JPH117115A - Photosensitive material processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hold confidentiality without necessitating to pay a careful attention to a processing member. SOLUTION: A heater unit 80 which is a heating means for erasing an afterimage is disposed in the midst of a carrying path extended to a point where a processing sheet 58 is taken up by a take-up roller 50 on a downstream side from a holding heating processing part at a heating drum 38. The surface of the processing sheet 58 is heated at a prescribed temperature (sufficient temperature to make the mordanting agent of the processing sheet 58 react) by the heater unit 80. A heat transferring means may be radiation or warm wind. The mordanting agent remaining on the processing sheet 58 is entirely removed by a reaction by the heating and is taken up by the take-up roller 50 after the afterimage is erased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus for forming an image on a photothermographic material which is developed by heating, and more particularly, to a photothermographic material which is heated by being superposed on the photothermographic material. The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus for forming an image using a processing member for forming an image on a developed photosensitive material.

[0002]

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, light transmitted through a dye image of a color negative film is applied to a color paper,
The dye image is printed on color paper and exposed, and the same development is performed.
A color print was obtained through a bleaching and fixing process.

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. ing. 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 (wet processing) on a photographed color negative film. The process is complicated.

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 superposed on a processing member (containing a mordant). (For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 8-1206
No. 19).

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 prior art. Since a liquid containing a chemical such as a processing liquid is not used, maintenance can be improved.

[0008]

However, when the heat development processing of the processing member is completed, the processing member is discarded (in some cases, it can be reused). However, the mordant contained in this processing member is Since only the portion of the photothermographic material having a high color density (black character portion in the case of a normal black character image) disappears, and the low color density portion (white portion of the base in a black character image) remains as it is. Afterimages will remain.

For this reason, when processing documents or images requiring confidentiality, it is necessary to pay close attention to the processing members after the processing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus capable of maintaining confidentiality without paying close attention to processing members.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A heating drum, and a processing member that is wound and housed in a roll shape and has a feeding portion pressed against the outer periphery of the heating drum, and holds the photothermographic material between the heating drum and the processing member. A photosensitive material processing apparatus for forming an image on the photothermographic material by conveying and heating the processing member in a state of being overlapped with the processing member, wherein the photothermographic material in a conveying path of the processing member is Is provided on the downstream side of the superimposed position of the image forming apparatus, and heats the processing member at a predetermined temperature to erase an afterimage on the processing member, which is generated when an image is formed on the photosensitive material. Means.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the processing member that has completed the thermal development processing is heated at a predetermined temperature by the after-image elimination heating means, for example, in the middle of the transport path until winding and collecting. The mordant contained in the processing member reacts uniformly with the same effect as when a high-density image is thermally developed by heating at a predetermined temperature or higher, and the afterimage is eliminated.

With this arrangement, the confidentiality of the heat-developed image does not leak from the processing member, and it is not necessary to pay close attention to the processing (disposal, etc.) of the processing member, so that the maintenance workability can be improved. .

[0014]

1 to 3 are perspective views showing the appearance of a photosensitive material processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 and 5 show the internal structure of the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10. FIG.

The main body 12 of the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10 is formed in a box shape. As shown in detail in FIG. 2, a front door 14 is provided on the front side of the main body 12, and a side door 16 is provided on the right side, and the inside can be exposed by opening and closing each.

At the corner of the main body 12 on the side of the side door 16, a cartridge loading section 18 is provided. The patrone loading section 18 is exposed when the side door 16 is opened, and can load a patrone 20 containing the photographed film N. A transport roller 22 is disposed near the patrone loading section 18 so that the film N can be pulled out from the loaded patrone 20 and transported.

The film N in the present embodiment
Is equivalent to the color material-containing photothermographic material of the present invention, on a support, at least a photosensitive silver halide, a binder, and a color material having a function of releasing or diffusing a diffusible dye imagewise, The photosensitive material has at least three types of photosensitive layers having different wavelengths from each other and different hues after development processing of the coloring material.

The patrone loading section 18 (transport roller 22)
A water application section 24 as an application means
Is installed.

The water application section 24 is exposed by opening the front door 14, and further includes an application tank 26. The application tank 26 is formed in a dish shape, and is filled with water as a solvent for image formation. 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.

A replenishing tank 32 is provided below the coating tank 26.
Is arranged. The replenishment tank 32 is filled with water as an image forming solvent, and is connected to the coating tank 26 via a pipe 34, a pump 36, and the like. Thereby, the water in the replenishing tank 32 can be fed to the application tank 26 by filling, and the water in the application tank 26 can be discharged (returned) to the replenishing tank 32.

