EP0829762A1 - Appareil pour le développement de matériau photographique - Google Patents

Appareil pour le développement de matériau photographique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0829762A1
EP0829762A1 EP96810611A EP96810611A EP0829762A1 EP 0829762 A1 EP0829762 A1 EP 0829762A1 EP 96810611 A EP96810611 A EP 96810611A EP 96810611 A EP96810611 A EP 96810611A EP 0829762 A1 EP0829762 A1 EP 0829762A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
wall
shells
shell
developed
bodies
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP96810611A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0829762B1 (fr
Inventor
Simon Joachim
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gretag Imaging AG
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Gretag Imaging AG
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gretag Imaging AG filed Critical Gretag Imaging AG
Priority to DE59610049T priority Critical patent/DE59610049D1/de
Priority to EP96810611A priority patent/EP0829762B1/fr
Priority to US08/926,480 priority patent/US5870646A/en
Publication of EP0829762A1 publication Critical patent/EP0829762A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0829762B1 publication Critical patent/EP0829762B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D3/00—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion
    • G03D3/08—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion having progressive mechanical movement of exposed material
    • G03D3/13—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion having progressive mechanical movement of exposed material for long films or prints in the shape of strips, e.g. fed by roller assembly
    • G03D3/132—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion having progressive mechanical movement of exposed material for long films or prints in the shape of strips, e.g. fed by roller assembly fed by roller assembly

