Photosensitive material processing apparatus

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6655860
  • Patent Number
    6,655,860
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, June 7, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 2, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A brush roller is structured such that a web body having wire members is wound in a helical manner around a roller main body to which an axial end member is mounted. A fastening member is mounted to a rotary shaft of the axial end member, and one end of the web body is fixed to a holding member which is arranged between the fastening member and the axial end member so as to freely rotate relatively. The holding member relatively rotates in a winding direction due to an urging force of a torsional coil spring when elongation occurs in the web body, thereby preventing slack from occurring in the web body.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a brush roller for brushing a surface of a photosensitive material at a time of processing of the photosensitive material by a processing solution. More particularly, the present invention relates to a brush roller in which a web-like member provided with wire members is wound around a peripheral surface of a roller main body in a helical manner.




The present invention further relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus for brushing a surface of a photosensitive material by a brush roller, in which a web-like member provided with wire members is wound around a roller main body in a helical manner, at a time of processing the photosensitive material by a processing solution.




The present invention also relates to a mounting structure of a pair of rollers provided in a photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing a photosensitive material such as a photosensitive surface printing plate or the like by a processing solution and transferring the photosensitive material while holding therebetween.




The present invention still further relates to a spray pipe, a pair of which is provided in a photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing a photosensitive material such as a surface printing plate or the like by a processing solution so as to be arranged in upper and lower portions with respect to a transferring path for the photosensitive material, and discharging the processing solution toward the photosensitive material.




The present invention yet further relates to a filter case provided in a photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing a photosensitive material or the like by a processing solution, to which a filter for removing a solid material in the processing solution is installed.




2. Description of the Related Art




<<Prior Art 1.>>




A photosensitive material includes a photosensitive surface printing plate (hereinafter, referred to as “PS printing plate”) in which a photosensitive layer is formed on a surface of a supporting body employing aluminum or the like. Further, the PS printing plate includes a so-called photo polymer printing plate on which a photo polymerization layer is formed as the photosensitive layer.




In a development processing apparatus for processing a development of an image exposed PS printing plate (hereinafter, referred to as “PS printing plate processor”), an image is formed by dipping the PS printing plate into a developing solution so as to swell the photosensitive layer (photo polymerization layer) and removing the photosensitive layer from a portion on the supporting body. Further, in the PS printing plate processor, the structure is made such that a removal of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the portion on the supporting body can be promoted by brushing the surface of the PS printing plate dipped into the developing solution by a brush roller.




In this case, the brush roller used in the PS printing plate processor includes a cloth to which wire members are previously attached, that is, a structure in which a woven wire cloth corresponding to a web-like member is wound around a roller main body in a helical manner. In conventional, in the brush roller using the woven wire cloth, a back surface side of the woven wire cloth (a surface to which the woven wires are not attached) is bonded to a peripheral surface of the roller main body by an adhesive agent or the like, however, in the case of using the adhesive agent, there is a risk that the adhesive agent runs over the woven wire cloth so as to bind the wire members, and a bonding performance is reduced by the processing solution such as the developing solution or the like, whereby the woven wire cloth is peeled.




Accordingly, there has been proposed a brush roller structured such that a woven wire cloth wound around a roller main body in a helical manner is mechanically fixed to both end portions of an axial portion of the roller main body in a portion out of an area opposing to the PS printing plate by using a band or the like.




However, when the woven wire cloth is dipped into the processing solution such as the developing solution or the like, an elongation is generated in the woven wire cloth to no small extent (for example, about 0.3% after several months in the developing solution processing the PS printing plate). Further, a torsional force is applied to the woven wire cloth wound around the roller main body in a helical manner due to a contact pressure given by the wire members being contact with the PS printing plate.




Accordingly, an elongation is generated in the woven wire cloth and the winding with respect to the roller main body is loosened, in the structure made such that the woven wire cloth is simply fixed to both end portions along the axial direction of the roller main body. Further, the winding tightness is generated in one end side of the roller main body due to the torsional force applied to the woven wire cloth, and when the woven wire cloth is tensioned due to the winding tightness, there is a case that another end side is extended and a gap is generated between the woven wire cloths. The looseness and the gap in the woven wire cloth mentioned above appears on the surface of the PS printing plate as a surface irregularity so as to reduce a finish quality of the PS printing plate.




<<Prior Art 2.>>




As mentioned above, the brush roller used for processing the PS printing plate includes the cloth to which the wire members are previously attached, that is, the structure in which the woven wire cloth corresponding to the web-like member is wound around the roller main body in a helical manner.




In this case, in the case that the woven wire cloth is wound around the roller main body in a helical manner, a boundary portion between the woven wire cloths disposed adjacent to each other along the axial direction of the roller main body is generated around the roller main body in a helical shape. A density of the wire materials is reduced in the boundary portion of the woven wire cloth.




On the other hand, in a photo polymer printing plate employed in a computer to plate (CTP) or the like, it is necessary to increase a contact pressure applied to the PS printing plate by the wire members at a time of brushing.




However, in the case of increasing the contact pressure at a time of brushing, a surface irregularity of density of the wire members in the boundary portion of the woven wire cloth wound around the roller main body appears as a streak-like surface irregularity on the surface of the PS printing plate so as to reduce a finish quality of the image formed in the PS printing plate.




There is a case that the streak-like surface irregularity mentioned above clearly appears if the respective contact portions of the boundary portions of the woven wire cloths of two brush rollers with the surface of the PS printing plate are close to each other or overlapped with each other when brushing the surface of the PS printing plate, for example, with using two brush rollers.




<<Prior Art 3.>>




In the photosensitive material processing apparatus, a process such as a development or the like is performed by a plurality of processing solutions by dipping the photosensitive material into the processing solution while transferring the image exposed photosensitive material, and spraying the processing solution onto the surface of the photosensitive material.




For example, in the PS printing plate processor corresponding to the photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing the photosensitive surface printing plate (PS printing plate) as the photosensitive material, there are provided a plurality of processing steps using the processing solution such as a developing step of dipping the PS printing plate into the developing solution so as to process, a water washing step of spraying a water washing water to the PS printing plate so as to perform a water washing process, a desensitization step of applying a desensitization processing solution such as a gum solution or the like to the surface of the PS printing plate in which the water washing step is finished, so as to perform a desensitization process, and the like, thereby applying the developing, water washing desensitization processes and the like to the image exposed PS printing plate.




In the PS printing plate processor mentioned above, the structure is made such that at a time of transferring the PS printing plate from a processing tank in an upstream side to a processing tank in a downstream side, the PS printing plate is held between a pair of rollers so as to squeeze down the processing solution attached to the surface of the PS printing plate, thereby preventing the processing solution in the upstream side from being mixed into the processing solution in the downstream side.




In this case, in order to hold the PS printing plate by a pair of rollers so as to squeeze down the processing solution, it is necessary to apply a strong gripping force to a portion between a pair of rollers. As a structure applying a nipping force to a pair of rollers mentioned above, for example, both ends of an extension coil spring are connected to each other in a ring shape and the ring-like coil spring is wound around bearings pivoting the respective rollers. Further, there is employed a way of mounting the bearing of the lower roller to a side plate and urging the bearing of the upper roller toward the bearing of the lower roller by urging means using variously structured springs.




In order to squeeze down the processing solution from the PS printing plate, it is necessary to apply a great nipping force to a portion between a pair of rollers, so that it is necessary to employ a spring having a great urging force.




However, in the case of applying the great urging force to the portion between a pair of rollers by using the urging means such as the coil spring or the like which applies the urging force to the portion between the coil spring connected in a ring manner or the side plate and the bearing, it is not easy to attach and detach a pair of rollers with respect to the side plate. For example, it is necessary to urge one roller to another roller by engaging one end of the coil spring with the side plate and engaging another end of the coil spring with the bearing of one roller against the great urging force in a state that the bearings of the opposing rollers can move to directions being contact with each other and being apart from each other. Further, it is necessary to move another end of the coil spring apart from the bearing of one roller against the urging force when taking out a pair of rollers from the side plate, whereby ease of maintenance is reduced.




<<Prior Art 4.>>




In the PS printing plate processor, for example, in the water washing step, the structure is made such that a pair of spray pipes are arranged in upper and lower portions of the transferring path of the PS printing plate, the washing water is discharged toward the PS printing plate from the spray pipe and the developing solution is rinsed from the surface (both of the upper and lower surfaces) of the PS printing plate.




In this case, when jamming in a state that the PS printing plate is held between a pair of spray pipes, it is necessary to cut the PS printing plate by using a metal scissors or the like, in order to take out the PS printing plate.




In the PS printing plate processor, in order to prevent the state that the PS printing plate should be cut from being generated, the structure is made such that a pair of spray pipes arranged in the upper and lower portions of the transferring path of the PS printing plate are respectively mounted independently between a pair of side plates. Further, the structure is made such that the same flow amount of processing solution is supplied to a pair of spray pipes by independently mounting the upper and lower spray pipes so as to independently supply the processing solution.




However, in the case that a pair of spray pipes are independently mounted to the portion between a pair of side plates, it becomes complex to perform an operation of taking out the spray pipe. In particular, since the spray pipe is frequently provided in a narrow space between a pair of rollers for squeezing the washing water from the PS printing plate, at a time of taking out the lower spray pipe, it is necessary to insert hands to a narrow space between a pair of rollers so as to perform the operation after taking out the upper spray pipe, so that a maintenance is not easily performed.




<<Prior Art 5.>>




In the PS printing plate processor, for example, the structure is made such that the brush roller is provided within the developing tank and the surface of the PS printing plate is brushed by the brush roller, whereby removing the unnecessary photosensitive layer is promoted. Further, in the PS printing plate processor, the developing solution within the developing tank is recirculated, whereby the developing solution is stirred so that a concentration and a temperature of the developing solution become uniform. Accordingly, the finish quality of the PS printing plate is intended to be improved.




In this case, there is a case that dusts or grimes such as paper powders of PS-plated inserting paper to be processed or silicates contained in the photosensitive layer are mixed as a lump within the developing solution. When a solid material such as the dusts, the grimes, the lump of silicates or the like is mixed into the developing solution and attached to the surface of the PS printing plate, there is a case that the solid material prevents the developing process from being promoted and stays attached to the surface of the PS printing plate, thereby reducing the finish quality of the PS printing plate.




Accordingly, in the PS printing plate processor, the structure is made such that a filter is provided in the middle of the recirculating path so as to remove the solid material in the developing solution, at a time of recirculating the developing solution within the developing tank.




In this case, since the solid material in the developing solution is attached to the filter and a clogging is generated, it is necessary to frequently perform a maintenance such as cleaning or the like.




The filter mentioned above includes a filter formed in a cylindrical shape, and this filter is received in a cylindrical outer case. In order to take out the filter from the filter case corresponding to the outer case, it is necessary to take out a cap provided in an opening of the filter case and manually draw out the cylindrical filter (filter element) from an inner portion of the filter case. At this time, since the filter is pressed into the filter case, there is a case that it is not easy to take out the filter, so that it is desired to improve an operability at a time of taking out the filter.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The prevent invention has been made taking the facts mentioned above into consideration, and one object of the present invention is to provide a brush roller which prevents slack due to elongation of a web-like member, such as a woven wire cloth wound around a roller main body in a helical manner or the like, and prevents a gap between the web-like members due to torsional force, caused by contact pressure applied to the web-like members, from occurring.




Another object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus which prevents a contact portion of a boundary portion of the web-like member with the photosensitive material from appearing as a surface irregularity at a time of brushing the photosensitive material, such as a PS printing plate or the like, with the brush roller, which is formed by winding the web-like member such as the woven wire cloth or the like around the roller main body in a helical manner.




The other object of the present invention is to provide a mounting structure of a pair of rollers which can apply a desired nip force to a portion between the pair of rollers and enables easy attachment and detachment of the pair of rollers to and from a side plate or the like.




Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a spray pipe which can be easily maintained when a pair of spray pipes are provided at both sides of a transferring path of the photosensitive material such as the PS printing plate or the like.




Further, yet another object of the present invention is to provide a filter case which enables easy attachment and detachment of a filter.




In order to achieve the object mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a brush roller which has a rotational axis and is rotatable around the rotational axis for brushing a surface of a photosensitive material, the brush roller including: a cylindrical roller main body; a web-like member for brushing which is wound around an outer peripheral surface of the roller main body in a helical manner; a holding member provided at one end portion in an axial direction of the roller main body, which holding member holds one end portion of the web-like member and is rotatable with respect to the roller main body while holding the one end portion of the web-like member; and an urging element which urges the holding member to rotate to a side of a winding direction of the web-like member for reducing slack of the web-like member.




In accordance with the present invention, there is also provided a photosensitive material processing apparatus having a transferring path of a photosensitive material and a plurality of brush rollers each including a roller main body and a web-like member for brushing the photosensitive material, the web-like member being wound around an outer peripheral surface of the roller main body in a helical manner and the brush roller potentially forming a track pattern on the photosensitive material at a portion of the photosensitive material that is contacted by a portion of the brush roller corresponding to a boundary portion of the web-like member, wherein at least two of the brush rollers are disposed along the transferring path at one side of the transferring path, and the at least two brush rollers are provided such that a track pattern of one brush roller of the at least two brush rollers is different from a track pattern of another brush roller of the at least two brush rollers.




In accordance with the present invention, there is further provided a photosensitive material processing apparatus which performs a brushing treatment of a surface of a photosensitive material with a brush roller formed by helically winding and fixing a web-like member around an outer peripheral surface of a roller main body, said brush roller potentially forming a track pattern on said photosensitive material at a portion of said photosensitive material that is contacted by a portion of said brush roller corresponding to a boundary portion of said web-like member, wherein at least two of said brush roller are disposed along a transferring path of said photosensitive material, at one surface side of said transferring path, such that an angle of inclination of said track pattern of one of said at least two brush rollers with respect to a transferring direction of said photosensitive material is substantially the same as an angle of inclination of said track pattern of another of said at least two brush rollers with respect to said photosensitive material transferring direction, and overlapping of said track patterns is preventable by alteration of at least one of a rotational speed of said one brush roller relative to said other brush roller, a photosensitive material transferring speed, a distance between said one brush roller and said other brush roller along said transferring path, and a position with respect to said photosensitive material of an axial direction end portion of said boundary portion of said web-like member of said one brush roller relative to a position with respect to said photosensitive material of an axial direction end portion of said boundary portion of said web-like member of said other brush roller.




In accordance with the present invention, there is still further provided a roller pair mounting structure which provides gripping force for gripping a photosensitive material at a portion thereof disposed between a pair of rollers and holds the pair of rollers at a predetermined position of a side plate, the structure including: a first bearing which supports one of the rollers; a second bearing which supports another of the rollers; a base portion detachably mounted at a predetermined position of the side plate; a first bearing receiving portion provided at the base portion, which first bearing receiving portion receives the first bearing and holds the first bearing at a predetermined position; a second bearing receiving portion provided at the base portion, which second bearing receiving portion receives the second bearing such that the second bearing is movable toward and apart from the first bearing; a restricting member disposed at a side of the second bearing opposite to a side thereof at which the first bearing is disposed, which restricting member restricts movement of the second bearing apart from the first bearing and prevents removal of the second bearing from the second bearing receiving portion; and an urging and holding element provided at the restricting member, which urging and holding element provides a predetermined gripping force between the pair of rollers by urging the second bearing toward the first bearing.




In accordance with the present invention, there is yet further provided a spray pipe provided in a photosensitive material processing apparatus which processes a photosensitive material, which is transferred within the processing apparatus, with a processing liquid, the spray pipe discharging the processing liquid toward a surface of the photosensitive material, and the spray pipe including: a pair of pipes, each pipe of the pair of pipes being closed at one end side in a longitudinal direction thereof and having at least one through hole formed at an outer peripheral portion thereof, the through hole being capable of discharging the processing liquid; a holding member which mechanically connects respective the one end sides of the pair of pipes and holds the one end sides with a predetermined separation therebetween; a connecting holder which has a hollow inner portion which is fluid-communicated with the pair of pipes, and mechanically connects respective other end sides in the longitudinal directions of the pair of pipes and holds the other end sides with a predetermined separation therebetween; and a connecting element which has a connecting port communicated with the hollow inner portion of the connecting holder, the connecting port being detachably connected to a processing liquid supply pipe for supplying the processing liquid to the pair of pipes.




