Index-printed photograph film bag

Abstract: A photograph developing and printing bag (10) is provided with a main bag body (11, 12) for accommodating at least one of a printed photograph and a developed photograph film therein. The main body has a receiver layer (64) for sublimation-transcription at a surface thereof, and an index print (15) of a positive image of the developed photograph film is printed on the receiver layer of the bag main body by a sublimation-transcribing method. The positive image formed on the main bag body makes it possible for a customer to recognise and specify the photographic frames of the developed film, for example, for ordering prints.

Description: The present invention relates to a photograph film bag for printed photographs. At the photograph store, at which the developing of a photographic film and the printing of photographs from the developed negative film are ordered by a customer, the delivery of the developed negative films and the printed photographs is performed by inserting the developed negative films into a negative bag and by inserting the negative bag together with the printed photographs in a photograph developing and printing bag. As shown in Fig. 1, such a set of bags may consist of a photograph developing and printing (DP) bag 80, which is a large-sized bag for accommodating the printed photographs, and a negative bag 81 for accommodating a transparent or translucent negative sheet bag 82. The negative sheet bag 82 accommodates a developed negative film 83, which has been developed and cut into pieces by a predetermined photograph frame unit. An entry field 84, a customer name column, a store name column, etc. to reorder re-printing, are also provided on the photograph DP bag 80. Where the customer orders re-printing, the picture plane (photograph frame) of the developed negative film 83 may be re-ordered through the transparent or translucent negative sheet 82. However, since the transparent or translucent negative sheet 82 accommodates the developed negative film 83 as it is, which is expressed by complementary colors of the real colors, it can be difficult to recognize what kind of picture is actually displayed in each photograph frame on the developed negative film 83. Accordingly, it takes time for the customer to specify the picture to be printed when ordering reprints, or the picture may be erroneously specified so that the credit of the photograph DP store is lost and that the customer suffers from the trouble and cost damage, which is another problem. Further, if the customer pulls out the developed negative film 83 from the transparent or translucent negative sheet bag 82 and/or touches the surface of the developed negative film 83 by a finger, the developed negative film 83 is soiled or blurred, or is even scratched to be damaged, so that the print quality becomes degraded. To solve the above explained problems, it has been proposed to form a positive image, which is contact-printed or scale-reduction-printed by applying the silver-salt photographing method or the other photographing methods to the developed negative film, directly onto the photograph DP bag or onto the negative bag, so that the reprint can be specified from this positive image. However, such a technique is rather difficult to be realized since it generally requires the same process as the general photograph printing process, resulting in a high cost. Furthermore, the process of forming the photosensitive material on the body of a photograph DP bag or of a negative bag can be difficult as the photosensitive material has to be handled very carefully. Alternatives have been proposed. Thus, instead of delivering the developed negative film after cutting it into pieces and inserting the pieces into the transparent or translucent negative sheet bag, the developed negative film may be returned in a new way, such as in a patorone (i.e. a film cartridge), and reprinting performed by use of an index print. However, in this case, there would be similar problems to those discussed above with reference to the technique of forming the position image on the photograph DP bag or the negative bag. JP-A-07 234496 and corresponding US-A-5 546 155 illustrate a photograph developing and printing bag having a receiver layer on a surface thereof on which an index print of a positive image of a developed photograph film is printed. EP-A-0 550 885 discloses a negative storage package on the cover of which positive images are reproduced. Such prior proposals do enable the formation of positive images such that it is possible to recognize and specify each photograph frame of the developed photograph film on the positive image, without it being necessary to observe the developed photograph film (e.g. the developed negative film) itself. The present invention seeks to provide a photograph film bag on which superior quality positive images may be formed by sublimation transcripting. According to the present invention there is provided a photograph film bag as defined in claim 1. In an embodiment of a film bag, as the positive image is formed on the main bag body, it is possible to recognize and specify each photograph frame of the developed photograph film on the positive image, without it being necessary to observe the developed photograph film. Preferably, the photograph film bag is further provided with a transparent or translucent order sheet overlapped on the index print and having a format to order re-printing based on the index print visible therethrough. Such an arrangement makes it possible to easily specify each photograph frame by watching the index print through the order sheet on the photograph film bag. In an embodiment, the index print may include a film identification code to identify the developed photograph film, which code number is the same as a film identification code attached to the developed photograph film. By this means, it is possible to prevent developed photograph films from being mistaken as each other at a time of re-printing. Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a known set of a photograph DP bag, a negative bag and a transparent or translucent negative sheet, Fig. 2A is a plan view of an index-printed negative bag of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3A is a plan view of an index-printed negative bag of a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3B is a plan view of a modified index-printed negative bag of the present invention; Fig. 3C is a plan view of an order sheet of the index-printed negative bag of Fig. 3A or 3B; Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of an example of a receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription; Fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a receiver sheet; and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an image formation process of forming the positive image on the index print sheet of the present embodiments. Fig. 2A shows a negative bag 40a of an embodiment of the invention. The negative bag of Fig. 4A has an index print 45 printed thereon. The negative bag 40a, which is to accommodate developed negative films, is provided with a front sheet 41, which consists of a receiver sheet for sublimation transcription in a rectangular shape, and a rear sheet 42, which consists of a plain paper. The front sheet 41 and the rear sheet 42 are bonded together into one body at portions thereof along a folded line 43. It is also possible to form the front sheet 41 and the rear sheet 42 in one body with each other out of one receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription, although the cost is slightly increased in this case. In this case, there is no need to form a bond along the folded line 43. A folded portion 44 is formed of the rear sheet 42 into which a transparent or translucent negative sheet 49 is inserted, such that the front sheet 41 is folded onto the folded portion 44 to protect the negative sheet 49 therebetween. It is preferred that a film identification code 46, which has the same code number as the film identification code attached on the developed negative film protected by the negative sheet 49, is attached to the index print portion of the negative bag 40a. The film identification code 46 may be a bar-code and identifies the developed negative film on the index print portion. A film identification code having the same code number as the film identification code 46 is attached on a predetermined portion of the developed negative film 49 inserted so that it is possible to prevent the developed negative films from being mistaken as each other at a time of re-printing. If possible, the coincidence between the code numbers of those film identification codes on the developed negative film and the index print is confirmed preferably at the photograph DP store before transporting the negative film to the developer laboratory, and more preferably in the presence of the customer. The customer can specify re-printing by reviewing the index print 45 without it being necessary to inspect the developed negative film, so that the developed negative film can be prevented from being soiled or blurred, or being scratched to be damaged. It is preferable to attach a number, a bar code etc. on a photograph starting portion or a header portion of the developed negative film without cutting it, or to a patrone itself or a header portion of the developed negative film in case of inserting the developed negative film in the patrone when returning it to the customer. It is possible to attach the film identification code on the index print by printing the film identification code such as a bar code by the sublimation-transcribing printer. The index print 45 is formed on the inner surface of the negative bag 40a as shown in Fig. 2A. Since the index print 45 can be printed onto a single sheet layer in such a condition that the negative bag is opened, the high image quality of printing can be assured. In the case shown in Fig. 2A since the index print 45 is on the inner surface of the negative bag 40a, it is superior from the view point of the long term preservation and the protection of the privacy. Fig. 3A shows a further embodiment of a negative bag. The negative bag 50a is constructed by attaching an order sheet 58 to order re-printing to a construction of a negative bag 40a as described above such that the order sheet 58 can be folded onto an index print 55. The order sheet 58 is preferably transparent or translucent so that the index print 55 can be seen through the order sheet 58. It is preferred that a film identification code 56, which has the same code number as the film identification code attached on the developed negative film is attached to the index print portion of the negative bag 50a, in the same manner as described above. In the embodiments illustrated in Fig. 3A, the index print 55 is formed on the inner surface of the negative bag 50a. However, the index print 55 may be formed on the outer surface of a negative bag 50b as shown in Fig. 3B. Other than that, the negative bag 50b has the same construction as the negative bag 50a. Namely, the negative bag 50b is constructed by attaching the order sheet 58 to a construction of the negative bag 40b such that the order sheet 58 can be folded onto the index print 55. An order format is printed onto the surface of the order sheet 58, so that the number of prints as well as the frame number etc. can be specified as shown in Fig. 3C. The order sheet 58 