Automatic film processor

An automatic film processor for passing an exposed film successively through a series of treating liquid vessels respectively containing developing liquid, fixing liquid and rinsing water is provided. The film processor comprises pump means for forming a constant regular flow to raise a portion of the liquid surface of at least one treating liquid vessel, and flow guide means for guiding the constant regular flow onto the liquid surface, whereby the underside of the exposed film contacts the surface of the raised portion of the liquid. In a modified embodiment, a vibrator for generating an ultrasonic wave is associated with at least one treating liquid vessel for applying ultrasonic vibration to the film so as to accelerate the treating speed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an automatic film processor for passing an 
exposed film successively through developing, fixing, rinsing and drying 
stations to effect automatic development of the film. 
2. Prior Art Statement 
The known automatic film processors for the automatic development of an 
exposed film include the roller conveyor type, loop type and horizontal 
conveying type. 
In the roller conveyor type processor, the film is passed through the 
treating liquids (such as developing liquid, fixing liquid and rinsing 
water) by a number of rollers. This type of processor has disadvantages in 
that its construction is complicated and troublesome maintenance is 
required. In the loop type processor, the film is conveyed by rollers 
disposed above and below each of the treating liquid vessels. The 
disadvantages of this type of processor are similar to those of the roller 
conveyor type processor in that construction is complicated and 
maintenance is troublesome. In the horizontal conveying type processor, 
the film is conveyed linearly in the horizontal direction and treating 
liquids are vigorously sprayed onto the conveyed film. However, the 
treating liquids, and particularly the developer liquid, are deteriorated 
due to oxidation. 
The known automatic developers have further disadvantages in that they are 
large in size for the following reasons. In the roller conveyor type 
processor, the film is conveyed through each of the treating liquid 
vessels by a number of rollers disposed deep in the vessel which extends 
vertically for a long distance. In the loop conveying processor, the film 
is suspended between the rollers disposed at the upper and lower portions 
in the treating liquid vessels which are large in size. In the horizontal 
conveying type processor, the film is conveyed horizontally and each 
treating liquid is vigorously sprayed onto the film. However, in order to 
complete the treatment at a high speed, the film must contact each 
treating liquid by a long pass in the horizontal direction, which results 
in the increased size of the device. This virtually limits the treating 
speed of the device. The horizontal conveying type processor has another 
disadvantage in that it requires a pump for ejecting the treating liquid 
which complicates the structure of the film processor. 
In the automatic film processor in which an exposed film is processed 
continuously, successive processing operations including development, 
fixing and rinsing must be conducted in order and then the film should be 
dried sufficiently. In the drying step, water must be thoroughly removed, 
for example, by the use of a sponge. If water drops are left on the film, 
blurs are formed on the surface of the dried film. Drying at an 
excessively high temperature results in deterioration in granularity due 
to softening of the gelatine membrane, which might cause intense curling. 
On the contrary, the treating speed of the entire system is decreased if 
the drying speed is lowered. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, a first object of this invention is to provide an automatic 
film processor which is simple in construction and easily maintainable and 
in which deterioration of treating liquids, particularly degradation of 
developer liquid due to oxidation, can be suppressed. 
A second object of this invention is to provide an automatic film processor 
which is small in size and adapted for high speed processing. 
A third object of this invention is to provide an automatic film processor 
which is simple in construction without requiring a pump, and which is 
small in size and adapted for high speed processing. 
A fourth object of this invention is to provide an automatic film processor 
which is free from the appearance of blurs due to uneven drying, 
deterioration in granurality or occurrence of curling, and which is 
adapted for high speed drying to realize high speed processing. 
The first object of this invention is accomplished by the provision of an 
automatic film processor for passing an exposed film successively through 
a series of treating liquid vessels respectively containing developing 
liquid, fixing liquid and rinsing water, which comprises: 
a pump means for forming a constant regular flow to rise a portion of the 
liquid surface of at least one treating liquid vessel; and 
flow guide means for guiding the constant regular flow onto the liquid 
surface; 
whereby the underside of the exposed film is allowed to contact with the 
surface of the raised portion of the liquid. 
