JPH08286280A - Photographic printing processing method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve processing efficiency by independently providing an inserting part and an ejecting part in a carrying track for feeding a cartridge to a photographic printer for processing a film loaded in a cartridge. CONSTITUTION: The photographic printer is provided with a carrying part 10 in the center of a base plate 1, the inserting and ejecting parts 20 and 50 in the fixed positions of the base plate 1, in a state where the parts 20 and 50 face each other and a scanner part 30 and an exposure part for printing 40, in the state where they face each other. Since the inserting and ejecting parts 20 and 50 are independently provided, the processing efficiency is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic printing method and apparatus capable of continuously printing a large number of films in a cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A film with a cartridge can be stored after being developed and wound into a cartridge. When a printing process is performed, the film contained is unwound and then rewound into the cartridge and handed over to a customer. It is convenient for storage because it can be used, and is used as one of the film storage methods.

As an example of a method of printing using a film in a cartridge, there is a photographic printing method and apparatus proposed by Japanese Patent Application No. 5-178133. In this application, the printing section and a part of the scanner are independently arranged on the same linear conveyance path, a rotary table is provided at an intermediate position between the printing section and the scanner, and the film in the cartridge is continuously removed without removing the film from the cartridge. A printing device with a processing structure is proposed.

This printing apparatus performs a plurality of processes of inserting a cartridge by rotating a rotary table, measuring image density of film / magnetic data detection, calculating image data / communication, printing / inputting magnetic data, and discharging the cartridge. In parallel with each cartridge, the waiting time of the next processed film is reduced to improve the efficiency of printing work.

A device capable of accommodating a plurality of cartridges is used as a means for supplying the cartridges to the printing apparatus, and the cartridge feeding process, the photoprinting process, and the cartridge collecting process are automated, and the shape of the storing portion is a rotary shape. By doing so, the cartridge can be returned to the original position, and the cartridge supply and recovery processing is performed at the same position.

[0006]

However, in the above-described rotary table type photographic printing apparatus, supply (insertion) and recovery (discharge) of the film cartridge to the printing processing section.
However, since the cartridge insertion and ejection operations cannot be performed in parallel at the same time, there is a problem that the efficiency cannot be improved in this respect.

Since the supply and the recovery of the cartridge are performed at the same position, even if the capacity of the storage portion of the cartridge is increased and the supply operation is speeded up to improve the efficiency, the above problem becomes a bottleneck and the efficiency of the supply device is improved. Even if the above is attempted, it does not contribute to improving the efficiency of the entire printing process operation.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional photographic printing processing method and apparatus, the present invention uses an oval transporting track to insert a film-containing cartridge into the track in the middle of the transporting track, It is an object of the present invention to improve the processing efficiency of the photographic printing process by allowing the film to be discharged at a position different from the insertion position after being processed by the film processing unit.

Further, according to the present invention, on the premise of the above problems, the scope of application thereof is a scanner unit, a printing exposure unit, or a unit having a combined function thereof, and a scanner unit and a printing unit are independently provided. Also widely applied,
All of them have the task of improving the processing efficiency.

[0010]

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention inserts and conveys a cartridge into a cartridge at a cartridge conveying track insertion position having a closed conveying line including a straight line portion, and the cartridge is conveyed. To the film processing section outside the track, the film is unwound from the cartridge and processed, and then the film is rewound, the cartridge is returned to the track and sent to a discharge position different from the above insertion position, and then discharged outside the track. The photo printing method was adopted.

In the above processing method, the film processing section may be a scanner section, and image information may be read by the scanner section as the film processing. Alternatively, the film processing unit may be a printing exposure unit, and the film exposure unit may perform the printing exposure process on the photosensitive material as the film processing.

Further, the film processing section is composed of a scanner section and a printing exposure section which are provided at the same position and sharing a light source. Image information is read by the scanner section as the film processing, and a photosensitive material is transferred to the photosensitive material by the printing exposure section at the same position. You may make it perform the baking exposure process of.

When the scanner section and the printing / exposing section are provided at different positions as the film processing section, the cartridge is inserted and conveyed in the track at the insertion position of the cartridge conveyance track having the closed conveyance line including the linear portion. , This cartridge is sent to the scanner section outside the track, the film is unwound from the cartridge, the image information is read, the film is rewound, the cartridge is returned to the track, and then the printing exposure section is located at a position different from the scanner section outside the track. After feeding, re-feeding the film from the cartridge and performing exposure processing on the photosensitive material, rewinding the film, returning the cartridge to the track, sending it to a discharge position different from the above insertion position, and discharging it outside the track there. It is also possible to adopt the above-described photo printing method.

As an apparatus for carrying out the fifth processing method, a common base plate is provided with a transfer section having a closed transfer line including a linear portion for transferring a cartridge by driving a plurality of cartridge seats by a transfer unit, A cartridge insertion section, a scanner section, a printing exposure section, and a discharge section are arranged outside the transport section along the transport direction, and a cartridge holder and a cartridge return mechanism are provided at the start ends of the film feeding paths of the scanner section and the printing exposure section. Transfer from the cartridge transport section at the scanning position and the printing exposure position,
The photoprinting processing apparatus can be configured such that it can be freely returned and the insertion portion and the ejection portion are independently provided at different positions.

[0015]

In the photographic printing method and apparatus having the above-described structure, the transporting track is composed of a closed transporting line including a straight line portion, and is a film processing unit even when a cartridge is inserted into the track from a cartridge storing section outside the transporting track. A plurality of cartridges can be stored and transported up to the scanner unit or the printing / exposing unit. Therefore, the transport truck also functions as a kind of cartridge storage unit.

A cartridge transfer device may be provided in order to push the cartridge from the transport track to either the scanner section or the print exposure section and return the cartridge to the transport track after the film processing operation is completed. The same applies to the print-exposed portion.

The scanning or printing exposure action itself may be carried out in the usual manner by means similar to the conventional one.

After the scanning or printing / exposure work is completed, the cartridge is returned to the carrying track and further fed to reach the discharging section. This ejection portion is provided at a position different from the insertion portion, so that the ejection of the cartridge is possible even during the insertion operation of the cartridge in the insertion portion, and this function rationalizes the feeding action of the cartridge, The processing efficiency is significantly improved.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall schematic construction of the photographic printing apparatus of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the principal part seen from the arrow II-II in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the photographic printing apparatus of the embodiment includes an elliptical conveyance unit 10, an insertion unit 20, a scanner unit 30, a printing exposure unit 40, and a discharge unit 50.

The base plate 1 is a common base plate on which the above-mentioned components can be placed, and an oval transport unit 10 is provided on a bottom plate 3 in a pit 2 whose center is cut in a rectangular shape. The transport unit 10 is provided with two sprockets 11, 11 at a predetermined distance, and the endless chain 1 is provided between both sprockets.
A plurality of cartridge seats 13 are attached to the chain at regular intervals via links 13a.

The lower part of one sprocket 11 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a pulley 14a is provided via a rotary shaft 11a, and a pulley 14b on an output shaft of a motor 16 provided under the base plate 1 is passed through a belt 15 to the pulley 14a.
Power is transmitted to a. Reference numeral 1a is a guide member of the cartridge, 11b is a bearing portion that supports the rotating shaft 11a, and 16a is a rotation detection sensor.

A cylinder base 17 is provided in the space between the two sprockets 11, and the extrusion cylinder 1 is provided on this base near the position corresponding to the discharge unit 50.
8 are provided. Further, two extrusion cylinders 19a and 19b are provided on a support plate 17a extending from the upper surface of the cylinder stand 17 in order to provide the extrusion cylinders at positions corresponding to the scanner unit 30 and the printing / exposing unit 40.

The insertion unit 20 and the ejection unit 50 are
The one shown in FIG. 3 is an example, and other various shapes,
Formats can be adopted. The insertion unit 20 and the ejection unit 50 have the same basic configuration, and are for ejecting a large number of the cartridges X accommodated in the insertion unit 20 to perform the printing exposure process and then re-containing them in the ejection unit 50. is there. In this embodiment, it is important that insertion and ejection can be performed at different positions with respect to the cartridge transportation track.

The insertion unit 20, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a cartridge storage portion 21 and push-out cylinders 22 and 23. The cartridge storage portion 21 has a belt 21b that engages endlessly between the two sprockets 21a and 21a.
A recess for fitting the cartridge X is provided in the cartridge so that the cartridge X can rotate in the space inside the casing.

