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US 6,802,658 B1Granted
Transfer assembly and a dryer operationally associated with the transfer assembly
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsRalph L. Piccinino, Jr., Daniel M. Pagano, Kevin H. Blakely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dryer for drying photographic material and a transfer assembly for transferring processed photographic film from a processor to the dryer. The dryer comprises a path through which the photographic material extends wherein at least one slack loop is provided in the photographic material. An adjustable roller is provided along the path to adjust a size of the slack loop and an air supply arrangement is adapted to provide drying air to the slack loop.
Claims23
An assembly for transferring at least two types of photographic film from a first type of photographic equipment to a second type of photographic equipment, the assembly comprising:
- a support member comprising a grabbing mechanism adapted to grab a photographic cartridge from a first type of photograph equipment for transfer to a second type of photographic equipment, said photographic cartridge being adapted to carry a first type of photographic film, said support member further comprising a first pair of pinch rollers for gripping a front end of a second type of photographic film as the photographic film exits said first type of photographic equipment for transfer to the second type of photographic equipment, wherein said support member places said photographic cartridge with said first type of photographic film attached thereto or said front end of said second type of photographic film gripped by said pinch rollers in a vicinity of an entrance to said second type of photographic equipment.
A dryer for drying photographic film, the dryer comprising:
- a drying path for photographic film to be dried which extends from an entrance to an exit of the dryer;
- a support member comprising a first pair of pinch rollers, said first pair of pinch rollers being adapted to hold a first end of a first type of processed photographic film to be dried in the dryer;
- a drive mechanism which supports said support member, said drive mechanism being adapted to drive said support member from the entrance to the exit of the dryer, such that when said first type of photographic film is to be dried in said dryer, said drive mechanism places the first end of the first type of photographic film in a vicinity of the exit of the dryer and a second end of said first type of photographic film in a vicinity of the entrance of the dryer;
- a second pair of pinch rollers provided at the entrance to said dryer, said second pair of pinch rollers being movable between an open position to permit the support member being driven by said drive mechanism to pass therethrough and a closed position which holds the second end of the first type of photographic film, such that said first type of photographic film spans along said drying path of said dryer;
- at least one adjustable roller provided along said drying path, said at least one adjustable roller being movable between an upper position located above said first type of photographic film spanning along said drying path and at least one lower position in which said at least one adjustable roller contacts said first type of photographic film an forms a slack loop in said first type of photographic film;
- and
- an air supply arrangement adapted to supply drying air to said slack loop formed in said first type of photographic film.
4 more elements
A dryer for drying photographic film, the dryer comprising:
- a drying path for photographic film to be dried which extends from an entrance to an exit of the dryer;
- a support member having a holding arrangement thereon, said holding arrangement being adapted to hold a film cartridge, wherein a first end of photographic film to be dried is attached to said cartridge and a second end of said photographic film to be dried is outside of and trails said cartridge,
- a drive mechanism which supports said support member, said drive mechanism being adapted to drive said support member from the entrance to the exit of the dryer, such that when said photographic film is to be dried in said dryer, said drive mechanism places the first end of the photographic film in a vicinity of the exit of the dryer and a second end of the photographic film in a vicinity of the entrance of the dryer;
- a pair of pinch rollers provided at the entrance to said dryer, said pair of pinch rollers being movable between an open position to permit the support member being driven by said drive mechanism to pass therethrough and a closed position which holds the second end of the photographic film, such that said photographic film spans along said drying path of said dryer;
- at least one adjustable roller provided along said drying path, said at least one adjustable roller being movable between an upper position located above said photographic film spanning along said drying path and at least one lower position in which said at least one adjustable roller contacts said photographic film and forms a slack loop in said photographic film;
- and
- an air supply arrangement adapted to supply drying air to said slack loop formed in said photographic film.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.