Sheet film package and buffer sheet member

A sheet film package comprises a casing, a stack of sheet films stored in said casing, and a protective board disposed in said for protecting said sheet films. The protective board has a holder portion integrally joined to one side edge of an upper panel and/or a lower panel thereof for preventing the sheet films from being displaced in a direction transverse to the direction in which the sheet films wil be fed out. The sheet film package also includes a buffer sheet member disposed on the lower panel of the protective board for placing the sheet films on the buffer sheet member. The buffer sheet member has at least one opening such as a hole or a slit for leaking suction air in each of two symmetrical areas of the buffer sheet member, one of which will be contacted by a suction cup of a film delivery mechanism disposed in a device in which the sheet film package can be loaded. The buffer sheet member has a foamed sheet layer made of thermoplastic resin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a sheet film package and a buffer sheet 
member, and more particularly to a sheet film package for loading a 
plurality of sheet films sealed in a flexible bag-shaped light-shielding 
member into an image recorder or the like and for allowing the sheet films 
to be smoothly delivered or fed in a prescribed direction, and also to a 
buffer sheet member for preventing the sheet films in the sheet film 
package from having pressure marks. 
Radiation image films are generally used in the medical field for recording 
radiation images of objects such as human bodies with an X ray for medical 
diagnosis. For photographing an object on such a radiation image film, it 
has been customary to load the film into a radiation image photographing 
device under a light-shielded environment and expose the emulsion layer of 
the film directly to an X ray having passed through the object for 
recording the image of the object thereon. 
There has recently been developed and widely used, particularly in the 
medical field, a radiation image recording and reproducing system for 
producing the radiation-transmitted image of an object using a stimulable 
phosphor material capable of emitting light upon exposure to stimulating 
rays. When a certain phosphor is exposed to a radiation such as 
X-rays,.alpha.21 -rays, .beta.-rays, .gamma.-rays, cathode rays, or 
ultraviolet rays, the phosphor stores a part of the energy of the 
radiation. When the phosphor exposed to the radiation is subsequently 
exposed to stimulating rays such as visible light, the phosphor emits 
light in proportion to the stored energy of the radiation. The phosphor 
exhibiting such a property is referred to as a "stimulable phosphor". 
In the radiation image recording and reproducing system employing such a 
stimulable phosphor, the radiation image information of an object such as 
a human body is stored in a sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor, 
and then the stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with stimulating rays 
such as a laser beam to cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light 
representative of the radiation image. The emitted light is then 
photoelectrically detected to produce an image information signal that is 
electrically processed for generating image information which is recorded 
as a visible image on a recording medium such as a photosensitive material 
or displayed as a visible image on a CRT or the like. 
The visible image thus produced may be recorded on a recording medium by an 
image recorder such as an image output laser printer, for example. In the 
image output laser printer, photographic films stored as a recording 
material in a magazine are loaded, and taken out one by one by a sheet 
delivery device such as a suction disk or cup. Thereafter, the film is 
exposed to a laser beam modulated by an electric signal produced from the 
stimulable phosphor sheet, for thereby recording an image on the film. The 
exposed film is then transferred into an automatic developing device and 
processed thereby to develop the image. The film is thereafter stored in a 
prescribed place or used for medical diagnosis when required. 
When loading the films into the image output laser printer, they must not 
be exposed to extraneous light as is the case with the conventional 
radiation image photographing device. Therefore, it is general practice to 
load the films into the image output laser printer in a dark room, but the 
efficiency of such a loading process is low. 
There is a strong demand for the loading of films under bright conditions 
such as in an ordinary bright room, and various arrangements have been 
proposed for loading films in bright environments One such proposal is 
disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 
61(1986)-20591, for example. 
The disclosed scheme will briefly be described below with reference to FIG. 
1 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows in cross section a package 2 
which can be loaded into a radiation image photographing device through a 
magazine (not shown). The package 2 comprises a bag 4 and a protective 
board 6 of paper for protecting films F stored in the bag 4. The bag 4, 
with the films F and the protective board 6 contained therein, has its 
opposite ends 4a, 4b closed off. 
The protective board 6 has a substantially J-shaped cross-section including 
a lower panel 6a, an upper panel 6b, and a holder portion 6c. The films F 
are stored as a stack between the upper and lower panels 6a, 6b. The upper 
panel 6b is shorter than the lower panel 6b. 
After the package 2 has been placed into a radiation image photographing 
device through a magazine or the like (not shown), the end 4a of the bag 4 
is torn open, and then the other end 4b thereof is pulled in the direction 
of the arrow to remove the bag 4. The films F are now loaded in the 
radiation image photographing device, and will be delivered or fed by a 
suction cup 8 of a film delivery mechanism for recording images thereon. 
The radiation image photographing device has a large depth since the films 
are loaded and delivered in the same direction in the radiation image 
photographing device. Where the radiation image photographing device is 
located in a small room, any remaining space available in that room cannot 
effectively be utilized for other purpose. 
To allow the radiation image photographing device to be appropriately 
installed in a small space, the depth of the device may be reduced by 
feeding the films from the package in a direction substantially normal to 
the direction in which the films have been loaded. In this arrangement, 
the bag 4 of the conventional package 2 is pulled in a direction parallel 
to the holder portion 6c of the protective board 6. Therefore, upon such 
removal of the bag 4, the stored films F may also be removed with the bag 
4, or the films F and the bag 4 may not smoothly be separated from each 
other. 
If the holder portion 6c is positioned in the direction in which the bag 4 
is removed for the purpose of preventing the films F from moving with the 
bag 4 upon its removal, the stacked films F will not effectively be fanned 
at the time of feeding the films F, and it is highly likely for a number 
of films F to be delivered at a time. More specifically, when a film F is 
to be fed, it is fanned so as to be separated from the film stack so that 
two or more films F will not be delivered together. With the protective 
board 6 arranged as shown, the film F to be fed will engage a side edge of 
the upper panel 6b of the protective board 6 and then fall down. 
Therefore, the film F cannot smoothly be delivered. 
In the conventional arrangement, the protective board 6 has a hole 7 for 
preventing the suction cup 8 from continuously attracting the protective 
board 6 and hence from damaging a vacuum pump in the suction system 
connected to the suction cup 8, after all of the films F have been 
delivered out by the suction cup 8. 
The projective sheet 6 is normally in the form of a hard sheet such as a 
highly rigid paper board or a synthetic resin sheet. Therefore, stored 
films F tend to have a pressure mark resulting from the profile of the 
hole 7. Moreover, the moisture or gas contained in the protective board 6 
is apt to develop a fog on the films F. Fibers detached from the surface 
of the protective board 6 or the peripheral wall surface of the hole 7 are 
liable to be attached to the films F, presenting an obstacle to good image 
development or producing a spot on the developed image. 
