Heat Applied After Imaging Patents (Class 430/350)
  • Patent number: 6268101
    Abstract: The present invention relates to imaging elements, including photographic elements and recording media, having a protective overcoat that resists fingerprints, common stains, and spills. More particularly, the present invention provides a water permeable overcoat during image formation but that is water resistant in the final processed product. The overcoat, before formation of the image, comprises polyurethane particles in a gelatin-containing matrix. Subsequent to formation of the image, the overcoat is heat fused, resulting in the formation of a water-resistant continuous protective overcoat that provides excellent scratch and spill resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Paul D. Yacobucci, Hwei-Ling Yau, Catherine A. Falkner, Lan B. Thai
  • Patent number: 6265693
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus comprises a heat-developing section for heat-developing a latent image formed on a photo/heat-sensitive material sheet in which antistatic agent is added, and conveying rollers made of resin for conveying the photo/heat-sensitive material sheet along a sheet feeding path including at least the heat-developing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Okada
  • Patent number: 6258520
    Abstract: The present invention relates to imaging elements, including photographic elements and recording media, having a protective overcoat that resists fingerprints, common stains, and spills. More particularly, the present invention provides a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat that is water resistant in the final processed product. The overcoat, before formation of the image, comprises hydrophobic polymeric particles in a gelatin matrix. Subsequent treatment of the overcoat, after formation of the image, to remove the gelatin, causes coalescence of the hydrophobic particles, resulting in the formation of a water-resistant continuous protective overcoat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hwei-Ling Yau, Thomas H. Whitesides, Elmer C. Flood, Amy E. Jasek
  • Publication number: 20010005572
    Abstract: The present invention is an imaging element which includes a support, an imaging layer superposed on a side of said support and an overcoat overlying the imaging layer. The overcoat is composed of an organic polymer. The overcoat is discontinuous such that a fraction of the surface area of the imaging layer remains uncovered by said polymer, wherein the fraction of area not covered by the said polymer is from 0.02 to 0.98. The present invention is a photographic which includes a support, a silver halide emulsion layer superposed on a side of said support and an overcoat overlying the silver halide layer. The overcoat is composed of an organic polymer. The overcoat is discontinuous such that a fraction of the surface area of the silver halide emulsion layer remains uncovered by said polymer, wherein the fraction of area not covered by the said polymer is from 0.02 to 0.98. In one embodiment, the discontinuous overcoat is a series of parallel stripes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventors: Lloyd A. Lobo, Mridula Nair, Rukmini B. Lobo, Barry A. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 6232049
    Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing solution permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer. The processing solution permeable overcoat is composed of a urethane-vinyl copolymer having acid functionalities wherein a weight ratio of a urethane component in the copolymer comprises from 20 to 100 percent and a weight ratio of a vinyl component in the copolymer comprises from 0 to 80 percent and a second polymer composed of polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose ethers, n-vinyl amides, polyesters, poly(ethylene oxide), starch, proteins, whey, albumin, poly(acrylic acid), alginates or gums. The present invention is a method of making a photographic element which includes providing an photographic element having a support, a silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing solution permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Tiecheng A. Qiao
  • Patent number: 6222024
    Abstract: Upon entry into a host cell, retroviruses direct the reverse transcription of the viral RNA genome and the establishment of an integrated proviral DNA. The retroviral integrase protein (IN) is responsible for the insertion of the viral DNA into host chromosomal targets. The IN catalyzes two specific biochemical reactions: (i) cleavage of the 3′termini of the viral DNA to produce 3′-OH ends, and (ii) joining of the two newly generated 3′-termini to the 5′-phosphates on each strand of the target sequence in a concerted strand-transfer reaction. The yeast two-hybrid system was used to identify a novel human gene product, herein designated integrase interactor 1 or INI-1, that binds tightly to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase in vitro.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
    Inventors: Stephen P. Goff, Ganjam V. Kalpana
  • Patent number: 6210869
    Abstract: An image forming method using heat-developable photosensitive material includes, for forming images, the steps of exposing images imagewisely in overlapping light beam to a heat-developable photosensitive material including on a support a non-photosensitive silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, and a binder and of developing the images with heats, wherein an overlap coefficient which is ratio of a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of a beam intensity in a beam spot used for imagewise exposure to a subscanning pitch width is 0.2 or higher and 0.5 or lower, wherein an exposing time is of a high illumination rapid exposure less than 10−7 second, and wherein the &ggr; of the heat-developable photosensitive material after the step of developing the images with heat (wherein the &ggr; is the gradient of a straight line connecting the density points of 0.2 and 2.5 where the logarithm of the exposing amount is abscissa) is set as 5≦&ggr;≦15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Ito
