JP3604774B2 - Processing liquid performance determining apparatus and processing liquid performance determining method - Google Patents

Description

【００５５】
【表２】

【００５６】
【表３】

【００５７】
【表４】

【００５８】
【表５】

【００５９】
本発明に用いられるハロゲン化銀乳剤は、沃臭化銀、沃塩化銀、沃塩臭化銀、塩臭化銀、臭化銀、塩化銀等の各種ハロゲン組成の乳剤を用いることができる。とりわけ、カラーネガフィルムの場合には、沃臭化銀乳剤を含有する層を有する事が好ましく、ヨード含量が０．１〜１０モル％程度含有する乳剤の使用が好ましい。また、カラーペーパーの場合には、９０モル％以上が塩化銀からなるハロゲン化銀粒子を含有する乳剤層を少なくとも一層有することが好ましい。より好ましくは９５〜９９．９モル％以上、更に好ましくは９８〜９９，９モル％以上が塩化銀からなる乳剤であり、全層が９８〜９９，９モル％以上の塩化銀からなる塩臭化銀乳剤であることが特に好ましい。また、塗布銀量としては、特に制限はないが、カラーネガフィルムの場合には２ｇ〜１０ｇ／ｍ^２ 程度、カラーペーパーの場合には０．２〜０．９ｇ／ｍ^２ 程度含有する場合が好ましい。
【００６０】
また、本発明に用いられる感光材料には各種カプラーを含有することができるが詳細は表２に記載した通りである。
【００６１】
更に、シアンカプラーとして、特開平２−３３１４４号に記載のジフェニルイミダゾール系シアンカプラーの他に、欧州特許ＥＰＯ，３３３，１８５Ａ２号に記載の３−ヒドロキシピリジン系シアンカプラー（なかでも具体例として列挙されたカプラー（４２）の４当量カプラーに塩素離脱基をもたせて２当量化したものや、カプラー（６）や（９）が特に好ましい）や特開昭６４−３２２６０号に記載された環状活性メチレン系シアンカプラー（なかでも具体例として列挙されたカプラー例３、８、３４が特に好ましい）に使用も好ましい。
【００６２】
また、本発明に係わる感光材料には、画像のシャープネス等を向上させる目的で親水性コロイド層に、欧州特許ＥＰＯ，３３７，４９０Ａ２号の第２７〜７６頁に記載の、処理により脱色可能な染料（なかでもオキソノール系染料）を感光材料の６８０ｎｍに於ける光学反射濃度が０．７０以上になるように添加したり、支持体の耐水性樹脂層中に２〜４価のアルコール類（例えばトリメチロールエタン）等で表面処理された酸化チタンを１２重量％以上（より好ましくは１４重量％以上）含有させるのが好ましい。
【００６３】
また、本発明に係わるカラー写真感光材料には、カプラーと共に欧州特許ＥＰＯ，２７７，５８９Ａ２号に記載のような色像保存性改良化合物を使用するのが好ましい。特にピラゾロアゾールカプラーとの併用が好ましい。
【００６４】
即ち、発色現像処理後に残存する芳香族アミン系現像主薬と化学結合して、化学的に不活性でかつ実質的に無色の化合物を生成する化合物（Ｆ）および／または発色現像処理後に残存する芳香族アミン系発色現像主薬の酸化体と化学結合して、化学的に不活性でかつ実質的に無色の化合物を生成する化合物（Ｇ）を同時または単独に用いることが、例えば処理後の保存における膜中残存発色現像主薬ないしその酸化体とカプラーの反応による発色色素生成によるステイン発生その他の副作用を防止する上で好ましい。
【００６５】
また、本発明に係わる感光材料には、親水性コロイド層中に繁殖して画像を劣化させる各種の黴や細菌を防ぐために、特開昭６３−２７１２４７号に記載のような防黴剤を添加するのが好ましい。
【００６６】
本発明において、ハロゲン化銀カラー写真感光材料の支持体を除いた乾燥膜厚が２５μｍ以下である場合が、キャリーオーバー量を少なくし、銀回収率を高めるという意味で好ましい。とりわけ、カラーネガフィルムの場合には１３〜２３μｍ程度、カーペーパーの場合には７〜１２μｍ程度が好ましい。
【００６７】
これらの膜厚の低減はゼラチン量、銀量、オイル量、カプラー量等を減少させることで達成できるが、ゼラチン量の低減して達成するのが最も好ましい。ここで、膜厚は、試料を２５°Ｃ６０ＲＨ％２週間放置後、常法により測定することができる。
【００６８】
本発明に用いられるハロゲン化銀カラー写真感光材料においては、写真層の膜潤度が、１，５〜４．０であることが、ステインの改良や画像保存性の改良の点で好ましい。特に、１．５〜３．０において、より一層の効果を得ることができる。本発明の膨潤度とは、カラー感光材料を３３°Ｃの蒸留水に２分間浸潰した後の写真層の膜厚を乾いた写真層の膜厚で割った値を言う。
【００６９】
また、ここで写真層とは、少なくとも１層の感光性ハロゲン化銀乳剤層を含み、この層と相互に水浸透性の関係にある積層された親水性コロイド郡層をいう。支持体を隔てて写真感光層と反対側に設けられたバック層は含まない。写真層は写真画像形成に関与する通常は複数の層から形成され、ハロゲン化銀乳剤層の外に中間層、フィルター層、ハレーション防止層、保護層などが含まれる。
【００７０】
上記の膨潤度に調整するためにはいかなる方法を用いても良いが、例えば写真膜に使用するゼラチンの量及び種類、硬膜剤の量及び種類、または写真層塗布後の乾燥条件や経時条件を変えることにより調整することができる。写真層にはゼラチンを用いるのが有利であるが、それ以上の親水性コロイドも用いることができる。たとえばゼラチン誘導体、ゼラチンと他の高分子とのグラフトポリマー、アルブミン、カゼイン等の蛋白質、ヒドロキシエチルセルロース、カルボキシメチルセルロース、セルローズ硫酸エステル類等の如きセルロース誘導体、アルギン酸ソーダ、澱粉誘導体等の糖誘導体；ポリビニルアルコール、ポリビニルアルコール部分アセタール、ポリ−Ｎ−ビニルピロリドン、ポリアクリル酸、ポリメタクリル酸、ポリアクリルアミド、ポリビニルイミダゾール、ポリビニルピラゾール等の単一あるいは共重合体の如き多種の合成親水性高分子物質を用いることができる。
【００７１】
ゼラチンとしては石灰処理ゼラチンのほか、酸処理ゼラチンを用いてもよく、ゼラチン加水分解物、ゼラチン酵素分解物も用いることができる。ゼラチン誘導体としては、ゼラチンにたとえば酸ハライド、酸無水物、イソシアナート類、ブロモ酢酸、アルカンサルトン類、ビニルスルホンアミド類、マレインイミド化合物類、ポリアルキレンオキシド類、エポキシ化合物類等種々の化合物を反応させて得られるものが用いられる。
【００７２】
前記ゼラチン・グラフトポリマーとしては、ゼラチンにアクリル酸、メタアクリク酸、それらのエステル、アミドなどの誘導体、アクリロニトリル、スチレンなどの如き、ビニル系モノマーの単一（ホモ）または共重合体をグラフトさせたものを用いることができる。ことに、ゼラチンとある程度相溶性のあるポリマーたとえばアクリル酸、メタアクリル酸、アクリルアミド、メタアクリルアミド、ヒドロキシアクキルメタアクリレート等の重合体とのグラフトポリマーが好ましい。これらの例は米国特許２，７６３，６２５号、同２，８３１，７６７号、同２，９５６，８８４号などに記載がある。代表的な合成親水性高分子物質はたとえば西独特許出願（ＯＬＳ）２，３１２，７０８号、米国特許３，６２０，７５１号、同３，８７９，２０５号、特公昭４３−７５６１号に記載されている。
【００７３】
硬膜剤としては、例えばクロム塩（クロム明ばん、酢酸クロムなど）、アルデヒド類（ホルムアルデヒド、グリオキサール、グリタールアルデヒドなど）、Ｎ−メチロール化合物（ジメチロール尿素、メチロールジメチルヒダントインなど）、ジオキサン誘導体（２，３−ジヒドロキシジオキサンなど）、活性ビニル化合物（１，３，５−トリアクリロイル−ヘキサヒドロ−ｓ−トリアジン、ビス（ビニルスルホニル）メチルエーテル、Ｎ，Ｎ’−メチレンビス−〔β−（ビニルスルホニル）プロピオンアミド〕など）、活性ハロゲン化合物（２，４−ジクロル−６−ヒドロキシ−ｓ−トリアジンなど）、ムコハロゲン酸類（ムコクロル酸、ムコフェノキシクロル酸など）、イソオキサゾール類、ジアルデヒドでん粉、２−クロル−６−ヒドロキシトリアジニル化ゼラチンなどを、単独または組合わせて用いることができる。
【００７４】
特に好ましい硬膜剤としては、アルデヒド類、活性ビニル化合物及び活性ハロゲン化合物である。
【００７５】
また、本発明に係わる感光材料に用いられる支持体としては、デイスプレイ用に白色ポリエステル系支持体または白色顔料を含む層がハロゲン化銀乳剤層を有する側の支持体上に設けられた支持体を用いてもよい。更に鮮鋭性を改良するために、アンチハレーション層を支持体のハロゲン化銀乳剤層塗布側または裏面に塗設するのが好ましい。特に反射光でも透過光でもデイスプレイが観賞できるように、支持体の透過濃度を０．３５〜０．８の範囲に設定するのが好ましい。
【００７６】
本発明に係わる感光材料は可視光で露光されても赤外光で露光されてもよい。露光方法としては低照度露光でも高照度短時間露光でもよく、特に後者の場合には一画素当りの露光時間が１０^−４秒より短いレーザー走査露光方式が好ましい。
【００７７】
また、露光に際して、米国特許第４，８８０，７２６ 号に記載のバンド・ストップフイルターを用いるのが好ましい。これによって光混色が取り除かれ、色再現性が著しく向上する。
【００７８】
本発明の方法は各種感光材料に適用することができる。カラーネガフルム、カラーネガペーパー、カラー反転ペーパー、オートポジペーパー、カラー反転フィルム、映画用ネガフィルム、映画用ポジフィルム、レントゲンフィルム、リスフィルムなどの製版用フィルム、黒白ネガフィルム等を挙げることができるが、とりわけ、カラーネガフィルムやカラーネガペーパーへの適用が好ましい。
【００７９】
【実施例】
以下、本発明の実施例を図面を参照して詳細に説明する。本実施例の処理液性能判定装置を内蔵するフィルムプロセッサは、図１に示すように、ネガフィルムＮを装填する装填部１０Ｎを備えている。この装填部１０Ｎは、図示しない蓋を開けることにより露出され、撮影されて画像が露光されたネガフィルムＮが装填され、その後、装填されたネガフィルムＮをプロセッサ部１０Ｐ内へ搬送する。プロセッサ部１０Ｐには、発色現像処理槽１０Ａ、漂白槽１０Ｂ、漂白定着槽１０Ｃ、定着槽１０Ｄ、スーパーリンス槽１０Ｅ、安定槽１０Ｆ、１０Ｇが順に配置されており、各処理槽内にはそれぞれ発色現像処理液、漂白液、漂白定着液、定着液、水洗水（リンス液）、安定液が貯留されている。また、各処理槽には上部ローラ及び下部ローラが設けられ、各処理槽間及び処理槽内の搬送経路を構成しており、ネガフィルムＮは、上部ローラ及び下部ローラにより各処理槽を通過すると共に各処理液に浸漬されて処理される。
【００８０】
また、プロセッサ部１０Ｐの隣には乾燥部１０Ｈが配置されている。乾燥部１０Ｈは、ネガフィルムＮを鉛直方向に往復搬送してネガフィルムＮを乾燥する。
【００８１】
さらに、フィルムプロセッサは、乾燥部１０Ｈの出口１０ＨＥよりも下流側に、赤外線センサユニット１２０を備えている。
【００８２】
なお、フィルムプロセッサには、赤外線センサユニット１２０を通過したネガフィルムＮが収容される収容ボックス２２が備えられていると共に表示パネル２４及び制御部２６を備えている。
【００８３】
次に、赤外線センサーユニット１２０を、図２を参照して詳細に説明する。この赤外線センサーユニット１２０は、赤外線照射手段としての赤外線放射ダイオード（以下、放射ダイオードと称する。）１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃを備えている。この放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃには、ガリウム砒素（ＧａＡｓ）を用いた液相エピタキシャル型の放射ダイオードを用いることができる。なお、放射ダイオードに代えて、炭酸ガス（ＣＯ_２ ）レーザ、一酸化炭素（ＣＯ）レーザ等を用いることもできる。
【００８４】
この放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃに対向するように、赤外線検出手段としての光起電力型光電変換素子１４Ａ、１４Ｂ、１４Ｃが配置されている。この光起電力型光電変換素子１４Ａ、１４Ｂ、１４Ｃには、ホトダイオードやホトトランジスタを用いることができ、本実施例は、ホトダイオードを用いている。なお、以下、光起電力型光電変換素子をホトダイオードと称する。
【００８５】
放射ダイオード１２Ａ及びホトダイオード１４Ａ（以下、センサ１２４Ａと称する。）、放射ダイオード１２Ｂ及びホトダイオード１４Ｂ（以下、センサ１２４Ｂと称する。）、放射ダイオード１２Ｃ及びホトダイオード１４Ｃ（以下、センサ１２４Ｃと称する。）は、それぞれ遮光箱２０Ａ、遮光箱２０Ｂ、遮光箱２０Ｃにより遮光されている。
【００８６】
センサ１２４ＡのネガフィルムＮ搬送方向上流側、センサ１２４Ａ及びセンサ１２４Ｂの間、センサ１２４Ｂ及びセンサ１２４Ｃの間、及びセンサ１２４ＣのネガフィルムＮ搬送方向下流側には、それぞれ一対のローラからなる搬送ローラ１６Ａ、１６Ｂ、１６Ｃ、１６Ｄが設けられ、ネガフィルムＮが、放射ダイオード１２Ａ及びホトダイオード１４Ａと間、放射ダイオード１２Ｂ及びホトダイオード１４Ｂと間、放射ダイオード１２Ｃ及びホトダイオード１４Ｃと間を通過するようになっている。なお、センサ１２４Ａ及びセンサ１２４Ｂと、センサ１２４Ｂ及びセンサ１２４Ｃとは、等しい間隔で配置されている。
【００８７】
また、ホトダイオード１４Ａ、１４Ｂ、１４Ｃには、それぞれ、アンプ１８Ａ、１８Ｂ、１８Ｃが接続されている。なお、このアンプ１８Ａ、１８Ｂ、１８Ｃは、それぞれ、抵抗、コンデンサおよびオペアンプから構成されている。
【００８８】
次に、図３を参照して、主に処理液性能の判定を行うための制御部２６を説明する。制御部２６は、マイクロコンピュータにより構成されている。マイクロコンピュータは、ＣＰＵ２８、ＲＯＭ３０、ＲＡＭ３２及び入出力ポート３４を備え、これらはバス３６によって相互に接続されている。
【００８９】
入出力ポート３４には、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃ、アンプ１８Ａ、１８Ｂ、１８Ｃを介してホトダイオード１４Ａ、１４Ｂ、１４Ｃ及び表示パネル２４が接続されている。なお、この入出力ポート３４には、図示していない他の搬送系が接続されている。
【００９０】
ここで、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃから放射される赤外線について説明する。放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃから放射される赤外線は、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布が略同一で放射エネルギーが各々異なるものである。すなわち、該スペクトル分布は、図４に示すようになっており、該スペクトル分布のピークの部分が０．９５〔μｍ〕となっている。また、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃから放射される赤外線の放射エネルギー（以下、放射量という）は、図６に示すように、放射ダイオード１２Ａは放射量Ｗ１であり、放射ダイオード１２Ｂは放射量Ｗ２（Ｗ１より小さな値）であり、放射ダイオード１２Ｃは放射量Ｗ３（Ｗ２より小さな値）である。この放射量Ｗ１は、処理液の脱銀性能が不良であっても該処理液で処理されたネガフィルムＮを赤外線が透過する値である。また、放射量Ｗ２は、脱銀性能が不良な処理液で処理されたネガフィルムＮを透過する限界値より若干小さい値である。さらに、放射量Ｗ３は、やや不良の脱銀性能の処理液で処理されたネガフィルムＮを透過する限界値より若干小さい値である。
【００９１】
ホトダイオード１４Ａ、１４Ｂ、１４Ｃの分光感度特性は、図５に示すように、０．８５〔μｍ〕がピークとなっている。
【００９２】
次に、本発明の作用を制御ルーチンを示したフローチャート（図７参照）を参照して説明する。
【００９３】
ネガフィルムＮが装填されると装填部１０Ｎは、装填されたネガフィルムＮをプロセッサ部１０Ｐ内へ搬送する。プロセッサ部１０Ｐ内に搬送されたネガフィルムＮは、上部ローラ及び下部ローラによって、発色現像処理槽１０Ａ、漂白槽１０Ｂ、漂白定着槽１０Ｃ、定着槽１０Ｄ４、スーパーリンス槽１０Ｅ、安定槽１０Ｆ、１０Ｇを順に通過して、各処理槽内の現像液、漂白液、漂白定着液、水洗水、安定液に浸漬されて処理される。
【００９４】
このようにプロセッサ部１０Ｐの各処理液で処理されたネガフィルムＮは乾燥部１０Ｈに案内され、乾燥部１０Ｈ内を鉛直方向に往復した後、ネガフィルムの暴光部としての先端部（ベロ部）（図８参照）が赤外線センサーユニット１２０に到達する。一方、放射ダイオード１２Ａからは常時赤外線が放射されている。
【００９５】
従って、ネガフィルムＮが搬送され放射ダイオード１２Ａとホトダイオード１４Ａとの間にさしかかると、放射ダイオード１２Ａから放射された赤外線を受光するホトダイオード１４Ａの赤外線の検出量が変化する。
【００９６】
このように、検出量が変化したことを検知すると、本処理がスタートし、まず、ステップ１０２で、所定時間経過したか否かを判断する。この所定時間とは、ネガフィルムＮのベロ部ＮＢが放射ダイオード１２Ｂとホトダイオード１４Ｂとの間に到達する時間である。この所定時間が経過した場合には、該ベロ部ＮＢが、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射された赤外線が入射可能な領域に到達したことになるので、ステップ１０４で、放射ダイオード１２Ｂを放射させる。
【００９７】
ステップ１０６で、検出信号Ｂを入力したか否かを判断する。
すなわち、処理液の脱銀性能が良好又はやや不良（脱銀処理すなわち脱銀性能が許容範囲）の場合にはネガフィルムＮに含まれているハロゲン化銀等の銀は、該処理液に溶出して、ネガフィルムＮから喪失している。従って、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射した赤外線はベロ部ＮＢを透過しホトダイオード１４Ｂに到達する。この場合には、ホトダイオード１４Ｂから信号が出力され、該信号は、アンプ１８Ｂによって増幅され検出信号Ｂとして入力される。従って、この場合には、ステップ１０６の判断が肯定され、ステップ１１０に進む。なお、このように、検出信号Ｂが入力される場合には、処理液の脱銀性能は、『良好』及び『やや不良』のいずれかである。
【００９８】
一方、処理液が不良で脱銀性能が許容範囲以上に低下した場合には、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射された赤外線はネガフィルムＮに存在する銀により略反射する。このため、赤外線がネガフィルムＮを透過しなくなる。従って、ホトダイオード１４Ｂの放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射された赤外線の検出量が極めて小さくなる。よって、検出信号Ｂも出力されないことになる。
【００９９】
従って、この場合には、ステップ１０６の判断が否定され、ステップ１０８で、検出信号Ｂを入力しなかったことを記憶してステップ１１０に進む。
【０１００】
ステップ１１０で、所定時間が経過したか否かを判断する。この所定時間はネガフィルムＮのベロ部ＮＢが放射ダイオード１２Ｃとホトダイオード１４Ｃとの間に到達する時間である。この所定時間が経過した場合には、該ベロ部ＮＢが、放射ダイオード１２Ｃから放射された赤外線が入射可能な領域に到達したことになるので、ステップ１１２で、放射ダイオード１２Ｃを放射する。
【０１０１】
ステップ１１４で、検出信号Ｃを入力したか否かを判断する。
処理液状態がやや不良で脱銀性能が許容範囲限界を下回った場合には、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射された赤外線は透過するが、放射ダイオード１２Ｃから放射された赤外線は透過しにくくなる。よって、ホトダイオード１４Ｃの該検出量が極めて少なくなり、検出信号Ｃが出力されない。よって、この場合には、ステップ１１４の判断が否定され、ステップ１１６で、検出信号Ｃを入力しなかったことを記憶してステップ１１８に進む。