Namely, according to the first aspect of this invention, the surface of the 
treating liquid is raised partially and the exposed film is allowed to 
contact the raised portion of the treating liquid while preventing the 
treating liquid from mixing vigorously with air to prevent oxidation of 
the treating liquid. 
The second object of this invention is achieved by the provision of an 
automatic film processor for passing an exposed film successively through 
a series of treating liquid vessels respectively containing developing 
liquid, fixing liquid and rinsing water, which comprises: 
an ultrasonic wave generating means associated with at least one of the 
treating liquid vessels for applying ultrasonic vibration to the exposed 
film so as to accelerate the treating speed. 
In other words, according to the second aspect of this invention, the 
treating speed is increased by the utilization of ultrasonic wave. 
The third object of this invention is achieved by the provision of an 
automatic film processor for passing an exposed film successively through 
a series of treating liquid vessels containing respectively developing 
liquid, fixing liquid and rinsing water, which comprises: 
an ultrasonic wave generating means associated with at least one of the 
treating liquid vessels for applying ultrasonic vibration to the treating 
liquid near the liquid surface of said treating liquid so as to form a 
rised portion on the liquid surface and for applying ultrasonic vibration 
to the downside of said exposed film to accelerate the treating speed. 
Ejecting flow is formed on the surface of the treating liquid by the 
utilization of the ultrasonic wave. At the same time, vibration by the 
ultrasonic wave is applied to the film in contact with the ejecting flow, 
whereby the treating speed is accelerated. 
The fourth object of this invention is achieved by the provision of an 
automatic film processor for passing an exposed film successively through 
a series of treating liquid vessels respectively containing developing 
liquid, fixing liquid and rinsing water, and then for passing the treated 
film to a drying station, which comprises: 
an ultrasonic wave generating means associated with the drying station for 
applying ultrasonic vibration to the film so as to accelerate drying of 
the film. 
By applying an ultrasonic wave to the film, water adhering to the surface 
of the film is evenly dispersed to wet the surface uniformly so as to 
prevent the formation of blurs upon drying and to promote vaporization of 
water in order to decrease the time required for drying. 
The second and fourth objects of this invention may also be achieved by the 
provision of an automatic film processor for passing an exposed film 
successively through a series of treating liquid vessels respectively 
containing developing liquid, fixing liquid and rinsing water, and then 
for passing the treated film to a drying station, which comprises: 
an ultrasonic wave generating means associated with at least one of the 
treating liquid vessels for applying ultrasonic vibration to the exposed 
film so as to accerelate the treating speed; and 
further ultrasonic wave generating means associated with the drying station 
for applying ultrasonic vibration to the film so as to accerelate drying 
of the film. 
The processing speed of the entire film processor is further accelerated by 
the last mentioned aspect of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present invention will now be described with reference to presently 
preferred embodiments of this invention. Initially an embodiment according 
to the first aspect of this invention will be described by referring to 
FIG. 1. An exposed roll film 10 is fed from a supply reel 12. The film 10 
is clamped by feed roller pairs 14, 14 to be passed through a developing 
station 16, fixing station 18, a first rinsing station 20, a second 
rinsing station 22 and a drying station 24 in this order, and then taken 
up by a take-up reel 26. Each feed roller pair 14 is disposed between one 
processing station and the next processing station to convey the film 10 
at a constant speed. 
The developing station 16 comprises a developer liquid vessel 16a 
containing a developer liquid, a pump 16c for forming a raised regular 
flow 16b and a flow guide member 16d. The flow guide member 16d guides the 
developer liquid discharged from the pump 16c upwardly in the vertical 
direction so that the developer liquid wells out on the surface of the 
liquid. The well-out port of the flow guide member 16d opens transverse to 
the travelling direction of the film 10 and extends to cover the entire 
width of the film 10. The top edges of the well-out port are bent to form 
downward rims so that the developer liquid discharged from the flow guide 
member 16d wells out of the port to form a regular flow. In other words, a 
portion of the liquid surface is raised. 
