JPH0527407A - Temperature controller for drying section - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely obtain the temp. controller for a drying section which surely controls a photosensitive material to an optimum drying temp. until the material arrives at a drying section from a preheating state. CONSTITUTION:A heater 66 which functions as a heating means for the drying section 20 and a chamber 46 which contains a heater and heats the dry wind from a drying fan 45 are connected to a control section 76 of an automatic developing machine 10. The temp. in the drying section is detected by surface temp. sensors 78, 79 and a temp. sensor 83. The heater in the drying section is put into a preheating state when the automatic developing machine starts operating. The control section operates the heater, the drying fan and the heater in the drying chamber when a monochromatic scanner 50 operates. The temp. of the drying section rises in this way and the drying section controls the film to the temp. at which the film can be dried in an optimum state until the film arrives at the drying section.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a temperature controller for a drying section used in a photosensitive material processing apparatus to which an image recording apparatus for recording a latent image on a photosensitive material is connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the progress of the electronics field,
Image processing is used more frequently. For example, an image can be converted into an electric signal (digital signal) and various kinds of processing can be performed by a computer or the like, or can be recorded on various kinds of recording media.

An image recording apparatus for reproducing an image converted into an electric signal includes a scanner, a facsimile, etc., which exposes a photosensitive material according to the electric signal to form a latent image on the photosensitive material according to the electric signal. is there. This scanner is connected to a photosensitive material processing device such as an automatic developing machine to form a latent image, and then the processing solution processing and drying processing with a processing solution such as a developing solution, a fixing solution, and washing water are continuously performed. There are some that try to quickly obtain an image from an electric signal.

With the increasing use of such image processing, rapid processing has been required also in the field of silver halide photography. Especially for graphic arts, X
-The demand for rapid processing for photosensitive materials such as ray sensitive materials is increasing. The quick processing mentioned here is
For example, after the leading edge of the light-sensitive material is inserted into the light-sensitive material processing device, the leading edge of the light-sensitive material passes through a processing section including a developing tank, a fixing tank, a washing tank, etc. and a drying section until it is discharged from the drying section. This is a process in which the time is 20 seconds to 60 seconds.
If the conveyance speed of the photosensitive material is simply increased in order to shorten the processing time of the processing section and the drying section, various problems such as poor fixing and poor drying occur.

With respect to improper fixing, it is known to increase the concentration of thiosulfate in the fixing solution in order to increase the fixing speed. It is also known and widely used to incorporate a hardening agent such as a water-soluble aluminum salt into the fixing solution in order to harden the film surface of the light-sensitive material and improve the drying property.

However, when the light-sensitive material is treated with a fixing agent containing a hardening agent such as a water-soluble aluminum salt, the fixing speed is delayed due to the hardening effect, so that the fixing solution is substantially added to the fixing solution to accelerate the fixing speed. If you do not include a hardener in
There has been a problem that the swelling ratio of the emulsion coated on the light-sensitive material becomes large and the drying property deteriorates. As described above, the fixing speed is improved by reducing the water-soluble aluminum salt which is a hardening agent in the fixing solution, but it is disadvantageous in shortening the drying time which is important in the rapid processing, and therefore, the conventional method has been substantially used. Few attempts have been made to process light-sensitive materials with fixers containing no hardener.

On the other hand, in the drying section for drying the photosensitive material processed by the processing solution, the processing performance of the drying section, especially the processing time, is shortened as the performance of the infrared heater or the fan is improved. However, as the processing time in the drying unit is shortened, the power consumption in the drying unit also tends to increase. Therefore, a temperature control device is used that suppresses the increase in power consumption by suppressing the supply of electric power to the drying section while the photosensitive material is not being dried.

The temperature controller of the drying section used in this photosensitive material processing apparatus determines the temperature of the drying section as an actual processing temperature (hereinafter referred to as "execution temperature") while the photosensitive material processing apparatus is not processing the photosensitive material. That is, the preheating temperature is lowered by about 5 ° to 20 ° from the above, the insertion of the photosensitive material into the photosensitive material processing device is detected, and the temperature is raised to the execution temperature.

