Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd.

Junichi Miyai

Kazunori Tsumura

Yasunobu Shimamura

Yoshifumi Nakamura

Tsukasa Nakano

Tomoya Tanaka

Atsuhiko Yamada

Takafumi Kimura

A film developing process automatically conveys film to a film developing section. When a cartridge conveyed intermittently by a cartridge conveying device is conveyed to a first stop position, a tapered tongue drawing device is actuated to draw an end portion of a film strip out of the cartridge. At a second stop position, a cutting device and a punching device are operated to cut the tapered tongue and form coupling holes on the end portion of the film strip respectively. At a third stop position, a reinforcing label is applied to the end portion of the film strip by a label sticking device. At fourth and fifth stop positions, the end portions of the film strips are coupled with a leader sheet which has been conveyed and stopped at the other side of the fourth and fifth stop positions. The cartridges are then conveyed together with the leader sheet into the film developing section. Between the film developing section and the printing section a leader sheet guide is installed in which is formed a leader sheet guide path. A leader sheet sent out from the film developing section is sent into a leader sheet supporter and when the leader sheet stops, the leader sheet and film strips are released from their coupling. The leader sheet guide is then moved to second and third stop positions where the film strips are sent into a film path of the printing section.

Photographic film processing apparatus including a film supplying

A photograph developing apparatus includes a main processing tank and a sub-tank which is connected to the main processing tank. The sub-tank is provided with a filter, a sensor, and the like in order to filter processing solution and feed the filtered processing solution back to the main processing tank. The sub-tank has a lid for covering the top of the sub-tank. The lid has an evaporation prevention block which is extended to a point below the surface of the processing solution. Cavity portions are formed in the evaporation prevention block at least at positions corresponding to the filter and the sensor. Alternatively, evaporation of the processing solution is suppressed through employment of an evaporation prevention block which floats on the surface of the processing solution. In this case as well, cavity portions are formed in the block at least at positions corresponding to the filter and the sensor.

Photograph developing apparatus

A photographic film is connected with a leader by engagement with an engaging piece provided on the leader. The film is then conveyed by being pulled by the leader since engaging holes in the film are engageable with engaging pieces provided on a leader. The engaging holes are formed at a leading end portion of a photographic film. Portions of the photographic film around the engaging holes are reinforced by adhering a reinforcement piece to the leading end portion of the photographic film, thereby preventing the photographic film from being torn at the engaging holes.

Photographic film

A film splicing device which makes it possible to easily connect a film to a leader. It has a housing having a top plate on which is provided a leader presser which is pivotable toward and away from the top surface of the top plate. The top plate has a window. A film guide is mounted in the housing under the window and has a recess that faces the window. A slide guide is coupled to the leader presser so as to be slidable into and out of the recess. With a leader placed on the top plate and pressed by the leader presser, a film end is inserted into a second hole formed in the leader, then into a film turning path defined between a curved inner surface of the recess and the slide guide, and then into a first hole formed in the leader to deform protrusions of the leader upward. When the film end is inserted until holes formed in the leading end of the film register with the tips of the protrusions, the protrusions engage in the holes. In this state, the slide guide is slid out of the recess by raising the leader presser. The film is then pulled out of the housing by raising the leader.

Film splicing device

An automatic photographic developing machine has easily detachable top turn guides each provided with a locking mechanism that allows any incompletely set top turn guide to be pushed to an accurate set position and locked. The top turn guides are detachably mounted between handles provided at tops of racks hung in treating tanks. Each top turn guide has a support piece to be supported on top surfaces of the handles, and a pair of front and rear control pieces. Each control piece has a protrusion. The handles are formed with recesses. Each top turn guide is inserted between a pair of adjacent handles with the control pieces deformed inwardly by gripping them from opposite sides. The control pieces are released with the support piece supported on the top surfaces of the handles to let the protrusions engage in the recesses. The top turn guide is thus locked in position. Even if a top turn guide is incompletely set, it is pressed down by a pusher provided on a top cover to its predetermined set position with high accuracy by closing the top cover.

Growing community of inventors

Wakayama, Japan

Junichi Miyai