JPH07128832A - Solid processing agent replenishing device for processing photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the solid processing agent replenishing device with which moistureproofing of solid processing agents, remedy for preventing generation and splash of powder, compactness, good workability and stable photographic performance are obtainable. CONSTITUTION:This solid processing agent replenishing device for processing photosensitive materials is composed of a housing container 33 and a housing container loading means 34. The housing container 33 described above consists of a container body 331 which is arranged with plural rows of housing parts for housing plural pieces of the tablet type solid processing agents J in a laminated form to a circular shape and a rotary transporting member 333 which is rotatably disposed in the bottom of this container body 331, has apertures 333B at least one point and houses and discharges the solid processing agents J. The housing container loading means 34 described above consists of a housing member 341 which attachably and detachably loads the container body 331 to a prescribed position and a driving means 343 which drives and rotates the rotational transporting section 333. The loading means is installed above the processing tank of the photosensitive material processing device. The bottom of the housing container 33 is provided with a moistureproof member 334 to prevent the entry of the outdoor air. In addition, the powers of the solid processing agents are integrated in the groove parts on the periphery of the bottom to prevent scattering.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus,
In particular, it relates to an automatic processor for silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials (hereinafter also referred to as an automatic processor). More specifically, regarding the improvement of the processing agent replenishment mechanism of the automatic developing machine, the automatic developing machine can be made compact and the dissolution work by man is eliminated, the workability can be greatly improved, and stable photographic performance can be obtained. Machine solid processing agent replenishing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter also referred to as a light-sensitive material) is processed after exposure by steps such as development, desilvering, washing and stabilization. This processing is usually carried out by an automatic processor, in which case a replenisher replenishing system is generally used, and the activity of the processing solution in the processing tank is controlled to be constant.

In the case of the replenishing solution replenishing method, the purpose is to dilute the eluate from the light-sensitive material, to replenish the amount of evaporation, and to replenish the consumption component, and as a result of replenishing the liquid, the overflow liquid is usually discharged.

In order to process the light-sensitive material commercially, in order to reduce the cost and human labor, reduce the pollution load, downsize the processing apparatus, and improve the commercial value, the processing solution should be as small as possible. It is required to obtain stable and excellent processing performance.

As a method for responding to this demand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-11
Japanese Patent Publication No. 9454 discloses a method in which almost all processing agent components are converted into a solid processing agent and directly charged into a processing tank.

However, this method has a serious drawback in preventing moisture of the solid processing agent, and the powder generated from the solid processing agent is scattered around and mixed in another processing tank, leading to deterioration of photographic performance. There is a fear. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop technology to solve these problems.

The prior art of an automatic processor equipped with a solid processing agent replenishing device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-107713 by the present applicant.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, to prevent moisture in solid processing agents, to prevent dust generation and scattering, and to provide compact and workable, stable photographic performance and replenishment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid processing agent replenishing device for processing a photosensitive material that can operate.

[0009]

Such an object is achieved by the present invention described below. That is, the solid processing agent replenishing device for processing a light-sensitive material of the present invention is a tablet type which is installed above a processing tank containing a processing solution of a light-sensitive material processing device for processing an exposed light-sensitive material and is housed in a housing container. In a solid processing agent replenishing device for processing a photosensitive material, in which an appropriate amount of a solid processing agent is dropped and replenished to the processing tank, a plurality of tablet-shaped solid processing agents are arranged in parallel in a plurality of row-shaped storage sections for accommodating a plurality of tablet type solid processing agents in a laminated form. A storage container comprising a container body and a rotary transfer member that is rotatably provided at a bottom portion of the container body, has at least one opening, and receives and discharges the solid processing agent; and the container body. It comprises a housing member that is detachably loaded at a predetermined position, and a drive unit that drives and rotates the rotary conveyance member, and a storage container loading unit that is installed above the processing tank of the photosensitive material processing apparatus. It is an butterfly.

The solid processing agent replenishing device for processing a light-sensitive material according to the present invention is provided with a moisture-proof member at the bottom of the container.
It is characterized in that the outside air is prevented from entering.

Further, the solid processing agent replenishing device is characterized by having a groove portion for dropping and accumulating powder generated by contact of each tablet type solid processing agent on the bottom surface of the moisture-proof member.

