JP2807826B2 - Photosensitive material processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a processing tank having a structure in which a processing liquid in a processing tank is substantially sealed off from outside air. The present invention relates to a technique for preventing oxidative deterioration and evaporation of a processing liquid in a processing tank, and for miniaturizing the processing tank itself by extremely miniaturizing the processing tank.

[Prior Art] The processing tank of a conventional photosensitive material processing apparatus has a bucket shape with an open top, and there is a common sense that a processing liquid leaks out of the processing tank if there are slight cracks or gaps on the side or bottom. Was not broken, and because the upper opening of the processing tank through which the photosensitive material passed could not be sealed, a floating lid was provided on the surface of the processing liquid, or the upper part of the processing tank was filled with an inert gas in the processing liquid.
Efforts are being made to reduce the level of the processing liquid by floating suspended substances of a material that is resistant to the processing liquid. However, air oxidation and evaporation of the processing liquid cannot be prevented, and therefore, it is very difficult to maintain the processing performance of the photosensitive material at a constant level.

In particular, developing laboratories (stores) with low color photographic processing
Is a problem that seems to be unsolvable.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, reducing the opening area ratio of the processing liquid stored in the processing tank in contact with the air only reduces the rate of oxidation deterioration and evaporation of the processing liquid. It cannot be said that the deterioration and evaporation of the liquid are effectively and completely prevented. In particular, when the operating rate of the photosensitive material processing apparatus is extremely low, preventing the deterioration and evaporation of the processing solution is important for maintaining a constant color photographic processing performance and reducing the operating cost of the processing apparatus. Is also a particularly important issue.

Furthermore, in the conventional upper opening type processing tank, since the processing liquid is lifted by the wall at the contact portion between the processing tank wall and the processing liquid, the liquid area of this portion increases and oxidation starts. As a result, the processing tank becomes dirty, and the oxidized hardened portion falls into the processing liquid and enters the processing liquid, which is one of the causes of a trouble in the development processing.

Therefore, as a result of various investigations, the processing tank was substantially sealed in the outside air, an intermediate chamber was provided between the processing tanks, the processing tank was filled with the processing liquid, and air was completely filled in the processing tank. If the photosensitive material is directly driven into the processing solution, the contact of the processing solution with the air in the processing tank is eliminated, and deterioration and evaporation due to oxidation can be effectively prevented.
In this case, it is an important technical issue how to directly carry the photosensitive material into the processing solution in the processing tank without any leakage of the processing solution from the processing tank having the photosensitive material supply port.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to prevent oxidative deterioration and evaporation of a processing solution in a processing tank and to directly immerse a photosensitive material in a processing solution in a processing tank without liquid leakage. It is intended to provide a material processing device.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention has at least one processing tank in which the processing liquid in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air. The photosensitive material is carried into a processing tank in a closed and sealed state for processing.

The processing tank may have at least one photosensitive material loading mechanism and at least one photosensitive material discharging mechanism, and may have a structure in which the processing liquid in the processing tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air. Further, the photosensitive material is conveyed, inserted, and discharged through a photosensitive material carry-in and photosensitive material discharge mechanism provided in the processing tank. At least one of the photosensitive material loading mechanism and the photosensitive material discharging mechanism is a valve structure,
Also, at least one of them can be constituted by a roller structure.

The processing tank has a photosensitive material loading mechanism, a photosensitive material discharging mechanism, a gap, and the like.
It is sealed off from the outside air so that it does not leak outside. The photosensitive material is configured to be conveyed through the valve structure to the processing tank, and the inside of the processing tank can be brought into contact with outside air through the valve structure. Further, at least one roller structure may be used to carry in or out, and the rotation of the rollers allows the photosensitive material to be carried. Further, the valve structure may be made of a flexible material, and a gap may be formed only by the passage of the photosensitive material, and the processing tank may be otherwise closed so that the processing liquid does not leak.

In the latter case, a roller or the like for transporting the photosensitive material may be provided in an intermediate chamber provided as necessary inside the processing tank and / or between the processing tanks.

A mechanism that allows the photosensitive material to enter and exit the processing tank that is maintained in a sealed state as described above can be provided.
In addition, this mechanism is provided with a water tank that applies the same water pressure as the processing liquid, and the processing tank can be kept substantially sealed. Further, a transport mechanism for transporting the photosensitive material into the processing tank can be provided. Further, by supplying the replenisher through the replenisher supply port of the processing tank, it is possible to provide a means for forcibly discharging the processing liquid in the substantially closed processing tank.

At least one exterior of the photosensitive material loading / unloading mechanism provided in the processing tank is continuously or intermittently washed with water to prevent the processing liquid from being oxidized by air and evaporated to dryness on the mechanism. be able to.

Further, when the processing tanks are continuously arranged, water, water, and the like are formed in an intermediate chamber formed by a photosensitive material loading / discharging mechanism between the processing tanks.
Filling with liquid paraffin and inert gas can prevent air oxidation and evaporation to dryness of the treatment liquid on the mechanism.

By providing a mechanism for releasing the sealed state of the processing tank which is substantially sealed from the outside air, the supply of the processing liquid to the processing tank in the initial stage of operation and the discharge of the processing liquid during maintenance can be smoothly performed. Can be implemented.

Further, in the processing tank, a guide for smoothly transporting the photosensitive material is provided, and in order to enhance a stirring effect and a temperature control effect in the processing tank by spraying the processing liquid onto the photosensitive material, and in the processing liquid, In order to remove impurities by means such as filtration and separation, a system for circulating the treatment liquid can be provided.

[Operation] In this photosensitive material processing apparatus, the processing tank is substantially shut off and sealed from the outside air, and the processing liquid does not have a liquid level in contact with air. Oxidation deterioration and evaporation of the processing liquid in the processing tank can be prevented, and the stability of the processing liquid in the processing tank can be extremely enhanced.
The processing device itself can be downsized. Further, when the processing solution is reduced by the processing of the photosensitive material, the replenishment of the processing solution restricts the air from entering the processing tank, and the processing solution does not come into contact with air.

