JP3360952B2 - Refilling device and method for detecting failure of refilling device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a replenishing device and a replenishing device failure detecting method capable of detecting a failure of a replenishing means for replenishing a replenishing processing agent to a processing tank. For example, a printer combining a photographic printer and a processor. It can be adopted as a processor or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer processor is called a minilab and is installed in a DPE store or the like. This printer processor has a printer unit that prints and exposes an image recorded on a negative film onto photographic paper, and a processor unit that develops the photographic paper that has been subjected to the print-exposure process. The printer can be automatically conveyed and processed in the printer unit and the processor unit only by setting the printer in the printer processor. In the printer section of this printer processor, the image on the negative film is enlarged to a selected fixed size and printed on the photographic paper, and the photographic paper on which the image is printed is sequentially conveyed to the processor section. Developed and finished as a photographic print.

In addition, the processor section in the
A plurality of processing tanks for performing bleach-fixing and washing with water are installed, and replenishing tanks for storing replenishing processing liquids are connected to these processing tanks via replenishing pumps. Therefore, by sending the replenishment processing liquid from the replenishment tank into the processing tank by the replenishment pump,
The replenishment processing solution was replenished to recover and stabilize the deterioration of the processing solution in the processing tank.

At this time, a rotary encoder or the like is attached to the rotary shaft of the replenishment pump to detect the amount of the replenishment treatment liquid sent from the replenishment tank to the treatment tank. Was grasping. When it is determined that the replenishment processing liquid in the replenishment tank is exhausted, the worker has supplied a new replenishment processing solution to the replenishment tank.

However, since the detector of the rotation amount such as the rotary encoder is expensive and violates the demand for the reduction of the manufacturing cost of the printer processor, it has been considered not to detect the rotation amount of the supplementary pump. Therefore, instead of directly detecting the rotation amount of the replenishment pump, it is possible to grasp the remaining amount of the replenishment treatment liquid in the replenishment tank by the estimated value of the feed amount of the replenishment treatment liquid to the treatment tank. became.

However, in this case, due to a failure of the supplementary pump,
Even if the processing liquid cannot be sent from the replenishment tank to the processing tank, this cannot be detected, and therefore a means for early detecting a failure of the replenishment pump is required.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a replenishing device and a replenishing device failure detecting method capable of detecting a failure of a replenishing pump at low cost.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replenishing device, wherein a replenishing treatment agent is sent from a replenishing tank side storing the replenishing treatment agent to the treatment tank side by a replenishing means to deteriorate the treatment liquid used in the treatment tank. A replenishing device for replenishing a replenishing treatment agent in an amount corresponding to the recovery of the replenishment amount, the sensor being capable of detecting that the remaining amount of the replenishing treatment agent in the replenishment tank has reached a predetermined first prescribed amount. And a display device capable of displaying that the sensor does not detect the decrease of the replenishment processing agent and also an instruction of supplying the replenishment processing agent to the replenishment tank, and a display device according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material in the processing tank. When the sensor does not detect the remaining amount of the replenishment treating agent when it is estimated that the remaining amount of the replenishment treating agent is less than or equal to the first specified amount based on the replenishment amount for compensating for the deterioration of the treating solution, the replenishment treating agent decreases. Display not to detect Both based on replenishment rate to compensate for the deterioration of the processing solution in accordance with the processing amount of light-sensitive material in the processing tank,
When it is estimated that the remaining amount of the replenishment treatment agent in the replenishment tank will be less than the first prescribed amount and equal to or less than the predetermined second prescribed amount, the display device is instructed to supply the replenishment treatment agent to the replenishment tank. And a control device for displaying.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting a failure of a replenishing device, in which the replenishing treatment agent is sent from the replenishing tank side for storing the replenishing treatment agent to the treatment tank side by a replenishing means to recover the deterioration of the treatment liquid used in the treatment tank. A method of detecting a failure of a replenishing device used in a replenishing device for replenishing an amount of a replenishing processing agent corresponding to the replenishing processing agent, the replenishing method for compensating for deterioration of a processing solution according to a processing amount of a photosensitive material in a processing tank. According to the amount, it is detected whether the replenishment processing agent in the replenishment tank has decreased below the first specified amount, and the deterioration of the processing solution is compensated according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material in the processing tank thereafter. When it is estimated that the remaining amount of the replenishment processing agent in the replenishment tank will be less than or equal to the second prescribed amount that is less than the first prescribed amount, based on the replenishment amount for It is characterized by displaying that there is.