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device for developing photographic material according to the preamble of the independent claim.
  • exposed films When processing customer orders in photographic development laboratories, exposed films, usually negative films, are usually first developed wet-chemically and the developed image fields are then copied onto photographic copying material, usually onto photographic paper, by exposure. The exposed photo paper is then also developed by wet chemistry. If the photo paper is available as a long tape, as is customary in high-performance laboratories, the tape is then cut into individual pictures, the individual components of an order are put together and packaged so that they can ultimately be returned to the client.
  • the devices which contain the baths for wet chemical development are known as so-called film processors or paper processors.
  • the volume of such wet chemical baths in the processors - for the sake of simplicity only paper processors are discussed below - depends essentially on the throughput (number of images developed per unit of time) the respective user, usually development laboratories, would like to achieve.
  • the distance through the paper processor must be correspondingly long so that as many images as possible can be in the paper processor at the same time, and with continuous transport on the one hand and relatively fast transport speed on the other hand the throughput time of the paper through the paper processor corresponds to the time required for development (this is given). This results in relatively large-volume baths and therefore also large-volume paper processors.
  • Paper processors with low-volume baths have already been proposed to avoid the large-volume baths or processors, for example in US Pat. No. 5,179,404; US-A-5,309,191; US-A-5,311,235 or in US-A-5,270,762.
  • the low-volume bathrooms in particular have to be renewed or supplemented from time to time.
  • a lively movement of the wet chemical baths in the paper processor has proven to be advantageous, since fresh developing liquid always comes into contact with the paper to be developed in this way. It is obvious that in the case of bathrooms with a lower volume, the baths must be replaced or supplemented at shorter intervals than in the case of larger bathrooms.
  • Low-volume baths and thus also comparatively low-volume processors generally have a very narrow channel, which extends from the inlet through the interior of the processor to the outlet and along which the photo paper to be developed is transported. During the transport along this channel, the photo paper to be developed comes into contact with the developing liquid and is thereby developed. Due to the small volume of the channel on the one hand and the requirement for constant circulation of the developing liquid on the other hand, a comparatively high pressure is created in the channel.
  • the processors In order to withstand this high pressure, the processors must be mechanically highly stable. At the same time, they should also ensure safe operation. First and foremost, this means that there should be no paper jams in the processors, so it must be ensured that the paper is transported safely along the channel. In addition, the processors should be simple to manufacture and inexpensive to manufacture.
  • the device according to the invention thus comprises two half-shells which can be connected to one another, each half-shell of which in turn comprises two plates which are connected to one another. These are assembled into a half-shell and thus one plate forms the outer wall of the half-shell and the other the inner wall of the half-shell. Furthermore, the device according to the invention comprises a central displacement element which, after being introduced into the interconnected half-shells, together with the respective inner wall of the half-shells, the channel for the photographic material to be developed Are defined. This channel extends between the displacement element and the respective inner wall of the half-shell.
  • This inner wall of the half-shell is essentially designed as a flat surface, while the outer wall has means for reinforcing the inner wall to prevent deformation of the inner wall due to the high pressure of the developing liquid.
  • Such devices are mechanically highly stable, simple and inexpensive to manufacture and reliable in operation.
  • the means for reinforcing the inner wall of the half-shell are designed as depressions of the plate forming the outer wall which point towards the inner wall. These depressions are connected at their respective contact surfaces to the plate forming the inner wall.
  • the two half-shells have the same shape. This means that practically only one form is required for the production of the half-shells, which further reduces the manufacturing effort.
  • the half-shells are produced using the "twin-sheet method". This method allows such half-shells to be produced in a simple manner.
  • the displacement element is likewise formed from two half bodies which can be connected to one another.
  • Each half body includes two interconnected plates which are joined together to form a half body, in such a way that one plate forms the outer wall of the half body and the other plate the inner wall of the half body.
  • the outer wall of the half-body is essentially designed as a flat surface, while the inner wall has means for strengthening the outer wall to prevent deformation of the outer wall due to the high pressure of the developing liquid.
  • This design of the displacement element also ensures high mechanical stability, the displacement elements are simple to manufacture and ensure high operational reliability.
  • the means for reinforcing the outer wall of the half-body are designed as depressions of the plate forming the inner wall that point towards the outer wall. At their respective contact surface with the plate forming the outer wall, the depressions of the plate forming the inner wall are connected to the plate forming the outer wall.
  • the two half-bodies particularly preferably have the same shape, which facilitates the production of the half-bodies since only one shape is required.
  • a device in which the two half-bodies are produced by the twin-sheet method is particularly preferred because this method enables such half-bodies to be produced in a simple manner in terms of production technology.
  • FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of an arrangement of a processor with a low-volume development liquid bath.
