JPH11106117A - Tray conveyor for photographic processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tray conveyor capable of suppressing a damage such that a following tray crashes into a tray during stoppage. SOLUTION: This tray conveyor for photographic processing device is structured so that a tray 100 to transport prints and a driving means 93 to move the tray can be connected to and disconnected from each other. Also it is provided with a stopper device to stop the tray at a disconnect area where the tray is disconnected from the driving means and a stopper release mechanism 300 to release the stopper device when a following tray approaches the tray stopped by the stopper device 200.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention comprises a tray for transporting prints, a circulating guide path forming a transport path for the tray, and driving means for moving the tray along the circulating guide path. The present invention relates to a tray conveyor for a photographic processing apparatus in which means and a tray can be freely connected and disconnected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a photographic processing apparatus equipped with a tray conveyor, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-269342, one order (normally, one By sending the tray for one pitch every time the prints for the negative film are loaded, the prints loaded on each tray are sorted for each order. In this way, the prints sorted by order by tray are
The operator is transported to the waiting matching station, where it is taken out, checked one by one, checked against the corresponding negative film, and packed in a DP bag together with the corresponding negative film. Equipped with such a tray conveyor has the advantage that the prints sorted by order are carried on the tray to the point where the operator is waiting, but the tray is placed in the chain at a predetermined pitch. Since it is fixed, the total length of the chain becomes longer when the number of trays is increased, which is disadvantageous. Further, while one tray is stopped at the print loading station, the other trays are also stopped, and the transport efficiency of the tray is not so high.

[0003] In order to solve this problem, it is proposed that the connection between the tray and a chain drive for moving the tray can be detached. This allows the tray to be disengaged from the chain drive at the print loading station and stopped by the stopper device, and the collating station also allows the tray to be cut off from the chain drive and stored in the tray as packed as possible. It becomes possible.

[0004]

However, when the driving device and the tray are made freely connectable and detachable, a further tray is fed into the stopped tray due to a control error or the like, and the stopped tray is sent to the stopped tray. There is a problem that the following trays collide and bite. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to avoid a fatal collision such as a subsequent tray digging into a stopped tray in a tray conveyor in which the connection between the tray moving device and the tray is detachable.

[0005]

A tray for transporting prints, a circulating guide path forming a transport path for the tray, and driving means for moving the tray along the circulating guide path, the driving means includes: In a tray conveyor for photo processing equipment that can be freely connected to and detached from the tray,
According to the present invention, in order to solve the above problems, a tray stop point is provided in a separation area between the driving means and the tray, and a stopper device for stopping the tray in the separation area is provided at the tray stop point. And a stopper release mechanism for releasing the stopper device when the subsequent tray approaches the tray stopped by the stopper device.

In this configuration, when a further tray is fed by the driving means due to a control error or the like to a tray stop point, for example, a tray stopped at a print carry-in station for loading prints on the tray, a stopper release mechanism is provided. Releases the stopper device,
Since the stopped trays are set free, even if a collision occurs, a situation such as a fatal bite between the trays can be avoided.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the stopper releasing mechanism is configured to release the stopper device by using the movement of the driving means for moving the succeeding tray, the stopper releasing mechanism is specially operated for the operation of the stopper releasing mechanism. There is no need to prepare a suitable driving device. Further, at that time, the subsequent tray is moved to the detached area by coupling with the driving means, and the stopper releasing mechanism is configured to release the stopper device by the displacement of the rotating body interlocking with the driving means, so that the subsequent tray is released. Since the stopper device can be released in synchronization with the movement to the print carry-in station, a highly reliable release system is realized.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a tray is provided with a unique tray for detecting that a subsequent tray has been unexpectedly fed into the separation area and a stopped tray has been pushed out due to a control error or the like. The stop point is provided with an ID sensor that reads the ID code, so that it is possible to determine whether the tray stopped at the stop point is a tray that should be located here at this time. The determination can be made easily, and for example, an alarm can be issued based on the determination result. Other features and advantages according to the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A tray conveyor 70 according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows the entirety of a photographic processing apparatus 1 equipped with a negative film 2 (here, a negative film is a length of one photographic film). FIG. 2 schematically shows a transport path of a negative film having a length, a piece negative cut in several frames, and a negative film with a cartridge according to the Advanced Photo System) and the photographic paper 3. ing. The photographic processing apparatus 1 includes a negative film supply unit 10, an exposure unit 20 that prints a frame image of the negative film 2 on a photographic paper 3 drawn from a paper magazine 4, and a photographic paper 3 that has been exposed by the exposure unit 20. A developing unit 30 for developing, a drying unit 40 for drying the photographic paper 3 developed by the developing unit 30, and a print discharge for cutting the dried photographic paper 3 into a predetermined length and discharging the prints The negative film 2 used for the exposure at the section 50 and the exposure 20 is cut, inserted into a negative sheet if necessary, and a negative film discharge section 60 for discharging, and one order (normally, Negative film 2 (processing unit which is a baking order for one negative film) and 1 order print carried in from print discharge unit 50 are collated and combined as finished products. , Tray conveyor 70 for conveying to the finished product take-out position by the operator
And

