Film supply magazine

Abstract: A magazine 30 has a space for receiving a package 10 containing a stack of film sheets 12 enclosed within a bag 14. The bag 14 is removable from the stack of sheets 12 while the package 14 is within the magazine 30 by exerting a pulling force on the bag 14. Means are provided within the magazine 30 for flexing the stack of film sheets 12 in response to pulling of the bag 14 from the stack, thus loosening adjacent sheets 12 in the film stack that may be stuck together and facilitating removal of the sheets 12 seriatim.

Description: A film magazine, as disclosed in US-A-5,019,848 (corresponding to EP-A-0 468 407, priority date 25.07.90, publication date 29.01.92), has a space formed inside the magazine for receiving a package comprising a stack of film sheets located within a bag of light tight material. When the bag is positioned within the magazine and the magazine closed, one end portion of the bag is cut and then the bag is removed from the stack of sheets. As the bag is removed, it is pulled through a pair of stripper bars in the magazine adjacent one side edge of the stack of sheets. The bars are shaped so that a curved slot is formed between them. This curved slot enables the bag to be withdrawn through the slot while the bars block movement of film sheets through the slot with the bag. EP-A2-0 468 408 which is also prior art in the sense of Art. 54(3) EPC discloses a similar film magazine in which the bag is driven from the magazine to a location accessible for removal by the operator. Magazines of the kind disclosed in such patent may contain 150 sheets of film, for example. There is a tendency for photographic film sheets in a stack to stick together, especially when they are in a package that has been formed under a vacuum, and under certain temperature and humidity conditions. When the sheets stick together, it is difficult to remove them seriatim by use of suction cups or other feeding devices. This can result in the failure to feed a sheet or the feeding of more than one sheet at a time. The tendency of sheets of film in a stack to stick together can be overcome by flexing the stack of sheets. However, users of equipment which receive magazines containing film stacks cannot be relied on to always flex the film package to unstick the sheets prior to loading the package into a magazine. Thus it is a problem to provide an improved magazine for receiving a package having a stack of film sheets enclosed within a flexible bag which minimizes the tendency of the sheets of film to stick and thereby improves reliability of feeding the sheets individually. According to the present invention, there is provided a film magazine as defined in claim 1. Essentially, the problem is solved by providing the magazine with a plurality of stops adjacent the package such that when the bag is removed by pulling the bag past the stops, the sheets are flexed as the bag is removed. In the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package of film sheets of the kind that can be used in the magazine of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a magazine of the present invention; Figure 3 is a transverse, cross-section view taken generally along line 3-3 of Figure 2; and Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary cross-section views taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 3. In accordance with the present invention, a reusable, interchangeable film magazine is adapted to receive and hold a package containing a stack of film sheets enclosed within a light-tight flexible bag, and to remove the package material so that the sheets can be removed seriatim from the magazine and exposed, processed, and so forth. Before proceeding with a description of the magazine of the invention, a package suitable for use with the magazine will be described briefly. Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a package generally designated 10 comprises a stack of film sheets 12 enclosed within a light-tight, flexible bag 14. Film sheets 12 may comprise sheets of x-ray film or laser print film, for example. Sheets 12 in a particular package 10 preferably are all the same size, however, similar film packages 10 can contain film sheets 12 of various sizes. The bag 14 can be formed from a flexible barrier wrap material which is placed around the stack of film sheets 12 and sealed to form a light-tight package. Sealing of the package can be accomplished by lines of heat sealing as shown at 16 and 18, and additional lines of heat sealing may be required, depending upon the manner of forming the bag 14. The heat seal line 16 is formed in a leading end portion 20 of the bag while heat seal line 18 is in a trailing end portion 22 of the bag. The bag may be formed under a vacuum so that the bag material clings tightly to the sheets 12 and the sheets tend to stick together. Referring to Figure 2, a magazine 30 of the invention comprises two portions that jointly define a space within the magazine for receiving the sheets of film. More specifically, the magazine has a lower portion 32 and an upper portion 34 which are illustrated as being rectangular in shape and substantially the same size. The portions 32,34 can be secured together along one side edge by a hinge 36 in a conventional manner. This enables the portion 34 to be raised, as shown in phantom in Figure 2, for loading a package 10 of film sheets into the magazine and for removing the packaging material from within the magazine. The magazine 30 is of the kind which is adapted to remove the packaging material from the sheets after the package is loaded in the magazine and the magazine is closed in a light-tight manner. Thus, the magazine is provided with a