JP2007226094A - Photograph processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photograph processing device capable of appropriately performing a colorimetry to automatically poerform a setup even in the photograph processing device in which a colorimeter is disposed just behind an ejecting part in a drying section. <P>SOLUTION: In the photograph printing system 1, a computer unit 30 controls a conveying roller 83 so that a test print TP conveyed in a normal direction is conveyed in the reverse direction. In other words, the computer unit 30 controls the conveying roller 83 so that the test print TP that has been once conveyed to the sheet ejecting part 84 is returned toward a densitometer 82. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus that includes a densitometer that measures the density of an image printed on a photosensitive material and adjusts (sets up) image processing conditions based on the measurement result of the densitometer.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a photographic processing apparatus that adjusts various processing conditions at a stage before starting processing has been used in order to perform processing such as optimal exposure and development under optimal conditions.
The setup measures the color development state of each band of the test print including a plurality of bands with different densities by using a color measuring device etc., and based on the color measurement result, exposure processing conditions and development This is done by correcting various processing conditions such as processing conditions.

As a photographic processing apparatus capable of performing such a setup automatically, for example, a color measuring apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1 is provided in the vicinity of a discharge section in a drying processing section for drying a developed photosensitive material. Arranged photo processing devices have been proposed.
According to this, it is possible to perform the color measurement immediately after the test print is discharged and to set up automatically without any human intervention.
JP 2005-30943 A (published February 3, 2005)

However, the conventional photographic processing apparatus has the following problems.
That is, in the photographic processing apparatus in which the color measurement device disclosed in the above publication is arranged immediately after the discharge unit in the drying processing unit, the test print printed on the photosensitive material is measured before the separation from the conveyance roller in the drying processing unit. Reach the colorimetric part of the device. In this case, since the test print conveyed to the color measurement unit of the color measurement device is conveyed at an optimum speed for drying the photosensitive material developed by the conveyance control in the drying processing unit, A color measurement device that measures colors while intermittently feeding cannot properly measure the color of a test print.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a photographic processing apparatus capable of appropriately performing color measurement and automatically performing setup even in a photographic processing apparatus in which a colorimetric device is arranged immediately after a discharge unit in a drying processing unit. Is to provide.

  A photographic processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a photographic processing apparatus that performs colorimetry while conveying a photosensitive material on which a test print is formed, and sets up image processing conditions based on the colorimetric results, wherein the drying process Unit, a concentration measuring unit, and a control unit. The drying processing unit has a transport mechanism that transports the developed photosensitive material, and dries while transporting the photosensitive material. The density measuring unit is disposed on the downstream side of the color measuring unit, the color measuring unit for measuring the density of the test print, and the test print to the downstream side. And a discharge section for discharging. The control unit controls the transport unit so that the test print transported in the direction of the discharge unit by the transport unit is transported upstream.

  Here, the control unit controls the transport unit so that the test print transported downstream (hereinafter referred to as the forward direction) is transported upstream (hereinafter referred to as the reverse direction). That is, the control unit controls the conveyance unit in the density measurement unit so as to convey the test print once conveyed to the discharge unit side in a direction to return to the color measurement unit side. Here, the upstream side and the downstream side apply the photosensitive material on which the test print is formed in the transport direction from the drying processing unit to the discharge unit.

  Here, in general, the transporting conditions are different between the drying processing unit and the concentration measuring unit. That is, the conveyance unit in the concentration measurement unit performs, for example, intermittent feeding, that is, conveyance control that repeats conveyance and stoppage. Further, the transport mechanism in the drying processing unit is transported and controlled to transport at a speed corresponding to the drying capacity of the drying processing unit. For this reason, even if the downstream end of the test print (hereinafter referred to as the leading end) reaches the density measuring section, the upstream end of the test print (hereinafter referred to as the trailing end) is the drying processing section. In a photographic processing apparatus in which a drying processing unit and a density measurement unit that are likely to be constrained by the conveyance mechanism in FIG. 1 are adjacent to each other, the density measurement unit may not be transported under a conveyance condition according to the color measurement process.