The processing tank has at least one photosensitive material loading mechanism and at least one photosensitive material discharging mechanism, which seals the processing tank, and the photosensitive material is contained in the processing solution in the sealed processing tank. The photosensitive material can be loaded and unloaded directly from the side wall of the processing tank, and the processing tank is sealed from the outside air. Liquid leakage at the time of loading into and unloading from the processing tank can be reduced.

As described above, the valve structure provided on at least one wall surface of the processing tank not only forms the wall of the processing tank, but also has a photosensitive material transport function when formed by a roller structure. It is not necessary to provide a complicated roller mechanism and guide mechanism for transporting the photosensitive material into the processing tank unlike the conventional developing machine in the processing apparatus.

If the processing tank held in a sealed state is provided with a valve structure that allows the photosensitive material to enter and exit, the holding in the sealed state is simplified. Further, the valve structure can be provided with a water tank having the same water pressure as the liquid pressure of the liquid, thereby preventing liquid leakage when the photosensitive material passes through the valve structure. Further, the photosensitive material in the processing tank can be transported without liquid leakage by a transport mechanism provided in the processing tank.

In addition, the processing liquid in the processing tank is forcibly supplied to the surroundings of the valve structure by forcibly supplying the replenishing liquid using a pump or the like from a replenishing liquid supply port provided in the processing tank which is substantially insulated from the outside air. It can be discharged out of the processing tank through a small gap, and at this time, the action of cleaning this gap also occurs. The processing liquid discharged into the processing tank accumulates in the waste liquid tank as waste liquid.

Furthermore, a circulation system is provided for the sealed processing tank, and the processing liquid in the processing tank is stirred and the temperature is adjusted, so that the development processing can be stabilized.

Further, it is preferable to provide a filtration device which is also closed and sealed from the outside air in the path of the circulation system to remove insoluble impurities accumulated in the processing solution from the viewpoint of preventing damage to the photosensitive material surface. .

It is not considered preferable to use a large-capacity heater to control the temperature of the processing liquid when the amount of circulating liquid is small, because hunting to the processing set temperature becomes large, which is not considered preferable. When using a heater with a capacity, hunting is small and preferable control is performed. However, because of a large amount of circulating liquid, a fluctuation in pressure occurs in the pumping tank and the processing tank, which is not a preferable method because of stable development. . No.
FIG. 35 shows the relationship between the control temperature width and the heat load (= heater output / circulating fluid amount).

A guide member for transporting the photosensitive material is provided inside the processing tank, and the photosensitive material is smoothly transported. At the same time, the guide member is provided with an opening through which the processing solution is blown out, thereby spraying the processing solution onto the photosensitive material. Since there is no unevenness in the material processing, and the photosensitive material is conveyed while floating above the guide member, scratches do not occur on the photosensitive material surface and jamming does not occur during the guide.

Various tests were conducted to determine the relationship between the development unevenness of the aperture ratio of the guide member, the linear velocity of the sprayed photosensitive material, and the development unevenness. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2 below. According to the results, the porosity of the guide member is required to be 15% or more, preferably 20% or more, and the linear velocity of spraying on the photosensitive material is 1.0 cm / sec.
More preferably, it is required to be 1.5 cm / sec or more.

In the processing tank, in order to insert or withdraw the processing solution,
A mechanism is provided to release the closed state and open to the outside air.

The processing liquid in the processing tank is in contact with the outside air via a valve structure or a roller structure, and a part of the processing liquid leaks by transporting the photosensitive material. The surface of the structure is washed intermittently or continuously with water in order to prevent air oxidation of the processing liquid in this portion.

In addition, an intermediate chamber formed by a valve structure or a roller structure between the processing tanks is filled with a substance that does not affect the processing such as water, liquid paraffin, and inert gas, so that substantially no air oxidation evaporation or the like occurs. A structure is also possible.

FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of a photosensitive material processing apparatus using a roller structure. FIG. 2 shows the attachment of the roller structure to the processing tank and the transport of the photosensitive material. Further, the arrangement in the processing tank is shown in FIG. 3, but is not particularly limited thereto.

In color photographic processing, the constant temperature of the processing temperature is very important. As a method for controlling the temperature, a heater is usually placed in a processing tank, and the processing liquid in the processing tank is stirred or the processing liquid is circulated by a circulation pump. In the processing tank according to the present invention, the processing liquid can be circulated by pumping. However, a heater is built in a guide in the processing tank as shown in FIG. 28, or as shown in FIGS. 29 and 30. A heater can be built in the processing tank. In addition, the liquid agitation inside the processing tank can be agitated in the processing tank as shown in FIGS. 31 and 33, and as shown in FIG. 32, the photosensitive material itself is transferred when the photosensitive material is transported. The fin-shaped stirring plate provided inside the guide may be vibrated to stir the processing liquid.
A large-capacity heater is installed outside the processing tank, a small-capacity heater is provided in the processing tank, and the temperature rise is mainly performed by the external heater, and the temperature control is performed by the internal heater to reduce the temperature fluctuation range. Can be.

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a photosensitive material processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus main body that blocks external light, and a loading section 2 for photosensitive material is provided on one side of the apparatus main body 1.
On the other side, a discharge section 3 for the photosensitive material is provided. Loading section 2
A washing unit 4, a developing tank 5, a washing unit 6, a fixing tank 7, a washing unit 8, a washing tank 9, and a washing unit 10 are arranged continuously from the photosensitive material carry-in unit 2 side to the carry-out unit 3. Have been.

In each processing tank of the developing tank 5, the fixing tank 7, and the washing tank 9, a developer, a fixing liquid, and a washing liquid are stored in a sealed state, respectively.
Replenishing containers 11, 12, and 13 are connected to the upper portions of the processing tanks via pipes 14, 15, and 16, respectively.
The liquid level of each processing tank is formed therein. Piping 1
An externally connected air pipe 17 is connected to each of 4, 15 and 16, and air is introduced when the valve 18 is opened to release the sealed state.

A pair of upper and lower rollers 19 and 20 is provided on a side wall for partitioning the washing unit 4, the developing tank 5, the washing unit 6, the fixing tank 7, the washing unit 8, the washing tank 9, and the washing unit 10. The photosensitive material can pass between the rollers 19 and 20. Even if the gap between the rollers or the gap between the rollers 19 and 20 and the main body wall is slightly open because the processing tank is in a sealed state, it can be considered that there is substantially no liquid leakage.
The photosensitive material carried in from the carry-in section 2 is sequentially conveyed through the washing section 4, the developing tank 5, the washing section 6, the fixing tank 7, the washing section 8, the washing tank 9 and the washing section 10 by the rotation of the rollers 19 and 20, Unloading section 3
It is taken out in the processed state.

