JP2777814B2 - Photosensitive material processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a photosensitive material processing apparatus, in which a transfer roller for conveying an exposed photosensitive material from one processing tank to the next processing tank is automatically used. The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus that can be cleaned effectively.

[Prior Art] In general, a photosensitive material processing apparatus is provided with a plurality of processing tanks for developing exposed photosensitive material, and each of these processing tanks has a liquid for transporting the photosensitive material in a processing liquid. In addition to the middle roller, a transfer roller that passes between the processing tanks outside the liquid is provided.

Since the processing liquid carried by the wet photosensitive material through the processing liquid adheres to the crossover roller outside the liquid, after the development processing is completed, a liquid pool is formed due to surface tension in the bite portion of the processing medium. The liquid oxidizes to a crystallized state while the apparatus is at rest. Therefore, there is a problem that the crystal is transferred to the photosensitive material as a stain when the crystal is next passed through the photosensitive material.

Therefore, for example, JP-A-62-273538 and JP-A-62-287252
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-260, there is an apparatus in which cleaning water is jetted to a crossing roller to perform cleaning.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, when the cleaning water is jetted to the transfer roller and washed, the processing liquid and the cleaning water attached to the transfer roller are scattered in a mixed state, and this is scattered on the photosensitive material. Adhesion causes uneven processing.

Also, when the mixed liquid of the scattered treatment liquid and the washing water adheres to a driving mechanism or the like near the transfer roller, the mixed liquid is oxidized and crystallized, thereby damaging the driving mechanism or transporting it as a load. This causes the torque to increase.

Therefore, maintenance and cleaning of the drive mechanism are required. Further, there is a problem that it is necessary to provide a means such as a special partition so that a mixed solution of the processing liquid and the washing water does not scatter to the drive mechanism side or the like.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and cleans the processing liquid attached to the transfer roller so that crystals of the processing liquid do not remain, and also brings in the processing liquid from the previous process to the next process. It is an object of the present invention to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus in which the stability of the processing liquid is reduced and the drive mechanism and the like are not stained by the cleaning of the transfer roller.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the problems, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a plurality of processing tanks for developing an image-exposed photosensitive material, and from one of the processing tanks, In a photosensitive material processing apparatus having a transfer roller for transferring a photosensitive material to a processing tank, a plurality of the transfer rollers for sandwiching and transferring the photosensitive material are arranged in parallel in a transfer direction, and the transfer roller is cleaned by transfer from a washing water tank to the transfer roller. Washing is performed by supplying water, washing water is supplied to the washing water tank from the outlet side in the conveying direction, sent to the inlet side in the conveying direction, and discharged.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, cleaning water is supplied to the transfer roller by transfer so as to wash the processing liquid attached to the transfer roller so that no crystal of the processing liquid remains. A photographic image without unevenness can be obtained.

Also, to transfer the washing water to the transfer roller for washing,
It does not scatter during this cleaning, prevents the drive mechanism and the like from becoming dirty, and can be cleaned with a simple structure.

Further, a plurality of transport rollers are arranged in parallel in the transport direction, and the transport roller is supplied with cleaning water by transfer from a cleaning water tank to transfer the cleaning water. Since this cleaning water is sent to the entrance side in the transport direction and discharged, the cleaning roller is cleaned with clean water from the transfer roller on the exit side in the transport direction. Accordingly, the transfer roller is less contaminated than the transfer roller on the exit side in the transport direction, and it is possible to restrict the contamination of the photosensitive material.

In addition, the carry-in of the processing solution of the previous step in the processing of the next step is significantly reduced. The stability of the processing solution can be ensured.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a photosensitive material processing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a transfer section, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cleaning water tank of the transfer section, and FIG. 4 is a cleaning water supply timing chart.

In the figure, reference numeral A denotes a photosensitive material loading section for loading the exposed photosensitive material, B denotes a processing section for processing the loaded photosensitive material, C denotes a squeezing section for squeezing the processed photosensitive material, and D denotes the processed photosensitive material. A drying unit for drying the photosensitive material, and E is a photosensitive material unloading unit for unloading the processed photosensitive material.

