Abstract: An optical modulation device includes scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes and showing a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto.

Abstract: An image is formed by securing an image receiving medium onto a support member, superposing onto the image receiving medium an image forming medium containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent, a polymerizable polymer precursor and a photopolymerization initiator, subjecting the image forming medium to imagewise exposure, heating the image forming medium thus treated, subjecting it to polymerization exposure to form a polymer image, and transferring a heat-diffusible coloring matter to the image receiving medium, corresponding with said polymer image.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising;subjecting an image forming medium containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent, a polymerizable polymer precursor and a photopolymerization initiator, to imagewise exposure, followed by heating to produce a light-absorbing organic compound in said image forming medium; and subjecting said image forming medium in which said light-absorbing organic compound has been produced, to polymerization exposure to cause said polymerizable polymer precursor to polymerize; where the light-absorbing characteristics of said light-absorbing organic compound are utilized to suppress the polymerization of said polymerizable polymer precursor at the area at which said light-absorbing organic compound has been produced.

Abstract: A method for transferring a viscous substance, including the steps of: providing a viscous substance capable of changing its adhesiveness corresponding to the polarity of a voltage applied thereto; disposing the viscous substance between a first electrode and a second electrode; and applying a voltage to the viscous substance plural times, thereby to reduce the adhesiveness of the viscous substance to the first electrode.

Abstract: A color display medium is constituted by a colored polymer layer having at least two display regions of different colors, typically three colors of blue, green and red, along the extension of the polymer layer. The display regions of different colors have respectively different wavelength regions of light absorption or respectively different temperatures of thermal transition between transparent and scattering states.

Abstract: An optical modulation device includes scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes and showing a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming device by use of dry process silver salt materials comprising a sheet-shaped photosensitive member having a monomer and a photopolymerization initiator on a substrate, a reducing agent, a photosensitive silver halide and an organic silver salt; a supply means of said photosensitive member; an irradiation means provided along the moving route of the photosensitive member in the order mentioned from its upstream side for irradiating a light information on said photosensitive member; a heat means for heating said photosensitive member, and a uniform exposure means for exposing uniformly said photosensitive member for forming a polymer image on said photosensitive member.

Abstract: An image forming medium is constituted by a laminate including at least an optical scattering layer and a backing member preferably comprising a pattened color filter. The laminate is composed to have an interface between the optical scattering layer and the backing member capable of reflecting light incident to the optical scattering layer. The optical scattering layer may comprise a polymer liquid crystal optionally containing a fluorescent agent or nucleating agent so as to enhance the optical scattering effect. The interface may be given by a low-refractive index layer, such as air layer. The optical scattering layer and the backing member can be separated and combined with an adjusting means for adjusting the relative position of the optical scattering layer and the backing member to provide an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A photosensitive material comprises a photosensitive and heat-developable element, and further a light-to-heat conversion element or a nonlinear optical function element. The photosensitive and heat-developable element comprises at least a photosensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt and a reducing agent. The light-to-heat conversion element comprises at least one of an inorganic metal and an organic coloring matter. The nonlinear optical function element comprises a comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of an inorganic crystal, an organic crystal, a polymer, a polymeric liquid crystal, a polymeric composition and a polymeric liquid crystal composition. An image forming method employing the photosensitive material comprises the steps of imagewise exposing the material by use of a laser beam, heating the material and forming a polymer image on the material.

Abstract: An optical image recording apparatus includes an image holding member comprising a polymer recording layer capable of recording and holding data through heat application, thermal recording means for applying heat to the polymer recording layer, a photosensitive member, and exposure means for recording the data recorded by the recording layer by the photosensitive member. The polymer recording layer is preferably composed from a polymer liquid crystal. The polymer recording layer and the photosensitivie member can be provided in a laminated form. The data recorded on the photosensitive member may be subjected to an electrophotographic image forming process.

