JP2676665B2 - Photosensitive material processing tank - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic light-sensitive material processing tank filled with a processing solution for supplying a photographic light-sensitive material.

[0002]

Photographic processing solutions for processing silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials include developing solutions (color, black and white), bleaching solutions, bleach-fixing solutions, fixing solutions, stabilizing solutions, etc. It contains the components at the specified concentrations. The silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is subjected to necessary processing by being successively dipped in these photographic processing solutions, and an image is reproduced. Since the concentration of each treatment liquid is set for each function, there are treatment liquids containing a large amount of various salts and treatment liquids containing only a small amount. Especially,
A bleach-fixing solution, which is a processing solution for a color light-sensitive material, has a high content of thiosulfates, EDTA iron salts, etc., and a high salt concentration. For example, thiosulfates are about 0.2 to 1.5 moles, and EDTAFe.
Is contained in about 0.1 to 1 mol, and the salt concentration is 7-1.
It is about 5%. As a result, it is easy to deposit.

A processing solution containing an organic substance such as a color developing solution or a black and white developing solution containing a large amount of hydroquinone, and a volatile solvent (for example, benzyl alcohol, triethanolamine, diethanolamine, etc.) for dissolving the organic matter. In the liquid containing γ, it is easy to precipitate even if the salt concentration is low. Further, since each treatment liquid is maintained at a temperature higher than room temperature so that the performance is exhibited well, the evaporation amount of water in the treatment liquid increases correspondingly. As a result, it becomes easier to deposit.

[0004]

The photographic processing tank is provided with a floating lid or the like on the processing solution to prevent contact between the processing solution and air in order to prevent evaporation of the processing solution and oxidation by air. There is. However, it is impossible to prevent the treatment liquid from completely coming into contact with air, and at the interface between the treatment liquid and the air on the member in contact with the treatment liquid, evaporation of water in the treatment liquid easily occurs and precipitation occurs. easy.

In particular, the treatment liquid for different surfaces at the corners that are the boundaries between the overhanging portions such as ribs protruding inward from the inner surface of the processing tank and the tank wall, and at the corners of the recessed portion of the inner surface of the processing tank. Since the surface tensions of the above are synergistic, the treatment liquid rises above the liquid surface. Since the treatment liquid that has risen above the liquid surface has a large contact area with the air, the water content evaporates and the salt tends to precipitate. Moreover, since the treatment liquid further rises so as to be sucked up by the deposited salt (hereinafter referred to as a deposit), the deposit continues to increase.

The processing solution having a high salt concentration as described above has a large tendency of salt precipitation, and it is not only a member such as a tank wall which is always in contact with the processing solution, but also a photosensitive material such as a photosensitive material guide member. Even if the member is temporarily in contact with the treatment liquid adhered to, the water in the liquid is likely to evaporate due to the small amount of the adhered liquid, and salt is deposited at the corners of the ribs. The deposits on each member may adhere to the light-sensitive material and cause stains, or adhere to the transport means to hinder transport. In addition, if the deposits from the processing liquid are mixed into other processing liquids, especially if the deposits of the processing liquid of the next process are mixed into the processing liquid of the previous bath, the processing performance is changed, and the maximum black color of the processed photosensitive material is There is a problem that the density D _max decreases. Therefore, it is necessary to perform cleaning and inspection frequently, and maintenance work is difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and to provide a photographic light-sensitive material processing tank which prevents the generation of deposits from the processing solution and is easy to maintain.

[0008]

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following items (1) and (2). (1) The shape of the corner of the member that comes into contact with the processing solution in the processing tank filled with the photographic processing solution and that has the horizontal cross section of two surfaces, that is, the part that protrudes inward of the processing tank or the part that is recessed outward from the inner surface On the corner surface in the process of reaching from the first surface to the second surface, the line segment connecting the two points displaced by 0.1 mm by the projection distance onto the first surface and the first surface When the angle formed by the plane is measured for each displacement, the increase amount of the angle is 0 ° to
A processing tank characterized by being 20 °.

(2) The photographic light-sensitive material processing tank described in (1) above, wherein the center line surface roughness Ra of the projecting portion is 0.01 to 3 μm.

