JPH09127667A - Automatic developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the reduction of moisture due to the evaporation of processing liquid, to hold the sensitivity stability of the processing liquid and to prolong the life of the processing liquid with a simple constitution, by cooling and condensing water vapor from the processing liquid by a cooling means so that it may be recovered. SOLUTION: When a PS plate 15 is inserted from an insertion port, the plate 15 is guided to a developing processing part 11, then, the developer in a developing processing tank 11a is uniformly sprayed on the PS plate 15 through squirt holes 11f to 11h. And after developing is accelerated on the PS plate 15 by a brush roller 11i, the plate 15 is carried to a washing processing part 13 by a pair of carrying rollers 11j. In the automatic developing device, the developer used for developing is made to flow into the developing processing tank 11a along a recovery guide 11k so as to be recovered, then, the developer is reused at the developing processing through a feeding pump. In this case, a cooling member 11m to which a cooling device 111 is connected is installed above the liquid level of the processing liquid stored in the developing processing tank 11a. Thus, the water vapor evaporated and separated from the developer is cooled equal to or below the liquid temperature, and the vapor is condensed on the lower side of the cooling member 11m and recovered into the developing processing tank 11a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to photographic film and P
The present invention relates to an automatic developing device for automatically developing a photographic light-sensitive material such as an S plate by using a developing solution whose concentration is controlled to be constant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an automatic developing device has been used in a developing place or the like to develop a large amount of photographic light-sensitive material at one time. In such an automatic developing device, a plurality of different processing tanks are arranged in the conveying direction of the photographic light-sensitive material according to the order of processing, and the photographic light-sensitive material is automatically developed by these processing solutions. Then, the treatment liquid is controlled so as to maintain a constant temperature, so that the treatment capacity thereof is appropriately maintained.
For example, in the case of the developer, the temperature is kept at about 30 ° C, but the developer evaporates, the concentration of the developer becomes high and the sensitivity stability is significantly lowered, and the life of the processing solution is shortened. There is a problem of shortening.

Therefore, the treatment tank is covered with a lid, or a floating lid is floated on the surface of the treatment liquid to create a pseudo closed state to prevent the treatment liquid from evaporating.

[0004]

However, the conventional lid and floating lid of the processing tank cannot sufficiently prevent evaporation. This is for the following reason. In the first place, depending on the processing method, the development processing of the automatic developing device is based on the immersion developing method in which the photosensitive material is developed while being dipped in a plurality of processing tanks in stages, and on the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material conveyed at a constant speed. It is roughly classified into a shower development method in which a processing solution is sprayed to perform development. Generally, a flexible photographic material such as photographic film and photographic paper adopts a dip development method.
Shower development is used for hard photographic materials such as plates.

However, according to the immersion development method, since the photographic light-sensitive material is taken in and out of the processing tank, it is not possible to cover the entire liquid surface of the processing tank, and the processing liquid evaporates from the gap. Also in the shower development method, a collection opening is required in the upper part of the processing tank in order to naturally drop the used processing liquid into the processing tank provided in the lower part of the apparatus and collect it. The liquid surface cannot be covered. On the other hand, it is easy to forcibly feed the collected processing liquid into the processing tank by using a feeding means such as a pump, and to seal the upper part of the processing tank, but the device becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost is high. New problems arise such as being expensive.

Further, the processing liquid attached to a portion other than the processing tank to which the processing liquid adheres, for example, a roller for conveying the photographic light-sensitive material, evaporates. The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and suppresses the decrease in water content due to the evaporation of the processing liquid with a simple configuration to maintain the sensitivity stability of the processing liquid and prolong the life of the processing liquid. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic developing device capable of performing the above.

[0007]

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 1, in an automatic developing apparatus for developing a photographic light-sensitive material while circulating a processing solution in a processing tank, an automatic developing device is provided above the surface of the processing solution. The cooling means for cooling the processing liquid vapor is provided. According to this, since the water vapor from the treatment liquid is cooled by the cooling means and is condensed and collected, the decrease in water content due to evaporation of the treatment liquid is suppressed and the sensitivity stability of the treatment liquid is maintained with a simple configuration. The life of the processing liquid can be extended.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the cooling means is provided above the conveying path of the photographic light-sensitive material to be developed. According to this, the cooling unit cools the vapor of the processing liquid even when it is evaporated from the transportation path such as the transportation roller to which the processing liquid adheres during the development processing, so that the reduction of the water content of the processing liquid can be further suppressed. .