【０１０２】
ステップ１１８では、処理液状態を表示する。すなわち、図９に示すように、検出信号Ｂと検出信号Ｃの入力の有無の組合せに基づいて、処理液状態を表示する。例えば、検出信号Ｂ及び検出信号Ｃを入力した場合には、処理液状態が良好であるので、『良好』と表示パネル２４に表示する。また、検出信号Ｂは入力したが検出信号Ｃを入力しなかった場合には、処理液状態がやや不良となっているため、表示パネル２４に『やや不良』を表示する。さらに、検出信号Ｂ及び検出信号Ｃを入力しなかった場合には処理液状態が不良となっているため、表示パネル２４に『不良』と表示する。
【０１０３】
以上説明した実施例では、放射量が異なる赤外線がネガフィルムＮを透過したか否かを判断することにより処理液状態を判定していることから、コンスト露光部や濃度計を内蔵しなくとも処理液の脱銀性能を判定することができ、簡易な構成で処理液状態の判定を行うことができる。
【０１０４】
以上説明した実施例では、放射ダイオードから放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が０．９５〔μｍ〕としているが、本発明はこれに限定されるものではなく、略０．７５〔μｍ〕〜略２．５〔μｍ〕とすることができる。すなわち、赤外線の該ピーク部分は通常０．７５〔μｍ〕〜２５〔μｍ〕であるが、ネガフィルムＮのフィルムベース樹脂の赤外線の吸収率が高い部分を除外した略０．７５〔μｍ〕〜略２．５〔μｍ〕とすることができる。
【０１０５】
また、前述した実施例では、処理液状態を判定し、判定結果を表示パネルに表示するようにしているが、本発明はこれに限定するものでなく、判定結果を通信でオペレータが待機しているホストコンピュータに連絡するようにしてもよい。
【０１０６】
更に、前述した実施例では、センサ１２４Ａを放射ダイオード及びホトダイオードにより構成しているが、本発明はこれに限定されるものでなく、赤外線を用いないフィルム検出センサであってもよい。すなわち、ネガフィルムＮの先端が接触したことを機械的に検出する構成でもよい。
【０１０７】
また、前述した実施例では、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃのそれぞれの放射量は放射量Ｗ１、Ｗ２、Ｗ３のようにそれぞれ異なるようにしているが、本発明はこれに限定されるものでなく、例えば、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃのそれぞれから放射量（例えば放射量Ｗ１）が略同一で放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布が各々異なる赤外線を放射するようにしもよい。
【０１０８】
すなわち、例えば、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が、例えば、図１０に示すように、０．８０〔μｍ〕、０．９５〔μｍ〕、１．００〔μｍ〕とすることができる。なお、この場合、ホトダイオードの各々の分光感度特性は略同一（例えば、０．８５〔μｍ〕）とする。これにより、放射ダイオードとホトダイオードとの組合せにより、センサを高感度、中感度、低感度とすることができる。よって、処理液状態を３段階で判定することができる。
【０１０９】
さらに、前述した実施例では、処理液状態を３段階で判定しているが、本発明はこれに限定されるものでなく、他の複数の段階で判定するようにしてもよい。
【０１１０】
また、前述した実施例では、放射量及び放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分の少なくとも一方が異なる赤外線を複数の放射ダイオードから放射するようにしているが、本発明はこれに限定されるものでなく、所定の透過率のフィルターを用いて１つの放射ダイオードから放射された赤外線の放射量を変更し、波長シフト特性を有するフィルターを用いて１つの放射ダイオードから放射された赤外線のエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分をシフトさせて、又は広い波長範囲の赤外線を放射できる赤外線放射源を使用して、必要な波長を選択的に透過させるフィルターや放射量を調節できるフィルターを使用して、放射量及び放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分の少なくとも一方が異なる赤外線を放射するようにしてもよい。
【０１１１】
次に本発明の第２の実施例を図面を参照して詳細に説明する。本実施例は赤外線のネガフィルムの透過率を求め、求めた透過率に応じて処理液状態を判定するものである。なお、以下、前述した第１の実施例と同一の構成部分には同一の符号を付して、その説明を省略する。
【０１１２】
ここで、本実施例のフィルムプロセッサ（図１１参照）は、赤外線センサユニット１２０を乾燥部１０Ｈ内に設けている。この場合、ネガフィルムＮに付着、吸収された水と、ネガフィルムの残留銀量による赤外線の反射とにより、単に、ホトダイオードの赤外線の検出量では、正確に赤外線の透過率を求めることはできない。
【０１１３】
そこで、本実施例では、赤外線の水の透過率を求め、求めた透過率で赤外線のネガフィルムの透過率を補正することにより、適正透過率を求め、求めた適性透過率に応じて処理液状態を判定するようにしている。
【０１１４】
なお、処理液性能が良好、すなわち、脱銀性能が良好である場合には、ネガフィルムＮ内に含まれた銀が処理液内に溶出し、ネガフィルムＮの銀の残留量が極めて少なくなる。よって、赤外線はネガフィルムＮを透過し易くなり、透過率が高くなる。これに対して、処理液性能が不良、すなわち、脱銀性能が不良である場合には、ネガフィルムＮ内に含まれている銀が処理液内に溶出しにくくなり、ネガフィルムＮの銀の残留量が多くなる。よって、赤外線は、ネガフィルムＮに残留する銀により反射されてネガフィルムＮを透過しにくくなり、透過率が小さくなる。このように、赤外線の透過率と処理液の性能とが対応していることから、赤外線の透過率に基づいて処理液の性能を判定することができる。
【０１１５】
すなわち、本実施例では、赤外線の水に対する透過率を求めるため、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから、放射エネルギーのスペクトル分布のピーク部分が水に吸収されやすい赤外線を放射させる。すなわち、図１２に示すように、放射エネルギーのスペクトル分布のピーク部分が水に吸収されやすい赤外線は、波長が１．４３〔μｍ〕、１．９４〔μｍ〕、その他３．０〔μｍ〕である。そこで、本実施例では、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから、該ピーク部分の波長が１．４３〔μｍ〕の赤外線を放射するようにしている（図１３参照）。
【０１１６】
また、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｃからはそれぞれ、放射エネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分の波長が、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射される赤外線の該ピークの部分の波長より長波長側及び短波長側に位置する赤外線（放射エネルギーのスペクトル分布のピーク部分が水に吸収されにくい赤外線）を放射させるようにしている。すなわち、放射ダイオード１２Ａからは該ピーク部分の波長が０．９５〔μｍ〕、放射ダイオード１２Ｃからは該ピーク部分の波長が１．７０〔μｍ〕の赤外線を放射するようにしている（図１３参照）。なお、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃから放射される赤外線の放射量は全て同一の放射量Ｗ１である。
【０１１７】
次に、本実施例の作用を制御ルーチンを示したフローチャート（図１４）を参照して説明する。
【０１１８】
本ルーチンは、図示しないフィルム検出センサーによりネガフィルムＮが検出されネガフィルムＮのベロ部ＮＢが赤外線センサーユニット１２０のセンサー１２４Ａに到達したと判断した場合にスタートし、まず、ステップ１５０で、放射ダイオードを識別する変数Ｃを０に初期化する。ここで、放射ダイオード１２Ａは変数Ｃ＝１で識別され、放射ダイオード１２Ｂは変数Ｃ＝２で識別され、放射ダイオード１２Ｃは変数Ｃ＝３で識別される。
【０１１９】
ステップ１５２で変数Ｃを１インクリメントし、ステップ１５４で、変数Ｃで識別される放射ダイオードから赤外線を放射させる。
【０１２０】
次のステップ１５６で、該放射ダイオードに対応するホトダイオードが赤外線を検出したか否か判断する。該判断が否定された場合には処理液状態が不良であるので、ステップ１６４で表示パネル２４に『不良』と表示して本処理を終了する。一方、ステップ１５６の判断が肯定された場合には、ステップ１５８で、透過率を求める。即ち、放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃから放射された赤外線〔放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃの出力を図１５（ａ）に示した。〕をホトダイオード１４Ａ、１４Ｂ、１４Ｃが検出した場合に出力される信号は図１５（ｂ）に示す検出信号（透過率に比例した出力値）となって、制御部２６に入力される。従って、図１５（ｂ）に示すように、検出信号の大きさにより、透過率が求められる。そこで、ステップ１５８では、入力した検出信号の大きさに基づいて赤外線のネガフィルムに対する透過率を求める。
【０１２１】
次のステップ１６０で、所定時間が経過したか否かを判断する。この所定時間は、ベロ部ＮＢが次の放射ダイオード（変数Ｃ＋１で識別される）から放射される赤外線の入射可能な領域に到達するまでの時間である。この所定時間が経過した場合には、ベロ部ＮＢが該放射ダイオード（変数Ｃ＋１で識別される）から放射される赤外線の入射可能な領域に到達したことから、ステップ１６２で、変数ＣがＣ０以上（本実施例では３）以上であるか否かを判断する。該判断が否定された場合には全ての放射ダイオードに対する処理が行われていないため、ステップ１５２に進み以上の処理（ステップ１５２〜１６２）を再度実行する。
【０１２２】
一方、ステップ１６２の判断が肯定された場合には、全ての放射ダイオード１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃに対する処理が行われたことから、ステップ１６６で、比率を演算する。
【０１２３】
すなわち、例えば、図１６に示すように、放射ダイオード１２Ａから放射された赤外線（前述したピーク波長λ_１ （０．９５〔μｍ〕））の透過率をＲ１、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射された赤外線（前述したピーク波長λ_０ （１．４３〔μｍ〕））の透過率をＳ_０ 及び放射ダイオード１２Ｃから放射された赤外線（前述したピーク波長λ_２ （１．７０〔μｍ〕））の透過率をＲ２とする。
【０１２４】
まず、赤外線の水の透過率を求めるため、透過率Ｓ０の透過率Ｒ１（透過率Ｒ２でもよい）に対する比率を求める。
【０１２５】
ここで、このように、比率を求めて赤外線の水の透過率を求める理由を図１８を参照して説明する。例えば、図１８（ａ）に示すように、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射された赤外線の放射エネルギーをＷ１、ネガフィルムＮに付着した水ＮＷを透過した直後の赤外線の放射エネルギーをＷ２、さらに、ネガフィルムＮを透過した後の赤外線の放射エネルギーをＷ３とする。なお、図１８（ａ）は、説明の便宜上、ネガフィルムＮ上に水が付着している様子を示しているが、実際は、水が、ネガフィルムＮの上下に付着すると共にネガフィルムＮ内に吸収されている。一方、図１８（ｂ）に示すように、放射ダイオード１２Ｂから放射された赤外線の放射エネルギーをＷ１、水が付着していないネガフィルムＮを透過した後の赤外線の放射エネルギーをＷ４とする。
【０１２６】
この場合、透過率Ｓ０及び透過率Ｒ１はそれぞれ次式（１）、（２）により求められる。
【０１２７】
【数１】
Ｓ０＝（Ｗ３／Ｗ１）×１００・・・（１）
【０１２８】
【数２】
Ｒ１＝（Ｗ４／Ｗ１）×１００・・・（２）
一方、赤外線の水ＮＷの透過率Ｔ１_ＮＷは、次式（３）から求められる（図１８（ａ）参照）。
【０１２９】
【数３】
Ｔ１_ＮＷ＝（Ｗ２／Ｗ１）×１００・・・（３）
ここで、以下の関係式（４）が成り立つ。
【０１３０】
【数４】
Ｗ３／Ｗ２＝Ｗ４／Ｗ１・・・（４）
以上の式（１）から（４）から赤外線の水の透過率Ｔ１_ＮＷは、次式（５）となる。
【０１３１】
【数５】
Ｔ１_ＮＷ＝（Ｓ０／Ｒ１）×１００・・・（５）
このように赤外線の水の透過率Ｔ１_ＮＷは、透過率Ｓ０の透過率Ｒ１に対する比率（式（５）に対応する。）から得られる。
【０１３２】
以上は理想的な状態で赤外線の水の透過率を求める式であるが、実際は、ネガフィルムＮの表面状態や色、画像濃度などの要因によって図１７のようにベースに傾きを生じ波長に対する透過率のベースラインが傾くことがある。このように、ベースが傾くと波長の吸収比率がわずか（γ）変化する。この傾きの度合いによっては、水の吸収をキャンセルしても、γ分の違いを残留銀量の吸収による影響と誤る可能性がある。γの割合は少ないため実際には使用する波長と検出するフィルムの状態を選べば問題ないが、より高い精度で残留銀量の検出を行う場合には、制度よく水の吸収の補正を行うことが好ましい。
【０１３３】
そこで、本実施例では、この現象を補正するために水の吸収域（λ_０ ）をはさんで二つの波長（λ_１ 、λ_２ ）の透過率を測定し、次式（６）のようにγを相殺して適性な赤外線の水の透過率Ｔ０_ＮＷを求めるようにしている。なお、これは、いわゆる三色赤外線水分計の原理である。
【０１３４】
【数６】
Ｔ０_ＮＷ＝［Ｓ０／（Ｒ１＋Ｒ２）］×１００・・・（６）
以上のように比率を演算した後、ステップ１６８で、透過率Ｒ１＋γ（透過率Ｒ１−γでもよい）を水の透過率Ｔ０_ＮＷで補正して、赤外線のネガフィルムＮの適性透過率を演算し、ステップ１７０で、演算した適性透過率から処理液状態を推定し、ステップ１７２で、推定した処理液状態を表示して、本処理を終了する。
【０１３５】
以上説明したように本実施例では、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が水に吸収され易い赤外線及び該ピークの部分が水に吸収され難い２種類の赤外線をフィルムに放射し、ホトダイオードの該検出量に基づいて、赤外線の水及びネガフィルムＮの透過率を求め、求めた水の透過率でネガフィルムの透過率を補正していることから、赤外線のネガフィルムの適性な透過率を求めることができ、これに基づいて正確に処理液の脱銀性能を判定することができる。
【０１３６】
前述した実施例では、乾燥槽内でネガフィルムの赤外線の透過率を求める際、水の透過率も求めていることから、乾燥槽内の水分量（ネガフィルムＮに付着及び吸収されている水分量及び空気中の水分量）を検出することができ、これにより、乾燥槽内の図示しない乾燥条件（ヒータの温度やファンの回転速度）を適切な値に変更することができる。
【０１３７】
ここで、従来、乾燥後のネガフィルムＮの光沢が部分的に失われる、いわゆる、ヘイズ（もや）が発生することがある。特に、迅速乾燥を行なう場合、乾燥部出口付近が高湿度になるためヘイズが発生しやすく、仕上がりに光沢の違った箇所が生ずる画像ムラが発生しやすい。このような場合、前述した赤外線センサユニットを乾燥部内に設け、ネガフィルムＮの水の量や、乾燥部の出口雰囲気の水の量（空気中の赤外線吸収量）を検出し、乾燥条件をフィードバックするようにすれば、上記ヘイズの発生を防止することができる。
【０１３８】
また、前述した実施例では、ネガフィルムのフィルムプロセッサからの排出の有無を非接触で検出することができため、ジャミングの管理を行うことができる。
【０１３９】
以上説明した実施例では、赤外線の透過率を求めるようにしているが、本発明はこれ限定するものでなく、赤外線の反射率を求めるようにしてもよい。
【０１４０】
また、前述した実施例では、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が水に吸収され易い赤外線及び該ピークの部分が水に吸収され難い２種類の赤外線をネガフィルムＮに放射するようにしているが、本発明はこれに限定されるものではなく、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が水に吸収され易い赤外線及び該ピークの部分が水に吸収され難い１種類や２以外の複数の種類の赤外線をネガフィルムＮに放射するようにしてもよい。
【０１４１】
さらに、前述した実施例では、露光量の多いネガフィルムのベロ部（先端部）が曝光されていることから最も残留銀量が多いことに鑑み、該ベロ部を透過した赤外線の検出量に基づいて処理液の状態を判定しているが、本発明はこれ限定するものでなく、ネガフィルムのベロ部以外の他の部分でもよい。なお、曝光部が存在しない場合には、処理装置等で予め所定部位を露光して曝光部に相当する部分を形成するようにしてもよい。所定部位を露光する場合には、露光量を調整することができるので、センサの感度に応じた露光を行うことができる。
【０１４２】
また、前述した第２の実施例では、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が水に吸収され易い赤外線及び上記ピークの部分が水に吸収され難い２種類の赤外線を複数の放射ダイオードから放射するようにしているが、本発明はこれに限定されるものでなく、波長シフト特性を有するフィルターを用いて１つの放射ダイオードから放射された赤外線のエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分をシフトさせて、又は広い波長範囲の赤外線を放射できる赤外線放射源から放射された赤外線を必要な波長を選択的に透過させるフィルターを透過させて、ピークの部分が水に吸収され易い赤外線及びピークの部分が水に吸収され難い２種類の赤外線を放射するようにしてもよい。
【０１４３】
また、前述した第１の実施例では赤外線センサユニットを乾燥部よりネガフィルムの搬送方向下流側に、また、前述した第２の実施例では赤外線センサユニットを乾燥部内に設置する例を説明したが、本発明はこれ限定するものでなく、ネガフィルムＮに脱銀処理する処理液を貯留している処理槽より該ネガフィルムＮの搬送方向下流側の位置でもよい。例えば、スーパーリンス槽、安定槽等に赤外線センサユニットを設置するようにしてもよい。なお、この場合、ネガフィルムＮに水が付着、吸収されていることが予想される場合には、前述した第２の実施例のように赤外線の水の透過率を求めて、赤外線のネガフィルムＮの透過率を補正するか、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が水に吸収され難い赤外線をネガフィルムＮに照射するようにすればよい。
【０１４４】
また、前述した実施例では、フィルムプロセッサを例にとり説明したが、本発明はこれ限定するものでなく、プリンタプロセッサに対しても適用することができる。すなわち、該プリンタープロセッサは、図１９に示すように、Ｃ、Ｍ、Ｙフィルターからなる調光フィルター、反射ミラー及びハロゲンランプを備えた光源部１２と、感光材料としてのカラーペーパー１６Ｐを収納したペーパーマガジン部１６を備えている。
【０１４５】
光源部１２から発光された光は、ネガキャリア１８を介して露光部１４に照射される。また、ペーパーマガジン部１６から引き出されたカラーペーパー１６Ｐは露光部１４においてネガフィルムＮの画像が焼き付けられ、プロセッサ部１０Ｋ内に搬送される。
