JPH01116546A - Compact automatic developing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the processing speed in case of continuous processing by pre-heating a processing liquid in the other container, while a sheet-like photographic photosensitive material is being processed by one container. CONSTITUTION:The title compact developing device can contain at least two containers of a photographic processing liquid, and it is provided with a holding part which can pre-heat a processing liquid in the other container, while a sheet-like photographic photosensitive material is being processed by one container. To a container 150 placed in a waiting position, hot water is thrown in by a solution liquid supply means 152, and pre-heating is executed. That is, a processing liquid is pre-heated, while it is contained in the container which becomes a processing tank and placed in the waiting position, therefore, at the time of the next processing, said liquid can be offered for the processing at almost no-time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a small automatic developing machine used for developing and processing sheet-like photographic materials such as so-called disk films and dental X-ray films. .

[Prior art] Dental X-ray film is generally developed by a manual operation called hand development, but disc film (
For example, photosensitive materials such as those marketed by Kodak (in which disc-shaped photosensitive materials are housed in a cartridge with a light-shielding structure) are collected at centralized processing facilities called laboratories through DPE distributors, etc. It is then processed using a large automatic processor.

In the case of roll-shaped films, in addition to the above-mentioned laboratory processing, short-time processing using a relatively small automatic developing machine called a so-called mini-lab is popular.

However, in the case of disc films, there are no minilabs in Japan to process them, and they are still processed using dedicated large automatic processors in centralized processing facilities (labs) that are scattered across the country.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present inventors have solved the delay in processing services for disc films caused by the uneven distribution of processing facilities that perform photographic processing such as developing disc films.

In order to speed up processing services, such as one-hour or same-day processing services for roll film, ultra-compact automatic processors that process one to several disc films are placed in relatively narrow storefronts such as DPE distributors. We have proposed a system that provides processing services such as development, and the present invention has been made as a link to this system, and the present invention is a system that provides processing services such as development. The main object of the present invention is to clarify an automatic developing machine for disc film having a temperature control mechanism for photographic processing liquid that is effective when processing a large number of sheets. The purpose of the present invention is to clarify an automatic processor capable of processing other sheet-like photographic materials in the same manner, and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above-mentioned object of the present invention is to provide a compact developing device that can accommodate at least two containers of photographic processing liquid, while processing a sheet-like photographic material using one container. This is achieved by a small automatic developing machine that enables continuous processing and is equipped with a standby section that can preheat the processing liquid in another container.The details will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example in which the present invention is applied to an automatic developing machine for disk films, and the structure and functions thereof will be explained in sequence.

In the following description, the disk film to be processed is a commercially available product shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, and is constructed as follows.

In the figure, 10 is a cartridge, and a light-shielding structure is formed by combining an exposure window side plate 11 and a label side plate 12 to protect the disc film 20 from light. , central opening 14.
Window for opening/closing operation of light shielding plate 15. A bottle insertion hole 16 for opening and closing the light shielding plate and an opening 17 for destroying the cartridge are provided.

Inside the exposure window, a light shielding plate 18 is connected to a disk film 20.
By inserting a pin from the pin insertion hole 16 and pressing it while rotating using the protrusion of the light-shielding plate 18 exposed at the window 15 for opening and closing the light-shielding plate, the light-shielding plate 18 can be inserted into the exposure window 13. The disc film 20 will be exposed.

A hub 21 of the disc film is exposed in the central opening 14. A member for pressing the frame portion of the disc film 20 at the exposure position is exposed on the back side of the label side plate 12.

Unlike a conventional self-developing machine for disc film, in which the disc film 20 is taken out from the cartridge 10 by an opener and set in the automatic developing machine, in the automatic developing machine of the present invention, the cartridge l
It is set in the O position.

To set the cartridge 10 in the device, two methods are adopted: using the applicator 100 as shown in the figure, and directly setting it in the device (so that the part opposite to the part to be opened remains in a fixed position). . Incidentally, it is naturally shielded from light in this set state.

When the setting of the cartridge 10 is completed as described above (the cartridge is set so that the opening part faces down considering the subsequent steps), the cartridge opener is opened.
The disc film is removed from the cartridge.

