JPH0199053A - Method and device for development processing of non-silver salt photosensitive material which is improved in stability of development processing or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the stability of a development processing, to eliminate the need for the exchange of a developing soln. and to prevent the developed film in an unprinted area part from remaining in the top part and side part of a photosensitive material by supplying the substantially unused developing soln. to a developing tank before or after the development. CONSTITUTION:A piping for feeding the developing soln. from a tank 5 contg. the unused developing soln. to the developing tank 11 and a piping for discharging the developing solns. in a developing soln. feed pump 5a, a waste soln. tank 15 and the developing tank 11 to the tank 15 are provided. A developing soln. recovering trough 17 is provided on the down stream side of a roller 8 in a developing section. The developing soln. is prevented from holding on the surface of the photosensitive material and falls into the trough 17 in the spacing between the photosensitive materials, etc., to be carried into the device if the photosensitive material 12 is not carried in even if the developing soln. is supplied by this trough 17. The substantially unused developing soln. is recovered by the trough 17 and is put into the tank 5 so as to be recycled.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a non-silver salt photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as "photosensitive material").
Regarding the development processing method using an automatic processor and the development processing apparatus, more specifically, a photosensitive material having an image forming layer on a support whose solubility in a developer changes upon irradiation with light is imagewise formed with a core layer using a developer. The present invention relates to a development processing method and a development processing apparatus suitable for a development processing method that involves elution.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when developing photosensitive materials using automatic processors, there have been methods in which the photosensitive material is conveyed horizontally and a developing solution is sprayed onto it, or a developing processing tank containing a large amount of developing solution is used. A method of developing a photosensitive material by immersing it while conveying it in a curved manner has been used. In all of these processing methods, it is necessary to prepare a large amount of developer even if the number of sheets to be processed is small, and in order to make economical use of the developer, it is repeatedly reused. In addition to deterioration of the developer, the absorption of carbon dioxide from the air causes deterioration of the developer (fatigue over time), and it is often necessary to replace the deteriorated developer, making it extremely difficult to manage the development work. It's a hassle.

As a means to improve these drawbacks, a method of replenishing the replenisher to keep the development process stable is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 50-144502.
No. 55-115039, No. 58-95349, etc. However, even if such a replenishment method is adopted, although the frequency of liquid exchange is reduced, it is still necessary to exchange the liquid, and a replenishment device is also required, which not only makes the replenishment device expensive but also There is also a need for coordination and management.

JP-A-55-32044 discloses a processing device that eliminates the troublesome replenishment method and saves developer. This device is equipped with a developer diffusion plate close to the photosensitive material transfer path of an automatic processor, and stretches the developer applied to the photosensitive material. In the method of processing with a small amount of developer, if the developer is not supplied in a relatively large amount (300 to 500+nQ/m2), uneven development occurs, and a width of approximately 0.5 mm is formed on the leading edge and both sides of the photosensitive material. There is a problem that residual film is produced due to poor development.

The inventors of the present invention have developed and filed a development method for improving this drawback (Japanese Patent Application No. 61-217495 and No. 62-31043). In these inventions, an unused developer is uniformly supplied onto the surface of a photosensitive material to perform development, and then the photosensitive material is passed through a developer tank that is used repeatedly. However, in this method, if the amount of developer is left in the developer tank for a long period of time due to holidays, etc., the photosensitive resin, aluminum hydroxide, etc. dissolved in the developer will be exposed to carbon dioxide gas in the air. Deposition may occur due to a decrease in po of the developing solution due to absorption, and this deposit adheres to the leading edge of the photosensitive material, especially when the first photosensitive material is developed, resulting in poor development. In addition, if a large amount of the deposit occurs,
~5 sheets were developed poorly, resulting in large losses.

Furthermore, since the activity of the developer is also lowered, the developer tank cannot perform the function of removing the undeveloped film from the leading and side portions of the photosensitive material.

The present invention is directed to improving these drawbacks.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Therefore, the present invention aims to solve various problems related to developer replenishment, etc., and to provide a stable and economical method for developing photosensitive materials.The first purpose is to circulate a large amount of developer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for developing a photosensitive material, which improves the stability of the developing process compared to a reusing method. A second object of the present invention is to provide a method for developing a photosensitive material in which a large amount of developer is circulated and reused, which eliminates the need to replace the developer and has improved workability. A third object is to provide a development processing method suitable for an inexpensive automatic developing machine that does not require a developer replenishment device or a control device for replenishing the developer. The fourth objective is to develop a photosensitive material that does not leave any undeveloped film on the top or side of the photosensitive material in the non-image area even during long-term operation in a development process that uses a relatively small amount of developer. The object of the present invention is to provide a processing method. The fifth purpose is
It is an object of the present invention to provide a development processing apparatus suitable for achieving the above first to fourth objects.

