JP3143716B2 - Photosensitive material processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic material processing apparatus for correcting evaporation of a photographic material processing solution.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus for processing an exposed photographic light-sensitive material, for example, there is an apparatus for continuously transporting a photographic light-sensitive material to respective processing tanks for color development, bleaching, fixing, stabilization, and the like. . In a processing tank in which these processing solutions for photographic light-sensitive materials (hereinafter referred to as processing solutions) are stored, a processing solution evaporates over time. Therefore, a replenisher for evaporation correction (hereinafter referred to as a replenisher) is placed in each processing tank. I have. The replenisher may be tap water, pure water, or a stabilizer.

[0003]

The evaporation correction by the replenishment of the replenisher can be performed, for example, by replenishing the required amount while checking the overflow of each processing tank at the start of every day, or replenishing each processing tank with a fixed amount. However, improvement of handling and automation are major issues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, and can supply a replenisher simultaneously and accurately to a plurality of processing tanks by using an inexpensive apparatus, thereby preventing concentration of the processing liquid and automatically correcting evaporation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a photographic material processing apparatus which does not require any work.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus, comprising: a plurality of processing tanks for storing a processing solution for a photographic light-sensitive material; In a photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus for transporting and processing photographic light-sensitive material, a tank for storing a replenisher of a processing solution for evaporation correction in all of the processing tanks, and a total replenishment amount of the replenisher for processing the photographic light-sensitive material Total replenishment amount setting means for setting based on time and processing amount, and replenishment for supplying the replenisher in the tank at a fixed ratio to the set total replenishment amount for each of the plurality of processing tanks by operating a single pump. It is characterized by having a liquid supply means and a control means for driving the pump based on the setting of the total replenishment amount of the replenisher by the total replenishment amount setting means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the total replenishment amount setting means sets the total replenishment amount of the replenisher after a predetermined time has elapsed based on the elapsed time and the processing amount of the photographic light-sensitive material. The pump is driven by the control means based on the setting of the total replenishment amount of the replenisher by the total replenishment amount setting means.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the total replenishment amount of the replenisher is set based on the elapsed time and the processing amount of the photographic material.
The replenisher in the tank is supplied at a fixed ratio to each of the plurality of processing tanks with respect to the total replenishment amount set by operating a single pump.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the total amount of the replenisher is set based on the elapsed time and the processing amount of the photographic material after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the replenisher is replenished.
Eliminates over-replenishment of replenisher and prevents dilution of processing solution.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a photographic material processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data of a required replenishment amount, and FIG.

A photographic photosensitive material processing apparatus 1 includes a developing tank 2, a bleaching tank 3, fixing tanks 4, 5, and stabilizing tanks 6, 7, and 8, and a photographic photosensitive material of a negative film is used in these developing tanks. 2. The bleaching tank 3, the fixing tanks 4, 5, and the stabilizing tanks 6, 7, and 8 are sequentially transported to the respective processing tanks for development processing. The photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus 1 is for processing a negative film, but for processing photographic paper, each processing tank is, for example, a developing tank, a first bleach-fix tank, a second bleach-fix tank, and a first stabilizing tank. Tank,
It is configured like a second stabilization tank and a third stabilization tank.

In the photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus 1, the temperature of the processing liquid is adjusted in order to prevent the finish quality of the photographic light-sensitive material from being deteriorated. Correction replenisher tank 9, replenishment total amount setting means 10, replenisher supply means 11, control means 1
2, and a replenisher is put into the processing tank to correct the evaporation amount.

The tank 9 stores the replenisher for evaporation correction in all of these processing tanks, and supplies replenisher to all the processing tanks simultaneously by the operation of the replenisher supply means 11. When water is used as the replenisher for evaporation correction, it is effective to add a preservative or take measures such as electrolytic sterilization in order to prevent the liquid stored in the storage tank 9 from being spoiled. .

The total replenishing amount setting means 10 sets the total replenishing amount of the replenishing solution. The elapsed time from the last replenishing time obtained from the elapsed time detecting means 13 and the processing amount detecting means 14 are set.
The total replenishment amount of the replenisher is set based on the information on the processing amount of the photographic light-sensitive material obtained from the above.

The setting of the total amount of the replenisher is based on FIG.
And do it. FIG. 3 shows the data of the required replenishment amount obtained from the experiment.
Α is a function of the processing time d of the photosensitive material.
And β is a function of the number P of processed photosensitive material.
The total amount of replenisher X ₁= X₀× α (d) × β
(P).

X ₀ indicates a basic replenishment amount. When the processing liquid is controlled only by the processing amount of the photographic photosensitive material, when the processing is continuously performed, the evaporation amount is smaller than the correction amount, and the processing liquid is diluted. It is preferable to determine the total replenishment amount of the replenisher from the relationship.