Therefore, in the photographic processing apparatus of the present invention, the test print conveyed from the drying processing unit to the density measurement unit is conveyed in the forward direction until it is separated from the conveyance mechanism in the drying processing unit, and is released from the conveyance control in the drying processing unit. is doing. And a control part controls the conveyance part in a density | concentration measurement part so that the test print once conveyed to the discharge part side may be conveyed again in the reverse direction.
Accordingly, the conveyance unit in the density measurement unit can convey the test print released from the conveyance control in the drying processing unit under the conveyance condition according to the density measurement unit, and thus the test print is measured in the density measurement unit. It becomes possible. For example, if intermittent feeding is performed when the test print is conveyed in the reverse direction, the color measurement unit can simultaneously perform color measurement of each band of the test print. Further, for example, even if intermittent feeding is performed in the forward direction after transporting until the downstream end of the test print is positioned at the color measurement unit, color measurement of each band of the test print is performed in the same manner as described above. be able to.
As a result, even in a photographic processing apparatus in which a colorimeter is arranged immediately after the discharge unit in the drying processing unit, it is possible to appropriately perform color measurement and automatically set up.

  A photographic processing apparatus according to a second invention is the photographic processing apparatus according to the second invention, wherein the distance between the transport mechanism and the transport section is shorter than the total length of the photosensitive material on which the test print is formed. Yes.

  Here, the distance between the conveyance mechanism that controls the conveyance of the test print in the drying processing unit and the conveyance unit that conveys the test print in the density measurement unit is shorter than the photosensitive material on which the test print is formed. For this reason, the total length of the test print formed by the photographic processing apparatus is longer than the distance between the transport mechanism in the drying processing unit and the transport unit in the density measurement unit, and the test print can be reliably delivered to the transport unit.

Thereby, when the total length of the test print formed in the photographic processing apparatus is longer than the distance between the transport mechanism that transports the test print in the drying processing section and the transport section that transports the test print in the density measurement section, A photo processing apparatus is particularly effective.
In the photographic processing apparatus according to the above invention, it is desirable that the color measurement unit measures the color from an end portion on the upstream side with respect to the test print.

Here, the color measurement unit performs color measurement on the test print conveyed in the reverse direction by the conveyance unit. That is, the color measurement unit measures the test prints sent from the rear end side in order from the belt on the rear end side.
As a result, the discharged test print is returned until the leading end of the test print is positioned at the colorimetric unit, and the colorimetry can be performed without complicated conveyance control such that the color is measured again by conveying in the forward direction.

According to the photographic processing apparatus of the first invention, even if the photographic processing apparatus has a colorimeter disposed immediately after the discharge section in the drying processing section, the color measurement is appropriately performed and the setup is automatically performed. It becomes possible.
According to the photographic processing apparatus of the second invention, the total length of the test print formed in the photographic processing apparatus includes a transport mechanism that transports the test print in the drying processing section, and a transport section that transports the test print in the density measurement section. When the distance is longer than this distance, the photo processing apparatus according to the present invention is particularly effective.

[First Embodiment]
A photo print system (photo processing apparatus) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
[Configuration of Photo Print System 1]
A photographic print system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a photographic print system called a so-called digital minilab.

The photo print system 1 includes an operation unit 20 and a print unit 50, as shown in FIG.
The operation unit 20 captures image data from a medium such as a memory card in which digital image data shot with a developed photographic film F or a digital camera is stored, creates print data, and transmits the print data to the print unit 50 To do.

Based on the print data received from the operation unit 20, the print unit 50 performs exposure processing and development processing on the photographic paper (photosensitive material) P (see FIG. 2) to form a photographic print image and a test print TP. To do.
[Configuration of Operation Unit 20]
As shown in FIG. 1, the operation unit 20 includes a monitor 21, a keyboard 22, a mouse 23, a computer unit (control unit) 30, a media reader 31, and a film scanner 40.

The computer unit 30 is connected to the monitor 21, the keyboard 22, and the mouse 23, and controls operations of each unit included in the film scanner 40 and the printing unit 50, image processing, input / output of image data, and the like.
The monitor 21 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for various controls and an image to be processed.

