Apparatus for transporting sheet film

Abstract: An advancing apparatus for sheet film (17) has a first pair of transport rollers (3, 5) effecting transport of a sheet film (17) fed to the roller nip by suction means. The pair of transport rollers (3, 5) mounted on rotatable shafts (2, 4) is associated with a reflective switch (14) provided in the transport path of the sheet film. The reflective switch (14) arranged above the transport path of the sheet film (17) is associated with a mirror (10c) which is positioned beneath the transport path of the sheet film (17) and towards which the sensor of the reflective switch (14) is directed. Mirror (10c) is mounted to a retaining means (10) which is supported in a space-saving manner on the shaft (2) arranged beneath the film transport path and positively engages with a stationary stop means (11) preventing rotation. With respect to the transport plane of the sheet film (17), mirror (10c) is arranged in an inclined position so that the sensor directed towards the mirror also extends at an angle relative to the sheet film plane. This arrangement guarantees that no erroneous signals are produced since a sheet film (17) passing the reflective switch (10c, 14) deflects the sensor beam so as to be ineffective.

Description: The invention relates to an apparatus for advancing sheet film by means of pairs of transport rollers mounted on rotatable shafts, said apparatus including a photoelectric sensor associated with a first pair of transport rollers and arranged in the film transport path. From DE-37 16 904-A1 an apparatus of this type is known in which a sheet film engaged by a suction means is fed to a driven pair of transport rollers. An optoelectric interrupter switch arranged in the transport path of the sheet film and upstream of the pair of transport rollers senses an approaching sheet film. This activates a control means which removes the vacuum from the suction means so that the sheet film when fed into the nip of the transport rollers is no longer held by the suction means. This type of optoelectric interrupter switch requires considerable space for the installation of the oppositely arranged transmitter and receiver components. It is the object of the present invention to develop the apparatus of the generic type such that the optoelectric switch can be arranged in a simple and space-saving manner. According to the invention, the above object is attained in that a retaining means having a mirror of a reflective switch is mounted on a rotatable shaft of the first pair of transport rollers, the mirror is arranged beneath an area covered by the sheet films to be advanced, the retaining means is provided with at least one projection positively engaging a stationary stop means, and the reflective switch is located opposite to the mirror and arranged above said area covered by the sheet films to be advanced. In an especially advantageous embodiment of the invention, the mirror - with respect to the transport plane - is arranged in an inclined position oriented towards the transmitter and receiver of the reflective switch so that no erroneous signal is produced due to a reflecting surface of the advanced sheet film. In a useful embodiment of the invention, the retaining means carrying the mirror is positively engaged with a bushing which is rotatably mounted on a rotating shaft. Advantageously, the mirror is formed by a bent-off portion of the retaining means manufactured from sheet-metal and provided with a reflecting surface. The arrangement and design of the mirror of a reflective switch according to the invention permits a particularly space-saving arrangement in a section of the transport means which normally does not appear to be very suitable to exactly position a mirror of this type. Other features and advantages can be inferred from the description of an embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing and from the subclaims. In a schematic representation Fig. 1 shows a lateral view of the apparatus in crosssection and Fig. 2 shows the apparatus according to Fig. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrows A-A. The apparatus according to the invention for advancing sheet film is part of an apparatus (not illustrated) for automatically loading and unloading X-ray sheet film cassettes as it is known for example from DE-37 16 904-A1. In this known apparatus exposed sheet films housed in cassettes are removed therefrom by suction means after the cassette has been opened and fed to a transport device advancing sheet films to a processor. In the following, the arrangement of a reflective switch 14 and a mirror 10c will be described which is arranged in the transport path of the sheet films of an apparatus of the above mentioned type and which is to control the transition from a first transport device (suction means 16) to a second transport device (pair of transport rollers 3, 5). Fig. 1 shows a suction means 16 of a sheet film removal device (not illustrated) of a known type featuring a plurality of suction means 16 combined to form an array. In a known way, the suction means are moved into an opened cassette and lowered. The exposed sheet film 17 contained therein is picked up by applying a vacuum and retained. The suction means 16 are then pivoted to an inclined position shown in Fig. 1 whereby the sheet film is separated from its support surface in a known manner. Pivoting to said inclined position also rigidizes the leading section of the sheet film 17 in a transverse direction so that even particularly wide sheet films are stabilized in the areas not covered by the suction means 16 to the extent that they do not sag uncontrolledly. The sheet film 17 engaged by the suction means 16 is moved in the direction of the arrow "B" into the nip of the transport rollers 3 and 5. Transport rollers 3 and 5 are part of a transport device feeding the sheet film along a guide plate 8 to further transport rollers 6 and 7 which feed the sheet film 17 in the direction of the arrow "C" to a processor (not illustrated) of a known type. Transport rollers 3, 5 and 6, 7 are mounted to rotatable shafts 2, 4 and 20, 21, respectively, which are supported by the machine frame (not illustrated), shafts 2 and 20 being driven and the oppositely arranged shafts 4 and 21 being spring-biased in a known manner (not illustrated) such that rollers 5 and 7 resiliently contact rollers 3 and 6, respectively. On shafts 2, 4, 20 and 21 a plurality of opposing rollers 3, 5 and 6, 7 are arranged. The parts of the machine frame (not illustrated) are fastened to each other by means of threaded spacers 11 one of which is shown in Fig. 1. A housing wall 19 carries a support member 18 to which a reflective switch 14 is fastened by a screw 15. In the area of the reflective switch 14 arranged above the transport path of sheet film 17 guide plate 8 has an opening 8a for the sensor beam to pass through. The beam of the reflective switch 14 is directed to a mirror 10c which is arranged beneath the transport path of sheet film 17 and is integral with retaining means 10. Retaining means 10 is arranged on bushing 9 mounted on shaft 2 and positively engages with a projection 9b preventing rotation. With one of its sides the retaining means 10 manufactured from sheet-metal contacts a flange 9a of bushing 9 and on its other side it is fixed by a shell or sleeve (not illustrated). The annularly designed sleeve has a radial opening permitting the sleeve made of resilient plastic material to be spread so that it can be slid onto bushing 9 such that projection 9b of bushing 9 is positioned in the radial opening of the sleeve. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, bushing 9 is located between two locking washers 12 and 13 engaging with grooves of shaft 2 so that the sleeve is arranged between locking washer 12 and retaining means 10. Retaining means 10 is provided with two bifurcated projections 10b between which the threaded spacer 11 engages and thereby secures retaining means 10 and thus mirror 10c in place. For securing the retaining means 10 in its predetermined position, the spacer 11 is inserted in keyhole type recesses 1a, 1b of the machine frame and, starting in a widening 1a, moved in the direction of arrow "D" into a slot 1b and between the projections 10b of retaining means 10 where it is screwed with the machine frame in the illustrated end position in a known manner. On the surface forming the mirror 10c, the material of retaining means 10 (sheet-metal member) is provided with a reflecting surface and/or is polished. The reflecting surface of mirror 10c is arranged at an angle of about 30° relative to the transport plane of sheet film 17 and the reflective switch 14 is directed towards said reflecting surface. Adjustments can be made by means of screw 15. The arrangement of the reflective switch at an inclined position relative to the transport plane of sheet film 17 is particularly advantageous because the sheet film 17 passing the reflective switch cannot act itself as a mirror surface since the sensor beam emitted cannot be reflected to the receiver of the reflective switch 14 by the sheet film but is deflected aside so as to be ineffective. This guarantees that no erroneous signals are produced. The infrared sensor beam of reflective switch 14 is emitted intermittently by means of an appropriate control circuit in order to avoid exposure marks on the sheet film 17. As soon as the leading edge of a sheet film 17 moved in the direction of the arrow "B" by the suction means 16 interrupts the sensor beam of the reflective switch 14, a known control means (not illustrated) is activated which after a predetermined period of time switches off the vacuum of the suction means 16 and ventilates them. The release time for the suction means 16 holding the film is selected such that the suction means 16 are ineffective when the sheet film 17 is engaged by the pair of transport rollers 3, 5. Immediately upon removal of the vacuum from the suction means, the suction means are lifted from sheet film 17 by means not illustrated in order to prevent the suction means 16 from sliding on the surface of sheet film 17 now advanced by the pair of transport rollers 3, 5. The sheet film engaged by the pair of transport rollers 3, 5 is fed along the curved guide plate 8 to the pair of transport rollers 6, 7 and from there, as already mentioned, in the direction of the arrow "C" to reach a processor. Deviating from the embodiment shown in the drawing, the retaining means 10 may also be designed as a molded plastic part having a mirror surface. Such a retaining means may also be provided with an integral bushing.

