JPH05289277A - Temperature controller for automatic developing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control temperature by varying a heat exchange amount for plural processing tanks having different temperatures by the use of one temperature controller. CONSTITUTION:This controller is a temperature controller for an automatic developing machine provided with plural processing tanks having different set temperatures, and it is constituted of a closed tube for allowing a heating medium to circulate in the closed tube which is insulated from external environment, a pump P which is installed halfway along the closed tube to allow the heating medium to circulate, a means 12 for heating or cooling the heating medium, and a temperature control means which detects the temperature of the heating medium to control the means for heating or cooling the heating medium. The closed tube is put around so as to come in contact with processing liquid, and the heat exchange amount is made different for the respective processing tanks 1-3 individually. Then, the temperature of the plural processing tanks having different temperatures is controlled by a set of heating or cooling means and the temperature control means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to temperature control of an automatic processor, and more particularly to means for stably controlling the temperature of a plurality of processing baths having different preset temperatures with a single temperature controller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic developing machine for developing a photographic light-sensitive material has a plurality of processing tanks for development, bleach-fixing, stabilization processing and the like, and the development processing is carried out while sequentially passing these light-sensitive materials. .. The temperature of each processing tank is not the same, and the optimum temperature is set for each processing. Also, since the time required for each processing solution is different, the size of the processing tank is different, and therefore each processing solution is different. The amount of liquid is different. Therefore, in order to keep each treatment tank at its optimum temperature, an independent heating means and temperature controller, cooling means and temperature controller are required, which makes the structure complicated and increases the cost. Was there.

Since the above-mentioned optimum temperature is 40 ° C. or lower, when the environmental temperature is high, the environmental temperature may be higher than the temperature that must be maintained optimally in the processing tank. In this case, Rather, it is necessary to operate the cooling means to cool it, and even if there are changes in environmental conditions, a complicated and expensive temperature adjusting means is indispensable for stable maintenance of the temperature of the processing bath.

As a heating means, a throw-in type sheath heater is provided in each of the processing tanks, a power source is connected to each of the processing tanks via a temperature controller, and each temperature is controlled separately, or separately called a heat exchanger. A sheath heater is built in the tank, the heat exchanger and the treatment tank are connected by a pipe, and a pump is connected in the middle of the pipe to circulate the treatment liquid while sending the heated treatment liquid to the treatment tank. A method of keeping the treatment liquid in the treatment tank at a predetermined temperature is also adopted. In the form of slightly following control, a method of passing a treatment liquid of another treatment tank through a pipe through the heat exchanger and circulating it in the treatment tank is also implemented, and the number of heating means and temperature controllers is reduced. Although there is an example of reduction, in this case, it can be used when following at almost the same temperature or slightly lower temperature, but it is difficult to set arbitrarily different temperature, and the inside of the tank of the heat exchanger is The structure of passing a different type of treatment liquid through a pipe is complicated, and there is a drawback that handling such as cleaning is poor.

Next, regarding cooling when the treatment tank must be kept at a temperature lower than the ambient temperature, as a conventional example, there is a method of using tap water or washing water. In this method, water is sent from a water storage tank that has received tap water to a heat exchanger by a pump to cool the processing liquid circulating between the heat exchanger and the processing tank. The heat exchanger is equipped with a temperature sensor and a heater, and if a temperature controller is connected and it is overcooled, the heater is operated to heat it, or the flow rate of the cooling water by the pump is adjusted. .. Also in this case, it is necessary to separately provide a cooling means, a heating means, and a temperature controller for each processing tank, which is a complicated and expensive structure.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention simplifies the temperature control of a plurality of treatment baths (and treatment liquids) having different temperatures with a single temperature controller. An object of the present invention is to provide a stable and highly reliable temperature control device for an automatic processor.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above object is to provide a temperature controller for an automatic developing machine having a plurality of processing liquid tanks having different set temperatures, and a sealed tube for circulating a heat medium in a sealed tube which is isolated from the outside. A pump for circulating a heat medium provided in the middle of the closed tube, a means for heating or cooling the heat medium, and a temperature control means for detecting the temperature of the heat medium and controlling the means for heating or cooling. Characterized in that the closed tube is circulated so as to be in contact with each processing solution, and the heat exchange amount is individually different for each processing tank, and a set of heating or cooling means and temperature control means are provided. Is achieved by a temperature control device of an automatic processor characterized in that the temperature of a plurality of processing baths having different temperatures is controlled.

[0008]

In order to heat or cool the treatment liquid, the heat medium is heated or cooled, and the heat medium is circulated in the closed pipe, and a part of the circulation path is brought into contact with the treatment liquid, whereby the contact portion is a heat exchange portion. The reason is that the heat exchange amount in the heat exchange section can be arbitrarily set by appropriately selecting the shape, length, and material of the circulation path (pipe) in the heat exchange section. It is a means that can change the temperature of the treatment liquid, which is the object to be heated, while circulating the heat medium having the temperature. The heat medium used here may be water or other liquids, or may be an air-conditioning system that performs a cold heat cycle by adiabatic compression or expansion.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a temperature control device for an automatic processor according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic developing machine, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automatic developing machine of another embodiment.