In accordance with the present invention, there is still further provided a filter case including: a substantially cylindrical outer case provided with an introduction pipe and a delivery pipe, and having an opening; a cap sealingly attached to the opening of the outer case; an inner tube provided at the cap and received in the outer case when the cap is attached thereto, through which inner tube a processing solution fed from the introduction pipe passes toward the delivery pipe; a filter element having a frame body which is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is capable of being received within the outer case, which frame body receives the inner tube when the inner tube is received in the outer case, and having a filter provided at a surface of the frame body, through which filter the processing solution flowing toward the delivery pipe passes when the inner tube is inserted into the frame body; a pawl portion provided at one of the frame body and the inner tube and protruding in a radial direction; and a hole portion provided at another of the frame body and the inner tube, which hole portion is entered by the pawl portion when the inner tube is inserted into the frame body, the filter element being held by an engagement operation of the hole portion and the pawl portion.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a schematic view of a whole of a PS printing plate processor in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a schematic perspective view showing a brush roller in accordance with the present embodiment;





FIGS. 3A

to


3


D are flow views showing one embodiment of a manufacturing step of a web body;





FIG. 4

is an exploded perspective view showing one end side in an axial direction of the brush roller;





FIG. 5

is a schematic view showing a main portion of a roller main body;





FIG. 6A

is a cross sectional view of a main portion of the roller main body showing a portion near a projection formed in the roller main body shown in

FIG. 5

;





FIG. 6B

is a schematic cross sectional view obtained by cutting the roller main body along an axial direction;





FIG. 7

is a schematic perspective view of one end side in an axial direction of a brush roller employing a ratchet mechanism corresponding to one embodiment of restricting means;





FIG. 8

is a schematic view of a whole of a PS printing plate processor in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 9

is a schematic perspective view showing a brush roller in accordance with the present embodiment;





FIGS. 10A

to


10


D are flow views showing one embodiment of a manufacturing step of a web body;





FIG. 11

is a schematic view of a surface of the PS printing plate showing one embodiment of a track on the PS printing plate of a boundary portion of the brush rollers;





FIG. 12

is a schematic view showing an arrangement of the brush roller in accordance with an embodiment example 1;





FIG. 13

is a schematic view showing one embodiment of the track by the boundary portion in accordance with the embodiment example 1;





FIG. 14

is a schematic view showing an arrangement of the brush roller in accordance with an embodiment example 2;





FIG. 15

is a schematic view showing one embodiment of the track by the boundary portion in accordance with the embodiment example 2;





FIG. 16

is a schematic view showing an arrangement of the brush roller in accordance with an embodiment example 3;





FIG. 17

is a schematic view showing an arrangement of the brush roller in accordance with an embodiment example 4;





FIG. 18

is a schematic view showing an arrangement of the brush roller in accordance with an embodiment example 5;





FIG. 19

is a schematic view showing an arrangement of the brush roller in accordance with a modified embodiment;





FIG. 20

is a schematic view showing one embodiment of the track by the boundary portion in accordance with the modified embodiment;





FIG. 21

is a schematic view of a whole of a PS printing plate processor in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 22

is a schematic exploded perspective view of one end side of a pair of transferring rollers showing an assembly of a rubber roller to a mounting base;





FIG. 23

is a schematic perspective view of one end side of a pair of transferring rollers showing a state of mounting the rubber roller to the mounting base;





FIG. 24

is a schematic perspective view of another end side of a pair of transferring rollers showing a summary of mounting a pair of rollers to a side plate;





FIG. 25

is a schematic view of a whole of a PS printing plate processor in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 26

is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a spray unit;





FIG. 27

is a perspective view of a main portion showing a schematic structure of the spray unit in a side of a holding member;





FIG. 28

is a perspective view of a main portion showing a schematic structure of the spray unit in a side of a connecting holder as seen from the side of the holding member;





FIG. 29

is a perspective view of a main portion showing a schematic structure of the spray unit in a side of the connecting holder as seen from a different direction from

FIG. 28

;





FIG. 30

is a schematic cross sectional view showing an inner portion of the connecting holder;





FIG. 31

is a schematic view of a whole of a PS printing plate processor in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 32

is a schematic perspective view showing an outer appearance of a filter case;





FIG. 33

is a schematic perspective view of the filter case in a state that a cap is taken out, as seen from a different direction from

FIG. 32

;





FIG. 34

is a schematic perspective view showing a filter element and the cap;





FIG. 35

is a schematic view showing a state that the filter element is attached to the cap; and





FIG. 36

is a schematic perspective view as seen from a different direction from

FIG. 35

, showing the state that the filter element is attached to the cap.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




<<First Embodiment>>




A description will be given of a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1

shows a schematic structure of a photosensitive surface printing plate processing apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as “PS printing plate processor


10


”) applied as one embodiment of a photosensitive material processing apparatus. The PS printing plate processor


10


performs a developing process of a photosensitive surface printing plate (hereinafter, referred to as “PS printing plate


12


”) such as a photo polymer plate corresponding to one of a photosensitive material image exposed by an exposing apparatus (not shown) or the like. In this case, the PS printing plate


12


is structured such that a photosensitive layer is formed in a supporting body constituted by a thin rectangular flat plate such as an aluminum plate or the like, and the photo polymer plate is structured such that a photo junction layer, a photo polymerization layer and an overcoat layer are overlapped with each other, whereby a photosensitive layer is formed, and an image is exposed by a laser beam, whereby a polymerizing reaction of an image portion of the photo polymerization layer is promoted.




In the PS printing plate processor


10


, there are arranged a developing portion


14


for processing the PS printing plate


12


by a developing solution, a water washing portion supplying a washing water of the PS printing plate


12


processed by the developing solution so as to wash, a desensitization processing portion


18


applying a gum solution to the PS printing plate


12


after being washed so as to perform a desensitization process, and a drying portion


20


drying the PS printing plate


12


.




A processing tank


22


is provided within the PS printing plate processor


10


. A developing tank


24


is formed at a position forming the developing portion


14


in the processing tank


22


, and a water washing tank


26


and a desensitization processing tank


28


are formed as a processing tank at a position forming the water washing portion


16


and the desensitization processing portion


18


.




A slit-like inserting port


32


is formed in an outer plate panel


30


covering the processing tank


22


, and a discharge port


34


is formed in a side of the drying portion


20


in the processing tank


22


. Further, an inserting port (a sub inserting port)


38


for reentry for inserting the PS printing plate to a portion between the developing portion


14


and the water washing portion


16


is provided in a cover


36


covering the processing tank


22


. The reentry inserting port


38


forms an inserting port of the PS printing plate


12


for performing the processes in the PS printing plate processor


10


except the process in the developing portion


14


.




An inserting table


40


is provided in an outer portion of the inserting port


32


, and a pair of transferring rollers


42


made of rubber are arranged in an inserting side of the PS printing plate


12


in the developing portion


14


. The PS printing plate


12


on which an image is exposed is mounted on the inserting table


40


, inserted from the inserting port


32


along a direction of an arrow A and fed to a portion between a pair of transferring rollers


42


.




A pair of transferring rollers


42


is rotated by a drive force given by drive means (not shown), takes in the inserted PS printing plate


12


and feeds to the developing portion


14


at an angle between about 15 degrees and 31 degrees with respect to a horizontal direction.




The developing tank


24


formed in the processing tank


22


is formed in a substantially angular shape in which a center of a bottom portion is protruded downward, and stores a developing solution for performing a developing process of the PS printing plate


12


. A guide plate


44


is arranged in a lower side along the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


in the developing tank


24


in such a manner as to be along the bottom portion.




The guide plate


44


is provided in an upstream portion (in a side of the inserting port


32


) of the developing tank


24


, and a plurality of freely rotating rollers (small rollers)


46


are mounted thereto. The PS printing plate


12


fed within the developing portion


14


by a pair of transferring rollers


42


is transferred on the guide plate


44


while being guided by the rollers


46


.




A pair of rollers


48


each having a rubber outer periphery are arranged in a side of the water washing portion


16


in the developing tank


24


, and the PS printing plate


12


guided and transferred within the developing tank


24


so as to form a substantially U shape is gripped by a pair of transferring rollers


48


and taken out from the developing tank


24


. The PS printing plate


12


is dipped into the developing solution at a time of being transferred within the developing tank


24


in the manner mentioned above, and the unnecessary portion of the photosensitive layer exposed by the image exposure is swelled by the developing solution and peeled from the supporting body, whereby the unnecessary photosensitive layer is removed in correspondence to the exposed image.




In this case, a spray pipe


50


is provided within the developing tank


24


, whereby the developing solution within the developing tank


24


sucked by a pump (not shown) is sprayed onto the photosensitive layer surface of the PS printing plate


12


, the developing solution is supplied onto the surface of the PS printing plate


12


, and the developing solution within the developing tank


24


is circulated.




Further, a brush roller


80


is provided between the guide plate


44


and a pair of transferring rollers


48


, within the developing tank


24


. The brush roller


80


(details thereof will be mentioned below) rotates wire members while contacting them with the surface of the PS printing plate


12


transferred with being dipped into the developing solution, thereby brushing the surface of the PS printing plate


12


so as to promote removing of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS printing plate


12


.




A liquid surface lid


52


is arranged in the developing portion


14


so that a lower surface thereof is below a liquid surface of the developing solution stored in the developing tank


24


. Further, in the wall surface of the developing tank


24


and the liquid surface lid


52


, shielding members


54


A and


54


B are provided in a side of the inserting port


32


, and shielding members


54


C and


54


D are mounted in a side of the water washing portion


24


. In the processing tank


22


, shielding members


54


E and


54


F are mounted in the periphery of the discharging port


34


, and a shielding member


54


G is mounted to the reentry inserting port


38


of the cover


36


.




The shielding members


54


A to


54


G are formed by a silicon rubber or the like, and an inner portion of the developing tank


24


is structured such that the liquid surface lid


52


having a great capacity and contacting with the liquid surface is provided in a space within a sealed portion formed by the shielding members


54


A to


54


G, a pair of transferring rollers


42


and


48


and the like so as to reduce an amount of air sealed within the space and prevent a fresh air from entering into a portion near the liquid surface of the developing solution by the liquid surface lid


52


, the shielding members


54


A to


54


G and the like, so that it is possible to prevent the developing solution from being deteriorated and a water content from being evaporated due to carbon dioxide gas in the air. In this case, in the liquid surface lid


52


, tandem rollers


52


A and


52


B are provided on lower surfaces of end portions in an upstream side and a downstream side in the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


, thereby preventing the surface (mainly the photosensitive surface) from being damaged by the PS printing plate


12


transferred within the developing portion


14


being contact with the lower surface of the liquid surface lid


52


.




The PS printing plate


12


drawn out from the developing tank


24


by a pair of transferring rollers


48


is fed to the water washing portion


16


by a pair of transferring rollers


48


while the developing solution attached to the surface thereof is squeezed down.




The transferring path for transferring the PS printing plate


12


in a substantially horizontal state by a pair of transferring rollers


58


and


60


arranged above the water washing tank


26


is formed in the water washing portion


16


, and the PS printing plate


12


is horizontally transferred above the water washing tank


26


while being gripped by a pair of transferring rollers


58


and


60


.




A pair of spray pipes


62


A and


62


B are provided in upper and lower portions of the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


between a pair of transferring rollers


58


and


60


in the water washing portion


16


. The spray pipes


62


A and


62


B are arranged so that an axial direction thereof is along a width direction (a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction) of the PS printing plate


12


, and a plurality of discharging holes are formed so as to oppose to the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


.




The water washing tank


26


stores a washing water corresponding to the processing solution. In the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B, the washing water supplied due to an operation of a solution supplying pump in synchronous with the transferring of the PS printing plate


12


is injected out toward the PS printing plate


12


from the discharging hole. In the PS printing plate


12


, the developing solution attached to the surface is washed away by the washing water.




The developing solution washed away by the washing water drops down to the water washing tank


26


together with the washing water. In this case, a fresh solution of the washing water is supplied to the water washing tank


26


by means (not shown) in correspondence to an amount of the PS printing plate


12


to be processed.




The PS printing plate


12


is fed out while being gripped by a pair of transferring rollers


60


, whereby the washing water supplied to the PS printing plate


12


is squeezed down from the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


together with the developing solution attached to the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


and recovered within the water washing tank


26


. In this case, an injecting direction of the washing water from the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B is set such that one of the spray pipe


62


A is an upstream side in the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


and one of the spray pipe


62


B is a downstream side in the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


, however, is not limited to this and the other directions may be employed.




In the desensitization processing portion


18


, a pair of transferring rollers


56


are provided above the desensitization processing tank


28


, and the PS printing plate


12


is transferred within the desensitization processing tank


18


by a pair of transferring rollers


56


and thereafter fed out from the discharging port


34


.




In the desensitization processing portion


18


, a spray pipe


64


is provided in an above side of the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


. The spray pipe


64


is arranged so that an axial direction thereof is along the width direction of the PS printing plate


12


, and a plurality of discharging holes are formed so as to oppose to the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


. Further, in the desensitization processing portion


18


, a discharging unit


66


in which slits are continuously formed along the width direction of the PS printing plate


12


is arranged below the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


.




In the desensitization processing tank


28


, a gum solution used for protecting a plate surface of the PS printing plate


12


is stored, and the gum solution is supplied to the spray pipe


64


and the discharging unit


66


by a pump (not shown) operated in synchronous with the transferring operation of the PS printing plate


12


. The spray pipe


64


drops the gum solution toward the PS printing plate


12


so as to expand and apply onto the surface of the PS printing plate


12


. Further, the discharging unit


66


applies the gum solution discharged from the slits onto a whole surface in the back surface side of the PS printing plate


12


at a time when the back surface side of the PS printing plate


12


passes through while being contact with the slit portions.




In the PS printing plate


12


, a protecting film is formed by the gum solution applied to the front and back surface thereof. In this case, the discharging direction of the gum solution from the spray pipe


64


is not limited to the downward side in the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


, and may be set to the other directions. Further, the structure is made such that the discharging unit


66


is provided in a lower side of the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


so as to apply the gum solution, however, the structure is not limited to this, and the structure may be made such that the spray pipe is provided so as to apply the gum solution.




The PS printing plate


12


to which the gum solution is applied in the desensitization processing portion


18


is gripped by a pair of transferring rollers


56


, is discharged from the discharging port


34


in a state that the gum solution slightly leaves on the front and back surfaces, and is fed to the drying portion


20


.




In the drying portion


20


, a supporting roller


68


for supporting the PS printing plate


12


is arranged near the discharging port


34


, and a pair of transferring rollers


72


and a pair of transferring rollers


74


are arranged in the center portion of the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


within the drying portion


20


and near the discharging port


70


, whereby the PS printing plate


12


is transferred within the drying portion


20


by the supporting roller


68


and a pair of transferring rollers


72


and


74


.




Ducts


76


A and


76


B are arranged between the supporting roller


68


and a pair of transferring rollers


72


and between a transferring rollers


72


and a pair of transferring rollers


74


so as to form pairs with holding the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


therebetween. The ducts


76


A and


76


B are arranged so that a longitudinal direction thereof is along the width direction of the PS printing plate


12


, and slit holes


78


are provided on a surface opposing to the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


.




The ducts


76


A and


76


B are structured such that when a drying wind generated by drying wind generating means (not shown) is supplied from one end side in a longitudinal direction, the dusts


76


A and


76


B inject the drying wind toward the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


from the slit holes


78


so as to blow to the PS printing plate


12


. Accordingly, in the PS printing plate


12


, the gum solution applied onto the front and back surfaces thereof is dried and the protecting film is formed. In this case, a shutter (not shown) separating the processor portion until the desensitization processing portion


18


processing the PS printing plate


12


by the processing solution from the drying portion


20


is provided in the discharging port


34


, thereby preventing the discharging port


34


from being unnecessarily opened so as to supply the heated air within the drying portion


20


to the desensitization processing portion


18


.




In the PS printing plate processor


10


structured in the manner mentioned above, when the PS printing plate


12


on which the image is recorded by the exposure apparatus (not shown) is mounted on the inserting table


40


and inserted to the inserting port


32


, the PS printing plate


12


is drawn by a pair of transferring rollers


42


so as to be fed to the developing portion


14


. In this case, in the PS printing plate processor


10


, the PS printing plate


12


passing through the inserting port


32


is detected by a sensor (not shown), a timer is started. This timer is used for operating the driving means for transferring the PS printing plate


12


, and for measuring a timing for discharging the washing water from the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B of the water washing portion


16


and a discharge timing of the gum solution in the desensitization processing portion


18


.