Photosensitive Material Loading Portion A Photosensitive material F that has been photographed is inserted one by one from an insertion port 20 provided at a position above the apparatus main body 1. The insertion is detected and input to the control unit. Accordingly, the transport system of the apparatus main body 1 is driven, and the drying unit D is driven to increase the drying temperature. Further, the insertion of the photosensitive material F is detected, and an insertion interval according to the processing time is set.

The photosensitive material carry-in section A is provided with a photosensitive material width detecting means (not shown) which detects the width of the photosensitive material and outputs the information to a control section. The area of the material is calculated and used as a reference for replenishing the processing solution.

Processing Section B The processing section B is provided with processing tanks such as a developing tank 30, a fixing tank 31, and a washing tank 32, and transport racks 33, 34, 35, and 36 each having a feed roller group are detachably provided. It can be removed when cleaning the processing tank or transport rack. The transfer racks 33 to 36 have turns 33a to 36a for changing the transfer direction of the photosensitive material, respectively, and change the transfer direction from below to above at the bottom of the processing tank.

Crossover portions 37 and 38 are provided between the developing tank 30 and the fixing tank 31 and between the fixing tank 31 and the washing tank 32.
The photosensitive material conveyed in 3 and 34 is sent from the developing solution to the transfer section 37, and the developing solution is squeezed by the rollers of the transfer section 37 and sent to the fixing tank 32. In the fixing tank 31, the photosensitive material is transported by the transport rack 35 and sent from the fixing solution to the transfer section 38. The fixing solution is squeezed in the transfer section 38 and sent to the washing tank 32, and the processing solution is transferred to the subsequent processing tank. Is prevented from being brought in.

The crossover portions 37, 38 are similarly configured as shown in FIGS.

A plurality of pair of transfer rollers 80 are arranged in parallel in the transport direction, and are configured by a pair of upper and lower rollers 80a and 80b. A gear 81 provided on the lower roller 80a is connected to a drive mechanism (not shown), and the lower roller 80a is rotated by the drive mechanism, and the upper roller 80b is rotated in conjunction with the rotation, and the upper roller 80b is rotated between the upper roller 80a and the lower roller 80a. To convey the photosensitive material.

The lower roller 80a of the transfer roller 80 is immersed in the washing water stored in the washing water tank 82, and the washing water is transferred from the lower roller 80a to the upper roller 80b and supplied, and the upper and lower rollers 80a, 80b
Is to be cleaned.

As described above, the transfer roller 80 is cleaned by the cleaning unit that supplies and cleans the cleaning water by transfer. Therefore, when cleaning the processing liquid that has adhered to the transfer roller 80, the cleaning water and the processing liquid that has adhered are externally cleaned. The transfer roller 80 can be washed without scattering.

The cleaning water tank 82 is separated by a partition 82a so that the outflow side 82b in the transport direction is provided.
The washing water, which is partitioned into the transfer direction entrance side portion 82c and supplied from the supply pipe 83 to the transfer direction exit side portion 82b, overflows from the circulation port 82d formed in the partition wall 82a to the transfer direction exit side portion 80c. Sent. The partition 82a is provided with a discharge port 82e at a position lower than the circulation port 82d, and the washing water supplied to the transport-side outlet 82c overflows from the discharge port 82e and is discharged to the outside. In this way, the conveyance direction entry side portion 82
The transfer roller 8 on the delivery-direction exit side portion 82c is cleaned so that the washing water remaining on the delivery direction
0 is washed with cleaner water, and the photosensitive material is conveyed to the next process in a state where there is no uneven transfer of dirt on the photosensitive material. As described above, the carry-in of the processing liquid in the previous step in the processing in the next step is significantly reduced, and the stability of the processing liquid can be ensured.

The supply of cleaning water to the cleaning water tank 82 is shown in the timing chart of FIG.

At the same time as the operation switch of the apparatus is input, the replenishment of the cleaning water for supplying the specified amount of the cleaning water starts, the photosensitive material is sequentially inserted, and the cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning water tank at a predetermined timing during this processing. .

Further, even in a standby state where the operation switch of the apparatus is input but the photosensitive material is not inserted, the washing water is replenished at a predetermined timing even in the standby state, and even in the standby state, the transfer roller 80 is washed. I have.

