Patents Assigned to Agfa
  • Patent number: 4793073
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously developing travelling bands of film has a tank which accommodates a processing bath. A device for the removal of moisture from film leaving the tank is located in the region of the tank exit. The device includes a substantially airtight enclosure having registering slot-like inlet and outlet openings for the film. The inlet and outlet openings divide the enclosure into two portions. A suction nozzle is disposed in each portion and is provided with a suction opening which faces the path of the film. Flexible sealing strips are arranged adjacent to the inlet and outlet openings of the enclosure. When there is no film passing through the enclosure, the sealing strips essentially close the inlet and outlet openings so that a vacuum is maintained in the enclosure. The sealing strips are bent away from the inlet and outlet openings during the passage of film through the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jurgen Leuchter
  • Patent number: 4791282
    Abstract: An X-ray film cassette has on its top a triangular bar code field readable by a bar code reader of an automatic film sheet charging and discharging apparatus. The bar code field is in the form of an isosceles right triangle whose hypothenuse faces a reference corner and whose legs extend parallel to edges of the cassettes. The bars of the code extend parallel to the hypothenuse. An optical axis of the bar code reader, when the cassette is in its end position in the apparatus, intersects a vertex area formed by the legs of the triangle. This arrangement guarantees that its bar codes on cassettes of small format, even if misaligned in the feeding direction, are reliably read by the reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: AGFA- GEVAERT AG
    Inventors: Manfred Schmidt, Herbert Gebele
  • Patent number: 4788810
    Abstract: A device for loading and unloading X-ray film cassettes into a light-sealed compartment includes a device for opening a lid of the cassette inserted in the compartment. The lid-opening device comprises a motor-driven control disc which via a crank rod shifts a support carrying a cassette positioning device, and a lid-opening hook which can swing in two normal directions and cooperates with the lid of the cassette to open the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Walter Bauer, Manfred Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4788133
    Abstract: A recording material having improved sharpness and color reproduction contains as uppermost layer a green-sensitive silver chloride emulsion having a layered grain structure, the ratio of diameter to thickness of the silver halide grains being at most 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Sauerteig, Gunter Renner, Sieghart Klotzer, Jens-Peter Grimm
  • Patent number: 4783684
    Abstract: A color copier has a first station for scanning a colored original in each of the primary colors so as to measure the proportions of such colors in the original. The measurements are sent to a computer which calculates the exposure time in each primary color for reproduction of the original. The copier further has a second station for reproducing the original on any one of several different color copy materials. The spectral sensitivities of the copy materials differ for any given primary color so that the copy materials define a family of sensitivity curves in each primary color. An illuminating device is movable between the two stations and generates the light used for scanning as well as for copying. Thus, the scanning light and copy light have the same spectral composition. The illuminating device carries a separate source of light in each primary color and the emission spectrum of each source projects no higher than the lowest curve of the family of sensitivity curves for the corresponding color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hans-Jurgen Rauh
  • Patent number: 4783588
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatic charging and discharging an X-ray film sheet into a cassette includes a bar code reader having an illumination device and a rotary scanning mirror. The cassette is provided on its top with a bar code label which irrespective of the format of the cassette is always located at a fixed distance from a leading edge and from a lateral guiding edge of the cassette. The cassette is insertable into an intake compartment and only after the cassette reaches an end position in the compartment a limit switch activates the scanning mirror and the illumination device of the reader, thus eliminating reading errors when reading bar codes on cassettes of different formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Manfred Schmidt, Herbert Gebele
  • Patent number: 4783019
    Abstract: A film supplying magazine which receives a pack of film sheets, covered with a light-tight sheathing and is insertable into a device which removes from said pack individual film sheets, comprises a box receiving a film pack, and a cover for closing the box. The sheathing has a winding flap while the magazine has an externally operated rotatable winding shaft to which the flap of the sheathing is connected so that the flap together with the sheathing is pulled off the pack and wound on the shaft when the latter is rotated. Velcro tapes are provided at the free end of the flap and at a portion of the winding shaft, which ensure an automatic connection between the flap and the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Manfred Schmidt, Johann Zanner