[0010]

The operation of the replenishing device according to the first aspect will be described below.

The replenishment processing agent once stored in the replenishment tank is sent to the processing tank side by the replenishment means and corresponds to the replenishment amount for compensating the deterioration of the processing solution according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material in the processing tank. And replenish the replenishment treatment agent. Along with this, the sensor can detect that the remaining amount of the replenishment processing agent in the replenishment tank has become less than or equal to the predetermined first prescribed amount.

Further, if the sensor does not detect the remaining amount of the replenishment treatment agent when the control device estimates that the remaining amount of the replenishment treatment agent becomes less than the first specified amount due to the failure of the replenishment means, the control device replenishes the replenishment treatment agent. The display device displays that the decrease of the processing agent is not detected. Therefore, it is possible to know that the replenishment processing agent is not sent to the processing tank side due to a failure of the replenishment means.

Further, when the control device estimates that the amount of the replenishment treatment agent in the replenishment tank becomes less than the second specified amount, the control device displays an instruction to supply the replenishment treatment agent to the replenishment tank on the display device. Let Therefore, the replenishment treatment agent is supplied to the replenishment tank according to the instruction to supply the replenishment treatment agent to the replenishment tank. At this time, if the replenishment means fails, the replenishment treatment agent overflows from the replenishment tank and replenishment is performed. You can know the failure of the means.

On the other hand, even if the replenishment processing agent does not overflow from the replenishment tank despite the failure of the replenishment means, the above-mentioned sensor detects the replenishment treatment agent after the replenishment treatment agent is supplied to the replenishment tank. It is possible to know that the replenishment processing agent is not being sent to the processing tank side due to the failure of the replenishment means as described above, by displaying that the remaining amount is no longer detected and the decrease of the replenishment processing agent is not detected. it can.

As described above, the failure of the replenishing means can be detected at an early stage at low cost without using an expensive rotary encoder or the like for detecting the rotation amount.

The operation of the failure detecting method for the replenishing device according to the second aspect will be described below. Corresponding to the replenishment amount for compensating the deterioration of the processing liquid according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material in the processing tank,
Since it can be detected whether the amount of the replenishing treatment agent in the replenishing tank is less than the first prescribed amount, it is possible to know the failure of the replenishing means by not sending the replenishing treatment agent to the processing tank side.

Further, based on the amount used in the processing tank,
When it is estimated that the amount of the replenishment treatment agent in the replenishment tank will be below the second prescribed amount, it is displayed that the amount is below the second prescribed amount. Supply. At this time, the replenishment agent overflows from the replenishment tank, so that the failure of the replenishment means can be known.

On the other hand, due to the relationship with the remaining amount of the replenishment processing agent in the replenishment tank, even if the replenishment processing agent does not overflow from the replenishment tank even though the replenishing means is out of order, the replenishment tank does not overflow. After supplying the replenishment treatment agent to the container, it becomes impossible to detect the decrease in the replenishment treatment agent. Therefore, similarly to the above, the failure of the replenishing means can be known through the fact that the replenishing treatment agent is not sent to the processing tank side.

As described above, similarly to the first aspect, the failure of the replenishing means can be detected early at low cost without using an expensive rotary encoder or the like detector of the rotation amount.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A printer processor to which an embodiment of a replenishing device and a failure detecting method of the replenishing device according to the present invention is applied is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, and this embodiment will be described based on these drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a printer processor 10 which is a photographic printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the printer processor 10. The photo printing unit 12 that constitutes the printer unit of the printer processor 10 has a structure in which the paper magazine 14 in which the printing paper P is stored can be loaded.

On the upper left side of FIG. 1 of the paper magazine 14, a drive roller 16 around which the vicinity of the leading end of the photographic printing paper P is wound is rotatably supported. The driving roller 16 receives the driving force and rotates. Further, a pair of nip rollers 18 is arranged at a position facing the drive roller 16 with the printing paper P interposed therebetween. Therefore, the drive roller 16 holds the photographic printing paper P between the nip rollers 18 and sends the photographic printing paper P into the photographic printing section 12.

On the other hand, inside the photo printing unit 12, there is installed a cutter 22 which is composed of a pair of upper and lower blades and whose blades are moved by the motor 20. The photographic paper P coming out of the paper magazine 14 is The cutter 22 will immediately cut.