The media reader 31 is mounted on the computer unit 30 that functions as a controller of the photographic print system 1 and transfers digital data of an image taken by a digital camera or the like from a medium such as a memory card, various semiconductor memories, or a CD-R. take in.
The film scanner 40 captures an image corresponding to the photographed frame developed on the photographic film F as digital image data.

[Configuration of Print Unit 50]
As shown in FIG. 1, the print unit 50 forms a photographic print image by performing exposure processing and development processing on the photographic paper P while conveying the photographic paper P based on the print data received from the operation unit 20. To do.
As shown in FIG. 2, the print unit 50 includes two photographic paper magazines 51, a sheet cutter 52, a back print unit 53, a print exposure unit 54, a pressure contact conveyance roller pair 57, and a chucker type conveyance unit. 58, a processing tank unit (development processing unit) 55, a drying processing unit 60, and a concentration measurement unit 80.

The two photographic paper magazines 51 accommodate one roll of photographic paper P inside the printing unit 50, and a necessary amount of photographic paper P is drawn out by the pressure-conveying roller pair 57.
The sheet cutter 52 is disposed on the downstream side of the plurality of press-contact conveyance roller pairs 57 that draw out the photographic paper P from the photographic paper magazine 51, and cuts the photographic paper P drawn out from the photographic paper magazine 51 into a desired size.

The back print unit 53 is disposed on the downstream side of the sheet cutter 52, and prints print processing information such as color correction information and a frame number on the back side of the photographic paper P cut to a desired size such as a print size. .
The print exposure unit 54 is disposed adjacent to the chucker type conveyance unit 58 on the downstream side of the back print unit 53, and prints on the surface of the photographic paper P cut to the print size or the test print size. The photographed image is exposed.

  The processing tank unit 55 is disposed adjacent to a plurality of pressure-conveying roller pairs 57 on the downstream side of the print exposure unit 54, and stores a color developing tank 55a for storing a color developing processing liquid and a bleach-fixing processing liquid. A bleaching / fixing tank 55b and a stable processing tank 55c for storing a stable processing solution are provided. Then, the exposed photographic paper P is conveyed through these processing tanks 55a to 55c in this order, so that a desired photographic print image or test print image (see FIG. 4) is formed on the photographic paper P. Formed on the surface.

The drying processing unit 60 is disposed on the downstream side of the processing tank unit 55 and is provided for drying the photographic paper P that has been developed. The drying processing unit 60 will be described in detail later.
The pair of pressure-conveying and conveying rollers 57 and the chucker-type conveying unit 58 draw out the roll-shaped photographic paper P accommodated in the photographic paper magazine 51 and print the photographic paper P cut into a print size or the like inside the printing unit 50. Are conveyed at a conveyance speed corresponding to various processes performed on the photographic paper P. The pressure-conveying roller pair 57 is configured by combining two rollers, and conveys the photographic paper P to the downstream side by rotating the photographic paper P in pressure contact with a gap between the two rollers. The chucker-type conveyance unit 58 conveys the downstream side (front end side) of the photographic paper P cut to a print size or the like by pinching from both sides in the conveyance direction.

The density measuring unit 80 is disposed on the downstream side of the drying processing unit 60, and measures the density of each band F1 to F22 (see FIG. 4) of the test print TP. The concentration measuring unit 80 will be described in detail later.
(Drying processing unit 60)
The drying processing unit 60 is provided with a device for blowing warm air such as a blower (not shown), and dries the photographic paper P that has been subjected to the development processing while transporting it. As shown in FIG. 3, the drying processing unit 60 includes a press-contact conveyance roller pair (conveyance mechanism) 61, a shutter 67, and a carry-out hole 68.

A plurality of the pressure-conveying roller pairs 61 are arranged adjacent to the downstream side of the processing tank unit 55. The pressure-conveying roller pair 61 is configured by combining a driving roller and a driven roller, and the photographic paper P is moved downstream by sandwiching the photographic paper P between the two rollers and rotating the driving roller. And carry.
The shutter 67 is installed at a boundary portion between the drying processing unit 60 and the concentration measuring unit 80. The shutter 67 is for preventing warm air that fills the drying processing unit 60 from entering the concentration measuring unit 80. For example, the shutter 67 is pushed away by a strain of the photographic paper P being conveyed. It is a mechanism to open up. When the photographic paper P passes through the shutter 67, the shutter 67 again shuts off the space between the drying processing unit 60 and the density measuring unit 80, and warm air filling the drying processing unit 60 does not flow into the density measuring unit 80. I am doing so. The photographic paper P sent out by the pressure-conveying conveyance roller pair 61 passes through the carry-out hole 68 and is sent out to the density measuring unit 80.