Since the processing tanks of the developing tank 5, the fixing tank 7, and the washing tank 9 are sealed, the processing liquid does not leak, and the processing liquid does not come into contact with air in the processing tank. Oxidation deterioration and evaporation of the liquid can be prevented. Therefore,
No tar-like stains, such as those caused by oxidation, occur in the treatment liquid tank. Further, by forming a roller structure of the rollers 19 and 20 on the side wall of each processing tank and sealing them with a gap within a range that does not hinder the rotation of the rollers, the photosensitive material can be transferred to the rollers 19 and 20.
Is carried into the processing liquid through the rollers. Each processing tank is sealed to substantially prevent liquid leakage from occurring between the rollers 19 and 20 even when the photosensitive material is carried in and out.

When the treatment liquid is replaced, the valve 18 is opened to establish communication with the atmosphere to release the sealed state of the treatment tank.
From time 0, the liquid is discharged to the cleaning units 4, 6, 8, and 10. This waste liquid is discharged from the pipe 22 when the valve 21 is opened.

The rollers 19 and 20 are sealed to have a function of storing the processing liquid with the processing liquid tank serving as a wall portion.
Since the photosensitive material is transported by rotating 9, 20, there is no need to provide a special mechanism for transporting the photosensitive material.

In each of the processing tanks of the developing tank 5, the fixing tank 7 and the washing tank 9, a guide 23 for facilitating the transfer of the photosensitive material is disposed opposite to each other with a predetermined width, and the guide 23 transfers the photosensitive material into the processing solution. The photosensitive material is transported with the emulsion surface downward. Although there is no particular limitation on the upper and lower sides, it is preferable to determine the upper and lower sides of the photosensitive material in the direction in which the processing solution is sprayed on the emulsion surface of the photosensitive material. Further, when the processing solution is sufficiently stirred in the processing tank by circulation of the processing solution, the emulsion surface may be directed to an upper portion without the processing solution circulation supply port. guide
An opening is formed in the circulating system 24 as described later.
The processing liquid is sprayed onto the photosensitive material from the opening by the drive of and is conveyed. The guide 23 preferably has an opening of 15%, more preferably 20% or more, and blows the photosensitive material from the opening at a blowing speed of 1.0 cm / sec or more, more preferably 1.5 cm / sec or more. It has become. By spraying the processing liquid, the contact resistance between the photosensitive material and the guide 23 forming the transport path is reduced, the agitation of the processing liquid is improved, and processing unevenness is prevented.

The width of the conveyance path formed by the guide 23 is set to, for example, a width obtained by adding about 5 mm to the thickness of the photosensitive material, thereby preventing jamming of the photosensitive material. Also,
If the processing liquid is sprayed with an inclination in the transport direction, the photosensitive material can be smoothly transported by the flow of the processing liquid.

Further, the surface of the guide 23 facing the photosensitive material may be subjected to unevenness processing or striped processing to reduce the frictional resistance with the photosensitive material.

The circulation system 24 provided in the developing tank 5, the fixing tank 7, and the washing tank 9
Is composed of a circulation pump 25, a heater 26, and a filter 31,
The processing solution in the sealed processing tank is circulated, and the developing tank 5 is circulated.
In the fixing tank 7, the composition of the processing liquid is made uniform,
Dust and the like in each processing solution can be removed while the temperature is constantly adjusted. In the washing tank 9, the washing temperature can be adjusted, and the washing water can be stirred for efficient washing.

The processing time of the photosensitive material is, for example, within approximately 30 seconds for each of the developing process, the fixing process, and the washing process.

In the cleaning sections 4, 6, 8, and 10, injection nozzles 27 are arranged, and pipes 28 are provided.
Is connected to the washing water tank 29 via the, and drives the washing water pump 30 to supply the washing water to each of the washing units 4, 6, 8, and 10. The supply of the washing water is not particularly limited. For example, at the end of the processing, or at the standby state before the processing, the injection nozzle 27 is supplied.
The cleaning can be performed by jetting in the direction of the rollers 19 and 20 from above. Further, it is possible to always inject the washing water into the washing units 4, 6, 8, and 10, and to always wash the rollers 19 and 20 during the processing.

In addition, it is also possible to fill the intermediate chamber portions of the cleaning sections 4, 6, 8, and 10 with cleaning water, and to continuously clean the rollers.

2 to 23 show a more specific photosensitive material processing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a developing processing section, FIG. 3 is a front view of a developing tank, and FIG. IV sectional view, FIG. 5 is a right side view of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the seal member, FIG. 7 is a VII-VII sectional view of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 to FIG. 12 and 13 are cross-sectional views of a roller, FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a roller seal portion, and FIG.
14 is a right side view of FIG. 14, FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of another embodiment of the roller seal portion, FIG. 17 is a plan view of the guide, FIG. 18 is a front view of the guide, and FIG. XIX-XIX sectional view of FIG. 17,
FIGS. 20 and 21 are plan views of the guide, and FIGS. 22 and 23 show a supply part and a discharge part of a circulation system of the developing tank.
The figure is a side view, and FIG. 23 is a bottom view.

In this embodiment, a description will be given of a development processing unit. However, a fixing processing unit and a washing processing unit are similarly configured.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connection between the replenishing container 11 of the developing tank 5 and the pipe 14 is performed by attaching the lid 11a of the replenishing container 11 to a sharp-pointed mounting part 41 connected to the pipe 14 provided on the receiving table 40. Insert
It is communicated without any liquid leakage. In addition, the replenishing container 11 can be installed in the lower part of the processing tank without being connected to the processing tank in such a manner, and can be forcibly supplied by a pump. The developer in the replenishing container 11 is supplied through a pipe 14 to a supply unit 14a.
Is supplied to the developing unit 5 from the printer. Further, the replenishing container 11 can be easily attached to and detached from the attachment portion 41, and the replacement operation is simple.