In FIG. 1, on the right side of the cutter 22, on the downstream side in the transport direction of the printing paper P, the upper surface is horizontal (see FIG. 1).
A support base 46 formed along the upper and left and right directions is arranged. A winding roller 52 around which the endless belt 44 is wound is arranged between the support base 46 and the cutter 22 in the horizontal direction (the direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1). Further, a nip roller 54 that holds the endless belt 44 between the winding roller 52 and the winding roller 52 is arranged above the winding roller 52.

A guide roller 56 around which the endless belt 44 is wound is located on the downstream side of the support base 46 in the conveyance direction of the printing paper P. A pressing roller 58 is disposed adjacent to the guide roller 56 so that the lower surface thereof has substantially the same height as the upper surface of the winding roller 52. The pressing roller 58 presses the outer circumference of the endless belt 44. ing.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the endless belt 44 in this portion is S-shaped. Further, the endless belt 44 is provided below the guide roller 56 with the tension roller 6
It is wound around 2 to form an inverted triangular movement locus. The guide roller 56 is driven and rotated by the driving force of a motor (not shown), and the endless belt 44 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
Rotate upward, clockwise.

On the other hand, a large number of small holes (not shown) are formed in the endless belt 44 over the entire area thereof, and the upper surface of the support base 46 on which a part of the endless belt 44 is placed is
A large number of holes (not shown) are formed corresponding to the small holes of the endless belt 44. Further, the inside of the support base 46 is formed in a hollow shape, and a pair of communication ducts 66 (corresponding to the drawing, formed on the widthwise ends of the endless belt 44).
(Only one is shown) is connected to the support base 46. These communication ducts 66 bypass the portion of the endless belt 44 that passes under the support base 46, reach below the endless belt 44, and are connected to a fan box 70 provided with a suction fan 68. .

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the easel device 6 is provided above the endless belt 44 moving on the support base 46.
4 is provided so that when printing the framed image on the photographic printing paper P, the periphery of the photographic printing paper P is covered with a movable piece (not shown) in the easel device 64.

A diffusion box 28 for diffusing light is arranged at a position outside the casing 10A forming the outer frame of the printer processor 10 and directly above the easel device 64, and the light diffusion paths 28 are arranged on the right of the diffusion boxes 28, respectively. A CC filter 24 composed of three sets of filters of C, M, and Y, which can be moved so as to change the amount of filter to be inserted into, is arranged. Therefore, after the light beam emitted from the light source 26 located adjacent to the CC filter 24 passes through the CC filter 24, it is bent while being diffused by the diffusion box 28 and sent directly below. Then, the light rays pass through the negative film N on the negative carrier 30 placed on the upper surface of the casing 10A.

Further, a support plate 34 is supported by a guide rail 32 installed in the photo printing unit 12 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction (the direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1), and A prism 36 and a zoom lens 38 are attached to the support plate 34 so as to be respectively arranged on the optical axis S.

Therefore, the light ray which has passed through the negative film N and becomes an exposure light ray passes through the prism 36, and then passes through the zoom lens 38 capable of changing the enlargement magnification, and is positioned below the easel device 64. An image of the negative film N is formed on the paper P.

A density measuring device 40, which is composed of a color filter and an optical sensor such as a CCD, for measuring the density of the negative film N is arranged in the photoprinting section 12, and is horizontally moved by the prism 36. The bent light beam is sent to the densitometer 40. The concentration measuring device 40 is connected to a controller (not shown), and the data measured by the concentration measuring device 40 and
An exposure correction value for printing exposure is set based on the data keyed in by the operator.

Further, in the optical path between the zoom lens 38 and the easel device 64, there is a black shutter 41 which prints and exposes the light whose color and intensity are adjusted by the CC filter 24 and which has passed through the negative film N for a predetermined time. It is provided.

Since the photographic printing section 12 is structured as described above, the photographic printing paper P sent from the paper magazine 14 is cut to a desired length by the cutter 22 and then placed on the endless belt 44. It is conveyed to an image printing position, which is a position on the optical axis S of the exposure light beam. Then, the exposure light beam from the light source 26 side reaches the photographic printing paper P via the prism 36, the zoom lens 38, etc., and the black shutter 41 is opened for a predetermined time, so that the image recorded on the negative film N is printed on the photographic printing paper P. The portion on which the image is printed by exposure is the image portion.

