Stabilizing Patents (Class 430/428)
  • Patent number: 5334493
    Abstract: A photographic processing solution for processing a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material and a processing method using the same is disclosed. The photographic processing solution comprises formaldehyde and an amine compound having at least one --NH-- group in the --NH-- equivalent amount per liter of the photographic processing solution being greater than the molar concentration of formaldehyde in the photographic processing solution. The photographic processing solution is stable and has a reduced formaldehyde vapor pressure. The processing method provides excellent image stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fujita, Masakazu Morigaki, Hiroshi Kawamoto, Shigeru Nakamura, Morio Yagihara, Hiroyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5316898
    Abstract: A solid composition for bleaching an exposed and developed silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material and processing method thereof. The composition contains at least one kind of ferric complex salt and is in the form of a tablet having a bulk density of 1.0 to 2.5 g/cm.sup.3. The composition provides excellent solubility and preservability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Ueda, Hiroshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 5300409
    Abstract: A method of processing a light-sensitive silver halide photographic material is disclosed. The method comprises a processing steps of developing, fixing and a washing or stabilizing, wherein a replenishing solution for the washing or the stabilizing step is an amount of not more than 3 liters per square meter of the light-sensitive material. The photographic material comprises a support, and a hydrophilic colloidal layer on each of the both side of the support, wherein either one of the hydrophilic colloidal layers contains a dye represented by a specific chemical formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ushiroyama, Kazuhiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5298373
    Abstract: Silver halide black-and-white photosensitive material is processed with a fixer which contains 0.5 to 2.0 mol/liter of a thiosulfate and 0.003 to 0.3 mol/liter of a meso-ionic compound, the moles of the meso-ionic compound divided by the moles of the thiosulfate being from 0.003 to 0.2. The fixer accelerates fixing speed, enabling rapid processing of photographic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Senzo Sasaoka, Katsumi Hayashi, Kota Fukui, Tetsuro Kojima
  • Patent number: 5298370
    Abstract: A method of processing a silver halide color photographic material using a carbamoyl or imidazole type organic metal complex bleaching agent of any of compounds of formulae (I), (II), (III), (IV), and (V) and a mercapto, mesoionic or thioether fixing agent of compounds of formulae (A), (B) and (C). A bleach-fixing composition containing the bleaching agent and fixing agent is also disclosed. The processing method provides good desilvering with little bleach fogging of the processed photographic material, and the processing composition has good stability. W in formula (III) below represents a divalent linking group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kojima, Hisashi Okada, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5298368
    Abstract: Photographic coupler compositions comprise (a) a pyrazolone magenta dye-forming coupler compound, and (b) a sulfoxide compound in an amount sufficient to reduce continued coupling of the coupler compound during the bleach step of a color photographic process. The sulfoxide compound is of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are individually selected from the group consisting of straight and branched chain alkyl groups, alkenyl groups and alkylene groups; straight and branched chain alkyl groups, alkenyl groups and alkylene groups containing at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, aryloxy, aryl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, acyloxy, carbonamido and carbamoyl groups and halogen atoms; a phenyl group; and a phenyl group containing at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, aryl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, acyloxy, carbonamido and carbamoyl groups and halogen atoms. Additionally, R.sub.1 and R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Paul B. Merkel, Edward Schofield, Stephen P. Singer
  • Patent number: 5296338
    Abstract: The present invention relates to photographic processing, and specifically discloses the use of ethyl bis (polyethoxy ethanol) alkyl ammonium ethyl sulfate as the effective ingredient in an anti-static additive for photographic processing. The effective ingredient is combined with isopropanol and water in the ratio of 8 oz./2 oz./118 oz. (per gallon) to provide the desired anti-static coating to the photographic negatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Inventor: John A. Chester
  • Patent number: 5278033
    Abstract: Disclosed is a stabilizing solution for a light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material, comprises a compound represented by the following Formula I, and has a surface tension of from 15 to 60 dyne/cm at 20.degree. C.; ##STR1## wherein Z represents a group of atoms necessary to form a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic hydrocarbon or heterocyclic ring, X represents an aldehyde group, ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent a lower alkyl group. The stabilizing solution and the processing method for a light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material according to this invention, can provide a processing technique that can achieve a superior stability of dye images, can better prevent backside deposits, can promise superior solution stability, and can better prevent yellow staining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Moeko Hagiwara, Ichiro Tsuchiya, Tsuyoshi Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 5270148
