Film transport and guide system

Abstract

 An improved system for transporting film along a predetermined path through an apparatus exit (134) to a take-up member (122) includes apparatus for cutting a film carrier from the film and guide walls for directing the film and carrier. The guide walls are part of a guide assembly (180) pivotally mounted to the apparatus, and not part of the take-up member (122). The whole process is performed automatically and the need for an operator is eliminated.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to photographic film processing apparatus, and more particularly to a system for transporting film through the apparatus.

[0002] Photographic film processing is accomplished by immersing undeveloped film in a number of liquid solutions in a pre-determined order. These steps include developing, bleaching, fixing, rinsing, etc., and it has long been conventional to automate film processing by providing a series of adjacent open-topped tanks in a housing through which long strips of film are sequentially transported by a film transport system.

[0003] United States Patent no. 4,929,976, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, discloses a film transport system which accommodates the use of a thin, flexible film carrier card with a simplified dual serpentine belt arrangement. The disclosure of U. S. Patent No. 4,929,976 is incorporated herein by reference, as if fully set forth.

[0004] As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a prior art film processing apparatus 1 of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 4,929,976 includes an apparatus exit 2 and a take-up member 3 consisting of a core 4 and two reel sides 5a and 5b. In current practice, undeveloped film is attached to a film carrier card and introduced into apparatus 1 at its other end (not shown). The carrier card transports the film through the various tanks of apparatus 1 to exit 2, whereupon an alarm buzzer 6 sounds alerting technician 7 that film carrier card 8 and attached film 9 are about to exit the apparatus 1. At that time, the technician must quickly cut the card 8 from the film 9 by way of a pair of scissors (Figure 1) and then quickly guide the film onto core 4 (Figure 2), and then quickly reattach reel side 5b (Figure 3), as film is continuously being ejected from apparatus exit 2. This operation is inefficient and requires constant operator attention.

[0005] Thus, there presently exists a need for an improved system which automatically cuts the carrier card from the film and guides the film onto a take-up member.

[0006] The present invention provides an improved system for transporting film along a predetermined path through an apparatus exit to a take-up member. The system includes cutting means located at substantially the apparatus exit for cutting a film carrier from the film before reaching the take-up member. The take-up member consists essentially of a cylindrical core without lateral guide walls associated with the core. Non-rotating guide means located at substantially the apparatus exit are provided to guide the film onto the core. The guide means has a plurality of guide walls for directing film transported through the exit to the core. Carrier guide means located at substantially the apparatus exit is provided for guiding the carrier away from the film after cutting by the cutting means.

[0007] A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be apparent from the Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 depict prior art apparatus at the exit of a film processing apparatus;

Figure 4 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a partially broken away side view of the apparatus of Figure 4 at the exit;

Figure 6 is a partially-exploded schematic view of the cutting means;

Figure 7 is a partially broken away schematic side view of the take-up drive;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the guide means and take-up apparatus;

Figure 9 is a partial side view illustrating operation of the guide means with a quantity of film wrapped around the take-up member; and

Figure 10 is an exploded view of a guide assembly constructed in accordance with the invention.

[0008] Referring initially to Figure 4, film processing apparatus 100 includes a housing 102 and a plurality of processing tanks 104. As disclosed in prior U. S. Patent No. 4,929,976, dual serpentine belts 106 transport film 108 through tanks 104 by way of a carrier card 110. A second film 112 is shown being transported through apparatus exit 114. As will be described in detail below, cutting means 116 cuts carrier card 118 from film 112, and guide means 120 guides the remainder of the film onto take-up member 122. As shown, carrier card 118 is guided away from film 112 after cutting by the cutting means.

[0009] Referring now to Figures 5-10, where like numerals indicate like and corresponding elements, cutting means 116 includes a solenoid 130 which is activated to extend arm 132 after a carrier card has passed through exit slot 134. Arm 132 contacts rocker arm 135, which is pivotally mounted to the apparatus by way of a shaft 136 in saddle member 138. Substantially identical shaft and saddle members are located on the opposite of rocker arm 135, but are omitted from the Figures for clarity. An end 136 of rocker arm 135 contacts a top surface 138 of a cutter ram 140. Cutter ram 140 is mounted for sliding movement with respect to cutter end plate 142, which is fixed to the apparatus. A spring 144 has one end 146 connected to cutter ram 140 and the other end 148 connected to cutter end plate 142. Spring 144 biases cutter ram 140 to the upward position in contact with rocker arm 135 shown in figure 6. Knife blade 150 is attached to a lower end 152 of cutter ram 140. A bottom exit cutter ramp 152 includes a slot 154 directly below blade 150. A top exit cutter ramp 155 (Figure 5) is also provided. Exit 134 is located in exit cover plate 156, which carries a take-up spool 158.

