JPH07111574B2 - Automatic developing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic developing device for a light-sensitive material, and more particularly to an automatic developing device capable of preventing water stains from being generated in washing water in a washing step.

[Prior Art] For example, a photographic light-sensitive material for X-rays and a photographic light-sensitive material for printing are often processed by an automatic processor when being developed after exposure. That is, in the developing tank, fixing tank, washing tank, etc.
Development processing is carried out through the steps of fixing, washing with water, and drying. When developing using such an automatic processor, it is usually desired to drain the water from the washing tank at the end of daily work. If not discharged, scales and algae will be generated.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in a facility that urgently needs X-ray imaging, such as an emergency designated hospital, the results are urgently needed.
It is necessary to keep the automatic processor always ready for development processing (standby state). In such a case, the washing water cannot be drained and must be used continuously. If the washing water is not drained for a long time, water stains will be generated in the washing tank, causing various problems. That is, when the photographic film is processed, water stains adhere to the surface of the film, which deteriorates the image quality, and when the film passes through the rinsing tank, a slip phenomenon occurs in the rinsing rack, resulting in a transport failure accident. To do. Furthermore, the cleaning tank and the cleaning rack become dirty and cleaning is troublesome, and if a solenoid valve is used for the water pipe, the water stains will block the solenoid valve and the washing water cannot be delivered or the washing water will not stop. This will cause various problems such as being lost.

The same applies to the development processing of a photographic light-sensitive material for printing with an automatic developing machine.If the washing water is carried in the washing tank the next day, scales accumulate, and the rack becomes dirty and adheres to the film surface. An accident happens. However, the management of draining the washing water every day is troublesome as described above, and there is still a problem from the workability and the economical efficiency of the water that if the water is drained every day, it cannot be developed immediately in the next morning.

The scale is mainly so-called filamentous bacteria, and a suspended suspended substance in water is attached to the scale to form a so-called null form. Therefore, by sterilizing the filamentous bacteria, which is the center of the bacteria, it is possible to prevent the generation of scale.

For this reason, various antibacterial agents can be used, but some of them may adversely affect the reaction with the developing solution and the fixing solution when mixed in the developing and fixing processing tanks. Therefore, the antibacterial agent must be configured so as not to enter the developing tank and the fixing tank.
Its handling becomes inconvenient.

In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain an automatic developing device in which no scale is generated in the washing treatment tank and the antibacterial agent used is not mixed in the chemical treatment tank for development, fixing and the like. .

[Outline and Action of the Invention] The automatic developing apparatus of the present invention automatically transfers the photosensitive material after image recording to the respective chemical processing tanks for developing and fixing processing and the washing processing tank to automatically develop the photosensitive material. An automatic developing device, comprising: a first replenishing water storage part, a first water supply means for supplying replenishing water from the first replenishing water storage part to the chemical treatment tank, a second replenishing water storage part, and the first replenishing water storage part. Replenishment water supply means for supplying a part of the replenishment water from the replenishment water storage section to the second replenishment water storage section and preventing backflow from the second replenishment water storage section to the first replenishment water storage section; Antibacterial agent supplying means for supplying the antibacterial agent to the water storage section; and second water supply means for sending the supplementary water together with the antibacterial agent from the second supplemental water storage section to the washing treatment tank. .

Therefore, in the present invention, the replenishing water is supplied from the first replenishing water storage section to the developing treatment tank, the chemical treatment tank and the like by the first water supply means and used for diluting the developing solution and the fixing solution. A bactericidal agent is supplied to the replenishment water reaching the second replenishment water storage section from the first replenishment water storage section in the second replenishment water storage section, and the bacteriostatic agent is supplied together with the replenishment water by the second water supply means. Sent to. Therefore, the antibacterial agent prevents the generation of scale in the washing tank. Also, from the second replenishment water storage unit to the first
Since the reverse flow of the supplementary water to the supplementary water storage section is prevented,
The antibacterial agent supplied in the second replenishment water storage section does not reach the first replenishment water storage section, and therefore, the antibacterial agent does not reach the chemical treatment tank.