The pipe 14 supplies a developing solution to the developing section 5 via a supply section 14a, and a mounting section 41 of the pipe 14 is provided with a detection sensor 42 for detecting the remaining amount of the processing liquid in the replenishing container 11.
By the operation of 42, the replacement time of the refill container 11 can be known.
Furthermore, an air pipe communicating with the atmosphere is provided at the mounting portion 41 of the pipe 14.
A pipe 18 is provided with a valve 18. The valve 18 is closed to keep the developing tank 5 in a closed state. When the developing solution in the developing tank 5 is exchanged, when the valve 18 is opened, the developing solution leaks from the portion of the developing tank 5 where the rollers 19 and 20 are provided and is discharged at atmospheric pressure. When the valve 18 is closed and the developing tank 5 is closed, a new developer is supplied, and the replenishing container 11 is set, the liquid exchange is completed.

The upper wall 51 and the lower wall 52 of the developing tank 5 are arranged close to and parallel to each other, and between the upper wall 51 and the lower wall 52, as shown in FIGS. Are provided, and a front wall 55 is arranged close to the middle wall 54. By providing an additional space on the side where the drive mechanism of the front roller is provided, a double structure is formed to prevent liquid leakage.

The developing tank 5 and the cleaning section 4 disposed at the preceding stage and the cleaning section 6 disposed at the subsequent stage are formed with rollers 19 and 20, respectively. That is, a seal member 56 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided inside the upper wall 51 and the lower wall 52, and the seal member 56 has a spherical concave portion 56a. 19 and 20 are sealed so that there is no liquid leakage, and the rollers 19 and 20 are in a rotatable state.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the seal member 56 may be formed to have a ridge 56b having a spherical cross section. In this case, the sealing member 56 is provided with a screw hole 56 inside the upper wall 51 and the lower wall 52.
A screw 57 is mounted and fixed from c, and the pair of rollers 19 and 20 are arranged so as to be in pressure contact between the ridges 56b of the upper and lower seal members 56.

As shown in FIG. 8, the seal member is formed of a thin plate 80 made of elasticity, and this thin plate 80 is formed on the rollers 19 and 20 via projections 51a and 52b formed on the inside of the upper wall 51 and the lower wall 52. Pressing to prevent liquid leakage between the roller and the main body. This thin plate
80 is pressed against the roller side to eliminate liquid leakage between the roller and the main body. Any material may be used as the thin plate 80 as long as it is sufficiently elastic and durable with respect to the processing liquid. In this embodiment, two rollers are connected to 1
Although one plate is used for sealing, one roller can be used for sealing with one plate. In addition to the above, there are various sealing methods in which the rollers 19 and 20 are supported by support members 81 to 83 as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, for example.

The rollers 19 and 20 are, as shown in FIGS.
Rollers 19b and 20b are provided on 9a and 20a, respectively.
At both ends of b and 20b, slightly smaller-diameter end roller portions 19c and 20c are provided to form a two-stage structure. The end rollers 19c, 20c of the rollers 19, 20 are set to have a higher hardness than the rollers 19b, 20b.For example, the rollers 19b, 20b are made of a soft material, and the end rollers 19c, 20c are formed by the rollers 19b, 20c. Made of material harder than 20b. Therefore, with the rollers 19, 20 assembled, the roller portions 19b, 20b are elastically deformed, and the end roller portions 19c, 2
0c is in a pressed state, and the rollers 19 and 20 are parallelized to perform centering. Side walls sealed by the upper and lower seal members 56 and the pair of rollers 19 and 20 are formed.
The space between both ends of the end roller portions 19c and 20c of the pair of rollers 19 and 20 and the rear wall 53 and the middle wall 54 are sealed so as not to leak liquid, and the rollers 19 and 20 can rotate. It has become.

Even if the rollers 19b, 20b and 19c, 20c are manufactured with the same hardness, there is no problem in the sealing function.

Further, the material of the roller portions 19b and 20b of the rollers 19 and 20 is not limited to rubber, and has a sealing property and has such flexibility that the surface thereof is not damaged when the photosensitive material is inserted, and does not erode the developer. In addition to rubber, organic polymer materials such as polyester, vinyl chloride resin and nylon, felt materials, woven fabrics and the like are used. Further, the rollers 19b and 20b are preferably made of a material having a slight water repellency so that the material can pass smoothly without damaging the surface of the photosensitive material. The material of the end rollers 19c and 20c of the rollers 19 and 20 is not limited to rubber, and the same material as that of the roller portions 19b and 20b can be used.

As shown in FIG. 4, the roller 19 on the lower side of the rollers 19 and 20 for partitioning the washing sections 4 and 6 and the developing tank 5 has one end 19d supported by a bearing 58 embedded in the rear wall 53. , And is rotatable without protruding from the rear wall 53. This roller
The other end 19e of 19 passes through the middle wall 54 and the front wall 55, and
Are supported by a bearing 59 via a bearing 59.

4, between the shaft portion 19a of the roller 19 and the inner wall 54, FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 15, a ground press 6 in which two O-rings 60 fitted into the recesses 54a of the inner wall 54 are screwed to the shaft portion 20a.
1 is rotated, and the O-ring 60 is pressed and sealed by the movement of the gland presser 61. Notches 61b are formed at four places in the flange portion 61a of the gland retainer 61, and a tool is applied to the notch 61b from outside to rotate the notch 61b. In addition, as shown in FIG. 16, the ground presser 84 can be sealed to the middle wall 54 with screws 85.

A gear 62 is provided at the tip of the roller 19.
Is meshed with a gear 64 provided on the drive shaft 63, and rotates the roller 19 by rotating the drive shaft 63 by driving a motor (not shown). By the rotation of the lower roller 19, the roller 20 disposed to face the upper side rotates, and this roller
The photosensitive material is transported between 19 and 20.

The shaft portion 20a of the upper roller 20 has both ends 20d and 20e at the rear wall 53.
Are rotatably supported by bearings 65 and 66 embedded in the inner wall 54 and are sealed so as not to leak liquid.

