JPH0387740A - Processing rack structure of automatic developing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lower the aperture of a processing liquid in a processing tank and to surely prevent oxidation and evaporation by integrally fitting a liquid surface cover arranged on the surface of the processing liquid in the processing tank to which a rotary shaft is penetrated out of a processing rack side plate. CONSTITUTION:The axial middle part of the rotary shaft 174 above a worm gear 176 penetrates the notch 186 of a water surface cover 184 protruding from a side plate part 142. With the rack 34 arranged in the developing tank, the water surface cover 184 is arranged on the liquid surface of a developer. The water surface cover 184 protrudes from the side plate 142 to the inner peripheral wall surface of a developing tank, and the top of the protruding cover almost abuts on the side of the developing tank. Moreover, the water surface cover 184 protrudes from the opposite side part 142 and prevents the contact of the liquid surface of the developer out of the rack 34 with air. Thus, the aperture of the processing liquid in the processing tank is lowered to surely prevent oxidation and evaporation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is an automatic developing machine that automatically conveys a photosensitive material and processes the photosensitive material (e.g., developing, fixing, washing with water). The present invention relates to a processing rack structure for an automatic processing machine that guides the conveyance of the processing equipment.

[Prior art]

Currently, processing racks are installed in each processing tank in order to automatically transport photosensitive materials and guide them sequentially to each processing tank for automatic processing. A plurality of roller pairs are attached to this processing rack and are rotated at a constant speed. For this reason,
The tip of the photosensitive material that has reached the entrance of each processing tank is held between a pair of rollers, so that the photosensitive material is immersed in the processing liquid. The photosensitive material reaches the bottom of the processing tank, where it is turned over and guided to the liquid surface again. A guide plate is interposed between each pair of rollers, and the photosensitive material is guided by this guide plate to ensure that it is nipped to the next roller.

By arranging such processing racks in various ways, the photosensitive material can be automatically transported and a predetermined processing time can be secured.

By the way, the structure of the conventional processing rack has only the function of guiding the photosensitive material, and the surface of the processing liquid in the processing tank comes into contact with air.

When the processing liquid comes into contact with air, it oxidizes, reducing the processing function and increasing the amount of evaporation. Therefore, after the processing racks are arranged, a floating lid is placed on the surface of the processing liquid to solve the above problem.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, since the floating lid is placed separately from the processing rack, the assembly work becomes complicated, and due to the structure of conventional processing racks, drive transmission gears are disposed especially on the outside of the processing rack. Since it was difficult to place the floating lid on the entire surface of the liquid, the opening ratio (the ratio of the area that was not completely covered by floating objects to the area of the liquid surface) was high, and the lid was designed to reliably prevent oxidation and evaporation. I couldn't do it.

In consideration of the above-mentioned facts, the present invention aims to provide a processing rack structure for an automatic processor that can reduce the aperture ratio of the processing liquid in the processing tank and reliably prevent oxidation and evaporation.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The processing rack structure of an automatic developing machine according to the present invention distributes the driving force to a plurality of roller pairs via a rotating shaft provided with a driving gear that rotates by the driving force of a driving means. The processing rack structure of an automatic developing machine includes a gear train for transmitting a photosensitive material by the pair of rollers, and processes the photosensitive material by sandwiching the photosensitive material between the pair of rollers and guiding the photosensitive material into each processing tank. The present invention is characterized in that a liquid level cover that is penetrated and placed above the liquid level of the processing liquid in the processing tank is integrally attached to at least the outer side of the processing rack side plate.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, since the liquid level cover is integrally attached to the outside of the processing rack, there is no need to install a separate floating lid or the like later, and the liquid level can be shielded at the same time as the processing rack is placed. be able to. Furthermore, since the rotating shaft that transmits the drive to the photosensitive material transport roller passes through the liquid surface cover and is driven by a vertical axis, the aperture ratio can be lowered without the processing liquid being pumped up by the drive transmission gear.

Note that the liquid surface inside the processing rack may be shielded by a liquid surface cover that is integrated with the processing rack, or the liquid surface cover may be placed on a crossover rack placed on the processing rack.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an automatic developing device 10 according to this embodiment. First, the overall configuration of the automatic developing device io will be explained.

The automatic developing device 10 is provided with an insertion opening 16 into which a photosensitive material 14 is inserted on the right side of the casing 12 in FIG. A pair of rollers 18 are provided inside the insertion opening 16, and are rotated by the driving force of a driving means (not shown). Therefore, the photosensitive material 14 inserted through the insertion opening 16 is held between the pair of rollers 18, and a conveying force is applied to the photosensitive material 14.

The photosensitive material 14 conveyed by the driving force of the pair of rollers 18 is guided to a processor section 20 installed inside the automatic developing device 10 .

A processing tank 22 is provided in the processor section 20 .