  • Patent number: 4779756
    Abstract: An integrally injection-moulded rectangular microfilm container with a box section and a hinged lid section, which has cooperating snap-locking protections on lateral walls of the lid and of the box, such protections extending in a direction generally parallel with the rear walls and of the lid and box of the container, whereby easy unmoulding of the container from the mould is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventors: Edward Buelens, Carolus C. Goossens
  • Patent number: 4779356
    Abstract: A dryer for photosensitive material has a main housing. A blower housing with a blower is mounted inside the main housing. A container defining a drying compartment is also mounted inside the main housing on top of the blower housing. An inlet opening in the bottom of the container establishes communication between the blower and the drying compartment. A transporting unit consisting of a support which carries a series of transporting rollers, a series of guides and drive means for at least some of the rollers is removably mounted in the container. The main housing is provided with an aperture, and the transporting unit functions to draw photosensitive material into and to discharge photosensitive material from the drying compartment via the aperture. The main housing is further provided with an air admitting opening for the admission of fresh air to the blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wilfried Hehn
  • Patent number: 4777514
    Abstract: A laser computer output microfilm camera for utilization of direct read after write film comprises a film gate, device for transporting a film in the film gate in stepped manner in one direction, device for moving the film gate normal to the one direction and parallel to a film plane also in a stepped manner, film supply device for supplying a film into the film gate, device for receiving a ready to use microfiche produced from the film, device for deviating a laser beam in the region of an image field of a microfiche image from the beginning of lines to the end of lines and back, and to a next line and back, objective device for projecting the laser beam onto the film gate or onto a film contained in the latter, the film supply device being formed as at least partially open stable container in which the film as a microfiche sheet film is stored in a stack, withdrawing device for withdrawing the film from the stable container and then transporting to the device for transporting the film, the stable container
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Anton Theer, Michael Demant, Heinz Webersik
  • Patent number: 4777124
    Abstract: A ballasted non-diffusing compound that is capable of releasing a diffusible particularly light-fast azo dye from a non-diffusible carrier moiety, wherein said compound contains not more than two aromatic nuclei between said carrier moiety and a dye part that remaining linked to said aromatic nuclei is releasable by redox-reaction and wherein at least one of said aromatic nuclei is substituted with a R.sup.4 SO.sub.2 NH-- group as defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Luc J. Vanmaele, Christian C. Van de Sande, Wilhelmus Janssens, Hans Vetter
  • Patent number: 4777516
    Abstract: The invention relates to the fabrication of modules consisting of a number of light-emitting elements (10) and the associated driver electronics (11) integrated on a common conductive p-type Gallium Arsenide substrate (12). The use of a number of such modules to form in a recording head an uninterrupted row of light-emitting elements is furthermore disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Marc M. Deschler, Meino Heyen
  • Patent number: 4775138
    Abstract: A device for loading and unloading an X-ray film cassette comprises a housing which has a light-proof closable compartment receiving a film cassette and provided with a sucker for removing a film from and inserting a new film into the cassette, a device for determining a format of the cassette being loaded and unloaded, and a plurality of compartments accommodating film dispensing magazines containing film stacks of different formats. The loading device further includes a control for controlling movements of the dispensing magazines and a drive arrangement provided for each of the compartments for moving an assigned dispensing magazine in an open position thereof from the respective compartment to a region of the transport rollers and back into the respective compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: AGFA Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jurgen Muller
  • Patent number: 4775614
    Abstract: An ecologically advantageous method for fixing a developed photographic silver halide emulsion layer material which involves the steps of:(A) developing an image-wise exposed silver halide emulsion layer with a developing agent in the presence of an aqueous alkaline liquid,(B) bringing the developed photographic material while still wet with the liquid of step (A) with its silver halide emulsion layer side in intimate contact with a water-absorbing layer of a receptor element, which layer comprises an organic hydrophilic colloid binder, a silver halide complexing agent, and in dispersed form a metal sulphide as silver ion scavenging agent,(C) maintaining said photographic material and receptor element in contact to allow the transfer of dissolved complexed silver compound into said receptor element, and(D) separating the photographic material from the receptor element, andwherein said water-absorbing layer contains said metal sulphide in colloidal form with an average grain size below 0.1 .mu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventor: Gino L. De Rycke