A heating drum 38 is installed near the downstream side of the water application section 24 in the transport direction. The heating drum 38 is rotatably supported by the main body 12, and is driven to rotate by a drive system (not shown). A halogen lamp 40 is accommodated in the heating drum 38, and the temperature of the heating drum 38 can be raised.

On the other hand, beside the heating drum 38,
A processing member cassette 42 is loaded in the main body 12 on the opposite side of the patrone loading section 18. The processing member cassette 42 is provided with a pair of holding plates 4
4 and is formed in a box shape, and is removably mounted on slide holding portions 46 provided on the upper and lower portions of the main body 12, respectively. Therefore, the processing member cassette 42 can be removed from the main body 12 as shown in FIG.

A pair of holding plates 44 of the processing member cassette 42
A processing member roll 48 and a take-up roller 50 are supported in the opposed gap, and a take-up roller 52 and a take-up roller 54 are further supported. One of the winding rollers 52 is urged by a spring 56 and serves as a pressure roller when the film N is held between the heating drum 38 and a processing sheet 58 described later.

The processing member roll 48 accommodates a processing sheet 58 as a processing member wound up in a roll shape. The processing sheet 58 has a layer containing a mordant for developing the film N on a support. The processing sheet 58 is fed from the processing member roll 48 and wound around the winding roller 52 and the winding roller 54, and the leading end is locked to the winding roller 50.

On the holding plate 44 between the winding roller 52 and the winding roller 54, a holding projection 60 having a shape corresponding to the curved state of the heating drum 38 is formed. Both ends in the direction are held in a predetermined curved state.

A guide hole 62 is provided in the slide holding portion 46 for holding the processing member cassette 42.
A guide pin 64 fixedly provided in the main body 12 enters. Thus, the slide holding section 46 is slidable in a direction in which the inside of the main body 12 comes into contact with and separates from the heating drum 38 while holding the processing member cassette 42. A rack 66 is formed in the slide holding portion 46 near the guide hole 62.
Is meshed with a pinion 68 provided on the main body 12. For this reason, the pinion 68 is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown), so that the slide holding portion 46, that is, the processing member cassette 42 slides in the direction of coming into contact with and separating from the heating drum 38.

When the processing member cassette 42 held by the slide holding section 46 is close to the heating drum 38,
Wrapping roller 52 unwound from processing member roll 48
The feeding portion of the processing sheet 58 between the heating roller 38 and the winding roller 54 is pressed against the outer periphery of the heating drum 38.
Therefore, in this state, the film N sent from the water application section 24 is heated by the heating drum 38 and the processing sheet 5.
8 can be pinched and conveyed.

Here, when the film N is heated in a state of being superimposed on the processing sheet 58, the colorant contained in the film N reacts with the mordant contained in the processing sheet 58 to form an image-like diffusible dye. Is released or diffused, and 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.

Incidentally, on the processing sheet 58, the reacted mordant remains as an afterimage corresponding to the image density of the film N.
That is, an inverted image (that is, a positive image) remains for the image formed on the film N.

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, after the processing sheet 58 is taken up by the take-up roller 50 on the downstream side of the portion where the heat treatment is carried out by the heating drum 38, a residual image erasing process is performed. A heater unit 80 as heating means is provided.

The heater unit 80 heats the surface of the processing sheet 58 at a predetermined temperature (a temperature sufficient for the mordant of the processing sheet 58 to react). The heater unit 80 includes a fan 88 inside the heater unit main body 84.
And a heater 90, wherein the air generated by the fan 88 is heated by the heater 90 and sent out toward the processing sheet 58. Note that the heat transfer means may be radiation.

By this heating, the mordant remaining on the processing sheet 58 is completely removed by the reaction, and after the residual image is eliminated, the mordant is taken up by the take-up roller 50.

The heater unit 80 is arranged at a position where the heater unit 80 does not interfere with the slide movement locus of the processing member cassette 42.

When the temperature of the heating drum 38 is adjusted (for example, when the temperature is raised), the slide holder 46 (processing member cassette 42) is heated by driving the pinion 68 as shown in FIG. It is designed to be separated from the drum 38.

On the other hand, a peeling claw 70 is arranged near the upper portion of the heating drum 38. The peeling claw 70 holds the film N transported between the heating drum 38 and the processing sheet 58.
From the heating drum 38.