The films F protected by the protective board 6 are also caused to have 
pressure marks by the hole 7 during shipment thereof. 
Where the protective board 6 is made of paper board such as unbleached 
kraft paper, for example, a harmful substance or gas discharged from the 
unbleached kraft paper tends to adversely affect the films F held against 
the protective board 6. In case the protective board 6 is made of bleached 
kraft paper, no harmful gas is emitted, but the moisture in the bleached 
kraft paper is likely to develop a fog on the films F in contact therewith 
or vary the sensitivity of the films F. Further, pressure marks are also 
impressed on the films F when they are under load. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a sheet film 
package containing a plurality of sheet films protected by a protective 
board in a flexible bag-shaped light-shielding member, the protective 
board having a substantially J-shaped cross section and having a holder 
portion on one side thereof, so that the sheet films can smoothly be 
delivered or fed in a direction normal to the direction in which they are 
loaded, and the protective board having a foamed sheet layer, or a buffer 
sheet member having a foamed sheet layer being provided separately from 
the protective board, for preventing the sheet films in the sheet film 
package from having pressure marks. 
A major object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film package 
comprising a flexible light-shielding member, a stack of sheet films 
stored in the light-shielding member, and a protective board disposed in 
the light-shielding member for protecting the sheet films, the protective 
board having upper and lower panels lying substantially parallel to each 
other in sandwiching relation to the sheet films, the upper panel being 
swingable in a direction in which the sheet films will be fed out, the 
protective board including a holder portion integrally joined to one side 
edge of the upper panel and/or the lower panel for preventing the sheet 
films from being displaced in a direction transverse to the direction in 
which the sheet films will be fed out. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film package 
wherein the protective board is of a substantially bent configuration, the 
upper panel being shorter than the lower panel in the direction in which 
the sheet films will be fed out. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film 
package wherein the upper and lower panels are separate from each other 
and arranged in interdigitated relation to each other, defining 
therebetween a space accommodating the sheet films therein. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film 
package further including a buffer sheet member disposed on the lower 
panel of the protective board, the buffer sheet member having means for 
leaking suction air. 
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet 
film package wherein the means for leaking suction air comprises openings 
defined in the buffer sheet member. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film 
package wherein the buffer sheet member substantially comprises a sheet of 
foamed thermoplastic resin. 
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film 
package comprising a casing, a stack of sheet films stored in the casing, 
a protective board disposed in the casing for protecting the sheet films, 
and a buffer sheet member disposed on a lower panel of the protective 
board for placing the sheet films on the buffer sheet member, the buffer 
sheet member having at least one means for leaking suction air in each of 
two symmetrical areas of the buffer sheet member, one of which will be 
contacted by a suction cup of a film delivery mechanism disposed in a 
device in which the sheet film package can be loaded. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film 
package wherein the means for leaking suction air comprises openings 
defined in the buffer sheet member. 
A yet still further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet 
film package wherein the buffer sheet member has a foamed sheet layer. 
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a sheet film 
package wherein the foamed sheet layer is substantially made of 
thermoplastic resin. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet film package 
comprising a casing, a stack of sheet films stored in the casing, and a 
protective board disposed in the casing for protecting the sheet films, 
the protective board having a synthetic resin film layer held against the 
sheet films, a foamed sheet layer disposed on the synthetic resin film 
layer and having an expansion ratio ranging from 2 to 50, and a support 
layer disposed on the foamed sheet layer. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a buffer sheet 
member for use with a sheet film package for loading a stack of sheet 
films into a device having a film delivery mechanism including a suction 
cup, the buffer sheet member having at least one means for leaking suction 
air in each of two symmetrical areas of the buffer sheet member, one of 
which will be contacted by the suction cup. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a buffer sheet 
member wherein the means for leaking suction air comprises openings 
defined in the buffer sheet member. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a buffer 
sheet member wherein the buffer sheet member has a foamed sheet layer. 
A yet still further object of the present invention is to provide a buffer 
sheet member wherein the foamed sheet layer is substantially made of 
thermoplastic resin. 
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present 
invention will become more apparent from the following description when 
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred 
embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative 
example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As shown in FIG. 2, a sheet film package 10 according to the present 
invention comprises a container or casing 12 comprising a flexible 
light-shielding member indicated by the two-dot-and-dash lines and a 
protective board 14 for protecting photosensitive films F stored in the 
light-shielding member 12. The light-shielding member 12 is in the form of 
a bag with its opposite ends 16a, 16b hermetically closed off. 
The protective board 14 is made of cardboard paper, for example, which is 
of a bent configuration. The protective board 14 includes a lower panel 
18, a side panel 20 extending vertically upwardly from one side edge of 
the lower panel 18 in substantially perpendicular relation thereto, and an 
upper panel 22 extending substantially parallel to the lower panel 18 from 
an upper edge of the side panel 20, the upper panel 22 being shorter than 
the lower panel 18. A holder portion 24 is bent downwardly from one side 
edge of the upper panel 22 toward the lower panel 18. The holder portion 
24 is positioned near the end 16a of the light-shielding member 12. The 
upper panel 22 and the holder portion 24 are swingable in the direction of 
the arrow A about the juncture or pivot 26 between the upper panel 22 and 
the side panel 20, as indicated by the broken lines. 
The sheet film package of the present invention is basically constructed as 
described above. An image recorder for loading the sheet film package 10 
therein and recording images on the sheet films F will be described below. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, an image recorder 30 and an automatic 
image developing device 32 are disposed adjacent to each other. 
In FIG. 3, the image recorder 30 includes a housing 34 having a film 
loading slot 36 defined in a side panel thereof. The sheet film package 10 
is loaded in a tray 38 which is removably fitted in the film loading slot 
36. With the sheet film package 10 thus placed in the tray 38, the end 16a 
of the light-shielding member 12 extends out of the tray 38. When the tray 
38 is inserted in the image recorder 30, the interior space in the image 
recorder 30 is completely shielded from extraneous light. 
As shown in FIG. 4, a suction cup 40 serving as a sheet delivery or feed 
mechanism is disposed in the housing 34 near the tray 38. As indicated by 
the broken lines, the suction cup 40 is displaced along a track toward a 
film feed roller pair 42. Thus, a film F located in the tray 38 will be 
fed from the tray 38 in a direction substantially normal to the direction 
in which the tray 38 is pulled out. 
One roller of the roller pair 42 is connected to a sprocket (not shown). A 
chain 44 is trained around this sprocket and another sprocket 48 mounted 
on the drive shaft (not shown) of a rotative drive source 46. Guide 
members 50a, 50b are disposed adjacent to the roller pair 42 for guiding a 
film F fed by the roller pair 42 toward a scanning recording unit (not 
shown). After a desired image has been recorded on the film F by the 
scanning recording unit, the image recorder 30 delivers the film F into 
the automatic image recording device 32. 
