JPS59164557A - Device for processing photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate cleaning of a processing bath by installing an overflow device for maintaining a processing soln. in the processing bath in a constant level and a storage tank larger in capacity than said bath, for receiving the soln. flowing out through the overflow device. CONSTITUTION:A storage tank 9 is installed in the circulating route of a processing soln. The tank 9 is provided with an overflow pipe 10 at the level of the soln. level (a). When operation of this device is started, the level of the tank 9 lowers from (a) to (b), but each time the soln. is replenished, the level gradually rises, and when the level reaches (a), it begins to overflow. The capacity of the tank 9 is made larger than that of a processing bath 1, and when the device is stopped, a necessary amt. of the processing soln. is contained in the tanks except the bath 1, thus facilitating cleaning of the bath.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to processing of photosensitive materials such as photographic film, photographic paper, and PS plates (hereinafter representatively referred to as films), such as automatic processors and reducers. Regarding the equipment,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a processing liquid circulation circuit of a processing device.

Conventionally, in these processing devices, as shown in Fig. 1,
The processing liquid that has entered the processing tank 1 is circulated by the pump 2 through the heat exchange tank 3 while controlling the temperature, and the film F is processed by conveying it in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in the figure. To prevent fatigue of the processing liquid due to the processing of
More excess processing liquid is allowed to overflow and is disposed of into a drain (not shown).

By the way, in processing equipment, it is necessary to clean it frequently to prevent the processing tank from getting dirty with dust and oxidation products as it is used, which will have a negative effect on the finish of the film. Processing tank 1 is always filled with processing liquid /i'! Cleaning cannot be done as expected because of the cleaning. In addition, even when the machine is stopped, the contact between the processing liquid and the outside air... i Al'4 is wide, so there is also the drawback that the processing liquid is subject to significant fatigue due to air oxidation.

As shown in Figure 2, to compensate for the above-mentioned drawbacks,
At the start of processing, the processing liquid that has entered the cartridge 8 is injected into the processing tank 1 by the pump 2, and is collected into the cartridge 8 through an overflow pipe 7-2 provided at the other end, thereby circulating the liquid. As a countermeasure against exhaustion of the processing liquid, there is an apparatus in which the cartridge 8 is replaced with a new one containing a new processing liquid after processing a predetermined number of films P'.

In this device, since the processing liquid is contained in the cartridge 8 when not processing, the processing tank is easy to clean and there is less fatigue due to air oxidation of the processing liquid, but on the other hand, it is difficult to replenish the replenisher. Therefore, there are disadvantages in that the processing capacity changes depending on the degree of use, making it impossible to perform accurate processing, and the processing liquid must be replaced at an early stage.

In order to compensate for the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present applicant has combined the methods of Utility Model Application No. 55-40836, Figs. Utility Application 1982-1 as one capable of replenishing
61440, it is an object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus which eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a storage tank with an overflow means in the processing liquid circulation circuit.

3.1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
Items with the same symbols as those in the figure will not be explained. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, a storage tank (9) is provided in the processing liquid circulation circuit, and an overflow pipe 10 is provided in the tank (9) at the processing liquid level a. When this apparatus starts operating, the level of the processing liquid in the storage tank 9 drops from a to b, and the film F is processed in this state.

When the processing liquid becomes exhausted due to continued processing, the replenishment pump 5 replenishes the replenishment liquid 6 from the replenishment tank 4 according to the fatigue level, and each time the replenishment liquid 6 is refilled, the processing in the storage tank (9) is refilled. The liquid level gradually rises to V (and eventually reaches the liquid level a, and the overflow starts from overflow u 'gl 10. The total amount of treated liquid at this time is the liquid level a in the tank 9, b),
：It becomes when it increases. When the work is completed and the pump 2 is stopped, the processing liquid in the processing tank 1 is transferred to the mistress (7) in the tank 9.
, all of the processing liquid corresponding to the increase in water level a15 flows from the overflow + g11o to the bud-bar flow.

In this embodiment device k, when the machine is stopped, the tank 7 is
The amount of processing liquid between the liquid levels a and b in the tank 9 is discharged from the overflow pipe 10 at one time. That's no good,
- If the capacity of the drain tank (not shown) for the discharged processing liquid used for transportation is small, it will be overused and it will be difficult to know when to replace it. Needless to say, in some cases, it is desirable to install dedicated wastewater treatment equipment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the device according to the present invention, and parts with the same symbols as those in FIG. 3 will not be described. In this figure, an overflow pipe 10 is disposed within the liquid level of a storage tank 9, and a solenoid valve 11 is further provided. In this device, the solenoid valve 11 is closed when the machine is stopped.
C, and all the processing liquid is in tank 9. (
When the machine starts operating (the treatment liquid level a at that time is shown by the broken line), the treatment liquid is pumped from the tank 9 through the heat exchange tank 3 and discharged into the treatment tank 1, and eventually from the overflow 7-3. It overflows and begins to circulate as shown by the arrow in this figure. (The water level of the processing liquid at that time will be equal to the top surface of the overflow pipe. When using it for the first time, measure the amount of processing liquid and place it in the tank 9.
Put it in. ) At this time, the electromagnetic valve 11 is opened by operating a relay or the like using a timer (not shown) or a sensor that detects an overflow of the processing tank 1, and the film F is processed in this state. If the processing solution becomes exhausted due to continued processing, the replenishment pump 5v will stop.
Then, an amount of replenisher 6 corresponding to fatigue is replenished from the replenishment tank 4, and the excess processing solution generated by replenishment overflows from the overflow pipe 10, so that the activity of the processing solution is kept constant. drooping When the work is completed and pump 2 is stopped, solenoid valve 1 is closed due to non-operation of relay etc.
1, which had been opened, is closed, and all of the processing liquid in the processing tank 1 returns to the tank 9 via the pump 2 and the heat exchange tank 3 by gravity.

In the above embodiment, the heat exchange tank 3 is provided in both circulation paths to explain the fC case, but the heat exchange tank 3 is not necessarily necessary, and a heater or the like may be provided directly in the processing tank 1 or tank 9. It is also possible to control the temperature. Furthermore, it goes without saying that it is also possible to use a replenishment device that uses a ventilate pipe without using a replenishment pump.

As described above, in the photosensitive material processing apparatus of the present invention, although the processing solution can be replenished as it becomes exhausted, the necessary amount of processing solution is all in the tank outside the processing tank when the machine is stopped. Therefore, it is not only easy to clean the processing tank, but also reduces fatigue due to air oxidation of the processing liquid, and is especially effective when used in processing equipment with a relatively small processing liquid volume, such as a set of trays. Effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are diagrams showing a processing liquid circulation circuit of a conventional processing apparatus, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing a processing liquid circulation circuit of an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An overflow device for holding the processing liquid in the processing tank in a fixed position in the processing apparatus for photosensitive materials, and a device for temporarily storing the processing liquid flowing out through the overflow device ft. , a storage tank with a capacity equal to or larger than the processing tank and the circulation path is provided at least, and a second overflow device is provided in the storage tank, and when the pump is stopped, the processing liquid is drained from the processing tank. 7. A processing apparatus for a photosensitive material, characterized in that the storage tank is configured to move a flow Fg to the storage tank. (2) Claim No. (1) comprising a replenishment device
A processing apparatus for a photosensitive material as described in . (3) The second overflow device matches the liquid level of the processing liquid remaining in the storage tank during operation of the circulation pump, and closes the second overflow device at the same time as the front pump stops. A processing apparatus for a photosensitive material according to claim (1).