[0009]

However, in a light-sensitive material processing apparatus capable of rapid processing, the light-sensitive material on which a latent image is recorded is discharged from a scanner or the like, and then the light-sensitive material processing apparatus as in the prior art. If the drying unit is heated from the preheated state to the execution temperature at the time of being inserted into, the drying unit may not reach the execution temperature at the time when the photosensitive material reaches the drying unit. Therefore, the photosensitive material may be discharged in an undried state. To prevent the photosensitive material from being discharged in a non-dried state, if the temperature of the drying section is suddenly increased, the power consumption will increase.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and it is a temperature control device for a drying section used in a photosensitive material processing apparatus capable of performing power saving control and quickly finishing the photosensitive material to an optimum dry state. The purpose is to obtain.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a temperature control device for a drying section, which conveys a photosensitive material on which a latent image is formed by an image recording device from the image recording device to a photosensitive material processing device. Is a temperature control device of a drying unit used in the photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing liquid processing and drying processing, and an operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of the image recording apparatus, and the photosensitive material can be dried. Set temperature holding means for holding the temperature of the drying section at any one of the effective execution temperature or the preheating temperature lower than this execution temperature, and when the operation state detection means detects that the image recording apparatus has operated. And control means for switching the set temperature from the preheating temperature to the execution temperature.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a temperature controller for a drying section guides and conveys a photosensitive material on which a latent image has been formed by an image recording device from the image recording device to a photosensitive material processing device for treating liquid treatment and A temperature control device for a drying section used in the photosensitive material processing apparatus for performing a drying process, the operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of the image recording apparatus, and an execution temperature at which the photosensitive material can be dried or an execution temperature thereof. A set temperature holding means for holding the temperature of the drying unit at any one of preheating temperatures lower than the temperature, and the set temperature at the time when the operation state detecting means detects that the image recording apparatus is operated. In the case where the preheating temperature is switched to the execution temperature and the non-operation of the image recording apparatus is detected by the operation state detection means after the processing of the photosensitive material in the drying section is completed. And a control unit to newly serial set temperature from the execution temperature to the preheat temperature, characterized by comprising a.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a temperature controller for the drying section according to the first or second aspect, wherein the control means causes the photosensitive material to reach the drying section. By the time, the switching timing of the set temperature holding means to the execution temperature is controlled so that the temperature of the drying unit reaches the execution temperature of the drying.

[0014]

In the temperature control device for the drying section according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the operation state detecting means detects the operation of the image recording apparatus, the switching means is so arranged that the set temperature holding means holds the execution temperature. Operate. As a result, the drying unit starts to increase from the preheating temperature to the execution temperature, and the temperature of the drying unit can be raised to the execution temperature with a margin until the photosensitive material reaches the drying unit.

As described above, since the drying portion has reached the execution temperature before the photosensitive material reaches the drying portion, the photosensitive material is dried without being undried.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the temperature control device for the drying section maintains the preheating temperature when the image recording device is not operating and the photosensitive material processing device is in the non-processing state. ing. As a result, the power consumption of the drying section can be reduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the temperature controller for the drying section detects the operating state of the image recording apparatus and sets the temperature of the drying section to the execution temperature before the photosensitive material reaches the drying section. I have to. That is, if the control unit operates the set temperature holding unit at the same time as or after the operation of the image recording apparatus, and the photosensitive material reaches the drying unit, the drying unit is set to the execution temperature. Good.

The operating temperature of the drying section may be a temperature at which the photosensitive material is dried in the optimum state in the drying section, and can be set according to the drying method of the drying section.

The temperature controller of the drying unit according to the present invention does not need to rapidly raise the temperature of the drying unit even if it is preheated while the photosensitive material is not processed, so that the power consumption can be suppressed and During the drying process, the drying section is at the optimum drying temperature, so that the processing of the light-sensitive material can be speeded up.

As an image recording device connected to the photosensitive material processing device, a device for recording a latent image on a photosensitive material such as a monochrome scanner, a color scanner, a newspaper facsimile, a CT scanner, a laser printer for outputting an image can be applied. .

