Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a printer that performs image printing on the sheet members supplied at preset intervals at the first transport speed and a processor that performs development processing on the printed sheet members transported at the second transport speed. The printer includes a distribution unit and a control section. The distribution unit distributes the sheet members into plural lines while transporting the sheet members at the first transport speed. The distribution unit is replaceable and has a distribution processing capacity corresponding with the sheet output amount per unit time required by the image forming apparatus. The control section controls one or both of the sheet supply intervals and the sheet distribution speed in accordance with the sheet output amount.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a system for digital dye color film processing. In one embodiment, a developer station applies a processing solution to film to initiate development of metallic silver grains and at least one dye image within the film. A scanning system illuminates the coated film with light having at least one frequency within the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The light interacts with the silver and at least one dye image within the film. The scanning station measures the light from the film and produces sensor data that is communicated to a data processing system. The data processing system processes the sensor data to produce a digital image. The digital image can then be output to an output device, such as a printer, monitor, memory device, and the like.

Abstract: A method of processing a print order in which the entire order is delivered simultaneously. An exposed sheet carrying all the latent images of the order is developed in a single processing space.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a system for digital dye color film processing. In one embodiment, a developer station applies a processing solution to film to initiate development of metallic silver grains and at least one dye image within the film. A scanning system illuminates the coated film with light having at least one frequency within the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The light interacts with the silver and at least one dye image within the film. The scanning station measures the light from the film and produces sensor data that is communicated to a data processing system. The data processing system processes the sensor data to produce a digital image. The digital image can then be output to an output device, such as a printer, monitor, memory device, and the like.

Abstract: Film cutting apparatus for removing and separating a film strip from a cartridge, one end of the film strip being secured to a spool within the cartridge, includes a carrier for receiving the film cartridge and moveable between a first position and a second position; a spring connected to the carrier for biasing the carrier toward the first position; a film drive for receiving a leading end of the film strip and pulling the film strip from the cartridge and then pulling the carrier away from the first position when the film strip is fully extracted from the cartridge; a sensor for sensing the movement of the carrier away from the first position and producing a signal in response thereto; and a knife mechanism mounted on the carrier for movement with the carrier and responsive to the signal for separating the film strip from the cartridge while the carrier is moving.

Abstract: Parallel cutter arrangement for a photographic laboratory, comprising: at least two cutters, each cutter for cutting a received web into print sheets; a feeding device which feeds the received webs to the cutters and the cut print sheets away from the cutters to a collecting station, said feeding device receiving at least two webs, each web bearing a plurality of photographic prints, photographic prints belonging to the same customer order being arranged in a sequence on each web, wherein prints of the same customer order may be present on different ones of the received webs; and a controller which controls the feeding device and the cutter such that, if prints of the same customer order are present on different webs, print sheets belonging to the same customer order arrive at the collecting station without an intermediate print sheet of an other customer order.

Abstract: There are provided an image recording apparatus comprising an exposing device for forming a latent image by imagewise exposure of a light-sensitive material, a transport device for supplying the light-sensitive material into the exposing device and for transporting an as-exposed light-sensitive material into a developing device, and a reversing device for reversing the light-sensitive material being transported such that its advancing end in the direction of transport becomes the trailing end and vice versa and being located in the pathway of transport by the transport device; a light-sensitive material processing apparatus comprising a reversing device upstream of the developing device; and an image forming apparatus comprising one of the two apparatus. These apparatus are capable of consistent production of high-quality prints by substantially reducing the permeation of processing solutions into the light-sensitive material and the color forming due to the damage to its advancing end.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing a postcard-affixed photographic print and a photographic print, which can improve productivity while using a conventional digital image recording device, and which improve the efficiency of processing a roll of photographic printing paper without greatly altering a conventional manufacturing line by that images are printed such that a plurality of image rows, each having a plurality of images which are formed along the transverse direction of an elongated photographic printing paper on the photographic printing paper.

Abstract: A photographic processing method and a printer processor in which the length of a developing path can be shortened and the size of the apparatus can also be reduced without reducing the processing capacity is provided. Since the direction in which printing paper is transported is changed during processing, that is exposure is performed while the printing paper is transported in the longitudinal direction thereof; thereafter the transport direction in which the printing paper is transported is changed and developing processing is performed; and thereafter the direction in which the printing paper is transported is restored to the longitudinal direction thereof, the degree of freedom in designing is increased and the space for installing the apparatus can be saved.

Abstract: A photographic film processing apparatus for processing long developed film (10b) formed by joining photographic films with a splicing material (13). The apparatus includes a first transport device (40a) for transporting the long developed film. A region of the splicing material in the long developed film is detected in order to cut the long film. A main cutter (60) cuts the long developed film transported by the first transport device, in the region of the splicing material into short films (10a) prior to an exposing process. A second transport device (40b) is provided for transporting the short films to exposure processing units (20, 30). Further, an auxiliary cutter (70) is provided for cutting lateral portions of the region of the splicing material in the long developed film. The region of the splicing material is cut such that a width of an upstream short film is contained within a width at a forward end of a downstream short film.