In the developing portion


14


, the PS printing plate


12


is fed by a pair of transferring rollers


42


at an inserting angle in a range between 15 degrees and 31 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction so as to be transferred while being dipped into the developing solution. Further, the PS printing plate


12


is fed out from the developing solution at a discharging angle in a range between 17 degrees and 31 degrees. The PS printing plate


12


is dipped into the developing solution in the developing portion


14


, whereby the unnecessary portion in the photosensitive layer is swelled in correspondence to the exposed image, and the swelled photosensitive layer is removed from the supporting body. At this time, the removing of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS printing plate


12


is promoted by brushing the surface of the PS printing plate


12


by the brush roller


80


arranged within the developing tank


24


.




The PS printing plate


12


fed out from the developing solution after being applied to the process performed by the developing solution as mentioned above is drawn out by a pair of transferring rollers


48


so as to be transferred to the water washing portion


16


. At this time, a pair of transferring rollers


48


squeeze down the developing solution attached to the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


from the PS printing plate


12


.




In the water washing portion


16


, the washing water is injected out from the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B while the PS printing plate


12


is gripped by a pair of transferring rollers


58


and


60


so as to be transferred in a substantially horizontal state. Further, a pair of transferring rollers


60


arranged in the downstream side in the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


feed out the PS printing plate


12


to the desensitization processing portion


18


while squeezing down the washing water supplied to the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


together with the developing solution left without being squeezed by a pair of transferring rollers


48


.




Accordingly, in the PS printing plate


12


, the developing solution left on the front and back surfaces thereof is washed down at a time of passing through the water washing portion


16


.




The PS printing plate


12


fed to the desensitization processing portion


18


passes through a portion between the spray pipe


64


and the discharging unit


66


so as to be gripped by a pair of transferring rollers


56


, thereby being fed out from the desensitization processing portion


18


by a pair of transferring rollers


56


.




At this time, in the desensitization processing portion


18


, the gum solution is supplied to the spray pipe


64


and the discharging unit


66


, and the gum solution is applied onto the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


. A pair of transferring rollers


56


feed out the PS printing plate


12


while gripping it therebetween, thereby forming a thin film of the gum solution on the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


, and squeeze out the surplus gum solution from the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


.




The PS printing plate


12


to which the gum solution is applied is fed to the drying portion


20


from the discharging port


34


by a pair of transferring rollers


56


. In this case, the shutter (not shown) provided in the discharging port


34


operates at a timing of starting the process of the PS printing plate


12


or a timing that the PS printing plate


12


is fed out from the desensitization processing portion


18


so as to open the discharging port


34


, thereby preventing the drying wind in the drying portion


20


from unnecessarily entering into the desensitization processing portion


18


so that the gum solution is adhered to a pair of transferring rollers


56


. Further, the shutter prevents the developing solution from being deteriorated by the carbon dioxide gas in the air which enters from the discharging port


34


and reaches the developing portion


14


, and further prevents the water content in the developing solution, the washing water and the water content in the gum solution from being evaporated and going out from the discharging port


34


.




In the drying portion


20


, the drying wind is blown from the ducts


76


A and


76


B while the PS printing plate


20


is transferred by the supporting roller


68


and a pair of transferring rollers


72


and


74


. Accordingly, the protecting film is formed on the PS printing plate


12


by the applied gum solution and the PS printing plate


12


is discharged from the discharging port


70


.




As shown in

FIG. 2

, each of the brush rollers


80


is provided with a (hollow or solid) cylindrical roller main body


100


. The brush roller


80


is mounted so that the roller main body


100


is along the width direction (corresponding to the direction perpendicular to the transferring direction) of the PS printing plate


12


and opposes to the transferred PS printing plate


12


(refer to FIG.


1


).




Axial end members


102


and


104


are provided in end portions in an axial direction of the roller main body


100


. The axial end members


102


and


104


are mounted in accordance with a way that small diameter portions


102


A and


104


A are press inserted to the roller main body


100


so as to be adhered thereto, or the like.




Rotary shafts


106


and


108


are protruded from the axial end members


102


and


104


, the brush roller


80


is structured such that the rotary shafts


106


and


108


are pivoted and mounted to a bearing (not shown), and the brush roller


80


is rotated by a driving force transmitted via the rotary shafts


106


or


108


.




The brush roller


80


is structured such that a web body for brushing


166


(hereinafter, simply referred to as web body


166


) corresponding to the web-like member is wound around an outer peripheral portion of the roller main body


100


in a helical manner.




The web body


166


, for example, as shown in

FIG. 3A

, holds a pair of woven cloths


168


corresponding to a sheet-like base material in such a manner as to oppose to each other and weaves wire members


170


so as to extend over the woven cloths


168


.




For the wire members


170


, for example, a pile of natural fiber or artificial fiber is applied, however, a metal may be employed as far as having a suitable thinness. That is, as a material for the wire members


170


of the brush roller


80


, it is possible to employ a natural fiber such as a vegetable fiber, an animal fiber and the like, an artificial fiber such as a polyamide system including a nylon 6, a nylon 66, a nylon 6.10, a nylon 11 and the like, a polyester system including a polyethylene terephthalate, a polybutylene terephthalate and the like, a polyacrylic system including, a polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic alkyl and the like, a polypropylene, a polystyrene and the like, and a metal fiber such as a stainless steel, a brass and the like.




As shown in

FIG. 3B

, the web body


166


is formed by weaving the wire materials


170


in the woven cloth


168


in a tensional state and thereafter cutting the wire members


170


at a middle portion thereof. The brush roller


80


is obtained by winding the web body


166


around a peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


in a helical manner (refer to

FIGS. 2 and 3C

) and shirring so as to uniformly make up a length of the wire members


170


(refer to FIG.


3


D).




As shown in

FIG. 2

, a fixing member


110


is provided in one axial end member


102


. The fixing member


110


has substantially the same diameter as that of the roller main body


100


, and the rotary shaft


106


is protruded from the fixing member


110


.




A flat surface portion


112


is formed in the fixing member


110


in a shape that a part of an outer peripheral portion thereof is cut. A restricting plate


114


opposes to the flat surface portion


112


and the restricting plate


114


is fixed by a screw


116


.




The web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


is structured such that one end side is mounted on the flat surface portion


112


of the fixing member


110


, and the web body


166


is fixed to the fixing member


110


with being gripped between the flat surface portion


112


and the restricting plate


114


by fixing the restricting plate


114


mounted on one end side of the web body


166


to the fixing member


110


by the screw


116


.




The web body


166


is wound in a helical manner while being drawn in a direction of an arrow B along the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


in a state that one end is fixed to the fixing member


110


.




On the other hand, an urging mechanism


122


constituted by a holding member


118


and a fastening member


120


is provided in another axial end member


104


.




As shown in

FIG. 4

, the holding member


118


is formed in a cylindrical block having the same diameter as that of the roller main body


110


. The rotary shaft


108


is inserted to an axial hole


124


formed in an axial core portion, whereby the holding member


118


is mounted to the roller main body


100


in such a manner as to freely rotate relatively.




A flat surface portion


126


is formed in the holding member


118


in a shape that a part of an outer peripheral portion is cut in a recessed manner. A restricting plate


128


is opposed to the flat surface portion


126


, and the restricting plate


128


is engaged with a screw hole


132


having a screw hole


130


formed in the flat surface portion


126


, thereby being fixed to the holding member


118


.




An end portion of the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


in a helical manner is mounted to the flat surface portion


126


of the holding member


118


, and is gripped between the flat surface portion


126


and the restricting plate


128


so as to be fixed to the holding member


118


by fixing the restricting plate


128


mounted on the end portion of the web body


166


to the holding member


118


.




In this case, at a time of fixing the web body


166


to the fixing member


110


and the holding member


118


by the restricting plates


114


and


128


, the wire members


170


may be woven in the woven cloth


168


, or the web body


166


may be formed by cutting the wire members


170


at both end of the web body


166


corresponding to an area opposing to the fixing member


110


and the holding member


118


, an area opposing at least to the restricting plates


114


and


128


in accordance with a shirring or the like, or previously weaving the wire members


170


except the area of the woven cloth


168


.




Further, at a time of winding the web body


166


around the roller main body


100


, the web body


166


may be temporarily fastened to the flat surface portions


112


and


126


by applying a slight amount of adhesive agent onto the back surface side of the web body


166


opposing to the flat surface portion


112


of the fixing member


110


and the flat surface portion


126


of the holding member


118


and having no wire members


170


, or the like.




The fastening member


120


is formed in a block shape, and an axial hole


134


to which the rotary shaft


108


is inserted is formed in a center portion thereof. Further, a plurality of screw holes


136


extending to the axial hole


134


from the outer peripheral portion are formed in the fastening member


120


. A lock screw


138


such as a square screw or the like is engaged with each of the screw holes


136


.




The fastening member


120


is fixed to the axial end member


104


by screwing the rotary shaft


108


by a plurality of lock screws


138


engaged with the screw holes


136


in a state that the rotary shaft


108


is inserted to the axial hole


134


.




The urging mechanism


122


is mounted to the rotary shaft


108


of the axial end member


104


so that the holding member


118


becomes in a side of the roller main body


100


. At this time, the fastening member


120


is fixed to the rotary shaft


108


, whereby the holding member


118


can relatively rotate between the flange portion


104


B of the axial end member


104


and the fastening member


120


.




In the fastening member


120


, a recess portion


140


is formed on a surface in a side of the holding member


118


. A torsional coil spring


142


used as the urging means is received within the recess portion


140


. Further, in the fastening member


120


, an engaging hole


144


is formed on a bottom surface within the recess portion


140


as seen from a side of the holding member


118


.




One end portion


142


A of the torsional coil spring


142


received within the recess portion


140


of the fastening member


120


is inserted to the engaging hole


144


. Accordingly, the torsional coil spring


142


is engaged with the fastening member


120


.




In the holding member


118


, an engaging hole


146


is formed on an end surface in a side of the fastening member


120


, and another end portion


142


B of the torsional coil spring


142


is inserted to the engaging hole


146


. Accordingly, the holding member


118


is engaged with the fastening member


120


via the torsional coil spring


142


received within the recess portion


140


of the fastening member


120


, and is urged toward a winding direction side of the web body


166


due to an urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


.




Further, a restricting pin


148


is protruded in the fasting member


120


from an end surface in the side of the holding member


118


, for serving as restricting means. The restricting pin


148


is protruded to a space formed above the flat surface portion


126


and is structured such as to be brought into contact with the flat surface portion


126


of the holding member


118


by relatively rotating the holding member


118


and the fastening member


120


.




Accordingly, the holding member


118


can relatively rotate with respect to the fastening member


120


within a range that the restricting pin


148


is apart from the fiat surface portion


126


. That is, the restricting pin


148


restricts a relative rotation range of the holding member


118


with respect to the fastening member


120


and the roller main body


100


. In this case, the restricting plate


128


fixed to the flat surface portion


126


has a position and a size at which the restricting plate


128


is not in contact with the restricting pin


148


.




The brush roller


80


is structured such that the web body


166


is wound around the roller main body


100


in a helical manner and the front end of the web body


166


is fixed to the holding member


118


. In this state, the restricting pin


148


is brought into contact with the flat surface portion


126


of the holding member


118


by rotating the fastening member


120


in a winding direction of the web body


166


, whereby the holding member


118


is rotated in the winding direction of the web body


166


.




Accordingly, the web body


166


fixed to the holding member


118


is drawn in the winding direction to the roller main body


100


, and the web body


166


is wound around the roller main body


100


in a tensioned state. At this time, the torsional coil spring


142


applies a predetermined tensile force to the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


by urging the holding member


118


in the winding direction of the web body


166


, whereby the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


keeps the tensional state due to the tensile force.




In this case, when an elongation is generated in the web body


166


by using the brush roller


80


for a long time period or the like, the holding member


118


is rotated in the winding direction of the web body


166


due to the urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


. Further, when the web body


166


tends to compress against the urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


and accordingly the holding member


118


relatively rotates in a direction opposite to the winding direction at a certain degree, the restricting pin


148


is brought into contact with the flat surface portion


126


of the holding member


118


so as to prevent the holding member


118


from relatively rotating in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the web body


166


.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIG. 5

, a plurality of projections


150


are formed on a peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


. The projections


150


are formed, for example, by striking the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


by a punch having a predetermined shape or the like so as to make a front end of the punch or the like bite into the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


toward a direction (a direction of an arrow C) inverse to the winding direction of the web body


166


, thereby projecting upward. At this time, as shown in

FIG. 6A

, fine recesses having a crater shape are formed in the side of the winding direction of the projection


150


. Accordingly, the projection


150


is formed so that the upper end is directed to the winding direction of the web body


166


and a surface opposite to the fine recess having the crater shape becomes comparatively smooth.




When tightly winding the web body


166


around the roller main body


100


having the projections


150


formed so as to be closely attached to the peripheral surface thereof, it is possible to easily move the woven cloth


168


(the web body


166


) in the winding direction, and the structure is made such that when the woven cloth


168


(the web body


166


) tends to be shifted in the direction opposite to the winding direction with respect to the roller main body


100


, the projection


150


eats into the woven cloth


168


of the web body


166


, whereby a contact resistance becomes great.




Accordingly, the web body


166


can move in the winding direction, however, when the movement is going to be generated in a slacking direction corresponding to a direction opposite to the winding direction, the projection


150


engaged so as to eat into the woven cloth


168


prevents the web body


166


from being shifted.




As shown in

FIG. 5

, the projection


150


is formed on the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


at a helical position along the winding direction of the web body


166


. At this time, as shown in

FIG. 6B

, the projection


150


is formed on the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


so that an angle formed between the projection


150


and the adjacent projection


150


along the winding direction becomes a predetermined angle θ (for example, 90 degrees).




Accordingly, as shown in

FIG. 5

, the structure is made such that an interval between the adjacent projections


150


along the axial direction of the roller main body


100


becomes a predetermined interval d, whereby a plurality of projections


150


are not formed on the same circumference crossing the axial direction of the roller main body


100


. In this case, the angle θ (refer to

FIG. 6B

) can be optionally set, for example, in a range between 5 degrees and 180 degrees, and preferably in a range between 15 degrees and 90 degrees.




A description will be given below of an operation of the present embodiment.




The brush roller


80


is constituted by winding the web body


166


formed by weaving the wire members


170


in the woven cloth


168


around the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


in a helical manner. At this time, one end side of the web body


166


is fixed by the fixing member


110


and another end side is fixed to the holding member


118


. The holding member


118


forms the urging mechanism


122


together with the fastening member


120


, and is urged to the side of the winding direction (the direction of the arrow B) of the web body


166


by the torsional coil spring


142


provided between the holding member


118


and the fastening member


120


.




In general, the web body


166


(the woven cloth


168


) slightly generates an elongation when being dipped into the developing solution or the like. In the brush roller


80


, since the web body


166


is not bonded to the roller main body


100


by the adhesive agent, a slack is easily generated in the web body


166


due to the elongation.




At this time, in the brush roller


80


, the web body


166


is always drawn in the winding direction due to the urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


. Accordingly, even when the elongation is generated in the web body due to some reasons, the elongation does not appear as a slack of the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


.




That is, the urging mechanism


122


provided in the brush roller


80


urges the holding member


118


to which the end portion of the web body


166


is fixed, in the winding direction of the web body


166


due to the urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


, and when the elongation is generated in the web body


166


, the holding member


118


rotates in the winding direction of the web body


166


due to the urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


, thereby preventing the slack from being generated in the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


.




Further, the restricting pin


148


is provided in the fastening member


120


constituting the urging mechanism


122


together with the holding member


118


, and the restricting pin


148


is brought into contact with the flat surface portion


112


of the holding member


118


, thereby restricting the relative rotation of the holding member


118


with respect to the fastening member


120


.




Accordingly, even when the web body


166


is going to draw the holding member


118


in the direction opposite to the winding direction against the urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


, the restricting pin


148


is brought into contact with the flat surface portion


112


of the holding member


118


so as to restrict the relative rotation of the holding member


118


in the direction opposite to the winding direction. Accordingly, the web body


166


draws the holding member


118


in the direction opposite to the winding direction, whereby no slack is generated in the web body


166


.




As mentioned above, in the brush roller


80


, both end portions of the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


in a helical manner are fixed by the fixing member


110


and the holding member


118


of the urging mechanism


122


, thereby preventing the slack from being generated in the web body


166


without bonding the web body


166


to the roller main body


100


by the adhesive agent.