【０１４６】
このプロセッサ部１０は、発色現像槽１０Ｎ１、漂白定着槽１０Ｎ２、リンス槽１０Ｎ３〜１０Ｎ６及び乾燥部１０Ｎ７から構成されている。すなわち、発色現像槽１０Ｎ１で現像されたカラーペーパー１６Ｐが漂白定着槽１０Ｎ２で定着処理された後リンス槽１０Ｎ３〜１０Ｎ６で水洗されて、カラープリントが作成される。水洗されたカラープリントは乾燥部１０Ｎ７で乾燥処理された後、ソーター部１０Ｎ８に載置される。
【０１４７】
そして、カラーペーパー１６Ｐに脱銀処理する処理液を貯留している処理槽より該カラーペーパー１６Ｐの搬送方向下流側の位置に、赤外線センサユニット１２０Ｖを設置するようにすればよい。すなわち、リンス槽１０Ｎ３〜１０Ｎ６や、乾燥部１０Ｎ７内等である。なお、図１９では、乾燥部１０Ｎ７内に赤外線センサユニットを設置している例を示している。なお、この場合、赤外線はペーパー部分を透過しないので、赤外線センサユニット１２０Ｖはカラーペーパーに向けて赤外線を照射する放射ダイオードとカラーペーパーで反射された赤外線を受光するホトダイオードとで構成された反射型のセンサで構成すればよい。
【０１４８】
また、前述した実施例では、フィルムプロセッサ又はプリンタープロセッサを例にとり説明したが、本発明はこれに限定されるものではなく、フィルムプロセッサ及びプリンタープロセッサを一体型の写真処理装置（図２０参照）にしたものにも適用可能である。すなわち、この写真処理装置１０Ｌでは、ネガフィルム１２Ｌをパトローネ１４Ｌから引き出して現像処理するフィルム処理部１６Ｌ、マガジン１８Ｌにロール状に巻き取られて収容されているカラーペーパー２０Ｌを引出して、現像処理したネガフィルム１２Ｌに記録された画像に応じて露光する画像露光部２２Ｌ、画像露光の終了したカラーペーパー２０Ｌを現像処理するペーパー処理部２４Ｌを備えており、図示しないケーシングに一体で収容している。
【０１４９】
フィルム処理部１６Ｌには、現像液を貯留する現像槽２６Ｌ、漂白液を貯留する漂白槽２８Ｌ、それぞれに定着液を貯留する第１定着槽３０Ｌ、第２定着槽３２Ｌ、水洗水を貯留する水洗槽３４Ｌ、それぞれに安定浴液を貯留する第１安定浴槽３６Ｌ、第２安定浴槽３８Ｌが連続して配置され、第２安定浴槽３８Ｌの下流側に乾燥室４２Ｌ及びリザーバ部４４Ｌが設けられている。
【０１５０】
パトローネ１４Ｌから引き出されたネガフィルム１２Ｌは、図示しない搬送手段によって現像槽２６Ｌ、漂白槽２８Ｌ、第１定着槽３０Ｌ、第２定着槽３２Ｌ、水洗槽３４Ｌ、第１安定浴槽３６Ｌ、第２安定浴槽３８Ｌ内を順次搬送され、現像液、漂白液、定着液、水洗水及び安定浴液による処理液処理が施される。処理液処理の終了したネガフィルム１２Ｌは、乾燥室４２Ｌ内で、図示しないヒータと乾燥ファンによって発生された乾燥風が吹き付けられて乾燥処理され、リザーバ部４４Ｌへ送り出される。
【０１５１】
一方、画像露光部２２Ｌでは、リザーバ部４４Ｌから現像処理の終了したネガフィルム１２Ｌを引き入れると共に、マガジン１８Ｌからカラーペーパー２０Ｌを引出して、カラーペーパー２０Ｌにネガフィルム１２Ｌに記録されている画像を順次露光する。なお、この画像露光部２２Ｌの構成としては、ネガフィルム１２Ｌとカラーペーパー２０Ｌをそれぞれ所定の速度で搬送しながらネガフィルム１２Ｌに記録された画像をカラーペーパー２０Ｌへ露光するスリット露光や、ネガフィルム１２Ｌに記録されている画像を画像読取手段によって読み取った後、この読み取った画像をカラーペーパー２０Ｌへレーザ光等によって走査露光する等の種々の露光方式を用いることができる。このようにして画像露光されたカラーペーパー２０Ｌは、画像露光部２２Ｌとペーパー処理部２４Ｌの間に設けられたリザーバ部４６Ｌへ送り出される。
【０１５２】
ペーパー処理部２４Ｌには、カラーペーパー２０Ｌの現像用の現像液を貯留する現像槽４８Ｌ、漂白定着液を貯留する漂白定着槽５０Ｌ、それぞれにリンス液を貯留する第１リンス槽５２Ｌ、第２リンス槽５４Ｌ、第３リンス槽５６Ｌが設けられ、第３リンス槽５６Ｌのカラーペーパー搬送方向の下流側には、乾燥室５８Ｌが設けられている。リザーバ部４６Ｌに送り出された画像露光されたカラーペーパー２０Ｌは、図示しない搬送手段によってペーパー処理部２４Ｌへ引き入れら、さらに、現像槽４８Ｌ、漂白定着槽５０Ｌ、第１リンス槽５２Ｌ、第２リンス槽５４Ｌ、第３リンス槽５６Ｌ内を順次搬送され、現像液、漂白定着液、リンス液による処理液処理が施される。処理液処理の終了したカラーペーパー２０Ｌは、乾燥室５８Ｌ内を搬送され、図示しないヒータと乾燥ファン等によって発生された乾燥風が吹き付けられて乾燥処理される。
【０１５３】
乾燥処理の終了したカラーペーパー２０Ｌは、例えば画像コマ毎に切断されて写真プリントとして排出される。
【０１５４】
そして、ネガフィルムＮ、カラーペーパー１６Ｐに脱銀処理する処理液を貯留している処理槽よりネガフィルムＮ、カラーペーパー１６Ｐの搬送方向下流側の位置の各々またはいずれか一方に、赤外線センサユニットを設置するようにすればよい。
【０１５５】
また、前述した実施例及び変型例において、複数の波長の赤外線を使用し、ネガフィルムＮの銀量と水分の吸収を検出し、演算によって、ネガフィルムＮの有無が分かるため、赤外線センサユニットをプロセッサ部内（ネガフィルムＮに脱銀処理する処理液を貯留している処理槽より該ネガフィルムＮの搬送方向下流側の位置）に設ければ、ネガフィルムＮの位置を検出することもできる。
【０１５６】
ここで、富士写真フィルム社製のカラーネガプロセッサＦＰ３６０Ｂ（商品名）を使用して、富士写真フィルム社製の処理液『ＣＮ−１６ＦＡ』（商品名）で富士写真フィルム社製のカラーネガフィルム スーパーＧ Ａｃｅ ４００（商品名）を処理しかつ乾燥した後に、前述した赤外線センサユニットを用いて赤外線を照射してカラーネガフィルムを透過した赤外線の透過量に基づいて処理液『ＣＮ−１６ＦＡ』の処理性能を判定したところ、この判定の結果と、実際に処理液の処理性能を測定して得られた測定結果とが精度よく一致していた。
【０１５７】
【発明の効果】
以上説明したように請求項１記載の発明は、赤外線が照射されたカラー写真感光材料を透過して又は該カラー写真感光材料から反射した赤外線の一方の量と基準値とを比較し、該比較結果に基づいて前記処理液の脱銀性能を判定することから、コンスト露光部や濃度計を内蔵しなくとも処理液の脱銀性能を判定することができ、簡易な構成で処理液状態の判定を行うことができる、という優れた効果を有する。
【０１５８】
請求項３記載の発明は、放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が水に吸収され易い第１の赤外線及び放射されるエネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分が水に吸収され難い第２の赤外線をカラー写真感光材料に放射し、赤外線検出手段により検出された赤外線の量に基づいて、第１の吸収率及び第２の吸収率を求め、求めた第１の吸収率で第２の吸収率を補正していることから、カラー写真感光材料が第２の赤外線を吸収する適性吸収率を求めることができ、これに基づいて正確に処理液の脱銀性能を判定することができる、という優れた効果を有する。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】第１の実施例のフィルムプロセッサの概略図である。
【図２】赤外線センサユニットの電気回路図である。
【図３】本実施例の処理液性能を判別する部分の制御部を示したブロック図である。
【図４】放射ダイオードから放射される赤外線のスペクトル分布を示した線図である。
【図５】ホトダイオードの分光感度特定を示した線図である。
【図６】放射ダイオードの放射量を示した表である。
【図７】本実施例の処理液性能判別処理ルーチンを示したフローチャートである。
【図８】ネガフィルムの暴光部（ベロ部）を示した図である。
【図９】検出信号の入力の有無と処理液状態との関係を示したマップである。
【図１０】本実施例の変形例における放射ダイオードの放射量を示した表である。
【図１１】第２の実施例に係るフィルムプロセッサを示した概略図である。
【図１２】放射エネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分の波長に対する該ピークの水の透過率を示した線図である。
【図１３】放射ダイオードから放射される赤外線の放射エネルギーのスペクトル分布のピークの部分の波長を示した表である。
【図１４】本実施例の処理液状態判定処理ルーチンを示したフローチャートである。
【図１５】放射ダイオードの出力（ａ）及びホトダイオードから出力される信号と透過率と関係（ｂ）を示した図である。
【図１６】標準状態における赤外線の波長と透過率との関係を示した線図である。
【図１７】標準状態でない状態における赤外線の波長と透過率との関係を示した線図である。
【図１８】赤外線の透過率を求める計算を説明するための説明図である。
【図１９】本発明が適用可能なプリンタプロッセッサを示した概略図である。
【図２０】フィルムプロッセッサ及びプリンタプロッセッサが一体型の写真処理装置を示した概略図である。
【符号の説明】
１２Ａ、１２Ｂ、１２Ｃ 放射ダイオード
１４Ａ、１４Ｂ、１４Ｃ ホトダイオード
２６ 制御部[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a processing solution performance determination device and a processing solution performance determination method, and more particularly, to a processing solution performance determination device and a processing solution for determining the performance of a processing solution for desilvering a silver halide photographic material. It relates to a performance judgment method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a photographic processing apparatus, management of a processing liquid state is performed by a control stop process. In the control stop process, a photosensitive material (control strips (hereinafter, referred to as const)) which has been exposed in advance under a constant light intensity, a constant exposure time, and a constant light quality under standard exposure conditions is developed and processed. This is a process of separately measuring the density of the developed const and checking the state of the processing solution based on the result of the measurement (hereinafter referred to as a const process). Since such a const process is a troublesome operation for the user, improvement has been demanded.
[0003]
In view of such a fact, a reference exposure unit (hereinafter, referred to as a const exposure unit) that performs the above-described reference exposure to create a const, a developing unit that develops the reference-exposed const, and a developing unit that develops the const A film developing apparatus (JP-A-6-230543) provided with a densitometer for measuring the density and a display unit for calculating the processing liquid state from the measurement result and displaying the calculated processing liquid state, A reference exposure section that exposes the negative film, a development processing section that develops the reference-exposed photosensitive material, a densitometer that measures the density of the developed photosensitive material, and a processing liquid state calculated from the measurement result. A photographic printing / developing apparatus (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-236018) provided with a display unit for displaying the calculated processing liquid state has been proposed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described film developing apparatus, it is necessary to incorporate a const exposure section and a densitometer, and in a photographic printing development processing apparatus, it is necessary to incorporate a reference exposure section and a densitometer, which complicates the apparatus. As a result, it is unsuitable for a small developing device (minilab) which requires a large cost increase and a large size and is required to be miniaturized.
[0005]
Further, only by measuring the density of the const, for example, it is impossible to judge whether the increase in the dye density or the increase in the silver density due to poor desilvering is not possible with respect to the increase in the maximum density, and the amount of information is limited.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above technology, and has as its object to provide a processing liquid performance determination apparatus and a processing liquid performance determination method capable of determining the state of a processing liquid with a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for judging poor desilvering.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is desilvered by passing through the processing solution. Color Infrared irradiation means for irradiating the photographic photosensitive material with infrared light, Color Infrared light transmitted through a photographic material and Color An infrared detecting means for detecting one amount of infrared light reflected from the photographic light-sensitive material, and comparing the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detecting means with a reference value, and removing the processing solution based on a result of the comparison. A processing solution performance determining means for determining silver performance.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the infrared irradiating means irradiates a plurality of infrared rays having at least one of a spectral distribution of emitted energy and a radiation energy different from each other.