  In the photographic print system 1 in the present embodiment, the distance L1 between the pressure-conveying conveyance roller pair 61 arranged on the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 60 and the conveyance roller (conveyance unit) 83 is a test print TP shown in FIG. Shorter than the total length L. For this reason, even when the test print TP reaches the transport roller 83, the rear end side of the test print TP is in a state of being constrained by the most downstream pressure contact transport roller pair 61 in the drying processing unit 60. Even if the test print TP is transported in such a state, it cannot be transported under the transport conditions according to the colorimetric processing, so that the test print TP can be measured by transport control described later. Yes.

(Configuration and transport control of concentration measuring unit 80)
The density measuring unit 80 is disposed on the downstream side of the drying processing unit 60, and measures the density of each band F1 to F22 while intermittently feeding the test print TP being conveyed. As shown in FIG. 3, the density measurement unit 80 includes a casing 81, a densitometer (colorimetry unit) 82, transport rollers 83 and 83, and a paper discharge unit (discharge unit) 84. . Regarding the direction of transport of the test print TP, the direction transported in the direction of the paper discharge unit 84 is the forward direction, and on the contrary, the direction of transport from the paper discharge unit 84 to the densitometer 82 is the reverse direction. I do.

The casing 81 is provided to keep the temperature and brightness in the concentration measuring unit 80 in a constant state, and is formed of, for example, a synthetic resin member.
The densitometer 82 measures the density of each band F <b> 1 to F <b> 22 of the test print TP as shown in FIG. 4 and transmits the measurement result to the computer unit 30.
The transport roller 83 is controlled by the computer unit 30 to perform the following transport control. In other words, the transport roller 83 moves the test print TP sent out by the pressure contact transport roller pair 61 located at the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 60 until the rear end of the test print TP is positioned at the densitometer 82. Transport in the direction. Next, when the rear end of the test print TP reaches the densitometer 82, it is conveyed in the reverse direction. Specifically, the center of the strip F22 of the test print TP shown in FIG. 4 is first transported at a constant transport speed to a position directly below the densitometer 82, and is transported here once for color measurement. To stop. When the densitometer 82 finishes measuring the density of the band F22, the conveyance roller 83 conveys the test print TP in the reverse direction to the next color measurement position (adjacent band). By the transport roller 83 repeating this operation, the densitometer 82 can measure (colorimetry) each density from the band F22 to the band F1 in the test print TP in order.

Then, the test print TP for which the density measurement of all the strips F22 to F1 has been completed by the densitometer 82 is again conveyed in the forward direction by the conveyance roller 83 to the paper discharge unit 84.
The paper discharge unit 84 is a place where the test print TP after the color measurement is discharged.
<Automatic setup with photo print system 1>
The photo print system 1 measures the density of each of the bands F1 to F22 in the test print TP printed for setup every day when the operation starts, with a densitometer 82 mounted on the density measuring unit 80. Then, the computer unit 30 performs a setup for adjusting the output state of the print exposure unit 54 based on the color measurement result of the densitometer 82.

  Usually, the print quality (print density) output from the print unit 50 varies depending on the light emission state of the light source of the print exposure unit 54 and the state of each processing solution (processing solution temperature, oxidation state, degree of activation, etc.). End up. For this reason, the respective densities of the plurality of strips F1 to F22 having different densities formed on the test print TP are measured by the densitometer 82, and the output state of the print exposure unit 54 is adjusted based on the measurement result, so-called setup. I do. By performing such a setup, a highly reproducible photo print can be performed regardless of the state of the print exposure unit 54.