The processing tank 22 is partitioned into three tanks in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 by two partition walls 24 and 26, each of which is a developing tank 28, a fixing tank 30, and a washing tank 32 from the first spring. These tanks 28, 30, 32 store a developer, a fixer, and washing water, respectively, and a rack 34 is arranged in each tank 28, 30, 32. Each of the racks 34 is provided with a plurality of rollers 36 along the conveyance path of the photosensitive material 14 . A crossover rack 38 is arranged on the L side of the processing tank 22 in FIG.

The crossover rack 38 is provided with a pair of rollers 40, 42 above the partition "424, 26 in FIG. 1, respectively, for guiding the photosensitive material 14 to the adjacent processing tank. 40 and 42 are rotationally driven at a constant speed by the driving force of a driving means (not shown).

The photosensitive material 14 inserted through the insertion port 16 and conveyed by a pair of rollers 18 is first held between rollers 36 provided on a rack 34 of the developer tank 28 and immersed in the developer in the developer tank 28. Ru. In addition, the fixing tank 30
By being sandwiched by the rollers 36 provided on the rack 34 of , it is immersed in the fixing liquid in the fixing tank 30, and further by being sandwiched by the rollers 36 provided in the rank 36 in the washing tank 32. It will be immersed in the washing water in the washing tank 32. In each tank, the photosensitive material 14 is conveyed in a substantially U-shape by a plurality of rollers 36 to ensure a predetermined processing time. Furthermore, the movement of each weighing unit is smoothly guided to the adjacent tank by rollers 40, 42 provided on the crossover rack 38.

A drying section 44 is provided at the upper part of the processor section 20 in FIG. A communication port 48 (near the left end in FIG. 1) is provided in a part of the wall 46 that partitions the drying section 44 and the processing tank 22, and the photosensitive material 14 is guided to the communication port 48. A plurality of rollers 50 are arranged from the washing tank 32 to the inside of the drying section 44. This roller 50 is also rotated at the same conveyance speed as the rollers 36 such as the rack 34. As a result, the photosensitive material 14 that has been washed in the washing tank 32 is held between these rollers 50 and conveyed, thereby guiding it to the drying section 44 .

The drying section 44 is provided with dryers 52 on the upper and lower sides thereof, and hot air is blown from the left side in FIG. 1. Between the chambers 52, a plurality of roller pairs 54 are installed in the horizontal direction in FIG. They are arranged to convey the photosensitive material 14. The photosensitive material 14 that has reached the drying section 44 from the communication port 48 is held between the pair of rollers 54 and conveyed in the horizontal direction in FIG.

On the surface of the chamber 52 facing the roller pair 54,
A plurality of slit holes 56 are provided along the axial direction of the roller pair 54 to blow hot air inside the chamber 52 onto the conveyance path of the photosensitive material 14. Therefore, the drying section 4
The photosensitive material 14 is dried by hot air while being conveyed while being held by a pair of rollers 54 in the drying section 44, and reaches the discharge port 58 of the drying section 44. A tray 60 is provided outside the discharge port 58, and the tray 60 is used to store the dried photosensitive material 14.
is placed on this tray 60.

The configuration of each part will be explained in detail below.

(Configuration of Magnetic Pump 78) As shown in FIG. 2, two circular holes 74 and 76 are provided on the side surface of the developer tank 28, and the inlet vibe 80 and outlet vibe 82 of the magnetic pump 78 are connected to each other. It is fitted through a ring 84. The magnet pump 78 has a structure in which a shallow inner cover 88 is press-fitted into the inner periphery of an outer cover 86. A space 90 is formed between the bottom 88A of the inner cover 88 and the bottom 86A of the outer cover 86, and a motor 92 is disposed therein.

A rotating shaft 94 of the motor 92 has its tip directed toward the bottom of the inner cover 88, and a disc-shaped magnet 96 is attached thereto.

A pin 100 protrudes from a bottom surface 98 inside the inner cover coaxially with the rotating shaft 94 and the magnet 96, and an impeller 102 is pivotally supported. A magnetic body 104 is built into the impeller 102 and corresponds to the magnet 96 through the bottom of the inner cover 88 . Therefore, when the motor 92 is driven and the magnet 96 is rotated, a rotational force is applied to the impeller 102 through the bottom surface 98 due to the attractive magnetic force between the magnet 96 and the magnetic body 104. The rotational center of the impeller 102 is communicated with the inlet vibe 80 through the opening 103, and the outer circumference of the impeller 102 is communicated with the outlet vibe 82. Therefore, the rotation of the impeller 102 allows the developer to flow in from the inlet pipe 80 and flow out from the outlet vibe 82, thereby stirring the developer in the developer tank 28.

The inner cover 88 in this embodiment is made of ceramic, and the heater member 106 is embedded inside the inner force bar 88. Therefore, the developer is heated while passing through the magnet pump 78, and is heated again to the developer tank 28.
This will lead to.

