Abstract: A reusable thermal dye donor element for a dye transfer thermal printer comprising: a base support having a plurality of wells which preferentially adsorb and desorb dye; and an overcoat on the base support which has a thickness less than the depth of the plurality of wells.

Abstract: A thermal printing donor sheet comprising a support having first and second opposing surfaces; a transferable dye layer on the first surface of the support; and a thermally conductive layer on the second surface of the supporting including a metal undercoat layer with a converted outer layer in the form of a thin wear resistant material.

Abstract: A reusable thermal dye donor element for a dye transfer thermal printer comprising: a base layer; and a donor layer on said base layer, said donor layer having a plurality of wells which preferentially adsorb and desorb dye into said wells.

Abstract: In a photographic system including means for magnetically recording/reproducing data relative to magnetically coated film, an assembly for conforming a thin film magnetic head array to the nonplanar magnetic surface during data transfer only, the assembly comprising: a platen for holding magnetically coated film in a film plane; a magnetic head array including first and second thin film heads located side-by-side and a third thin film head located fore or aft the first and second heads and forming an equilateral triangle of their centers; a head mounting spring fixed at one end to the platen and having a free end for mounting the magnetic head array adjacent to magnetically coated film transported through the film plane the mounting spring allowing pitch and roll movement of the head assembly; and a loading spring for biasing the magnetic head array into contact with the magnetically coated film so that the point of contact is at the center of gravity of the three head magnetic head array.

Abstract: In a photographic apparatus which handles film having a magnetic layer on one side for magnetically storing data on the film, a photographic film transport mechanism including a magnetic head suspension system that allows balanced roll motion of two magnetic heads while in contact with the nonplanar magnetic recording surface of film, and allows for in contact magnetic recording during transfer of data only, with release of the contact pressure at all other times, the mechanism comprising: a platen for confining film that is transported past the platen; a cantilever spring having one end fixed to the platen and a free end, the spring extending in the direction of transport of the film; a pair of magnetic heads; means for mounting the pair of magnetic heads side-by-side on the free end of the cantilever spring which allows the heads to rotate about a roll axis parallel to the film transport direction; and means coupled to the free end of the spring for moving the heads into and out of contact with the film.

Abstract: In a camera having an exposure gate and a transport for transporting film past the exposure gate, the film having a series of perforations along at least one edge of the film, wherein the number of the perforations are an integer per exposure frame, the film having a substantially transparent magnetic layer at least in the region of the perforations, a mid-roll change apparatus. The mid-roll change apparatus includes a source of a steady-state magnetic field located downstream of the exposure gate and adjacent to the series of perforations for magnetizing the magnetic layer between the perforations as film is transported past the source; a magnetic field sensor located upstream of the exposure gate and adjacent to the series of perforations for sensing fringing magnetic fields emanating from perforation edges, the area between which have been magnetized; and a perforation sensor located to sense the series of perforations of the film.

Abstract: A magnetic recorder includes multiple permanent magnetic elements having magnetic orientations that impart a sequence of magnetic transitions to magnetic media of a photographic filmstrip contained within a camera. The permanent magnetic elements are external to the camera. The sequence of magnetic transitions comprise information that can be subsequently retrieved and provided to the photographic processor and/or photographer. The information can include identification of locale or other information of interest to the photographer. The magnetic recorder requires no power supply and is easily operated by a photographer virtually without regard to weather conditions.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and/or reproducing head system particularly for use for writing and/or reading information on tracks in a magnetics-on-film (MOF) layer in the image area of photographic filmstrips, wherein the system provides for mounting of such magnetic heads on a suspension and translation system to move the magnetic heads from track to track of the MOF layer and longitudinally along a selected track. The filmstrip exhibits a lengthwise curvature of a predetermined sign and a cross-film curvature. The filmstrip is advanced to a stationary position in a curved transport path in the length dimension of the filmstrip, the curved transport path having a curvature radius of the same sign as the predetermined curvature sign of the filmstrip. The filmstrip edges are engaged in edge guides such that the transport path curvature and the edge guides negate cross-film curvature.

Abstract: A magnetic read/write head suspension assembly for achieving high magnetic head compliance with at least one edge track of the MOF layer of relatively stiff photographic filmstrips particularly during photofinishing operations. The filmstrip has an emulsion layer side opposite to the MOF layer side and exhibits a positive cross-film curvature toward the emulsion side when unrestrained. Filmstrip edge guides including parallel angled channels extending in a film transport path receive the filmstrip edge regions. One or more magnetic read/write head is mounted in the edge guides with the magnetic head gap length oriented in alignment with the angle of the MOF layer of the filmstrip edge region received in the channel and makes compliant line contact of the magnetic head gap with the MOF layer side in the edge region without imparting drag on the central region of the filmstrip.

Abstract: Magnetic record/reproduce apparatus for recording or reproducing information on a magnetic layer of a filmstrip in a camera, and more particularly, modular magnetic recording apparatus for optional attachment to photographic still cameras. Power and control signals supplied from within the module define the format and content of information recorded or reproduced from tracks in a substantially transparent magnetic layer. In one embodiment, the camera contains a record/reproduce head in the film transport path. In a further embodiment, the module contains the record/reproduce head, and the camera is adapted to receive the record/reproduced head in a record/reproduced aperture and position it in the film transport path on attachment of the module to the camera housing. In both embodiments, the magnetic head is preferably an elongated multi-head element array.