The cartridge X shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 3 is located at the exit position of the cartridge housing portion 21, is extruded by the rear extruding cylinder 22, and then is pushed in the orthogonal direction by the other extruding cylinder 23 to be conveyed. 10 is inserted into the cartridge seat 13.

A discharge unit 50 is also shown in FIG. The discharge unit 50 includes a cartridge storage section 51.
And a pushing cylinder 52. Therefore, the extrusion cylinder 2
2 and 23 are slightly different in that a push-in cylinder 52 is provided, but the cartridge storage portion 51 itself has the cartridge storage portion 21 of the insertion unit 20 as described above.
It has exactly the same configuration as. 51a is a sprocket, 51b
Is a belt.

The scanner unit 30 includes a cartridge holder 3
1 (31a, 31b) and the cartridge return mechanism 35 are provided, and the scanner is the same as the normal scanner. Only the names of the components of the scanner itself are shown and detailed description of the functions is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cartridge holder 31 is provided with holder plates 31a and 31b.
A and 31b can be freely contacted and separated from each other by reverse screws 32a and 32b provided on both sides of the rotary shaft 32, and the rotary shaft 32 is driven by a motor 33 via a belt. 34a is a motor for feeding / winding the film F, and 34b is a motor for opening / closing the cartridge inlet.

The cartridge returning mechanism 35, as shown in FIG. 5, includes the cartridge holder 31 that holds the cartridge X pushed out from the cartridge receiving seat 13 by the pushing cylinder 19a.
Is a mechanism for returning the cartridge X to the original cartridge receiving seat 13 when the scanner X is stopped at the position and the scanner work is completed.

The cartridge return mechanism 35 includes a fixed base 35.
The two return rods 35b are inserted in parallel with a, and the spring 3
The pushing plate 35d provided at the end of the rod is pushed back by the elasticity of 5c. FIG. 5A shows the extrusion cylinder 1.
9a shows a state in which the cartridge X is pushed out to the position of the cartridge holder 31, and FIG. 9 (b) shows a state in which the spring 35c pushes the cartridge X back to the receiving seat 13.
S ₁ is a cartridge presence / absence sensor for detecting the presence / absence of the cartridge X.

The feeding path of the scanner unit 30 is provided so as to connect the film F from the cartridge X held at the position of the cartridge holder 31 in the feeding direction. This feed path is composed of a film guide 36 that guides the film in the width direction and feed rollers 37 provided at appropriate intervals. The feed roller 37 is driven by a motor 37a via a belt. S ₂ is a perforation detector, S ₃ is a magnetic head, 38 is a scanning gate, 3
9 is a film winder.

The position of the scanning gate 38 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, a normal scanning member is provided. This scanning member includes a light source 301, a filter 302, a shutter 303, a mirror tunnel 304, a reflection mirror 305, a lens 306, a scanner 307, and the like.

The exposure unit 40 also has a cartridge holder 41.
(41a, 41b) is the same as the usual one except that the cartridge holder 41 is provided with the scanner unit 3.
It has the same configuration as the cartridge holder 31 of No. 0. Therefore, the member names are listed here. 43, 44a,
44b is a motor, 45 is a cartridge returning mechanism, 46 is a film guide, 47 is a feed roller, 48 is a print gate, and 49 is a film winder.

The print gate 48 is provided with a usual printing exposure means. Again, only the member names are listed. 401 is a light source, 402 is a heat ray absorption filter, 4
03 is a dimming filter, 404 is a mirror tunnel, 405
Is a lens, 406 is a paper mask, and PC is a photosensitive material.

In the photographic printing apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, the scanning operation and the printing / exposure operation are the same as in the usual case, and hereinafter, the operations of inserting, carrying and carrying out the cartridge will be mainly described.

As described above, a large number of the cartridges X are stored in the cartridge storage portion 21 shown in FIG. Insert into the transport truck.

A large number of cartridge receiving seats 13 conveyed by the oval endless chain 12 also form an elliptical conveying track, and the cartridges X are inserted into the cartridge receiving seat 13 one by one. Then, by rotating the sprocket 11, the respective cartridges X are sent to the scanner unit 30 on the transport track.

When the cartridge X reaches the scanner unit 30, the conveyance is temporarily stopped, the pushing rod of the pushing cylinder 19a extends and the cartridge X is pushed out from the cartridge receiving seat 13 and moves to the cartridge holder 31.

