Abstract: A device for monitoring a sheet material which device is used for a conveying apparatus for conveying sheet materials along a prescribed conveying path, said device comprising: a photoelectric conversion element which has a linear detecting area and outputs values which varies in accordance with an amount of light received at the detecting area, the amount of light changing due to the passage of a sheet material along the conveying path; and recognizing means which recognizes a position of a transverse direction end portion of the sheet material on the basis of a value output by the photoelectric conversion element. By disposing the edge of one half portion of the detecting area of the photoelectric conversion element at a reference position of each sheet material such as a central position of the sheet materials, a change in a width of the sheet material and even a minute amount of meandering of the sheet material can be reliably detected, and the width and a type of the sheet material can be recognized.

Abstract: A container for a system to collect, manage, process and move photographic material, contained in wrappers of a defined form, for example rolls (24) is associated with an automatic device to collect the photographic material to be processed and also with at least a processing machine (13, 14) including its own data processing unit (41). The automatic collection device includes means to recognize the client (28), means (29) to input commands and aperture means (23) for the introduction of the roll (24).

Abstract: A photographic processing method and apparatus. The apparatus includes a processor for developing an exposed photographic paper, a first entry point into the processor for transferring of the exposed photographic paper to the main processing path of the processor, and a second entry point into the processor to receive a photosensitive material of a second format different from the first format and leading the photosensitive material to the main processing path. An adapter is provided having a first end which is arranged to mate with a cassette in a light-tight manner having a second end which is connectable in a light-tight manner with the second entry point on the processor. The cassette contains a photosensitive material of a second format and the cassette may be fed directly into the processor via the adapter and the second entry point of the processor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for thermal development comprising a receiving chamber for a thrust cartridge, drive means to advance thermal film from said thrust cartridge and rewind film into said thrust cartridge, a magnetic reader and writer to read and write magnetic information onto the film, an accumulator to gather said film after it has left the cartridge, a heater located between said chamber and said accumulator to develop said thermal film as it passes between said cartridge and said accumulator, and a lighttight container for said chamber, heater, and accumulator.

Abstract: In a photographic processing system for processing a photographic film for each order without splicing it to other photographic film, a destination of each of plural photographic films having a different destination from each other is determined based on photographic film destination determining information recorded on a photographic film to be processed.

Abstract: An image read apparatus, which reads an image recorded on a film accommodated in a film cartridge having a disk for indicating a development status of the film, detects the development status of the film by using a sensor, and, if the development status detected by the sensor shows undeterminable or a undeveloped state, forcibly controls the disk of the film cartridge to show a developed state.

Abstract: A development control method capable of adequately determining exposed frames of a silver halide photosensitive material so as to develop the exposed frames. When a photographing operation is performed by using a predetermined negative film, exposure completion information indicating completion of exposure is recorded at a position corresponding to the position of each frame. When the negative film accommodated in a magazine is drawn out so as to be developed, reading of exposure completion information corresponding to the first frame is tried. If exposure completion information can be read, a determination can be performed that the frame has been exposed. Therefore, reading of exposure completion information corresponding to a next frame is tried. Reading of exposure completion information is sequentially tried for the following frames. When exposure completion information cannot be read, all of the exposed frames are determined to be detected.

Abstract: A photo filmstrip includes two side portions extending in a longitudinal direction, and has a leader, a trailer, and a series of effective frame regions arranged between the leader and the trailer. A series of bar codes are recorded on one of the side portions optically in a predetermined exposing condition, i.e, with light of an intensity suitable for the film speed. The bar codes are associated with the series of the effective frame regions. A test dot is recorded optically in the predetermined exposing condition, disposed in each of the leader and the trailer, for inspection of the optical recording.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing film has two processing units and transport rollers for conveying film past the units. One of the units may include a scanning device and the other unit may include a copying device. Alternatively, the two units can comprise a prescanning device and a main scanning device, respectively. The apparatus further has a receiving station for film cartridges and at least one separate receiving station for film which is not confined in cartridges. Film can be fed to the transport rollers from either station.

Abstract: A development monitoring apparatus in which a non-exposed wafer is easily reworked by monitoring a developed portion and an undeveloped portion of a photoresist film on a wafer. The apparatus includes a light source for outputting incident light to a wafer having a photoresist film coated with a developer, and a light collector for collecting reflected light reflecting from the wafer. A filter transmits only the reflected light having a desired wavelength. A photoelectric device transforms the reflected light which passes through the filter into an electrical signal. Correct development of the photoresist film is determined by measuring the intensity change of the electrical signal over time. Accordingly, an exposed wafer and an non-exposed wafer are rapidly reworked, so that an increase in manufacturing costs and deterioration of yield rate can be prevented.

Abstract: A film sheet holder handling apparatus 100 takes up a film sheet holder 4 in which photographic film strips 5 cut by the unit of one consumer's order amount are inserted into independent rows of pockets of the holder. The apparatus includes a film detecting sensor 19 for detecting presence/absence of the transported film sheet holder 4, a take-up member 30 for taking up the holder 4 by a predetermined amount corresponding to certain number of rows of the holder, and a push-out bar 41 for pushing out the holder 4 from the take-up member 30 after completion of the take-up operation by the take-up member 30 in a direction normal to the direction of transporting the holder 4.