In the developing tank 5, a guide path of the photosensitive material is formed by guides 23 arranged vertically, and the guide 23 enables the photosensitive material to be smoothly transported in the sealed developing tank 5. The guide 23 has a screw hole at the side as shown in FIGS.
23a are formed, and are fixed to the rear wall 53 and the middle wall 54 of the developing tank 5 by screws (not shown). In the guide 23, slits 23b are formed at predetermined intervals in the transport direction.
As a result, the contact area with the photosensitive material is reduced, the contact resistance with the photosensitive material is reduced, and the material can be smoothly transported. The guide 23 can be formed of a perforated plate as shown in FIG. 20, or can be formed of a mesh plate as shown in FIG.

The light-sensitive material can be conveyed with the emulsion surface in either vertical direction. When the discharge nozzle for processing solution circulation is installed below the processing tank, a developing solution is sprayed from below the guide 23 onto the emulsion surface of the photosensitive material to perform development without unevenness and to reduce the transport resistance of the photosensitive material. And smooth transportation. The width of the conveyance path formed by the guide 23 is set to a width obtained by adding, for example, about 5 mm to the width of the photosensitive material, to prevent meandering conveyance and jamming of the photosensitive material.

In addition, the surface of the guide 23 on which the conveyance path is formed can be subjected to uneven processing or striped processing in order to reduce frictional resistance. Further, the slits 23b in which the guides 23 are formed can spray the developer in the transport direction, so that the photosensitive material can be transported more effectively by the flow of the developer.

By driving the circulation pump 25 of the circulation system 24, the developer guided through a pipe 68 connected to a discharge part 67 at the center of the developing tank 5 is heated by a heater 26, and arranged on both sides of the discharge part 67 from a pipe 69. From the pair of supply units 70 thus blown out, it is blown into the developing tank 5.

The drive of the circulation system 24 has a function of blowing out the developer from the supply unit 70 and spraying the developer on the photosensitive material, and a function of stirring the developer in the developing tank 5 to keep the temperature constant. Further, a temperature sensor 71 is disposed in the developing tank 5 to obtain temperature information for driving the heater 26.

The temperature control of the developing solution is performed by the heater 26 provided in the circulation system 24. In particular, the procedure for adjusting the temperature of the small-sized developing tank is to perform it in the circulating system 24 outside the developing tank 5 rather than in the developing tank. Can be.

That is, since the developing tank 5 is small, if a heater is inserted into the developing tank 5 and temperature control is performed by turning on and off a large-capacity heater, a control with a very narrow temperature control range like the developing tank is extremely difficult. It becomes difficult, a temperature distribution occurs in the developing tank 5, and there is no liquid flow on the heating surface of the heater. For this reason, the heater 26 is connected to the developing tank 5.
It is possible to circulate a large amount of the processing liquid in the processing tank to keep the temperature fluctuation in the processing tank small and prevent the deterioration of the developer.

Although the fixing tank and the washing tank are configured similarly to the developing tank, in the washing tank 9, a heater can be provided in the circulation system 24.

The washing units 4 and 6 are provided with injection nozzles 27, and washing water is supplied from a washing water tank 73 to a supply unit 75 via a pipe 74 by a driving of a washing water pump 72.
At 27, the washing water is sprayed toward the rollers 19, 20, and the rollers 19, 20
Wash 20. The washing water tank 73 is provided with a liquid level sensor 76 for detecting the remaining amount of washing water.

The washed waste liquid and the liquid leaking when the photosensitive material is inserted from the rollers 19 and 20 are discharged to the waste liquid tank 77 via the pipe 22. Further, the waste liquid tank 77 leaks from the receiving table 44 provided with the processing liquid, but is discharged to the waste liquid tank 77 via the pipe 78.

In addition, the washing units (intermediate chambers) 4 and 6 can be configured so that washing water is always stored and the rollers 19 and 20 are always washed. In addition, a substance that does not affect the processing, such as liquid paraffin and inert gas, can be filled.

FIG. 24 shows another embodiment of the processing tank. In this embodiment, a lower wall 90 and an upper wall 91 are arranged to face each other. A pair of upper and lower rollers 92, 93 are sealed in the lower wall 90, the upper wall 91, and the concave portions 90a, 91a at both ends so as to substantially prevent liquid leakage and rotatably disposed. By the rotation of the rollers 92 and 93, the photosensitive material passes between the two, and a guide 94 formed integrally with the lower wall 90 and a guide 95 formed integrally with the upper wall 91.
And is carried into the conveyance path formed by. The guide 94 is formed with a slit 94a directed in the transport direction, and guides the processing liquid supplied from the lower supply unit 90b in the transport direction by the operation of the circulation system to transport the photosensitive material. The circulating treatment liquid exits the transport path through the slit 95a formed in the guide 95, flows out of the discharge portion 91b formed in the upper wall 91, and circulates.

FIGS. 25 (a) to (e) show the basic shape of the roller structure. FIG. 25 (a) shows the same as in the previous embodiment.
The processing tank 100 and the outside air 101 are substantially sealed by a pair of rollers 102 having the same diameter, and the photosensitive material 103 is transported by the rotation of the rollers 102. FIG. 25 (b) uses different diameters for the pair of rollers 102, and FIGS. 25 (c) and (e) show one roller.
FIG. 25 (d) uses three rollers 102.

FIGS. 26 (a) to 26 (f) show the attachment of the loading / unloading mechanism to the processing tank and the transfer of the photosensitive material. The above mechanism may be a single mechanism such as a single valve or a single roller, or a plurality of the same mechanisms or different mechanisms may be installed in multiple layers in order to enhance the sealing property of one wall surface. FIGS. 26 (a) to (e) show the use of rollers 102, and FIG. 26 (a) shows three processing tanks 100 arranged side by side, photosensitive material 103 being conveyed from the lateral direction, FIG. 26 (b) shows the processing tank 1.
FIG. 26 (c) arranges the processing tank 100 in the vertical direction, transports the photosensitive material 103 from above to below, and FIG. 26 (d) shows the photosensitive The material 103 is conveyed upward from below, and FIG. 26 (e) shows two processing tanks 100 arranged above and one processing tank 100 arranged below. No. 2
FIG. 6 (f) shows the use of the valve seal 107, and the roller 102 is used for conveying the photosensitive material. Fig. 26 (g) and (h)
Is a combination of two types of roller 102 and valve seal 107.