The negative film supply unit 10 can be loaded with two negative reels 11 each of which is obtained by winding up to 100 negative films 2 connected by a splice tape, and the negative film pulled out from the negative reels 11. The bar code reader 12 is provided with a bar code reader 12 for reading a bar code, and a negative cutter 13 for cutting the drawn negative film 2 for each order.

As shown in FIG. 3 (where the negative film 2 and the photographic paper 3 are arranged upside down as compared to FIG. 2), the exposure unit 20 is provided with a reading light source on the upstream side in the film transport direction. 21a, mirror tunnel 21b, and imaging device 21c
An exposure device 2 including an exposure light source 22a, a light control filter 22b, a mirror tunnel 22c, a negative mask 22d, a printing lens 22e, and a shutter 22f is provided downstream of the film reading device 21 in the film transport direction.
2 is provided, and the negative film supply unit 10 to the exposure unit 20
23a for transporting the negative film 2 to the negative discharge section 60 through the roller and the motor 2 for driving the rollers 23a
3b is provided.

The negative film 2 conveyed by the rollers 23a is read by a film reading device 21 first, and each frame image is read, and the image information is sent to a controller 5 for controlling the entire photographic printing device 1. The controller 5 obtains exposure conditions for printing the image of the negative film 2 on the photographic paper 3 based on the image information received from the film reading device 21.
Is transferred to the position of the negative mask 22d, the light control filter 2 based on the previously obtained exposure condition is used.
The photographic paper 3 is exposed by controlling the shutter 2b and the shutter 22f. Further, the controller 5 includes the film reading device 21
Process the image information of the negative film 2 read by
A simulated image of an image obtained when the printing paper 3 is printed under the determined exposure conditions can be displayed on the monitor 6a, and the operator can display the simulated image on the monitor 6a.
Is observed, and the exposure condition can be corrected from the console 6b as necessary.

The negative film 2 which has been subjected to the exposure processing in the exposure unit 20 is converted into six frames or four frames by a negative cutter 25 provided in a negative discharge unit 60 disposed downstream of the exposure device 22 in the film transport direction. Each piece is cut and sent as a plurality of negative pieces 2 to the tray conveyor 70. Depending on the specifications, the negative piece 2 is inserted into the negative sheet by a negative sheet insertion device (not shown). 7
Sent to 0. Note that the negative film 2 conforming to the advanced photo system is pulled out of the cartridge before various processing operations, and is rewound into the cartridge again after processing. Therefore, the negative film 2 after the exposure processing is also stored in the tray conveyor with the cartridge stored. It is sent to 70.

Although not shown, the developing section 30 is provided with a plurality of developing tanks, and after the image of the negative film 2 is printed by the exposing section 20,
The photographic paper 3 is developed by being sequentially passed through the collection processing section 26 by a roller 24a and a motor 24b for driving the roller 24a and through a development processing tank of a development processing section 30. Note that the exposure unit 20 and the development processing unit 30 are located in front of the development processing unit 30 despite the presence of the loop.
In the event that a situation occurs in which the photographic paper 3 cannot be continuously fed between the two, a cutter 27 for cutting the photographic paper 3 in an emergency evacuation is provided.

The photographic paper 3 after the development processing is dried in a drying unit 40, sent to a print discharge unit 50, and cut by a paper cutter 51 to become a finished print 3, and a tray conveyor 53 by a horizontal feed conveyor 53. It is sent to 70. Reference numeral 54 denotes a photographic paper bypass path for discharging the photographic paper 3 in a long state when a situation occurs in which the photographic paper 3 cannot be sent out to the tray conveyor 70 due to some trouble.