Abstract: A film developing process automatically conveys film to a film developing section. When a cartridge conveyed intermittently by a cartridge conveying device is conveyed to a first stop position, a tapered tongue drawing device is actuated to draw an end portion of a film strip out of the cartridge. At a second stop position, a cutting device and a punching device are operated to cut the tapered tongue and form coupling holes on the end portion of the film strip respectively. At a third stop position, a reinforcing label is applied to the end portion of the film strip by a label sticking device. At fourth and fifth stop positions, the end portions of the film strips are coupled with a leader sheet which has been conveyed and stopped at the other side of the fourth and fifth stop positions. The cartridges are then conveyed together with the leader sheet into the film developing section.

Abstract: Presence or absence of paper is detected by individual sensors and data content stored in a backup RAM is checked out at the time when an external power source begins to supply electric power, and paper feeding operation is automatically performed by a CPU in accordance with detected states and the stored data content.

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: An enlargement lens is moved to a retracted position by driving a lens moving deck, and temporarily transferred onto a lens storing deck. After the lens moving deck is returned to its initial position, the enlargement lens is rotatably supported on support rails and rotated about its rotatable shaft to expose a lens surface to the outside for the cleaning. Accordingly, the enlargement lens can easily be cleaned.

Abstract: A photosensitive material processing apparatus is provided with a loading section for loading therein a film container accommodating a film which is wound from one edge section in the longitudinal section thereof around a spool shaft with the edge section thereof in the longitudinal section separated from the spool shaft for development and also which is returned in the separated state to a customer, said film accommodated therein in the state of being wound around the spool shaft; a feeding device means for feeding the film into the loading section from another edge section of the film wound around the spool shaft and also retaining the film in the state where the former edge section of the film in the longitudinal direction is kept locked in the loading section; and a single processing tank for receiving a portion of the film fed out by the feeding means from the loading section and developing the film with a processing liquid.

Abstract: When an IX240-type photographic film is brought in a photofinishing laboratory, a user selects a winding form or a cutting form. At the laboratory, selected form is inputted with a keyboard and a controller controls a film transport changing unit due to the selected form. When the winding form is selected, the developed photographic film is transported to a film winding unit. When the cutting form is selected, the developed photographic is transported to a cutter. The film winding unit winds the photographic film into the cartridge so as to contain it as a long film. The cutter cuts the photographic film every predetermined number of frames to make plural film pieces. The film pieces are contained in a film sheath.

Abstract: An automatic film development apparatus includes a cartridge case for carrying a group of film cartridges loaded with undeveloped films. A feeder unit stores a plurality of the cartridge cases and delivering them one by one to an unloading station for unloading sheets of undeveloped film from respective film cartridges in the cartridge case. The undeveloped film sheet is rewound at a rewinding station into a takeup cartridge. A splicer unit joins one end of the undeveloped film sheet from the takeup cartridge to a short film leader supplied from a film leader supply unit for feeding short film leaders one at the time. A development unit developes the undeveloped film sheet joined to the short film leader. A separator unit separates a developed film sheet from the short film leader. The developed film sheet separated from the short film leader is loaded at a loading station back into its film cartridge.

Abstract: An apparatus for recovering film containers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a separating device for withdrawing a film stored in a wound state within a film container held at a holding portion from the film container and then separating the film from the film container and a recovering section for recovering into a collecting section the film container from which the film has been separated. According to the spirit of the invention, the recovering section includes a classifying device for classifying the film container according to the type and a plurality of collecting sections for collecting a plurality of film containers type-classified by the classifying device separately from each other according to the type.

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 plurality of films contained within a respective plurality of cartridges are successively spliced together and transferred to a development processing station. The leading end of a first film is drawn out from its respective cartridge and transferred to a splicer. At the splicer, a film leader is spliced to the leading end of the first film. The film leader having the leading end of the first film spliced thereto is transferred to the development processing station to cause the trailing end of the first film to arrive at the splicer. Then, at the splicer, the leading end of a second film is spliced to the trailing end of the first film. In this manner, a string of films is spliced together and transferred to the film development station, with the leading end of the first film having the film leader spliced thereto.

Abstract: A photographic film developing apparatus includes a developing section including a developing tank for developing a photographic film strip, a drying section drying the developed film strip, and a film collecting/storing holder disposed adjacent an exit of the drying section for collecting and storing the dried film strip from the drying section. The film collecting/storing holder includes a film rolling device for rolling the film strip for the storage thereof within the holder.

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: A 3D printer that has a chemical processor in-line with the printer. The preferred printer is a single-stage printer that uses two video cameras with different magnification powers for acquiring images from 2D negatives for editing and key subject alignment. One video camera takes full view image for key subject selection and picture cropping, the other video camera which is used for acquiring image data for key subject alignment sees only an enlarged section of the image around the key subject. The single-stage printer uses an automated image matching algorithm to find the relative location of the key subject in each negative frame. The single-stage printer also includes a chemical processor so that photo processing can be part of an in-line printing process.

Abstract: A photo-developing apparatus comprises direction switching means in a transfer passage shifting a sheet paper to a developing unit from a printing unit and is disposed for rotating the sheet paper sent from the printing unit to change its direction within the range from 70 degree to 110 degree or from 250 degree to 290 degree.

Abstract: This invention is a photographic film proposed to facilitate a cutting operation of the photographic film by accurately cutting a longitudinal central position of perforations and to facilitate an editing operation of cut stereo photographs, and has a constitution which has perforations provided along the vicinities of both upper and lower side edges of the photographic film, cutting marks described as latent images by preexposure at a longitudinal center of a periphery of each perforation. Further, frame numbers for a stereo photograph are described as latent images by preexposure at a lower edge of each photographic picture plane of the film.