Photographic printing and processing apparatus

• US 5,664,255 A
• Filed: 05/29/1996
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Wen, Xin
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/654,945
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 396/2, 396/429, 396/564, 396/604, 396/627, 396/30, 396/42, 396/642, 355/27, 355/28, 355/100, 355/106, 346/107.1, 346/107.4
• US Class Current: 396/627
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/32 Projection printing apparatus, e.g. enlarger, copying camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 15/001 Counting; Classifying; Marking
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 5/04 using liquid sprays liquid sprayers per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00259 with an apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1017 the main-scanning components remaining positionally invariant with respect to one another in the sub-scanning direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1911 Simultaneously or substantially simultaneously scanning picture elements on more than one main scanning line, e.g. scanning in swaths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays

Abstract

A method and apparatus for exposing and developing the photographic material at a single workstation. The apparatus comprises a digital device for exposing a photographic material located at a workstation and a developing mechanism for developing the photographic material at the same workstation.

Claims

1. A method for exposing and developing the photographic material at a single workstation, comprising the steps of:

a) exposing a photographic material at a single workstation using a digital exposure means; and

b) developing said photographic material used to apply at least one processing solution at said workstation without transporting of the photographic material between exposing and developing of said photographic material.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said exposing of a photographic material at a single workstation comprises the raster scanning of a digital exposure head across the photographic paper.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said exposing of said photographic material comprises the use of a single linear array which is moved along the photographic material such that the photographic material may be exposed by a single pass.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said digital exposure means comprises an LED exposure head.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said digital exposure comprises use of one of the following types:

active matrix liquid crystal display, a filled-emission display, an electroluminescent display, a plasma display, and a digital mirror device.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said development of said photographic material starts prior to complete exposure of said photographic material.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said development unit comprises a spray bar which applies said photographic solution along the entire width of said photographic material.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said digital exposure may be selected from any of the following:

an active matrix liquid crystal display, a field-emission display, a electroluminescent display, a plasma display and a digital mirror device.

9. An apparatus for exposing and developing the photographic material at a single workstation without transporting of the photographic material between exposing and developing of said photographic material, comprising:

a) means for digitally exposing a photographic material at said single workstation; and

b) means for developing said photographic material with at least at said single workstation.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means for digitally exposing said photographic material comprises an LED exposure head which is rastor scanned across said photographic paper.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means for digitally exposing said photographic material comprises a digital linear display device.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means for digitally exposing said photographic material comprises a two dimensional display device.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said two dimensional display device comprises one of the following:

an active matrix liquid crystal display, a field-emission display, an electroluminescent display, a plasma display and a digital mirror device.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein means for developing said photographic material comprises a spray bar which extends across said photographic paper.

15. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said apparatus further comprises means for allowing developing of said photographic paper prior to completion of digitally exposing the photographic material.