A process of loading the sheet film package 10 into the image recorder 30 
will now be described. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the tray 38 of the image recorder 30 is pulled out, and 
the sheet film package 10 is loaded into the opening in the tray 38. At 
this time, the end 16a of the light-shielding member 12 is placed out of 
the tray 38, as described above. Then, the tray 38 is inserted into the 
image recorder 30. 
The other end 16b of the light-shielding member 12 is cut off by a cutter 
(not shown) in the image recorder 30, and then the exposed end 16a is 
pulled in the direction of the arrow B to remove the light-shielding 
member 12. At this time, the films F tend to be displaced in a direction 
out of the image recorder 30, i.e., in the direction of the arrow B, upon 
removal or movement of the light-shielding member 12 in the direction of 
the arrow B. However, such displacement of the films F is prevented by the 
holder portion 24 of the protective board 14. 
After the films F have been loaded in the image recorder 30, the films F 
are delivered or fed one by one by the suction cup 40. The suction cup 40 
fans the uppermost film F to prevent two or more successive films F from 
being delivered. During such fanning of the film F, the film F may engage 
the upper panel 22 of the protective board 14. However, since the upper 
panel 22 can swing in the direction of the arrow A about the joint 26 
between the upper panel 22 and the side panel 20, the upper panel 22 does 
not obstruct the fanning action of the suction cup 40. As a result, the 
suction cup 40 can feed the films F smoothly one at a time. 
As the suction cup 40 is displaced along the track as indicated by the 
broken lines in FIG. 4, the film F attracted by the suction cup 40 is 
delivered until it is gripped by the roller pair 42. Then, the sprocket 48 
is rotated by the rotative drive source 46 to cause the chain 44 to rotate 
the roller pair 42 in the directions of the arrows. Therefore, the film F 
gripped by the roller pair 42 is sent into the scanning recording unit 
while being guided by the guide members 50a, 50b. A desired image is 
recorded on the film F in the scanning recording unit, and then the film F 
is fed into the automatic image developing device 32 located adjacent to 
the image recorder 30. In the automatic image developing device 32, the 
image on the film F is developed and fixed, and then the film F is washed 
and dried. Thereafter, the film F will be used as a film plate for various 
applications. 
In the aforesaid embodiment, the holder portion 24 is joined to the upper 
panel 22 of the protective board 14. However, the holder portion 24 may be 
joined to the lower panel 18 as shown in FIG. 5, or two holder portions 24 
may be joined to the upper and lower panels 22, 18, respectively, as shown 
in FIG. 6. 
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, a relatively short holder portion 24 may 
be fixed to one ends of the lower and upper panels 18, 22. The upper panel 
22 has an opposite end portion swingable about a fold 22a. When a film F 
is delivered by the suction cup 40, the film F can smoothly be fed even if 
the suction cup 40 displaces the film F upwardly since the end portion of 
the upper panel 22 can freely swing upwardly about the fold 22a. 
FIGS. 8 and 9 show protective boards 14 according to other embodiments of 
the present invention. In these embodiments, upper and lower panels 18, 22 
are separate from each other. In FIG. 8, one side of a lower panel 18 is 
bent upwardly substantially at a right angle into a holder portion 24, and 
one end of a separate upper panel 22 is bent downwardly into a side panel 
20. These holder portion 24 and the side panel 20 are interdigitated to 
define a space for accommodating films F therein. A protective board 14 
shown in FIG. 9 is similar to the protective board 14 of FIG. 8 except 
that a holder 24 is also joined to one side of the upper panel 22. With 
the arrangements of these embodiments, the process of manufacturing the 
protective board 14 is simplified, and the protective board 14 does not 
obstruct sheet delivery operation of the suction cup 40. 
In the aforesaid embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to 
use a buffer sheet member for preventing the stored films F from having 
pressure marks. The buffer sheet member is preferably in the form of a 
foamed sheet which may be formed, by using a foaming agent, from any -of 
various polyolefins such as polyethylenes, polypropylenes, and 
polybutenes, any of various ethylene copolymers such as ethylene-propylene 
copolymer, ethylenebutene copolymer, ethylene-vinyl-acetate copolymer, and 
ethylene-acrylic-ester copolymer, copolymer wherein ethylene is a main 
component such as chlorinated polyethylene, copolymer wherein propylene is 
a main component, polyamide, a mixture of two or more of the above resins, 
polyurethane, natural rubber (spongy material manufactured from 
rubber-producing latex), SBR, or the like. Alternatively, the buffer sheet 
member may be made from paper, nonwoven fabric, synthetic paper, or the 
like which has a density of 0.9 g/cm.sup.2 or less, preferably 0.8 
g/cm.sup.2 or less. 
The preferable foamed sheet which can effectively be employed in the 
present invention comprises a thermoplastic resin foamed sheet formed 
from, as a main component, polystyrene, any of various high-, medium-, and 
low-density polyethylenes, linear low-density polyethylene (L-LDPE), 
polypropylene, propylene-ethylene copolymer, ethylene-vinyl-acetate 
copolymer, or ethylene-acrylic-ester copolymer. Particularly, a foamed 
polystyrene sheet (foamed polystyrene paper) and a foamed polyethylene 
sheet are suitable in view of their characteristics and the cost of 
manufacture. 
The thermosplastic resin includes a modified, cross-linked, or 
radiation-exposed resin. 
The expansion ratio of the foamed sheet is selected to meet the intended 
application of the sheet since it has a large effect on the dust 
resistance, cushioning capability, slippage, and mechanical strength of 
the sheet. It is preferable to have an expansion ratio in the range of 
from 2 to 50. If the expansion ratio were in excess of 50, the mechanical 
strength of the foamed sheet would be lowered to a large extent, causing 
separation between itself and films F stacked thereon. If the expansion 
ratio were smaller than 2, the shock resistance, particularly the Gelbo 
test strength, would be reduced, other characteristics of the foamed sheet 
would be lost, and the cost would be increased. 
The buffer sheet member may be a single-layer buffer sheet, or a laminated 
sheet comprising a buffer sheet to which any of various films or a 
dust-free sheet such as a cellophane film, a sheet of glassine paper, a 
sheet of synthetic paper, or the like is attached, or a laminated sheet 
produced by multilayer coextrusion. A preferable buffer sheet member 
should have any of various sheets and/or a dust-free sheet which has an 
irregular surface. For dust-free capability and various better 
characteristics, the surface layer of the buffer sheet member should be a 
dust-free sheet. For a buffer sheet member having a foamed sheet of 
synthetic resin on its surface, the expansion ratio of the foamed sheet as 
the surface layer should be 2 or less for dust resistance. 
