Developing solution for silver halide photographic material and method for processing silver halide photographic material by using the same

Claim 2

A developing solution as in claim 1, wherein said six-membered heterocyclic compound is a compound represented by the following general formula (I) and said five-membered heterocyclic compound is a compound represented by the following general formula (II): wherein R₁ and R₂ each represents hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, hydroxyl group, mercapto group, carboxyl group, sulfo group, phosphono group, an amino group, nitro group, cyano group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group or an alkoxy group, or R₁ and R₂ may be combined together to form a ring: wherein X and Y each represents nitrogen atom or CR₃; Z represents sulfur atom or NR₄; or X and Y may be combined together to form a condensed ring wherein the number of nitrogen atoms as the constituent atoms of the five-membered ring is one to three; R₃ and R₄ each represents hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, hydroxyl group, mercapto group, carboxyl group, sulfo group, phosphono group, an amino group, nitro group, cyano group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group or an alkoxy group; X and Y may be combined together to form a condensed ring; and M represents hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, a quaternary ammonium or a quaternary phosphonium.

Claim 4

A method for processing a silver halide photographic material comprising a support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer with a developing solution as in claim 3, wherein said six-membered heterocyclic compound is a compound represented by the following general formula (I) and said five-membered heterocyclic compound is a compound represented by the following general formula (II): wherein R₁ and R₂ each represents hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, hydroxyl group, mercapto group, carboxyl group, sulfo group, phosphono group, an amino group, nitro group, cyano group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxy-carbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group or an alkoxy group, or R₁ and R₂ may be combined together to form a ring: wherein X and Y each represents nitrogen atom or CR₃; X represents sulfur atom or NR₄; X and Y may be combined together to form a condensed ring wherein the number of nitrogen atoms as the constituent groups of the five-membered ring is one to three; R₃ and R₄ each represents hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, hydroxyl group, mercapto group, carboxyl group, sulfo group, phosphono group, an amino group, nitro group, cyano group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group or an alkoxy group; X and Y may be combined together to form a condensed ring; and M represents hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, a quaternary ammonium or a quaternary phosphonium.

Claim 5

A method for processing a silver halide photographic material comprising a reflection support having thereon at least one light-sensitive layer containing silver halide grains and at least one protective layer containing gelatin, characterized by that said protective layer has a gelatin content of not higher than 1.5 g/m², and said silver halide photographic material is processed with the developing solution of claim 1 or 2.

Claim 7

A method for processing a silver halide photographic material as in claim 6, wherein the coating weight of gelatin in the protective layer of said silver halide photographic material is not more than 0.5 g/m², and the total coating weight of gelatin on the emulsion layer side of the support is not more than 2.5 g/m².

Claim 8

A method for processing a silver halide photographic material as in claim 6 or 7, wherein said at least one emulsion layer contains colloidal silica, and the outermost protective layer has a kinetic friction coefficient of not higher than 0.35.

Claim 9

A method for processing a silver halide photographic material as in claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the total processing time is 15 to 60 seconds, and the line speed in the the automatic processor is from 1500 mm/min to 5000 mm/min.

Claim 10

A method for processing a silver halide photographic material as in claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the replenishment rates of the developing solution and/or the fixing solution are from 50 ml to 200 ml per m² of silver halide photographic material in a system wherein said silver halide photographic material after exposure is subjected to at least development, fixing and rising by using an automatic processor.