  In the setup in the photo print system 1 of the present embodiment, when the setup mode is selected by the GUI displayed on the monitor 21, a series of setups is automatically performed. Specifically, the computer unit 30 controls the print exposure unit 54 so that a test print TP is output from the print unit 50 in the current state based on predetermined image data. The test print TP exposed and developed by the print exposure unit 54 is automatically measured for the density of each band F1 to F22 by the densitometer 82 constituting the density measurement unit 80. Further, a density difference between the measurement result and a predetermined reference density is calculated, and the output state of the print exposure unit 54 is adjusted based on the density difference. The print exposure unit 54 can be adjusted by, for example, a method of rewriting the LUT of image data provided in an exposure control device (not shown) of a laser exposure engine (an example of the print exposure unit 54).

[Features of Photo Print System 1]
(1)
In the photo print system 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the computer unit 30 controls the transport roller 83 so as to transport the test print TP transported in the forward direction in the reverse direction. That is, the computer unit 30 controls the conveyance roller 83 so as to convey the test print TP once conveyed to the paper discharge unit 84 side in a direction to return to the densitometer 82 side.

  Here, in general, the transporting conditions are different between the drying processing unit and the concentration measuring unit. For this reason, even if the leading edge of the test print reaches the density measuring section, the photo of the drying processing section and the density measuring section adjacent to each other where the trailing edge of the test print may be constrained by the conveying roller pair in the drying processing section In the processing apparatus, the density measurement unit may not be transported under transport conditions according to the colorimetry process.

  Therefore, in the photographic print system 1 of the present invention, the test print TP transported from the drying processing unit 60 to the density measuring unit 80 is forwarded until the test print TP is separated from the pressure contact transport roller pair 61 located on the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 60. And is released from the conveyance control in the drying processing unit 60. Then, the computer unit 30 controls the transport roller 83 so that the test print TP once transported to the paper discharge unit 84 is transported in the reverse direction again.

As a result, the transport roller 83 in the density measuring unit 80 can transport the test print TP under transport conditions according to the density measuring unit 80, and therefore the color measuring unit 80 can measure the color of the test print TP. Become.
As a result, even in the photographic print system 1 in which the densitometer 82 is arranged immediately after the carry-out hole 68 in the drying processing unit 60, it is possible to appropriately perform color measurement and automatically set up.

(2)
In the photographic print system 1 of this embodiment, the densitometer 82 performs colorimetry on the test print TP conveyed in the reverse direction by the conveyance roller 83. That is, the densitometer 82 measures the test prints TP sent out from the rear end side in order from the belt on the rear end side.
Thus, the complicated print control is performed such that the test print TP discharged once to the paper discharge unit 84 is returned until the tip of the test print TP is positioned on the densitometer 82, and is again conveyed in the forward direction and measured. Color measurement can be performed without any problem.

(3)
In the photographic print system 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the distance L1 between the pressure contact conveyance roller pair 61 and the conveyance roller 83 located on the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 60 is greater than the total length L of the test print TP. Is also formed short.
As a result, as described above, controlling the transport roller 83 so that the test print TP once transported to the paper discharge section 84 is transported in the reverse direction again means that the test print TP has a density different from that of the drying processing section 60. This is particularly effective in the photographic print system 1 of the present embodiment in which the density measuring unit 80 cannot be transported under the transporting conditions corresponding to the colorimetric processing by straddling the measuring unit 80.

[Second Embodiment]
A photo print system (photo processing apparatus) 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4 to 6. Here, the drying processing unit 160 having different conveyance paths for the normal print and the test print, the configuration of the density measurement unit 80, and the conveyance control will be described, and the functions common to the members described in the first embodiment will be described. Description of the members having and the automatic setup similar to the photo print system 1 is omitted here.

(Drying processing unit 160)
The drying processing unit 160 is provided with a device for blowing out warm air such as a blower (not shown), and dries the photographic paper P that has been subjected to development processing while transporting it. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the drying processing unit 160 includes a pressure-conveying roller pair (conveying mechanism) 161, a turn roller pair (conveying mechanism) 162, a conveyance switching guide 163, a first conveying unit 190, 2 has a transport unit 191, a carry-out roller pair 164, and a turn guide 166.