[0009]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, desilvering treatment is performed by passing through the processing solution. Color Infrared irradiating means for irradiating a photographic photosensitive material with a first infrared ray whose peak portion of the spectrum of emitted energy is easily absorbed by water and a second infrared ray whose peak portion of this spectral distribution is hardly absorbed by water. And said Color Infrared light transmitted through a photographic material and Color Infrared detecting means for detecting the amount of one of the infrared light reflected from the photographic light-sensitive material; and a first absorptance for water absorbing the first infrared light based on the amount of the infrared light detected by the infrared detecting means. And said Color The photographic light-sensitive material obtains a second absorptance for absorbing the second infrared ray, and corrects the second absorptivity with the obtained first absorptivity to obtain the above-mentioned. Color A processing solution performance determining means for determining a suitable absorptivity for the photographic light-sensitive material to absorb the second infrared ray and determining a desilvering performance of the processing solution based on the determined absorptivity.
[0010]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the second infrared ray is positioned such that a wavelength range of the peak portion is longer than a wavelength range of the first infrared ray at the peak portion. The third infrared ray and the wavelength range of the peak portion are the fourth infrared ray located on the shorter wavelength side than the wavelength range of the peak portion of the first infrared ray.
[0011]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the infrared detecting means includes Color The transmitted light transmitted through the maximum exposed portion of the photographic material or Color The light reflected from the maximum exposure portion of the photosensitive material is detected.
[0012]
The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wavelength of the infrared light is near infrared light.
[0013]
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the desilvering treatment is performed by passing through the processing solution. Color Irradiate the photographic photosensitive material with infrared light, Color Infrared light transmitted through a photographic material and Color Detect one amount of infrared light reflected from the photographic material, compare the detected amount of infrared light with a reference value, and determine the desilvering performance of the processing solution based on the result of the comparison. I have.
[0014]
The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claim 7, wherein Color The infrared rays irradiated to the photographic material are a plurality of types of infrared rays, each of which differs in at least one of the spectral distribution of the emitted energy and the emitted energy.
[0015]
The invention according to claim 9 is ,place Desilvered through the solution Color The photographic light-sensitive material is irradiated with a first infrared ray whose peak portion of the spectral distribution of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water and a second infrared ray whose peak portion of the spectral distribution is hardly absorbed by water, One infrared ray and the second infrared ray were emitted Color Infrared light transmitted through a photographic material and Color Detecting one amount of infrared light reflected from the photographic light-sensitive material, based on the detected amount of infrared light, a first absorption rate at which water absorbs the first infrared light, and Color photo The light-sensitive material obtains a second absorptance for absorbing the second infrared ray, and corrects the second absorptivity with the obtained first absorptivity to obtain the second absorptivity. Color photo A suitable absorptivity for the photosensitive material to absorb the second infrared ray is determined, and the desilvering performance of the processing solution is determined based on the determined absorptivity.
[0016]
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the ninth aspect, the second infrared ray is a third infrared ray whose wavelength range of the peak portion is larger than that of the first infrared ray. And the fourth infrared ray whose wavelength region at the peak portion is smaller than the wavelength region at the peak portion of the first infrared ray.
[0017]
The invention according to claim 11 is the invention according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the infrared light to be detected is the infrared ray. Color photo Infrared light transmitted through the maximum exposure portion of the photosensitive material and Color photo One of the infrared rays reflected from the maximum exposed portion of the photosensitive material.
[0018]
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the seventh to eleventh aspects, the wavelength of the infrared ray is a near infrared ray.
[0019]
[Action]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the infrared irradiation means is desilvered by passing through the processing solution. Color Irradiate the photographic material with infrared light. The photographic light-sensitive material irradiated with infrared rays may be subjected to desilvering before drying, photographic light-sensitive material being desilvered and being dried, and desilvered and dried. There is a finished photographic material.
[0020]
Here, the infrared irradiating means may irradiate a plurality of infrared rays different in at least one of the spectral distribution of the irradiated energy and the radiant energy. That is, the infrared irradiating means may be configured to irradiate a plurality of infrared rays by configuring a plurality of irradiating means each of which emits a different infrared ray, wherein at least one of a spectral distribution of emitted energy and a radiant energy is different. Irradiating a plurality of infrared rays by irradiating the infrared ray, and changing means for changing at least one of the spectral distribution and the radiant energy of the energy of the infrared ray irradiated by the irradiating means. In addition, as the changing unit, for example, a filter that can change at least one of the spectral distribution of the emitted infrared energy and the radiant energy can be used.
[0021]
In addition, the wavelength of the infrared ray can be a near-infrared ray as in the invention of the sixth aspect. That is, the wavelength of the infrared ray is usually 0.75 [μm] to 25 [μm], and among them, 0.75 [μm] to 2.5 [μm] can be emitted as near infrared ray. The infrared irradiation means includes, for example, an infrared radiation diode, carbon dioxide (CO 2) ₂ ) A laser, a carbon monoxide (CO) laser, or the like can be used.
[0022]
The infrared detecting means is as described above. Color Infrared light transmitted through a photographic material and Color One of the infrared rays reflected from the photographic material is detected. As the infrared detecting means, a means for extracting a voltage change generated by a temperature change due to the radiation energy of the irradiated infrared light or a means for extracting a voltage change generated by photon-electron interaction can be used. In addition, as the latter means, a photovoltaic silicon photoelectric conversion element having a predetermined spectral sensitivity characteristic can be used. Further, the infrared detecting means may be configured as described above. Color The transmitted light transmitted through the maximum exposure portion of the photographic material and Color photo One of the reflected lights reflected from the maximum exposure portion of the photosensitive material may be detected. As the maximum exposure portion, it is preferable to use an exposed portion, but for a photographic material having no exposed portion, a predetermined portion of the photographic material may be exposed to form a portion similar to the exposed portion. .
[0023]
Here, the photographic material usually contains silver halide and developed silver, and when the photographic material passes through a processing solution having good desilvering performance and is desilvered, the photographic material becomes Silver halide and developed silver are eluted in the processing solution. Therefore, silver disappears from the photographic material. Therefore, when the photographic photosensitive material is irradiated with infrared rays, Was Infrared light passes through the photographic material. On the other hand, when the photographic material passes through a processing solution having poor silver removal performance, it becomes difficult for silver to elute from the photographic material into the processing solution. Therefore, silver remains on the photographic material. Therefore, when infrared light is emitted to a photographic material, it is emitted. Was Infrared rays are reflected by the remaining silver and are less likely to pass through the photographic material.
