U.S. patent application number 09/144437 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-09 for conveying roller for photosensitive material and method of producing the same.
Invention is credited to KUBO, TAKASHI, MATSUZAWA, HIDEKI, SANDA, AKIHIRO, WADA, MASAYOSHI.
Application Number | 20020053123 09/144437 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27457660 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020053123 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SANDA, AKIHIRO ; et
al. |
May 9, 2002 |
CONVEYING ROLLER FOR PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL AND METHOD OF
PRODUCING THE SAME
Abstract
Continuous photo film includes a support of resin film having a
back surface. A photosensitive layer of photographic emulsion is
disposed on a surface of the support opposite to the back surface.
A conveying roller conveys the continuous photo film. The conveying
roller includes a roller body of metal. A hardness reinforcer layer
is formed on a surface of the roller body by thermal spraying of
ceramic or cermet, so that the roller body surface is prevented
from being scratched or ground by the back surface of the film.
Inventors: |
SANDA, AKIHIRO; (KANAGAWA,
JP) ; KUBO, TAKASHI; (KANAGAWA, JP) ;
MATSUZAWA, HIDEKI; (KANAGAWA, JP) ; WADA,
MASAYOSHI; (KANAGAWA, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION ZINN MACPEAK SEAS
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE N W
WASHINGTON
DC
200373202
|
Family ID: |
27457660 |
Appl. No.: |
09/144437 |
Filed: |
September 1, 1998 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09144437 |
Sep 1, 1998 |
|
|
|
09045825 |
Mar 23, 1998 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/458 ;
29/895.32; 492/47; 492/58 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2404/1343 20130101;
G03D 3/13 20130101; Y10T 29/49563 20150115; Y10T 29/49885 20150115;
B65H 2404/1316 20130101; B65H 2401/12 20130101; B65H 27/00
20130101; B65H 2701/1719 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/458 ;
29/895.32; 492/58; 492/47 |
International
Class: |
F16C 013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 24, 1997 |
JP |
9-69789 |
Jun 23, 1997 |
JP |
9-165436 |
Feb 3, 1998 |
JP |
10-21943 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A conveying roller for conveying photosensitive material, said
photosensitive material including a support of resin film having a
back surface, and a photosensitive layer of photographic emulsion
disposed on a surface of said support opposite to said back
surface, said conveying roller comprising: a roller body of metal;
and a hardness reinforcer layer, formed on a surface of said roller
body by thermal spraying of ceramic or cermet.
2. A conveying roller as defined in claim 1, wherein said hardness
reinforcer layer has a surface of which at least one portion is
polished and smoothed, and said at least one portion contacts said
photosensitive material.
3. A conveying roller as defined in claim 2, wherein said
photosensitive material further including a magnetic recording
layer, formed on said back surface of said support, and including
magnetic material and polishing agent.
4. A conveying roller as defined in claim 3, wherein said roller
body includes: a roller core; a pair of flanges, disposed to
project from said roller core in a disk manner, for contacting
respective edges of said photosensitive material, to regulate said
photosensitive material therebetween in a width direction thereof;
and a pair of roll portions, disposed respectively near to an inner
face of said flanges, having a greater diameter than a diameter of
said roller core, for supporting said photosensitive material near
to said edges of said photosensitive material.
5. A conveying roller as defined in claim 4, wherein said roller
body further includes a pair of ring-shaped grooves each of which
is formed between one of said roll portions and one of said
flanges.
6. A conveying roller as defined in claim 5, wherein said ceramic
comprises at least one of aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, chromium
oxide, mixture of aluminum oxide and titanium oxide, mixture of
chromium oxide and titanium oxide, and tungsten carbide.
7. A conveying roller as defined in claim 5, wherein said cermet
comprises tungsten carbide with cobalt, or tungsten carbide with
nichrome.
8. A conveying roller as defined in claim 6, wherein said metal
comprises stainless steel.
9. A method of producing a conveying roller for conveying
photosensitive material, said photosensitive material including a
support of resin film having a back surface, and a photosensitive
layer of photographic emulsion disposed on a surface of said
support opposite to said back surface, said producing method
comprising steps of: cutting a rod material of metal into a roller
body; and forming a hardness reinforcer layer of ceramic or cermet
on a surface of said roller body by thermal spraying.
10. A producing method as defined in claim 9, further comprising a
step of polishing and smoothing at least one portion of a surface
of said hardness reinforcer layer, said at least one portion
contacting said photosensitive material.
11. A conveying roller for conveying photosensitive material, said
photosensitive material including a support of resin film having a
back surface, and a photosensitive layer of photographic emulsion
disposed on a surface of said support opposite to said back
surface, said conveying roller comprising: a roller body of metal;
and a diamond-like carbon coating, formed on a surface of said
roller body by ion plating method.
