Sheet-like material processing apparatus and photosensitive material processing apparatus

An apparatus for processing a photosensitive material, comprising:

• a processing vessel in which a processing solution used to process the photosensitive material is stored;
• conveyance means for conveying the photosensitive material in a predetermined conveying direction in the processing vessel;
• and
• solution flow forming means for creating a flow of the processing solution on a surface of the photosensitive material, wherein a synthetic flow speed on a surface of the photosensitive material is not less than 80 mm/sec, the synthetic flow speed is a composition of a flow speed component by the solution flow forming means and a conveyance speed component by the conveyance means, and
• wherein (i) the solution flow forming means creates a first flow in a first flow direction which crosses the conveying direction at a part of the conveyance passage and a second flow in a second flow reverse to the first flow direction at another part of the conveyance passage,
• (ii) the solution flow forming means comprises a first and a second discharge port through which the processing solution is introduced to the solution vessel and a first and a second suction port through which the processing solution is sucked into the solution flow forming means,
• (iii) the processing vessel comprises two sides parallel to the conveying direction, and
• (iv) the first discharge port is located at one side of the processing vessel and the first suction port is located at the other side of the processing vessel so as to create the first flow and the second discharge port is located at the other side of the processing vessel and the second suction port is located at the one side of the processing vessel so as to create the second flow.

An apparatus for processing a photosensitive material, comprising:

• a processing vessel in which a processing solution used to process the photosensitive material is stored;
• conveyance means for conveying the photosensitive material in a predetermined conveying direction in the processing vessel, and
• solution flow forming means for creating a flow of the processing solution on a surface of the photosensitive material, wherein a synthetic flow speed on a surface of the photosensitive material is not less than 80 mm/sec, the synthetic flow speed is a composition of a flow speed component by the solution flow forming means and a conveyance speed component by the conveyance means;
• the solution flow forming means creates a first flow in a first flow direction which crosses the conveying direction at a part of the conveyance passage and a second flow in a second flow reverse to the first flow direction at another part of the conveyance passage;
• the solution flow forming means comprises a discharge port through which the processing solution is introduced to the solution vessel and a suction port through which the processing solution is sucked into the solution flow forming means;
• the processing vessel comprises two sides parallel to the conveying direction;
• the discharge port and the suction port are located at the same side of the processing tank so that the processing solution is circulated from the first flow to the second flow;
• and
• the solution flow forming means creates two lines of circulating flows.

An apparatus for processing a photosensitive material, comprising:

• a processing vessel in which a processing solution used to process the photosensitive material is stored;
• conveyance means for conveying the photosensitive material in a predetermined conveying direction in the processing vessel;
• and
• solution flow forming means for creating a flow of the processing solution on a surface of the photosensitive material, wherein a synthetic flow speed on a surface of the photosensitive material is not less than 80 mm/sec., the synthetic flow speed is a composition of a flow speed component by the solution flow forming means and a conveyance speed component by the conveyance means;
• and
• wherein
• the solution flow forming means creates a first flow in a first flow direction which crosses the conveying direction at a part of the conveyance passage and a second flow in a second flow reverse to the first flow direction at another part of the conveyance passage;
• the solution flow forming means comprises a discharge port through which the processing solution is introduced to the solution vessel and a suction port through which the processing solution is sucked into the solution flow forming means;
• the processing vessel comprises two sides parallel to the conveying direction;
• and
• the discharge port is located at a middle point between two sides of the processing vessel and the suction port is located at another middle point between two sides of the processing vessel so that the processing solution is circulated from the first flow to the second flow.

An apparatus for processing a photosensitive material, comprising;

• a processing vessel in which a processing solution used to process the photosensitive material is stored;
• conveyance means for conveying the photosensitive material in a predetermined conveying direction in the processing vessel;
• and
• solution flow forming means for creating a flow of the processing solution on a surface of the photosensitive material, wherein a synthetic flow speed on a surface of the photosensitive material is not less than 80 mm/sec., the synthetic flow speed is a composition of a flow speed component by the solution flow forming means and a conveyance speed component by the conveyance means, and
• wherein
• the solution flow forming means creates a first flow in a first flow direction which crosses the conveying direction at a part of the conveyance passage and a second flow in a second flow reverse to the first flow direction at another part of the conveyance passage;
• and
• if a first flow speed at a point of the first flow and a second flow speed at a corresponding point on the second flow are assumed in which the point on the first flow and the corresponding point on the second flow are on the same conveying line on the conveying passage, the sum of the first flow speed and the second flow speed on each conveying line throughout the width of the conveying passage is made substantially equal to each other.

An apparatus for processing a photosensitive material, comprising:

• a processing vessel in which a processing solution used to process the photosensitive material is stored;
• conveyance means for conveying the photosensitive material in a predetermined conveying direction in the processing vessel;
• and
• solution flow forming means for creating a flow of the processing solution on a surface of the photosensitive material, wherein a synthetic flow speed on a surface of the photosensitive material is not less than 80 mm/sec, the synthetic flow speed is a composition of a flow speed component by the solution flow forming means and a conveyance speed component by the conveyance means and
• wherein
• the photosensitive material is processed for a developing time period in the processing vessel and
• the synthetic flow speed not less than 80 mm/sec is created in a period up to or during a period of 2/3 of the developing time period.