Abstract: Aqueous-based photothermographic materials have improved stability to increase in Dmin during aging by including certain water-soluble or water-dispersible antifoggants that have a pKa of 8 or less. These antifoggants are represented by Structure I: R1—SO2—C(R2)R3—(CO)m—(L)n—SG  I wherein R1 is an aliphatic or cyclic group, R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or bromine as long as at least one of them is bromine, L is an aliphatic divalent linking group, m and n are independently 0 or 1, and SG is a solubilizing group having a pKa of 8 or less.

Abstract: This invention relates to a photothermographic element comprising a support, at least one photothermographic image-receiving layer, and at least one antihalation layer or a filter layer, wherein the antihalation or filer layer comprises an aqueous heat-bleachable composition comprising at least one dye and at least one hexaarylbiimidazole in the form of particles dispersed in a matrix comprising a hydrophilic or aqueous dispersible polymer.

Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: In the above Structure I, the substituents are as defined in the application, wherein B is a six-membered heteroaromatic ring. Such compounds have good reactivity and can by used to block photographically useful compounds such as developing agents until thermally activated under preselected conditions. Compounds according to the present invention are especially useful in color photothermographic imaging elements.

Abstract: This invention relates to a photothermographic element comprising a support, at least one photothermographic image-receiving layer, and at least one antihalation layer or a filter layer, wherein the antihalation or filer layer comprises an aqueous heat-bleachable composition comprising at least one dye and at least one hexaarylbiimidazole in the form of particles dispersed in a matrix comprising a hydrophilic or aqueous dispersible polymer.

Abstract: A photothermographic material is disclosed, comprising a support, a silver halide, an organic silver salt and a reducing agent, wherein the photothermographic material meets the following requirement:

Abstract: Thermographic and photothermographic materials comprise a barrier layer to provide physical protection and to prevent migration of diffusible imaging components and by-products resulting from high temperature development. The barrier layer comprises a film-forming, water-insoluble aromatic polyester that has a molecular weight of at least 10,000 g/mole and is capable of retarding diffusion of mobile chemicals such as fatty acids, developers and toners. This polymer can also be present in admixture with another film-forming polymer to provide a clear and scratch-resistance surface.

Abstract: High contrast thermographic and photothermographic materials comprise a barrier layer to prevent migration of diffusible by-products resulting from high temperature development. The barrier layer comprises a film-forming polymer(s) that reacts with or acts as a physical barrier to diffusible by-products resulting from development including formic acid, hydrazo compounds, azo compounds, diimide compounds, hydrazine, and water.

Abstract: A color photothermographic element comprising at least three light-sensitive units which have their individual sensitivities in different wavelength regions, each of the units comprising at least one light-sensitive silver-halide emulsion, binder, and dye-providing coupler, and a blocked developer in the presence of a thermal solvent represented by the following structure: 1

Abstract: Thermographic and photothermographic materials comprise a surface barrier layer to provide physical protection and to prevent migration of diffusible imaging components and by-products resulting from high temperature development. The barrier layer comprises a film-forming acrylate or methacrylate polymer(s) that has a molecular weight of at least 8000 g/mole and comprises epoxy functionality and is capable of retarding diffusion of mobile chemicals such as fatty acids. This polymer is preferably present in admixture with at least one other film-forming polymer to provide a clear and scratch-resistance surface film.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of processing color photographic film that has been imagewise exposed in a camera, said film having at least three light-sensitive units which have their individual sensitivities in different wavelength regions, each of the units comprising at least one light-sensitive silver-halide emulsion, binder, and dye-providing coupler, which method in order comprises: (a) thermally developing the film step without any externally applied developing agent, comprising heating said film to a temperature greater than 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of processing color photographic film that has been imagewise exposed in a camera, said film having at least three light-sensitive units which have their individual sensitivities in different wavelength regions, each of the units comprising at least one light-sensitive silver-halide emulsion, one or more organic silver salts, a binder, and dye-providing coupler, which method in order comprises: (a) thermally developing the film step without any externally applied developing agent, comprising heating said film to a temperature greater than 80° C.

