JPH0438343B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus that performs processing such as development on a photosensitive material such as printing paper in a processing liquid.

[Prior art and issues to be solved]

2. Description of the Related Art In an apparatus for developing photosensitive materials such as photographic paper and X-ray film, a plurality of pairs of rollers are placed around a processing tank, and the photosensitive material is developed while being conveyed by these rollers.

The developing performance of the photosensitive material to be developed varies depending on the type of film or photographic paper, and also depends on whether the photosensitive material is in a continuous state or in the form of a sheet cut to a predetermined length. Performance is different.

That is, the state of agitation of the developing solution produced by the photosensitive material is different depending on whether the photosensitive material is in the form of a continuous long piece or in the form of a sheet cut into predetermined lengths.

However, in conventional photosensitive material processing apparatuses, the circulation path of the processing liquid into the developing tank is constant, and therefore it is not possible to exhibit optimal developing performance depending on the type and shape of the photosensitive material.

Conventionally, in a photosensitive material processing apparatus, there is a device that effectively performs the developing process by stirring the developer in the part where the photosensitive material is conveyed downward and moving the developer away from the vicinity of the photoresist film surface in the part where the photosensitive material is conveyed upward. Although it has been proposed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-34449), since this device is based on the premise of processing the same photosensitive material, unlike the present invention, it is possible to process a continuous long photosensitive material and a predetermined length of photosensitive material. This method cannot be applied to a photosensitive material processing apparatus that processes cut sheet-like photosensitive materials.

The present invention takes the above-mentioned facts into account, and provides a photosensitive material processing apparatus that can perform development processing under optimal development conditions even when a continuous long photosensitive material and a sheet-like photosensitive material are both developed. is the purpose.

[Summary and operation of the invention]

The present invention provides a photosensitive material processing apparatus for passing a photosensitive material into a processing tank, which comprises: a first processing liquid discharge port opening to a substantially intermediate portion of a photosensitive material transport furnace in the processing tank; a second processing liquid discharge port that opens to the photosensitive material outlet section; a pressure feeding means that takes out the processing liquid from the processing tank and pressure-feeds it to these processing liquid discharge ports; and a space between each of the discharge ports and the pressure feeding means. If the photosensitive material is in the form of a short sheet, the processing liquid is sent to the first processing liquid discharge port, and if the photosensitive material is in the form of a continuous long sheet, the processing liquid is sent to the second processing liquid discharge port in addition to the first processing liquid discharge port. A valve for sending out the processing liquid to the processing liquid discharge port is provided.

When the photosensitive material is in the form of a sheet film that is transported intermittently, there is a gap between the sheet films, so developing fatigue solution is less likely to accumulate near the end of the photosensitive material guide path, which reduces uneven development. is unlikely to occur. On the other hand, in the case of a roll-shaped long photosensitive material, since the photosensitive material is continuously conveyed, the developing fatigue solution often stagnates at the end of the photosensitive material guide path. Therefore, when developing a roll-shaped photosensitive material, by sending the developing solution also to the discharge port provided near the end of this conveyance path, it is possible to appropriately stir the exhausted developing solution and perform optimal development.

[Embodiments of the invention]

1 and 2 show a developing device 10 to which this embodiment is applied. In this developing device 10, a rack 14 is provided with a pair of side plates 16 and 18, and a support rod 20 protruding from these side plates 16 and 18 is placed on the upper end of the developer tank 12. A rack 14 is immersed into developer tank 12.

Three pairs of guide rollers 22 are provided between the side plates 16 and 18.
A, 22B, 24A, 24B and guide rollers 26A, 26B are each pivotally supported. The guide rollers 22A, 22B are arranged near the entrance of the photosensitive material conveyance path 28 in the developer tank 12, and a guide plate 30 is disposed between the guide rollers 24A, 24B.
Guide plates 32 are provided between the guide rollers 26A and 26B, respectively, and form a substantially U-shape with the photosensitive material conveyance path 28.

Gears (not shown) are fixed to the outside of the side plate 16 of these guide rollers, and the film 34 is transported on the photosensitive material transport path 28 by receiving the driving force of a drive device (not shown) provided to the developer tank 12. ing.

