Patents Examined by Hoa Van Le
  • Patent number: 7267934
    Abstract: A method of forming an image comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a photothermographic material comprising a support having thereon an image forming layer comprising organic silver salt grains, silver halide grains, a reducing agent, a development accelerator and a binder, the image forming layer being formed by application of a coating composition comprising more than 30% water as a solvent of the coating composition, and (b) conducting thermal development of the exposed photothermographic material employing a thermal developing device at a distance of 0 to 50 cm between an exposing section and a developing section to obtain a maximum density of 3.8 to 5.0 of the photothermographic material after the thermal development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Narito Goto
  • Patent number: 7264916
    Abstract: A method of colouring a polymeric material containing a) a latent acid, b) a color former and c) optionally further ingredients by irradiation with UV-light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Heneghan, James Philip Taylor
  • Patent number: 7258969
    Abstract: A silver halide emulsion which exhibits high sensitivity, high contrast, little sensitivity variation with humidity conditions at the time of exposure, and excellent reciprocity law properties at high illumination intensities. Also, a method of preparing the emulsion in a stable manner, and a silver halide color photographic photosensitive material and an image forming method that use the emulsion. The emulsion includes a mesoionic compound having a thiolate structure or a protonated thiolate structure, and the emulsion is sensitized by an Au (III) compound. The emulsion preferably contains an oxidatively dimerized form of a mesoionic compound having a thiolate structure, and a silver chloride content of at least 90 mol %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomo Sasaki, Hideki Maeta, Naoto Ohshima
  • Patent number: 7255975
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improved yield and line width performance for liquid polymers and other materials. A method for minimizing precipitation of developing reactant by lowering a sudden change in pH includes: developing at least a portion of a polymer layer on a substrate with an initial charge of a developer fluid; then rinsing the polymer with an additional charge of the developer fluid so as to controllably minimize a subsequent sudden change in pH; and then rinsing the polymer with a charge of another fluid. An apparatus for minimizing fluid impingement force on a polymer layer to be developed on a substrate includes: a nozzle including: a developer manifold adapted to supply a developer fluid; a plurality of developer fluid conduits coupled to the developer manifold; a rinse manifold adapted to supply a rinse fluid; and a plurality of rinse fluid conduits coupled to the developer manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Emir Gurer, Ed C. Lee, Murthy Krishna, Reese Reynolds, John Salois, Royal Cherry
  • Patent number: 7247414
    Abstract: A method for producing resin particles mainly made of a resin material using a dispersion liquid in which a dispersoid containing the resin material is finely dispersed in a dispersion medium, the method comprising a dispersion medium removing step which comprises ejecting the dispersion liquid from a head portion in the form of droplets into a solidifying portion, conveying the droplets in the solidifying portion to remove the dispersion medium, and obtaining agglomerates each of which is composed of two ore more fine particles derived from the dispersoid, and a bonding step for welding and bonding the fine particles which constitute each of the agglomerates, thereby obtaining resin particles. The resin particles can be used for manufacturing a toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Miura, Koji Akioka, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 7244544
    Abstract: New oxime sulfonate compounds of the formula I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII R1 is for example C1–C18alkylsulfonyl, R2 is halogen or C1–C10haloalkyl; R3 is for example unsubstitude or substituted phenylenedisulfonyl, diphenylenedisulfonyl, or oxydiphenylenedisulfonyl; Ar1 is for example a direct bond, C1–C12alkylene; —O—C-bond or a —O—Si-bond which cleaves upon the action of an acid; A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, A11 and A12 are for example a direct bond, —O—, or —S—, or are C1–C12alkylene or phenylene unsubstituted or substituted; Y1 is C1–C12alkylene which is for example substituted by OR4, or SR7; Y2 is e.g. a trivalent radical of C1–C12alkylene; Y3 is e.g. a tetravalent radical of C1–C12alkylene; X is halogen; Ar?1 is for example C1–C12alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted; Ar?1 is for example phenylene; provided that at least one of the radicals Ar?1, Ar?1, is substituted by 1 to 3 groups of example halogen; R15, R16, R17 and R18 e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamato, Toshikage Asakura, Akira Matsumoto, Masaki Ohwa