The light-sensitive material processed by this light-sensitive material processing apparatus does not become undried, so that it can be processed by a fixing solution containing substantially no hardener, and of course, a hard film. The light-sensitive material processed with the fixing solution containing the agent can also be dried.

Next, a fixing agent and a hardening agent which can be used in the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

For example, as the fixing agent used in the present invention, in addition to thiosulfates and thiocyanates, organic sulfur compounds known to be effective as a fixing agent can be used. Water-soluble aluminum salts can be used as the hardening agent in the fixing solution. Examples of the water-soluble aluminum salts include aluminum sulfate, ammonium aluminum sulfate, potassium aluminum sulfate, and aluminum chloride.

Here, the above-mentioned treatment with a fixing solution containing substantially no hardening agent means that the hardening of the emulsion layer of the light-sensitive material immersed in the fixing solution is not substantially caused. However, more specifically, it means that the amount of the water-soluble aluminum salt added to the fixing solution is preferably 0 to 0.01 mol / liter, and more preferably 0 to 0.005 mol / liter. As a result, the processing time of the fixing process can be shortened and the efficiency of washing with water can be improved, so that the residual color of the photosensitive material after processing can be reduced. The pH of the fixing solution is preferably 5.3 or more, and more preferably 5.5.
~ 7.0 is more preferable.

The amount of sulfite in the fixing solution is preferably 0.05 to 1.0 mol / liter, more preferably 0.07 to 0.8 mol / liter.

The fixing agent that can be used in the present invention can contain various acids, salts, chelating agents, surfactants, wetting agents, fixing accelerators and other additives in addition to the above compounds.

Examples of the acid include inorganic acids such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and boric acid, formic acid, propionic acid, oxalic acid,
Examples thereof include organic acids such as phthalic acid.

Examples of the salt include salts of these acids such as lithium, potassium, sodium and ammonium.

Examples of the chelating agent include anionic surfactants such as sulfates and sulfone compounds, nonionic surfactants such as polyethylene glycol and ester, and JP-A-57-6840 (name of invention, fixing for photography). Liquid) and the amphoteric surfactant described in the above.

Examples of the wetting agent include alkanolamine and alkylene glycol.

As the fixing accelerator, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 45-
35754, JP-A-58-122535, 58-
No. 122536, thiourea derivatives, alcohols having a triple bond in the molecule, US Pat.
Examples thereof include thioethers described in 6,459.

Among the above additives, acids and salts such as boric acid and aminopolycarboxylic acids are preferable because they have the effect of promoting the object of the present invention. More preferably boric acid (salt)
It is a fixing agent containing. The preferred addition amount of boric acid (salt) is 0.5 to 20 g / liter. More preferably, the amount is sufficient to be 4 to 5 g / liter.

The present invention can be applied to various light-sensitive materials such as printing, X-ray, general negative, general reversal, general positive and direct positive.

[0034]

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a processing tank portion of an automatic developing machine 10 which is a photosensitive material processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. A monochrome scanner 50 is connected to the automatic developing machine 10.

The monochrome scanner 50 is loaded with a film F wound on a reel 51 in a roll shape, and the film F is drawn out and cut at a predetermined length and wound around the outer periphery of the rotary cylinder 52. It is like this.
The rotary cylinder 52 is rotated while the film F is wound. Further, the monochrome scanner 50 is provided with a light emitting element 54 so as to emit a laser beam in accordance with an image converted into an electric signal. On the optical axis of this laser light, an AOM (acousto-optical light modulator) 56 that acts as an optical lens, and a rotating mirror that changes the reflection angle by rotating and scans the laser light along the axial direction of the rotating cylinder 52. 58 is provided. The laser light emitted from the light emitting element 54 is polarized by the AOM 56 in accordance with the image signal, and is further scanned by the rotating mirror 58 onto the film F of the rotating cylinder 52 which rotates by winding the film F. As a result, the film F is exposed and a latent image of a monochrome image is formed. The monochrome scanner 50 is connected to a control unit 76 of the automatic developing machine 10 described later, and the operating state of the monochrome scanner 50 is detected by the control unit 76 of the automatic developing machine 10.

