Replenishing device and method of detecting failures produced therein

A replenishing device comprising:

• a replenishing tank for temporarily storing therein a replenishing processing chemical available for replenishing development processing in a processing bath;
• replenishing means for replenishing a replenishing processing chemical to the processing bath from said replenishing tank so as to replenish the processing bath with a replenishing processing chemical commensurate in quantity with a processing chemical used within the processing bath;
• a sensor for detecting whether a replenishing processing chemical corresponding to a quantity exceeding a predetermined first specified quantity remains within said replenishing tank, said sensor is provided within said replenishing tank so that the first specified quantity is set as a value larger than a normal, one day processing quantity;
• a display unit capable of displaying instructions for supplying the replenishing processing chemical to said replenishing tank;
• and
• a control device for allowing said display unit to display the instructions thereon when said control device judges, based on a quantity of a replenishing processing chemical added to the processing bath after said sensor has detected that a remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical has been brought to a level that is less than the first specified quantity, that the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank is less than a second specified quantity predetermined to be less than the first specified quantity.

A replenishing device comprising:

• a replenishing tank for temporarily storing therein a replenishing processing chemical available for replenishing development processing in a processing bath;
• replenishing means for replenishing a replenishing processing chemical to the processing bath from said replenishing tank so as to replenish the processing bath with a replenishing processing chemical commensurate in quantity with a processing chemical used within the processing bath, said replenishing means being a pump having a rotatable shaft which is rotated by a motor;
• a sensor for detecting whether a replenishing processing chemical corresponding to a quantity exceeding a predetermined first specified quantity remains within said replenishing tank;
• a display unit capable of displaying instructions for supplying the replenishing processing chemical to said replenishing tank;
• and
• a control device for allowing said display unit to display the instructions thereon when said control device judges, based on a quantity of a replenishing processing chemical added to the processing bath after said sensor has detected that a remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical has been brought to a level that is less than the first specified quantity, that the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank is less than a second specified quantity predetermined to be less than the first specified quantity.

A replenishing device comprising:

• a replenishing tank for temporarily storing therein a replenishing processing chemical available for replenishing development processing in a processing bath;
• replenishing means for replenishing a replenishing processing chemical to the processing bath from said replenishing tank so as to replenish the processing bath with a replenishing processing chemical commensurate in quantity with a processing chemical used within the processing bath;
• a sensor for detecting whether a replenishing processing chemical corresponding to a quantity exceeding a predetermined first specified quantity remains within said replenishing tank;
• a display unit capable of displaying instructions for supplying the replenishing processing chemical to said replenishing tank;
• and
• a control device for allowing said display unit to display the instructions thereon when said control device judges, based on a quantity of a replenishing processing chemical added to the processing bath after said sensor has detected that a remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical has been brought to a level that is less than the first specified quantity, that the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank is less than a second specified quantity, predetermined to be less than the first specified quantity, and when development processing in said processing bath has been completed.

A replenishing device comprising:

• a replenishing tank for temporarily storing therein a replenishing processing chemical available for replenishing development processing in a processing bath;
• replenishing means for replenishing a replenishing processing chemical to the processing bath from said replenishing tank so as to replenish the processing bath with a replenishing processing chemical commensurate in quantity with a processing chemical used within the processing bath;
• a sensor for detecting whether a replenishing processing chemical corresponding to a quantity exceeding a predetermined first specified quantity remains within said replenishing tank;
• a display unit capable of displaying instructions for supplying the replenishing processing chemical to said replenishing tank;
• and
• a control device for allowing said display unit to display the instructions thereon when upon initiation of development processing, said control device judges, based on a quantity of a replenishing processing chemical added to the processing bath after said sensor has detected that a remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical has been brought to a level that is less than the first specified quantity, that the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank is less than a second specified quantity predetermined as a normal, one-day processing quantity.