Note that the heater member 106 may be arranged along the outer periphery of the inner cover 88. A thermistor 108 is inserted from the outer periphery of the magnet pump 78 through an outer cover 86 and an inner cover 88 . The thermistor 108 measures the temperature of the developer flowing into the inlet pipe 80, controls the state of energization of the heater member 106, and maintains the developer at a predetermined temperature.

In this configuration, C in the fixing tank 30 also has the same configuration.

(Configuration of Replenishment Tank for Replenisher) As shown in FIG. 3, a dish-shaped bracket portion 110 serving as a replenishment tank is integrally formed on the side surface near the L-end opening of the developer tank 28. . The central portion of the bracket portion 110 projects upward in FIG. 3, and its upper end surface 112 is used as a placement portion for a replenishment bottle 114. In addition, refill bottle 1
14, the up and down directions are reversed, and the receiver (not shown) is placed on a stand. An electromagnet 118 is attached to the space 116 inside the protruding portion of the bracket RIIO. Further, the upper end surface 112 has radial slit grooves 120.
is formed.

The replenishment bottle i14 contains a main developer liquid, and by replenishing the main developer liquid to the developer tank 28, a decrease in the developing ability is prevented. A male thread 124 is formed on the outer periphery of the refill port 122 of the refill bottle II4, and a cylindrical adapter 126 is screwed into the refill port 122 of the refill bottle II4. A bottom plate 128 is formed to close the tip (bottom) of the adapter 126, and a through hole i30 is formed in the axial center of the bottom plate 128. A support plate 132 parallel to the bottom plate 128 is provided at the axial center of the inner peripheral surface of the adapter 126, and an opening 132A is formed at the axial center. A disc-shaped lid 134 is provided between the bottom plate 128 and the support plate 132, and a compression coil spring 136 is provided between the lid 134 and the bottom plate 128. Therefore, the lid body 134 is held in contact with the support plate 132 by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 136.1. This prevents the replenisher from flowing out from the refill port 122. In addition,
A gasket 138 is attached to the top surface of the lid 134 to prevent liquid leakage. Further, a magnetic body 140 is fixed to the lid body 134.

Here, when the electromagnet 118 is excited, it attracts the magnetic body 140 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 136.

Therefore, the lid body 134 is moved toward the bottom plate 128, and the refill port 122 of the refill bottle 114 and the through hole 130 are communicated with each other, and the replenisher is supplied from the through hole 130 to the upper end surface 112.
It will flow out through the slit groove 120 of I.

The replenisher that has flowed out is temporarily retained in the dish-shaped bracket portion 11O, and the overflowing replenisher flows from there to the developer tank 28.

(Structures of Rack 34) Rack 34 having the same structure is provided in each of the various types (developing tank 28, fixing tank 30, washing tank 32). As described above, the rack 34 carries the photosensitive material 14 by the roller 36. It has the role of pinching and transporting along a predetermined transport route.

As shown in FIGS. 4(A) to 4(C), the rack 34 has a box-shaped integral structure made of synthetic resin.

Opposing walls on the short sides of the rack 34 are formed into a pair of side plates 142, which support both ends of the rollers 36, respectively. The roller 36 has a surface made of synthetic resin,
A metal rotating shaft 144 protrudes from both ends. Each side! Three rectangular through holes 146 are provided in the ff1l 142, and bearings 148 are attached to the three rectangular through holes 146. Through hole 1
46, the two upper ones are rectangular shapes that are elongated in the substantially horizontal direction, and the lower one is rectangular shape that is elongated in the substantially vertical direction. The bearings 148 are made of synthetic resin and each has a circular hole 150 and a long hole 152. This circular hole 150 and long hole 15
The rotating shafts 144 of the rollers 36 are supported by the rollers 2 and 2, respectively. A tongue piece 154 is formed in the middle of the elongated hole 152 and protrudes in the width direction of the elongated hole, and is in contact with the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 144 . This tongue piece 154 has elastic force and urges the rotating shaft 144 toward one end of the elongated hole 152 (the end on the side closer to the circular hole 150). That is, the elastic force of the tongue piece 154 applies a nipping force to the pair of rollers 36.

The two side plate parts 142 are supported in parallel by the stay part 156. The stem portion 156 is titted with a pair of upper stem portions 158 that are parallel to each other and a lower stem portion 160 that is the bottom of the rack 34. Upper stage part 1
The cross-sectional shape of 58 is an abbreviated shape to ensure a predetermined strength.

A roller 36 is inserted inside this L-shaped upper stay part 158. Further, the lower stay portion 160 may also have a substantially oval cross-sectional shape so that the roller 36 enters inside.

