JPH0414045A - Photosensitive material drying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To dry a photosensitive material speedily with high efficiency by using a hot blast which is supplied to a drying chamber and far infrared rays radiated by a far infrared ray radiation member to which the hot blast is blown. CONSTITUTION:A film after development processing is conveyed in the drying chamber under the guidance of a drying rack 74. Then the hot blast is supplied into the drying chamber to dry the film. Further, the hot blast strikes on far infrared ray radiation plastic 78 stuck on the side plate 76 and cover 77 of the rack 74 to radiate the far infrared rays from the plastic 78, thereby drying the film with the far infrared rays. Consequently, the film is dried from the top surface and inside, so the film can be dried speedily with high efficiency and its conveyance distance can be shortened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a photosensitive material drying apparatus equipped with a drying chamber for drying a developed photosensitive material.

[Prior art]

In an automatic developing device, a league is attached to the leading end of a film pulled out from a cartridge, and this league is engaged with a belt so that the film is conveyed by the driving force of the belt. When the league is conveyed by the belt, the film is subjected to processing such as development, fixing, washing, etc., and then drying processing is performed. The drying process is carried out by passing the film through a drying chamber where warm air is supplied. The hot air generation source consists of a fan and a heater installed in a duct that communicates with the drying room.While the air is blown by the fan and flows through the duct, it is heated by the heater and sent to the drying room. ing.

The film is dried by this hot air and discharged.

By the way, in recent years, it has been proposed to apply infrared heaters for the purpose of speeding up and increasing the efficiency of the drying process (
For example, JP-A No. 1-234849, JP-A No. 1-118
No. 840, JP-A-1-206345).

These devices either apply radiant heat from an infrared heater to the side of the rack that guides the transport of the film in the drying chamber, or they have a heat source and dry the film using radiant heat, allowing for quick and efficient drying. It can be carried out.

In addition, it has been proposed to install a drying means using an infrared heater and a drying means using hot air side by side, and dry using the infrared heater until the hot air reaches a predetermined temperature.
4-35084).

According to this, it is possible to use a small-capacity electric heater for the hot air means, and power consumption is reduced.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, if an abnormality occurs in the transport of the film and the movement of the film is stopped due to so-called jamming, radiant heat will concentrate on a portion of the film, causing problems such as deformation of the film due to overheating.

In consideration of the above-mentioned facts, the present invention aims to provide a photosensitive material drying apparatus that can quickly and efficiently dry a film using infrared rays without providing a heat source in the drying chamber.

[Means to solve the problem]

The photosensitive material drying apparatus according to the present invention is a photosensitive material drying apparatus equipped with a drying chamber for drying a developed photosensitive material, and includes a hot air forming means for forming hot air; It has a duct that guides and supplies the formed warm air to the drying chamber, and a far-infrared radiating member that is provided in the drying chamber and radiates far-infrared rays by receiving heat from the supplied warm air.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, the photosensitive material is dried from the surface by warm air supplied to the drying chamber through the duct.

At the same time, this warm air also hits the far-infrared radiation member. When this far-infrared radiation member receives hot air, far-infrared rays are emitted. When a photosensitive material receives this far-infrared rays, the photosensitive material absorbs the energy and the molecular structure of the photosensitive material is activated. Therefore, the photosensitive material is dried from the inside. That is, in the present invention, drying from the outside of the photosensitive material using hot air and drying from the inside using far infrared rays are simultaneously performed, so that the drying process can be performed quickly and with high efficiency. Furthermore, since the drying time of the photosensitive material can be shortened, chemical changes on the surface of the photosensitive material due to hot air will not occur.

Furthermore, since the hot air generating means, which is a heat source for emitting far-infrared rays from the far-infrared radiating member, is arranged in a location other than the drying chamber, even if the conveyance of the photosensitive material is stopped in the drying chamber, for example, , problems such as deformation of the photosensitive material due to heat do not occur.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer side of the developing device 12 is covered with a frame 14 to block all light from the outside world. Further, the lower part of the frame 14 is supported on a floor 18 by a plurality of support legs 16.

The frame 14 includes a plurality of processing tanks 20 extending vertically.
．． 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and a drying chamber 32 are formed, and each is partitioned by a standing wall 33 that is a part of the frame. The processing tank 20 is filled with a developing solution, the processing tank 22 is filled with a bleaching solution, the processing tank 24 is filled with a fixing solution, the processing tanks 26 and 28 are filled with washing water, and the processing tank 30 is filled with a stabilizing solution. Also,
Guide rollers 3G are provided below the various types 20 to 30 and the drying chamber 32 and on each vertical wall, and a guide 37 corresponds to the guide roller 36 with a predetermined gap.

Further, sprockets 38 are installed at the top and bottom of each type 20 to 30 and the drying chamber 32, respectively, and a film conveying belt 40 is installed.
are suspended from these sprockets 38.