These embodiments will be described using a model in which the length of the tube is changed for cooling.

Under the condition that the processing liquid temperature of the automatic processor must be around 35 ° C. when the environmental temperature is high,
The temperature of the processing liquid may be higher than the set temperature due to the influence of the environmental temperature, and in order to perform stable development processing, the processing liquid must be cooled.

In FIG. 2, if the temperature of the processing bath 1 is A, the temperature of the processing bath 2 is B, and the temperature of the processing bath 3 is C, and A>B> C, the temperature rise rate of each processing liquid A ₁ , B ₁ and C ₁ are A ₁ <B
₁ <C ₁ . Also, the difference from the cooling water temperature A ₂ , B ₂ , C ₂
Has a relationship of A ₂ > B ₂ > C ₂ .

Therefore, in order to keep the temperature of the processing liquid in each of the processing tanks 1, 2 and 3 with one cooling means, the heat exchange rates of the processing liquid tanks are set to A ₃ , B ₃ and C _3. , A ₃ <B ₃ <C ₃ .

The flow rate of heat from the environment into each processing tank is Q _A
(W), Q _B (w), and Q _C (w), the temperature rise can be suppressed by removing more heat than the inflow.

Now, the heat capacity per unit length of the cooling pipe is α
(W / ℃ ・ m), set temperature of each processing tank is t _A (℃), t _B
Assuming (C) and t _C (C), respectively, and letting the temperature of the cooling water at this time be T (C), the following equations hold when the components are distributed as shown in FIG.

Α · a · (t _A −T) = Q _A・ ・ ・ (1) α · b · (t _B −T) = Q _B・ ・ ・ (2) α · c · (t _C −T ) = Q _C (3) (a, b, and c are the lengths of the cooling pipes of the processing tanks containing the processing liquids A, B, and C), and the capacity of the cooling means is Q (w). Then, Q _A + Q _B + Q _C = Q (4), and by solving the equations (1), (2), (3) and (4), a, b, c and T can be obtained. Can be done. Also,
If the number of treatment tanks that need to be cooled increases, the same formula can be added.

In the case of FIG. 1, the cooling liquid is A and Q _A × h (° C.
/ Q), so T in equation (2) above is T + Q
_A・ h ・ G Also, T in the equation (3) is T + (Q _A + Q _B ) h
-G (h is the reciprocal of the specific heat of the liquid, ° C 1 / J, G is the reciprocal of the flow rate per second (s / l)).

1 and 2, the photosensitive material F is inserted in the direction of the arrow from the insertion table 4 of the main body 5 of the automatic developing machine, conveyed by a large number of rollers, and is transferred to the processing tank 1 containing the developing solution. It is developed while passing through it, and the developer is squeezed by the transfer roller 8 into the processing tank 2 containing the next bleach-fixing solution. Is squeezed and enters the processing tank 3 containing the next stabilizing processing liquid. After passing through the processing tank 3, all development processing is completed and stabilized, and after drying, it can be used as a photograph.

The photosensitive material F from which the processing liquid has been squeezed out by the squeeze roller 10 is dried in the drying section 6 having the heating / blowing means 16 and discharged to the tray 7.

In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 12 is provided in the lower part of each of the processing tanks 1, 2 and 3 as a model, but as described above, each tube in the heat exchanger 12 is shown. Length, shape,
The material is appropriately selected to set the amount of heat exchange at each relevant portion so that the temperature of each processing liquid can be maintained at a desired temperature.

[0022]

As described above, the temperature controller of the automatic processor according to the present invention can control the temperature of a plurality of processing tanks having different temperature settings with a single temperature controller, and has a simple structure. Thus, reduction of machine cost can be realized and maintenance such as cleaning is easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an automatic processor according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of another embodiment of the automatic processor according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2, 3 Processing tank 5 Automatic developing machine main body 6 Drying section 10 Squeeze roller 12 Heat exchanger (temperature controller) 13 Temperature sensor 16 Heating air blowing means ← A, B, C Processing liquid F Photosensitive material P Pump

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A temperature control device for an automatic processor having a plurality of processing liquid tanks having different set temperatures, wherein a sealed tube for circulating a heat medium in a sealed tube that is shielded from the outside and a midway of the sealed tube are provided. A pump for circulating the heat medium, means for heating or cooling the heat medium, and temperature control means for controlling the means for detecting the temperature of the heat medium and heating or cooling the heat medium. The heat exchange amount is different for each treatment tank.
Further, a temperature adjusting device for an automatic developing machine, wherein the temperature of a plurality of processing baths having different temperatures is adjusted by a set of heating or cooling means and temperature control means.