Abstract: A photographic still camera for receiving an elongated filmstrip having a cross-film curvature and having a substantially transparent magnetic layer deposited on the film surface and for recording or reproducing information on or from the magnetic layer in relation to the exposure of image frames of the filmstrip. The filmstrip is transported from supply to takeup chambers between film rails and a backing plate past a camera image frame exposure aperture with the magnetic layer facing the backing plate and having a concave cross-film curvature across the image frame area. A magnetic recording multi-head array formed of a plurality of recording heads mounted on flexure elements of a flexure support is positioned to extend across and contact the magnetic layer in the image frame area at the side of the exposure aperture.

Abstract: Magnetic recording and/or reproducing heads particularly for use for recording and reading information on a magnetics-on-film (MOF) layer in the image area of photographic filmstrips exhibiting a cross-film curvature in cameras or other filmstrip handling apparatus. A magnetic record/reproduce multi-head array is formed of a plurality of magnetic head elements mounted to extend across the width of the filmstrip and across the filmstrip image frame area, each head element contacting the magnetic layer at a predetermined cross-film position in a film transport path. The surfaces of the head elements aligned to contact the filmstrip magnetic layer are burnished or lapped by an abrasive tape lapping of the head as a final contouring operation on the head to remove all edges that can scrape or scratch the magnetic surface of the filmstrip. An elongated, compliant backing support, e.g.

Abstract: A photographic still camera for receiving an elongated filmstrip having a cross-curvature in the cross film direction across said filmstrip and having a substantially transparent magnetic layer deposited on the film surface and for recording or reproducing information on or from the magnetic layer in the image area in and relation to the exposure of image frames of the filmstrip. A magnetic head is formed of a plurality of frustums including inner frustums supporting a plurality of active head gaps in an interior region and at least one further outer frustum on each side of the inner frustums in the cross film direction.

Abstract: A print head applies electrical energy to an electrically resistive and grounded transfer ribbon bearing heat transferable dye, during sliding pressure contact and relative movement between the head and ribbon, for resistive heating of the dye to a transfer temperature for transfer to a receiver to form images of selective pixel size thereon. The head has a row of electrodes with end faces and an electrically non-conductive substrate with an end face, the end faces lying in a contact plane for contact with the ribbon. A groove in the substrate end face separates such end face from the electrode end faces. The width of the groove is sufficient to inhibit heat transfer at the groove from the ribbon to the substrate for controlling the dye amount heated to transfer temperature adjacent the groove during the relative movement and in turn the image pixel size.

Abstract: A print head applies electrical energy to an electrically resistive and grounded transfer ribbon bearing heat transferable dye, during sliding pressure contact and relative movement between the head and ribbon, for resistive heating of the dye for transfer to a receiver to form images thereon. The head has a row of electrodes, an electrically non-conductive substrate and an electrically non-conductive and thermally insulating barrier layer in abutment, with the barrier layer between the electrodes and substrate. The barrier layer has a thermal conductivity at most about one-tenth of that of the substrate and a thickness sufficient to retard heat transfer from the electrodes to the substrate for controlling the temperature of the electrodes.

Abstract: A print head for a resistive ribbon thermal printer has the electrodes made of WC, W.sub.2 C, Ti.sub.2 N, TiC, TaC, TaSi.sub.2, MoSi.sub.2 or ZrC.

Abstract: A multitrack head assembly has a plurality of magnetic heads arranged side-by-side along a transducing gap line extending across an upwardly facing tape-engaging surface which includes a series of elongated coplanar ribs alternating with low-pressure channels on both sides of and orthogonal to the gap line. For continuous in-contact recording, each rib is aligned with a particular one of the magnetic heads and has a width that is greater than the width of the transducing gap of the head with which it is aligned; furthermore, each rib has a gently curved tape-engaging surface with a radius of curvature R.sub.1 in a direction orthogonal to the gap line and a radius of curvature R.sub.2 in a direction substantially parallel with the gap line, where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are not necessarily the same.

Abstract: A bi-directional magnetic head assembly comprises a first write head adjacent to a read head, adjacent to a second write head. The three heads are in-line, so that the tape engages one or the other write head followed by the read head for either direction of tape motion. The central read head has slots on either side of its transducing region for skiving of entrained air and debris from the tape before the tape engages the transducing element of the read head for either direction of tape travel. On the other hand, each write head has only a single slot for skiving entrained air and debris; a slot being located in each write head structure outboard from the write transducing gap. In reading while writing during bi-directional operation, the write head first approached by the tape for a given direction of motion is the active, writing head. Because the slot is on the outboard side of each write head structure, skiving action occurs prior to the tape reaching the active write transducing gap.

Abstract: To remove the air film adherent to a moving tape, rather than have the tape incident upon a steep shoulder of the head, a facet in the contour provides a gradual slope breaking the continuity of the head contour. The break in the contour provides an edge to skive the air adherent to the tape, and the facet provides a gently ramping surface which engages any asperity on the tape surface in a less aggressive manner than occurs when the asperity encounters a shoulder directly. Because of the stiffness of the tape, the tape does not contact the head contour over the length of the facet; the tape spans the contour between the edges of the facet. The air skived from the tape by the facet edge is squeegeed out between the tape and the facet, and a slot in the facet increases the cross sectional area through which the air is expelled. The tape spanning the facet is not in contact with the edges of the slot, the edge related problems of the prior art are avoided by the practice of the present invention.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head is fabricated on a ferrite substrate which is both the mechanical support for the head assembly and a soft adjacent layer for biasing the magnetoresistive element of the head. Easy axis bias is supplied by a fixed magnet located in the head coverplate, and the substrate opposite the magnet is recessed and filled with a non-magnetic material to prevent distortion of the fixed magnet field by the ferrite substance.