JPH0627938B2 - Development method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a development processing method for continuously developing a photographic film of a camera, a micro photographic film, or the like.

(Technical background of the invention) When continuously developing a roll film, a micro film or the like of a camera, it is necessary to appropriately control the development density of the film. For example, if the developer is fatigued or the film is fed to the developer too fast, the density becomes low. Further, when the developing solution is thin, the developing solution surface is low, or the developing solution temperature is low, the developing density of the film is similarly thin. Therefore, even if the exposure amount is properly controlled by the automatic exposure control device (AEC) when the image is exposed on the camera side, it is difficult to finish it at an appropriate development density due to the variation in the development conditions during the development processing. There was a problem of becoming.

Therefore, a method may be considered in which the development density is continuously detected during the development process and the development is stopped when the development density is reached. For example
In No. 58-181042, the developing solution is sprayed onto the stopped aperture microfilm, while the developing density of the image during this development is constantly monitored, and when the density reaches a proper level, the spraying of the developing solution is stopped and the fixing solution is immediately sprayed. To stop development. However, according to this method, since the average density of the image is obtained, the detected density varies depending on the content of the image, and there is a problem that continuous processing cannot be performed.

On the other hand, in the case of continuous processing of a long film, if the development is controlled by the film feeding speed, the subsequent fixing and rinsing processing speeds must be changed as well, which affects other processing time after development. Occurs. A method of controlling the concentration by the concentration of the developing solution, the amount of the solution, and the temperature of the solution while keeping the film feeding speed constant can be considered, but in this case, the problem of poor control response occurs.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a development processing method capable of continuous processing without the detected density being influenced by the content of an image. .

(Structure of the Invention) According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to provide a development processing method for continuously developing a developed photographic film by spraying a developing solution, wherein the development processing of the image portion of the photographic film is preceded by While exposing the photographic film at a constant exposure amount, the density of the constant exposure portion after development processing was detected, and the spray amount corresponding to the proper density was calculated based on the previously stored density / spray amount characteristics. This is achieved by a development processing method characterized by performing subsequent development processing of the image area with the spray amount.

(Principle) FIG. 2 is a diagram showing density / spray amount characteristics, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a finished roll film. The characteristics A ₂ , A ₀ , A _{1 in} FIG. ₂ are the changes in the development density D with respect to the exposure amount E when x ₂ , x ₀ , x ₁ are set in descending order of the amount of developer sprayed on a film. Show. On the photographic film, a constant exposure portion 10B which is exposed by a constant exposure amount E ₀ is formed in advance of the portion (image portion) 10A where the image is exposed. If the development density when the constant exposure amount E ₀ is given is D ₀ , this is the optimum development state, and the characteristic A ₀ corresponds to this state. Here, it is assumed that the density of the constant exposure portion 10B is D ₁ when the spray amount is x. If the concentration D ₁ is known, the change amount x = x ₀ −x ₁ of the spray amount kx for obtaining the proper concentration D ₀ can be obtained from FIG. In the present invention, the characteristic A of FIG.
From this, an appropriate spray change amount Δx is calculated and adjusted to an appropriate spray amount.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is an overall view of a continuous developing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 10 is a film that has been photographed, and this film 10 is sent from the supply reel 12.
After being passed through the developing tank 14, the fixing tank 16, the first water washing tank 18, and the second water washing tank 20, the film is taken up by the take-up reel 22. The developing tank 14 contains the developing solution, the fixing tank 16 contains the fixing solution, and the washing tank 1
A cleaning liquid is filled in each of the liquid tanks 8 and 20 up to a predetermined liquid surface, and a large number of guide members are provided at the upper openings of the tanks 14 to 20 so that the film 10 draws an arc shape and approaches the liquid surface. It is arranged between the rollers 24.
Therefore, the film 10 is guided by the guide member in the upper part of each tank 14 to 20 and travels while drawing an arc close to the liquid surface.

Ultrasonic transducers 14a to 20a are attached to the bottoms of the tanks 14 to 20. When the ultrasonic transducers 14a to 20a are driven by a drive circuit (not shown), the ultrasonic transducers 14a to 20a are focused near the center of the liquid surface. Ultrasonic vibration is applied to the liquid. Therefore each tank 1
The liquids 4 to 20 are atomized on the liquid surface near the focal point of the ultrasonic waves and are violently scattered around. Since the film 10 is moving near this liquid surface, the film 1
The liquid adheres to the lower surface of 0. Therefore, in each of the tanks 14 to 20, processing such as development, fixing, and water washing are performed. As the ultrasonic oscillator, for example, a piezoelectric oscillator such as a quartz oscillator, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) which is one of ceramics, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) of plastics, and ceramic composite material (PECM) is used. Things can be used. Further, the ultrasonic vibrators 14a to 20a can control the amount of liquid sprayed from the liquid surface by changing the drive voltage or frequency thereof.

After the development, fixing, and washing with water, the film 10
Is dried by the heater 26 and the fan 28, and the take-up reel 2
It is wound up in 2.

30 is a CPU, 32 is an input interface, 34 is an output interface, and 36 is a ROM.
In addition to the operating program of the CPU 30, the second 36
The concentration / spray amount characteristic A illustrated in the figure is stored in advance.

