Patent
1981-08-03
1986-05-06
Mathews, A. A.
354324, 354330, G03D 302, G03D 1304
Patent
active
045868050
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention is directed to a device for developing of photo material in a treatment container. For storing the different treatment liquids a number of closed supply containers and provided which, on the one hand, are provided with a gas line and, on the other hand with a feed pipe for the treatment liquid, because in this manner the development process of photo material may be automated for the amateur photographer, in contrast to the expensive devices which operate with feeding pumps (DE AS No. 11 06 178).
At times the gas line is connected to a gas supply source and thereby builds up a gas pressure within the container which drives the treatment liquid from this supply container through the feed pipe. The feed pipes which come from the various supply containers, as well as an additional valve controlled rinse water line are connected to the treatment container through a collection line, whereby the photomaterial is contained in the treatment container for developing. A control program determines the sequence of the consecutive operating phases in which a given treatment liquid is fed from one of the supply containers into the treatment container, which is performed by a distributor valve which is switched by a step motor in accordance with a control program.
In the known device of this type (DE-AS No. 13 03 749), the distribution valve does not only control the gas to the right supply container, but also the treatment liquid from the controlled supply container into the collection line. For this purpose, the distributor valve has a very complicated structure which is subjected to breakdowns. In addition to an inlet for the gas supply line which is connected to the gas supply source in accordance with the control program, and which is connnected to one of the outlets at one of the supply containers which support the gas lines, the distributor valve contains a plurality of further inlets for connecting the feed pipes which come from each of the supply containers and which in accordance with the control program are coupled to a joint outlet, so as to guide the corresponding treatment liquid to the collection line. Even if rinsing with water is performed between the operating steps with different treatment liquids, the danger of contamination of the treatment liquid by previous liquid residues exists since in particular the sealing means in the distributor valve will fail, after a longer operating period. The supply line for the gas may be closed by the control program through a closing valve, however the gas lines and thereby the feed pipe remain under pressure at their connecting locations on the distributor valve, whereby minute leaks could already cause grave mutual contaminations of the treatment liquids.
Finally, in the known device a closing valve is required at the end of the collection line which in accordance with the program permits the flow of the desired quantity of treatment liquid into the treatment container. The treatment liquids used for the developing process are aggressive which requires high quality material for the closing valve and the aforementioned distributor valve. Furthermore, the treatment liquids form crusts which impair the actuation of the valves and impair the seals. In order to reduce interferences on the valves, they must be precisely made, which renders the known devices very expensive and not affordable for a photo amateur.
It is therefore an object of the invention to develop an economical and breakdown free device of the type mentioned in the preamble of the claim 1 which permits a completely automatic rapid change of the different treatment liquids without the danger of liquid loss or contaminations.
This object of the invention is obtained in that the flow paths for the different treatment liquids which extend from one of the supply containers to the treatment container are free of valves and have a defined flow resistance, that the distributor valve is admitted by gas only through one inlet for the gas supply source, like a compressed air pump, as well as through o
REFERENCES:
patent: 3377938 (1968-04-01), Patterson
patent: 3508483 (1970-04-01), Weider et al.
patent: 3623416 (1971-11-01), Anderberg
patent: 3868715 (1975-02-01), Slavin
patent: 4248514 (1981-02-01), Watkins
patent: 4350429 (1982-09-01), Slavin
Bernhardt Rainer
Bockemuhl-Simon Johannes J.
Kremer Walter
JOBO Labortechnik GmbH & Co. KG
Mathews A. A.
Striker Michael J.
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