JPH0217097B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a film guide mechanism for a developing device that is attached to a film transfer unit disposed in each processing tank of the developing device and guides the transported film in an appropriate direction. .

[Background technology]

The process of developing a film, especially a color film, generally consists of developing, bleaching, fixing, washing, stabilizing, and drying, and there are usually more developing steps than for black and white films.

For this reason, in recent years, the entire process of film development has been automated using a conveyor system. In this developing device, the film is pulled out from the cartridge by a feeding device, passes through processing tanks for developing solution, bleaching solution, fixing solution, washing water, and stabilizing solution on a conveyor, and then passes through a dryer to a predetermined amount. Developed film is now stored in a box.

In such a conventional automatic developing apparatus, the end of the film is fixed to a conveyor by a clip, and the film is moved to each processing tank together with a conveyor belt. This conveyor belt is arranged across each processing tank, and is configured to move sequentially within each processing tank. Therefore, when the film is moved to the next processing tank, a large amount of processing liquid is carried out by the conveyor belt, which increases the amount of processing liquid consumed and causes early contamination.

In order to solve this problem, the same applicant has already filed an earlier application for a film transfer unit as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-47973. In this film transfer unit, a belt and a sprocket for transporting the film are installed in a rectangular cylindrical box, so that the film can be easily taken in and out of each processing tank.

Further, this box is composed of a pair of side plates and a cover plate, and a guide mechanism for guiding the film in an appropriate direction is provided on the inner surface of these plates. This guide mechanism consists of a plurality of regulation plates supported to the side plate via support rods, and a plurality of blocks fixed to the inside of each cover plate with screws. A regulating plate and a block are used to prevent the film being conveyed from waving and to regulate it in the width direction.

However, in this type of guide mechanism, since the screw hole exit of each block opens toward the film side, there is a risk that the film being conveyed may get caught on the burr at the screw hole exit. Further, since only the support rods reliably support the regulating plate, there is a drawback that both ends of the regulating plate become unstable. Furthermore, there was a problem in that it required time and effort to adjust the position and assemble the regulating plate and the block.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a film guide mechanism for a developing device that is easy to assemble and can always guide the transported film in the proper direction.

[Structure of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, in the film guide mechanism for a developing device of the present invention, each block is formed at one end of the regulating plate, this block is fixed in the film transport unit, and each regulating plate is divided into two parts. By connecting them in a facing state, the regulating plate and the block are securely fixed in the transfer unit and can be easily assembled.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 shows a developing device 12 to which the present invention is applied.
A side view of is shown. This developing device 12 is covered with a frame 14 on the outside,
All light from the outside world is now blocked. The lower part of the frame 14 is supported on a floor 18 by a plurality of support legs 16.

A plurality of processing tanks 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32 extending in the vertical direction are provided in an array on the frame 14, and each is partitioned by a vertical wall 33. The processing tank 20 contains a developer,
The processing tank 22 contains a bleaching solution, the processing tank 24 contains a fixing solution,
The processing tanks 26 and 28 are filled with washing water, the processing tank 30 is filled with a stabilizing liquid, and the processing tank 32 is a drying room, and a heater 34 and a blower 35 are arranged below to send warm air upward. It's becoming like that.

The film 38 is attached to the spool 4 as shown in FIG.
4 is housed in a cartridge 40 in a state of being wound up. In this embodiment, the tips of two films 38 each pulled out from a spool 44 are fixed to one leader 46 with an adhesive tape 47 or the like. The leader 46 is a flexible synthetic resin sheet that is slightly more rigid than the film 38, and square holes 48 serving as engagement holes are bored in the center thereof at appropriate intervals along the longitudinal direction.

A film supply device 54 is installed on the upper entrance side of the developing device 12 (on the left side in FIG. 1), and its upper part is covered by a cover 56 that can be opened and closed. This film supply device 54 is provided with a pedestal 58 on which each cartridge 40 of the film 38 connected to the reader 46 can be placed.

A pair of conveyance rollers 60 are provided downstream of the pedestal 58, and the conveyance rollers 60 convey the leader 46 and the film 38 to the conveyor line. A cutter 62 is installed between the pedestal 58 and the transport roller 60, and cuts the end of the film 38 when the entire amount of the film 38 is pulled out from the cartridge 40 by a control means (not shown).

Each processing tank includes a film transfer unit 100.
The film 38 is placed therein so that it can be taken out after being dipped into the tank and turned over. In this film transfer unit 100, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of side plates 102 having bent portions 101 on both sides are disposed facing each other, and a plurality of support rods 104 are inserted between these side plates 102. is being passed over. Further, both ends of the support rod 104 are fixed to the side plates 102 with screws 106, thereby determining the distance between the pair of side plates 102.