A buffer sheet member in the form of a laminated sheet including any of 
various films can be formed by a thermal bonding process (such as a 
thermal plate bonding process, a flame-treatment bonding process, a 
hot-air-heating bonding process, an impulse sealing process, or an 
ultrasonic welding process) or a processing using an adhesive (such as a 
wet laminating process, a dry laminating process, hot-melt laminating 
process, an extrusion laminating process, or a coextrusion laminating 
process). 
Typical adhesives that can be used include thermoplastic thermally fusible 
adhesives comprising polyolefins such as polyethylenes, polypropylenes, or 
polybutenes, thermoplastic thermally fusible adhesives comprising ethylene 
copolymers such as ethylene-propylene copolymers, ethylene-vinyl-acetate 
copolymers, or ethylene-ethyl-acrylate copolymers, ethylene-acrylic-acid 
copolymers, or ionomers, and thermally fusible adhesives comprising 
rubber. Solution-type adhesives that can be used include wet laminating 
adhesives which are in the form of an emulsion or latex. Typical emulsion 
adhesives include emulsions of polyvinyl acetate, vinyl-acetate-ethylene 
copolymer, copolymer of vinyl acetate and acrylic acid ester, copolymer of 
vinyl acetate and maleic acid ester, acrylic acid copolymer, and 
ethylene-acrylic-acid copolymer. Latex adhesives that can be used include 
rubber latexes of natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), 
acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), and chloroprene rubber (CR). Dry 
laminating adhesives include polyurethane adhesives. Moreover, known 
adhesives such as hot-melt laminating adhesives in the form of a blend of 
paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, ethylene-vinyl-acetate copolymer, and 
ethylene-ethylacrylate copolymer, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and 
heat-sensitive adhesives may also be used. Extrusion laminating 
polyolefin-base adhesives that can be used include polyolefins such as 
polyethylenes, polypropyrenes, and polybutylenes, ethylene copolymers 
(EVA, EEA, EMA, EAA, and the like), copolymers of ethylene and another 
monomer (.alpha.-olefin) such as L-LDPE, SURLYN manufactured by DuPont, 
ionomers (ion copolymers) such as Hi-miran manufactured by Mitsui 
Polychemical, and ADMER which is an adhesive polyolefin manufactured by 
Mitsui Petrochemical. 
The protective board 14 may comprise any of the various forms as described 
above. From the standpoint of keeping the quality of and protecting the 
films F, the protective board 14 should preferably be in the form of a 
sheet of base paper made of semibleached of bleached pulp or a synthetic 
resin sheet, having a thickness of 200 micrometers or greater. 
Other than the protective boards 14 of the types described above, 
protective boards disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 
59-52244, 59-86518, 59-31950, 59-3I95I, 59-34535, and 56-40535 may also be 
employed. 
Various additives may be added to the buffer sheet member and the 
protective board. 
Typical examples of such additives are described below. However, the 
present invention is not limited to these additives, but any of known 
additives may be used. 
______________________________________ 
Additive type 
Examples 
______________________________________ 
(1) Plasticizer: 
phthalate ester, glycol ester, fatty 
acid ester, and phosphoric ester 
(2) Stabilizer: 
lead, cadmium, zinc, alkaline earth 
metal, and organic tin stablizers 
(3) Antistatic agent: 
cationic surfactant, anionic surfactant, 
nonionic surfactant, amphoteric 
surfactant, various types of carbon 
black, metallic powder, and graphite 
(4) Flame retardant: 
phosphoric ester, halogenated phosphoric 
ester, halide, inorganic flame 
retardant, phosphorous polyol 
(5) Filler: almina, kaolin, clay, calcium carbonate, 
mica, talc, titanium oxide, silica 
(6) Reinforcing agent: 
glass roving, metallic fibers, glass 
fibers, milled glass fibers, carbon 
fibers 
(7) Colorant: 
inorganic pigment (Al, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, 
ZnO, CdS, etc.), organic pigment 
(carbon black, dye, etc.) 
(8) Foaming agent: 
inorganic foaming agent (ammonium 
carbonate, sodium bicarbonate), 
organic foaming agent (nitron, azo 
foaming agent) 
(9) Vulcanizing 
vulcanization accelerator, 
agent: accelerator assistant 
(10) Deterioration 
ultraviolet absorber, antioxidant, 
inhibitor: metal inactivating agent, peroxide 
decomposer 
(11) Lubricant: 
paraffin, wax, fatty acid, fatty acid 
amide, silicone, ester, higher 
alcohol 
(12) Coupling agent: 
silane, titanate, chromium, aluminum 
coupling agent 
(13) Various ther- 
moplastic resins, rubber 
______________________________________ 
A buffer sheet member 60 (FIG. 10) is disposed on the lower panel 18 of any 
of the protective boards 14, e.g., the protective board 14 according to 
the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The buffer sheet member 60 and the 
protective board 14 may be entirely or partly bonded to each other by an 
adhesive tape or an adhesive, or alternatively the buffer sheet member 60 
may merely be placed on the protective board 14. The buffer sheet member 
60 covers the lower panel 18 substantially in its entirety. The buffer 
sheet member 60 has a plurality of holes 62 defined therein in an arear 
which will be contacted by the suction cup 40 of the image recorder 30, 
the holes 62 serving as means for leaking air when the buffer sheet member 
60 is attracted by the suction cup 40. Where there is a space between the 
protective board 14 and the buffer sheet member 60, the holes 62 may be 
located within the attracting surface of the suction cup 40. However, 
where the protective board 14 and the buffer sheet member 60 are fully in 
contact with each other, the holes 62 should not be located fully within 
the attracting surface of the suction cup 40, but should partly be 
positioned out of the attracting surface of the suction cup 40. The holes 
62 may be of any of various shapes such as a circle, a triangle, a square, 
a rectangle, a slit, a star, a tortuous slit, and the like. The surface of 
the buffer sheet member 60 may alternatively be made irregular to provide 
means for leaking air. 
Various layer structures for the buffer sheet member 60 are shown in FIGS. 
11 through 18. 
FIG. 11 shows a buffer sheet member comprising a single layer 64 in the 
form of a foamed sheet. 
FIG. 12 illustrates a buffer sheet member comprising a foamed sheet layer 
64 and a flexible sheet layer 66 deposited directly on one surface 
thereof. 
A buffer sheet member shown in FIG. 13 comprises a foamed sheet layer 64 
and a flexible sheet layer 66 bonded to one surface thereof by an adhesive 
layer 68 therebetween. 