On the other hand, the fine projections


150


are formed on the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


around which the web body


166


is wound with an interval at a position forming a helical shape. The projection


150


is structured such that the front end is directed to the winding direction of the web body


166


, and when the woven cloth


168


of the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


in a helical manner is going to be shifted in the winding direction, the web body


166


can be shifted, however, when it is going to be shifted in the direction opposite to the winding direction, the projection


150


eats into the woven cloth


168


of the web body


166


so as to increase a frictional resistance, thereby preventing the web body


166


from being shifted.




Accordingly, when the urging mechanism


122


prevents the slack due to the elongation of the web body


166


, the web body


166


is shifted in the winding direction, and a uniform tensile force is applied to all the area of the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


. On the other hand, when the torsional force is applied to the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


at a time of brushing the PS printing plate


12


, the projections


150


eat into the web body


166


, thereby preventing the web body


166


from being shifted in the direction opposite to the winding direction.




Accordingly, in the brush roller


80


, it is securely prevent a partial slack from being generated in the web body


166


due to the winding tightness of the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


.




On the other hand, the projections


150


are formed so as to be shifted at a predetermined angle θ along the peripheral direction of the roller main body


100


between the adjacent projections


150


at a time of being formed at helical positions in the roller main body


100


, whereby a plurality of projections


150


do not appear on the same circumference of the roller main body


100


. That is, the structure is made such that a plurality of projections


150


do not exist on the same circumference of the roller main body


100


and the interval between the adjacent projections


150


along the axial direction becomes a predetermined interval d. Accordingly, the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


is formed, for example, in a coarse-grained rubbing metal.




In the case that a plurality of projections


150


exist on the same circumference of the roller main body


100


, a plurality of projections


150


rub down the same position at a time of brushing the PS printing plate


12


by the brush roller


80


, so that a stripe-shaped rubbed surface irregularity is easily generated along the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


, however, in the brush roller


80


, since the less than one projection


150


is formed on the same circumference of the roller main body


100


, the rubbed surface irregularity due to the projections


150


does not appear on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


.




In order to prevent the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


from being shifted, a method of increasing a frictional resistance between the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


and the web body


166


includes a method of applying a knurling work onto the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


, however, in the case of partly applying the knurling work onto the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


, a plurality of convex portions are arranged on the same circumference of the roller main body


100


and the rubbed surface irregularity is generated on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


even when a difference between concave and convex is about 0.3 mm.




Further, applying the knurling work onto a whole surface of the outer periphery of the roller main body


100


generates a vibration or the like in the brush roller


80


due to reduction of circulaity of the roller main body


100


or the like.




On the other hand, by forming the projections


150


at the helical positions on the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


, it is possible to securely prevent the web body


166


wound around the roller main body


100


in a helical manner from being shifted, particularly, prevent the web body


166


from being shifted in the direction opposite to the winding direction, without generating vibration in the brush roller


80


.




Accordingly, in the PS printing plate processor


10


, by brushing the surface of the PS printing plate


12


by the brush roller


80


, it is possible to securely remove the unnecessary photosensitive layer or the like without generating a finish defect such as the rubbed surface irregularity or the like on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


.




Further, the present embodiment does not limit the structure of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the fixing member


110


is provided in one end in the axial direction of the roller main body


100


and the urging mechanism


122


is provided in another end thereof, however, the structure may be made such that the urging mechanisms


122


are provided in both ends in the axial direction of the roller main body


100


and the respective urging mechanisms


122


urge both end portions of the web body


166


in the direction of wining around the roller main body


100


.




Further, in the present embodiment, the restricting pin


148


provided in the fastening member


120


prevents the holding member


118


from relatively rotating in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the web body


166


, however, the structure of the restricting means is not limited to this. For example, the structure may be made such that a one-way clutch mechanism is provided between the holding member


118


and the fastening member


120


or the axial end member


104


so as to prevent the holding member


118


from relatively rotating in one direction, or a ratchet mechanism may be employed in place of the one-way clutch mechanism.




A ratchet mechanism


180


shown in

FIG. 7

is constituted by a ratchet gear


182


formed in the flange portion


104


B of the axial end member


104


and a ratchet gear


184


formed on an end surface in a side of the axial end member


104


of the holding member


118


opposing to the ratchet gear


182


.




The holding member


118


is urged toward the axial end member


104


due to the urging force of the urging means (not shown), whereby the ratchet gears


182


and


184


are engaged with each other.




The ratchet mechanism


180


prevents the holding member


118


from relatively rotating in the direction opposite to the winding direction of the web body


166


with respect to the axial end member


104


by the ratchet gears


182


and


184


being relatively engaged with each other.




Further, the ratchet mechanism


180


is structured such that the holding member


118


can relatively rotate in the winding direction with respect to the axial end member


104


, and when the elongation is generated in the web body


166


and the holding member


118


relatively rotates due to the urging force of the torsional coil spring


142


, the engaging position of the ratchet gears


182


and


184


moves.




By using the ratchet mechanism


180


mentioned above, it is possible to securely prevent the slack from being generated due to the elongation of the web body


166


or the like while preventing the slack of the web body


166


due to the rotation of the holding member


118


in the direction opposite to the winding direction.




In this case, the ratchet gears


182


and


184


may be provided between the holding member


118


and the fastening member


120


. Further, one of the ratchet gears


182


and


184


may be replaced by a ratchet pawl. Further, the ratchet mechanism corresponding to the restricting means is not limited to this, and an optional structure can be employed as far as the structure enabling the holding member


118


to relatively rotate in the winding direction between the holding member


118


and any one of the axial end member


104


, the rotary shaft


108


and the fastening member


120


and preventing the relative rotation in the direction opposite to the winding direction.




Here, in the present embodiment, the description is given of the present invention with reference to the embodiment of the brush roller


80


provided in the PS printing plate processor


10


, however, the brush roller employing the present invention is not limited to the PS printing plate such as a photo polymer plate, a thermal plate, a surface printing plate with no water and the like, and when a brush roller is used for brushing a surface of a photosensitive material in a photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing the other photosensitive material such as an X-ray film, a general black-and-white film, a color film, a black-and-white printing paper, a color printing paper and the like, the present invention can be applied to the brush roller.




That is, the present invention can be applied to the brush roller in the optionally structured photosensitive material processing apparatus without being limited to the PS printing plate processor.




As mentioned above, the present invention can securely prevent the web-like member from being slacked even when the elongation or the like is generated in the web-like member wound around the roller main body in a helical manner. Further, in accordance with the present invention, the shift in the direction opposite to the winding direction is prevented from being generated in the web-like member by forming the projection at the helical position on the peripheral surface of the roller main body, whereby it is possible to securely prevent a partly winding tightness or slack from being generated due to the shifting of the web-like member.




Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there can be obtained an excellent effect that it is possible to securely prevent the rubbed surface irregularity or the like from being generated on the photosensitive material due to the slack or wind tightness of the web-like member wound around the roller main body in a helical manner.




<<Second Embodiment>>




A description will be given below of a second embodiment. With respect to the same elements and parts as those of the embodiment mentioned above, an overlapping description will be optionally omitted and a description will be mainly given of characteristic portions.




With reference to

FIG. 8

, in the PS printing plate processor


10


, the brush roller


80


and


82


are provided within the developing tank


24


. The brush roller


80


and


82


are arranged along the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


, and respectively opposed to the surface of the photosensitive layer side of the PS printing plate


12


. Accordingly, in the PS printing plate


12


transferred in the developing solution within the developing tank


24


, the surface in the photosensitive layer side is brushed by the brush rollers


80


and


82


, whereby the photosensitive layer swelled by the developing solution is promoted to be peeled.




In this case, a description will be given of the brush rollers


80


and


82


provided in the PS printing plate processor


10


with reference to FIG.


9


and

FIGS. 10A

to


10


D. In this case, the basic structures of the brush rollers


80


and


82


are the same.




As shown in

FIG. 9

, the brush roller


80


is constituted by the roller main body


100


corresponding to a core material, and a web body for brushing


166


(hereinafter, simply refer to the web body


166


) corresponding to the web-like member wound around the outer peripheral portion of the roller main body


100


.




The web body


166


, as shown in

FIG. 10A

, holds a pair of woven cloths


168


corresponding to a sheet-like base material in such a manner as to oppose to each other and weaves wire members


170


so as to extend over the woven cloths


168


.




For the wire members


170


, for example, a natural fiber or an artificial fiber is applied. In this case, the wire members


170


are not limited to the natural fiber and the artificial fiber, and a metal may be employed as far as having a suitable thinness. That is, as a material for the wire members


170


, it is possible to employ a natural fiber such as a vegetable fiber, an animal fiber and the like, an artificial fiber such as a polyamide system including a nylon 6, a nylon 66, a nylon 6.10, a nylon 11 and the like, a polyester system including a polyethylene terephthalate, a polybutylene terephthalate and the like, a polyacrylic system including, a polyacrylonitrile, polyacrylic alkyl and the like, a polypropylene, a polystyrene and the like, and a metal fiber such as a stainless steel, a brass and the like.




In this case, the web body


166


(

FIG. 10B

) applied to the present embodiment is completed by weaving the wire materials


170


in the woven cloth


168


in a tensional state and thereafter cutting the wire members


170


at a middle portion thereof. The brush roller


80


is obtained by winding the web body


166


around a peripheral surface of the roller main body


164


in a helical manner (refer to

FIG. 10C

) and shirring so as to uniformly make up a length of the wire members


170


(refer to FIG.


10


D).




As shown in

FIG. 9

, the brush roller


80


fixes the woven cloth


168


corresponding to the base material of the web body


166


to both end portions of the roller main body


100


, for example, by winding a fastening band


172


from the above of the web body


166


wound in both end portions of the roller main body


100


.




In this case, when fixing the web body


166


to the roller main body


100


by the fastening band


172


, the web body


166


may be fixed by being fastened by the fastening band


172


in a state of weaving the wire members


170


in the woven cloth


168


. However, as shown in

FIG. 9

, the web body


166


may be formed by cutting the wire members


170


in a predetermined area at both end portions of the web body


166


opposing to the fastening band


172


in accordance with a shining or the like or previously forming the woven cloth


168


without weaving the wire members


170


in the area opposing to both end portions of the roller main body


100


.




Further, when fixing the web body


166


at the end portion of the roller main body


100


by using the fastening band


172


, it is preferable to perform the fixing operation in a state of temporarily fixing the woven cloth


168


to the roller main body


100


by applying a slight amount of adhesive agent to the back surface side of the woven cloth


168


opposing to the peripheral surface of the axial end portion of the roller main body


100


.




Further, as the brush rollers


80


and


82


, it is possible to employ a structure obtained by fixing the web body


166


to the roller main body


100


by using optional fixing means in addition to the fastening band


172


. Further, the brush roller


80


and


82


may be structured such as to be fixed by applying the adhesive agent or the like to the back surface side of the woven cloth


168


opposing to the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


so as to bond to the roller main body


100


, that is, the brush rollers


80


and


82


may be structured as far as the web body


166


is tightly wound around the roller main body


100


in a helical shape.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIG. 11

, in the brush rollers


80


and


82


formed by winding the web body


166


around the roller main body


100


in a helical manner, a boundary portion (hereinafter, referred to as “boundary portion


90


”) between the adjacent web bodies


166


along the axial direction of the roller main body


100


is formed in a helical shape along the peripheral surface of the roller main body


100


.




The boundary portion


90


of the web body


166


moves toward the downward side in the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


while opposing to the surface of the PS printing plate


12


at a time of brushing the PS printing plate


12


by the brush rollers


80


and


82


. Accordingly, as shown by a two-dot chain line in

FIG. 11

, a track


92


formed by an opposition of the boundary portion


90


on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


becomes an inclined stripe.




An angle θ of the track with respect to the transferring direction (the direction of an arrow A) of the PS printing plate


12


becomes 0 degrees (θ=0°) at a time of transferring the PS printing plate


12


without rotating the brush roller


80


and


82


, and becomes substantially 90 degrees (θ=90°) at a time of stopping transferring the PS printing plate


12


and rotating the brush rollers


80


and


82


.




Further, an interval between the tracks


92


along the width direction of the PS printing plate


12


becomes a value corresponding to a width W of the web body


166


and a winding angle of the web body


166


around the roller main body


100


(X=f (W)). That is, the track


92


has the interval X corresponding to the width W of the web body


166


and the angle θ corresponding to a transferring speed V of the PS printing plate


12


, an outer diameter D of the brush roller


80


(


82


) and a rotational speed N thereof.




On the other hand, in this boundary portion


90


, since a density of the wire members


170


becomes smaller (lower) than that of the peripheral portion, the track


92


easily appears as the rubbed surface irregularity on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


at a time of brushing the surface of the PS printing plate


12


by the brush rollers


80


and


82


. In particular, in the case that it is necessary to brush at a higher contact pressure of the wire members


170


against the printed surface, such in the photo polymer plate, the track


92


appears as the rubbed surface irregularity on the PS printing plate


12


, thereby tending to reduce a finish quality of the PS printing plate


12


processed by the PS printing plate processor


10


.




Here, in the PS printing plate processor


10


, two brush rollers


80


and


82


are arranged in the side of the photosensitive layer of the PS printing plate


12


along the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


and the surface of the photosensitive layer side of the PS printing plate


12


is brushed by the brush rollers


80


and


82


, thereby promoting a removal of the unnecessary photosensitive layer from the surface of the PS printing plate


12


, and canceling the respective tracks


92


between the brush rollers


80


and


82


, so that it is intended to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity generated by the boundary portion


90


from appearing on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


.




A description will be given of a structure in which a rubbed surface irregularity is prevented from appearing on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


by canceling the respective tracks


92


by two brush rollers


80


and


82


with reference to the following embodiment examples 1 to 5.




EMBODIMENT EXAMPLE 1





FIG. 12

shows an arrangement of the brush rollers


80


and


82


applied to an embodiment example 1. In the embodiment example 1, brush rollers


84


having the same shape and in which the web body


166


having a width W is wound around the roller main body


164


in a helical manner are employed as the brush rollers


80


and


82


. Accordingly, in the brush rollers


80


and


82


, a boundary portion


90


is formed in a helical manner at the interval W.




In the developing portion


14


, two brush rollers


84


(


80


and


82


) are rotated in the same direction (for example, in a direction of an arrow C) at a time of transferring the PS printing plate


12


at a speed V (mm/min). At this time, in the embodiment example 1, the rotational speed N is changed between two brush rollers


84


.




For example, while the structure is made such that the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


80


is rotated at a rotational speed N1 (r/min), the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


82


is rotated at a rotational speed N2 larger than the rotational speed N


1


(N


1


<N


2


). In this case, the rotational speed N can be changed by using an optional method, for example, changing a gear ratio for transmitting a drive force.




In the developing portion


14


using the brush rollers


80


and


82


, the photosensitive layer surface of the PS printing plate


12


is brushed by the brush roller


80


and next brushed by the brush roller


82


.




In this case, as shown in

FIG. 13

, on the assumption that the track


92


structured such that a boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


80


opposes to the surface of the PS printing plate


12


is set to a track


92


A, and the track structured such that a boundary portion


90


B of the brush roller


82


opposes to the surface of the PS printing plate


12


is set to a track


92


B, since the width W of the web body


166


is the same between the brush rollers


80


and


82


, the track


92


A and the track


92


B respectively have the interval X.




On the other hand, in the brush rollers


80


and


82


, the rotational directions are the same but the rotational speeds N are different. Accordingly, an angle θ


1


of the track


92


A and an angle θ


2


of the track


92


B are different. Accordingly, the brush rollers


80


and


82


form different track patterns on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


.




At this time, since the rotational speed N


2


of the brush roller


82


is greater than the rotational speed N


1


of the brush roller


80


(N


1


<N


2


), the angle θ


1


of the track


92


A becomes smaller than the angle θ


2


of the track


92


B (θ


1





2


). Accordingly, the tracks


92


A and


92


B do not cross and overlap with each other on the PS printing plate


12


.




Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity from appearing on the PS printing plate


12


due to the overlap between the track


92


A formed by the brush roller


80


and the track


92


B formed by the brush roller


82


on the PS printing plate


12


, and it is possible to brush so as to cancel the mutual tracks


92


A and


92


B by the brush roller


80


and


82


.




In this case, the difference between the rotational speeds N


1


and N


2


of the brush rollers


80


and


82


can be optionally set, however, a larger one is preferable. By increasing the difference between the rotational speeds N


1


and N


2


, the difference between the angle θ


1


of the track


92


A and the angle θ


2


of the track


92


B is increased, so that it is possible to more securely prevent the rubbed surface irregularity from appearing (coming into prominence).




Further, in the embodiment example 1, the rotational speed N


2


of the brush roller


82


is made larger than the rotational speed N


1


of the brush roller


80


(N


1


<N


2


), however, the rotational speed N


1


of the brush roller


80


may be made larger than the rotational speed N


2


of the brush roller


82


(N


1


>N


2


).




EMBODIMENT EXAMPLE 2





FIG. 14

shows an arrangement of the brush rollers


80


and


82


applied to an embodiment example 2. In this embodiment example 2, the brush rollers


84


are employed for the brush rollers


80


and


82


, further while the rotational speed N is changed between the brush rollers


80


and


82


in the embodiment example 1, the rotational direction is changed between the brush rollers


80


and


82


in the embodiment example 2.




That is, in the embodiment example 2, when the brush rollers


84


used as the brush rollers


80


and


82


are rotated at the rotational speed N, the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


82


is rotated in a direction of an arrow C and on the other hand, the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


80


is rotated in a direction of an arrow E corresponding to an opposite direction to the direction of the arrow C. In this case, the rotational direction between two brush rollers


84


is changed by using an optional method of changing a gear number at a time of transmitting the drive force or the like.




Accordingly, as shown in

FIG. 15

, on the assumption that the track


92


in which the boundary portion


90


of the brush roller


80


opposes to the surface of the PS printing plate


12


is set to a track


92


D and the track in which the boundary portion


90


of the brush roller


82


opposes to the surface of the PS printing plate is set to a track


92


C, between the brush rollers


80


and


82


, since the width W of the web body


166


is constant, the respective intervals X are the same between the track


92


C and the track


92


D.




On the other hand, in the brush rollers


80


and


82


, the rotational directions are different. Accordingly, the directions of incline are different between the track


92


C and


92


D. That is, the track


92


C formed by the brush roller


82


is inclined rightward with respect to the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


at an angle θ


3


, on the other hand, the track


92


D formed by the brush roller


80


is inclined leftward with respect to the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


at an angle θ


4


. Accordingly, the brush rollers


80


and


82


form the different track patterns on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


.




At this time, the tracks


92


C and


92


D do not overlap with each other on the PS printing plate


12


.




Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity from appearing on the PS printing plate


12


due to the overlapping on the PS printing plate


12


between the track


92


D formed by the brush roller


80


and the track


92


C formed by the brush roller


82


, whereby it is possible to brush so as to cancel the respective tracks


92


(


92


D and


92


C) by the brush rollers


80


and


82


.




In this case, it is sufficient that the rotational directions of the brush rollers


80


and


82


are different from each other, and are not limited to the present embodiment.




EMBODIMENT EXAMPLE 3





FIG. 16

shows an arrangement of the brush rollers


80


and


82


applied to the embodiment example 3. In the embodiment example 3, the brush roller


84


is used as the brush roller


82


and a brush roller


86


is used as the brush roller


80


.




The brush roller


86


is structured such that the winding direction of the web body


166


around the roller main body


164


is changed with respect to that of the brush roller


84


. That is, the brush roller


84


is structured such that the web body


166


is wound around the roller main body


100


in a counterclockwise direction as seen from a right side of the paper surface of

FIG. 16

, and on the other hand, the brush roller


86


is structured such that the web body


166


is wound in a clockwise direction as seen from a right side of the paper surface of FIG.


16


.




Accordingly, in the brush roller


86


, a boundary portion


90


C formed in a helical shape in an opposite direction to that of the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


84


is provided.




As mentioned above, in the embodiment example 3, the winding directions of the web body


166


are changed between two brush rollers


80


and


82


.




In the developing portion


14


using the brush rollers


80


(


86


) and


82


(


84


) structured in the manner mentioned above, the brush rollers


80


and


82


are rotated in the same direction (for example, in the direction of the arrow C) at the substantially same rotational speed N while the PS printing plate


12


is transferred at a transferring speed V, and the photosensitive layer surface of the PS printing plate


12


is at first brushed by the brush roller


80


and next, brushed by the brushing roller


82


.




Accordingly, the pattern of the track similar to the embodiment example 2 can be obtained on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


(refer to FIG.


15


). That is, the track


92


of the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


82


becomes the track


92


C. On the other hand, the track


92


of the brush roller


86


used as the brush roller


80


with respect to the boundary portion


90


C is inclined in a left side with respect to the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


at the interval X and similar to the track


92


D.




Accordingly, even when it is intended to rotate the brush rollers


84


(


82


) and


86


(


80


) in the same direction by using the brush rollers


84


(


82


) and


86


(


80


) having the different winding directions of the web body


166


, the respective tracks


92


do not overlap with each other on the PS printing plate


12


.




Accordingly, it is possible to brush by two brush rollers


80


and


82


so as to cancel the track


92


with respect to the respective boundary portion


90


so as to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity from appearing on the PS printing plate


12


. In this case, it is a matter of course that the brush roller


84


may be used as the brush roller


80


and the brush roller


86


may be used as the brush roller


82


.




EMBODIMENT EXAMPLE 4





FIG. 17

shows an arrangement of the brush rollers


80


and


82


applied to an embodiment example 4. In the embodiment example 4, the brush roller


84


is used as the brush roller


80


and a brush roller


88


is used as the brush roller


82


.




The brush roller


88


employs a roller main body


100


B having a larger outer diameter than that of the roller main body


100


A of the brush roller


84


, as the roller main body


100


. That is, the brush roller


88


employs the roller main body


100


B having an outer diameter d


2


larger than an outer diameter d


1


of the roller main body


100


A (d


1


<d


2


), and is structured such that the web body


166


is wound around the roller main body


100


B in a helical manner. Accordingly, an outer diameter D


2


of the brush roller


88


is made larger than an outer diameter D


1


of the brush roller


84


(D


1


<D


2


).




In the developing portion


14


, the brush rollers


84


and


88


are rotated in the same direction (for example, in a direction of an arrow C) at the same rotational speed N while the PS printing plate


12


is transferred at the transferring speed V, and the photosensitive layer surface of the PS printing plate


12


is at first brushed by the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


80


and next brushed by the brush roller


88


used as the brush roller


82


.




In the case of brushing the PS printing plate


12


by the brush rollers


84


and


88


having the different outer diameters, since the width W of the web body


166


is the same, an interval X


1


of the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


84


becomes wider than an interval X


2


of the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


D of the brush roller


88


(X


1


>X


2


). Further, since the winding direction of the web body


166


and the rotational directions of the brush rollers


84


and


88


are the same, the direction of incline of the track


92


becomes constant.




On the other hand, since the winding angle of the web body


166


of the brush roller


88


becomes smaller than the winding angle of the web body


166


of the brush roller


84


, the angle θ of the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


C of the brush roller


88


becomes larger than the angle θ of the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


84


.




That is, when the brush rollers


84


and


88


having the different outer diameters are used as the brush rollers


80


and


82


, it is possible to obtain a pattern of the track


92


similar to that of the

FIG. 13

in the embodiment example 1.




Accordingly, two patterns of tracks


92


in which the track


92


of the brush roller


80


(


84


) and the track


92


of the brush roller


82


(


88


) cross to each other are formed on the PS printing plate


12


, whereby it is possible to brush so as to cancel the respective tracks


92


formed by the mutual boundary portions


90


. Accordingly, in the embodiment example 4, it is possible to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity from appearing on the PS printing plate


12


.





FIG. 18

shows an arrangement of the brush roller


80


and


82


applied to an embodiment example 5. In this embodiment example 5, the brush roller


84


is used as the brush roller


82


and a brush roller


94


is used as the brush roller


80


.




The brush roller


84


is structured such that a web body


166


B having a width W


1


is wound in a helical manner, on the other hand, the brush roller


94


is structured such that a web body


166


A formed so as to have a larger width W


2


than the width W


1


(W


1


<W


2


) is wound around the roller main body


164


in a helical manner. That is, in the embodiment example 5, the width of the web body


166


is changed between the brush rollers


80


and


82


.




Accordingly, in the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


82


, a boundary portion


90


A having an interval X


3


is formed in a helical manner, on the other hand, in the brush roller


94


used as the brush roller


80


, a boundary portion


90


E having an interval X


4


is formed in a helical manner.




In the developing portion


14


in which the brush rollers


94


and


84


are used as the brush rollers


80


and


82


, the photosensitive layer surface of the PS printing plate


12


is at first brushed by the brush roller


94


and next brushed by the brush roller


84


. At this time, in the developing portion


14


, the brush rollers


84


and


94


are rotated in the same rotational direction (for example, in a direction of an arrow C) at the same rotational speed N while the PS printing plate


12


is transferred at the transferring speed V, whereby the PS printing plate is brushed.




In this case, the rotational speed N, the rotational direction (the direction of the arrow C) and the transferring speed V of the PS printing plate


12


are the same between the brush rollers


84


and


94


. Accordingly, an angle θ of the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


E of the brush roller


94


becomes larger than an angle θ of the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


84


(not shown).




On the other hand, while the web body


166


B wound around the roller main body


164


of the brush roller


84


has the width W


1


, the web body


166


A wound around the roller main body


164


of the brush roller


94


has the width W


2


. Accordingly, while the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


84


has an interval X


3


, the track


90


formed by the boundary portion


90


E of the brush roller


94


has an interval X


4


larger than the interval X


3


(X


3


<X


4


). That is, the tracks


92


of patterns having the different intervals X are formed on the PS printing plate


12


.




Accordingly, it is possible to brush so as to prevent the mutual tracks


92


from overlapping with each other between the brush roller


80


using the brush roller


94


and the brush roller


82


using the brush roller


84


.




Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the stripe-shaped rubbed surface irregularity from appearing on the PS printing plate


12


and it is possible to prevent the finish quality of the PS printing plate


12


caused by the boundary portion


90


of the web body


166


from being deteriorated.




As mentioned above, in the PS printing plate processor


10


, it is possible to securely prevent the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


from appearing as the rubber surface irregularity on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


by changing any one of the rotational speed, the rotational direction, the outer diameter, the winding direction of the web body


166


and the width of the web body


166


between the brush rollers


80


and


82


at a time of brushing the PS printing plate


12


with using two brush rollers


80


and


82


, thereby making the patterns of the respective tracks


92


formed on the PS printing plate


12


due to the boundary portion


90


of the web body


166


caused by the brush rollers


80


and


82


different.




Accordingly, in the PS printing plate processor


10


, it is possible to securely prevent the finish quality of the PS printing plate


12


from being reduced, the deterioration being generated due to generation of the rubbed surface irregularity on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


by the boundary portion


90


of the web body


16


wound around the roller main body


100


in a helical manner.




In this case, in the present embodiments mentioned above, the structure is made such that two brush rollers


80


and


82


are provided, and any one of the rotational speed, the rotational direction, the outer diameter, the winding direction of the web body


166


and the width of the web body


166


is changed between the brush rollers


80


and


82


, however, the structure may be, for example, made such that these changing conditions are combined such as the width of the web body


166


and the rotational speed are changed, or the like. Accordingly, it is possible to more securely prevent the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


of the web body


166


from appearing as the rubbed surface irregularity on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


so as to reduce the finish quality of the PS printing plate


12


.




Further, in the present embodiment, the description is given of the embodiment having two brush rollers


80


and


82


, however, the present embodiment can be applied to a case of brushing the photosensitive layer surface of the PS printing plate


12


by three or more brush rollers. At this time, it is sufficient that the structure may be made such that the track


92


formed by the boundary portion


90


of the web body


166


has at least two patterns by changing at least one condition among the rotational speed, the rotational direction, the outer diameter, the winding direction of the web body


166


and the width of the web body


166


between at least two brush rollers, and it is preferably that the respective brush rollers form the different track patterns on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


by changing at least one condition among the rotational speed, the rotational direction, the outer diameter, the winding direction of the web body


166


and the width of the web body


166


between all the brush rollers.




Next, a description will be given of a modified embodiment.





FIG. 19

shows a schematic arrangement of the brush rollers


80


and


82


in accordance with the modified embodiment. The brush rollers


84


are employed as the brush rollers


80


and


82


. Accordingly, the tracks


92


on the PS printing plate


12


caused by the boundary portions


90


of the brush rollers


80


and


82


become the patterns having the same angle of incline with respect to the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


.




On the other hand, the brush rollers


80


and


82


are arranged along the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


at a distance L (mm). Accordingly, it is possible to express the number M at which the brush roller


80


rotates after the front end of the PS printing plate


12


transferred along the transferring path is in contact with the brush roller


80


before being in contact with the brush roller


82


, by rotating the brush rollers


80


and


82


at the rotational speed N (r/min) with transferring the PS printing plate


12


at the transferring speed V (mm/min) by the following formula.








M=L·N/V








The brush roller


84


rotates in the direction of the arrow C, whereby the track


92


is formed on the PS printing plate


12


at the interval X.




In this case, for example, by rotating the brush roller


84


in a state of contacting the brush roller


84


with the PS printing plate


12


, the position at which the boundary portion


90


is in contact with the PS printing plate


12


moves in the width direction of the PS printing plate


12


. That is, the contact position of the boundary portion


90


of the brush roller


84


with the PS printing plate


12


is shifted in correspondence to the rotational position of the brush roller


84


.




In this case, when the position at which the end portion of the boundary portion


90


A of the web body in the end portion in the axial direction of the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


80


is in contact with the PS printing plate


12


coincides with the position at which the end portion of the boundary portion


90


B of the web body


166


in the end portion in the axial direction of the brush roller


84


used as the brush roller


82


is in contact with the PS printing plate


12


, the track


92


E of the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


80


and the track


92


F of the boundary portion


90


B of the brush roller


82


are overlapped with each other, so that the rubbed surface irregularity will appear on the PS printing plate


12


.




That is, as shown in

FIG. 20

, when a difference between the track


92


E formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


80


and the track


92


F formed by the boundary portion


90


B of the brush roller


82


is set to a phase difference φ, if the phase difference φ becomes 0 degree (or 360 degrees), the track


92


E and the track


92


F are overlapped with each other and the rubbed surface irregularity easily appears on the PS printing plate


12


. In this case, the phase difference φ satisfies the relation 0 degree≦φ≦360 degrees.




It is possible to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity from appearing on the PS printing plate


12


by shifting the track


92


E formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


80


from the track


92


F formed by the boundary portion


90


B of the brush roller


82


.




That is, the phase difference φ is set to a relation φ≠0 degree. Further, taking the widths of the tracks


92


E and


92


F into consideration, it is set to a relation 20 degrees≦φ≦340 degrees.




Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity from appearing on the surface of the PS printing plate


12


. In this case, when the phase difference φ satisfies the relation φ=180 degrees, the track


92


F becomes a middle position between two tracks


92


E.




In this case, when the number M is an integral number, in order to generate a predetermined phase difference φ between the track


92


E formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


80


and the track


92


F formed by the boundary portion


90


B of the brush roller


82


, the brush rollers


80


and


82


are previously rotated relatively at a time of placing the apparatus and stopping the operation so as to shift the position of the end portion in the axial direction of the boundary portion


90


A of the web body


166


wound around the brush roller


80


with respect to the PS printing plate


12


and the position of the end portion in the axial direction of the boundary portion


90


B of the web body


166


wound around the brush roller


82


with respect to the PS printing plate


12


to the position at which the track


92


E and the track


92


F are not overlapped with each other. Of course, the whole of the boundary portion


90


A of the web body


166


wound around the brush roller


80


with respect to the print surface of the PS printing plate


12


and the whole of the boundary portion


90


B of the web body


166


wound around the brush roller


82


may be shifted so that the track


92


E and the track


92


F do not overlap with each other.




Further, when the directions of the brush rollers


80


and


82


are fixed so that the phase difference φ satisfies the relation φ=0 degree, it is sufficient to adjust the transferring speed V of the PS printing plate


12


, the rotational speed N or the distance L so that the number M is not an integral number.




At this time, taking the widths of the tracks


92


E and


92


F into consideration, for example, it is preferable to make the first decimal place of the result of calculation of the number M be not “0”, after rounding off the second decimal place. That is, if a result of rounding off the first decimal place of the number M is set to I


1


(M), and the result of rounding off the second place of the number M is set to I


2


(M), it is more preferable that the following relation is satisfied.








I




1


(


M


)≠


I




2


(


M


)






As mentioned above, by giving a predetermined phase difference φ between the track


92


E formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


80


and the track


92


F formed by the boundary portion


90


A of the brush roller


82


when the brush rollers


80


and


82


are in contact with the print surface of the PS printing plate


12


so as to shift the tracks


92


E and


92


F, it is possible to prevent the rubbed surface irregularity caused by the boundary portions


90


A of two brush rollers


80


and


82


from appearing on the print surface of the PS printing plate


12


and it is possible to obtain the PS printing plate


12


having a high quality in which no rubbed surface irregularity appears.




