Method of supplying replenishing solution in automatic developing machine

Claim 1

A method of supplying a replenishing solution to the processing tank incorporated in an automatic developing machine in which a photosensitive material is subject to developement by means of a developer, said developer having a desired pH, comprising the steps of: supplying a less active replenishing solution to said processing tank at the commencement of the present processing operation of said automatic developing machine prior to or in the course of the processing of said photosensitive material, said less active replenishing solution compensating for the deterioration of a developer due to air oxidation during the preceding operating period and the subsequent stop period of said automatic developing machine, wherein said less active replenishing solution has a lower pH than said desired pH of said developer; and supplying a normally active replenishing solution to said processing tank after completion of the supply of said less active replenishing solution, said normally active replenishing solution compensating for the deterioration of said developer due to the processing of said photosensitive material, said normally active replenishing solution having the same pH as said desired pH of said developer, wherein the value of the required quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be presently supplied represents a target MDR value, said target MDR value being obtained from the result of arithmetic operations based on a virtual MDR value of a predetermined quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied under standard operational conditions and a true MDR value of the calculated quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied, said true MDR value being obtained from the operating and stop periods of the preceding replenishment.

Claim 2

A method of supplying a replenishing solution to the processing tank incorporated in an automatic developing machine in which a photosensitive material is subject to developement by means of a developer, said developer having a desired pH, comprising the steps of: supplying a less active replenishing solution to said processing tank at the commencement of the present processing operation of said automatic developing machine prior to or in the course of the processing of said photosensitive material, said less active replenishing solution compensating for the deterioration of a developer due to air oxidation during the preceding operating period and the subsequent stop period of said automatic developing machine, wherein said less active replenishing solution has a lower pH than said desired pH of said developer; and supplying a normally active replenishing solution to said processing tank after completion of the supply of said less active replenishing solution, said normally active replenishing solution compensating for the deterioration of said developer due to the processing of said photosensitive material, said normally active replenishing solution having the same pH as said desired pH of said developer, wherein the value of the required quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be presently supplied represents a target MDR value, said target MDR value being obtained from the result of arithmetic operations based on a virtual MDR value of a predetermined quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied under standard operational conditions and a true MDR value of the calculated quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied, said true MDR value being obtained from the operating and stop periods of the preceding replenishment.

Claim 9

A method of supplying a replenishing solution to the processing tank of an automatic developing machine in which a photosensitive material is subjected to development by means of a developer, said developer having a desired pH, comprising the steps of: obtaining the required quantity of a less active replenishing solution to be presently supplied so as to compensate for the deterioration of said developer due to air oxidation in the course of the preceding operating period of said automatic developing machine and the succeeding stop period of the same, said less active replenishing solution having a pH lower than said desired pH of said developer; and supplying said required quantity to said processing tank prior to or in the course of the development of said photosensitive material at the commencement of the present processing operation of said automatic developing machine, wherein a target MDR value of said required quantity is obtained from the result of calculations performed on the basis of a virtual MDR value of a predetermined quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied under standard operational conditions and a true MDR value of the calculated quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied, said true MDR value being obtained on the basis of the preceding operating period and the subsequent stop period.

Claim 10

A method of supplying a replenishing solution to the processing tank of an automatic developing machine in which a photosensitive material is subjected to development by means of a developer, said developer having a desired pH, comprising the steps of: obtaining the required quantity of a less active replenishing solution to be presently supplied so as to compensate for the deterioration of said developer due to air oxidation in the course of the preceding operating period of said automatic developing machine and the succeeding stop period of the same, said less active replenishing solution having a pH lower than said desired pH of said developer; and supplying said required quantity to said processing tank prior to or in the course of the development of said photosensitive material at the commencement of the present processing operation of said automatic developing machine, wherein a target MDR value of said required quantity is obtained from the result of calculations performed on the basis of a virtual MDR value of a predetermined quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied under standard operational conditions and a true MDR value of the calculated quantity of said less active replenishing solution to be supplied, said true MDR value being obtained on the basis of the preceding operating period and the subsequent stop period.