Abstract: This invention relates to packaged photographic film that is capable of being alternately processed, according to individual consumer choice, by either (1) a traditional wet-chemistry process with a developer solution followed by desilvering in one or more subsequent solutions to obtain a color negative film, or (2) a dry thermal process without the use of aqueous solutions in which a blocked developing agent located within the photographic element is thermally activated or unblocked, optionally followed by electronic scanning of the developed film without desilvering. This invention enables a single film stock to be developed in both a conventional deep tank process and in a dry thermal process.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photothermographic element in which the density formed in a thermally processed photothermographic element is limited for the purpose of scanning the element prior to removal of silver halide, metallic silver, and/or any organic silver salts. In one embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by employing limited quantities of sensitized silver halide in a photothermographic element.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of scanning silver-halide-containing color photographic and photothermographic film. In particular, the present invention comprises record shifting by means by employing at least one infrared dye in a color unit of the film, thereby forming at least one image record in the infrared. This expedient leads to the formation of high quality images, especially when scanning photothermographic elements in which the silver halide, metallic silver, and/or any organic silver salts have not been removed.

Abstract: A photothermographic material having an image-forming layer that contains at least a non-photosensitive silver salt of an organic acid, a photosensitive silver halide, a nucleating agent and a binder on a support, and a protective layer at a position remoter from ,the support compared with the image-forming layer, which shows a saturation swelling time of 60 seconds or longer in distilled water at 21° C. According to the present invention, there is provided a photothermographic material for photographic art, in particular, for scanners, image setters and so forth, which shows low humidity dependency during development for developed character line width and can secure high image density (Dmax) even in a low humidity environment.

Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: In the above Structure I, the substituents are as defined in the application. Such compounds have good reactivity and can by used to block photographically useful compounds such as developing agents until thermally activated under preselected conditions. Compounds according to the present invention are especially useful in color photothermographic imaging elements.

Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: wherein the substituents are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: A thermally developing apparatus is provided with a heating device to heat a thermally developable material; a supplier for supplying the thermally developable material in a predetermined supplying direction to the heating device; the heating device having plural regions aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to the supplying direction of the thermally developable material by the supplier; plural heaters each provided separately to one of the plural regions and to heat a corresponding one of the plural regions of the heating device; and a controller to control heat generation of the plural heaters, the controller controlling at least one of the plural heaters in accordance with a size of the thermally developable material which is a length substantially perpendicular to the supplying direction.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus comprises a heat-developing section for heat-developing a latent image formed on a photo/heat-sensitive material sheet in which antistatic agent is added, and conveying rollers made of resin for conveying the photo/heat-sensitive material sheet along a sheet feeding path including at least the heat-developing section.

Abstract: A photosensitive material which when imagewise exposed to record a latent image thereon is formed with an image by heating with a prescribed processing material superimposed thereon is used as a photographic film or the like, the photosensitive material is exposed to record an image thereon, the exposed photosensitive material is developed by superimposing and heating the photosensitive material and the processing material to form the image on the photosensitive material and then peeling the photosensitive material formed with the image off the processing material, the developed image on the photosensitive material is read with a scanner to obtain image data representing the image, and the image data are subjected to prescribed image processing to generate reproducible digital image data.

Abstract: A heat developable color photographic material for use in an image-forming process comprising: (a) superposing a heat developable color photographic material onto an image-receiving material that is formed on a separate support from a support of the heat developable color photographic material; and (b) heat-developing the heat developable color photographic material superposed on the image-receiving material to form or release a diffusible dye, so that the diffusible dye is transferred to the image-receiving material to thereby form an image: wherein the heat developable color photographic material contains at least a light-sensitive silver halide and yellow, magenta and cyan dye-donating compounds, which form or release diffusible yellow, magenta and cyan dyes, respectively, by heat development corresponding to silver development, wherein the yellow, magenta and cyan dyes, respectively, has a maximum absorption intensity of spectral absorption at a wavelength of from 440 nm to 460 nm, from 525 nm to 545 nm,

Abstract: Disclosed is a processing element which includes a silver halide solvent represented by a general formula (1) and which has a function of efficiently fixing undeveloped silver halide remaining in a photosensitive element after developing without any harmful influence, and an image-forming method using the processing element, the general formula (1) being ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent an aliphatic hydrocarbon group.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided wherein images are formed with good tonal qualities in a short time immediately after development process. Concretely, the imaging system of the invention comprises a print medium, wherein microcapsules encapsulate a color-forming material, a polymerization initiator and a developer, an irradiation box, which selectively exposes the print medium, a pressure-developing roller, and first and second post heaters. After the development using the pressure-developing roller, the print medium is heated by the first post heater on the condition that the heating time Y is longer than a second and shorter than approximately 1060 exp (-0.082X) seconds, wherein X is defined as the heating temperature (degrees). Further, the print medium is heated by the second post heater on the condition that the heating time Y is shorter than a second and longer than approximately 1060 exp (-0.082X) seconds.

