JPH01284855A - Automatic developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the development processing by a correct liquid quantity extending over a long period of time by correcting a development replenishing liquid in accordance with a fluctuation of a power supply voltage. CONSTITUTION:The title device 70 drives a fixed quantity pump 86 in accordance with the development processing quantity of sensitized materials 24 (26), and corrects and replenishes a replenishing liquid to a developing tank 46, a bleaching/fixing tank 47 and washing tanks 48 (49), respectively from replenishing tanks 60, 62 and 64. That is, a voltage detecting circuit 100 of the device 70 detects a commercial power supply voltage of the pump 86, a CPU 74 calculates an average discharge quantity from the pump 86, and a ROM 78 stores a voltage at the time of measurement as a reference voltage. Subsequently, a correction discharge quantity is predicted from the power supply voltage measured by a processing mode, the reference voltage and the average discharge quantity, and when an integrating value of the replenishment request quantity determined by a document size, etc., in advance has exceeded, a replenishing liquid of the correction discharge quantity is replenished.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an automatic developing device that develops a photographic light-sensitive material that has been exposed to light that has been transmitted or reflected from an original or an original image, and particularly relates to an automatic developing device that develops a photographic light-sensitive material that has been exposed to light that has been transmitted or reflected from an original or an original image. The present invention relates to an automatic developing device for a copying machine in which the voltage is corrected according to fluctuations in the voltage.

(Prior Art) In general, in an automatic developing device that uses silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials, when replenishing the developer replenisher into the developer, the replenishment is carried out by a metering pump driven by a commercial power supply, and the replenishment is performed on the photosensitive material to be exposed. The replenishment amount is determined based on a value calculated according to the size of the sheet and the number of sheets to be processed.

That is, in order to maintain predetermined development conditions over a long period of time, the metering pump is driven according to the calculated value, and the developer replenisher is discharged.

At this time, there are individual differences in the capacity of the metering pump,
Since there are variations in the discharge amount even for the same calculated value, it is generally not possible to accurately control the replenishment amount. Therefore, normally, all developing devices are adjusted at the factory so that the ejection amount according to the calculated value is the same before shipment.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, there are cases where the power supply voltage at the time of factory adjustment is different from that at the destination where the equipment is shipped. At present, it is not possible to accurately control the replenishment amount of developer replenisher.

Therefore, in order to maintain constant development conditions, it is necessary for the operator to visually check the finished state of the photosensitive material at regular intervals and manually correct the replenishment amount based on experience. Work has become more complicated. In particular, it is difficult to manually correct the replenisher in silver salt photographic color copying machines that are often used in offices and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention has been achieved in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is to provide an automatic developing device that can correct variations in the amount of developer replenisher discharged due to commercial power supply voltage, maintain optimal developing conditions at all times, and improve workability. It is about providing.

(Means and effects for solving the problems) That is, the above-mentioned object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of processing of a photographic light-sensitive material exposed to light rays transmitted through the original or original or reflected from the original or original. In an automatic developing device in which developer replenisher is refilled into a developer tank by driving a metering pump that discharges developer replenisher, a voltage detection circuit that detects a commercial power supply voltage of the metering pump, and a voltage detection circuit that detects a commercial power supply voltage of the metering pump, and a voltage detection circuit that detects a commercial power supply voltage of the metering pump, and The CPU includes a CPU that measures the discharge amount of the developer replenisher per unit time at least once and calculates an average discharge amount, and a memory that stores the power supply voltage at the time of the measurement as a reference voltage, and in the processing mode. The corrected ejection amount is predicted from the measured power supply voltage, the reference voltage, and the average ejection amount, and the corrected ejection amount is calculated when the integrated value of the replenishment request amount, which is determined in advance based on the document size, etc., exceeds the corrected ejection amount. This is achieved by an automatic developing device characterized in that it is provided to be replenished with a developer replenisher.

The discharge amount of the developer replenisher varies depending on the power supply voltage at the time when the metering pump is driven. Therefore, we measure the average discharge amount in advance, measure the power supply voltage at that time, and use it as a reference value. Based on this reference value, we estimate the corrected discharge amount when the developer replenisher is discharged in the actual development processing mode. do. Then, replenishment of the developer replenisher is performed only when the integrated value of the replenishment amount requested each time the development is performed exceeds the corrected discharge amount. Thereby, even if voltage fluctuations occur, it is possible to accurately control the replenishment amount of the developer replenisher to be replenished into the developer tank.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of an automatic developing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a silver halide photographic color copying machine to which an automatic developing device according to the present invention is applied.

