JPH0743531B2 - Drying device for photosensitive material developing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a photosensitive material developing device for developing an image recorded on a photosensitive material such as a film by a laser beam or the like, and particularly to a photosensitive material after development. The present invention relates to a drying device of a photosensitive material developing device for drying.

[Background technology]

Recently, a radiation image recording / reproducing system for obtaining a radiation transmission image of a subject by using a stimulable fluorescent substance (stimulable fluorescent substance) has been developed, and in particular, it is being widely spread in the medical field. Here, the stimulable phosphor means radiation (X-ray, α-ray, β-ray, γ
Line, electron beam, ultraviolet ray, etc.) means a phosphor that accumulates a part of this radiation energy, and stimulates emission in response to the accumulated energy by irradiating excitation light such as visible light afterwards. .

The above-mentioned radiation image recording / reproducing system uses this stimulable phosphor, and the radiation image information of the human body or the like is once recorded on a sheet having a layer made of the stimulable phosphor, and this stimulable phosphor sheet. To generate stimulated emission light by scanning with excitation light such as laser light, to obtain an image signal by photoelectrically reading the obtained stimulated emission light, recording material such as a photographic photosensitive material based on the image signal, The image is output to a CRT or the like as a visible image.

Here, when permanently recording the radiation image information once accumulated on the stimulable phosphor sheet on the recording material, an image recording device, for example, an image output laser printer device is adopted. That is, this device stores a film which is a recording material through a cassette or the like, takes out the films one by one by a sheet-fed mechanism such as a suction plate, and then converts them into image signals obtained from a stimulable phosphor sheet. Based on this, the film is irradiated with laser light to record a predetermined image.

Therefore, in such a structure, the film on which the new image is recorded is conveyed into the automatic developing device. Here, first, the film is conveyed into a developing tank that stores a developing solution for development, and then the film is passed through a fixing tank that stores a fixing solution to perform a fixing process, and then the film is placed in a water tank that stores cleaning water. The processing solution is transported by spraying cleaning water directly onto the film by spraying or the like to remove the processing solution, and the film development processing is performed.

Next, this film is squeezed by a roller or the like forming a squeeze part to squeeze water adhering to the film, and then conveyed to a drying part, for example, dried by blowing hot air at about 55 ° C. It is stored in a place and used for medical diagnosis, etc. if necessary.

The photosensitive material dried in this drying section is curled, stretched,
The image must be accurately represented without unevenness in drying (uneven density). For this purpose, it is possible to send a weak wind as a whole and gradually dry it, but in the case of a weak wind, the drying becomes insufficient, and a long drying path is used to eliminate failures such as undried and adhesion. I need.

In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a drying device for a photosensitive material developing device, which is capable of performing rapid drying without causing defects such as curling, expansion and contraction, and unevenness in drying due to drying on the photosensitive material. .

[Outline and Action of Invention]

According to the present invention, a drying device of a photosensitive material developing device, which develops an image recorded on a photosensitive material and then takes it out by drying, conveys dry air supplied from a dry air blowing source from a slit-like dry air outlet. The photosensitive material is sprayed onto the surface of the photosensitive material to dry the photosensitive material, and is characterized by a structure that guides dry air to the surface of the photosensitive material.

For example, the light-sensitive material supplied to the drying device is gently dried by being applied to the upstream side thereof, that is, the light-sensitive material near the entrance of the drying device, by a weak dry air. Therefore, large curling, expansion and contraction of the film, and unevenness such as uneven drying do not occur. In addition, a strong dry air is applied to the photosensitive material on the downstream side, that is, near the exit from the drying section,
Since the light-sensitive material has already been dried to some extent, even if it is rapidly dried from this state, there is no great deformation.

Further, since the intensity of the dry air is gradually changed between the upstream side and the downstream side of the photosensitive material, even if the moisture contained in the photosensitive material is nonuniform, a large deformation does not occur. That is,
Especially because the dry wind gradually becomes stronger even in parts with a lot of water,
Compared to the case of sending a suddenly strong dry air, the degree of dryness of this part is gentle and the deformation is small.

Example of Invention

FIG. 1 shows a developing device 10 to which the present invention is applied. The developing device 10 includes an image recording unit 12 and an automatic developing unit 13, and the automatic developing unit 13 is provided with a drying unit 32 as a drying device of the present invention.

A cassette 16 containing a film 14, which is a recording material, is loaded in the image recording unit 12, and a suction cup 18 arranged on the cassette 16 adsorbs a plurality of films 14 in the cassette 16 from its uppermost layer. And then send it out along the transport route 20,
The optical means 22 including a laser device is controlled by an image signal stored in the control device 21 in advance, and the modulated laser light is irradiated onto the film 14 to be exposed.