Abstract: A device for feeding film cartridges into a processing and/or handling apparatus, having a first feed channel so laid out that the cartridge moves by its own weight in the direction of its longitudinal axis through the channel. The cartridges lie one behind another in the direction of their longitudinal axis. To separate them, an apparatus is provided that holds one cartridge secure by frictional engagement, while the lower cartridge beneath moves down to a second feed channel. Cartridges which enter the second channel are displaced, one by one, along this channel and supplied at a feed point to the film processing and/or handling apparatus.

Abstract: An image recording system includes an image recording device and a developing device. When a latent image is formed by exposure in a frame on a silver halide photosensitive material, the image recording device records optically recognizable information relating to exposure at a position corresponding to the frame by light of an exposure amount which is sufficient to generate a silver image without developing. The developing device has a reading device for reading the information relating to exposure without photosensitizing the silver halide photosensitive material, and a developing device for developing the latent image in the frame corresponding to read information relating to exposure.

Abstract: A photographic processing system prints images from photographic films onto photographic printing paper and comprises: a film setting section for setting exposure conditions by which the images are printed onto photographic printing paper, a storage section for storing the exposure conditions for respective images recorded on the film, an exposure condition setting section for setting exposure conditions of the images of the photographic film when photographic prints corresponding to the images recorded on the film are reprinted, and a printing section which is responsive to the film setting section or the exposure condition setting section to print images based on the exposure conditions.

Abstract: A method is described for communicating printing instructions on exposed 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 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 printing. A film-splicing label encoded with indicia for identifying the scene orientation, the number of prints and/or whether sound is to be provided.

Abstract: Film handling apparatus for a multipass scanner and printer system has film receiving chambers at opposite ends of the apparatus above the film track to receive and temporarily store the coiled film between forward and reverse film transport phases. Film diversion spring fingers are provided at least at the film entry end of the film track between the track and bottom opening to the chamber to allow insertion of the film in one direction and diversion of the film into the chamber when the film transport direction is reversed.

Abstract: An automatic film processing apparatus includes a detector plate which is projected upward when cartridges are placed in cartridge case in an adverse manner. Limit switches detect the upward displacement of the detector plate and present a warning signal to an operator.

Abstract: A photo film has a pair of edge portions (11, 12) extended in a longitudinal direction. Plural image frames (48) are photographable between the edge portions. Plural bodies of photo film information (21, 22) are recorded in at least one of the edge portions photographically in a predetermined arranging pattern (13, 14) in form of latent images. The photo film has a discriminating code (15, 29) associated with the arranging pattern (13, 14) and recorded photographically in a predetermined position.

Abstract: In a film feeder for use in an automatic developing machine, a cutter control circuit actuates a cutter using electrical energy from a utility power source and electrical energy stored in a capacitor if a film end sensor detects the tail end of a film during normal feeding conditions. In the event that the film end sensor detects the tail end of the film in the event of a power failure, the cutter control circuit actuates the cutter using the electrical energy stored in the capacitor. This makes it possible to actuate the cutter even in the event of a power failure as well as to reduce the capacitance of the utility power source to a small level.

Abstract: In a photosensitive material processing apparatus, a photosensitive material taking on the form of a long strip is fed into a conveyance mechanism and conveyed in this form along a predetermined conveyance path. An exposure device, a reservoir section, a development processing section, and a cutter are located in the conveyance path. The exposure device carries out scanning exposing operations on the long strip of the photosensitive material and thereby forms latent images on the long strip of the photosensitive material. In the reservoir section, a looped portion for serving as a buffer for conveyance is formed in the long strip of the photosensitive material, on which the latent images have been formed. In the development processing section, development processing is carried out on the long strip of the photosensitive material, which is fed via the reservoir section.

Abstract: Digital image data which is transmitted from a film scanner to a digital printer is used, and the digital image data is written in an outer storage medium such as an IC card, a floppy disk, etc. in accordance with a user's requirement for the digital image data, so that the outer storage medium can be returned to the user. As a result, the user can obtain the digital image data, which is made by a high-performance film scanner in a laboratory, at a low cost, and enjoy the film image by a player and a personal computer which regenerate the digital image data. Moreover, he can easily get prints of the digital image data, which has been image-processed by the personal computer, etc., at a low cost.

Abstract: An automatic film developing apparatus for developing a photographic film being guided by a leader, comprising a film separating and forming mechanism for separating the developed film conveyed from the developing section of the apparatus from the leader, and forming the separated portion of the film into a specified shape. The developed film is automatically separated from the leader by the film separating and forming mechanism, and, at the same time, the separated portion is formed in a predetermined shape so as not to be caught in the guide of the negative mask or in a predetermined shape so as to be easily wound up in the cartridge, thereby saving the labor and enhancing the job efficiency.