A plurality of transport rollers 72 are provided in the vicinity of the peeling claw 70, and further transport the film N peeled from the heating drum 38 by the peeling claw 70 to the upper end corner of the main body 12. This is a configuration that can be sent out from the provided outlet 74.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration, the processing sheet 58 is wound and stored in the processing member roll 48 of the processing member cassette 42 in advance. After being fed out and wound around the winding roller 52 and the winding roller 54, the leading end is locked to the winding roller 50. In this state, the processing member cassette 42 is loaded in the slide holding section 46 of the main body 12.

In this case, the processing member cassette 42 is
Even when the processing member cassette 42 is detached from the processing member cassette 42, the feeding portion of the processing sheet 58 (between the winding roller 52 and the winding roller 54) is held in a predetermined curved state by the holding protrusion 60. The processing sheet 58 is not unnecessarily loosened or tensioned when attaching and detaching the main body 12 to and from the main body 12.

Next, the operator loads the patrone 20 containing the film N having the image recorded on each frame into the patrone loading section 18 of the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10, and operates a start button (not shown). Thus, the thermal development processing of the film N is started.

In this case, the processing member cassette 42 (slide holding portion 46) is separated from the heating drum 38 by driving the pinion 68 until the heating drum 38 reaches a predetermined temperature (the state shown in FIG. 5). Therefore, unnecessary heating of the processing sheet 58 is prevented.

When the heating drum 38 reaches a predetermined temperature,
The driving of the pinion 68 causes the processing member cassette 42 (slide holding portion 46) to approach and move to the heating drum 38,
Wrapping roller 52 unwound from processing member roll 48
The feeding portion of the processing sheet 58 between the roller and the winding roller 54 is pressed against the outer periphery of the heating drum 38 (the state shown in FIG. 4).

In this case, even if the processing sheet 58 (processing member cassette 42) is separated from the outer periphery of the heating drum 38,
The feeding portion of the processing sheet 58 (between the wrapping roller 52 and the wrapping roller 54) is held at the holding protrusion 6 in the same manner as described above.
Since it is held in a predetermined curved state by 0, the processing sheet 58 is not unnecessarily loosened or tensioned. Therefore, when the processing member cassette 42 is moved closer to the heating drum 38, the processing sheet 58 is reliably pressed against the heating drum 38.

Next, the film N is pulled out and conveyed, and the film N is pulled out from the cartridge 20. The film N pulled out from the patrone 20 passes through the inside of the application tank 26 of the water application section 24 and is coated with water.

The film N coated with water as described above
Is guided between the lower end of the heating drum 38 and the winding roller 52. Further, the film N is wound around the winding roller 52.
While being sandwiched between the processing sheet 58 wound around the heating drum 38 and the outer peripheral portion of the heating drum 38, the outer peripheral portion of the heating drum 38 is conveyed clockwise in FIG. At this time, the processing sheet 58 is also transported at the same transport speed as the film N. Here, since water is applied to the film N, the film N and the processing sheet 58 are conveyed along the outer peripheral portion of the heating drum 38 in a state of being in close contact with no gap.

Then, the leading end of the film N is
8 reach the heating range in the outer peripheral portion of the film N.
And the conveyance of the processing sheet 58 is temporarily stopped, and the film N
Then, the processing sheet 58 is heated for a predetermined time.

Here, the film N is heated while being superimposed on the processing sheet 58, so that the film N
The diffusible dye is released or diffused imagewise from the coloring 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. Since water adheres to the film N as described above, the film N is uniformly heat-developed.

When heating for a predetermined time is completed, the film N
Then, the conveyance of the processing sheet 58 is restarted.

After the transport of the film N and the processing sheet 58 is resumed, when the film N and the processing sheet 58 are transported to the upper end of the heating drum 38, the processing sheet 58 is wound around the winding roller 54. From the film N.

The separated processing sheet 58 is conveyed to the heater unit 80 by the conveyance after the separation.
In the heater unit 80, the processing sheet 58 is heated by applying warm air or radiant heat of a predetermined temperature to the processing sheet 58.

By this heating, the mordant remaining as an afterimage on the processing sheet 58 is reacted, and this afterimage can be erased. Here, conventionally, since an afterimage remains on the processing sheet 58, it is necessary to pay close attention to the processed processing sheet 58 from the viewpoint of confidentiality. However, in the present embodiment, when the processing sheet 58 is post-processed (discarded or the like) by erasing the residual image by the heater unit 80, even if a highly confidential document or document is thermally developed, no care is taken. There is no necessity, and processing such as disposal together with ordinary waste can be performed.