[0024]
Therefore, the desilvering performance of the processing solution can be determined based on the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detection means. That is, when the infrared detection means detects the amount of infrared light transmitted through the photosensitive material, if the desilvering performance of the processing solution is good, the amount of the detected infrared light increases, but the desilvering performance of the processing solution is poor. If so, the amount of the detected infrared light is reduced. On the other hand, when the infrared detecting means detects infrared light reflected from the photographic material, if the desilvering performance of the processing liquid is good, the amount of the detected infrared light is small, but the desilvering performance of the processing liquid is poor. If so, the amount of the detected infrared rays increases.
[0025]
Thus, since the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detection means changes according to the desilvering performance of the processing liquid, the desilvering performance of the processing liquid is determined based on the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detection means. can do.
[0026]
Therefore, the amount (expected value) of the infrared ray detected by the infrared detecting means is set as a reference value in accordance with the case where the desilvering performance of the processing solution is good, slightly poor, or defective, for example. By comparing the amount of infrared light detected by the detecting means with this reference value, the desilvering performance of the processing solution can be determined based on the result of the comparison.
[0027]
Therefore, the processing liquid performance determination means compares the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detection means with a reference value, and determines the desilvering performance of the processing liquid based on the result of the comparison.
[0028]
In this way, the detected amount of one of the infrared light transmitted through the photographic light-sensitive material irradiated with the infrared light and the infrared light reflected from the photographic light-sensitive material is compared with the reference value, and the processing solution is removed based on the comparison result. Since the silver performance is determined, the desilvering performance of the processing liquid can be determined without incorporating a const exposure unit or a densitometer, and the state of the processing liquid can be determined with a simple configuration.
[0029]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the infrared irradiation means passes through the processing solution and is desilvered. Color A photographic photosensitive material is irradiated with a first infrared ray and a second infrared ray. The photographic light-sensitive material irradiated with the first infrared light and the second infrared light may be a photographic light-sensitive material which has been subjected to a desilvering treatment before being subjected to a drying treatment, or a photographic light-sensitive material which has been subjected to a desilvering treatment and which is undergoing a drying treatment. And photographic light-sensitive materials which have been desilvered and dried.
[0030]
Here, the first infrared ray is an infrared ray whose peak portion of the spectrum distribution of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water. The second infrared ray is an infrared ray whose peak portion of the spectrum distribution of the emitted energy is hardly absorbed by water. It is to be noted that, in the second infrared light, the wavelength range of the above-described peak portion is located on the longer wavelength side than the wavelength range of the first infrared light portion. And the fourth infrared ray whose wavelength range at the peak portion is shorter than the wavelength range at the peak portion of the first infrared ray.
[0031]
The infrared detecting means is as described above. Color Infrared light transmitted through a photographic material and Color One of the infrared rays reflected from the photographic material is detected. The infrared detecting means is the same as the infrared detecting means according to the first aspect of the present invention.
[0032]
Then, the processing liquid performance determining unit first obtains the first and second absorptances based on the amount of infrared rays detected by the infrared detecting unit.
[0033]
Here, the first absorptance is the absorptivity when water absorbs the first infrared ray, and the second absorptivity is the absorptivity when the photosensitive material absorbs the second infrared ray. The absorptance is a transmittance or a reflectance.
[0034]
As described above, since the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detecting means changes according to the desilvering performance of the processing liquid, the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detecting means is equal to the desilvering performance of the processing liquid. Corresponding. Further, the amount of infrared rays detected by the infrared ray detecting means corresponds to the above-mentioned absorption rate. Therefore, this absorption rate corresponds to the desilvering performance of the processing solution, and the desilvering performance of the processing solution can be determined based on the absorption rate.
[0035]
Then, the processing liquid performance determining means corrects the second absorption rate with the obtained first absorption rate, and Color An appropriate absorptivity of the photographic light-sensitive material for absorbing the second infrared ray is determined, and the desilvering performance of the processing solution is determined based on the determined absorptivity.
[0036]
Here, the second absorption rate is corrected by the first absorption rate as follows. That is, water may adhere to or be absorbed by the desilvered photographic material. As described above, when infrared rays are emitted to the photographic material to which water has adhered, the infrared rays are absorbed by the water. Therefore, simply determining the absorption rate of the photographic photosensitive material for absorbing the infrared ray based on the amount of the infrared ray detected by the infrared ray detection means, the obtained absorption rate includes the absorption rate at which the infrared ray is absorbed by water. This is because the state of the processing solution cannot be accurately determined because of being included.
[0037]
Therefore, as described above, the first infrared ray whose peak portion of the spectral distribution of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water and the second infrared ray whose peak portion of the spectral distribution of the emitted energy is hardly absorbed by water. Is irradiated on the silver halide photographic material, the first and second absorptances described above can be obtained based on the amount of infrared rays detected by the infrared detecting means. Correcting the second absorptance with the absorptivity enables the appropriate absorptivity of the photographic light-sensitive material to absorb the second infrared ray to be determined, based on which the desilvering performance of the processing solution can be accurately determined. it can.
[0038]
The infrared irradiating means radiates the first infrared ray and the second infrared ray also to the photographic photosensitive material during the drying process and the photographic photosensitive material after the drying process. This is because water is not always completely removed from the photographic material even if the photographic material is dried.
[0039]
Since the inventions of claims 7 to 12 have the same functions and effects as the inventions of claims 1 to 6, respectively, the description of the functions of the inventions of claims 7 to 12 will be made. Is omitted.
[0040]
Here, examples of the processing solution described above include a color developing solution, a black-and-white developing solution, a bleaching solution, an adjusting solution, a reversing solution, a fixing solution, a bleach-fixing solution, a stabilizing solution, and a rinsing solution.
[0041]
The color developing solution is preferably an alkaline aqueous solution mainly containing an aromatic primary amine color developing agent. Aminophenol compounds are also useful as the color developing agent, but p-phenylenediamine compounds are preferably used, and typical examples thereof include 3-methyl-4-amino-N, N-diethylaniline and 4-methyldiamine. Amino-N-ethyl-N-β-hydroxyethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-β-hydroxyethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-β- Methanesulfonamidoethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-β-methoxyethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-δ-hydroxybutylaniline and sulfates thereof , Hydrochloride or p-toluenesulfonate. These compounds can be used in combination of two or more depending on the purpose.
[0042]
Color developers are pH control agents such as alkali metal carbonates, borates or phosphates, development control agents such as bromide, iodide, benzimidazoles, benzothiazoles or mercapto compounds or It generally contains an antifoggant and the like. If necessary, various preservatives such as hydroxylamine, N, N-di (sulfoethyl) hydroxylamine, diethylhydroxylamine, sulfite, hydrazines, phenylsemicarbazide, triethanolamine, catecholdisulfonic acid, ethylene glycol Organic solvents such as diethylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, quaternary ammonium salts, development accelerators such as amines, dye-forming couplers, competitive couplers, fogging agents such as sodium boron hydride, 1-phenyl-3- Auxiliary developing agents such as pyrazolidone, viscosity-imparting agents, aminopolycarboxylic acids, aminopolyphosphonic acids, alkylphosphonic acids, various chelating agents represented by phosphonocarboxylic acids, for example, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid Nitrilotriacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid, hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid, carboxyethyliminodiacetic acid, 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid, nitrilo-N, N, N-trimethylenephosphonic acid, Ethylenediamine-N, N, N ', N'-tetramethylenephosphonic acid, ethylenediaminedi (o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) and salts thereof can be mentioned as representative examples.
[0043]
Generally, the pH of these color developers is 9 to 12.
The replenishment amount of these developing solutions depends on the color photographic light-sensitive material to be processed, but is generally 1 liter or less per square meter of the photographic material, and can be reduced to 400 ml or less by reducing the bromide ion concentration in the replenishing solution. You can also. Preferably 30 ml to 300 ml / m ² It is. When the replenishment rate is reduced, it is preferable to prevent evaporation of the liquid and air oxidation by reducing the contact area of the processing tank with the air. Further, the amount of replenishment can be reduced by using means for suppressing the accumulation of bromide ions in the developer.
[0044]
The photographic emulsion layer after color development is usually bleached. The bleaching process may be performed simultaneously with the fixing process (bleach-fixing process) or may be performed individually. In order to further speed up the processing, a processing method of performing bleach-fixing after bleaching may be used. Furthermore, processing in two continuous bleach-fixing baths, fixing before bleach-fixing, or bleaching after bleach-fixing can be arbitrarily performed according to the purpose. As the bleaching agent, for example, compounds of polyvalent metals such as iron (III), cobalt (III), chromium (VI), and copper (II), peracids, quinones, and nitro compounds are used. Typical bleaching agents are ferricyanide: dichromate: organic complex salts of iron (III) or cobalt (III), such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid, cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid, methyliminodiacetic acid Aminopolycarboxylic acids such as 1,3-diaminopropanetetraacetic acid, glycol ether diaminetetraacetic acid, carboxyethyliminodiacetic acid or complex salts such as citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid: persulfate: bromate: permanganate Salt: nitrobenzenes and the like can be used. Of these, aminopolycarboxylic acid iron (III) complex salts such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid iron (III) complex acid and persulfate are preferred from the viewpoint of rapid processing and prevention of environmental pollution. Further, the aminopolycarboxylic acid iron (III) complex salt is particularly useful in a bleaching solution and a bleach-fixing solution. The pH of the bleaching solution or the bleach-fixing solution using these aminopolycarboxylic acid iron (III) complex salts is usually from 4.5 to 8, but the processing can be carried out at a lower pH in order to speed up the processing. .
[0045]
A bleaching accelerator can be used in the bleaching solution, the bleach-fixing solution and their prebaths, if necessary. Specific examples of useful bleach accelerators are described in the following specification: U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,858, West German Patent 1,290,812, JP-A-53-95630, Research. Disclosure No. No. 17129 (July, 1978); a compound having a mercapto group or a disulfide bond; a thiazolidine derivative described in JP-A-50-140129; a thiourea derivative described in US Pat. No. 3,706,561; Iodide salts described in JP-A-58-16235; polyoxyethylene compounds described in West German Patent 2,748,430; polyamine compounds described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 45-8836; bromide ions and the like can be used. Among them, compounds having a mercapto group or a disulfide group are preferred from the viewpoint of a large accelerating effect, and particularly, compounds described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,858, West German Patent 1,290,812, and JP-A-53-95630. Compounds are preferred. Further, the compounds described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,834 are also preferable. These bleaching accelerators may be added to the light-sensitive material. These bleaching accelerators are particularly effective when bleach-fixing a color photographic material for photography.
[0046]
Examples of the fixing agent include thiosulfates, thiocyanates, thioether-based compounds, thioureas, and a large amount of iodide, but thiosulfates are generally used, and ammonium thiosulfate is most widely used. Can be used for As the preservative of the bleach-fix solution, sulfites, bisulfites, benzenesulfinic acids or carbonyl bisulfite adducts are preferable.
[0047]
Further, after the desilvering treatment, a washing and / or stabilizing step is generally performed. The amount of rinsing water in the rinsing step depends on the characteristics of the photosensitive material (for example, depending on the material used such as a coupler), the use, the rinsing water temperature, the number of rinsing tanks (number of stages), the replenishment method such as countercurrent, forward flow, and other various conditions. Can be set in a wide range. Among them, the relationship between the number of washing tanks and the amount of water in the multi-stage countercurrent method can be obtained by the method described in Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineering, Vol. 64, pp. 248-253 (May, 1955). it can.
[0048]
According to the multi-stage countercurrent method described in the above-mentioned document, the amount of washing water can be significantly reduced, but bacteria increase due to an increase in the residence time of water in the tank, and the generated suspended matter adheres to the photosensitive material. Problem arises. In the processing of the color light-sensitive material of the present invention, as a solution to such a problem, the method of reducing calcium ions and magnesium ions described in JP-A-62-288838 can be used very effectively. Also, isothiazolone compounds and thiabendazoles described in JP-A-57-8542, chlorine-based disinfectants such as chlorinated sodium isocyanurate, and other benzotriazoles, etc. It is also possible to use the bactericides described in "Sterilization, Sterilization and Antifungal Techniques of Microorganisms" edited by the Society of Sanitary Engineers, and "Encyclopedia of Antibacterial and Antifungal Agents" edited by the Japan Society of Antifungals and Fungi.
[0049]
The pH of the washing water in the processing of the light-sensitive material of the present invention is 4 to 9, preferably 5 to 8. The washing temperature and washing time can also be variously set depending on the characteristics of the photosensitive material, the application, etc., but are generally in the range of 15 to 45 ° C for 20 seconds to 10 minutes, preferably in the range of 25 to 40 ° C for 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Selected. Further, the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention can perform processing directly with a stabilizing solution instead of the above water washing. In such a stabilization treatment, any of the known methods described in JP-A-57-8543, JP-A-58-14834, and JP-A-60-220345 can be used.
[0050]
Various chelating agents and fungicides can also be added to this stabilizing bath.
The overflow solution resulting from the washing and / or replenishment of the stabilizing solution can be reused in another step such as a desilvering step.
[0051]
Next, a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material that can be used in the present invention will be described.
[0052]
The present invention can be applied to any photosensitive material, but is preferably applied to color negative films and color papers.
[0053]
The silver halide emulsion and other materials (additives, etc.) and photographic constituent layers (layer arrangement, etc.) applied in the present invention, and the processing methods and processing additives applied for processing this light-sensitive material include: The following patent gazettes, particularly those described in European Patent EPO, 355,660A2 (Japanese Patent Application No. 1-107011) are preferably used.
[0054]
[Table 1]

[0055]
[Table 2]

[0056]
[Table 3]

[0057]
[Table 4]

[0058]
[Table 5]

[0059]
As the silver halide emulsion used in the present invention, emulsions having various halogen compositions such as silver iodobromide, silver iodochloride, silver iodochlorobromide, silver chlorobromide, silver bromide and silver chloride can be used. In particular, in the case of a color negative film, it is preferable to have a layer containing a silver iodobromide emulsion, and it is preferable to use an emulsion having an iodine content of about 0.1 to 10 mol%. Further, in the case of a color paper, it is preferred to have at least one emulsion layer containing silver halide grains in which 90 mol% or more is made of silver chloride. More preferably 95 to 99.9 mol% or more, still more preferably 98 to 99.9 mol% or more is an emulsion composed of silver chloride, and the whole layer is composed of 98 to 99.9 mol% or more silver chloride. Particularly preferred is a silver halide emulsion. The amount of silver applied is not particularly limited, but is 2 g to 10 g / m 2 in the case of a color negative film. ² About 0.2-0.9g / m for color paper ² Is preferable.