FIGS. 27 (a) to 27 (p) show an embodiment in which the arrangement of the processing tank 100 and the conveying direction of the photosensitive material 103 are different.

28 to 30 show another embodiment of the temperature control of the processing liquid. As shown in FIG. 28, a heater 105 is built in a guide 104 in the processing tank 100, and the heater 105 is a plate type. However, it may be rod-shaped. In FIG. 29, a heater 106 is built in the processing tank 100, and the heater 106 may be of a plate type or a rod type. Fig. 30 shows a large capacity heater 1 outside the processing tank 100.
07 is installed, and a small-capacity heater 108 is provided in the processing tank portion. The temperature is mainly raised by an external heater, and the temperature is controlled by an internal heater, so that the temperature fluctuation range can be reduced.

FIG. 31 to FIG. 33 show an embodiment of stirring of the processing tank. In FIG. 31, the stirring blade 200 is provided near the guide member 201, and the processing liquid is stirred by driving the stirring blade 200 with external power. In FIG. 32, a goodwill or a thread-like member 203 is put out of the guide surface of the guide member 202 into the conveying path of the photosensitive material, and when the photosensitive material passes, the member 203 shakes to agitate the processing liquid. FIG. 33 shows a processing liquid spouted from the supply port 204, which is stirred by rotating the stirring blade 200.

Next, the relationship between the opening ratio of the slit of the guide member of this embodiment, the linear velocity of the processing solution, and the unevenness of the processing will be discussed.

First, with a guide member 301 having an opening 300 as shown in FIG. 34, the relationship between the opening ratio and the processing unevenness was determined by a test. Table 1 shows the results.

Therefore, the aperture ratio of the guide member is set to 20% or more.

Next, using the guide member 301, a test was performed on the linear velocity of blowing to the photosensitive material and development unevenness. 50% porosity
Table 2 shows the results.

Therefore, the linear velocity at which the processing liquid is sprayed onto the photosensitive material using the guide member 301 is set to 1.5 cm / sec or more.

Further, FIG. 35 shows the relationship between the control temperature width and the heat load (= heater output / circulating fluid amount) in a test.

FIG. 36 is a sectional view showing another photosensitive material processing apparatus.
Reference numeral 500 in the figure indicates an apparatus main body that blocks external light,
In this embodiment, the carrying-in mechanism and the carrying-out mechanism of the photosensitive material are constituted by a valve structure. A photosensitive material carry-in section 502 is provided on one side of the apparatus main body 500, and a photosensitive material carry-out section 503 is provided on the other side. Between the photosensitive material carry-in section 502 and the photosensitive material carry-out section 503, a developing tank 504, a water tank 505,
Air tank (intermediate room) 506, 507, water tank 508, fixing tank 509, water tank
510 and a washing tank 511 are provided. A developing solution, a fixing solution, and a washing solution are stored in these processing tanks, respectively, and a replenishing container 512 is connected to an upper portion of each processing tank.

As shown in FIG. 37, the connection between the developing tank 504 and the replenishing container 512 is provided with a sharp-pointed pipe 513 at the mounting portion 504a on the upper part of the developing tank 504, and communicates the developing tank 504 with the replenishing container 512. doing. Further, the refill container 512 is provided with an air pipe 514 communicating with the atmosphere, and the bottom of the refill container 512 has a sealing member 515.
Thus, the processing liquid level is provided inside the replenishing container 512 outside the developing tank 504, and the processing liquid is substantially sealed off from the outside air. A valve 516 is provided in the air pipe 514, and the developing tank 504 is held in a sealed state by this valve 516. When the valve 516 is operated when replenishing the developer, air is introduced into the replenishing container 512. The developer is supplied to the developing tank 504, and the replenishing container 512 is supplied.
Of liquid drops.

A similar replenishing container 51 is also provided above the fixing tank 509 and the washing tank 511.
2 are provided, and these are replenishing containers 512 of the developing tank 504.
It is configured similarly to. A wall 517 for partitioning the developer and the air in the developing tank 504, and a wall 518 for partitioning the developer and the water
Is provided with a valve seal 519 to allow the photosensitive material to enter and exit the developing tank 504 which is kept in a sealed state. Developer tank 504
Is substantially sealed off from the outside air, and the gap between the valve seals 519 is reduced to reduce liquid leakage when the photosensitive material is carried in from the valve seals 519.

The photosensitive material is carried in from the valve seal 519 on the photosensitive material carry-in section 502 side, is carried out from the valve seal 519 on the opposite side, and the photosensitive material can be directly carried in and carried out in the developing solution. Of the developing solution due to oxidation is prevented. A return pipe 520 is provided between the developing tank 504 and the photosensitive material loading section 502. When the pump 521 is driven to insert the photosensitive material from the valve seal 519, a slightly leaking liquid is returned to the developing tank 504. ing. The material of the valve seal 519 is flexible enough not to damage the surface of the photosensitive material at the time of insertion, and is not eroded by a developer. For example, an organic polymer material such as a polyester sheet, a vinyl chloride resin sheet or a nylon sheet is used. Is preferred. Further, the sheet of the valve seal 519 allows a slightly water-repellent material to pass smoothly without damaging the surface of the photosensitive material.

The valve seal 519 is formed as shown in FIG. 38 and FIG. 39. The one shown in FIG. 38 is bent in the transport direction of the photosensitive material P, A pressure is applied in the direction to close the opening, and liquid leakage from the insertion portion 519a is prevented.

