving force from the worm gear 60A used when the submerged rack 43 is provided in the first stabilization processing tank 33A, The structure is not complicated. Similarly, the rear conveyance roller pair 55 and the discharge roller pair 56 are complicated in structure because the driving force from the worm gear 60A used when the submersible rack 43 is provided in the second stabilization processing tank 33B is transmitted. I will not let you.

[Another embodiment]
The guide plate 71 constituting the fixed squeeze mechanism may be made of an elastic material having a higher hardness than the opposing elastic blade 72, such as hard rubber, instead of a metal such as stainless steel.

External perspective view of photographic printing apparatus equipped with photosensitive material processing apparatus Schematic front view of the print block provided in the photo printing device Broken front view showing the main part of the print block Broken side view showing the main part of the print block Broken front view showing the lower block of the outside treatment tank Exploded perspective view of lower block Broken front view showing the out-of-tank transport mechanism Schematic perspective view showing the squeeze mechanism of the tank outside transport mechanism

Explanation of symbols

4 Image processing apparatus 10 Housing 31 Color development processing tank 32 Bleach fixing processing tank 33 Stabilization processing tank 40 Pressure roller 41 Introduction rack 42 Pressure roller 43 Submerged rack (immersion processing unit)
44 pressure roller 45 crossover rack 50 outside tank processing rack (outside tank processing unit)
51 Case 52 Introduction roller pair 53 Front conveyance roller pair 54 Intermediate roller pair 55 Rear conveyance roller pair 56 Discharge roller pair 57 Upper blocks 57A, 58A Supply path (liquid supply means)
57B, 58B port (liquid supply means)
58 Lower block 71 Guide plate (squeeze mechanism)
72 Elastic blade (squeeze mechanism)
72a Back printing escape groove 73 Guide plate 74 Elastic blade 74a Back printing escape groove 90 Brush 90a Brush body 90b Ciliary body (liquid immersion part)
A Operate Block B Print Block P Photographic Paper (Sensitive Material)
Ex Exposure part De Development part (Sensitive material processing equipment)
Dr Drying section H Exposure head TE Out-tank transport mechanism T1 First outside processing section T2 Second outside processing section V Concave space (immersion section)

Claims (3)

A plurality of development processing units juxtaposed along the conveyance direction of the photosensitive material, wherein at least one of the plurality of development processing units is outside a processing tank capable of conveying the photosensitive material vertically in the processing liquid; A photosensitive material processing apparatus comprising an out-of-tank transport mechanism, and an out-of-tank processing unit including a liquid immersion unit that applies a processing liquid to the sensitive material transported in the out-of-tank transport mechanism,
The out-of-tank processing unit includes a pair of feed rollers that receive the photosensitive material from the upstream side of the out-of-tank processing unit and send it to the liquid immersion unit. A photosensitive material processing apparatus, wherein a squeeze mechanism comprising an elastic blade that presses a photosensitive material against the guide member via a photosensitive surface is juxtaposed with the feeding roller pair along a photosensitive material conveyance direction.   The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid from a downstream side to an upstream side in the photosensitive material conveyance direction with respect to the liquid immersion unit.   A back printing mechanism for forming a back printing field composed of reference data on the back surface of the photosensitive material is provided on the upstream side of the development processing unit, and the roller on the side that supports the back surface of the photosensitive material of the pair of feeding rollers is provided. An annular relief groove for avoiding contact with the back print field is formed on the outer periphery, and an escape groove for avoiding contact with the portion of the guide member that can contact the back print field is provided in the elastic blade. The photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

Images