Abstract: A method of making an optical element that includes a thermoplastic power portion, the method including laminating a first thermoplastic sheet to one side of a functional film, laminating a second thermoplastic sheet to a second side of the functional film, and affixing either the first thermoplastic sheet or the second thermoplastic sheet to the power portion, with the other of the first or second thermoplastic sheets being open to atmosphere.

Abstract: An infrared sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive preformed silver halide grains having number average particle size of <0.10 micron with at least 80% of all grains with ±0.05 microns of the average, in combination with an antihalation layer having an absorbance ratio of IR absorbance (before exposure)/visible absorbance (after processing) >30, and an IR absorbance of at least 0.3 within the range of 750-1400 and an optical density of less than 0.03 in the visible region.

Abstract: An infrared sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive preformed silver halide grains having number average particle size of <0.10 micron with at least 80% of all grains with ±0.05 microns of the average, in combination with an antihalation layer having an absorbance ratio of IR absorbance (before exposure)/visible absorbance (after processing) >30, and an IR absorbance of at least 0.3 within the range of 750-1400 and an optical density of less than 0.03 in the visible region.

Abstract: The present invention is for an apparatus for detecting the presence of a gaming token. This apparatus comprises a gaming structure having at least one predetermined location for receiving a gaming token. In a casino, this gaming structure can be a gaming table. At each predetermined location for receiving a gaming token designated on the gaming table, a proximity sensor is mounted to the gaming table such that each sensor is aligned with one predetermined location. A decoder is electrically connected to each proximity sensor for determining whether a gaming token is present at each predetermined location. When the presence of a gaming token is sensed by the decoder, the player's bet is registered.

Abstract: A method, module and apparatus useful in the application of linerless labels to surfaces of elements is provided in a methodology so that conventional linered label applicators can be used with linerless labels. A source of linerless labels is provided comprising a composite of an elongate sheet of reusable, temporary liner having adhered to a low adhesion surface of the reusable, temporary liner an adhesive face of a cut linerless label, the composite being rolled into a roll. The source of linerless labels is used in a method for enabling a linered label applicator to accept linerless label sheet for application to the surface of elements comprising associating a source of precut linerless labels on a roll of reusable, temporary liner sheet to a linered label applicator so that a composite of: a) the reusable, temporary liner sheet and b) cut-out linerless labels is fed into the linered label applicator where linered label is normally directed into the linered label applicator.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a light-sensitive silver halide multilayer color photographic element having a support base and coated thereon blue-, green- and red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers respectively associated with non-diffusing yellow, magenta and cyan dye-forming couplers, wherein at least one green-sensitive layer contains a 2-equivalent 3-anilino-4-phenylthio-5-pyrazolone magenta coupler and a 4-(4-hydroxy-phenylazo)-5-pyrazolone colored magenta coupler. The multilayer color photographic element of the present invention presents an improved speed and contrast, without a detrimental effect on the other sensitometric properties, such as Dmin and Dmax.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-sensitive emulsion, and a light-sensitive photographic material containing the same, comprising silver bromoiodide grains of a core shell structure comprising a) an inner core consisting essentially of silver bromide or silver bromoiodide, the silver iodide content of said inner core being within the range of 0 to 10 mole %, and b) a plurality of shells consisting essentially of silver bromide or silver bromoiodide, wherein a pure silver iodide phase representing from 0.1 to 5 mole % of the total silver halide grain content is interposed between two adjacent shells, and wherein at least one of said adjacent shells has a silver iodide content higher than 5 mole %.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-sensitive silver halide color multilayer photographic material which comprises a support base having coated thereon at least three red-sensitive emulsion layers having different sensitivity, at least three green-sensitive emulsion layers having different sensitivity, and at least two yellow-sensitive emulsion layers having different sensitivity, wherein (a) a core-shell silver halide emulsion having an average silver iodide content lower than 10% mol is present in at least one of the lowest sensitive red-, green- and yellow layers, (b) a yellow dye forming malonodiamide DIR coupler having in the coupling position thereof a 4,7-dihalogen-2-benzotriazolyl group is present in both the medium sensitive red- and green-sensitive layers, and (c) a yellow dye forming DIR coupler having a 1,2,4-triazolyl group attached to the coupling position, such 1,2,4-triazolyl group comprising a hydrolizable alkoxy- or aryloxy-carbonyl group attached to a benzytlthio substituent on the

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a silver halide photographic element comprising the step of adding to a silver halide emulsion (1) an aryl compound having at least two hydroxyl groups and at least one additional substituent represented by a sulfonic group, an alkali metal sulfonate group, a hydroxyl group, a carboxy group or a hydroxymethyl group, and (2) a polyhydroxyalkyl derivative selected from the group consisting of non-hydrogenated polysaccharides having an average molecular weight higher than 10,000 and hydrogenated polysaccharides having an average molecular weight equal to or lower than 10,000. The use of such a combination to increase the speed to Dmin ratio of a silver halide photographic element and a silver halide element comprising such a combination is also claimed.