In this embodiment, the cleaning water is automatically replenished after a predetermined time has elapsed, but a liquid level sensor is provided in the cleaning water tank 82 to detect and replenish the level of the cleaning water. Is also good.

In this embodiment, the lower roller 80a of the transfer roller 80 is used.
Is immersed in the washing water tank 82, but without immersing the lower roller 80a, another transfer roller is provided, which is immersed and transferred to the lower roller 80a and supplied.
Alternatively, the image may be transferred from 0a to the upper roller 80b and supplied.

Squeeze section C The squeeze section C is made up of the photosensitive material F by the roller group 40.
The washing water is squeezed or sucked and sent to the drying section D.

Drying Section D In the drying section D, the photosensitive material F is fed by the feed roller group 50, and an infrared drying section D1 for irradiating infrared rays from the infrared heater 51 and drying the front section of the drying section D, and a moisture from the slit nozzle 52. A hot air drying section D2 for blowing unsaturated heating air onto the photosensitive material F to dry it.

In the infrared drying section D1, the blackened portion is more dried than the white portion in the former stage where the moisture content is higher than the white portion, and the infrared light is mainly incident on the photosensitive material and the blackened portion is dried at a faster drying speed than the white portion,
Then, when the residual moisture in the blackened portion and the white portion becomes substantially the same, the black portion and the white portion are dried at substantially the same speed in the warm air drying section D2 in the subsequent stage, and the black portion and the white portion are dried. The water content is reduced to almost zero at the same time, and sufficient drying is performed so as not to cause deterioration such as hardening of a gelatin bath in a blackened portion or a white spot.

The moisture evaporated in the drying section D is exhausted through the exhaust duct 60 and exhausted from the exhaust duct 61 of the processing section B together with the exhaust fan 62.
Is discharged to the outside by the drive of.

Photosensitive material unloading section E A photosensitive material discharge section E is provided on the opposite side of the apparatus body 1 from the photosensitive material loading section A, and the processed photosensitive material F which has been developed in the basket 70 and then dried is provided. Is discharged.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the cleaning unit supplies the transfer water by transfer to the transfer roller to wash the processing liquid attached to the transfer roller. Crystals of the liquid do not remain, and a photographic image free of stain transfer, black streaks, and unevenness in steps can be obtained.

Also, to transfer the washing water to the transfer roller for washing,
It does not scatter during this cleaning, prevents the drive mechanism and the like from becoming dirty, and can be cleaned with a simple structure.

Further, a plurality of transfer rollers are arranged in parallel in the transport direction, and the transfer roller is supplied with cleaning water by transfer from a cleaning water tank to transfer the cleaning water, and the cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning water tank from the transport direction outlet side. Since the cleaning water is sent to the entrance side in the transport direction and discharged, the cleaning roller is cleaned with clean water from the transfer roller on the exit side in the transport direction. Accordingly, the transfer roller is less contaminated than the transfer roller on the exit side in the transport direction, and it is possible to restrict the contamination of the photosensitive material.

In addition, the carry-in of the processing liquid in the previous step is significantly reduced in the processing in the next step, and the stability of the processing liquid can be ensured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a photosensitive material processing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a transfer section, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a washing water tank of the transfer section, and FIG.
The figure is a cleaning water supply timing chart. In the figure, reference numeral B denotes a processing unit, 30 denotes a developing tank, 37 and 38 denote crossover parts, and 80
Is a transfer roller, 80a is a lower roller, 80b is an upper roller, 81 is a gear, and 82 is a washing water tank.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Toshio Fujisaka 1 Sakuracho, Hino-shi, Tokyo Inside Konica Corporation (56) References JP-A-51-60526 (JP, A) JP-A-54-51530 (JP, A) JP-A-63-187243 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photosensitive material processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of processing tanks for developing a photosensitive material having been subjected to image exposure; and a transfer roller for transporting the photosensitive material from one of the processing tanks to the next processing tank. A plurality of the transfer rollers for transporting the photosensitive material in between are arranged in parallel in the transport direction, and the transfer roller is supplied with cleaning water from the cleaning water tank by transfer from the cleaning water tank for cleaning, and the cleaning roller is transferred to the cleaning water tank from the transport direction outlet side. A photosensitive material processing apparatus, wherein cleaning water is supplied, sent to the entrance side in the transport direction, and discharged.