JPH0217099B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a film drying device for a developing device, which is disposed behind a film transport line of a developing device and is used to dry a developed film.

[Background technology]

The process of developing a film, particularly a color film, generally consists of development, bleaching, fixing, washing, stabilizing, and drying, and the number of development steps is usually greater than that 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 supply mechanism, passes through processing tanks for developer, bleach, fixer, washing water, and stabilizer by a conveyor, and then passes through a dryer to a predetermined amount. Developed film is now stored in a box.

In the drying process, if the temperature of the hot air is too high, the film will curl, and if it is too low, the film will be half-dried, so it is necessary to always send hot air at an appropriate temperature and uniformly. For this reason,
Conventionally, the film is dried by blowing hot air from both sides of the film being conveyed, that is, from the axial direction of the conveyor sprocket.

However, in this type of drying device, it is necessary to secure a space on both sides of the film for blowing hot air, so the width dimension increases, which makes it difficult to downsize the entire developing device.

Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-12945, it has been considered to provide a hot air supply means for blowing hot air upward under a drying rack for transporting films. According to this structure, a pipe having a ventilation slit is provided opposite to the film transport path, and the pipe can guide hot air blown from the hot air supply means to the film transport path to dry the film. It's becoming like that.

However, in this structure, the pipe is arranged adjacent to the film transport path, so the film must be guided while being held between many rollers to prevent it from wrapping around the pipe as it passes through. In addition, the film transport structure becomes large, which hinders miniaturization. In other words, if the distance between adjacent rollers in the film transport direction is large, the rear end of the film in particular will be fanned by the wind, pass between the rollers, and wrap around the pipe. There is a need to.

Further, in a structure in which a ventilation slit is provided opposite the film transport path to dry the film, it is desirable that the ventilation slit can be easily inspected and maintained by being removed together with the drying rack.

Incidentally, Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-96540 also discloses a structure in which a hot air supply means for blowing hot air upward is provided below a drying rack that conveys the film.
In this structure, hot air is passed upward along the film transport path to the upstream and downstream sides of the film transport path, with the middle part in the film transport direction as a boundary, and the film is directly dried with this hot air. There is.
For this reason, the hot air absorbs film moisture near the middle part of the film transport direction and flows to the upstream and downstream sides of the film transport path. It becomes damp and the drying ability decreases. As a result, it is not possible to uniformly blow hot air at a high temperature and low humidity over the entire film transport path, which causes curling of the film.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to sufficiently dry the film by constantly blowing hot air at an appropriate temperature and uniformly even when the width dimension is reduced, and to make it compact for developing equipment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a film drying device for a developing device which can be incorporated into a computer and which can be easily maintained.

[Structure of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the film drying apparatus of the present invention includes a hot air supply means for blowing out hot air by utilizing the space below the frame covering the developing device, a guide for branching the hot air into two directions, and a guide for branching the hot air into two directions. A blower base having a blower outlet for blowing the hot air upward through a guide is disposed, a pair of outer members are disposed facing each other above the blower base, and a circulation belt for transporting the film and a circulation belt for transporting the film are disposed above the blower base. A plurality of ventilation slits are provided on the outer surface of the circulation belt, facing each other on different sides and parallel to each other, and are perforated in the longitudinal direction of a plate member that guides the conveyance of the film. A ventilation passage is provided between the plate member and the outer member that communicates the ventilation slit with the outlet of the blower base and guides the hot air blown from the outlet of the blower base toward the circulation belt through the ventilation slit. A drying rack is provided for forming.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 shows a developing device 12 incorporating a film drying device 10 of the present invention.

In this developing device 12, the outside is a frame 14.
It is coated with a silica to block out all light from the outside world. Further, the lower part of the frame 14 is supported on a floor 18 by a plurality of support legs 16.

The frame 14 includes a plurality of processing tanks 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 extending in the vertical direction.
are formed, and each is partitioned off by a standing wall 33 that is a part of the frame. The processing tank 20 is filled with a developing solution, the processing tank 22 is filled with a bleaching solution, the processing tank 24 is filled with a fixing solution, the processing tanks 26 and 28 are filled with washing water, and the processing tank 30 is filled with a stabilizing solution. A heater 34 and a blower 35 are arranged to form hot air supply means, and warm air is sent upward.

Further, a guide roller 36 is provided below each tank 20 to 32 and on each vertical wall 33.
A guide 37 corresponds to 6 with a predetermined gap therebetween. Furthermore, sprockets 38 are installed above and below each of the tanks 20 to 32, and a film conveying belt 40 is suspended from these sprockets 38.

