Heat Applied After Imaging Patents (Class 430/350)
  • Patent number: 7041432
    Abstract: An improved apparatus for thermally developing a flexographic printing element to reveal a relief image on the surface and a method of using the apparatus to expose and develop a flexographic printing element. The apparatus typically comprises means for softening or melting non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; at least one roll that is contactable with the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element and capable of moving over at least a portion of the imaged surface of the flexographic printing element to remove the softened or melted non-crosslinked photopolymer on the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element; and means for maintaining contact between the at least one roll and the imaged and exposed surface of the flexographic printing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Inventor: Gary T. Markhart
  • Patent number: 7033742
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a positive image in a photothermographic film exposed by electrons in a transmission electron microscope to form a latent image in the film. The photothermographic film has at least one imaging layer comprising a potentially negative-working emulsion, but wherein thermal development of unexposed silver salts in exposed areas relative to unexposed areas is inhibited when thermally developing the imagewise exposed assembly, thereby producing a positive image. The present invention is also directed to the processing of the photothermographic film in which a positive image characterized by high speed and discrimination is formed in the film when heated above 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Roberts, Donald L. Black, Paul B. Gilman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7033741
    Abstract: A method of converting a recording element is provided. The method includes providing an imaged recording element having a convertible layer, the convertible layer comprising polymeric particles and a polymeric binder, the polymeric particles having a glass transition temperature Tg1, and the polymeric binder having a glass transition temperature Tg2; heating the convertible layer to a temperature Tp, Tp being greater than Tg1 and Tg2; and converting the heated convertible layer of the recording element by advancing the recording element through a pair of rollers, the first roller of the pair of rollers being maintained at a first temperature T1 and the second roller of the pair of rollers being maintained at a second temperature T2, T1 and T2 being less than Tp, the convertible layer of the recording element becoming a converted layer after advancing through the pair of rollers, wherein the converted layer has an exit temperature Tf, Tf being less than Tp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Po-Jen Shih, Arthur M. Gooray, Timothy J. Wojcik, Hwei-Ling Yau, James E. Pickering
  • Patent number: 7029835
    Abstract: Photothermographic elements employing improved base precursors that undergo thermal decomposition are disclosed. Thermal-dye-bleach agents, and in particular, a novel class of salts of arylsulfonylacetic acids as bleaching agents for photothermographic use are disclosed. Photothermographic elements employing these thermal-dye-bleach agents are suitable for use as acutance and antihalation systems, bleachable filter dye materials, and in promoting unblocking of various components such as blocked developers, especially in photothermographic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ramanuj Goswami, David H. Levy
  • Patent number: 7029834
    Abstract: Thermally developable photothermographic materials comprise a backside layer that includes a backside stabilizer to reduce fog formation in high humidity conditions, thereby providing improved shelf stability. Useful backside stabilizers are nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic compounds. These backside stabilizers can be provided particularly in non-photosensitive compositions that include an antihalation composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Steven H. Kong, Kumars Sakizadeh
  • Patent number: 7026104
    Abstract: A heat-developable photosensitive material comprising on a support light-sensitive silver halide, a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder, wherein at least 30 mole % of the total light-sensitive silver halide is silver halide of high silver iodide content having an average ?-phase proportion of from 5 to 70 mole %, and a method of forming images on the heat-developable photosensitive material with a semiconductor laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumito Nariyuki
  • Patent number: 7026105
    Abstract: Photothermographic materials are designed with increased photospeed by chemical sensitizing the photosensitive silver halide grains with a combination of compounds. A first chemical sensitizer is a specific gold(III)-containing compound and a second chemical sensitizer is a sulfur-containing compound that is a diphenylphosphine sulfide. The molar ratio of the gold (III)-containing compound to the sulfur-containing compound is at least 1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Sharon M. Simpson, Lilia P. Burleva, Kumars Sakizadeh
  • Patent number: 7018790
    Abstract: A photothermographic imaging material including a support; an image forming layer containing an organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a binder and a silver ion reducing agent, the image forming layer being provided on the support; and a cyan coloring leuco dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Narito Goto
  • Patent number: 7018770
