JPS6290659A - Image recording and developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate maintenance control over a device which includes an image recording part and an automatic developing part in one body by allowing a conveyance part which conveys photosensitive materials in the automatic developing part and processing tanks in the developing part to be drawn out. CONSTITUTION:A film magazine 20 is loaded in the image recording part 12 of the device. Then, films are drawn out, sheet by sheet, and irradiated with laser light from a laser device 33 to record images. Then, the films are conveyed to the automatic developing part 14 and respective processes are carried out in a developing tank 50, a fixing tank 60, and a washing tank 68 to develop the images. The films are dried at a drying part 72 and taken out. Further, racks 47 and 49 which conveys the films in the automatic developing part 14 and the conveyance part 16 of a squeeze part 51 are allowed to be drawn out of the device separately. The processing part 17 consisting of the respective processing tanks 50, 6, and 68 and drying part 72 is also drawn out of the device. Therefore, the conveyance part 16 and processing part 17 are drawn out, so the cleaning of the automatic developing part and the maintenance control over a developer, etc., are easily carried out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image recording and developing device, and more particularly to an image recording device that records an image on a photographic material by irradiating the photographic material with a laser beam modulated based on image information. The present invention relates to an image recording and developing apparatus that integrally comprises a part and an automatic developing part that automatically develops a photographic light-sensitive material after image recording is completed.

Recently, a radiographic image recording and reproducing system for obtaining a radiographic image of a subject using a storage phosphor (stimulable phosphor) has been developed and is becoming widespread, particularly in the medical field. Here, a storage phosphor is a material that, when irradiated with radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.), stores some of this radiation energy and later emits visible light, etc. A phosphor that emits stimulated light according to the energy accumulated by irradiation with excitation light.

The radiation image recording and reproducing system described above utilizes this stimulable phosphor, in which radiation image information of a human body, etc. is recorded once on a sheet having a layer made of the stimulable phosphor, and then the stimulable phosphor sheet is is scanned with excitation light such as a laser beam to generate stimulated luminescence light, the obtained stimulated luminescence light is read photoelectrically to obtain an image signal, and based on this image signal, a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material, The image is output as a visible image on a CRT or the like.

Here, when the radiation image information once stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet is permanently recorded on the recording material, an image recording and developing device, for example, an image output laser printer device is employed. That is, this device stores film as a recording material through a magazine, a magazine, etc., takes out the film one by one using a sheet-fed mechanism such as a suction cup, and then extracts the image obtained from the stimulable phosphor sheet. The film is configured to record a predetermined image by irradiating the film with laser light based on the signal.

The film on which the new image has been recorded is then conveyed into the automatic developing device. Here, the film is first transported into a developing tank that stores a developing solution and developed, then passed through a fixing tank that stores a fixer solution, and then transported into a water tank that stores cleaning water. Alternatively, the film is developed by spraying washing water directly onto the film.

Next, this film is squeezed out of the water adhering to the film by a roller or the like constituting the squeeze section, and then transported to a drying section where it is dried by blowing hot air at a predetermined temperature (approximately 55°C). The information will be stored in a location where it will be used for medical diagnosis, etc. as necessary.

By the way, as mentioned above, in such an automatic developing device, various processing liquids such as a developer and a fixer are stored in respective tanks for developing the film, and these processing liquids are stored. Between each tank is a developing section for film,
A transfer unit is provided to transfer between the fixing unit and the cleaning unit. This transfer section is composed of, for example, a rack consisting of rollers, guide plates, and the like.

Then, the processing liquid comes to adhere to this rack due to the transporting action of the film. In this case, if the processing liquid is left attached to rollers, guide plates, etc. for a long time,
Since it oxidizes or hardens in some cases, it may cause uneven processing when the film is passed through the film next time. Therefore, it is essential to periodically clean the racks in the transfer section. Further, as the processing liquid stored in each tank is gradually mixed through the transfer section as the film is transferred, it becomes diluted or deteriorates in quality, so these must also be replaced periodically.