12. A conveying roller as defined in claim 11, wherein said roller
body has a surface of which at least one portion is polished and
smoothed, and said at least one portion contacts said
photosensitive material via said diamond-like carbon coating.
13. A conveying roller as defined in claim 12, wherein said
photosensitive material further including a magnetic recording
layer, formed on said back surface of said support, and including
magnetic material and polishing agent.
14. A conveying roller as defined in claim 13, wherein said roller
body includes: a roller core; a pair of flanges, disposed to
project from said roller core in a disk manner, for, contacting
respective edges of said photosensitive material, to regulate said
photosensitive material therebetween in a width direction thereof;
and a pair of roll portions, disposed respectively near to an inner
face of said flanges, having a greater diameter than a diameter of
said roller core, for supporting said photosensitive material near
to said edges of said photosensitive material.
15. A conveying roller as defined in claim 14, wherein said metal
comprises stainless steel or aluminum.
16. A method of producing a conveying roller for conveying
photosensitive material, said photosensitive material including a
support of resin film having a back surface, and a photosensitive
layer of photographic emulsion disposed on a surface of said
support opposite to said back surface, said producing method
comprising steps of: cutting a rod material of metal into a roller
body; and forming a diamond-like carbon coating on a surface of
said roller body by ion plating method.
17. A producing method as defined in claim 16, further comprising a
step of, before forming said diamond-like carbon coating on said
roller body, polishing and smoothing at least one portion of a
surface of said roller body, said at least one portion contacting
said photosensitive material via said diamond-like carbon
coating.
18. A conveyor guide rail for guiding continuous photosensitive
material being conveyed, comprising: a guide rail body of metal,
extended in a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive
material, including a conveying surface along which said
photosensitive material is conveyed; a hardness reinforcer layer,
formed on at least one part of said conveying surface, having
higher hardness than hard chrome plating, for contacting said
photosensitive material; wherein at least one part of said hardness
reinforcer layer or said at least one part of said conveying
surface is polished and smoothed.
19. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 18, wherein said
guide rail body includes a lower guide plate and an upper guide
plate secured to each other in a confronted manner, said conveying
surface comprises lower and upper conveying surfaces, wherein said
lower conveying surface lies on said lower guide plate, said upper
conveying surface lies on said upper guide plate, and said
photosensitive material is conveyed through a path defined between
said lower and upper conveying surfaces.
20. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 19, wherein said
hardness reinforcer layer is a ceramic or cermet coating formed on
said lower and upper conveying surfaces by thermal spraying,
wherein said hardness reinforcer layer is polished and
smoothed.
21. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 20, wherein said
hardness reinforcer layer comprises at least one of aluminum oxide,
chromium oxide, a mixture of aluminum oxide and titanium oxide, a
mixture of tungsten carbide and cobalt, and a mixture of tungsten
carbide and nichrome.
22. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 19, wherein said
hardness reinforcer layer is a diamond-like carbon coating formed
by an ion plating method after said lower and upper conveying
surfaces are polished and smoothed.
23. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 19, wherein said
lower conveying surface includes first and second side portions for
supporting respectively first and second lateral edges of said
photosensitive material, said lower guide plate having a lower
retracted surface between said first and second side portions, said
lower retracted surface being recessed from said first and second
side portions so as to avoid contacting a center of a lower surface
of said photosensitive material; and said upper conveying surface
includes third and fourth side portions for receiving respectively
said first and second lateral edges, said upper guide plate having
an upper retracted surface between said third and fourth side
portions, said upper retracted surface being recessed from said
third and fourth side portions so as to avoid contacting a center
of an upper surface of said photosensitive material.
24. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 23, wherein said
first to fourth side portions have respective corner edges adjacent
to said center of said photosensitive material, wherein said corner
edges are rounded.
25. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 24 in combination
with the photosensitive material, wherein said photosensitive
material comprises: a support of resin film having first and second
surfaces; a photosensitive layer of photographic emulsion formed on
said first surface of said support; and a magnetic recording layer
of magnetic material formed on said second surface of said
support.
26. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 25, wherein said
magnetic recording layer is confronted with said upper conveying
surface while said photosensitive material is conveyed through said
path.
27. A conveyor guide rail as defined in claim 23, further
comprising: first and second lateral walls, formed on said lower
guide plate and disposed respectively outside said first and second
side portions, wherein said first and second lateral walls project
toward said upper guide plate for guiding respectively said first
and second lateral edges of the photosensitive film; and first and
second engaging recesses, formed in said upper guide plate and
disposed respectively outside said third and fourth side portions,
for receiving respectively said first and second lateral walls, to
position said upper guide plate on said lower guide plate.