The solid processing agent referred to in the present invention means a tablet type having a circular cross section obtained by compression-molding powder or granules into a given shape.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a solid processing agent replenishing device for processing a photosensitive material according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An example of an automatic processor (hereinafter, simply referred to as an automatic processor) to which the present invention can be applied will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus (printer processor) in which an automatic developing machine A and a photographic printing machine B are integrally configured.

In FIG. 1, in the lower left part of the photographic printing machine B, a magazine M containing a roll of photographic paper which is an unexposed silver halide photographic photosensitive material is set. The photographic printing paper pulled out from the magazine M is cut into a predetermined size via the feed roller R1 and the cutter section C to become a sheet-shaped printing paper. This sheet-shaped photographic printing paper is carried by the belt carrying means Be, and the image of the original picture O is exposed by the light source and the lens L in the exposure section E. The exposed sheet-shaped photographic paper is further provided with a plurality of pairs of feed rollers R2, R.
3 and R4, and introduced into automatic machine A. In the automatic developing machine A, the sheet-shaped photographic papers are color developing tank 1A, bleach-fixing tank 1B, stabilizing tanks 1C, 1D, which are processing tanks, respectively.
1E (substantially three processing tanks 1) are sequentially transported by roller transporting means (reference symbol None), and color development processing, bleach-fixing processing, and stabilization processing are performed respectively. The sheet-shaped printing paper that has been subjected to each of the above processes is dried in the drying unit 5 and discharged to the outside of the machine.

The alternate long and short dash line in the figure indicates the transport path of the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material. Further, in the embodiment, the light-sensitive material is introduced into the automatic developing machine A in a cut state, but it may be introduced into the automatic developing machine A in a strip shape. In that case, if an accumulator for temporarily retaining the photosensitive material is provided between the automatic developing machine A and the photoprinting machine B, the processing efficiency is improved. Further, it goes without saying that the automatic developing machine A according to the present invention may be configured integrally with the photo printing machine B or may be the automatic developing machine A alone. Further, it goes without saying that the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material processed by the automatic developing machine A according to the present invention is not limited to the exposed photographic paper, and may be an exposed negative film or the like.
Further, as an explanation of the present invention, the description will be made on the automatic processor A having the processing tank 1 of substantially three tanks including the color developing tank 1A, the bleach-fixing tank 1B, and the stabilizing tanks 1C, 1D, 1E, but the present invention is not limited to this. However, the present invention can be applied even to an automatic developing machine having substantially four tanks including a color developing tank, a bleaching tank, a fixing tank, and a stabilizing tank. The above color developing tank 1
A, the bleach-fixing tank 1B, and the stabilizing tank 1E, the solid processing agent replenishing devices 3A, 3 for supplying the solid processing agent respectively.
B and 3E are provided.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire automatic developing machine in which the automatic developing machine A and the sorter S according to the present invention are integrally combined. In the figure, the open / close lid 303 of the automatic processor A is opened upward to store the solid processing agents in the storage containers 33A, 33A.
B and 33E are inserted into loading devices (not shown) and fixed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the processing agent supply section and the processing agent supply means of the color developing tank 1A which is the processing tank in the I-I section of the automatic developing machine A of FIG. In addition, the bleach-fixing tank 1B,
The stabilizing tanks 1C, 1D, and 1E have the same configuration as the color developing tank 1A. Therefore, when the processing tank 1 is described below, the color developing tank 1A, the bleach-fixing tank 1B, the stabilizing tank 1C,
Both 1D and 1E will be referred to. It should be noted that, in the figure, a transporting means for transporting the photosensitive material and the like are omitted for easy understanding of the configuration. Further, in this example, a case where tablets are used as the solid processing agent will be described.

A processing bath 1 for processing a photosensitive material is provided with a solid processing agent charging section 20 for supplying a solid processing agent (tablet) J integrally provided on the outside of a partition wall forming the processing tank 1, and a constant temperature bath 2. Have. The processing bath 1 and the constant temperature bath 2 are partitioned by a partition wall 21A having a communication window 21 formed therein so that the processing liquid can flow. Since the solid processing agent injection section 20 provided above the constant temperature tank 2 is provided with the enclosure 25 for receiving the solid processing agent J, the solid processing agent J does not move to the processing tank 1 in a solid state. It should be noted that the enclosure 25 has a mesh shape or a filter shape through which the processing liquid can pass but the solid processing agent J cannot pass until the solid solution J is completely dissolved. The above enclosure
A chute 27 that receives the solid processing agent J input from a solid processing agent replenishing device to be described later and guides it to the lower enclosure 25 is provided above 25.