crank or handle 38 that is connected to a spindle 40 inside the magazine. The spindle has a slot 42 which receives end portion 22 of the package to attach the package to the spindle. The package is attached to the spindle when the package is loaded into the magazine and while the cover is open. Then the cover is closed and latched in the closed position. At this time, package end portion 20 and seal 16 are outside the magazine. Next, the package portion 20 is cut between the heat seal line 16 and the stack of sheets 12, and the handle 38 is rotated to wind the packaging material onto the spindle and thereby remove it from the sheets of film within the magazine. This can be accomplished in a daylight environment. Portions 32,34 have side edge walls 44,46 that extend entirely around the magazine and define a portion of the space within the magazine that receives the sheets of film. A light lock (not shown) is provided between the edge walls 44,46. Lower portion 32 has a bottom 48 (Figs. 3-5) at the lower edge of walls 44 on which the package rests. Portion 34 has a cover 50 at the top of walls 46. As best illustrated in Figs. 3-5, when the film package 10 is loaded into the magazine 30, the top of the film package is spaced from the cover 50 of the magazine so there is room for the package to move upwardly to flex the sheets in the package in the manner explained in detail later. A stop 52 on the bottom 48 of the magazine projects upwardly toward the cover 50 of the magazine. Stop 52 has a rounded upper edge 54 which is spaced from the cover 50 by a distance sufficient to allow the bag 14 to be pulled between the upper edge of the stop and the cover during removal of the bag in the manner explained later. As indicated in Fig. 4, stop 52 is located between the spindle 40 and the side edge of the film package nearest the spindle. Note also that the stop projects upwardly by a distance slightly less than the height of the stack of film sheets 12. The stop is effective to prevent movement of the sheets 12 toward the spindle during removal of the bag. A second stop 56 and a third stop 58 (Figs. 3 and 5) project downwardly from the inside of cover 50 toward the bottom 48 of the magazine. Stops 56 and 58 each have a rounded lower edge, as shown at 60 and 62, respectively. The lower edges of the stops 56,58 are spaced from the bottom 48 by a distance sufficient to allow the bag to be pulled between the stops and the bottom 48 during removal of the bag. Also, the lower edges 60,62 of stops 56 and 58 are nearer to the bottom 48 of the magazine than is the upper edge 54 of the stop 52. Stops 56,58 are spaced from each other, laterally across the width of the magazine, but are aligned with each other so that the lower portions of the stops are located between the spindle 40 and the adjacent side edge of the film package 10. Stops 52, 56 and 58 occupy a common plane P 1 (Figs. 4 and 5) extending transversely across the magazine between the spindle and the film package, and stop 52 is located approximately mid-way between the stops 56,58. Also, stop 52 is at the center portion of the magazine in a transverse direction, whereas stops 56,58 are near, but spaced from, the side walls 46. The lower edges 60,62 of stops 56,58 are below the upper edge 54 of stop 52. As a result, the bag is curved transverse to the direction of removal of the bag as it is pulled under the stops 56,58 and over the stop 52 during winding of the bag onto the spindle 40. A fourth stop 64 is carried by the cover and projects downwardly toward the bottom 48 of the magazine. Stop 64 is located relative to the space in the magazine for the package so that the fourth stop is above a package 10 in the space to limit upward movement of the sheets during removal of the bag from the sheets, as explained later. Thus, the fourth stop is located in a second plane P 2 that is parallel to and offset to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, from the plane P 1 occupied by stops 52, 56 and 58. Stop 64 is directly above the end portion of the sheets nearest to the spindle 40. Also, stop 64 is located between stops 56,58, spaced from such stops, and is offset to the left therefrom, as viewed in Figure 4. Stop 64 has a rounded lower edge 66 that is spaced from the upper edge 54 of stop 52 so that there is sufficient room to pull the bag 14 over the edge 54 of stop 52 and under the edge 66 of stop 64. However, the spacing between edges 54,56 is such that the stack of sheets 12 cannot move between the edges. When a stack of film sheets is to be loaded into a magazine 30, the upper portion 34 of the magazine is swung upwardly as indicated in phantom in Figure 2 to open the magazine. Then a film package 10 is placed on the bottom 48 of the magazine. The end portion 22 is threaded into the slot 42 of the spindle. The end portion 20 is placed between walls 44,46 at the end portion of the magazine opposite from the spindle, as illustrated in Figure 2. Then the upper portion 34 is returned to its closed (solid line) position, and bag 14 is cut or torn between the seal line 16 and the magazine. Handle 38 is turned to rotate the spindle 40 and wind the bag 14 onto the spindle, thereby removing the bag from the sheets. Rotation of the spindle exerts a pulling force on the bag in a direction that is generally parallel to the plane of the stack of sheets 12. As the bag is pulled from the stack of sheets, the bag passes over the upper edge 54 of stop 52 in the center portion of the magazine and under edges 60,62 of stops 56,58 at the side edges of the magazine. This pulling movement of the bag at two different levels, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, produces an upward component of force in