The tray conveyor 70 has a circulating guideway 80.
A plurality of trays 100 are provided, which are driven by driving means 90 for transmitting a conveying force while being guided by the tray. The transport line determined by the circulation guide path 80 includes a negative film loading station 71 and a standby station 72.
, A print carry-in station 73, and a collation station 74. As shown in FIG. 5, the orbiting guide path 80 is composed of a pair of right and left rails 81 having a substantially circular cross section and a connecting body 82 connecting the rails 81 at a predetermined interval. And extends along the side walls of the development processing unit 30 and the drying unit 40 between the negative film discharge unit 60 disposed at the first position and the horizontal feed conveyor 53 disposed at a high position. Since the tray of the tray conveyor 70 extends out of the housing of the photoprocessing device 1 from the print carry-in station 73 to the collation station 74, the tray 100 conveyed by the cover 55 around the print carry-in station 73 is aesthetically pleasing. It is configured to be.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the tray 100 is composed of a running section 110 running on a rail 81, and a mounting section 150 having a film storage section 150a and a print storage section 150b. It is configured. Traveling part 110
Is a channel-type traveling platform 111 and this traveling platform 111
Four running rollers 113 rotatably supported by shafts 112 on both sides of the ribs 111a and 111b on both sides of the vehicle, and an angle bracket 114 for mounting the mounting portion 150 at an angle to the running table 111.
(FIG. 8). On the running surface of the running roller 113, which is attached to each of the eight trays,
A groove 113a that matches the shape of the rail 81 is formed. As shown in FIG. 16, the traveling unit 110 sandwiches the right rail 81 at two places between the front upper and lower traveling rollers 113 and the rear upper and lower traveling rollers 113 disposed on the right rib 111a. , Left rib 11
A stable rail running is performed by sandwiching the left rail 81 at two places between the front upper and lower running rollers 113 and the rear upper and lower running rollers 113 arranged in 1b.

At the negative film loading station 71,
The negative film 2 of one order discharged from the negative film discharge unit 60 is transferred to the film storage unit 150a of the tray 100. The standby station 72 waits until it is time for the tray 100 loaded with the negative film 2 to load the one-order print 3 printing the image of the negative film 2 loaded on the tray 100. At the print carry-in station 73, one-order prints 3 printing the image of the negative film 2 stored in the film storage unit 150a are loaded from the print discharge unit 50 into the print storage unit 150b of the tray 100 via the horizontal conveyor 53. It is. Collation station 74
Then, when the negative film 2 and print 3 of one order carried by the tray 100 are checked, the negative film 2 and print 3 are taken out of the tray 100,
Put in DP bag. Such collation and removal for each tray 100 and tray 1 to collation station 74
Since the sending of 00 is not synchronized, the tray 100 can be stored on the rail 81 at the collating station 74 as in the standby station 72. The empty tray 100 is sent to the negative film loading station 71 again.

The driving means 90 for transporting the tray 100 includes:
A chain drive system employing a chain 91 as an endless drive body is employed. As is apparent from FIG.
The first driving device 90a is divided into a sixth driving device 90f. The first driving device 90a is configured as a continuous driving type driving device, and is disposed over the verification station 74 and the standby station 72. The second driving device 90b is arranged to move the empty tray 100 to a tray stop position at the negative loading station 72. The third driving device 90c is arranged to move the tray 100 loaded with the negative film 2 to the storage line of the waiting station 72 formed by a part of the first driving device 90a. The fourth drive device 90d is arranged to sequentially move the trays 100 stored in the standby station 72 to the tray stop position of the print carry-in station 73, and as is apparent from FIG. 90d raises the tray 100 steeply. The fifth driving device 90e is configured as an intermittent driving type driving device.
Every time an order print 3 is loaded on the tray 100, it is intermittently driven by the transport pitch of the tray 100. The tray 100 detached from the fifth driving device 90e is moved by the sixth driving device 90f along the curved guide path 80 formed in front of the collating station 74, so that the collating station 74 of the first driving device 90a is moved. Is sent to the part forming.

Each of the above-described driving devices includes a chain 91, a driving sprocket 92 meshing with the chain 91, a direction changing sprocket 93, and driving motors 94a, 94b and 94c for driving the driving sprocket 92. At this time, the first, second, third, and sixth driving devices 90a,
Although 90b, 90c, and 90f receive power from the common drive motor 94a, the fourth and fifth drive units 90d, 90d
Oe receives power from the individual drive motors 94b and 94c because of the need for timed intermittent operation.