28. A rail producing method of producing a conveyor guide rail,
said conveyor guide rail including a lower guide plate and an upper
guide plate of metal, extended in a longitudinal direction of
travel of continuous photosensitive material, said upper and lower
guide plates being secured to each other in a confronted manner,
said lower guide plate including a lower conveying surface, said
upper guide plate including an upper conveying surface, said
photosensitive material being conveyed through a path defined
between said lower and upper conveying surfaces, said rail
producing method comprising the steps of: forming said lower and
upper conveying surfaces on said lower and upper guide plates by
cutting the metal plate material; forming a hardness reinforcer
layer of ceramic or cermet on said lower and upper conveying
surfaces by thermal spraying; polishing and smoothing said hardness
reinforcer layer; and after polishing and smoothing said hardness
reinforcer layer, confronting said lower conveying surface with
said upper conveying surface thereby assembling said lower and
upper guide plates.
29. A rail producing method of producing a conveyor guide rail,
said conveyor guide rail including a lower guide plate and an upper
guide plate of metal, extended in a longitudinal direction of
travel of continuous photosensitive material, said upper and lower
guide plates being secured to each other in a confronted manner,
said lower guide plate including a lower conveying surface, said
upper guide plate including an upper conveying surface, said
photosensitive material being conveyed through a path defined
between said lower and upper conveying surfaces, said rail
producing method comprising the steps of: forming said lower and
upper conveying surfaces on said lower and upper guide plates by
cutting the metal plate material; polishing and smoothing said
lower and upper conveying surfaces; after polishing and smoothing
said lower and upper conveying surfaces, forming a hardness
reinforcer layer of a diamond-like carbon coating on said lower and
upper conveying surfaces by an ion plating method; after forming
said hardness reinforcer layer, confronting said lower conveying
surface with said upper conveying surface thereby assembling said
lower and upper guide plates.
Description
[0001] This is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No.
09/045,825 filed Mar. 23, 1998, the entirety of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a conveying roller for
photosensitive material, and a method of producing the same. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a conveying roller
for photosensitive material, which has high resistance to abrasion
and can be produced easily, and a method of producing the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Photosensitive material, in general, is constituted by a
support and a photosensitive layer of photographic emulsion, which
is applied as a coating to, or deposited to, the support. According
to various kinds of the support, there are plural examples of
photosensitive material, including photo film, dry plate, and
photographic paper. The photo film has the support produced from
film of resin. Types of the photo film includes a roll photo film
and a sheet photo film. Examples of the roll photo film include the
8 mm type and the 1,000 mm type. Examples of the sheet photo film
include types of 4.times.5 cm, the cabinet size (halfplate), B5,
A4, B4, A3 and 10.times.12 inches. As a form of the most widely
used photo film, a photo film cassette is well-known, and includes
a cassette shell, a spool rotatable inside the cassette shell, and
a strip of the photo film whose end is retained on the spool and
which is wound about the spool.
[0006] The photo film is conveyed by conveying rollers in optical
instruments. Conveying rollers for use in the photo film
manufacturing apparatus, a photographic printer and a photo film
processor are constituted by a roller body formed by cutting and
scraping a rod of stainless steel, or by a roller body of metal and
hard chromium plating formed on its surfaces. To avoid damaging
continuous photo film and photo filmstrip in conveyance, a surface
of the roller is finished by polishing, and smoothed for the
contact with the photo film.
[0007] There is a type of photo filmstrip including a magnetic
recording layer, which is a coating of magnetic material applied to
the support on the side opposite to the photosensitive layer, so
that the photo filmstrip can operate for storing magnetic
information written thereto. There is abrasive material or
polishing agent, mixed with the magnetic material, for contacting a
magnetic head of an information reader/writer, to remove dust or
dirt from the magnetic head. When a conveying roller contacts the
continuous photo film which will become this type of photo
filmstrip, the conveying roller is abraded and deformed by the
abrasive material of the photo film, because the conveying roller
contacts the magnetic recording layer. It is likely that the
continuous photo film or photo filmstrip is fogged by pressure,
scratched or damaged. A life of the roller is short, so that each
roller must be replaced with an unused one very frequently.