In the illustrated cartridge opener, in the first step, the portion opposite to the exposure window 12 (indicated by diagonal lines) is pressed from the A2 direction around the back surface of the openings 17 and 17 of the exposure window side plate 11. At the same time as pressing with pressure (including stopping one side by a stopper), the lower end of the label side plate 12 is pressed with a pressing force from the A1 direction through the openings 17, 17 of the exposure window side plate 11. In this case, the label side plate 12
The points of action of the cartridge end breaking member 120 are preferably the inner side of the openings 17 and 17 of the exposure window side plate 11 and the lower center portion (the tongue portion of the label side plate 12) 19.
Since the mutual pushing force in the AI and A2 directions is equivalent to the pulling force in the opposite direction, in the actual device, the hook is formed by the linear movement of the pushing rod or bottle in the A1 and A2 directions. A1 and A2
There are cases in which linear motion (pulling motion) is performed in directions opposite to the two, and there are also cases in which a combination of both is performed.

The pressure from the A2 direction may be simply static pressure from a stopper, but in order to efficiently destroy the cartridge, a cartridge end destruction member 121 is used.

The mechanism for applying pressing force in the A1 and A2 directions is as follows:
As shown in the diagram, there are those that convert one rotation force of a motor into linear reciprocating motion using a pinion rack mechanism, etc., those that use a booster mechanism that uses a screw (worm gear), those that use solenoid movement, and those that are manually operated using the lever principle. These can be obtained by various movement mechanisms, but they are selectively applied in response to the demand for miniaturization.

When the lower end of the cartridge is broken, the pressing members 122 and 123 then push the sides of the cartridge 10 at 81.
and 2 which forms the cartridge 10 by pressing in the B2 direction.
Flex a board. Note that one of the pressing members 122 and 123 may be configured to act as a stopper in a stationary state.

As a cartridge opener that can be used in the automatic developing machine of the present invention, in addition to those having the above-mentioned configuration, a type that destroys the cartridge 10 and causes the disc film 20 to fall downward is preferably used. Furthermore, without being limited to these, for example, those described in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-21859, No. 61-21860, No. 61-29130, etc., filed by the applicant of the present application can be applied.
These include cartridge openers that use a cutter mechanism to cut off the side joints of the cartridge.

Disc film 10 released from cartridge 10
falls freely, is guided by the guide member 130, and stops at the position of the stopper 131 provided at the lower end thereof.

Note that if a reciprocating light-shielding plate 132 is provided on the upper surface of the guide member 130 to block light from above the guide member 130 after the disc film 10 falls, the applicator 100 can be taken out and the empty cartridge removed. 10 can be removed and the primary cartridge IO can be set. Such a configuration is useful when the illustrated automatic processor is designed to process two or more disc films.

Now, the disk film 20 that is stopped by the stopper 131 is then stopped by the spindle shaft 140. In the illustrated device, the spindle shaft 140 is held by a bearing 141 fixed to the substrate of the device. It moves in the direction of the arrow by handle operation or automatic operation, and holds the disk film 20 with its tip.

The mechanism for holding the disk film 20 at the tip of the spindle shaft 14G is to form the spindle shaft hollow, place the rod inside it, and operate a chuck prepared at the tip of the spindle shaft 140 by moving the rod in and out. ,
In addition to the manner in which the hub of the disc film 20 is locked, as shown in the figure, the vicinity of the hub of the disc film 20 is sandwiched and locked by a pair of clutch plates 142 and 143. In such an embodiment, one clutch plate 1
43 may be simply attached to the tip of the shaft that moves in the direction of the arrow in a freely rotatable state and not drive the shaft.

Although it is possible to hold about 4 to 5 disk films at the same time using the holding mechanism for the disk film 20 using the clutch plates 142 and 143 as described above, when trying to hold a larger number (within 10 sheets) In,
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a slit is formed over a length of about several C1 from the tip of the spindle shaft 140 held by the bearing member 141, and the locking actuating piece 144 is exposed from the slit. 145 operates the operating piece 144 to move in and out. By pulling out the rod 145, the actuating piece 144 is pulled in, and by pushing the hub of the disk film 20 shown by the imaginary line, and by moving the member 14G in the direction of the arrow, the stopper 147 is pushed in. Next, by pushing the rod 145, the actuating piece 144 is slit. Fix disk film 2◎ by making it protrude from the top. To remove the disc film 20 from the spindle shaft 140,
After the actuating piece 144 is retracted by pulling out the rod 145, the stopper 147 may be moved in the direction of the arrow.