Further, in the invention of claim 3, the cooling means is configured to cool and condense the processing liquid vapor by using a refrigerant. According to this, the cooling means cools the vapor of the treatment liquid to a further lower temperature by using the refrigerant, so that the reduction of the water content of the treatment liquid can be further suppressed. Further, the invention of claim 4 is configured such that rinsing water in a rinsing tank is used as a refrigerant of the cooling means.

According to this, since the washing water used in the apparatus can be diverted as the refrigerant, the cooling effect can be maintained and the apparatus cost can be reduced.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the present embodiment, the case where the automatic developing device according to the present invention is applied to an automatic developing device for developing a PS plate will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an automatic developing device in this embodiment.

The automatic developing apparatus 10 has two developing treatment tanks 11 containing a treating solution for performing various treatments (developing treatment, washing treatment, gum treatment, drying treatment) in the developing process.
a, a gum treatment tank 12a, a washing tank 13a containing washing water, and a drying chamber 14 are provided in the order of treatment, and the exposed PS plate (hereinafter simply referred to as PS plate) is conveyed at a constant speed in the arrow direction. Processing solution or washing water is sprayed onto the photosensitive surface of No. 15 for development.

Here, since the developing solution is exhausted by the processing of the PS plate 15, replenishment of water for replenishment of processing components and concentration adjustment is performed at predetermined intervals (not shown). Although not shown, the gum treatment tank 12a and the water washing tank 13a are also replenished with a gum solution or tap water through a replenishment port for adjustment. Further, a circulation system for each processing solution via a constant temperature tank is provided in the development processing tank 11a, and a circulation pump circulates between the constant temperature tank and each processing tank to control the temperature, the processing solution temperature and the concentration. It is kept constant (not shown).

Next, various processes of the developing process in the automatic developing apparatus according to the present embodiment having the above-mentioned schematic structure will be described. First, when the PS plate 15 with the photosensitive surface facing up is inserted through the insertion port, the pair of conveying rollers 11 that rotate with a driving force.
Although it is introduced into the development processing section 11 by b, at that time, the developing solution in the development processing tank 11a is fed by a feeding pump (not shown) and uniformly sprayed onto the PS plate 15 from the jet ports 11f, 11g, 11h. Then, the PS plate 15 is developed.
Then, the PS plate 15 is rotated by the rotating brush roller 11i.
After the development is promoted, the washing processing section is
Transported to 13.

The automatic developing device 10 has a structure in which the developer used for development is flowed into the development processing tank 11a along the recovery guide 11k to be recovered, and is again used for the development processing by the feeding pump. Therefore, the water in the developing solution kept at about 30 ° C. easily evaporates and is separated from the developing solution. In the present embodiment, a cooling device 11l is provided above the liquid level of the processing solution stored in the development processing tank 11a as cooling means.
Since the cooling member 11m connected to is provided, the water vapor evaporated and separated from the developing solution is cooled to below the liquid temperature, is condensed on the lower surface of the cooling member 11m and is collected in the developing treatment tank 11a. The decrease in water content due to the above is suppressed, the sensitivity stability of the processing liquid is maintained, and the life of the processing liquid can be extended.

FIG. 2A is a view of the cooling member 11m as seen from above, and the cooling member 11m will be described with reference to this drawing. The cooling member 11m is a flat plate 11n made of a material having a high thermal conductivity, which is attached at an inclination angle with respect to the liquid surface of the developer,
As shown in the figure, it is constituted by a circulation pipe 11p arranged on the upper surface. Since the refrigerant is constantly circulated in the direction of the arrow in the circulation pipe 11p by the cooling device 11l, the cooling member 11m is set at a uniform cooling temperature and rapidly. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently condense the water vapor that has reached near the cooling member 11m, and it is possible to prevent the cooling member 11m from partially heating due to the temperature of the water vapor.

Then, the condensed water vapor is gathered at the end of the cooling member 11m and dropped into the developing treatment tank 11a. FIG.
(B) shows another embodiment of the cooling member 11m, and the attachment method of the plane plate 11n is different from that in the above-described embodiment. That is, a large number of flat plates 11n are provided at intervals in the vertical direction with respect to the liquid surface, and the water vapor is cooled while passing between the flat plates 11n, is condensed, and drops into the development processing tank 11a. In this method, some of the water vapor is 11 m
It is possible to prevent leakage without being cooled by wrapping around the side surface, so that it is possible to further improve cooling efficiency.

