Film deck for a minilab

Abstract: The invention relates to a film deck (100) for feeding and returning developed photographic films (1) of various types from an insertion station (3, 12) to a processing station (BA) of a mini-lab (ML), with the film deck being intended in particular for APS films and 35 mm films. A rapid and reliable adjustment of the film deck to the various film types to be processed is achieved by providing a first carrier plate (10) with means for film insertion (3, 12) film guidance (2), film transport (4) and film-specific processing (5, 6, 7) of the various film types, and a second carrier plate (20) with means (22, 23, 24, 25) for active film drive of the various film types for transporting them from the insertion device (10) to the processing station (BA), and means (11, 22) for connecting and detaching the first carrier plate (10) to/from the second carrier plate (20).

Description: The invention relates to a film deck for feeding and returning developed photographic films of various types from an insertion station to a processing station of a mini-lab. European patent application 0 770 917 A1 shows a device for the processing of photographic films with a film insertion station that is designed such that both an APS (Advanced Photo System) film and a 35 mm film can be processed. To that end, film edge guides designed as setting means are used, which are adjustable to the respective film width by two actuating rods connected to a motor. To prevent incorrect insertions, extensive scanning means are needed to set the film transport and setting means to the film type inserted, such as APS film or 35 mm film. Furthermore, it is necessary to use so-called copy plates for setting a copier (mini-lab) to the film size currently being processed and for which the device is used. This makes the overall design of the device complicated and also prone to wear and faults because of the incorporation of setting and scanning means. German Patent Application Number DE 196 40 693 A1, discloses a film deck for feeding and returning developed photographic films of various types from an insertion station to a processing station of a minilab. The object underlying the present invention is therefore to provide a film deck for feeding and returning developed films of various type, in particular for APS films and 35 mm films, from an insertion station to a processing station of a mini-lab, and that avoids the above drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, a simple design that dispenses with moving setting and scanning means is to ensure rapid and reliable adjustment of the film deck to the various film types to be processed. This object is attained by a film deck having the features of Claim 1. By a complete exchange only of the first film deck carrier plate having film-specific pro cessing and transport means, it is advantageously achieved that rapid and reliable feeding of films of various sizes is possible, in particular of APS films and 35 mm films, to a processing station of a mini-lab. Hence a simple adjustment of the film feed to the copying station of the mini-lab is achieved. Since the film deck in accordance with the invention is matched only to a certain film size in each case, an incorrect insertion of films, for example due to a mix-up, is ruled out even for incompletely trained employees of the mini-lab. In addition, wear and tear on the equipment is markedly minimized as a result of dispensing with setting means that set the device to the film type that is to be processed. A simplified design is also achieved by the stationary connection to the mini-lab of a second carrier plate having all the means for actively driving the film. With this version of the film deck, it is not necessary to close down the entire mini-lab in the event of a failure of the film-specific means arranged on the carrier plate. Further features and advantages can be taken from the sub-claims and from the description of the design example shown in greater detail in the drawing. In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the film deck in accordance with the invention for APS films, Fig. 2 shows a view of a first carrier plate of the film deck for APS films in accordance with Fig. 1 from above, Fig. 3 shows a view of the first carrier plate according to Fig. 2 from below, Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the film deck in accordance with the invention for 35 mm films, Fig. 5 shows a view of the first carrier plate of the film deck for 35 mm films in accordance with Fig. 4 from above, Fig. 6 shows a view of the first carrier plate in accordance with Fig. 5 from below, and Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a second carrier plate of the film deck. The film deck 100, identified as 1001 for APS films and as 1002 for 35 mm films, is formed from a first carrier plate, 101 for APS films and 102 for 35 mm films, and from a second carrier plate 20. The second carrier plate 20 is stationarily connected by connecting means 28 to the mini-lab, not shown, so that feeding of the developed photographic film to the processing station BA (copying window) is enabled. The first carrier plate 101 for APS films has means for the film insertion 3 that substantially comprise a film cartridge receptacle 32. The latter comprises a stationary film cartridge holder with drive and transmission block 321 and a movable film cartridge holder 322 that is movable by a sliding part 323 in the direction of the arrow as per Fig. 2. The holder 322 has a support pin for supporting the film spool (not identified), a pushbutton 35 for status inquiry of whether the film cartridge contains an already developed film or an undeveloped one, and a support pin that engages in the hollow shaft of the film cartridge shutter. By means of a stepping motor 22 that drives, via a transmission block 36, a shaft 33 for opening and closing the film cartridge shutter and a shaft 34 for driving the film spool, the film 1 can be wound forward out of the film cartridge 31 or back. The film is passed over a film guide 37 designed as a guide plate into a guide 2 of the carrier plate matched to the film width until a first passively driven film drive roller pair 41 grips the film, conveys it further to underneath a PCB sensor 5 for scanning of the DX code and perforation, and to underneath an MOF (magnetic of film) unit for scanning the film magnetic tracks, until a second passively driven film transport roller pair 42 grips the film in order to convey it further to underneath a projection opening 71 of a film arresting device 7. The device 7 serves mainly for holding the film flat so that a correct copying operation can be performed. To do so, an arresting plate 72 is provided that is connected to a holder 722 via a hinge 721. For holding the film flat in the projection opening 71, the arresting plate 72 is pressed together with the film against a film support surface 77 with its projection opening 8 by means of an anchor plate 73 that is actuatable by applying current to the solenoid 75 via an anchor pin 74 engaging in the solenoid. The elastic hold-downs 76 also serve to assist a flat film position. The solenoid as an active element is here not arranged on the first carrier plate 101, as is made clear by Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 3 shows openings 271 and 272, in which engage actively driven film transport roller pairs 251 and 252 (Fig. 7) that are pressed by their spring-loaded bearings against the film 1 and the passively driven film transport roller pairs 41 and 42. Likewise, the individual sensors 61 and 66 for scanning of the film magnetic tracks are shown and - in diagram form - the PCB sensor unit 5 comprising IR transmitter/receiver diodes. As a result, all film-specific means for film insertion, film guidance, film transport and film processing are arranged on the first carrier plate 101. The carrier plate 101 further shows three holes 11 arranged at intervals of 120° and into which engage fixing pins 21 of the second carrier plate 20. The first carrier plate 102 for a 35 mm film has specific means for insertion, film guidance, film transport and processing of these films. Unlike carrier plate 101, only the film guide 2 of the carrier plate 102 is functionally set to the film width of 35 mm that is to be processed. The MOF unit is also dispensed with, since this film type is without magnetic tracks. The mode of operation of the film arresting device is similar to that with carrier plate 101. A film is inserted via the insertion opening 12 for this film type either directly from the film outlet of a film developing machine (not shown) or separately by hand. In respect of the holes 11 of the carrier plates 101 and 102, the film guides 2, the film drive rollers 41, 42, the PCB sensor unit and the film arresting device 7 are arranged congruently on both carrier plates. A second carrier plate 20 of the film deck 100 has all the means for active film drive, such as a stepping motor 22 that drives a first film transport roller pair 251 via a drive shaft 23 and transmission 231, and a second transport roller pair 252 via a gear wheel carrying a toothed belt 24. The transport rollers of the first and second pairs 251 and 252 are designed in a width that assures dependable transport of the different film types. The transmission designed as a frictional gear 231 also connects to the transmission 36, via which the drive shaft 34 of the film spool is actuated. The copying operation can be performed through the projection opening 8 by the mini-tab (not shown). The solenoid 75 for actuating the film arresting device 7 is also arranged on the carrier plate. The stepping motor 22 is connected by means of a plug connector 221 to a control unit, not shown, of the mini-lab. In a similar arrangement to the first carrier plates 101 and 102, the second carrier plate 20 has three fixing pins 21 at intervals of 120°, so that here too a precisely fitting connection between the carrier plates can be made. The weight of the first carrier plate, which is made of steel, is sufficient for a secure connection. By simply changing the carrier plates 10 therefore, a rapid changeover of the film deck to another film type can be achieved. List of reference numerals 100 Film deck, general 1001 Film deck / carrier plates for APS films BA Processing station 101 First carrier plate for APS films 102 First carrier plate for 35 mm films 1 Developed film 2 Film guide of carrier plate 3 Means for film insertion 31 Film cartridge 32 Film cartridge receptacle 321 Film cartridge holder with drive and transmission block 322 Movable film cartridge holder 323 Sliding part 33 Shaft for opening and closing the film cartridge shutter 34 Shaft for driving the film spool 35 Button 36 Transmission block 37 Film guide 4 Passive (driven) drive roller pair 41 First drive roller pair 42 Second drive roller pair 41 Bearings of drive roller pairs 5 PCB sensor unit 6 MOF unit 61/62 Magnetic heads 7 Film arresting device 71 Projection opening 72 Arresting plate 721 Hinge 722 Holder 73 Anchor plate 74 Anchor pin 76 Hold-down 77 Film support surface 8 Projection opening 11 Holes 1002 Film deck / carrier plates for 35 mm films 12 Film insertion opening 20 Second carrier plate 21 Fixing pins 22 Stepping motor 221 Electrical plug connector 23 Drive shaft 231 Transmission 24 Toothed belt 25 Active (driving) drive roller pair 251 First active drive roller pair 252 Second active drive roller pair 261 Bearing element for first active drive roller pair 262 Bearing element for second active drive roller pair 271 Openings for receiving the first active drive roller pair 272 Openings for receiving the second active drive roller pair 28 Connecting means