As shown in FIG. 2, three large-diameter through holes 36 are formed in the side plate 18 toward the inside of the photosensitive material conveyance path 28, so that both sides of the side plate 18 are communicated with each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, the developer tank 12 is provided with a pair of discharge pipes 38 and 40 that extend through the bottom of the developer tank 12. The upper ends of these discharge pipes 38 and 40 are bent toward the side plate 18, respectively, to form discharge ports 42 and 44.

The discharge pipes 38 and 40 are connected to a circulation pump 50 via pipes 47 and 49 having orifices 46 and 48, respectively. The circulation pump 50 rotates under the driving force of a motor 52 and sends out the developer to the discharge pipes 38 and 40. A solenoid valve 54 is provided in the middle of the discharge pipe 40 between the orifice 48 and the circulation pump 50 to open and close the flow path.

The discharge port 42 has three openings as shown in phantom lines in FIG.
This corresponds to approximately the center of each of the through holes 36, and the developer can be mainly sent out between the pair of side plates 16 and 18 through the large diameter through holes 36.

The discharge port 44 corresponds to the vicinity of the part where the film 34 is fed out by the guide rollers 26A and 26B. That is, when the roll-shaped film 34 is conveyed, unlike the continuous sheet-shaped film 34, the feeding is continuous, so that the exhausted developer does not stagnate in the feeding portions of the guide rollers 26A and 26B. many. Therefore, the discharge port 44 sends the developer near the guide rollers 26A and 26B in order to circulate the stagnant developer.

A non-exit 56 is provided at the bottom of the developer 12,
The developer in the developer tank 12 can be sent out to the intake port of the circulation pump 50 via the discharge pipe 58.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The film 34 is guided through the photosensitive material transport path 28 in the developing tank 12 while being held and guided by a plurality of guide rollers.
The developing work is carried out by moving along the

When the film 34 is in the form of a sheet that is transported intermittently, guide rollers 26A and 26B are used.
Fatigue fluid rarely accumulates in the delivery section. Therefore, the electromagnetic valve 54 is closed to stop discharging the developer from the discharge port 44 portion, and the developer is discharged only from the discharge port 42 portion via the pipe 47.
Thereby, early oxidation fatigue due to unnecessary stirring of the developer near the guide rollers 26A, 26B can be prevented.

When the film 34 is in the form of a roll, the film 34 is conveyed continuously, so that fatigue of the developer that occurs near the delivery portions of the guide rollers 26A and 26B may stagnate.

Therefore, by opening the electromagnetic valve 54 and sending out the developer from the discharge port 44, the stagnant developer can be stirred and efficient development can be performed.

In the above embodiment, the flow path of the developer is changed depending on whether the film 34 is a continuous film in the form of a roll or a film in the form of a sheet cut into a predetermined length. Other modifications are also possible, such as changing the flow path of the developer depending on whether the emulsion side of the film is on one side or on both sides. That is, in the case of a single-sided emulsion, gentle agitation of the developer is preferable, and in the case of a double-sided emulsion, rapid agitation is suitable, so the outlet for the developer may be selected accordingly. To this end, the flow path of the developer within the developer tank 12 may be changed by providing an outlet separate from the outlet 56 at the bottom of the developer tank 12 shown in FIG.

Further, the film of the present invention can be widely applied to other photosensitive materials such as X-ray film, lithographic film, and photographic paper.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since the present invention has the above structure, it has an excellent effect that it is possible to develop and process photosensitive materials of different shapes and types, such as continuous long photosensitive materials and short sheet photosensitive materials, under optimal conditions. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a developing tank in a transparent state showing a developing device to which a photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a right side view of the developing tank shown in FIG. 1. 10...Developing device, 12...Developing tank, 14...
Rack, 28...Photosensitive material conveyance path, 34...X-ray film, 42, 44...Discharge port, 50...Pump, 54...Solenoid valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A photosensitive material processing apparatus for passing a photosensitive material into a processing tank, comprising: a first processing liquid discharge port opening approximately in the middle of a photosensitive material transport path in the processing tank; a second processing liquid discharge port that opens to the photosensitive material outlet in the processing tank; a pressure feeding means that takes out the processing liquid from the processing tank and pumps it to the processing liquid discharge ports;
If the photosensitive material is in the form of a short sheet, the processing liquid is sent to the first processing liquid ejection port, and if the photosensitive material is in the form of a continuous long sheet, the A photosensitive material processing apparatus comprising: a valve for sending a processing liquid to a second processing liquid discharge port in addition to the first processing liquid discharge port.