JP2942669B2 - Drying device for automatic processor - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drying apparatus provided in an automatic developing machine or the like for drying moisture adhering to a photosensitive material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic processor, drying is generally performed by blowing hot air onto a photosensitive material after washing with water. However, in this method, when a large amount of photosensitive material is processed, the drying temperature is reduced in a drying section. It has the disadvantage of changing, and also has the disadvantage that heat cannot be used effectively. In order to solve this problem, a drying apparatus for an automatic developing machine having a heat roller has been proposed.

As shown in FIG. 5, a heat roller 90 is
The temperature of the photosensitive material 12 in contact with the outer peripheral surface is raised and dried by conduction heat, which is heated by a heater 92 provided at the shaft portion, and is usually a backup roller having substantially the same diameter as the heat roller 90. A pair 94 is provided so that the photosensitive material 12 is nipped and conveyed while being dried.

However, when the developing process is completed and the automatic developing machine is stopped, or when the photosensitive material 12 passes between the heat roller 90 and the backup roller 94, it takes time until the next photosensitive material 12 passes. In a case where there is, a large amount of water W accumulated in a substantially triangular gap formed on both sides of the contact surface between the heat roller 90 and the backup roller 94,
In some cases, the water-soluble polymer or sensitizing dye dissolved in water is deposited by evaporation due to the heat of the heat roller 90.

As a result, the deposits such as the water-soluble polymer may be transferred to the next photosensitive material 12 passing between the heat roller 90 and the backup roller 94, and the finish quality may be significantly reduced.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above facts, the present invention considers that the drying by the heat roller causes the water-soluble material which affects the photosensitive material to be formed in the gaps formed on both sides of the contact surface between the heat roller and the backup roller. It is an object of the present invention to provide a drying apparatus for an automatic developing machine in which a precipitate such as a conductive polymer is not generated.

[0007]

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drying apparatus for an automatic developing machine, wherein the drying apparatus has a feeling that the outer peripheral surface is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface by conduction heat.
Automatic development with heat roller for drying optical materials
In the drying unit of the machine, a large-diameter backup roller,
At predetermined intervals along the outer periphery of the backup roller
The photosensitive material is provided in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the backup roller.
And a plurality of small-diameter heat rollers for nipping and transporting the material.
It is characterized by that.

The drying device of the automatic developing machine according to the present invention is characterized in that the drying device sandwiches the heat roller and the backup roller.
The holding pressure increases in the direction of transport of the photosensitive material.
It is characterized by being.

[0010]

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drying apparatus for an automatic developing machine, wherein the large-diameter backup roller and the small-diameter heating roller are provided.
A unit consisting of a roller and
It is characterized by being established.

The drying device for an automatic developing machine according to claim 4, wherein the photosensitive material is being conveyed to the large-diameter backup roller.
Place the unit so that the front and back surfaces of the material are interviewed sequentially
It is characterized by that.

[0013]

In the drying device of the automatic developing machine having the above-mentioned structure, a backup roller having a large diameter is provided in the drying section. A plurality of small-diameter heat rollers are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter backup roller at predetermined intervals along the outer peripheral surface so as to abut the photosensitive roller and convey the photosensitive material. As a result, the water adhered to the surface of the photosensitive material after the washing process is squeezed out as the photosensitive material is nipped and conveyed, and a plurality of moistures are generated on both sides of the contact surface between the backup roller and the heat roller. Are distributed in the gap. In other words, like a conventional roller pair composed of a heat roller and a backup roller of the same diameter,
Since there is no large pool of water in one place, even when dried, precipitates which substantially affect the photosensitive material are not generated on the surface of the roller.

[0014]

Further, by increasing the holding pressure between the heat roller and the backup roller in the direction in which the photosensitive material is conveyed, the first gap generated on both sides of the contact surface between the upstream backup roller and the heat roller is reduced. The physical phenomenon that a large amount of water easily accumulates can be cleared, and the amount of each water accumulation can be made uniform.

In addition, by installing a plurality of units in the drying unit using the roller pair of the heat roller and the backup roller as a unit , furthermore, the water pool is evenly dispersed, and precipitates generated per one place are substantially reduced. Can be reduced. Further , the photosensitive material being conveyed to the large-diameter backup roller is united so that the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material are successively contacted.
By disposing the door, without precipitates the front and rear surfaces of the photosensitive material is transferred, it is evenly dried.

