JPS629351A - Method and apparatus for photographic development - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To stably utilize the active developing conditions advantageous for quick processing of high pH, high temp., etc. by bringing a waste developing soln. into contact with the space of a development processing tank contg. the developing soln. and filling deoxidized air therein. CONSTITUTION:The waste developing soln. 25 contained in the deoxidation tank 19 is heated by a heater 37 and an alkali fed fro a catalytic tank 38 is added thereto. Fresh air or the air circulated in a circulation pipe 24 is forcibly fed by a pump 27 to an air blow pipe 26 and is ejected from an aperture 26a thereof into the liquid 25. The air is deoxidized when the air flows up in the form of bubbles in the liquid 25. The deoxidized air is pumped 29 into an air tank 30 and is stored therein. The air is regulated to the pressure slightly higher than the atm. pressure by a pressure regulating valve 33 and is then fed to a cap 32 so as to be filled therein. The developing soln. is thus prevented from being deteriorated with age by the oxygen in the airand the developing conditions are stabilized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a photographic developing method and apparatus that prevents a developer from changing over time.

[Conventional technology]

Photosensitive materials such as photographic paper and film are sequentially subjected to development processing and fixing processing using a photographic development device.

The developer used in this development process includes a reducing agent, an alkaline agent to further activate the developing agent, and an oxidizing agent to prevent the developing agent from being oxidized by oxygen in the air. The main ingredients are sensitizers, antifoggants, etc.

A conventional development processing tank has a box shape, and a transfer device such as a roller or a belt is attached to the tank so as to be immersed in the developer. The exposed photosensitive material is transported while immersed in a developer by a transport device, and development processing is performed therebetween. The composition of this developer changes with use and becomes fatigued, resulting in a decrease in developing ability and the inability to achieve a desired density. Therefore, in order to keep the developing capacity constant, a replenishment port is formed at the bottom of the developing tank, and new developer is added from now on. An outlet is formed in the upper part of the development processing tank, and the developer whose developing ability has decreased is discharged as developer waste.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The causes of fatigue of the developer include changes over time and changes in processing, and it is necessary to replenish new developer in response to these changes. The processing change occurs when the photosensitive material is developed, and since this processing change is proportional to the photosensitive material being processed, it is sufficient to replenish a new developer in accordance with the processing amount. The above-mentioned changes over time are fatigue caused by the air in contact with the developer, one of which is oxidation of the developer by oxygen in the air, and the other is a decrease in pH due to carbon dioxide in the air.

Since this change over time varies greatly depending on the developing conditions, it is difficult to determine the amount of developer replenishment that corresponds to this change over time. Conventionally, when a suitable period of use has passed, test photosensitive materials (control strips) exposed using a density wedge are developed, and the finished density is examined to determine the degree of fatigue of the developer. It determines the amount of replenishment of the developer and the timing of replacing the entire developer. However, since this management work requires specialized knowledge, it is practically difficult to apply it to minilabs, which are currently becoming widespread.

In order to perform the development process quickly, it is necessary to raise the pH of the developer and use it at a high temperature.

Under such active development conditions, the above-mentioned change over time is quite large, and therefore a large amount of developer is required to be replenished.

The present invention aims to overcome the various drawbacks mentioned above.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention fills the space inside the developing treatment tank with air that has been deoxidized by contacting with the developing waste solution.

Deoxygenation of the air can be carried out by passing air through the developer waste liquid using a deoxidizing tank, or by spraying the finely divided developer waste liquid into the air. In order to replenish the deoxidizing tank with the developing waste solution, it is sufficient to use a cartridge that accommodates the developing waste solution overflowing from the developing processing tank, and to replaceably attach the cartridge to the deoxidizing tank.

Another invention is to connect the deoxidizing tank and the developing tank through a pipe, send the developer waste from the developing tank to the deoxidizing tank, and install an air blowing section inside the deoxidizing tank. The blown air is deoxidized by passing through the developing waste solution, and the obtained air is sent into the developing processing tank to fill the developing processing tank covered with a lid.

The developer contains a reducing agent and an alkaline agent to activate the developing agent, so by bringing air into contact with the exhausted developer waste, the air can be deoxidized. . The air deoxygenated in this way is
Since it becomes an inert gas, even if it comes into contact with the developer in the development processing tank, there is no risk of oxidizing it and causing fatigue.

In order to effectively deoxidize the air, it is desirable to heat the developer waste solution or add an alkali to the developer waste solution.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Configuration of Example]

The developing tank 10 has a box-like shape with an open top, and the developer 1 is accommodated therein. This developing tank 10 has a replenishment port 12 formed at its lower part for replenishing new developer, and an overflow port 13 formed at its upper part. The replenishment port 12 is connected to a replenisher tank 15 via a pipe 14, and a certain amount of developer is supplied into the developing tank 10 by a pump 16 provided midway through the pipe 14. As described below, deoxygenated air 54
The developer tank 38 is filled with air 5.
In order to prevent the liquid from leaking out from the overflow port 13, a waste liquid groove F is provided at the overflow port 13. After the developing waste liquid enters this waste liquid groove 17, it climbs over the partition 17a, and then is sent to the deoxidizing tank 19 through the pipe 18.