The film F on which the latent image is formed is peeled from the outer periphery of the rotary cylinder 52, nipped and conveyed by the conveying roller 60, discharged from the monochrome scanner 50, and inserted into the automatic developing machine 10 through the insertion port 15. . A shutter 70 is provided in the boundary region between the automatic developing machine 10 and the monochrome scanner 50 to prevent gas, water vapor, etc. from entering the monochrome scanner 50 from the automatic developing machine 10, and a photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as “film”). The shutter 70 is opened when the "F") is inserted from the monochrome scanner 50 from the automatic developing machine 10, and the shutter 70 is closed when the film F is not inserted.

The automatic developing machine 10 is provided with a processing liquid processing section 11 and a drying section 20 in a machine frame 12. The processing liquid processing section 11 includes a developing tank 14, a fixing tank 16 and a washing tank 18 which are partitioned by partition walls 13 along the transport direction of the film F.
Is equipped with.

Film F insertion slot 15 of automatic processor 10
An insertion rack 17 having an insertion roller 81 that holds and pulls the film F in the automatic processor 10 is disposed near the position. In the vicinity of the insertion port 15 of the automatic processor 10,
An insertion sensor 80 is provided so that the insertion of the film F into the automatic processor 10 can be detected.

In the developing tank 14, a developing solution is contained, and a carrying rack 24 having a carrying roller 22 for carrying the film F driven by a motor (not shown) is soaked in the developing solution. . In the fixing tank 16, a fixing liquid is stored, and a conveyance roller 2 that conveys the film F is driven by a motor (not shown).
A transport rack 28 having 6 is disposed so as to be immersed in the fixer. Further, in the washing tank 18, washing water is stored, and a transport rack 32 having a transport roller 30 for transporting the film F driven by a motor (not shown) is disposed so as to be immersed in the wash water. .

A heat exchanger 19 is disposed below the developing tank 14 and below the fixing tank 16, respectively. The developer in the developing tank 14 and the fixing solution in the fixing tank 16 are sent to the heat exchanger 19. After being sent and subjected to heat exchange there, it is sent back to the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16. As a result, the liquid temperatures of the developing solution in the developing tank 14 and the fixing solution in the fixing tank 16 are maintained within a predetermined range. Further, the gas and water vapor generated in these processing parts are discharged to the outside of the automatic developing machine 10 by an exhaust fan.

A crossover rack 34 is disposed between the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16 and between the fixing tank 16 and the water washing tank 18 above them. The crossover rack 34 includes a pair of nipping and conveying rollers 36 for conveying the film F from a tank on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the film F to a tank on the downstream side, and a guide 38 for guiding the film F.

Therefore, the automatic processor 1 is inserted from the insertion port 15.
The film F fed into 0 is inserted into the developing tank 14 by the insertion rack 17 and conveyed in the developing solution by the conveying roller 22 to be developed. The developed film F is sent to the fixing tank 16 by the crossover rack 34, where it is carried in the fixer by the carrying roller 26 and fixed.
The film F that has been subjected to the fixing process has a crossover rack 34.
Is sent to the washing tank 18 where the washing water is conveyed by the conveying rollers 30 and washed.

The crossover rack 34 is provided with a rinse tank 39 containing a rinse liquid below each of them. An overflow tank (not shown) is connected to these rinse tanks 39 so that each rinse liquid can be discharged. A part of the nipping / conveying roller pair 36 is immersed in the rinse liquid in the rinsing tank 39.
Is driven to prevent the nipping / conveying roller pair 36 from drying and wash the processing liquid adhering to the film F from the film F and mix it with the processing liquid in the subsequent stage to prevent the processing liquid from deteriorating. As the rinse liquid stored in the rinse tank 39 between the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16, an acetic acid aqueous solution or water can be applied, and is stored in the rinse tank 39 between the fixing tank 16 and the washing tank 18. Water can be used as the rinse liquid.

Further, a drainage pipe (not shown) is provided at the bottom of each of the developing bath 14, the fixing bath 16 and the washing bath 18, and a drainage valve 21 is attached to each of these drainage pipes. Therefore, by opening these drain valves 21 as needed, the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16 are opened.
Further, the developing solution, the fixing solution and the washing water in the washing tank 18 can be discharged.

