Processing photographic material
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsAnthony Earle, Nigel R. Wildman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low volume processing apparatus having a narrow processing channel has the processing solution entering via passages located towards the inlet and outlet of the channel. The solution leaves the channel via a passage located in the middle thereof, the flow of solution pulling the film into a fixed position within the channel. The reversal of flow minimizes the amount of air entrained with the returning flow.
Claims8
A method of processing photographic material comprising the steps of;
- feeding the photographic material into a processing channel having an inlet and an outlet;
- circulating processing solution through the channel such that the solution enters the channel at solution inlets located towards the inlet and the outlet of the channel and exits at a solution outlet located between the inlet and the outlet of the channel, the flow of solution pulling the material down to a fixed position within the channel, and withdrawing the material from the channel once processing is complete.
Apparatus for processing photographic material, the apparatus comprising a module having an upper section and a lower section together defining a processing channel having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of passages defined in the lower section, the processing channel being in fluid communication with a reservoir of processing solution via the passages, and pumping means for pumping the processing solution through the passages and the channel, wherein the pumping means is configured such that the processing solution enters the channel via the passages nearest to the inlet and outlet of the channel and exits the channel via the other passage, thereby pulling the material down to a fixed position within the channel and ensuring that substantially no air enters the passage through which the solution exits the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.