Two rollers 20 and 21 are installed below the developing tank 10.
is arranged, and a roller 22 of III is arranged at a position slightly lower than the overflow port 13. These rollers 20 to 22 are rotated by a motor at the same speed, and transport the photosensitive material 23 immersed in the developer 11 at a constant speed, during which development processing is performed.

The deoxidizing tank 19 stores a developing waste liquid 25 sent from the developing processing tank 10, and an air blowing pipe 26 is immersed in this developing waste liquid 25. This air blowing pipe 26 is provided with a plurality of small openings 26a, and air pumped from the air pump 27 is blown out from the openings 26a. This air floats up in the developing waste liquid 25 as minute bubbles, and at that time, the oxygen contained in the air flows into the developing waste liquid 25.
It is removed by developing agent No. 5. In order to increase the contact efficiency with the developing waste liquid 25, a circulation vibrator 24 is provided.
The air deoxidized in the upper part of the deoxidizing tank 19 is returned to the pump 27 and is ejected into the developer waste liquid 25. Note that sufficient deoxidation can be achieved by connecting a plurality of deoxidizing tanks in a cascade and passing air through the plurality of deoxidizing tanks in sequence. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the circulation pipe 24 in each deoxidizing tank.

A pipe 28 is connected to the upper part of the deoxidizing tank 19, and air deoxidized by a pump 29 interposed in the pipe 28 is stored in an air tank 30. This air tank 30 is connected to a lid 32 via a pipe 31, and is pressure-regulated to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure by a pressure-regulating valve 33 before being forced into the developing processing tank 10.

Since the deoxidizing tank 19 is continuously supplied with developer waste from the development processing tank 10, a pipe 35 is connected thereto for overflowing excess developer waste.
5 and the excess developer waste is stored in the cartridge 36.

In order to efficiently deoxidize, it is preferable to activate the developer waste liquid 25 by heating it and bring it into contact with air in this state. For this purpose, a heater 37 is attached to the bottom of the deoxidizing tank 19, and the developer waste liquid is heated to 20 to 80°C, preferably 30 to 60°C.
℃, more preferably 35 to 50℃. In addition, in order to enhance the reducing action of the developer waste liquid and promote deoxidation, a catalyst tank 38 containing an alkali is connected to the deoxidizer tank I9 via a pipe 39, and a pump is pumped according to the supply amount of the developer waste liquid. 40 is activated, and the alkali in the tank 38 is sent to the deoxidizing tank 19 and added to the developer waste liquid 25.

A flange 10a bent outward is provided at the upper end of the developing tank 10, and a flange 32a of the lid 32 is airtightly stacked on top of this flange 10a and fixed so as not to come off. The lid 32 is formed with an inlet 42 and an outlet 43 for the photosensitive material 23, a roller 44 is disposed near the population 42, and an outlet 43 is formed in the lid 32.
The rollers 45 are arranged at positions close to the respective rollers 45 .

A pair of squeegees 46 made of a visible material, such as rubber, are disposed at the outlet 43, and are used to squeeze the photosensitive material 230.
It is designed to scrape off the developer that adheres to both sides.

The upper part of the FF 132 is formed in a V-shape with a concave center, so that the dew-condensed developer is collected at the center of the developing tank 10 and drips, thereby removing the photosensitive material that is not immersed in the developer 11. This prevents it from dripping and adhering to the material 23. Further, the inner surface of the lid 32 is lined with a water-repellent material 47 such as Teflon or silicone resin to prevent evaporated developer from adhering. In addition, entrance 2
It is desirable to provide a shutter at the exit 8 and the exit 29 so that it opens to a minimum size only when the photosensitive material 23 passes.

Rollers 50 and 51 are arranged on both sides of the lid 32, and the amount of rotation of one roller 50 is determined by the length measuring section 52.
It is measured in The drive circuit 53 is controlled according to the throughput of the photosensitive material measured by the length measuring section 52, and the amount of liquid fed by the pump 16 is thereby adjusted.