[0060]
Further, the light-sensitive material used in the present invention can contain various couplers, and details are as described in Table 2.
[0061]
Further, as cyan couplers, besides diphenylimidazole-based cyan couplers described in JP-A-2-33144, 3-hydroxypyridine-based cyan couplers described in European Patent EPO, 333,185A2 (among them, specific examples) (E.g., 4-equivalent coupler (42)) having a chlorine leaving group to give a 2-equivalent coupler, and couplers (6) and (9) are particularly preferred) and cyclic active methylene described in JP-A-64-32260. It is also preferable to use a cyan cyan coupler (among them, coupler examples 3, 8, and 34 listed as specific examples are particularly preferable).
[0062]
In the photosensitive material according to the present invention, a dye capable of being decolorized by a treatment described in European Patent EPO, 337, 490A2, pp. 27-76, is applied to a hydrophilic colloid layer for the purpose of improving image sharpness and the like. (Of which oxonol dyes are particularly preferred) so that the optical reflection density at 680 nm of the light-sensitive material is 0.70 or more. It is preferable to contain 12% by weight or more (more preferably, 14% by weight or more) of titanium oxide surface-treated with (methylolethane) or the like.
[0063]
In the color photographic light-sensitive material according to the present invention, it is preferable to use a color image preservability improving compound as described in European Patent EPO, 277,589A2 together with a coupler. In particular, combination use with a pyrazoloazole coupler is preferred.
[0064]
That is, the compound (F) which forms a chemically inert and substantially colorless compound by chemically bonding with the aromatic amine-based developing agent remaining after the color developing process and / or the aromatic compound remaining after the color developing process. The compound (G) which forms a chemically inert and substantially colorless compound by chemically bonding with an oxidized product of an aromatic amine color developing agent can be used simultaneously or alone, for example, in storage after processing. It is preferable in order to prevent the generation of stains and other side effects due to the formation of a coloring dye due to the reaction between the color developing agent or its oxidized product remaining in the film and the coupler.
[0065]
The light-sensitive material according to the present invention further contains an antifungal agent described in JP-A-63-271247 in order to prevent various molds and bacteria that propagate in the hydrophilic colloid layer and deteriorate the image. Is preferred.
[0066]
In the present invention, the case where the dry film thickness of the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material excluding the support is 25 μm or less is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the carry-over amount and increasing the silver recovery rate. In particular, the thickness is preferably about 13 to 23 μm for a color negative film, and about 7 to 12 μm for a car paper.
[0067]
These film thickness reductions can be achieved by reducing the gelatin amount, silver amount, oil amount, coupler amount and the like, but most preferably by reducing the gelatin amount. Here, the film thickness can be measured by a standard method after the sample is left at 25 ° C. and 60 RH% for 2 weeks.
[0068]
In the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material used in the present invention, the photographic layer preferably has a film moisture of 1.5 to 4.0 from the viewpoint of improving stain and image storability. In particular, in the case of 1.5 to 3.0, a further effect can be obtained. The swelling degree of the present invention is a value obtained by dividing the thickness of the photographic layer after immersing the color photographic material in distilled water at 33 ° C. for 2 minutes by the thickness of the dried photographic layer.
[0069]
Here, the photographic layer means a laminated hydrophilic colloid layer containing at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer and having a water-permeable relationship with this layer. It does not include a back layer provided on the side opposite to the photographic photosensitive layer across the support. The photographic layer is usually formed of a plurality of layers involved in photographic image formation, and includes an intermediate layer, a filter layer, an antihalation layer, a protective layer and the like in addition to the silver halide emulsion layer.
[0070]
Although any method may be used to adjust the swelling degree, for example, the amount and type of gelatin used for the photographic film, the amount and type of the hardener, or the drying conditions and aging conditions after coating the photographic layer. Can be adjusted by changing. It is advantageous to use gelatin for the photographic layer, but more hydrophilic colloids can be used. For example, gelatin derivatives, graft polymers of gelatin and other polymers, proteins such as albumin and casein, cellulose derivatives such as hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and cellulose sulfates, sugar derivatives such as sodium alginate and starch derivatives; polyvinyl alcohol Use of various kinds of synthetic hydrophilic high molecular substances such as mono- or copolymers such as polyvinyl alcohol partial acetal, poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyvinylimidazole and polyvinylpyrazole Can be.
[0071]
As the gelatin, besides lime-processed gelatin, acid-processed gelatin may be used, and gelatin hydrolyzate and gelatin enzyme hydrolyzate can also be used. As the gelatin derivative, various compounds such as acid halides, acid anhydrides, isocyanates, bromoacetic acid, alkane sultones, vinylsulfonamides, maleimide compounds, polyalkylene oxides, and epoxy compounds are added to gelatin. What is obtained by the reaction is used.
[0072]
The gelatin / graft polymer is obtained by grafting a homopolymer or a copolymer of a vinyl monomer such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, derivatives thereof such as esters and amides, acrylonitrile, styrene and the like onto gelatin. Can be used. In particular, a graft polymer of a polymer having a certain degree of compatibility with gelatin, for example, a polymer such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylamide, methacrylamide, or hydroxyacryl methacrylate is preferred. Examples of these are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,763,625, 2,831,767, and 2,956,884. Representative synthetic hydrophilic polymer substances are described, for example, in West German Patent Application (OLS) 2,312,708, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,620,751, 3,879,205, and JP-B-43-7561. ing.
[0073]
Examples of the hardener include chromium salts (chromium alum, chromium acetate, etc.), aldehydes (formaldehyde, glyoxal, glutaraldehyde, etc.), N-methylol compounds (dimethylolurea, methyloldimethylhydantoin, etc.), dioxane derivatives (2 , 3-dihydroxydioxane), active vinyl compounds (1,3,5-triacryloyl-hexahydro-s-triazine, bis (vinylsulfonyl) methyl ether, N, N'-methylenebis- [β- (vinylsulfonyl) propion Amide]), active halogen compounds (such as 2,4-dichloro-6-hydroxy-s-triazine), mucohalic acids (such as mucochloric acid and mucophenoxycyclolic acid), isoxazoles, dialdehyde starch, and 2-chlorobenzene. -6-hydro Etc. Shitoriajiniru gelatin can be used alone or in combination.
[0074]
Particularly preferred hardeners are aldehydes, active vinyl compounds and active halogen compounds.
[0075]
Further, as the support used in the light-sensitive material according to the present invention, a white polyester-based support for display or a support in which a layer containing a white pigment is provided on the support having a silver halide emulsion layer is used. May be used. In order to further improve the sharpness, it is preferable to coat an antihalation layer on the side of the support on which the silver halide emulsion layer is coated or on the back surface. In particular, the transmission density of the support is preferably set in the range of 0.35 to 0.8 so that the display can be viewed with both reflected light and transmitted light.
[0076]
The photosensitive material according to the present invention may be exposed to visible light or infrared light. As the exposure method, low-light exposure or high-light short-time exposure may be used. ^-4 Laser scanning exposure systems shorter than seconds are preferred.
[0077]
In the exposure, it is preferable to use a band stop filter described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,726. As a result, light color mixing is removed, and color reproducibility is significantly improved.
[0078]
The method of the present invention can be applied to various photosensitive materials. Color negative film, color negative paper, color reversal paper, auto-positive paper, color reversal film, movie negative film, movie positive film, radiographic film, plate making film such as lith film, black and white negative film, etc. In particular, application to a color negative film or color negative paper is preferable.
[0079]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the film processor incorporating the processing liquid performance determination device of the present embodiment includes a loading section 10N for loading a negative film N. The loading section 10N is loaded with a negative film N which is exposed by opening a lid (not shown), and is exposed after being photographed and imaged, and then transports the loaded negative film N into the processor section 10P. In the processor section 10P, a color developing tank 10A, a bleach tank 10B, a bleach-fix tank 10C, a fixing tank 10D, a super-rinse tank 10E, a stabilizing tank 10F, and a color tank 10G are sequentially arranged. A development processing solution, a bleaching solution, a bleach-fixing solution, a fixing solution, washing water (rinse solution), and a stabilizing solution are stored. Further, each processing tank is provided with an upper roller and a lower roller, and constitutes a transport path between and within each processing tank, and the negative film N passes through each processing tank by the upper roller and the lower roller. At the same time, it is immersed in each processing solution to be processed.
[0080]
A drying unit 10H is arranged next to the processor unit 10P. The drying unit 10H dries the negative film N by reciprocating the negative film N in the vertical direction.
[0081]
Further, the film processor includes an infrared sensor unit 120 downstream of the outlet 10HE of the drying unit 10H.
[0082]
The film processor includes a storage box 22 for storing the negative film N that has passed through the infrared sensor unit 120, and includes a display panel 24 and a control unit 26.
[0083]
Next, the infrared sensor unit 120 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The infrared sensor unit 120 includes infrared radiation diodes (hereinafter, referred to as radiation diodes) 12A, 12B, and 12C as infrared radiation means. As the radiation diodes 12A, 12B and 12C, liquid-phase epitaxial radiation diodes using gallium arsenide (GaAs) can be used. In addition, carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) A laser, a carbon monoxide (CO) laser, or the like can also be used.
[0084]
Photovoltaic photoelectric conversion elements 14A, 14B, and 14C as infrared detection means are arranged so as to face the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C. As the photovoltaic photoelectric conversion elements 14A, 14B, and 14C, a photodiode or a phototransistor can be used. In the present embodiment, a photodiode is used. Hereinafter, the photovoltaic photoelectric conversion element is referred to as a photodiode.
[0085]
The radiation diode 12A and the photodiode 14A (hereinafter, referred to as a sensor 124A), the radiation diode 12B and the photodiode 14B (hereinafter, referred to as a sensor 124B), the radiation diode 12C, and the photodiode 14C (hereinafter, referred to as a sensor 124C), respectively. The light is shielded by the light-shielding boxes 20A, 20B, and 20C.
[0086]
On the upstream side of the sensor 124A in the direction of transport of the negative film N, between the sensors 124A and 124B, between the sensors 124B and 124C, and on the downstream side of the sensor 124C in the direction of transport of the negative film N, a transport roller 16A composed of a pair of rollers is provided. , 16B, 16C, 16D are provided so that the negative film N passes between the emitting diode 12A and the photodiode 14A, between the emitting diode 12B and the photodiode 14B, and between the emitting diode 12C and the photodiode 14C. The sensors 124A and 124B and the sensors 124B and 124C are arranged at equal intervals.
[0087]
Amplifiers 18A, 18B, 18C are connected to the photodiodes 14A, 14B, 14C, respectively. Each of the amplifiers 18A, 18B, and 18C includes a resistor, a capacitor, and an operational amplifier.
[0088]
Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the control unit 26 for mainly determining the processing liquid performance will be described. The control unit 26 is configured by a microcomputer. The microcomputer includes a CPU 28, a ROM 30, a RAM 32 And an input / output port 34, which are interconnected by a bus 36.
[0089]
The input / output port 34 is connected to the photodiodes 14A, 14B, 14C and the display panel 24 via the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, 12C, the amplifiers 18A, 18B, 18C. Note that another transport system (not shown) is connected to the input / output port 34.
[0090]
Here, the infrared rays radiated from the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C will be described. The infrared radiation emitted from the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C has substantially the same spectral distribution of emitted energy and different radiation energy. That is, the spectrum distribution is as shown in FIG. 4, and the peak portion of the spectrum distribution is 0.95 [μm]. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the radiation energy of the infrared rays radiated from the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C (hereinafter, referred to as radiation amount) is the radiation amount W1 for the radiation diode 12A and the radiation amount W2 for the radiation diode 12B. (A value smaller than W1), and the radiation diode 12C has a radiation amount W3 (a value smaller than W2). The radiation amount W1 is a value that allows infrared rays to pass through the negative film N that has been processed with the processing solution even if the desilvering performance of the processing solution is poor. Further, the radiation amount W2 is a value slightly smaller than the limit value for transmitting through the negative film N which has been processed with a processing solution having poor desilvering performance. Further, the radiation amount W3 is a value slightly smaller than the limit value for transmission through the negative film N which has been processed with a processing solution having a somewhat poor desilvering performance.
[0091]
As shown in FIG. 5, the spectral sensitivity characteristics of the photodiodes 14A, 14B and 14C have a peak at 0.85 [μm].
[0092]
Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to a flowchart showing a control routine (see FIG. 7).
[0093]
When the negative film N is loaded, the loading unit 10N conveys the loaded negative film N into the processor unit 10P. The negative film N transported into the processor unit 10P is transferred to the color developing tank 10A, the bleach tank 10B, the bleach-fix tank 10C, the fixing tank 10D4, the super-rinse tank 10E, and the stabilizing tanks 10F and 10G by the upper roller and the lower roller. After passing through the processing tanks in order, they are immersed in a developing solution, a bleaching solution, a bleach-fixing solution, a washing water and a stabilizing solution to be processed.
[0094]
The negative film N thus treated with the respective processing liquids of the processor unit 10P is guided to the drying unit 10H, reciprocates vertically in the drying unit 10H, and then the leading end portion (bello portion) of the negative film as a violent light portion. (See FIG. 8) reaches the infrared sensor unit 120. On the other hand, infrared rays are always emitted from the emitting diode 12A.
[0095]
Therefore, when the negative film N is conveyed and reaches between the light emitting diode 12A and the photodiode 14A, the detection amount of the infrared light of the photodiode 14A that receives the infrared light emitted from the light emitting diode 12A changes.
[0096]
As described above, when it is detected that the detection amount has changed, the present process starts. First, in step 102, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed. The predetermined time is a time during which the tongue portion NB of the negative film N reaches between the radiation diode 12B and the photodiode 14B. If this predetermined time has elapsed, the tongue portion NB has reached an area where infrared rays emitted from the radiation diode 12B can enter, and the radiation diode 12B is emitted in step 104.
[0097]
In step 106, it is determined whether the detection signal B has been input.
That is, when the desilvering performance of the processing solution is good or slightly poor (the desilvering process, that is, the desilvering performance is within an allowable range), silver such as silver halide contained in the negative film N is eluted into the processing solution. And has been lost from the negative film N. Therefore, the infrared radiation emitted from the radiation diode 12B passes through the tongue portion NB and reaches the photodiode 14B. In this case, a signal is output from the photodiode 14B, and the signal is amplified by the amplifier 18B and input as the detection signal B. Therefore, in this case, the determination in step 106 is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 110. When the detection signal B is input as described above, the desilvering performance of the processing solution is either “good” or “slightly poor”.