  • Patent number: 6203970
    Abstract: A photosensitive photographic element is described which comprises a support having at least one ? hydrophilic silver halide containing layer. On the hydrophilic silver halide containing layers there is an overcoat layer. The overcoat layer comprises a hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer that is present in the form of a porous membrane. The pores of the membrane are occupied by a hydrophilic composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Krishnan Chari
  • Patent number: 6197482
    Abstract: The present invention is an imaging element which includes a support, an imaging layer superposed on a side of said support and an overcoat overlying the imaging layer. The overcoat is composed of an organic polymer. The overcoat is discontinuous such that a fraction of the surface area of the imaging layer remains uncovered by said polymer, wherein the fraction of area not covered by the said polymer is from 0.02 to 0.98. The present invention is a photographic which includes a support, a silver halide emulsion layer superposed on a side of said support and an overcoat overlying the silver halide layer. The overcoat is composed of an organic polymer. The overcoat is discontinuous such that a fraction of the surface area of the silver halide emulsion layer remains uncovered by said polymer, wherein the fraction of area not covered by the said polymer is from 0.02 to 0.98. In one embodiment, the discontinuous overcoat is a series of parallel stripes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Lloyd A. Lobo, Mridula Nair, Rukmini B. Lobo, Barry A. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 6194130
    Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer. The processing solution permeable overcoat is composed of a urethane-containing component having acid functionalities wherein a weight ratio of a polyurethane-containing component in the copolymer comprises from 20 to 100 percent and a weight ratio of an optional vinyl component in the copolymer comprises from 0 to 80 percent, which urethane-containing component of the overcoat may comprise either a single polyurethane polymer or an interpenetrating network comprising two or more polymers. The overcoat further comprises a polyvinyl alcohol polymer having a molecular weight of about 150,000 or less, with the proviso that the degree of hydrolysis is less than 95% when the molecular weight is more than about 100,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Tiecheng A. Qiao
  • Patent number: 6190843
    Abstract: The present invention relates to imaging elements, including photographic elements and recording media, having a protective overcoat that resists fingerprints, common stains, and spills. More particularly, the present invention provides a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat that is water resistant in the final processed product. The overcoat, before formation of the image, comprises hydrophobic polymeric particles in a gelatin matrix. Subsequent treatment of the overcoat, after formation of the image, to remove the gelatin, causes coalescence of the hydrophobic particles, resulting in the formation of a water-resistant continuous protective overcoat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hwei-Ling Yau, Thomas H. Whitesides, Elmer C. Flood, Amy E. Jasek
  • Patent number: 6187516
    Abstract: An emulsion comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, wherein the emulsion further comprises a polyhalide compound selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium polyhalides, quaternary phosphonium polyhalides and ternary sulphonium polyhalides, which satisfies a test specified in the description, or a product of a reaction between the polyhalide compound and a reducing species present in said emulsion; a process for producing a photothermographic recording material, capable of image formation without preliminary heating prior to exposure, comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element incorporating the emulsion; and a photothermographic recording process utilizing the photothermographic recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Johan Loccufier, Ivan Hoogmartens, Hans Strijckers
  • Patent number: 6187528
    Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a support and a photo-addressable thermally developable element comprising photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent for the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt in thermal working relationship therewith and a water-soluble or water-dispersible binder, characterized in that the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt is a silver salt of an organic carboxylic acid, the photo-addressable thermally developable element further comprises a non-ionic or anionic surfactant and the photo-addressable thermally developable element is coatable from an aqueous medium and is capable of producing stable images without a wet-processing step; a process for producing the photothermographic recording material and a photothermographic recording process therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Herman Uytterhoeven, Yvan Gilliams, Jan Gilleir
  • Patent number: 6187517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gelatin-based aqueous-coatable overcoat for a photographic element that allows for appropriate diffusion of photographic processing solutions. The overcoat comprises 10 to 50% by weight gelatin and 50 to 90% by weight of hydrophobic particles (by weight of dry laydown of the entire overcoat) having an average diameter of 10 to 500 nm. A proteolytic enzyme is applied to the clement in reactive association with the overcoat layer. A photographic element according to one embodiment of the invention can be exposed and processed using normal photofinishing equipment, with no modifications, to provide an imaged element together with a protective, water-resistant layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas H. Whitesides, Hwei-Ling Yau, Amy Jasek
