The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 22, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1998
Henry H Adam, Leighton Buzzard, GB;
Gareth B Evans, Potten End, GB;
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for washing exposed photographic material in less time and with a reduced replenishment rate compared with conventional processing. Multi-stage counter-current washing is employed, in which the time that the material spends in each stage is such that equilibrium of chemical concentration between solution contained in the material and solution contained in the stages (a) is reached in the final stage, but (b) is reached in fewer than all the stages, and wherein the material resides in at least one stage for a time that is different from that in at least one other of the stages. Preferably the longest time is spent in the final stage. The time distribution throughout the stages can be optimized to produce a final tank concentration comparable to that obtained with conventional processing.