JPH10274838A - Photosensitive material processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the forming work of an index print and to simplify the constitution of a device by effectively utilizing an image left on a processing member. SOLUTION: When a film is superposed on a processing sheet and thermally developed, a positive image on the processing sheet is formed. Then, cut piece processing sheets 58A are stuck on a condition that they are arrayed on a mount 50 and applied as the index print. When a column for a mark designating extra printing, a column for a mark designating printing size, a column for a mark designating the number of extra prints and the like are previously printed on the mount 50, handleability becomes excellent. By using the positive image left on the processing sheet as the index print in such a way, the index print need not be specially formed and workability is enhanced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a long photothermographic material in which a plurality of images are continuously recorded, and a processing member provided with components necessary for developing the photothermographic material. ,
The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus for forming an image on the photothermographic material by heating in a state in which the photosensitive material is superposed.

2. Description of the Related Art In a method known as conventional color photography, a photosensitive material for photographing (a so-called color negative film) is usually a layer for recording a blue light to form a yellow dye image, and a magenta dye for recording green light. A layer that forms an image, and a layer that forms a cyan dye image by recording red light, the developer is oxidized in the process of reducing silver halide grains containing a latent image to silver during development processing, A reaction (coupling) between the oxidized product and the coupler forms a dye image. Undeveloped silver halide and developed silver are removed in the subsequent bleach-fixing step to obtain a color negative film from which a dye image has been formed and from which undeveloped silver halide and developed silver have been removed. Conventionally, a color paper is irradiated with light transmitted through the dye image of the color negative film, and the dye image is printed and exposed on the color paper, and a color print is obtained through the same development, bleaching and fixing steps. On the other hand, there is also known a method in which an image formed on the color negative film is photoelectrically read and then subjected to image processing to obtain image data for recording, and an image is obtained on another image recording material by using the image data. In particular, digital printers have been developed in which the above image data is converted into digital signals, and a photosensitive material such as color paper is scanned and exposed by a laser beam modulated in accordance with the digital signals to produce a finished print. No., published in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. The above method is based on the premise that an image is formed by performing normal development, bleaching, and fixing processes (wet processing) on a photographed color negative film, and such an image forming process is complicated. It is. For this reason, the present applicant has proposed an apparatus for forming an image on a photothermographic material by heating the photothermographic material in a state of being superimposed on a processing member (containing a mordant) (one example). Japanese Patent Application No. 8-120609). According to this, an image can be formed by a simple method without performing complicated development, bleaching, and fixing processes on a photothermographic material to which an image has been exposed as in the past, and
Since a liquid containing a chemical such as a processing liquid is not used, maintenance can be improved. The working efficiency of the entire photographic processing system can be improved by applying the above developing method to a negative film for APS (Advanced Photo System). In the APS, index prints necessary for ordering additional prints and the like are created in order to return the negative film in a state of being stored in the cartridge. At present, the index print is almost the same size as the frame size recorded on the negative film.

However, in order to create an index print, image data is read digitally, the read image data is reformatted so that image frames are arranged in a matrix, and a separate printing device (for example, And a device for forming and printing an image on a liquid crystal display device), and the workability is poor and the device configuration is complicated. An object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus capable of effectively utilizing an image remaining on a processing member, reducing an index print creation operation, and simplifying the apparatus configuration in consideration of the above fact.

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
By heating the photothermographic material in which a plurality of images are continuously recorded and a long processing member having components necessary for developing the photothermographic material, in a state where the photothermographic material is superimposed, A photosensitive material processing apparatus for forming an image on the photothermographic material, provided corresponding to the conveying path of the photothermographic material, at least a photothermographic material recorded on the photothermographic material; An identification symbol reading unit that reads an identification symbol to be specified, a transport path after the thermal development processing of the processing member is completed, and a transport path after the photothermographic material is separated from the processing member. A cutter unit for cutting, and a cutting control unit for controlling the cutter unit based on the identification code read by the identification code reading unit so as to cut the processing member after peeling the processing member from the photothermographic material. ing According to the first aspect of the present invention, a photothermographic material, for example, a photographic film has an identification code for each photographic film, and by reading this identification code, the photographic film can be specified. When forming an image on the photothermographic material, if the photothermographic material is a negative image, a positive image is formed as an afterimage on the processing member. In the case of photographic film, the image on this processing member is equivalent to a so-called solid printed image. Then, the processing member is cut by the cutter unit after being peeled off from the photothermographic material based on the read identification symbol. Thus, the processing member can be cut at least for each photographic film. Since the cut positive image on the processing member can be used, for example, as an index print (claim 3), a separate step of creating an index print is not required, and work efficiency is improved. The invention according to claim 2 is characterized by further comprising cutting position information writing means for writing the cutting position information of the processing member outside the range of the afterimage after the thermal development processing on the processing member. According to the second aspect of the present invention, by providing the cutting position information writing means, the cutter can be performed at a desired time in the subsequent process, and the degree of freedom can be increased in consideration of work efficiency. . The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the cut processing member is an index print capable of listing images recorded on the photothermographic material for each of the identification symbols. According to the third aspect of the present invention, as described in the operation of the first aspect, the processing member is used as an index print. in this case,
If the image on the processing member is divided into a plurality of image frames, it is cut every predetermined number of frames, for example, pasted on the backing paper so as to be arranged vertically and horizontally, and additional print designation for each image frame, the number of additional prints, It is preferable to provide a column for entering the size at the time of additional printing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a photosensitive material processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The photosensitive material processing apparatus 10 is provided with a cartridge loading unit 18. The cartridge loading section 18 can load a cartridge 20 containing a film N that has been photographed. In addition, a transport roller 22 is disposed near the cartridge loading section 18 so that the loaded cartridge 2
The film N can be pulled out from 0 and transported.