is not really necessary if the necessary entry items can be directly written onto the margin of the index print 55. When a photograph DP bag is used it may be necessary to carefully treat the photograph DP bag so as not to distort the photograph DP bag or generate the convex or concave deformation due to the patorone when the film (in the patrone) entrusted by the customer is transported to the developer laboratory, since the distortion or the convex or concave deformation gives a harmful influence onto the sublimation-transcribed prints. Such a problem of distortion or deformation does not occur when the index print is printed at the developer laboratory and is returned to the customer using an embodiment of the invention since the transparent or translucent negative sheet is inserted into the negative bag, and the negative bag is then inserted into the photograph DP bag. The above described various kinds of photograph DP bags and negative bags can be produced in the same manner as the conventional method of producing a bag from a plain paper. Namely, it can be produced by general sheet process such as a folding process and a bonding process. The front surface and the rear surface of the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription may comprise a plastic material or a synthetic paper as described later in detail, and it is possible to form the perforated line portion to the receiver sheet, cut the receiver sheet, and bonding the receiver sheet by means of general sheet processes. Although it is preferable to prevent the surface for sublimation-transcription from being unnecessarily soiled or blurred or deformed in the produced negative bag, it is not necessary to treat the surface for sublimation-transcription so carefully as the case of treating the photosensitive material. The construction of a receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription, which is a constitutional element of the present invention, will now be explained. Fig. 4A shows one example of the construction of a receiver sheet. In Fig. 4A, a receiver sheet is provided with a base material sheet 60 and a dye receiver layer 64. The base material sheet 60 is provided with a plain paper 61 interposed between synthetic papers 62 and 63. The dye receiver layer 64 is coated on the base material sheet 60. Fig. 4B shows a further example of the construction of a receiver sheet for a negative bag of the invention. In Fig. 4B, the receiver sheet has the same construction as the receiver sheet of Fig. 4A except that an intermediate layer 65 is inserted between the base material sheet 60 and the dye receiver layer 64. The intermediate layer 65 gives a cushion property etc. to the receiver sheet, so that the quality of the image formation is improved by this insertion of the intermediate layer 65, as described later in detail. Hereinbelow, the construction of each layer element of those receiver sheets will be explained in detail. Since the base material sheet of the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription holds the dye receiver layer or the intermediate layer and its own lamination structure, and since heat is applied to the base material sheet at a time of heat-transcription (e.g. sublimation-transcription), the base material sheet preferably has a mechanical strength in such a degree that it can be handled without difficulty in the heated condition during the printing operation. Therefore, as long as it has the mechanical strength in such a degree, the construction and material of the base material sheet is not specifically limited. For example, a woodfree paper, an art paper, a coat paper, a cast-coated paper, a synthetic resin or emulsion impregnated paper, a synthetic rubber latex impregnated paper, a synthetic resin additive paper, various plastic laminate paper, polyolefine type or polystyrene type synthetic papers and so on, can be used for the base material sheet. Further, films or sheets of various types of plastics such as polyester, polyacrylate, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyimide, polyetherimide, cellulose derivative, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral, nylon (trade mark), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polysulfone, polyethersulfone, tetrafluoroethyleneperfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer, polyvinylfluoride, tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polyvinylidenefluoride and so on, can be used for the base material sheet. Furthermore, a foam sheet which is foamed or a white non-transparent film which is film-formed by adding white pigment or filler to the above listed plastics, can be used for the base material sheet. The lamination body comprising any combination of the above explained base material sheets can be also used for the base material sheet. As typical examples of the combination for the lamination body, there are a lamination body of the cellulose fiber paper and a synthetic paper, a lamination of the cellulose fiber paper and the plastic film or sheet, a lamination body of plastic films or sheets in different types or grades from each other, and so on. This kind of lamination body may consist of two layers, or three or more layers such that a coat paper or a white or transparent plastic film is used as a core material and synthetic papers or foam plastic films are bonded on both surfaces of the core material so as to exert feeling or texture of the base material. In Fig. 4A, the base material sheet 60 consists of the plain paper 61 positioned as a core paper at the center and the synthetic papers 62 and 63 laminated on both surfaces of the plain paper 61. Although there is no specific limitation as for the thickness of the base material sheet 60, the