    Abstract: A reflective radiographic material is useful to provide images that can be viewed without a light box. This reflective radiographic material has a reflective support and a silver halide emulsion on one side of the support only. The material can be used with a single green- or blue-light emitting fluorescent intensifying screen as part of an imaging assembly. The reflective support enables the image in the radiographic material to be viewed without a light box and the speed of the material enables the use of low power X-radiation generating equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventors: Robert E. Dickerson, Kenneth A. Duke, Phillip C. Bunch, Alan S. Fitterman
  • Patent number: 7014977
    Abstract: A reflective radiographic material (at least 200 system speed) is useful especially to provide images that can be viewed without a light box. This reflective radiographic material has a reflective support, a silver halide emulsion on one side of the support only, and a photographic speed of at least 200. The reflective material also includes an incorporated black-and-white developing agent and a co-developing agent, and can be used with a single fluorescent intensifying screen as part of an imaging assembly. The reflective support enables viewing the resulting image without a light box and the high speed of the material enables the use of low power X-radiation generating equipment. The incorporated black-and-white developing agent and co-developing agent allow the radiographic material to be quickly processed after exposure using simplified processing chemistry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Dickerson, Kenneth A. Duke, Alan S. Fitterman
  • Patent number: 7014989
    Abstract: Black-and-white, aqueous-based, silver halide-containing photothermographic materials have increased stability after imaging with the incorporation of at least 0.00005 mol/m2 of a 4-substituted urazole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Sharon M. Simpson, Kumars Sakizadeh
  • Patent number: 7005251
    Abstract: A silver salt photothermographic dry imaging material including non-photosensitive aliphatic carboxylic acid silver salts; a photosensitive emulsion containing photosensitive silver halide grains; a silver ion reducing agent; a binder; and a cyan coloring leuco dye. A percentage of the photosensitive silver halide grains having a mean particle size of 0.01 or more ?m and 0.04 ?m or less is 5% or more by mass and 50% or less by mass of total photosensitive silver halide grains by conversion into a silver amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Narito Goto
  • Patent number: 6977139
    Abstract: Thermally developable materials such as thermographic and photothermographic materials include a novel non-photosensitive source of reducible silver ions that are predominantly provided as rod-shaped particles of silver salt of a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound containing an imino group. The rod-shaped particles have an average aspect ratio of at least 3:1 and a width index for particle diameter of 1.25 or less, and provide improved imaging properties. These particles can be prepared using double jet precipitation procedures in which vAg is kept constant at a value of equal to or greater than ?50 mV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dirk J. Hasberg, Chaofeng Zou
  • Patent number: 6974662
    Abstract: Improved compounds and base precursors that undergo thermal decomposition are disclosed. Thermal base precursors, and in particular, a novel class of salts of arylsulfonylacetic acids as bleaching agents or promoting for photothermographic use are disclosed. Compositions employing these thermal base precursors are suitable for use in acutance and antihalation systems, bleachable filter dye materials, and in promoting unblocking of various components such as blocked developers, especially in photothermographic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ramanuj Goswami, Wojciech K. Slusarek, David H. Levy
  • Patent number: 6964842
    Abstract: Aqueous-based photothermographic materials comprise a hydrophilic binder, preformed silver halides, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent composition, and one or more benzothiazolium, benzoselenazolium, or benzotellurazolium salts as antifoggants. These photothermographic materials can be used in combination with phosphor intensifying screens for radiographic imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Chaofeng Zou, Roger L. Klaus
  • Patent number: 6962807
    Abstract: The present invention relates to producing non-formylated proteins and/or peptides in bacterial cells lacking deformylase and/or transformylase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Inventors: Philippe Marliere, Rupert Mutzel, Didier Mazel
  • Patent number: 6942960
    Abstract: Aqueous-based thermally sensitive emulsions and photothermographic imaging materials include photosensitive silver halide grains that comprise at least 15 mol % iodide based on total silver in the grains and are doped with bismuth (+3). These materials have increased photographic speed especially in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Joe E. Maskasky, David A. Dickinson, Victor P. Scaccia, Richard L. Gaines
  • Patent number: 6936411
    Abstract: A silver halide industrial radiographic material comprising on at least one side of a support a hydrophilic gelatinous non-spectrally sensitized radiation-sensitive emulsion layer, having grains, coated in a total amount in the range from 6 to 20 g, expressed as an equivalent amount of silver nitrate per square meter, and at least one non-radiation sensitive protective gelatinous antistress overcoat layer thereupon, wherein a ratio of gelatin to silver, expressed as silver nitrate in the said layer arrangement is at least 0.70, wherein said gelatinous layers are hardened by a gelatin cross-linking agent in an amount in order to have a dissolving time of at least 40 minutes, said time being defined as the period of time from the moment when the silver halide photographic material, dipped into 50 ml of an aqueous solution of 1.5% by weight of sodium hydroxide at 50° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert