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of an example of a corner C,
Each point in the present invention is represented by reference numerals d1, d2, d3 ... dn
Indicated by When the angles θ1, θ2, θ3, ... θn formed by the line segment connecting these points and the first surface P1 are measured, these angles reach from the first surface to the second surface. In the process, it gradually increases with the displacement of the point. This increase amount (θ2-
If the corner portion has a curved surface having a shape in which θ1), (θ3−θ2), ... Are 0 ° to 20 °, precipitation of the treatment liquid component at the corner portion C can be prevented.

In the present invention, the corner has two surfaces 180
It is formed at the boundary portion by intersecting at an angle of less than °, and the increase amount of the measurement angle defines a substantially curved surface shape of the corner portion. That is, if the angle formed by the line segment connecting the two points and the first surface is gradually increased, the surface shape of the corner in the process from the first surface to the second surface is It is composed of a curved surface or a number of flat surfaces having a chamfered shape, and slightly bulges toward the processing liquid side.

It can be said that the surface is relatively smooth if the center line surface roughness of the portion protruding toward the processing liquid side is 0.01 to 3 μm. With the overhanging portion having such smoothness, the surface tension of the treatment liquid on the overhanging portion is not extremely higher than that of the other portions.

If the shape of the corner is a curved surface or a number of flat surfaces, there is substantially no boundary between the first surface and the second surface, and
The surface tension of the treatment liquid with respect to the surface and the surface tension with respect to the second surface do not synergize with each other, and the surface tension of the treatment liquid at the corner does not become higher than the surface tension of the treatment liquid in contact with another wall surface. Therefore, it is possible to prevent excessive evaporation of water in the treatment liquid at the corners and prevent precipitation at the corners.

The corner of the present invention is formed by two surfaces which are in contact with the processing liquid, and the intersection angle between the two surfaces is 180 °.
It should be smaller. The corner may be directly formed in the processing tank, or may be provided in the processing tank and contact with the processing liquid, such as a guide member or a transporting means. If the corner portion has the above-mentioned shape, there is no deposit of the processing liquid, and it is possible to prevent stains on the photosensitive material, stains inside the apparatus, decrease in D _max , and the like. When the overhanging portions and the corners of the recesses that are in contact with the treatment liquid have the above-described shapes, the synergistic effect of the surface tension of the treatment liquid on the two surfaces can be mitigated and the generation of precipitates can be prevented. In addition, if the center line surface roughness of the portion protruding toward the treatment liquid side is 0.01 to 3 μm, the surface tension of the treatment liquid at this portion is not particularly high.

Therefore, if the surface tension of the treatment liquid in contact with the treatment tank or the like is not high, the amount of the treatment liquid slightly rising along the treatment tank or the like is small, and the evaporation amount of water in the treatment liquid in this portion is also small. Precipitation can be prevented. A preferable range of the increase amount of the measurement angle is 0 ° to 20 °, and a particularly preferable range is 0 ° to 10 °. The preferable range of the center line surface roughness Ra is 0.01 to 10.
μm, and a particularly preferable range is 0.01 to 3 μm.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a silver salt photographic color copying machine provided with the processing tank of the embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus body 10 is provided with a paper feed unit 12 on the right side, an exposure unit 14 and a processing unit 16 on the upper side, and a drying unit 18 on the left side. The silver salt photographic color copying machine can be loaded with a pair of upper and lower magazines 20 and 22, and an A4 size portrait (2
The photosensitive materials 24 and 26 having a width equal to 97 mm) are respectively housed in a roll shape and taken out from the leading end portion to the paper feeding portion 12. As an example, 24 is a photosensitive material most suitable for copying a positive color photographic original, and 26 is an optimal photosensitive material for copying a negative color film original.
Since the structures for processing the two types of photosensitive materials 24 and 26 are the same, the structure of the copying machine will be described below based on the processing of one photosensitive material 24.

Photosensitive material 2 drawn from magazine 20
4 is sent to the exposure window 28 through the paper feed unit 12, and the exposure unit 1
The image of the light-reflecting color original 32 on the transparent original table 30 provided above 4 is exposed. The color original 32 is pressed against the original table 30 by an original holder 34, illuminated by a light source 38 in a light source unit 36, and the image of the color original 32 reflected by a plurality of mirrors 40 passes through an optical means 42 and a shutter 44. Is opened to expose the photosensitive material 24 in the exposure window 28. In the closed state of the shutter 44, the document image is reflected by the shutter 44, is incident on the image sensor 43, and the exposure correction condition is determined by the control device 45.

