# US 5,707,788 A · Method for processing silver halide photographic light-sensitive material

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- Number: US 5,707,788 A
- Document ID: US5707788A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/724,925
- Filed: 1996-10-02
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1994-08-11
- Assignees: Konica Corporation
- Inventors: Shoji Nishio
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707788A

## CPC

- G03C 5/29: Development processes or agents therefor (G03C5/38, G03C5/50 take precedence)
- G03C 5/30: Developers
- G03C 5/31: Regeneration; Replenishers
- G03C 1/061: {Hydrazine compounds}
- G03C: PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES (for photomechanical purposes G03F); PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY (photographic processes characterised by the use or manipulation of apparatus classifiable per se in subclass G03B, see G03B; photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces G03F; electrophotography, magnetography G03G)

## Abstract

A method of processing a black and white silver halide photographic light sensitive material, using an automatic developing machine, the method comprising the steps of: exposing the material; and developing the exposed material with developer, the developer being replenished with developer replenisher and the developer containing a dihydroxybenzene developing agent or a developing agent represented by Formula (A): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 independently represent an alkyl group, an amino group, an alkoxy group or an alkylthio group, or R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 combine with each other to form a ring; M represents a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal atom; k represents 0 or 1; and X represents --CO-- or --CS--, wherein the method satisfies the following inequality: 1.1.ltoreq.D.sub.R /D.sub.S .ltoreq.2.5 in which D.sub.S represents the developing agent concentration of a fresh developer and D.sub.R represents the developing agent concentration of a running developer in stationary state.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of processing a black and white silver halide photographic light sensitive material, using an automatic developing machine, the method comprising the steps of:
exposing the material; and
developing the exposed material with developer, the developer being replenished with developer replenisher and the developer containing 0.05 to 0.5 mol/liter of a developing agent represented by Formula (A-a): ##STR54## wherein R.sub.7 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, a sulfo group, a carboxy group, an amido group or a sulfonamido group; M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal atom; Y.sub.1 represents O or S; and Y.sub.2 represents O, S or NR.sub.8 in which R.sub.8 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group, wherein the method satisfies the following inequality:
1. 1.ltoreq.D.sub.R /D.sub.S .ltoreq.2.5
in which D.sub.S represents the developing agent concentration of a fresh developer and D.sub.R represents the developing agent concentration of a running developer in stationary state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method satisfies the following inequality:
1.2.ltoreq.D.sub.R /D.sub.S .ltoreq.2.5.
3.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration D.sub.AS of the developing agent represented by Formula (A-a) of the fresh developer satisfies the following inequality:
0.15 mol/l.ltoreq.D.sub.AS .ltoreq.1.50 mol/l.
4.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the developer further comprises an auxiliary developing agent showing superadditivity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary developing agent is a 3-pyrazolidone derivative or an aminophenol derivative.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the developer replenisher has a composition different from that of the fresh developer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the developer replenisher is in the form of a solid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material comprises a hydrazine compound represented by the following Formula (H): ##STR55## wherein R.sub.9 represents an aliphatic group or an aromatic group; R.sub.10 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an amino group, a hydrazino group, a carbamoyl group or an oxycarbonyl group; G.sub.1 represents a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group, a sulfoxy group, ##STR56## a thiocarbonyl group or an iminomethylene group; and A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 both are hydrogen atoms or when one of A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group or an acyl group.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material comprises a tetrazolium compound represented by the following Formula (T): ##STR57## wherein R.sub.11, R.sub.12, and R.sub.13 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an amino group, an acylamino group, a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, a halogen atom, a carbamoyl group, an acylthio group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a carboxyl group, an acyl group, a cyano group, a nitro group, a mercapto group, a sulfoxy group or an aminosulfoxy group; and X.sup.- represents an anion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein
Y.sub.1 is O;
Y.sub.2 is O;
M.sub.1 is H;
M.sub.2 is H; and
R.sub.7 is H, CH.sub.3, CH.sub.2 OH, CH.sub.3 CH(OH), HOCH.sub.2 CH(OH), or HOOCCH.sub.2 CH (OH).

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein R.sub.7 is HOCH.sub.2 CH(OH).