Claims: A film deck (100) for feeding and returning developed photographic films of various types from an insertion station to a processing station (BA) of a mini-lab, comprising: a first carrier plate (101, 102) having means for film insertion (3, 12), film guidance (2), film transport (4) and film-specific processing (5, 6, 7) of the various film types; a second carrier plate (20) with means (22, 23, 24, 25) for active film drive of the various film types to convey them from the means for film insertion (3, 13) to the processing station (BA); means (11, 12) for connecting and detaching the first carrier plate (101, 102) to/from the second carrier plate (20) wherein a precisely fitting plug connection can be made by means of fixing pins (21) arranged on the second carrier plate and by means of holes (11) provided in the first carrier plate (101, 102) characterized in that , the fixing pins (21) and the holes (11) are arranged such that a three-point contact in a single plane is created and that the plug connection is made by the weight of the first carrier plate (101, 102) being exerted on the second carrier plate. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the second carrier plate (20) is stationarily connected to the mini-lab by connecting means (28). Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the means for active film drive comprise a stepping motor (22) and a toothed belt (24) connected thereto, said means driving pairs (251, 252) of film transport rollers arranged on the second carrier plate (20). Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the pairs (251; 252) of transport rollers are arranged at a distance from one another such that the various film types are transportable to the processing station (BA). Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the means for film insertion comprise a film cartridge receptacle (3) and/or an insertion opening (12) to suit the various film types. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the means for film guidance are formed by a guide channel (2) adapted to the film widths of the various film types. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the means for film-specific processing comprise: a sensor array (5) for scanning of film perforation and film bar-code; a magnetic head for scanning magnetic tracks (6, 61; 62) provided on the film, and means (7) for ensuring planar film support.

Inventors: PHILIPPS BERND, PHILIPPS, BERND, Philipps, Bernd, c/o Kodak AG
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Application year: 1999
Main classification: G03B27
IPC codes: G03B27