Here, the width dimension W1 of the lower stay portion 160 is the width of the rack 34.
The rack 34 has an inverted triangular shape as a whole. Lower stage part 16
0 is supported by the side plate 142 in a horizontal state, and a rectangular hole 160A is formed in the widthwise central portion extending in the longitudinal direction.

A rectangular protrusion 162 is formed at the upper end of the side plate 142, so that the upper end of the rack 34 has an uneven shape. This uneven shape serves as a positioning portion that determines the position with respect to the crossover rack 38. In addition, the protrusion 162 is provided with a long hole 164, so that
The protrusion 162 also serves as a handle when carrying the rack 34.

A spur gear 16 is attached to the base of the rotating shaft 144 at one end of the roller 36.
6 is fixed. This spur gear 166 has a side plate portion (4
It is placed inside 2. These spur gears 166 are
The pairs mesh with each other, and one spur gear 16 of each
6 meshes with a large diameter spur gear 168. Therefore, by rotating the large diameter spur gear 168, each spur gear 166 is rotated at a constant speed.

A rotating shaft 170 of the large-diameter spur gear 168 passes through the side plate portion 142 and projects to the outside of the rack 34, and a small-diameter spur gear 172 is attached to the tip thereof. This spur gear 172 has a rotating shaft 174 in a substantially vertical direction (Fig.
) is meshed with a worm gear 176 which is oriented vertically). The lower end of the rotating shaft 174 of the worm gear 176 is rotatably supported in a circular hole 180 provided in a bracket part 178 protruding from the side plate part 142, and the upper end has a drive which rotates by receiving the rotational force of a drive means (not shown). A gear 182 is attached.

Further, an axially intermediate portion of the rotating shaft 174 above the worm gear 176 passes through a notch 186 of the water surface cover 184 protruding from the side plate portion 142. This water surface cover 184 is placed in the developing tank 28 of the rack 34.
It is arranged on the surface of the developer.

The water surface cover 184 protrudes from the side plate portion 142 toward the inner circumferential side wall surface of the developer tank 28 , and the tip end in the projecting direction is positioned at a position where it is substantially in contact with the side surface of the developer tank 28 . Furthermore, this water surface cover 184 also protrudes from the side plate portion 142 on the opposite side, and prevents the surface of the developer solution located outside the rack 34 from coming into contact with the air.

A plurality of guide plates 188 are provided between the upper stay part 158 and the lower stay part 160, respectively. That is, the guide plate 188 is arranged between the upper roller 36 and the lower roller 36. The thickness direction of the guide plates 188 is the longitudinal direction of the upper stay portion 158 and the lower stay portion 160, and the guide plates 188 are arranged in parallel to each other at predetermined intervals. The opposing surfaces of the guide plates 188 are each bent into an arc shape, and serve as guide surfaces 188 when the photosensitive material 14 is transported.
It is considered to be A. Therefore, the leading end of the photosensitive material 14, which is held between the upper rollers 36 and moves downward, is guided by the guide surface 18.
8A, is held between the rollers 36 at the bottom, is turned over, and then is guided by the guide surface 188 again to the rollers at the top.
A, the photosensitive material 14 forms a substantially U-shaped transport path.

The outward facing surface of the guide plate 188 is connected to the side plate portion 14.
The rack 34 is sloped along the inverted triangular shape of 2, so that the rack 34 can be punched out in the vertical direction. Further, the guide plate 188 not only has the role of guiding the photosensitive material 14 but also has the role of reinforcing the stay portion 156. Thereby, even if the rack 34 is made of synthetic resin, its strength can be ensured sufficiently.

In addition, the side plate part 142, the stay part 156, the guide plate 188
Each has a wall thickness of approximately 5 mm.

<Configuration of Crossover Rack 38> A crossover rack 38 is disposed above the various types (developing tank 28, fixing tank 30, and washing tank 32). As described above, the cross bulkhead 38 holds the photosensitive material 14 between the openings 40 and 42 and transfers it to the processing tanks (from the developing tank 28 to the fixing tank 30, and from the fixing tank 30 to the washing tank 3).
2) It has a spout for conveying.

As shown in 5th [K (A) and (B), the first cover rack 38 has an integral structure made of resin.

The pair of side plates 190 are attached to both ends of the ceiling plate 192 in the width direction, and are parallel to each other. Side plate part 1
Four tongue pieces 194 are protruded downward from each of the lower end portions 90 (the surfaces facing the rack 34). Each of the tongues 194 is provided with two circular holes 196 in a vertical row, in which the rotation shafts 198 of the rollers 18, 40, 42, 50 are supported. Further, a spacer 197 is attached to the opposite side in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 198 to which the spur gear 200 is attached, so as to restrict the movement of the rotating shaft 198 in the axial direction. The roller 18 at one end in the longitudinal direction of the side plate portion 190 is configured to sandwich the photosensitive material 14 inserted from the insertion opening 16 and guide it to the developer tank 28 . The roller 50 at the other end holds the photosensitive material 14 discharged from the washing tank 32 and transfers it to the drying section 4.
4 (bottom part) of the roller 50.

