JPH06289574A - Apparatus for drying photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent accumulating of water drops on heat rollers arranged to face each other at the time of clamping and transporting the photosensitive materials by these heat rollers and heating the photosensitive materials. CONSTITUTION:Three pieces of transporting rollers 60 and two pieces of the heat rollers 62 are arranged zigzag on side plates 54 of a drying section 50, by which a transporting path of a front stage is formed. Blow-off pipes 47 for ejecting drying wind toward the transported films 20 are arranged near these rollers. The heat rollers 62 and the drying air ejected from these blow-off pipes heat the water drops sticking on the surfaces of the films by by unequal squeezing, thereby removing these water drops. The sticking and accumulation of the water drops of the films between the heat rollers 64 and press rollers and the consequent precipitation of the components in a processing liquid do not arise at the time of clamping and transporting the films by the heat rollers 64 and the press rollers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photosensitive material drying apparatus for carrying out drying processing by sandwiching and transporting a photosensitive material with a roller pair, at least one of which is a heat roller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A light-sensitive material on which an image has been exposed is subjected to a treatment liquid treatment such as development, fixing and washing with a light-sensitive material treatment device, and then subjected to a drying treatment for finishing. recent years,
Various studies have been conducted on the use of a heat roller in a photosensitive material drying device for drying a photosensitive material that has been treated with such a processing liquid.

In a photosensitive material drying apparatus using a heat roller, the photosensitive material is conveyed while being in contact with the heat roller, and the heat of the heat roller is transferred to the photosensitive material by heat conduction to heat it. In comparison, it is extremely efficient and the heating temperature is easy to control. Further, when heat is transferred to the photosensitive material by the heat roller, heat can be transferred to the photosensitive material more efficiently if the photosensitive material is sandwiched and conveyed by a roller pair in which at least one roller is a heat roller. Is well known, and such a drying device is useful for rapid processing of photosensitive materials.

By the way, when the photosensitive material treated with the processing liquid is dried, it is preferable to squeeze water droplets adhering to the surface of the photosensitive material. In the photosensitive material processing apparatus, processing liquids such as developing, fixing and washing are used. The processed photosensitive material is squeezed to remove water droplets adhering to the surface and then sent to a drying device so that unevenness in drying does not occur in the photosensitive material that has been dried.

[0005]

However, a large amount of water droplets are attached to the surface of the squeezed photosensitive material, and the photosensitive material with such water droplets is sandwiched between the heat roller pairs. When dried while being conveyed, water droplets are squeezed between the pair of heat rollers, and the components in the processing liquid remaining in the water droplets adhering to the surface of the photosensitive material are deposited on the surface of the heat roller. The components in the processing liquid deposited and deposited on the heat roller are attached to the surface of the photosensitive material to be newly processed, causing stains and the like, which impairs the finish of the photosensitive material.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and in a photosensitive material processing apparatus which dries while sandwiching and transporting a photosensitive material with a heat roller, water drops remaining on the surface of the photosensitive material are present between a pair of rollers. An object of the present invention is to provide a light-sensitive material drying device that does not accumulate and deposit to impair the finish of the light-sensitive material.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a photosensitive material drying apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention uses a pair of rollers, at least one of which is a heat roller for the processed photosensitive material dipped in a processing solution. A photosensitive material drying device that heats and dries while sandwiching and transporting the photosensitive material, the transporting means transporting the photosensitive material by a plurality of rollers arranged upstream of the heat roller pair, and the photosensitive material transported by the transporting means. A preliminary drying means for preliminarily heating and drying the material.

The photosensitive material drying device according to claim 2 of the present invention is the photosensitive material drying device according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive material is conveyed in contact with the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying means in order. The preheating means is configured to heat at least a part of the rollers, and the preheating means.

[0009]

In the photosensitive material drying device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the preliminary drying means is provided in the preceding stage of the step of heating and drying the photosensitive material while nipping and transporting the photosensitive material by a roller pair, at least one of which is a heat roller. By this pre-drying means, water droplets mainly attached to the surface of the photosensitive material are removed. As a result, in a state where water droplets are not attached to the surface of the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material is heated and dried while being sandwiched and conveyed by the heat roller.

If water droplets are surely removed from the surface of the photosensitive material before the photosensitive material comes into contact with the heat roller, it is possible to prevent the components in the processing liquid from depositing on the heat roller, and to finish the photosensitive material. There is no loss.