The belt 40 is endless and has many protrusions (not shown) formed on its inner surface, and rotates counterclockwise when a motor (not shown) rotates the sprocket 38. For this reason, the upper sprockets 38 are connected by one endless chain (not shown), so that the power of the motor is transmitted to each sprocket 38 simultaneously. Also, belt 4
A plurality of protrusions 52 are also formed on the outside of 0 at predetermined intervals.

On the other hand, the film 42 is housed in a cartridge 46 in a state where it is wound onto a spool 44 as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the spool 44
The tips of the two films 42 pulled out from the film are fixed to one leader 48, so that the two films 42 can be conveyed simultaneously.

The leader 48 is a flexible synthetic resin sheet that is slightly more rigid than the film 42, and has a plurality of square holes 50 along the longitudinal direction of the center. When these square holes 50 engage with the protrusions 52 of the belt 40, the film 42 is conveyed.

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 the upper part thereof is covered with a cover that can be opened and closed. In this film supply device 54, a cradle 5 for the film is provided.
8 are provided so that each cartridge 46 of the film 42 connected to the reader 48 can be placed thereon.

A pair of conveyance rollers 60 are provided between the pedestal 58 and the guide roller 36, and the conveyance rollers 60 convey the leader 48 and the film 42 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 42 when the entire amount of the film 42 is pulled out from the cartridge 46 by a control means (not shown).

A film stacking device 64 is installed 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.

For this reason, the film 42 and the leader 48 that have undergone each development process are pulled out by the conveyance 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 55 of the leader 48.
(see FIG. 2) engages the hook 72.

Therefore, the film 42 and the leader 48 are transported as follows.

First, pull out the tips of the two films 42 from the patronate 46, and place them on the leader 4 as shown in FIG.
Attach to the rear end of 8. Next, the film supply device 5
4 (FIG. 1), each cartridge 46 is set on the pedestal 58, and the reader 48 is placed on the conveying roller 60 below. When the cover 56 is closed in this state, the leader 48
When a predetermined switch is turned on, the leader 48 and film 42 are fed out between the guide roller 36 and the guide 37.

The leader 48 and film 42 are connected to the upper guide 3
The direction is changed downward at 7, and the square hole 5 of the leader 48
0 fits into the protrusion 52 of the belt 40. Therefore,
Even if the end of the film 42 comes off the transport roller 60, the leader 48 and the film 42 are immersed in the developer in the processing tank 20 by the belt 40.

On the other hand, when the entire amount of the film 42 is pulled out from the cartridge 46, the cutter 62 is operated and the end of the film 42 is cut off from the cartridge 46.

The leader 48 and the film 42 once descend inside the processing tank 20, and then the lower guide roller 36 and the guide 3
After passing between 7 and 7, it is reversed and conveyed upward. Further, a guide roller 36 is also provided above the standing wall 33.
and a guide 37 are provided, so the reader 4
8 and the film 42 are again turned downward and sent to the next processing tank 22.

In this manner, the leader 48 and the film 42 pass through each of the processing tanks 20 to 32, and the film 42 is subjected to color development, bleaching, fixing, washing, stabilization, and drying processing. The leader 48 and film 42 that have completed each step are suspended from a hook 72 through between the conveying rollers 68 of the film stacking device 64, the lower surface of the guide 66, and the inner surface of the stacking plate 70.

FIG. 3 shows a film drying apparatus 10 of this embodiment.
An enlarged cross-sectional view of is shown.

In this film drying apparatus 10, the frame 14
Another standing wall 33A is installed inside the standing wall 33 at a predetermined interval to form a blower base. Further, a blower 35 is installed at the bottom of the frame 14, and the outlet 35A of the blower 35 is connected to the vertical wall 3.
Connected to the lower side of 3A. Further, a curved wall 74 connected to the blower 35 is formed below the processing tank, so that the air sent from the blower 35 smoothly flows upward to the processing tank 32.

A heater 34 is installed in the ventilation passage of the processing tank 32, and the cold air from the blower 35 is converted into warm air by the heater 34. Alternatively, a warm air blower with a built-in heater may be provided.

Below the guide 37 for reversing the film, a horizontal wall 78 is connected to the upper part of the vertical wall 33A.
An elongated triangular branch guide 76 is fixed to the lower surface of the guide 8. The tip of the branching guide 76 extends downward and branches the warm air that has passed through the heater 34 between it and the vertical wall 33A into two directions. The side wall 78 has a branch guide 76 and a standing wall 33A.
A through hole 1 as an air outlet corresponding to the part between
00 is formed. As a result, the warm air branched into two by the branch guide 76 is blown out upward from the side wall 78 through the through hole 100.