A plurality of the pressure-conveying roller pairs 161 are arranged adjacent to the downstream side of the processing tank unit 55. The pressure-conveying roller pair 161 is configured by combining a driving roller and a contact roller, and the photographic paper P is moved downstream by sandwiching the photographic paper P between the two rollers and rotating the driving roller. And carry.
The turn roller pair 162 is disposed on the downstream side of the plurality of press-contact conveyance roller pairs 161, and changes the conveyance direction so that the photographic paper P conveyed upward from the upstream side is conveyed downward. For example, the roller group includes a driving roller and a plurality of driven rollers.

The conveyance switching guide 163 is arranged immediately downstream of the turn roller pair 162. If the conveyed printing paper P is a photographic print, the conveyance switching guide 163 becomes a position indicated by a solid line in FIG. In the case of a, test print TP, the printing paper P is switched to the position indicated by the broken line in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the first transport unit 190 is disposed on the downstream side of the transport switching guide 163 and along the transport path a, and is a normal print guided to the transport path a by the transport switching guide 163. It is a conveyance part which carries out to a conveyor. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the first transport unit 190 includes a pair of carry-out rollers 164 and a carry-out hole 165.

  The carry-out roller pair 164 is disposed immediately downstream of the conveyance path a switched by the conveyance switching guide 163. The pair of carry-out rollers 164 is a roller for discharging the normal print photographic paper P guided by the drying processing unit and the conveyance switching guide 163 to the conveyor. The drive roller sandwiches the photographic paper P between the two rollers. Is rotated to carry out the photographic paper P. Then, the photographic paper P passes through the carry-out hole 165 and is dropped and conveyed to the conveyor.

  The second transport unit 191 is disposed below the first transport unit 190 and along the transport path b on the downstream side of the transport switching guide 163. The second transport unit 191 is a transport unit that transports the photographic paper P guided to the transport path b by the transport switching guide 163 to the downstream side substantially vertically downward. As shown in FIG. , And a shutter 167 and a carry-out hole 168.

The turn guide 166 is disposed immediately downstream of the conveyance path b switched by the conveyance switching guide 163, and is a photographic printing paper P (hereinafter referred to as a test print TP) on which a test print TP conveyed from vertically above by the conveyance switching guide 163 is formed. This is a guide for guiding the test print TP to the density measuring unit 180 by changing the transport direction in a substantially horizontal direction.
The shutter 167 is installed at a boundary portion between the drying processing unit 160 and the concentration measuring unit 180. The shutter 167 is for preventing warm air that fills the drying processing unit 160 from entering the concentration measuring unit 80. For example, the shutter 167 is pushed away by a strain of the photographic paper P being conveyed. It is a mechanism to open up. When the photographic paper P passes through the shutter 167, the shutter 167 again cuts off the connection between the drying processing unit 160 and the density measuring unit 180, so that warm air filling the drying processing unit 160 does not flow into the density measuring unit 180. I am doing so. The photographic paper P sent out in the transport direction b by the transport switching guide 163 passes through the carry-out hole 168 and is sent out to the density measuring unit 180.

(Configuration and transport control of concentration measuring unit 180)
The density measuring unit 180 is disposed on the downstream side of the drying processing unit 160, and measures the density of each band F1 to F22 while intermittently feeding the test print TP being conveyed. As shown in FIG. 6, the concentration measuring unit 180 includes a housing 181, a concentration meter 182, and conveying rollers 183 and 183.

The casing 181 is provided to keep the temperature and brightness in the concentration measurement unit 180 in a constant state, and is formed of, for example, a synthetic resin member.
The densitometer 182 measures the density of each band F <b> 1 to F <b> 22 of the test print TP as shown in FIG. 4 and transmits the measurement result to the computer unit 30.
The transport roller 183 is controlled by the computer unit 30 to perform the following transport control. That is, the transport roller 183 forwards the test print TP sent out by the turn roller pair 162 located on the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 160 until the rear end of the test print TP is positioned on the densitometer 182. To transport. Next, when the rear end of the test print TP reaches the densitometer 182, the test print TP is conveyed in the reverse direction. Specifically, the center of the strip F22 of the test print TP shown in FIG. 4 is first transported at a constant transport speed to a position directly below the densitometer 182, and is transported here once for color measurement. To stop. When the densitometer 182 finishes measuring the density of the belt F22, the transport roller 183 transports the test print TP in the reverse direction to the next color measurement position (adjacent belt). By the transport roller 183 repeating this operation, the densitometer 182 can measure (colorimetry) the respective densities from the band F22 to the band F1 in the test print TP in order.