  • Patent number: 6171767
    Abstract: 1-Sulfonyl-1H-benzotriazole compounds have been found to be useful as antifoggants and print stabilizers in photothermographic elements. The photothermographic elements may be used in medical imaging films or as a photomask in a process where there is a subsequent exposure of an ultraviolet or short wavelength visible radiation-sensitive imageable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Steven H. Kong, Kumars Sakizadeh, Gary E. Labelle, EmmaLee J. Spahl, Paul G. Skoug
  • Patent number: 6159667
    Abstract: A recording material comprising a support and a thermosensitive element containing silver behenate, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, wherein the silver behenate is not associated with mercury and/or lead ions and when the recording material is irradiated with a copper K.alpha..sub.1 X-ray source the ratio, normalized to a quantity of silver in the recording material of 1 g per m.sup.2 thereof, of the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines attributable to silver behenate at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 6.01.degree., 7.56.degree., 9.12.degree., 10.66.degree., 12.12.degree. and 13.62.degree. to the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 25.60.degree., 35.16.degree. and 43.40.degree. of NIST standard 1976, rhombohedral Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, determined with the same X-ray diffractometer in the same state of adjustment, is greater than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Sabine Emmers, Bartholomeus Horsten, Ingrid Geuens, Yvan Gilliams, Andre Bellens, Dirk Bollen, Ivan Hoogmartens
  • Patent number: 6153363
    Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver-halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer. The processing-solution-permeable overcoat is composed of a polyurethane-containing component having acid functionalities wherein the polyurethane-containing component is an interpenetrating network further comprising at least two polymers, including at least one vinyl polymer and at least one urethane polymer. Suitably, a water-soluble polymer is also present in the overcoat. The present invention is also directed to a method of making a photographic print involving developing the photographic element in an alkaline developer solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Lloyd A. Lobo, Brian A. Schell
  • Patent number: 6153362
    Abstract: A photographic element containing a support; at least two contiguous layers, at least one of which is a silver halide emulsion layer superposed on a side of said support; a processing solution permeable protective overcoat containing a urethane-vinyl copolymer having acid functionalities wherein a weight ratio of a urethane component in the copolymer comprises from 20 to 100 percent and a weight ratio of a vinyl component in the copolymer comprises from 0 to 80 percent; a crosslinker for the said copolymer; and a second polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose ethers, n-vinyl amides, polyesters, poly(ethylene oxide), starch, proteins, whey, albumin, poly(acrylic acid), alginates and gums overlying the said at least two contiguous layers; and wherein the ratio of the gelatin to non-gelatin content of the dried layers immediately underlying the uppermost gelatin layer is less than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Lloyd A. Lobo, Tamara K. Jones
  • Patent number: 6143481
    Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a support and a photo-addressable thermally developable element comprising photosensitive siver halide in catalytic association with a substantially light-insensitive silver salt of an organic carboxylic acid, an organic reducing agent for the substantially light-insensitive silver salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, characterized in that the binder comprises a non-proteinaceous water-soluble binder, a non-proteinaceous water-dispersible binder (preferably a comprising a diene, styrene, an acrylate or a methacrylate monomer) or a mixture of a non-proteinaceous water soluble binder and a non-proteinaceous water-dispersible binder and the photo-addressable thermally developable element is capable of being coated from an aqueous medium and is capable of producing images stable to light without a wet-processing step; a process for producing the photothermographic recording material and a photo-thermographic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Herman Uytterhoeven, Yvan Gilliams
  • Patent number: 6127102
    Abstract: A recording material comprising a support and a thermosensitive element containing silver stearate, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, wherein the silver stearate is not associated with mercury and/or lead ions and when the recording material is irradiated with a copper K.alpha..sub.1 X-ray source the ratio of the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines attributable to silver stearate at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 2.THETA., of 3.62.degree., 5.45.degree., 7.30.degree., 9.04.degree., 10.97.degree. and 12.71.degree. to the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 25.60.degree., 35.16.degree. and 43.40.degree. of NIST standard 1976, rhombohedral Al.sub.2 O.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventors: Ingrid Geuens, Yvan Gilliams, Dirk Bollen, Yvan Hoogmartens, Andre Bellens
  • Patent number: 6124081
    Abstract: A negative type resist in which an alkali-soluble base resin, a crosslinking agent and an acid generating agent are dissolved in a solvent, wherein 10 through 50 wt % of the crosslinking agent and 0.5 through 20 wt % of the acid generating agent on the basis of 100 wt % of the alkali-soluble base resin are dissolved in the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Kishimura
