Intensifying Patents (Class 430/373)
  • Patent number: 5445925
    Abstract: A color image can be obtained from a color photographic element by multiple color development steps. The first color development is carried out in the usual manner after imagewise exposure. The second color development step is carried out after bleaching with a rehalogenating bleaching agent, and is used to develop only rehalogenated silver halide. This specific development is possible by either using a chloride rehalogenating agent in the bleaching solution, using a sulfite fixing agent before bleaching, or by fogging the element between bleaching and the second color development step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Peter D. Marsden, Gareth B. Evans
  • Patent number: 5441853
    Abstract: A method of making a photographic color print using a photographic color material containing low levels of silver halide characterized in that,(a) after image formation and washing and/or stop bath treatment and(b) before non-uniform exposure to adventitious light,the print is uniformly exposed to a light source so that undeveloped silver halide is caused to print out uniformly. Such a uniform density is much more acceptable than a non-uniform density caused by uneven light in normal conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Fyson, Roland G. Willis
  • Patent number: 5439784
    Abstract: A method for replenishing an unstable photographic processing solution is disclosed, including the following replenisher solutions:(1) a color developer replenisher,(2) an oxidizing agent replenisher, and(3) a halide-containing seasoning replenisher (starter solution).The oxidizing agent is not removed from the developer/amplifier after use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrew D. Grimsey, David M. Henson, Peter D. Marsden, Peter J. Twist
  • Patent number: 5418117
    Abstract: A method of processing an imagewise exposed photographic silver halide colour material by a redox amplification method in wherein colour developing solution is applied to the material in the presence of atmospheric oxygen and a hydroxylamine compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each an alkyl or aryl groups either of which may be substituted, andwherein the colour developer solution is agitated sufficiently for redox amplification to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Peter D. Marsden
  • Patent number: 5409805
    Abstract: A solid processing agent for a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is disclosed, which comprises a compound represented by the following Formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a halogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, provided that a plural of R.sub.1 's may be the same or different; R.sub.2 represents a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group or an alkoxy group; R.sub.3 represents a lower alkyl group, provided that R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 may be the same or different, m and n each represent an integer of 0 to 5; and X represents an anion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Haraguchi, Hiroaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5391443
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of extracting independent spectral image records from an imagewise exposed photographic element that contains superimposed silver halide exposure recording layer units each containing a latent image derived from a selected region of the spectrum. The photographic element contains N+1 superimposed silver halide exposure recording units. Photographic processing is conducted to produce a silver image in N+1 of the exposure recording units and a dye image distinguishable from other dye images in at least N exposure recording layer units. The photographic element is in one instance scanned in a spectral region of silver absorption and minimal image dye absorption to provide a first image density record, and the photographic element is also in N spectral regions wherein maximum density of a different image dye occurs to provide N additional image density records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Simons, James E. Sutton
  • Patent number: 5387499
    Abstract: A method of processing an imagewise exposed photographic material in a processing solution which is unstable to the extent that it deteriorates without external reaction in which the photographic material is passed through a tank containing the solution characterized in that the solution is circulated through the tank at a rate of from 0.1 to 10 tank volumes per minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Anthony Earle, James I. Dunlop, Edward C. T. S. Glover, Peter D. Marsden, Roger Baretll
  • Patent number: 5380627
    Abstract: A method of processing an imagewise exposed photographic silver halide material in a system which includes circulation and replenishment of the processing solution employed in at least one processing step characterized in that said processing step takes place in a processing tank divided into at least two parts separated by a barrier which reduces the mixing of the solutions in the neighboring parts and in that each part is separately recirculated and replenished to maintain a different concentration of a processing bath component in the first or earlier part than the second or later part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Andrew D. Grimsey
  • Patent number: 5358830
    Abstract: A method of color processing in which an imagewise exposed color photographic silver halide material is processed by a procedure which comprises treating it with a color developer solution and then with a developer/amplifier solution containing a color developing agent and hydrogen peroxide in which said solutions are replenished so that the overflow from the developer/amplifier solution is treated to remove hydrogen peroxide and used to form the sole replenisher for the color developer solution while the overflow from said color developer solution is disposed of as the net overflow of the two processing solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Peter J. Twist
  • Patent number: 5324624