A replenishing device comprising:

• a replenishing tank for temporarily storing therein a replenishing processing chemical available for replenishing development processing in a processing bath;
• replenishing means for replenishing a replenishing processing chemical to the processing bath from said replenishing tank so as to replenish the processing bath with a replenishing processing chemical commensurate in quantity with a processing chemical used within the processing bath;
• a sensor for detecting whether a replenishing processing chemical corresponding to a quantity exceeding a predetermined first specified quantity remains within said replenishing tank;
• a display unit capable of displaying instructions for supplying the replenishing processing chemical to said replenishing tank;
• and
• a control device for allowing said display unit to display the instructions thereon when said control device stores a total quantity of replenishing processing chemical replenished by said replenishing means after said sensor has detected that a remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank has been brought to a level that is less than the first specified quantity, recognizes the residual replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank and judges that the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical is less than a second specified quantity predetermined so as to become less than the first specified quantity.

A replenishing device comprising:

• a replenishing tank for temporarily storing therein a replenishing processing chemical available for replenishing developing processing in a processing bath;
• replenishing means for supplying a replenishing processing chemical to the processing bath from said replenishing tank so as to replenish the processing tank with a replenishing processing chemical of a quantity required to recover a processing chemical used and depleted within the processing bath;
• a sensor capable of detecting that a remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank has reached a predetermined first specified quantity;
• a display unit capable of displaying non-detection of a reduction in the replenishing processing chemical and instructions for supplying the replenishing processing chemical to said replenishing tank;
• and
• a control device for allowing said display unit to display the non-detection of the reduction in the replenishing processing chemical thereon where said sensor does not detect the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical when said control device estimates, based on a quantity of a replenishing processing chemical for supplementing depletion of a processing chemical according to a quantity of a processing chemical for development processing of a photosensitive material in the processing bath, that the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical is less than the first specified quantity and for allowing said display unit to display the instructions thereon when said control device estimates, based on a quantity of a subsequent replenishing processing chemical for supplementing depletion of the processing chemical according to a quantity of a processing chemical for development processing of the photosensitive material in the processing bath, that the remaining quantity of the replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank is less than a second specified quantity predetermined so as to become less than the first specified quantity.

A method of detecting failures in a replenishing device for replenishing a replenishing processing chemical from a replenishing tank storing the replenishing processing chemical therein to a processing bath by replenishing means so as to replenish the processing bath with a replenishing processing chemical commensurate with a quantity for recovering depletion of a processing chemical used within the processing bath, said method being suitable for use in said replenishing device, comprising the steps of:

• detecting, based on a quantity of a replenishing processing chemical for supplementing depletion of a quantity of a processing chemical used for development processing of a photosensitive material in the processing bath, whether the replenishing processing chemical stored in said replenishing tank is reduced to a level that is less than a first specified quantity;
• and
• displaying information about a residual replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank, which is reduced to less than a second specified quantity, when it is estimated, based on information provided by said replenishing means representing a subsequent quantity of said replenishing processing chemical which supplements depletion of said processing chemical in the processing bath, that the remaining quantity of the residual replenishing processing chemical is less than the second specified quantity predetermined to be less than the first specified quantity.

A method of detecting failures in a replenishing device for replenishing a replenishing processing chemical from a replenishing tank storing the replenishing processing chemical therein to a processing bath by replenishing means so as to replenish the processing bath with a replenishing processing chemical commensurate with a quantity for recovering depletion of a processing chemical used within the processing bath, said method being suitable for use in said replenishing device, comprising the steps of:

• detecting, based on a quantity of a replenishing processing chemical for supplementing depletion of a quantity of a processing chemical used for development processing of a photosensitive material in the processing bath, whether the replenishing processing chemical stored in said replenishing tank is reduced to a level that is less than a first specified quantity;
• and
• displaying information about a residual replenishing processing chemical in said replenishing tank, which is reduced to less than a second specified quantity, when it is estimated, based on a subsequent quantity of said replenishing processing chemical which supplements depletion of said processing chemical in the processing bath, that the remaining quantity of the residual replenishing processing chemical is less than the second specified quantity predetermined to be less than the first specified quantity, and when a reduction in the replenishing processing chemical is not detected, a result of non-detection of the reduction in the replenishing processing chemical is displayed on a screen of a monitor.