Abstract: A heat development apparatus 21 which heats a heat-developable sheet A having an exposure-developed latent image formed therein while being conveyed therethrough so that the latent image is developed, characterized in that a heat development section IV comprises a heating means 37 for heating the heat-developable sheet A, a hold-down roller 38 disposed opposed to the heating means 37 for pressing the heat-developable sheet A against the heating means 37, and a temperature adjusting means 39 for raising the temperature of the hold-down roller 38 to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A cooling section 400 for cooling a recording material A, which is a recording material, is disposed in a downstream portion of a heat development section 18. The cooling section 400 has a pair structure consisting of a metal roller 404 and a roller 402 made of an elastic material. The metal roller 404 having excellent heat conductivity is brought into contact with an image forming surface of the recording material A. As a result of the foregoing structure, the recording material A subjected to the heat development can uniformly be cooled to a temperature not higher than a development interruption temperature during conveyance in the cooling section 400. The metal roller may be modified variously. For example, the metal roller is cooled by a cooling mechanism or replaced by a belt.

Abstract: A heat processing apparatus is disclosed, comprising a heater to perform heat processing of prescribed temperature to a sheet to be heat processed at a fixed position, a transferring means to convey the sheet to be heat processed by sliding on the surface of the heater, and a pressing means to press at least one part of the sheet to be heat processed against the surface of the heater during transferring.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image recording apparatus for forming an image on a heat development photosensitive material or a light- and heat-sensitive recording material through a dry processing, said image recording apparatus being capable of continuously recording high-quality images over a long period of time by providing a heat development part with a cleaning mechanism therefor and including a storage part in which the recording material is stored; a latent-image forming mechanism which forms a desired latent image on the recording material conveyed from the storage part; a heat development mechanism which develops the recording material and includes a heating member for heating at a given temperature the recording material conveyed from the latent-image forming mechanism and a press contact member for pressing the recording material against the heating member; and a cleaning mechanism which cleans that contact surface of at least one of the heating member and the press contact member which comes into contact with

Abstract: A is moved, the heating members heat treatment apparatus 18 for subjecting a sheet A, which must be subjected to heat treatment, to heat treatment by transferring the sheet along the surface of a heating member, the heat treatment apparatus incorporating: at least two heating members 120, 320 fixedly aligned in a direction in which the sheet A, which are arranged to subject the sheet A to heat treatment which is performed at a predetermined temperature; transferring mechanism for sliding and transferring the sheet A along the surface of each heating member; and a pressing mechanism 122, 322 for pressing at least a portion of the sheet A which is being transferred, against the surfaces of the heating members.

Abstract: A heat developing method for obtaining a visible image comprising contacting a heat-developable light-sensitive material or a light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material on which a latent image has beer formed with a heating means in a heat developing part, wherein the heat-developable light-sensitive material or light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material which is peeled off from the heating means is cooled, in a noncontacting state, to a temperature not higher than a temperature at which progress of development is stopped, and then the material is held with a transfer means for discharging the material outside of the heat developing part, and a developing apparatus for obtaining a visible image.

Abstract: A heat developing method for obtaining a visible image comprising contacting a heat-developable light-sensitive material or a light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material on which a latent image has been formed with a heating means in a heat developing part, wherein the heat-developable light-sensitive material or light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material which is peeled off from the heating means is cooled, in a noncontacting state, to a temperature not higher than a temperature at which progress of development is stopped, and then the material is held with a transfer means for discharging the material outside of the heat developing part, and a developing apparatus for obtaining a visible image.

Abstract: The improved package of thermal recording sheets of the invention is wrapped as a stack which contains at least one maintenance sheet in addition to the thermal recording sheets. The improved thermal image recording apparatus of the invention uses the improved package, detects directly or indirectly that the next sheet is the maintenance sheet by a detection sensor and allows the first or detected maintenance sheet to be carried to a recording section by a transport device and a treatment associated with the maintenance sheet to perform in the recording section by a control device. Other improved apparatus of the invention is provided with a maintenance sheet magazine for accommodating maintenance sheets and allow the treatment to perform at the recording section in the same manner. Therefore, the improved package and apparatus permit the thermal head to be cleaned periodically in an automatic fashion.

