Photography – Fluid-treating apparatus – Heating – cooling – or temperature detecting
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-28
2003-09-16
Rutledge, D. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Fluid-treating apparatus
Heating, cooling, or temperature detecting
C396S620000, C396S625000, C396S626000, C396S635000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06619862
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a photographic processor having a thermally heated drum and a method of operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Photographic processors come in a variety of shapes and sizes from large wholesale photographic processors to small micro-labs. As photographic processors become more and more technologically sophisticated, there is a continued need to make the photographic processor as user-friendly and as maintenance-free as possible.
Currently available photographic processors have one or more of the following shortcomings: (1) the film processing time is relatively long; (2) some photographic processors, because of their size, require a large amount of space; (3) some photographic processors may require an unacceptable amount of processing solution due to the design of the processing tank; (4) some photographic processors generate an unacceptable amount of processing solution waste due to the design of the processing tank; and (5) some photographic processors waste energy by heating an entire processing chamber instead of focusing the heat on an area such as a film path, so that the heat can be applied and used in a more efficient manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses some of the difficulties and problems discussed above by the discovery of a novel, compact, and portable photographic processor having an internal drum design, which minimizes the chemicals required to process a roll of film, minimizes the amount of waste generated per roll of film processing and minimizes the amount of heat needed for heating the processing chamber of the processor. The photographic processor is extremely user-friendly and low maintenance.
The present invention provides for a system which places heat where it is required most in a processing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention provides for a system where the heat is placed in the vicinity of a film plane surface as opposed to heating an entire processing chamber of a processor. With the system and method of the present invention, the heating of a processor such as a processing drum is done in a manner which requires less area to be heated, less time and gives better film uniformity results.
The system and method of the present invention provides for improved heating capabilities by using thermally conductive materials. For example, thermally conductive material can be placed on film tracks or a film path inside of a processing drum of a processor, can be embedded into the processing drum or can be provided on an exterior of the processing drum. Using the conductive material along with the non-conductive material allows the drum to be heated from the inside or the outside and permits the drum to act as an insulator which helps maintain the temperature of the track or path for a longer period of time. On the other hand, the drum can be entirely made out of a thermally conductive material and heated from the outside using heat tape, radiant heat, a heat gun, or any other heating means known in the industry.
The present invention accordingly provides for a photographic processor which comprises a circular processing drum having a front wall, a back wall, and a side wall connecting the front wall to the back wall and extending around the perimeter of the drum, with the front wall, back wall and side wall defining a processing chamber for holding processing solution therein and a processing path within the processing chamber along which a photographic material is conveyed during processing; and a heating material provided on an outer surface of the side wall so as to extend around the perimeter of the drum. The heating material is adapted to be heated to heat at least the circular processing drum and the processing path to an appropriate temperature for processing of the photographic material.
The present invention further relates to a photographic processor which comprises a circular processing drum having a front wall, a back wall, and a side wall connecting the front wall to the back wall and extending around the perimeter of the drum, with the front wall, the back wall, and the side wall defining a processing chamber for holding processing solution therein and a processing path within the processing chamber along which a photographic material is conveyed during processing; and a heating material embedded into the sidewall and extending around the perimeter of the drum. The heating material is adapted to be heated to heat at least the circular processing drum and the processing path to an appropriate temperature for processing of the photographic material.
The present invention further relates to a photographic processor which comprises a circular processing drum having a front wall, a back wall, and a side wall as noted above, wherein the circular drum itself is made of a thermally conductive material and is adapted to be heated to heat at least the processing path to an appropriate temperature for processing of the photographic material.
The present invention further relates to a photographic processor which comprises a circular processing drum having a front wall, a back wall, and a side wall as noted above, wherein an interior surface of the side wall and opposing portions of the back and front walls adjacent to the side wall define a film processing path along which film to be processed is conveyed. The processor further comprises a thermally conductive insert provided in the side wall in the vicinity of the interior surface of the side wall, with the thermally conductive insert being adapted to be heated to heat at least the interior surface of the side wall and the processing path to an appropriate temperature for processing of the photographic material.
The present invention further relates to a method of processing photographic material which comprises the steps of introducing a processing solution into a processing drum having a front wall, a back wall and a side wall connecting the front wall to the back wall and extending around the perimeter of the drum; introducing photographic material into a processing path of the processing drum to contact the processing solution and process the photographic material; and energizing a heating material provided on an outer surface of the side wall to heat at least the processing path to an appropriate temperature for processing of the photographic material.
The present invention further relates to a method of processing photographic material which comprises the steps of introducing a processing solution into a processing drum having a front wall, a back wall, and a side wall connecting the front wall to the back wall and extending around the perimeter of the drum; introducing photographic material into a processing path of the processing drum to contact the processing solution and process the photographic material; and energizing a heating material embedded into the side wall to heat at least the processing path to an appropriate temperature for processing of the photographic material.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments and the appended claims.
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patent: 3672290 (1972-06-01), Duesler
patent: 5845169 (1998-12-01), Patton et al.
patent: 6020948 (2000-02-01), Tumidei
patent: 6082908 (2000-07-01), Tumidei
patent: 6322261 (2001-11-01), Kuzyk
patent: 6485202 (2002-11-01), Piccinino et al.
patent: 6485204 (2002-11-01), Piccinino et al.
patent: 6517261 (2003-02-01), Piccinino et al.
patent: 6517263 (2003-02-01), Piccinino et al.
Hall Jeffrey L.
Piccinino, Jr. Ralph L.
Transvalidou Faye
Eastman Kodak Company
Novais David A.
Rutledge D.
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