An arcuated guide member 16e projecting downwardly extends between the fore 
and aft roller pairs 14. The side edges of the film 10 are guided by the 
arcuated guide member 16e to be conveyed along the arcuated path so that 
the surface of the exposed film 10 contacts the raised portion of the 
regular flow 16b to be developed. 
The construction of the fixing station 18, the first rinsing station 20 and 
the second rinsing station 22 is similar to that of the developing station 
16 except in that a fixing liquid and rinsing liquids, respectively, are 
used in place of the developer liquid. Accordingly. the construction of 
stations 18, 20 and 22 are not described for simplicity. 
The drying station 24 comprises a heater 24a and a fan 24b. The film 10 is 
dried by hot air heated by the heater 24a and blown by the fan 24b. 
According to this embodiment, the film 10 is successively passed through 
the stations 16 to 24 at a constant speed and processed at respective 
stations. For instance, the film 10 moves through the developing station 
16 at which it contacts the raised portion of a regular flow 16b of the 
developer liquid, the regular flow being formed by the pump 16c and the 
flow guide member 16d, to be subjected to development. Fixing and rinsing 
treatments are conducted similarly in the fixing and rinsing stations 18 
to 22, and then the film 10 is dried and taken up by the take-up reel 26. 
Although the fixing and rinsing stations 18 to 22 have the same 
construction as the developing station 16 in the embodiment described 
above, the constructions of the fixing and rinsing stations 18 to 22 may 
be differenciated within the scope of this invention. 
Different embodiments of the developing station, according to this 
invention, are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. 
The developing station 116 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a pump 116c disposed 
in the developer liquid vessel 116a. The developer liquid contained in the 
developer liquid vessel 116a is pumped by the pump 116c and guided by the 
flow guide member 116d to be ejected obliquely to form a fall-like flow 
(raised regular flow 116b) from the liquid surface. The underside of the 
film 10, conveyed along a substantially horizontal pass, contacts the 
raised regular flow 116b of the developer liquid to effect development. 
The developing station 216 shown in FIG. 3 comprises a pump 216c disposed 
in a developer liquid vessel 216a containing a developer liquid which is 
guided by a flow guide member 216d to be ejected obliquely from the liquid 
surface. An integral or separate flow guide plate 216e extends 
horizontally from the liquid eject port of the flow guide member 216d. The 
downstream end of the flow guide plate 216e projects upwardly so that the 
developer liquid is raised at the eject port and at the downstream end of 
the flow guide plate 216e. As a result, a regular flow having two raised 
portions 216b, 216b is formed. The underside of the film 200 conveyed 
along a substantially horizontal pass contacts the developer liquid at 
these two raised portions 216b and 216b. 
A further modified embodiment is shown in FIG. 4, wherein the flow guide 
plate 216e has plural steps 216f so that the developer liquid forms a 
regular flow having plural raised portions 216b. 
A flow guide member 316d of the developing station 316 shown in FIG. 5 is a 
circular disk having an opening for passing an upward flow of the treating 
liquid at substantially the center thereof, the peripheral edge of the 
circular disk being bent upwardly. The developer liquid is fed from a pump 
316c through a center opening and flows over the upside of the flow guide 
plate 316d so that a regular well-out flow 316b is formed at the 
peripheral edge. A film 300 is conveyed along a horizontal or arcuated 
pass while contacting the well-out flow 316b. 
The developing station 416 shown in FIG. 6 comprises a flow guide member 
416d which guides the developer liquid along plural vertical flow lines. 