Note that the film N in the present embodiment is a negative film for an APS (Advanced Photo System), has a magnetic recording layer (not shown), and has a predetermined position on the magnetic recording layer (in the present embodiment). In the front end portion), an identification symbol (ID number) for specifying the film N is magnetically recorded. The film N corresponds to the color material-containing photothermographic material of the present invention, and has at least a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, and a color material having a function of releasing or diffusing an imagewise diffusible dye on a support. And at least three types of photosensitive layers having different photosensitive wavelength regions and different hues after development of the color material. A water application unit 24 as an application unit is provided downstream of the cartridge loading unit 18 (conveyance roller 22) in the conveyance direction. The water application section 24 is provided with an application tank 26. A supply roller 28 is provided at an end of the coating tank 26 on the upstream side in the film N transport direction, and a squeeze roller 30 is provided at an end on the downstream side in the film N transport direction. Therefore, when the coating tank 26 is filled with water, the water is applied to the film N fed by the supply roller 28, and is further nipped and conveyed by the squeeze roller 30 to remove excess water. It has become. On the downstream side in the transport direction of the water application unit 24,
An overlapping roller 32 for overlapping the film N and the processing sheet 58 is provided. Processing sheet 58
Are wound and set in layers on a reel 34, and are pulled out from the outermost layer. The overlapping roller 32 is composed of a pair of rollers urged in a direction approaching each other, and the film N
And the processing sheet 58 are sandwiched and overlapped. On the downstream side of the superposing roller 32, the heating drum 3
8 are installed. The heating drum 38 is rotatably supported by the main body, and is rotationally driven by a drive system (not shown). A halogen lamp 40 is provided in the heating drum 38.
And the temperature of the heating drum 38 can be raised. The nip roller 4 faces the heating drum 38.
2 is provided, and the superposed film N and the processing sheet 58 are pressed against the heating drum 38 by the nip pressure of the nip roller 42. The processing sheet 58 has a layer containing a mordant for developing the film N on a support. Here, by heating the film N in a state of being superimposed on the processing sheet 58,
Due to the reaction with the mordant contained in the processing sheet 58, the diffusible dye is released or diffused imagewise from the color material contained in the film N, and a part or all of the diffusible dye is removed from the film N. Thereby, at least three color images are formed on the film N. The processing sheet 5
On 8, an afterimage corresponding to the image density of the film N remains in the reacted mordant portion. That is, an inverted image (that is, a positive image) remains for the image formed on the film N. On the downstream side of the heating drum 38, a peeling roller 44 is provided, and the processing sheet 58 and the film N that have passed through the heating drum 38 can be peeled. That is, the processing sheet 58 is linearly conveyed along the extension line being conveyed from the heating drum 38, and the film N
4 wrapped around the upper roller, about 90 ° to 120 °
It is turned over and sent out above the device. On the transport path of the film N sent out above the apparatus by the peeling roller 44, an I
A D number reading unit 46 is provided. ID number reading unit 4
Reference numeral 6 is provided with a magnetic head and reads an ID number assigned to each frame, which is recorded on a magnetic recording layer (not shown) provided on the film N. Since this ID number is the same for each film unit and is provided for each frame, counting the number of detected ID numbers is equivalent to counting the number of image frames. In the reading position A of the ID number reading unit 46, the transport length from the contact point B of the pair of rollers constituting the peeling roller 44 is set to L. On the other hand, a cutter 48 is provided on the transport path of the processing sheet 58. The cutter 48 operates according to an instruction from the controller 45. The cutter 48 is provided to cut the processing sheet 58, and the cut position C is defined such that the transport length from the contact point B of the pair of rollers of the peeling roller 44 is L. Here, one of the films N peeled by the peeling roller 44 has a predetermined number of I
When the D number is detected, the other processing sheet 58 peeled off
Are cut by the cutter 48 at the position of the same transport length L. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the cutting time is determined by six counts of the ID number, that is, every six frames from the top, and control is performed to cut the processing sheet 58 every six frames. The cut processing sheets 58 for every six frames are arranged in a matrix for each film, and can be used as an index print by being attached to the mount 50. The operation of the present embodiment will be described below. In the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration, the processing sheet 58 is wound and stored in a roll shape in advance. The operator loads the cartridge 20 containing the film N having the image recorded on each frame into the cartridge loading section 18 of the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10,
Operate the start button (not shown). Thus, the thermal development processing of the film N is started. When the temperature of the heating drum 38 reaches a predetermined temperature, the film N starts being drawn out and conveyed, and the film N is pulled out from the cartridge 20. The film N pulled out from the cartridge 20 is
Water is applied by passing through the inside of the application tank 26 of the water application section 24. The film N coated with water in this manner is
It is led to the heating drum 38. During this conveyance, the processing sheet 58 is superimposed on the processing sheet 58 by the superimposing roller 32. Film N and processing sheet 5 superimposed
