Heat development apparatus and method

1. A heat development apparatus for heat developing a heat-developable recording material from one surface side by a heating unit, while transporting the heat-developable recording material by a transportation unit, the apparatus comprising:

an inversion processing mechanism for inverting the heat-developable recording material discharged from a heating region in which the heat developing is made by the heating unit, and returning it to the heating region; and

a transportation route switching unit for selectively switching a route of the heat-developable recording material discharged from the heating region to a side of the inversion processing mechanism or a discharge-side transportation route.

2. The heat development apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inversion processing mechanism includes a heat insulation unit for preventing a temperature lowering of the heat-developable recording material.

3. The heat development apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a recording paper accommodating case in which the heat-developable recording material before a heat development processing is accommodated is utilized as a temporary storage part for allowing, the heat-developable recording material to be inverted, to wait temporarily.

4. The heat development apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transportation unit is configured to be speed-adjustable.

5. A heat development method for heat developing a heat-developable recording material containing recording layers on its opposite sides, using the heat development apparatus according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

heat developing the heat-developable recording material on its one side by the heating unit;

inverting the heat-developable recording material heat developed on its one side with the inversion processing mechanism;

returning the inverted heat-developable recording material to the heating region; and

heat developing the returned heat-developable recording material on its other side, and discharging it, by operations of the heating unit and the transportation unit.

6. The heat development method according to claim 5 , wherein time required in the inversion processing mechanism is set such that the inverting by the inversion processing mechanism and a heat developing on another heat-developable recording material by the heating unit and the transportation unit are carried out concurrently.

7. The heat development method according to claim 5 , wherein the heat developing of the other side of the heat-developable recording material, to which the heat developing on its one side is made, is carried out by increasing transportation speed by the transportation unit higher than with the heat developing of the one side, or reducing a heating amount by the heating unit smaller than with the heat developing of the one side.