Further, by disposing the first unit or the second unit so that the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material being conveyed to the large-diameter heat roller or the large-diameter backup roller are sequentially in contact with each other, the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material are arranged. The precipitate is uniformly dried without transferring the precipitate.

[0018]

FIG. 1 shows an automatic developing machine 10 provided with a drying device according to a first embodiment.

The automatic developing machine 10 is provided with a developing tank 14, a fixing tank 16, a washing tank 18, a squeezing section 20, and a drying section 22 in this order along the conveying direction of the photosensitive material 12.

In the developing tank 14, a developing solution is contained, and a transport roller 24 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided.
Is disposed in a state of being immersed in the developer. Similarly, in the fixing tank 16, a fixing liquid is stored, and a rack 30 having a transport roller 28 is provided. A floating lid 32 having an opening for allowing the photosensitive material 12 to enter and exit the tank is disposed on each processing liquid surface. The floating lid 32 prevents unnecessary contact between each processing liquid and air.

A heat exchanger (not shown) is disposed below the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16, respectively. The developing solution in the developing tank 14 and the fixing solution in the fixing tank 16 are supplied to the heat exchanger, respectively. The heat is exchanged there, and then returned to the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16. by this,
The temperatures of the developer and the fixer are maintained in a predetermined range. Gas and water vapor generated in these processing units are exhausted out of the automatic developing machine 10 by an exhaust fan (not shown).

Between the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16 and the fixing tank 1
A crossover rack 34 is provided above the space between the washing tank 6 and the washing tank 18. The crossover rack 34 includes a transport roller 36 for transporting the photosensitive material 12 from upstream to downstream and a guide 3 for guiding the photosensitive material 12.
8 is provided.

As a result, the photosensitive material 12 fed from the insertion port 40 into the automatic developing machine 10 is immersed in the developing tank 14 and transported in the developing solution by the transporting rollers 24 as shown by a dashed line, thereby performing the developing process. Is done. The developed photosensitive material 12 is sent to the fixing tank 16 via the transport rollers 36 of the crossover rack 34, where it is transported in the fixing solution by the transport rollers 28 to be fixed.
The photosensitive material 12 that has been subjected to the fixing process is sent to the washing tank 18 by the transport rollers 36 of the crossover rack 34.

The washing tank 18 contains washing water.
A rack 44 having a transport roller 42 is provided. Further, a squeeze section 20 is provided downstream of the washing tank 18. The squeeze section 20 includes a washing tank 18.
A transport roller 46 for transporting the photosensitive material 12 to the drying unit 22 while squeezing the washing water attached to the photosensitive material 12 transported from the printer, and a guide 48 for guiding the photosensitive material 12 are provided.

A drying section 22 is disposed downstream of the squeezing section 20. On the upstream side of the drying unit 22,
Large diameter heat roller 50 (100 mm in diameter as an example)
And a plurality of backup rollers 52 (diameter: 20 mm as an example) that abut on the outer peripheral surface of the heat roller 50 and sandwich and transport the photosensitive material 12. As a result, while the photosensitive material 12 is being conveyed, its front and rear surfaces are in contact with the large-diameter heat roller 50, and both the front and rear surfaces are evenly dried.

A guide 54 for guiding the photosensitive material 12 along a conveyance path indicated by a dashed line is provided around the heat roller 50 and the backup roller 52. Further, the heat roller 50 and the backup roller 5
A fan 56 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the second unit 2 so as to exhaust moisture in the drying unit 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heat roller 50
Metal pipe 5 made of aluminum alloy etc. with excellent thermal conductivity
8. A heating element 62 such as a halogen lamp or an infrared heater is coaxially disposed at the axis of the metal pipe 58. The heat roller 50 is heated by the radiation heat of the heating element 62.

The rotating shaft of the heat roller 50 is supported via a bearing provided on a side plate (not shown) of the drying unit 22. A sprocket is fixed to the shaft end of the rotating shaft, and the driving force of the driving means is transmitted to the rotating shaft via the sprocket.

On the other hand, the backup roller 52 is a roller in which a metal shaft 64 is provided on a core portion, and an elastic body 66 such as rubber is formed in a column shape on the outer periphery thereof. The backup roller 52 is provided on a side plate (not shown) of the drying section 22. It is rotatably supported by bearings. The backup roller 52 is pressed against the heat roller 50 and is brought into close contact therewith, and nips and conveys the photosensitive material 12 with a predetermined nip force. The lengths of the heat roller 50 and the backup roller 52 are set to be longer than the width of the photosensitive material 12 by a predetermined dimension.

