JPH0789216B2 - Development method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a development processing method for continuously processing photographic film, microphotographic film, and the like of a camera.

(Technical background of the invention) When continuously developing a roll film, a micro film or the like of a camera, it is necessary to appropriately control the development density of the film. Even if the exposure amount can be appropriately controlled by an automatic exposure control device (AEC) when photographing a film, it is impossible to develop a desired finish if the density control during development is inappropriate.

Therefore, a method has been proposed in which the developing solution is sprayed onto the film to continue the development density change while the development is performed, and when the detected density reaches a constant value, the development is stopped and the fixing solution is immediately sprayed. (Kaisho 58-181042). However, in this case, since the average density of the image is detected, the detected density greatly changes depending on the content of the image, and it is impossible to appropriately control the development density.

In addition, the developer becomes tired by use and the development finish becomes poor. Conventionally, the replacement time of this developer was judged based on the amount of development and the period of use, but since this fatigue also complicatedly affects other conditions such as oxidation, the replacement time should be decided accurately. Was very difficult.

Even if the developing solution is not so fatigued that it needs to be replaced, the development concentration changes depending on the degree of fatigue. Therefore, there is also a problem that accurate concentration control cannot be performed.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to accurately know the replacement time of the developer without being influenced by the content of the image, and the developer needs to be replaced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a development processing method in which the development conditions can be accurately controlled by changing the development conditions according to the degree of fatigue when the product is not so fatigued.

(Structure of the Invention) According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to provide a development processing method in which a photographed photographic film is successively introduced into a developing tank, a fixing tank and a washing tank, and continuously developed. In the middle of the conveying path to be guided, the unexposed portion which precedes the image part of the photographic film by a constant distance is exposed with a constant exposure amount, and after the constant exposure part passes through the developing tank, the constant exposure is performed before the water washing tank. While the development density of the area is detected by using light in a waveform area that is not sensed by the photographic film, the development characteristics showing the relationship between the development density of the constant exposure area and the development conditions, the development density allowable range, and the allowable development conditions The range and the proper density are stored in advance, the proper developing condition for obtaining the proper developing concentration of the constant exposure portion is obtained from the developing characteristics, and the obtained proper developing condition is then introduced to the developing tank. The developing process is performed on the image portion of the same photographic film, and at the same time, at least one of the developing density and the obtained proper developing condition is out of a predetermined permissible range, so that the developing solution replacement time is notified. Method.

(Principle) FIG. 2 is a diagram showing developing characteristics showing a relationship between developing density and developing conditions, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a finished roll film. The characteristic A in FIG. 2 is the change in the development density D when developed on a certain film under ideal developing conditions with respect to the logarithm of the exposure amount E in FIG. In addition to the development characteristic A of _{No. 3} , the development characteristics A ₁ and A ₂ when the development conditions are changed, the allowable range B of the development density, and the proper development density D ₀ are shown. Therefore, based on this FIG. 2, it is possible to know the change in the developing condition from the developing density D for the constant exposure amount E ₀ . Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the photographic film 16 has a portion (image portion) 16 where the image is exposed.
A constant exposure unit 16 that has performed a constant exposure amount E ₀ prior to A
Form B.

According to the characteristic A, if the ideal development is performed, the density becomes the proper density D ₀ . However, when the finish deteriorates due to the fatigue of the developer, this concentration decreases.

Further, the characteristic A under the ideal condition also changes due to the difference in the developing condition, for example, the difference in the film feeding speed, the developer concentration, the developer surface, the developer temperature, and the like. That is, the characteristic A in FIG. 2 is A _{1 to} A ₂
Fluctuates like. According to the present invention, while these developing conditions are controlled to perform the development according to the characteristic A, at least one of the controlled developing conditions and the developing concentration exceeds the permissible range, so that the liquid exchange is instructed.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a camera processor according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a micro camera for copying an original on a micro film and a processor for automatically and continuously developing the film are integrated. It is a thing.

In this figure, reference numeral 10 is a photographed document, 12 and 12 are lamps for illuminating the document, 14 is a photographing lens, and 16 is a roll film. The roll film 16 is supplied from a reel 18, exposed while being positioned by a film pressure plate 20, and further, a developing device 26 via a drive roller 22, a turn roller 24, and the like.
Then, the development process is automatically performed. Film 16
If necessary, the film can be wound on the take-up reel 28 once and then sent to the developing device 26.

The developing device 26 includes a developing tank 30, a fixing tank 32, a first washing tank 34, a second
It is equipped with a washing tank 36, and the film 16 is rack 30 in each tank 30-36.
It is guided to a-36a and immersed in the liquid in each tank 30-36 successively.
When the development, fixing, and water washing processes are completed, the film 16 is dried in a drying chamber 42 having a heater 38 and a fan 40, and stored in a film tray 44.

46 is a CPU, 48 is an input interface, 50 is an output interface, and 52 is a ROM. This ROM 52 has a relationship between the developing density and developing conditions shown in FIG. Development characteristic A and density D allowable range B
And are stored in advance.

Reference numeral 54 is an optical sensor for detecting the leading or trailing end position of the film 16, and this output signal is input to the CPU 46. 56 is a cutter of the film 16.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a quantitative exposure device for exposing the film 16 with a constant exposure amount E ₀ . This quantitative exposure device 60, a lens, a slit, a diffusion plate, which are sequentially arranged from the side closer to the film 16,
A lamp 62 and a reflector are provided, and the lamp 62 is controlled by the CPU 46 so as to emit light at a predetermined position on the film 16. That is, when the CPU 46 directly guides the film 16 to the developing device 26 without winding it on the take-up reel 28, the CPU 46 determines a predetermined position on the leading side, that is, the third position from the leading position of the film 16 and the film feeding speed detected by the optical sensor 54. As shown in the figure, a position 16B preceding the image portion 16A by a certain distance in the feeding direction of the film 16 (right direction in this figure) is obtained, and when this position 16B reaches the quantitative exposure device 60, the CPU 46 causes the lamp 62 to emit light. , A fixed amount of E ₀ is exposed. As a result, the position 16B of the film 16 becomes the constant exposure portion 16B.