The apparatus main body 10 is provided with a paper feed section 12 on the right side, an exposure section 14 and a processing section 16 above, a control section 17 below, and a drying section 18 on the left side. In addition, a pair of magazines 20 and 22 can be loaded into this silver-halide photographic color copying machine, and photosensitive materials 24 and 26 are stored in rolls inside these magazines, and the paper is fed from the tip. It is adapted to be taken out to the section 12°.

The photosensitive material 24 or 26 drawn out from the magazine 20, 22 is sent through the paper feed section 12 to the exposure window 28, and the image of the color original 32 on the transparent document table 30 provided above the exposure section 14 is exposed. It has become so. The color original 32 is pressed against the original table 30 by the original presser 34, illuminated with light R38 in the light source unit 36, and the image of the color original 32 reflected by the plurality of mirrors 40 passes through the optical means 42 and is released by the shutter 44. By releasing the exposure window 28
The photosensitive material 24 or 26 located at the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is exposed to light. A switching guide 50 is provided in the middle of the conveyance trajectory of the photosensitive material 24 or 26 (below the exposure window 28 in FIG. 1) to guide the photosensitive material 24 or 26 sent vertically downward to the processing section 16 when necessary. It is now possible to change direction. Note that when the shutter 44 is in the closed state, the reflected light from the reference white plate and the original image is reflected by the shutter 44, and is photometered by a plurality of photosensors 43, and the reflection density obtained from the white level value and the image photometry value is determined. Exposure control data is determined by the control device 45 based on (prescan).

An automatic developing device 70 that achieves the object of the present invention includes a control section 17 and a processing section 16 for determining the amount of developer replenisher to be refilled, which will be described later.

In the processing section 16, a developing tank 46, a bleaching/fixing tank 47, a first rinsing tank 48, and a second rinsing tank 49 are successively provided, and the processing liquid filled into these tanks allows development, bleaching, fixing, and
The photosensitive material 24 (26) that has been washed with water is sent to the drying section 18. In addition, replenishment tanks 60, 62, and 64 are provided below the developing tank 46, bleaching/fixing tank 47, and washing tank 48, 49, respectively, and replenishing liquid can be replenished to each tank as needed. It is now possible to do so.

In the drying section 18, the photosensitive material 24 (26) after washing with water
- is dried and sent onto the take-out tray 54.

Next, the control section 17 will be explained in detail according to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the commercial AC power supply 90 is connected to the control unit 17 via the voltage detection circuit 100, and drives the metering pump 86 for feeding the developer replenisher to the developer tank 46.

The voltage detection circuit 100 includes a transformer 101 and a full-wave rectifier circuit 10.
2. It consists of a capacitor 103 and an A/D converter 104 which are inserted in parallel on the output side of the rectifier circuit for averaging.

The control unit 17 includes a CPU 74, a RAM 76, and a ROM 7.
8, an input/output port 80 and buses 82 such as a data bus and a control bus that connect these, and the output from the A/D converter 104 is connected to the human output port 8.
connected to 0.

Further, the input/output boat 80 is connected to signal lines from various setting switches (not shown) on the operation panel 84.
Various setting conditions shown below are to be input.

■Magnification setting, ■Copy number setting, ■Paper size setting, ■Selecting photosensitive material, ■Density adjustment value setting, 0 color adjustment value setting, ■Start button.

Further, the features of the present invention are that (1) processing mode switching commands and (2) setting of discharge amount of developer replenisher, which will be described later, are performed manually.

Further, from this human output port 80, control signals for controlling the operation of each part of the apparatus as shown below are outputted.

■Exposure section control signal (scan control signal, color density control signal), ■Paper feed section control signal (photosensitive material withdrawal control signal, photosensitive material cutting control signal), ■Processor section control signal (replenisher replenishment control signal, temperature control signal) signal, photosensitive material transport control signal within the processing section).

Therefore, according to the setting conditions set by the operation panel 84, the control unit 17 centrally controls the scanning of the color original 3z, the conveyance of the photosensitive material 24 (26), and the development process to synchronize the series of operations. I try to do my work accurately.

Here, among the above-mentioned control signals, as a control signal particularly related to the present invention, a replenisher replenishment control signal is connected to a metering pump 86 via a relay circuit 85, and this metering pump 86 is connected to ○N of the relay circuit. /○ It is driven or stopped by FF operation.

The control unit 17 controls the amount and timing of replenishment of the replenisher to the developer tank 46.

That is, the ROM 78 of the control unit 17 stores in advance a calculation formula for the required replenishment amount of developer replenisher calculated each time copying is performed, and the required replenishment amount is calculated based on each parameter. By the way, each parameter is the standard replenishment amount,
Examples include paper size, development rate of unexposed photosensitive material, etc.

