JPH04158361A - Processing method for photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To unify the development quality by loading photosensitive materials in a basket storing processed faces in parallel with the advance direction, hooking the basket on a hanger, advancing it in a processing device, and oscillating it to the right and left with respect to the advance direction. CONSTITUTION:Many photosensitive materials are loaded in a basket 5 storing processed faces in parallel with the processing advance direction, the basket 5 is hooked on a hanger 4, and it is advanced while being oscillated by right/left oscillating bars 6 to the right and left with respect to the processing advance direction. The right/left oscillating bars 6 have hit faces hitting the end faces of the hanger 4 on both sides of a processing tub, and the right/left oscillating bars 6 are oscillated to the right and left by the rotation of a right/left oscillation driving motor 7. Multiple processing tubs are arranged in the processing advance direction in a development processing device, the hanger is lifted above the tub for the movement between tubs, the processing solution is once dropped, then the hanger is carried and inserted into the next processing tub and advanced in the same method.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for promoting the processing of exposed photosensitive materials using an automatic hanging type development processing apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, automatic hanging type processing equipment for exposed photosensitive materials was
For example, in the case of color paper, developing, bleach-fixing, washing,
The wood is dried after passing through various treatment tanks such as stabilization and rinsing, during which time the photosensitive material being processed is hung with the processed surface parallel to a hanger that is perpendicular to the direction of processing. The transport system moves the liquid forward through the tank and moves between each treatment tank, and the agitation of each treatment liquid in each treatment tank is carried out by circulating the liquid in the tank with a pump, or by using a pump to turn the liquid into a jet. Various other methods, such as a method of spraying the photosensitive material onto the surface of the photosensitive material, have been used to accelerate processing and achieve uniform processing.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, according to the conventional method, the photosensitive material to be processed faces the processing surface perpendicularly to the direction of processing progress and is hung on a hanger. Therefore, in order to avoid front-to-back contact and to allow more processing liquid to come in contact with the processing surface so that it can be processed evenly, the photosensitive materials stored in the processing equipment should be conveyed with a distance between the hangers. There was a limit to the amount. Further, the work of fixing the photosensitive material with clips required manual labor, which was undesirable.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a revolutionary new processing method that increases the amount of photosensitive material accommodated in a developing processing device, processes it evenly, and eliminates the work of clipping. There is a particular thing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above-mentioned object of the present invention is to provide a processing method in which an exposed photosensitive material is allowed to proceed through a hanging type development processing device, in which a large number of the photosensitive materials are processed with the processing surface aligned in the processing progress direction. The process is carried out by loading the basket into a basket housed parallel to the processing direction, placing the basket on a hanger and advancing it through the processing device, and vibrating the basket left and right with respect to the processing direction while the basket is in the processing liquid. A photosensitive material processing method characterized by:

achieved by.

As a hanging type development processing apparatus in the present invention, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 49
-22943 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 49-69331. The present invention can be adopted as the above processing method.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), for example, a basket for storing a large number of photosensitive materials with the processing surface parallel to the processing progress direction may be used, for example, as shown in FIG. 2(a).
X length ff = 12Q-, distance between each photosensitive material d =
With a distance of 3 to 4 m, the width of the basket in Fig. 2(b) is -200 mm for the width of the tank of the developing processing device, which is 280 mm.
The basket is configured to accommodate the photosensitive materials with their faces facing the width direction, and the basket is provided with guide plates 21 extending over the length of the photosensitive materials (in the direction of p) to sandwich both edge portions 20 of the 40 sheets of photosensitive materials in one row. The baskets are lined up horizontally, and horizontal pressers 22 that keep the distance d constant between the baskets are applied in three thin strips at the top, middle, and bottom.
Reference numeral 3 is composed of a flat plate, the upper part of which is open for loading and unloading the photosensitive material, and the bottom part provided with a stop bar 24 in the lateral direction for supporting the photosensitive material.

Therefore 1. When the basket is submerged in the processing solution in the tank, the processing solution easily enters between the photosensitive materials, and when the basket is pulled up from the tank, the processing solution easily falls into the tank. The basket has a hanger attachment part 25 on a flat plate on its side, and is suspended from a hanger by means of a hanging metal fitting.