The traction unit 95 and the traveling unit 110 of the tray 100
And the transfer force can be transmitted by two methods. That is, in the first driving device 90a, as shown in FIG. 6, a magnet fixed to the lower surface of the mounting plate 115 extending vertically to the outside of the rib 111a of the traveling platform 110 by the resin 117 as shown in FIG. The magnetic force acting between 116 and the pulling portion 95 of the chain 91 creates an engagement between the running portion 110 of the tray 100 and the pulling portion 95 of the chain 91, and as a result, the tray 100 is moved by the chain 91. I have. For this purpose, at least the traction link plate 91b is made of a magnetic material. Therefore, the tray 100 is in the chain 9 with the tray 100.
If the traveling is stopped by a force larger than the magnetic force acting between the pulley 1 and the magnet 1, the engagement between the magnet 116 and the traction unit 95 is released, and only the chain 91 advances, and the tray 100 remains stopped. As a result, the trays 100 are sequentially stored by the end faces of the traveling platform 111 abutting against each other, and when the previous tray advances, the magnets 116 are magnetically engaged with the pulling portions 95 of the chain 91 again. , Later tray 1
00 also starts to move by the chain 91. That is, the storage of the tray 100 and the supply of the negative film 2 and the print 3 to the take-out position of the tray 100 are automatically performed without delay.

In a driving device other than the first driving device 90a, the tray 100 and the chain 91 may be moved integrally. Therefore, in these driving devices, not only the normal link plate 91a but also a traction link plate 91b having a traction portion 95 extending in the axial direction of the chain roller at a predetermined pitch is mounted as the link plate of each chain 91. Each of the chains employs a configuration in which the tray 100 is moved via the pulling unit 95. As shown in FIG. 5, the pawl portion 118 further protruding from the lower ends of the rib portions 111 a and 111 b of the traveling platform 110 comes into contact with the towing portion 95 of the chain 91, so that the traveling portion 110 and the towing portion 9
5, and a transferable transferable engagement with 5 is created. The drive motors 94 are controlled by the controller 5 so as to cooperate with each other.

The fourth and fifth driving devices 90d and 90e are intermittently driven, and are normally controlled so that the traction units 95 come into contact with the traction units 95 of the chain 91. The pitch is an assembling pitch of the traction unit 95, and the distance moved by one intermittent drive is also adjusted to the transport pitch. Since the fifth driving device 90e is a downwardly inclined conveying line, the fifth driving device 90e conveys the tray 91 in a form in which the pulling portion 95 of the chain 91 stops the tray 100 from sliding down. Negative film loading station 7
In 1, the tray 100 is stopped by the first stopper device 85 between the second driving device 90 b and the third driving device 90 c to carry the negative film 2 from the negative discharge unit 60. The structure of the first stopper will be described with reference to FIG.

The first stopper device 85 is provided at one end of the swing arm 85c which swings around the fulcrum 85b and at the one end of the swing arm 85c, and is provided on the traveling platform 111 of the tray 100 by the swing of the swing arm 85c. Claws 1
18 and an oscillating arm 85c
Of the swing arm 85c and the fulcrum 85
Spring 85 biasing clockwise in FIG. 8 around b
and a linear drive solenoid 85e connected to the swing arm 85c near the engagement pin 85a and swinging the swing arm 85c counterclockwise in FIG. 8 around the fulcrum 85b when energized. I have. When the energization of the linear solenoid 85e is released, the engagement pin 85a is
Since it enters the movement trajectory of the claw 118 of the second driving device 90b, the tray 100 that has slipped off the rail 81 inclined downward after detaching from the pulling portion 95 of the second drive device 90b is stopped and held. When the linear solenoid 85e is energized, the engaging pin 85a retreats from the movement trajectory of the claw 118 of the tray 100, thereby allowing the tray 100 to pass.

