Photography – Fluid-treating apparatus – Having photographic medium feed
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2001-10-23
Rutledge, D. (Department: 1734)
Photography
Fluid-treating apparatus
Having photographic medium feed
C396S626000, C396S636000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305854
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improvements relating to photographic processes, in particular to improvements in the efficiency of the processes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Photographic material as referred to herein may comprise film, paper or any other photosensitive material and may produce a black and white or colour image.
Silver halide photographic material is well known and is processed to generate an image by passing the material through a development stage followed by a series of baths or tanks to stabilise and provide permanence to the image. The baths convert and remove unwanted materials from the photographic layers which would interfere with the quality of the final image. In a typical colour system the development stage is followed by a bleach stage to oxidise the developed silver to a form which can be dissolved by a fixing agent, either in the same bath/tank or in a separate bath/tank. The silver removal stage is followed by a washing stage using a wash solution or a stabilisation stage. These stages remove any residual chemicals from the material.
At each stage the solutions must be replenished.
Normal replenishment refers to replenishment made by a single “made-up” solution prepared by mixing concentrated parts with water in a separate replenisher tank outside the processing tank itself The concentrated parts are supplied by photographic manufacturers in a kit consisting of one or more concentrated solutions such as those for Kodak RA Prime Developer replenisher which currently consists of three parts A, B and C.
Direct replenishment (D-rep) refers to replenishment by separate concentrated parts plus a water part supplied directly into the processing tank. For Kodak Ektacolor SM developer replenisher this consist of three parts A, B and C plus a water parl These are metered into the processing tank, each with a separate pump. It is clear that more or less than three parts can also be used.
In direct replenishment plus cross-over wash the water part that would have gone directly into the first processing tank is now used to rinse the paper in the crossover between the first and second processing tanks. Some of the rinse water and the washed out components pass back into the first processing tank.
The cross-over can be between any two stages of a photographic process, which could contain developer, bleach, fix, bleach-fix, wash, stabiliser, reversal bath, conditioning bath, amplification bath or, intensification bath, etc.
When processing photographic material it is necessary for the material to pass through several different chemical solutions as described above. In conventional processors with tanks in series as the material passes from one solution to another the chemicals from a first solution are carried over by the emulsion layers of the sensitised material to the next solution. This causes seasoning of the next solution which can lower its effectiveness, particularly for the bleach-fix in the case of rapid processing. In addition carry-over of bleach-fix into the wash reduces the wash efficiency and increases the wash replenishment rate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of the invention to provide a process in which carry-over of chemicals from one tank to another is prevented.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of processing a photosensitive material in which the material passes through at least two processing solutions, the material being rinsed with a rinse solution after passing through a first solution and prior to passing through a second solution to prevent the carry-over of the first solution to the second solution, the resulting mixture of rinse solution and recovered first solution being returned to replenish the first solution.
In a preferred embodiment the rinse solution is water.
The first solution can be replenished by the D-rep method with concentrated solutions consisting of parts A, B, C and water. The rinse water is water that would have been used to replenish the first solution even without the rinse stage so that no extra water is needed for the rinse stage, other than that normally used for replenishment of the first solution. The water performs the two functions of rinsing and replenishment.
The invention further provides a processing apparatus for processing photosensitive material, the apparatus having at least two processing stages and comprising; means for passing the material through a first process solution; means for passing the material through a second process solution; means for rinsing the material after passage through the first process solution and prior to passage through the second process solution; and means for directing the resulting mixture of rinse solution and recovered first solution to replenish the first process solution.
In a preferred embodiment the processing apparatus is an inclined plane processor for processing material at an inclined angle.
Use of the invention prevents carry-over of the developer into further solutions. This leads to a reduction in contamination between the solutions used in the process. The bleach-fix stage is more efficient and has a longer life.
The method also prevents carry-over of bleach-fix into the first wash or stabiliser tank, resulting in a more efficient wash stage with reduced replenishment rate.
The water used for the rinse is part or all of that which would normally be added for use as the replenisher solutions.
The method is applicable for any two tanks of any composition and for any process cycle. The method is equally applicable to film and paper processing or any other photosensitive material, to colour or black and white processing or reversal processing.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the following drawings.
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JP abstracts vol. 014, No. 274 (P-1061), Jun. 13, 1990 & JP 02 079841 A (Konica Corp.), Mar. 20 1990.
Christ, Jr. Charles S.
Earle Anthony
Twist Peter J.
Vernon Richard N.
Wildman Nigel R.
Eastman Kodak Company
Pincelli Frank
Rutledge D.
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