Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Nonradiation sensitive image processing compositions or... – Developer
Reexamination Certificate
1994-04-22
2002-04-23
Le, Hoa Van (Department: 1752)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Nonradiation sensitive image processing compositions or...
Developer
C430S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06376162
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for processing a silver halide color photographic material, and more particularly to a processing method wherein, in continuous processing, fluctuations of photographic properties (in particular changes in sensitivity and gradation) are remarkably reduced, ununiformity of developed density is remarkably improved, and prevention of a deposit on the processing tank wall surface is improved.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the method for processing silver halide color photographic materials, shortening of the processing time and reduction of the amount of a replenisher are becoming increasingly important issues in addressing recent demands to shorten the delivery of finished products and improve global-scale environmental problems. For such needs, a rapid processing technique and a low-replenishing processing technique wherein a high-silver chloride emulsion is used are disclosed in International Publication Patent No. WO 87/04534 and Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 70552/1986.
Indeed, increased rapidness and low replenishing were attained in these methods by using a high-silver chloride emulsion, but at the same time new problems arose. That is, along with the shortening of the developing time, photographic materials can be designed in such a way that desired photographic properties can be obtained even if development is not completed within the developing time, and therefore it is possible that before the completion of development the next desilvering step can be carried out. However, in such rapid and low-replenishing processing, contrarily a problem arises that a slight change in the development conditions (such as the pH of the developing solution and the concentration of the preservative) in the continuous processing is apt to change the finished photographic properties, and it is desired to provide some means which can solve the problem. Further, in such rapid processing, development proceeds during the time when the photographic material is carried from the color-developing bath to the next desilvering step (i.e., during the crossover) in the continuous processing, or the proceeding of the development changes when the photographic material touches a squeegee (a liquid remover) or conveying roller, and as a result ununiformity of developed density is often observed, and development of a technique for solving it is desired. Moreover another new problem has arisen that in the continuous processing deposits, such as the oxidation product of a developing agent, are liable to be formed on the wall surface of the development solution tank outside the solution and on the wall surfaces of racks near the solution interface, and scratch and stain are liable to occur, which is desired to be solved. It seems that this phenomena, as described in WO 87/04534, is attributed greatly to the composition of a color developer wherein, for example, sulfite ions and benzyl alcohol are removed.
On the other hand, as techniques prior to such rapid processing wherein a high polymer compound is added to a color developer, for example, techniques wherein celluloses are added are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 41676/1971 and 21250/1975, a technique wherein a pyrrolidone is added is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 20743/1972, and a technique wherein a polymer is added is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 16179/1983. In these techniques, the object of the high polymer compounds is not to allow a developing agent to become indissoluble and deposit in the developing solution or not to make the developing solution turbid, and therefore these techniques have a utterly different object from the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve fluctuations of photographic properties at the time of continuous rapid processing and to solve ununiformity of developed density that will occur therein.
Another object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of deposits outside of the processing solution, such as on the wall surface of a processing tank.
It has been found that the objects of the present invention can be accomplished effectively by employing the following method.
(1) A method for processing a silver halide color photographic material wherein, after the silver halide color photographic material is subjected to color development, the silver halide color photographic material is desilvered and then washed and/or stabilized, characterized in that the photographic material which has at least one high-silver chloride emulsion layer, and in which at least one emulsion layer contains a monodisperse emulsion, is continuously processed with a color developer containing a water-soluble high polymer compound.
(2) The method for processing a silver halide color photographic material as stated in item (1), characterized in that the coating amount of silver in the said silver halide color photographic material is 0.75 g/m
2
or less.
(3) The method for processing a silver halide color photographic material as stated in item (1), characterized in that the said color developer contains chloride ions in an amount of 0.035 mol/liter or more.
The above effect for improving fluctuations of photographic properties and ununiformity of developed density is remarkable particularly when the coating amount of silver in the photographic material is 0.75 g/m
2
or less and it is noticeable that the effect is particularly remarkable even when the chloride ion concentration of the color developer is 0.035 mol/liter or more.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The water-soluble high polymer compound of the present invention will now be described.
Preferable water-soluble high polymer compounds of the present invention are high polymer compounds obtained by homopolymerization or copolymerization of monomers having a copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated group, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyethers, polycarbonates, natural high polymer compounds, and their derivatives. Although there is no particular restriction on the molecular weight, preferably the molecular weight is in the range of 100 to 100,000. Above all, high polymer compounds obtained by homopolymerization or copolymerization of monomers having a copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated group and polyether compounds are preferable.
More particularly, the water-soluble high polymer compounds obtained by homopolymerization or copolymerization of monomers having a copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated group are preferably those having repeating units represented by the following formulae (I) to (V):
(a repeating unit having at least one hydroxyl group)
wherein R
1
represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and L represents a single bond or a bivalent linking group, which may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups.
More particularly, R
1
represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms (e.g., methyl, ethyl, and n-butyl), with a hydrogen atom and a methyl group preferred. L can be specifically represented by &Parenopenst;L
1
&Parenclosest;
m
&Parenopenst;L
2
&Parenclosest;
n
. L
1
represents
(wherein R
2
represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a substituted alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms), —COO—, —NHCO—, —OCO—,
(wherein R
3
and R
4
each independently represent hydrogen, hydroxyl, a halogen atom, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, acyloxy, or aryloxy),
(wherein R
2
, R
3
, and R
4
have the same meanings as defined above), L
2
represents a linking group linking L
1
to the hydroxyl group, m is 0 or 1, and n is 0 or 1. The linking group represented by L
2
is specifically represented by a formula &Brketopenst;X
1
&Parenopenst;J
1
−X
2
&Parenclosest;
p
&Parenopenst;J
2
−X
3
&Parenclosest;
q
&Parenopenst;J
3
&Parenclosest;
r
&Brketclosest;
s
.
J
1
, J
2
, and J
3
, which may be the same or different, each represent, for example, —CO—, SO
2
—,
(wherein R
5
repre
Fujimoto Hiroshi
Ishikawa Takatoshi
Yamanouchi Junichi
Yasuda Tomokazu
Yoshida Kazuaki
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Le Hoa Van
LandOfFree
Method for processing silver halide color photographic material does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for processing silver halide color photographic material, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for processing silver halide color photographic material will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2929520