    Inventors: Marc Van de Zegel, Marleen De Vester
  • Patent number: 6930698
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising exposing a heat-developable light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least a light-sensitive silver halide having a silver iodide content of 5 to 100 mol %, a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a heat developing agent, and a binder by means of a scanning optical system having a light source emitting a laser beam having an emission peak between 350 nm and 450 nm to form a latent image on said heat-developable light-sensitive material, heating said heat-developable light-sensitive material to about 80 to 250° C. in a heat development section, and cooling said heat-developable light-sensitive material having been heat treated in said heat development section to or below a development stopping temperature while said heat-developable light-sensitive material is transported in a cooling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Goto, Katsutoshi Yamane
  • Patent number: 6924089
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel heat-developable photosensitive material which hardly exerts an influence on the image color tone and exhibits high sensitivity. Disclosed is a heat-developable photosensitive material comprises, on the same surface of a substrate, at least (a) photosensitive silver halide, (b) a reducible silver salt, (c) a compound represented by the general formula (5), (d) a binder, (e) a compound represented by the general formula (6) or (7), and (f) a compound represented by the general formula (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toyohisa Oya, Hirokazu Kyota, Kouta Fukui
  • Patent number: 6916589
    Abstract: A method for applying an image to a receptor element, which comprises the steps of (i) providing a transfer sheet comprising a support having a first surface and a second surface, and a coating capable of receiving an image on the first surface of the support, (ii) imaging the coating, (iii) dry peeling the coating from the support in the absence of wet release prior to hand ironing, (iv) positioning the dry peeled coating on a receptor element having valleys or pores, (v) positioning a non-stick sheet on the dry peeled coating which is positioned on the receptor element having valleys or pores, and (vi) heating the non-stick sheet to drive the dry peeled coating into the receptor element having valleys or pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Foto-Wear, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald S. Hare, Scott A. Williams
  • Patent number: 6916599
    Abstract: A photothermographic material comprising: a support; and a photosensitive silver halide, a nonphotosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder, wherein the photosensitive silver halide comprises 90% by mole or more of a silver iodide and has a silver iodobromide structure having an average silver iodide content of 35% by mole or less in vicinity of a surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumito Nariyuki
  • Patent number: 6890705
    Abstract: The second silver halide photosensitive material comprises a substrate and at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer formed thereon, the silver halide photosensitive material comprising at least two types of silver halide grains with different projected areas having photosensitivity in the same spectral range; silver halide grains having a larger projected area having a refractive index n1 and an average thickness a, and silver halide grains having a smaller projected area having a refractive index n2 and an average thickness b; and the silver halide grains satisfying the conditions defined by the following equation (1): n2?n1, and a?b×(n2/n1)??(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoteru Miyake, Masahiro Asami
  • Patent number: 6891557
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposure portion having a light source, for forming a latent image on a photothermographic imaging material by exposing a light beam, a thermal development portion having a heating portion for thermally developing by heating the photothermographic imaging material on which the latent image is formed, and a cooling and conveying portion for conveying and cooling the thermally developed photothermographic imaging material, a temperature detecting member for detecting at least one of a temperature of a predetermined portion concerning the cooling and conveying portion, and a temperature in a vicinity of the exposure portion, and a control unit for controlling a factor relating to thermal development on a basis of the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Sumi, Akira Taguchi, Takehiro Shiraishi, Masaya Shimoji, Mamoru Umeki, Makoto Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6869756
    Abstract: A heat developing method having the steps of: initially making the overall surface of a heat developing photosensitive material or a photosensitive and thermosensitive recording material (hereinafter called a “heat developing recording material”) to a predetermined temperature not lower than a glass transition temperature and not higher than heat development start temperature; and performing heat development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Ogawa, Toshitaka Agano