The developer liquid is pumped by a pump 416c and flows through plural 
flow lines to form plural raised portions 416b on the liquid surface. A 
film 400 conveyed along a substantially horizontal pass contacts the 
developer liquid at these plural raised portions 416b. 
Although the developing station has been described with reference to FIGS. 
2 to 6, any of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 may be incorporated 
in the fixing and rinsing stations. Within the scope of this invention, 
the same or different embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 may be 
incorporated arbitrarily in the developing, fixing and rinsing stations. 
According to the present invention, a portion of the treating liquid is 
raised to form a regular flow having a rised portion, and the film is 
moved while contacting with the rised portion of the regular flow. The 
number of the feed roller pairs can be decreased to simplify the 
construction to realize easy maintenance of the system as compared to the 
conventional roller conveying system or loop conveying system. Since the 
developer liquid is flown to form a regular flow rather than being sprayed 
onto the film, vigourous mixing of the developer liquid with air is 
prevented to suppress deterioration thereof due to oxidation. 
The second aspect of this invention will now be described with reference to 
FIG. 7. An exposed film 10 is supplied from a supply reel 12 and moved by 
roller pairs 14 through a developing station 16, a fixing station 18, a 
first rinsing station 20, a second rinsing station 22 and a drying station 
24 to be taken up by a take-up reel 26. Drums 16f to 22f are disposed in 
the treating liquid vessels 16a to 22a of respective stations 16 to 22, 
and the film 10 is immersed in the treating liquids in the vessels 16a to 
22a while moving along the circumferences of the drums 16f to 22f. A 
developer liquid is contained in the treating liquid vessel 16a, and a 
fixing liquid is contained in the treating liquid vessel 18a. The treating 
liquid vessels 20a and 22a contain rinsing liquids. 
Ultrasonic vibrators 16g to 22g, which act as the ultrasonic wave 
generating means, are mounted on the bottoms of the treating liquid 
vessels 16a to 22a to generate ultrasonic waves. Each of the ultrasonic 
vibrators 16g to 22g is actuated by an actuating circuit (not shown). 
Preferably, the ultrasonic wave generated from each of the ultrasonic 
vibrators 16g to 22g is focused at the vicinity of the surface of the film 
10 which moves along the circumferences of the drums 16f to 22f. 
Otherwise, the portion or whole mass of the treating liquid may be 
vibrated by the ultrasonic vibrator. Anyway, the ultrasonic wave is 
applied to the film 10 to accelerate the treating speed. In the developing 
station 16, penetration of the developer liquid into the photosensitive 
emulsion layer of the film 10 is promoted by the action of the ultrasonic 
wave so as to accelerate the reaction between the latent image in the 
silver halide crystallites and the developing agent to promote reduction 
of silver ions (blackening) in the silver halide crystallites. In the 
fixing station 18, the speed of dissolving silver halide is accelerated by 
the application of the ultrasonic wave to promote the removal rate in the 
fixing step. In the rinsing stations 20, 22, removal of the fixing liquid 
or silver thiosulfate is accelerated to increase the rinsing rate. 
The drying station 24 comprises an electric heater 24a serving as heating 
means, a fan 24b serving as air blower means, and an ultrasonic vibrator 
24g serving as ultrasonic wave generating means. The ultrasonic vibrator 
24g opposes the underside, i.e. the side to be subjected to development, 
of the film 10, and the ultrasonic wave is applied to the underside of the 
film 10. Air blown from the fan 24b is heated by the heater 24a to form 
hot stream which impinges the film 10. 
Rinsing water adhering on the film 10 is dispersed rapidly, under the 
action of the ultrasonic wave generated from the ultrasonic vibrator 24g 
and applied to the film 10, to form a thin membrane. The ultrasonic wave 
also acts to scatter water mists from the film. The drying speed is 
considerably increased by the combined action of ultrasonic wave and hot 
air stream heated by the heater 24b. The film 10 passing out of the drying 
station 24 is taken up by a take-up reel 26. 