The tray 100 is moved from the fourth driving device 90d to the fifth driving device 90e in order to carry in the print 3 from the print discharge section 50 at the print carry-in station 73.
Is stopped by the second stopper device 200 on the rail 81 inclined downward.
The second stopper device 200 has a configuration similar to that of the first stopper 85, but the second stopper device 20
0 is provided with a stopper release mechanism 300 for releasing the stop of the tray 100 at the downward inclined portion of the rail 81 by the second stopper device 200. The structure of the second stopper device 200 and the stopper release mechanism 300 is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the second stopper device 200 is mounted on the housing 2 attached to the tray conveyor 70.
01 and the housing 202
A channel-shaped stopper arm 203 swingably supported by a swing support shaft 204 fixed to 1 and one end of the solenoid 202 is swingably connected to a split portion formed at the tip of a piston 202a by a pin 205. And a link 207 whose other end is swingably connected to the stopper arm 203 by a pin 206, and fitted into through holes provided on both side walls of the stopper arm 203 so as to be separated from the swing support shaft 204 and extend in parallel with the link. Roller shaft 20
8 is provided. As is clear from FIG. 10, the roller shaft 208 extends from both side walls of the stopper arm 203 to a position substantially below the rail 81, and stopper rollers 209 are attached to both ends thereof. As a result, when the stopper arm 203 swings upward, the stopper roller 209 just enters the movement trajectory of the claw portion 118 of the tray 100, so that the stopper roller 209 is separated from the traction portion 95 of the fourth driving device 90d and then slopes down. Tray 100 sliding down the rail 81
Can be stopped and held. Stopper arm 203
Is connected to a coil spring 210 having one end attached to the housing 201, and urges the stopper arm 203 to swing upward. The stopper arm 203 is stopped at a predetermined upward swing position where the stopper roller 209 can contact the claw 118 of the tray 100 by a stopper (not shown). That is, the stopper arm 203 is biased and held at the predetermined upward swing position by the coil spring 210. The downward swing of the stopper arm 203 is caused by the piston 2 that is excited by the solenoid 202.
This is performed via the link 207 by the retracting movement of 02a (see FIG. 12), and at this lower swing position, the stopper roller 209 is out of the movement locus of the claw portion 118 of the tray 100. When the excitation of the solenoid 202 is released, the stopper arm 203 returns to the upper swing position by the coil spring 210 (see FIG. 11).

The stopper release mechanism 300 includes a rotating body 301 that rotates in conjunction with the direction changing sprocket 93 of the fourth drive device 90d, and three rotating bodies 301 provided at equal distances from the rotation axis of the rotating body 301 and at equal center angles. There is provided a projection 302 and a release lever 303 swingably supported on a swing support shaft 304 provided in the housing 201 in parallel with the swing support shaft 204 of the second stopper device 200. The release lever 303 has a long hole 303a, and the roller shaft 208 of the stopper release mechanism 300 passes through the long hole 303a. Further, the release lever 303
Is formed with a contact portion 303b that comes into contact with the protrusion 302 of the rotating rotator 301. The release lever 303 is brought into contact with the protrusion 302 and the contact portion 303b as the protrusion 302 moves counterclockwise. Swings clockwise. Such a clockwise swing of the release lever 303 swings the stopper arm 203 to the lower swing position against the urging force of the coil spring 210 via the roller shaft 208 penetrating the elongated hole 303a. , Slot 303
The position dimension of a is designed. Projection 302 and contact part 3
When the release arm 03b separates, the stopper arm 203 swings upward again, and the release lever 303 also moves counterclockwise to return to the home position.

Next, in a state where the tray 100 is stopped at the print carry-in station 73 by the second stopper device 200, a stopper when the subsequent tray 100 is moved to the print carry-in station 73 by driving the fourth driving device 90d. The function of the release mechanism 300 will be described. Such an abnormal situation occurs when the tray 100 is determined not to be present in the print carry-in station 73 due to, for example, erroneous detection of a tray detection sensor in the print carry-in station 73 (not shown). This occurs when the tray 100 is sent out by the device 90d.

In the state shown in FIG. 9, when the fourth driving device 90d is driven for the above-described reason, the tray 100 located at the tip end of the fourth driving device 90d is moved to the fourth position.
It is pushed by the chain 93 of the driving device 90d and starts to move toward the print carry-in station 73. Fourth drive 9
The rotating body 301 also rotates counterclockwise by the drive of 0d,
The protrusion 302 of the rotating body 301 comes into contact with the contact portion 303b of the release lever 303. The projection 302 and the contact portion 303b are designed to function as a cam and a cam follower for transmitting the rotation of the rotating body 301 to the release lever 303 as the rotation in the opposite direction.
Swings clockwise. As can be clearly understood from FIG. 13, the swing displacement of the release lever 303 is caused by the long hole 303a.
The stopper arm 203 is guided to swing counterclockwise through a roller shaft 208 inserted into the roller shaft 208. The swing displacement of the stopper arm 203 causes the stopper roller 209 to be removed from the claw 118 of the tray 100 that is stopped. Tray 100 detached from stopper roller 209
Is the fifth driving device 90e due to the inclination posture of the rail 81.
Move to. As soon as the protrusion 302 comes off the contact portion 303b, the stopper arm 203
With the operation of 0, the original home position, that is, tray 10
Returning to the position where 0 is stopped, the subsequent tray 100 is stopped. At this time, even if the preceding tray 100 and the succeeding tray 100 collide, the preceding tray 100 is separated from the second stopper device 200 and is free. 100
Catastrophic failures such as digging in can be avoided.