  • Patent number: 6117624
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Steven M. Shor, James B. Philip, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6114100
    Abstract: A recording material comprising a support and a thermosensitive element comprising silver palmitate, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, wherein the silver palmitate is not associated with mercury and/or lead ions and when the recording material is irradiated with a copper K.alpha..sub.1 X-ray source the ratio of the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines attributable to silver palmitate at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 4.01.degree., 6.049.degree., 8.031.degree., 10.06.degree., 12.08.degree. and 14.09.degree. to the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 25.60.degree., 35.16.degree. and 43.40.degree. of NIST standard 1976, rhombohedral Al.sub.2 O.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventors: Ingrid Geuens, Yvan Gilliams, Dirk Bollen, Yvan Hoogmartens, Andre Bellens
  • Patent number: 6096486
    Abstract: A recording material comprising a support and a thermosensitive element containing silver behenate, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, wherein the silver behenate is not associated with mercury and/or lead ions and when the recording material is irradiated with a copper K.alpha..sub.1 X-ray source the ratio, normalized to a quantity of silver in the recording material of 1 g per m.sup.2 thereof, of the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines attributable to silver behenate at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 6.01.degree., 7.56.degree., 9.12.degree., 10.66.degree., 12.12.degree. and 13.62.degree. to the sum of the peak heights of the X-ray diffraction lines at Bragg angles, 2.THETA., of 25.60.degree., 35.16.degree. and 43.40.degree. of NIST standard 1976, rhombohedral Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, determined with the same X-ray diffractometer in the same state of adjustment, is greater than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Sabine Emmers, Bartholomeus Horsten, Ingrid Geuens, Yvan Gilliams, Andre Bellens, Dirk Bollen, Ivan Hoogmartens
  • Patent number: 6087061
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for applying an image to a fabric, which comprises the steps of (i) hand ironing an imaged copier or printer transfer material having a support sheet and a transfer coating to a receptor element having valleys on the surface of the receptor element, (ii) peeling away the support sheet to obtain an imaged receptor element, (ii) placing a tack-free overlay sheet over the imaged receptor element, and (iv) pressing the overlay sheet by hand ironing to drive the coating into the valleys of the receptor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Foto-Wear!, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald S. Hare, Scott A. Williams
  • Patent number: 6083681
    Abstract: Compounds having general structure (I) have been found to be useful as stabilizers in photothermographic elements. The photothermographic elements comprise a support bearing an imaging coating (specifically, a photosensitive, image-forming, photothermographic coating) comprising:(a) a photosensitive silver halide;(b) a non-photosensitive, reducible source of silver;(c) a reducing agent for the non-photosensitive, reducible source of silver;(d) a binder; and(e) a compound having general structure (I) ##STR1## wherein X is O or S; and Y is NH.sub.2, OH, or O.sup.- M.sup.+ wherein M.sup.+ is a metal atom.The photothermographic elements may be used in medical imaging films or as a photomask in a process where there is a subsequent exposure of an ultraviolet or short wavelength visible radiation-sensitive imageable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Doreen C. Lynch, Paul G. Skoug, Steven H. Kong
  • Patent number: 6083656
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for applying an image to a fabric, which comprises the steps of (i) hand ironing an imaged copier or printer transfer material having a support sheet and a transfer coating to a receptor element having valleys on the surface of the receptor element, (ii) peeling away the support sheet to obtain an imaged receptor element, (ii) placing a tack-free overlay sheet over the imaged receptor element, and (iv) pressing the overlay sheet by hand ironing to drive the coating into the valleys of the receptor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Foto-Wear !, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald S. Hare, Scott A. Williams
  • Patent number: 6077810
    Abstract: An imaging system is provided wherein images are formed with good tonal qualities in a short time immediately after development process. Concretely, the imaging system of the invention comprises a print medium, wherein microcapsules encapsulate a color-forming material, a polymerization initiator and a developer, an irradiation box, which selectively exposes the print medium, a pressure-developing roller, and first and second post heaters. After the development using the pressure-developing roller, the print medium is heated by the first post heater on the condition that the heating time Y is longer than a second and shorter than approximately 1060 exp (-0.082X) seconds, wherein X is defined as the heating temperature (degrees). Further, the print medium is heated by the second post heater on the condition that the heating time Y is shorter than a second and longer than approximately 1060 exp (-0.082X) seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mikio Imaeda
  • Patent number: 6077648
    Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing solution permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer. The processing solution permeable overcoat is composed of a urethane-vinyl copolymer having acid functionalities wherein a weight ratio of the urethane in the copolymer comprises from 20 to 100 percent and a weight ratio of the vinyl in the copolymer comprises from 0 to 80 percent. The present invention is a method of making a photographic element which includes providing an photographic element having a support, a silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing solution permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Lloyd A. Lobo, Brian A. Schell
  • Patent number: 6062746
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for thermal development comprising a receiving chamber for a thrust cartridge, drive means to advance thermal film from said thrust cartridge and rewind film into said thrust cartridge, a magnetic reader and writer to read and write magnetic information onto the film, an accumulator to gather said film after it has left the cartridge, a heater located between said chamber and said accumulator to develop said thermal film as it passes between said cartridge and said accumulator, an optical scanner to produce an electronic file representation of the film image information, and a lighttight container for said chamber, heater, and accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Timothy W. Stoebe, Lyn M. Irving, David H. Levy, Richard P. Szajewski
  • Patent number: 6051359
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heat-developable light-sensitive material having a support and a light-sensitive layer provided on the support. The heat-developable light-sensitive material contains dyes which are decolorized through reaction with a decolorizing agent during a development process. The dyes are non-diffusible and at least a part of decolorized dyes resulting from the development process is non-diffusible. Also provided is an image forming method using the heat-developable light-sensitive material. The present method provides images having excellent sharpness within a short period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Ohkawa, Hiroo Takizawa, Shun-ichi Ishikawa, Takuya Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 6030764
    Abstract: A recording material comprising a support, a thermosensitive element and a protective layer therefor, the thermosensitive element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, wherein the thermosensitive element further comprises in reactive association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and the organic reducing agent a substituted, exclusive of groups having an exclusively electron withdrawing character, or unsubstituted compound with an unsaturated 5-membered heterocyclic ring annulated with an aromatic ring system, the ring consisting of nitrogen and carbon atoms with at least one of the nitrogen atoms having a hydrogen atom and none of the carbon atoms being directly linked to a sulfur atom or being part of a carbonyl-group; a production process therefor and a thermal image recording process utilizing the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Bartholomeus Horsten, Johan Loccufier, Geert Defieuw, Luc Leenders
  • Patent number: 6030755
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming method in which a light-sensitive element having at least three light-sensitive layers on a support is imagewisely exposed and the light-sensitive element is superposed on a processing element in the presence of water in an amount of from 0.1 to 1.0 times of the amount necessary for maximally swelling the total coated layers of the light-sensitive element and the processing element, and the both elements are heated to develop an image on the light-sensitive element. The formed image is outputted to a separate recording material. The developed light-sensitive element is superposed on a dye forming reaction inhibiting sheet and heated to stabilize the light-sensitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Matsumoto, Masakazu Morigaki
  • Patent number: 6013420
    Abstract: A chromogenic process for the production of color images using, a color photographic recording material with at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer to which are assigned a thermosolvent, a color coupler and a color developer compound, and optionally further non light-sensitive layers, by exposure and development in an aqueous alkaline treatment bath (activator bath), characterised by the following features (a) and (b):(a) the color developer compound is assigned to the silver halide emulsion layer in the form of an inactive precursor compound corresponding to formula I (capped color developer compound): ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 (the same or different) mean alkyl with up to 6 carbon atoms;R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 (independently of one another) mean H, halogen, --OH, alkyl, alkoxy, acylamino or sulphonamido;M.sup.+ means an alkali metal ion, NH.sub.4.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Kaspar Wingender, Gunther Schenk
  • Patent number: 6007971
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for processing photothermographic elements. The apparatus thermally develops a photothermographic element by heating the photothermographic element between a heated member, having a resilient layer, and a plurality of rollers. The apparatus can be a component of other apparatus and systems including those having the ability to expose the photothermographic element to form a latent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing
    Inventors: Paul C. Star, John A. Svendsen, Alfredo G. Viglienzoni, John J. Allen, Michael P. Juaire, Anderson L. Griffin, John O. Kirkwold, Steven W. Sorensen, Ralph E. Peterson
  • Patent number: 5995125
    Abstract: A processor for processing thermal media, comprising: a rotatably mounted heated drum; and a set of holddown rollers spaced around a segment of the periphery of the drum and in contact therewith, the drum and the set of rollers forming a path for thermal media; wherein the set of rollers includes at least first and second rollers of different diameters one from the other in order to suppress artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John C. Boutet, Kwok L. Yip