The tubular filter 22 is provided below the constant temperature bath 2 so as to be replaceable, and has a function of removing insoluble matters such as paper waste in the treatment liquid. Inside this filter 22,
It is connected to the suction side of the circulation pump 24 (circulation means) via a circulation pipe 23 provided through the lower wall of the constant temperature bath 2.

The circulation system is composed of a circulation pipe 23 forming a liquid circulation passage, a circulation pump 24, the treatment tank 1 and the like. The other end of the circulation pipe 23 communicating with the discharge side of the circulation pump 24 penetrates the lower wall of the processing tank 1,
It communicates with the processing tank 1. With such a configuration, when the circulation pump 24 is operated, the processing liquid is sucked from the constant temperature tank 2 and discharged to the processing tank 1, and the processing liquid mixes with the processing liquid in the processing tank 1 and returns to the constant temperature tank 2 again. The cycle of entering will be repeated. The flow rate of the circulation flow is preferably 0.1 (rotation = circulation amount / tank volume) or more with respect to the tank volume per minute, and more preferably 0.5 to 2.0.
It is rotation. Further, the circulation direction of the processing liquid is not limited to the direction shown in FIG. 3, and may be the opposite direction.

The waste liquid pipe 11 is used for overflowing the processing liquid in the processing tank 1. The waste liquid pipe 11 keeps the liquid surface level constant, and the components brought into the photosensitive material from other processing tanks and the photosensitive material. The component leaching from the material is stored,
Helps prevent the increase.

The rod-shaped heater 26 is arranged so as to penetrate the upper wall of the constant temperature bath 2 and be immersed in the treatment liquid in the constant temperature bath 2. The heater 26 heats the treatment liquid in the constant temperature bath 2 and the treatment bath 1, in other words, keeps the treatment liquid in the treatment bath 1 within a temperature range suitable for the treatment (for example, 20 to 55 ° C.). It is a temperature adjusting means. Reference numeral 28 denotes a replenishing water supply device, which supplies replenishing water sent from a replenishing water storage tank (not shown) by a pump above the processing liquid surfaces of the constant temperature tank 2 and the processing tank 1.

The processing amount information detecting means 31 is provided at the entrance of the developing machine A and is used for detecting the processing amount of the photosensitive material to be processed. The processing amount information detecting means 31 has a plurality of detecting members arranged in the left-right direction, and functions as an element for detecting the width of the photosensitive material and counting the detected time. Since the conveying speed of the photosensitive material is mechanically preset, the processing area of the photosensitive material can be calculated from the width information and the time information. The processing amount information detecting means 31 may be any one capable of detecting the width and the conveyance time of the photosensitive material such as an infrared sensor, a micro switch, an ultrasonic sensor. Further, in the case of a device capable of indirectly detecting the processed area of a photosensitive material, for example, in the case of a printer processor as shown in FIG. It may be detected. Furthermore, the detection timing is before the treatment in this example, but may be after the treatment or during the immersion in the treatment liquid (in such a case,
This can be done by appropriately changing the position where the processing amount information detecting means 31 is provided to a position that can be detected after processing or a position that can be detected during processing). Furthermore, as the information to be detected, the processing area of the photosensitive material has been described in the above description, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the processing amount of the photosensitive material to be processed, processed, or being processed is not limited to this. It may be a proportional value, and may be the concentration of the treatment liquid contained in the treatment tank or a change in the concentration. Further, the processing amount information detecting means 31
Need not be provided for each processing tank 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, but it is preferable to provide one for each automatic processing machine A. Reference numeral 32 is a processing amount supply control means for receiving the signal from the processing amount information detecting means 31 and controlling the processing amount supply of the processing agent.

The solid processing agent replenishing apparatus 30 according to the present invention is set above the processing tank of the photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing the exposed photosensitive material, and comprises a storage container 33, storage container loading means 34 and drive means. The upper cover 301 is hermetically housed. The upper cover 301 is swingably connected to a main body 101 that houses the processing bath 1 and the constant temperature bath 2 by a support shaft 302 at the back of the main body, and the upper cover 301 is lifted in the direction of the chain line A in the figure. By greatly opening the front surface and the upper surface on the operator side, the solid processing agent replenishing device 30 can be inspected and the filter 22 can be replaced.