The image-exposed film 14 is sent into the automatic developing machine 13, processed in this order in the developing tank 26, the fixing tank 28, and the washing tank 30, and dried in the drying section 32, and then in the image recording section 12. It is designed to be discharged to a predetermined location above.

A pair of rollers for transporting the film 14 is provided in each of these processing tanks.
27, 29, 31 are provided respectively, and a pair of transfer guide rollers 26A, 28A are provided between the developing tank 26 and the fixing tank 28 and between the fixing tank 28 and the water washing tank 30, respectively. Has been. Further, on the upper part of the washing tank 30, a plurality of conveying rollers 30A for sending the film 14 after washing to the drying section 32 are provided. Each of these rollers is rotated by the driving force of a motor (not shown).

The automatic developing section 13 is designated by the machine frame 34,
The fixing tank 28, the fixing tank 28, and the washing tank 30 are fixed to the machine frame 34. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a drying section 32 is arranged on the upper part of the machine frame 34, and the side surface thereof is covered with a cover.
It is surrounded by 42 and an opening / closing door 43 (see FIG. 2), and the inside of the machine frame 34 is shielded from outside light by these.

A developer replenishment tank 44 and a fixer replenishment tank 46 are arranged below the machine frame 34. These developer replenishment tanks 4
4. The fixer replenishment tank 46 is mounted on the bottom plate 34A of the machine frame 34, and this mounting portion is located inside the opening / closing door 43 and at the bottom of the recess 48 in which the cover 42 is recessed inward. As a result, the mounting portions of the developer replenishment tank 44 and the fixer replenishment tank 46 are
Even if the opening / closing door 43 is opened, the inside of the automatic developing unit 13 is still shielded from light, and even if the opening / closing door 43 is opened carelessly, outside light does not enter the inside of the automatic developing unit 13.

An opening 50 shown in FIG. 4 is formed in a part of the developer replenishing tank 44 and the fixer replenishing tank 46 to open these tanks to the outside. This opening 50 has a cover recess
The lower end of the suction pipe 52 is inserted through 48,
The internal replenisher 54 is sucked, and the developing replenisher is supplied to the developing tank 26 and the fixing replenisher is fixed by the driving force of a pump (not shown).
It can be pumped to 28.

In addition, the opening 56 has a bracket 56 that can be hung on its edge.
The level sensor 58 is suspended by the
It is possible to detect a state in which the remaining amount of is less than a predetermined amount.

Above the developer replenishment tank 44 and the fixer replenishment tank
A developing solution replenishing cartridge 63 and a fixing solution replenishing cartridge 65 are respectively connected to the top of the paper 46.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protrusion 63B is projected from the bottom surface of the developer replenishing cartridge 63, and the developer replenishing tank 44
Has entered into the recess 44A formed on the top surface of the. On the other hand, a protrusion formed on the bottom surface of the fixer replenishment cartridge 65.
65B has entered a recess 46A formed on the top surface of the fixer replenishment tank 46. In the state shown in FIG. 5, the projections 63B and the recesses 44A are biased toward the right side of the developer replenishing cartridge 63 and the developer replenishment tank 44 so that the projections 65B and the recesses 46A are replenished with the fixing solution. The cartridge 65 and the fixer replenishing tank 46 are arranged at the center in the left-right direction.

For this reason, the developer replenishment cartridge 63 should be replaced with the fixer replenishment tank.
46 or the developer replenishing tank 44 to the fixer replenishing cartridge.
When it is attempted to mount it on the 65, these irregularities do not fit and the liquid injection port 68 of each cartridge 63, 65 cannot be connected to the receiving port 70 of the developer replenishing tanks 44, 46, so that it cannot be mounted.

The drying section 32 is rotatably supported on the machine frame 34 by a shaft 84 integrally fixed to the machine frame 34 being pivotally supported on the machine frame 34 as shown in detail in FIG.

A ratchet 86 having three engaging recesses 86A, 86B, 86C is fixed to the shaft 84 so as to rotate together with the shaft 84. A claw 88 pivotally supported by the pin 87 on the machine frame 34 corresponds to the ratchet 86, and the claw 88 is biased by the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 90 in the direction of meshing with the ratchet 86.

Therefore, when the drying section cover 82 rotates counterclockwise from the state of FIG. 3 to open the upper portion of the automatic developing section 13, the opening angle is in three stages, that is, the claw 88 engages with the recesses 86A, 86B, 86C, respectively. Each time, the movement of the drying section cover 82 in the closing direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 3) is blocked, and the drying section cover 82 can be stopped at a desired opening angle.