A buffer sheet member shown in FIG. 14 comprises a foamed sheet layer 64, 
and two flexible sheet layers 66 bonded to respective opposite surfaces 
thereof by respective adhesive layers 68 therebetween. 
According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 15, a laminated extruded film 
layer 74 comprising an HDPE film layer 70 and an L-LDPE film layer 72 is 
positioned on one side of a foamed sheet layer 64 where films F are 
placed. The extruded film layer 74 is bonded to the foamed sheet layer 60 
by an adhesive layer 68. 
In FIG. 16, two laminated extruded film layers 74 each comprising an HDPE 
film layer 70 and an L-LDPE film layer 72 are bonded respectively to the 
opposite surfaces of a foamed sheet layer 64 by respective adhesive layers 
68. 
FIG. 17 shows a buffer sheet member including a biaxially oriented plastic 
film layer 78 with an aluminum layer 76 deposited thereon by vacuum 
deposition, the plastic film layer 78 being bonded to one surface of a 
foamed sheet layer 64 by an adhesive layer 68. 
FIG. 18 illustrates a buffer sheet member comprising a foamed sheet layer 
64a of a low expansion ratio on a side to be contacted by films F and a 
foamed sheet layer 64b of a high expansion ratio on the opposite side to 
be contacted by a protective board 14. 
The sheet film package 10 having the buffer sheet member 60 thus 
constructed is loaded into the image recorder 30, and the sheet films 10 
contained therein are fed one by one in the manner described above. 
Since the buffer sheet member 60 is disposed on the protective board 14, it 
is easily possible to detect when all of the films F have been fed out. 
More specifically, after all of the films F have been delivered out, the 
suction cup 40 faces the holes 62 defined in the buffer sheet member 60. 
Air is therefore drawn from the holes 62 into the suction cup 40, and 
hence no vaccum is developed in the suction cup 40. By detecting the 
pressure in the suction cup 40, therefore, it is possible to easily 
confirm that all of the films F have been delivered out. Since the suction 
cup 40 is vented to atmosphere through the holes 62, the vacuum pump or 
other vacuum source coupled to the vacuum cup 40 is prevented from being 
damaged. 
The buffer sheet member 60 is also effective to prevent the films F from 
being damaged when they are fed. More specifically, according to the 
conventional arrangements, the protective board made of relatively hard 
cardboard paper has a hole or an irregular surface for detecting when all 
of the films F have been fed out. The films F therefore tend to be abraded 
by the irregular surface of the protective board. The films F are liable 
to have a fog due to the pressure of their own or the moisture in the 
protective board, with the result that the film F will have a mark in the 
shape of the profile of the hole defined in the protective board. 
According to the present invention, the buffer sheet member 60 with which 
the films F are in contact is flexible since it is made of a foamed 
synthetic resin material. Consequently, any mark in the shape of the 
profile of the holes 62 defined in the buffer sheet member 60 will not be 
produced on the films F, and hence the films F can be delivered out 
without being damaged. 
FIGS. 19 through 24 show various buffer sheet members according to other 
embodiments and various sheet film packages including such buffer sheet 
members. 
In FIG. 19, a sheet film package 10a comprises a light-shielding member 12a 
containing a protective board 14a of a substantially J-shaped cross 
section having a shorter upper panel and a longer lower panel, the 
protective board 14a being in the form of a paper board having a thickness 
of 450 micrometers. A buffer sheet member 60a is disposed on the bottom or 
lower panel of the protective board 14a in covering the substantially 
entire area of the lower panel. The buffer sheet member 60a has three 
holes 62a defined therein near one shorter side edge and other three holes 
62b defined therein near the other shorter side edge, the holes 62a, 62b 
serving as means for leaking air. Therefore, irrespective of whether the 
buffer sheet member 60a is oriented in one direction or the other on the 
protective board 14a, the holes 62a or the holes 62b are positioned for 
coaction with the suction cup 40. The holes 62a, 62b are circular in 
shape, and have a diameter of 30 mm. 
Another sheet film package 40b shown in FIG. 20 includes a protective board 
14b comprising a paper board having a thickness of 450 micrometers, the 
protective board 14b being in the form of a box having one side and a 
contiguous upper side open. The buffer sheet member 60b is disposed on the 
lower panel of the protective board 14b and has two holes 62c defined 
therein near one longer side edge and two holes 62d defined therein near 
the other longer side edge. The holes 62c, 62d serve as means for leaking 
air. Irrespective of whether the buffer sheet member 60b is oriented in 
one direction or the other on the protective board 14b, the holes 62c or 
the holes 62d are positioned for coaction with the suction cup 40. 
FIG. 21 shows a buffer sheet member 60c having as air leaking means two 
slits 63a, 63b defined longitudinally therein near opposite longer side 
edges, respectively, each of the slits 63a, 63b having a width of 3 mm and 
a length of 17 cm. The buffer sheet member 60c is used mainly on the 
protective board 14b shown in FIG. 20. 
FIG. 22 illustrates a buffer sheet member 60d having as air leaking means 
two elliptical holes 65a, 65b defined therein near the corners at one 
shorter side edge, each of the holes 65a, 65b having a major axis which is 
25 mm long and a minor axis which is 35 mm long. The buffer sheet member 
60d is used on the protective board 14b shown in FIG. 20. 
A buffer sheet member 60e shown in FIG. 23 has as air leaking means two 
circular holes 62e, 62f defined therein near the corners on one diagonal 
line, each of the holes 62e, 62f having a diameter of 30 mm. The buffer 
sheet member 60e is used on both of the protective boards 14a, 14b shown 
in FIGS. 19 and 20. 
According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 24, a buffer sheet member 60f 
having as air leaking means three slits 63c, 63d, 63e defined therein 
parallel to the shorter side edges at positions near the shorter side 
edges and centrally therebetween, each of the slits 63c, 63d, 63e having a 
width of 3 mm and a length of 15 cm. The buffer sheet member 60f is used 
on both of the protective boards 14a, 14b shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. 
The buffer sheet members 60a through 60f illustrated in FIGS. 19 through 24 
may also have any of the layer structures shown in FIGS. 11 through 18. 
The results of an experiment conducted on Inventive examples I, II, III, 
Comparative example I, and Conventional examples I, II, III will be 
described below. 
Inventive Example I 
This example employed sheet film package 10a shown in FIG. 19, and the 
buffer sheet member 60a had the layer structure shown in FIG. 16. The 
foamed sheet layer 64 was a foamed polyethylene sheet having a thickness 
of 1 mm and an expansion ratio of 30. The film layer 70 was made of HDPE 
to which there were added 3 weight % of carbon black and 0.05 weight % of 
an olefin acid amide lubricant. The HDPE film layer 70 had a thickness of 
25 micrometers. The L-LDPE film layer 72 was made of a copolymer of 
ethylene and 4-methylpentene-1 to which there were added 3 weight % of 
carbon black and 0.05 weight % of an olefin acid amide lubricant. The 
L-LDPE film layer 72 was 25 micrometers thick. The adhesive layer 68 was 
made of LDPE and had a thickness of 15 micrometers. 
