Patent Publication Number: US-6705778-B2

Title: Photographic processing apparatus for photosensitive material

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus for photosensitive material. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus for photosensitive material in which a drier dries the photosensitive material by applying heat, and an energy saving operation is possible even in generating the heat. 
     2. Description Related to the Prior Art 
     A printer/processor is an apparatus used in a photo laboratory, and in which a printer section and a processor section are combined in a single manner. Photographic paper as photosensitive material is set in a paper magazine, cut by a cutter according to a printing size into a paper sheet. The paper sheet is subjected to exposure for printing in an exposure unit, to record an image photographically in a form of a latent image. The photographic paper after the exposure is aligned in one train or sorted into plural trains by a sorter, and is fed to a processor section. As is well-known in the art, the processor section includes feeding rollers and plural processing baths. The feeding rollers feed the photographic paper. The processing baths contain processing liquid for color development, bleach/fixing, rinsing and stabilization. The feeding rollers feed the photographic paper into the processing baths, causes the photographic paper to pass in the processing liquid for photographic processing. 
     The photographic paper after the development is moist with water. A squeezing unit removes water from the photographic paper being developed, before the photographic paper is fed into a drier and dried. The drier is constituted by a feeding rack for feeding the photographic paper, a fan or blower and a heater. The heater heats air, which is caused to flow and blow the photographic paper for the purpose of drying. 
     The heater is kept turned off when in a ready state. In response to an image output signal for printing to the photographic paper, the heater is turned on. Also, supply of the photographic paper is started. The heater raises the temperature of the drive to a predetermined drying temperature before the photographic paper reaches the drier. 
     However, a considerably high electric energy is required to raise the air temperature of the drier to a target temperature before the time of reach of the photographic paper to the drier after outputting of an image output signal for printing to the photographic paper. The energy to this end is generally higher than required for drying the photographic paper. Furthermore, the temperature in the drier is remarkably low when in an environment of a low temperature. If the heater is driven with electric energy equal to that in the room temperature, time for rise to the predetermined drying temperature is longer. In the prior art, the drier is kept at a constant high temperature by preheating operation, which causes wasteful use of power. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a photographic processing apparatus for photosensitive material in which a drier dries the photosensitive material by applying heat, and wasteful use of power can be prevented. 
     In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of this invention, a photographic processing apparatus for photosensitive material is provided, and includes a processing bath for processing the photosensitive material. A drier is positioned downstream from the processing bath, for heating air and for drying the photosensitive material by blowing the photosensitive material with the heated air. A feeding mechanism feeds the photosensitive material in a predetermined travel path which begins on an upstream side of the processing bath, extends through the processing bath, and ends at the drier. A first time estimating unit estimates expected travel time for passing of the photosensitive material through the predetermined travel path in feeding of the feeding mechanism. A second time estimating unit estimates expected warmup time for warming up the air in the drier up to a target temperature. A controller compares the expected travel time and the expected warmup time, initially starts heating in the drier if the expected warmup time is longer than the expected travel time, and starts actuation of the feeding mechanism when time of a difference between the expected travel time and the expected warmup time elapses after start of the heating in the drier, so as to synchronize warmup of the drier to the target temperature with a reach of the photosensitive material to the drier. 
     Furthermore, a temperature sensor measures an initial temperature of the air in the drier. The second time estimating unit estimates the expected warmup time according to the initial temperature. 
     The controller initially starts the actuation of the feeding mechanism if the expected warmup time is shorter than the expected travel time, and starts the heating in the drier when time of the difference between the expected travel time and the expected warmup time elapses after start of the actuation of the feeding mechanism. 
     The first time estimating unit includes a memory for storing information of the expected travel time at an address of information of a type of the photosensitive material. 
     The second time estimating unit includes a target temperature memory area for storing information of the target temperature. A time memory area stores information of the expected warmup time at an address of information of a temperature difference between the initial temperature and the target temperature. 
     The target temperature is constant. 
     The target temperature memory area stores the information of the target temperature at an address of information of a size of the photosensitive material. 