  • Fig. 1 is only intended to illustrate the basic functional principle. Some essential features of the device according to the invention are not shown in FIG. 1.
  • 1 shows a tank 1 in which two so-called racks 2 are introduced.
  • a narrow channel 3 is defined between the respective inner wall of the tank 1 and the respective outer wall of the rack 2, through which the material to be developed, in the case of a paper processor the photo paper P, is transported and developed through contact with the developing liquid.
  • 1 is in the form of a long belt, as is customary in high-performance laboratories, and is transported through channel 3 to outlet A through an inlet E using the drivable rollers R, which also tension the paper belt.
  • the development liquid bath in such processors is significantly smaller in volume than in conventional processors in which practically the entire interior of the processor is filled with development liquid, that is to say the development liquid bath is large in volume.
  • FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a device according to the invention in a more or less assembled state in a perspective view. Some details are not yet clearly recognizable from FIG. 2, too, but become clearer with the help of the explanation of the following drawing figures.
  • 2 shows three tanks 1 connected in series. Transport rollers R1, R2, R3, R4 for four strips of photo paper are arranged between two adjacent tanks.
  • a further roller LR1 for a first - preferably endlessly rotating - leader belt (not shown) is arranged between the transport rollers R1 and R2 and between the transport rollers R3 and R4 a further role LR2 for a second leader band (also not shown).
  • the rollers R1, R2, R3, R4 for the photo paper and the rollers LR1 and LR2 for the leader tape, which are arranged between two tanks 1 connected in series, can be driven by means of a conventional, common chain drive (not shown).
  • the tapes of the photo paper (not shown) which are guided over the transport rollers R1 and R2 are each fastened by means of a clip to the leader tape which is guided over the roller LR1.
  • the clip is stripped again after threading the photo paper.
  • the course of the leader band can be imagined as indicated in FIG. 1.
  • the leader tape runs practically the same as the photo paper P, but parallel to it. Outside the tank, the leader tape is returned, as indicated by the broken line in FIG. 1, and runs in operation as an endless tape through tank 1 and back again, while the tape of photo paper P is no longer returned after it has passed through tank 1 .
  • FIG. 2 also shows that a displacement element, a so-called rack 2, is introduced into the tank 1 (as already explained with reference to FIG. 1). No such rack 2 has yet been introduced in the front tank of FIG. 2, however, in the middle tank it is already shown in the inserted position and in the rear tank it is still shown half pulled out. 2 also shows, particularly in the case of the front tank, that the tank 1 comprises two half-shells 10 and 11 which are connected to one another and thus form the tank 1. On the outer wall 100 of the half-shell 10, several depressions 101 can be seen, which are distributed over the entire outer wall 100 of the half-shell 10. These depressions 101 serve to increase the mechanical stability of the half-shell 10, but they will be discussed in more detail.
  • three recesses 102 running in the transverse direction can be seen, into which fastening elements (for example rail-like elements) can be introduced, which encompass the entire processor (virtually clasp the processor) and thus additionally hold it together and thereby further increase the mechanical stability of the processor .
  • fastening elements for example rail-like elements
  • the entire processor virtually clasp the processor
  • three connecting pieces 103 for the supply or removal of developing liquid can also be seen.
  • a sleeve 104 through which after insertion of the rack 2 in the tank 1, a fastening element can be passed, with which the rack 2 is fixed in the tank 1.
  • Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a displacement element or rack 2 in the not yet fully assembled state.
  • the rack 2 comprises two side bars 22 and 23, and a plurality of rods or tubes 24, 25, 26 and 27 connecting the side bars 22 and 23.
  • On the lower bar 27 are the rolls for the bands of photo paper and for the respective one Leader band provided. They are freely rotating on this rod 27.
  • the displacement body which comprises two half-bodies 20 and 21 (not yet recognizable in FIG. 3), is pushed over the rods 25 and 26, and the side rail 23 is then firmly connected to the rods 24 and 27.
  • the displacement body comprising the two half bodies 20 and 21 has, as can be seen from FIG. 3, a plurality of slots 201, which can be seen on the outer wall 200 of the displacement body.
  • the slots 201 are used so that from the interior of the displacement body through these slots 201 the developing paper is practically acted upon as if through a nozzle, which on the one hand counteracts adherence of the photographic paper to the displacing body and on the other hand promotes good circulation of the developing liquid.
  • slots 201 are provided in the regions of the outer wall 200 of the displacement body, in which slots the photo paper to be developed is guided.
  • Both the half-shells 10 and 11 of the tank 1 and the half-bodies 20 and 21 of the displacement element or rack 2 are preferably produced with the aid of the so-called twin-sheet method, so they are - as the name of the method already says - double-walled and made manufactured two plastic plates. How the individual half-shells 10 and 11 or the half-bodies 20 and 21 look more precisely in terms of their shape will be explained further below. First of all, the basic functioning of the twin-sheet method is to be briefly explained, with the aid of FIGS. 5 and 6.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 The essential steps of the twin-sheet method can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6.
  • two preheated thermoplastic sheets P1 and P2 are placed between the mold halves F1 and F2 (FIG. 5) and heated from the outside until they are completely plasticized.
  • the mold halves F1 and F2 are then moved together, and the plasticized plates P1 and P2 are vacuum-deep drawn in one step with the aid of vacuum NP and, at the same time, welded to one another at the edges with high strength (FIG. 6).