[Structure of the invention]

The above-mentioned first to fourth objects of the present invention are to process a photosensitive material using an automatic developing machine, and to process a substantially unused developer into a photosensitive material.
A development processing method in which a developing solution is supplied to each sheet and passed through a developing tank holding a repeatedly used developing solution, characterized in that substantially unused developing solution is supplied to the developing tank before or after development. This is achieved by a method for developing photosensitive materials.

A developing processing apparatus that achieves the fifth object of the present invention is a developing processing apparatus that automatically conveys and develops a photosensitive material, and has at least two developing zones, and the first developing zone is substantially unused. the second development zone has means for immersing the photosensitive material in a developer bath and means for renewing the developer in the developer bath; It is characterized by:

The present invention will be described in detail below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view showing an example of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of conveying rollers for nipping and conveying the photosensitive material 2, and 3 denotes a holding roller for keeping the photosensitive material 2 in an appropriate conveying position. Reference numeral 4 denotes an inclined roller, which is provided so that the photosensitive material 2 supplied with a developer is conveyed in an upward direction toward the conveyance direction.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a developer tank, and the developer therein is sent to a developer supplying vibro by a pump 5a. Reference numeral 7 denotes a developer supply member, which has a slit formed by two plates at its lower end, and the developer flowing down from the developer supply vibro is supplied to the photosensitive material 2 through this slit. When the photosensitive material 2 has not passed the lower end of the developer supply member 7, the lower end of the developer supply member 7, that is, the lower end of the slit, is in contact with the developer roller 8, and the lower end of the developer supply member 7 and the lower end of the slit are in contact with the developer roller 8. When the photosensitive material being transported is in this position, the recess in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the transport direction (hereinafter referred to as the "middle direction") formed by the upper roller 8 and the lower end of the developer supply member 7 and the photosensitive material A developer pool 9 is formed in a concave portion in the metacarpal direction formed at the contact portion with the material 2. It is preferable that each of the above rollers is provided so that the back surface of the photosensitive material does not come into contact with the developing roller except for its leading and trailing ends.

The tip of the photosensitive material 2 being conveyed first enters the liquid pool 9 in the recess formed by the developer supplying member 7 and the developing roller 8 . The leading end of the photosensitive material 2 is connected to the developer supply member 7
After passing through the developer pool 9 formed in the recess in the medial direction formed by the photosensitive material 2 and the developer supply member 7, the developer accumulates in the recess in the medial direction formed by the photosensitive material 2 and the developer supply member 7. 9 is formed. The presence of these developer reservoirs 9 on the plate surface of the photosensitive material 2 eliminates poor development at the edges, particularly at the leading edge, of the photosensitive material. Furthermore, as a means for conveying the photosensitive material in an upward direction in the conveying direction, there is also a means of sliding it on an inclined guide plate, but in this case, the back side of the photosensitive material is rubbed by the guide plate. This causes streak-like scratches, and if these scratches are deep, they affect the surface shape, making it difficult to obtain good halftone dot reproduction. 8
= It has the disadvantage that it accumulates on the back side of the photosensitive material, corrodes the aluminum plate of the support, dissolves out, gels, and adheres to the photosensitive material, causing stains.However, as described above, a conveying roller is used as a conveying means. By using this method, the occurrence of scratches on the back side of the photosensitive material is improved to a level that poses no problem in practical use, and the corrosion of the back side of the photosensitive material by the developer is also improved.

It is preferable that the slit formed by the two plates of the developer supply member 7 has a structure in which the slit gap is adjusted according to the amount of developer flowing out from the developer supply vibro.
The amount of developer supplied is 10-100 per m2 of photosensitive material.
0 m12, especially 50 to 500 mQ is preferred.

Examples of the above-mentioned plate materials include sheets of plastics such as polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene, metals such as stainless steel,
A sheet of rubber or the like can be used.

If at least one of the two plates is flexible, the slit gap can be automatically adjusted according to the amount of developer flowing out from the developer supply vibro, which simplifies the device. .