When two or more brush rollers are provided, it is sufficient that the structure is made such that the tracks


92


are shifted between at least optional two brush rollers.




The brush roller may be a so-called multi-wound type in which two or more web bodies


166


are wound in a helical manner. Further, a brush roller in which the web body


166


is pitch wound with a slight interval may be employed.




The present invention can be applied, for example, to a brush roller used in a photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing the other photosensitive materials such as an X-ray film, a general black-and-white film, a color film, a black-and-white printing paper, a color printing paper and the like, in addition to the PS printing plate such as the photo polymer plate, the thermal plate, the surface printing plate and the like.




As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, since the structure is made such that the track of the photosensitive material surface caused by the boundary portion of the web-like member of the brush roller has two patterns or more at a time of brushing the same surface side of the photosensitive material by at least two brush rollers, it is possible to prevent the track of the boundary portion from appearing as the rubbed surface irregularity.




Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the finish quality of the photosensitive material brushed by the brush roller from being reduced, whereby it is possible to obtain the photosensitive material having a high finish quality.




<<Third Embodiment>>




A description will be given below of a third embodiment, however, an overlapping description about the same parts and portions as those of the embodiment mentioned above will be suitably omitted, and a description will be mainly given of characteristic portions.




With reference to

FIG. 21

, in the PS printing plate processor


10


, there are provided plural pairs of rollers gripping the PS printing plate


12


and applying the transferring force to the PS printing plate


12


, such as pairs of transferring rollers


42


,


48


,


58


,


60


,


56


,


72


,


74


and the like. A gripping force for nipping the PS printing plate


12


between the mutually opposing rollers is applied to the pairs of transferring rollers


42


,


48


,


58


,


60


,


56


,


72


and


74


, and the pairs of transferring rollers


48


,


58


,


60


and


56


are mounted to a side plate corresponding to an inner wall of the processing tank side in a state that a great gripping force is applied to a portion between the opposing rollers, in order to squeeze down the processing solution attached to the surface of the PS printing plate


12


from the surface of the PS printing plate


12


.




Here, a description will be given of a mounting of a pair of transferring rollers


60


to the PS printing plate processor


10


on the basis of an example of a pair of transferring rollers


60


, with reference to

FIGS. 22

to


24


.




A pair of transferring rollers


60


are structured, for example, such that rubber rollers


200


and


202


in which outer peripheral portions of roller main bodies (not shown) are coated by an elastic member such as a silicone rubber or the like are arranged vertically so as to form a pair. Further, gears


204


are provided at both end portions along an axial direction of each of the rubber rollers


200


and


202


, and the structure is made such that the gears


204


are engaged with each other by bringing the outer peripheral surfaces of the roller main bodies into contact with each other and rubber rollers


200


and


202


rotate.




In a pair of transferring rollers


60


, mounting bases


210


corresponding to base portions are arranged at both end portions along the axial direction of the rubber rollers


200


and


202


. In each of the rubber rollers


200


and


202


, rotary shafts


206


and


208


protruding out from the gears


204


at both end portions in the axial direction are respectively pivoted to the mounting bases


210


, and the mounting bases


210


are mounted to predetermined positions of a pair of side plates


212


(refer to

FIGS. 21 and 24

) arranged within the processing tank


22


(refer to FIG.


21


).




In this case, the side plates


212


are provided at both ends in a width direction (a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction) of the PS printing plate


12


transferred within the processing tank


22


. In

FIG. 21

, only one side plate


212


is shown, and in

FIG. 24

, a part of the side plate


212


is illustrated. Further, the mounting bases


210


arranged in both end sides in the axial direction of a pair of transferring rollers


60


are formed in the same shape, and the following description will be given with showing any one mounting base


210


.




As shown in

FIGS. 22 and 23

, the mounting base


210


is formed in a substantially rectangular flat shape, and a bearing portion


214


is formed in one end side along a longitudinal direction (a vertical direction on the paper surface in

FIGS. 22 and 23

) corresponding to an opposing side to the rubber roller


202


, in the mounting base


210


. The bearing portion


214


is formed in a shape protruding to an opposite direction to the rubber roller


202


from the mounting base


210


so as to form a rectangular block shape.




In the bearing portion


214


, an axial hole


216


opposing to the rotary shaft


208


of the rubber roller


202


is formed in a center portion of the bearing portion


214


. The rubber roller


202


is rotatably supported to the mounting base


210


by inserting the rotary shafts


208


at both ends to the axial holes


216


of the bearing portion


214


.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIG. 22

, a notch


218


formed in a rectangular shape is formed in another end side in a longitudinal direction of the bearing portion


214


in the mounting base


210


. The notch


218


is formed toward the bearing portion


214


from another end side in the longitudinal direction of the mounting base


210


, whereby leg portions


220


and


222


are formed in the mounting base


210


so as to form a pair.




The structure is made such that bearings


224


provided so as to oppose to the rotary shaft


206


of the rubber roller


200


is arranged within the notch


218


. The bearing


224


is structured such that a base portion


226


formed in a substantially rectangular block shape and a flange portion


228


formed so as to expand a width of the base portion


226


are integrally formed, and an axial hole


230


is formed in the center portion so as to pass through the base portion


226


and the flange portion


228


.




The rubber roller


200


is structured such that the rotary shaft


206


is inserted to the axial hole


230


of the bearing


224


from the base portion


226


side. At this time, as shown in

FIG. 23

, a fall-out prevention is applied by attaching a C-ring


232


or the like to a front end of the rotary shaft


206


protruding out to the flange portion


228


side of the bearing


224


. Accordingly, the rubber roller


200


and the bearing


224


are connected so as to relatively rotate.




The rubber roller


200


is pivoted to the mounting base


210


by attaching the bearing


224


mounted to the rotary shaft


206


to the mounting base


210


. The base portion


226


of the bearing


224


has a size corresponding to an interval between the leg portions


220


and


222


, and the bearing


224


is attached to the mounting base


220


by inserting the base portion


226


of the bearing


224


into the notch


228


from the front end side of the leg portions


220


and


222


.




At this time, the structure is made such that the bearing


224


can move along a direction of moving close to and apart from the bearing portion


214


corresponding to a longitudinal direction of the mounting base


210


, within the notch


218


, whereby an outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller


200


mounted to the bearing


224


is brought into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller


202


attached to the bearing


214


.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIGS. 22

to


24


, a restricting member


234


is mounted so as to be extended between front ends of the leg portions


220


and


222


. Accordingly, an opening of the notch


218


is closed, thereby preventing the bearing


224


mounted to the rubber roller


200


from being taken out from the notch


218


.




That is, the notch


218


corresponding to a second bearing receiving portion is formed in the mounting base


210


, and the bearing portion


214


integrally having a first bearing receiving portion and a bearing received in the first bearing receiving portion is formed therein.




As shown in

FIG. 22

, the structure is made such that a fastening screw


238


inserted to a spacer


236


is engaged with a front end in one leg portion


220


. Further, a supporting pin


240


is stood from a front end of another leg portion


222


. A pin hole


242


is pierced along an axial direction of the rubber roller


200


and


202


, in the supporting pin


240


, and the structure is made such that the axial pin


244


is press inserted into the pin hole


242


.




On the other hand, in the restricting member


234


, a pair of leg portions


248


and


250


are formed so as to oppose to respective upper ends of the leg portions


220


and


222


from the base portion


246


formed in a rectangular block shape. In this case, in

FIGS. 22

to


24


, an illustration of one of the leg portions


250


is omitted.




The restricting member


234


is arranged in a state that the leg portion


248


is opposed to the leg portion


220


of the mounting base


210


and the leg portion


250


is opposed to the leg portion


222


. At this time, the structure is made such that the supporting pin


240


is inserted to the portion between the leg portions


250


.




Further, in the leg portion


250


of the restricting member


234


, an oblong hole


252


is pierced at a position opposing to the pin hole


242


of the supporting pin


240


. Each of both end portions of the axial pin


244


inserted to the in hole


242


of the supporting pin


240


is structured such as to be inserted into the oblong hole


252


formed in the leg portion


250


of the restricting member


234


. Accordingly, the restricting member


234


is structured such as to be rotatable around the axial pin


244


within the oblong hole


252


between a position closing the opening of the notch


218


and a position (not shown) opening the notch


218


.




The bearing


224


attached to the rubber roller


200


can be taken out from the notch


218


by rotating the restricting member


234


around the axial pin


244


so as to be retracted to the position releasing the opening of the notch


218


. That is, it is possible to move the rubber roller


200


from the rubber roller


202


so as to take out by rotating the restricting member


234


to the retracted position.




The leg portion


248


of the restricting member


234


is arranged so as to grip the spacer


236


between the leg portion


248


and the front end of the leg portion


220


of the mounting base


210


. The leg portion


248


can be fixed to the leg portion


220


of the mounting base


210


by engaging the fastening screw


238


inserted to the portion between the leg portions


248


with a screw hole (not shown) in the front end of the leg portion


220


of the mounting base


210


in this state. That is, the restricting member


234


is assembled in the mounting base


210


by fixing the leg portion


248


to the fastening screw


238


in a state that the leg portion


250


is engaged with the supporting pin


240


.




On the other hand, a through hole


254


is formed in the base portion


246


of the restricting member


234


. The through hole


254


is formed so that an axial direction thereof opposes to the base portion


226


of the bearing


224


received in the notch


218


at a time of assembling the restricting member


234


in the mounting base


210


.




In this through hole


254


, a screw portion


256


A of a restricting screw


256


constituting urging and holding means is inserted to the through hole


254


. As shown in

FIG. 22

, in the restricting screw


256


, a head portion


258


having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the through hole


254


is formed in one end side in an axial direction, and the screw portion


256


A is inserted to the through hole


254


so that the head portion


258


opposes to the base portion


226


of the bearing


224


(refer to

FIGS. 23 and 24

(refer to FIGS.


23


and


24


).




A compression coil spring


270


corresponding to urging means is inserted into the through hole


254


of the base portion


246


, and the screw portion


256


A of the restricting screw


256


inserted into the through hole


254


is also inserted to the compression coil spring


270


.




The through hole


254


is structured such that a diameter of an end portion in an upper side (an opposite side to the bearing


224


) is reduced (not shown), whereby the compression coil spring


270


to which the screw portion


256


A is inserted prevents the compression coil spring


270


from being taken out from the upper side of the through hole


254


at a time of being inserted from the lower side of the through hole


254


, and can urge the head portion


258


of the restricting screw


256


toward the bearing


224


. In this case, in accordance with the present embodiment, the outer diameter of the head portion


258


of the restricting screw


256


is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the through hole


254


, however, the structure is made such that the outer diameter of the head portion


258


is made smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole


254


so that the compression coil spring


270


is not removed from the head portion


258


, whereby the head portion


258


enters within the through hole


254


.




A nut


272


is engaged with the front end portion protruding from the through hole


254


of the restricting member


234


, in the screw portion


256


A of the restricting screw


256


. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the restricting screw


256


from being taken out from the through hole


254


, and the compression coil spring


270


received within the through hole


254


urges the head portion


258


of the restricting screw


256


toward the bearing


224


.




As shown in

FIG. 22

, a pressing head


260


is formed in the head portion


258


of the restricting screw


256


in such a manner as to protrude toward the bearing


224


. Further, a patch


274


is provided in the base portion


226


of the bearing


224


so as to oppose to the pressing head


260


of the restricting screw


256


. This patch


274


is formed, for example, a stainless steel small piece, and is fixed by applying a rod (for example, a smoothing iron tip) plural portions of which are heated so as to deform the resin base portion


226


, a so-called caulking, in a state of being arranged at a predetermined position of the resin base portion


226


.




The restricting screw


256


is inserted to the through hole


254


in a state of assembling the restricting member


234


in the mounting base


210


so as to be fixed by the nut


272


in accordance with a double-nut system, whereby the head portion


258


protrudes from the base portion


246


of the restricting member


234


. In this state, by fixing the restricting member


234


by the fastening screw


238


, the pressing head


260


is brought into contact with the patch


274


provided in the base portion


226


of the bearing


224


.




Accordingly, the restricting screw


256


presses the bearing


224


toward the bearing portion


214


due to the urging force of the compression coil spring


270


, whereby the outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller


202


is held in a state of being brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller


200


. At this time, by adjusting a degree of engagement of the nut


272


with the screw portion


256


A, it is possible to adjust the urging force of the restricting screw


256


to the bearing


224


, so that it is possible to adjust a degree of contact of the rubber roller


202


with the rubber roller


200


.




As mentioned above, a pair of transferring rollers


60


in which the rubber rollers


200


and


202


are assembled are structured such that the base portion


226


of the bearing


224


presses the restricting screw


256


into the through hole


254


against the urging force of the compression coil spring


270


, at a time of gripping the PS printing plate


12


between the rubber rollers


200


and


202


. Further, the restricting screw


256


is pressed within the through hole


254


, whereby a great nipping force can be obtained at a time of gripping the PS printing plate


12


between the rubber rollers


200


and


202


.




In a pair of transferring rollers


60


in which the rubber roller


200


and the rubber roller


202


are assembled via the mounting base


210


in the manner mentioned above, as well as the rubber roller


202


, the rubber roller


200


can be assembled in the mounting base


210


in a significantly easy manner. Further, at a time of taking out the rubber roller


200


from the mounting base


210


, an operation can be easily performed only by loosening the fastening screw


238


so as to cancel the fixing of the leg portion


248


of the restricting member


234


to the mounting base


210


and thereafter rotating the restricting member


234


around the leg portion


250


side connected to the leg portion


222


of the mounting base


210


.




Further, since no operation against the urging force for applying the great nipping force to the PS printing plate


12


exists at a time of taking out the robber rollers


200


and


202


as well as at a time of assembling, a pair of transferring rollers


60


can be significantly easily maintained.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIG. 24

, a receiving portion


262


for a pair of transferring rollers


60


is formed in the side plate


212


at a time of molding. The receiving portion


262


is formed in a rectangular space in which a longitudinal direction is substantially a vertical direction. The longitudinal direction of the receiving portion


262


coincides with a direction connecting an axis of the rubber roller


200


and an axis of the rubber roller


202


when a pair of rollers


60


form the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


.




Further, the receiving portion


262


is structured such that an interval between wall portions


264


in both sides coincides with the bearing portion


214


of the mounting base


210


and the flange portion


228


of the bearing


224


assembled in the mounting base


210


. Accordingly, a pair of transferring rollers


60


are attached to a portion between a pair of side plates


212


provided in both sides in the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


by fitting the bearing portion


214


of the mounting base


210


and the flange portion


228


of the bearing


224


mounted to the mounting base


210


to the receiving portion


262


.




Further, a bottom portion


266


of the receiving portion


262


is formed so that when the bearing portion


214


of the mounting base


210


is brought into contact therewith, the rubber roller


202


of a pair of transferring rollers


60


is arranged at a position for forming the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


within the PS printing plate processor


10


, and a depth of the receiving portion


262


is set to a depth at which the front ends of the rotary shafts


206


and


208


protruding from the bearing portion


214


and the flange portion


228


of the bearing


224


are not brought into contact with a back wall


268


.




In this case, the receiving portion


262


reaches the upper end of the side plate


212


in an upper side corresponding to an opposite side of the bottom portion


266


(not shown), whereby it is possible to insert the bearing portion


214


and the flange portion


228


of the bearing


224


from the above. Further, the mounting base


210


is prevented from moving upward by optional mounting means in a state of receiving the bearing portion


214


and the flange portion


228


of the bearing


224


within the receiving portion


262


, whereby a pair of transferring rollers


60


can be assembled between a pair of side plates


212


.




Further, in the side plate


212


, a gear rotated by a drive force output from a drive source (not shown) is protruded at a predetermined position, and the structure is made such that the gear is engaged with the gear


204


provided in the rubber roller


202


by arranging a pair of transferring rollers


60


at a predetermined position of the side plate


212


. Accordingly, the drive force for transferring the PS printing plate


12


to a pair of transferring rollers


60


is transmitted.