  • Patent number: 5981151
    Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a photothermographic material comprising on a support a photo-addressable thermally developable element containing a substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with said substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt, a reductor for said substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt and a binder, said photothermographic material having on the same side of the support as said photo-addressable thermally developable element an outermost layer having two phases at least one of which being a dispersion phase of thermoplastic particles, characterized in that said two phases exhibit different affinities for at least one printing liquid selected from the group consisting of ink and an abhesive fluid for ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Luc Leenders, Ludo Van Rompuy
  • Patent number: 5965331
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for bringing a thermographic imaging element (11) to a desired temperature by means of thermal contact with a heating body (10, 30) which is at least filled with an accessory material in a first phase (15) and with said accessory material in a second phase (16) comprise pressure setting means (17, 18) for setting a desired pressure, energy means (19) for exchanging thermal energy with said heating body, detection means for detecting a phase or a phase transition of said accessory material, and relocation means for bringing said imaging element into contact with said heating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Leo Oelbrandt, Karl Anthonissen, Marc De Niel, Martin De Kegelaer
  • Patent number: 5952136
    Abstract: A method is disclosed, and a corresponding thermal imaging medium for use with it, for the formation of an improved heat mode image comprising (A) exposing information-wise to laser radiation a thermal imaging medium comprising (1) a transparent support, (2) an image recording layer containing a hydrophilic binder, a substance capable of converting laser radiation into heat, and a dispersion of a hydrophobic polymer capable of undergoing thermocoagulation by the action of heat and having a built-in UV-absorber. A heat mode image with high density and improved resistance to physical damage is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Eddie Daems, Joan Vermeersch, Luc Leenders, Rita Torfs
  • Patent number: 5945263
    Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a support; a photo-addressable thermally developable element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt spectrally sensitized to the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum and a binder; and in a hydrophobic layer an antihalation dye according to the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.15 independently represent an alkyl group or an alkyl group substituted with at least one fluorine, chlorine, bromine or an alkoxy-, aryloxy- or ester-group; R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.16 and R.sup.17 independently represent an alkyl group; R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.18, R.sup.19, R.sup.20 and R.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventors: Geert Deroover, Etienne Van Thillo, Ivan Hoogmartens, Hans Strijckers
  • Patent number: 5879864
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising the steps of: rotating a drum having wound thereon a heat developable light-sensitive material which comprises a support having thereon at least a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion, a binder and a dye-donating compound; exposing said light-sensitive material with an exposure head comprising a plurality of beam light sources which are arranged at a predetermined interval along a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction in which the drum is rotated, to correspond to a plurality of exposure points, respectively, and each of which emits light having the same wavelength each other; and moving said exposure head in said sub-scanning direction by 1/N (N is an integer of 2 or more) of the length of the arrangement of said beam light sources, to effect a scanning exposure of said light-sensitive material in steps of a plurality of exposure points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuya Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 5876905
    Abstract: A dual-coated radiographic element capable of producing a viewable image when heated following imagewise exposure is disclosed comprised of, on opposite sides of a transparent film, layer units containing radiation-sensitive radiation-sensitive silver halide grains, a light-insensitive source of silver, and a reducing agent for said light-insensitive reducible source of silver. Greater than 50 percent of total projected area of said silver halide grains being provided by tabular grains (a) having {100} major faces, (b) containing greater than 70 mole percent chloride, based on silver, (c) exhibiting an average thickness of less than 0.3 .mu.m, and (d) exhibiting an average equivalent circular diameter of greater than 0.6 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mark E. Irving, David H. Levy, Lyn M. Eshelman, Debra L. Hartsell
  • Patent number: 5853926
    Abstract: The present invention is an imaged photographic element having a protective overcoat thereon. The protective overcoat is formed by providing a photographic element having at least one silver halide light-sensitive emulsion layer; and applying an aqueous coating comprising polymer particles having an average size of 0.1 to 50 microns at a weight percent of 5 to 50 percent, a soft polymer latex binder at a weight percent of 1 to 3 percent, over the at least one silver halide light-sensitive emulsion layer. The silver halide light sensitive emulsion layer is developed to provide an imaged photographic element. The hydrophobic polymer particles is fused to form a protective overcoat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Anne E. Bohan, Vito A. DePalma, William K. Goebel, Amy E. Jasek, Thomas H. Whitesides
