JPH0636095B2 - How to display the remaining amount of replenisher - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for displaying a remaining amount of replenishing liquid in a replenishing tank by calculating the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid in a replenishing tank and displaying the calculated amount.

[Prior Art] Generally, in an automatic developing machine, a light-sensitive material is exposed to light, then dried through a developing tank, a fixing tank, and a washing tank, and then taken out. In this case, when the photosensitive material is dipped in the developing tank, for example, the developing solution is conveyed to the next fixing tank while being adhered to the photosensitive material, so that the developing solution decreases in accordance with the throughput of the photosensitive material. Further, since the developing solution deteriorates due to the processing amount of this photosensitive material and changes with time, it is necessary to periodically replenish the replenishing solution containing a large amount of the developing agent.

Here, a replenishment tank that is connected to the developing tank by a pipe is installed in the automatic processor, and by driving the pump,
The developer tank can be replenished with a replenisher. That is, instead of preparing the replenisher solution each time the replenisher solution is replenished to the developing tank, the replenisher solution prepared in advance is stored and the pump is driven as necessary, so that the replenisher solution replenishment work can be performed. It can be done easily.

By the way, the capacity of this replenishment tank is limited, and the worker checks the remaining amount of replenisher in the replenishment tank, and if the replenisher is low, prepares the replenisher and replenishes it. You need to do it. For this reason, the refill tank is made of a transparent or translucent material so that the liquid surface can be seen from the outside, and in order to make it easier to determine the position of the liquid surface, a plurality of notches parallel to the liquid surface are evenly provided. There is. Thereby, the worker can easily know the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank.

However, in such a structure of the replenishment tank, when the replenishment tank itself becomes dirty, the liquid level becomes difficult to see, which may lead to an error in checking the remaining amount. Further, in order to make it easy to confirm the remaining amount, at least a part of the replenishment tank must be exposed to the appearance of the automatic processor. Further, since the notch is provided in the refill tank, the manufacture of the refill tank becomes complicated.

In order to solve this, the minimum level (lower level) at which the replenishment liquid must be supplied to the replenishment tank is set in advance, and a sensor is installed to detect that the amount of this replenishment liquid has reached the lower level. A structure for giving an alarm by an alarm at the time of the detection by the sensor is considered (alarm structure). After confirming the alarm by this alarm, the worker prepares a predetermined amount of replenisher solution and replenishes it to the replenishment tank up to the upper level. As a result, the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank is never emptied.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-described alarm structure, there is a slight time lag between the alarm activation and the supply of the replenisher to the replenisher tank. It may be replenished to the tank. Therefore, even if a predetermined amount of replenisher is supplied to the replenishment tank after the alarm is activated, the upper level is not actually reached. Therefore, when you want to keep the refill tank full (for example, when you are operating continuously for 24 hours and there are no workers nearby),
With the above alarm structure, since the accurate remaining amount in the refill tank cannot be confirmed, the structure of the refill tank becomes complicated by installing a reservoir pipe.

In view of the above facts, the present invention provides a method for indicating the amount of replenisher solution remaining in the replenisher tank that can be always checked without exposing the replenisher tank to the appearance of the automatic processor. Is the purpose.

[Means for Solving Problems] A method for displaying the remaining amount of the replenisher according to the present invention is a remaining amount display for displaying the remaining amount of the replenisher in the replenisher tank for replenishing the replenisher in the processing tank of the automatic processor. A method, wherein after the amount of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank reaches a predetermined lower level, the amount of the replenishing liquid replenished to the processing tank is accumulated until the predetermined amount of the replenishing liquid is supplied to the replenishing tank. The feature is that the value subtracted from the amount is added and displayed as the remaining amount of the replenisher.