In the cartridge holder 31, the distance between the two holder plates 31a and 31b is reduced by rotating the rotary shaft 32, and the claws on the output shafts of the motors 34a and 34b are opened / closed at the take-up reel of the cartridge X and the cartridge inlet / outlet. Engage the end of the shaft that opens and closes the lid.

When the lid of the cartridge is opened and the film F is fed, the film F is guided along the film guide 36.
Will be guided and sent. Perforation detector S ₂ ,
The magnetic head S ₃ reads the film frame position data and the film type data, and the scanning gate 38 reads the image information. The above operation is performed for each frame of the film, and the leading end of the film F is wound on the film winder 39.

When the data reading of all film frames is completed, the film F is rewound in the cartridge X. When the rod of the pushing cylinder 19a is returned, the rod 35b of the cartridge returning mechanism 35 is pushed back by the spring 35c, and the cartridge X is returned to the cartridge receiving seat 13.

When the cartridge X is returned, the transport track moves again and the cartridge X advances to the printing / exposing section 40. Similarly to the scanner unit 30, the printing and exposing unit 40 pushes out the cartridge X and holds the film in the cartridge holder 41, and the film F is fed out to perform the printing and exposing process.

After that, when the film F is rewound, the cartridge X is again returned to the cartridge receiving seat 13 of the transport track and is transported, and reaches the discharge portion 50. When it reaches the position of the discharge unit 50, the conveyance is stopped, and in that state, the ejection solenoid 18 discharges the cartridge X. The ejected cartridge X is stored in the cartridge storage portion 51 by the pushing cylinder 52. Cartridge storage part 5
When the cartridge X is full, the cartridge X is replaced with another empty cartridge storage section.

After that, the cartridge seat 13 of the transport truck is transported by the endless chain 12 and is transported to the cartridge insertion station again, and the above-described operation is repeated.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the insertion section 20, the discharge section 50, the scanner section 30, and the printing exposure section 40 are provided at positions facing each other with the transport section 10 in between. The scanner unit 30 and the printing exposure unit 40 may be provided on the left side of the unit 10, and the insertion unit 20 and the discharge unit 50 may be provided on the right side.

FIG. 7 shows the overall schematic layout of the second embodiment. This embodiment is different only in that the oblong transfer unit 10 of the first embodiment is a rectangular transfer unit 10 ', and the other is the same in basic configuration.

In this embodiment, the sprocket 11 is composed of four sprockets 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d, which are arranged so as to form a rectangular conveying section 10 '. Along with this arrangement change, the length of the endless chain 12 and the number of the cartridge seats 13 are increased.

In this embodiment, the transport section 10 'is arranged in a rectangular shape, but it goes without saying that it may be a square or other polygonal shape.

FIG. 8 shows the overall schematic arrangement of another embodiment (third embodiment). Although (a) is provided with the scanner unit 30, there is no print exposure unit 40, and (b) is the scanner unit 30.
There is no printing exposure unit 40.

In this embodiment, the film processing method of the present invention is carried out in each of (a) and (b). However, in order to complete the photographic printing process, it is inevitable that (a) and (b). ).
The configurations and processing methods in (a) and (b) correspond to the corresponding portions of the first embodiment as they are, and thus detailed description will be omitted.

Although not shown, as compared with the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, a carrying section 10 'may be used instead of the carrying section 10 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. As a result, more cartridges can be stored and transported in the transport path.

Furthermore, as another embodiment, the apparatus of FIG. 8A or 8B, or an apparatus in which the transport section 10 of FIG. 8 is transformed into a transport section 10 'like the embodiment of FIG. It is also possible to employ an example in which the scanner and the film processing means of the printing exposure means of FIG. The light source 4 uses either 301 or 401 of the first embodiment, and the mirror tunnel 5 uses either 304 or 404. Further, the reflection mirror 6 is replaced with 305 by a rotary type.

The scanner means 30 'is a member corresponding to 306 and 307, and the printing / exposure means 40' is a member corresponding to 406 and its peripheral constituent members. Further, the feed roller 7 corresponds to 37 and 47, and the opening 8 is 3
It corresponds to 8 and 48. The scanner means 30 'and the printing / exposure means 40' may be arranged in reverse.