  • Patent number: 6844145
    Abstract: High-speed black-and-white photothermographic materials can be imaged in any suitable fashion using ultraviolet, visible, infrared, or X-radiation. They can have one or more thermally developable imaging layers on either or both sides of the support and can be imaged with or without a phosphor intensifying screen in an imaging assembly. The photothermographic emulsions and materials have a net Dmin less than 0.25, and require less than 1 erg/cm2 to achieve a density of 1.00 above net Dmin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Chaofeng Zou, Doreen C. Lynch
  • Patent number: 6841343
    Abstract: Organic solvent-based photothermographic materials comprise one or more mercaptotriazoles represented by the following Structure I as toner(s): wherein R1 and R2 independently represent hydrogen, or an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, or aromatic or non-aromatic heterocyclyl group, M is hydrogen or a cation, or R1 and R2 taken together can form a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring, or still again, R1 and R2 taken together can represent a divalent linking group, provided that R1 and R2 are not simultaneously hydrogen or an unsubstituted phenyl group, and further provided that when R2 is hydrogen, R1 is not a methyl or phenyl group having a solubilizing substituent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Doreen C. Lynch, Stacy M. Ulrich, Chaofeng Zou
  • Patent number: 6828070
    Abstract: A photosensitive material comprising a substrate and a reversibly decolorable colored layer disposed thereon, wherein the reversibly decolorable colored layer is reversibly colored and decolored, the reversibly decolorable colored layer is in a colored state at 25 ° C., and a temperature at which the color density of the reversibly decolorable colored layer is reduced to 50% based on that at 25 ° C. is 50 to 120 ° C. A method for forming an image using the photosensitive material is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunichi Ishikawa, Yoshiharu Yabuki
  • Patent number: 6824962
    Abstract: Disclosed is a photothermographic material containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive silver salt of an organic acid, a reducing agent for silver ions and a binder on one surface of a support, wherein the material contains a compound producing imagewise a chemical species that can form development initiation points on and in the vicinity of the non-photosensitive silver salt of an organic acid or the like and an organic gold compound and the photosensitive silver halide has a mean grain size of 0.12 &mgr;m or less. This photothermographic material shows high sensitivity, low fog, high Dmax (maximum density), little increase of fog during storage and low temperature and humidity dependency during development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tokuju Oikawa
  • Patent number: 6824961
    Abstract: A heat developing method having the steps of: initially making the overall surface of a heat developing photosensitive material or a photosensitive and thermosensitive recording material (hereinafter called a “heat developing recording material”) to a predetermined temperature not lower than a glass transition temperature and not higher than heat development start temperature; and performing heat development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Ogawa, Toshitaka Agano
  • Publication number: 20040234911
    Abstract: The present invention provides a ehat-developabel photosensitive material comprising a support having provided thereon an image forming layer containing a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, wherein a binder of an outermost layer at a side of the support at which the image forming layer is provided includes a latex polymer such as an ionomer type urethane polymer latex in an amount of 85 mass % or more, preferably 90 mass % or more, and more preferably 95 mass % or more. The heat-developable photosensitive material may also have a layer adjacent to the outermost layer which layer contains a binder that gels due to temperature reduction or contains a binder containing a water-soluble polymer derived from animal protein in an amount of 50 mass % or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Keiichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6815142
    Abstract: A method for forming resist patterns, and an overlying layer material and a semiconductor device used in the method for forming resist patterns, which can improve the dimensional uniformity of resist patterns by inhibiting the multiple interference of light beams within a resist film; improve the environmental resistance in a clean room or the like; and obtain resist patterns having rectangular sectional shapes by preventing the acid in the overlying layer material from diffusing into the resist. By using an overlying layer material containing a water-soluble low-molecular-weight acidic substance and a water-soluble photo base generator preventing the diffusion of the acidic substance into the resist, the base formed after exposure neutralizes the acids contained in the overlying layer material in nature, and the diffusion of the acid into the resist can be inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshika Kimura, Takeo Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 6811960