Further, rollers 40 and 42 in the intermediate portion are respectively connected to the developing tank 2.
The photosensitive material 14 discharged from the developing tank 8 and the fixing tank 30 is sandwiched between the receivers and the photosensitive material 14 is transferred from the developing tank 28 to the fixing tank 30 and from the fixing tank 30 to the washing tank 32.

A spur gear 200 is provided at one axial end of the rotating shaft 198 of each of the rollers 18, 40, 42, 50, and is driven by a driving means (not shown) at the same speed as the roller 36 of the rack 34. It's being rotated.

A projection 202 is formed near the tongue 194 to sandwich the tongue 194, and a recess 204 is formed between the projections 202.
is formed. This recess 204 corresponds to the protrusion 162 of the rack 34, and when the crossover rack 38 is placed on the rack 34, the protrusion 162
and the recess 204 are fitted into each other and positioned.

The surface of the ceiling plate 192 facing the rack 34 is connected to the roller 1
8, 40, 42, and 50, and is bent into a substantially circular arc shape coaxial with the guide surface 206 for the photosensitive material 14. A plurality of ribs 208 are formed to protrude from this guide surface 206, and the tips of these ribs 208 constitute a guide surface coaxial with the roller and are a part that comes into direct contact with the photosensitive material 14. The contact surface between the guide surface 14 and the guide surface 206 is reduced.

In addition, the portion of the ceiling portion 192 that is not used as the guide surface 206 is used as a part of the water surface cover 207, and is arranged on the surface of the guest liquid when placed in the developing tank 28, fixing tank 30, and washing tank 32. . This prevents the guest performers inside the rack 34 from coming into contact with the air.

(Structure of Drying Section 44) As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the drying section 44 is constructed by superimposing two subassemblies 210 of the same shape. Note that FIG. 6(A) shows only one subassembly 210.

The subassembly 210 includes a frame 212 and one chamber 52. Convex portions 214 and concave portions 216, each having a constant width dimension, are alternately formed in the frame 212 from one end in the width direction to the other end. Here, the convex portions 214 and the concave portions 216 begin with a convex shape at one end in the width direction of the frame 212 and end with a concave shape at the other end, and the number of concave portions and convex portions are the same.

A longitudinally elongated hole 218 is formed in the convex portion 214, and a rotating shaft 222 of the roller pair 54 is supported via a bearing (not shown). A spur gear 224 is attached to one end of the rotating shaft 222 in the axial direction, and these spur gears mesh with a drive gear driven by the driving force of a drive means (not shown). Note that a spacer 53 is attached to the axially opposite side of the rotating shaft 222 to which the spur gear 224 is attached, so as to restrict the movement of the rotating shaft 222 in the axial direction.

Further, the convex portion 214 is provided with a plurality of circular holes 226,
It is said to be around the warm air escape hole. Furthermore, a notch 228 is formed in a part of the frame 212.
8 also acts as a warm air escape hole.

A guide rail 230 is provided on the inside of the long side of the frame 212.
is formed and a chamber 52 is attached. The bottom of the chamber 52 is inclined, and the opening area gradually becomes narrower from the side into which warm air flows (the side of arrow A shown in FIG. 6(A)) to the bottom. Furthermore, a plurality of slit holes 232 parallel to the axial direction of the roller pair 54 are formed in the surface of the chamber 52 facing the roller pair 54 . Therefore, by blowing hot air into the chamber 52, this hot air is blown out from the slit hole 232 toward the roller pair 54. Here, each slit hole 232
Since the bottom surface of the hot air is inclined, the pressure inside the chamber 52 can be kept almost constant, and the flow rate of the hot air can be made uniform over the arrangement direction of the roller pair 54 (direction perpendicular to the axis). can.

The surface on which the slit holes 232 are provided is inclined in a sawtooth shape so as to gradually approach the roller pair 54 along the conveyance direction of the photosensitive material 14, and ribs 234 are formed along the axial direction of the roller pair 54. has been done.

When a pair of sub-assemblies 210 configured in this manner are prepared and assembled so as to be hugged, the recesses 214 and the projections 216 correspond to each other alternately. At this time, the roller pairs 54 provided in both subassemblies 210 are aligned in a straight line to form a conveyance path. Further, chambers 52 are formed on both sides of the pair of rollers 54, and hot air is blown onto the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material 14 which is being held and conveyed by the pair of rollers 54. Further, a chamber 5 facing the photosensitive material 14
Since the surface 2 is sloped in a sawtooth shape, it acts as a guide surface, and furthermore, the rib 134 prevents surface contact with the photosensitive material 14.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained below.