Therefore, it is desirable that each tank for storing processing liquid in an automatic developing device and a transfer section for transferring film between the tanks be configured to be removable from the device for maintenance and management purposes.

However, each tank has a considerable weight because it stores a considerable amount of processing liquid. Although the processing liquid itself does not require much frequent replacement work compared to the cleaning frequency of the transfer section, each tank must be taken out together with the transfer section during maintenance of the transfer section. Therefore,
This replacement work is a considerable burden on the operator, and by taking out each tank at the same time as the transfer section, there is a risk that the processing liquid stored in each tank may leak to the outside or mix with each other. As a result, it has been pointed out that there is an inconvenience in that maintenance management including replacing the developer and the like cannot be carried out smoothly.

The present invention has been made in order to overcome all of the above-mentioned disadvantages, and has an image recording section and an automatic developing section configured integrally, and the photographic light-sensitive material is developed, fixed, and washed in the automatic developing section. An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording and developing device that facilitates maintenance and management of the transfer section by configuring the transfer section for transferring to each processing tank to be pulled out laterally of the device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes an image recording section that records a predetermined image on the photographic light-sensitive material by irradiating light having image information onto a photographic light-sensitive material within a housing, and a photographic section after the image recording is completed. An image recording and developing apparatus is provided with an automatic developing section that automatically develops a photosensitive material, and the photographic photosensitive material conveyed to the automatic developing section is developed, fixed, and washed in the automatic developing section. The present invention is characterized in that a transfer section for transferring to the processing tanks is constructed so as to be able to be separated from each of the processing tanks and pulled out to the outside.

Next, preferred embodiments of the image recording and developing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 3, reference numeral 1o indicates an image recording and developing device according to the present invention, and the image recording and developing device 10
includes an image recording section 12 and an automatic developing section 14. In this case, the image recording section 12 is disposed integrally above the automatic developing section 14. On the other hand, the automatic developing section 14 includes a transfer section 16 and a processing section 17, which are configured to be able to be individually pulled out laterally of the automatic developing section 14.

A magazine insertion stand 18 is attached to the front surface of the image recording section 12, and one end of the magazine insertion stand 18 faces the magazine insertion opening 2o. As shown in FIG. 3, the film magazine 22 is removably loaded into the image recording section 12 through the magazine insertion opening 2o.

A plurality of films A are stacked and stored in the film magazine 22, and a sheet feeding mechanism including a suction cup 26 is provided in a film take-out opening 24 provided in the film magazine 22.

A pair of rollers 28a for conveying the film A is provided adjacent to the side of the suction cup 26, while the image recording section 12
Inside, a plurality of pairs of rollers 28b to 28g are oriented toward the rear of the device from the front side on which the magazine insertion table 18 is attached, parallel to the pair of rollers 28a, and spaced apart by a predetermined distance.
are set up consecutively. Incidentally, provisional guides 30a to 30f for holding the film A in a horizontal state are provided between the roller pairs 28a to 28g. Below the roller pair 28g,
Further, a pair of rollers 28h is provided, and a film exit port 32 is formed directly below the pair of rollers 28h, facing toward the transfer section 16. In this case, a curved guide plate 30g is disposed between the roller pair 28g and the roller pair 28h.

Here, a laser beam (indicated by a dashed line in the figure) is applied to the film A conveyed on the guide plate 30c in the image recording section 12.
A laser device 33 for irradiating is provided. This laser device 33 basically consists of a laser oscillator 34, an optical modulator 36, a rotating polygon mirror 38, a scanning lens 40 consisting of an fθ lens, and a reflecting mirror 42. In this case, the rotating polygon mirror 38 has a polygonal column shape and is configured to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow by a rotation drive means (not shown). Furthermore, although the optical axis of the laser beam from the laser oscillator 34 is shown diagonally above the rotating polygon mirror 38 in FIG.
8 (see FIG. 2).

