JPH04139448A - Liquid developer replenishment detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform a developing process stably without interrupting the process owing to the too large or too small amount of a liquid developer by measuring the area of an optional density area by a photosensor from a developed body after development and correcting the too large or too small replenishing amount of the device. CONSTITUTION:A photosensitive material is mounted on a conveyor belt 1, passed through a photosensitive width reader 2, and sent to a developing rack 4 in a developing tank 3, the photosensitive material width reader and sends the conveyance quantity of the photosensitive material to an arithmetic control part to obtain a specific quantity, and standard replenishing is started. The head part of the photosensitive material exits from a developing tank, advances to a next processing tank, and passes between light shield covers 5 to reach a light room processing process. The photosensitive material passes through the photosensor 6 and advances to a next process and the photosensor measures the optional density area quantity from the image density of the photosensitive material to obtain data. Those data are sent to the arithmetic control part and compared with the data read by the photosensitive material width reader and when the replenishing quantity is too larger or too small, a replenishment driving part is controlled to maintain a proper replenishing quantity. Consequently, the liquid developer is supplied finely and a stable developing process is performed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The area of a given density range is measured from a developed object (hereinafter referred to as a "sensitive material") using an optical sensor, and the area of a given density range is refilled (hereinafter referred to as a "replenishment") with a developer replenisher. ) or a replenishment detection device (hereinafter referred to as a detection device) that is added to a conventional replenishment device and corrects excess or deficiency in replenishment amount.

A detection device that inputs the replenishment amount from the input device when the amount of the arbitrary density range of the sensitive material is determined.

[Prior Art] A typical developing machine has a photosensitive material radiation reading device installed near the photosensitive material insertion port.

The conveyance speed of the sensitive material is determined according to the width of the sensitive material, which is detected, calculated and converted into area by a control circuit, and after passing through a predetermined amount of area, an arbitrary replenishment amount (hereinafter referred to as standard replenishment) is performed. from the refilling device.

Standard replenishment means that the entire surface of the photosensitive material in a predetermined area has an exposure amount that should be developed into a half tone, or in other words, the amount of developer consumed to develop a photosensitive material that has an average exposure amount. It is quantity.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Since the replenishment is for a photosensitive material with an average exposure amount, replenishment is not necessary if a photosensitive material with an exposure amount above or below the average is continuously processed. After development, the density of the image on the sensitive material becomes under or over, and processing cannot be performed stably.

To numerically determine whether the amount of replenishment is too much or too little, a test sensitive material commonly called a const (control strip) is processed, optically measured, digitized, and compared with a reference value. If the control limit is exceeded, the treatment of general sensitizers must be stopped, and chemical control must be implemented to make corrections.

The object of the present invention is to provide a detection device that can stably perform development processing without interrupting processing due to excess or deficiency of replenisher.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in the detection device of the present invention, after the complete dark processing step (development and a part of the subsequent processing) is completed, the bright room processing step, Attach a light sensor to any part.

The optical sensor consists of a light emitting part and a light receiving part. In the case of a reflection type, the emitted light is reflected by a sensitive material and returns to the light receiving part. In the case of the transmission method, the projected light passes through the sensitive material and goes to the light receiving section. The amount of attenuation of light increases depending on the image density of the photosensitive material, and the difference is received and calculated by the calculation control section to obtain an arbitrary density range amount (hereinafter referred to as data).

If the data is valid before the development process, the data is input from the input device. At this time, the optical sensor is in a dormant state.

Obtain data and adjust and control replenishment.

[Operation] The sensitive material is transported through the insertion slot, and standard replenishment is started by the sensitive material reading device. It is assumed that the measured photosensitive material is replenished during transportation to the developing process, but if it is less than a predetermined area amount, it is held until the next photosensitive material is added and then integrated.

The optical sensor in the bright room processing section measures the amount of arbitrary density range from the image density of the sensitive material and obtains data. This data is sent to the arithmetic control section and compared with the data read by the sensitive material reading device to determine the replenishment amount. If there is an excess or deficiency in the amount, the replenishment drive unit is controlled to maintain an appropriate replenishment amount.

If it is less than a predetermined area amount, it is held until the next photosensitive material is inserted, and then integrated in the same way.

When inputting from an input device, the optical sensor is put into a dormant state and the amount of input from the input device is added to the standard replenishment by the sensitive material radiation reader.

Although there is a time difference between the standard replenishment by the sensitive material radiation reader and the adjustment of the replenishment amount by the optical sensor, there is no problem in terms of processing.

[Example] As an example of the present invention, color roll paper processing will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a developing machine equipped with a photosensitive material width reading device and an optical sensor. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transmission type optical sensor. Figure 3 is a front view of the light receiving section of the transmission type optical sensor. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the reflective optical sensor. Figure 5 is a front view of the reflective light sensor projector and light receiver. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the input device.

The method of conveying the photosensitive material is a conventional method. The photosensitive material is attached to the conveyor belt 1 via a roller, passes through the photosensitive material reading device r[2, and is sent to the developer rack 4 inside the developer tank 3. The conveyance amount of the photosensitive material is read by the photosensitive material radiation reading device and sent to the arithmetic and control unit to obtain a predetermined amount and start standard replenishment. The leading part of the photosensitive material leaves the developing tank, moves to the next processing tank, removes the light-shielding cover 5, and proceeds to the bright room processing process. passes through the optical sensor and proceeds to the next processing. At this time, data is obtained by measuring an arbitrary density range from the image density of the photosensitive material using an optical sensor. This data is sent to the arithmetic control section and compared with the data read by the sensitive material radiation reading device, and if there is an excess or deficiency in the replenishment amount, the replenishment drive section is controlled to maintain the appropriate replenishment amount.

When using an input device, it is necessary to know the amount of the photosensitive material in the arbitrary density range and to know the amount of replenishment. Input an arbitrary value into the input device and start the development process. If replenishment is performed by adding the input value to the data from the sensitive material width reader, or if the standard replenishment amount and the replenishment amount for the arbitrary density range are known for the sensitive material, the optical sensor is put into a hibernation state and the input device This will be supplemented from You can choose any replenishment method.

Note that the initial value setting may be performed using an input device.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, in the apparatus of the present invention, the amount of developer consumed differs depending on the amount of exposure of the photosensitive material, and it is possible to perform detailed replenishment, which was not possible with conventional replenishment devices, and to perform stable development processing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a developing machine equipped with a photosensitive material reading device and an optical sensor. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transmission type optical sensor. Figure 3 is a front view of the light receiving section of the transmission type optical sensor. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the reflective optical sensor. Fig. 5 is a front view of the reflective optical sensor projector and the light receiving section; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the input device. In the figure, 1 is a conveyor belt. 2 is a sensitive material reading device. 3 is the developing tank. 4 is the developing rack. 5 is a light blocking cover
6 is an optical sensor and 7 is a light receiving section. 8 is a light projecting section. 9 is a part of the light receiving sensor. 10 is a light emitting and light receiving section. 11 is a reflector.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A developing device that is added to a conventional developer replenishment device and that measures the area of an arbitrary density range from an object to be developed after development using an optical sensor, and corrects excess or deficiency in the amount of replenishment in the conventional device. Fluid replenishment detection device. 2. The developer replenishment detection device according to claim 1, wherein an input from an input device is used to correct excess or deficiency in the amount of replenishment in the conventional device.