The valve seal 519 is shown in FIG. As shown in (b), an H-shaped cut 519b is made in a square sheet member, and a triangular groove 519c is formed in the cut to be connected. This triangular groove 51
40c is projected in a direction orthogonal to the triangular groove as shown in FIG. 40 (c) to form an insertion portion 519a as shown in FIG. 40 (d). The water level of the water tank 505 provided on the carry-out side of the developing tank 504 is the same as that of the processing liquid.
The liquid pressure and the water pressure of the developer are balanced so that the developer does not leak or mix with water. The valve seal 519 includes a wall 522 that partitions the water tank 505 and the air tank 506, a wall 523 that partitions the air tanks 506 and 507, a wall 524 that separates the air 507 and the water tank 508, a water tank 508 and a fixing tank.
509, a wall 526 that partitions the fixing tank 509 and the water tank 510, and a wall 52 that partitions the water tank 510 and the washing tank 511.
7. Further, the photosensitive material is provided on a wall portion 528 for partitioning the washing tank 511 and the photosensitive material discharge portion 503, and the photosensitive material passes through the respective valve sheets 519 and is conveyed. Water tanks 508 and 510 are provided between the carry-in side of the fixing tank 509 and the fixing tank 509 and the washing tank 511, and the water levels of the water tanks 508 and 510 are substantially the same as the fixing liquid and the washing liquid. The fixing pressure, the rinsing liquid and the water are not mixed. Water tank 505 and next air tank 506
And return pipes 529 to 53 between the air tank 507 and the water tank 508 and between the washing tank 511 and the photosensitive material discharge section 503, respectively.
1 is provided, and the liquid leaked by the operation of the pumps 532 to 534 is returned to the original processing tank. Further, the developing tank 504, the fixing tank 509, and the washing tank 511 are provided with pipes 535 to 537 for circulating the processing solution, respectively, and pumps 521, 538,
Cycles at 534. A transport guide 539 and a transport roller 540 are provided in the developing tank 504, the fixing tank 509, and the rinsing tank 511.
The drive shaft 542 inserted through the drive shaft 542 is rotated by applying a driving force through a power transmission mechanism such as a bevel gear, and the drive shaft 542 is rotated by a motor 543.
The valve seal 541 through which the drive shaft 542 is inserted rotatably supports the drive shaft 541 and seals between the drive shaft 541 and the wall to prevent liquid leakage. The transport guide member 539 is the fourth
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 42, a plurality of plate members 5
A connecting member 539b is formed at a predetermined interval from the plate member 539a, and by this plate member 539a, the contact area with the photosensitive material can be reduced and can be smoothly transported. It allows for circulation. Further, a drain pipe 544 is connected to each of the developing tank 504, the fixing tank 509, and the washing tank 511, and is discharged by operating a valve 545. In this embodiment, a means for adjusting the temperature of the processing solution and a means for stirring the processing tank can be provided in the same manner as in the above embodiment.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the processing tank is substantially sealed, and when the processing liquid is reduced in the processing of the photosensitive material, the processing liquid is replenished by communicating a replenishing container disposed above the processing tank with the atmosphere. It regulates air from entering the processing tank,
The replenishing container can be disposed below and forcibly replenished with a pump or the like.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an intermediate chamber is provided between the processing tanks in a closed and sealed state, and an inert gas or water is introduced into the intermediate chamber. The processing tank is substantially closed and sealed from the outside air, so that the processing liquid does not come into contact with air in the processing tank, thereby preventing oxidative deterioration and evaporation of the processing liquid as occurred in a normal processing apparatus, No contamination in the processing tank occurs.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the intermediate chamber is provided between the processing tanks in the closed and sealed state, and the transport mechanism for transporting the photosensitive material is provided in the intermediate chamber, the photosensitive material in the intermediate chamber can be transported by the transport mechanism without liquid leakage. Can be transported.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the photosensitive material is conveyed and inserted and discharged through the photosensitive material carrying-in and photosensitive material discharging mechanism provided in the processing tank in a closed and sealed state, and is further provided on the side wall of the processing tank and / or the intermediate chamber. The outside of the provided valve mechanism
Since the washing is performed continuously or intermittently with water, the photosensitive material can be directly carried into and out of the processing solution in the sealed processing tank from the side wall of the processing tank, and the processing tank is sealed from the outside air. As a result, the photosensitive material loading mechanism and photosensitive material discharging mechanism have good sealing properties, can reduce the leakage of liquid when the photosensitive material is carried into and out of the processing tank, and can be further washed and cleaned. Can be prevented from being oxidized and fixed by air, and no contamination occurs.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, at least one photosensitive material transport mechanism and at least one photosensitive material discharging mechanism are provided in the processing tank in a closed and sealed state, and the processing liquid in the processing tank is substantially free from outside air. It has a closed and sealed structure, at least one of the photosensitive material transport mechanism and the photosensitive material discharge mechanism is a valve structure, and further, the outside of the valve mechanism provided on the side wall of the processing tank and / or the intermediate chamber is: Since the washing is performed continuously or intermittently with water, the photosensitive material can be directly carried into and out of the processing solution in the sealed processing tank from the side wall of the processing tank, and the processing tank is sealed from the outside air. As a result, the photosensitive material loading mechanism and photosensitive material discharging mechanism have good sealing properties, can reduce the leakage of liquid when the photosensitive material is carried into and out of the processing tank, and can be further washed and cleaned. That air oxidizes and sticks It can be stopped, no dirt.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the processing tank in the closed and sealed state has at least one photosensitive material transport mechanism and at least one photosensitive material discharging mechanism, and the processing liquid in the processing tank is substantially free from outside air. It has a closed and sealed structure, at least one of the photosensitive material transport mechanism and the photosensitive material discharge mechanism is a roller structure, and further, the outside of a valve mechanism provided on a side wall of the processing tank and / or the intermediate chamber is Since the treatment tank is continuously or intermittently washed with water, it is easy to keep the treatment tank closed, and the valve structure can be provided with a water tank having the same water pressure as the liquid pressure of the liquid. The photosensitive material in the processing tank can be transported without liquid leakage by the transport mechanism provided in the processing tank, preventing the liquid from leaking when the photosensitive material passes through. To prevent sticking , No dirt.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, an intermediate chamber is provided between the processing tanks in a closed and sealed state, and the intermediate chamber is filled with water, liquid paraffin, and inert gas. It is hermetically sealed, so that the processing liquid does not come into contact with air in the processing tank, thereby preventing oxidation deterioration and evaporation of the processing liquid as occurred in a normal processing apparatus, and does not cause contamination in the processing tank.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the photosensitive material is conveyed and inserted and discharged through the photosensitive material carrying-in and photosensitive material discharging mechanism provided in the processing tank in a closed and sealed state, and further the gas for transporting the photosensitive material into the processing tank. The guide member is provided with an opening through which the processing liquid is blown out, and the linear velocity of spraying the photosensitive material is 1.0 cm / sec or more. The photosensitive material processing can be performed without unevenness by spraying.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the photosensitive material is conveyed, inserted and discharged through the photosensitive material carrying-in and photosensitive material discharging mechanism provided in the processing tank in a closed and sealed state, and further the gas for transporting the photosensitive material into the processing tank. The guide member is provided with an opening through which the processing liquid is blown out. The opening ratio of the guide member is 15% or more, so that the photosensitive material can be smoothly transported and the processing liquid is applied to the photosensitive material at the same time. By spraying, the photosensitive material can be processed evenly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a photosensitive material processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a development processing section, FIG. 3 is a front view of a developing tank, and FIG. 4 is IV-IV in FIG. Sectional view, FIG.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the seal member, FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6, FIGS. 8 to 11 are front views of another embodiment of the roller seal, 12 and 13 are sectional views of the roller, FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional view of the roller seal portion, and FIG.
14 is a right side view of FIG. 14, FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of another embodiment of the roller seal portion, FIG. 17 is a plan view of the guide, FIG. 18 is a front view of the guide, and FIG. XIX-XIX sectional view of FIG. 17,
20 and 21 are plan views of another embodiment of the guide, FIG.
FIG. 23 and FIG. 23 show a supply part and a discharge part of the circulation system of the developing tank. FIG. 22 is a side view thereof, FIG.
FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the processing tank, FIGS. 25 (a) to (e) are views showing the configuration of a basic roller structure, and FIGS. 26 (a) to (h) are processing tanks. FIGS. 27 (a) to 27 (p) show the arrangement of the processing tank and the transfer of the photosensitive material, and FIGS. 28 to 30 show the processing solution transfer. FIGS. 31 to 33 show the agitation of the processing tank, FIG. 34 shows a plan view of the guide used for the test, and FIG. 35 shows the control temperature range with respect to the heat load. FIG. 36 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the photosensitive material processing apparatus, and FIG. 37 is a view showing an attached state of a replenishing container of a processing tank.
38 and 39 are sectional views showing the valve mechanism, and FIG. 40 (a)
41 to (d) show the production of the valve mechanism, FIG. 41 is a plan view of the guide, and FIG. 42 is a right side view of FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 1,500 denotes an apparatus main body, 4, 6, 8, 10 denotes a cleaning unit, 5,504 denotes a developing tank, 6,509 denotes a fixing tank, 8,511 denotes a washing tank, 19, 20 denotes a roller, 23, 539 denotes a guide member, and 24 denotes a circulation system. 519 and 541 are valve seals, and 540 is a transport roller.