At this time, the air in the support base 46 escapes from the inside of the loop of the endless belt 44 to both ends in the width direction through the communication duct 66, is sucked by the suction fan 68 and is blown to the outside. The inside becomes negative pressure. This negative pressure is transmitted to the printing paper P on the endless belt 44 through the holes of the support base 46 and the small holes of the endless belt 44, and the printing paper P is sucked to the endless belt 44 as indicated by arrow A. It Therefore, the printing paper P is not only placed on the endless belt 44 but also sucked toward the endless belt 44 side.
However, the sheet is reliably conveyed by the endless belt 44 and is horizontally arranged at the image printing position.

Further, the photographic printing paper P on which the image printing exposure has been completed is nipped between the guide roller 56 and the pressing roller 58, and the conveying direction thereof is changed from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction and sent out in the vertical direction. Be done. After that, as indicated by a path K that represents the transport path of the photographic paper P, the photographic paper P is subjected to each processing of development, bleach-fixing, washing and drying via a transport path 60 constituted by a plurality of pairs of rollers. It is conveyed to the processor unit 72 which performs

Thus, the printing exposure process for one frame of the negative film N is completed. By repeating this, the printing papers P that have been subjected to the printing exposure process are sequentially conveyed to the processor unit 72 one by one.

A developing solution is stored in the developing tank 74 in the processor section 72, and the photographic paper P is dipped in the developing solution to perform the developing process. The developed printing paper P is conveyed to the bleach-fixing tank 76 adjacent to the developing tank 74. The bleach-fixing tank 76 stores a bleach-fixing solution, and the photographic printing paper P is dipped in the bleach-fixing solution to perform a bleaching process and a fixing process. The photographic printing paper P which has been subjected to the fixing treatment is conveyed to a rinsing section 78 which is adjacent to the bleach-fixing tank 76 and which is composed of a plurality of rinsing waters, and the photographic printing paper P is dipped in the rinsing water in the rinsing water tank. Wash with water.

The photographic printing paper P that has been washed with water is conveyed to the drying section 80 located above the water washing section 78. The drying unit 80 is
The printing paper P is dried by exposing the printing paper P to hot air blown in the direction of the arrow B from the chamber 82 side arranged below the conveyance path of the printing paper P.

A transport path 84 composed of a plurality of pairs of rollers is provided downstream of the drying section 80 in the transport direction of the printing paper P.
The photographic printing paper P discharged from the drying unit 80 after the drying process is completed is sandwiched between the plural pairs of rollers, discharged to the outside of the printer processor 10, and stacked.

The developing tank 74, the bleach-fixing tank 76, and the washing tank are supplied with a developing replenishing solution, a bleach-fixing replenishing solution, and a washing replenishing water from a plurality of replenishing tanks 112 installed in the processor section 72. So that the liquid can be replenished.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the structure for replenishing the liquid will be described by taking the developing tank 74 in each processing tank as an example.

The developing tank 74 is connected via a pipe 114 to an outlet 112A formed near the lower portion of the replenishing tank 112, and is a replenishing agent used for developing the photographic paper P in the developing tank 74. The developing replenisher solution is temporarily stored in the replenishing tank 112. Further, a replenishment pump 116, which is a replenishing means for sending the development replenisher from the replenishment tank 112 side to the developing tank 74 side, is arranged between the discharge port 112A and one end side of the pipe 114. Has its rotation shaft rotated by, for example, an AC motor (not shown). That is, the developer replenisher is replenished on the basis of a predetermined replenishment amount for compensating for the deterioration of the developer depending on the processing amount of the photographic paper P, and the developer replenisher is used to recover the deterioration of the used developer. Are temporarily stored in the replenishment tank 112.

Then, it is possible to detect whether or not an amount of the developing replenishing solution exceeding the predetermined first prescribed amount remains in the replenishing tank 112 at a position in the middle of the replenishing tank 112 in the vertical direction. The float switch 118 is arranged, and the float switch 118 serving as this sensor can detect the liquid level of the development replenisher in the replenishment tank 112.

On the other hand, the float switch 118 is connected to the control device 120, and the control device 120 can grasp the remaining amount of the developing replenisher by the liquid level detection signal from the float switch 118. In addition, the control device 120
Is connected to a monitor 122 (also shown in FIG. 2) which serves as a display device, and can display a message such as the supply of the development replenisher to the replenishment tank 112 on the monitor 122.

Here, for example, the total capacity of the replenishment tank 112 may be about 3.5 liters. Then, it is conceivable that the liquid level that can be detected by the float switch 118 is set to a position indicated by a dotted line, and the volume X in the refill tank 112 above the dotted line is set to about 1.2 liters.