In the present invention, the fact that the basket is hung on a hanger and vibrated left and right with respect to the direction perpendicular to processing means that the photosensitive material is transported within each processing tank in a hanging type development processing apparatus, and that it is transported between adjacent processing tanks. There are two mechanisms for movement, and the distance between each hanger is kept constant by a hanger distance regulating plate.

Although the horizontal vibration of the present invention can be achieved by any method, it is possible to vibrate the hanger by providing a left-right drawing bar that touches one end of the hanger, and by having this bending bar push one end of the hanger, the hanger can be vibrated left and right. .

As the hanger is caught left and right, the suspended basket also vibrates left and right.

The vibration wavelength in the present invention is 1 to 100 m+.

Preferably it is 3 to 10, more preferably 4 to 7.

The reason for this is that if it is long, the processing time will be long, and if it is short, uneven processing will occur.

The period of vibration is 0.1 to 10 times/see, preferably 0.1 to 10 times/see. 5 to 5 times/sec, more preferably 1 to 2 times/s
It is ec.

The reason for this is that if it is too fast, unevenness will occur during processing,
Moreover, even if it is slow, processing unevenness will occur.

The function of the processing liquid in the present invention is not limited as long as it can immerse the photosensitive material.

Types of processing solutions include color developers, black and white developers, bleach-fixers, bleaching solutions, fixing solutions, washing solutions, stabilizing solutions, and the like.

The processing methods of the present invention include development, fixing, and washing.

Used in various processing devices such as stabilization, but preferably development.

It is used in fixing and washing processing equipment, and is particularly preferably used in developing processing equipment.

As the black and white developer, developing agents such as dihydroxybenzenes (e.g. hydroquinone), 3-pyrazolidones (e.g. 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidone), and aminophenols (e.g. N-methyl-p-aminophenol) may be used alone or in combination. Can be used in combination.

Among black-and-white development processing, the processing apparatus of the present invention is applicable to U.S. Pat. No. 4.224,401, U.S. Pat.
It is particularly applicable to methods for obtaining ultra-high contrast images using hydrazine derivatives described in 4,272.606, 4,211,857, 4,243,739, etc. suitable.

In this ultra-high contrast image forming method, it is preferable to use a dihydroxybenzene-based developing agent as a developing agent and a P-aminephenol-based developing agent or a 3-pyrazolidone-based developing agent as an auxiliary developing agent.

Dihydroxybenzene-based developing agents are usually 0°05 to 0.
．． 8 moles/! Preferably, it is used in an amount of . In addition, when using a combination of dihydroxybenzenes and 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidones or p-amino-phenols, the former is 0.05 to 0.5 mol/l and the latter is 0.05 to 0.5 mol/l.
．． It is preferable to use it in an amount of 0.6 mol/1 or less.

One of the features of the developer used in the ultra-high contrast image forming method is that it allows addition of a larger amount of sulfite preservative than conventional lithium developer.

Sulfite preservatives include sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, lithium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, formaldehyde sodium bisulfite, and the like. The sulfite is used in an amount of 0.3 mol/j2 or more, but if it is added in too large a quantity, it will precipitate in the developer and cause solution contamination, so the upper limit is preferably 1.2 mol/j2.

The developer may also contain tertiary amine compounds as development accelerators, in particular the compounds described in US Pat. No. 4,269,929.

In addition, pH buffers such as boric acid, borax, tribasic sodium phosphate, and tribasic potassium phosphate, as well as pHl1 buffers described in JP-A No. 60-93433, can be used in the developer. .

The developer includes a development inhibitor such as potassium bromide and potassium iodide; an organic solvent such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dimethylformamide, methyl cellosolve, hexylene glycol, ethanol, and methanol; 5-nitroindazole, etc. may contain an antifoggant or a black pepper inhibitor such as an indazole compound, sodium 2-mercaptobenzimidazole-5-sulfonate, or a benztriazole compound such as 5-methylbenztriazole; - When using a compound such as nitroindazole, it is recommended to dissolve it in advance in a separate area from the area containing the dihydroxybenzene developing agent and sulfite preservative, and then mix the image area and add water before use. Common.