Then, the test print TP for which the density measurement of all the strips F <b> 1 to F <b> 22 has been completed by the densitometer 182 is conveyed to the paper discharge unit (discharge unit) 184 by the conveyance roller 183.
The automatic setup procedure shown in the first embodiment is performed by the photo print system 100 having the above-described configuration. Also in the second embodiment, by performing such a setup, a highly reproducible photo print can be performed regardless of the state of the print exposure unit 54 (see FIG. 5).

[Features of Photo Print System 100]
(1)
In the photographic print system 1 of the present embodiment, the computer unit 30 controls the transport roller 183 so as to transport the test print TP transported in the forward direction in the reverse direction. That is, the computer unit 30 controls the transport roller 183 so that the test print TP transported once to the paper discharge unit 184 is transported in a direction to return to the densitometer 182 side.

  Here, in general, the transporting conditions are different between the drying processing unit and the concentration measuring unit. For this reason, even if the leading edge of the test print reaches the density measuring section, the photo of the drying processing section and the density measuring section adjacent to each other where the trailing edge of the test print may be constrained by the conveying roller pair in the drying processing section In the processing apparatus, the density measurement unit may not be transported under transport conditions according to the colorimetry process.

  Therefore, in the photographic print system 100 of the present invention, the test print TP conveyed from the drying processing unit 160 to the density measuring unit 180 is forwardly moved until it is separated from the turn roller pair 162 located at the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 160. It is transported and released from the transport control in the drying processing unit 160. Then, the computer unit 30 controls the transport roller 183 so that the test print TP once transported to the paper discharge unit 184 side is transported in the reverse direction again.

  Thereby, even if the distance L2 between the turn roller pair 162 disposed on the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 60 and the transport roller 183 is shorter than the total length L of the test print TP shown in FIG. Since the transport roller 183 in the measurement unit 180 can transport the test print TP under transport conditions according to the density measurement unit 180, the density measurement unit 180 can measure the color of the test print TP.

As a result, even in the photographic print system 100 in which the densitometer 182 is arranged immediately after the carry-out hole 168 in the drying processing unit 160, it is possible to perform appropriate color measurement and automatically set up.
[Other Embodiments]
As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of invention.

(A)
In the photographic print system 1 of the above-described embodiment, the densitometer 82 has been described by taking an example in which color measurement is performed on the test print TP conveyed in the reverse direction by the conveyance roller 83. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, once the test print TP discharged to the paper discharge unit 84 is returned until the leading end of the test print TP is positioned on the densitometer 82, the test print TP is conveyed again in the forward direction, and color measurement is performed. The same effects as those of the photo print system 1 according to the embodiment can be obtained.

(B)
In the photographic print system 1 of the above embodiment, an example in which the distance L1 between the pressure contact conveyance roller pair 61 and the conveyance roller 83 located on the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 60 is shorter than the total length L of the test print TP. I gave it as an explanation. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