Further, the developing tank 14, the fixing tank 16 and the water washing tank 18 are provided with a floating lid 37 having an opening 37A having a guide function for loading and unloading the film F into and out of each tank. These floating lids 37 prevent the treatment liquid in each tank from coming into contact with unnecessary air and suppress the reduction of the treatment liquid due to evaporation.

The film F washed with water has a squeeze portion 40.
Sent to. The squeeze unit 40 includes the washing tank 18 and the drying unit 2.
It is arranged between 0 and. The squeeze section 40 conveys the film F, which is conveyed from the washing tank 18 and has the washing water adhered thereto, to the drying section 20 while squeezing the film F.
And a guide 43 for guiding the film F, a squeeze rack 41 is disposed, and the film F is conveyed from the horizontal direction to the lower side in the vertical direction, and the drying chamber 44 of the drying unit 20 is provided.
It is designed to be inserted inside.

In the drying section 20, the drying chamber 44 and the drying chamber 4 are provided.
A dry air generating unit 48 is provided below 4.

Two pairs of pinching rollers 62 are arranged in the upper part of the drying chamber 44, and between the pair of pinching rollers 62,
The zigzag is provided with two heat rollers 64. The heat roller 64 has a cylindrical shape, and a heater 66 serving as a heating unit is coaxially provided at the axial center of the heat roller 64. The outer periphery of the heat roller 64 is uniformly heated by the heat emitted from the heater 66.

A guide 68 is provided between each of the nip roller pair 62 and the heat roller 64 to form a conveyance path for the film F, and the nip roller pair 62 and the nip roller pair 62 are rotated by the driving of a driving means (not shown). The film F is conveyed by the heat roller 64. Further, the pressing roller 7 is provided on the outer periphery of the heat roller 64.
0 is arranged so that the film F is brought into close contact with the heat roller 64. The film F adhered to the heat roller 64 is heated and dried by heat conduction from the outer peripheral portion of the heat roller 64 heated by the heater 66.

In the lower part of the drying chamber 44, spray pipes 47 for ejecting dry air to the film F conveyed by the rollers 72 arranged in a staggered manner are arranged across the conveying path of the film F.

At the lowermost part of the drying chamber 44, a drying turn portion 74 for conveying the film F obliquely upward is provided,
A receiving box 49 for accommodating the film F sent from the drying turn section 74 is provided on the outer wall of the automatic developing machine 10.

A warm air generator 48 provided below the drying chamber 44 is provided with a drying fan 45 for generating dry air and a chamber 46 containing a heater for heating the dry air. The chamber 46 is supplied to the spray pipe 47 and is discharged from the spray pipe 47 toward the film F to dry the film F.

A part of the dry air is also supplied to the upper part of the drying chamber 44. The dry air supplied to the upper part of the drying chamber 44 is discharged from a blowout port (not shown) provided along the transport path of the film F. The air outlets are alternately arranged between the upstream side nip roller pair 62 and the downstream side nip roller pair 62 along the transport path of the film F along the transport path on the front side and the back side of FIG. The hot air is alternately discharged in the width direction of the film F. by this,
Upstream clamping roller pair 62 and downstream clamping roller pair 62
The high-humidity air staying near the surface of the film F between and is discharged to accelerate the drying of the film F.
In addition, without providing a heater in the chamber 46, the air outside the machine is supplied into the drying chamber 44 by the drying fan 45, or
A part of the air outside the machine may be taken in while the air in most of the drying chamber 44 is circulated by the drying fan 45.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control section 76 of the automatic developing machine 10 is connected to the processing liquid processing section 11, the driving section 82 for driving the respective rollers, and the insertion sensor 80, and the automatic developing machine 10 is connected. The operation is controlled. Further, the control unit 76 includes the heater 66 of the drying unit 20 and the chamber 4
The heater in 6 and the drying fan 45 are connected, and are operated by a signal from the controller 76. Further, the control unit 76 is connected to surface temperature sensors 78 and 79 for detecting the surface temperature of the heat roller 64 and a temperature sensor 83 for detecting the temperature of warm air blown from the spray pipe 47 to the film F, and the experimental results are previously set. Based on the data obtained by the above, the former stage is controlled to perform constant rate drying by heat conduction from the heat roller 64, and the latter stage is controlled to perform reduced rate drying by warm air from the spray pipe 47. Also, while not performing the drying process,
The preheated state of 5 to 20 degrees lower than the set temperature is maintained. That is, the control unit 76 has a function of a switching unit and a function of holding the set temperature of the drying unit 20.