The processing sheet 58 that has passed through the heater unit 80 is sequentially wound up by the winding roller 50.

On the other hand, the film N that has reached the winding roller 54 is separated from the heating drum 38 by the operation of the separation claw 70. The film N peeled from the heating drum 38 is
The sheet is conveyed by a conveying roller 72 toward an outlet 74,
It is sent out of the main body 12 through the outlet 74.

In this way, the film N is subjected to the heat development processing. Thereafter, an image recorded on the film N is digitally read by a digital image reader or the like, and the read image data is input to a digital printer or the like, thereby obtaining a photographic print of each frame image of the film N. it can.

As described above, according to the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, a film N on which an already exposed image (a photographed image) is formed by heating.
By using a processing sheet 58 having a layer containing a mordant for developing the film N on a support,
An image can be easily formed by heat development without performing complicated development, bleaching, and fixing processes as in the related art.

In the photosensitive material processing apparatus 10, since water as an image forming solvent is applied to the film N before the film N and the processing sheet 58 are overlapped, the diffusible dye is easily diffused, The process of forming an image on N can be performed more effectively.

The transport of the film N is temporarily stopped while the film N is sandwiched between the processing sheet 58 and the heating drum 38 as described above. The thermal development may be performed by continuously heating N while nipping and transporting the N between the processing sheet 58 and the heating drum 38 at a constant speed. When the film N is nipped and conveyed at a constant speed in this manner, each frame image of the film N is heated for the same time, and can be heat-developed without developing unevenness. Further, if the heat development is performed in this manner, the heating range by the heating drum 38 does not need to be configured to be large enough to cover the entire film N, and the conveyance of the film N and the processing sheet 58 is temporarily stopped or restarted. You don't have to.

In this embodiment, water as an image forming solvent is applied to the film N. However, water may be applied to the processing sheet K, or both the film N and the processing sheet 58 may be applied. May be applied.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the color material-containing photothermographic material of the present invention was used as the film N, but at least photosensitive silver halide,
Using the coupler-containing photothermographic material of the present invention comprising a binder, and a dye-donating coupler, having at least three types of photosensitive layers in which the photosensitive wavelength region and the hue of the dye formed from the dye-donating coupler are different from each other. Is also good.

The form of the film N may be a normal cartridge type or a form corresponding to an advanced photo system (APS) capable of recording magnetic information.

Further, as a means for thermal development, a heating drum 38 is used, and a film N is formed along the outer diameter circumference.
And the processing sheet 58 are conveyed. However, an apparatus configuration in which a flat heating means is provided and heat development is performed while conveying the sheet linearly may be employed.

In the present embodiment, the heater unit 80 is arranged at a position in the apparatus main body which does not interfere with the sliding movement locus of the processing member cassette 42. However, as shown in FIG. May be formed so as to communicate with the hot air output port of the heater unit main body 84 installed on the device 10 side at the time of loading. In this case, warm air can be supplied close to the processing sheet 58.

Further, an exhaust duct 86 may be provided on the lower surface side of the processing sheet 58 in FIG.

[0063]

As described above, the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the present invention has an excellent effect that the confidentiality can be maintained without paying close attention to the processing members.

[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 perspective view showing an appearance of the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, with a front door and a side door opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the photosensitive material processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, with a processing member cassette removed.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of a photosensitive material processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an overall configuration of a photosensitive material processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where a processing member cassette is separated from a heating drum.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a heater unit and its vicinity.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a heater unit according to a modification and its vicinity.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 photosensitive material processing device 18 patrone loading unit 20 patrone 24 water application unit (application unit) 38 heating drum 42 processing member cassette 46 slide holding unit (holding unit) 48 processing member roll 50 winding roller (winding unit) 52 winding Roller 54 Wrap roller 58 Processing sheet (processing member) 60 Holding protrusion 62 Guide hole (holding means) 64 Guide pin (holding means) 68 Pinion 80 Heater unit (heating means for erasing residual image) N film (photothermographic material)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A heating drum, and a processing member that is wound and housed in a roll shape and has a feeding portion pressed against the outer periphery of the heating drum, and a photothermographic material is supplied to the heating drum and the processing member. A photosensitive material processing apparatus for forming an image on the photothermographic material by transporting and heating in a state where the processing member is overlapped with the processing member, wherein It is provided on the downstream side of the position where the photothermographic material is superimposed, and by heating the processing member at a predetermined temperature, an afterimage on the processing member generated when an image is formed on the photosensitive material is erased. Material processing apparatus having a heating means for erasing residual images.