Note that without providing the pushing member 146, the skirt portion of the guide member 13◎ shown in FIG.
40 to the right and remove the disc film 20.
may be taken into the spindle shaft 14G.

The spindle shaft 140 is rotated by a motor or by a manually operated drive system 148.

Incidentally, in relation to the raising and lowering operation of the processing tank which will be described later, in the case where the processing tank does not move up and down, a lifting mechanism for the spindle shaft 140 is provided.

In order to raise and lower the spindle shaft 140, a bearing member 141 is used.
is attached to a shaft (not shown) that moves up and down in the vertical direction, and the spindle shaft 140 (disk film 20) is raised and lowered by manually or automatically operating this shaft up and down.

Instead of the above configuration, the bearing member 141 may be attached to the tip of an arm that rotates by handle operation or automatic operation, or instead of a simple arm, rotational motion by a link mechanism or motor is converted into vertical reciprocating motion. Various mechanisms are available. In a structure using a simple arm, the disk film does not move up and down vertically, but rather moves in a slight arc, but in a structure using a link mechanism or the like, there is an advantage that the disk film can be moved up and down in the vertical direction.

Reference numeral 150 denotes a container for storing photographic processing liquid, and is preferably used as a processing liquid supply container in the supply system, a processing tank in the photographic processing system, and a waste liquid container in the waste liquid treatment system.

In the first embodiment, the photographic processing solution is stored in the supply container 150 in a liquid state that does not require any measures other than temperature adjustment, or in the form of a concentrated solution, powder, or jelly. In a second manner, the liquid is stored in the supply container 150.

In the case of the first embodiment, the container 150 guided to the processing section of the photographic processing system by an applicator, belt, roller or other conveying means 151 is immediately used as a processing tank for dipping the disc film. , second
In the case of the above embodiment, the photographic processing solution in the container 150 is diluted or dissolved with a diluting solution or a dissolving solution (for example, warm water) by a dissolving solution supplying means indicated by the reference numeral 152 and used.

Note that other aspects regarding the supply of photographic processing liquid and temperature control will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

In the illustrated automatic processing machine, preferably, the disk film 20 is processed while being rotated, so that the disk film 20 is not immersed in its entirety in the processing liquid, but has a size necessary for immersing it in, for example, a half-moon shape. A treatment tank is sufficient.

Therefore, each processing tank (color developer tank CD, bleach-fix tank BF,
The depth and width of the stabilizing tank ST, drying tank or drying section DR must be such that at least up to the hub portion of the disc film can be inserted vertically, and the amount of each processing solution required for processing can be stored. It is sufficient, and the thickness is related to the number of disc films to be processed.

Note that the container 15G may not be provided with the drying tank DR, or the stabilizing tank ST may be divided into two.

Further, the spindle shaft 140 may be configured to simply hold the disk film 20 and lower and raise it, without making any lateral movement to select a processing tank. In this case, the disk film 20 is lowered - Each processing tank CD, BF, ST, D of the container 150 is moved to the ascending processing position by a transport means 151 composed of a transport belt, rollers, etc.
If the container 150 is moved not only horizontally but also vertically using an elevator 153 as shown in the figure, the spindle shaft 140 can simply be moved to the disk. A mechanism for holding and rotating the film 20 in a stationary position may be provided.

The amount of processing liquid stored in the container 150 as a processing tank is
Regarding the number of disc films to be processed at the same time, if one disc film is processed, for example, 10 parts of color developing solution, 10 parts of bleach-fixing solution, 10 parts of stabilizing solution (stabilization treatment is carried out twice) It is preferable to carry out the treatment in two parts, and in that case, the amount of liquid in each case is 10 cm), and the amount is preferably such that the treatment liquid does not overflow from the upper end of the treatment tank 11 when the disk film 20 is immersed.

In the above description, an embodiment in which the container 150 is divided into a plurality of processing tanks has been described, but the container 15G is not an aggregate of processing tanks CD, BF, ST, and DR, but a processing tank (processing liquid). Each of them may be independent, or preferably, they may be combined into an aggregate upon use.