    Abstract: An imagewise exposed photographic silver halide color material is treated in a first processing bath containing a developer solution comprising a color developing agent. After treatment in the first bath, the photographic material is treated in a second processing bath containing a developer/amplifier solution comprising an amplifying oxidant and the color developing agent, wherein developer solution is carried over with the photographic material from the first bath to the second bath. The second bath is replenished with developer/amplifier replenisher solution. The first bath is replenished with developer replenisher solution in sufficient volume to cause overflow of the developer solution from the first bath, which overflow is conveyed from the first bath to the second bath. The concentration of the color developing agent in the developer/amplifier solution of the second bath is maintained at 0.1 to 20 g/l.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Peter J. Twist
  • Patent number: 5310627
    Abstract: A method for locally enhancing the contrast of a yellow image, which method comprises providing a yellow image on a white background, said image comprised of yellow areas and white areas, said yellow areas and white areas exhibiting pH levels which differ by at least 0.5 in an aqueous environment, applying to at least a portion of said yellow image a solution of a pH color changing dye which will change color to a color other than yellow when coated on one of said yellow areas or white areas and not change color when coated on the other of said yellow areas or white areas, thereby forming a colored image duplicating the yellow image in areas where the solution has been applied, said colored image having a visually better contrast than said yellow image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Suzan J. Hirz, Bruce W. Weeks
  • Patent number: 5246822
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of processing imagewise exposed photographic color silver halide materials in which, after the dye image is formed, the photographic material is treated with an aqueous stabilizing solution containing iodide ions but no fixing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gareth B. Evans, John R. Fyson, Peter D. Marsden
  • Patent number: 5215875
    Abstract: A color photographic recording material comprising at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing at least one yellow coupler, at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing at least one magenta coupler and at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing at least one cyan coupler and typical intermediate and protective layers, in which the silver halide coating of all the photosensitive layers, expressed as AgNO.sub.3, amounts to no more than 0.3 g/m.sup.2 and the color-coupler-containing layers contain at least one p-phenylenediamine compound containing at least one primary amino group and at least one ballast group dissolved in hydrophobic oil droplets, can be developed in an environment-friendly manner using an intensifying bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Agfa Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Reinhart Matejec, Hans Vetter, Heinrich Odenwalder
  • Patent number: 5210007
    Abstract: A color photographic element for use with a latent or silver image intensification or amplification method which incorporates a blocked color developing agent. The color photographic element includes at least one silver halide emulsion layer which includes at least about 70 mole percent chloride and has a concentration of silver within the range of about 0.1 mg/m.sup.2 to 2000 mg/m.sup.2. The blocked color developing agent is capable of being unblocked during photographic processing by means of reaction with a dinucleophile reagent. A preferred dinucleophile reagent is hydrogen peroxide, which also acts as an oxidant in the latent or silver image intensification method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John Texter, David Southby, Jared Mooberry, Roland Willis
  • Patent number: 5200301
    Abstract: A color photographic recording material comprising at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing at least one yellow coupler, at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing at least one magenta coupler, at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing at least one cyan coupler and, optionally, a silver halide emulsion layer with no color coupler, of which the silver halide coatings together, expressed as AgNO.sub.3, amount to no more than 0.8 g/m.sup.2 and of which the silver halides have a silver chloride component of at least 95 mol-%, characterized in that the silver halide coating of a silver halide emulsion layer containing a color coupler together with the silver halide coating of the silver halide emulsion layer with no color coupler, expressed as AgNO.sub.3, is from 0.2 to 0.6 g/m.sup.2 and the silver halide coating of all the other silver halide emulsion layers, expressed as AgNO.sub.3, amounts to no more than 0.2 g/m.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Agfa Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kaspar Wingender, Wolfgang Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5055381
    Abstract: In a method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials comprising developing an exposed silver halide photosensitive material, fixing the developed material and washing it with a washing water, the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the replenishing washing water is reduced to not more than 5 mg/l on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium and washing water is replenished in an amount of 1 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material from a bath preceding the washing bath per unit area thereof or that the replenishing washing water is introduced into a washing bath after reducing the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds to the range mentioned above and sterilizing the same. The method makes it possible to substantially reduce the amount of washing water while reliably suppressing turbidity and proliferation of microorganisms in the washing water during and after completion of processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Abe, Yoshihiro Fujita, Toshio Koshimizu
  • Patent number: 4954425
    Abstract: A method for forming an intensified color image by subjecting a silver halide color photographic material exposed imagewise to light, to color-development processing that uses a monobath development-intensifying solution containing hydrogen peroxide or a compound that releases hydrogen peroixide and a color-developing agent is disclosed. According to the color-intensifying method silver-saving can be attained using a greatly reduced amount of a processing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haruhiko Iwano