thickness in a range of 50 to 800 µm may be appropriate. if the above described base material sheet 60 is poor in the bonding strength with a layer formed on its surface (i.e. the receiver layer 64 in Fig. 4A or the intermediate layer 65 in Fig. 4B), it is recommended to apply a corona discharge process, a plasma process, a primer coat process of various kinds etc., to the surface of the base material sheet 60, so as to improve the bonding strength. Any known material used as the dye receiver layer in the heat transcribing method such as a sublimation-transcribing method, which comprises mainly a resin having dye-affinity to receive dye such as sublimation type dye transcribed from a heat transcribing sheet and to hold the formed dye image, can be used for the material of the dye receiver layer formed on one surface of the base material sheet. However, it is preferable that the dye receiver layer has a mold releasing property in such a degree to prevent a heat fusion of the heat transcribing sheet. Thus, the mold releasing agent of dye transparent type may be added to the material for the dye receiver layer, or a mold releasing layer may be formed on the dye receiver layer. Other than this, various additive agents such as a pigment may be added to the material for the dye receiver layer. The coating amount of the dye receiver layer in a range of 2.5 to 5.0 g/m 2 in a solid state may be normally appropriate. There may be formed at least one intermediate layer between the dye receiver layer and the base material sheet as shown in Fig. 4B. The intermediate layer may be any known intermediate layer possibly interposed between the dye receiver layer and the base material sheet, such as a bonding layer (primer layer), a white investiture layer, a barrier layer, a UV (Ultra Violet) absorbing layer, a foam layer, an antistatic (electrification preventing) layer and so on, as the occasion demands. Between the base material sheet and the dye receiver layer, there is formed the intermediate layer made of various resins as shown in Fig. 4B. By putting various roles on this intermediate layer, it is possible to add a superior capability to the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription. For example, it is possible to improve the printing sensitivity of the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription and prevent the rough deposits on the formed image, by use of resins having a large plastic deformation property and a large elastic deformation property such as polyolefine type resins, as the resin material exerting the cushion property. Furthermore, the intermediate layer is formed of a resin having a glass transition temperature which is not less than 60°C whereby the preservation capability of the receiver sheets is improved to prevent the receiver sheets from sticking to each other when a plurality are piled up. The resin may also be hardened by a hardening agent. Fig. 4B shows a construction of the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription having the intermediate layer 65 between the base material sheet 60 and the dye receiver layer 64. Further, the intermediate layer may be formed by coating the above listed resins into which an antistatic agent or a resin having the antistatic capability is solved by solvent or dispersed, so as to exert the antistatic capability. Such an antistatic agent may comprise, for example, fatty acid ester, sulphate, phosphoric ester, amides, quaternary ammonium salt, betaines, amino acids, acrylic type resins, ethyleneoxide addition products and so on. Such a resin having the antistatic capability may comprise, for example, an electrically conductive resin obtained by introducing or polymerizing radicals having the antistatic capability such as quartemary ammonium salt type radicals, phosphoric acid type radicals, ethosulfate type radicals, vinylpyrolidone type radicals, sulphonate acid type radicals, with respect to resins such as an acrylic resin, vinyl type resins, a cellulose resin. Especially, the cationic denaturation acrylic type resins are preferable. Among those radicals having the antistatic property, the radical which can be introduced into the resin with the pendant shape is preferable since it can be introduced with high density. More concretely, JULIMER SERIES made by NIPPON JUNYAKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, LEOLEX SERIES made by DAIICHI KOUGYOU SEIYKAKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ENCOND SERIES made by SOUKEN KAGAKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA and so on. Nextly, the image forming method of forming the positive image from the negative or positive film on the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription, which is constructed as explained above, is explained. At first, a scanning process is performed by transporting the developed negative film on a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) line sensor, so that the picture plane of each photograph frame of the developed negative film is color-separated into three colors of B, G, R. Then, the obtained color-separated signal is transiently stored in a memory for each photograph frame as a digital signal. At this time, as a light source for irradiating the developed negative film, a halogen lamp or a xenon lamp which light is similar to the natural light is preferably used. The color separated signal is outputted onto the receiver sheet for each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) corresponding to B, G, R by the sublimation-transcribing printer through the sublimation-transcribing ribbon, so as to form the index print thereon. Of course, it is possible to output the positive image by use of a reversal color film. In this case, the conversion