In this embodiment, the total replenishment amount of the replenisher to be replenished in one operation is predetermined, but can be changed by manually inputting the total replenishment amount.

The replenisher supply means 11 supplies the replenisher in the tank 9 at a fixed ratio to a plurality of processing tanks with respect to the total replenishment amount set by the operation of the single pump 15. It comprises a pipe 16 for sucking up the replenisher in the tank 9 and a pipe 17 for supplying the replenisher to each processing tank.
From this pipe 17, supply ports 17a,
17b, 17c, 17d, 17e, 17f, and 17g are formed, and the diameters of the supply ports 17a to 17g are formed at a constant ratio for each processing tank.

Therefore, the replenisher stored in the tank 9 is
The water is sucked up through the pipe 16 by the operation of the pump 15 and is distributed from the pipe 17 on the discharge side of the pump 15 to all the processing tanks. Since the supply ports 17a to 17g of the branched pipe 17 have different diameters depending on the replenishment amount required for each processing tank, the ratio of the replenishment amount to each processing tank is always constant.

As described above, the total amount of the replenisher is divided by the supply ports 17a to 17g of the pipe 17 into an amount corresponding to the evaporation rate of the plurality of processing tanks, and the replenishing water is supplied to each of the plurality of processing tanks. It is possible to simultaneously and automatically and accurately and accurately evaporate water in a plurality of treatment tanks.

The supply ports 17a to 17g have different diameters depending on the amount of replenishment required for each processing tank by changing the shape of the branched pipe. However, a valve or the like is provided so that the diameter can be adjusted. Is also good.

An operation switch 18 is connected to the control means 12 so as to control the photographic material processing apparatus 1 and to drive the pump 11 based on the setting of the total replenishing amount of the replenisher by the total replenishing amount setting means 10. ing.

Next, the supply of the replenisher in the photographic material processing apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. It is determined whether or not 24 hours or more have passed since the last replenishment time while the power is being input to the photographic material processing apparatus 1 (step a). If more than 24 hours have elapsed since the last replenishment time, the total replenishment amount of the replenisher is calculated in step b using the total replenishment amount X ₁ = X ₀ × α (d) × β (P), and the total replenishment amount of the replenisher is calculated in step c. And make corrections. Then, the time at which the replenisher was replenished is registered (step d), and whether the mode is the rest mode or the operation mode is determined.
It is determined whether adjustment is being performed in the timer mode (steps e, f,
g) If the adjustment is being made in the operation mode and the timer mode, the process returns to step a.

[0023]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the tank for storing the replenisher for evaporation correction in all the processing tanks and the total replenishment of the replenisher are determined by the elapsed time of the photographic light-sensitive material and the processing time. A total replenishment amount setting means for setting based on the amount,
A replenisher supply means for supplying the replenisher in the tank at a fixed ratio to a plurality of processing tanks with respect to a total replenisher set by the operation of a single pump, and a replenisher in the total replenisher in the replenisher. Since it has control means to drive the pump based on the settings, it is possible to supply the replenisher to multiple processing tanks accurately at the same time, prevent concentration of the processing liquid, and automatically correct evaporation by using an inexpensive device. Become unnecessary.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the total replenishment amount setting means sets the total replenishment amount of the replenisher after a predetermined time elapses from the elapsed time of the photographic light-sensitive material and the processing amount. Control can be performed so that the replenishment operation is not performed twice or more, and dilution of the processing liquid can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a photographic material processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data of a required replenishment amount.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of replenishment of a replenisher.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photosensitive material processing apparatus 9 Tank 10 Total replenishment amount setting means 11 Replenisher supply means 12 Control means 15 Pump

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-1-254959 (JP, A) JP-A-1-254960 (JP, A) JP-A-3-248155 (JP, A) JP-A-58-44438 (JP) JP-A-1-156743 (JP, A) JP-A-1-281446 (JP, A) JP-A-59-136734 (JP, A) JP-A-2-212,839 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03D 3/00-17/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus, comprising: a plurality of processing tanks for storing a processing solution for photographic light-sensitive materials, wherein the exposed photographic light-sensitive materials are transported and processed in the plurality of processing tanks. A tank for storing a replenisher of the evaporation correction processing solution for the processing tank, a total replenishment amount setting means for setting a total replenishment amount of the replenisher based on an elapsed time and a processing amount of the photographic light-sensitive material, and a replenisher for the tank Replenisher supply means for supplying a constant ratio to the set total replenishment amount for each of the plurality of processing tanks by operating a single pump, and setting the total replenishment amount of the replenisher in the total replenishment amount setting means And a control means for driving the pump based on the control information. 2. The replenishment total amount setting means sets a replenishment total amount of a replenisher after a predetermined time has elapsed based on an elapsed time and a processing amount of the photographic light-sensitive material. 2. A photographic material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pump is driven by said control means based on the setting.