The preheating means may be one that blows dry air heated to a predetermined temperature toward the surface of the photosensitive material to remove water droplets on the surface of the photosensitive material, and an infrared heater. For example, a method of heating and evaporating water droplets on the surface of the photosensitive material by a method such as heating, or a heating and drying method combining these can be applied.

In the photosensitive material drying apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the pre-stage conveying means is constituted by rollers arranged in a staggered manner, and the preheating means is a heat roller preheated.

Since the rollers are arranged in a zigzag pattern to form the conveying path of the photosensitive material, it is possible to prevent water droplets adhering to the surface of the photosensitive material from accumulating on the rollers. Further, if the roller is heated to form a heat roller, when the heated roller comes into contact with the photosensitive material, the water droplets on the surface of the photosensitive material are heated and removed, and the inside of the photosensitive material is also heated. be able to. As a result, it is possible to prevent water droplets attached to the photosensitive material from being accumulated between the pair of rollers that sandwich the photosensitive material.

Further, if the temperature of the photosensitive material is raised in advance by the heated roller, when the photosensitive material is nipped and heated by the pair of rollers, the photosensitive material is brought to the optimum temperature for drying in a short time. This is effective for rapid processing of photosensitive materials. If dry air is blown onto the surface of the photosensitive material arranged in a zigzag manner, it becomes possible to more efficiently remove water droplets from the surface of the photosensitive material.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an automatic developing apparatus 10 which is a photosensitive material processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The automatic developing device 10 is a device in which a film 20, which is an example of a light-sensitive material, is dipped in a developing solution, a fixing solution and washing water to be processed, and then dried.

The automatic developing device 10 is provided with a processing liquid processing section 11 and a drying section 50 in a machine frame 12. The processing liquid processing unit 11 includes a developing tank 14 for storing a developing solution, a fixing tank 16 for storing a fixing solution, and a washing tank 18 for storing washing water, and is provided in the vicinity of the insertion port 15 provided in the machine frame 12. , An insertion rack 17 for drawing the film 20 into the machine frame 12, and an insertion detection sensor 8 for detecting the film 20 to be inserted.
0 is set.

The developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 1 of the processing liquid processing section 11
6, in the washing tank 18, a plurality of transport rollers 22, 26,
Transport racks 24, 28, 32 having a developer
It is disposed by being immersed in the fixer and washing water. Further, between the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16, the fixing tank 16 and the washing tank 18 are provided.
A crossover rack 34 provided with a transport roller 36 and a guide 38 is arranged between them and.

The film 20 inserted from the insertion opening 15
Are drawn in by the insertion rack 17, and the developing solution, fixing solution, and
It is conveyed while being successively immersed in washing water to undergo development, fixing, and washing treatment.

A squeeze roller 4 for conveying the film 20 while squeezing it is provided between the washing tank 18 and the drying section 50.
2, a squeeze rack 40 having a guide 43 for guiding the film 20 and the drying unit 50 is provided. The film 20 delivered from the washing tank 18 is guided to the drying unit 50 while squeezing water droplets on the surface by the squeeze roller 42.

The squeeze roller 4 close to the washing tank 18
A crossover rack having the same structure as the crossover rack 34 between the developing tank 14 and the fixing tank 16 and the crossover rack 34 between the fixing tank 16 and the washing tank 18 is applied to the portion of 2 and the guide 43. You can

As shown in FIG. 2, the drying section 50 includes
A pair of side plates 54 arranged parallel to each other (see FIGS. 1 and 2).
A conveying path for the film 20 is formed by a roller group 44 that is hung between the rollers. First, the transport path for the film 20 in the front stage is formed by arranging three transport rollers 60 and two heat rollers 62 in a zigzag pattern. The surface of these heat rollers 60 is preferably coated with Teflon (trade name). Two heat rollers 64 and a press roller 66 facing each of the heat rollers 64 are arranged in the middle conveyance path on the downstream side of the conveyance path to form a conveyance path for nipping and conveying the film 20. There is. The transport path on the downstream side of the heat roller 64 is formed by arranging a plurality of transport rollers 60 in a zigzag pattern.
The drying turn portion 48 is configured by the reference numerals 8, 70 and the guide 72.

The drying turn section 48 conveys the film 20 conveyed in the drying section 50 obliquely upward,
The film 20 is sent out to a receiving box 49 attached to the machine frame 12.

The transport roller 60 arranged in the preceding stage of the drying section 50 is a roller having an outer dimension of 20 mm, and the heat roller 62 has the outer dimension of 20 mm which is the same as that of the transport roller 60, but is disposed at the axial center portion. It is adapted to be heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 74. In addition, the transport roller 60
Blow pipes 47 are arranged in the vicinity of the heat roller 62, and dry air generated by a drying fan 45 and a heater 46 is supplied to these blow pipes 47 through a chamber (not shown). It has become. The blowout pipe 47 blows out the dry air toward the transport path of the film 20.

The heat roller 64 and the press roller 66 provided in the middle stage of the drying section 50 have outer dimensions of 40 mm, respectively.
mm, and the heater 76 is attached to the axial center of the heat roller 64.
Is provided. The heat roller 64 is the heater 7
6 is heated to a predetermined temperature, and the press roller 66 facing the heat roller 64 is heated by the heat roller 64. When the film 20 is sandwiched by the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66, heat is directly transmitted from each of them and heated to the inside.

A blow-out pipe 78 is arranged around the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66, and when the drying air generated by the drying fan 45 and the heater 46 is supplied, it is directed to the conveying path of the film 20. It is designed to blow off the dry air of the lever. One end of the blowing pipe 78 is bent along the transport direction of the film 20, and a guide 82 for guiding the film 20 sandwiched by the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66 and fed out in a predetermined direction is provided. Is forming.

Around the conveying roller 60 arranged in a staggered manner on the downstream side of the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66,
A blow-out pipe 47 is provided so as to blow dry air onto the surface of the film 20 conveyed by the conveying roller 60.

Therefore, in the drying section 50, the film 2
When 0 is transported by the transport roller 60 and the heat roller 62, the film 20 is preliminarily heated, and the water droplets adhering to the surface of the film 20 are heated and blown off by the dry air from the blowing pipe 47. ing. After that, the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66
The film 20 is heated and dried while being sandwiched and conveyed, and the air containing a large amount of water vaporized from the film 20 is removed from the vicinity of the surface of the film 20 by the dry air blown from the blowing pipe 78.
Further, the film 2 heated by the heat roller 64
When 0 is conveyed by the conveying roller 60, a large amount of dry air is jetted from the blowing pipe 47 to accelerate the drying of the film 20.

In the drying unit 50 applied to this embodiment, the temperature of the heat roller 64 is about 100 ° C. as an example.
As a result, the temperature of the heat roller 62 is about 70 lower than this.
° C. The temperature of the dry air blown from the blow-out pipes 47 and 78 is about 40 ° C., and the discharge wind velocity is about 12 to 14 (m / se) from the blow-out pipe 47.
c), it is set to be about 4 to 5 (m / sec) from the outlet pipe 78. Further, the substantial drying path length of the drying unit 50, that is, the length of the conveying path from the first conveying roller 60 to the roller pair 68 of the drying turn unit 48 is 305 (m).
m) and the film 20 is conveyed at a conveying speed of 72.5 (mm / sec).

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. The film 20 on which an image is recorded by exposure is inserted into the automatic developing device 10 through the insertion port 15 of the automatic developing device 10 and processed. In the automatic developing device 10, the film 20 inserted from the insertion port 15 is drawn by the insertion rack 17 and sent to the developing tank 14 of the processing liquid processing section 11.

In the developing tank 14, while being conveyed in a substantially U shape by the conveying roller 22 of the rack 24, it is immersed in a developing solution to perform a developing process. The film 20 that has been processed with the developed image 14 is guided and conveyed by the guide 38 of the crossover rack 34 and the conveying roller 36, and is sent to the fixing tank 16. In the fixing tank 16, the transport roller 2 of the rack 28
The film 20 is conveyed while being guided in a substantially U-shape by 6 and immersed in a fixing solution to perform a fixing process. The film 20 that has been processed in the fixing tank 16 is guided and conveyed by the crossover rack 34 and sent to the washing tank 18. In the water washing tank 18, the film 20 is conveyed while being immersed in the washing water by the conveyance roller 30 of the rack 32 to wash the film 20 with water and remove the fixer component from the surface of the film.

The film 20 which has been washed with water is guided from the washing tank 18 to the squeeze roller 42 of the squeeze rack 40 and the guide 43, and sent from the treatment liquid treatment section 11 to the drying section 50. At this time, the water droplets adhering to the surface of the film 20 are removed by the squeeze roller 42.