[0098]
On the other hand, when the processing solution is defective and the desilvering performance falls below an allowable range, the infrared radiation emitted from the radiation diode 12B is substantially reflected by the silver present in the negative film N. Therefore, the infrared light does not pass through the negative film N. Accordingly, the detection amount of the infrared light emitted from the light emitting diode 12B of the photodiode 14B becomes extremely small. Therefore, the detection signal B is not output.
[0099]
Therefore, in this case, the determination in step 106 is denied, and in step 108, the detection signal B was not input. To Then, the process proceeds to step 110.
[0100]
At step 110, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed. This predetermined time is a time required for the tongue portion NB of the negative film N to reach between the radiation diode 12C and the photodiode 14C. If this predetermined time has elapsed, the tongue portion NB has reached a region where the infrared rays emitted from the radiation diode 12C can enter, and thus emits the radiation diode 12C in step 112.
[0101]
In step 114, it is determined whether the detection signal C has been input.
If the processing solution condition is slightly poor and the desilvering performance falls below the permissible limit, the infrared radiation emitted from the radiation diode 12B is transmitted, but the infrared radiation emitted from the radiation diode 12C is transmitted. To It becomes hard. Therefore, the detection amount of the photodiode 14C becomes extremely small, and the detection signal C is not output. Accordingly, in this case, the determination in step 114 is denied, and in step 116, the fact that the detection signal C was not input is stored, and the process proceeds to step 118.
[0102]
In step 118, the processing liquid state is displayed. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the processing liquid state is displayed based on the combination of the presence or absence of the input of the detection signal B and the detection signal C. For example, when the detection signal B and the detection signal C are input, since the state of the processing liquid is good, “good” is displayed on the display panel 24. When the detection signal B is input but the detection signal C is not input, "slightly defective" is displayed on the display panel 24 because the state of the processing liquid is slightly defective. Further, when the detection signal B and the detection signal C are not inputted, the state of the processing liquid is defective, so that "defective" is displayed on the display panel 24.
[0103]
In the embodiment described above, since the processing liquid state is determined by determining whether or not infrared rays having different radiation amounts have transmitted through the negative film N, the processing can be performed without incorporating a const exposure unit or a densitometer. The desilvering performance of the solution can be determined, and the state of the processing solution can be determined with a simple configuration.
[0104]
In the embodiment described above, the peak portion of the spectrum distribution of the energy radiated from the radiation diode is 0.95 [μm]. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is approximately 0.75 [μm]. To about 2.5 [μm]. That is, the peak portion of the infrared ray is usually 0.75 [μm] to 25 [μm], but approximately 0.75 [μm] to which the infrared ray absorptivity of the film base resin of the negative film N is excluded. It can be approximately 2.5 [μm].
[0105]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the state of the processing liquid is determined, and the determination result is displayed on the display panel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the determination result is communicated by the operator to wait. The host computer may be contacted.
[0106]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the sensor 124A is configured by the radiation diode and the photodiode, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a film detection sensor that does not use infrared rays. That is, a configuration in which the leading end of the negative film N is mechanically detected may be used.
[0107]
In the above-described embodiment, the radiation amounts of the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C are different from each other like the radiation amounts W1, W2, and W3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C may emit infrared rays having substantially the same radiation amount (for example, the radiation amount W1) and radiated infrared rays having different spectral distributions.
[0108]
That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, the peak portion of the spectrum distribution of the emitted energy is set to 0.80 [μm], 0.95 [μm], and 1.00 [μm]. it can. In this case, the spectral sensitivity characteristics of the photodiodes are substantially the same (for example, 0.85 [μm]). This allows the sensor to have high sensitivity, medium sensitivity, and low sensitivity by combining the radiation diode and the photodiode. Therefore, the state of the processing liquid can be determined in three stages.
[0109]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the state of the processing liquid is determined in three stages, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be determined in other stages.
[0110]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, at least one of the peak portions of the spectral distribution of the radiated energy and the radiated energy is configured to emit different infrared rays from the plurality of radiating diodes, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, the amount of infrared radiation radiated from one radiation diode is changed using a filter having a predetermined transmittance, and the energy of infrared radiation radiated from one radiation diode is modified using a filter having a wavelength shift characteristic. By shifting the peak portion of the spectral distribution or using an infrared radiation source that can emit infrared light in a wide wavelength range, using a filter that selectively transmits the required wavelength or a filter that can adjust the amount of radiation, At least one of the peaks in the spectral distribution of the emitted energy and the emitted energy is It may be morphism.
[0111]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the transmittance of an infrared negative film is determined, and the state of the processing liquid is determined according to the determined transmittance. Hereinafter, the same components as those of the above-described first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.
[0112]
Here, in the film processor of this embodiment (see FIG. 11), the infrared sensor unit 120 is provided in the drying unit 10H. In this case, due to the water adhering to and absorbed by the negative film N and the reflection of infrared light due to the residual silver amount of the negative film, the infrared light transmittance cannot be accurately obtained simply by the detection amount of infrared light of the photodiode.
[0113]
Therefore, in this example, the transmittance of infrared water was determined, and the transmittance of the negative film was corrected by the determined transmittance to obtain an appropriate transmittance, and the processing liquid was determined in accordance with the determined appropriate transmittance. The state is determined.
[0114]
When the processing solution performance is good, that is, when the desilvering performance is good, silver contained in the negative film N elutes into the processing solution, and the amount of silver remaining in the negative film N becomes extremely small. . Therefore, the infrared rays easily pass through the negative film N, and the transmittance increases. On the other hand, when the processing solution performance is poor, that is, when the desilvering performance is poor, the silver contained in the negative film N becomes difficult to elute into the processing solution, and the silver of the negative film N The residual amount increases. Therefore, the infrared rays are reflected by the silver remaining on the negative film N and are hardly transmitted through the negative film N, and the transmittance is reduced. As described above, since the transmittance of the infrared ray and the performance of the processing liquid correspond to each other, the performance of the processing liquid can be determined based on the transmittance of the infrared ray.
[0115]
That is, in this embodiment, in order to determine the transmittance of infrared light to water, the infrared diode 12B emits infrared light whose peak portion of the spectral distribution of radiant energy is easily absorbed by water. That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the infrared ray whose peak portion of the radiant energy spectrum distribution is easily absorbed by water has a wavelength of 1.43 [μm], 1.94 [μm], and other wavelengths of 3.0 [μm]. is there. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the emission diode 12B emits an infrared ray whose wavelength at the peak is 1.43 [μm] (see FIG. 13).
[0116]
Also, the wavelength of the peak portion of the spectral distribution of the radiant energy from the radiation diodes 12A and 12C is located on the longer wavelength side and the shorter wavelength side than the wavelength of the peak portion of the infrared ray radiated from the radiation diode 12B. Infrared rays (infrared rays whose spectral energy distribution peaks are hardly absorbed by water) are emitted. That is, the emission diode 12A emits an infrared ray having a wavelength at the peak portion of 0.95 [μm] and the emission diode 12C emits an infrared ray having a wavelength at the peak portion of 1.70 [μm] (see FIG. 13). ). In addition, the radiation amount of the infrared radiation radiated from the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C is the same radiation amount W1.
[0117]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart (FIG. 14) showing a control routine.
[0118]
This routine starts when the negative film N is detected by a film detection sensor (not shown) and it is determined that the tongue portion NB of the negative film N has reached the sensor 124A of the infrared sensor unit 120. Is initialized to 0. Here, the emitting diode 12A is identified by a variable C = 1, the emitting diode 12B is identified by a variable C = 2, and the emitting diode 12C is identified by a variable C = 3.
[0119]
In step 152, the variable C is incremented by one, and in step 154, the radiation diode identified by the variable C emits infrared rays.
[0120]
In the next step 156, it is determined whether or not the photodiode corresponding to the radiation diode has detected infrared rays. If the determination is denied, the processing liquid state is defective, so that "defective" is displayed on the display panel 24 in step 164, and the processing ends. On the other hand, if the determination in step 156 is affirmative, in step 158, the transmittance is obtained. That is, the infrared rays emitted from the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C [outputs of the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C are shown in FIG. ] Are detected by the photodiodes 14A, 14B, and 14C, and are output to the control unit 26 as detection signals (output values proportional to transmittance) shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 15B, the transmittance is determined based on the magnitude of the detection signal. Therefore, in step 158, the transmittance of infrared light to the negative film is obtained based on the magnitude of the input detection signal.
[0121]
In the next step 160, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed. This predetermined time is a time required for the tongue portion NB to reach a region where infrared rays emitted from the next radiation diode (identified by the variable C + 1) can enter. If the predetermined time has elapsed, since the tongue portion NB has reached a region where infrared rays emitted from the radiation diode (identified by the variable C + 1) can enter, the variable C is set to C0 or more in step 162. (3 in the present embodiment) It is determined whether or not it is more. If the determination is denied, the process has not been performed for all the radiation diodes, so the process proceeds to step 152 and the above processes (steps 152 to 162) are executed again.
[0122]
On the other hand, the judgment of step 162 Is positive If so, the processing is performed on all the radiation diodes 12A, 12B, and 12C, so that the ratio is calculated in step 166.
[0123]
That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 16, the infrared radiation (the above-described peak wavelength λ) ₁ (0.95 [μm])), the transmittance is R1, and the infrared radiation (the above-described peak wavelength λ) ₀ (1.43 [μm])) ₀ And infrared rays emitted from the emitting diode 12C (the peak wavelength λ described above). ₂ (1.70 [μm])) is defined as R2.
[0124]
First, in order to determine the transmittance of infrared water, the ratio of the transmittance S0 to the transmittance R1 (or the transmittance R2) is determined.
[0125]
Here, the reason for determining the transmittance of infrared water by determining the ratio will be described with reference to FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 18A, the radiant energy of the infrared light emitted from the light emitting diode 12B is W1, the radiant energy of the infrared light immediately after passing through the water NW attached to the negative film N is W2, and the negative film is The radiant energy of infrared light after passing through N is defined as W3. FIG. 18A shows a state in which water adheres to the negative film N for convenience of description. However, in actuality, water adheres to the upper and lower sides of the negative film N, and the water adheres to the inside of the negative film N. Has been absorbed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 18B, the radiant energy of the infrared ray radiated from the radiating diode 12B is W1, and the radiant energy of the infrared ray after passing through the negative film N to which water is not attached is W4.
[0126]
In this case, the transmittance S0 and the transmittance R1 are obtained by the following equations (1) and (2), respectively.
[0127]
(Equation 1)
S0 = (W3 / W1) × 100 (1)
[0128]
(Equation 2)
R1 = (W4 / W1) × 100 (2)
On the other hand, the transmittance T1 of infrared water NW _NW Is obtained from the following equation (3) (see FIG. 18A).
[0129]
(Equation 3)
T1 _NW = (W2 / W1) × 100 (3)
Here, the following relational expression (4) holds.
[0130]
(Equation 4)
W3 / W2 = W4 / W1 (4)
From the above equations (1) to (4), the transmittance of infrared water T1 _NW Is given by the following equation (5).
[0131]
(Equation 5)
T1 _NW = (S0 / R1) × 100 (5)
Thus, the transmittance of infrared water T1 _NW Is obtained from the ratio of the transmittance S0 to the transmittance R1 (corresponding to equation (5)).
[0132]
The above equation is for calculating the transmittance of infrared water in an ideal state. However, in actuality, the base is inclined as shown in FIG. 17 due to factors such as the surface condition of the negative film N, color, and image density, and the transmission with respect to the wavelength is performed. The baseline of the rate may tilt. Thus, when the base is tilted, the absorption ratio of the wavelength slightly (γ) changes. Depending on the degree of the inclination, even if the absorption of water is canceled, the difference of γ may be mistaken as the influence of the absorption of the residual silver amount. Since the ratio of γ is small, there is no problem if you actually select the wavelength to be used and the state of the film to be detected.However, when detecting the residual silver amount with higher accuracy, correct the water absorption systematically. Is preferred.
[0133]
Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to correct this phenomenon, the water absorption region (λ ₀ ) And two wavelengths (λ ₁ , Λ ₂ ) Is measured, and as shown in the following equation (6), γ is canceled out to obtain an appropriate infrared water transmittance T0. _NW I want to ask. This is the principle of a so-called three-color infrared moisture meter.
[0134]
(Equation 6)
T0 _NW = [S0 / (R1 + R2)] × 100 (6)
After calculating the ratio as described above, in step 168, the transmittance R1 + γ (or the transmittance R1-γ) may be changed to the water transmittance T0. _NW Then, the appropriate transmittance of the infrared negative film N is calculated. In step 170, the state of the processing solution is estimated from the calculated appropriate transmittance. In step 172, the estimated state of the processing solution is displayed. The process ends.
[0135]
As described above, in this embodiment, the film emits two types of infrared rays, in which the peak part of the spectral distribution of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water and the infrared ray whose peak part is hardly absorbed by water. Based on the detected amount, the transmittance of infrared water and the negative film N was determined, and the transmittance of the negative film was corrected with the determined transmittance of water. And the desilvering performance of the processing solution can be accurately determined based on this.
[0136]
In the above-described embodiment, when the transmittance of infrared light of the negative film in the drying tank is determined, the transmittance of water is also determined. Therefore, the amount of water in the drying tank (the amount of water adhered to and absorbed by the negative film N) is determined. (The amount of water and the amount of water in the air) can be detected, whereby the drying conditions (temperature of the heater and rotation speed of the fan) (not shown) in the drying tank can be changed to appropriate values.
[0137]
Here, conventionally, so-called haze (haze) may occur, in which the gloss of the dried negative film N is partially lost. In particular, when rapid drying is performed, haze is likely to occur due to high humidity in the vicinity of the outlet of the drying unit, and image unevenness that may cause a portion having a different gloss in the finish is likely to occur. In such a case, the above-described infrared sensor unit is provided in the drying unit, and the amount of water in the negative film N and the amount of water in the outlet atmosphere of the drying unit (the amount of infrared absorption in air) are detected, and the drying conditions are fed back. By doing so, the occurrence of the haze can be prevented.
[0138]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the presence / absence of the discharge of the negative film from the film processor can be detected in a non-contact manner, so that the jamming can be managed.
[0139]
In the embodiment described above, the transmittance of infrared rays is determined. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the reflectance of infrared rays may be determined.