     The second time estimating unit includes a memory for storing information of the expected warmup time at an address of predetermined information that is at least one of a processed amount of the photosensitive material being supplied per unit time, a size of the photosensitive material, a type of the photosensitive material, outer temperature and outer humidity. 
     Furthermore, a mode selector designates a selected one of a first mode and a preheating mode. The controller, when the first mode is designated, operates according to the difference between the expected travel time and the expected warmup time, and when the preheating mode is designated, drives the drier for heating at a preheating temperature that is lower than the target temperature. 
     The controller drives the drier for heating at the target temperature in response to a start of feeding of the photosensitive material with the feeding mechanism during heating at the preheating temperature. 
     An upstream end of the predetermined travel path is provided with a photosensitive material magazine set thereon, the magazine contains the photosensitive material in a roll form. Furthermore, an exposure unit is disposed between the magazine and the processing bath, for exposure to record an image on the photosensitive material. 
     The drier includes a heater for heating the air. A fan or blower causes the air from the heater to flow. 
     The drier further includes a guide panel opposed to the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material being extended along the guide panel when fed. Plural nozzle holes are formed in the guide panel. An air duct defines an air path extending from the fan or blower to the guide panel, to direct the air from the fan or blower through the nozzle holes toward the photosensitive material. 
     The feeding mechanism includes a belt or roller for feeding the photosensitive material opposed to the guide panel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an explanatory view illustrating a printer/processor for use with photographic paper; 
     FIG. 2 is an explanatory view in vertical section illustrating a drier in the printer/processor; 
     FIG. 3 is an explanatory view in cross section illustrating the drier; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective, partially cutaway, illustrating the drier; 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating circuit arrangement of the printer/processor with circuits for a starting control; 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating operation of the printer/processor; 
     FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating a pattern of supply of the photographic paper and driving of a heater; 
     FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a pattern similar to that of FIG. 7 but in which t2&lt;t1; 
     FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating another preferred circuit arrangement which includes a target temperature retrieving unit. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In FIG. 1, an inner structure of a printer/processor  2  is illustrated. The printer/processor  2  is a combined apparatus including a printer section  3  and a processor section  4 . The printer section  3  is loaded with a paper supply magazine  5  as material supply position, and is constituted by a cutter  6 , a back imprinting unit  7 , an exposure unit  8  and a sorter  9 . Long photographic paper  10  as photosensitive material is set in the paper supply magazine  5 , and cut by the cutter  6  according to a printing size, to obtain a photographic paper sheet  10   a . There is a travel path  15  indicated by the phantom line in FIG. 1, for feeding the paper sheet  10   a  toward the exposure unit  8 . In the feeding, the back imprinting unit  7  imprints information to a back surface of the paper sheet  10   a , the information including a frame number, correction data and the like. The exposure unit  8  prints an image to a print surface of the paper sheet  10   a  by exposure according to image data. The paper sheet  10   a  is aligned or sorted by the sorter  9  into trains according to the printing size, printing amount or the like, and is fed to the processor section  4 . 
     The processor section  4  is constituted by a processing bath train  11 , a squeezing unit  12 , a drier  13 , and a sorting unit  14 . The processing bath train  11  includes a developing bath  16 , a bleach/fixing bath  17 , and first to fourth rinsing baths  18 - 21  arranged in a feeding direction of the paper sheet  10   a . The developing bath  16  contains developing liquid. The bleach/fixing bath  17  contains bleach/fixing liquid. The rinsing baths  18 - 21  contain rinsing water. There are feeding racks  22 , disposed in the developing bath  16  and the bleach/fixing bath  17 , for feeding the paper sheet  10   a  in a U-shape. Sets of feeding rollers  23  are disposed in the rinsing baths  18 - 21  for feeding the paper sheet  10   a  in a U-shape. The paper sheet  10   a  is fed by the feeding racks  22  and the feeding rollers  23  into the baths  16 - 21 , and photographically processed. 