  • a narrow needle nozzle NJ can be used to generate excess pressure between the plates P1 and P2 by supplying compressed air PP.
  • This compressed air PP presses the plates from the inside in addition to the suction generated from the outside by the vacuum NP against the mold halves F1 and F2, whereby the high level of detail is achieved.
  • twin-sheet process there is no need for the two parts to be joined afterwards, which means that solvents, welding consumables etc. are no longer necessary. Any material that protrudes from the edge can be removed mechanically (e.g. by milling).
  • this method can also be used to produce both the half-shells 10 and 11 of the tank 1 of the device according to the invention and to produce the half-bodies 20 and 21 of the displacement element or rack 2.
  • the two half-shells 10 and 11 of the tank 1 and the two half-bodies 20 and 21 of the rack 2 each have the same shape. In this case, only one shape is required in each case for the production of the tank 1 and for the production of the displacement body of the rack 2.
  • a half shell, for example half shell 10, of tank 1 can now be seen in section in FIG. 7.
  • the half-shell 10 is made from two plates.
  • the outer wall 100 of the half-shell 10 is formed by a plate which has a plurality of depressions 101 (see also FIG. 2).
  • the inner wall 105 is also formed by a plate.
  • the depressions 101 which are provided on the plate forming the outer wall 100, point to the inner wall 105 and are connected at their contact surface to the plate forming the inner wall 105.
  • the depressions 101 thus act as a means of reinforcing the plate forming the inner wall 105, thus considerably increasing the mechanical stability.
  • the transverse depressions 102 can also be seen (see also FIG. 2), which can accommodate additional fastening elements which encompass the entire processor.
  • the inner wall 105 is essentially designed as a flat surface.
  • this flat surface is preferably structured, that is to say it has a structure on its surface, which makes it difficult for the photographic paper to adhere to this surface.
  • the otherwise essentially flat surface has a region 106 curved in the shape of a segment of a circle.
  • this area After the rack 2 has been inserted into the tank 1, the rollers provided at the lower end of the rack 2 for the tapes of the photo paper and for the leader tapes are arranged. Below this area 106, a quasi-cuboid area 107 can also be seen, which opens into the connecting piece 103 (FIG.
  • both half-shells 10 and 11 have the same shape, they are made with only one shape. After the two half-shells 10 and 11 have been produced, they are connected to one another and form the tank 1.
  • the two half-shells can be connected by means of known methods such as welding, gluing, etc.
  • a half body of the displacement element or rack 2 can now be seen in one view.
  • this is the half body 20.
  • slots 201 are provided in the wall of the half body. Through these slits 201, developing liquid can be pressed against the paper in operation like a nozzle, which on the one hand counteracts a sticking of the paper on the displacement body, on the other hand a circulation of the developing liquid is beneficial.
  • Such slots are consequently not provided in the longitudinally extending recess 202 in which the leader tape runs.
  • the displacement body 8 is also shown interrupted in FIG. 8, but it can be seen that the side facing the viewer essentially forms a flat surface.
  • the flat surface is preferably structured, which counteracts any possible adhesion of the photo paper to this surface.
  • the two half-bodies 20 and 21 are also preferably produced using the twin-sheet method already explained.
  • FIGS. 9 and 10 represent a section along the line IX-IX or along the line X-X of FIG. 8. 9 that the plate of the half-body 20 forming the outer wall 200 essentially forms a flat (preferably structured) surface which faces the photo paper during operation.
  • the plate forming the inner wall 203 is provided with depressions 204 which extend as far as the outer wall 200 and are connected at their contact surface to the outer wall 200, similarly to the case with the half-shells of the tank 1.
  • These depressions 204 just as the depressions 101 (FIG. 2) increase the mechanical stability of the half-shell 10, increase the mechanical stability of the half-body 20.
  • FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 two transverse ones can be seen on the inner wall 203 Wells 205.
  • Both half-bodies 20 and 21 preferably have the same shape, so that only one shape is required for producing the half-bodies.
  • the two half bodies 20 and 21 are connected to one another by means of known methods such as welding, gluing, etc., and thus form the displacement body of the rack 2.
  • the transverse recesses 205 come to lie opposite one another so that the Displacement body after connecting the two half-bodies 20 and 21 can then be pushed onto the rods 25 and 26 (Fig. 3) and thus the rack 2 can be completed.
  • the rods 25 and 26 (FIG. 3) can be provided as hollow cylindrical tubes with corresponding through openings, so that development fluid through the tubes and through their through openings through the slots 201 of the Displacement body can get against the photo paper.
  • the slots 201 are not yet present in the production of the half bodies 20 and 21, they have to be produced in a separate working step either on the half bodies before connecting to the displacement body or on the finished displacement body, for example by milling.
  • the rack 2 is then introduced into the tank 1.
  • several such devices are usually arranged one behind the other, as is the case, for example, is indicated in Fig. 2, where three such devices are arranged one behind the other, there may of course be more than three devices, which is usually the case with high-performance laboratories.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Photographic Processing Devices Using Wet Methods (AREA)
EP96810611A 1996-09-13 1996-09-13 Appareil pour le développement de matériau photographique Expired - Lifetime EP0829762B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE59610049T DE59610049D1 (de) 1996-09-13 1996-09-13 Vorrichtung zum Entwickeln von fotografischem Material
EP96810611A EP0829762B1 (fr) 1996-09-13 1996-09-13 Appareil pour le développement de matériau photographique
US08/926,480 US5870646A (en) 1996-09-13 1997-09-10 Apparatus for developing photographic material