Abstract: A photosensitive member suitable for multi-color image formation is obtained by forming a plurality of photosensitive layers laminated on a substrate. Each photosensistive layer comprises a matrix phase and particles dispersed therein. The matrix phase contains a photosensitive silver salt, an organic silver salt and a reducing agent which react with each other on exposure and heating to form a light-absorbing organic compound. The particles contain a heat-diffusive colorant, a polymerizable polymer precursor and a photopolymerization initiator. The light-absorbing organic compound in a photosensitive layer being capable of absorbing a wavelength of light to which the photopolymerization initiator in the photosensitive layer is sensitive. Because the heat-diffusive colorant, the polymerizer and the initiator are contained in the particles, the diffusion of the heat-diffusive colorant can be effectively controlled to prevent color fog.

Abstract: An optical modulation device includes scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes and showing a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto.

Abstract: A recording medium having a recording layer comprising a polymer liquid crystal is used for multivalue recording by using at least two different liquid crystal phases at least two levels of locally different liquid crystal proportion, or thicknesswise difference in an optical variable, such as transmittance a reflectance, generally through controlled heating and cooling. In effecting the recording, two heating sources may suitably be used, one for imagewise heating and the other for supplemental heating.

Abstract: An optical modulation device includes scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes so as to provide a matrix of pixels as a whole and having a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto. The device is driven by a method including, in a writing period for writing in the respective pixels on a selected scanning electrode: at least two repeating sets of phases, each set of phases comprising a state-determining phase for determining the contrast of a pixel and an auxiliary phase for not determining the contrast of the pixel.

Abstract: An optical modulation device includes scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to an intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes and showing a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto. The device is driven by a method including in a writing period for writing in all or prescribed pixels among the pixels on a selected scanning electrode, a first phase for applying a voltage of one polarity having an amplitude exceeding a first threshold voltage of the optical modulation material to the all or prescribed pixels, and a second phase for applying a voltage of the other polarity having an amplitude exceeding a second threshold voltage of the optical modulation material to a selected pixel and applying a voltage not exceeding the threshold voltages of the optical modulation material to the other pixels, respectively among the all or prescribed pixels.

Abstract: An optical modulation device comprises a first substrate having thereon a first conductor film, a second substrate having thereon a second conductor film disposed opposite to the first conductor film, and an optical modulation material disposed between the first and second substrates. The optical modulation device is driven by forming a potential gradient along the extension of the first conductor film or both the first and second conductor films, and applying an information signal to the first or second conductor film.

Abstract: In a semi-solid ink to be used in the heat transfer recording method in which a semi-solid ink is heated to melt to flow out through passage holes and said semi-solid ink flowed out is transferred onto a recording medium, it has a viscosity of 100 to 10000 cps as measured by means of a cone disc rotatory viscometer under the conditions of a temperature of 25.degree. C. and a shear rate of 2000 S.sup.-1.

Abstract: Image recording is achieved with the use of a cylindrical recording head in which ink is contained, a plurality of ink passage holes being formed on a circumferential surface thereof. The recording head includes a plurality of scanning electrodes and a plurality of signal electrodes to which an image signal is transmitted. A heating material is disposed around each of the ink passage holes in the area surrounded by the electrodes. In response to the image signal, a certain number of ink passage holes are heated by means of the selected heating materials to which electric current is supplied via the electrodes whereby ink of which viscosity is reduced under the effect of thus generated heat flows to the outside through the ink passage holes until it is transferred onto a recording medium.

Abstract: A recording head comprises a housing for storing ink therein and a plurality of ink passage portions for allowing ink to pass from the housing to the exterior thereof. A plurality of heating elements are selectively heated so as to allow for the selective passage of ink through the plurality of ink passage portions. A spacer spaces apart the ink passage portions and a recording medium and also defines a temporary ink storing portion. In a recording method employing the recording head, the ink is heated by virtue of the heat of the heating elements, the ink having thus-reduced viscosity passing through the ink passage portions and transferred onto the recording medium, thereby obtaining a clearly recorded image.

Abstract: Thermal recording material has a plate- or film-formed polymer blend layer which is in a mutually dissolved transparent state below a certain temperature and in a phase-separated opaque state above said temperature. This thermal recording material is employed in an image display device, which is provided, in succession, with a recording heater movable along the recording material, an image display unit, a uniform heater and a gradual cooler for image erasure.