  • Patent number: 4774533
    Abstract: A copying apparatus, comprises a bottom, a process device for lazer beam graphic representation or for sheet film taking or sheet copying and having a housing, and a handling device for sheet films or sheets handling and having housing, the housing of the processing device being supported on the bottom in a vibration-free manner and arranged in the housing of the handling device in a contact-free manner, the housing of the handling device being arranged on the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventor: Jurgen Muller
  • Patent number: 4773580
    Abstract: A clip which is to separably couple an elastic belt conveyor with the leader of a web of photographic material has a slotted arm which is connectable to the leader and a frame which is integral with one end of the arm and has a square window bounded at two of its sides by triangular or square projections. The belt conveyor is caused to buckle so as to reduce its effective width, and one of its marginal portions is inserted in front of one of the projections from one side of the frame prior to insertion of the other marginal portion in front of the other projection. The projections engage one side of the conveyor and the other side of the conveyor is engaged by one side of the frame in front of and behind the window. The clip is flat and its arm is integral with the frame. The width of the window in the frame is somewhat less than the width of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ernst Schweiger
  • Patent number: 4772536
    Abstract: An image receiving material suitable for image production by dye diffusion transfer processing controlled by the development of (an) image-wise exposed silver halide emulsion layer(s), wherein the support of said material is a resin support coated with gelatin in admixture with a cationic polymeric mordant containing glycidyl groups that can react with active hydrogen atoms of the gelatin, wherein said support is made of a vinyl chloride polymer and said support is coated with an image receiving layer wherein the weight ratio of said polymeric mordant to gelatin is from 25:1 to 2.5:1, and the gelatin coverage is at least 0.1 g per m2. In a particular embodiment the image receiving layer is used in the production of a laminar article serving as identification document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Leon L. Vermeulen, Ludovicus H. Vervloet, Willy P. De Smedt
  • Patent number: 4770980
    Abstract: A color photographic recording material comprising at least one layer of which the primary sensitivity is blue, another layer of which the primary sensitivity is green and a further layer of which the primary sensitivity is red, gives satisfactory density graduations for details of high color saturation when a red sensitivity is produced in at least one layer, of which the primary sensitivity is green, and in at least one layer, of which the primary sensitivity is blue, the primary sensitivity being 8 to 25 DIN higher than the secondary sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Reinhart Matejec, Erwin Ranz
  • Patent number: 4770970
    Abstract: The heat development process using an integral color photographic recording material carrying, on a preferably transparent layer support, both an image receptor layer and light-sensitive layers of binder with silver halide and associated dye releasing compounds, optionally with a light-reflecting layer of pigment between the image receptor layer and the light-sensitive layers, may be carried out as a one-step development process in which silver halide development and color transfer take place at the same time if an auxiliary sheet containing a thermal development and diffusion promoting substance in a layer of binder is used. The thermal development and diffusion promoting agent is preferably liquid under normal conditions and dispersed in a microencapsulated form in the layer of binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Karl-Wilhelm Schranz, Gunther Schenk
  • Patent number: 4770967
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the development of an electrostatic image on a recording surface by supplying liquid developer comprising positively or negatively charged toner particles dispersed in an electrically insulating non-polar carrier liquid to a developing zone where increments of the electrostatic image are succesively developed by attraction or toner particles to a recording layer, e.g., photoconductive coating (3), in a distribution depending on the distribution of charges forming said electrostatic image, wherein the liquid developer is supplied, e.g. with ink-jet (7), to the developing zone so that in course of the period over which the development of the complete electrostatic image takes place, said developer is made available at that zone in a distribution pattern which constitutes a lower resolution version of the electrostatic image to be developed, each increment of said pattern being brought directly opposite the corresponding increment of the electrostatic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventor: Leo N. Vackier