Abstract: A heat developing method for obtaining a visible image comprising contacting a heat-developable light-sensitive material or a light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material on which a latent image has been formed with a heating means in a heat developing part, wherein the heat-developable light-sensitive material or light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material which is peeled off from the heating means is cooled, in a noncontacting state, to a temperature not higher than a temperature at which progress of development is stopped, and then the material is held with a transfer means for discharging the material outside of the heat developing part, and a developing apparatus for obtaining a visible image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material comprising a support and photographic constituent layers formed thereon, said photographic constituent layers including at least one photographic light-sensitive layer comprising light-sensitive silver halide, said silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material being capable of forming an image thereon after exposure and simple heat development thereof, wherein the light-sensitive material contains a specific compound acting as an anti-fogging agent and wherein at least one silver halide emulsion contained in the light-sensitive material is characterized in that silver halide grains of the emulsion have a silver chloride content of 50 mol % or more, the tabular grains whose principal faces are each made up of a (111) plane account for 50% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide grains of the emulsion, the tabular grains have an average thickness of 0.3 .mu.

Abstract: A processor for processing thermal media, comprising: a rotatably mounted heated drum; and a set of holddown rollers spaced around a segment of the periphery of the drum and in contact therewith, the drum and the set of rollers forming a path for thermal media; wherein the set of rollers includes at least first and second rollers of different diameters one from the other in order to suppress artifacts.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a photothermographic material comprising on a support a photo-addressable thermally developable element containing a substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with said substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt, a reductor for said substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt and a binder, said photothermographic material having on the same side of the support as said photo-addressable thermally developable element an outermost layer having two phases at least one of which being a dispersion phase of thermoplastic particles, characterized in that said two phases exhibit different affinities for at least one printing liquid selected from the group consisting of ink and an abhesive fluid for ink.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising the steps of: (i) imagewise exposing a silver halide light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion, a hydrophilic binder and a slightly water-soluble basic metal compound; (ii) laminating the silver halide material with a processing sheet comprising a compound which forms a complex with a metal ion constituting the basic metal compound, a physical development nucleus, a solvent for a silver halide and a matting agent, after or concurrently with the imagewise exposure; and (iii) conducting heat development in the presence of a reducing agent and water to form a silver image on at least one of the light-sensitive material and the processing sheet, wherein the processing sheet comprises an uppermost layer containing the physical development nucleus; the product of the weight ratio in the uppermost layer of the amount of the physical development nucleus to that of the binder and the reciprocal of the mean size (.

Abstract: A method of forming an image on an image forming material is disclosed which comprises a transparent support having a first surface side and a second surface side and provided on the first surface side, an imaging layer, the method comprising the step of forming a mirror image on the imaging layer so that the formed image is visible from the second surface side, wherein the second surface side has a glossiness of 80 to 115.

Abstract: Thermal recording or producing of a contone image comprises an imagewise and scanwise exposing a thermographic recording material with a set (s) of radiation beams (b), wherein at any given moment (t) during the exposure at least two radiation beams impinge on different dots (m) of a scanline (l), so that by completion of the exposure each effective dot of the scanline has been impinged. Photo-thermographic recording or producing comprises a developing of the exposed photo-thermographic recording material with a set (s) of radiation beams (b), wherein at any given moment (t) during the development at least two radiation beams impinge on different dots (m) of a scanline (l), so that by completion of the development step each dot of the scanline has been impinged by all radiation beams.

Abstract: A process for exposing a silver halide-containing photothermographic element with radiation to produce a latent image comprising a) providing a source of radiation which emits a beam of radiation to produce a spot having at least one dimension of height or length of less than 600 micrometers at a target site, b) providing at said target site a photothermographic silver halide element sensitive to radiation emitted by said radiation source, c) emitting radiation a first time in an imagewise distribution from said radiation source so that said radiation strikes said element as spots having at least one dimension of length or width which is less than 250 micrometers, and d) then emitting radiation a second time in an imagewise distributed manner so that at least some spots from radiation emitted said second time overlap spots where said first emitted radiation struck said photothermographic element.

