Global Patent Index - EP 0581543 B1

EP 0581543 B1 19961106 - Photographic film processor with two film transport speeds

Title (en)

Photographic film processor with two film transport speeds

Title (de)

Photographisches Entwicklungsgerät mit zwei Filmbeförderungsgeschwindigkeiten

Title (fr)

Appareil de développement photographique avec dispositif de transport du film à deux vitesses

Publication

EP 0581543 B1 19961106 (EN)

Application

EP 93305840 A 19930723

Priority

GB 9215957 A 19920727

Abstract (en)

[origin: EP0581543A1] A photographic film processor comprises six juxtaposed processing tanks (10 to 15), a rack mechanism (16) in each tank (10 to 15) operable to circulate the film within processing solution in the respective tank (10 to 15) for a certain time. A switch mechanism (17) operable to direct the film from being circulated at the end of that certain time and to direct it to a transfer mechanism (18) by which it is passed to the rack mechanism (16) of the next tank (11 to 15) for circulation in that tank. The penultimate processing station and final tank (15) is a washing tank and there is a transfer mechanism (40) for transferring the film from that washing tank (15) to a dryer (43) which is the last processing station. The film is driven for circulation within and for transfer from one to the next of the six tanks by a first motor (32) which drives a common shaft (20). A clutch (35) couples or decouples the common shaft (20) to a shorter coaxial shaft (36) by which the film is circulated within the washing tank (15). Another clutch (41) couples the shorter shaft (36) to another slower motor (42) when it is decoupled from the common shaft (20) by the clutch (35) so that the film can be circulated within the washing tank (15) independently of circulation of film in the other five tanks (10 to 14). The film is transported out of the washing tank (15) and transferred to the dryer (43) at a speed which is slower than that at which it is circulated in and transferred between the first five tanks (i.e. 10 to 14). <IMAGE>

IPC 1-7

G03D 3/13

IPC 8 full level

B08B 11/00 (2006.01); B65G 49/02 (2006.01); B65H 20/34 (2006.01); G03D 3/00 (2006.01); G03D 3/13 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

G03D 3/132 (2013.01)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

DE FR GB

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 0581543 A1 19940202; EP 0581543 B1 19961106; CA 2101120 A1 19940128; DE 69305797 D1 19961212; DE 69305797 T2 19970522; GB 9215957 D0 19920909; JP H06233975 A 19940823

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 93305840 A 19930723; CA 2101120 A 19930722; DE 69305797 T 19930723; GB 9215957 A 19920727; JP 18472693 A 19930727