In the drying unit 50, first, the film 20 is transported by the transport roller 60 and the heat roller 62 while alternately contacting the front and back surfaces, and the dry air generated by the drying fan 45 and the heater 46 is applied to the surface of the film 20. Gush toward. Therefore, the film 20 is heated by the heat roller 62, and at the same time, the dry air jetted from the jet pipe 47 is blown. As a result, the water droplets that have adhered to the surface of the film 20 without being squeezed by the squeeze roller 42 are removed.
It can be completely removed over 0.

Next, in the drying section 50, the heat roller 64
The film 20 is heated while being nipped and conveyed by the press roller 66. At this time, since the water droplets are completely removed from the surface of the film 20, the water droplets do not adhere and accumulate between the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66. Therefore, the components such as the fixing liquid in the water droplets that have adhered to the film 20 are not covered by the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66.
The film 20 in which the components and the like in the fixing solution deposited and deposited on the film 20 are newly dried.
It will not be transferred to the surface of.

When the film 20 is sandwiched between the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66, the film 20 is heated by heat conduction to evaporate the moisture that has permeated into the film to be dried. At this time, the dry air blown out from the blowing pipe 78 removes the air containing a large amount of water evaporated from the film 20 from the vicinity of the surface of the film 20 to accelerate the drying. At this time, since there is no water droplet unevenness, evaporation is not delayed or advanced in the film 20 and uneven drying is not caused, and evaporation is uniformly promoted over the entire surface of the film 20.

After that, the conveying rollers 60 arranged in a staggered pattern.
While the film 20 is being conveyed by, the drying air is further jetted from the blow-out pipe 47 toward the front and back surfaces of the film 20 to accelerate the drying of the film 20. When the film 20 is conveyed while being heated and reaches the drying turn section 48, the film 20 is turned obliquely upward, discharged, and stocked in the receiving box 49.

In the drying section 50, the film 20 is heated when it is conveyed through the conveying path in the front stage, and the film 20 is nipped and heated by the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66 in the middle stage. The film 2 efficiently heated to the inside by the heat roller 64 while being conveyed by the conveying rollers 60 arranged in a staggered manner.
Since a large amount of dry air is blown to the surface of 0, the substantial dry path length is between 305 (mm),
It is conveyed at a speed of 72.5 (mm / sec), and about 4-5 (sec)
It is possible to dry quickly in a short time.

As described above, in the drying section 50, a slight amount occurs when being conveyed while being squeezed by the squeeze roller 42 of the squeeze rack 40 after the processing liquid treatments such as development, fixing and washing are performed. Even if water droplets adhere to the surface of the film 20 due to squeeze unevenness, the water droplets adhered to the surface of the film 20 can be completely removed before being sandwiched by the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66 and heated and dried. it can. As a result, the treatment liquid component in the water droplets adhering to the surface of the film 20 adheres and deposits on the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66, impairing the finish of the film 20 when the film 20 is newly dried. There is no chance that it will end.

In this embodiment, the film 20 is formed by the conveying roller 60 and the heat roller 62 arranged in a staggered pattern.
The heat roller 62 and the blowing pipe 47 constitute a pre-heating means, and the conveying means is not one in which the rollers are arranged in a zigzag manner, but one in which the film 20 is sandwiched and conveyed. Maybe,
The number of rollers may be increased or decreased as required.
Further, the preheating means may be an infrared heater or the like instead of the heat roller 62, and may be only the blowing pipe 47 that blows the dry air.

Further, in this embodiment, the heat roller 64 and the press roller 66 are arranged so as to face each other so that the film 20 is nipped and heated and dried. However, both the rollers arranged so as to face each other may be the heat roller 64. .

Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to the drying section 50 on the downstream side of the processing liquid processing section 11 of the automatic developing apparatus 10 which is a photosensitive material processing apparatus has been described. It may be a simple substance. Further, the present invention is applicable not only to the film 20 but also to a photosensitive material drying device for drying other photosensitive materials such as photographic paper.

[0041]

As described above, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention, before the photosensitive material is nipped and conveyed by the roller pair having the heat roller and heated and dried, the photosensitive material is attached to the surface of the photosensitive material by the preheating means. Water drops are being removed. For this reason, the components in the water droplets adhering to the surface of the photosensitive material do not deposit on the roller pair, and the deposit is transferred to the surface of the photosensitive material heated by being nipped and conveyed by the roller pair and the photosensitive material It has an excellent effect that it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the finish.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic developing device applied to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a drying unit applied to this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Automatic Developing Device 11 Processing Liquid Processing Section 40 Squeeze Rack 47, 78 Blowing Pipe 50 Drying Section 60 Conveying Roller (Conveying Means) 62 Heat Roller (Conveying Means, Preheating Means) 64 Heat Roller (Roller Pair) 66 Press Roller (Roller) versus)