The processing section 16 is provided with a developing tank 46, a bleach-fixing tank 47, and water-washing tanks 48, 49 in succession, and development, bleach-fixing, and washing with water are carried out by the processing liquids filled therein. The photosensitive material 24 is sent to the drying section 18. Replenishment tanks 60, 62, 6
4, 66 are replenished appropriately. In the drying section 18, the light-sensitive material 24 after being washed with water is dried to take out the take-out tray 5.
It is designed to be sent to the top of 4.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a processing tank which is an embodiment of the present invention. The overhanging portion 72 protruding into the processing bath 70 or the corner C of the recess 74 recessed from the inner wall of the processing bath is formed into a curved surface which is a feature of the present invention. Further, the processing tank 70 is provided with a transport rack 76 having a transport roller for transporting the photosensitive material 24 and a guide member, but the transport roller is not shown in the drawing, and the guide member is in the liquid surface portion. Only the items are illustrated. This guide member 7
No. 8 is provided by immersing about half its thickness in the processing liquid filled in the processing tank 70, and a plurality of ribs 80 extending substantially vertically are provided on the surface for guiding the photosensitive material 24. Has been. The corner portion C of the rib 80 is also formed into a curved surface which is a feature of the present invention.

The shape of each corner C is a curved surface as shown in FIG. 1, and the projection distance to the first surface P1 is 0.1 mm.
Angles θ1, θ2, θ3, ... θn formed by the line segment connecting the two points that have moved each time and the surface P1 gradually increase as the points are displaced. In the case of the present embodiment, an increase amount (θ2-θ1) in two types of angles corresponding to two continuous line segments,
(Θ3-θ2) and the like are 0 to 20 °, and the horizontal cross section of the curved surface from the first surface P1 to the second surface P2 is an approximately ¼ arc shape.

If the shape of the corner C is such a curved surface,
The surface tensions of the treatment liquid on the first surface P1 and the second surface P2 do not synergize with each other, and the surface tension generated at the corner C is about the same as the surface tension on one surface. If there is no increase in the surface tension at the corner C, the amount of the processing liquid that rises along the corner C due to the action of the surface tension does not become particularly large compared to the other portions. Therefore, the processing liquid does not rise above the other portions in the corner portion C, and a large amount of water in the corner portion C can be prevented from evaporating, and as a result, the processing liquid component can be prevented from precipitating.

On the other hand, if the corner C has a shape in which the two surfaces simply intersect, the surface tension of the processing liquid with respect to the two surfaces in the corner C will be synergistic, and the processing liquid in the corner C will be different. The contact area with the air increases by rising above the part.
Therefore, the evaporation amount of water in the corner C also increases, and the treatment liquid component is likely to precipitate in the corner C.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a preferable example of the shape of the corner C and a comparative example. (A) is a preferable shape, and the horizontal cross section is a quarter arc. (B) is also a preferable shape, which is an arc cross section having a slightly smaller curvature than that of (a), and the tangent line and the surface at the arc end match.
(C) is a slightly preferable shape, which is an arc cross section having a slightly larger curvature than that of (a), and the tangent line at the end of the arc does not coincide with the surface. (D) is also a slightly preferable example, and has a shape in which an arc like (a) is formed by a large number of lines. (E) is the shape of the comparative example, and is the shape in which the arc as in (a) is formed by four lines. (F) shows the shape of the comparative example, which is an arc cross section having a considerably large curvature and being close to a straight line as compared with (a). (G) is a shape of a comparative example, and is a shape in which an arc like (a) is formed by three lines. (H) is the shape of the comparative example, and the corner C has a shape in which the two surfaces are orthogonal to each other. (I) is the shape of the comparative example, and the corner C is not the curved surface but the third flat surface.

If the corner portion C has the curved surface shape as described above, no precipitate is generated, but together with the shape of the corner portion C,
Precipitation can also be prevented by properly designing the center surface roughness Ra of the tip of the rib 80. That is, if the center surface roughness Ra of the tip of the rib 80 is 0.01 to 3 μm,
It is possible to prevent precipitation in the corner portion C.

[0025]

According to the present invention, the salt in the processing liquid does not deposit on the member in contact with the processing liquid, and the deposit prevents the contamination of the photosensitive material and the inside of the apparatus, and the failure of the drive system such as the conveying means. Therefore, maintenance of the device becomes easy.

