Patents by Inventor Franklin C. Brayer

Franklin C. Brayer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6232058
    Abstract: A high quality direct radiographic film is useful for dental care. The film contains relatively high silver coverage preferably coated on both sides of the support. It also contains sufficient silver halide desensitizer to reduce silver halide sensitivity to X-radiation by at least 0.02 log E. The combination of silver and desensitizer coverages provides sufficiently high photographic speed, excellent image quality and increased stability to background radiation sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Anthony Adin, Richard E. Beal, Franklin C. Brayer, Catherine C. Wideman
  • Patent number: 6168322
    Abstract: Apparatus for processing exposed photosensitive elements comprising: a cylindrical container having an open end and having a plurality of circumferentially disposed containment vessels for containing processing fluids; an index plate which is rotatably mounted on the container at the open end; a holder for holding an exposed photosensitive element; support structure for mounting the holder on the index plate for movement downwardly and upwardly; and a member on the index plate for manually rotating the plate to sequentially align the holder with the plurality of containment vessels so that at each vessel the holder is manually moved downwardly to submerge the photosensitive element in the processing fluid contained in the vessel and then moved upwardly to remove the element from the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ronald J. Perry, David G. Sherburne, Franklin C. Brayer, Dennis J. O'Dea
  • Patent number: 6110654
    Abstract: A powdered, uniformly mixed photographic processing composition is prepared with intense mixing of dry photoprocessing chemical components, and by forming uniformly sized agglomerates of the mixed powder. During agglomeration, a solution of a binder material is applied in a controlled manner to enable the mixed powder particles to stick together but without leaving much residue in the final composition. With this process, the mixed powder and agglomerates each have desired uniformity in size and chemical composition. The resulting dry uniformly mixed composition is highly stable, dissolvable and substantially free of dust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Franklin C. Brayer, William J. Gamble, Walter T. Gurney
  • Patent number: 6093523
    Abstract: A powdered, uniformly mixed photographic developing composition is prepared with intense mixing of dry photoprocessing chemical components, one of which is a photographic developing agent, and by forming uniformly sized agglomerates of the mixed powder. During agglomeration, a solution of a binder material is applied in a controlled manner to enable the mixed powder particles to stick together but without leaving much residue in the final composition. With this process, the mixed powder and agglomerates each have desired uniformity in size and chemical composition. The resulting dry uniformly mixed developer composition is highly stable, dissolvable and substantially free of dust. An antioxidant is also applied to the dry uniform mixture during agglomeration to reduce the loss of developing agent activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Walter T. Gurney, Franklin C. Brayer, William J. Gamble
  • Patent number: 6033838
    Abstract: Black-and-white elements, such as radiographic films, can be processed in roomlight because the developing composition includes a water-soluble colorant. Such colorants are water-soluble dyes that have a maximum absorption wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nm. Processing is carried out by processing the exposed element using a two-stage process in the same processing container. In the first stage, development is initiated with an opaque developing composition having a pH of from about 10 to about 12.5, and comprising an appropriate black-and-white developing agent, a yellow colorant, and a sulfite. After an appropriate time, a fixing agent (other than a sulfite) is introduced into the processing container to begin simultaneous development and fixing. The entire process in quite rapid, that is less than 90 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Fitterman, Robert E. Dickerson, Franklin C. Brayer
  • Patent number: 6022675
    Abstract: Black-and-white elements, such as radiographic films, can be processed in roomlight using a developing/fixing monobath composition that also includes a water-soluble colorant, such as a water-soluble "yellow" dye, that provides safelight conditions in the processing composition. The processing method is carried out quickly, that is within 120 seconds. The colorant has a maximum absorption wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nm, and is transparent in solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Fitterman, Robert E. Dickerson, Franklin C. Brayer
  • Patent number: 5972578
    Abstract: Black-and-white elements, such as radiographic films, can be processed in roomlight using a developing/fixing monobath composition that also includes a water-soluble colorant, such as a water-soluble "yellow" dye, that provides safelight conditions in the processing composition. The processing method is carried out quickly, that is within 120 seconds. The colorant has a maximum absorption wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nm, and is transparent in solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Fitterman, Robert E. Dickerson, Franklin C. Brayer
  • Patent number: 5972582