The replenishment water in the first replenishment water storage section overflows to the second
With the configuration in which the replenishment water is supplied to the replenishment water storage unit, the antibacterial agent backflow to the first replenishment water storage unit is prevented with a simple configuration.

Embodiment of the Invention FIG. 1 shows an image recording apparatus 10 to which the present invention is applied. The image recording apparatus 10 has a structure including an image information recording unit 12 and a developing unit 13. A film 14 is housed and loaded in a tray 16, and a suction plate 18 takes out the film 14 one by one and exposes it. It is designed to be sent to part 20.
In the exposure section 20, an image is recorded on the film 14 by the laser light controlled by the control device 21, and the recorded film 14 is sent to the developing section 13.

Inside the developing section 13, a developing tank 26, a fixing tank 28 and a water washing tank are provided to a machine frame 24.
A film 30 is provided, the film 14 is sequentially dipped in these, and then taken out. The film 14 is dried by warm air in a drying unit 32 arranged above the developing unit 13, and then taken out onto the recording unit 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, a bottom wall 24A is attached to the base frame 24, a supplementary water tank 34 is installed on the bottom wall 24A, and a supplementary water cartridge 36 is mounted and connected thereto. The portion occupied by the replenishment water tank 34 and the replenishment water cartridge 36 is a bent portion 38A in which a part of a cover 38 for shielding the machine frame 24 from the outside is recessed inward, and an opening / closing door covering the bent portion 38A portion. Even when 40 is opened, the inside of the machine frame 24 accommodating the developing tank 26, the fixing tank 28, and the washing tank 30 is kept in a light-shielded state.

The replenishment water tank 34 has a water supply pipe 42 which constitutes a part of the water supply means.
One end of the water supply pipe 42 is inserted, a pump 44 is provided at an intermediate portion of the water supply pipe 42, and the other end is opened to a first replenishment water storage portion 46 arranged on the side of the washing tank 30. . Therefore, the makeup water in the makeup water tank 34 is supplied to the first makeup water reservoir 46 when the pump 44 is operated.

From the first supplementary water storage unit 46, the water supply pipe 4 that constitutes the water supply means
8 and 50 are drawn out, these are the developing tank 26 and
It is sent to the fixing tank 28 and used as dilution water for the developing tank 26 and the fixing tank 28.

A developer replenishing tank 52 and a fixer replenishing tank 54 are provided on the sides of the replenishing water tank 34.
The developer and the fixing agent from 6,58 can be supplied to the developing tank 26 and the fixing tank 28, respectively, if necessary.

A second replenishment water storage section 60 is provided adjacent to the first replenishment water storage section 46, and a partition wall 62 is arranged between the first replenishment water storage section 46 and the first replenishment water storage section 46. The replenishment water in the first replenishment water storage portion 46 that overflows the partition wall 62 is supplied to the second replenishment water storage portion 60.

A communication pipe 64 is further arranged in the second replenishment water storage section 60 between the second replenishment water storage section 60 and the replenishment water in the second replenishment water storage section 60.
It constitutes the water supply means to send to 30.

A level sensor 66 is arranged in the second replenishment water storage unit 60 to detect the height of replenishment water in the second replenishment water storage unit 60 having a height equal to the liquid level of the washing tank 30, and to detect this height. If the height exceeds a predetermined height, the operator is informed by a display device (not shown) that development processing is possible.

The pump 44 operates for a preset time by the detection signal of the film to be developed, and supplies the replenishment water to the first replenishment water storage section 46.

When the liquid level of the second replenishment water storage unit 60 becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined height, the level sensor 66 detects it and operates the pump 44 to send replenishment water.

The height of the replenishment water in the second replenishment water storage unit 60 is the same as that of the washing tank 30.
It is the same as the liquid height in the first replenishment water storage section 46,
The partition wall 62 with the second replenishment water reservoir 60 is
It is higher than the height of the replenishment water inside and is lower than the wall around the first and second replenishment water reservoirs. by this,
The replenishment height in the second replenishment water reservoir 60 is always lower than the upper end of the partition wall 62, and the replenishment water in the second replenishment water reservoir 60 does not flow back to the first replenishment water reservoir 46. .