    Abstract: The present invention provides photoresist monomers, photoresist polymers derived from the same, processes for producing such photoresist polymers, photoresist compositions comprising such polymers, and processes for producing a photoresist pattern using such photoresist compositions. In particular, photoresist monomers of the present invention comprise a moiety of Formula 4: where R1, R2, R3 and R4 are those defined herein. Photoresist polymers of the present invention have a relatively high etching resistance, and therefore are useful in a thin resist process and a bilayer photoresist process. Moreover, photoresist polymers of the present invention have a high contrast ratio between an exposed region and a non-exposed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Geun Su Lee, Jae Chang Jung, Min Ho Jung, Ki Ho Baik
  • Patent number: 6803177
    Abstract: Novel silver compounds can include a primary core of a photosensitive silver halide and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. Other novel silver compounds are homogeneous silver salts of organic silver coordinating ligands throughout (non-core-shell). Still other silver compounds can include a primary core of a non-photosensitive metal salt and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. These types of silver compounds can be used as sources of reducible silver ions in thermally developable imaging materials including thermographic and photothermographic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Boris B. Bokhonov, Lilia P. Burleva, David R. Whitcomb, Nepal C. Howlader, Louis M. Leichter
  • Patent number: 6803542
    Abstract: A thermal processor for heat processing exposed thermographic media comprising: a heated drum for heating thermographic media brought into contact with the drum; a centrally located assembly for supporting the drum for rotation; a plurality of spaced rollers located around a segment of the drum for holding media into contact with the drum; and a plate assembly for mounting the plurality of rollers for movement between a first position in contact with the drum and a second position out of contact with the drum, the plate assembly having first and second spaced alignment plates having circular features that align with the bearing assembly when the plate assembly is in the first position, whereby the rollers are aligned with the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Bradley B. Rassatt
  • Patent number: 6800427
    Abstract: A heat-developable photosensitive material, which comprises a light-sensitive layer containing a light-sensitive silver halide, a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a thermal developer and a binder and a protective layer containing a fluorine compound having at least one fluorinated alkyl group having not less than 2 carbon atoms and not more than 13 fluorine atoms and at least one anionic or nonionic hydrophilic group, and is subjected to processing by a heat-developing machine having a stock tray for heat-developable photosensitive materials placed at the height of not more than 55 cm above the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Yamane
  • Publication number: 20040185352
    Abstract: Photothermographic elements employing improved base precursors that undergo thermal decomposition are disclosed. Thermal-dye-bleach agents, and in particular, a novel class of salts of arylsulfonylacetic acids as bleaching agents for photothermographic use are disclosed. Photothermographic elements employing these thermal-dye-bleach agents are suitable for use as acutance and antihalation systems, bleachable filter dye materials, and in promoting unblocking of various components such as blocked developers, especially in photothermographic elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Ramanuj Goswami, David H. Levy
  • Publication number: 20040180301
    Abstract: A photothermographic material containing a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a binder having a glass-transition temperature of 70 to 110° C., and a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, wherein (i) the reducing agent is a compound represented by the following general formula (R), (ii) the photothermographic material comprises a development accelerator, or (iii) the non-photosensitive organic silver salt contains 50% by mole or more of silver behenate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Hajime Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20040166437
    Abstract: The present invention provides an additive for a photoresist composition for a resist flow process. A compound of following Formula 1 having low glass transition temperature is added to a photoresist composition containing a polymer which is not suitable for the resist flow process due to its high glass transition temperature, thus improving a flow property of the photoresist composition. As a result, the photoresist composition comprising an additive of Formula 1 can be used for the resist flow process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Min Ho Jung, Sung Eun Hong, Jae Chang Jung, Geun Su Lee, Ki Ho Baik
  • Publication number: 20040161712
    Abstract: A deformable color photographic silver halide material, said color photographic silver halide material comprising on a deformable plastic support 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, wherein the silver halide emulsions have an overall silver chloride content of at least 95 mol % and at least one silver halide emulsion contains silver halide crystals that are doped with 10 to 700 nmol iridium
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Ly Cuong, Markus Geiger, Leon Vermeulen, Arno Schmuck
  • Publication number: 20040152023
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming method using an image recording apparatus that includes a laser irradiating means for laser scanning of a photothermographic material that has a support and includes on at least one surface thereof a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder, and a conveying means for guiding the photothermographic material in a sub-scanning direction to a thermal development unit, wherein the reducing agent is a specific bisphenol compound. The invention also provides another image forming method including carrying out thermal development, with an interval time equal to or less than 12 seconds, of the photothermographic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Eiichi Okutsu, Katsutoshi Yamane, Yasuhiro Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 6770428