[Effect of the embodiment]

A developer 11 is contained in the development tank 10, and a space surrounded by the lid 32 and the developer 11 is filled with deoxidized inert air 54. This deoxygenated air 54 is maintained at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to prevent fresh air from entering through the inlet 42 and outlet 43. The exposed photosensitive material 23 is transferred to the roller 50
is fed through the inlet 42 of the lid 32 and enters its interior. The photosensitive material 23 that has entered the lid 32 is transferred to the roller 4
4 and then immersed in a developer 11. The photosensitive material 23 immersed in the developer 11 is transferred to the rollers 20 and 2.
2.21, during which development processing is performed for a certain period of time. The photosensitive material 23 that has come out of the developer 11 is guided by a roller 45 to an outlet 43, where a squeegee 46 disposed at the outlet 43 removes the developer that has adhered to it, and is then guided to a roller 51 where it is fixed. into a tank (not shown).

Since the developer 11 is in contact with deoxidized air 54, it is hardly affected by air over time;
The developing ability decreases due to processing changes depending on the photosensitive material being processed. Therefore, it is only necessary to replenish new developer in accordance with this processing change. Therefore, the length measuring section 52 checks the amount of processed photosensitive material from the rotation amount of the roller 50, drives the pump 16 according to this amount, and uses the new developer stored in the replenisher tank 15 for development. Supplied into the processing tank 10. The developer whose developing ability has decreased is discharged from the overflow port 13 as developer waste and flows into the oxygen tank 19 by gravity.

The developer waste liquid 25 contained in the deoxidizing tank 19 is heated by a heater 37, and the alkali sent from the catalyst tank 38 is added thereto. The fresh air or the air circulated through the circulation pipe 24 is pumped by the pump 27 and sent to the air blowing vibe 26, and is blown out from the opening 26a into the developer waste 25, and then becomes bubbles and flows inside the developer waste 25. Oxygen is removed during surfacing. This deoxygenated air is sent to an air tank 30 by a pump 29 and stored therein. Then, the pressure is regulated to a pressure slightly higher than atmospheric pressure by the pressure regulating valve 33, and then sent into the lid 32, and the interior thereof is filled. The developer waste liquid 25 overflowing from the deoxidizing tank 19 is sent to the cartridge 36 through the pipe 35 and accommodated therein.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As mentioned above, in the present invention, the space inside the development processing tank is filled with air deoxidized by contact with the development waste solution.
It is possible to prevent the developer from being oxidized by oxygen in the air and change over time, and since the waste developer is used to deoxidize the air, it is highly effective in terms of resource reuse.

Since the present invention can prevent the developer from changing over time, it has the following practical effects. That is, high PI
(Since it is possible to stably utilize active development conditions that are advantageous for rapid processing such as high temperatures, and it is also possible to reduce the concentration of antioxidants contained in the developer, it is possible to use development methods such as color development. It is possible to improve the efficiency of image formation such as coupling equivalence in the image formation process that uses the oxidized form of the main agent.Furthermore, since the developer only needs to be replenished according to processing changes, developer management can be controlled. becomes easier, and
The amount of developer replenishment can be reduced. Furthermore,
Since the amount of dust generated by the developer is reduced, contamination of the surrounding environment by the developer can be effectively prevented.

Further, the present invention provides a deoxidizing tank that blows air into the developing waste liquid to remove oxygen, and continuously supplies the developing waste liquid discharged from the developing processing tank to the deoxidizing tank. Since the air collected in the space is sent into the developing tank covered with a lid, it is possible to automatically deoxidize the air and replenish the developing tank.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. 10...Development treatment tank 11...Developer solution 12...Replenishment port 13...Overflow port 19...Oxygen removal tank
23...Photosensitive material 25...Developing waste liquid 26...Air blowing vibrator 32...Lid 54...Deoxygenated air.

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) A photographic developing method characterized in that the space of a developing tank containing a developing solution is filled with air deoxidized by contact with a developing waste solution. (2) The photographic developing method according to claim 1, wherein the developing waste solution is heated. (3) The photographic developing method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that air is passed through the developer waste solution to remove oxygen. (4) Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an alkali is added as a catalyst to the developer waste solution.
The photographic development method described in any of the paragraphs. (5) Attach a lid to the development tank containing the developer to form a space, put the developer waste coming out from the outlet of the development tank into the deoxidation tank, and install an air blowing part in the deoxidation tank. Once installed, pressurized air is discharged from the air outlet, and this air is deoxidized by passing it through the developing waste solution.
A photographic developing apparatus characterized in that the obtained air is forcedly conveyed to a space within a developing tank using a pump. (6) The photographic developing device according to claim 5, wherein the inner surface of the lid is coated with a water-repellent material. (7) Claim 5, characterized in that the central part of the lid is inclined so that the height is lower than the peripheral part.
The photographic developing device according to item 6 or item 6. (8) The photographic developing apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the deoxidizing tank is equipped with a heater for heating the developer waste solution. (9) A photographic developer according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein a pipe for supplying a catalyst contained in a catalyst tank is connected to the deoxidizing tank. Device. (10) The photographic developing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the catalyst is an alkali.