  • Patent number: 4880725
    Abstract: A color image is formed by imagewise exposing a color photosensitive material comprising at least a silver halide and a coupler and subjecting the material to intensified development with a processing solution containing a reducing agent and an intensifier. A substantially water-insoluble basic metal compound is previously contained in the silver halide based color photosensitive material, while the processing solution contains a compound capable of complexing reaction with the metal ion of the substantially water-insoluble basic metal compound to release a base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hirai, Haruhiko Iwano
  • Patent number: 4818649
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for intensification and reflective read-out of underexposed films, radiographs, and the like are shown which include means for converting a metallic silver particle image to a highly reflective image. The film containing the highly reflective image is placed in a black-walled cavity which may contain a particle-free liquid, such as water. The image is raster scanned by a laser beam, and light reflected from the image is detected by a photomultiplier. The photomultiplier output is digitized and the digitized signal is stored for subsequent computer enhancement and display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Ivor Brodie, Malcolm Thackray
  • Patent number: 4745043
    Abstract: A method for forming an image, which comprises heating a light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least a light-sensitive silver halide, a binder, and a dye providing substance simultaneously with or after imagewise exposure thereof in the presence of water, a reducing agent, and at least one kind of intensifying agent. In accordance with the method of the present invention, images having a high density can be obtained in a short period of time using reduced amounts of silver and base. A heat-developable photographic material containing intensifying agent is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hirai
  • Patent number: 4717646
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for enabling amateurs and non-professionals to restore faded or discolored color photographs and snapshots to their original condition by treating the faded or discolored color photographs and snapshots to clean areas with a remover of anhydrous acetone-free diacetone and coating or coloring the cleaned areas with a color corrective restorer comprising a powdered dye embedded or dispersed in anhydrous diacetone preferably in the relative proportions of 40 grains dye: 30 ml anhydrous diacetone or by using wax cube compositions of alcoholic paraffin or other suitable wax with acetone-free diacetone in the relative proportions of 100 grams wax in alcohol: 1-3 grams powdered dye therein in the optional presence of liquid glycerin and/or lecithin. Procedure and equipment as described for carrying out the invention which is characterized by the slower evaporation rate of diacetone as compared to denatured alcohol to provide adequate time to carry out the process steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Inventor: Lewis A. Giorgi
  • Patent number: 4529687
    Abstract: An image forming method to get high density image without any fog is disclosed.The method is suitable for a low silver containing photographic material. The method include the color developing step with a small amount of monobath developing intensifying solution, wherein the color developing is carried out under the existence of an anion exchanger and/or cationic polymer. The monobath developing intensifying solution may be in contact with the anion exchanger. On the other hand, the cationic polymer may be contained in the photographic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hirai, Koichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 4528233
    Abstract: A process and chemical composition for laminating a photograph or lithograph onto canvas are disclosed whereby the resulting product appears similar to an oil painting, as well as providing improved depth. The process involves stripping a photograph or lithograph from a substantial portion of its backing, followed by application of the chemical composition to the photograph. The chemical composition includes a surfactant and an optical brightener such as a fluorescent whitening agent, and can include a sensitizer and stabilizer. The treated photograph or lithograph is then bonded to a textured backing at elevated temperature and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1985
    Inventor: David F. Free
  • Patent number: 4526860
    Abstract: A photographic process for providing a silver image enhanced by the presence of a dye in which a substantially insoluble silver salt is formed from fixed silver prior to color development in the presence of a color coupler or a dye-forming developing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Jonathan P. Kitchin
  • Patent number: 4469780
    Abstract: A process for forming a color image is disclosed. The process involves providing a color light-sensitive photographic material and imagewise exposing the material. The latent images within the exposed material are then developed and subjected to intensification processing. Thereafter, the material is subjected to treatment with a dilute buffer solution having a pH adjusted within the range of 2 to 7. The process allows for the elimination of the washing step conventionally used in processing photographic materials. Furthermore, the process provides color images having a reduced amount of staining and a large intensification factor while utilizing color photographic materials containing an extremely small amount of silver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hirai, Koichi Nakamura, Haruhiko Iwano
  • Patent number: 4414305
    Abstract: An image-forming method is disclosed. The method includes providing a silver halide color photographic material and imagewise exposing that material. The exposed material is color developed in the presence of a compound capable of reacting with or adsorbing a silver halide. The material is developed within a mono-bath intensifying developing solution which includes hydrogen peroxide or a compound capable of releasing hydrogen peroxide and a color developing agent. The solution substantially excludes the presence of bromide ions and iodide ions. The compound capable of reacting with or being absorbed into silver halide is a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound which has been found to be very useful in the image-forming method to obtain high color density with materials containing a small amount of silver halide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Nakamura, Hiroyuki Hirai