(Processing procedure for the photosensitive material 14) When the photosensitive material 14 is inserted from the insertion opening 16 in a substantially horizontal state, it is held between the rollers 18 at one end of the crossover rack 38. As the rollers 18 are driven, the photosensitive material 14 is transported. The leading edge of the photosensitive material 14 reaches the roller 36 above the rack 34 arranged in the developer tank 28, and is bent downward by the guide surface 204 and transported toward the developing tank 28. The photosensitive material 14 is held and conveyed toward the bottom of the developer tank 28 .

The photosensitive material 14 that has passed through the roller 36 is transferred to the guide plate 1
It is guided by the guide surface 88 and held between the lower rollers 36. By being held between the rollers 36, the photosensitive material 1
4 is inverted and guided by the guide surface of the guide plate 188,
It is held between the upper rollers 36 and discharged from the developer surface of the developer tank 28 .

The photosensitive material 14 discharged from the developing tank 28 is guided by the guide surface 204 of the crossover rack 38 to a substantially horizontal state, is conveyed while being nipped by a roller 40 provided in the middle, and further is moved downward by the guide surface 204. and is conveyed toward the fixing tank 30.

In the fixing tank 30, similarly to the developing tank 28, the fixing tank 30 is transported in a substantially U-shape by rollers 36 and a guide 188 plate provided on the rack 34, and then in the washing tank 32, it is transported in the same manner to cross over. It is held between rollers 50 provided at the other end of the barrack 38.

The photosensitive material 14 held by the rollers 50 is successively held by the rollers 50 that extend to the drying section 44, passes through the communication port 48, and reaches the drying section 44.

Warm air is blown into the chamber 52 of the drying section 44, and the warm air is blown out from the slit hole 232. Due to the shape of the opening of the chamber 52 that gradually narrows toward the bottom, the flow rate of the hot air blown out from the plurality of slit holes 232 is kept almost constant. As a result, the photosensitive material 14, which is held between the pair of rollers 54 and conveyed in a substantially horizontal state, is uniformly blown with hot air and is evenly dried. Photosensitive material U14 subjected to drying treatment
is discharged from the output III 58 and placed onto a tray 60 adjacent to the drying section 44 . With the above steps, processing of the photosensitive material is completed.

(Agitation and temperature control action by magnet pump 96) In this embodiment, since the developer is constantly agitated by the magnet pump 96 provided in the developer tank 28, uneven development does not occur (proper development Also, since the fixing tank 30 is similarly stirred, proper fixing processing is carried out.The magnet pump 96 of this embodiment has a ceramic cover 88 and a heater member. 106 is buried, and the developer (fixer) flowing in from the inlet vibe 80 can be heated during agitation by the magnet pump 96. This heating control is performed by a thermistor 108 provided in the magnet pump 96. This is done by measuring the temperature of the developer and comparing this measured value with a predetermined value to change the energization state to the heater member 106.Thereby, the developer flowing out from the outlet vibrator 82 is adjusted to the appropriate temperature. Since the temperature is returned to the developer tank 28, the optimum temperature can always be maintained in the developer tank 28.

In addition, since the developer is heated during circulation for stirring, there is no need to separately install a heater or the like in the developer tank, and it is only necessary to install the magnet pump 96.
Ease of assembly is also improved. Further, since the heater member 106 is embedded in the inner cover 88 made of ceramic, it is compact, and the device itself can be downsized.

(Operation related to replenishment of replenisher) The developer tank 28 is always replenished with developer from the developer replenishment tank 62, and the overflow part 70 sends the developer at a predetermined water depth or more back to the developer replenishment tank 62. However, the main developing solution may become insufficient due to an increase in the amount of development processing or deterioration over time.Here, in this embodiment, the replenisher containing the main developing solution is added at the desired time. can be replenished.

That is, the adapter 126 is screwed into the replenishment port 122 of the replenishment bottle 114 filled with replenishment fluid, and is turned upside down (with the adapter 126 facing down) and placed in a predetermined position. As a result, the tip end surface of the adapter 126 is connected to the bracket part 1.
The upper end surface 112 of 10 is held in contact with the upper end surface 112 of 10.

In the adapter 126, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 136 biases the lid 134 in the direction of contacting the support plate 132. Since a gasket 138 is attached to the lid body 134, the gasket 138 is brought into close contact with the support plate 132 to prevent the replenisher from flowing out from the replenishment port 122.