     There are squeezing passageways  24  disposed between partitions of the rinsing baths  18 - 21  for transferring the paper sheet  10   a  from bath to bath. Each of the squeezing passageways  24  includes flexible blades of a small thickness. The blades allow passage of the paper sheet  10   a , and at the same time block flowing out of the rinsing water. The paper sheet  10   a  being developed is passed through the squeezing unit  12  for removal of water, and sent to the drier  13 . Note that it is possible instead of using the squeezing passageways  24  to feed the paper sheet  10   a  by use of feeding racks in the same manner as the developing bath  16  and the bleach/fixing bath  17 . 
     In FIGS. 2 and 3, the drier  13  dries the paper sheet  10   a , and includes elements that are a drying chamber  31 , an air duct  32 , a heater  34 , a fan or blower  35  and a feeding rack  40 . 
     The feeding rack  40  includes a feeding belt  43  and feeding roller sets  46 ,  47  and  48  which are arranged in sequence as viewed in the feeding direction of the paper sheet  10   a , to constitute a path for the paper sheet  10   a . Squeezing roller sets  41  and  42  in the squeezing unit  12  squeeze and feed the paper sheet  10   a  from the processing bath train  11  toward the feeding belt  43 . Water on the paper sheet  10   a  is wiped away by this squeezing operation. 
     The feeding belt  43  is constituted by an endless belt in a mesh form. There are belt rollers  44  with the periphery of which the feeding belt  43  is engaged. The paper sheet  10   a  from the squeezing roller set  42  is blown by drying air, and pressed against the feeding belt  43  while fed. To discharge the drying air, there is a guide panel  33  through which nozzle holes  38   a  are formed. Thus, the paper sheet  10   a  is transported by the feeding belt  43  to the feeding roller set  46 . A print surface  10   b  of the paper sheet  10   a  does not contact the guide panel  33 , but is kept at a space from the same while the paper sheet  10   a  is fed. There is no damage of the print surface  10   b  because of no contact between the paper sheet  10   a  and the guide panel  33 . 
     The air duct  32  has the guide panel  33  opposed to the paper sheet  10   a  and disposed to extend along the travel path. The guide panel  33  is formed from aluminum. A plate surface  33   a  of the guide panel  33  on a lateral side is colored in a black color by painting. This coloring imparts high heat conductivity to the guide panel  33 , and high emissivity with reference to the paper sheet  10   a , with total emissivity as high as 0.9 or more. An amount of radiated heat becomes higher, to dry the paper sheet  10   a  with high efficiency. 
     In FIG. 4, a number of nozzle trains  38  extend in a direction Y crosswise to a feeding direction X, and are arranged in the feeding direction X. Each of the nozzle trains  38  includes a great number of the nozzle holes  38   a  arranged at a regular pitch in the crosswise direction Y. The nozzle holes  38   a  have a circular shape with a diameter D. The nozzle holes  38   a  are so positioned that one of the nozzle holes  38   a  in a first train of the nozzle trains  38  is offset from the nozzle holes  38   a  in a second train adjacent to the first train by an amount of D/4 in the crosswise direction Y. Therefore, the drying air can blow the paper sheet  10   a  without unevenness. Note that, instead of the circular shape, the nozzle holes can have any suitable shape such as an elliptical shape, a straight shape as slits, and the like. 
     The nozzle holes  38   a  have an aperture ratio of 50% or less with reference to the guide panel  33 . The determination of the low aperture ratio of the nozzle holes  38   a  makes it possible to determine an air flow rate of drying air discharged through the nozzle holes  38   a  to blow the paper sheet  10   a . A speed of drying of the paper sheet  10   a  depends on the air flow rate of air of blowing. The air flow rate is determined high to set the drying speed high. 
     In FIGS. 2 and 3, an air supply path  51  is formed in the air duct  32  for blowing drying air through the nozzle holes  38   a . The heater  34  and the fan  35  are disposed in the air supply path  51 . The fan  35  causes the drying air to flow in the drier  13  for circulation. A temperature adjusting controller  36  controls the heater  34  to heat the drying air at 80° C. 