Furthermore, if the part where 5-nitroindazole is dissolved is made alkaline, it will be colored yellow and will be convenient to handle.

Furthermore, color toning agents, surfactants, water softeners,
It may also contain a hardening agent and the like. The pH of the developer is preferably one with a high pH of pI (411.5 or more), more preferably 10 to 12.3.

As the fixer, one having a commonly used composition can be used. As the fixing agent, in addition to thiosulfates and thiocyanates, organic sulfur compounds known to be effective as fixing agents can be used. The fixing solution may contain water-soluble aluminum, alum, etc. as a hardening agent. Here, the amount of water-soluble aluminum salt is usually O~
It is 3.0gAl/j2. In addition, as an oxidizing agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid Fe (I[[)t! Salt may also be used.

Color developers generally consist of an alkaline aqueous solution containing a color developing agent.

The color developing agent is a primary aromatic amine developer, such as phenylenediamine II (eg 4-amino-N).

N-diethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-
Ethyl-N-β-hydroxyethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-β-methanesulfonamidoethylaniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-
ethyl-N-β-methoxyethylaniline, etc.) can be used.

The color developing solution may also contain a pH buffering agent, a development inhibiting agent or an antifogging agent, and the like.

In addition, if necessary, water softeners, preservatives, organic solvents, development accelerators, dye-forming couplers, competitive couplers, fogging agents, auxiliary developers, viscosity-imparting agents, polycarboxylic acid chelate agents, and antioxidants are added. , an alkaline agent, a solubilizing agent, a surfactant, an antifoaming agent, etc.

Examples of the bleaching solution include those containing iron salts of polycarboxylic acids, red blood salts, bromate compounds, coR) letohexamine, and the like as bleaching agents. Of these, potassium ferricyanide, iron ethylenediaminetetraacetate (I[[) sodium and ethylenediaminetetraacetate iron (I[[) ammonium] are particularly useful.

Furthermore, a bleaching/fixing solution containing both the bleaching agent and the fixing agent described above may be used.

In addition to the fixing agent, the fixing solution (bleach/fixing solution) can usually contain fixing aids such as a preservative such as sodium sulfite, an acid, a buffer, and a hardening agent.

Also, bleach'/F! L (bleaching/fixing?F!L) includes U.S. Patent No. 3,042.520 and U.S. Patent No. 3. '241,9
No. 66, Special Publication No. 1986-8506, Special Publication No. 1977-863
No. 6 and other blackmail accelerators described in JP-A No. 53-6573
In addition to the thiol compound described in No. 2, various additives can also be added.

As the washing water, water (tap water, distilled water, ion-exchanged water, etc.) or this water can contain additives as necessary.

These additives include, for example, chelating agents such as inorganic phosphoric acid, aminopolycarboxylic acid, and organic phosphoric acid, bactericidal agents that prevent the growth of various bacteria and algae, anti-fungal agents, magnesium rims,
Examples include hardening agents such as aluminum salts, surfactants for preventing drying load and unevenness, and the like. Also, L, E,
West, “Water Quality Crite
ria″Photo, Sci, and Eng,,
vol, 9 No. 6P344-359 (1965)
Compounds described in et al. can also be used.

As the stabilizing liquid, a processing liquid that stabilizes the dye image is used. For example, a solution having a buffering capacity of pH 3 to 6, a solution containing an aldehyde (for example, formalin), etc. can be used. The stabilizer contains optical brightener, if necessary.
Chelating agents, bactericidal agents, antifungal agents, hardening agents, surfactants, etc. can be used.

The type of photosensitive material applied to the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include color negative film, color reversal film, color photographic paper, color positive film,
Various photosensitive materials include color reversal photographic paper, photosensitive material for plate making, X-ray photosensitive material, black and white negative film, black and white photographic paper, and photosensitive material for microscopic use.

The photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention can be applied to various photosensitive material processing apparatuses such as wet copying machines, automatic developing machines, printer processors, video printer processors, coin machines for making photo prints, and color paper processing machines for plate inspection. can do.

The processing solution that imparts vibration in the present invention is effective in all treatments, but is particularly preferred in the development processing solution.