    Abstract: A processing solution for a silver halide color photographic material, wherein said solution contains at least one kind of a compound represented by formula (I) and at least one kind of a compound represented by formula (A); ##STR1## wherein X represents a nonmetallic atomic group necessary for forming a nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic ring; ##STR2## wherein X.sub.0 represents a non metallic atomic group necessary for forming a nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic ring; and R.sub.a and R.sub.b, which may be same or different, each represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group and R.sub.a and R.sub.b may be bonded each other to form a 4- to 8-membered ring, and a method for processing a silver halide color photographic material with the above processing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Morigaki, Shigeru Nakamura, Yoshihiro Fujita, Hiroshi Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 5256524
    Abstract: Disclosed is a processing method for silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material in which a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material is processed with a processing solution capable of fixation and then a part or all of the overflow from stabilizer is allowed to enter in the processing solution capable of fixing wherein said silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material contains a coupler represented by Formula 2eq-1 and said stabilizer contains substantially no formaldehyde but contains a compound represented by Formula I or Formula II: ##STR1##R.sub.1 --O--(R.sub.2 --O).sub.m --X.sub.1 (Formula I) ##STR2## The total amount of silver coated in said silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material is not less than 3 g and not more than 10 g per m.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshimoto, Shigeharu Koboshi, Masao Ishikawa, Mayumi Emoto
  • Patent number: 5254442
    Abstract: A method of processing silver halide color photographic material is disclosed. The process comprises a step of color development, a step of processing with a processor having a bleaching power and a step of stabilization, wherein an air-time ratio at a step of color development, or a step of processing with a processor having a bleaching power is 15 to 65%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Kuse, Sigeharu Koboshi, Masayuki Kurematsu
  • Patent number: 5254444
    Abstract: A photographic processing composition containing at least one compound represented by formula ##STR1## wherein R, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group; and L.sub.1 represents an alkylene group or an arylene group. Also disclosed a processing composition for a silver halide color photographic material containing a metal chelate compound formed from a compound represented by formula (I) and a metal salt selected from salts of Fe(III), Mn(III), Co(III), Rh(II), Rh(III), Au(III), Au(II) and Ce(IV). A method is also disclosed for processing a silver halide photographic material with the processing compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Okada, Shigeru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5246822
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of processing imagewise exposed photographic color silver halide materials in which, after the dye image is formed, the photographic material is treated with an aqueous stabilizing solution containing iodide ions but no fixing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gareth B. Evans, John R. Fyson, Peter D. Marsden
  • Patent number: 5238793
    Abstract: A method of processing a photographic element having a layer comprising a silver halide emulsion sensitized with a cyanine dye where the dye is present in the processing solution at a concentration sufficient to cause formation of solid dye particles. The method comprises contacting the element with at least one processing solution in the presence of an effective amount of a dye solubilizing compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of ##STR2## halogen, hydrogen, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, and sulfo,R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, and substituted or unsubstituted aryl, with the proviso that the dye solubilizing compound comprises at least four solubilizing groups as substituents on R.sub.5 's or R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Harry A. Hoyen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5232821
    Abstract: Photographic coupler compositions comprise (a) a magenta dye-forming coupler compound, and (b) a sulfoxide compound or a sulfone compound in an amount sufficient to improve the light stability of a magenta dye formed from the magenta dye-forming coupler compound. The sulfoxide compound is of the formula ##STR1## and the sulfone compound is of the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Paul B. Merkel, Edward Schofield
  • Patent number: 5225320
    Abstract: Method of processing a silver halide color photosensitive material which comprises the steps of a developing process, a bleach-fixing solution or a fixing solution, and then, without washing with water, treated with a stabilizing solution. The method is characterized in that the silver halide color photo sensitive material comprises a high boiling point organic solvent having a dielectric constant of 3.5 or more and the stabilizing solution comprises silicone having the surface tension 20 to 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kuse, Shigeharu Koboshi
  • Patent number: 5217852