     After the paper sheet  10   a  is dried by the drying air from the guide panel  33 , the feeding roller sets  46 - 48  feed the paper sheet  10   a  toward the sorting unit  14 . The paper sheet  10   a  passed through the drier  13  is sorted by the sorting unit  14  into units of requests. 
     A system controller  37  controls the various elements of the printer/processor for printing and processing of the paper sheet  10   a . In FIG. 5, an input key panel  55  as a mode selector and a display panel  56  are connected with the system controller  37 . A user operates the input key panel  55  to input signals to set various modes, a command signal, and the like. The display panel  56  displays information of guidance, inputs of the keys for the modes and command signals, and the like. If a simulation mode for displaying a designated image for printing is selected, then the display panel  56  displays the image as simulation. 
     When supply of power to the printer/processor  2  is initially turned on, the system controller  37  operates for starting control, namely raises the temperature of the drier to a predetermined drying temperature according to a temperature signal from a temperature sensor  52  disposed in the drier  13 . At the time of the starting control, there are two drying modes including a rapid driving mode and an energy saving driving mode, which are set according to turning on or off of a preheating mode. 
     When the preheating mode is turned on, the rapid drying is set at the time of starting control. In a normal state of the printer/processor, the rapid drying is determined as a default setting. It is to be noted that the default setting may be changed if desired, and that the energy saving mode may be determined as a default setting. In the state of the preheating mode, preheating is started upon turning on of the power source of the printer/processor  2  in the same manner as the widely used system. The heater  34  is controlled to set the drier  13  at the preheating temperature. The fan  35  is also driven. Note that the preheating temperature is predetermined equal to or lower than the target temperature. When the material supply signal is input in the state of setting the preheating mode, the paper sheet  10   a  starts being supplied. The air temperature is controlled and raised to a target temperature. The starting control can be rapidly effected. However, a problem remains in requirement of high electric power due to the temperature control to the preheating temperature and the target temperature. 
     The energy saving driving is used when the preheating mode is turned off. The supply of the photographic paper and the heating of the heater are controlled in the energy saving driving according to the structure of FIG. 5 and a flow in FIG.  6 . In the energy saving driving, the system controller  37  receives a printing starting signal from the input key panel  55 , sends a material supply signal to a material supply section, obtains an expected travel time for reach of the photographic paper, and an expected warmup time for reach of the drying temperature. According to the time difference between the expected times, heating and a start of supply of photographic paper are controlled to obtain the target temperature. 
     The expected travel time t1 is determined between starting and ending points of time, the starting point being upon the inputting of a material supply signal to the system controller  37 , and the ending point being upon the reach of the paper sheet  10   a  to the drier  13 . In the period of the expected travel time t1, events occur in a sequence, including drawing of the photographic paper  10  from the paper supply magazine  5 , cutting of the photographic paper  10  into the paper sheet  10   a  with the cutter  6 , back imprinting of the paper sheet  10   a  at the back imprinting unit  7 , exposing of the paper sheet  10   a  at the exposure unit  8 , alignment or sorting of the paper sheet  10   a  in the sorter  9 , photographic processing in the processing bath train  11 , and squeezing in the squeezing unit  12  before the reach to the drier  13 . A first time retrieving unit  61  as a first time estimating unit is included in the system controller  37 . Upon a starting signal is input through the input key panel  55 , a memory  62  in first and second time estimating units is accessed by the first time retrieving unit  61  to read the expected travel time t1. A determining unit  63  as controller is supplied with a signal of the expected travel time t1. Note that the expected travel time t1 is predetermined for the types of the photographic paper, and stored in memory areas in the memory  62 . Furthermore, it is possible that the printer/processor according to the invention lacks the back imprinting unit  7  or the exposure unit  8 . 
