US3330198A - Processing tray-solution heating system - Google Patents

Description

July ll, 1967 G. R. DOLE 3,330,198

PROCESSING TRAY-SOLUTION HEATING SYSTEM Filed March 17, 1964 GILBERT R. DOLE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,330,198 PROCESSING TRAY-SOLUTION HEATING SYSTEM Gilbert R. Dole, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 352,607 4 Claims. (Cl. 95-95) This invention relates generally t-o a photographic copying apparat-us, and more specifically to an improved processing tray-solution heating system for heating a cold solution so that it enters the processing area of the tray at a predetermined processing temperature.

In a photographic copying apparatus in which an exposed sensitized photographic sheet is processed in a suitable processingr solution and withdrawn in. pressure contact with a non-sensitized sheet to cause transfer of the image on the sensitized sheet to the unsensitized sheet upon separation thereof, it is necessary for optimum operating eiciency that the temperature of the processing solution be raised above the ambient temperature to a` predetermined value. In apparatus of this type, a temperature variance in the processing solution of several degrees from the predetermined value may produce unsatisfactory results. In photographic copying apparatus of the type having a processing solution repleuishing system in which the solution is pumped from the tray into a storage container after a processing operation, and then pumped back into the tray prior to a subsequent processing operation, the processing solution cools off in the storage container necessitating warming the processing solution before it is recirculated into the processing tray. The improved processing tray-solution heating system disclosed herein accomplishes the stated objective of returning the cooled processing solution to the processing tray at a predetermined temperature.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provide an improved processing tray-solution heating system for heating the processing solution to a predetermined temperature before it enters the processing area of the tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved processing solution tray for a photographic copying apparatus.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved processing -tray-solution heating system for sensing the temperature of the solution as it enters the tray, and directing the -solution along a tortuous path where it is heated to a predetermined temperature before it enters the processing area of the tray.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth above will be apparent from the following description when read in connection wi-th the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a tray-solution heating system constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2*2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along line 3-3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is an electrical wiring diagram for the traysolution heating system of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodimentiof a tray-solution heating system according to the present invention is disclosed in FIG. 1. A ltray 5, which may be formed from molded plastic parts, comprises a boxlike housing having a base 6, four walls 7, 8, 9 and 10 extending upwardly from base 6, and a cover 11 interconnecting three of said walls 7, 8 and 9. The cover 11 cooperates with walls 7, 8 and 9 to form a storage recep- 3,330,198 Patented July 11, 1967 tacle 12 in which non-sensitized sheets of copy paper, not shown, are stacked. The housing has a horizontal partition 13 parallel to cover 11, as best seen in FIG. 2, for dividing tray 5 into a processing chamber 14 in which a sensitized sheet such as a matrix, not shown, may be developed or processed, and a processing solution Warrning chamber 15. The front end 16 4of cover 11 terminates a short distance from the front end of tray 5, and cooperates with partition 13 to form an opening through which a matrix can be inserted into processing chamber 14. One end of partition 13 is secured to a shoulder 17 (see FIG. 2) -on wall 8 by any suitable means, and its opposite end forms a ribbed ramp 18 which facilitates drainage into processing chamber 14 of processing solution that spills off the matrix as it is withdrawn from the processing chamber.

The outer boundary of the processing solution warming chamber 15 is formed by the aforementioned base 6 and four walls 7-10 of the housing. Another pair of spaced apart, walls 19, 21 (see FIG. 3) extending upwardly from base 6, cooperates with partition 13 to form a U-s-haped enclosure for a heat sensing element 22 such as a thermostat. The warming chamber 15 is provided with a plurality of vertical walls or partitions 23, 24, 25, 27 and 28 `interconnecting base 6 and partition 13 (see FIG. 3). Some of the vertical partitions 23 have one of their ends secured to the rear wall 8 of tray 5 which forms one end of warming chamber 15, and their opposite ends spaced a short distance from wall 10 forming the opposite end of chamber 15. Another group of partitions 24 extend from the aforementioned wall 10 with their opposite ends spaced from wall 8. Another group of partitions 25 have lone of their ends connected to wall 8 and their opposite ends spaced from an inner wall 26 (see FIG. 2) adjacent the aforementioned wall 10. Another group of partitions 27 extend from wall 26 with their outer ends spaced from wall 8. A short partition 28 connects the passageway between wall 26 and wall 10 Ito a vertical conduit 29 having an opening 31 through which solution may be introduced into chamber 15 by any suitable means such as a pump, or the like, not shown. All of the partitions 23, 24, 25, 27 and 28, and walls 7-10, 19 and 21 cooperate to form a labyrinth of passageways to direct the processing solution. The solution is pumped into chamber 15 through opening 31 between walls 10 and 26 along the front of chamber 15 and is forced towards the center thereof (see arrows in FIG. 1) and then towards the rear of chamber 15 splitting into two paths around the thermostat enclosure 19, 21. The processing -solution continues -to travel along the two paths in the direction of the arrows, and enters processing chamber 14 through a pair of openings 32 in partition 13 as seen best in FIGS. l and 2. A commer` cially available heating element 33 such as a Calrod type heater is positioned underneath tray 5 and substantially in the -center of the tray as seen in FIG. 3 and is controlled by thermostat 22 as seen lin FIG. 4. The coils of heating element 33 are formed so that they are far enough removed from thermostat 22 so as not to interfere with its sensitivity to the temperature of lthe solution in the immediate surrounding passageways to which thermostat 22 is responsive. If desired, an insulating barrier 20 may be interposed between heating element 33 and thermostat 22. If the processing solution introduced into the the warming chamber 15 through opening 31 is at a temperature below that required for optimum operating eiiciency, this fact is sensed by thermostat 22 which closes an internal switch, not shown, connecting the power to heating element 33. The temperature of the solution adjacent thermostat 22 would be quickly raised by heating element 33 to the temperature set by thermostat 22. The .heating element 33 is turned off by thermostat 22, and this condition exists until the tempertaure of the solution adjacent the thermostat due to more incoming solution is decreased to a value suicient to reactivate @thermostat 22 to call for more heat. This alternating onagain-off again action of thermostat 22 and heating element 33 continues causing the cold solution, as it progresses back and forth several times over heating element 33, to be heated to the proper operating temperature before it enters processing chamber 14 through openings 32.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove, and as deiined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a processing tray-solution heating system for heating a cold solution fed into the tray to a predetermined processing temperature before it reaches the processing area of the tray, the combination comprising:

a tray having processing and warming chambers, and

an opening therebetween to provide hydraulic cornmunication between the two;

said warming chamber comprising first wall means dening a main passageway for a solution introduced therein, second wall means defining an enclosure for dividing said main passageway into two separate auxiliary passageways, and third wall means hydraulically connected to said auxiliary passageways for extending said auxiliary passageways to guide said solution fed thereinto along tortuous paths to said opening for travel into said processing chamber;

heat sensing means disposed adjacent said enclosure for sensing the temperature of solution passing thereby; and

heating means responsive to said heat sensing means for applying suicient heat to said warming cham- 4- ber for heating said solution to a predetermined temperature as it travels along said main and auxiliary passageway and the extension thereof. 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said 5 processing chamber is above and in register with said warming chamber.

3. In a tray for a processing solution or the like, the combination comprising:

a box-like housing having a base; a partition for dividing said housing into upper and lower chambers; said partition having openings therein to provide hyhydraulic communication -between said chambers; and said lower chamber having a plurality of spaced apart walls extending between said base and partition, two of which form a main passageway for a solution introduced therein, two of which form an enclosure cooperating with said main passageway for dividing said main passageway into two separate auxiliary passageways, and the remaining walls forming an extension to said auxiliary passageways for guiding said solution along tortuous paths to said openings for travel into said upper chamber. 4. The invention according to 4claim 3 wherein said housing has a cover, and said cover cooperates with said housing to form a storage receptacle for sheets of paper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,232,998 2/1941 Cernohouz et al. 95-96 XR 2,930,306 3/1960 Goodman 95-96 3,054,340 9/1962 Limberger 95-89 3,124,051 3/1964 Buechner 95-96 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

CLIFFORD B. PRICE, Examiner.

I. F. PETERS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A PROCESSING TRAY-SOLUTION HEATING SYSTEM FOR HEATING A COLD SOLUTION FED INTO THE TRAY TO A PREDETERMINED PROCESSING TEMPERATURE BEFORE IT REACHES THE PROCESSING AREA OF THE TRAY, THE COMIBATION COMPRISING: A TRAY HAVING PROCESSING AND WARMING CHAMBERS, AND AN OPENING THEREBETWEEN TO PROVIDE HYDRAULIC COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO; SAID WARMING CHAMBER COMPRISING FIRST WALL MEANS DEFINING A MAIN PASSAGEWAY FOR A SOLUTION INTRODUCED THEREIN, SECOND WALL MEANS DEFINING AN ENCLOSURE FOR DIVIDING SAID MAIN PASSAGEWAY INTO TWO SEPARATE AUXILIARY PASSAGEWAYS, AND THIRD WALL MEANS HYDRAULICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID AUXILIARY PASSAGEWAYS FOR EXTENDING SAID AUXILIARY PASSAGEWAYS TO GUIDE SAID SOLUTION FED THEREINTO ALONG TORTUOUS PATHS TO SAID OPENING FOR TRAVEL INTO SAID PROCESSING CHAMBER; HEAT SENSING MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID ENCLOSURE FOR SENSING THE TEMPERATURE OF SOLUTION PASSING THEREBY; AND HEATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID HEAT SENSING MEANS FOR APPLYING SUFFICIENT HEAT TO SAID WARMING CHAMBER FOR HEATING SAID SOLUTION TO A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE AS IT TRAVELS ALONG SAID MAIN AND AUXILIARY PASSAGEWAY AND THE EXTENSION THEREOF.

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