As shown in FIG. 19, the buffer sheet member 60a had three holes 62a and 
three holes 62b defined therein near the respective shorter side edges and 
arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal direction of the 
buffer sheet member 60a. Each of the holes 62a, 62b was circular in shape 
and 30 mm across. 
The protective board 14a comprised a paper board of bleached pulp having a 
thickness of 400 micrometers. 
The light-shielding member 12a was composed of an aluminum foil having a 
thickness of 7 micrometers and two L-LDPE film layers attached 
respectively to the opposite surfaces of the aluminum foil by respective 
adhesive layers of LDPE each having a thickness of 15 micrometers. Each of 
the L-LDPE film layers had a thickness of 50 micrometers. To each of the 
L-LDPE film layers were added 3 weight % of carbon black and 0.1 weight % 
of an olefin acid amide lubricant. 
The buffer sheet member 60a was not fixed to the protective board 14a, but 
was placed in a free state between the protective board 14a and the films 
F. 
Inventive Example II 
This example employed the sheet film package 10b shown in FIG. 20, and the 
buffer sheet member 60b had the same layer structure as that of Inventive 
example I. 
The buffer sheet member 60b had two circular holes 62c and two circular 
holes 62d each having a diameter of 30 mm, as shown in FIG. 20. 
The protective board 14b and the light-shielding member 12b were identical 
in structure to those of Inventive example I, with the buffer sheet member 
60b placed in a free state between the protective board 14b and the films 
F. 
Inventive Example III 
This example employed the protective board 14b illustrated in FIG. 20, and 
the buffer sheet member 60c shown in FIG. 21 which had the layer structure 
of FIG. 17. 
The foamed sheet layer 64 was a foamed polyethylene sheet having a 
thickness of 0.5 mm and an expansion ratio of 20. The deposited aluminum 
layer 76 had a thickness of 400 .ANG.. The biaxially oriented film layer 
78 was made of polyester and had a thickness of 15 micrometers. The 
adhesive layer 68 was made of LDPE and had a thickness of 15 micrometers. 
The buffer sheet member 60c had two slits 63a, 63b defined therein, as 
shown in FIG. 21, and each having a width of 3 mm and a length of 17 cm. 
The protective board 14b was composed of a polypropylene sheet, 200 
micrometers thick. The buffer sheet member 60c was placed in a free state 
between the protective board 14b and the films F, as with Inventive 
examples I, II. 
Comparative Example I 
This example was essentially the same as Inventive example II, except that 
the buffer sheet member 60b had two holes 62c defined therein only at one 
side thereof for coaction with the suction cup 40. 
Conventional Example I 
The protective board was in the form of a paper board of bleached pulp 
having a thickness of 450 micrometers. No holes were defined in the 
protective board. 
The light-shielding member comprised an LDPE film layer having a thickness 
of 70 micrometers with 3 weight % of carbon black added thereto, an 
aluminum foil having a thickness of 7 micrometers, and a sheet of bleached 
kraft paper of 35 g/cm.sup.2 having a thickness of 15 micrometers, the 
aluminum foil and the sheet of bleached kraft paper being bonded to the 
LDPE film layer by an LDPE adhesive layer which was 15 micrometers thick. 
Conventional Example II 
The protective board was in the form of a paper board of bleached pulp 
having a thickness of 450 micrometers. The buffer sheet member had three 
holes defined therein and each having a diameter of 30 mm, similar to the 
holes 62a of the buffer sheet member 60a of Inventive example I. 
The light-shielding member was the same as that of Conventional example I. 
Conventional example III 
The protective board was in the form of a polypropylene sheet having a 
thickness of 300 micrometers. The buffer sheet member had three holes 
defined therein and each having a diameter of 30 mm, similar to the holes 
62a of the buffer sheet member 60a of Inventive example I. 
The light-shielding member was the same as that of Conventional example I. 
Films used were X-ray photographic films, and 150 X-ray photographic films 
were stored in each of the sheet film packages thus prepared. 
The experimental results are given in the following table 1: 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Prop- Samples 
erties 
A-1 A-II A-III B-I B-II B-III 
C-I Method 
______________________________________ 
(1) 16 16 17 -- -- -- 16 -- 
(2) 19 20 21 -- -- -- -- -- 
(3) (a) (a) (a) (d) (e) (e) (a) *A 
(4) (a) (a) (a) (e) (e) (e) (a) *B 
(5) (b) (b) (b) (c) (c) (b) (b) *C 
(6) (a) (a) (a) (c) (e) (e) (a) *D 
(7) (a) (a) (b) (e) (a) (a) (a) *E 
(8) (a) (a) (a) (d) (e) (c) (a) *F 
(9) (a) (a) (a) -- -- -- (e) *G 
(10) 19 20 20 -- -- -- 20 -- 
______________________________________ 
A-I: Inventive example I 
AII: Inventive example II 
AIII: Inventive example III 
BI: Conventional example I 
BII: Conventional example II 
BIII: Conventional example III 
CI: Comparative example 
The properties are defined as follows: 
(1): Layer structure for the buffer sheet member (indicated by the number 
of a FIGURE) 
(2): Shape of holes in the buffer sheet member (indicated by the the number 
of a FIGURE) 
(3): Abrasion resistance measured by a vibration test 
(4): Compression resistance 
(5): Moisture-induced fog 
(6): Abrasive fog 
(7): Suction-air leakage detectability 
(8): Dust prevention 
(9): Efficiency of hole positioning in a dark room 
(10): Shape of the protective board (indicated by the number of a FIGURE) 
The levels of evaluation are defined as follows: 
(a): Very excellent 
(b): Excellent 
(c): Practically usable 
(d): Problematic 
(e): Not practically usable 
The test methods are defined as follows: 
*A: Abrasion resistance--150 X-ray photographic films were stored in one 
sheet film package, and five such sheet film packages (750 sheet films) 
were put in a corrugated cardboard box. After a vibration test was 
conducted on the sheet film packages according to JISZ-0232, the X-ray 
photographic films were checked for abrasion. 
*B: Compression resistance--150 X-ray photographic films were stored in a 
sheet film package, and a sheet load of 5 kg was placed on the sheet film 
package for 2 weeks. Then, the recorded images were developed and checked 
for pressure-induced changes in density (pressure marks). 
*C: Moisure-induced fog--Fogs due to moisure passing through the opening of 
the protective board were checked in the same manner as in B above. 