    Abstract: Disclosed is a color image-stabilization processing solution for a silver halide color photographic material containing at least one of (a) an N-methylol compound represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## wherein X represents a group of non-metallic atoms necessary to form a 1H-pyrazole ring or 1H-1,2,4-triazole ring together with the nitrogen atom; and (b) an N-methylol compound satisfying the condition that an equilibrium constant in water at room temperature is 2.times.10.sup.-2. mol/liter or less and a formaldehyde-releasing rate constant is 1.times.10.sup.-5 sec.sup.-1 or more. This solution permits one to dispense formaldehyde and its attendant risks. Also disclosed is a method for processing silver halide color photographic materials using such a solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Morigaki, Hiroshi Kawamoto, Yoshihiro Fujita, Shigeru Nakamura, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Morio Yagihara
  • Patent number: 5206121
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method in which water for preventing the concentration of processing solution in a processing tank from being increased due to evaporation and a replenisher for avoiding a lowering of the effectiveness of the processing solution are added to the processing tank of a photographic processing apparatus. Before the processing tank is replenished with a replenisher, the processing tank is replenished with water by an amount corresponding to the amount of water evaporated therefrom until the liquid surface level reaches the original liquid surface level i.e. replacing evaporated water, and then, the processing tank is replenished with replenisher. Thereafter, the processing solution is discharged by an amount equal to the amount of replenisher added in order to return the liquid surface level to the original liquid surface level. Thus, the performance of the processing solution can be restored while the concentration of the processing solution is kept constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fujita, Chuji Tsukada
  • Patent number: 5206119
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of processing a light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material subjected to imagewise exposure, substantially through a color developing step, a bleach-fixing step and a stabilizing step in this order, wherein at least one layer of the light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material comprises a silver halide containing not less than 80 mol % of silver chloride, the washing-substitutive stabilizing step is carried out in a processing time of not more than 45 seconds, and a washing-substitutive stabilizing solution used in the washing-substitutive stabilizing step has a salt concentration of at least 1,000 ppm. Disclosed are also a washing-substitutive stabilizing solution and a kit of a stabilizer used for the method of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Kuse, Shigeharu Koboshi, Masayuki Kurematsu, Masao Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5194368
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for processing a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having at least one silver halide emulsion layer containing silver iodide with a processing solution having fixing ability after developing the light-sensitive material. The object of the present invention is to speed up the fixing process in the foregoing method and to reduce the amount of waste liquor from the fixing process. The present invention is characterized in that the processing with the processing solution having fixing ability is performed while the processing solution is brought into contact with an anion-exchange resin and that 20 to 2,000 l of the processing solution per liter of the anion-exchange resin is brought into contact with the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Ueda, Tetsuro Kojima, Tohru Kitahara, Tomokazu Yasuda, Yoshihiro Fujita, Takatoshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5188925
    Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, wherein a silver halide color photographic material A comprising silver halide grains with a total amount of silver coated of 2 g/m.sup.2 to 10 g/m.sup.2 and another silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material B comprising silver halide grains with a total amount of silver coated of not more than 1 g/m.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Moeko Hagiwara, Shigeharu Koboshi
  • Patent number: 5188927
    Abstract: A composition for the processing of a silver halide color photographic material, which comprises at least one metal chelate compound formed of a salt of metal selected from the group consisting of Fe(III), Mn(III), Co(III), Rh(II), Rh(III), Au(III), Au(II) and Ce(IV) and a compound represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.a, R.sub.b, and R.sub.c each represent a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group or an aromatic group; R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 each represents a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, an acyl group a sulfamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a sulfonyl group or a sulfinyl group, or R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 together may form a 5- or 6-membered ring; L.sub.1 represents a divalent aliphatic or aromatic group or a divalent linking group containing at least one of them; A.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Okada, Seki Hiroyuki
  • Patent number: 5187050
    Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide photographic material is described, comprising the steps of:(a) developing a silver halide photographic material comprising a support having thereon at least one hydrophilic colloidal layer, including at least one light-sensitive emulsion layer containing tabular silver halide grains having an aspect ratio of at least about 4, the total number of hydrophilic colloidal layers having a degree of swelling of about 250% or less; and(b) after developing a predetermined amount of said silver halide photographic material, adding a single replenisher of the developer comprising a 3-pyrazolidone developing agent represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.o represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Yamada, Takashi Toyoda, Sumito Yamada
  • Patent number: 5183727
    Abstract: A method of processing a color negative photographic recording material containing tabular grain silver halide emulsion units wherein the fixing agent comprises an aqueous solution of thiosulfate with low ammonium concentration. The silver halide emulsion in at least one of the units comprises grains having a tabularity of between about 50 and 25,000. The photographic recording material has a silver coverage of less than about 7.0 g/m.sup.2, and an iodide coverage of less than about 0.35 g/m.sup.2. The fixing bath has an ammonium concentration of less than about 1.2 molar, and ammonium may be absent entirely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Eric R. Schmittou, Allan F. Sowinski
  • Patent number: 5178989
    Abstract: Pattern forming and transferring processes using radiation sensitive materials based upon mixtures of polyoxometalates and organic compounds. The processes involve establishing a layer of such radiation sensitve material on one or more layers of underlying materials. A pattern is formed in the layer of radiation sensitive material by exposing selected areas of the layer to radiation. The pattern may then be transferred into the underlying layers of material. Methods for developing patterns in layers of radiation sensitive materials, so as to hinder leaching of etch resistant substances included in the radiation sensitive materials, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Adam Heller, Joseph C. Carls, Panagiotis Argitis, John J. Meaux
  • Patent number: 5173394
    Abstract: A method for continuously processing an imagewise exposed silver halide color photographic material comprising a support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer, comprising the steps of developing with a color developer, bleaching with a processing bath having a bleaching ability comprising a bleaching agent in a concentration of at least 0.15 mol/liter, water washing and/or stabilizing with at least two sequential processing tanks, and drying the thus processed photographic material, wherein the equilibrium iron concentration of the processing solution in the tank immediately preceding the final tank of the water washing and/or stabilizing step is from 100 to 500 ppm and the equilibrium iron concentration is at least seven times that of the processing solution in the final tank of the water washing and/or stabilizing step, and the time from the start of the bleaching step to the completion of the water washing and/or stabilizing step is not more than 65 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5169743
    Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic photosensitive material which comprises subjecting an imagewise exposed silver halide color photographic photosensitive material to color development process followed by bleach-fixing process and water washing and/or stabilization process. This method is characterized in that pH of the bleach-fixing solution ranges from 3.5 to 5.5 and the amount of replenished liquid for washing water and/or stabilization solution is 3 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over from the bath preceding the water washing and/or the stabilization bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takatoshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5153112
    Abstract: The improved method of processing a silver halide photographic material that has at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer on one side of a support and which has at least one back coating layer on the other side of the support is characterized in that said silver halide photographic material contains at least one specific dye and at least one anionic surfactant and the development, fixing, washing and/or stabilizing steps are performed within a time period of 40 seconds and at a line speed of at least 1,500 mm/min. The method is capable of processing the silver halide photographic material without producing either substantial or uneven color remnant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yoshida, Syoji Nishio
  • Patent number: 5124239
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method in which water for preventing the concentration of processing solution in a processing tank from being increased due to evaporation and a replenisher for avoiding a lowering of the effectiveness of the processing solution are added to the processing tank of a photographic processing apparatus. Before the processing tank is replenished with a replenisher, the processing tank is replenished with water by an amount corresponding to the amount of water evaporated therefrom until the liquid surface level reaches the original liquid surface level i.e. replacing evaporated water, and then, the processing tank is replenished with replenisher. Thereafter, the processing solution is discharged by an amount equal to the amount of replenisher added in order to return the liquid surface level to the original liquid surface level. Thus, the performance of the processing solution can be restored while the concentration of the processing solution is kept constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fujita, Chuji Tsukada
  • Patent number: 5110716