    Abstract: Aqueous-based thermally developable emulsions and photothermographic imaging materials include photosensitive silver halide core-shell grains that comprise at least 20 mol % iodide based on total silver, an amount of iodide in the core of the grains that can be up to the iodide saturation limit in silver iodobromide, and an amount of iodide in the shell of the grains that is at least 2 mol % less than the amount of iodide present in the core, and further provided that the total amount of silver in the shell is from about 10 to about 80 mol % of total silver in the grains. These materials provide desired Dmax and reduced image “print out”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Joe E. Maskasky, Victor P. Scaccia, David A. Dickinson
  • Patent number: 6770406
    Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: wherein PUG is a residue of removing a hydrogen from wherein X, Y, and Z represent substituents selected independently from the groups hydrogen, alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, cyclopropyl, aryl, arylalkyl, and heterocyclic groups, wherein at least one of X, Y, and Z is an aryl group and one of X, Y, Z, which may or may not be an aryl group, is attached in the direction of the backbone, and the other substituents are as defined in the specification. Such compounds have good reactivity and can by used to block photographically useful compounds such as developing agents until thermally activated under preselected conditions. Compounds according to the present invention are especially useful in color photothermographic imaging elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James H. Reynolds, Douglas R. Robello, David H. Levy
  • Publication number: 20040146814
    Abstract: A silver halide industrial radiographic material comprising on at least one side of a support a hydrophilic gelatinous non-spectrally sensitized radiation-sensitive emulsion layer, having grains, coated in a total amount in the range from 6 to 20 g, expressed as an equivalent amount of silver nitrate per square meter, and at least one non-radiation sensitive protective gelatinous antistress overcoat layer thereupon, wherein a ratio of gelatin to silver, expressed as silver nitrate in the said layer arrangement is at least 0.70, wherein said gelatinous layers are hardened by a gelatin cross-linking agent in an amount in order to have a dissolving time of at least 40 minutes, said time being defined as the period of time from the moment when the silver halide photographic material, dipped into 50 ml of an aqueous solution of 1.5% by weight of sodium hydroxide at 50 °C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Marc Van de Zegel, Marleen De Vester
  • Publication number: 20040146813
    Abstract: A photothermographic material that comprises a support having thereon one or more thermally-developable imaging layers comprising a binder and in reactive association, a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive source of reducible silver ions, and a reducing composition for the non-photosensitive source reducible silver ions. The thermally-developable layers further comprises one or more radiation absorbing compounds that provide a total absorbance of greater than 0.6 and up to and including 3 in the thermally-developable imaging layer(s). These photothermographic materials are independently coated and dried while the material is conveyed at a rate of at least 5 meters per minute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Bryan V. Hunt, Steven H. Kong, William D. Ramsden, Gary E. Labelle
  • Publication number: 20040146803
    Abstract: Polymers, methods of use thereof, and methods of decomposition thereof, are provided. One exemplary polymer, among others, includes, a composition having a sacrificial polymer and a photoacid generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Paul A. Kohl, Paul Jayachandran Joseph, Hollie Reed, Sue Bidstrup-Allen, Celesta E. White, Clifford Henderson
  • Publication number: 20040146819
    Abstract: A photothermographic material, including a support; an image forming layer provided on the support and containing a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder; and a silver-saving agent. Silver iodide is contained in the photosensitive silver halide in an amount of 40 to 100 mol %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventor: Kouta Fukui
  • Publication number: 20040142248
    Abstract: A method for producing a holographic stereogram, comprising the steps of:
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kokeguchi
  • Publication number: 20040142255
    Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: 1
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Wojciech K. Slusarek, Xiqiang Yang, Mark E. Irving, David H. Levy, Jared B. Mooberry, James J. Seifert, James H. Reynolds, Lyn M. Irving
  • Publication number: 20040142287
    Abstract: A photothermographic material including, at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder on at least one side of a support, wherein a content of silver iodide in the photosensitive silver halide is 5% by mole or more, the binder contains polymer latex in an amount of 60% by weight or more, and the reducing agent is a compound represented by the following general formula (R): 1
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Hajime Nakagawa, Yoshihisa Tsukada