The control unit 76 is also connected to the control unit of the monochrome scanner 50 and detects the operating state of the scanner 50.

The operation of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, focusing on the control of the drying section 20.

At 100, a switch (not shown) is turned on to start the automatic developing machine 10. As a result, in the automatic processor 10, each processing solution in the processing solution processing section 11 is kept at a temperature for processing the film F in an optimum state, and
The drying unit 20 is brought into a preheated state, and this preheated state is maintained (step 102).

In the next step 104, when the operation of the monochrome scanner 50 is detected and the operation of the monochrome scanner 50 is started, the drying unit 20 is changed from the preheated state to the heater 66,
The heater in the chamber 46 and the drying fan 45 are operated (step 106). As a result, the inside of the drying chamber 44 is heated to the optimum execution temperature for drying the film F.

In the monochrome scanner 50, the roll-shaped film F is pulled out to have a predetermined length, and the rotary cylinder 5 is used.
The light emitting device 54, the AOM 56, and the rotating mirror 58 are wound around the rotating cylinder 52 to rotate the rotating cylinder 52.
Operate. As a result, the film F wound around the rotary cylinder 52 is exposed by xenon light, halogen light, glow lamp light, laser light or the like, and an image corresponding to the electric signal is printed. The film F on which the image is printed is discharged from the monochrome scanner 50 and inserted into the automatic developing machine 10 through the insertion port 15.

In the automatic processor 10, when the insertion sensor 80 detects the insertion of the film F in step 108, the drive unit 82 drives the insertion roller 81 to draw the film F from the insertion rack 17 and perform the processing with the processing liquid. (Step 110). In this state, as shown in FIG. 3A, the temperature of the drying unit 20 has risen to near the execution temperature which is the optimum drying temperature.

From monochrome scanner 50 to automatic processor 10
The film F inserted into the developing tank 14 is transported by the transport rack 24 in the developing tank 14 and is subjected to development processing.
It is conveyed through the inside of 6 and fixed. The film F that has been subjected to the fixing processing is transferred from the crossover rack 34 to the transport rack 32.
Then, the squeeze unit 40 conveys the squeeze unit 40 to carry out a rinsing process. In the squeeze unit 40, the film F is squeezed by the transport rollers 42 and the drying unit 2
It is transported into the drying chamber 44 of 0. Film F is drying room 44
At the time of insertion, as shown in FIG. 3A, the temperature in the drying chamber 44 has reached the optimum execution temperature for drying the film F.

In the drying chamber 44, the film F is dried (step 112). In front of the drying chamber 44, the film F is wound around the heat roller 64 heated by the heater 66, and the heat is transferred from the heat roller 64 to the inside of the film F to be dried.
Further, the water evaporated from the surface of the film F and staying in the vicinity of the surface of the film F is removed from the vicinity of the surface of the film F by the drying air supplied from the drying fan 45 through the chamber 46, and the drying is promoted. The film F is subjected to constant rate drying in which moisture is rapidly removed by the heat roller 64.

The film F conveyed to the latter stage of the drying chamber 44
Is subjected to reduction rate drying by the drying air discharged from the spray pipe 47 from the drying fan 45 through the chamber 46. The film F that has undergone the drying process is reversed by the drying turn section 74 and discharged to the receiving box 49.

The control unit 76 maintains the optimum dry state of the drying unit 20 for a predetermined time (step 114). This predetermined time can be set in consideration of the operation frequency of the monochrome scanner 50 and the like. Next, when the film F is not processed by the automatic processor 10, after confirming that the monochrome scanner 50 is not operating in step 116,
Moving to step 102, the drying unit 20 is brought into a preheated state.
In addition, when the operation of the automatic developing machine 10 is finished, it is confirmed that the processing of the film F is not performed, and Step 1
The operation can be finished at 18, 120.