When the pawl 88 is rotated clockwise by a predetermined angle or more from the state shown in FIG. 3, the biasing direction of the torsion coil spring 90 is reversed and the pawl 88 is rotated clockwise. That is, the fixed end 90A of the torsion coil spring 90 to the machine frame 34 and the mounting end 90B of the claw 88 generate an urging force so as to separate from each other,
If the straight line connecting these ends is to the left of the axis of the pin 87 in FIG. 3, the pawl 88 is rotated counterclockwise, and if it is to the right, it is rotated clockwise.

Further, when the opening angle of the drying section cover 82 becomes large, the recess 86
The protrusion 86D adjacent to C largely rotates the pawl 88 in the clockwise direction to largely separate the tip end portion of the pawl 88 from the ratchet 86 and reverse the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 90. Therefore, the drying section cover 82 opened at the maximum angle is the third
When rotated clockwise in the figure, the tip of the pawl 88 does not engage with the ratchet 86 during this returning operation, and the drying unit cover
82 can be rotated until the upper part of the automatic developing section 13 is completely closed.

However, when the drying unit cover 82 is rotated to a position where it completely closes the upper portion of the automatic developing unit 13, the recess of the ratchet 86 is depressed.
The protrusion 86E protruding adjacent to the 86A engages with the protrusion 88A protruding from a part of the pawl 88, and the pawl 88 is rotated again in the counterclockwise direction largely to reverse the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 90 again. Thus, the tip portion of the claw 88 can be urged in the direction in which the ratchet 86 is engaged.

A torsion coil spring 92 having a large urging force is attached to the shaft 84, and the torsion coil spring 92 urges the drying unit cover 82 in the opening direction. Therefore, in the initial stage of opening the drying unit cover 82, the torsion coil spring is
By the urging force of 92, the drying unit cover 82 can be opened with a light operating force.

A partition plate 94 for partitioning the automatic developing section 13 from the drying section 32 is attached to the lower surface of the drying section cover 82. The partition plate 94 is fixed to the frame body 82A of the drying section cover 82 with screws 96.

The partition plate 94 has a space between the developing tank 26 and the fixing tank 28 and between the fixing tank 28,
Protrusion 9 protruding toward the guide rollers 26A, 28A between the washing tanks 30
4A are formed respectively. These protrusions 94A come out from between the roller pairs 27 and 29 when the end of the film 14 moves from the developing tank 26 to the fixing tank 28 and when moving from the fixing tank 28 to the washing tank 30, and the rigidity of the film 14 is increased. Treatment liquid to be splashed up and scattered when trying to straighten with (arrows A, B
Direction) to prevent the processing liquid from entering the next tank.

An opening 94B for passing the film 14 from the washing tank 30 to the drying section 32 is formed in a part of the partition plate 94 corresponding to above the transport roller 30A.

In the drying section 32, a pair of guide rollers 102, 1 is provided above the opening 94B.
04 is axially supported by the drying unit frame 82A, and the film 14 is horizontally diverted by a guide plate 106 having a substantially 1/4 circular arc shape arranged on the drying unit frame 82A.

Five pairs of conveying rollers 110A and 110B are provided adjacent to the guide plate 106 on the drying unit frame 82A, and each of them receives the driving force of the driving belt 112 and sends the film 14 to the outlet 114. ing.

A sandwiching roller group formed by a combination of these transport rollers 110A and 110B is arranged separately from each other,
Between these, a conveyance roller 116 that receives a driving force by the drive belt 112 is arranged correspondingly to the lower side of the film 14.

Therefore, as compared with the conventional configuration in which the film 14 conveyed in the horizontal direction and in a state close to the horizontal direction is sandwiched by the zigzag arrangement of roller arrangements alternately arranged on the front and back of the film 14, the film 14 can be reliably formed with a small number of rollers. It can be sent out.

On the front and back sides of the film 14 which is sent out in a substantially horizontal direction by the combination of the carrying rollers 110A and 110B, a plurality of air ducts 122 whose longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the carrying direction of the film 14 are formed.
Are arranged. As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the blower pipes 122 have their bases connected to the blower ducts 124, and are attached to the drying section frame 82A together with the blower ducts 124. The blower duct 124 has an opening 124A whose base portion is oriented in the direction of the automatic developing section 13 at right angles to the axis, and as shown in FIG. 2, a blower motor, a blower fan, and a fan arranged in the automatic developing section 13 are provided. It is adapted to communicate with the upper end portion of the duct 128 which is communicated with the blast source 126 by a combination of heating means.