Note that the standard replenishment amount is the replenishment amount per A4 size sheet when a standard photosensitive material is exposed at the standard development rate, and the paper size is the amount of replenishment per A4 size sheet when a standard photosensitive material is exposed at a standard development rate. It is the area ratio of the applied paper when oO is used, and the unexposed photosensitive material development rate is a value calculated from the development rate at the time of exposure of a black original.

Calculation of the required replenishment amount of the developer replenisher described above is performed for color original 3.
2 onto the photosensitive material 24 (26), the calculated replenishment required amount is accumulated, and the developer tank 46 is replenished with replenisher according to the replenishment timing. Become. That is, replenishment is performed only when the required replenishment amount, which is accumulated each time a copy is made, exceeds the discharge amount per unit of the metering pump. At this time, since the discharge amount from the metering pump changes depending on the voltage fluctuation, the control unit 17 corrects the discharge amount based on the voltage value measured in advance by the voltage detection circuit 100 and the average pump discharge amount set from the operation panel 84. Calculate.

In addition, other processing tanks (bleaching/fixing tank 47 and washing tank 49)
The replenisher is replenished according to the processing area.

Further, when driving the metering pump to other processing tanks, the corrected discharge amount is calculated in accordance with power supply voltage fluctuations, similarly to the metering pump for the developer tank.

Next, the correction of the discharge amount from the metering pump and the operation of the copying machine will be explained according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 to 6.

In the automatic developing apparatus of the present invention, the pre-processing mode is selected only once before the developing processing mode. This preprocessing mode consists of a measurement mode and a setting mode, and each mode is selected by a mode switching command from the operation panel 84.

In the measurement mode shown in FIG. 3, in step 200, the control unit 17 operates the metering pump at least once, for example, N times, and calculates the total amount of developer replenisher discharged per unit time from the measuring cylinder. Measure with. Also, step 201
At this time, the voltage detection circuit 100 measures the power supply voltage at that time. These values are then stored in R,AM 76 in step 202.

Next, when the setting mode shown in FIG. 4 is selected, the measured voltage value is read out from the RAM 76 in step 210, and the total discharge amount value is manually entered from the operation panel 84. In step 211, the CPU 74 performs calculations based on the manually input total discharge amount value and the number of measurements N, and calculates the average discharge amount. The calculated value is stored and set in the ROM 78 in step 212. When the setting of the average discharge amount is confirmed in step 213, the process moves to step 214, and the controller 17
The voltage value input from the operation panel 84 is the same as the reference voltage (stored in the ROM 78), and these measurement/setting modes are executed for each pump.

When the above preprocessing operation is completed, a command is given from the operation panel to select the development processing mode.

In the development processing mode shown in FIG. 5, first, as a preparatory work, the magazine 20 or 22 in which the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is wound up in layers is loaded into the paper feed section 12. Magazine 20
When the opening/closing lid is closed after loading the photosensitive material 24 or 22, the leading end of the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is clamped. First, in step 220, copying conditions are set by operating each operating section installed on the operating panel. These copying conditions include the number of copies, paper size, color temperature adjustment, magnification setting, and selection of photosensitive material. Next, when a start button (not shown) is pressed in step 221, the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is selected, one of them is fed out to the required length, and the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is cut to the required length. Thereafter, it is driven again and the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is sent to the exposure window 28, where it waits until the start of exposure.

In the next step 222, prescan control is performed.

That is, the light source 38 is turned on, first the white level value is photometered, and then the original is photometered by the six photosensors 43 to determine the reflection density.

Based on this reflection density, the control device 45 calculates a density adjustment factor, obtains exposure control data, and proceeds to step 223.

In step 223, calculation control of the required replenishment amount of the developer replenisher and the required replenishment amount of other replenishers is performed.

In the next step 224, a color temperature adjustment mechanism using a light control filter or the like is activated, and the optical means 42 is activated according to the magnification.
The lens position of is changed. When exposure is started in step 225, the image from the color original 32 on the original platen 30 is exposed to the photosensitive material 24 or 26 passing through the exposure window 28 via the mirror 40 and the optical means 42.

During exposure, a light control filter is inserted into the optical path for a predetermined period of time to control the exposure amount of each color, so that the color reproduction flux of the photosensitive material is improved.

As this exposure progresses, the photosensitive material 24 or 26
It is sent to the bottom of the figure. In this case, the switching guide 50 is in the solid line state in FIG. 1, and the photosensitive material 24 or 26 sent from the exposure window 28 moves vertically downward. Therefore, there is no slack in the intermediate portion of the photosensitive material 24 or 26 due to the speed difference between the paper feed section 12 and the processing section 16 due to the exposed photosensitive material 24 or 26 being fed into the processing section 16.