     The temperature sensor  52  is disposed in a circulation path  53  inside the drier  13 . See FIG.  3 . The temperature sensor  52  detects an initial temperature T 1  of the air in the drier  13 . A signal from the temperature sensor  52  is sent to the system controller  37 . A second time retrieving unit  64  in the second time estimating unit refers to the initial temperature T 1  from the temperature sensor  52 , and reads the expected warmup time t2 from a time memory area of the memory  62  by turning on the heater  34  to obtain the target temperature T 2  of the drying air as predetermined for each of the printing sizes. Then the second time retrieving unit  64  outputs information of the expected warmup time t2 to the determining unit  63 . The expected warmup time t2 required for reach to the target temperature T 2  optimized for each of the printing size is determined according to the initial temperature T 1  measured by the temperature sensor  52  in a stepwise manner of steps of 0.2 degree. The target temperature T 2  and the expected warmup time t2 are stored in a predetermined area in the memory  62 . Note that it is possible to dispose the temperature sensor  52  in the air duct  32 . 
     The determining unit  63  compares the expected travel time t1 and the expected warmup time t2 to obtain a comparison result, which is sent to a timing controller  65 . If it is determined in the timing controller  65  that t1≧t2, a material supply signal is sent to the printer section  3 , to start supply of the paper sheet  10   a . The timing controller  65  considers an elapsed time after the start of the supply of the paper sheet  10   a , calculates the residual time t3 by subtracting the elapsed time from the expected travel time t1. When the residual time t3 comes down and becomes equal to the expected warmup time t2 (t3=t2), then the temperature adjusting controller  36  turns on the heater  34  and the fan  35  to heat the air in the drier  13 . The printer section  3  operates in response to the material supply signal, draws the photographic paper  10  from the paper supply magazine  5 , and actuates the cutter  6  to cut the photographic paper  10  into the paper sheet  10   a  in a size according to the printing size. The paper sheet  10   a  is subjected to various processes in the back imprinting unit  7 , the exposure unit  8 , the sorter  9 , the processing bath train  11  and the squeezing unit  12 , and is aligned or sorted to one or more trains, which reach the drier  13 . At the time of reach of the paper sheet  10   a  at the drier  13 , the target temperature T 2  of the drier  13  has already become 80° C. So the paper sheet  10   a  can be dried efficiently. This is effective in suppressing the wasteful use of power in a standby manner, because warmup of the drier  13  to the target temperature T 2  is not too early. 
     If t1&lt;t2, then the timing controller  65  turns on the heater  34  and the fan  35 , and raises the temperature of the air inside the drier  13 . According to an output of the temperature sensor  52 , the second time retrieving unit  64  obtains the residual time t4 in a stepwise manner of steps of 0.5 second. When the residual time t4 becomes equal to the expected travel time t1, then a material supply signal is sent to the printer section  3 . The paper sheet  10   a  is passed through the path described above. When the paper sheet  10   a  reaches the drier  13 , the drier  13  has been heated to the target temperature T 2 , for example 80° C. Thus, the paper sheet  10   a  can be dried efficiently. Thus, it is unnecessary to raise capacity of the heater  34  for the purpose of heating to the target temperature according to the widely used preheating method. The starting control is possible in an energy saving manner by taking sufficient process time in the printer/processor  2 . 
     In FIGS. 7 and 8, a rise of the temperature of the air in the drier  13  is illustrated with time. Also, a point of time A1 of sending signals to the printer section  3 , and point of time A2 of turning on the heater  34  and the fan  35  are illustrated. The signals being sent are information of the initial temperature T 1 , the target temperature T 2 , the expected travel time t1, the expected warmup time t2, the residual time t3, and the residual time t4, and also include the material supply signal. 
     In FIG. 7, an example is depicted with conditions of T 1  of 20° C., T 2  of 80° C., t1 of 2 minutes, and t2 of 2 minutes and 30 seconds that is longer than t1 (t1&lt;t2). The timing controller  65  initially turns on the heater  34  and the fan  35 . When t1 becomes equal to t4, a material supply signal is sent to the printer section  3 . When the paper sheet  10   a  reaches the drier  13  after passing the above-described path, the temperature of the drier  13  has become T 2  that is 80° C. It is possible to dry the paper sheet  10   a  in an optimized environment. 