of the color separated signal in the sublimation-transcribing printer is the positive image to the positive image, which is different from the conversion from the negative image to the positive image. Further, in case that the photograph film is for a tungsten lamp, it is possible by the transcribing printer to perform an adjustment for obtaining the reproducibility close to that of the natural light. Fig. 5 shows the process of color-separating the film on the CCD line sensor. In Fig. 5, a film 70, which may be a developed negative film or a developed reversal color film, is scanned as moving on a CCD line sensor 71 under a light source 72 for color-separating such as a xenon light source. Generally, a size of the pixel of the CCD, in which the width of one set of three color separated signals for B, G, R is fine, is about 18 µm. This is related to the arrangement density on the photo-detection element 73 of the CCD line sensor 71. In the CCD line sensor 71, as shown in an enlarged view in Fig. 5, the photo-detection element 73 is constructed such that a color filter layer 74 for B, G, R respectively is formed on each photo-electric conversion element 75. In case that the color separated signal is converted to the output image signal and is outputted onto the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription, the line density of about 12 line/mm may be generally appropriate, since the line density of the thermal head at a time of thermal-transcription-printing is about such a value. In case of the 35 mm film, since the picture plane size is 24 mm x 36 mm, the output image signal generally has to be reduced in size in order to print the full picture plane for all 36 photograph frames onto the required surface. By the sublimation-transcribing printer, the color images are superimposed and transcribed by the ribbon of each color C, Y, M onto the receiver sheet for sublimation-transcription, so as to form the color positive image. In embodiments of the invention, where the picture planes of 40 frames are output onto the negative bag, the scale is reduced by the factor of about 2/3, and the positive image is outputted at 8 frames x 5 stages, so that all of the photograph frames can be arranged within the front surface of the negative bag. In this case, if the scanning operation is performed by the CCD line sensor with the aforementioned scanning density, the signal actually obtained by the CCD line sensor is compressed or thinned by a factor of one/several with respect to the scanning direction as well as the width direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, to be outputted as the output image signal. Those techniques are known techniques disclosed by related technical documents. The color separation for the developed negative film or the developed positive film is not limited to that by means of the CCD line sensor. Instead, the color separation is possible by means of the photoengraving process using the scanner. As described above in detail, since the index print is provided on the negative bag, the contents of the photographs are immediately obvious so that the communication, the order and the delivery between the customer and the developer as well as between the photograph DP store and the developer laboratory can be smoothly conducted. Further, embodiments of the invention are superior from a view point of the preservation and the house keeping of the developed negative films. Furthermore, since the production and preparation of the index print is not performed by means of the photograph color printing method, but by means of the sublimation-transcribing method by using the sublimation-transcribing ribbon and the receiver sheet, the formation of the positive image can be performed more economically and more easily than the silver salt photographing method.

Claims: A photograph film bag (40a;50a;50b) comprising a main bag body (41;42) having a front sheet (41) and a rear sheet (42), at least one of the front sheet and the rear sheet comprising a receiver sheet (41) for sublimation-transcription; and an index print (45;55) of a positive image of the developed photograph film printed on the receiver sheet by a sublimation-transcribing method; wherein the receiver sheet (41) comprises a base material sheet (60) supporting a dye receiver layer (64); wherein the front and rear sheets (41;42) are connected at a fold line (43); and wherein said index print is printed on an inner one of the front sheet and the rear sheet such that when the front and rear sheets are folded along said fold line the index print is within the film bag and not visible for protection of the privacy. A photograph film bag as claimed in Claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer (65) is interposed between the base material sheet (60) and the dye receiving layer (64) of said receiver layer, said intermediate layer (65) comprising a resin having a glass transition temperature which is not less than 60°C. A photograph film bag (40a;50a;50b) as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising a transparent or translucent order sheet (58) overlapped on said index print (55) and having a format to order re-printing based on said index print visible therethrough. A photograph film bag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said index print (45;55) includes a film identification code (46;56) to identify the developed photograph film, which code number is the same as a film identification code attached on the developed film.

Inventors: ISHII TOHRU, ISHII, TOHRU, Ishii, Tohru, c/o DAI Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Applicants: DAINIPPON PRINTING CO LTD, DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G03D15
IPC codes: B65D27, G03D15