If replenishment of the replenishing fluid becomes necessary in this state, the electromagnet 118 disposed in the inner space 116 is energized, and the electromagnet 118 becomes energized, and the lid body 134
The magnetic material 140 buried in the magnetic material 140 is attracted. Due to this suction force, the lid body 134 is moved in the direction of the bottom plate 28 against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 136. When the lid body 134 is moved, the replenisher fluid flows out from the refill port 122 and reaches the through hole 130 at the tip of the adapter 126. Here, since radial slit grooves 120 are formed on the surface of the upper end face 112, the replenisher is retained in the dish-shaped bracket part 110 via the through hole 130 and the slit groove 120. When the retained replenisher overflows, the overflowing replenisher flows into the developer tank 28. Thereby, the replenisher can be replenished. When the specified amount of replenishment fluid has been refilled,
Power to the electromagnet 118 is stopped. As a result, the lid body 134 is again pushed onto the support plate 1 by the biasing force of the compression coil spring 136.
32, and prevents the replenisher from flowing out from the replenishment port 122.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the replenisher can be guided to the developer tank 28 without using a communication member such as a vibrator, so maintenance is easy and the apparatus is compact. Furthermore, since the replenishment bottle 114 can be replaced by simply attaching the adapter 126, it is possible to perform operations such as connection with a vibrator and sealing on snowy roads, improving work efficiency.

(Modified Example of Replenishment Tank Configuration) In this embodiment, a hair adapter 126 is attached to the replenishment bottle 114 to replenish the replenisher, but as shown in FIG. 7, the same effect can be obtained by using a solenoid valve 236. can be obtained. The configuration will be explained in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 7, the opening end of the developer tank 28 is formed with a rib 238 bent in a substantially horizontal state. A bottom portion 242 of a replenishment tank 240 is arranged on the same plane as this rib 238 at a predetermined interval. This rib 238
A part of the tip of the electromagnetic valve 236 is fixed to the lower end surface of the bottom 242 of the replenishing tank 240 via a packing 244.

The solenoid valve 236 is provided with inlet and outlet holes 246 and 248, between which the partition wall 2
50 is attached via a packing 252. Hole 2
46 and the hole 248 form a communication path 254 inside the solenoid valve 236.
The valve body 256 is disposed in the middle thereof.

The valve body 256 is attached to the tip of the actuator 258 of the electromagnet 236, and when the electromagnet 236 is energized, the communication path 254 is opened, and when the energization is stopped, the compression coil spring attached to the actuator 258 is opened. The valve body 256 is pushed up with a biasing force of 260 mm to close the communication passage 254.

With the above configuration, the replenisher can be guided from the replenisher tank 240 to the developer tank 28 by energizing the electromagnet 236. Note that it is preferable that the ribs 238 be inclined downward toward the developer tank 28 . According to this configuration,
There is no need to attach the replenishment bottle 114 hair adapter 126, and the number of parts can be reduced.

(Operations related to the rack 34) The rack 34 applied to this embodiment is a one-piece molded product made of synthetic resin. In other words, the side plate portion 142 and the stem portion 156
Since the guide plate 188 is formed in a pre-assembled state, there is no need to form each part individually and assemble them, improving workability. Further, the rollers 36 are hung between the side plate parts 142, but when assembling the individual parts, alignment to support both ends of the rotating shaft of the rollers 36 is an important task. By performing integral molding in advance as in this embodiment, such alignment becomes unnecessary.

The upper stay portion 158 has an abbreviated cross-sectional shape,
Furthermore, since the upper stay part 158 and the lower stay part 160 are connected by the guide plate 188, sufficient strength is ensured. That is, since the guide plate 188 not only guides the conveyance of the photosensitive material 14 but also serves as the stay part 156, it is possible to make the external dimensions of the rack made with conventional metal side plates and stays almost the same. The rack 34, which is also made of synthetic resin, has high strength, and there is no need to change the design of other members such as the developer tank 28.

Further, the width of the lower stay portion 160 of the rack 34 is made narrower than the width of the upper opening of the rack 34, so that the rack 34
Since the overall shape is an inverted triangle, mold cutting can be performed in the vertical direction, improving workability during molding. In addition, guide plate 1
Since the 88 do not correspond to the photosensitive material 14 on the front side, but are arranged in a so-called comb-like shape, the stirring ability of the developer is improved, and problems such as uneven development do not occur.

In this way, by integrally molding the rack 34, it is possible to improve the assembly workability, assembly accuracy, weight reduction, maintainability, liquid agitation property, etc.

A water surface cover 184 is attached to the outside of the rack 34 and is placed above the surface of the developer between the outside of the rack 34 and the side surface of the developer tank 28 . This can prevent the developer from coming into contact with air and deteriorating. Regarding the liquid level inside the rack 34, when the crossover rack 38 is placed on the rack 34, its ceiling plate 192 is placed above the liquid level, so that almost the entire liquid level can be covered as a whole. I can do it. Since this liquid level cover 184 can be integrally molded with the side plate part 142, there is no need to add a floating lid afterwards as in the conventional case. can be covered.

(Operations related to the crossover rack 38) The crossover rack 38 applied to this embodiment is an integrally molded product made of synthetic resin. That is, the side plate portion 142 and the ceiling plate 192
Since the parts are assembled in advance, there is no need to form each part individually and assemble them, improving work efficiency.