     In FIG. 8, an example is depicted with conditions of T 1  of 30° C., T 2  of 80° C., t1 of 2 minutes, and t2 of 1 minute and 30 seconds that is shorter than t1 (t1&gt;t2). The timing controller  65  initially sends a material supply signal to the printer section  3 . When 30 seconds elapses, t3 becomes equal to t2. The heater  34  and the fan  35  are turned on to raise the temperature of the air in the drier  13 . When the paper sheet  10   a  reaches the drier  13 , the temperature of the drier  13  has become T 2  that is 80° C. It is possible to dry the paper sheet  10   a  in an optimized environment. 
     The drying air blowing the paper sheet  10   a  is passed through the feeding belt  43  having a mesh form, flows through the circulation path  53  and then back to the air supply path  51 . The fan  35  is driven to circulate the drying air. After reaching the predetermined temperature, the drying air can be maintained at the predetermined temperature with high efficiency. 
     When the heater  34  is turned off, no abrupt drop in the temperature occurs in the drier  13  because of residual heat of the heater  34 . So it is possible for the system controller  37  to turn off the heater  34  before drying the final one of the paper sheets  10   a  in the drier  13  according to the information of the number of paper sheets to be processed residually. For example, the heater  34  is turned off when the number of paper sheets to be processed residually becomes five (5). After this, the residual heat of the heater  34  dries the paper sheet  10   a.    
     It follows that the rapid driving for the starting control can be selected typically on busy days for printing, for example holidays and Mondays directly after holidays due to numerous requests of customers for printing, because of the selective designation between the rapid driving and the energy saving driving. The energy saving driving can be selected for remaining days of the week, to save energy after taking sufficient waiting time for the starting control. 
     Calculation of the expected travel time t1 is effected according to the following. Sensors (not shown) are associated with respectively the cutter  6 , the back imprinting unit  7 , the exposure unit  8 , the sorter  9  and the squeezing unit  12  for detecting existence of the paper sheet  10   a . After a material supply signal is sent to the printer section  3  per each one of the photographic paper type, periods of time are measured and obtained between the material supply signal and each of detections of the paper sheet  10   a  at the sensors in the cutter  6 , the back imprinting unit  7 , the exposure unit  8 , the sorter  9  and the squeezing unit  12 . The expected travel time t1 is obtained according to those periods of time and process times in those elements, in a provisional manner before the printing/processing operation. It is to be noted that any suitable method may be used to calculate the expected travel time t1. Also, the expected travel time t1 may be obtained by calculation of a predetermined travel path length and feeding speed changeable according to the photographic paper types. 
     In the above embodiment, the expected travel time t1 and the expected warmup time t2 are predetermined for the printing sizes or the like, and stored in the memory. Alternatively, it is possible to store information of calculation equations, and to obtain the expected travel time t1 and the expected warmup time t2 by calculation according to the equations. 
     In the above embodiment, the target temperature T 2  is fixed at 80° C. However, the target temperature T 2  may be changeable and determined in an optimized manner according to the printing size, the photographic paper type of each of sheet trains. Furthermore, a temperature sensor may be incorporated in the printer/processor for measuring environmental temperature. It is possible to compensate for the target temperature T 2 , the expected travel time t1 or the expected warmup time t2 according to the environmental temperature. Also, a humidity sensor may be added to the temperature sensor. The target temperature T 2 , the expected travel time t1 or the expected warmup time t2 may be compensated for according to an output of the humidity sensor. It is possible to dispose a temperature sensor or humidity sensor in a squeezing unit, and to compensate for the target temperature T 2 , the expected travel time t1 or the expected warmup time t2 according to an output from the sensor in the squeezing unit. 
     In FIG. 9, another preferred embodiment is illustrated, in which the optimized target temperature T 2  is obtained in consideration of at least one of a type of emulsion of the photographic paper, a width of the photographic paper, outer temperature and humidity of the outside of the printer/processor, manually input compensation values of a user, and the like. 