A heater 34 and a blower 35 are arranged below the drying chamber 32 to constitute a hot air generating means, and hot air is sent to the drying chamber 32 above through a duct 39.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drying chamber 32 is provided with a drying rack 74 that guides the transport of the film within the drying chamber 32. In this drying rack 74, a guide roller 36A is hung between a pair of side plates 76 parallel to each other in the same manner as in each of the processes 20 to 30, and a guide 37A corresponds to the guide roller 36A with a predetermined gap. ing. Furthermore, a flange portion 76A bent at a substantially right angle is formed at both ends in the width direction of the side plate 76, and a cover 77 is formed on the flange 76A.
Both ends in the width direction are fixed to each other. cover 77
is provided with a plurality of rectangular holes 77A, which serve as a guide path for hot air.

Sprockets 38A are installed above and below the drying rack 74, and a film conveying bell 4OA is suspended from these sprockets 38A. Film transport belt 4
Guide members 77 that are recessed in an arc shape and guide the film 42 are disposed on both sides of 0A.

Moreover, a sheet-shaped far-infrared emitting plastic 78, which is a thin far-infrared emitting member, is attached to the mutually opposing surfaces of the side plate 76 and the cover 77, respectively. The wall thickness of this far-infrared emitting plastic 78 is 1 mm. This far-infrared emitting plastic 78 is constructed by adding ceramics to plastic. As a ceramic, zirconia (
Zn02), iron oxide (Fe, 03), magnesia (Mg
O), alumina (,1,03), silica (S 102)
etc. In addition, metal oxides are also effective.

As the far-infrared emitting plastic 78, Sancera (trade name) manufactured by Sankyo Kasei Co., Ltd. is applicable. This Sunsera is made by mixing 7 to 8 types of the above ceramics, etc.
It specifically covers the wavelength of infrared rays from 5 to 14 μm.

When the film 42 is radiated with far infrared rays, it absorbs the energy, and as a result, the molecular structure constituting the film 42 is activated, making it possible to dry the film from within. Therefore, in this embodiment, drying from the surface of the film using hot air and drying from the inside of the film using far infrared rays are simultaneously performed.

The far-infrared emitting plastic 78 emits far-infrared rays when the warm air hits it. That is, a heat source for causing the far-infrared ray emitting plastic 78 to radiate far-infrared rays is arranged outside the drying chamber 32.

On the other hand, the film 42 is attached to the spool 4 as shown in FIG.
4 and is housed in a cartridge 46. In this embodiment, the leading ends of the two films 42 pulled out from the spool 44 are fixed to one leader 48 by a seal 47, so that the two films 42 can be conveyed simultaneously.

The leader 48 is a flexible synthetic resin sheet that is slightly more rigid than the film 42, and has a plurality of square holes 50 along the longitudinal direction of the center. The film 42 is conveyed by engaging these square holes 50 with the protrusions of the belt 40.

A film supply device 54 is installed on the upper side of the developing device 12 (on the left side in FIG. 1), and the upper part thereof is covered with a cover that can be opened and closed. This film supply device 54
A film holder 58 is provided on which each cartridge 46 of the film 42 connected to the leader 48 can be placed.

A pair of conveyance rollers 6 are provided between the pedestal 58 and the guide roller 36.
0 is provided, and this conveyance roller 60 conveys the leader 48 and film 42 to the film conveyance belt 40. A cutter 62 is installed between the pedestal 58 and the conveyance roller 60, and cuts the end of the film 42 when the entire amount of the film 42 is pulled out from the cartridge 46 by a control means (not shown).

A film stacking device 64 is installed on the upper exit side of the developing device 12 (on the right side in FIG. 1). In this film stacking device 64, a guide 66 is connected to the end of the frame 14, and a drive roller 68 and a driven roller 80 corresponding to the drive roller 68 are provided on the lower surface of the guide 66.

A collection plate 70 is arranged at the tip of the guide 66 with a predetermined gap, and a hook 72 projects diagonally upward from the upper inner surface of the collection plate 70.

For this reason, the film 42 and leader 4 that have undergone each development process are
8 is pulled out by the conveyance roller 68 and then moved to the guide 66
The square hole 50 of the leader 48 (see FIG. 2) moves upward along the lower surface of the leader 48 and the inner surface of the accumulation plate 70, and
to engage.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained below.

The leading ends of the two films 42 are pulled out from the cartridge 46 and fixed to the rear end of the leader 48 as shown in FIG. Next, the cover 56 of the film supply device 54 (FIG. 1) is released, each cartridge 46 is set on the pedestal 58, and the leader 48 is placed on the conveying roller 60 below. In this state, when the cover 56 is closed, the loader 48
The leader 48 is nipped between the
And the film 42 is sent out between the guide roller 36 and the guide 37.

The leader 48 and the film 42 are turned downward by the upper guide 37, and the square hole 50 of the leader 48 is aligned with the belt 40.
It fits into the protrusion 43 of. Therefore, even if the end of the film 42 comes off the transport roller 60, the leader 48 and the film 42 are immersed in the developer in the processing tank 20 by the belt 40.

On the other hand, when the entire amount of the film 42 is pulled out from the cartridge 46, the cutter 62 is activated and the end of the film 42 is cut off from the cartridge 46.

