JPH027450B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] In order to maintain the activity of the developer at a predetermined value in an automatic film processor, and to recover the activity that has decreased due to blackening of the processed film, (a) a constant flow pump or A method of replenishing a blackening replenisher corresponding to the development processing area of the film and a predetermined blackening rate by operating a constant flow solenoid valve for a certain period of time. (c) A method of replenishing the corresponding anti-blackening replenisher; (c) Assuming a replenishment amount corresponding to a decrease in developer activity per unit length of the film, and determining the time corresponding to the actual length of film progress during processing; However, a method of replenishing an anti-blackening replenisher is known.

In addition, the developer becomes fatigued due to oxidation, and the degree of fatigue differs depending on whether the automatic developing machine is in operation or not. It is necessary to replenish an anti-oxidant replenisher in an amount proportional to each.

However, if the above-mentioned correction management is continued, errors in control accuracy will accumulate, so it is necessary to pass the test piece twice a day and further correct the developer based on the results.

Among the correction management using test pieces, anti-oxidation correction has conventionally been carried out using test pieces that have been exposed to a predetermined density.
Process with the standard developing solution and the developing solution to be corrected, measure and compare the concentrations at 4 predetermined locations (2 locations each with light and dark concentrations) visually or with a densitometer, and add an amount of anti-oxidation replenisher (hereinafter referred to as This was done by replenishing the liquid (simply referred to as a replenisher) based on the experience and intuition of a skilled person.

However, with this method, it is difficult to determine the exact amount of replenisher that corresponds to the concentration difference between the measurement points, so it is usually necessary to replenish a slightly smaller amount, test it through the test piece, and then replenish the missing amount. Although the standard state is restored by this method, the operation is very troublesome and takes time.

The present invention provides anti-oxidation correction using the above-mentioned test piece,
This relates to a method that can be performed mechanically, accurately and quickly, and its gist is to measure the halftone dots at 90% of the halftone dot in two dark and light areas of the test piece 1, for example, the halftone zone 3, as illustrated in FIG. The densities of measurement points 4 and 5 at 10% and 10% when processed with the standard developer are respectively N ₄ and N ₅ , and the densities when processed with the developer to be corrected are N' ₄ and N, respectively. ′ ₅ ,
The replenisher is automatically refilled according to the following experimental formula according to instructions from a computer.

T=K ₁ {K ₃ (N ₄ −N′ ₄ ) −(N ₅ −N′ ₅ )}+K ₂ T is the time during which the constant flow replenishment means is operated.

K ₁ , K ₂ , and K ₃ are oxidation coefficients determined experimentally in advance based on the test piece, developer, and replenisher used, the position of the concentration measurement point, the flow rate of the replenishment solenoid valve, etc.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a block diagram for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention will be specifically explained based on FIG. 2 below.

The first standard concentration measured in advance with the densitometer 6
N ₄ , second standard concentration N ₅ , and the above first oxidation coefficient K ₁
, the second oxidation coefficient K ₂ , and the third oxidation coefficient K ₃ are respectively set by the first standard concentration setter 7 , the second standard concentration setter 8 , the first oxidation coefficient setter 9 , and the second oxidation coefficient setter 9 . It is set in the coefficient setter 10 and the third oxidation coefficient setter 11.

Further, a management width Q is set in advance in the management width setting device 12, in which the deviation of the activity of the developer in use from the standard state is slight, is within an allowable range, and does not require correction.

The above measured concentrations N′ ₄ and N′ ₅ measured with the densitometer 6 are
First measurement concentration setting device 13 and second measurement concentration setting device 1
4 and starts the circuit, the set concentrations N ₄ , N' ₄ and N ₅ , N' ₅ are input to the first subtraction circuit 15 and the second subtraction circuit 16, respectively, and the concentrations are The differences (N ₄ −N′ ₄ ) and (N ₅ −N′ ₅ ) are calculated.

Then, the concentration difference (N ₄ −N′ ₄ ) is inputted to the excess/deficiency discrimination circuit 17 and the first multiplier circuit 21, and the concentration difference (N ₅
-N' ₅ ) is the excess/deficiency discrimination circuit 17 and the third subtraction circuit 1
Enter 8.

The excess/deficiency discrimination circuit 17 detects the difference in both concentrations (N ₄ −N′ ₄ )
and (N ₅ -N' ₅ ), that is, whether the developer is over-replenished or under-replenished, and outputs them to the first gate 19 and the second gate 20 as positive and negative signals, respectively.