  • Patent number: 5851755
    Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element containing a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and spectrally sensitized to infra-red light with a dye, a supersensitizer for the dye, a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, wherein the binder includes a water soluble polymer, a water-dispersible polymer or a water soluble polymer and a water-dispersible polymer; the dye absorbs electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range from 700 to 1100 nm; and the supersensitizer is a stilbene compound represented by general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently hydrogen or alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, alkoxy or aryloxy groups; and R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11 and R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Herman Uytterhoeven, Johan Loccufier, Geert Deroover, Paul Callant
  • Patent number: 5840469
    Abstract: A thermographic element comprises a support having coated on at least one surface thereof a thermographic imaging system that contains a substantially light insensitive metal salt; a gallic acid reducing agent; and an infrared absorbing compound.These elements provide images that have high density in the ultraviolet spectral region when exposed to infrared radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: Jon Alfred Bjork, James Bernard Philip
  • Patent number: 5834156
    Abstract: A method for processing a photosensitive material characterized in that an exposed photosensitive material is subjected to dip coating with a processing solution, according to which there are no problems encountered in plate making by the conventional dip developing method and coating developing method, rapid processing can be attained, maintenance is easy, less waste processing solution is produced, and lithographic printing plates on which uniform print images can be formed from the top end portion thereof by silver complex diffusion transfer process, and an apparatus used for the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Papers Mills Limited
    Inventors: Jun Urasaki, Toshiyuki Morito, Masahiko Saikawa, Yoshikazu Takano, Eiji Kanada
  • Patent number: 5808648
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image on a latent image forming body having a dielectric material layer on its surface when a write electrode comes into contact with the dielectric material layer. The image forming apparatus develops the electrostatic latent image with a charged developer, and transfers a visual image thus obtained onto recording paper. The dielectric material layer is composed of a PZT (lead titanate zirconate) which is formed through crystal growth by the hydrothermal method. The dielectric material layer has a high relative dielectric constant and exhibits the pyroelectric effect. Furthermore, since the dielectric material layer is composed of the PZT which is formed through crystal growth by the hydrothermal method, the dielectric material layer can be formed without a heat treatment at a high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Takahiro Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 5800968
    Abstract: Provided are a method for heat developing a photosensitive material comprising the steps of heating the surface of the photosensitive material at a first temperature at which decarboxylation and release of a base by decomposition of a base precursor proceed, the surface being exposed to an atmosphere in a non-contact state, and then heating the photosensitive material at a second temperature which a hardening reaction proceeds at and is higher than the first temperature; and an apparatus comprising a non-contact heating section for heating the photosensitive material in the non-contact state at the first temperature and a contact heating section for heating the photosensitive material in a contact state at the second temperature. The method and apparatus efficiently liberate from the photosensitive material carbonic acid gas generated by decomposition of the base precursor to make smooth progress of the heat development reaction possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Furukawa
  • Patent number: 5780207
    Abstract: A process for exposing a silver halide-containing photothermographic element with radiation to produce a latent image comprising a) providing a source of radiation which emits a beam of radiation to produce a spot having at least one dimension of height or length of less than 600 micrometers at a target site, b) providing at said target site a photothermographic silver halide element sensitive to radiation emitted by said radiation source, c) emitting radiation a first time in an imagewise distribution from said radiation source so that said radiation strikes said element as spots having at least one dimension of length or width which is less than 250 micrometers, and d) then emitting radiation a second time in an imagewise distributed manner so that at least some spots from radiation emitted said second time overlap spots where said first emitted radiation struck said photothermographic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: Sarat K. Mohapatra, Alfredo G. Viglienzoni, Gregory W. Onstad
  • Patent number: 5766828
    Abstract: An infrared laser addressable imaging element comprising a substrate bearing a first layer comprising a reducible light-insensitive silver salt and a binder; and a second layer comprising an infrared absorber, a reducing agent for said silver salt and a binder; wherein said binder of said first layer is a polymeric medium having a glass transition temperature of at least 80.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: Ranjana C. Patel, Jonathan C. Vogel