     The paper emulsion types and the paper width are distinguished by the magazine ID number of the paper supply magazine  5 . In a user s loading of the paper supply magazine  5  with the photographic paper  10 , relationships between the photographic paper  10  and the magazine ID number are recorded. When the input key panel  55  is operated, the information is written to a predetermined memory area in the memory  62  of the system controller  37 , the information including the magazine ID number, the paper emulsion types and the paper width. When the paper supply magazine  5  is set in the printer section  3 , the magazine ID number is input by operating the input key panel  55 . According to the information of the magazine ID number being input, information of the paper emulsion types and the paper width is obtained. Note that, instead of using keys to input the magazine ID number, a bar code form of magazine ID number may be recorded on the paper supply magazine  5 . It is possible to input the magazine ID number by automatically reading same at a bar code reader associated with the printer section  3 . Also, an IC tag may be associated with the paper supply magazine  5 , and store information of the paper emulsion types, the paper width, and the magazine ID number, which can be read for inputting the information. 
     A temperature/humidity sensor  67  is disposed on an outer panel of the printer/processor  2 , indicated by the phantom line in FIG. 1, and operates to detect the temperature and humidity of the outer atmosphere. A signal from the temperature/humidity sensor  67  is sent to the system controller  37 . Note that the manually input compensation values of a user are input by operating the input key panel  55 , and are parameters with which he or she can adjust the extent of the drying operation, for example five step values between strong drying and weak drying. 
     The optimized target temperature T 2  is predetermined according to data including the paper emulsion type, the paper width, the temperature and humidity of the printer/processor, manual compensation values and the like. Table data including data of those items are stored in a predetermined memory area in the memory  62 . A target temperature retrieving unit  68  in the second time estimating unit receives data, refers to and obtains the target temperature T 2  according to the received data, and sends the target temperature T 2  to the second time retrieving unit  64 . The second time retrieving unit  64  obtains a temperature difference by subtraction between the target temperature T 2  and the initial temperature T 1  measured by the temperature sensor  52 . According to the temperature difference, the predetermined memory area in the memory  62  is referred to, to read and obtain the expected warmup time t2. Relationships between the temperature difference and the expected warmup time t2 are previously obtained, and written in a predetermined memory area in the memory  62 . It is to be noted that, instead of reading from the memory  62 , equations to calculate the expected warmup time t2 according to a temperature difference may be previously determined experimentally. The expected warmup time t2 can be obtained according to the calculation equations. 
     In the above embodiment, the initial temperature T 1  detected by the temperature sensor  52  is referred to, to determine the target temperature T 2  by the target temperature retrieving unit  68  and the memory  62 . The target temperature T 2  is then referred to, to determine the expected warmup time t2 by the second time retrieving unit  64  and the memory  62 . However, it is possible to determine the expected warmup time t2 by considering the initial temperature T 1  detected by the temperature sensor  52  by use of a certain retrieving operation without obtaining the target temperature T 2  in an intermediate manner. To this end, it is possible to use a table memory, a program of calculation, or the like. 
     In the above embodiments, the heating according to the invention is used for starting the heater  34  in the drier  13 . However, the feature of the invention may be used for starting operation of applying heat to the liquid in the baths  16 - 21  to a certain target temperature. 
     In the above embodiments, the feature of the invention is used in the printer/processor. However, a combination of a printer and a processor separate therefrom may be provided with the feature of the above embodiments. To produce prints, the processor is connected with the printer. Also, a processor as a single device may be provided with the feature of the invention. A photographic paper magazine with the photographic paper is set in the processor, to supply the photographic paper, which is aligned or sorted in plural trains. The photographic paper is developed and subjected to determination of time for reach to the drier  13 . As has been described above, the time difference is considered for the purpose of control. 
     Although the present invention has been fully described by way of the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those having skill in this field. Therefore, unless otherwise these changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as included therein.