Blower tube 122A communicated with the most advanced part of this blower duct 124
Corresponds to the film 14 on the upstream side (the side closer to the automatic developing unit 13) in the drying unit 32, and the blower pipe 122B on the side closer to the duct 128 is on the downstream side of the film 14, that is, the film closer to the outlet 114. It corresponds to 14. Therefore, the air duct 122B
Further, the blower pipe 122 in the vicinity of this is closer to the opening 124A, and relatively strong wind is blown, and the blower pipe 122A and the blower pipe 122 in the vicinity thereof are far from the opening 124A, and relatively weaker wind is blown. Therefore, a relatively weak dry air is sent to the upstream side of the film 14 in the drying section 32, and a strong dry air is sent to the downstream side.

However, as it is, the amount of air blown to the vicinity of the blower pipe 122A is small and the difference in air flow between the upstream side and the downstream side of the film 14 is excessive, so that the width of the blower duct 124 gradually increases from W ₁ to W ₂ toward the tip. And reduced. As a result, the air duct
Since the difference in the amount of air blown between the 122A part and the air blow tube 122B part is relatively small, and the air flow rate gradually changes between them,
The film 14 is less deformed than in the case where the air flow rate changes abruptly. In other words, the film 14 may have a large amount of water in some parts, and it is preferable that the air flow rate is not abruptly changed, and that the air flow rate is gradually changed, in order to dry the film 14 without deformation.

Ventilation cross-sectional area S of the air duct 124 at this width W _1
1, ventilating cross-sectional area of the air duct 124 in the width dimension W ₂ parts
Ratio S ₂ / S ₁ between the S ₂ may be any from 75 to 10%, preferably from 5
0-25% is good.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 and 8, a slit 130 is formed on the blower pipe 122 so as to face the passing film 14, and dry air is sent toward the passing film 14. . In this case, the cross-sectional area of the blower pipe 122 is gradually reduced toward the tip end thereof, so that the blower can be blown uniformly in the width direction of the film 14. However, the cross-sectional area of the blower pipe 122 is changed on the opposite side of the portion facing the film 14, and the slit 130 facing the film 14 is parallel to the film 14, so that the film 1
A uniform dry air can be supplied to 4.

The blower cross-sectional area of the blower pipe 122 is such that the ratio of the maximum area portion to the minimum area portion is 5 to 30%, preferably 8 to 15%.

The opening of the drying section 32 is blocked by the locking means 142 attached to the image recording section 12. That is, the image recording unit 1
A lock bar 144 having a substantially U-shape is disposed inside 2, and the lock bar 144 is guided by a case 148 disposed inside the image recording unit 12, and both tip portions are automatically developed from the image recording unit 12. The parts 13 and the drying part 32 can be projected in the respective directions. One end of the lock bar 144 can be inserted into the opening 150 formed in the drying section cover 82. Therefore, when the locking bar 144 is inserted into the opening 150, the drying section cover 82 is opened and closed. It will be impossible.

Further, the other end of the lock bar 144 is adapted to be inserted into the insertion opening 152 of the film 14 from the image recording section 12 to the automatic developing section 13, and the insertion leading end is connected to the lid 154 of the insertion opening 152. ing.

Therefore, when the lock bar 144 comes out of the drying section 32, the lid 154 can forcibly close the insertion opening 152, and the drying section 32 cannot be opened unless the insertion opening 152 is closed. There is. This lock bar 144 is a solenoid 1
56, the projecting and retracting states are forced, and when the film 14 is passing through the insertion port 152, this solenoid 156 can maintain the lock bar 144 in the projecting state. Thus, the drying section 32 cannot be opened carelessly during the development work of the film 14, and it is taken care that the film 14 under development is not exposed to external light.

The lock bar 144 may be manually operated, or a lock bar having a different structure may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, a grip 158 is formed on a part of the drying section cover 82. The grip 158 is prevented from rising by the opening / closing door 43 in a state where the opening / closing door 43 is closed. The part 32 is prevented from being opened carelessly.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

Laser device 22 by optical means 24 from cassette 16 in image exposure device 12 to film 14 taken out by suction cup 18
After the image is exposed, the image is sent to the automatic developing unit 13.

In the automatic developing section 13, the film 14 includes a developing tank 26, a fixing tank 28,
Development, fixing, and water washing are performed through the water washing tank 30, and the drying section
It is taken out to the upper part of the image exposure device 12 via 32.

After a predetermined number of times of development work, or by a small amount, a pump (not shown) supplies the replenisher 54 in the developer replenishing tank 44 and the fixer replenishing tank 46 to the developing tank 26 and the fixing tank 28, respectively.