Abstract: An image formation process comprising image exposing a photosensitive element which contains at least a photosensitive silver halide, a binder and a dye donating compound which forms or releases a diffusive dye corresponding or inversely corresponding to an exposure amount, and transferring the diffusive dye formed or released to a dye fixing element by heat development in the presence of a base and/or a precursor thereof, wherein the process further comprises the step of feeding water to said photosensitive element after image exposure, and the photosensitive element is maintained at a temperature of 40.degree. to 90.degree. on undergoing exposure, whereby photographic performance of the heat development photosensitive material exhibits good stability to changes in ambient temperature on undergoing exposure.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising the steps of:(a) superposing a heat development photosensitive material on a sheet after or simultaneously with imagewise exposing the heat development photosensitive material, wherein the photosensitive material comprises a support having thereon at least a photosensitive silver halide, a hydrophilic binder and a slightly water-soluble basic metal compound, and the sheet comprises a support having thereon at least a compound which forms a complex with the metal ion constituting the basic metal compound, a solvent for a silver halide and a physical development nucleus; and(b) heat developing the laminate in the presence of a reducing agent and water to form an image on either or both of the photosensitive material and the sheet,wherein the reducing agent comprises a 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidone compound and a dihydroxybenzene compound having an inorganic value of not less than 215 and an organic value of from 120 to 400.

Abstract: An image formation method comprising imagewise exposing a silver halide light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon a light-sensitive silver halide, a binder, a slightly water soluble basic metal compound, and a dye composition which is decolorized or discolored on heat development; contacting the surface of the light-sensitive material with a sheet coated with a binder and a compound which forms a complex with a metal ion constituting the basic metal compound and heating them in the presence of a reducing agent and water after or during the imagewise exposing; and peeling off the sheet to obtain an image on at least the light-sensitive material and the sheet, wherein the dye composition comprises an oil-soluble dye formed by a leuco dye and a color developer.

Abstract: A dry type image formation process which comprises imagewise exposing a heat-developable photosensitive material to light, and then heat-developing the heat-developable photosensitive material, wherein the heat-developable photosensitive material further comprises a component isolated by microcapsules and the heat-developable photosensitive material is pressed before or after heat development so that the microcapsules are ruptured to release the internal phase and cause the component to be diffused into the photosensitive layer, allowing its function to be fulfilled, and an image formation process which comprises heat-developing a heat-developable photosensitive material after or simultaneously with imagewise exposing, the heat-developable photosensitive material comprising a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a basic precursor, a dye-providing substance which undergoes heat development to release or produce a dye, and a silver halide fixing agent which is a compound capable of fixing and stabili

Abstract: Surface reforming of a polymeric article containing a polymerizable compound is effectively performed by polymerizing the polymeric article in contact with a surface reforming medium because the transfer of the material constituting the surface reforming medium to the polymeric article is enhanced by the polymerization. The surface reforming can be performed locally selectively, i.e., imagewise. The remaining un-polymerized part may be subjected to further surface reforming, e.g., by using another type of surface reforming medium or attachment of powder, to provide an enhanced contrast of surface property. Such an enhanced contrast of surface property can be effectively used, e.g., for production of a printing plate.

Abstract: Toning agents are provided for use in thermographic and photothermographic materials, either on their own or in combination with at least one other toning agent, with improved compatibility with hydrophobic media as shown by reduced crystallization and reduced diffusion through the material, which properties enabling an improved imaging performance to be achieved and in particular a more neutral image tone after storage.

Abstract: Image forming method is disclosed using a light-sensitive material which comprises a support and a light-sensitive layer provided thereon. The light-sensitive layer contains silver halide, a reducing agent and an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound. The light-sensitive material of the present invention further contains a polymerization inhibitor releasing (PIR) compound. The polymerization inhibitor releasing compound has a function of releasing a polymerization inhibitor when the compound is heated or reacted with a base. The silver halide, the reducing agent, the polymerizable compound and the polymerization inhibitor releasing compound are preferably contained in microcapsules which are dispersed in the light-sensitive layer.

Abstract: Acrylonitrile compounds are useful as co-developers when used in combination with hindered phenol developers to produce high contrast black-and-white photothermographic and thermographic elements.Acrylonitrile compounds are also useful as co-developers when used in combination with (i) hindered phenol developers, and (ii) trityl hydrazide and/or formyl-phenyl hydrazinc co-developers, to produce ultra-high contrast black-and-white photothermographic and thermographic elements.The photothermographic and thermographic elements may be used as a photomask in a process where there is a subsequent exposure of an ultraviolet or short wavelength visible radiation-sensitive imageable medium.