    Abstract: A stabilizing solution for processing silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials and a processing method of silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials using the stabilizing solution are disclosed. The stabilizing solution contains a polyoxyalkylene type compound and a compound selected from triazine type compounds and methylol type compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Kuse, Shigeharu Koboshi, Moeko Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 5108879
    Abstract: A method for the processing of a silver halide photographic material is provided, which comprises the steps of;developing a silver halide photographic material which has been previously exposed to light,processing the developed silver halide photographic material with a bath which contains a thiosulfate and which has a fixing ability, andsubsequently subjecting the developed silver halide photographic material to washing and/or stabilizing in a multi-stage countercurrent process, wherein the multi-stage countercurrent process includes a reverse osmosis membrane and a washing solution and/or stabilizing solution, said solution containing at least one member selected from the group consisting of a sulfinic acid, a sulfinate and a carbonyl compound-bisulfurous acid addition product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Abe, Shinji Ueda
  • Patent number: 5108878
    Abstract: A silver halide photosensitive material after exposure can be efficiently processed in a multi-compartment apparatus comprising a series of processing compartments interconnected through narrow channels to define a continuous processing path, by passing the photosensitive material through the series of compartments along the path. Two or more processing solutions of different compositions are supplied to the path at different positions to fill the compartment with the solutions, while the solution is discharged from the path through an outlet port at an intermediate position. During a quiescent period, the solution is discharged such that the compartment which the photosensitive material first enters and the compartment from which the photosensitive material exits become empty. Operation is restarted by refilling the entrance and exit compartments with fresh solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5104775
    Abstract: In a method for processing at least 2 kinds of silver halide color photographic light-sensitive materials comprising the steps of development, bleach-fixing, water washing and/or stabilization, the method comprises processing, in a common bleach-fixing bath and a common water washing or stabilization bath directly subsequent thereto, one silver halide color photographic light sensitive material having, applied to a substrate, a silver halide emulsion layer which contains, on average, not less than 3 mole % of silver iodide and another silver halide color photographic light sensitive material having applied to a substrate a silver halide emulsion layer which is substantially free of silver iodide, the water washing or stabilization bath containing at least one nonionic surfactant. The amount of replenisher for the bleach-fixing bath and the water washing or stabilizing bath is reduced to not more than 400 ml/m.sup.2 for color paper or not more than 800 m1/m.sup.2 for color negative film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Abe, Shinji Ueda, Toshihiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 5077179
    Abstract: A method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials comprises replenishing each of replenishers to water washing process and/or stabilization process in an amount of 1 to 50 times the volume of a solution carried over from a bath preceding the water washing process and/or the stabilization process per unit area of the photosensitive material and limiting the amount of calcium compounds included in a layer for constituting photograph of the photosensitive material to not more than 25 mg/m.sup.2 on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium. The method makes it possible to effectively suppress the contamination of the processed photosensitive materials, the increase in turbidity of the water washing and/or stabilization bath solutions and the proliferation of bacteria or molds in these baths. These effects are further enhanced by reducing the amount of calcium and magnesium present in the replenishers for washing and/or stabilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Abe, Yoshihiro Fujita, Nobuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 5075202
    Abstract: A method of processing a light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material which comprises subjecting to imagewise exposure a light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material having a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer on i) a substrate coated with a resin cured by irradiation with electron beams or ii) one side or both sides of a substrate of an opaque thermoplastic resin film comprising a synthetic polyester film coated on its one side or both sides with fine particles of white pigment and/or a synthetic polyester film containing said fine particles dispersed in the film and applied with molecular orientation, followed by color developing processing and, after processing by use of processing solution having fixing ability, stabilizing processing without substantially any water washing step. The concentration of silver complex ions in the final stabilizing tank is in the range of 2.times.10.sup.-5 to 2.times.10.sup.-1 mole/liter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeharu Koboshi, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Satoru Kuse
  • Patent number: 5066570