The first multiplier circuit 21 receives the concentration difference (N ₄ −N' ₄ ) and the third oxidation coefficient input from the third oxidation coefficient setting device 11.
The product K ₃ (N ₄ −N' ₄ ) of K ₃ is calculated and output to the third subtraction circuit 18.

The third subtraction circuit 18 calculates the difference K ₃ (N ₄ - N' ₄ ) - between the calculation result K ₃ (N 4 - N' ₄ ) of the first multiplication circuit 21 and the concentration difference ( _{N 5 -} N' ₅ ). (N ₅ −N′ ₅ ) and calculate the second
It outputs to the gate 20 and the second multiplier circuit 22.

The second gate 20 is connected to the third subtraction circuit 18 only when the excess/deficiency determining circuit 17 outputs a negative signal, that is, when the developer needs replenisher.
Opens at the signal.

The second multiplier circuit 22 is activated by the passing signal of the second gate 20, and calculates the product of the calculation result of the first multiplier circuit 21 and the first oxidation coefficient K ₁ input from the first oxidation coefficient setter 9, K ₁ {K ₃ (N ₄ −N′ ₄ )−(N ₅ −N′ ₅ )} is calculated and output to the adder circuit 24 .

The comparison circuit 23 compares the calculation result of the first multiplication circuit 21 with the management width Q input from the management width setting device 12, and if it is smaller than the lower limit of the management width Q, lights up the insufficient replenishment lamp 26 and sets the management width Q. If it is larger than the upper limit of , a positive signal is output, the gate 19 is opened, and the overfill lamp 25 is turned on to notify the user.

The adder circuit 24 calculates the sum K ₁ {K ₃ (N _{4 −N} ′ ₄ )−(N ₅ ―N′ ₅ )}+
Calculate K ₂ .

The value of this formula is the time T for opening the constant flow solenoid valve 27 for replenishing replenisher in order to recover the developer, so if the solenoid valve 27 is opened and closed by the output of the addition circuit 24, the developing The activity of the liquid can be maintained at a predetermined value.

As mentioned above, according to the method of the present invention, all of the oxidation correction can be performed mechanically, so even an unskilled person can quickly and accurately perform the oxidation correction of the developer with one simple operation. This is very convenient and can improve the operating rate of the automatic developing machine.

In addition, in the above, the concentration measurement of test piece 1 is as follows:
A test piece detection device such as a micro switch, a film transport temporary stop device activated by this detection device, and a densitometer 6 are installed at the dryer outlet of the automatic developing machine to automatically measure the temperature of the device. Alternatively, the developed test piece 1
The concentration may be manually measured at a suitable location and input into the device.

It goes without saying that in place of the constant flow solenoid valve 27, any suitable constant flow replenishment means, such as a constant flow pump, can be used.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a test piece, and FIG. 2 is an example of a block diagram for carrying out the method of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Test piece, 2... Continuous tone zone, 3... Mesh zone, 4, 5... Measurement point, 6... Density meter, 7... First standard density setting device, 8... Second standard density setting device, 9... Third... 1 oxidation coefficient setter, 10... second oxidation coefficient setter,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Third oxidation coefficient setter, 12... Management width setter, 13... First measured concentration setter, 14... Second measured concentration setter, 15... First subtraction circuit, 16... Second subtraction circuit, 17... Excess/deficiency discrimination circuit, 18...Third subtraction circuit, 19...First gate, 20...Second gate, 2
1...First multiplication circuit, 22...Second multiplication circuit, 23...
Comparison circuit, 24... Addition circuit, 25, 26... Lamp, 27... Solenoid valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. The standard densities of the two dark and dark spots of a test piece treated with a standard developer are N ₄ and N ₅ , and the above measurement points of a test piece of the same type as above treated with a developer to be corrected are Experimentally determined T = where the concentrations are N' ₄ and N' ₅ and the operation time of the constant flow replenishment means for the anti-oxidant replenisher is T.
Determine the oxidation coefficients K ₁ , K ₂ , and K ₃ that satisfy the formula K ₁ {K ₃ (N ₄ −N′ ₄ )−(N ₅ −N′ ₅ )}+K ₂ and calculate the measured concentration.
A test piece using a test piece in an automatic developing machine is characterized in that the replenisher is replenished by measuring N' ₄ and N' ₅ and operating the actuating means for a time T calculated from the above experimental formula. Oxidation correction method. 2. If the value of K ₁ {K ₃ (N ₄ - N' ₄ ) - (N ₅ - N' ₅ )} is within a predetermined value, the replenisher is not replenished. The method described in Scope No. 1.