The collating station 74 is also provided with a third stopper device 87 for stopping the head of the tray 100 to be stored. Third stopper device 8
7, a swing arm 87b swinging in a seesaw manner around a rotation shaft 87c, and a swing arm 87b.
And a pair of engagement pins 87a provided at both ends of the tray 100 and selectively engageable with the claw portion 118 of the tray 100 by the swing of the swing arm 87b, and a rotating shaft 87c for swinging the swing arm 87b. Rotary solenoid 8 connected to
7d and the swing arm 87 in the clockwise direction in FIG.
and a spring 87e engaged with one end of the swing arm 87b so as to bias b. In the third stopper device 87 having such a configuration, when the rotary solenoid 87d is not energized, the biasing force of the spring 87e causes the swing arm 87b to assume the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 14, and stops the leading tray 100. Top tray 1
The tray 100 following 00 is moved on the rail 81 by magnetic force until it comes into contact with the preceding tray 100 as described above, but when it comes into contact with the preceding tray 100, it becomes impossible to move by magnetic force, and one after another. Tray 100
Is stored in a packed state. When the rotary solenoid 87d is energized, the swing arm 87b
Becomes the posture shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 14 against the urging force of the spring 87e, and stops the next tray 100.
The free top tray 100 is the first drive device 90
Due to “a”, the rail 81 starts to move via the magnetic force, and is also inherited by the second driving device 90b with the help of the downward inclination posture of the rail 81. In this state, when the energization of the rotary solenoid 87d is further released, the swing arm 87b returns to the posture shown by the solid line in FIG. 14 and becomes free once and becomes the new head which has been slightly moved by the first driving device 90a. The tray 100 is stopped. The tray 100 coming off the first driving device 90a approaches the second driving device 90b with the help of the downward inclination posture of the rail 81, and the first driving device 90a.
It is stopped by a fourth stopper device 88 provided between the second drive device 90b and the second drive device 90b.

The fourth stopper device 88 is for timing the delivery of the tray 100 to the negative film loading station 71. The fourth stopper device 88 sends out a new tray 100 at the same time as the tray 100 leaves the negative film loading station 71. Is controlled. That is, the third stopper device 87 and the fourth stopper device 88
As a result, the stored trays 100 can be sent out one by one to the negative film loading station 71, and at the same time, the storage lines of the collating station 74 are sequentially shifted forward. As shown in FIG. 15, the fourth stopper device 88 is substantially the first stopper device 85.
Since the structure is the same as that described above, the description is omitted here.

The tray 10 by the fourth stopper device 88
0, the tray 100 is located at the stop position as shown in FIG.
Is provided with an optical sensor 76 for detecting whether or not the negative film 2 and the print 3 are stored in the film storage portion 150a and the print storage portion 150b, respectively. The optical sensor 76 detects whether or not the negative film 2 is present. LED 76a and light receiving element 76b for detecting the presence or absence of print 3
The mounting section 150 has an LED 76
a and holes (not shown) that allow the light emitted from the LED 76c to pass therethrough. The detection signal of the optical sensor 76 is input to the controller 5 so that the fourth
It is checked whether the tray 100 stopped by the stopper device 88 is empty. The above-described first stopper device 85, second stopper device 86,
The operations of the third stopper device 87 and the fourth stopper device 88 are controlled by the controller 5.

Here, the structure of the mounting portion 150 of the tray 100 will be described with reference to FIG. The mounting portion 150 mainly includes a top plate 151, a bottom plate 152, a first side plate 153, and a second side plate 15.
4 has a box-like form. The print storage section 150b is formed on the top plate 151,
The first side plate 153 and the second side plate 154 protrude from the top plate 151 so that the prints 3 stacked on the top plate 151 do not slip off, and the protruding portion surrounds the print 3 from two directions. The other two directions are open to facilitate loading / unloading of the print 3. Negative film 2, ie, film storage section 150a for storing a piece negative inserted in a negative piece negative or a negative sheet
Is formed in a pocket shape between the top plate 151 and the bottom plate 152. In addition, a box body 155 attached to the outside of the second side plate 154 opposite to the film storage section 150a has a cartridge storage section 150c for storing a cartridge 2a in which the negative film 2 according to the advanced photo system is wound. Is formed.