Further, rollers 18, 40, 42.
50 is passed, but when assembling individual parts,
The alignment of the rollers 18, 40, 42, and 50 to support both ends of the rotating shaft 198 was an important task.
By performing integral molding in advance as in this embodiment, such alignment becomes unnecessary.

This crossover rack 38 has a crossover function from the developer IIF 28 to the fixing tank 30 and from the fixing tank 30 to the washing tank 32, and also has the p-ra 18 for guiding from the insertion port 16 to the developing tank 28 and the washing tank. A roller 50 is also provided to guide the drying section 32 to the drying section 44 . Therefore, it is only necessary to place the racks 34 on each of the three racks 34, which improves work efficiency.

Furthermore, since the protrusion 162 provided on the rack 34 corresponds to the recess 204 provided on the crossover rack 38, positioning can be performed by fitting these together, and the rack after positioning is completed. 34 and the crossover rack 38 can create a sense of unity.

In the crossover rack 88 of this embodiment, the roller 18 near the insertion port 16, the crossover roller 40, 42
And for receiving the drying section 44, a passing roller 50 is attached.
All rollers 18.40 can be removed by simply placing them on the rack 34.
．． 42.50 positioning is possible, so assembly is easy.

Furthermore, since the entire crossover rack 38 can be removed and cleaned, maintainability is also improved.

(Operations related to the drying section 44) In this embodiment, the drying section 44 includes a pair of subassemblies 21
The chamber 52 and the conveyance path can be configured by simply tying together the 0s. The procedure for assembling the subassembly 210 is to first place the chamber 52 on the guide rail 230 of the frame 212.

Next, the roller pair 54 is pivotally supported in the elongated hole 218 of the frame body 212 via a bearing 220 and fixed with a spacer 53. This completes the subassembly 210. A pair of sub-assemblies IJ 210 assembled in this manner are prepared, and the roller pairs 54 are arranged alternately to overlap each other so as to form a conveyance path. Concave portions 214 and convex portions 216 are alternately formed in the frame 212, with one concave portion 214 and the other convex portion 216, and one convex portion 214.
and the other convex portion 216 are combined to influence the positioning of both subassemblies 210, making the assembly work easier. In this way, in the assembled drying section 44, the pair of rollers 54 attached to both subassemblies 20 are arranged in a straight line, forming a conveyance path. Furthermore, chambers 52 are arranged on both sides of the transport path.

Warm air is sucked into the chamber 52, and this warm air passes through the roller pair 54 through the slit hole 232 provided in the chamber 52.
sprayed in the direction. Therefore, hot air can be blown onto the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material 14 that is being conveyed while being held between the pair of rollers 54. Further, since the opening area of the chamber 52 gradually becomes narrower as it goes to the back, the pressure near the hot air suction side and the back side become almost constant, and the slit hole 23
The flow rate of the hot air blown out from 2 can be made uniform.

In addition, since the surface of the chamber 52 sandwiched between the roller pair 54 is serrated, it also acts as a guide surface for guiding the conveyance of the photosensitive material 14, ensuring that the photosensitive material 14 is transferred to the next pair of rollers. 54. Furthermore, since ribs 234 are formed on this guide surface, the photosensitive material 1
4 does not make surface contact with the guide surface.

According to this embodiment, the photosensitive material 14 is dried in the drying section 44.
The upper sub-assembly will help you in case of a paper jam!
Just by removing J210, the transport path is exposed, allowing for easy repair work.

Further, since maintenance can be performed in the state of the subassembly 210, work efficiency is improved. [Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the processing rack structure of the automatic processor according to the present invention is advantageous in that the processing liquid in the processing tank is It has the excellent effect of lowering the aperture ratio and reliably preventing oxidation and evaporation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic developing machine according to this embodiment;
The figure is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a magnetic pump with stirring and temperature control functions attached to various types, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a replenishment tank, Figures 4 and 4 (C) are processing racks. 5(A) is an exploded perspective view of the crossover rack, FIG. 5(B) is a sectional view of the crossover rack,
FIG. 6(A) is an exploded perspective view of a subassembly of the drying section, FIG. 6(B) is a sectional view of the drying section, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a modification of the structure of the replenishing tank. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Automatic developing device, 14... Photosensitive material, 18... Roller, Processor section, Processing tank, Rack, Roller, Water surface cover

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A gear train is provided which distributes and transmits the driving force to a plurality of roller pairs via a rotating shaft provided with a driving gear rotated by the driving force of the driving means, and the photosensitive material is held between the roller pairs. A processing rack structure of an automatic developing machine that guides transport into each processing tank and processes the photosensitive material, the liquid surface cover having the rotating shaft passed through and disposed above the surface of the processing liquid in the processing tank. A processing rack structure for an automatic processor, characterized in that: is integrally attached to at least the outer side of the processing rack side plate.