Reference numeral 28 designates an optical sensor for detecting the fore 
end of the film 10, and ultrasonic vibrators 16g to 22g and 24g are 
actuated as the fore end of the film 10 is sensed by the sensor 28. 
In the illusrated embodiment, ultrasonic vibrators are incorporated in all 
of the developing, fixing, rinsing and drying stations 16 to 24, whereby 
treatments at every station are accelerated so that the pass, i.e. the 
distance of the film 10 contacting each treating liquid, of each treating 
station time can be decreased. The construction of the entire system is 
simplified, the size of the system is decreased, and the treating speed of 
the system is increased. 
Each of the ultrasonic vibrators 16g to 24g may be made of a quartz 
vibrator, or a vibrator utilizing the piezoelectric phenomenon of lead 
zirconate titanate (PZT) which is one of ceramics, polyvinylidene fluoride 
(PVDF) which is one of plastics or a composite material of ceramics 
(PECM). However, it is to be noted here that means for generating 
ultrasonic wave is not limited only to the vibrators described above for 
example only. 
Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 8, wherein respective treating stations 
516 to 522 comprise spraying nozzles 516f to 522f disposed at the bottoms 
of respective treating liquid vessels 516a to 522a to spray respective 
treating liquids onto the underside of the film 10. Ultrasonic vibrators 
516g to 522g are disposed above respective treating liquid vessels 516a to 
522a so that ultrasonic waves are applied to the upside of the film 10. At 
the developing station 516, the developer liquid is collected in a tank 
516h and recirculated by a pump 516e to the spraying nozzle 516f. Similar 
collection tanks and recirculating pumps are provided in respective 
stations 518 to 522. Different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 in 
which the ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the film 10 through the 
treating liquid, the ultrasonic wave is transmitted through air in this 
embodiment. The other members denoted by the same reference numerals as 
used in FIG. 7 have the same constructions and exhibit the same functions, 
and descriptions thereof will not be repeated. 
A developing station 616 of a further embodiment is shown in FIG. 9. In 
this embodiment, the developer liquid in the treating liquid vessel 616a 
is pumped by a pump 616c and guided obliquely by a flow guide member 616d 
to form a regular flow 616b which is raised upwardly. An ultrasonic 
vibrator 616g is mounted on the bottom of the treating liquid vessel 616a 
to serve as the means for generating the ultrasonic wave so that the 
ultrasonic wave is focused on the raised portion of the regular flow 616b. 
As a result, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the film 10 contacting the 
raised regular flow 616b to accelerate the treating speed. The object of 
this invention may also been achieved by transmitting the ultrasonic wave 
generated from the ultrasonic vibrator 616g through the developer liquid 
rather than focusing it at the vicinity of the film 10. Ultrasonic 
vibration may be applied to the upside of the film 10 as shown in FIG. 8. 
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, all of the treating stations 16 
to 22 and 516 to 522 are provided with ultrasonic vibrators. However, the 
present invention may encompass an embodiment in which an ultrasonic 
vibrator is incorporated only in one of these treating stations. 
The present invention may be applied not only to a so-called two-bath 
processing system wherein the development and fixing are effected by a 
separate developing station and fixing station, but also to a so-called 
mono-bath processing system wherein develoment and fixing are effected in 
a single combined bath. 
When an ultrasonic vibrator is provided at the drying station to prevent 
uneven drying and to accelerate the drying speed, the object of the 
invention may be achieved by constructing the treating stations other than 
the drying station according to the conventional technology. 
As has been described hereinabove, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the 
film during at least one processing steps so that the treating speed is 
considerably accelerated to promote processing. High speed processing can 
be realized and the size of the processing system can be decreased. 
When the rinsed film is dried during the application of the ultrasonic 
wave, waterdrops adhering on the film are dispersed by the action of 
ultrasonic vibration to form a thin membrane and are concurrently 
scattered to the atmosphere. Formation of blurs due to uneven drying is 
prevented and the film may be dried rapidly at a relatively low 
temperature. Deterioration in granularity and the occurrence of curling 
are prevented, also accordingly. Rapid drying enables high speed operation 
of the system and also the realization of a compact system. 