As mentioned above, since a pair of transferring rollers


60


are structured such that the rubber roller


200


and the rubber roller


202


are fitted to the receiving portion


262


formed in the side plate


212


in a state of being assembled by the mounting base


210


, thereby being significantly easily attached to and detached from the portion between a pair of side plates


212


. Further, since a positioning can be performed only by bringing the bearing portion


214


of the mounting base


210


into contact with the bottom portion


266


of the receiving portion


262


at a time of attaching a pair of transferring rollers


60


to the portion between a pair of side plates


212


, it is significantly easily perform the positioning at a time of attaching.




In this case, the present embodiment mentioned above does not limit the structure of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the bearing portion


214


corresponding to the first bearing is integrally formed with the mounting base


210


, however, the structure may be made such that the bearing


224


is used as the first bearing and a rectangular hole to which the base portion


226


of the bearing


224


is fitted is formed as the first bearing receiving portion in the mounting base


210


.




Further, in the present embodiment, the restricting screw


256


provided in the restricting member


234


and the compression coil spring


270


are used as the urging and holding means, however, the urging and holding means in accordance with the present invention is not limited to this, it is possible to employ an optional structure for urging the bearing


224


toward the bearing portion


214


at a time of fixing the restricting member


234


to the leg portion


220


by the fastening screw


238


(for example, a ball plunger or the like).




Further, in the present embodiment, the description is given of the PS printing plate processor


10


for processing the PS printing plate


12


corresponding to the photosensitive material, however, a pair of transferring rollers to which the present invention is applied can be used in an optional photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing the other photosensitive materials such as an optional printing paper, a camera film or the like without being limited to the photosensitive surface printing plate such as the PS printing plate


12


or the like.




As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, since the structure is made such that the bearing portion supporting a pair of rollers is arranged in the first and second bearing receiving portions provided in the base portion, and the urging and holding means is provided in the restricting member for preventing the bearing from being taken out from the second bearing receiving portion so as to press the bearing received in the second bearing receiving portion to the bearing received in the first bearing receiving portion by the urging and holding means, it is unnecessary to perform the work against the nipping force applied to the portion between the rollers at a time of taking out the rollers from the base portion as well as at a time of assembling. Accordingly, it is possible to significantly easily perform a maintenance of a pair of rollers.




<<Fourth Embodiment>>




A description will be given below of a fourth embodiment. In this case, with respect to the same parts and portions as those of the embodiments mentioned above, an overlapping description will be suitably omitted and a description will be mainly given of characteristic portions.




With reference to

FIG. 25

, the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B provided in the water washing portion


16


and the spray pipe


64


and the discharging unit


66


provided in the desensitization processing portion


18


are respectively arranged in upper and lower portions with respect to the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


so as to form a pair, and the structure is made such as to discharge the washing water and the gum solution supplied at a predetermined timing toward the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


so as to apply to the front and back surfaces of the PS printing plate


12


.




Here, a description will be given of the spray pipe provided in the PS printing plate processor


10


on the basis of the embodiment of the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B provided in the water washing portion


16


.




As shown in

FIGS. 26

to


30


, the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B are provided as a spray unit


300


in the PS printing plate processor


10


. The spray unit


300


is constituted by a pipe


302


forming the spray pipe


62


A and a pipe


304


forming the spray pipe


62


B.




As shown in

FIG. 26

, the pipes


302


and


304


have a length coinciding with a pair of side plates


212


(


212


A and


212


B) arranged in both sides in a width direction perpendicular to the transferring direction of the PS printing plate


12


within the processing tank


22


(refer to

FIG. 25

) so as to form a pair and axially supporting a pair of transferring rollers


58


and


60


and the like. Further, the spray unit


300


connects one end sides in a longitudinal direction of the pipes


302


and


304


by using a holding member


306


and connects another end sides by using a connecting holder


308


so as to keep the pipes


302


and


304


at a predetermined interval, whereby the PS printing plate


12


(not shown) can pass through the portion between the pipes


302


and


304


.




As shown in

FIG. 27

, an end cap


310


corresponding to a fastening plug is mounted to an end portion in the side of the holding member


306


, whereby the pipes


302


and


304


are closed. Further, as shown in

FIGS. 26

to


29


, a flat portion


314


having a predetermined width is formed in an outer peripheral portion of each of the pipes


302


and


304


along the axial direction, and through holes


316


corresponding to the discharging holes are formed in the flat portion


314


at a predetermined interval.




As shown in

FIG. 27

, the holding member


306


is formed in a rectangular block shape, and through holes


318


and


320


to which the pipes


302


and


304


are inserted are formed at a predetermined interval along a longitudinal direction. Inner surfaces are formed in a curved manner in the respective through holes


318


and


320


in such a manner as to have inner diameters corresponding to outer diameters of the respective pipes


302


and


304


, and flat surfaces


322


A and


322


B opposing to the flat surfaces


314


of the pipes


302


and


304


are formed at predetermined positions.




The pipes


302


and


304


are inserted to the through holes


318


and


320


in a state of opposing the flat surfaces


314


to the flat surfaces


322


A and


322


B. Accordingly, the pipes


302


and


304


are prevented from rotating, and the through holes


316


are directed toward a predetermined direction with respect to the holding member


306


. In this case, in the spray unit


300


, the structure is made such that the pipe


304


is inserted to the inserting hole


320


of the holding member


306


, however, the structure may be made such that the pipe


304


and the holding member


306


are integrally formed or previously adhered to each other.




As shown in

FIGS. 26 and 27

, a projecting portion


324


is provided in an end portion in a side of the through hole


318


(in a side of the pipe


302


), in the holding member


306


. Further, as shown in

FIG. 26

, the holding member


306


is structured such as to be inserted into a recess portion


326


formed at a predetermined position of the side plate


212


A from the above. At this time, the holding member


306


can be inserted to the recess portion


326


and taken out from the recess portion


326


by pinching and holding the projecting portion


324


.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIGS. 28

to


30


, the connecting holder


308


is constituted by a block-shaped holder main body


328


and an adapter


330


. As shown in

FIGS. 28

to


30


, connecting portions


332


and


334


respectively opposing to the pipes


302


and


304


are protruded from the holder main body


328


. An inserting port


336


is formed in each of the connecting portions


332


and


334


.




Seal caps


338


are attached to another end sides of the pipes


302


and


304


, and the pipes


302


and


304


are tightly inserted to the inserting ports


336


together with the seal cap


338


so as to be connected to the holder main body


328


. In this case, as shown in

FIGS. 26

,


28


and


29


, a fastening metal fitting


340


is mounted to a lower end of the holder main body


328


, whereby the pipe


304


is prevented from being taken out from the holder main body


308


.




An interval of axes of the inserting ports


336


coincides with an interval between axes of the through holes


318


and


320


formed in the holding member


306


, whereby the pipes


302


and


304


are held between the holding member


304


and the connecting holder


306


in a parallel manner.




As shown in

FIG. 30

, an inner portion of the holder main body


328


is made hollow (a hollow portion


342


), and this hollow portion


342


is open to a bottom portion of the inserting port


336


. Accordingly, the pipes


302


and


304


mounted to the holder main body


328


are communicated with the hollow portion


342


.




A pipe portion


344


is protruded from an upper end portion (an end portion in a side of the adapter


330


) of the holder main body


328


. As shown in

FIG. 30

, an inner portion of the pipe portion


344


is communicated with the hollow portion


342


of the holder main body


328


.




Further, the adapter


330


is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape in which one end in an axial direction is closed, and the pipe portion


344


is fitted to an opening end thereof. Accordingly, the inner portion of the adapter


330


is communicated with the hollow portion


342


of the holder main body


328


. In this case, the holder main body


328


and the adapter


330


is kept in a connected state by a connecting metal fitting


346


so as to be fixed.




An entry port


348


is protruded from an outer peripheral portion in the adapter


330


. The entry port


348


is protruded outward in a radial direction from the outer peripheral portion of the adapter


330


, and an inner portion thereof is communicated with the inner portion of the adapter, as shown in FIG.


30


.




As shown in

FIG. 29

, the entry port


348


is inserted to a socket (an inserting port) of a coupling


352


provided in a front end of a flexible hose


350


, whereby the hose


350


is connected. For example, a constriction portion


348


A is formed in the entry port


348


, the constriction portion


348


A is engaged with a ring provided in an inner portion of the coupling


352


by inserting the entry port


348


to the inner portion of the coupling


352


, so that the entry port


348


and the coupling


352


are connected to each other. Further, the coupling


352


is structured such that the engagement with the entry port


348


is cancelled by sliding a sliding portion


354


to a side of the hose


350


, whereby the entry port


348


can be drawn out from the coupling


352


. That is, the entry port


348


and the coupling


352


can be easily connected and cancelled from the connected state in accordance with a one-touch operation.




The hose


350


is structured such that an end portion in an opposite side to the coupling


352


is communicated with a pipe


382


(refer to

FIG. 25

) in the bottom portion of the water washing tank


26


via a solution supplying pump (not shown), whereby when the solution supplying pump (not shown) is operated, a cleaning water is supplied to the hollow portion


342


of the holder main body


328


via the hose


350


, the adapter


330


and the like.




The washing water supplied to the hollow portion


342


flows into the inner portions of the pipes


302


and


304


from the inserting ports


336


of connecting portions


332


and


334


, thereby being discharged from the through holes


316


of the pipes


302


and


304


.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIG. 30

, a step portion


356


is formed between the inserting port


336


of the connecting portion


332


and the inserting port


336


of the connecting portion


334


. An opening cross sectional area of the hollow portion


342


is changed by the step portion


356


. Accordingly, the holder main body


328


functions as an orifice so as to adjust a flow amount of each of the washing water flowing into the pipe


302


and the washing water flowing into the pipe


304


. In this case, in the present embodiment, the step portion


356


is formed so that the flow amount of the washing water flowing into the pipe


302


is substantially equal to the flow amount of the washing water flowing into the pipe


304


.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIGS. 26 and 29

, a substantially L-shaped bracket


358


is mounted to a surface in an opposite side to the connecting portions


332


and


334


, in the holder main body


328


. The bracket


358


is structured such that a front end is mounted along a longitudinal direction of the holder main body


328


.




As shown in

FIG. 26

, a slit-like mounting groove


360


is integrally formed in the side plate


212


B opposing to the connecting holder


308


, at a predetermined position. The bracket


358


is inserted to the mounting groove


360


from the above (an upper side on the paper surface in

FIG. 26

) so as to reach a predetermined position, and held there.




Accordingly, the pipes


302


and


304


connected to the connecting holder


308


are arranged at a predetermined position within the water washing portion


16


. Further, at this position, the adapter


330


formed in the connecting holder


108


is arranged at a position at which the adapter


330


protrudes from the upper end of the side plate


212


B or a position at which the adapter


330


opposes to a notch (not shown) formed in the side plate


212


B, whereby in a state of attaching the connecting holder


308


to the side plate


212


B, the hose


350


can be attached to and detached the hose


350


from the entry port


348


(not shown in FIG.


26


).




The spray unit


300


constituted in the manner mentioned above is inserted to the portion between a pair of side plates


212


(


212


A and


212


B) in a state of connecting the pipes


302


and


302


corresponding to the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B by the holding member


306


and the connecting holder


308


so as to integrally form. At this time, the holding member


306


side is inserted into the recess portion


326


by holding the projecting portion


324


and in the connecting holder


308


side, the bracket


358


is inserted to the mounting groove


360


by holding the adapter


330


firmly connected by the connecting metal fitting


346


. Accordingly, the holding member


306


and the connecting holder


308


are attached to predetermined positions of the side plates


212


A and


212


B, whereby the pipes


302


and


304


are respectively arranged at predetermined positions with forming the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


therebetween so as to oppose to each other.




At this time, since the directions of the through holes


316


of the pipes


302


and


304


with respect to the holding member


306


are defined by the flat portions


314


respectively provided in the pipes


302


and


304


and the flat surface portions


322


A and


322


B formed in the inserting holes


318


and


320


of the holding member


306


, not only the positions of the pipes


302


and


304


and the directions of the through holes


316


can be suitably set by attaching the holding member


306


to the predetermined position of the side plate


212


A.




In this case, in the spray unit


300


, the directions of the through holes


316


are defined by the relation between the pipes


302


and


304


and the holding member


306


, however, the structure can be made such that the directions of the through holes


316


are defined by the relation between the pipes


302


and


304


and the connecting holder


308


(the holder main body


328


).




The spray unit


300


inserted between a pair of side plates


212


becomes in a state that the washing water corresponding to the processing solution can be supplied to the pipes


302


and


304


, by connecting the hose


350


to the entry port


348


of the adapter


330


. At this time, it is possible to easily connect the hose


350


to the entry port


348


by the coupling


352


.




Further, at a time of taking out the spray unit


300


from the portion between a pair of side plates


212


, the hose


350


is taken out from the entry port


348


of the adapter


330


. At this time, since the coupling


352


is used, it is possible to easily take out the hose


350


from the entry port


348


.




Thereafter, by integrally lifting up the holding member


306


and the connecting adapter


308


so as to take out from the recess portion


326


and the mounting groove


360


, it is possible to easily take out the spray unit


300


, that is, the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B.




On the other hand, the spray unit


300


is structured such that the pipe


302


(the spray pipe


62


A) opposing to the upper side of the transferring path of the PS printing plate


12


can slide along the axial direction. Accordingly, at first, the pipe


302


is slid to the side of the holding member


306


. Therefore, it is possible to take out the front end in the side of the connecting holder


308


of the pipe


302


from the inserting port


336


formed in the connecting portion


332


of the holder main body


328


.




Thereafter, the pipe


302


is slid and moved to the side of the connecting holder


308


(the side plate


212


B), whereby the end portion in the side of the holding member


306


of the pipe


302


is taken out from the inserting port


318


of the holding member


306


. Accordingly, since it is possible o take out only the pipe


302


from the spray unit


300


arranged between a pair of side plates


212


, it is possible to take out the PS printing plate


12


without cutting even when a transferring error such as a jamming or the like is generated in the PS printing plate


12


.




As mentioned above, the spray unit


300


can be significantly easily attached to and taken out from the portion between a pair of side plates


212


and the pipe


302


(the spray pipe


62


A) does not get in the way even when the transferring error is generated in the PS printing plate


12


, so that it is possible to improve an ease of maintenance of the PS printing plate processor


10


.




Here, in the present embodiment, the description is given of the embodiment of the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B provided in the water washing portion


16


, however, the structure of the spray unit


300


can be applied to the structure between the spray pipe


64


and the discharging unit


66


provided in the desensitization processing portion


18


. In this case, the structure may be made such that the holding member and the connecting holder are formed in correspondence to the cross sectional shapes of the spray pipe


64


and the discharging unit


66


and the opening cross sectional area of the hollow portion within the connecting holder is changed in correspondence to the discharging amount of the gum solution from the spray pipe


64


and the injecting amount of the gum solution from the discharging unit


66


.




Further, the present embodiment mentioned above does not limit the structure of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the description is given of the embodiment of the PS printing plate processor


10


for processing the PS printing plate


12


corresponding to the photosensitive material, however, the spray pipe to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the photosensitive surface printing plate of the PS printing plate


12


or the like, and can be applied to a spray pipe having an optional structure opposing to a transferring path of a photosensitive material and injecting a processing solution toward the photosensitive material, in an optional photosensitive material processing apparatus for processing the other photosensitive materials such as an optional printing paper, a camera film and the like.




As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, it becomes significantly easy to attach and detach the pipes arranged so as to form a pair in both sides of the transferring path of the photosensitive material. Further, in accordance with the present invention, since it is possible to easily take out only one of the pipes arranged in both sides of the photosensitive material, it is possible to obtain an excellent effect that the maintenance can be easily performed even when the transferring error of the photosensitive material is generated.




<<Fifth Embodiment>>




A description will be given below of a fifth embodiment. In this case, with respect to the same parts and portions as those of the embodiments mentioned above, an overlapping description will be suitably omitted and a description will be mainly given of characteristic portions.




With reference to

FIG. 31

, a filter for removing solid materials in the processing solution such as the developing solution, the washing water, the gum solution and the like is provided in the PS printing plate processor


10


. The filter is received in a filter case provided in the middle of the pipe passage through which the processing solution passes. The filter case is, for example, provided in a pipe passage for supplying the developing solution within the developing tank


24


to the spray pipe


50


, in the developing portion


14


, and the structure is made such that the solid materials in the developing solution are removed (filtered) by the filter provided within the filter case when the developing solution within the developing tank


24


is supplied and circulated by a circulating pump (not shown).