*D: Abrasive fog--The recorded images on the X-ray photographic films on 
which the test A was carried out were developed and checked for changes in 
density. 
*E: Suction-air leakage detectability- After all of the stored X-ray 
photographic films have been fed out of a sheet film package by the 
suction cup, it was checked whether the completion of film removal can be 
detected by air leakage without damaging the vacuum system. 
*F: Dust prevention--150 X-ray photographic films were stored in one sheet 
film package, and five such sheet film packages were put in a corrugated 
cardboard box. After a vibration test had been conducted on the sheet film 
packages according to JISZ-02321, the films were loaded in a bright room. 
After the images on the films were developed, the images were checked for 
the number of spots produced due to dust deposits causing image 
development failures. 
*G: Efficiency of hole positioning in a dark room--When X-ray photographic 
films and a buffer sheet member were put in the protective board, the 
efficiency of positioning the side of the buffer sheet member which has 
the air leaking holes for coaction with the suction cup 40 was checked. 
Tests were also conducted using sheet-like photosensitive resin films, 
photographic sheets of paper, sheet-like lithographic films, and 
sheet-like infrared-sensitive films as films F. The results of these tests 
were similar to those of the tests using X-ray photographic films. 
By using the buffer sheet members 60a through 60f, the same advantages as 
those of the buffer sheet member 60 can be attained. Particularly, the air 
leaking means can be positioned for coaction with the suction cup 40 
irrespective of whether the buffer sheet members 60a through 60f are 
oriented in one direction or the other. 
A sheet film package according to still another embodiment will be 
described with reference to FIGS. 25 and 26. 
As shown in FIG. 25, a sheet film package 10c comprises a flexible 
light-shielding member 12c and a protective board 70 disposed therein. The 
light-shielding member 12c is accommodated in a cardboard box 72 (FIG. 26) 
composed of interfittable box body and cover. The protective board 70 is 
of a U-shaped cross section and serves as film buffer means itself. 
Various layer structures for the protective board 70 are illustrated in 
FIGS. 27 through 33. 
FIG. 27 shows a laminated protective board comprising a synthetic resin 
film layer 74, a foamed sheet layer 76, and a support layer 78, these 
layers being fused and bonded by being heated with hot air applied to 
their surfaces. 
FIG. 28 illustrates a laminated protective board similar to the protective 
board shown in FIG. 27, but further including an adhesive layer 80 between 
the synthetic resin film layer 74 and the foamed sheet layer 76 to bond 
them. 
A laminated protective board shown in FIG. 29 is similar to the protective 
board shown in FIG. 27, but further includes an adhesive layer 80 between 
the foamed sheet layer 76 and the support layer 78 to bond them. 
According to an embodiment of FIG. 30, the synthetic resin film layer 74, 
the foamed sheet layer 76, and the support layer 78 of the protective 
board shown in FIG. 27 are bonded by adhesive layers 80 therebetween. 
A laminated protective board illustrated in FIG. 31 is similar to that of 
FIG. 30 except that a laminated support layer 78 comprises a paper sheet 
layer 82 and an L-LDPE film layer 84 directly deposited thereon. 
FIG. 32 shows a protective board which is similar to that of FIG. 31 except 
that a laminated support layer 78 also includes an adhesive layer 80 
between the paper sheet layer 82 and the L-LDPE film layer 84 to bond 
them. 
A protective board shown in FIG. 33 is similar to that of FIG. 30 except 
that a laminated synthetic resin film layer 74 comprises a two-layer 
coextruded film including an HDPE film layer 86 and an L-LDPE film layer 
84. 
The synthetic resin film layer 74 in each of the layer structures shown in 
FIGS. 27 through 33 is held in contact with the films F, and prevents the 
films F from having fogs due to moisure, pressure, and abrasion. 
Therefore, any of various synthetic resin films of suitable thickness may 
be used as the synthetic resin film layer 74 insofar as they have low 
permeability to water and smooth surfaces. Among various synthetic resin 
films, thermoplastic resin films of various kinds are preferable, and 
various polyolefin films are particularly preferable. 
The surface of the synthetic resin film layer 74 should preferably have a 
slip angle of 25.degree. or smaller. By the term "slip angle" is meant an 
angle of inclination of the surface of the synthetic resin film layer 74 
at which a weight placed thereon starts to slide. Therefore, the slip 
angle is used to indicate the degree of being slippery of the surface 
being measured. 
The foamed sheet layer 76 is made of the same material as that of the 
foamed layer 64 shown in FIGS. 11 through 18. Therefore, the foamed sheet 
layer 76 will not be described in detail. 
The support layer 78 is made of any of various sheet materials such as a 
paper sheet, a synthetic resin sheet, or the like. Therefore, the support 
layer may be made of unbleached kraft paper or waste paper, or may be in 
the form of a sheet having large surface irregularities. While the support 
layer 78 may be a flexible sheet such as a sheet of thin machine-made 
paper or a thin synthetic resin film, the support layer 78 should 
preferably be more rigid than the synthetic resin film layer 74. 
The support layer 78 may alternatively be in the form of a single-layer 
film, a paper sheet, a plastic sheet, a multilayer coextruded film layer 
of synthetic resin, or a multilayer sheet of synthtic resin and paper. 
It is possible to add desired amounts of the various additives as described 
above, to the synthetic resin film layer 74. The adhesive layer 80 may be 
any of the various adhesives as described above. 
The protective boards 14 of the various shapes according to the previous 
embodiments may be of the same structure as the protective board 70. 
The results of an experiment conducted on Inventive examples Ia, IIa, IIIa, 
and Conventional example will be described below. 
Inventive example Ia 
This example employed the a protective board which substantially has the 
layer structure shown in FIG. 30. The synthetic resin film layer 74 
comprised an inflated film having a thickness of 50 micrometers and made 
of L-LDPE which is a copolymer of ethylene and 4-methylpentene-1, having a 
density of 0.920 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt index of 2 g/ten minutes, to which 
there were added 3 weight % of carbon black and 0.1 weight % of olefin 
acid amide. The foamed sheet layer 76 was a foamed polyethylene sheet 
having a thickness of 1 mm and an expansion ratio of 30. The support layer 
78 was a paper sheet having a thickness of 350 micrometers. The adhesive 
layer 80 was an LDPE adhesive layer, 15 micrometers thick. 
Inventive Example IIa 
This example employed the a protective board having the layer structure 
shown in FIG. 32. The synthetic resin film layer 74, the foamed sheet 
layer 76, and the adhesive layer 80 are identical to those of Inventive 
example Ia. The paper sheet layer 82 of the support layer 78 was in the 
form of a conventional paper board. The L-LDPE film layer 84 was the same 
as the synthetic resin film layer 74 of Inventive example Ia. 