8 is sandwiched between the heating drum 38 and the nip roller,
Pressed and heated. Here, since water is applied to the film N, the film N and the processing sheet 58 receive heat from the heating drum 38 in a state where the film N is in close contact with no gap. When the film N is heated in a state of being superimposed on the processing sheet 58, the diffusible dye is released or diffused in an image form from the color material contained in the film N, and a part or all of the diffusible dye becomes the film N. Removed from Thereby, at least three color images are formed on the film N. Since water adheres to the film N as described above, the film N is uniformly heat-developed. The film N and the processing sheet 58 that have been subjected to the heat development processing are
The film N is sent to the peeling roller 44, and the processing sheet 58 is peeled and transported upward from the heating drum 38 in the transport path extending direction. Film N is
The ID number is read by the ID number reading unit 46 at a predetermined transport path length L. At this time, the cutter 48 operates with a break of every six frames from the top, and the processing sheet 58
Disconnect. Here, in the arrangement position C of the cutter 48, the transport length of the peeling roller 44 from the contact point B of the pair of rollers is equal to the transport length from the ID number reading position A of the film N to the contact point B of the pair of rollers. Therefore, the processing sheet 5
The positive image remaining in 8 can be cut every 6 frames. As shown in FIG. 2, the cut piece processing sheets 58 </ b> A are pasted in a state where they are arranged on the backing sheet 50 and applied as an index print. It is convenient to print on the mount 50 a pre-print designation mark field, a print size designation mark field, a reprint number designation mark field, and the like. As described above, by using the positive image remaining on the processing sheet 58 as an index print, it is not necessary to separately create an index print, thereby improving workability. On the other hand, the winding roller 54
The film N that has reached is released from the heating drum 38 by the operation of the peeling claw 70. The film N peeled off from the heating drum 38 is sent out of the apparatus from the outlet.
Thus, the film N is subjected to the heat development processing. Thereafter, the film N is read by a digital image reader or the like.
By digitally reading the image recorded in the digital camera and inputting the read image data to a digital printer or the like, a photographic print of each frame image of the film N can be obtained. In this embodiment, the processing sheet 58 is cut in real time by setting the position of the ID number reading section 46 and the position of the cutter 48 to the same conveyance length from the peeling position. By arranging means (printing, cut mark, etc.) 48M, a mark may be formed on the processing sheet 58, and the mark may be detected and cut in another process. Further, the ID reading unit 46 is not limited to after the separation from the processing sheet 58, and may be during or before the superposition with the processing sheet 58. Further, in the present embodiment, although water as an image forming solvent is applied to the film N, it may be applied to the processing sheet 58, or may be applied to both the film N and the processing sheet 58. May be. Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the color material-containing photothermographic material of the present invention is used as the film N has been described, but at least a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, and a dye-donating coupler are provided on a support. And the coupler-containing photothermographic material of the present invention having at least three types of photosensitive layers having different photosensitive wavelength regions and different hues of the dye formed from the dye-donating coupler.

As described above, the light-sensitive material processing apparatus according to the present invention is excellent in that index printing work can be reduced and the structure of the apparatus can be simplified by effectively utilizing the image remaining on the processing member. Has an effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a photosensitive material processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a processing sheet is attached to a backing paper.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 photosensitive material processing device 18 cartridge loading unit 20 cartridge 24 water application unit 38 heating drum 45 controller (cutting control unit) 46 ID reading unit (reading unit) 48 cutter (cutter unit) 48M marking unit (cutting position information writing unit) 50 Mount 58 Processing sheet N film (photothermographic material)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A state in which a photothermographic material on which a plurality of images are continuously recorded and a long processing member having components necessary for developing the photothermographic material are superposed. A photosensitive material processing apparatus that forms an image on the photothermographic material by heating the photothermographic material. An identification symbol reading means for reading an identification symbol identifying the photothermographic material, a transport path after the thermal development processing of the processing member, and a transport path after the photothermographic material is separated from the photosensitive member. A cutter unit that cuts the processing member; and a cutting control unit that controls the cutter unit based on the identification code read by the identification code reading unit so as to cut the processing member after peeling from the photothermographic material. When And a photosensitive material processing apparatus. 2. The photosensitive material according to claim 1, further comprising cutting position information writing means for writing the cutting position information of the processing member outside a range of an afterimage of the processing member after the thermal development processing. Processing equipment.