Next, the transport system of the development processing section 11 will be described. In the development processing section 11, in order to spray the developing solution onto the PS plate 15 from the ejection ports 11f, 11g, 11h, a pair of conveyance rollers is used.
The developer is also attached to the components on the transport path such as 11b, the brush roller 11i, and the transport roller pair 11j, and the developer is evaporated. In the present embodiment, since the cooling member 11q to which the cooling device 11l is connected is also provided on the upper portion of the transport path to which such a developing solution adheres, the evaporation of water vapor from the adhering developing solution is suppressed. At the same time, the evaporated water vapor is cooled, condensed, and collected in the development processing tank 11a, so that the decrease in water content of the developer can be further suppressed. Further, since this cooling member 11q is also inclined with a gradient in a predetermined direction similarly to the cooling member 11m, water droplets will not be generated on the PS plate 15.
The concentration and temperature of the developer do not change without dropping to the stable development process, and the recovery can be facilitated.

Here, instead of the cooling device 11l, a feed pump may be used to circulate the washing water in the washing tank 13 through the cooling member 11m and use the washing water as a refrigerant. In this case, the cooling device is used. Since it is not necessary to install 11 l, the cooling effect can be maintained and the device cost can be reduced. The PS plate 15 conveyed to the washing processing section 13 is conveyed by the conveying roller pair 13b, and the developing solution on the front and back surfaces is washed away by the washing water in the washing tank 13a sprayed from the jet port 13c. Is introduced into the gum processing section 12.

In the gum processing section 12, a pair of conveying rollers 12
The front and back surfaces of the PS plate 15 are coated with the gum solution in the gum treatment tank 12a sprayed from the ejection port 12c while being conveyed at b. This is a process performed to prevent the PS plate 15 from being contaminated with dirt, and this process may be replaced with a washing process. Then, the PS plate conveyed to the drying chamber 14 by the rotation driving of the conveying roller 12d.
After being forcibly dried by the warm air blown from the pair of jet nozzles 14a and 14b, the sheet 15 is fed out of the apparatus by the conveying roller 14c, and a series of developing steps is completed.

In this embodiment, the case where it is applied to an automatic developing device for developing a PS plate has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a photographic negative film, a photographic positive film, photographic paper, etc. It can be applied to the automatic developing device for developing the photographic light-sensitive material. Further, the evaporation of water in the developing solution has been described, but any processing solution that evaporates water can be applied.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the shower developing method has been described, but the present invention can be applied to the immersion developing method as it is.

[0023]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the steam from the treatment liquid is cooled by the cooling means and condensed and recovered, the vaporization of the treatment liquid is simple. The decrease in water content due to the above is suppressed, the sensitivity stability of the processing liquid is maintained, and the life of the processing liquid can be extended.

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, the cooling means cools the vapor of the treatment liquid even when the treatment liquid is evaporated from the conveyance path such as the conveyance roller during the development treatment. The decrease in water content can be further suppressed. Further, according to the invention of claim 3, the cooling means cools the vapor of the treatment liquid to a further lower temperature by using the refrigerant, so that the reduction of the water content of the treatment liquid can be further suppressed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the washing water used in the apparatus can be diverted as the refrigerant, so that the cooling effect can be maintained and the apparatus cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an automatic developing device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cooling member according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Automatic developing device 11 Development processing part 11a Development processing tank 11m Cooling member 11l Cooling device 12 Gum processing part 13 Rinsing processing part 14 Drying room

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Ryuji Tanno 1 Sakura-cho, Hino-shi, Tokyo Konica Stock Company

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An automatic developing apparatus for developing a photographic light-sensitive material while circulating a processing solution in a processing tank, wherein cooling means for cooling the processing solution vapor is provided above the liquid surface of the processing solution. And automatic developing device. 2. The automatic developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling means is provided above a conveying path of a photographic light-sensitive material to be developed. 3. The automatic developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling means cools the processing liquid vapor by using a refrigerant to condense it. 4. The automatic developing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein washing water in a washing tank is used as the coolant of the cooling means.