[0008] To solve those problems, JP-A 8-262680 (corresponding to
U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,601) discloses a use of such ceramics for a
conveying roller as yttria-alloyed tetragonal polycrystalline
zirconia, which is zirconium oxide and yttria mixed therewith at
3-5 mole %. Ceramics characteristically have a higher hardness than
stainless steel and hard chromium plating, and have higher
resistance to abrasion. However it is difficult to cut or scrape a
ceramic product into a complicated shape due to the considerable
hardness of the ceramics. Ceramics are unsuitable for shaping the
roller which includes a roller core and flanges on respective ends
of the roller core, and in which a diameter of the roller core is
partially changed. Moreover a problem lies in that zirconia
stabilized by use of yttria is likely to collect static charge
electrically. The continuous photo film might be fogged and have a
lowered quality.
[0009] A guide rail 120 according to the related art is described
with reference to FIG. 9. The guide rail 120 consists of a
combination of an upper guide plate 121 and a lower guide plate 122
secured thereto. The guide plates 121 and 122 are extended in a
conveying direction of the continuous photo film 11, and define a
photo film conveying path 123 between them for passing the
continuous photo film 11. Respective lateral edges of the photo
film conveying path 123 have support grooves 124 and 125, which are
formed to reduce a range of the photo film conveying path 123 in
its thickness direction. Support surfaces of the support grooves
124 and 125 support lateral edges of the continuous photo film 11.
Lateral surfaces of the support grooves 124 and 125 prevent the
continuous photo film 11 from being offset in the width direction.
An area of contact between the continuous photo film 11 and the
inside of the photo film conveying path 123 is reduced by the
operation of the support grooves 124 and 125. The photo film
surface of the continuous photo film 11 is prevented from being
damaged while the continuous photo film 11 is conveyed. Inner
corners 124a, 124b, 124c, 125a, 125b and 125c are defined on the
support grooves 124 and 125, and rounded with a curvature, so as to
reduce load to the continuous photo film 11 contacted by the
support grooves 124 and 125. The guide rail used in the photo film
manufacturing apparatus, or optical instruments such as
photographic printer, photo film processor and others for use with
photo film, is constituted by the upper and lower guide plates
produced by cutting and scraping a stainless steel plate. Moreover
hard chromium plating is formed on surfaces of the scraped plate
before assembly of the guide rail. To avoid damaging the continuous
photo film or photo filmstrip being conveyed, the guide rail is
finished by the polishing finish or sanding finish to have a
smoothed contact surface.
[0010] However there is a problem in the guide rail according to
the related art in that precision in regulating the continuous
photo film in the width direction is likely to become low. This is
because lateral walls of the conveying path are likely to be ground
and deformed by contact with the edges of the continuous photo
film, typically when used in the apparatus where the continuous
photo film is conveyed at high speed. To maintain high precision in
the positions, the guide rails must be renewed in a considerably
frequent manner. The cost for the manufacturing apparatus is thus
high.
[0011] To solve those problems, JP-A 8-310698 discloses a guide
rail in which a protective member is attached to the inside surface
of the conveying path, and a use of such ceramics for the
protective member as yttria-alloyed tetragonal zirconia
polycrystals (Y-TZP), which is zirconium oxide and yttria mixed
therewith at 3-5 mole %. As ceramics have higher hardness and
higher resistance to abrasion than stainless steel or hard chrome
plating which is used conventionally, the attached ceramic
protective member raises the surface hardness inside the conveying
path. It is however extremely difficult to cut and scrape a
complicated shape of a ceramic member, because of the hardness of
the ceramic. The guide rail 120 of FIG. 9, in which the corners are
defined on the support grooves 124 and 125, and rounded with a
curvature, is SO complicated that a protective member associated
therewith is difficult to produce. The zirconia stabilized with
yttria is likely to be charged electrically. Pressure fogging and
scratches are likely to occur, which would damage the image quality
of the continuous photo film 11.
[0012] The photo filmstrip may include a magnetic recording layer.
When the conveying path of the guide rail contacts the continuous
photo film, which will become this type of photo filmstrip, the
conveying path is abraded and deformed by the abrasive material in
the magnetic recording layer, because the conveying path contacts
the magnetic recording layer. It is likely that the continuous
photo film or photo filmstrip is fogged by pressure, scratched or
damaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present
invention is to provide a conveying roller for photosensitive
material, which has high resistance to abrasion and can be produced
easily, and a method of producing the same.
[0014] In order to achieve the above and other objects and
advantages of this invention, a conveying roller conveys
photosensitive material, the photosensitive material including a
support of resin film having a back surface, and a photosensitive
layer of photographic emulsion disposed on a surface of the support
opposite to the back surface. The conveying roller includes a
roller body of metal. A hardness reinforcer layer is formed on a
surface of the roller body by thermal spraying and from ceramic or
cermet, for avoiding being scratched or ground by the back
surface.
[0015] Moreover, the hardness reinforcer layer has a surface of
which at least one portion is polished and smoothed, and the at
least one portion contacts the photosensitive material.