A collation mark display device 180 is provided on the first side plate 153 of the tray 100. As shown in FIG. 17, the collation mark display device 180 includes a drum 182 rotatable around an axis 181, an elastic body 183 that elastically holds the drum 182, and a housing 184 that houses the drum 182. It has. The housing 184 is provided with an opening 184a and a display hole 184b for moving the drum 182 from outside. A part of the peripheral wall surface of the drum 182 is painted in red, and when the drum 182 rotates to the first position, red is displayed through the display hole 184b.
When 2 is rotated to the second position, a ground color, for example, white is seen from the display hole 184b. That is, the controller 5 determines that the one-order negative film 2 and the print 3 placed on the same tray 100 do not completely match due to a trouble occurring during the processing of the negative film 2 or the photographic paper 3 in the photographic processing apparatus 1. If so, the collimating mark solenoid 89 disposed in the print carry-in station 73 is operated to rotate the drum 182 from the second position to the first position, so that the operator can print the negative film 2 of this tray and print. 3 informs that there is no matching. Drum 1 rotated to first position
82 is returned to the second position at the verification station 74 again.

As shown in FIG. 16, an ID indicating the ID code of each tray 100 is provided on the carriage 111 of the tray 100.
A plate 120 is provided, and the ID plate 1
The ID sensor 77 provided at a predetermined position of the guide circuit guide path 80 reads the through hole 121 formed in the guide circuit 20, thereby generating a 6-bit code and outputting the code to the controller 5. Thus, the controller 5 can manage which negative film 2 or print 3 is stored in which tray. For example, as described above, the tray 100 erroneously sent to the print carry-in station 73 and stopped by the second stopper device 200 has its I
When the D plate 120 is read by the ID sensor 77, the controller 5 recognizes that the tray is not the tray 100 for the print 3 to be loaded from now on, so that error notification such as an alarm is executed.

Next, the operation of transporting the tray 100 in the tray conveyor 70 having the above configuration will be described. From the negative discharge unit 60 in the negative film loading station 71, the first
Tray 100 stopped by stopper device 85
The storage of the negative film 2 in the film storage portion 150a is performed by inserting a negative film 2 inserted in a negative sheet and a folded negative film 2 or, in some cases, a cartridge of an advanced photo system for each order. Automatically by a non-feeder device. The stop by the first stopper device 85 at the negative film loading station 71 is released, and the tray 100 lowered by its own weight engages with the pulling portion 95 of the third driving device 90c, travels on the ascending slope, and further moves to the standby station 7
2 and are successively stored by the first drive device 90a forming the second drive device 90a.

The leading tray 100 stored in the standby station 72 is driven by the intermittently driven chain 91 of the fourth driving device 90d to engage with the towing portion 95, thereby towing the steep climbing slope. It goes up every pitch of the part 95. The transport by the fourth driving device 90d is performed in conjunction with the release of the stop of the tray 100 by the second stopper device 86 of the print carry-in station 73, and the pulling portion 95 is moved.
Are driven one pitch at a time. Therefore, every time the tray 100 stopped at the print carry-in station 73 receives the print 3 of one order from the horizontal conveyor 53 and descends the slope by the fifth driving device 90e, the next tray 1 is stopped.
00 is sent to the print carry-in position and stopped by the second stopper device 200.

As long as the photographic processing apparatus 1 is operating normally, as long as the number of prints per order does not exceed a predetermined amount, the negative film 2 is stored in the tray 100 in order of exposure processing in the exposure unit 20. Since the tray 100 that does not store the negative film 2 does not receive the prints 3, the prints are received from the horizontal conveyor 53 in the same order as the above-described exposure processing order, so that the prints are stored in the print storage unit 150b of the tray 100. Means that the print 3 in which the image of the negative film 2 stored in the film storage section 150a is printed is stored. However, except for such exceptions,
If the controller 5 recognizes that the negative film 2 and the print 3 stored in the tray 100 having a predetermined ID code are inconsistent with the collation, for example, there is a defect due to a trouble that has occurred in the processing process so far, the print loading station The solenoid 89 for the collation mark provided in 73 operates the drum 182 of the collation mark display device 180 of the tray 100 having this ID code to the first position, and a red color indicating the inconsistency of the collation is displayed in the display hole 184b. put out.