    Abstract: A powdered, uniformly-mixed photographic processing composition is prepared with intense mixing of dry photoprocessing chemical components, and by forming uniformly sized agglomerates of the mixed powder. During agglomeration, a hot melt binder polymer is applied in a controlled manner to enable the uniformly-mixed powder particles to stick together with little residue in the final composition. With this process, the mixed powder and agglomerates each have the desired uniformity in size and chemical composition. The resulting dry composition is highly stable, dissolvable and substantially free of dust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: William J. Gamble, Walter T. Gurney, Franklin C. Brayer
  • Patent number: 5945265
    Abstract: A powdered, uniformly mixed photographic developing composition is prepared with intense mixing of dry photoprocessing chemical components, one of which is a photographic developing agent, and by forming uniformly sized agglomerates of the mixed powder. During agglomeration, a solution of a binder material is applied in a controlled manner to enable the mixed powder particles to stick together but without leaving much residue in the final composition. With this process, the mixed powder and agglomerates each have desired uniformity in size and chemical composition. The resulting dry uniformly mixed developer composition is highly stable, dissolvable and substantially free of dust. An antioxidant is also applied to the dry uniform mixture during agglomeration to reduce the loss of developing agent activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Walter T. Gurney, Franklin C. Brayer, William J. Gamble
  • Patent number: 5942378
    Abstract: Black-and-white elements, such as radiographic films, can be processed in roomlight because the developing composition includes a water-soluble colorant. Such colorants are water-soluble dyes that have a maximum absorption wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nm. Processing is carried out by processing the exposed element using a two-stage process in the same processing container. In the first stage, development is initiated with an opaque developing composition having a pH of from about 10 to about 12.5, and comprising an appropriate black-and-white developing agent, a yellow colorant, and a sulfite. After an appropriate time, a fixing agent (other than a sulfite) is introduced into the processing container to begin simultaneous development and fixing. The entire process in quite rapid, that is less than 90 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Fitterman, Robert E. Dickerson, Franklin C. Brayer
  • Patent number: 5922521
    Abstract: A powdered, uniformly mixed photographic processing composition is prepared with intense mixing of dry photoprocessing chemical components, and by forming uniformly sized agglomerates of the mixed powder. During agglomeration, a solution of a binder material is applied in a controlled manner to enable the mixed powder particles to stick together but without leaving much residue in the final composition. With this process, the mixed powder and agglomerates each have desired uniformity in size and chemical composition. The resulting dry uniformly mixed composition is highly stable, dissolvable and substantially free of dust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Franklin C. Brayer, William J. Gamble, Walter T. Gurney
  • Patent number: 5900355
    Abstract: A powdered, uniformly-mixed photographic processing composition is prepared with intense mixing of dry photoprocessing chemical components, and by forming uniformly sized agglomerates of the mixed powder. During agglomeration, a hot melt binder polymer is applied in a controlled manner to enable the uniformly-mixed powder particles to stick together with little residue in the final composition. With this process, the mixed powder and agglomerates each have the desired uniformity in size and chemical composition. The resulting dry composition is highly stable, dissolvable and substantially free of dust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: William J. Gamble, Walter T. Gurney, Franklin C. Brayer
  • Patent number: 5738979
    Abstract: A photographic silver halide element, such as a radiographic film, can be developed using a black-and-white developing solution containing an ascorbic acid developing agent. This solution is replenished with a replenisher solution of basically the same components but the amounts may be greater. Moreover, the replenisher solution pH is from 0.1 and up to 0.3 pH units higher than that of the developing solution. Both developing and replenisher solutions are free of hydroquinone. Replenishment can be carried out at relatively low rates with less impact on the environment without sacrificing sensitometric performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Fitterman, Franklin C. Brayer, Joan F. Rachel
  • Patent number: 5637447
    Abstract: A radiation-sensitive film for reproducing digitally stored medical diagnostic images through a series of laterally offset exposures by a controlled radiation source followed byprocessing in 90 seconds or less including development, fixing and drying is disclosed. The film exhibits an average contrast in the range of from 1.5 to 2.0, measured over a density above fog of from 0.25 to 2.0. An emulsion is provided in which silver bromochloride grains provided (a) containing at least 10 mole percent bromide, based on silver, (b) having a mean equivalent circular diameter of less than 0.40 .mu.m, (c) exhibiting an average aspect ratio of less than 1.3, and (d) coated at a silver coverage of less than 40 mg/dm.sup.2. Adsorbed to the surfaces of the silver bromochloride grains is at least one spectral sensitizing dye having an absorption half peak bandwidth in the spectral region of exposure by the controlled exposure source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Dickerson, Richard E. Beal, Franklin C. Brayer, Stephen A. Hershey, Patrick M. Jeffries