In the photographic print system 1 that is not formed in accordance with the total length of the test print TP, for example, the total length L of the test print TP to be generated is the press-contact conveyance roller pair 61 and the conveyance roller 83 that are located on the most downstream side in the drying processing unit 60. Even when the distance is longer than the distance L1, the same effect as the photo print system 1 according to the above embodiment can be obtained.
(C)
In the photographic print systems 1 and 100 of the above-described embodiment, the example in which the density measuring units 80 and 180 are conveyed by intermittent feeding as the conveying condition according to the color measurement processing has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, even when the test print is transported at a transport speed corresponding to the color measurement process, that is, at a transport speed such that the time required for each band width to pass in the densitometers 82 and 182 is longer than the color measurement time, Effects similar to those of the photo print systems 1 and 100 according to the embodiment can be obtained.
(D)
In the photographic print systems 1 and 100 of the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, an example of setup using a test print TP in which each band is formed with 22 gradations F1 to F22 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, even if setup is performed using a test print in which each band is formed with 14 gradations, the same effects as those in the photographic print systems 1 and 100 according to the above-described embodiment can be obtained.
(E)
In the photo print systems 1 and 100 of the above-described embodiment, the setup for adjusting the output conditions of the print exposure unit performed based on the result of the density measurement of the test print TP in the densitometers 82 and 182 is performed at the start of each operation. Explained with an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, the setup may be performed every time a predetermined number of photo prints are performed, or the setup may be performed every time a predetermined time has elapsed. Even in this case, it is possible to always correct and prevent a change in the hue of the photographic print system 1 or 100 due to a change in the print exposure unit 54 with time, and always perform a photographic print with high reproducibility.
(F)
In the photographic print systems 1 and 100 of the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which a test print TP for performing setup in accordance with the state of the print exposure unit 54, that is, a so-called setup test print is conveyed. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, the same effects as those of the photographic print system 1 according to the above-described embodiment can be obtained also in the transport of a test print for setting up in accordance with the state of the processing liquid in the processing tank unit 55, that is, a so-called processor test print. .

  According to the present invention, it is possible to cope with the problem of conveyance of an object to be conveyed across two rollers having different conveyance conditions, so that the present invention can be widely applied to various apparatuses that convey a conveyance object.

1 is an external view of a photographic print system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view of a photographic print system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The side surface enlarged view of the drying process part and density | concentration measurement part which are contained in FIG. The top view which shows test print TP. FIG. 6 is an external view of a photographic print system according to still another embodiment of the present invention. The side view of the photographic print system concerning other embodiments of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Photo printing system (photo processing equipment)
20 Operation unit 21 Monitor 22 Keyboard 23 Mouse 30 Computer unit (control unit)
31 Media Reader 40 Film Scanner 50 Print Unit 51 Photographic Paper Magazine 52 Sheet Cutter 53 Back Print Unit 54 Print Exposure Unit 55 Processing Tank Unit (Development Processing Unit)
55a Color developing tank 55b Bleach fixing tank 55c Stabilizing tank 57 Pressure contact conveyance roller pair 58 Chuck-type conveyance unit 60 Drying processing section 61 Pressure contact conveyance roller pair (conveyance mechanism)
67 Shutter 68 Unloading hole 80 Density measuring part 81 Housing 82 Densitometer (colorimetric part)
83 Conveyance roller (conveyance section)
84 Paper discharge unit (discharge unit)
100 Photo printing system (photo processing equipment)
160 Drying processing unit 161 Pressure-contact conveyance roller pair (conveyance mechanism)
162 Turn roller pair (conveyance mechanism)
163 Conveyance switching guide 164 Unloading roller pair 165 Unloading hole 166 Turn guide 167 Shutter 168 Unloading hole 180 Density measuring unit 181 Housing 182 Densitometer (colorimetric unit)
183 Conveying roller (conveying unit)
184 Paper discharge unit (discharge unit)
190 First transport unit 191 Second transport unit F1 to F22 Strip TP Test print P Photographic paper (photosensitive material)
F Photographic film L Total length L1 Distance L2 Distance

Claims (2)

A photo processing apparatus that performs color measurement while conveying a photosensitive material on which a test print is formed, and sets up image processing conditions based on the color measurement result,
A drying mechanism that transports the photosensitive material that has been subjected to development processing, and that dries while transporting the photosensitive material;
A conveyance unit that conveys the photosensitive material received from the drying processing unit, a color measurement unit that measures the density of the test print, and a downstream side of the color measurement unit, and the test print is arranged downstream. A concentration measuring unit having a discharge unit for discharging;
A control unit that controls the transport unit to transport the test print transported in the direction of the discharge unit by the transport unit to the upstream side;
A photographic processing apparatus. The distance between the transport mechanism and the transport unit is shorter than the total length of the photosensitive material on which the test print is formed,
The photographic processing apparatus according to claim 1.

Images