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 29, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 2

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0007

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0007]

In order to attain the above object, a photosensitive material drying apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is a roller pair in which at least one of the photosensitive materials processed by being immersed in a processing liquid is a heat roller. a photosensitive material drying apparatus for drying and heated with pinched and conveyed by the conveying and transporting means for transporting the photosensitive material by arranged rollers multiple upstream of the heat roller pair, by the conveying means a pre-drying means for drying the photosensitive material preliminarily, and having a.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0008

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0008] photosensitive material drying apparatus according to claim 2 of the present invention is a photosensitive material drying apparatus according to claim 1, staggered to the conveying means for conveying the photosensitive material in contact with the turn on front and back both sides of photosensitive material together constituted by rollers Jo arrangement, the pre-drying means, characterized in that it is configured to heat at least a portion of said roller.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0011

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The pre- drying means may be one that blows dry air heated to a predetermined temperature toward the surface of the photosensitive material to remove water droplets on the surface of the photosensitive material, and an infrared heater. For example, a method of heating and evaporating water droplets on the surface of the photosensitive material by a method such as heating, or a heating and drying method combining these can be applied.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0012

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the photosensitive material drying device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the pre-stage conveying means is constituted by rollers arranged in a staggered manner, and the pre- drying means is a preheated heat roller.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0030

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the developing tank 14, while being conveyed in a substantially U shape by the conveying roller 22 of the rack 24, it is immersed in a developing solution to perform a developing process. Film 20 processed in the current image tank 14 has been completed is fed by being guided conveying guide 38 of the crossover rack 34 and the conveying roller 36 to the fixing tank 16. In the fixing tank 16, the transport roller 2 of the rack 28
The film 20 is conveyed while being guided in a substantially U-shape by 6 and immersed in a fixing solution to perform a fixing process. The film 20 that has been processed in the fixing tank 16 is guided and conveyed by the crossover rack 34 and sent to the washing tank 18. In the water washing tank 18, the film 20 is conveyed while being immersed in the washing water by the conveyance roller 30 of the rack 32 to wash the film 20 with water and remove the fixer component from the surface of the film 20 .

[Procedure Amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0038

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In this embodiment, the film 20 is formed by the conveying roller 60 and the heat roller 62 arranged in a staggered pattern.
The heat roller 62 and the blowing pipe 47 constitute a pre- drying means, and the conveying means is not a zigzag arrangement of the rollers but an opposing arrangement of the rollers to convey the film 20. Maybe,
The number of rollers may be increased or decreased as required.
Further, the preliminary drying means may be an infrared heater or the like instead of the heat roller 62, and may be only the blowing pipe 47 that blows the dry air.

[Procedure Amendment 9]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0041

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0041]

As described above, in the photosensitive material drying apparatus of the present invention, before the photosensitive material is nipped and conveyed by the roller pair having the heat roller and heated and dried, the photosensitive material is attached to the surface of the photosensitive material by the preliminary drying means. Water drops are being removed. Therefore, the components in the water droplets adhering to the surface of the photosensitive material do not deposit on the roller pair, and the deposit adheres to the surface of the photosensitive material heated by being nipped and conveyed by the roller pair. It has an excellent effect that it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the finish.

[Procedure Amendment 10]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Explanation of code

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Explanation of reference numerals] 10 automatic developing device 11 processing liquid processing unit 40 squeeze rack 47, 78 blowing pipe 50 drying unit 60 conveying roller (conveying means) 62 heat roller (conveying means, preliminary drying means) 64 heat roller (roller pair) 66 press rollers (roller pair)

Front page continued (72) Inventor Kenro Yamamoto 1250 Takematsu, Minamiashigara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Fuji Kikai Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Katsuta Mitsu, 1250 Takematsu, Minami Ashigara, Kanagawa Ken Fuji Kikou Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive material drying apparatus for heating and drying a processed photosensitive material dipped in a processing solution while being nipped and conveyed by a roller pair, at least one of which is a heat roller, the upstream side of the heat roller pair. And a pre-drying means for preliminarily heating and drying the photosensitive material carried by the carrying means, the photosensitive material drying apparatus comprising: . 2. The roller comprises a zigzag arrangement of rollers that sequentially contact the front and back surfaces of the photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying means, and the preheating means heats at least a part of the rollers. 2. The photosensitive material drying device according to claim 1, wherein