US5055381A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials including the replenishing of washing water having a controlled amount of calcium and magnesium compounds
Assignee: Fujifilm Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1987-06-03
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Granted: 1991-10-08
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Expires: 2007-06-03
Abstract
Abstract In a method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials comprising developing an exposed silver halide photosensitive material, fixing the developed material and washing it with a washing water, the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the replenishing washing water is reduced to not more than 5 mg/l on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium and washing water is replenished in an amount of 1 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material from a bath preceding the washing bath per unit area thereof or that the replenishing washing water is introduced into a washing bath after reducing the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds to the range mentioned above and sterilizing the same. The method makes it possible to substantially reduce the amount of washing water while reliably suppressing turbidity and proliferation of microorganisms in the washing water during and after completion of processing.
Inventors
- 👤 Akira Abe
- 👤 Yoshihiro Fujita
- 👤 Toshio Koshimizu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:09
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03C; G03C7/00; G03C7/30; G03C7/3046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials which comprises developing an exposed silver halide photosensitive material, fixing the developed photosensitive material and then washing the fixed material with washing water, wherein the washing water is replenished with a wash water replenisher wherein the volume of the replenisher is 1 to 50 times the volume of the liquid which is carried over by the photosensitive material from bath preceding the water washing bath per unit area of the photosensitive material and further wherein the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the final bath in the water washing process is reduced to not more than 5 mg/l respectively, based on the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium, and the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the washing water replenisher is not more than 5 mg/l, respectively, on the basis of elemental calcium and magnesium.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials which comprises developing an exposed silver halide photosensitive material, fixing the developed photosensitive material and then washing the fixed material with washing water, wherein the washing water is replenished with a wash water replenisher wherein the volume of the replenisher is 1 to 50 times the volume of the liquid which is carried over by the photosensitive material from bath preceding the water washing bath per unit area of the photosensitive material and further wherein the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the final bath in the water washing process is reduced to not more than 5 mg/l respectively, based on the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium, and the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the washing water replenisher is not more than 5 mg/l, respectively, on the basis of elemental calcium and magnesium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the water washing process is a multistage washing system comprising at least two water washing baths and replenishment of the washing water is carried out according to multistage countercurrent system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the washing water is passed through a column packed with an ion exchange resin or treated with an apparatus for reverse osmosis to reduce the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the replenishing washing water to not more than 5 mg/l, respectively, on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the replenishing washing water is not more than 3 mg/l, respectively, on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the replenishing washing water is not more than 2 mg/l, respectively, on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the replenishment of the washing water is carried out in an amount of 3 to 30 times of the volume liquid carried over by the photosensitive material from the bath preceding the water washing bath per unit area thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one bath among the water washing baths and a replenishing tank therefor is irradiated with ultraviolet light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fixing is carried out with a fixing solution or a bleach-fixing solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the washing water is passed through a column packed with an ion exchange resin or treated with an apparatus for reverse osmosis to reduce the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the final bath in the water washing process to not more than 5 mg/l, respectively, on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the washing water is replenished to the water washing bath in an amount of 1 to 50 times of the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material from a bath preceding the water washing bath per unit area thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the calcium and magnesium compounds are removed by treating the replenishing washing water with an ion exchange resin, zeolite or an apparatus for reverse osmosis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the replenishing washing water is stabilized by adding an antibacterial or antifungus agent thereto or filtering it through a filter having an effective pore size of not more than 0.8 μ.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 12 wherein the antibacterial or antifungus agent is at least one member selected from the group consisting of active halogen atom-releasing compounds, isothiazolone type compounds, benzoisothiazolone compounds, organoarsenide compounds and silver ion-releasing compounds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 13 wherein the antibacterial or antifungus agent is at least one active halogen atom-releasing compound and the amount thereof falls within the range of 0.1 to 100 mg/l.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 13 wherein the antibacterial or antifungus agent is at least one silver ion-releasing compound and the amount thereof falls within the range of 0.005 to 10 mg/l.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 12 wherein the filter has a pore size of not more than 0.5 μ.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 12 wherein the filter has a pore size of not more than 0.3 μ.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method for processing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the washing process is carried out subsequent to a process capable of fixing and the photosensitive material is a color photographic photosensitive material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-07 | 1995-04-08 | 1995-10-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-07 | 1999-04-08 | 1999-10-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-07 | 2003-04-08 | 2003-10-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |