Patent ID: 7168866

Claim:
A multi-chamber washing device, having plural washing chambers for washing photosensitive material with washing liquid by passage of said photosensitive material through a series thereof, comprising: a washing bath main vessel for storing said washing liquid; a washing chamber rack assembly set in said washing liquid in said washing bath main vessel, said washing chamber rack assembly including: plural cell units, having said washing chambers, and having an opening in an upside thereof; a cell connection portion for connecting upper and lower ones of said cell units together and substantially vertically, said cell connection portion having first and second connection surfaces, formed on a set of said upper and lower cell units, for closing said opening of said lower cell unit with said upper cell unit; a sealing medium, disposed at said first connection surface between said cell units by sealing said first and second connection surfaces, for keeping said cell units in a liquid-tight manner, to constitute said washing chambers individually; a blade mechanism, secured to respectively one of said upper and lower cell units connected by said cell connection portion, for allowing said photosensitive material to pass, and for blocking passage of said washing liquid; a transporting rack, associated with said cell units, for transporting said photosensitive material, wherein said washing chamber rack assembly comprises at least first and second washing chamber rack assemblies arranged along a transporting path of said photosensitive material, and said photosensitive material moves from an uppermost washing chamber in said first washing chamber rack assembly to a lowest washing chamber therein, and then moves from a lowest washing chamber in said second washing chamber rack assembly to an uppermost washing chamber therein; a partition panel, disposed between said at least first and second washing chamber rack assemblies, for separating said washing bath main vessel into plural regions; and a partition blade mechanism, incorporated in said partition panel, for allowing said photosensitive material to pass, and for blocking passage of said washing liquid.