In the drying section 20, constant rate drying is performed by heat conduction from the heat roller 64 heated by the heater 66 in the former stage, and reduced rate drying is performed by the drying air discharged from the spray pipe 47 in the latter stage. , By the time the film F is inserted into the drying chamber 44.
Has reached a running temperature at which the film F can be optimally dried. Therefore, even if the emulsion layer of the film F is not substantially hardened and drying is difficult, the drying treatment can be reliably performed in a short time. That is, the fixer used in the automatic developing machine 10 according to the present embodiment may be a fixer containing substantially no hardener.

By the time the film F discharged from the monochrome scanner 50 reaches the drying section 20 of the automatic developing machine 10, the temperature of the drying chamber 44 may be set to the execution temperature. Considering the arrival time, the drying unit 2 is started at the same time when the monochrome scanner 50 starts to operate.
0 may be operated, or the operation may be started after a predetermined time has elapsed after the operation was started.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the insertion sensor 80
In the case where the film F has detected the insertion of the film F and is activated, the temperature of the drying unit 20 may not reach the drying temperature when the film F reaches the drying unit 20. However, when the operation of the monochrome scanner 50 is detected, the automatic processor 1
When the drying unit 20 is raised from the preheating temperature to the execution temperature by knowing in advance that the film F will be inserted into 0, as shown in FIG. The temperature in the drying chamber 44 can be set to the optimum temperature for drying the film F.

The image recording apparatus connected to the photosensitive material processing apparatus such as the automatic developing machine 10 is not limited to the monochrome scanner 50, but a color scanner, a CT scanner ,,
A laser printer that outputs an image such as a CR image, a facsimile for a newspaper, or the like that forms a latent image on a photosensitive material is applicable.

[0069]

As described above, the temperature controller for the drying unit according to the present invention, after detecting the operating state of the image recording apparatus, allows the drying unit to be optimally dried from the preheated state before the photosensitive material reaches the drying unit. By rising to the state, it is possible to set the execution temperature which is the optimum drying temperature when the photosensitive material reaches the drying section. As a result, the power consumption of the light-sensitive material processing apparatus can be saved, and an excellent effect that the light-sensitive material can be finished in an optimum dry state can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an automatic developing machine according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control unit of the automatic processor.

FIG. 3A is a graph showing a temperature change in a drying unit according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a graph showing a temperature change in performing rapid drying in a conventional drying unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control of a drying unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Automatic processor 14 Development tank 16 fixing tank 18 water washing tank 20 Drying section 45 drying fan 50 monochrome scanner (image recording device) 66 heater 76 Control unit F film (photosensitive material)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A drying unit used in the photosensitive material processing apparatus for guiding and transporting a photosensitive material on which a latent image has been formed by the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus to a photosensitive material processing apparatus, and processing and drying the processing liquid. A temperature control device, which is an operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of the image recording device, and the drying temperature is either an execution temperature at which the photosensitive material can be dried or a preheating temperature lower than the execution temperature. And a control unit that switches the set temperature from the preheating temperature to the execution temperature when the operation state detecting unit detects that the image recording apparatus has operated. A temperature control device for a drying section, which is characterized in that: 2. A drying section used in the photosensitive material processing apparatus for guiding and transporting a photosensitive material on which a latent image is formed by the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus to a photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing and drying. A temperature control device, which is an operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of the image recording device, and the drying temperature is either an execution temperature at which the photosensitive material can be dried or a preheating temperature lower than the execution temperature. Set temperature holding means for holding the temperature of the section, and when the operating state detecting means detects that the image recording apparatus has been operated, the set temperature is switched from the preheating temperature to the execution temperature and the drying section After the end of the processing of the photosensitive material, the set temperature is switched from the execution temperature to the preheating temperature when the non-operation of the image recording apparatus is detected by the operation state detection means. A temperature control device for a drying unit, comprising: a control unit. 3. The control means controls the switching timing of the set temperature holding means to the execution temperature so that the temperature of the drying section reaches the drying execution temperature before the photosensitive material reaches the drying section. The temperature control device of the drying unit according to claim 1 or 2.