Abstract: A photosensitive material dryer apparatus including a drying chamber and a first drying application device wherein a photosensitive material having a photosensitive material conductivity drying profile is dried following a wet chemical process includes a sensor for electronically measuring and sensing the conductivity of the photosensitive material, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the drying application device for regulating the drying application device based on the sensed conductivity of the photosensitive material.

Abstract: A method is described for communicating the scene orientation of an exposed strip of left or right hand load photographic film to photo finishing equipment to enable imaging parameters to be set automatically which includes the steps of splicing a first exposed strip of film to a second exposed strip of film with a film-splicing label, encoding the label for left or right hand load of the second film with low resolution indicia, and feeding the spliced first and second films to a film-splicing label reader for reading the code and automatically setting the parameters for normal or inverted scene orientation. A film-splicing label encoded with indicia for identifying the scene orientation and a method for splicing strips of film with the label are also provided.

Abstract: A system and method are taught for transferring fluids between a container and an associated apparatus for using the fluid. Interface members (52, 68; 86, 88) on the container (80, 82) cooperate with sensor probe assemblies (54, 70; 90-108) and a controller (56) in the associated apparatus to indicate the status of the container as full or partially full of fresh liquid, emptied of fresh liquid, or full or partially full of effluent liquid. The likelihood of delivering the wrong liquid to the associated apparatus is minimized. The invention is particularly useful for delivery of liquid chemicals to a photographic processor apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a low volume photographic material processing apparatus employing a rack and a tank out of an existing larger volume photographic processing apparatus. The converted photographic processing apparatus will contain a smaller volume of the same photographic solution that was previously used in non-converted processing tanks.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for detecting the amount, size, shape, and location of anomalies, such as dirt and scratches, on the surface of a test photographic element after the application of a cleaning procedure and for objectively determining the effectiveness of the film cleaning devices and procedures at removing dirt from photographic negatives and slides and the scanner's sensitivity to the artifacts on the test photographic element's surface. The test photographic element is scanned and the scanned image is digitized and converted to color digital count values. The count values are corrected for systematic errors and a set of context dependent threshold values on the corrected data is computed. If the corrected data passes any of the series of threshold tests it classified as anomalous otherwise it is considered to be background or clean. A series of statistics are calculated for the detected anomalies and are reported to the operator.

Abstract: A method of processing an imagewise exposed silver halide photographic element comprising developing and desilvering the photographic element in a low volume thin tank processor wherein the processor operates at 15% or less of maximum production capacity.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing photosensitive materials, which comprises: a tank through which a processing solution flows; a rack having integral means to facilitate its insertion and removal from the tank, the rack and the tank are relatively dimensioned so that a small volume for holding processing solution and photosensitive material is formed between the rack and the tank; means for circulating the processing solution through the small volume; and means coupled to the rack for moving the photosensitive material through the small volume.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel. The channel is formed by a repeating combination of modular squeegee pinch rollers and modular impingement slot nozzles. Photographic processing solution is introduced through the impingement slot nozzles and the squeegee pinch rollers are used to remove the processing solution from the photosensitive material and provide transport of the photosensitive material. Solution level control is achieved by drains positioned below the tops of the upturned sections.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel with an upturned entrance and exit to contain processing solution within the channel. The channel is formed by a repeating combination of modular squeegee pinch rollers and modular impingement slot nozzles. Photographic processing solution is introduced through the impingement slot nozzles and the squeegee pinch rollers are used to remove the processing solution from the photosensitive material and provide transport of the photosensitive material. Solution level control is achieved by drains positioned below the tops of the upturned sections.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel. The channel is formed by a repeating combination of squeegee pinch rollers and impingement slot nozzles. Photographic processing solution is introduced into opposite ends of alternating impingement slot nozzles, having delivery channels and the squeegee pinch rollers are used to remove the processing solution from the photosensitive material and provide transport of the photosensitive material. Solution level control is achieved by drains positioned below the tops of the upturned sections. The slot nozzles and the pinch rollers work interactively to break down the chemical barrier layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for tracking the number of permanent and temporary errors, and spare sectors used as a result of the errors, on a per disk and per drive basis. During read/write operations, a determination is made as to whether the number of spares used to replace defective sectors on a disk, together with the number of spares used to replace defective sectors during formatting, exceeds a predetermined limit. This limit can be different depending upon the type of disk in use, rewritable or WORM. If the limit is exceeded, diagnostics are executed to ascertain the cause of the excess usage and appropriate corrective action, such as requesting that the disk and drive lens be cleaned, is initiated. Moreovers, an attempt can be made to recover used spare sectors on a rewritable disk.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing photosensitive materials, which comprises: a tank through which a processing solution flows; a rack having integral means to facilitate its insertion and removal from the tank, the rack and the tank are relatively dimensioned so that a small volume for holding processing solution and photosensitive material is formed between the rack and the tank; means for circulating the processing solution through the small volume; and means coupled to the rack for moving the photosensitive material through the small volume.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel. A replenishment pump calibration system is integrated into the processor so that no manual measurements or special tools are required to set replenishment solution rates.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel. The channel is formed by a repeating combination of squeegee pinch rollers and impingement slot nozzles. Photographic processing solution is introduced through the impingement slot nozzles and the squeegee pinch rollers are used to remove the processing solution from the photosensitive material and provide transport of the photosensitive material. Solution level control is achieved by drains positioned below the tops of the upturned sections.

Abstract: An apparatus that produces digitally generated index prints and normal optical prints as part of the normal printing operation, without requiring the negatives to be cut and handled separately. The foregoing is accomplished by using the exposure determination and subject classification data generated for the normal optical printing operation to rapidly provide the low resolution digital data for creating the individual index print images, during the normal optical printing operation. While the digital images are being created, each digital image is being simultaneously corrected for its own exposure requirement.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel. The channel is formed by a repeating combination of squeegee pinch rollers and impingement slot nozzles. Photographic processing solution is introduced through the impingement slot nozzles and the squeegee pinch rollers are used to remove the processing solution from the photosensitive material and provide transport of the photosensitive material. Solution level control is achieved by drains positioned below the tops of the upturned sections. The slot nozzles and the pinch rollers work interactively to break down the chemical barrier layer.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel. The apparatus accurately maintains the processing solution level by keeping the upper surface of the processing solution below the high impingement devices solution exit.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus, that utilizes a plurality of processing modules, that have a narrow horizontal processing channel. The processing modules may be arranged in either a horizontal or a vertical direction to solve the space constraints and the rigidity of prior photographic processor designs.

Abstract: The processing channel contains textured surfaces with canted passageways to reduce frictional forces and adhering between the photographic material and the contacting surfaces of the processing channel.

Abstract: A low volume photographic material processing apparatus that utilizes a narrow horizontal processing channel with an upturned entrance and exit to contain processing solution within the channel. The channel is formed by a repeating combination of squeegee pinch rollers and impingement slot nozzles. Photographic processing solution is introduced through the impingement slot nozzles and the squeegee pinch rollers are used to remove the processing solution from the photosensitive material and provide transport of the photosensitive material. Solution level control is achieved by drains positioned below the tops of the upturned sections. The slot nozzles and the pinch rollers work interactively to break down the chemical barrier layer.