[0016] The photosensitive material further includes a magnetic
recording layer, formed on the back surface of the support, and
including magnetic material and polishing agent.
[0017] In another preferred embodiment, the conveying roller
includes a roller body of metal. A diamond-like carbon coating is
formed on a surface of the roller body by an ion plating method, in
order to avoid being scratched or ground by the back surface or the
photosensitive material.
[0018] Furthermore, the roller body has a surface of which at least
one portion is polished and smoothed, and the at least one portion
contacts the photosensitive material via the diamond-like carbon
coating.
[0019] Consequently in the present invention, the conveying roller
for photosensitive material can have high resistance to abrasion
and can be produced easily.
[0020] In still another preferred embodiment, a conveyor guide rail
is provided for guiding conveyance of continuous photosensitive
material. A guide rail body of metal is extended in a longitudinal
direction of the photosensitive material, and includes a conveying
surface along which the photosensitive material is conveyed. A
hardness reinforcer layer is formed on at least one part of the
conveying surface, has higher hardness than hard chrome plating,
and contacts the photosensitive material. At least one part of the
hardness reinforcer layer or the at least one part of the conveying
surface is polished and smoothed.
[0021] The guide rail body includes a lower guide plate and an
upper guide plate secured to each other in a confronted manner. The
conveying surface comprises lower and upper conveying surfaces, the
lower conveying surface lies on the lower guide plate, the upper
conveying surface lies on the upper guide plate. The photosensitive
material is conveyed between the lower and upper conveying
surfaces.
[0022] In one aspect of the present invention, the hardness
reinforcer layer is a ceramic or cermet coating formed on the lower
and upper conveying surfaces by thermal spraying, and is then
polished and smoothed.
[0023] In another aspect of the present invention, the hardness
reinforcer layer is a diamond-like carbon coating formed by an ion
plating method after the lower and upper conveying surfaces are
polished and smoothed.
[0024] Furthermore, the photosensitive material includes first and
second lateral edges extended in the longitudinal direction and
arranged opposite to each other. The lower conveying surface
includes first and second side portions for supporting respectively
the first and second lateral edges, the lower guide plate having a
lower retracted surface between the first and second side portions,
the lower retracted surface being kept at a predetermined distance
from a center of the photosensitive material. The upper conveying
surface includes third and fourth side portions for receiving
respectively the first and second lateral edges, the upper guide
plate having an upper retracted surface between the third and
fourth side portions, the upper retracted surface being kept at a
predetermined distance from the center of the photosensitive
material.
[0025] Consequently in the present invention, the conveyor guide
rail for photosensitive material can have high resistance to
abrasion and can be produced easily.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The above objects and advantages of the present invention
will become more apparent from the following detailed description
when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0027] FIG. 1 is an explanatory view illustrating a photo film
manufacturing apparatus;
[0028] FIG. 1A is an explanatory view in cross section,
illustrating a layered structure of photo film;
[0029] FIG. 2 is an elevation illustrating a conveying roller with
the continuous photo film;
[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective illustrating the conveying roller
and the continuous photo film;
[0031] FIG. 4 is a cross section illustrating the conveying roller
and the continuous photo film;
[0032] FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating another preferred
photo film manufacturing apparatus;
[0033] FIG. 6 is a perspective illustrating a conveyor guide rail
disposed in the photo film manufacturing apparatus;
[0034] FIG. 7 is a cross section illustrating the conveyor guide
rail with the continuous photo film;
[0035] FIG. 8 is an explanatory view illustrating a structure of a
conveying path of the conveyor guide rail; and
[0036] FIG. 9 is a cross section illustrating a conveyor guide rail
of the related art, with the continuous photo film.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0037] In FIG. 1, a photo film manufacturing apparatus 10 is
illustrated. The photo film manufacturing apparatus 10 produces
photo film to be used in a photo film cassette. The photo film
manufacturing apparatus 10 is constituted by a photo film supplier
unit 12, a perforator unit 13, a side printer unit 14 and a cutter
unit 15. Continuous photo film 11 is basically constituted by a
support 11a and a photosensitive layer 11b. See FIG. 1A. The
support 11a consists of a film of resin. The photosensitive layer
11b consists of a coating of photographic emulsion applied to one
face of the support 11a. The continuous photo film 11 has a
predetermined width by which raw material with a considerable width
has been slitted. The continuous photo film 11 is wound about a
reel 16 with the photosensitive layer 11b positioned inside, and
placed in the photo film supplier unit 12. At first the continuous
photo film 11 is conveyed to the perforator unit 13, in which a
train of perforations are formed in the continuous photo film 11
along one edge of the continuous photo film 11. Then the continuous
photo film 11 is conveyed to the side printer unit 14. The side
printer unit 14 is constituted by a printer head 17 including for
example a plurality of small light-emitting diodes (LED). While the
continuous photo film 11 is moved past the front of the printer
head 17, the printer head 17 photographically records information
to edges of the continuous photo film 11, the information including
a manufacturer's name, the number of available frames, a photo film
type, the number of the photographic emulsion, and the like. Then
the continuous photo film 11 is conveyed to the cutter unit 15, in
which a cutter 18 cuts the continuous photo film 11 by a unit
length into a photo filmstrip 19 with regular shapes of a leader
and a trailer. Then the photo filmstrip 19 is transferred to a
station for assembling parts of a photo film cassette, and is wound
into a shell of the cassette.