Abstract: The improved package of thermal recording sheets comprises a container of a stack of thermal recording sheets and a humidity control agent that is secured to the container having an opening through which the thermal recording sheets can be taken out individually. The improved magazine comprises an enclosure for accommodating sheetings that have their sensitivity varied with humidity changes, a cover that is adapted to be opened or closed with respect to the enclosure and a mechanism for engaging the cover with the enclosure, wherein all areas of the cover that mate with the enclosure are furnished with a moisture resisting structure. Both the package and magazine ensure that a plurality of sheetings such as thermal recording films that are highly sensitive to moisture can be held at all times in a desired humidity environment in a moisture controlled state, especially in the interior of a thermal image recording apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a pair of suction cups for attracting an uppermost one of stacked sheets, the suction cups being spaced from each other in a direction across the direction in which the sheet attracted by the suction cups is fed, a swinging mechanism for swinging the suction cups toward each other while the suction cups are attracting the sheet, and a flexing mechanism for forcibly flexing a portion of the sheet between the suction cups toward a next one of the stacked sheets when the suction cups are swung toward each other by the swinging mechanism.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed, one by one, from a stack of sheets on a sheet support to a sheet delivery mechanism. Suction cups for attracting an uppermost sheet of the stack are moved toward the stack, and activated to attract the uppermost sheet. The suction cups are then moved to remove the uppermost sheet from the stack while the suction cups are being inclined a predetermined angle from a direction perpendicularly to the uppermost sheet toward opposite to a direction in which the sheet is fed. The removed uppermost sheet is then transferred to the sheet delivery mechanism in the direction in which the sheet is fed.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a pair of suction cups for attracting an uppermost one of stacked sheets, the suction cups being spaced from each other in a direction across the direction in which the sheet attracted by the suction cups is fed, a swinging mechanism for swinging the suction cups toward each other while the suction cups are attracting the sheet, and a flexing mechanism for forcibly flexing a portion of the sheet between the suction cups toward a next one of the stacked sheets when the suction cups are swung toward each other by the swinging mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for feeding sheets, one by one, to an automatic photographic processor or the like. The sheet feeding device generally includes a suction pad for taking out an uppermost sheet of stacked sheets stored in a sheet placement unit, a delivery mechanism for delivering the uppermost sheet to a sheet discharge port, a shutter mechanism used to open and close the sheet discharge port, a sheet insertion slot for directly introducing an extra sheet other than said stacked sheets to the sheet discharge port, a cover capable of opening and closing the sheet insertion slot, a magazine capable of accommodating a roll of sheet therein and capable of being disposed in the sheet insertion slot, a swingable plate having one end coupled to a drive source and the other end brought into engagement with the shutter mechanism so as to open and close the shutter mechanism, and a sensor for detecting angular positions of the swingable plate.