Between the developing tank 30 and the fixing tank 32, a density sensor 64 for detecting the developing density D of the constant exposure section 16B is attached. This sensor 64 needs to use a sensor that uses light in a wavelength range that is not detected by the film 16, such as an infrared sensor, because the film 16 is still photosensitive. The output of the sensor 64 is input to the CPU 46, and the CPU 46 stores the difference between the detected density D and the proper density D ₀ when the ideal development is performed in the ROM.
Based on the characteristic A (FIG. 2) stored in 52, the density D
Then, the amount of change in the developing condition for making the _value D ₀ is obtained. For example, a characteristic (see FIG. 2) showing a change in the development density D when developed on a certain film under ideal development conditions with respect to the logarithm of the exposure amount E is stored in advance. Proper speed V
If the film is developed at ₀ , the development density of the constant exposure portion 16B becomes D ₀ . If it is developed at a slower film speed V _1, the developing density becomes D ₁ than the characteristic A _1, if it is developed at a fast film speed V ₂ in the opposite, the developing density D _2. It is assumed that the developing density of the constant exposure section 16B is D ₁ when the film is fed at the film speed V _x . In order to obtain an appropriate development density D ₀ , the characteristics stored in advance are read from the ROM 52, and the CPU 46 calculates the change amount ΔV = V ₀ −V ₁ of the film speed based on this result, and the film speed is V _x + V _0- V
Send a signal to be ₁ . After that, this speed V _x + V ₀
By performing the development processing of the image part 16A at -V _1, the image portion 16A may be developed in a proper developing density.

When the developing density D decreases due to the fatigue of the developing solution, the speed V also decreases accordingly. When the speed V is outside the permissible range stored in the ROM 52 or when the detected density D is below the permissible range B, the CPU 46 gives a warning lamp 66, a warning buzzer 68 or the like to notify the replacement of the developing solution.

In this embodiment, since the film 16 is directly guided to the developing device 26 without being wound on the take-up reel 28, the constant exposure section 16B is provided on the leading side of the film 16, but the film 16 is once taken up on the take-up reel 28. In the case where the development processing is performed after the film is formed, the developing and feeding direction of the film 16 is reversed. So in this case film 16
It is necessary to form the constant exposure portion 16B on the terminal side of the.

Further, the density sensor 64 for detecting the density may detect the density of the constant exposure section 16B at the position of 64A indicated by a virtual line in FIG. 1, that is, immediately after the fixing tank 32. In this case, since the development of the film 16 is stopped by fixing, it is not necessary to use the infrared sensor.

The CPU 46 controls the developing condition as the film feed speed V.
Besides, various conditions such as developer concentration, developer surface, and developer temperature may be adopted.

In the above embodiment, the permissible range of the developing conditions such as the film feed speed and the permissible range B of the development density D are monitored, and if either one of them is out of this range, a warning of liquid exchange is issued. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may monitor only whether or not the development density D is outside the allowable range B.

Further, the present invention can be applied not only to the camera processor as described above but also to the development of a roll film used for a normal camera, a duplicator for duplicating a microfilm, and the like,
Furthermore, even a cut film such as a microfiche film can be applied as long as a large number of such cut films are continuously developed, and the present invention includes these.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention exposes the unexposed portion of the photographed photographic film ahead of the image portion by a constant distance with a constant exposure amount, and detects the density of the constant exposed portion before the washing tank. Then
Since the image area of this same photographic film is developed under this appropriate development condition by obtaining the appropriate development condition within which the development density is within the allowable range, the image area of the same film as the film provided with the constant exposure area is developed to the appropriate density. can do. Therefore, even if the characteristics of the film change slightly, the developing conditions are determined for each photographic film, so that accurate density control can always be performed.

Also, when the development conditions or the development density of the constant exposure area is out of the allowable range, the developer is instructed to be replaced, so ideal development conditions can be maintained until just before the time when the developer should be replaced, and a good finish is always obtained. Processing becomes possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a development characteristic diagram showing a relationship between development density and development conditions, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a finished film. 16: film, 16A: image area, 16B: constant exposure area,
26 ... Developing device, 30 ... Developing tank, 60 ... Quantitative exposure device,
64, 64A …… Concentration sensor, 66 …… Warning lamp, 68 …… Warning buzzer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photographic film that has been photographed is developed in a developing tank, a fixing tank,
In the development processing method in which the photographic film is successively guided to a washing tank and continuously developed, a constant exposure amount is applied to an unexposed portion which is ahead of the image portion of the photographic film by a certain distance in the middle of a conveying path for guiding the photographed photographic film to the developing tank. Exposure is performed, and the development density of the constant exposure portion is detected using light in a wavelength region that is not perceived by the photographic film after the constant exposure portion has passed through the development tank and before the washing bath. The developing characteristics indicating the relationship between the developing density of the image and the developing conditions, the developing density allowable range, the allowable range of the appropriate developing conditions, and the appropriate density are stored in advance, and the developing density of the constant exposure area is set to be appropriate from the developing characteristics. The proper developing conditions for obtaining the density are determined, and the developing portion of the image portion of the same photographic film, which is then introduced into the developing tank, is developed under the determined proper developing conditions. A development processing method characterized in that at least one of the conditions is out of a predetermined permissible range, so that the developer replacement time is notified.