[0038] A plurality of conveying rollers 30 are disposed in the
photo film manufacturing apparatus 10 for conveying the continuous
photo film 11. In FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the conveying rollers 30
includes a roller core 33 and flanges 34a and 34b disposed on
respective ends of the roller core 33. The flanges 34a and 34b
contact edges of the continuous photo film 11, and limit a movable
range of the continuous photo film 11 in its width direction. Thus
the continuous photo film 11 is stably conveyed, and appropriately
can have a perforating position and an image recording position in
the perforator unit 13 and the side printer unit 14. The roller
core 33 has a central portion 33a of a relatively small diameter.
Roll portions 33b and 33c have a greater diameter, and support
respective edge portions of the continuous photo film 11. An area
of the contact between the conveying roller 30 and the continuous
photo film 11 is reduced by means of the central portion 33a, so
that the possibility of degrading the continuous photo film 11 with
scratches is kept the smaller.
[0039] In FIG. 1A, the continuous photo film 11 further includes a
magnetic recording layer 11c, which is a coating of magnetic
material applied to the support 11a on the side opposite to the
photosensitive layer 11b, so that the photo filmstrip can operate
for storing magnetic information written thereto. There is abrasive
material or polishing agent, mixed with the magnetic material, for
contacting a magnetic head of an information reader/writer, to
remove dust or dirt from the magnetic head.
[0040] In FIG. 4, the conveying roller 30 includes a roller body 31
of metal and a hardness reinforcer layer 32 of hard material.
[0041] To produce the roller body 31, a rod of stainless steel is
prepared, and cut and scraped. To form the hardness reinforcer
layer 32, hard material of either ceramics or cermet is deposited
to a surface of the roller body 31 by a method of thermal spraying.
A region of applying the coating of the hardness reinforcer layer
32 is determined for contact with the continuous photo film 11.
Examples of the hard material of the hardness reinforcer layer 32
are aluminum oxide (alumina), titanium oxide (titania), chromium
oxide, mixture of aluminum oxide (alumina) and titanium oxide
(titania), mixture of chromium oxide and titanium oxide (titania),
tungsten carbide, and the like.
[0042] Of course the metal material for the roller body 31 is not
limited to the stainless steel. The metal for producing the roller
body 31 can be selected from such having sufficient hardness for
being cut and scraped with a complicated partial shape. In view of
ensuring sufficient physical intensity of the roller body 31, soft
metal is preferably used.
[0043] It is preferred to polish and smooth the surface of the
hardness reinforcer layer 32, at least peripheral surfaces of the
roll portions 33b and 33c for contact with the continuous photo
film 11. A smoothness between the conveying roller 30 and the
continuous photo film 11 contacting each other is raised, so that
abrasion of the conveying roller 30 can be avoided more reliably.
It is possible to prevent pressure fogging and scratches which
would damage photographing quality of the continuous photo film
11.
[0044] Experiments were conducted for the conveying roller by use
of various coatings. Samples A-E of the conveying roller were
produced, and subjected to a test of resistance to abrasion. For
any of Samples A-E, a cylindrical rod of stainless steel was
prepared, and had a diameter of 16 mm and a length of 50 mm. The
rod was cut and scraped to form the roller body. A coating of hard
material of plural kinds was applied to the roller body by the
method of plasma thermal spraying. For evaluation of the resistance
to abrasion, Samples A-E were experimentally incorporated in the
photo film manufacturing apparatus, in which the continuous photo
film was conveyed by each of them by a predetermined length. An
amount of surface abrasion of Samples A-E was measured. Comparative
Example F according to the related art was also produced, which
included a roller body with a coating of a hard chromium plating.
Comparative Example F was similarly evaluated.
[0045] The hard material used in the hardness reinforcer layer 32
of Samples A-E was as indicated below:
[0046] Sample A: aluminum oxide (alumina);
[0047] Sample B: aluminum oxide (alumina) and titanium oxide
(titania);
[0048] Sample C: chromium oxide;
[0049] Sample D: tungsten carbide and cobalt;
[0050] Sample E: tungsten carbide and nichrome.