As shown in FIG. 1, the photosensitive material 12, which is conveyed downward while being dried by the heat roller 50 and the backup roller 52, is conveyed further downward by conveying rollers 68 arranged in a staggered manner in the vertical direction. Is done. A plurality of hot air supply units 70 for blowing hot air to both surfaces of the photosensitive material 12 are provided between the transport rollers 68 with the transport path of the photosensitive material 12 interposed therebetween. An outlet 72 is formed in each hot air supply unit 70, and the photosensitive material 1
Hot air is blown out toward 2. As a result, the photosensitive material 12 is moved from a constant-rate drying area (a drying area in which heat applied to the photosensitive material having moisture remaining on the surface is used as latent heat of evaporation) to a decreasing-rate drying area (water on the surface of the photosensitive material evaporates). After shifting to a drying zone where the water content is low, low-temperature gentle warm-air drying is performed.

Next, the transport direction of the dried photosensitive material 12 is changed obliquely upward by guide rollers 74, and is accommodated in a receiving box 76 provided outside the drying section 22.

Here, the operation of the drying apparatus of the first embodiment will be described. The photosensitive material 12 conveyed into the drying unit 22
Is a large-diameter heat roller 5 as shown in FIGS.
The sheet is nipped by the small-diameter backup roller 52 and conveyed downward. At this time, the photosensitive material 12 after the washing process is performed.
The water W attached to the surface is dried by conduction heat from the heat roller 50 while being squeezed. The humidity generated by the drying process of the photosensitive material 12 is discharged to the outside air by the fan 56.

Since the backup roller 52 in contact with the heat roller 50 is provided with a plurality of small diameters, the squeezed water W flows on both sides of the contact surface between the backup roller 52 and the heat roller 50. It is dispersed and accumulated in a plurality of gaps that occur. That is, unlike the conventional roller pair including the heat roller and the backup roller, a large pool of water does not occur (see FIG. 5), so that even if the water W is dried by the heat roller 50, The resulting precipitate such as a water-soluble polymer is slight. For this reason, the deposit is not transferred to the photosensitive material 12 that is transported next.

Next, the photosensitive material 12 dried by the heat roller 50 is conveyed downward by the conveying roller 68, and hot air is blown to both surfaces by the hot air supply unit 70 to perform an optimal drying process.

In the first embodiment, the heat roller 50
Has a large diameter and the backup roller 52 has a small diameter.
Conversely, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of backup rollers 80 may be provided with a large diameter and the heat rollers 78 may be provided with a small diameter.

Next, a drying apparatus according to a second embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, in the second embodiment, the nip force between the heat roller 82 and the backup roller 84 is
The size of the photosensitive material 12 is increased in the direction of transport (the direction of arrow A). Thus, the physical phenomenon that a large amount of water W easily accumulates in the gaps formed on both sides of the contact surface between the backup roller 84 and the heat roller 82 on the upstream side can be cleared, and the amount of each water accumulation can be made uniform. .

[0037]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, even when the photosensitive material is not continuously conveyed, the photosensitive material is dried by the heat roller so that the gap is formed on both sides of the contact surface between the heat roller and the backup roller. No precipitate, such as a water-soluble polymer, which affects the water content is generated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of an automatic developing machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a heat roller and a backup roller provided in the drying device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of the heat roller and the backup roller provided in the drying device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a heat roller and a backup roller provided in a drying device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a heat roller and a backup roller provided in a conventional drying device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Automatic developing machine 22 Drying part 50 Heat roller 52 Backup roller 78 Heat roller 80 Backup roller 82 Heat roller 84 Backup roller

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photosensitive material contacting an outer peripheral surface by conduction heat.
Of an automatic processor equipped with a heat roller for drying
In the drying device, a large-diameter backup roller,
At regular intervals along the outer circumference of the backup roller
The photosensitive material in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the backup roller.
And a plurality of small-diameter heat rollers for nipping and conveying.
A drying device for an automatic developing machine. 2. The heat roller and the backup roller.
Roller in the direction of transport of the photosensitive material.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance is increased.
Drying equipment for automatic developing machines. 3. The large-diameter backup roller,
A unit consisting of a small-diameter heat roller
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
3. A drying device for an automatic developing machine according to claim 2. 4. The process of conveying to the large-diameter backup roller.
Make sure that the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material
4. The automatic realizing system according to claim 3, wherein
Drying equipment for image machines.