On the other hand, the automatic developing section 14 is provided with a pair of rollers 44 adjacent to the film exit port 32 of the image recording section 12 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the automatic developing section 14 has a transfer section 16 whose upper surface is open and directed toward the image recording section 12, and which is moved in the directions of arrows A and B through a handle 45, as shown in FIGS. It is stored and arranged so that it can be accessed and removed.

A pair of rollers 46 is disposed in the transfer section 16 vertically below the pair of rollers 44 . The lower surface of the transfer section 16 is open toward the processing section 17 . The transfer section 16 is provided with a first rank 47, a second rack 49, and a squeeze section 51, which are each composed of a plurality of rollers and guide plates, and which transfer the film A to a predetermined portion of the processing section 17.

In this case, the first rack 47, the second rack 49, and the squeeze section 51 are connected to a driving means (not shown) in the automatic developing section 14 when the transfer section 16 is housed in the automatic developing section 14. Configure it.

In the processing section 17 , a developing section 48 is arranged vertically below the roller pair 46 . A developing solution is stored in a tank 50 constituting the developing section 48, and a developing rack 52 consisting of a plurality of rollers and a guide plate is connected to the tank 50.
located within. The first rack 47 constituting the transfer section 16 is connected to the terminal end of the developing rack 52, and the exit side of the first rack 47 constitutes the fixing section 56 and has a plurality of rollers and a guide plate. It is close to the fixing tank 58.

The fixing rack 58 is attached to the fixing liquid stored in a tank 60, and a second rack 49 constituting the transfer section 16 is connected to the final end of the fixing rack 58.

A washing rack 66 constituting a washing section 64 is disposed close to the outlet side of the second rack 49, and the washing rack 66 is immersed in washing water stored in a tank 68, and its exit side is connected to the transfer section 16. It is connected to the squeeze section 51 that constitutes the. The squeeze section 51 shifts the direction of the film A conveyed vertically upward from the washing section 64 by 90'' so that its exit side faces the drying section 72 (.

The drying section 72 includes a roller group 74a made up of a plurality of rollers that contacts one side of the film A, and a plurality of rollers that make contact with the other side of the film A and are arranged alternately with the roller group 74a. A roller group 74b is provided. A plurality of air blowing pipes 76a are provided on the roller group 74a side facing each roller of the roller group 74b, and a plurality of air blowing pipes 76a facing each roller of the roller group 74a are provided on the roller group 74b side. 76b is provided. These air blowing pipes 76a, 76b have slit-shaped drying air blowing openings 78a, 78 at mutually opposing portions.
b, and is configured to eject warm air (approximately 55° C.) toward the film A side.

The drying section 72 is disposed facing downward in the vertical direction, and a pair of rollers 80 is disposed at the lower end of the drying section 72 via a curved guide plate 79 oriented in the horizontal direction. A roller pair 82 is further disposed on the roller pair 80 with a guide plate 81 interposed therebetween at a predetermined distance. On the other hand, a film exit port 84 is formed in the lower part of the processing section 17 and opens into the automatic developing section 14 in the vicinity of the roller pair 82 .

The processing section 17 configured in this manner is configured to be able to move in and out in the directions of arrows A and B shown in FIG. 1 independently of the transfer section 16 as required.

On the other hand, in the automatic developing section 14, a pair of rollers 86a is disposed close to the film exit port 84. In addition, a magazine insertion slot 20 of the image recording section 12 is located in the front of the automatic developing section 14.
A film outlet 90 that opens toward the film storage section 88 is formed in a region adjacent to the film storage section 88 . In this case, roller pairs 86a to 86f are disposed in series between the film outlet 84 and the film outlet 90, and these roller pairs 86a
Guide plates 92a to 92e are provided between the guide plates 92a to 86f, respectively.

The image recording and developing device of this embodiment is basically constructed as described above, and its operation and effects will be explained next.

First, insert the film magazine 2 through the magazine insertion stand 1B.
2 is loaded into the image recording section 12 from the magazine insertion port 20. At this time, the opening 24 of the film magazine 22 is opened into the image recording section 12. Next, the suction cup 26 is driven via a sheet feeding mechanism (not shown), and the films A are taken out one by one from the film magazine 22 by the suction cup 26. The taken-out film A is conveyed between roller pairs 28a to 28g along guide plates 30a to 30f with its photosensitive emulsion surface facing upward.