Further, a rotating shaft 1 is provided near both ends of the side plate 102, that is, near the top and bottom ends in the attached state.
08 and 110 are pivotally supported to the side plate 102 by bearings 112 and 114, respectively. Each of the rotating shafts 108 and 110 has a sprocket wheel 116, 118 wrapped around the center thereof.
are fixed to rotate together with the rotating shafts 108 and 110.

One end of the rotating shaft 108 protrudes from the side plate 102, and a sprocket foil 1 is attached to the tip thereof.
20 is fixed. A chain 122 is wound around this sprocket foil 120.
The rotating shaft 108 and the sprocket wheel 116 can be rotated by receiving rotational force from a driving force of a motor (not shown).

A timing belt 124 is wrapped around each sprocket wheel 116,118. This timing belt 124 is integrally molded from synthetic resin, and has a plurality of timing trapezoid projections 128 protruding from one side of a narrow and thin belt base 126 at equal intervals, and these trapezoid projections 128 from the other side. Protrusion 1
Engagement protrusions 130 smaller than the width of the trapezoidal protrusions 128 protrude at equal intervals at positions corresponding to the trapezoidal protrusions 128. This engaging protrusion 130 is connected to the square hole 48 of the leader 46.
the timing belt 124 , thereby transporting the leader 46 along the timing belt 124 .

A support plate 140 is disposed between the side plates 102 and between the sprocket wheels 116 and 118 and corresponds to the inner peripheral surface of the timing belt 124. This support plate 140 has a support rod 104 that extends through the support rod 104 into the intermediate portion.
4 to the side plate 102.

Further, the support plate 140 is formed with arc-shaped notches 142 at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and is configured to accommodate a portion of the sprocket wheels 116, 118. Furthermore, a U-shaped groove 144 is bored in the side surface of the support plate 140 over the entire lengthwise direction, and this U-shaped groove 144 accommodates the trapezoidal protrusion 128 of the timing belt 124 so that the timing belt 124 can be moved in the width direction. Prevent movement.

On the other hand, the opposite side of the support plate 40 with the timing belt 124 in between, that is, the timing belt 12
Guide bars 146 serving as guide means are provided on the outer peripheries of the timing belts 4 and 4, respectively, so as to correspond to straight portions of the timing belt 124. These guide bars 146 are fixed to a pair of cover plates 148 extending between the side plates 102.

A U-shaped groove 150 on the surface facing the timing belt 124 of the guide bar 146 has a width slightly larger than the width of the engagement protrusion 130 protruding from the timing belt 124, so that the timing belt 124 can be moved. At times, it serves to allow the engagement protrusion 130 to pass through.

On the outside of the cover plate 148, that is, on the side opposite to the timing belt 124, three flexible plates 152 are attached at the top and bottom, respectively, as a film meandering prevention mechanism. This flexible plate 152 is a thin plate made of synthetic resin, and one end of the flexible plate 152 has a screw 1.
54 to the cover plate 148. Further, the screws 154 are configured to simultaneously fix the guide bar 146 to the cover plate 148.

A pair of integrally molded triangular claws 156 are provided at the other end of the flexible plate 152. These claws 156 protrude toward the timing belt 124 from above and below the cover plate 148 and through rectangular through holes 158 formed in the cover plate 148, respectively. These claws 156 protrude in correspondence with one side of the film 38 being conveyed, and serve as a restricting means to prevent the film 38 from moving in a meandering manner.

However, the inclined surfaces 160 of these claws 156 are
The leader 46 is disposed obliquely to the moving direction of the leader 46 sent by the timing belt 124, and the moving leader 46 comes into contact with the inclined surface 160 to bend the flexible plate 152, causing the claw 156 to move toward the leader 46. It is designed to be pushed out from the movement trajectory.

Therefore, when the leader 46 moves, the claw 156 is removed from the movement trajectory, and when the leader 46 passes, the claw 156 projects into the inside of the cover plate 148 again. Therefore, the claw 156 can again restrict the side surface of the film 38 that is being pulled and moved by the leader 46. A plurality of through holes 165 are formed in the cover plate 148 to allow the processing liquid in the processing tank to flow therethrough. These through holes 165 are V-shaped in the direction in which the film 38 travels, and prevent the film 38 from coming into contact with these through holes 165 and unintentionally interfering with its movement.

Inside the pair of cover plates 148, a third
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 4, regulating plates 166 are provided on the downward conveying path where the film 38 is conveyed from the top to the bottom and the upward conveying path where the film 38 is conveyed from the bottom to the top, with the timing belt 124 in between.
168 are arranged. These regulation plates 16
Reference numerals 6 and 168 have curved shapes, and the inside of each curve is a portion facing the film 38.

These regulating plates 166, 168 are
movement in the thickness direction is restricted to prevent waviness.

