Adapter for use with a photographic processing assembly

Abstract

An adapter for use in a processing assembly can interface paper in magazines or cassettes from external printers with a minilab printer so that the paper printed externally can be processed using the minilab's processor and the processor's replenishment system. The adapter which includes a light-tight feed slot is configured to receive a cassette thereon and the adapter can be mounted onto the processing assembly. When mounted on the processing assembly the adapter along with the feed slot forms a light-tight path from the cassette to the printer. Printer functions such as back-marking, printing, punching, etc. can be deactivated during use of the adapter, and photosensitive material which enters the printer through the feed-slot of the adapter will follow the printing path of the printer and thereby trigger checks which are utilized to control replenishment in the processor of the processing assembly. With this arrangement, photosensitive material or paper which does not require the printer functions of the printer, such as paper that has been printed at an external printer, can be fed into the printer to follow the normal printing path. Since the paper follows the normal printing path, checks within the printer such as paper size and/or width are triggered via signals and these signals are utilized to provide for correct replenishment in the processor.