[0051] As a result, the conveying rollers of Samples A-E had only
1/6 as much an abraded amount of the surface as Comparative Example
F in contact with the continuous photo film. It was confirmed that
the conveying roller of the present invention had higher resistance
to abrasion than the related art, and had six (6) or more times as
long a life as the related art.
[0052] Despite those effects derived from the use of the ceramics,
the ceramics characteristically have a comparatively great weight.
If the conveying roller with the ceramic coating is used as a free
roller not being directly driven by any drive unit, an effect of
inertia of rotation is so great as to cause slip of the roller. The
ceramic roller has a shortcoming in likeliness in damaging the
photosensitive material.
[0053] Another preferred embodiment is referred to, in which a
diamond-like carbon membrane or coating is used as the hardness
reinforcer layer 32 on the roller surface.
[0054] To produce the roller body 31, a rod of metal is prepared,
and cut and scraped. Material for producing the roller body 31 may
be selected from such having sufficient hardness for being cut and
scraped with a complicated partial shape. Examples of the metal for
the roller body 31 include stainless steel, aluminum, or other soft
metal used widely in the techniques of the rollers.
[0055] The hardness reinforcer layer 32 of a diamond-like carbon
coating is formed by the ion plating method and in the region
contacting the continuous photo film 11. The ion plating method is
to form a coating by decomposing benzene (C.sub.6H.sub.6) in the
plasma by specialized ion source. The ion plating method is
characteristically useful for an article of a complicated shape, as
it can form a coating in an uniform manner and with high tightness
of the coating. The diamond-like carbon coating has very high
hardness nearly equal to that of diamond, and has high resistance
to heat, high resistance to welding, and high releasability. The
diamond-like carbon coating has a very small coefficient of
friction, which is 0.1-0.3 time as much as coefficients of friction
of steel, super hard alloy, aluminum, glass, and ceramics. The
hardness reinforcer layer 32 on the surface of the roller body 31
increases the surface hardness of the conveying roller 30, and thus
increases resistance to abrasion.
[0056] The hardness reinforcer layer 32 of the diamond-like carbon
coating has an amorphous structure and thus has a very smooth
surface. It is likely that the diamond-like carbon coating, if a
surface of the roller body 31 underlying the diamond-like carbon
coating is rough, has surface roughness developed due to the
surface roughness of the roller body 31 itself. Accordingly the
roller body 31, before forming the diamond-like carbon coating, is
polished and smoothed at least in regions of peripheral surfaces of
the roll portions 33b and 33c for contact with the continuous photo
film 11. The diamond-like carbon coating being subsequently formed
by the ion plating method, the conveying roller 30 can have the
sufficiently smoothed surface. The smoothness between the conveying
roller 30 and the continuous photo film 11 is increased. Abrasion
of the conveying roller 30 is thus reduced more reliably. It is
possible to prevent pressure fogging and scratches which would
damage the continuous photo film 11.
[0057] In the above embodiment, the conveying roller has the
flanges. However a conveying roller of the present invention may
lack the flanges, and may have a rod shape.
[0058] Referring to FIGS. 5-8, a preferred embodiment of a conveyor
guide rail for conveying continuous photo film is described. In
order to stabilize a position where the perforator unit 13 forms a
perforation and a position where the side printer unit 14 creates a
latent image to the continuous photo film 11, the continuous photo
film 11 must be prevented from being offset in its width direction
for the purpose of stable conveyance. Accordingly, a guide rail 40
is used in the photo film manufacturing apparatus as illustrated in
FIG. 5. Elements similar to those of the above embodiments are
designated with similar reference numerals.
[0059] In FIG. 7, the guide rail 40 of the present invention is
illustrated. The guide rail 40 consists of a combination of an
upper guide plate 41 and a lower guide plate 42 secured thereto.
The guide plates 41 and 42 are extended in the conveying direction
of the continuous photo film 11, and define a photo film conveying
path 43 between them for passing the continuous photo film 11.
[0060] Respective lateral edges of the photo film conveying path 43
have support grooves 44 and 45, which are formed to reduce a range
of the photo film conveying path 43 in its thickness direction.
Support surfaces of the support grooves 44 and 45 support lateral
edges of the continuous photo film 11. Lateral surfaces of the
support grooves 44 and 45 prevent the continuous photo film 11 from
being offset in the width direction. Inner corners 44a, 44b, 44c,
45a, 45b and 45c are defined on the support grooves 44 and 45, and
rounded with a curvature, so as to reduce load to the continuous
photo film 11 contacted by the support grooves 44 and 45. There is
a hardness reinforcer layer 46 formed on inside surfaces of the
photo film conveying path 43, and constituted by hard material of
which the hardness is higher than that of the hardness of hard
chrome plating.