Abstract: Photographic light-sensitive mediums such as sheets are fed one by one by a suction pad in a sheet-feed control device. The suction pad is displaced downward at a low speed in a position near a stack of sheets so as to approach an uppermost one of the sheets, thereby attracting the uppermost sheet to the suction pad, and the uppermost sheet is flexed by a sheet presser while it is being separated away from the other sheets. Then, a judgement is made as to whether the suction pad attracts either a single sheet or a plurality of sheets, by detecting the magnitude of the flexion of the sheet or sheets attracted. Then, the suction pad is displaced again toward the position where the uppermost sheet is to be attracted, when it is detected that the suction pad has attracted the plurality of sheets. At this time, the suction pad is placed in a given stop position, thereby releasing the plurality of sheets from the suction pad.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed one by one by suction cups in an image recording system. A resilient sheet separator is brought into abutment against an uppermost one of stacked sheets, and then the suction cups are moved toward the uppermost sheet. Before the suction cups reach the uppermost sheet, they are activated to attract the uppermost sheet under suction. The sheet separator pushes the uppermost sheet in one direction and the suction cups draw the uppermost sheet in the opposite direction, so that the attracted uppermost sheet is greatly flexed fully out of contact with the next sheet of the sheet stack. Thereafter, the suction cups and the sheet separator are displaced away from the sheet stack, separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack. A detecting arrangement detects whether the suction cup attracts a single sheet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for feeding sheets, one by one, to an automatic photographic processor or the like. The sheet feeding device generally includes a suction pad for taking out an uppermost sheet of stacked sheets stored in a sheet placement unit, a delivery mechanism for delivering the uppermost sheet to a sheet discharge port, a shutter mechanism used to open and close the sheet discharge port, a sheet insertion slot for directly introducing an extra sheet other than said stacked sheets to the sheet discharge port, a cover capable of opening and closing the sheet insertion slot, a magazine capable of accommodating a roll of sheet therein and capable of being disposed in the sheet insertion slot, a swingable plate having one end coupled to a drive source and the other end brought into engagement with the shutter mechanism so as to open and close the shutter mechanism, and a sensor for detecting angular positions of the swingable plate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets one by one. This device basically comprises a suction pad moved toward stacked sheets so as to attract an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets thereto, a drum rotatable in both forward and reverse directions, a first belt-type conveying system disposed on one part of the surface of the drum, a second belt-type conveying system disposed on another part of the surface of the drum, a sheet insertion port defined by the drum and the first belt-type conveying system, and a sheet withdrawal port defined by the drum and the second belt-type conveying system. The device is also characterized in that the suction pad is displaced to face the sheet insertion port so as to interpose the uppermost sheet between the drum and the first belt-type conveying system, followed by transfer toward the second belt-type conveying system, and the uppermost sheet is reversed by the drum and the second belt-type conveying system so as to be discharged from the sheet withdrawal port.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of feeding sheets. The sheets such as photographic photosensitive films are fed one by one by a suction pad in an image recording apparatus. The suction pad is displaced at a higher speed toward a stack of sheets, and then the speed of the suction pad is reduced to cause the suction pad to approach the stacked sheets ata lower speed. It is thereafter detected whether or not an uppermost one of the stacked sheets is attracted by the suction pad. Further, the suction pad is stopped from being moved toward the stacked sheets immediately upon detecting that the suction pad has attracted the uppermost sheet, and is also displaced away from the stacked sheets until the suction pad reaches a desired position.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed one by one by suction cups in an image recording system. A resilient sheet separator is brought into abutment against an uppermost one of stacked sheets, and then the suction cups are moved toward the uppermost sheet. Before the suction cups reach the uppermost sheet, they are activated to attract the uppermost sheet under suction. The sheet separator pushes the uppermost sheet in one direction and the suction cups draw the uppermost sheet in the opposite direction, so that the attracted uppermost sheet is greatly flexed fully out of contact with the next sheet of the sheet stack. Thereafter, the suction cups and the sheet separator are displaced away from the sheet stack, separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack. Air may be forcibly be introduced between the uppermost and next sheets, so that the remaining sheets can reliably be separated from the attracted uppermost sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feed control system for use in an image recording apparatus, for example, includes a suction cup for attracting a sheet-like member such as a photographic film under suction, a crank mechanism for moving the suction cup with respect to the sheet-like member, and a swinging mechanism for swinging the suction cup with the sheet-like member attracted thereto to impart swinging action to the sheet-like member. The crank mechanism is drived by a pulse motor in response to a control signal applied thereto, and the swinging mechanism is drived by a pulse motor in response to a control signal applied thereto. Information, such as rotational speeds and angular displacements, with regard to the pulse motors is stored in a memory, and desired information corresponding to certain physical properties of the sheet-like member, can be selected from the memory by the operator.