Further, the capacity Q _{P of the} pump 44 for sending the replenishment water to the first replenishment water storage unit 46 is the water supply capacity Q _D to the developing tank 26 via the dilution water supply pipe 48 and the dilution water supply pipe 50. Water supply capacity to fixing tank 28
It is designed to maintain the following relationship between Q _F and the water supply capacity Q _W to the flush tank 30 through the second supplementary water reservoir 60.

Q _D + Q _F + Q _W ≦ Q _{P In the} present embodiment, an example in which the replenishment water is supplied from the replenishment water cartridge 36 to the replenishment water tank 34 and then supplied from the pump 44 to the first replenishment water reservoir 46 has been described. Instead of using a pump, tap water may be supplied to the first supplementary water storage section 46 via a valve, a flow meter, or the like.

One end of a supply pipe 68 that constitutes the antibacterial agent supply means is opened at the upper portion of the second supplementary water storage unit 60, and a pump 70 is interposed in the middle of the supply pipe 68 and the supply pipe 68 is provided. The tip is inserted into the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72.

The antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72 is installed in the cover bent portion 38B which is also bent above the cover bent portion 38A, and the antibacterial agent cartridge 74 is mounted. Therefore, the supply pipe 68 can supply the required amount of the antibacterial agent in the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72 to the second replenishment water storage section 60 by the pump 70, and thereby the antibacterial agent is supplied to the washing tank 30. It is a configuration that is done.

Like the bent portion 38A, the bent portion 38B also shields the installation portion of the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72 from the inside of the machine frame 24, so that even when the opening / closing door 40 is opened, the outside light enters the inside of the machine frame 24. Do not enter.

Since the mounting structure of the cartridges 36, 56, 58 to the replenishing water tank 34, the developer replenishing tank 52, and the fixing agent replenishing tank 54 is the same as the mounting structure of the antibacterial agent cartridge 74 to the antibacterial agent replenishing tank 72, The mounting structure of the antibacterial agent cartridge 74 and the antibacterial agent replenishing tank 72 will be representatively described.

An opening 80 of the antibacterial agent supplement tank 72 into which the water supply pipe 42 is inserted is open to the atmosphere, and a level sensor 82 is attached to the edge of the opening together with the water supply pipe 42.

In the vicinity of the opening 80, a middle portion of the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72 is a recess 84 having a small cross-sectional area. A sleeve 86 integrally projects into the recess 84. A small-diameter cylinder 88 is coaxially arranged at the axial center of the sleeve 86, and a bracket 90 radially protruding from the small-diameter cylinder 88 is provided between the small-diameter cylinder 88 and the inner peripheral portion of the sleeve 86. There is. Small diameter cylinder
The tip of 88 projects from the sleeve 86, forming an inclined surface 92 that is inclined obliquely to the axis.

On the other hand, the antibacterial agent cartridge 74 has a cap 96 screwed onto the outer periphery of its neck 94. The tip of the cap 96 is a flat plate portion 96A bent at a right angle.
A flat plate-shaped seal plate 98 is sandwiched between the tip of 94 and the tip.

For this reason, the antibacterial agent cartridge 74 must be attached to the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72 by the cap 96 with the seal plate 98 on the neck before mounting.
It is crimped to the tip of 94 to block the inside of the antibacterial agent cartridge 74 from the outside so that the internal antibacterial agent does not leak out.

However, when the neck portion 94 of the antibacterial agent replenishing tank 72 is inserted into the sleeve 86 as shown in FIG. 3, the inclined surface 92 of the small diameter cylinder 88 passes through the opening 96B of the flat plate portion 96A and the antibacterial agent cartridge cartridge.
Since it is inserted into 74, the small-diameter cylinder 88 penetrates through the seal plate 98 to connect the antibacterial agent cartridge 74 to the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72.

Therefore, the antibacterial agent in the antibacterial agent replenishing tank 72 enters the antibacterial agent replenishing tank 72 as shown in FIG. 3, and forms the liquid surface 102 near the opening 80. However, when the antibacterial agent is sucked out by the water supply pipe 42 and the liquid level 102 becomes lower than the vicinity of the sleeve 86, the outside air is exposed to the antibacterial agent cartridge 72 through the opening 80.
Since it enters the inside, the antibacterial agent in the antibacterial agent cartridge 72 is supplied to the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72 by the amount of the outside air that has entered. Therefore, the liquid level 102 is always maintained at a constant level.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

The film 14 is taken out by the suction plate 18 and reaches the exposure unit 20, where an image is recorded by laser light.