  • Patent number: 7245851
    Abstract: In an electrophotographic apparatus having a blue (purple) semiconductor laser as a light source, the electrophotographic apparatus has an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging means, an exposure means, a developing means, a transfer means and a destaticizing means. The exposure means has a semiconductor laser and the destaticizing means having a light-emitting diode, wherein wavelength ?a (nm) of the semiconductor laser, wavelength ?b (nm) of the light-emitting diode and wavelength ?c (nm) at which the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a maximum spectral sensitivity satisfy the following relationship (1): ?a<?c<?b??(1) and any of the ?a, the ?b and the ?c is within the range of from 380 nm to 520 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Fujii, Masato Tanaka, Ryuji Higashi
  • Patent number: 7241560
    Abstract: A basic developer/quencher solution formulated to include at least one supercritical fluid or liquid solvent and a base may be used to quench a photo-generated acid within a photoresist as well as develop the photoresist. The supercritical fluid or liquid solvent may be carbon dioxide and the base may be quaternary ammonium salt that has side groups that increase the solubility of the quaternary ammonium salt in carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shan C. Clark, Kim-Khanh Ho, James S. Clarke, Ernisse S. Putna, Wang S. Yueh, Robert P. Meagley
  • Patent number: 7240615
    Abstract: A self-dampening ink composition and methods for lithographic printing using a single fluid lithographic ink are provided in the invention in which the composition comprises glycerol in an amount greater than 0 to about 10 percent by weight, a nonionic surfactant with an HLB value of about 8 to about 20 in an amount from about 0.25 to about 2 percent by weight, and water in an amount of about 20 to about 50 percent by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sun Chemical Corp.
    Inventors: Christian John Lee, Olgierd Wasilewski, Richard Durand, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7235347
    Abstract: A method for carrying out positive tone lithography with a carbon dioxide development system is carried out by: (a) providing a substrate, the substrate having a polymer resist layer formed thereon, (b) exposing at least one portion of the polymer resist layer to radiant energy causing a chemical shift to take place in the exposed portion and thereby form at least one light field region in the polymer resist layer while concurrently maintaining at least one portion of the polymer layer unexposed to the radiant energy to thereby form at least one dark field region in the polymer resist layer; (c) optionally baking the polymer resist layer; (d) contacting the polymer resist layer to a carbon dioxide solvent system, the solvent system comprising a polar group, under conditions in which the at least one light field region is preferentially removed from the substrate by the carbon dioxide solvent system as compared to the at least one dark field region; wherein the carbon dioxide solvent system comprises a first p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Micell Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Wagner, Merrick Miles, Chris Harbinson
  • Patent number: 7226726
    Abstract: The developer of the present invention is used in a method where a water-soluble resin coating layer is applied on a resist pattern formed by the conventional method, and the coating layer is crosslinked by an acid supplied from the resist, and the uncrosslinked area in the coating layer is dissolved and removed with a developer to thicken the resist pattern. This developer comprises an aqueous solution containing at least one surfactant selected from an N-acylsarcosinate, an N-acyl-N-methylalaninate, an N-acyltaurinate, an N-acyl-N-methyltaurinate, a fatty acid alkylol amide, and a fatty acid alkylol amide polyoxyethylene adduct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: AZ Electronic Materials USA Corp.