An opening / closing door (skylight) 303 is swingably connected to a part of the upper surface of the upper cover 301.
The opening / closing door 303 is opened in the direction of the alternate long and short dash line B in the drawing to mount and replace the storage container 33.

FIG. 4 shows various shapes of the tablet type solid processing agent J. FIG. 4 (A) is a cross-sectional view of a flat solid processing agent J having a circular cross section (a rounded chamfer (r) is formed at a corner, and FIG. 4 (E) is the solid processing agent J. 4B is a cross-sectional view of a drum-shaped solid processing agent J having a circular cross-section with flat upper and lower surfaces and a convex circular surface R on the circumferential surface. Fig. 4C is a cross-sectional view of a go-stone solid processing agent J having a circular cross section and spherical upper and lower surfaces, and Fig. 4D is a cross-sectional view of a donut-shaped solid processing agent J having a hollow hole.

5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show a solid processing agent replenishing device according to the present invention. 5A is an overall plan view of the replenishing device, FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.
6A is a sectional view of the storage container loading device 34, FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view and sectional view of the storage container 33, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the member 333, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the storage container loading device.

5, FIG. 6 (A), FIG. 7 and FIG.
The storage container 33 is composed of a container body 331, a cap member 332, a rotary conveyance member 333, a moisture-proof member 334, and a coil spring 335.

Inside the container body 331, hollow cylindrical chambers 331B are radially provided at six locations, and a plurality of (7 in the figure) tablet type solid processing agents J (J1 to J7) are provided in each chamber. A total of 42 solid processing agents J can be stored inside the container body 331. The upper portion of the container body 331 is closed by a cap member 332 to be in a sealed state.
The cap member 332 is opened and closed when the solid processing agent J is filled in the storage container 33, and is integrated with the container body 331 by screw fitting or elastic close fitting.

On the inner wall of the central portion of the container body 331, a rotary transfer member 333 can be slidably slid. The shaft portion at the upper end is fitted into and supported by the hole in the top portion of the container body 331. The solid processing agent J is attached to a part of the disk portion 333A of the rotary transport member 333.
At least one hole portion 333B capable of accommodating the is formed. A guide hole 333C and a plurality of coupling holes 333D which can be connected to a driving means of a motor 342, which will be described later, are formed inside the center of the container body 331.

Further, the bottom of the container body 331 has a moisture-proof member 3
Almost shielded by 34. The moisture-proof member 334 is a member formed by drawing a stainless steel plate or made of resin, and has a hole 334A for introducing the solid processing agent in a part of its bottom. Further, a groove portion 334B is provided on the inner surface of the bottom of the moisture-proof member 334, and powder generated when each of the tablet-type solid processing agents J comes into contact with the moisture-proof member 334 is accumulated, and the rotary conveyance member 33 is provided.
It prevents powder from entering the sliding surface when rotating 3.

The upper part of the rotary conveying member 333 and the container body 3
A coil spring 335 is interposed between the lower surface of the central top portion of 31 and the rotary conveying member 333, which is spring-biased downward and is in light contact with the moisture-proof member 334.

5, FIG. 6 (B) and FIG. 9, the storage container loading means 34 for loading the storage container 33 is a housing member 341 fixed to a stationary machine frame on the upper part of the automatic developing machine A, and the rotating member. A motor 342 that drives and rotates the conveying member 333, and the motor
Coupling member 34 screwed to drive shaft 342A of 342
3 and a tightening ring member 344 which fixes the storage container 33 to the loading means 34 and then fixes it.

A recess for positioning a motor (for example, a DC motor) 342 is formed in the center of the housing member 341, and the motor 342 is fixed by a screw or the like. Further, the flat plate portion of the housing member 341 is provided with a charging port 341A through which the solid processing agent J penetrates and falls.

The coupling member 343 includes a central guide shaft 343A, a flange portion 343B, and the flange portion 343.
It is composed of a plurality of coupling pins 343C protruding above B and is integrated.

When the solid processing agent J is filled in the storage container 33, the cap member 332 is removed to open the upper part of the container body 331, and the solid processing agent J is stacked and filled in each of the six hollow cylindrical chambers 331B. . At the time of this filling, one hole 333B of the rotary conveyance member 333 is arranged so as to extend in the middle of the discharge opening of the hollow cylindrical chamber 331B of the container body 331, that is, in the middle of the substantially equal angle α shown in FIG. 5 (A). If set, there is no risk that the solid processing agent J will fall out of the storage container 33 (see FIG. 5).