In a preferred embodiment of the slit, the two plates whose lower ends form the slit each have a portion having at least flexibility in a direction parallel to the conveying surface and perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the photosensitive material is In terms of the position on the surface, an embodiment may be mentioned in which the tip (lower end) of the plate material on the exit side is shorter (preferably 3 to ioam) than the plate material on the entrance side when viewed from the conveyance direction.

In the present invention, the means for supplying the developer onto the photosensitive material is such that the developer is applied to the photosensitive material in as uniform a thickness as possible and in the metacarpal direction (a direction parallel to the transport surface and orthogonal to the transport direction) as quickly as possible. It is desirable that the solution be applied without any deviation, and the means for doing so is not limited to the method using the developer supplying member having a slit formed by the two plate materials, but various methods such as a wire bar, spray, flat roll, etc. can be used. ,
Although a curtain coating method or the like can be used, the above-mentioned method using a slit is particularly preferred.

It is advantageous that the developer supplying member 7 is capable of supplying the developer onto the photosensitive material in a direction opposite to each other in the medial direction, and is also capable of forming a developer reservoir as described above.

The angle θ which rises toward the conveyance direction and formed with the horizontal plane in the conveyance direction is preferably in the range of 1' to 45 degrees, particularly in the range of 3 degrees to 1O6. The conveyance length rising in the conveyance direction is 1 to 4.
A range of 0 cm, particularly a range of 3 to 10 CI11 is preferred, and a transport time of 0.5 to 20 seconds, particularly a range of 2 to 10 seconds is preferred.

The developer reservoir is formed by providing another means, such as a roller extending in the direction of the center, and blocking the developer flowing down the surface of the developer roller 8 or the like or the surface of the photosensitive material 2 that is conveyed at an angle. You may let them.

Further, the developing section roller 8 does not need to be a roller, and may be a semi-cylindrical plate material, for example.

The developed photosensitive material 2 is further immersed in a developer while being transported upward in the transport direction. This immersion can be performed using the developing tank 11 and the guide roller 12. Developer tank 11
A developer having the same composition as the developer supplied from the developer supply member 7 is placed in the developer supply member 7, and it is sufficient to replenish the developer using the developer brought in by the photosensitive material. However, an unused developer may be replenished separately. The amount of developer in the developer tank 11 is preferably 0.3 to 3Q per 1 meter image during transport, and the transport length during which the image is immersed in the developer is suitably about 3 to 15c+++.

The photosensitive material 2 that has passed through the developer tank 11 is rubbed by a brush roller 13, and the developer is squeezed by a squeeze roller 14 to complete the development.

In such an embodiment, after the developer is supplied onto the plate surface of the photosensitive material 2 by the developer supply member 7, the developer tank ll is
The time t1 until immersion in the developer in the developer tank 11, the time t2 for immersion in the developer in the developer tank 11, and the time t2 for immersion in the developer in the developer tank 11.
The time t from when the developer comes out of the tank until the developer is removed
, is preferably in the following range.

(When developing temperature is 25°C) tl: 5 to 20 seconds, t2: 5 to 20 seconds, t:
The appropriate developing temperature for 1 to 10 seconds is in the range of 10 to 40°C.

In the method of the present invention, a substantially unused developer is first supplied to the photosensitive material being transported.

In this specification, an unused developing solution refers to a developing solution that has not been used to process a photosensitive material. The term "substantially unused developer" refers to a developer which is not an unused developer but has a developing ability practically superior to that of an unused developer. The surface tension of the developer is preferably 40 dynes/am or less.

In the present invention, a developer tank containing a repeatedly used developer is supplied with substantially unused developer before or after a series of development processing operations is completed.

At this time, the developer in the developer tank used for development is discharged as waste, and substantially unused developer is poured into the tank, preferably after washing with water. Such updating eliminates developing defects caused by deposits that occur in repeatedly used developing solutions. The developer may be renewed at any time from the end of a series of development operations to just before the start of the next series of development operations, but the developer solution in the developer tank may absorb carbon dioxide gas in the air. In order to minimize deterioration due to
Specifically, it is preferably within 60 minutes of the start. It is usually best to update before the start of the day's work or after the end of the work, especially before the start of the day's work.

As shown in FIG. 1, an example of a device compatible with such a method includes piping for transporting the developer from a developer tank 5 containing unused developer to a developer tank 11 and a developer supply pump 5.
(a) There is a method of providing piping for discharging the developer in the waste liquid tank 15 and the developer tank to the waste liquid tank.

