DEVICE FOR IMPROVING THE AIR, IN PARTICULAR FOR RAISING THE LEVEL OF HUMIDITY

Abstract: A liquid-absorbing, air-permeable filter (10) is inserted into a container (3) holding an amount of water which can be metered, said container being attachable to an apparatus for loading and unloading X-ray film cassettes. The filter is partially immersed into the water and, with a portion located above the water level, covers an opening (4a) which is provided in the rear wall (4) of the container, also lies above the water level and is flush with an opening (1a) in the wall (1) of the apparatus. In the front wall (5) of the container, an opening (5a) is provided which also lies above the water level and in front of which a ventilator (12, 13, 14, 15) is arranged. Air is sucked in through the open upper side of the ventilator housing (12) covered by an air filter (15). The air flows through the filter pack (10) fully soaked with water and, enriched by humidity, is blown into the apparatus.

Description: i Description Device for improving the air, in particular for raising the level of humidity The^innovatioh relates to a device for. mp^ov * g the air, in " particular for raising the level, of humidity inside apparatus, in.-particular, apparatus for unloading and loading X-ray film cassettesV - When such apparatus are in use, the air is normally very dry inside. This may lead to static^charges of the X-ray film sheets. When the X-ray films get into contact,-with metal parts of the apparatus during unloading and loading of the X-ray film cassettes, sparks may " develop which lead to the film being "exposed", thus causing undesired fogging. More¬ over because of the air being so dry, flatness of the X-ray film sheet ' s in the X-ray film cassette cannot be ensured. It is the object of the innovation to avoid these disadvantages and to create a device which allows dryness of the air inside the apparatus to be avoided during operation of apparatus, in particular apparatus for unloading and loading X-ray sheet film cassettes. According to the innovation, this object is attained in that the device comprises a container with an amount of water which can be metered, a liquid-absorbing, air-permeable filter and a ven¬ tilator associated with said water container. The innovation • will- be explained with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the subject matter of the innovation, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the subject matter of the innovation along line I-I according to Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a partially sectional view of the subject matter of the innovation along line II-II according to Fig. 2. The device comprises a water container 3 covered by a lid 7. Said container can be filled with water up to one quarter of its height, using a metering element described in detail further below. The water container 3 is arranged at a suitable place on a wall 1 of an apparatus for unloading and loading X-ray film cassettes, said wall having a rectangular opening la. In its rear wall 4, the container has a first rectangular opening 4a which is substantially flush with the wall opening la in the apparatus, and in its front wall 5, it has a second circular opening 5a. Both openings 4a and 5a are located above the water level 17a. At the inner face of the rear wall 4 of the container, a liquid- absorbing and air-permeable filter pack 10 is positioned such that it covers opening 4a, extends beyond the lower edge of said opening 4a and is immersed into water 17. When the lid 7 is open, the filter pack 10 can be moved into position by means of a hahdle bar 10a arranged at its end face, and slid downwardly from above between two vertical guide rails 8 which extend on either side of opening 4a. In order to prevent light from entering the interior of the cassette unloading and loading apparatus, a flexible light- shielding element 2 is provided between the wall 1 of the apparatus and the rear wall 4 of the container, said light- shielding element surrounding the wall opening la in the apparatus and the opening 4a in the rear wall 4 of the con¬ tainer. A ventilator housing 12 screwed to the " front wall 5 of water container 3 also comprises a circular opening, 12a which is flush with the circular opening " 5a in the front wall 5 of the container. In the ventilator housing 12, a radial ventilator 14 is provided at a small distance from openings 12a and 5a, said ventilator being driven by a motor 13 attached to the housing 12. The radial ventilator 14 sucks in the air through an air entrance opening 12b in the upper side of the ventilator housing 12, said opening being covered by an exchangeable air filter ! 15, and blow the air into the cassette loading and unloading apparatus throug the openings 12a and 5a and via the filter pack 10 fully soaked with water. When the air flows through the filter pack 10 fully soaked with water, it gets more humid. Depending upon the level of the prevailing air dryness which can be ascertained e.g. by using a hygrometer, the speed of the radial ventilator 14 can be varied such that-air with a higher or lower degree of humidity is blown into the apparatus, if necessary. Reference numeral 20 relates to an inlet connection inserted into a side wall 6 of water container 3. Said inlet connection is associated with a float switch 21 and 22. A water supply can 24 is arranged directly at the wall 1 of the apparatus and is connected with the inlet connection 20 via a water feeding hose 23. The float switch 21 and 22 provides for the water level to always have a constant height. Instead of using the water supply can 24 to feed water to the container 3, the container can also be connected to the water mains via a suitable plumbing connection.

Claims: Claims 1. Device for improving the air, in particular for raising the level of humidity inside apparatus, in particular apparatus _ fTor unloading and loading X-ray f lm cassettes, "! c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the device" comprises a container (3) with an amount of water" (171 which' can "be metered, a liquid-absorbing, air-permeable filter (10) and a ventilator (12, 13,- 14, 15) associated with the water container (3) . 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the water container (3) is arranged on a rectangular wall opening (la) of an apparatus. 3. Device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the water container (3) has the shape of a box and com¬ prises a removable lid (7) . 4. Device according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the water container (3) comprises in its rear wall (4) a first rectangular opening (4a) which is substantially flush with the wall opening (la) in the apparatus, and in its front wall (5) a second circular opening (5a) , and in that the two openings (la and 5a) are provided above the water level (17a) of the water ' container (3) which is only partially filled with water (17) . 5. Device according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that the filter pack (10) is exchangeably arranged on the inner face of the rear wall (4) of the container, that it covers the opening (4a) , extends beyond the lower edge of said opening (4a) and is immersed into the water (17) . 6. Device according to claims 1, 3 and 4, characterized in that a flexible light-shielding element (2) is provided between the wall (1) of the apparatus and the rear wall (4) of the container, said light-shielding element surrounding the wall opening (la) in the apparatus and the opening (4a) in the rear wall (4) of the container. 7. Device according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that at the front wall (5) of the water container (3) a venti¬ lator housing (12) is arranged which has a circular opening (12a) flush with the circular opening (5a) in the front wall (5) of the container, and in that a motor- driven radial ventilator (14) is positioned in the ven¬ tilator housing (12) in front of the openings (12a, 5a) . 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that in the upper side of the ventilator housing (12) , an air entrance opening (12b) is provided which is covered by an exchange¬ able air filter (15) . 9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that for metering the amount of water, an inlet connection (20) with a float switch (21, ' 22) is arranged at a side wall (6) of the water container (3) .

Inventors: DIETERLE HERMANN, KOELLISCH JOACHIM, RICOEUR RUDI, DIETERLE, HERMANN, KOELLISCH, JOACHIM, RICOEUR, RUDI
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, KODAK AG, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, KODAK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G03B42
IPC codes: F24F6, G03B42