Abstract: A dry process silver salt photosensitive material is disclosed which has a support and a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer contains at least a photosensitive silver halide or photosensitive silver halide forming component, an organic silver salt and a pyrrole compound. The photosensitive material has a broad latitude for heat development and can form images with a high contrast.

Abstract: A heat-developable photosensitive material including a photosensitive layer formed on a support, the photosensitive layer at least containing an organic silver salt, a reducing agent, either a photosensitive silver halide or a photosensitive silver halide forming agent, and a sensitizing dye of the following general formula (I): ##STR1## where r is hydrogen, halogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl or substituted amino; r.sup.1 and r.sup.2 are each substituted or unsubstituted aryl or r.sup.1 and r.sup.2 are bonded to each other to form a condensed ring; r.sup.3, r.sup.4 and r.sup.5 are each hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl; X.sup.1 is oxygen, sulfur, carbon, nitrogen or selenium, wherein when X.sup.1 is carbon or nitrogen, then X.sup.

Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element for reductive laser-imaging comprising a support having thereon an imaging layer comprising:a) a reducible Co(III) ammine complex,b) a source of phthalaldehyde, andc) a reducing agent,the imaging layer having an infrared-absorbing material associated therewith in the amount of about 0.001 to about 0.5 g/m.sup.2 of element.

Abstract: A process is provided for forming an image involving a photosensitive element comprising a photopolymerisable monomer and a reducible metal salt, preferably silver behenate, and a donor element containing a reducing agent. After lamination to a cover sheet, photopolymerisation and delamination, the image density is built up by lamination to the donor element, transfer of reducing agent and peeling-apart, possibly followed by heating the photosensitive element.

Abstract: Positive-acting photothermographic elements suitable for use in graphic arts and medical imaging comprising a photosensitive medium comprising a reducible silver source, a photo-acid generator, a binder and a reducing system for silver ion comprising a reducing agent for silver ion in which exposure of the element to actinic radiation causes the production of acidic species in the exposed regions which inhibit reduction of the silver source by the reducing system.

Abstract: A heat developable photosensitive material is disclosed, comprising a support having thereon at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer which contains (i) at least one compound selected from among the compounds represented by formulae (I) and (III) and (ii) a dye compound represented by formula (LI): ##STR1## the definition of Y, R, R', M, T, U, n, m and for formula (I) and (III) and Y, Z and n for dye of formula (LI) are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: The invention involves a bleachable antihalation system, particularly for use in thermally developable photographic recording materials. This antihalation system contains, besides an antihalation dye, a bleaching agent that forms sulfurous acid or sulfurous acid derivatives on treatment with heat or irradiation with actinic radiation.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing light-sensitive recording medium through a superposed image original, the exposure apparatus comprising at least one light source, an element transmissive to actinic radiation emitted from the light source positioned between the light source and the image original, the element capable of holding the image original against the heat-developable light-sensitive recording medium, and at least one interference filter disposed between the light source and the image original during exposure. The invention is further directed to an image forming process using the exposure apparatus.

Abstract: A photothermographic element comprising a photosensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt and a reducing agent in concentrations such that imagewise exposure to actinic radiation generates from the silver halide a catalyst which accelerates an image-forming reaction between the organic silver salt and the reducing agent is processed by a method comprising the steps of (1) imagewise-exposing the element to actinic radiation to form a latent image therein, (2) subjecting the imagewise-exposed element to a first heating step at a temperature and for a time sufficient to intensify the latent image but insufficient to produce a visible image, and thereafter (3) subjecting the element to a second heating step at a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce a visible image.

Abstract: A light-sensitive material comprises a support and a light-sensitive layer. The light-sensitive layer contains silver halide, a reducing agent, an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound and a base precursor. According to the present invention, the light-sensitive layer further contains a urethane polymer having an amino or imino group. The urethane polymer is dissolved in the ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound. The polymer has a molecular weight of not less than 2,000. The silver halide, the reducing agent, the polymerizable compound, the base precursor and the urethane polymer are preferably contained in light-sensitive microcapsules which are dispersed in the light-sensitive layer.

Abstract: A heat-developable photosensitive material is disclosed which has a support and provided thereon a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer contains at least an organic silver salt, a silver halide and a reducing agent represented by the formula (I). Also, an image forming method using the heat-developable photosensitive material is disclosed.