[Operation] In the present invention, after the replenishment liquid in the replenishment tank reaches the lower level, a predetermined accumulated amount of the replenishment liquid is supplied to the replenishment tank. In this case, in the replenishment tank, the value obtained by subtracting the replenishment amount of the replenishment liquid replenished to the processing layer between the time when the lower level is reached and the time when the replenishment liquid is supplied is subtracted from the accumulated amount of replenishment liquid stored in the replenishment tank. Display as the remaining amount of. This allows
Even if there is a time lag between the time when the lower level is reached and the time when the replenishing liquid is supplied to the replenishing tank, the accurate remaining amount can be displayed. This display is a so-called analog display in which the pointer moves on the evenly distributed scale, but a so-called digital display using an LCD or the like that displays the remaining amount of the replenisher liquid as it is. May be As a result, the worker can always confirm the replenishment liquid remaining in the replenishment tank, and the workability is improved.
Further, since it is not necessary to expose the replenishment tank itself to the appearance of the automatic processor, the space for arranging the replenishment tank can be freely set, and the automatic processor itself can be made compact.

(Explanation of an embodiment) When obtaining the accumulated amount of the replenisher stored in the replenishment tank, the replenisher is supplied into the replenisher tank up to a predetermined lower level, and then a predetermined amount of the replenisher is supplied to the replenisher tank. It is supplied and the amount of replenisher at this time is used as the initial accumulated amount.

Thereby, the initial value of the replenisher solution stored in the replenisher tank can be easily obtained.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an automatic developing machine 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The automatic processor 10 according to the present embodiment has functions of developing, fixing, washing with water and drying an untreated film.

The housing 12 constituting the outer wall of the automatic processor 10 is provided with an insertion stand 14 for inserting an unprocessed film on the front upper side thereof, and a film stocker 16 for storing the processed film on the rear upper side thereof. Has been done. A film detector 80 for detecting the passage of the film is provided in the vicinity of the insertion opening into which the unprocessed film of the housing 12 to which the insertion table 14 is attached is inserted.
Is installed.

The film detector 80 is arranged along the film width direction with a plurality of infrared light emitting elements outside the photosensitive wavelength region facing each other in the vicinity of the film insertion opening. Each light receiving element is turned on / off according to the width of the inserted film and outputs a signal based on the width of the film. The film detector 80 may be a type of detector that is turned on or off when the light receiving element receives the light of the light emitting element reflected by the film when the film is inserted, or may be a mechanical detector. .

Inside the housing 12, a developing tank 18, a fixing tank 20, and a washing tank 2
2. The drying unit 24 is arranged in order. Further, a replenishing device 28, a circulating device 30, and a control unit 34 are arranged inside the housing 12.

Developing tank 18 and fixing tank 20 arranged in the order of film processing
A plurality of guide rollers 18A, 20A, 22A for moving the untreated film to the washing tank 22 and the drying section 24,
24A is arranged. A plurality of guide rollers 18
A, 20A, 22A, and 24A form a transport path along which the film is transported, and the rotation of the rollers causes the film to move.
It will be conveyed at a predetermined speed.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2 (A), the circulation device 30 arranged inside the casing 12 is composed of a developer filter 36, a heat exchanger 38, and a circulation pump 40. The developing tank 18 and the circulation pump 40 are connected by a pipe 42, and the filter 36 and the developing tank 18 are connected by a heat exchanger 38.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (B) and 3, the replenishing device 28 is composed of a replenishing tank 45 storing a replenishing solution, a bellows type pump 46, and a motor 48. Replenishment tank 4
A replenisher lower level detector 49 is attached to 5 and the replenisher decreases, and when the lower level is reached, the controller 34
It is designed to supply a signal to. An alarm 53 is connected to the control unit 34 via a drive circuit 51, and the alarm 53 is activated according to the signal to give an alarm. This lower level is a level at which the replenishment tank is not empty until at least the worker notices the alarm and prepares the replenishment solution and supplies it to the replenishment tank 45.

In the initial stage, the replenishment liquid is supplied to the replenishment tank 45 from the position of the lower level in a predetermined amount, and the replenishment amount P at this time (the amount of the replenisher up to the lower level and the predetermined amount of accumulation is Is set as the upper level and stored in the control unit 34.

One end of the bellows 46A constitutes a crank mechanism and is connected so as to interlock with the connecting rod 52, and the other end thereof is connected to the conduit 6
The replenisher tank 45 is connected to the replenisher tank 50 through the replenisher tank 45 via the replenisher tank 45. One end of the connecting rod 52 is rotatably supported by an eccentric shaft 54A fixed at a position eccentric from the center of a rotary plate 54 attached to an output end 48A of the motor 48.