[0010] Guide means 120 primarily includes a guide assembly 180 located at substantially the apparatus exit 134. Guide assembly 180 includes a plurality of guide walls for directing film transported through the exit to take-up member 122. Guide assembly 180 is pivotally mounted to exit cover plate 156 by way of guide hinge pins 182 riding in saddle members 184. Saddle members 184 are connected to exit cover plate 156. Guide assembly 180 is constructed of essentially four pieces: Lateral plates 186a and 186b, upper plate 188 and a film guide ramp 190. Pins 182 extend from end portions 192 of lateral plates 186a and 186b. Lateral plates 186a and 186b are fixed to upper plate 188, such that lateral guide walls 194 on the inside surfaces of lateral members 186a and 186b depend from an upper guide wall 196 on the bottom surface of upper plate 188. Lateral guide walls 194 are parallel planar surfaces spaced apart approximately the distance of the lateral edges 198 of the film for which the apparatus is utilized. Upper guide wall 196 has an end portion 200 which contacts a rotating cylindrical surface 202 of core 204 when core 204 is empty. End portion 202 includes a channel 206 for the passage of adhesive tape 208 applied to cylindrical surface 202 therethrough. Surfaces 210 on two sides 212 of channel 206 contact core cylindrical surface 202 when the core is empty and side portions of the film as the core is being wound with film. Film guide ramp 190 is pivotally mounted within guide assembly 180 by way of ears 214 which engage holes 216 in lateral guide walls 194. Guide ramp 190 is free to pivot within triangular relief surfaces 218 formed in lateral guide walls 194. A channel 220 is formed in a bottom surface 222 of guide ramp 190. Lower guide wall 224 is the top surface of ramp 190

[0011] Take-up member 122 includes take-up main arm 240 which extends from apparatus 100. As best shown in Figure 7, a drive chain 242 drives a belt 244, which in turn drives a shaft 246 in conventional fashion. Take-up bearing post 248 extends from main arm 240, with drive shaft 246 rotatably mounted therein. A core spindle 250 is connected to drive shaft 246, and is configured to accept core 204 for co-rotating engagement.

[0012] Carrier guide means includes curved walls 260 located on lateral plates 186a and 186b. Curved walls 260 are spaced more narrowly than the width of a film carrier card, such that an emerging film carrier card is guided downwardly and away from the film as it exits and after cutting by the cutting means 116.

[0013] In operation, the present invention eliminates the need for an operating technician to wait for a film carrier card and film to come out the exit of the processing apparatus and then cut the carrier card from the film and engage the film with a take-up reel. Instead, the film carrier card is automatically cut from the film, and then the film automatically winds itself onto take-up member 122. In addition, the need for reel sides is eliminated by providing lateral guide walls associated with the apparatus itself, contrasted with the rotating reel guides attached to the core used in the past.

[0014] As shown in Figure 6, cutter ram 140 is biased to its upward position by way of spring 144, until solenoid 130 is actuated to push cutter ram 140 downwardly by way of rocker arm 135. Blade 150 is pushed into slot 154, thereby severing any film in its path. Solenoid 130 is actuated immediately after a film carrier card is passed through the exit.

[0015] Once the film carrier card is severed from the film, it is pushed downwardly by curved walls 260 on guide assembly 180. The free end of the film is guided between lateral guide walls 194, directed upwardly by lower guide wall 224 to the rotating cylindrical surface 202 of core 204. As the free end of the film approaches upper guide wall 196, it is trapped between end portion 202 and adhesive tape 208, and is thereby fixed to core 204. As the film is wound upon core 204, the film is displaced radially from the center of core 204. Guide assembly 180, being pivotally mounted to the apparatus, pivots upwardly to accommodate the increasing mass of film. As best shown in Figure 9, the guide ramp 190 being pivotally mounted within guide assembly 180 also pivots to accommodate the increasing mass of film and to maintain tight winding on core 204.

[0016] Whereas the present invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various changes and modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended to encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An improved system for transporting film along a predetermined path through an apparatus exit to a take-up member, the system comprising:
   cutting means located at substantially the apparatus exit for cutting a film carrier from the film before reaching the take-up member.

2. An improved system for transporting film along a predetermined path through an apparatus exit to a take-up member, the system comprising:
   the take-up member consisting essentially of a cylindrical core without lateral guide walls associated with the core; and
   non-rotating guide means located at substantially the apparatus exit for guiding the film onto the core, the guide means having a plurality of guide walls for directing film transported through the exit to the core.

3. The system of Claim 2 wherein the guide means includes a film guide assembly mounted to the apparatus exit.

4. The system of Claim 3 wherein the guide assembly includes two lateral guide walls for guiding lateral edges of the film to the core.

5. The system of Claim 4 wherein the guide assembly includes an upper guide wall for guiding a top surface of the film to the core.

6. The system of Claim 5 wherein the upper guide wall has an end portion contacting a rotating cylindrical surface of the core.

7. The system of Claim 6 wherein the end portion includes a channel for the passage of adhesive tape on the core cylindrical surface therethrough, with surfaces on two sides of the channel contacting the core cylindrical surface.

8. The system of Claim 4 wherein the guide assembly is pivotally mounted to the apparatus exit.

9. The system of Claim 4 wherein the guide assembly includes a lower guide wall for guiding a bottom surface of the film to the core.

10. The system of Claim 9 wherein the lower guide wall is a surface of a film guide ramp member pivotally mounted within the guide assembly.

11. An improved system for transporting film along a predetermined path through an apparatus exit to a take-up member, the system comprising:
   cutting means located at substantially the apparatus exit for cutting a film carrier from the film before reaching the take-up member;
   film guide means located at substantially the apparatus exit for guiding the film onto the take-up member, the film guide means having a plurality of guide walls for directing film transported through the exit to the core; and
   carrier guide means located at substantially the apparatus exit for guiding the carrier away from the film after cutting by the cutting means.

Drawing