[0140]
Also, in the above-described embodiment, the negative film N emits two types of infrared rays, in which the peak part of the spectral distribution of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water and the infrared ray whose peak part is hardly absorbed by water. However, the present invention is not limited to this, except that the peak portion of the spectrum distribution of the radiated energy is easily absorbed by water, and that the peak portion is not easily absorbed by water. May be radiated to the negative film N.
[0141]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, in consideration of the fact that the tongue portion (tip portion) of the negative film having a large amount of exposure is exposed to light, the amount of residual silver is the largest. Although the state of the processing liquid is determined by the method, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be another part other than the tongue part of the negative film. When the light-exposed portion does not exist, a predetermined portion may be exposed in advance by a processing device or the like to form a portion corresponding to the light-exposed portion. When exposing a predetermined portion, the exposure amount can be adjusted, so that the exposure can be performed according to the sensitivity of the sensor.
[0142]
Further, in the above-described second embodiment, two types of infrared rays whose peak part of the spectrum distribution of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water and two kinds of infrared rays whose peak part is hardly absorbed by water are emitted from a plurality of radiation diodes. Although the present invention is not limited to this, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to shift the peak portion of the spectral distribution of the energy of infrared light emitted from one emitting diode by using a filter having a wavelength shift characteristic. Or through a filter that selectively transmits the required wavelengths of infrared radiation emitted from an infrared radiation source capable of emitting infrared light in a wide wavelength range, so that the infrared light and the peak light are easily absorbed by water. Two types of infrared rays which are hardly absorbed by water may be emitted.
[0143]
In the first embodiment described above, the infrared sensor unit is installed downstream of the drying unit in the transport direction of the negative film, and in the second embodiment, the infrared sensor unit is installed in the drying unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a position downstream of the processing tank storing the processing liquid for desilvering the negative film N in the transport direction of the negative film N. For example, an infrared sensor unit may be installed in a super rinse tank, a stabilizing tank, or the like. In this case, if it is expected that water is attached to and absorbed by the negative film N, the transmittance of infrared water is determined as in the second embodiment described above, and the infrared negative film is obtained. The transmittance of N may be corrected, or the negative film N may be irradiated with infrared light whose peak portion of the spectrum distribution of the emitted energy is hardly absorbed by water.
[0144]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, a film processor is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a printer processor. That is, as shown in FIG. 19, the printer processor includes a light source unit 12 including a dimming filter including C, M, and Y filters, a reflection mirror, and a halogen lamp, and a paper containing color paper 16P as a photosensitive material. The magazine 16 is provided.
[0145]
The light emitted from the light source unit 12 is applied to the exposure unit 14 via the negative carrier 18. The color paper 16P pulled out from the paper magazine 16 is printed with the image of the negative film N in the exposure unit 14, and is conveyed into the processor unit 10K.
[0146]
The processor unit 10 includes a color developing tank 10N1, a bleach-fix tank 10N2, a rinsing tank 10N3 to 10N6, and a drying unit 10N7. That is, the color paper 16P developed in the color developing tank 10N1 is subjected to fixing processing in the bleach-fixing tank 10N2, and then washed with water in the rinsing tanks 10N3 to 10N6 to produce a color print. The water-washed color print is dried in the drying unit 10N7 and then placed on the sorter unit 10N8.
[0147]
Then, the infrared sensor unit 120V may be installed at a position downstream of the processing tank storing the processing solution for desilvering the color paper 16P in the transport direction of the color paper 16P. That is, the inside of the rinsing tanks 10N3 to 10N6 and the inside of the drying unit 10N7. FIG. 19 shows an example in which an infrared sensor unit is installed in the drying unit 10N7. In this case, since the infrared ray does not pass through the paper portion, the infrared sensor unit 120V includes a radiation diode that irradiates the infrared ray toward the color paper and a photo diode that receives the infrared ray reflected by the color paper. Do What is necessary is just to comprise with the reflection type sensor comprised with these.
[0148]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, a film processor or a printer processor has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the film processor and the printer processor may be integrated into a photographic processing apparatus (see FIG. 20). It is also applicable to those that did. That is, in the photographic processing apparatus 10L, the negative film 12L is pulled out from the cartridge 14L and developed, and the film processing unit 16L and the color paper 20L wound up in a magazine 18L and accommodated in a roll are drawn out and developed. An image exposure unit 22L for exposing according to the image recorded on the negative film 12L and a paper processing unit 24L for developing the color paper 20L after the image exposure are provided, and are integrally accommodated in a casing (not shown).
[0149]
The film processing unit 16L includes a developing tank 26L for storing a developing solution, a bleaching tank 28L for storing a bleaching solution, a first fixing tank 30L and a second fixing tank 32L for storing a fixing solution in each of them, and a rinsing for storing rinsing water. A tank 34L, a first stabilizing bath 36L and a second stabilizing bath 38L for respectively storing a stabilizing bath liquid are continuously arranged, and a drying chamber 42L and a reservoir 44L are provided downstream of the second stabilizing bath 38L. .
[0150]
The negative film 12L pulled out of the cartridge 14L is transported by a transport unit (not shown) to a developing tank 26L, a bleaching tank 28L, a first fixing tank 30L, a second fixing tank 32L, a washing tank 34L, a first stable bath 36L, and a second stable bath. The solution is sequentially conveyed through the 38 L, and is subjected to a processing solution treatment with a developing solution, a bleaching solution, a fixing solution, washing water and a stabilizing bath solution. The negative film 12L after the processing liquid processing is dried in a drying chamber 42L by blowing dry air generated by a heater and a drying fan (not shown), and sent out to a reservoir 44L.
[0151]
On the other hand, the image exposure unit 22L draws in the negative film 12L after the development processing from the reservoir unit 44L, pulls out the color paper 20L from the magazine 18L, and sequentially exposes the image recorded on the negative film 12L to the color paper 20L. I do. The configuration of the image exposure unit 22L includes slit exposure for exposing an image recorded on the negative film 12L to the color paper 20L while transporting the negative film 12L and color paper 20L at a predetermined speed, and a negative film 12L. After reading the image recorded in the image reading means by the image reading means, various exposure methods such as scanning and exposing the read image to the color paper 20L by a laser beam or the like can be used. The color paper 20L thus image-exposed is sent to a reservoir 46L provided between the image exposure unit 22L and the paper processing unit 24L.
[0152]
The paper processing unit 24L includes a developing tank 48L for storing a developing solution for developing the color paper 20L, a bleach-fixing tank 50L for storing a bleach-fixing solution, a first rinsing tank 52L for storing a rinsing liquid, and a second rinsing tank. A tank 54L and a third rinsing tank 56L are provided, and a drying chamber 58L is provided downstream of the third rinsing tank 56L in the color paper transport direction. The image-exposed color paper 20L sent to the reservoir unit 46L is drawn into the paper processing unit 24L by a conveyance unit (not shown), and is further subjected to a developing tank 48L, a bleach-fix tank 50L, a first rinsing tank 52L, and a second rinsing tank. 54L and the third rinsing tank 56L are sequentially conveyed and subjected to a processing solution treatment with a developing solution, a bleach-fixing solution, and a rinsing solution. The color paper 20L having been subjected to the treatment liquid treatment is conveyed in the drying chamber 58L, and is dried by blowing drying air generated by a heater and a drying fan (not shown).
[0153]
The dried color paper 20L is cut into, for example, image frames and discharged as a photographic print.
[0154]
Then, an infrared sensor unit is provided at each or any one of the positions on the downstream side in the transport direction of the negative film N and the color paper 16P from the processing tank storing the processing liquid for desilvering the negative film N and the color paper 16P. What is necessary is just to install it.
[0155]
Further, in the above-described embodiment and modified examples, infrared rays having a plurality of wavelengths are used, and the amount of silver and absorption of moisture of the negative film N are detected, and the presence or absence of the negative film N can be determined by calculation. If the negative film N is provided in the processor unit (at a position downstream of the processing tank storing the processing liquid for desilvering the negative film N in the transport direction of the negative film N), the position of the negative film N can also be detected.
[0156]
Here, using a color negative processor FP360B (trade name) manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., and using a processing liquid “CN-16FA” (trade name) manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., a color negative film Super G Ace manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. After processing and drying 400 (trade name), the processing performance of the processing liquid “CN-16FA” is determined based on the transmission amount of the infrared light transmitted through the color negative film by irradiating infrared light using the above-described infrared sensor unit. As a result, the result of this determination and the measurement result obtained by actually measuring the processing performance of the processing solution were in good agreement.
[0157]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the invention according to claim 1 is irradiated with infrared rays. Color Through or through the photographic material Color Since one of the amounts of infrared light reflected from the photographic material is compared with a reference value and the desilvering performance of the processing solution is determined based on the comparison result, the processing can be performed without incorporating a const exposure unit or a densitometer. This has an excellent effect that the desilvering performance of the solution can be determined and the state of the processing solution can be determined with a simple configuration.
[0158]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the peak part of the spectrum of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water and the second part of the peak of the spectrum distribution of the emitted energy is hardly absorbed by water. Infrared Color The first and second absorptances are obtained based on the amount of infrared light emitted to the photographic material and detected by the infrared detection means, and the second absorptivity is corrected by the obtained first absorptivity. From doing Color It has an excellent effect that an appropriate absorptivity of the photographic light-sensitive material for absorbing the second infrared ray can be determined, and the desilvering performance of the processing solution can be accurately determined based on this.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a film processor of a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of the infrared sensor unit.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control unit of a part for determining the performance of the processing liquid according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a spectrum distribution of infrared light emitted from a light emitting diode.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the spectral sensitivity of a photodiode.
FIG. 6 is a table showing a radiation amount of a radiation diode.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing liquid performance determination processing routine of the present embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a light-glowing portion (bello portion) of a negative film.
FIG. 9 is a map showing the relationship between the presence or absence of input of a detection signal and the state of the processing liquid.
FIG. 10 is a table showing a radiation amount of a radiation diode in a modification of the present embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a film processor according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the transmittance of water at the peak with respect to the wavelength at the peak of the spectral distribution of radiant energy.
FIG. 13 is a table showing wavelengths at peak portions of a spectrum distribution of infrared radiation energy radiated from a radiation diode.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a processing liquid state determination processing routine according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output of the radiation diode (a), the signal output from the photodiode, and the transmittance (b).
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a relationship between a wavelength of infrared rays and a transmittance in a standard state.
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the relationship between the wavelength of infrared rays and the transmittance in a state other than the standard state.
FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a calculation for obtaining a transmittance of infrared rays.
FIG. 19 is a schematic view showing a printer processor to which the present invention can be applied.
FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a photographic processing apparatus in which a film processor and a printer processor are integrated.
[Explanation of symbols]
12A, 12B, 12C radiation diode
14A, 14B, 14C photodiode
26 control unit

Claims (12)

Infrared irradiation means for irradiating infrared light to the desilvered color photographic light-sensitive material by passing through the processing solution,
Infrared detection means for detecting one of infrared light transmitted through the color photographic light-sensitive material and infrared light reflected from the color photographic light-sensitive material,
A processing liquid performance determination unit that compares the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detection unit with a reference value and determines the desilvering performance of the processing liquid based on the comparison result.
A processing liquid performance determination device comprising: 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared irradiating unit irradiates a plurality of infrared rays each having at least one of a spectral distribution of emitted energy and a radiant energy different from each other. 3. In the color photographic light-sensitive material which has passed through the processing solution and has been desilvered, the peak portion of the spectrum distribution of the emitted energy is easily absorbed by water, and the peak portion of the spectrum distribution is absorbed by water. Infrared irradiating means for irradiating a second infrared ray which is hardly absorbed;
Infrared detection means for detecting one of infrared light transmitted through the color photographic light-sensitive material and infrared light reflected from the color photographic light-sensitive material,
Based on the amount of infrared light detected by the infrared detecting means, a first absorptivity at which water absorbs the first infrared light and a second absorptivity at which the color photographic material absorbs the second infrared light Is determined, and the second absorptance is corrected by the determined first absorptance to determine an appropriate absorptivity for the color photographic light-sensitive material to absorb the second infrared ray. Processing solution performance determination means for determining the desilvering performance of the processing solution;
A processing liquid performance determination device comprising: In the second infrared ray, the wavelength range of the peak portion is a third infrared ray whose wavelength range is longer than the wavelength range of the peak portion of the first infrared ray, and the wavelength range of the peak portion is the second infrared ray. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first infrared ray is a fourth infrared ray located on a shorter wavelength side than a wavelength range of the peak portion of the infrared ray. Said infrared detection means, according to claim 1 or claims and detects one of the light reflected from the maximum exposure of the color photographic light transmitted and said color photographic material has passed through the maximum exposure of the material Item 5. The processing liquid performance determination device according to any one of Items 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of the infrared light is a near infrared light. Irradiate infrared rays on the desilvered color photographic light-sensitive material passing through the processing solution,
Detecting one amount of infrared light transmitted through the color photographic light-sensitive material and infrared light reflected from the color photographic light-sensitive material,
Comparing the amount of the detected infrared light with a reference value, and determining the desilvering performance of the processing solution based on the result of the comparison.
Processing solution performance determination method. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the infrared rays irradiated to the color photographic light-sensitive material are a plurality of types of infrared rays having at least one of a spectral distribution of emitted energy and a radiation energy different from each other. The processing solution in the desilvering processed color photographic light-sensitive material through the first infrared and the peak portion of the spectral distribution peak portion of the spectral distribution is likely to be absorbed by water in energy emitted water Irradiates the second infrared which is hardly absorbed by
Detecting one amount of infrared light transmitted through the color photographic light-sensitive material and infrared light reflected from the color photographic light-sensitive material,
Based on the amount of the detected infrared light, a first absorptance of water absorbing the first infrared light and a second absorptivity of the color photographic material absorbing the second infrared light,
Correcting the second absorptance with the obtained first absorptance to determine an appropriate absorptivity for the color photographic light-sensitive material to absorb the second infrared ray,
Determine the desilvering performance of the processing solution based on the determined appropriate absorption rate,
Processing solution performance determination method. The second infrared ray is a third infrared ray whose wavelength range of the peak portion is larger than the wavelength range of the peak portion of the first infrared ray and the wavelength range of the peak portion is the first infrared ray. The method according to claim 9, wherein the fourth infrared ray is a fourth infrared ray smaller than the wavelength region at the peak. The detected infrared radiation, the claims 7 to 10, wherein the color photographic light-sensitive material which is one of infrared maximum exposure unit and reflected from the maximum exposure portion of the transmitted infrared rays and the color photographic light-sensitive material The method for determining the performance of a processing liquid according to any one of the preceding claims. 12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the wavelength of the infrared ray is a near infrared ray.

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