As shown in FIG. 4, the inside of the replenishment liquid suction part 50 arranged in the replenishment liquid filled in the replenishment tank 45,
Ball check valves 58 and 60 are housed. The check valve 58 is housed so as to open and close the suction port 62, and the check valve 6
0 is stored so as to open and close a conduit 68 that connects the conduit 64 and the conduit 66.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 34 includes a CPU 78, an input port 70, an output port 72, a ROM 74, and a RAM 7.
And 6 are included. A film detector 80 and a lower level detector 49 are connected to the input port 70, and an alarm 53, an alarm 53, and a drive circuit 51 are connected to the output port 72.
A pump 46 for replenishing the replenisher is connected. A meter 81 is connected to the output port 72 via a drive circuit 79. As shown in FIG. 5, the meter 81 is LC
D81A is provided, and the remaining amount R of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank 45 is displayed on the liquid crystal display. The alarm 53 is attached to a part of the casing of the meter 81. The remaining amount R of the replenisher is CPU7
In 8, the calculation is performed at regular intervals. That is, the ROM 74 stores and stores the usage amount of the developing solution corresponding to the processing area S of the film. Since the replenishing amount of the replenishing liquid to the developing tank 18 is the same as the amount of the developing liquid used, when the replenishing liquid is supplied to the replenishing tank 45 in a predetermined accumulated amount during the operation of the automatic developing machine 10, the alarm 53 is used.
When the replenisher replenishment amount F to the developing tank 18 corresponding to the processing area S of the film from the start of the replenishment to the end of replenisher replenishment is subtracted from the initial replenisher amount P (upper level) in the replenishment tank, replenishment is performed. The remaining amount R of the liquid will be obtained.

R = P-F (1) The processing area S of the film can be easily obtained by integrating the width W of the film obtained from the film detection unit 80 and the film transport speed V stored in the ROM 74 in advance. Can be obtained.

F = S × V (2) The operation of this embodiment will be described below.

When the automatic developing machine 10 is powered on, the unprocessed film is inserted from the insertion stand 14 and the unprocessed film passes under the film detector 80, the passage of the film is detected and the input port of the control unit 34 is detected. A signal is input to 70.

When the unprocessed film passes under the film detector 80, a plurality of guide rollers 18 arranged in the developing tank 18 are provided.
The unprocessed film is guided to the bottom of the developing tank 18 through the film transport path formed by A. The guided film has its moving direction reversed by a guide roller 18A arranged at the bottom and is conveyed to the upper part of the developing tank. This allows
The untreated film is developed by passing through a developing solution for a predetermined time.

The developed film is further guided to a plurality of guide rollers 20A arranged in the fixing tank 20, is subjected to a fixing process, and is then formed by a plurality of guide rollers 22A arranged in the washing tank 2 to convey a film. Washed through. The film washed with water is guided by the guide roller 24A to reach the drying section 24 and is dried.
Accumulated to.

The developer 18 is periodically replenished with the replenisher from the replenishment tank. This is replenished according to the film processing amount (processing area S). That is, when the width dimension W of the developing film obtained by the film detector 80 is supplied to the control unit 34, the transport speed V stored in the ROM 74 is read and the CPU 78 calculates the processing area S (W × V). It The amount of developer used corresponding to this processing area S is RO
Select from the tabulated data stored in M74 and drive the motor 48 to drive the bellows type pump 46A.
To activate the replenisher. As a result, the developing tank 1
8 will be filled with an appropriate amount of developer.

By the way, when the above replenishment is repeated, the replenishment tank 4
The replenisher in 5 will be reduced. When the amount of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank 45 reaches the lower level, this is detected by the lower level detector 49, and the alarm 53 is activated. As a result, the worker prepares the replenisher solution and supplies the replenisher tank 45 with a predetermined accumulated amount, so that the replenisher tank 45 does not become empty.

Further, in this embodiment, the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank 45 can be displayed by the meter 81. The display method will be described below.