    Inventor: Takashi Kanda
  • Patent number: 7217504
    Abstract: The application, according to a desired image, of an absorbance controlling composition to a receiver having an imaging layer comprising a radiation absorbing component, such as a dye or pigment, with spectral absorbance properties susceptible to change on treatment with the absorbance controlling composition provides a method of imaging by which a desired image may be formed on the receiver, for example by jetting a solution of the absorbance controlling composition onto the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Fyson, John M. Higgins
  • Patent number: 7214463
    Abstract: A toner process comprised of a first heating of a mixture of an acicular magnetite dispersion, a colorant dispersion, a wax dispersion, and a core latex comprised of a first latex containing a vinyl crystalline polyester resin substantially free of crosslinking, and wherein said polyester is substantially dissolved in a vinyl monomer and polymerized to provide said first core latex resin, and which mixture contains a second crosslinked resin containing latex wherein said heating is accomplished in the presence of a coagulant to provide aggregates; adding a shell latex comprised of a polymer substantially free of crosslinking, and further heating said aggregates to provide coalesced toner particles, and wherein said further heating is at a higher temperature than said first heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Raj D. Patel, Karen A. Moffat, Fatima M. Mayer, Allan K. Chen
  • Patent number: 7211367
    Abstract: A high resolution resist material comprising an acid generator is provided so that high sensitivity and high resolution for high energy rays of 300 nm or less, small line-edge roughness, and excellence in heat stability and storage stability are obtained. Moreover, a pattern formation method using this resist material are provided. Specifically, a novel compound of the following general formula (1); and a positive resist material comprising this compound preferably as a photo acid generator, and a base resin; are provided. This positive resist material may contain a basic compound or a dissolution inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kobayashi, Satoshi Watanabe, Tsunehiro Nishi, Youichi Ohsawa, Katsuhiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7208262
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improved yield and line width performance for liquid polymers and other materials. A method for minimizing precipitation of developing reactant by lowering a sudden change in pH includes: developing at least a portion of a polymer layer on a substrate with an initial charge of a developer fluid; then rinsing the polymer with an additional charge of the developer fluid so as to controllably minimize a subsequent sudden change in pH; and then rinsing the polymer with a charge of another fluid. An apparatus for minimizing fluid impingement force on a polymer layer to be developed on a substrate includes: a nozzle including: a developer manifold adapted to supply a developer fluid; a plurality of developer fluid conduits coupled to the developer manifold; a rinse manifold adapted to supply a rinse fluid; and a plurality of rinse fluid conduits coupled to the developer manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: ASML Holdings N.V.
    Inventors: Emir Gurer, Ed C. Lee, Murthy Krishna, Reese Reynolds, John Salois, Royal Cherry
  • Patent number: 7208264
    Abstract: A photothermographic material wherein at least an image-forming layer on at least one surface of a support, the image-forming layer containing a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, wherein, an outermost layer is provided as a layer most remote from the support on the side of the support where the image-forming layer is provided, a non-photosensitive intermediate layer A containing a binder and provided in adjacent with the image-forming layer and between the image-forming layer and the outermost layer, wherein the binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A contains 80% by mass or more of a polymer formed by copolymerizing a monomer represented by Formula (M), a non-photosensitive intermediate layer B containing a binder and provided between the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A and the outermost layer, and the binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B contains 50% by mass or more of a hydrophilic polymer derive
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: FujiFilm Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Suzuki, Kouta Fukui, Minoru Sakai
  • Patent number: 7186498
    Abstract: The invention relates to an alkaline developer for irradiated radiation sensitive compositions, which developer is based on water and at least one inorganic salt having an alkaline reaction, wherein the developer has a pH of at least 11 and comprises at least three structurally different surfactants of formulae (A), (B) and (C), characterised in that the surfactant of formula (A) has one anionic group, the surfactant of formula (B) has two anionic groups, the surfactant of formula (C) is non-ionic and has at least one non-ionic hydrophilic group, and the concentration of each of the surfactants of formulae (A), (B) and (C) in the developer is at least 0.05 weight-% based on the total weight of the developer. The developer leads to less depositions and has a superior stability when used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Inventors: Willi-Kurt Gries, Marc Van Damme, Pascal Meeus, Mario Boxhorn
  • Patent number: 7186497
    Abstract: A developer composition for a lithographic printing plate comprising on an aluminum plate support a photosensitive layer which comprises an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, a photopolymerization initiator and a polymeric binder is disclosed, wherein the developer composition contains water in an amount of not more than 10% by weight and is substantially free from a silicate. There is also disclosed a developer solution obtained by dissolving the developer composition in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshitsugu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7172854
    Abstract: A color developer solution is disclosed, comprising p-phenylenediamine type color developing agents, wherein 2% to 35% by weight of the p-phenylenediamine color developing agents is accounted for by a N-hydroxyalkyl-substituted p-phenylenediamine color developing agent, and the color developer solution further comprising a compound represented by the following formula (1) or (2):
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Satoru Kuse
  • Patent number: 7163785
    Abstract: A silver halide photographic material, including a support having thereon a silver halide emulsion layer, the silver halide emulsion layer containing silver halide particles having a silver chloride content of more than or equal to 90 mol %, wherein a compound represented by Formula (S) is contained in the interior and on a surface of the silver halide particles and in a binder of the silver halide emulsion layer, and the silver halide particles have more than two silver halide phases therein having different concentration of the compound represented by Formula (S):
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshiya Kondo, Koichiro Kuroda