During transportation, a predetermined image is drawn on the photosensitive emulsion surface of the film A by a laser device 33. That is, an image recording signal obtained from a stimulable phosphor sheet is supplied to the laser device 33 in advance in an image reading section (not shown), and based on this image recording signal, the laser is activated under the action of a driving means (not shown). The device 33 operates. Therefore, the laser light emitted from the laser oscillator 34 is modulated by the optical modulator 36 based on the image signal, and the rotating polygon mirror 38
, and further, after being focused by the scanning lens 40,
The film A is irradiated via the reflection mirror 42. In this case, the laser beam is main-scanned in the lateral direction of the film A (direction perpendicular to FIG. 3) by the rotation of the rotating polygon mirror 38 in the direction of the arrow, and the rotation of the roller pairs 28a to 28g causes the laser beam to main scan the film A. moves in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction and is sub-scanned. In this way, a predetermined image is recorded on film A.

Next, film A after image recording is placed on a guide plate of 30 g.
The film is guided by the roller pair 28h, and is transported out from the film exit port 32 toward the automatic developing section 14 side by the rotational movement of the roller pair 28h. The film A transferred to the automatic developing section 14 is carried into the developing section 48 constituting the processing section 17 via a roller pair 44 located vertically below the roller pair 28h and a roller pair 46 of the transfer section 16. . In this case, roller pairs 4
4, for example, a microswitch (not shown) is provided, and this microswitch detects that the film A is inserted between the pair of rollers 44, and the film transfer operation is performed normally. It is preferable to configure the system so that it is determined.

The film A transferred into the developing section 48 is stored in the developing rack 52.
It is sandwiched between the two and immersed in the developer in the tank 50. The film A has a traveling direction of 1 within this tank 50.
8a0 and is transported to the first rack 47 of the transport section 16. The film A that has reached the first rack 47 is again deflected by 180 degrees in the traveling direction via a guide plate and rollers provided therein, and is conveyed into the fixing section 56.

In the fixing section 56, the film A is transported by a fixing rack 58 and immersed in a fixing solution stored in a tank 60. Then, the film A is transported vertically upward in the same manner as in the developing section 48, and is transported to the washing section 64 of the processing section 17 via the second rack 49 of the transport section 16. In the washing section 64, the film A is transported by a washing rack 66, and the developer and fixer adhering to the film A are washed away with washing water stored in a tank 68.

After cleaning, the film A is then conveyed to the squeeze section 51 that constitutes the transfer section 16, and after the moisture adhering to the film A is squeezed out by a plurality of rollers, it is carried into the drying section 72 that constitutes the processing section 17. be done. In this case, the film A is dried in the drying section 72, with both sides of the film A having roller groups 74a and 74.
4b, and during the transfer, moisture adhering to the film A is removed by warm air at, for example, about 55° C., which is blown out from a plurality of air blowing pipes 76a and 76b.

Then, the film A completely dried in the drying section 72 is transferred to the roller pair 8 attached to the lower part of the drying section 72.
0 and 82 to the film outlet 84 of the processing section 17.
The toner is then transferred to a pair of rollers 86a constituting the automatic developing section 14. The film A transferred to the roller pair 86a is transferred to the guide plates 92a to 92e and the roller pairs 86a to 86.
From the film outlet 90 through f, the film storage section 88
They will be stacked and stored inside.

Here, the racks 47, 49 and the squeeze section 51 are arranged in relation to the tanks 50, 60, 68 that store the respective processing liquids, and the respective racks 47, 49 and the squeeze section 51 contain the processing liquids as described above. The attached film A is conveyed. For this reason, the grooves 47 and 49 and the squeeze section 51 require relatively frequent maintenance in order to remove the respective processing liquids. Furthermore, as the film is transferred, each treatment liquid is gradually mixed with a different type of treatment liquid in a tank disposed at the next stage, and oxidation fatigue progresses over time.