On the back side of the film facing part of the regulating plate 166,
Two bosses 161 are provided above and below toward the back side of the film facing portion of the regulating plate 168. Corresponding to these bosses 161, bosses 163 are provided on the portion of the regulating plate 168 facing the film. A screw hole 161A is formed therethrough in the boss 161, and a hole 163A is formed in the boss 163.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a recess 164 is provided at the tip of the boss 161, and a protrusion 167 is provided at the tip of the boss 163. This protrusion 1
67 is inserted into and engaged with the recess 164 when the regulating plate 166 and the regulating plate 168 are placed back to back with their respective film opposing portions facing outward. Further, a counterbore portion 171 is formed on the entrance side of the hole 163A.

Therefore, the regulating plate 166 and the regulating plate 168 are brought together back to back with the film facing portion facing outward, the recessed portion 164 and the protruding portion 167 are engaged, and the screw 173 is inserted from the counterbore portion 171 side. If the regulating plate 166 and the regulating plate 168 are connected by screwing into the screw hole 161A,
Connection can be made without the head of the screw 173 protruding to the outside.

On the other hand, one upper and lower block 162 is formed at one end of the regulating plates 166 and 168, and a screw 1
72 to the inner surface of each cover plate 148. As can be seen from FIG. 3, these blocks 162 fix the regulating plates 166, 168 in predetermined positions and also regulate the width direction of the leader 46 and film 38 being conveyed. Regulation plate 166,1
68 has a plurality of square holes 169 formed along the vertical direction so that the processing liquid can flow through these square holes 169.

Therefore, the regulating plates 166, 168 and the block 162 constitute a guide mechanism for the film 38 and the leader 46, and this guide mechanism allows the film 38 to be
8 and the reader 46 are guided in the proper direction within the processing tank. In addition, the regulation plates 166, 168 and the block 1
62 is supported by the screws 173, 175 and three points on the inner surface of the side plate 102, so there is no need to pass the support rod 104 through during assembly, and it is securely fixed.

A support shaft 170 is spanned between the side plates 102 below the sprocket wheel 118 in parallel to the rotating shaft 110, and is fixed to the side plates 102 with screws 172. This support shaft 170
A pair of reversing rollers 174 are attached to and rotatable.

The reversing roller 174 has an arcuate outer shape that is smallest at the axially intermediate portion and gradually increases toward both ends. In addition, the reversing roller 17
4, a reversing bracket 176 is spanned between the side plates 102.

From this reversing bracket 176, there are vertical walls 178, 1 corresponding to both ends of the reversing roller 174 in the axial direction.
79 are respectively arranged upright, and an arcuate guide portion 180 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the reversing roller 174 is formed on the standing wall 178 . The arc guide portion 180 is U-shaped and is connected to the sprocket foil 11.
8, and the gap between the leader 46 and the reversing roller 174 serves as a folding guide means for the leader 46. The guide means has one end disposed on an extension of one straight portion of the timing belt 124 to form a leader inlet, and the other end disposed on an extension of the other straight portion of the timing belt 124 to form a leader outlet. There is.

Therefore, the leader 46 is connected to the timing belt 124.
Since it is released from between the guide bar 146 and the timing belt 124 at the reversing part, it moves straight downward and enters between the arc guide part 180 and the reversing roller 174, regardless of the bending and reversal of the timing belt 124. It's summery.

Next, the leader 46 reverses around the reversing roller 174 along the arcuate guide portion 180, and the timing belt 1 folded back onto the sprocket foil 118 is rotated.
24 again and rises.

Note that the vertical wall 178 has an introduction arc section 182 formed at the entrance of the arc guide section 180, so that the leader 46 can easily enter between the arc guide section 180 and the reversing roller 174.

Between the upper ends of the plurality of film transfer units 100, there is a support bracket 18 as shown in FIG.
4 is installed. This support bracket 18
A support shaft 186 is spanned over 4, and a reversal roller 190 similar to the reversal roller 174 is pivotally supported on the support shaft 186. Therefore, the leader 46 and film 38 that have been conveyed upward within the processing tank are sent to the next processing tank through between the support bracket 184 and the reversing roller 190.

Further, the film transfer units 100 disposed in the processing tanks 26, 28, 30, and 32 are formed to have shorter vertical dimensions than the film transfer units 100 in the other processing tanks.

Inside the processing tank 32, a film transfer unit 10 is installed.
An inverted triangular separator 206 is provided directly under the processing tank 32, and the hot air from the blower 35 and the heater 34 is branched to dry the film 38 moving up and down in the processing tank 32.

A film stacking device 64 is disposed on the upper exit side of the developing device 12 (on the right side in FIG. 1). In this film stacking device 64, a guide 66 is connected to the end of the frame 14, and a conveying roller 68 is provided on the lower surface of the guide 66. A collection plate 70 is arranged at the tip of the guide 66 with a predetermined gap therebetween, and a hook 72 projects obliquely upward from the upper inner surface of the collection plate 70.