    Abstract: A processing tank is partitioned into a plurality of compartments which are serially connected to define a continuous processing path having an entrance and an exit for photosensitive material. The path is filled with a processing solution having a desilvering function such that the processing solution in at least one compartment has a different composition from the processing solution in at least one of the remaining compartments. Silver halide photosensitive material is successively passed through the compartments without contact with the ambient air. Desilvering the photosensitive material after exposure and development in this way reduces the amount of processing solution used, especially replenished, while achieving improved photographic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakamura, Toshio Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 5063131
    Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic photosensitive material comprises treating a silver halide photographic material with a bath having fixing ability and then washing with water and/or stabilizing the photosensitive material and characterized in that the amount of replenisher for water washing or stabilization is controlled so that it is 1 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material processed from the bath preceding the water washing bath or the stabilization bath and that the photosensitive material comprises, for instance, compounds (13): ##STR1## The method makes it possible to substantially keep the image performance of the photosensitive material processed high while substantially saving the amount of washing water or the stabilization liquid and substantially shortening the water washing or the stabilization time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Abe, Yoshihiro Fujita, Keiji Mihayashi
  • Patent number: 5063144
    Abstract: Development of a color photographic material in which the emulsion layers contain silver halide grains with a chloride content of at least 80 mol % can be completed within 40 seconds by using a substantially bromide free color photographic developer solution containing, in 1 liter of aqueous solution ready for use, from 4 to 15 g of the developer corresponding to the following formula ##STR1## or a corresponding quantity of its salts, from 8 to 35 g of PO.sub.4.sup.3- ions, at least 0.2 g of antioxidant, from 0.5 to 5.0 g of KCl and other conventional components and adjusted to a pH of from 10.4 to 12.9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Agfa Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ubbo Wernicke
  • Patent number: 5055381
    Abstract: In a method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials comprising developing an exposed silver halide photosensitive material, fixing the developed material and washing it with a washing water, the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the replenishing washing water is reduced to not more than 5 mg/l on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium and washing water is replenished in an amount of 1 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material from a bath preceding the washing bath per unit area thereof or that the replenishing washing water is introduced into a washing bath after reducing the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds to the range mentioned above and sterilizing the same. The method makes it possible to substantially reduce the amount of washing water while reliably suppressing turbidity and proliferation of microorganisms in the washing water during and after completion of processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Abe, Yoshihiro Fujita, Toshio Koshimizu
  • Patent number: 5039599
    Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic material is disclosed, comprising imagewise exposing the material and continuously processing the material in an automatic processor wherein the bleach-fixing bath contains(i) at least one organic acid ferric complex salt, and(ii) at least one sulfinic acid, and the open area value (X) of said bleach-fixing bath and the water washing bath during the processing is not more than 0.05 cm.sup.-1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Shinji Ueda
  • Patent number: 5037725
    Abstract: A process for stabilizing the magenta dye image in a photographic color element comprises the step of treating the element after the step of color developing and prior to the step of bleaching or bleach-fixing with an aqueous solution that has a pH in the range of 7 to 10 and contains an effective amount of an alkali metal formaldehyde bisulfite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ann M. Cullinan, Charles M. Darmon, William G. Henry, Paul A. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 5026629
    Abstract: A fixing bath and a method of fixing wherein the bath contains an imidazole compound that facilitates the removal of thiosulfate from the film in addition to reducing the presence of stain in the resulting film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hugh G. McGuckin, Michael G. Blount, Paul Schwartz, Donald F. McLaen, James L. Lyon
  • Patent number: 5017463
    Abstract: A process for developing a silver halide photographic material having, on a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer comprising a silver halide emulsion spectrally sensitized by an infrared-sensitizing dye, which is subjected to image-wise exposure, then development and fixing processing and then washing or stabilization processing, wherein the silver halide in the silver halide emulsion layer contains 90 mol % or more of silver chloride, the swelling rate for hydrophilic colloid layers containing the silver halide emulsion layer is 150% or less, and the replenishment in the washing or stabilization processing is 1,200 ml or less per square meter of the photographic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Inoue, Katsumi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5009983