  • Patent number: 4410386
    Abstract: A process and chemical composition for laminating a photograph or lithograph onto canvas are disclosed whereby the resulting product appears similar to an oil painting, as well as providing improved depth. The process involves stripping a photograph or lithograph from a substantial portion of its backing, followed by application of the chemical composition to the photograph. The chemical composition includes a surfactant and an optical brightener such as a fluorescent whitening agent, and can include a sensitizer and stabilizer. The treated photograph or lithograph is then bonded to a textured backing at elevated temperature and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Inventor: David F. Free
  • Patent number: 4371609
    Abstract: A method of forming dye images by processing a photographic material containing imagewise distributed catalyzer substance in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, a coupler and certain aromatic primary amine compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kajiwara, Akihiko Miyamoto, Keiji Ohbayashi, Masaru Iwagaki
  • Patent number: 4345023
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for enhancing the speed of both certain black and white and color films, through initial black-and-white development, and redevelopment with color coupling developers and color coupling dye units, and replacement of silver units with multiple color dye units for each silver unit that provide a color image enhanced over that provided by the silver image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1982
    Assignee: The Academy of Applied Science, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles W. Wyckoff
  • Patent number: 4323641
    Abstract: A gold-toning neutron-activation process for intensifying or amplifying the ontrast in extremely weak images in photographic negatives where the exposure level may be as low as 1.5% of optimum. The method involves three main steps: (a) gold toning of the silver image on the negative; (b) neutron activation of the gold image to produce radioisotopes; and (c) transferring the image to an unexposed autoradiographic film as the ionizing radiation from the radioactive gold exposes the film to produce intensification of the contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Clarence D. Bond
  • Patent number: 4293638
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for alleviating the partial inactivation of color couplers caused by adventitious reaction with vapors of formaldehyde or a vinyl monomer. Partial inactivation is evidenced by decreased spectral absorptivity of the dye produced by reaction of the color coupler with color dye-forming compounds, such as oxidized photographic color developing agents. The method comprises contacting a partially inactivated coupler with an aqueous solution comprising an oxidizing agent and an oxidation accelerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1981
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John R. Fyson, Gerald I. P. Levenson
  • Patent number: 4288531
    Abstract: An imaging element which relies upon an aromatic dialdehyde to produce a dye provides improved maximum neutral densities when certain polymers are superimposed over the element. Such polymers seal the element to reduce loss of the dialdehyde during development. An imaging method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1981
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Anthony Adin, Richard C. Sutton, Joseph A. Verdone
  • Patent number: 4268617
    Abstract: A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material comprising a support and at least one silver halide emulsion layer, at least one of the layers of said photographic sensitive material containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of those compounds represented by the formulae (I), (II), (III) and (IV):[Co(NH.sub.3).sub.6 ][R.sup.1 COO].sub.3 (I)[Co(NH.sub.3).sub.6 ][R.sup.2 OOCR.sup.3 COO].sub.3 (II)[Co(NH.sub.3).sub.5 (R.sup.4 COO)]X.sub.2 (III)[Co(NH.sub.3).sub.5 (R.sup.5 NH.sub.2)]X.sub.3 (IV)wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 each represent an alkyl group having at least 3 carbon atoms or a fluorine-substituted alkyl group having at least 1 carbon atom; R.sup.3 is an alkylene group; R.sup.5 is an alkyl group having at least 1 carbon atom; X is a halogen atom, a nitrate ion, a sulfate ion, or a carboxylate ion is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1981
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Mitsui, Yoshiaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4219615
    Abstract: A multilayer color photographic material suitable for optically recording sound images on a sound track area formed thereon is composed of a support having coated thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer containing a color coupler in at least a 40 mol% excess of the stoichiometric amount of the coupler to the silver halide contained in the emulsion layer and at least one silver halide emulsion layer containing a color coupler in an amount less than 40 mol% excess of the stoichiometric amount of the coupler to the silver halide in the emulsion layer.The color photographic material is suitably processed by a color intensification development process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1980
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadao Sakai
  • Patent number: 4192681
    Abstract: An improved process for forming an amplified dye image on an image-wise, exposed light-sensitive silver halide photographic material is described, which, after developing, is processed with an amplifying solution the improvement being in that (a) the coupler is in stoichiometric excess of at least 50% relative to the amount of silver halide, (b) the dry thickness ratio of the hydrophilic colloid layer to the silver halide emulsion layer is 1 to 10 and (c) the amplifying solution contains hydrogen peroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuto Fujiwhara, Syunji Matsuo, Mikio Kawasaki, Toyoaki Masukawa, Yutaka Kaneko