Therefore, in the automatic developing section 14, the rack 47.49
, maintenance of the squeeze section 51, etc., or replacement of the developing solution, fixing solution, and cleaning solution.

In this case, the transfer unit 16 has a handle 4 as shown in FIG.
5 in the direction of arrow A. When the transfer section 16 is pulled out from the automatic developing section 14, the racks 47, 49 and the squeeze section 51 housed in the transfer section 16 are exposed to the outside of the image recording and developing device 10. and,
In this state, the developer, fixer, etc. adhering to each rack 47, 49 and squeeze portion 51 are cleaned.

When the transfer section 16 is pulled out, the transfer section 16 is separated from a driving means (not shown) disposed in the automatic developing section 14, and is moved in the side direction of the image recording and developing device 10 in a state independent of the processing section 17. drawn out. Therefore, the transfer unit 16 is extremely lightweight, and operations such as maintenance management can be performed easily. Furthermore, since the transfer section 16 can be separated from the processing section 17 in this way,
When the transfer unit 16 is pulled out in the direction of arrow A, the processing unit 1
There is no fear that unnecessary vibrations or the like will be transmitted to the processing section 7 and the processing liquids in the processing section 17 will be mixed with each other.

In addition, the developer, fixer, and cleaning water are exchanged at the transfer section 16.
This can be done by pulling out the processing section 17 from the automatic developing section 14 in the same way as in the above case.

When the above maintenance management and replacement work is completed, the transfer section 1
6 and the processing section 17 are again pushed in the direction of arrow B and housed in the automatic developing section 14. Therefore, in such a configuration, the transport systems of the transfer section 16 and the processing section 17 are aligned when they are stored. All you need to do is secure enough space for it to be pulled out.

As described above, according to the present invention, in an image recording and developing device having an image recording section and an automatic developing section, the transfer section that transfers the photographic light-sensitive material to the processing section constituting the automatic developing section can be separated and removed from the processing section main body. It is composed of Therefore, the cleaning work of the transfer section, which requires frequent maintenance, can be performed extremely easily. Moreover, since this transfer section is configured to be drawn out independently of the processing section that stores each processing liquid, the processing section vibrates when the transfer section is pulled out, and the processing liquids in the processing section are mixed with each other. There is no risk of that happening.

Further, the processing section is also configured to be able to be pulled out in the side direction of the device, similar to the case of the transfer section. Furthermore, since the transfer section and the processing section are completely separated, even if the processing section itself, which stores the processing liquid etc. in a tank, has a considerable weight, the weight of the transfer section will be reduced. This has the advantage that it can be made lighter and operations such as replacing the processing liquid can be made easier.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
Of course, various improvements and changes in design are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image recording and developing device according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an internal explanatory diagram of the image recording and developing device according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a partially omitted side vertical sectional view of the image recording and developing device according to the present invention.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) An image recording section that records a predetermined image on the photographic material by irradiating the photographic material with light having image information in the housing, and an automatic device that automatically develops the photographic material after the image recording is completed. The image recording and developing apparatus includes a developing section, the transferring section for transferring the photographic light-sensitive material conveyed to the automatic developing section to each processing tank in which the photographic material is subjected to development, fixing, and cleaning processing in the automatic developing section. An image recording and developing device characterized in that it is constructed so that it can be separated from each processing tank and pulled out to the outside. (2) The image recording device according to claim 1, in which the processing section including each processing tank is configured to be able to be pulled out toward one side of the casing that constitutes the device, independently of the transfer section. Developing device. (3) In the apparatus according to claim 1, each of the transfer section and the processing section including each processing tank is provided with a conveyance system for conveying the photographic material therein, and the conveyance system includes the transfer section and the processing section. An image recording and developing device configured such that when the two parts are housed in a housing, their conveyance paths are aligned with each other. (4) An image recording and developing device according to claim 1, wherein the image recording section is disposed above the automatic developing section.