When the stabilization process (including water washing) is completed, the disk film 20 is drained by the centrifugal force caused by rotation, and
It is dried by hot air from the hot air drying means 154.

In addition, in order to prevent the stabilizing liquid from scattering due to the draining rotation during drying, the disk film 2 should be closed during rotation.
It is preferable that the upper part of the disc film 20 be covered, and the covering structure may be one in which a lid-like member is moved in and out above the disk film 20, or the above-mentioned guide member 130 and its light shielding member are used as upper surface covering during drying. do. In the latter case,
It is preferable to configure the structure so that warm air is blown inside the light shielding member and/or the guide member, since these members themselves can also be dried.

The dried disk film 20 is attached to the spindle shaft 1.
It is automatically removed from 40 and discharged out of the device through a guide path. Of course, manual removal from the spindle shaft 140 is not excluded.

Now, when the processing in the photo processing system is completed.

The container 150 serving as a processing tank is manually removed from the processing section, and is also transported by a transport means 151 that performs linear motion such as a transport belt or rollers. Alternatively, it is transferred to the waste liquid treatment system by a conveying means such as a turntable that performs circular motion.

In the waste liquid treatment system, for example, the photographic processing waste liquid remaining in the container 150 (which is a processing liquid supply container and a processing tank at the same time) as a waste liquid container is solidified, 1 and the container is sealed. .

The waste liquid processing system may be located at the same location as the photographic processing system, but it is also possible to provide a container 150 as a new processing tank to the processing section to process the next disk film. In this case, the container 15G containing the waste liquid from the previous processing is promptly removed from the processing section of the photographic processing system.

Solidification of the waste liquid is performed, for example, by the solidifying agent injection means 160. Various solidifying agents are available, including water-soluble polymers disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 60-293799, solidifying agents or desiccants, and cement disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-259003. Among them, plant-based or animal-based solidifying agents that solidify the waste liquid into an agar-like or jelly-like form are particularly preferred, and highly liquid-absorbing resins in the form of granules or powder, cements, and gypsum are particularly preferred. A fibrous substance may be added at the same time as these solidifying agents.

After the solidifying agent is added, preferably, using the sealing material used to seal the processing liquid container 150 in the processing liquid supply system, the sealing material 17 prepared in advance is used as shown in the figure.
The upper surface of the photographic processing waste liquid is sealed by the sealing means 171 using 0, and/or by dropping a liquid sealing material such as wax, which becomes solid at room temperature, onto the waste liquid.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a mechanism related to the main part of the present invention, and the processing liquid is stored in advance in a container 150 in the form of powder, concentrated liquid, jelly, etc. The hot water bath tank 154 placed on the conveying means 151 is placed in a recessed portion at a standby position as shown by the imaginary line.

The container 150 in the standby position has a solution supply means 152.
At the same time, hot water supplied from a not-shown hot water tank (see FIG. 1) is circulated into the hot water bath tank 154 to perform preheating.

Note that, in order to prevent the container 150 from falling off from the hot water bath tank 154 (due to buoyancy) during a hot bath, the container 150 is preferably fixed to the hot water bath tank 154.

The container 150 is moved to the processing position by a conveying means 151, for example, a belt running on a guide rail (instead of a belt, it includes one using rotation of rollers, gears, etc.) as shown in the figure, and is moved upward by an elevator 153. A zero-color developing tank C is pushed up along with the hot water bath tank 154 in the direction of the disc film 20 that is engaged with the spindle 14G and is waiting, and immerses the disc film 20 in the processing liquid.
When the color development processing in D is completed (preferably controlled by a timer), the container 150 (hot water bath tank 154) is returned to its original position by the elevator 153, and the bleach-fixing tank BF is moved to the processing position by the running of the belt of the conveying means 151. After being guided, the lift @ 153 is operated again to raise the container 150 (hot water bath tank 154) and immerse the disk film 20 in the bleach-fix solution.

Thereafter, similar operations are performed up to the stabilization process, preferably controlled by a timer.