[0026]

【Example】

Example 1 A guide member having eight kinds of ribs whose corners C had the shapes shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to (i) was prepared. In each rib shown in FIG. 4, the projected distance on the inner wall surface of the processing tank is 0.1.
Table 1 shows the change amount (increase amount) of the angle when displaced by mm.

[0027]

The experimental apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is an apparatus that models the essential part of the present invention. The ribbed guide member 78 is immersed in the processing liquid in the processing tank by half the thickness and floated, and near the liquid surface. The fan 82 blows air so that the wind hits it. For the nine types of rib-shaped guide members 78, as shown in FIG.
Using the experimental apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and the color developing solution shown in Example 1 of JP-A-2-287353, the deposition state of the developing agent (upward rising amount) after standing at 40 ° C. for 5 days was examined. The fan was kept stationary except that it was operated continuously for 8 hours three times, and when the liquid level dropped, the liquid was replenished to keep the liquid level constant.

Before conducting the experiment, the weight of the guide member 78 was weighed, after the experiment, moisture other than the front surface of the guide member 78 was wiped off, and then it was naturally dried and weighed again. The center line surface roughness Ra of the rib tip is
Was 3 μm. The results and evaluation of the measured deposition amount are shown in Table 2.
Shown in The evaluations in Table 2 mean good results in the order of ◯, Δ, and x.

[0030]

As is clear from the above results, it was found that when the shape of the corner C of the rib 80 is the curved shape as in the present invention, there is no precipitate from the treatment liquid. Therefore, even in the processing tank provided with such a rib-shaped guide member, it can be considered that there is no precipitate from the processing liquid, and there is no failure of the drive system or the like, and maintenance is easy.

Example 2 Processor: In a color copying machine (AP5000 manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) having the structure shown in FIG. 2, the rib tip portion of the guide member at the interface between the liquid in the first tank (color developing tank) and air was used. The center line average roughness Ra was tested as shown in Tables 3 (a) to (i).

Processing solution: Color developer: First tank Same as Example 1 of JP-A-2-287353 Bleach-fixing solution: Second tank Same as above Wash water: Third tank Same as above Fourth tank Same as above

Treatment process: Based on the treatment process of the auto positive color paper treatment of Example 1 of JP-A-2-287353, 10 A4 size sheets are treated per day for 3 days per week for 2 months. It was run. Table 3 shows the results and evaluations by visually observing the deposition state. The evaluation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0035]

As shown in Table 3, even in the case of the rib 80 having the corner C having no precipitation in Example 1, there was some precipitation when the center line surface roughness Ra of the tip of the rib 80 was 30 μm. However, when the center line surface roughness Ra was 1 μm, there was almost no precipitation, which was good.

Example 3 In Example 2, the same test as in Example 2 was conducted using the same guide member for the tank of the second tank. As a result of the test,
Although the deposition amount in the second tank was smaller than that in the first tank, the same evaluation as in Example 2 was obtained. This evaluation is also shown in Table 3.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the shape of a corner in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a silver salt photographic color copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a processing tank.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the shape of a corner.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an experimental device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Main Body 12 Paper Feeding Section 14 Exposure Section 16 Processing Section 18 Drying Section 30 Document Plate 32 Originals 46 Developing Tank 47 Bleach-Fixing Tank 48, 49 Rinsing Tank 60, 62, 64, 66 Tank 70 Processing Tank 72 Overhanging Section 74 Recess 76 Transport rack 78 Guide member 80 Rib 82 Fan C Corner P1 First surface P2 Second surface

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A corner of a member, which is in contact with the processing solution in a processing tank filled with a photographic processing solution, of which a horizontal cross section has two surfaces, that is, a portion protruding inward of the processing tank or a portion recessed outward from the inner surface. On the corner surface of the process where the shape of reaches from the first surface to the second surface,
When the angle formed by the line segment connecting the two points displaced by 0.1 mm in the projection distance onto the first surface and the first surface is measured for each displacement, the increase amount of the angle is 0. ° ~ 20 °
A treatment tank characterized by being. 2. The center line surface roughness R of the projecting portion
a is 0.01 to 3 μm.
The photographic light-sensitive material processing tank described in.