Therefore, the film 38 and the leader 46 that have undergone each development process are pulled out by the conveying roller 68, and then moved upward along the lower surface of the guide 66 and the inner surface of the accumulation plate 70, and are moved upward through the square hole of the leader 46.
8 (see FIG. 2) engages the hook 72.

Developing device 1 of this embodiment configured as above
2 operates as follows.

First, pull out the tips of the two films 38 from the cartridge 40, and place them on the leader 46 as shown in FIG.
Connect to the rear end of the Next, the film supply device 5
4 (FIG. 1), each cartridge 40 is set on the pedestal 58, and the reader 46 is placed on the conveying roller 60 below. When the cover 56 is closed in this state, the leader 46
When a predetermined switch is turned on, the leader 46 and the film 38 are fed out between the reversing roller 190 and the support bracket 184.

The leader 46 and film 38 are redirected downwardly at the upper support bracket 184 so that the leader 46
The square hole 48 of No. 6 fits into the engagement protrusion 130 of the timing belt 124. Therefore, even if the end of the film 38 comes off the transport roller 60, the leader 46 and the film 38 are immersed in the developer in the processing tank 20 by the timing belt 124.

On the other hand, when the entire amount of the film 38 is pulled out from the cartridge 40, the cutter 62 is operated and the end of the film 38 is cut off from the cartridge 40.

The leader 46 and the film 38 once descend within the processing tank 20, pass between a lower reversing roller 174 and a reversing bracket 176, and are then reversed and conveyed upward. Further, since a reversing roller 190 and a support bracket 184 are provided above the standing wall 33, the leader 46 and the film 38 are again reversed downward and sent to the next processing tank 22.

In this manner, the leader 46 and the film 38 pass through each of the processing tanks 0 to 32, and the film 38 is subjected to color development, bleaching, fixing, washing, stabilization, and drying processing. The leader 46 and film 38 that have completed each process are transferred to the transport roller 6 of the film stacking device 64.
For eight hours, they are successively suspended from the hook 72 through the lower surface of the guide 66 and the inner surface of the collecting plate 70.

As described above, according to the film guide mechanism of this embodiment, each regulating plate 166 and regulating plate 188 can be easily attached to the side plate 102 without passing through the supporting rod 104 of the supporting plate 140. In addition, the boss 161 of the regulation plate 166 and the regulation plate 1
Since the structure is such that the 68 bosses 163 are engaged,
This has the effect of allowing both to be easily positioned and connected. Furthermore, since the blocks 162 are formed at the ends of the regulating plates 166 and 168 and fixed to the cover plate 148 through screws 172, there is no chance of burrs forming on the film side of the blocks 162.

In the above embodiment, the cylindrical block 1
62 is used, but a rectangular block may also be used. In addition, the regulation plate 166 and the regulation plate 168 may be divided into a plurality of parts in the longitudinal direction,
It is also possible to prevent wavy development of the film 38. Further, the regulation plate 166 and the regulation plate 168 may be connected by means other than the bosses 161, 163 and the screws 173.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the film guide mechanism for a developing device of the present invention, blocks for regulating the width of the film are formed at one end of each regulating plate and fixed to the film transfer unit, and each regulating plate is divided into two. However, since they are connected in a facing state, the regulating plate and the block can be easily assembled to the film transfer unit and can be securely fixed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a developing device to which the film guide mechanism of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing how the leader and film are connected, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the film transfer unit and the film guide mechanism. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the film transfer unit and film guide mechanism, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the film guide mechanism. 12...Developing device, 14...Frame, 20~
32...Processing tank, 38...Film, 46...Reader, 54...Film supply device, 62...Cutter, 64...Film stacking device, 100...Film transfer unit, 102...Side plate,
104... Support rod, 124... Timing belt, 140... Support plate, 148... Cover plate, 162... Block, 166, 168
...Regulation plate, 161, 163...Boss, 164...
... recess, 167 ... protrusion, 173 ... screw.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transfer drive means disposed between a pair of side plates to lower the film from the upper part to the lower part of the processing tank, and then reverse the film and raise it from the lower part to the upper part to transport the film inside the processing tank; A first opposing portion is disposed in the film and faces the film transported from the upper part to the lower part by the transfer driving means, and a second opposing part faces the film transported from the lower part to the upper part. A developing device comprising a plurality of regulating plates that regulate movement in the thickness direction to prevent the film from waving, and a block that is disposed between a pair of side plates and regulates the movement of the transported film in the width direction. A film guide mechanism for
The regulating plate is divided along the film transport direction to form a first opposing portion and a second opposing portion, and
and the second facing part are connected back to back with each facing part facing outward, and the block is protruded to the side in the width direction of the film to the first facing part and the second facing part. A film guide mechanism for a developing device, which is characterized by being provided with.