the center portion of the stack of film sheets as shown by arrow 70 in Figs. 3 and 4. This force causes the bag and the film sheets to curve or flex upwardly in the center, as indicated in dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4, with the lower surface 66 of stop 64 limiting upward movement of the stack of sheets. Similarly, pulling of the bag under the stops 56,58 near the side edges of the magazine produces a downwardly directed force, indicated at 72 in Figures 3 and 5, which urges the side edges of the film sheets against the bottom 48 of the magazine. The result of these forces is a flexing of the film sheets that produces a curving or bowing in the center of the film sheets. As the film sheets bow or flex, they are loosened or separated relative to each other. This increases the reliability in feeding sheets seriatim from the stack after the bag has been removed and reduces the likelihood of inadvertently feeding two or more sheets at a time. A number of advantages are achieved by the improved magazine of this invention. First of all, the stack of film sheets is flexed at the time the bag is removed from the sheets, thereby improving reliability of feeding the sheets seriatim and reducing the likelihood of double sheet feed of the sheets. As noted earlier, there is a tendency for film sheets to stick together, especially under certain conditions of temperature and humidity, and when the package has been vacuum sealed. Secondly, this flexing of the sheets is done automatically in response to the force exerted by removal of the bag from the sheets. Therefore, it is not necessary to rely on a machine operator to remember to manually flex the package of sheets before loading the bag into the magazine or to activate other devices that function solely for the purpose of flexing sheets in a magazine.

Claims: A magazine (30) having a bottom (48) and a cover (50) defining a space within the magazine (30) to receive a package (10) containing a stack of sheets (12) enclosed within a flexible bag (14); characterized by a plurality of projecting members (52,56,58,64) within the magazine (30) adjacent the space for the package (10), the projecting members defining a path for the bag (14) as it is removed from the sheets (12) and providing a stop for the stack of sheets during removal of the bag, the projecting members comprising a first stop (52) projecting from the bottom (48) toward the cover (50), the first stop (52) having an upper edge (54) spaced from the cover (50) by a distance sufficient to allow the bag (14) to be pulled between the first stop (52) and the cover (50) during removal of the bag (14), a second stop (56) and a third stop (58), both stops (56,58) projecting from the cover (50) toward the bottom (48), the second and third stops (56,58) each having a lower edge (60,62) spaced from the bottom (48) by a distance sufficient to allow the bag (14) to be pulled between the stops (56,58) and the bottom (48) during removal of the bag (14), the lower edges (60,62) of both the second stop (56) and the third stop (58) being nearer to the bottom (48) than the upper edge (54) of the first stop (52), so that sheets within the stack are flexed transverse to a direction of removal of the bag, as the bag (14) is pulled past the members during removal of the bag (14) from the sheets (12), the flexing being effective to loosen and separate the sheets within the stack, and means (66) limiting the flexing of the sheets (12). The magazine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the magazine (30) has the bottom (48) and the cover (50) movable with respect to each other to open and close the magazine; and wherein the projecting members (52,56,58) project from the bottom and the cover in spaced relation to each other. The magazine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the space is defined by a plurality of side walls (44,46), the bottom (48) and the cover (50); the bag (14) is removable from the stack of sheets (12) while the package (10) is within the magazine by exerting a pulling force on the bag (14) in the direction of removal generally parallel to the plane of the stack of sheets (12); the second and third stops (56,58) being spaced from each other, and the first stop (52) being positioned between and spaced from the second and third stops (56,58); the first, second and third stops (52,56,58) all being located within the magazine (30) relative to the space for the package so that such stops are at one side edge of the space and jointly block movement of the sheets (12) in the first direction during removal of the bag (14) from the sheets (12); and a fourth stop (64) is carried by the cover (50) and located relative to the space for the package (10) so that the fourth stop (64) is above a package (10) in the space to limit movement of the sheets toward the cover (50) during removal of the bag from the sheets (12), the fourth stop (64) being between and offset from the second and third stops (56,58), and the fourth stop (64) having a lower edge (66) located above the upper edge (54) of the first stop (52), so that a pulling force exerted on the bag (14) in the removal direction pulls the bag (14) from the stack of sheets (12) over the first stop (52) and under the second, third and fourth stops (56,58,64) so that the relationship among the stops relative to each other and the bag of the package cause the sheets to flex toward said cover in the area of the first and fourth stops (52,64) and with the second and third stops (56,58) holding the sheets (12) down.

Inventors: DIPIETRO MATTHEW, DIPIETRO, MATTHEW, DIPIETRO, MATTHEW, C/O EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G03B42
IPC codes: G03C3, G03B27, G03B42