JPH0727195B2 - Automatic developing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic developing apparatus that continuously feeds a film that has been photographed to respective steps of developing, fixing and washing with water to perform a developing process.

(Technical background of the invention) As a method for performing continuous development processing of a film, a roller transportation method, a rope transportation method, and a horizontal transportation method have been conventionally known. The roller transport method transports a deep processing liquid tank up and down by a large number of rollers, but has a problem that the processing liquid tank is deep and the apparatus becomes large, and the structure is complicated and maintenance is difficult. The loop transfer method is a method in which a film is stretched between rollers arranged above and below a processing liquid tank and transferred, but it has the same problem as the roller transfer method. In the horizontal transport method, the processing liquid is intensely sprayed onto the film which is transported horizontally to develop the film, but in order to perform high-speed processing, the distance between the processing liquid and the film, that is, the horizontal path, is required. There is a problem that the apparatus becomes long and the apparatus becomes large in size, and a pump for injecting the treatment liquid is required and the structure becomes complicated.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic developing device having a simple structure and suitable for high-speed processing and downsizing.

(Structure of the Invention) According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to provide at least one processing step in an automatic developing apparatus for sequentially sending a film having been photographed to each step of development, fixing, and water washing for continuous development processing. It is characterized in that a jet stream rising from the surface of the treatment liquid is formed by ultrasonic waves, and the jet stream is moved while making contact with this jet stream to the lowermost lower surface of the traveling film while drawing an arc close to the liquid surface. This is achieved by an automatic developing device.

That is, the ultrasonic wave is used to form a jet flow on the surface of the processing liquid, and the ultrasonic wave is applied to the film in contact with the jet flow to accelerate the processing speed.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is an overall view of a continuous developing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, reference numeral 10 is a film that has been photographed,
This film 10 is sent from the supply reel 12 and is used in the development process.
14, the fixing step 16, the first water washing step 18, and the second water washing step 20, and the tape is wound on the take-up reel 22. Developing tank 14a for developing process 14
Is the developing solution, and the fixing tank 16a in the fixing step 16 is the fixing solution.
Further, the washing tanks 18a and 20a of the washing steps 18 and 20 are filled with the washing liquid up to a predetermined liquid level, respectively, while the treatment tanks 14a to 20a.
A guide member for guiding the film 10 in a circular arc shape so as to approach the liquid surface is disposed between the plurality of guide rollers 24 in the upper opening of the. Therefore, the film 10 is
At the upper part of 14a to 20a, the vehicle travels while being guided by the guide member to draw an arc close to the liquid surface.

Ultrasonic transducers 14b to 20b are attached to the bottoms of the processing tanks 14a to 20a, and each of the ultrasonic transducers 14b to 20b has a focus near the center of the liquid surface when driven by a drive circuit (not shown). Apply ultrasonic vibration to the liquid to tie it. Therefore, each processing tank 14a-2
The treatment liquid of 0a becomes a jet flow that bulges upward at the liquid surface near the focal point of this ultrasonic wave, and from the surface of this jet flow, this liquid becomes a spray form and is scattered around violently. Since the film 10 is moving near this liquid surface, the jet of liquid comes into contact with the lower surface of the film 10. Therefore, each tank 14a
Each processing of development, fixing, and water washing is carried out at ~ 20a.
At this time, ultrasonic vibrations are also propagated to the film 10 itself to accelerate the processing, and the processing speed becomes high. The ultrasonic transducer 14b
As for ~ 20b, for example, a crystal oscillator, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) which is one of the ceramics, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) of plastics, ceramic composite material (PECM), etc., which are used for piezoelectric development, are used. It is possible. Further, the ultrasonic oscillators 14b to 20b can control the flow rate of the jet flow rising from the liquid surface, the spray amount of the liquid, or the processing speed by changing the drive voltage or the frequency thereof.

In addition, the film runs while drawing an arc close to the liquid surface, and the jet flow contacts the bottom surface of the lowermost part of this arc, so if the film travels to one side, the inclination was horizontal at the bottom. It gradually increases. Therefore, the treatment liquid attached to the film always flows toward the lowermost part of the arc due to the inclination of the film surface. Therefore, the treatment liquid adheres to the film surface and does not stay for a long time and flows quickly,
Processing irregularities are less likely to occur, and the risk of image quality deterioration is eliminated.

When the developing, fixing, and washing processes are completed, the film 10 is dried by the heater 26 and the fan 28, and wound on the take-up reel 22.

Reference numeral 30 denotes an optical sensor that detects the leading position of the film 10, and when the sensor 30 detects the leading position of the film 10, the ultrasonic transducers 14b to 20b are controlled to start operating.
A liquid level detection sensor (not shown) that detects the height of the liquid level is provided in each of the processing tanks 14a to 20a, and when the liquid level falls below a certain level, an alarm is issued or the necessary amount of liquid is automatically replenished. Be configured to do so.

In this embodiment, the steps of developing, fixing and washing 14 to 20 are carried out.
Since all are configured using ultrasonic transducers,
The processing of all steps is speeded up, and the path of each step can be shortened. Therefore, the apparatus can be significantly simplified, downsized, and speeded up at the same time. However, the present invention includes application only to any of these processes.

Further, in the above embodiments, a single ultrasonic transducer 14b-20b is used for each processing step 14-20, but a plurality of ultrasonic transducers may be used together. In this case, one ultrasonic transducer generates a frequency suitable for forming a jet flow on the surface of the processing liquid, and another ultrasonic transducer generates an ultrasonic wave of the optimum frequency for promoting the processing of the film. In addition, it may be possible to share the respective effects mainly aimed at.

Further, it is preferable that ultrasonic waves are transmitted through the processing liquid because the efficiency is high, but the present invention also includes those in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted from above the processing liquid.

(Effect of the invention) As described above, the present invention forms a jet flow rising from the surface of the treatment liquid by the ultrasonic waves, and the jet flow is formed on the lowermost lower surface of the film running while drawing an arc close to the liquid surface. Since the film is transferred while contacting it, the number of transport rollers is very small, a pump is not required, and the apparatus is very simple. Further, it is not necessary to make the treatment tank deep, and since the treatment is accelerated by ultrasonic waves, the treatment path can be shortened. For this reason, it becomes possible to greatly reduce the size of the device and perform high-speed processing.

Further, the film to which the jet flow adheres flows toward the lowermost part by running, and the liquid drops flow without staying long on the film surface. For this reason, uneven processing is unlikely to occur and image quality is not deteriorated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an overall view of an embodiment of the present invention. 10 ... Film, 14 ... Development process, 16 ... Fixing process, 18, 20 ...
Washing process, 14b ~ 20b ... Ultrasonic transducer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic developing apparatus for sequentially transferring a film, which has been photographed, to development, fixing, and water washing processes for continuous development, wherein at least one processing step is raised from the surface of a processing solution by ultrasonic waves. The automatic developing device is characterized in that the jet flow is formed, and the film is moved while the jet flow is in contact with the bottom surface of the lowermost part of the film which runs while drawing an arc close to the liquid surface.