In this embodiment, the cartridge X is sent in the carrying track and the scanner unit 30 or the printing / exposing unit 40 is used.
After reaching the vicinity of either of the above, the cartridge X is sent out of the track, the film is fed at that position, the image information is read by the scanner function, and then the printing exposure can be performed at that position.

After the image information is read by the scanner, the film may be once wound into the cartridge X and the leading end of the film may be fed out again to perform the printing exposure process.

After the printing and exposure process is completed, the film is rewound into the cartridge X, and then the cartridge X is returned to the track and conveyed in the track. When the cartridge reaches the discharge position, the cartridge X is discharged outside the track.

[0057]

As described in detail above, in the photographic printing method and apparatus of the present invention, the cartridge inserted in the insertion position in the elliptical transport track is the scanner unit, the printing exposure unit, or the processing unit having both functions. To the outside after the film is processed and the film is processed from the discharge position that is different from the insertion position.Therefore, the cartridge can be discharged from the discharge position even when the cartridge is being sent from the insertion position. It is possible to improve the efficiency of processing work.

Since a plurality of cartridges are transported by the transport track, the transport track itself can serve as a cartridge storage device, and a storage device separately required for a larger number of cartridges can be downsized, and There is also an advantage that a large number of cartridges can be stored.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic plan view of a photo printing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a scanner unit.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows AA and BB of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an overall schematic view of a photographic printing apparatus of another embodiment (second embodiment).

FIG. 8 is an overall schematic diagram of a photographic printing apparatus of another embodiment (third embodiment).

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a means provided with a scanner means and a printing exposure means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Base Plate 10 Conveying Section 11 Sprocket 12 Chain 13 Cartridge Seat 18 Extrusion Solenoid 19a, 19b Extrusion Cylinder 20 Insertion Section 21, 51 Cartridge Storage Section 22, 23 Extrusion Cylinder 30 Scanner Section 31, 41 Cartridge Holder 35, 45 Cartridge Return Mechanism 36, 46 Film guide 37, 47 Feed roller 38 Scanning gate 39, 49 Winder 40 Print exposure unit 48 Print gate 50 Ejection unit 52 Push cylinder

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A film is produced by inserting a cartridge into a track at the insertion position of a cartridge carrying track having a closed carrying line including a straight line portion, carrying the cartridge, feeding the cartridge to a film processing section outside the track, and feeding the film out of the cartridge. After processing, rewind the film,
A photographic printing method in which the cartridge is returned to the truck, sent to a discharge position different from the above insertion position, and then discharged outside the track. 2. The film processing section is a scanner section,
The photoprinting method according to claim 1, wherein the scanner unit reads the image information as the film processing. 3. The film processing unit is a printing exposure unit,
2. The method of photographic printing according to claim 1, wherein a photographic exposure process is performed on the photographic material in the photographic exposure section as the film process. 4. The film processing unit is a scanner unit and a printing exposure unit which are provided at the same position and sharing a light source, and image information is read by the scanner unit as the film processing, and the photosensitive material is transferred to the photosensitive material by the printing exposure unit at the same position. 2. The photographic printing method according to claim 1, wherein the printing exposure processing is performed. 5. A cartridge transporting track having a closed transporting line including a straight line portion is inserted and transported into the track at the insertion position of the cartridge, the cartridge is sent to the scanner section outside the track, and the film is fed out from the cartridge to form an image. After reading the information, the film is rewound, the cartridge is returned to the track, and then sent to the printing exposure unit at a position outside the scanner, which is different from the scanner unit, and the film is unwound again from the cartridge to perform the printing exposure process on the photosensitive material. A photographic printing method in which the film is rewound, the cartridge is returned to the track, is sent to a discharge position different from the above insertion position, and is then discharged outside the track. 6. A common base plate is provided with a transfer section having a closed transfer line including a linear portion for transferring a cartridge by driving a plurality of cartridge seats by a transfer unit, and a cartridge insertion section is provided outside the transfer section. The scanner unit, the print exposure unit, and the discharge unit are arranged along the transport line, and the cartridge holder and the cartridge return mechanism are provided at the start ends of the film feeding paths of the scanner unit and the print exposure unit, respectively, and the cartridge position is set at the scanning position and the print exposure position. A photographic printing apparatus in which the transfer section and the return section can be freely moved, and the insertion section and the ejection section are independently provided at different positions.