When all exposure is completed in step 225, the process moves to step 226 and the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is temporarily moved in the opposite direction. This movement in the opposite direction is stopped when the leading end of the photosensitive material 24 or 26 reaches the upstream side of the switching guide 50. Thereafter, it is moved again in the same direction as the initial conveyance direction. In this case, the switching guide 50 is in the imaginary line state in FIG. 1, and the leading end of the photosensitive material 24 or 26 is
6, the process moves to step 227, and the development process is started.

In step 227, the photosensitive material 2 that has reached the processing section 16 is
4 or 26 development, bleaching, fixing, and water washing are performed, and then sent to the drying section 18, and after drying, taken out onto the take-out tray 54.

In addition to the processing in step 227, if it is determined in step 228 that the transfer of the photosensitive material 24 or 26 to the processing section 16 has been completed, the process moves to step 229, and the number of copies reaches the set number. If the number of copies has not been reached, the process moves from step 229 to step 224, and from step 224 to step 227.
is repeated. In addition, in the case of multiple copies of the same original, the data from the first prescan is applied.

If it is determined in step 229 that all the set number of copies have been completed, the process ends.

Next, replenishment control will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in step 240, when the replenishment request amount P calculated each time copying is read, in step 241, this amount P is accumulated until one replenishment is performed. It is added to P. Further, in step 242, the power supply voltage at that time is measured by the voltage detection circuit 100.

Next, in step 243, the corrected discharge amount S of the metering pump under the power supply voltage measured in step 242 is calculated. That is, in the control unit 17, the CPU 74 performs calculations based on the average discharge amount and reference voltage value measured in the previous preprocessing mode and stored in the ROM 78, and is expected to change each time copying is performed due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage. The average discharge amount is corrected.

In the next step 244, it is determined whether or not to replenish the replenisher. That is, it is determined whether or not the accumulated replenishment request iP exceeds the corrected ejection amount S that will actually be replenished at that time.

If the need for replenishment is denied in step 244,
This routine ends. If supplementation is approved,
The process moves to step 245, where the number of replenishments per unit and the remaining amount are calculated from the read replenishment amount P, and step 246
Then, one unit is replenished. That is, the control unit 17 turns on the relay circuit 85 to turn on the metering pump 8.
Drive 6. Further, when it is determined in step 247 that replenishment of the predetermined amount has been completed, in the next step 248, the CPU 74 calculates a value obtained by subtracting the discharge amount S from the remaining amount, that is, the requested replenishment amount P, and uses this value as a new value. The amount is stored in the RAM 76 as the replenishment request amount P, and this routine ends.

The silver salt photographic color copying machine described in this example is often used in offices, etc., and the liquid immersed in the developing tank, bleaching/fixing tank, etc. can be replaced in a short period of time, and the finished state can be checked periodically. This eliminates the hassle of having to manually check the process, making it easier for operators to manage processing liquids, which are often avoided.
It is possible to obtain workability similar to that of a copying machine that copies originals using commonly used toner. In particular, it can suitably deal with phenomena that are difficult to manage, such as fluctuations in power supply voltage, and can be controlled so as to maintain the optimum development conditions for an autopositive silver salt photographic material, which is particularly difficult to manage, over a long period of time.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, even if the commercial power supply voltage supplied to the metering pump fluctuates, the automatic developing device according to the present invention corrects the discharge amount accordingly, so that it can be used for a long period of time. It has the excellent effect of being able to maintain optimal developing conditions with an appropriate amount of liquid and improving workability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a silver halide photocopying machine to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control section.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the measurement mode of the silver halide color photocopying machine applied to this embodiment, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the setting mode, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the copying machine. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the replenishment processing routine. 17... Control unit, 46... Developer tank, 60... Refill tank, 84... Operation panel 85... Relay circuit, 86... Metering pump, 90... Commercial AC power supply, 100 ...Voltage detection circuit. )゛ri3[)1 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] The developer replenisher is replenished into the developer tank by driving a metering pump that discharges the developer replenisher according to the amount of development processing of the photographic light-sensitive material exposed to the light that has passed through the original or the original or the light that has been reflected from the original or the original. In an automatic developing device, a voltage detection circuit detects a commercial power supply voltage of the metering pump, and a voltage detection circuit that measures the amount of developer replenisher discharged from the metering pump at least once per unit time in a pre-processing mode. It includes a CPU that calculates an average ejection amount, and a memory that stores the power supply voltage at the time of the measurement as a reference voltage, and predicts a corrected ejection amount from the power supply voltage measured in the processing mode, the reference voltage, and the average ejection amount. An automatic developing device, characterized in that the automatic developing device is provided so that when an integrated value of a required replenishment amount determined in advance based on the document size or the like exceeds the corrected ejection amount, the corrected ejection amount of developer replenisher is replenished.