Inventive Example IIIa 
This example employed the a protective board having the layer structure 
shown in FIG. 33. The HDPE film layer 86 of the synthetic resin film layer 
74 comprised a film having a thickness of 25 micrometers and made of HDPE 
having a density of 0.965 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt index of 0.4 g/ten 
minutes, to which there were added 3 weight % of carbon black and 0.05 
weight % of erucic acid amide. The L-LDPE film layer 84 was identical to 
the synthetic resin film layer 74 of Inventive example Ia, having a 
thickness of 25 micrometers. The synthetic resin film layer 74 was a 
two-layer coextruded film having a total thickness of 50 micrometer. The 
foamed sheet layer 76, the support layer 78, and the adhesive layer 80 
were the same as those of Inventive example Ia. 
Conventional Example 
The protective board was in the form of a paper board made of bleached 
kraft paper and having a thickness of 450 micrometers. 
200 X-ray photographic films were used as films F, which were wrapped in 
the light-shielding member 12c and stored in the cardboard box 72 for the 
experiment. The results of the experiment are given the table 2. 
The light-shielding member 12c was in the form of a multilayer sheet 
composed of bleached kraft paper of 35 g/m.sup.2, an LDPE adhesive layer 
having a thickness of 15 micrometers, an aluminum foil layer having a 
thickness of 7 micrometers, an LDPE adhesive layer having a thickness of 
15 micrometers, and an L-LDPE film layer having a thickness of 70 
micrometers with 3 weight % of carbon black added. 
Substantially the same results as given in the table 2 were obtained when 
lithographic films and cassette films were employed as films F. When a 
protective board comprising a foamed sheet layer with polyolefin film 
layers deposited on the opposite surfaces thereof was employed, 
substantially the same results as those of Inventive examples were also 
attained. 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
Samples 
Properties 
A-1a A-IIa A-IIIa B Method 
______________________________________ 
(1) FIG. 30 FIG. 32 FIG. 33 
(2) (a) (a) (a) (e) *A1 
(3) (a) (a) (a) (e) *B1 
(4) (b) (b) (b) (c) *C1 
(5) (a) (a) (a) (d) *D1 
(6) 13 13 15 35 *E1 
______________________________________ 
The properties are defined as follows: 
(1): Layer structure for the protective board 
(2): Abrasion resistance in a vibration test 
(3): Compression resistance (at a hole or a recess) 
(4): Moisture-induced fog 
(5): Abrasive fog 
(6): Slip angle (in degrees) 
The levels of evaluation are defined as follows: 
(a): Very excellent 
(b): Excellent 
(c): Practically usable 
(d): Problematic 
(e): Not practically usable 
The test methods are defined as follows: 
*A1: Abrasion resistance--200 X-ray photographic films were stored in one 
cardboard box 72 as shown in FIG. 26, and five such cardboard boxes (1000 
sheet films) were put in a corrugated cardboard box. After a vibration 
test was conducted on the cardboard boxes according to JISZ-0232, the 
X-ray photographic films were checked for abrasion. 
*B1: Compression resistance--200 X-ray photographic films were stored in a 
cardboard box 72 as shown in FIG. 26, and a sheet load of 5 kg was placed 
on the cardboard box 72 for 2 weeks. Then, the recorded images were 
developed and checked for pressure-induced changes in density (pressure 
marks). 
*C1: Moisture-induced fog--Fogs due to moisture passing through the opening 
of the protective board were checked in the same manner as in B1 above. 
*D1: Abrasive fog--The recorded images on the X-ray photographic films on 
which the test A1 was carried out were developed and checked for changes 
in density. 
*E1: Slip angle--A surface is cut off from the protective board and applied 
to the bottom, having a size of 75 mm.times.35 mm, of a load block having 
a weight of 200 g. Another surface is cut off from the protective board 
and applied to an inclined surface. These protective board surfaces are 
mated, and the angle of inclination of the inclined surface is varied. The 
slip angle is the angle of the inclined surface at which the surfaces 
start to slip against each other. 
In the sheet film package 10c, the synthetic resin film layer 74 of the 
protective board 70 which is in contact with the films F does not give off 
moisture or a harmful gas and does not allow moisture or a harmful gas to 
pass therethrough, so that the films F are prevented from having fogs or 
changes in sensitivity. Since the surface of the synthetic resin film 
layer 74 is smooth, it does not produce pressure marks, abrasive fogs, and 
abrasion on the films F even if they slide on the synthetic resin film 
layer 74. The foamed sheet layer 76 dampens external shocks applied 
thereto, so that the films F are not adversely affected by such external 
shocks. 
With the present invention, as described above, a sheet film package 
comprises a flexible light-shielding member in the form of an envelope and 
a protective board for protecting sheet films stored in the 
light-shielding envelope. The protective board is of a substantially J- or 
U-shaped cross section and has a holder portion on one side edge thereof 
for preventing the films from being displaced. When the light-shielding 
member is pulled out after the package has been loaded in an image 
recorder, the films are prevented by the holder portion from being pulled 
out with the light-shielding member. 
When the uppermost film is fanned in a direction substantially normal to 
the direction in which the light-shielding member has been pulled out, 
thereby ensuring that no two or more films will be fed out together, the 
fanned film tends to engage the upper panel of the protective board. 
However, since the upper panel is swingable, it does not obstruct the 
fanned movement of the film. Consequently, the sheet film package of the 
present invention permits the films to be easily and accurately loaded in 
the image recorder in which the films are fed out in the direction 
transverse to the film loading direction. The films as they are fanned are 
not damaged by the protective board, and can smoothly be fed out. 
Moreover, a buffer sheet member is disposed between the protective board 
and the stored sheet films, and the buffer sheet member has suction air 
leaking means in two symmetrical areas thereof, one of which will be 
contacted by the suction cup. The suction air leaking means are effective 
in preventing the vacuum pump of the suction cup or suction mechanism 
while the buffer sheet member prevents the films from having pressure 
marks, gas-induced fogs, abrasive fogs, and abrasion. Since the suction 
air leaking means are positioned in the two symmetrical areas of the 
buffer sheet member, the buffer sheet member can easily be positioned for 
coaction with the suction cup even in a dark room. 
The protective board itself of the sheet film package may be of a special 
layer structure for preventing moisture and harmful gas given off by a 
paper sheet thereof from directly contacting the films, which are 
therefore prevented from having fogs. The surface of the protective board 
which is held against the films is smooth to prevent the films from having 
pressure marks, abrasive fogs, and abrasion even when the sheet film 
package is vibrated during shipment, for example. The protective board 
also serves to prevent the films from suffering pressure marks which would 
otherwise caused by the holes thereof under external shocks and pressure. 
Although certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it 
should be understood that many changes and modifications may be made 
therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.