Electroradiographic process

Claim 2

An electroradiographic process for producing on an image receiving element a latent electrostatic image corresponding to a radiographic image of an object, comprising: positioning said image receiving element between a photoconductive grid and a conductive backing member and in contact with said conductive backing member; directing short wave penetrating electromagnetic radiation through said object and toward said grid while holding said image receiving element in close proximity to said grid for exposing said grid to form a conductivity pattern on said grid corresponding to the radiographic image of said object; and flooding said grid with ions while maintaining a predetermined electric field between said grid and said conductive backing member for Modulating a flow of ions in accordance with said conductivity pattern through said grid to said image receiving elements for producing thereon a latent electrostatic image corresponding to the radiographic image of said object.

Claim 3

The electroradiographic process according to claim 1, including the step of xerographically developing said latent electrostatic image on said image receiving element to produce a visual image.

Claim 4

The electroradiographic process according to claim 1 wherein said image receiving element comprises a support coated on one surface thereof with a layer of an insulating material having a radiographic fluorescent material dispersed therein for emitting secondary radiation upon being excited by said penetrating electromagnetic radiation during said directing step to further expose said grid from the side adjacent said layer of insulating material.

Claim 5

The electroradiographic process according to claim 1 wherein said image receiving element comprises a layer of insulating material in contact with a layer of electrically conductive material with a radiographic fluorescent material dispersed therein, including the step of removing said layer of insulating material from said image receiving element after said latent electrostatic image has been formed thereon.

Claim 6

The electroradiographic process according to claim 4 wherein said conductivity pattern is formed directly by said short wave penetrating electromagnetic radiation and indirectly by the secondary radiation emitted by said radiographic fluorescent material upon excitation by said short wave penetrating electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 7

The electroradiographic process according to claim 1 wherein the steps of directing short wave penetrating electromagnetic radiation through said object and of flooding said grid with ions occur simultaneously.

Claim 8

The electroradiographic process according to claim 1 wherein flooding said grid with ions is subsequent to directing said short wave penetrating electromagnetic radiation through said object and during the persistence of photoconductivity of said conductivity pattern on said grid.

Claim 9

The electroradiographic process according to claim 1 wherein said object is positioned on the same side of said grid as said image receiving element with the latter therebetween.

Claim 10

The electroradiographic process according to claim 1 wherein said object is positioned on one side of said grid and said image receiving element and said backing member are positioned on the other side of said grid.

Claim 11

An electroradiographic process for producing on a layer of insulating material, in contact with an electrically conductive member, a latent electrostatic image corresponding to a radiographic image of an object, comprising the steps of: producing a conductivity pattern corresponding to said radiographic image on a grid completely covered with an insulating photoconductive material and arranged in spaced and generally parallel relation to said layer of insulating material; positioning a conductive screen in spaced and generally parallel relation to the side of said grid opposite that facing said layer of insulating material; directing the flow of ions through said screen and said grid toward said layer of insulating material; applying an electrical potential difference between said grid and said screen of such a value that the flow of ions through said screen and said grid is modulated in accordance with said conductivity pattern to produce a corresponding latent electrostatic image on said layer of insulating material.

Claim 12

An electroradiographic process for producing on a layer of insulating material, in contact with an electrically conductive member, a latent electrostatic image corresponding to a radiographic image of an object, comprising the steps of: producing a conductivity pattern corresponding to said radiographic image on a grid completely covered with an insulating photoconductive material and arranged in spaced and generally parallel relation to said layer of insulating material; positioning a conductive screen in spaced and generally parallel relation to the side of said grid opposite that facing said layer of insulating material; directing the flow of ions through said screen and said grid toward said layer of insulating material; applying an electrical potential difference between said grid and said screen of such a value that the flow of ions through said screen and said grid is modulated in accordance with said conductivity pattern to produce a corresponding latent electrostatic image on said layer of insulating material.

Claim 13

An electroradiographic process for reproducing a conductivity pattern, which corresponds to a radiographic image of an object, on a grid comprising a conductive core completely covered with a photoconductive insulating material as a latent electrostatic image on a surface of an image receiving element, comprising the steps of: positioning said image receiving element substantially parallel to and in close proximity to tHe surface of said grid on the side opposite said object, said image receiving element comprising a conductive support and a layer of insulating material having a radiographic fluorescent material admixed therein that is in contact with the surface of said conductive support facing said grid, the other surface of said conductive support being in contact with a conductive backing member; directing short wave penetrating electromagnetic radiation through said object toward said grid to expose said photoconductive insulating material, while said image receiving element is so positioned, whereby said photoconductive insulating material is exposed directly from one side by an imagewise pattern of said electromagnetic radiation and indirectly from the other side by secondary radiation emitted by said fluorescent material upon excitation by said electromagnetic radiation passing through said grid; and flooding said grid with ions, while maintaining a predetermined electric field between said grid and said conductive backing ember for modulating a flow of ions in accordance with said conductivity pattern through said grid to said image receiving element, for producing a latent electrostatic image corresponding to the conductivity pattern on said grid on the surface of said image receiving element.

Claim 14

An electroradiographic process for reproducing a conductivity pattern, which corresponds to a radiographic image of an object, on a grid comprising a conductive core completely covered with a photoconductive insulating material as a latent electrostatic image on a surface of an image receiving element, comprising the steps of: positioning said image receiving element substantially parallel to and in close proximity to tHe surface of said grid on the side opposite said object, said image receiving element comprising a conductive support and a layer of insulating material having a radiographic fluorescent material admixed therein that is in contact with the surface of said conductive support facing said grid, the other surface of said conductive support being in contact with a conductive backing member; directing short wave penetrating electromagnetic radiation through said object toward said grid to expose said photoconductive insulating material, while said image receiving element is so positioned, whereby said photoconductive insulating material is exposed directly from one side by an imagewise pattern of said electromagnetic radiation and indirectly from the other side by secondary radiation emitted by said fluorescent material upon excitation by said electromagnetic radiation passing through said grid; and flooding said grid with ions, while maintaining a predetermined electric field between said grid and said conductive backing ember for modulating a flow of ions in accordance with said conductivity pattern through said grid to said image receiving element, for producing a latent electrostatic image corresponding to the conductivity pattern on said grid on the surface of said image receiving element.

Claim 15

The electroradiographic process according to claim 11 including the step of positioning an electrically conductive screen in spaced and generally parallel relation to the side of said grid opposite said image receiving element and between the source of said ions and said grid during said flooding step.

Claim 16

The electroradiographic process according to claim 11 including the step of xerographically developing said latent electrostatic image on said image receiving element into a visual image.