The third aspect of this invention will now be described with reference to 
FIG. 10. An exposed film 10 is supplied from a supply reel 12, passed 
through a developing station 716, a fixing station 718, a first rinsing 
station 720, a second rinsing station 722 and a drying station 724, and 
taken up by a take-up reel 26. A developer liquid is contained in a 
developer liquid vessel 716a of the developing station 716, and a fixing 
liquid is contained in a fixing liquid vessel 718a of the fixing station 
718. Rinsing water vessels 720a and 722a of the rinsing stations 720 and 
722 contain rinsing water. A guide member 32 for guiding the film 10 close 
to the surface of each treating liquid contained in the treating liquid 
vessels 716a to 722a is disposed between adjacent guide roller pairs 30. 
The film 10 travels above the opening of each of the treating liquid 
vessels 716a to 722a while being guided by each guide member 32 along an 
arcuated path coming close to the liquid surface. 
Ultrasonic vibrators 716g to 722g are mounted on the bottoms of respective 
treating liquid vessels 716a to 722a to serve as ultrasonic wave 
generating means. Each of the ultrasonic vibrators 716g to 722g are 
actuated by an actuating circuit (not shown) and focused at the vicinity 
of the center of the liquid surface. As a result, the treating liquid 
contained in each of the treating liquid vessels 716a to 722a forms a 
spout on the liquid surface near the focal point of the ultrasonic wave. 
The treating liquid contained in each of the treating liquid vessels 716a 
to 722a spouts upwardly from the liquid surface and scatters vigorously 
from the spouting liquid to form mists. As the film 10 travels at the 
vicinity of spouting liquid, the spouting mists contact with the downside 
of the film 10 so that develoment, fixing and rinsing are effected over 
the vessels 716a to 722a. The ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the 
film 10 per se so that treatments by respective stations are promoted to 
accelerate the treating speeds. 
The flow rate of the spouting flow rising from the liquid surface or the 
quantity of mists emitted therefrom may be controlled by changing the 
electric voltage for actuating each of the ultrasonic vibrators 716a to 
722g. In this manner, the treating speed at each treating station 716 to 
722 may be controlled. 
In the illustrated embodiment, all of the developing, fixing and rinsing 
stations 716 to 722 are provided with ultrasonic vibrators, so that 
treatments at every steps are promoted to decrease the passes in 
respective treating stations. Considerable simplification, reduction in 
size and high speed operation of the entire system may be realized at the 
same time. However, the present invention may include a system in which 
the ultrasonic vibrator is provided in any one or more of the treating 
stations. 
Although a single ultrasonic vibrator 716g to 722g is used in each of the 
treating stations 716 to 722 in the illustrated embodiment, plural 
ultrasonic vibrators may be used in each treating station. When plural 
ultrasonic vibrators are used, one of them is used to generate an 
ultrasonic vibration suited for spouting the liquid over the surface of 
the treating liquid and the other is used to generate an ultrasonic 
vibration optimal for promoting processing of the film. 
Although it is preferred to transmit the ultrasonic vibration through the 
treating liquid to increase the efficiency of the action of the vibrator, 
the present invention includes those wherein ultrasonic vibration is 
applied through air above the treating liquid. 
As has been described hereinabove, since a spouting flow is formed on the 
liquid surface by the application of the ultrasonic wave and the film is 
moved so that the downside of the film contacts the spouting flow 
according to this invention, the number of required conveyor rollers can 
be decreased and the pump means can be eliminated to simplify the 
construction of the system. The depth of each treating liquid vessel can 
be decreased and each treatment can be promoted by the utilization of the 
ultrasonic vibration to shorten the path of each treatment. Size reduction 
and high speed operation of the system can be realized, accordingly.