When the tray 100 stopped by the second stopper device 200 receives the prints 3 to be combined with the negative film 2 of one order from the horizontal conveyor 53, the second stopper device 200 is released and the tray 100 is released. 100 slightly descends due to its own weight and engages with the pulling portion 95 of the fifth driving device 90e to stop. At this time, the chain 91 of the fifth driving device 90e also moves by one transport pitch. With such intermittent movement of the chain 91, the tray 100 descends by the transport pitch. Fifth
The tray 100 separated from the driving device 90e is temporarily taken over by the sixth driving device 90f to enter the storage line of the verification station 74.

The trays 100 entering the storage line of the collating station 74 are stopped in order starting from the trays 100 stopped by the third stopper device 87. Wait for print 3 to be removed. Here, the tray 1 on which the red collation mismatch mark is displayed
For 00, the operator performs a predetermined recovery operation. In any case, the tray 10 from which the stored negative film 2 and print 3 are extracted by the operator.
0 indicates that the tray 100 stopped by the fourth stopper device 88 is sent to the negative film loading station 71 by the second driving device 90b, and the third
When the stopper device 87 is operated, it is fed to the fourth stopper device 88. Accordingly, the trays 100 of the storage line are packed one by one by the first driving device 90a.

The transport control of the tray 100 to the negative film loading station 71 by the second drive device 90b upon the release of the fourth stopper device 88 is performed by the first stopper device 85 at the stop position to the film storage portion 150a of the tray 100. It is performed every time the operation of storing the film 2 is completed. That is, when the loading of the negative film 2 is completed, the first stopper device 85
When the stop of zero is released, the completion of removal of the negative film 2 and the print 3 is detected by the optical sensor 76 provided in the area of the fourth stopper device 88, on the condition that
The fourth stopper device 88 releases the stop holding of the tray 100 and supplies the empty tray 100 to the negative film loading station 71. In conjunction with this, the third stopper device 87 also releases the stop holding of the tray 100, and sends the tray 100 to the fourth stopper device 88.

In the above embodiment, only the second stopper device 200 is provided with the stopper release mechanism 300. However, the first stopper device 85 and the fourth stopper device 88 are also provided with the same stopper release mechanism 300. Of course you can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a photographic processing apparatus equipped with a tray conveyor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the photographic processing apparatus according to FIG. 1 showing a flow of a negative film and photographic paper.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the photographic processing apparatus according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a tray conveyor.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a driving device and a traveling portion of a tray.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a driving device and a traveling portion of a tray.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing loading of a negative film into a film storage unit.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a first stopper device.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a second stopper device and a stopper release mechanism in a print carry-in station.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a second stopper device and a stopper release mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a tray stop position of the second stopper device.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a tray detaching position of the second stopper device.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing release of a second stopper device by a stopper release mechanism.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a third stopper device.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of an optical sensor.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a tray.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a verification mark display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Print 70 Tray Conveyor 73 Print Loading Station 74 Verification Station 93d Fourth Drive 93e Fifth Drive 100 Tray 200 Second Stopper 203 Stopper Arm 300 Stopper Release Mechanism 301 Rotator 303 Release Lever

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A tray for transporting prints, a circulating guide path for forming a transport path for the tray, and a driving unit for moving the tray along the circulating guide path, and a connection between the driving unit and the tray. In a tray conveyor for a photographic processing apparatus which can be detached freely, a tray stop point is provided in a separation area between the driving means and the tray, and the tray is stopped in the separation area at the tray stop point. A tray conveyor for a photographic processing apparatus, comprising: a stopper device; and a stopper release mechanism for releasing the stopper device when a subsequent tray approaches a tray stopped by the stopper device. 2. The tray conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the stopper releasing mechanism releases the stopper device by using a movement of a driving means for moving the subsequent tray. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said succeeding tray is moved to said detachment area by connection with driving means, and said stopper releasing mechanism releases said stopper device by displacement of a rotating body interlocked with said driving means. Item 3. A tray conveyor for a photographic processing device according to Item 2. 4. A unique ID code is given to the tray, and an ID sensor for reading the ID code is provided in the detachment area, and the ID code of the tray stopped at a tray stop point is provided. 4. The tray conveyor for a photographic processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the following is checked.