The capacity α between the liquid level indicated by the dotted line and the dotted line set as the liquid level for prompting the operator to replenish the replenishment tank 112 with the developer replenisher is 1.8 liters. The degree can be considered.

Further, the volume β between the liquid level of the dotted line and the dotted line set as the lower limit liquid level of the usable developing replenisher is set in advance as a standard amount of processing for one day. About 0.4 liter which can be set is considered, and this 0.4 liter becomes the second prescribed amount. The volume γ of the replenishment tank 112 below the dotted line may be about 0.1 liter.

It should be noted that the second prescribed amount is set to about 0.4 liter in general, as the amount of baking work per day is to print 30 negative films N of 24 sheets. This is because the amount of development replenisher used corresponding to the area of the photographic printing paper P required for printing the negative film N of the book is about 0.4 liter. The processing amount in the printer processor 10 is, for example, the negative film N.
Is grasped by counting the number of image frames, and the information on the processing amount is sent to the control device 120,
0 is the degree of progress of the developing process of the photographic printing paper P and the amount of the developing replenisher used in the developing tank 74.

When the developing replenisher in the replenishing tank 112 is replenished to the developing tank 74 side and runs short, for example, 2.
From the bottle 130 (shown in FIG. 5) for supplying the developing replenisher containing approximately 5 liters of developing replenisher, the replenishment tank 1
The developing replenisher is to be poured into the supply port 112B formed on the upper part of 12.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When the photographic printing paper P is developed in the developing tank 74, the rotation shaft of the replenishment pump 116 rotates in accordance with this, and the replenishment tank 11
The developing replenisher once stored in 2 is sent to the developing tank 74 side to replenish the amount of the developing replenisher used in the processing in the developing tank 74 and deteriorated. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the float switch 118 detects whether or not the amount of the developing replenisher solution exceeding the liquid level shown by the dotted line remains in the replenishing tank 112.

When the developing process in the developing tank 74 progresses, the developing replenishing solution is sequentially replenished in the developing tank 74 in accordance with this, so that the liquid level in the replenishing tank 112 decreases. As shown in FIG. 4, the float switch 118 indicates that the developing replenisher has dropped below the liquid level indicated by the dotted line.
To detect.

However, since the replenishing pump 116 or the float switch 118 is out of order, the remaining amount of the developing replenishing liquid is based on the information on the processing amount of the photographic printing paper P on which the image of the negative film N is printed. When the control device 120 estimates that the level will be below the level, the float switch 11
If the controller 8 does not detect the remaining amount of the developing replenisher, the controller 12
Monitor 0 indicates that 0 does not detect a decrease in developing replenisher.
To display. Therefore, the worker can know that the developing replenisher is not being sent to the developing tank 74 side due to a failure of the replenishing pump 116 or the float switch 118.

Further, when the control device 120 estimates that the developing process in the developing tank 74 progresses and the remaining amount of the developing replenisher becomes below the liquid level indicated by the dotted line as shown in FIG.
The controller 120 causes the monitor 122 to display an instruction to supply the developing replenisher to the replenishing tank 112. Therefore, in response to an instruction to supply the development replenisher to the replenishment tank 112, the worker supplies a bottle 130 for supplying the development replenisher to the replenishment tank 112.
Thus, the developing replenisher is supplied.

At this time, for example, the replenishment pump 116 is out of order, the development replenisher is not sent to the developing tank 74 side, and the liquid of the development replenisher is between the liquid level of the dotted line and the liquid level of the dotted line. If there is a surface, a bottle 130 for supplying the developing replenisher.
As a result, as the development replenisher of 2.5 liters is added, the developer replenisher generally overflows from the replenishment tank 112. Therefore, the overflow of the developing replenisher allows the operator to know the failure of the replenishing pump 116.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, even when the liquid level is below the dotted line, the replenishment pump 116 may fail. That is, the control device 120 determines that the remaining amount of the developer replenisher has become equal to or less than the liquid level indicated by the dotted line, for example, before the start of the processing work for one day, in order not to interrupt the processing work. For this reason, the liquid level may have already dropped to a level below the dotted line level, and the replenishment pump 116 may break down during this drop.