The leader 48 and the film 42 descend once inside the processing tank 20, pass between the lower guide roller 36 and the guide 37, and then are reversed and conveyed upward.

Further, since guide rollers 36 and guides 37 are provided above the standing wall 33, the leader 48 and the film 4
2 is turned downward again and sent to the next processing tank 22.

The air sent out from the blower 35 passes through the heater 34 and becomes warm air, which is then supplied to the drying chamber 32.

The film 42 is dried by this hot air. The hot air also hits the far-infrared emitting plastic 78 attached to the side plate 76 and cover 77 of the drying rack 74. As a result, the far-infrared emitting plastic 78 emits far-infrared rays. The film 42 is also dried from the inside by this far infrared rays.

That is, the surface of the film is dried by hot air passing through the rectangular holes 77A, and at the same time, the inside of the film is dried by far infrared rays, so the drying process is completed in a shorter time than the drying process using only warm air. be able to. Additionally, by drying from the inside, drying is completed without exposing the film to hot air that would cause chemical changes to occur on the surface, resulting in a high-quality finish.

The leader 48 and film 42 that have been dried are sent out to the film stacking device 64 through the upper guide 37 and guide roller 36.

At the entrance of the film stacking device 64, the leader 48 is first nipped between a driving roller and a driven roller 80, a conveying force is applied, and the leader 48 is guided to the guide 66 and the inner surface of the stacking plate 70. Here, since the leader 48 is conveyed in a slightly upwardly inclined state, the leading end of the leader 48 is attached to the accumulation plate (70).
When the leader 48 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the leader 48, it is moved upward along this inner surface and corresponds to the hook 72, and the square hole 50 of the leader 48 is hooked to the hook 72.

When the rear end of the leader 48 passes through the drive roller 68 etc., the film 42 is then guided and conveyed between the drive roller 68 and the driven roller 80, guided to the guide 66 and the inner surface of the accumulation plate 70, and then passed through the accumulation plate. It hangs down below 70.

According to this embodiment, the far-infrared emitting plastic 78 is pasted on the side plate 76 and cover 77 of the drying rack 74 disposed in the drying room 32, and the far-infrared emitting plastic 78
Since far-infrared rays are generated by applying hot air to the film 42, it is possible to dry the film 42 from the inside at the same time as drying the film 42 with the hot air, and the drying process can be performed quickly and with high efficiency. In addition, as a result of comparison with drying using only hot air, when drying is performed using both hot air and far infrared rays as in this example, the transportation distance within the drying chamber 32 until completely dry is reduced by 10%. We were able to.

In addition, by applying this far-infrared emitting plastic 78, when a large amount of film 42 is processed continuously,
More effects will emerge. For example, when 1lf2B (film) and blown film are processed continuously, the humidity contained in the circulating air in the drying section gradually increases, so it usually becomes difficult to dry if processed continuously. . However, if the far-infrared emitting plastic 78 is applied to appropriate areas as in this embodiment, the film will not remain undried and continuous processing will be fully possible.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a slight difference in the rise in film surface temperature in the drying section between when the far-infrared emitting plastic 78 is used and when it is not used. At this start-up stage, the effect of using the far-infrared emitting plastic 78 is not so noticeable, but if continuous treatment is performed on top of this difference, the drying speed becomes faster (as mentioned above, the drying distance can be shortened by 10%).

Also, the transport system may be defective, causing jamming of the film 42.
Even when the conveyance is stopped, since the heat source (heater 34) is located outside the drying chamber 32, the film will not be deformed by direct fire.

In this embodiment, the far-infrared emitting plastic 78 in the form of a strip is attached to the side plate 76 and cover 77 of the drying rack 74, but it may also be wrapped around the outer circumference of the roller in the drying chamber 32 or attached to the inner wall of the drying chamber 32. You can also paste it. Further, the rollers may be made of far-infrared emitting plastic in the shape of a pipe or a rod, and the side plate 76, the cover 77, and the inner wall of the drying chamber 32 may be made of far-infrared ray-emitting plastic in the form of a plate.

Further, in this embodiment, the film 42 is dried with warm air and also with far infrared rays, but drying may be performed with far infrared rays only.

[Effect of Hathu]

As explained above, the photosensitive material drying apparatus according to the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to quickly and efficiently dry a film using infrared rays without providing a heat source in the drying chamber.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical side view showing the developing device according to this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the film connected to the league, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a drying rack disposed in the drying chamber, and FIG. The figure is a characteristic diagram showing the temperature change in the active part at the time of start-up when far-infrared emitting plastic is used and when it is not used. 12...Developing device, 32...Drying chamber, 42...Film, 74...Drying rack, 76...Side plate, Fig. 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A photosensitive material drying apparatus equipped with a drying chamber for drying a developed photosensitive material, including a hot air forming means for forming hot air and drying the hot air formed by the hot air forming means. A photosensitive material drying apparatus comprising: a duct that guides and supplies to a drying chamber; and a far-infrared radiation member that is installed in the drying chamber and emits far-infrared rays by receiving heat from the supplied warm air.