Claims: Apparatus for advancing sheet film (17) by means of pairs of transport rollers (3,5,6,7) mounted on rotatable shafts (2,4,20,21), said apparatus including a photoelectric sensor (10c,14) associated with a first pair of transport rollers (3,5) and arranged in the film transport path, characterized in that a retaining means (10) having a mirror (10c) of a reflective switch (14) is mounted on a rotatable shaft (2) of the first pair of transport rollers (3,5), the mirror (10c) is arranged beneath an area covered by the sheet films (17) to be advanced. the retaining means (10) is provided with at least one projection (10b) positively engaging a stationary stop means (11), and the reflective switch (14) is located opposite to mirror (10c) and arranged above said area covered by the sheet films (17) to be advanced. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that with respect to the transport plane of the sheet films (17) the mirror (10c) is arranged in an inclined position oriented towards the transmitter and receiver of the reflective switch (14). Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a bushing (9) is rotatably mounted on rotating shaft (2), and in that the retaining means (10) positively engages with bushing (9). Apparatus according to any or several of claims 1 thru 3, characterized in that the mirror (10c) is integral with retaining means (10). Apparatus according to any or several of claims 1 thru 4, characterized in that the mirror (10c) is formed by a bent-off portion of retaining means (10) manufactured from sheet-metal. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that on the bent-off surface forming the mirror (10c) the retaining means (10) is provided with a reflecting surface. Apparatus according to claims 3 thru 6, characterized in that the bushing (9) has a flange (9a) and a projection (9b) which are contacted or positively engaged by the retaining means (10). Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that an annularly shaped, resilient shell is arranged on bushing (9), in that said shell has an opening engaging with projection (9b), and in that the retaining means (10) is arranged between flange (9a) and the shell.

Inventors: WEBER GUENTER C O KODAK AKTIEN, WEBER, GUENTER, C/O KODAK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, KODAK AG, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, KODAK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65H7
IPC codes: G01V8, G03B42, B65H3, B65H7