As a result, the developer replenishing tank 44 shown in FIGS.
Although the level of the replenisher 54 in the fixer replenisher tank 46 decreases, the atmosphere passes through the opening 50 and the atmosphere replenishes with the developer replenishing cartridge 63,
By entering into the fixer replenishing cartridge 65, these replenisher 54 are filled in the developer replenishing tank 44 and the fixer replenishing tank 46, and the liquid levels of the developer replenishing tank 44 and the fixer replenishing tank 46 are always constant. Maintained at.

Developing solution replenishing cartridge 63, Fixing solution replenishing cartridge 65
All of the replenisher 54 therein enters the developer replenisher tank 44 and the fixer replenisher tank 46, and the developer replenisher tank 44,
When the replenishing solution 54 in the fixer replenishing tank 46 is supplied to the developing tank 26 and the fixing tank 28 via the suction pipe 52, and the solution level gradually decreases, the level sensor 58 detects this and displays a warning. Or give an alarm.

As a result, the worker removes the developer replenishing cartridge 63 or the fixer replenishing cartridge 65 and replaces the developer replenishing cartridge 63 and the fixer replenishing cartridge 65 filled with the new replenisher 54 with the developer replenishing tank 44 and the fixer replenisher. Load the tank 46.

Even if the opening / closing door 43 of the machine frame 34 is opened during this loading operation, the portion where the developer replenishing tank 44 and the fixer replenishing tank 46 are installed is shielded from the inside of the developing device 10 by the cover recess 48. However, external light does not carelessly reach the developing section.
Further, the developer replenishing cartridge 63 and the fixer replenishing cartridge 65 are designed so that the concave and convex shapes are selectively fitted into the developer replenishing tank 44 and the fixer replenishing tank 46, so that there is no wrong loading.

When the film 14 reaches the drying section 32, the film 14 guided by the guide rollers 102, 104 and the guide plate 106 is turned in the horizontal direction, passes through the combination of the conveying rollers 110A, 110B, and passes through the slit 130 of the blower pipe 122. It is taken out through the take-out port 114 after being dried by the dry air.

At the time of this drying, the blower pipe 122 is used for the film 1 in the drying unit 32.
A weak wind is sent to the upstream side of 4 to gently dry the film 14 in the initial stage of drying, so that the film 14 does not have unevenness in drying, concentration fluctuation such as expansion and contraction, or deformation. Again film
14 is gradually supplied with strong wind and dried, so the film
14 drying time is reduced. At the time of this rapid drying, the film 14 has already been dried to some extent, so even if it is rapidly dried there is no significant deformation.

Next, FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the drying unit 32 of the above embodiment, and a guide plate 162 is arranged below the film 14 instead of the transport roller 116 in the drying unit 32. This guide plate 162
A bracket 164 which is erected from a part of the is fixed to the frame body 82A. Therefore, also in this embodiment, it is possible to increase the interval between the transport rollers 110A and 110B, reduce the number of rollers, and perform proper transport. Although the exposure apparatus using laser light is shown in the present embodiment, the developing apparatus of the present invention is an exposure apparatus using a light source such as a tungsten light, a fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, a xenon lamp or a radiation light source such as an X-ray. It can also be applied to development for devices.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in a drying device of a photosensitive material developing device that develops a photosensitive material on which an image is recorded and then takes it out, the drying air from a drying air blowing source can be efficiently used and the desired strength of the drying air can be reduced. The distribution can guide the surface of the photosensitive material. Therefore, the photosensitive material can be dried in an optimum state.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of a developing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a drying section, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a left side view of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the drying section viewed from below, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 8
7 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a drying section of the second embodiment of the present invention. 10 ... Developing device, 12 ... Image recording unit, 13 ... Automatic developing unit, 14 ... Film, 26 ... Developing tank, 28 ... Fixing tank, 30
…… Washing tank, 122 …… Blower pipe, 124 …… Blower duct, 126
...... Blower, 128 ...... duct, 130 ...... slit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Dry air from a dry air blowing source is blown onto the surface of a photosensitive material conveyed along a photosensitive material conveying path,
In a drying device of a photosensitive material developing device for drying a photosensitive material, it is disposed along the photosensitive material transport path, is supplied with dry air in communication with the dry air blowing source near one end, and further away from the one end. An air blowing duct having a reduced cross-sectional area of the dry air, and a slit-shaped dry air outlet in a direction crossing the photosensitive material conveying path, respectively, communicating with the air blowing duct at the base and further away from the base. A drying device for a photosensitive material developing device, comprising: a plurality of air-blowing pipes arranged along the photosensitive material transport path while having a reduced cross-sectional area of a dry air passage.