In this case, there is a space for the replenisher of 2.5 liters or more in the replenishing tank 112, and the bottle 130 for supplying the replenisher of developing solution 130 is in spite of the failure of the replenishing pump 116. All of the developing replenisher inside the replenishing tank 112 enters the replenishing tank 112
Don't overflow more. However, even in this case, when the developing process is continued after the supply of the developing replenisher, the float switch 118 no longer detects the remaining amount of the developing replenisher and the monitor 122 displays that the decrease of the developing replenisher is not detected. Similarly to the above, the operator can know that the developing replenisher is not being sent to the developing tank 74 side due to the failure of the replenishing pump 116.

As described above, the failure of the replenishing pump 116 can be known by not sending the developing replenisher to the developing tank 74 side. Therefore, the replenishment pump 1 can be manufactured at low cost without using an expensive rotation encoder such as a rotary encoder.
16 failures can be detected early.

In the above embodiment, the developing tank 74 is used for description. However, when replenishing the bleach-fixing tank 76 and the washing tank with the processing solution, the capacity of the processing tank and the replenishing tank are different, Similarly, the processing liquid will be replenished.

On the other hand, in the bleach-fixing process, two kinds of processing liquids are mixed in the bleach-fixing tank 76, so that there are two replenishing tanks.
6 will be replenished with the processing liquid. Therefore, the float switch cannot detect the liquid level at the same time in each refill tank due to the difference in the feed amount of the refill pump, but in such a case, the float switch of one refill tank detects the liquid level. Then, the replenishment pump on the other replenishment tank side is operated until the other float switch detects the liquid level, and the liquid level is made uniform. After that, the same operation as in the above embodiment is performed.

Further, although the display device is the monitor 122 in the above-mentioned embodiment, an alarm may be sounded to display, and the control device 120 may be, for example, a microcomputer, but other control devices. Or may be integrated with the controller for the concentration measuring device 40.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a liquid developing replenisher is used as the treating agent, but tablets, powders and the like are also included in the replenishing treating agent of the present invention.

[0063]

As described above, the replenishing device and the fault detecting method for the replenishing device according to the present invention have an excellent effect that the fault of the replenishing pump can be detected at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printer processor in which an embodiment of the present invention is adopted.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a printer processor to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a replenishing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the liquid level is above the dotted line.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a replenishing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the liquid level is between the dotted lines.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a replenishing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the liquid surface level is below the dotted line.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Printer Processor 74 developing tank 112 Refill tank 116 Refill pump 118 Float switch (sensor) 120 control device 122 monitor (display device)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An amount of a replenishment treatment agent which is suitable for recovering the deterioration of the treatment liquid used in the treatment tank by sending the replenishment treatment agent from the replenishment tank side storing the replenishment treatment agent to the treatment tank side by the replenishing means. A replenishment device for replenishing the replenishment tank, wherein
A sensor capable of detecting that the specified amount has been reached, a display device capable of displaying that the sensor does not detect the decrease of the replenishment treating agent and an instruction of supplying the replenishment treating agent to the replenishment tank, and When the remaining amount of the replenishment processing agent is estimated to be less than or equal to the first specified amount based on the replenishment amount for compensating the deterioration of the processing solution according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material in the tank, the sensor is When the remaining amount is not detected, it is displayed on the display device that the decrease of the replenishment processing agent is not detected, and based on the replenishment amount for compensating the deterioration of the processing liquid according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material in the processing tank, When it is estimated that the remaining amount of the replenishment treatment agent in the replenishment tank will be less than the first prescribed amount and equal to or less than the predetermined second prescribed amount, the display device is instructed to supply the replenishment treatment agent to the replenishment tank. And a control device for displaying, Replenishing apparatus according to symptoms. 2. An amount of the replenishment treatment agent which is suitable for recovering the deterioration of the treatment liquid used in the treatment vessel by sending the replenishment treatment agent from the replenishment tank side for storing the replenishment treatment agent to the treatment tank side by the replenishment means. A method of detecting a failure of a replenishing device used in a replenishing device, the first prescribed amount corresponding to a replenishing amount for compensating for deterioration of a processing solution according to a processing amount of a photosensitive material in a processing tank. It is detected below whether the replenishment processing agent in the replenishment tank is reduced, and the first replenishment amount based on the replenishment amount for compensating the deterioration of the processing solution according to the processing amount of the photosensitive material in the processing tank thereafter. When it is estimated that the amount of the replenishment processing agent in the replenishment tank will be less than the second prescribed amount which is less than the prescribed amount, it is displayed that the amount is less than the second prescribed amount. Detection method for replenishing device.