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Tomoki Kawamura 1 Konica Sakuracho, Hino-shi, Tokyo Inside Konica Corporation (56) References JP-A 1-319038 (JP, A) JP-A 57-4045 (JP, A) JP-A-62-9351 (JP, A) JP-A-63-64047 (JP, A) JP-A-62-273535 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) ) G03D 3/00-17/00

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photosensitive material processing apparatus comprising: at least one processing tank in which a processing solution in the tank is substantially sealed off from outside air, and wherein the photosensitive material is carried into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state for processing. Including an intermediate chamber between the processing tank and the processing tank,
A photosensitive material processing apparatus wherein an inert gas or water is introduced into the intermediate chamber. 2. A photosensitive material apparatus which has at least one processing tank in which a processing solution in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air and carries the photosensitive material into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state. A photosensitive material processing apparatus comprising: an intermediate chamber between the processing tanks; and a transport mechanism for transporting the photosensitive material to the intermediate chamber. 3. A photosensitive material apparatus having at least one processing tank in which a processing solution in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air and carrying the photosensitive material into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state. The photosensitive material is conveyed, inserted and discharged through the photosensitive material loading and discharging mechanism provided in the processing tank, and the outside of a valve mechanism provided on the side wall of the processing tank and / or the intermediate chamber is continuously connected. Alternatively, the photosensitive material processing apparatus is washed intermittently with water. 4. A photosensitive material apparatus which has at least one processing tank in which a processing solution in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air and carries the photosensitive material into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state. The processing tank has at least one photosensitive material conveying mechanism and at least one photosensitive material discharging mechanism, and has a structure in which a processing solution in the processing tank is substantially sealed off from outside air; At least one of the material conveying mechanism and the photosensitive material discharging mechanism has a valve structure, and further includes a processing tank and / or a photosensitive tank.
Alternatively, the photosensitive material processing apparatus is characterized in that the outside of a valve mechanism provided on a side wall of the intermediate chamber is continuously or intermittently washed with water. 5. A photosensitive material apparatus which has at least one processing tank in which a processing solution in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air and carries the photosensitive material into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state for processing. The processing tank has at least one photosensitive material conveying mechanism and at least one photosensitive material discharging mechanism, and has a structure in which a processing solution in the processing tank is substantially sealed off from outside air; At least one of the material conveying mechanism and the photosensitive material discharging mechanism is a roller structure, and the outside of a valve mechanism provided on a side wall of the processing tank and / or the intermediate chamber is continuously or intermittently washed with water. A photosensitive material processing apparatus. 6. A photosensitive material apparatus which has at least one processing tank in which a processing liquid in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air and carries the photosensitive material into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state for processing. An apparatus for processing a photosensitive material, comprising an intermediate chamber between the processing tanks and filling the intermediate chamber with water, liquid paraffin, and inert gas. 7. A photosensitive material apparatus which has at least one processing tank in which a processing solution in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air, and carries the photosensitive material into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state for processing. A guide member for transporting, inserting and discharging the photosensitive material through a photosensitive material loading and discharging mechanism provided in the processing tank is provided, and a guide member for transporting the photosensitive material into the processing tank is further provided. An opening through which a liquid is blown out is provided, and the linear velocity of the sprayed light on the photosensitive material is 1.0 c.
m / sec or more. 8. A photosensitive material apparatus which has at least one processing tank in which the processing solution in the tank is substantially sealed off from the outside air and carries the photosensitive material into the processing tank in a closed and sealed state. A guide member for transporting, inserting and discharging the photosensitive material through a photosensitive material loading and discharging mechanism provided in the processing tank is provided, and a guide member for transporting the photosensitive material into the processing tank is further provided. A photosensitive material processing apparatus, wherein an opening from which a liquid is blown out is provided, and an opening ratio of the guide member is 15% or more.