The film 14 on which the image has been recorded is sent to the developing section 13, passes through the developing tank 26, the fixing tank 28, and the water washing tank 30 to be subjected to the development processing, and then is taken out through the drying section 32.

When the concentration of the processing liquid in the developing tank 26 and the fixing tank 28 becomes thick due to evaporation or the like, the replenishment water in the first replenishment water storage section 46 is pressure-fed by a pump or the like (not shown) and diluted to a predetermined concentration. .

Replenishing water containing antibacterial agents is supplied from the second replenishing water reservoir 60 to the washing tank 30, and even if the water in the washing tank 30 is not extracted after the development work is stopped, No water stains will be generated.

When the liquid level in the second replenishment water reservoir 60 drops, the pump
Reference numeral 44 supplies the replenishment water in the replenishment water tank 34 into the first replenishment water storage section 46, and overflows it to constantly maintain a constant liquid level in the second replenishment water storage section 60. When the liquid level in the replenishment water tank 34 drops, the replenishment water cartridge
Since the replenishment water in 36 automatically raises the liquid level in the replenishment water tank 34, the liquid level in the replenishment water tank 34 is always kept constant. In addition, all the replenishment water in the replenishment water cartridge 36 is supplied to the replenishment water tank 34,
When the level of the replenishment water in the replenishment water in 34 also decreases, the level sensor detects this and gives an alarm, so that the worker can connect a new replenishment water cartridge 36 to the replenishment water tank 34. Similarly, when the liquid level in the antibacterial agent replenishment tank 72 decreases, a new antibacterial agent cartridge 74 is loaded.

In this case, open the door 40 to open the antibacterial cartridge 74,
The replenishment water cartridge 36 will be loaded, but the open / close door
Even when 40 is opened, the replenishing water tank 34 is formed by the bent portions 38A and 38B.
The antibacterial agent replenishing tank 72 is shielded from the inside of the developing section 13 and therefore there is no problem.

In this embodiment, an example using an exposure device using laser light is shown, but the developing device of the present invention uses tungsten light,
It can also be applied to development for an exposure device using a light source such as a fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, a xenon lamp or a radiation light source such as X-rays.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention has an excellent effect in that no scale is generated in the washing treatment tank and the supplied antibacterial agent is not mixed into the chemical tank.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an image recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 (A) is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG. FIG. 3 (B) is an enlarged sectional view showing the connection between the cartridge and the tank. 10 ... Image recording device, 13 ... Development unit, 14 ... Film,
26 …… Developing tank, 28 …… Fixing tank, 30 …… Washing tank, 42 …… Water supply pipe, 44 …… Pump, 46 …… First replenishing water storage section, 60 ……
Second replenishment water storage part, 62 ... Partition wall, 68 ... Supply pipe, 70 ...
Pump, 72 ... antibacterial agent replenishment tank, 74 ... antibacterial agent cartridge.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automatic developing apparatus for automatically transferring a light-sensitive material after image recording to a chemical treatment tank for developing and fixing treatment and a water-washing processing tank to develop the light-sensitive material automatically. A water reservoir, a first water supply means for supplying supplemental water from the first supplementary water reservoir to the chemical treatment tank, a second supplementary water reservoir, and a part of the supplementary water from the first supplementary water reservoir To the second replenishment water storage part and to prevent backflow from the second replenishment water storage part to the first replenishment water storage part, and to supply the antibacterial agent to the second replenishment water storage part. An automatic developing device comprising: antibacterial agent supplying means; and second water supplying means for sending the replenishing water together with the antibacterial agent from the second replenishing water storage section to the washing treatment tank. 2. The replenishment water supply means supplies replenishment water to the second replenishment water storage section by overflowing from the first replenishment water storage section to the first replenishment water storage section. Backflow is prevented, and the automatic developing apparatus according to claim (1) is characterized in that.