Next, the operation of replenishing the solid processing agent J will be described.

(1) When the motor 342 is driven and rotated by the processing amount information detecting means 31 and the processing amount supply controlling means 32, the rotary conveying member 333 is rotated via the coupling member 343.

(2) When the hole portion 333B of the rotary transport member 333 matches with any of the hollow cylindrical chambers of the container body 331, the lowermost solid processing agent J1 in the chamber falls and is accommodated in the hole portion 333B. It

(3) The solid processing agent J1 accommodated in the hole 333B moves while being in contact with the lower surface of the lowermost solid processing agent J in the other chamber by the rotation of the rotary transport member 333.

(4) When the hole portion 333B is rotated and comes to a position matching the input port 341A of the storage container loading means 34, the hole portion 333 is formed.
The solid processing agent J1 in B passes through the charging port 341 and falls,
It is thrown into the enclosure 25 through the chute 27 on the constant temperature bath 2.
By rotating the hole 333B once in this manner, the tablet-type solid processing agent can be reliably dropped one by one.

As described above, the solid processing agent replenishing apparatus of the present invention has a small installation area and height and is compact, so that it can be installed above the automatic processor A in a small space.

As the coupling means, other means such as gear coupling can be used other than this embodiment.

In the above description, the solid processing agents J, which are stacked in six rows, are sequentially dropped one by one, so that the chute 27 through which one solid processing agent J can pass is provided below the loading means 34. As a result, it is possible to drop the filter 22 easily even in a narrow space above the constant temperature bath 2, and it is easy to replace the filter 22 upward.

[0046]

As described above, the solid processing agent replenishing device of the present invention is installed in a low space above the automatic developing machine and can be dropped into a narrow space above the thermostatic bath. It has the effect of improving the workability of changing the storage container and the storage container, and in particular, it has an excellent effect that a predetermined amount of the tablet type solid processing agent can be reliably fed to the processing tank to obtain stable photographic performance. is there.

Further, the solid processing agent held in the storage container is completely kept in a moisture-proof state without being absorbed by the processing solution vapor at the time of replenishment, and the powder generated by the contact of each tablet is also accumulated at the bottom. Therefore, it is effective in stabilizing the quality.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an automatic developing machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the automatic developing machine.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view and a perspective view showing various shapes of a tablet-type solid processing agent.

5A and 5B are a plan view and a sectional view of a solid processing agent replenishing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a storage container and storage container loading means of the solid processing agent replenishing device.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view and a sectional view of the storage container.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a rotary conveyance member in the storage container.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a storage container loading means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E Processing tank 2, 2A, 2B, 2E Constant temperature tank 3A, 3B, 3E Solid processing agent replenishing device 20 Solid processing agent feeding unit 30 Solid processing agent replenishing device 31 Processing amount information detecting means 32 Processing amount supply control means 33 Storage container (cartridge) 331 Container body 332 Cap member 333 Rotating transfer member 334 Moisture proof member 335 Coil spring 34 Solid processing agent loading means 341 Housing member 342 Motor 343 Coupling member 344 Tightening ring member J Tablet Type solid processing agent

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing an exposed photosensitive material, which is installed above a processing tank containing a processing liquid,
In a solid processing agent replenishing device for photosensitive material processing, in which an appropriate amount of tablet type solid processing agent stored in a storage container is replenished to the processing tank, a storage section for storing a plurality of tablet type solid processing agents in a laminated form. From a container main body in which a plurality of columns are arranged in parallel in a circular shape, and a rotary transfer member that is rotatably provided at the bottom of the container main body and has at least one opening, and that receives and discharges the solid processing agent. And a housing member for removably loading the container body at a predetermined position,
Comprising drive means for driving and rotating the rotary transport member,
A solid processing agent replenishing device for processing a light-sensitive material, comprising a container loading means installed above the processing tank of the light-sensitive material processing apparatus. 2. A moisture-proof member is provided at the bottom of the storage container,
The solid processing agent replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the solid processing agent replenishing device is configured to prevent entry of outside air. 3. The solid processing agent replenisher for processing a light-sensitive material according to claim 1, further comprising a groove portion for dropping and accumulating powder generated by the contact of each tablet type solid processing agent on the bottom surface of the moisture-proof member. apparatus.