Claims
- 1. A method of processing an imagewise exposed color silver halide photographic element comprising developing and desilvering said photographic element in a processor having either a rack and tank or automatic tray design, said processor comprising a narrow processing channel wherein said processor operates at 15% or less of maximum production capacity,
- said photographic element being processed in said narrow processing channel of said processor, which narrow processing channel has a thickness equal to or less than 100 times the thickness of said photographic element being processed,
- the total amount of a processing solution used in said narrow processing channel being at least 40% of the total volume of said processing solution in said processor, and
- said processing solution being delivered to said narrow processing channel via a nozzle according to the following formula:
- 1.ltoreq.F/A.ltoreq.40
- wherein F is the flow rate of said processing solution through said nozzle in gallons per minute, and A is the cross-sectional area of said nozzle in square inches.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said processor operates at 10% or less of maximum production capacity.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said photographic element has a silver halide emulsion wherein greater than 90 mole % of the silver halide is silver chloride.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said photographic element is a color photographic paper.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said photographic element is a color photographic film.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said photographic element is a silver bromoiodide photographic film.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said photographic element comprises a tabular grain silver halide emulsion.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said photographic element comprises less than 0.8 g silver per m.sup.2.
- 9. The method of claim 1 for the processing of color photographic paper, wherein said narrow processing channel has a thickness equal to or less than 50 times the thickness of said color photographic paper being processed.
- 10. The method of claim 1 for the processing of color photographic film, wherein said narrow processing channel has a thickness equal to or less than 18 times the thickness of said color photographic film being processed.
- 11. A method of processing an imagewise exposed color silver halide photographic element comprising developing said photographic element in a developing solution, in a processor having either a rack and tank or automatic tray design, said processor comprising a narrow processing channel, wherein said developing solution is replenished by direct replenishment,
- said photographic element being processed in said narrow processing channel of said processor, which narrow processing channel has a thickness equal to or less than 100 times the thickness of said photographic element being processed,
- the total amount of said developing solution used in said narrow processing channel being at least 40% of the total volume of the processing solution in said processor, and
- said developing solution being delivered to said narrow processing channel via a nozzle according to the following formula:
- 1.ltoreq.F/A.ltoreq.40
- wherein F is the flow rate of said developing solution through said nozzle in gallons per minute, and A is the cross-sectional area of said nozzle in square inches.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said developing solution is replenished at the rate of 10 ml or less per ft.sup.2 of photographic element.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said developing solution is replenished at the rate of 6 ml or less per ft.sup.2 of photographic element.
- 14. The method of claim 11 wherein said developing solution is replenished at the rate of 20 ml or less per roll of 35mm-24 exposure film having a surface area of 0.42 ft.sup.2.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said developing solution is replenished at the rate of 15 ml or less per roll of 35mm-24 exposure film having a surface area of 0.42 ft.sup.2.
- 16. A method of processing an imagewise exposed and developed color silver halide photographic element comprising desilvering said photographic element in a bleach-fixing processing solution or in a bleaching processing solution and a separate fixing processing solution, in a processor having either a rack and tank or automatic tray design, said processor comprising a narrow processing channel, wherein said bleach-fixing processing solution or bleaching processing solution and fixing processing solution are replenished by direct replenishment,
- said photographic element being processed in said narrow processing channel of said processor, which narrow processing channel has a thickness equal to or less than 100 times the thickness of said photographic element being processed,
- the total amount of each of said processing solutions used in said narrow processing channel being at least 40% of the total volume of each of said processing solutions in said processor, and
- each of said processing solutions being delivered to said processing channel via a nozzle according to the following formula:
- 1.ltoreq.F/A.ltoreq.40
- wherein F is the flow rate of said processing solution through said nozzle in gallons per minute, and A is the cross-sectional area of said nozzle in square inches.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said bleach-fixing processing solution or said bleaching processing solution and said fixing processing solution are replenished at the rate of 10 ml or less per ft.sup.2 of photographic element.
- 18. The method of claim 17 wherein said bleach-fixing processing solution or said bleaching processing solution and said fixing processing solution are replenished at the rate of 5 ml or less per ft.sup.2 of photographic element.
- 19. The method of claim 16 wherein said photographic element has a silver halide emulsion wherein greater than 90 mole % of the silver halide is silver chloride.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the level of silver in said element is less than or equal to 0.8 g/m.sup.2.
Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 221,711, filed 31 Mar. 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,118.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
221711 |
Mar 1994 |
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