Reference numeral 38 is an optical sensor for detecting the leading position of the film 10. This output signal is input to the CPU 30.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a quantitative exposure device for exposing the film 10 with a constant exposure amount E ₀ . The quantitative exposure apparatus 40 includes a lens, a slit, which are sequentially arranged from the side closer to the film 10.
A diffusion plate, a lamp 42, and a reflector are provided, and the lamp 42 is controlled by the CPU 30 so as to emit light at a predetermined position on the film 10. That is, the CPU 30 causes the image portion 10A to move from the leading position of the film 10 detected by the optical sensor 38 and the film feed speed to a predetermined position on the leading side, that is, in the feeding direction of the film 10 (rightward in this figure) as shown in FIG. A position 10B preceding by a certain distance is obtained, and when this position 10B reaches the quantitative exposure device 40, the CPU 30 causes the lamp 4
2 is made to emit light and a fixed amount of exposure is performed. As a result, the position 10B of the film 10 becomes the constant exposure portion 10B.

The constant exposure unit 1 is provided between the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16.
A density sensor 44 for detecting the development density D of 0B is attached. As the sensor 44, since the film 10 is still photosensitive, it is necessary to use a sensor that uses light in a wavelength range that the film 10 does not detect, such as an infrared sensor.

Constant exposure unit 10B when the developer is sprayed at a certain spray amount Δ
It is assumed that the development density of _{No. 1} is measured by the sensor 44 as D ₁ , for example. The output of the sensor 44 is input to the CPU 30, and the CPU 30 obtains the difference between the detected density D ₁ and the proper density D ₀ on the basis of the characteristic A (FIG. 2) stored in the ROM 30, and the respective density D ₁ , D A change amount Δx = x ₀ −x ₁ of the injection amount with respect to _{0 is} obtained. That is, the vibrator 14a of the developing tank 14 is changed so that the spray amount x at this time is changed by Δx.
Control the output of. After that, this spray amount x + x ₀ −x ₁
If the image area 10A is subjected to the developing process, the image area 10A can be controlled to have an appropriate developing density.

Similarly, when the developing solution is sprayed at a certain spray amount x and the development density of the constant exposure portion 10B is D ₂ , the spray amount change amount Δx is x ₀ −x ₂ and the spray amount is x + x _0. −
adjusted to x ₂ .

Further, the density sensor 44 for density detection may detect the density of the constant exposure section 10B immediately after the fixing tank 16. In this case, since the development of the film 10 is stopped by fixing, it is not necessary to use the infrared sensor.

FIG. 4 is an overall view of another embodiment. In this embodiment, a liquid such as a developing liquid is sprayed by using the injection nozzles 14b to 20b. That is, at the bottom of each tank 14A to 20A, a developing solution, a fixing solution,
Injection nozzles 14b to 20b for spraying cleaning water are attached, and a liquid outlet 1 is provided at the bottom of each tank 14A to 20A.
4c to 20c are provided. Explaining the developing tank 14A, the developing solution is returned from the discharge port 14c to the tank 14d, and the developing solution in the tank 14d is pressurized to a constant pressure by the pump 14e and supplied to the injection nozzle 14b. The spray nozzle 14b is of an electromagnetic type, and the spray amount of the developing solution is controlled by a signal from the CPU 30.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the density D of the constant exposure portion 10B is
Is detected by the concentration sensor 44, the CPU 30 obtains the change amount Δx of the spray, and the injection amount of the injection nozzle 14b is x + Δ.
Control to be x.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to the development of a roll film used for an ordinary camera, a duplicator for duplicating a microfilm, and even a cut film such as a microfiche film, as long as a large number of such films can be continuously processed. The present invention includes these.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention forms a constant exposure portion prior to the image portion of a photographic film, detects the development density of the constant exposure portion, and the density and spray amount are stored in advance. The amount of change of the spray amount for obtaining the proper density is obtained based on the characteristics, and the spray amount is controlled before the image portion of the film is processed. Therefore, the image of the constant exposure portion is uniquely determined irrespective of the content of the image, so that the detected density is not affected by the content of the image, and the finished density of the film is stable. Further, since the continuous treatment can be performed and the spray amount can be controlled with good response, the concentration can be accurately managed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a general view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a density / developing condition characteristic diagram of a film, FIG. 3 is a view showing a finished film, and FIG. 4 is a general view of another embodiment. is there. 10 ... film, 10A ... image part, 10B ... constant exposure part, 14, 14A ... developing tank, 40 ... quantitative exposure device, 44 ... density sensor.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A development processing method of continuously developing a photographed photographic film by spraying a developing solution, wherein the photographic film is exposed to a constant exposure amount prior to the development processing of the image portion of the photographic film. On the other hand, the density of the constant exposure area after the development processing is detected, and the density
A development processing method characterized in that a spray amount corresponding to an appropriate concentration is obtained based on the spray amount characteristic, and the subsequent image area development process is performed with the obtained spray amount. 2. The development processing method according to claim 1, wherein the spray amount is controlled by controlling the drive power of an ultrasonic vibrator provided in the developing tank. 3. The development processing method according to claim 1, wherein the spray amount is controlled by a spray nozzle for spraying a developing solution.