Further, in the water washing portion


16


and the desensitization processing portion


18


, filter cases (not shown) are respectively provided in the middle of a pipe passage for supplying the washing water within the water washing tank


26


to the spray pipes


62


A and


62


B and in the middle of a pipe passage for supplying the gum solution within the desensitization processing tank


28


to the spray pipe


64


and the discharging unit


66


, and the structures are respectively made such as to filter the solid materials in the washing water and the gum solution. In this case, since the pipe passage provided with the filter case, the mounting position and the like can employ the conventionally known structure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted in the present embodiment.




Here, a description will be given of a filter case


400


applied to the PS printing plate processor


10


with reference to

FIGS. 32

to


36


.




As shown in

FIG. 32

, the filter case


400


is provided with an outer case


402


. As shown in

FIG. 33

, the outer case


402


is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and one surface along an axial direction thereof is opened.




Further, as shown in

FIGS. 32 and 33

, an introduction pipe


406


to which the processing solution is fed is connected to a bottom portion


408


in the outer case


402


, and a delivery pipe


404


from which the processing solution is fed out is connected to an outer peripheral portion therein. Accordingly, the processing solution fed within the outer case


402


from the introduction pipe


406


flows out from the delivery pipe


404


. In this case, a bracket


410


is mounted to the outer peripheral portion in the outer case


402


, and the filter case


400


is mounted to a predetermined position within the PS printing plate processor


10


by the bracket


410


so that an opening surface (a surface opposite to the bottom portion


408


) is substantially upward.




As shown in

FIG. 33

, in the outer case


402


, an upper end is an opening


402


A, and a female screw portion


412


is provided in the periphery of a lower side (an upper end portion of the outer case


402


) of the opening


402


A. Ribs


414


are provided in the female screw portion


412


. A pair of ribs


414


are provided at mutually opposing positions so as to be protruded out from the outer peripheral surface of the outer case


402


along a radial direction, in a predetermined range of angle (for example, 90 degrees) around a center (axis) of the outer case


402


.




A stopper


416


extended toward a lower portion (a side of the bottom portion


408


) is provided in one end side along a peripheral direction of the outer case


402


, in each of the ribs


414


. Further, the rib


414


is inclined so that the side of the stopper


416


is a lower side.




As shown in

FIG. 32

, a cap


418


is attached to an upper end portion of the outer case


402


. The cap


418


is attached, whereby an upper portion of the outer case


402


is closed and sealed.




As shown in

FIGS. 34 and 35

, a pair of projection portions


420


are provided on an inner surface of the cap


418


. The projection portions


420


are protruded inward in a radial direction from the inner surface of the cap


418


. Further, a pacing


422


is mounted to a position opposing to the opening


402


A of the outer case


402


, in the cap


418


.




The cap


418


is get on the outer case


402


so that the projection portions


420


are positioned between a pair of ribs


414


provided in the outer case


402


. Accordingly, the projection portions


420


can oppose to the lower surfaces of the ribs


414


. In this state, by rotating the cap


418


so as to direct the projection portions


420


to the stoppers


416


(about 90 degrees in a direction of an arrow C), the projection portions


420


are slidably contact with the lower surfaces of the ribs


414


and brought into contact with the stoppers


416


.




At this time, since the ribs


414


are inclined downward, the opening


402


A of the outer case


402


is pressed to the packing


422


provided in the cap


418


, whereby the outer case


402


is sealed by the cap


418


.




On the other hand, as shown in

FIG. 34

, an inner tube


424


is protruded toward an inner side of the outer case


402


, in the cap


418


. The inner tube


424


is structured such that a front end is opened and the open front end is fitted to the opening of the delivery pipe


406


at a time of attaching the cap


418


to the outer case


402


(not shown).




Further, a plurality of opening portions


426


extended along an axial direction are formed in an outer peripheral portion of the inner tube


424


.




Accordingly, the processing solution fed to the outer case


402


from the introduction pipe


406


flows out of the inner tube


424


from the opening portion


426


and flows into the delivery pipe


404


.




A filter element


428


is attached to the inner tube


424


. As shown in

FIGS. 34

to


36


, the filter element


428


is structured such that a filter


432


is provided in an outer peripheral portion of a frame body


430


framed in a substantially cylindrical shape in such a manner as to close the opening of the outer peripheral portion of the frame body


430


. Further, as shown in

FIGS. 34 and 35

, a flange portion


434


extended outward in a radial direction is formed in one end side in an axial direction, in the frame body


430


.




The frame body


430


has an inner diameter slightly larger than an outer diameter of the inner tube


424


provided in the cap


418


, and the inner tube


424


is inserted into the frame body


430


from the side of the flange portion


434


, whereby the filter element


428


is attached to the cap


418


. At this time, as shown in

FIGS. 35 and 36

, a length of the inner tube


424


along the axial direction is slightly longer than a length of the frame body


430


along the axial direction, whereby a front end of the inner tube


424


protrudes from the frame body


430


.




In the frame body


430


of the filter element


428


, a pair of substantially rectangular notches


436


forming a hole portion are formed in an end portion opposite to the flange portion


434


. Further, in a front end of the frame body


430


, rectangular projections


438


are formed in an opposite side to a direction of an arrow D of the notch


436


, and rectangular projections


440


are respectively formed between the notches


436


.




Further, in the front end of the frame body


430


, inclined portions


442


are formed between the notches


436


and the projections


440


. The inclined portions


442


is inclined so that the front end of the frame body


430


gradually moves from the flange portion


434


in a region from the side of the notches


436


toward the projections


440


.




On the other hand, pawl portions


444


are formed at positions opposing to the notches


436


of the frame body


430


, in the front end portion of the inner tube


424


inserted into the frame body


430


of the filter element


428


. The pawl portions


444


are protruded outward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral portion of the inner tube


424


. Further, as shown in

FIG. 34

, in the cap


418


, a packing


446


is provided in the periphery of the inner tube


424


in such a manner as to oppose to the flange portion


434


of the filter element


428


.




In this case, the structure may be made such that the notches


436


, the projections


440


, the inclined portions


442


and the like are provided in the lower end portion of the inner tube


424


and the pawl portions


444


are provided in the lower end portion of the frame body


430


.




The inner tube


424


is structured such that the pawl portions


444


enter into the notches


436


so as to oppose to the inclined portions


442


when the inner tube


424


is inserted to the frame body


430


of the filter element


428


. In this state, by rotating the filter element


428


in the direction of the arrow D, the pawl portions


444


of the inner tube


424


moves until being brought into contact with the projections


440


while being slidably contact with the inclined portions


442


of the frame body


430


.




At this time, the frame body


430


of the filter element


428


relatively moves toward the cap


418


by the pawl portions


444


being in contact with the inclined portions


442


, and the flange portion


434


is pressed to the packing


446


.




Accordingly, the frame body


430


is gripped between the pawl portions


444


and the packing


446


provided in the cap


418


, whereby the filter element


428


is held. That is, the filter element


428


is rotated at about 90 degrees in the direction of the arrow D in a state that the inner tube


424


is inserted to the frame body


430


, whereby the frame body


430


is tightly gripped between the pawl portions


444


and the packing


446


so as to be attached to the cap


418


.




The filter element


428


is inserted into the outer case


402


in a state of being attached to the cap


418


, thereby being attached within the filter case


400


.




In the filter case


400


to which the filter element


428


is attached in the manner mentioned above, the processing solution fed within the outer case


402


from the introduction pipe


406


flows out from the opening portion


426


of the inner tube


424


and passes through the filter


432


of the filter element


428


provided in the outer peripheral portion of the inner tube


424


. At this time, the solid materials are filtered by the filter


432


. Thereafter, the processing solution flows out within the delivery pipe


404


and is discharged out from the outer case


402


.




On the other hand, there is a case that the solid materials filtered from the processing solution are attached to the filter


432


provided in the filter element


428


, whereby the filter


432


is clogged. Accordingly, it is necessary to perform a maintenance such as a cleaning, a replacement or the like of the filter element


428


(the filter


432


) periodically or in correspondence to the clogged state of the filter


432


.




That is, the solid materials in the processing solution are attached to the filter


432


, whereby a permeability of the processing solution is gradually reduced in the filter


432


. Accordingly, a circulating amount of the processing solution or the like is reduced, and there is a risk that a reduction of processing performance of the PS printing plate


12


due to the reduction of the circulating amount is generated.




Further, the clogging of the filter


432


gives a great load to the pump for circulating the processing solution and the motor for driving the pump. In this case, as shown in

FIGS. 34 and 35

, in the filter element


428


applied to the present embodiment, narrow opening portions


448


in which no filter


432


is provided are formed in the end portion in the side of the flange


434


of the frame body


430


. Since the opening portions


448


are provided within the cap


418


covering the outer case


402


, the processing solution does not normally flow therein. However, when the clogging is generated in the filter


432


, an amount of permeation of the processing solution is largely reduced, the processing solution is stored within the outer case


402


and the liquid surface is ascended to reach the opening portions


448


, the processing solution flows into the inner tube


424


from the opening portions


448


. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the clogging of the filter


432


from applying a great load to the pump for circulating the processing solution or the like so as to give troubles to the operation.




In the filter case


400


, at a time of performing a maintenance of the filter element, at first, the cap


418


is turned at about 90 degrees in the direction opposite to the direction of an arrow C. Accordingly, when the projection portions


420


provided in the cap


418


are taken out of from the ribs


414


of the outer case


402


, it is possible to take out the cap


418


, and it is possible to take out the filter element


428


mounted to the cap


418


from the outer case


402


by moving the cap


418


apart from the outer case


402


.




Further, in the filter element


428


, the pawl portions


444


are opposed to the notches


436


by rotating the frame body


430


with respect to the inner tube


424


(the cap


418


) at about 90 degrees in the direction opposite to the direction of an arrow D so as to bring the pawls


444


in the inner tube


424


into contact with the projections


438


and rotate and engage. Accordingly, the filter element


428


can be taken out from the inner tube


424


.




As mentioned above, in the filter case


400


, it is possible to easily take out the filter element


428


in accordance with an operation of turning the cap


418


and an operation of turning the filter element


428


.




On the other hand, at a time of attaching the filter element


428


to the outer case


402


, at first, the inner tube


424


provided in the cap


418


is inserted to the frame body


430


of the filter element


428


and the pawl portions


444


of the inner tube


424


are inserted to the notches


436


formed in the frame body


430


. In this state, by turning the frame body


430


at about 90 degrees in the direction of the arrow D, the filter element


428


can be attached to the cap


418


.




At this time, since the pawl portions


444


of the inner tube


424


move while being slidably contact with the inclined portions


442


of the frame body


430


, the filter element


428


is closely attached to the cap


418


or the inner tube


424


when the pawl portions


444


are brought into contact with the projections


440


.




Thereafter, the filter element


428


attached to the cap


418


is inserted to the outer case


402


, the cap


418


is covered over the outer case


402


, and the cap


418


is turned at about 90 degrees in the direction of the arrow C. At this time, the projection portions


420


provided in the cap


418


move while being slidably contact with the ribs


414


, whereby the openings


402


A of the outer case


402


are pressed to the packing


522


. Accordingly, the outer case


402


and the cap


418


are closely attached.




As mentioned above, in the filter case


400


, the cap


418


can be attached to the filter element


428


by inserting the inner tube


424


provided in the cap


418


to the frame body


430


of the filter element


428


and turning the frame body


430


in the direction of the arrow D, and the filter element


428


can be attached to the outer case


402


in accordance with a simple operation of turning the cap


418


at about 90 degrees in the direction of the arrow C in a state of inserting the filter element


428


to the outer case


402


.




Further, since a range of turning the cap


418


and the filter element


428


is limited by the stoppers


416


provided in the ribs


414


of the outer case


402


and the projections


438


and


440


provided in the frame body


430


of the filter element


428


, it is possible to securely attach and detach the filter element


428


.




In this case, the present embodiment mentioned above shows one embodiment in accordance with the present invention and does not limit the structure in accordance with the present invention. For example, the outer case


402


, the cap


418


, the filter element


428


and the like are not limited to a cylindrical shape, and an optional shape such as a rectangular tubular shape or the like can be applied thereto.




Further, in the present embodiment, the description is given of the embodiment of the PS printing plate processor


10


for processing the PS printing plate


12


corresponding to the photosensitive material, however, it is possible to be used in a photosensitive material processing apparatus having an optional structure which processes the other photosensitive materials such as the printing paper, the camera film and the like in addition to the printing plate such as the PS printing plate


12


or the like by the processing solution.




As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, it is easy to attach and detach the filter element, so that there is an excellent effect that it is possible to improve an operability at a time of performing the maintenance such as a cleaning of the filter or the like.



Claims
  • 1. A brush roller which has a rotational axis and is rotatable around said rotational axis for brushing a surface of a photosensitive material, the brush roller comprising:a cylindrical roller main body; a web-like member for brushing which is wound around an outer peripheral surface of said roller main body in a helical manner; a holding member provided at one end portion in an axial direction of said roller main body, which holding member holds one end portion of said web-like member and is rotatable with respect to said roller main body while holding said one end portion of said web-like member; and an urging element which urges said holding member to rotate to a side of a winding direction of said web-like member for reducing slack of said web-like member.
  • 2. A brush roller according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing element which fixes another end portion of said web-like member to another end portion in said axial direction of said roller main body.
  • 3. A brush roller according to claim 1, further comprising a restricting element which limits an angular range of rotation of said holding member with respect to said roller main body.
  • 4. A brush roller according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of projections formed at said outer peripheral surface of said roller main body, said projections each having a distal end which protrudes toward a side of said winding direction of said web-like member and being engagable with said web-like member for preventing said web-like member shifting toward a side of a direction opposite to said winding direction, and said projections being disposed in a helical pattern.
  • 5. A brush roller according to claim 4, wherein said projections are disposed such that positions thereof along said rotational axial direction of said roller main body have a predetermined interval.
  • 6. A photosensitive material processing apparatus having a transferring path of a photosensitive material and a plurality of brush rollers each including a roller main body and a web-like member for brushing said photosensitive material, said web-like member being wound around an outer peripheral surface of said roller main body in a helical manner and said brush roller potentially forming a track pattern on said photosensitive material at a portion of said photosensitive material that is contacted by a portion of said brush roller corresponding to a boundary portion of said web-like member, whereinat least two of said brush rollers are disposed along said transferring path at one side of said transferring path, and said at least two brush rollers are provided such that a track pattern of one brush roller of said at least two brush rollers is different from a track pattern of another brush roller of said at least two brush rollers.
  • 7. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a width of said web-like member of said one brush roller is different from a width of said web-like member of said other brush roller.
  • 8. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said at least two brush rollers are provided such that a track line that constitutes said track pattern of said one brush roller crosses a track line that constitutes said track pattern of said other brush roller.
  • 9. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an outer diameter of said one brush roller is different from an outer diameter of said other brush roller.
  • 10. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a rotational speed of said one brush roller is different from a rotational speed of said other brush roller.
  • 11. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a rotational direction of said one brush roller is different from a rotational direction of said other brush roller.
  • 12. A photosensitive material processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a winding direction of said web-like member of said one brush roller is different from a winding direction of said web-like member of said other brush roller.
  • 13. A photosensitive material processing apparatus which performs a brushing treatment of a surface of a photosensitive material with a brush roller formed by helically winding and fixing a web-like member around an outer peripheral surface of a roller main body, said brush roller potentially forming a track pattern on said photosensitive material at a portion of said photosensitive material that is contacted by a portion of said brush roller corresponding to a boundary portion of said web-like member, whereinat least two of said brush roller are disposed along a transferring path of said photosensitive material, at one surface side of said transferring path, such that an angle of inclination of said track pattern of one of said at least two brush rollers with respect to a transferring direction of said photosensitive material is substantially the same as an angle of inclination of said track pattern of another of said at least two brush rollers with respect to said photosensitive material transferring direction, and overlapping of said track patterns is preventable by alteration of at least one of a rotational speed of said one brush roller relative to said other brush roller, a photosensitive material transferring speed, a distance between said one brush roller and said other brush roller along said transferring path, and a position with respect to said photosensitive material of an axial direction end portion of said boundary portion of said web-like member of said one brush roller relative to a position with respect to said photosensitive material of an axial direction end portion of said boundary portion of said web-like member of said other brush roller.
Priority Claims (5)
Number Date Country Kind
2000-172322 Jun 2000 JP
2000-252951 Aug 2000 JP
2000-294603 Sep 2000 JP
2000-294604 Sep 2000 JP
2000-296230 Sep 2000 JP
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number Name Date Kind
4383751 Schornig et al. May 1983 A
5349413 Ohishi et al. Sep 1994 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
6-295071 Oct 1994 JP