US Patent 7133057 Heat development apparatus and method

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.