    Abstract: A method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials is described which includes processing an imagewise-exposed silver halide photosensitive material in a bath which has a fixing ability and then at least one of washing and stabilizing the photosensitive materials in a multi-stage counter-flow system, wherein liquid from at least one of a water washing tank and a stabilizing tank is treated using a reverse osmosis membrane and the treated liquid is recycled to at least one of the water washing tank and the stabilizing tank, and at least a tank at the stage at which the liquid is removed for the reverse osmosis membrane treatment has an open fraction of not more than 0.03.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Abe
  • Patent number: 5006440
    Abstract: A silver image produced by imagewise exposure, development and fixing of a photographic material containing at least one silver halide emulsion layer is stabilized by being subjected after fixing to treatment by a stabilizing bath containing a compound corresponding to general formula IR.sub.1 --(NHCO--R.sub.2 --R.sub.3).sub.m (I)in whichR.sub.1 represents a nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocycle,R.sub.2 represents an optionally branched C.sub.1-8 alkylene radical,R.sub.3 represents Cl or Br andm=1 or 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Berthold, Hans hlschlager
  • Patent number: 5006456
    Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material comprises the steps of developing the light-sensitive material with a color developer containing an aromatic primary amine color developing agent, desilvering, washing with water and/or stabilizing the material in which at least one processing solution used in at least one step of the processing contains at least one compound selected from the group consisting of sulfinic acids and salts and precursors thereof. This method makes it possible to effectively prevent the formation of stains due to not only the components of the light-sensitive material per se but also those attributable to the processing solutions, during processing or storage with time, and to enhance the stability of processing solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Morigaki, Takatoshi Ishikawa, Kazuto Andoh, Nobuo Seto, Toshio Koshimizu, Shinji Ueda
  • Patent number: 4987058
    Abstract: A processing method without washing gives good photographic properties, without a precipitate being deposited in the stabilizing bath, when the bleach-fixing bath contains a compound of the formulaFe(X).sub.2 DTPA,whereinX denotes alkali or ammonium,as bleaching agent, and the stabilizing bath contains a fungicide, HEDP and a hexametaphosphate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Erika Spriewald, Gustav Tappe, Heinz Meckl
  • Patent number: 4987059
    Abstract: Excellent image silver stability is obtained without intermediate washing after fixing and without a special finishing bath by a process for stabilizing a silver image produced by exposure, development and fixing of a photographic material containing at least one silver halide emulsion layer, in which, immediately after fixing, the photographic material is subjected to treatment by a stabilizing bath containing a compound corresponding to general formula (I) ##STR1## in which X=Cl, BrR.sup.1 =H, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.6-10 aryl,R.sup.2 =CHO, COOH, COONa, CH.sub.2 COOH, CH.sub.2 COONa, CONR.sub.2.sup.3, CONHR.sup.3,R.sup.3 =H, C.sub.1-2 alkyl,and a compound corresponding to formula II ##STR2## and/or to formula III ##STR3## in which R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may be the same or different and represent H, --NH.sub.2, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylsulfonyl, sulfamoyl, acyl, --SH or a heterocyclic group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Berthold, Helmut Haseler, Paul Marx, Heinz Meckl, Hans hischlager
  • Patent number: 4975356
    Abstract: Improved bleach-accelerating compositions that are especially useful in the reversal color processing of photographic elements are comprised of a bleach-accelerating agent and a dye-stabilizing agent. Formaldehyde precursors function as particularly effective dye-stabilizing agents in such compositions. The bleach-accelerating composition is utilized subsequent to the color developing step and prior to the bleaching step and serves to enhance the effectiveness of the bleaching step and to provide improved dye stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ann M. Cullinan, Paul A. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 4960683
    Abstract: A method for processing a black-and-white photosensitive material comprising the steps of:(a) exposing a silver halide photosensitive material having been spectrally sensitized with a sensitizing dye;(b) developing the exposed material;(c) fixing the developed material; and(d) thereafter at least one step selected from washing the material and stabilizing the material;at least one of the fixing, washing and stabilizing steps being performed in the presence of at least one compound represented by formula (I) or (II) or a salt thereof; ##STR1## wherein A represents an atomic group necessary for forming a saturated or unsaturated 3-membered to 8-membered ring comprising at least one hetero atom selected from an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, a sulfur atom and a selenium atom; and M represents a hydrogen atom or a counter cation; andX--(R.sub.1 --S).sub.n --R.sub.2 --S--R.sub.3 --Y (II)wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, which may be the same or different, each represents an alkylene group; R.sub.1 and R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Okazaki, Akihiko Ikegawa, Minoeu Yamada, Kunio Steo