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96810611A EP0829762B1 (fr) 1996-09-13 1996-09-13 Appareil pour le développement de matériau photographique

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0829762A1 true EP0829762A1 (fr) 1998-03-18
EP0829762B1 EP0829762B1 (fr) 2003-01-08

Family

ID=8225697

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96810611A Expired - Lifetime EP0829762B1 (fr) 1996-09-13 1996-09-13 Appareil pour le développement de matériau photographique

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US5870646A (fr)
EP (1) EP0829762B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE59610049D1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0859279A1 (fr) * 1997-02-14 1998-08-19 Eastman Kodak Company Dispositif d'insertion

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4577951A (en) * 1983-09-28 1986-03-25 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Processing solution tank with hinged sections
DE3536862A1 (de) * 1985-10-16 1987-04-16 Agfa Gevaert Ag Zum einsetzen eines racks geeigneter behandlungstank fuer fotografisches material
US5179404A (en) * 1992-03-02 1993-01-12 Eastman Kodak Company Anti-web adhering contour surface for a photographic processing apparatus
EP0623849A1 (fr) * 1993-05-03 1994-11-09 Eastman Kodak Company Appareils de développement automatiques

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3614253C1 (de) * 1986-04-26 1987-08-27 Agfa Gevaert Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entwicklung von fotografischem Material
GB9003282D0 (en) * 1990-02-14 1990-04-11 Kodak Ltd Method and apparatus for photographic processing
US5309191A (en) * 1992-03-02 1994-05-03 Eastman Kodak Company Recirculation, replenishment, refresh, recharge and backflush for a photographic processing apparatus
US5311235A (en) * 1992-03-02 1994-05-10 Eastman Kodak Company Driving mechanism for a photographic processing apparatus
US5270762A (en) * 1992-03-02 1993-12-14 Eastman Kodak Company Slot impingement for a photographic processing apparatus

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4577951A (en) * 1983-09-28 1986-03-25 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Processing solution tank with hinged sections
DE3536862A1 (de) * 1985-10-16 1987-04-16 Agfa Gevaert Ag Zum einsetzen eines racks geeigneter behandlungstank fuer fotografisches material
US5179404A (en) * 1992-03-02 1993-01-12 Eastman Kodak Company Anti-web adhering contour surface for a photographic processing apparatus
EP0623849A1 (fr) * 1993-05-03 1994-11-09 Eastman Kodak Company Appareils de développement automatiques

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0859279A1 (fr) * 1997-02-14 1998-08-19 Eastman Kodak Company Dispositif d'insertion
US5980130A (en) * 1997-02-14 1999-11-09 Eastman Kodak Company Rack

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0829762B1 (fr) 2003-01-08
US5870646A (en) 1999-02-09
DE59610049D1 (de) 2003-02-13

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