[0061] In FIG. 8, the upper guide plate 41 has an upper conveying
surface 43a. The lower guide plate 42 has a lower conveying surface
43b. The continuous photo film 11 is conveyed between the conveying
surfaces 43a and 43b, which constitute the photo film conveying
path 43. When the guide plates 41 and 42 are assembled with the
conveying surfaces 43a and 43b confronted with each other, the
photo film conveying path 43 is formed.
[0062] In a producing operation of the guide rail 40, a plate
material is cut and scraped at first, to obtain the upper guide
plate 41 having the upper conveying surface 43a and the lower guide
plate 42 having the lower conveying surface 43b. Material for the
guide plates 41 and 42 may be any suitable one having hardness
small enough for cutting and scraping the complicated shape
including the inner corners 44a, 44b, 44c, 45a, 45b and 45c. For
example, stainless steel, aluminum or other soft metals may be
used.
[0063] To form the hardness reinforcer layer 46, hard material of
either ceramics or cermet is deposited to the upper conveying
surface 43a of the upper guide plate 41 and the lower conveying
surface 43b of the lower guide plate 42 by a method of thermal
spraying. The thermal spraying method is characteristically useful
for an article of a complicated shape including the inner corners
44a, 44b, 44c, 45a, 45b and 45c, as it can form a coating in an
uniform manner and with high tightness of the coating.
[0064] The hardness reinforcer layer 46 to be applied by thermal
spraying may be any suitable material having higher hardness than
hard chrome plating. Examples of the thermal spraying material of
the hardness reinforcer layer 46 are aluminum oxide (alumina),
chromium oxide, mixture of aluminum oxide (alumina) and titanium
oxide (titania), mixture of tungsten carbide and cobalt, mixture of
tungsten carbide and nichrome, and the like.
[0065] Then the surface of the hardness reinforcer layer 46 on the
guide plates 41 and 42 is polished or sanded and smoothed. The
conveying surfaces 43a and 43b are confronted with each other. The
guide plates 41 and 42 are assembled, to obtain the guide rail 40
in which the photo film conveying path 43 is coated with the
hardness reinforcer layer 46.
[0066] The hardness of the material constituting the hardness
reinforcer layer 46 is higher than that of the hard chrome plating.
Consequently, the photo film conveying path 43 of the guide rail 40
is advantageous in that it has increased hardness in comparison
with known guide rails of stainless steel or with hard chrome
plating. The surface of the hardness reinforcer layer 46 is
polished or sanded and smoothed, so that friction between the photo
film conveying path 43 and the continuous photo film 11 is reduced.
The inside surface of the support grooves 44 and 45 in contact with
the continuous photo film 11 is prevented from abrasion. The
longevity of the photo film conveying path 43 is thus increased.
The continuous photo film 11 is prevented from being fogged with
pressure or scratched, because there is no abraded dust and no
deformation of the guide rail due to abrasion.
[0067] Even though the continuous photo film includes the abrasive
material or polishing agent in the magnetic recording layer, the
surfaces of the photo film conveying path 43 are kept free from
being scratched or ground in contact with the continuous photo
film.
[0068] Note that, instead of the thermal spraying, the hardness
reinforcer layer 46 can be formed as a diamond-like carbon (DLC)
coating according to the ion plating method. The diamond-like
carbon and the ion plating method are the same as those used for
forming the hardness reinforcer layer 32 on the roller body 31. The
hardness reinforcer layer 46 is formed on the conveying surfaces
43a and 43b after the conveying surfaces 43a and 43b are polished
or sanded and smoothed.
[0069] In the above embodiment, the whole inside surface of the
photo film conveying path 43 is provided with the coating as the
hardness reinforcer layer 46. However it is unnecessary to apply
the coating to the central portion of the inside surface of the
photo film conveying path 43. Only inside surfaces of the support
grooves 44 and 45 may be coated with the hardness reinforcer layer
for the purpose of increasing the resistance to abrasion in the
present invention. In addition, it is unnecessary to polish and
smooth the central portion of the inside surface of the photo film
conveying path 43. Only inside surfaces of the support grooves 44
and 45 may be polished and smoothed.
[0070] Although the present invention has been fully described by
way of the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the
accompanying drawings, various changes and modifications will be
apparent to those having skill in this field. Therefore, unless
otherwise these changes and modifications depart from the scope of
the present invention, they should be construed as included
therein.
* * * * *