First, when the alarm 53 confirms that the amount of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank 45 has reached the lower level, the replenishing liquid having a predetermined accumulated amount is supplied from this state. At this time,
Since the automatic developing machine 10 continues to operate, the supply amount F of the replenisher solution calculated by the above equation (2) is decreased until the replenisher tank 45 is supplied with the replenisher solution. This replenishment amount F is used as an upper level and subtracted from the replenishment liquid amount P in the replenishment tank 45 stored in the RAM 76 in advance (P-
F). If the calculation result (remaining amount R) is displayed on the meter 81, the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank 45 can be confirmed without directly observing the replenishing tank.
Moreover, the remaining amount display value by this calculation is the bellows type pump 4.
There is no error because the same formula as the formula for calculating the replenishing amount of the replenisher to the developing tank by driving 6 is used.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid is obtained from the calculation result obtained from the processing amount of the film, the replenishing tank 45 is formed of a transparent or translucent material, and the notch for the scale is formed. Is not required, and the manufacturing cost of the refill tank 45 is reduced. Further, the remaining amount is not erroneously recognized due to a reading error due to the scale of the liquid surface due to the dirt of the refill tank 45, and the workability is improved. Furthermore, replenishment tank 4
Since it is not necessary to expose a part (scale portion) of 5 to the external appearance of the automatic developing machine 10, the degree of freedom of the arrangement space of the replenishment tank 45 is increased, and the automatic developing machine 10 itself can be made compact.

In this embodiment, the meter 81 is a so-called digital display meter that displays the remaining amount of the replenisher liquid as it is as a numeral, but a so-called analog display in which the pointer moves on a scale plate with evenly scaled marks. It may be another meter such as a meter.

Further, although the digital meter 81 used in the present embodiment always displays the remaining amount of the replenisher, as shown by the phantom line in FIG.
3 may be installed and the button 83 may be operated only when necessary to display the remaining amount.

Further, in the present embodiment, the method of displaying the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid to be replenished in the developing tank 18 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the case where a replenishing tank for another replenishing liquid (fixing liquid etc.) is installed. Can also be applied.

In this embodiment, first, the amount of the replenisher in the replenishment tank is detected by the lower level detector 49, a predetermined amount of replenisher is supplied from this level, and the amount of replenisher at this time is stored as the upper level. However, an upper level scale may be placed in the replenishment tank and the replenisher may be supplied to the position of this scale. In this case, since the scale is only at the upper level position, there is no mistake in reading.

Further, the alarm 53 by the lower level detector 49
The remaining amount of the replenisher may be displayed from the start of the operation.

Further, although the remaining amount display is displayed as the actual remaining amount of the replenishment tank 45 in the present embodiment, the lower level is set to the remaining amount “0”,
The display below that may be a negative display.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the method for indicating the remaining amount of the replenisher solution according to the present invention is, for example, a predetermined accumulation prepared by preparing a solution from a solution kit unit-packaged so that a predetermined amount of the developing solution can be prepared. It is especially effective when supplying a sufficient amount of replenisher to the replenisher tank, and it is possible to always check the remaining amount of replenisher in the replenisher tank without exposing the replenisher tank to the appearance of the automatic processor. It has an excellent effect that it can be done.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic developing machine to which the present invention is applied,
FIG. 2 is a piping diagram showing piping of a circulation device, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a bellows pump, FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a developer sucking section, and FIG. 5 is a front view showing a meter and its periphery. It is a figure. 10 ... Automatic developing machine, 18 ... Developing tank, 28 ... Replenishing device, 34 ... Control unit, 45 ... Replenishing tank, 80 ... Film detector, 81 ... Meter.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A remaining amount display method for displaying the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid in the replenishing tank for replenishing the replenishing liquid in a processing tank of an automatic processor, wherein the replenishing liquid amount in the replenishing tank is a predetermined lower level. The amount of replenisher liquid replenished to the processing tank until the predetermined amount of replenisher liquid is supplied to the replenisher tank is displayed after adding the value subtracted from the accumulated amount. A method for displaying the remaining amount of replenisher, which is characterized by. 2. The replenishing amount of the replenishing liquid by the subtraction is determined by multiplying the replenishing amount per unit area of the photosensitive material to be developed by the processing area of the photosensitive material. A method of displaying the remaining amount of the replenishing liquid according to the range (1).