Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Wiping
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-30
2001-09-11
Spisich, Mark (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Wiping
C015S102000, C015S308000, C015S309100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286170
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of, and an apparatus for, cleaning photo film, especially for photo film having a magnetic recording layer on a reverse surface to an emulsion surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of, and an apparatus for, cleaning photo film during the manufacture.
2. Background Arts
A new type photo film cartridge has been developed and disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,834,306 and 4,832,275, and JPA 3-37645 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,577), wherein an entire length of photo filmstrip is wound into a cartridge shell before and after use, and a film leader is advanced out of the cartridge shell in response to an unwinding rotation of a spool of the cartridge shell. This new type photo film cartridge is easy to load in the camera, easy to handle and thus improves work efficiency during the photographic processing.
It is also known in the art to provide a transparent magnetic recording layer on the new type photo filmstrip so that photographic data or print data may be magnetically recorded on the photo filmstrip in association with respective frames. When manufacturing the photo filmstrip, an emulsion layer is applied on an obverse surface of a wider web of base film, and the magnetic layer is applied on a reverse surface of the wider web. Thereafter, the wider web is slit into narrower webs of a constant width. The narrower web is perforated and cut into individual filmstrips of predetermined lengths, each of which is then wound into the cartridge shell.
As a result of the slitting, particles of film or swarf are produced from the cut edges of the narrower webs. The film swarf and dust floating in the factory can be put on the photo filmstrip. If the swarf and dust are put on the magnetic recording layer, the swarf and dust accumulate on a magnetic head, thereby deteriorating sensitivity of the head and the signal frequency characteristics. This may result in writing errors or reading errors. The swarf or dust on the emulsion surface results in black spots in the images exposed on the photo filmstrip. The swarf or dust on either surface can result in black spots in the photo-prints since the printing light transmits through the photo filmstrip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of cleaning photo film from dust or swarf produced during the manufacture, and an apparatus therefor.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the steps of transporting a web of photo film in a lengthwise direction, transporting a continuous cleaning tape in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the photo film, and pressing the cleaning tape on one surface of the photo film while the cleaning tape and the photo film are transported.
As the emulsion surface is to record image frames, it is very important not to scratch the frame recording area of the emulsion surface. To ensure protection against the scratches on the frame recording area by the cleaning, it is preferable not to clean the frame recording area. For this cleaning method, a pair of cleaning tapes are pressed onto side portions of the emulsion surface outside the frame recording area, while transporting the cleaning tapes in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the photo film.
To clean side edges of the photo film, a pair of cleaning tapes are pressed onto the side edges, while transporting the cleaning tapes in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the photo film.
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Database WPI Week 9541 Derwent Publications Ltd., London, GB; AN 95-315453 XP002030440 & JP 07 212 650 A (Fuki Photo Film Co Ltd) Aug. 11, 1995 * abstract.
Kubota Masayuki
Tsunekawa Yuzo
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Spisich Mark
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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