Note that switching the immersion state of the disk film 20 to the tank for the next process may be performed by vertical and horizontal movement of the spindle shaft 140 without relying on the elevator 153.

In the system shown in FIG. 7, a conveying means 151 is provided on the upper part of a hot water bath tank 154 that does not move, and a container 150 is mounted on the frame.
154 and floats on the hot water in the hot water bath tank 154, it is intended to be moved from the standby position to the processing position. One end of the frame of the conveying means 151 engages with a guide rail, and the other end engages with a rotating shaft. Therefore, by forward rotation of the rotating shaft, the container 150 is moved from the standby position to the processing position.
The return movement is performed by reverse rotation.

In this case, warm water is circulated in the hot water tank 154 from a hot water tank (not shown), or the temperature of the water is controlled by a method such as immersing a heater in the water bath tank 154.

Note that the frames for immersing the container 150 in the hot water bath tank 154 are not two frames that move synchronously at the same time as shown in the figure, but the movements of the frames are controlled separately by having separate rotating shafts to engage with. Good too.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, in an embodiment in which a plurality of containers 150 are immersed in a hot bath tank 154, the containers 150 to be used are selected by horizontal movement of the spindle 140 (see FIG. 1) without moving the containers 150. Embodiments are also encompassed by the invention.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 corresponds to the elevator 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
The base of 53 is mounted on a conveying means 1 similar to that shown in FIG.
51, and the rotation of the operating shafts shown in FIG. 2 regulates the raising and lowering of the corresponding elevators 153, and a hot water tank shown in phantom lines is provided above the elevators 1153. , a container 15[1 is placed in this hot water bath tank in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.

In addition, in the explanation of the drawings above, the temperature of the processing liquid? Although A-conditioning is shown to be carried out exclusively by a hot bath, there are also embodiments in which a conventional heating means such as a heater with a built-in quartz tube is used instead of or in addition to a hot bath, for example, it is used in the drying process. It is possible to adopt a mode that uses hot air, a mode that heats with electromagnetic waves such as microwaves, etc.

In addition, in the above explanation, the case where the container (processing tank) 150 moves toward the disk film to be processed is mainly described, but it is also possible to move the disk film side conversely, or adopt a combination of both. Of course, you can do it.

[Effects of the Invention] Since the processing liquid is stored in a container serving as a processing tank and is preheated while it is in the standby position, the processing liquid is preheated during the next processing.
can be processed almost immediately,
This is useful for improving the processing speed in the case of continuous processing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an automatic developing machine of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the spindle shaft, Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cartridge in a commercially available disc film unit, and Fig. 4 is Similarly, FIG. 5 is a bottom view, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the disc film, and FIGS. 6 to 8 are perspective views showing other embodiments of the present invention. In the figure, each symbol indicates the following. 10: Cartridge, 11:! Light window side board. 12: Label side plate, 13: Exposure window, 14: Center opening, 15: Window for opening and closing the light shielding plate, 16: Pin hole for opening and closing the light shielding plate, 17: Opening for destroying the cartridge. 18: Light shielding plate, 19: Bottom center of label side plate, 20: Disc film 21: Hub. 100: Applicator 110: Device frame 111: Cartridge insertion port 120: Cartridge end breaking member 121: Cartridge end breaking member 122: Pressing member 123: Pressing member 130: Guide member 131: Stopper 132: Light shielding member 140: Spindle shaft 141: Bearing 142: Clutch plate 143: Clutch plate 144: Operating piece 1457 Lot 146: Hub pushing member 147: Stopper 148: Drive system 150: Container 151: Transport means 152: Solution supply means 153: Elevator 160: Solidifying agent injection Means 170: Sealing material 171: Sealing means patent applicant Konica Co., Ltd. agent
Patent attorney Nobuaki Sakaguchi

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a small developing device that can accommodate at least two containers for photographic processing solutions, a standby standby in which the processing solution in the other container can be preheated while a sheet of photographic material is being processed in one container. A small automatic developing machine that enables continuous processing. (2) The container for the preheated processing liquid is configured to be moved toward the processing section as the preceding container moves from the processing section to the discharge side. A small automatic developing machine according to item 1. (3) A small automatic developing machine according to Claims 1 and 2, wherein the positional movement of the container used for processing and the following container is controlled by a timer.