A liquid level gauge may be provided in the developer tank 11 to control the amount of developer supplied to the nuclide. The amount of developer in the developer tank 11 is
From the point of view of the functionality of this device, it is preferable not to exceed 1012, but more preferably 0.5 to 2Q.

Further, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a developer collection gutter 17 is provided below the developer roller 8.

If the photosensitive material is not carried in despite the developer being supplied by this gutter, or if the size of the photosensitive material is small relative to the developer tank, in the gaps between the photosensitive materials being carried in, etc. The developer falls into this gutter 17 without being held on the surface of the photosensitive material. It is preferable to collect substantially unused developer through this gutter, put it into the developer tank 5, and reuse it.

Next, the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be supplemented. When the photosensitive material 2 is inserted from the entrance of the apparatus, a photosensitive material detection switch (not shown) rotates the conveying device such as the conveying roller pair 1, the brush roller 13, the squeeze roller 14, etc.
Conveys photosensitive materials. Further, the pump 5a is operated by the photosensitive material detection switch, and a predetermined amount of developer is sent to the developer supply vibro for a predetermined period of time. The developer flowing out from the developer supplying vibro flows down the inside of the two plates constituting the developer supplying member 7, and forms a liquid film that oozes out continuously in the medial direction at the slit at the lower end of the plate and forms a film on the surface of the photosensitive material 2. Supplied on top. When the photosensitive material 2 has not passed through the slit, the developer flowing out from the slit flows into the liquid pool 9 as described above.
form.

In the development processing method of the present invention, a development promotion operation can be added. For the development promotion operation, all physical, chemical, electrical, mechanical, and other means for promoting development can be used.

Furthermore, in addition to the development process according to the present invention, an automatic developing machine to which the method of the present invention is applied may include, if necessary, a development stop process after the development process (the stop process solution includes a disposable method or a cyclic use method). Each individual treatment step of the desensitization treatment step,
A development stop treatment step followed by a desensitization treatment step, a treatment step that combines a development treatment step and a desensitization treatment, or a combination of a development stop treatment step and a desensitization treatment step, for example, JP-A-1983-1983- It may also include the treatment steps described in No. 8002.

The photosensitive materials used in the method of the present invention include those in which a photosensitive layer whose solubility changes upon irradiation with light is coated on a support, and a soluble layer in which an image-like resist layer is formed by electrophotography or the like. is provided on a support.

The above photosensitive layer contains a photosensitive substance as an essential component, and typical examples of the photosensitive substance include a photosensitive diazo compound, a photosensitive azide compound, a compound having an ethylenically unsaturated double bond, Epoxy compounds that polymerize with acid catalysts, silyl ether polymers and C-
Examples include a combination of a compound having an 0-C- group and a photoacid generator.

As a photosensitive diazo compound, it is a positive-type compound that becomes alkali-soluble when exposed to light. - Quinonediazide compounds, aromatic diazonium salts, etc. are examples of negative-type compounds whose solubility decreases upon exposure to light.

Examples of developing solutions for negative photosensitive materials used in the method of the present invention include JP-A-51-77401 and JP-A-51-80228;
Anionic surfactants such as those described in No. 53-44202 and No. 55-52054, organic solvents whose solubility in water is 10% by weight or less at room temperature,
It includes an aqueous solution consisting of an alkaline agent, water and, if necessary, an antifouling agent.

The developing solution for positive photosensitive materials used in the method of the present invention includes an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali metal silicate, an alkali metal phosphate, or an alkali metal aluminate, water and, if necessary, a surfactant and other additives. A strong alkaline aqueous solution containing additives and having a pH of 12 or more is included. Specifically, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4
No. 8-15535, No. 53-82324, 54-62
No. 004, No. 52-127338, No. 53-9630
No. 7, M 50-144502, M 55-22759
No. 55-25100, No. 55-95946, No. 55-115039, No. 56-142528, No. 5
A developing solution comprising sodium silicate or potassium silicate described in Japanese Patent No. 0-51324 can be mentioned.

Further, a developer solution for both negative and positive photosensitive materials, such as those described in JP-A No. 60-130741, can also be used.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be shown.

Example 1 Using the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the upper (outlet side) plate material for forming the slits was 75 μm thick and 900 mm long (in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction).