A pair of cover plates 80, which are part of the drying rack, are mounted on the upper surface of the side wall 78. This cover plate 80 is connected by an inner plate member 80C disposed facing each other to form a box shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the inner plate member 80A of the cover plate 80 has a pair of slits 82 aligned in the longitudinal direction on both sides, and the outer plate member 80B has a thin square tube between it and the inner plate member 80A. It forms a hot air passage. A pair of cover plates 80 are arranged parallel to each other on different sides outside the belt 40, and constitute a drying rack assembled together with the sprocket 38 and the belt 40. This drying rack can be taken out from the processing tank 32 by opening a cover 79 that is openable and closable above the processing tank 32.

Therefore, as can be seen from FIG. 3, when each cover plate 80 is inserted into the processing tank 32, it forms a space 84 that extends in the vertical direction, and hot air from below flows into the space 8.
4. It passes through each slit 82 and hits the film 42 (see FIG. 2) on the outer surface of the belt 40. At this time, attach the upper end of the cover plate 80 to the stopper 77.
It is preferable to close the opening at 300 degrees Celsius to allow all of the warm air to flow into the film 42 side.

In addition, when installing the above drying rack, the vertical wall 33A
It is desirable to provide a guide means inside the frame 14 so that the frame 14 is placed at a predetermined position, or to provide an engagement means between the frame 14 and the vertical wall 33A.

On the other hand, a space 81 is formed between the cover plate 80, the standing wall 33, and the frame 14, and this space 81 covers the periphery of the cover plate 80 and the processing tank 32 and extends downward. Also, space 81
and the blower 35 are connected by an elbow-shaped passage 83. An air intake (not shown) is connected to the bent portion of the passage 83, and an air filter 85 is provided at the outlet of the intake.

Therefore, the upstream side of the blower 35, that is, the passage 83
Negative pressure is generated in the space 81 and the belt 4
A portion of the hot air that hits the film 42 being conveyed along the path along the path 0 is discharged to the outside through the opening 87, but a portion passes through the space 81 and the path 83 and enters the blower 35 again. becomes. At the same time, fresh air from outside is also drawn into the blower 35 through the air film 85.

As shown in FIG. 4, guide bars 86 extending in the vertical direction are fixed to the inner center of the cover plate 80. As shown in FIG. A groove 88 is formed in the guide bar 86 in the longitudinal direction, and when the protrusion 52 of the belt 40 fits into the groove 88, the belt 40 is guided in the proper direction. A flexible plate 90 is provided on the outside of the cover plate 80 as a film meandering prevention mechanism.
Three are installed at the top and bottom of each. Flexible plate 90
It is made of resin on a thin plate, and one end thereof is fixed to the cover plate 80 together with the guide bar 86 by a screw 92.

A pair of triangular claws 94 are formed at the other end of the flexible plate 90, and each claw 94 passes through a hole 96 formed in the cover plate 80 and projects toward the belt 40 side. Therefore, the claws 94 prevent the film 42 from meandering on both sides of the belt 40.

However, since the inclined surface 98 of the claw 94 is formed in the direction of movement of the leader 48 conveyed by the belt 40, when the leader 48 moves while contacting the inclined surface 98, the claw 94 is pushed outward. be done. As a result, when the leader 48 passes, the claws 94 again protrude inside the cover plate 80 and restrict both edges of the film 42 connected to the leader 48.

The film drying apparatus 10 of this embodiment constructed as described above operates as follows.

When the leader 48 and the film 42 pass between the upper guide roller 36 and the guide 37 and enter the processing tank 32, the square hole 50 of the leader 48 engages with the protrusion 52 of the belt 40, so that the leader 48 and the film 42 are not processed. It is transported below the tank 32.

The heater 34 and the blower 35 are connected to the film supply device 5 by a switch (not shown) of the developing device 12.
4 and conveyance device (sprocket 38, belt 4
0), the treatment tank 32 is already in operation.
It is also warm enough. In addition, the air sent out from the blower 35 passes through the heater 34 and becomes warm air, and after being divided into two almost equally by the branch guide 76, the air is divided into two parts by the through hole 100, the space 84, and the cover plate 8.
It passes through the 0 slit 82 and always hits the belt surface.

For this reason, the leader 48 and film 42 on the belt 40 are moved through the slit 82 on the left side of FIG.
During rising, warm air is blown from the right slit 82, and during rising, warm air is blown from the right slit 82 to remove the moisture. Since the wind pressure of the hot air acts in a direction that presses the film 42 inward, there is no fear that the film 42 will get caught in the slit 82.