Abstract: A base film including a substrate, an adhesion layer, a conductive layer, and a magnetic layer is provided. The adhesion layer preferably includes a sulfonated polyester/vinyl addition polymer, wherein the adhesion layer is disposed between the substrate and the conductive layer and improves adhesion between these layers, even under wet conditions. An adhesion layer is particularly useful in photographic elements and is at least located on a surface of the substrate that is opposite a silver halide emulsion layer, although emulsion receptivity can be enhanced by including an adhesion layer on the emulsion-side of the substrate.

Abstract: Vinyl sulfone and/or .beta.-halo sulfone compounds have been found to improve fog stability on shelf aging of photothermographic imaging elements. These elements comprise a photosensitive silver halide, silver salt oxidizing agent and reducing agent for silver ion in a binder.

Abstract: An infrared sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive preformed silver halide grains having number average particle size of <0.10 micron with at least 80% of all grains with .+-.0.05 microns of the average, in combination with an antihalation layer having an absorbance ratio of IR absorbance (before exposure)/visible absorbance (after processing) >30, and an IR absorbance of at least 0.3 within the range of 750-1400 and an optical density of less than 0.03 in the visible region.

Abstract: A photographic fixer compositions comprising a silver halide solvent, an aluminum salt hardening agent, a buffering agent and ammonium ions in amount of at least 0.20 mol/l, wherein said fixer composition also contains at least an aminopolycarboxylic acid sequestering agent of formula (I-a) or (I-b) or a water-soluble salt thereof and d) at least a polyphosphonic acid sequestering agent of formula (II-a), (II-b), (II-c), (II-d') or (II-d"): ##STR1## wherein the substituents are defined in the specification. The present invention also provides a method of processing an exposed photographic silver halide element comprising the steps of developing by means of a developer comprising a silver halide developing agent and treating the developed element with a fixer composition, wherein the fixer composition is one described above.

Abstract: 4-Substituted isoxazole compounds are useful as co-developers in combination with hindered phenol developers to produce 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: The present invention relates to a process for preparing monodispersed tabular silver halide grain emulsions, said process comprising the following steps:(a) forming a population of silver halide nuclei in a dispersing medium having a pH lower than 3 and a pBr in the range of from 1 to 2,(b) ripening said population of silver halide nuclei in presence of a silver halide solvent,(c) performing a first growing of said silver halide nuclei at a pBr value in the range of from 1 to 2, and(d) performing a second growing of said silver halide nuclei at a value in the range of from 2 to 2.7.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention a polyalkylene oxide-polyalkylsiloxane copolymer is present during at least one of the above mentioned steps (a) to (d). The process of the present invention enable the growth of monodispersed tabular silver halide grain emulsions having a reduced amount of non-conforming grains and a lower coefficient of variation (COV).

Abstract: The addition of 3-substituted-5-mercapto-1H-tetrazoles to silver halide photothermographic emulsions improves the post-processing stability of the emulsion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous alkaline developing solution comprising an alkaline mixture of an alkali metal silicate and/or an alkali metal metasilicate, wherein the M.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.2 molar ratio of said alkaline mixture is in the range of from 0.5 to 1.2, the total content of said alkaline mixture being in the range of from 6 to 15% by weight of the total developing solution, and wherein said developing solution comprises a non-ionic surfactant and at least another surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants. An alkali metal hydroxide can be optionally added to the alkaline mixture. Also claimed is the concentrated developing solution to be diluted to the desired strength.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-sensitive silver halide photographic material comprising a support and silver halide emulsion layer or layers, wherein at least one of said silver halide emulsion layers comprises an alkylaminomercaptotetrazole antifoggant. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention said silver halide emulsion layer comprises tabular silver halide grains having an average aspect ratio higher than 3:1 and a thickness lower than 0.4 .mu.m.

Abstract: A thermographic element comprising in a non-aqueous binder medium a silver salt oxidizing agent in reactive association with a compound comprising a plurality of redox color releasing moieties such that oxidation of each redox color releasing moiety causes release from said compound of a thermally diffusible dye.The compounds many of which are new incorporate two or more developer moieties into a single molecule to minimize the diffusibility of the compound. Following oxidation, either directly by the silver salt or by means of a cross-oxidizing agent, each oxidized developer moiety releases a thermally diffusible dye. The compounds are of sufficient size and molecular weight to slow or prevent diffusion in imaging systems and yet possess several active developer moieties per molecule which is advantageous over known ballasted dye releasers which comprise bulky molecules with only a single developer moiety.

Abstract: A colour sheet suitable for use in peel-apart colour imaging comprising a substrate bearing a layer of pigmented photopolymerizable material overcoated with a hydrophilic barrier layer and an outer layer of an adhesive.