The width is 50mm, and the thickness of the lower (inlet side) board is 175mm.
Rectangular polyethylene terephthalate sheets each having a length of 900 mm and a width of 55 mm were used.

The developer roller 8 is made of rubber, β-20', and the diameter of the developer roller 8 is 80 mm. The total developing section conveyance length was 400 mm.

At the end of a series of development processing operations, the developer tank 11 is drained of the developer, the inside of which is washed with water, and at the start of the next series of operations, the three-way valve 16 is operated to fill the developer tank 11 with developer solution. After adding the developer in the tank 5 for 5 minutes (total 1ff) at a supply rate of 200 m12/m'' to the photosensitive material, operate the valve to switch the flow to the developer supply member 7 (therefore, the flow of the developer is changed to the developer supply member 7). The amount of the used developing solution supplied to the photosensitive material was 200 m 127 m 2 ). Development processing was performed. After adding the unused developing solution, the developer tank 11 was replenished with the developing solution by the developer supplying member 7. The developer supplied to the material was brought into the developer tank 11 by the photosensitive material.The developer overflowing from the developer tank 11 was disposed of as waste.The developer temperature was adjusted to 25°C1 above t1 and t2. and t3 were set to 8 seconds, 8 seconds, and 4 seconds, respectively, for a total of 20 seconds.

The photosensitive material is SMP-N (trade name, positive type photosensitive material, manufactured by Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.), 1003 mm x 800
mm size was used, and a developer having the following composition was used.

(Developer) Sodium silicate (JIS standard No. 3) 75g Sodium hydroxide 15g Pellex NB
L (manufactured by Kao Atlas Co., Ltd.) 0.5g water
909.
5g Under the above conditions, 25 sheets of the photosensitive material were first processed continuously, and after 136 hours, the developer in the developing tank 11 was replaced with an unused solution, and then the 25 sheets of the photosensitive material were continuously processed. did.

Separately, as a comparative example, an experiment similar to the above experiment was conducted, except that the developer in the developer tank 11 according to the present invention was not replaced. However, the time interval between the first series of development processing operations and the next series of development processing operations may be 0 hours, 16 hours, or 4 hours.
0 hours, 60 hours and 136 hours.

The number of torn plates (those that cannot be used as printing plates due to stains) as a result of printing with the Neudel GTO printing machine using the obtained printing plates, and the contents in the developer tank 11 at the start of the development process after the above. Table 1 shows the pn values of the developing solutions.

Margins below (Note) Torn plates are those with stains visible on the front and sides of the photosensitive material.

From this result, according to the method of the present invention, development is performed in a development processing method in which a photosensitive material is first developed by supplying an unused developer and then passed through a developer tank containing a repeatedly used developer. Development defects at the front and side portions of the photosensitive material that occur during operations after the processing operation is interrupted can be improved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for developing a photosensitive material, which improves the uniformity of development and particularly improves the developability of the leading edge and both sides in a method of developing a photosensitive material with a small amount of developer. Can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a developing device showing one embodiment of the present invention. ■... Conveyance roller pair 2... Photosensitive material 3... Holding roller 4... Inclined roller 5... Developer tank 5a... Developer supply pump 6... Developer supply pipe 7. ...Developer supply member 8...Development section roller 9...
・Developer reservoir 11...Developer tank 12...Guide roller 13...Brush roller 14...Squeeze roller 15...Waste liquid tank 16...3-way valve
17... Developer collection gutter Applicant Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd. 2... Photosensitive material 8... Developing section roller 3... Holding roller 4... Inclined roller 5... Developer tank 5a. ...Developer supply pump 6...Developer supply pipe 7...Developer supply member 9...Developer reservoir 11...Developer tank 12...Guide roller 15...Waste solution tank 16...・3-way valve 17...Developer collection gutter

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) The non-silver salt photosensitive material is passed through a developing tank that uses an automatic developing machine to supply substantially unused developer to each sheet of the non-silver salt photosensitive material and holds the developer to be used repeatedly. 1. A method for developing a non-silver salt photosensitive material, comprising supplying a substantially unused developer to the developer tank before or after development. (2) A development processing apparatus that automatically conveys and develops a non-silver salt photosensitive material, having at least two development zones;
The first development zone has means for uniformly dispensing substantially unused developer over the surface of the photosensitive material, and the second development zone has means for immersing the photosensitive material in a developer tank and a means for immersing the photosensitive material in the developer tank. 1. A development processing apparatus comprising means for renewing a developer.