The temperature and air volume of the hot air are set so that moisture is removed from the film 42 and curling does not occur. Here, since the inner plate member 80A is interposed between the space 84 and the film 42,
The warm air flowing through the space 84 to the slit 82 absorbs moisture from the film 42 on the way, reducing the temperature.
The film 42 can be dried by uniformly sending suitable warm air with high temperature and low humidity over substantially the entire transport path of the film 42 without causing high humidity.

Further, since the inner plate member 80A is arranged parallel to the outer surface of the belt 40, facing the outer surface of the belt 40 on different sides, the inner plate member 80A pulls the rear end of the film 42 when the rear end of the film 42 passes. I can guide you without getting stuck.

Leader 48 and film 42 that have been dried
The film passes between the upper guide 37 and the guide roller 36 and is sent to the film stacking device 64 (see FIG. 1).

On the other hand, a part of the hot air hitting the film 42 is discharged to the outside through the opening 87, and part of it passes through the space 81 and the passage 83 as shown by the arrow, and mixes with fresh air from the air film 85. After that, it flows into the blower 35.

As described above, according to the film drying apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the film 42 can be properly dried without waste. Further, since the heater 34 and the blower 35, which serve as hot air supply means, are installed using the surplus space below the frame 14, the entire developing device 12 can be made compact.

Furthermore, since the hot air is supplied from below, there is an advantage that the width of the developing device 12 can be reduced. In addition, since each cover plate 80 is provided so that it can be taken in and out of the processing tank 32, the film drying apparatus 1
0 can be easily assembled, maintained, inspected, and disassembled for cleaning. In particular, the slits 82 of each cover plate 80 can be inspected and maintained by removing the drying rack, and the space 84 can be penetrated by simply placing the cover plate 80 on the upper surface of the side wall 78 by inserting the drying rack. It can be easily assembled by communicating with the hole 100, and inspection and maintenance of the slit 82 is easy.

Note that although the above embodiment employs a system in which a portion of the warm air that has passed through the film 42 is circulated to the blower 35, other mechanisms may be employed for this circulation means and outside air intake means. .

Further, in this embodiment, the cover plate 80 has an inner plate member 80A and an outer plate member 80B.
However, when the air from the blower is not circulated, the outer plate member 80 is used.
B may be replaced by the standing wall 33 of the frame 14, and in this case, a separate duct for circulating air from the blower may be provided.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As mentioned above, in the film drying apparatus of the present invention,
By arranging a hot air supply means, a hot air branching guide, etc. below the frame, and installing a pair of plates with a large number of slits in the longitudinal direction, the hot air blown upward is branched into two guides. Since the film is supplied to the film surface through the slit, the drying device and the entire developing device can be made compact. Further, by installing the plate member, the film can be dried by constantly blowing hot air at an appropriate temperature and evenly, and the film can be guided in a compact structure without using a large number of rollers. In addition, a ventilation slit is formed in the plate member of the drying rack, and when the drying rack is placed on the ventilation unit base, the ventilation slit and the outlet of the ventilation unit base are communicated between the plate member and the outer member to blow the air. Since a ventilation path is formed that guides hot air blown out from the air outlet of the base body toward the circulation belt through the ventilation slit, inspection and maintenance are facilitated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a developing device incorporating the film drying device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the film connected to a leader, FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the film drying device, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the cover plate. 10... Film drying device, 12... Developing device, 14... Frame, 32... Processing tank, 34...
...Heater, 35...Blower, 40...Belt, 4
2...Film, 48...Reader, 54...Film supply device, 64...Film stacking device, 76
... Branch guide, 80 ... Cover plate, 80
A...Inner plate member, 80B...Outer plate member, 82...Slit, 84...Space.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A blower base having a warm air supply means for blowing out hot air, a guide for branching the warm air into two parts, and an outlet for blowing the warm air upward through the guide; A pair of outer members disposed above to face each other, a circulation belt for conveying the film, and plates disposed in parallel facing the outer surface of the circulation belt on different sides to guide the conveyance of the film. A large number of ventilation slits are formed in the longitudinal direction of the member, and when the plate member is placed on the air blower base, the ventilation slits and the outlet of the air blower base are communicated between the plate member and the outer member to blow air. 1. A film drying device for a developing device, comprising: a drying rack forming a ventilation path for guiding hot air blown from an air outlet of a base body toward a circulation belt through a ventilation slit. 2. A film drying device for a developing device according to claim 1, wherein said outer member is integrally formed with a drying rack. 3. The outer member is constituted by the inner wall of a frame containing a drying rack.
A film drying device for a developing device as described in 2.