[For production]

According to the photosensitive material processing method of the present invention, a large amount of photosensitive material can be processed because the distance between the photosensitive materials can be narrowed and a large number of photosensitive materials can be stored in a basket. Also, by using a basket, there is no fear that the photosensitive materials will come into contact with each other.

Furthermore, by vibrating the basket left and right with respect to the processing direction, the vibrations of the left and right side plates of the Baskent stir the entire liquid in the tank, and the vibration of the photosensitive materials themselves causes the liquid between the photosensitive materials to come into uniform contact with the photosensitive film. This eliminates uneven processing and accelerates the reaction. Therefore, when replenishing the developer, it is only necessary to flow the amount according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material, and the so-called conventional concept of jet agitation with flow velocity is no longer necessary, and it is only necessary to rely on the vibrating power. . Furthermore, by the method of the present invention, a large amount of sheet-like photosensitive material can be developed at one time without uneven processing (particularly uneven development).

〔Example〕

An embodiment of an apparatus according to the photosensitive material processing method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a conventional hanging type developing device.
This is an example in which the treatment method of the present invention is applied to a treatment tank.

Conventionally, exposed photosensitive materials are placed in each recess of a hanger spacing regulating plate 2 in a hanger 4 suspended in a processing tank 1, with the surface facing perpendicular to the direction of travel, and placed at regular intervals (intermittently). Both ends of the hanger were lifted up and moved forward by the conveying device 3.

In the processing method of the present invention, instead of hanging each sheet of photosensitive material on a hanger 4, a large number of sheets of photosensitive material are loaded into a basket 5 in which the processing surface is accommodated parallel to the processing direction. A basket 5 is hung on a hanger 4 and moved forward while being vibrated left and right by a left and right rocking bar 6 in the processing progress direction.

The left and right rocking bars 6 have contact surfaces on both sides of the processing tank that can come into contact with the end faces of the hanger 4, and the left and right rocking bars 6 on both sides are vibrated left and right by the rotation of the left and right rocking drive motor 7. There is.

This embodiment is just one example of how to cause vibration, and other methods are also possible.

When using the Basken To 5, since the photosensitive materials are arranged parallel to the processing progress direction S, every other concave portion of the hanger spacing regulating plate 2 is used.

The development processing equipment has multiple processing tanks lined up in the direction of processing progress, so when moving between seeds, lift the hanger above the tank, let the processing solution fall, and then bring it to the heated processing tank to receive the next processing solution. It is exactly the same as the conventional hanging type developing device to allow the developing device to enter the tank and move it forward in the advancing direction in the same manner as described above in the next tank. A color photosensitive material was developed using such an apparatus.

Comparing the results of the processing method of the present invention and the conventional processing method, it is found that the condition for left-right vibration is the catching length LoWm.
, the cycle was 2 times/sec.

As a result, the processing area was four times that of the conventional method, and the processing time was the same, but the processing quality was improved overall, with no density unevenness occurring at the edges.

Other benefits include power savings.

[Effects of the Invention] By using the basket in the photosensitive material processing method of the present invention, it is possible to increase the processing area by four times compared to the conventional method, and the left and right vibrations make it possible to improve the quality by making the development quality uniform. It has greatly contributed to increasing productivity and improving quality.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] Fig. 1 is a schematic inclined view of an embodiment of a hanging type development processing apparatus using the method of processing photosensitive materials of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a photosensitive material inserted into the basket used in the present invention. Perspective view of material (a)
and a perspective view b) of the basket. 1... Processing tank 2... Hanger interval regulation plate 3... Conveying device 4... Hanger 5... Basket 6... Left and right rocking bar 7... Left and right rocking drive motor 20... Photosensitive Material selvedge 21 ・ ・ ・ Guide plate 22 ・ Lateral presser 23 ・ Side 24 ・ Stop bar (3 others)

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a processing method in which an exposed photosensitive material is processed by moving it through a hanging type development processing device, a large number of the photosensitive materials are loaded into a basket containing the processed surface parallel to the processing direction, and the basket is placed on a hanger. 1. A method for processing a photosensitive material, comprising: moving the basket through a processing apparatus over a period of time, and vibrating the basket from side to side with respect to the processing direction when the basket is in a processing solution.