Photographic products and processes

Claim 2

The invention of claim 2 wherein said separate layer comprises gelatin.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of cellulosic and vinyl polymers.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially uncross-linked.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially water-insoluble.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer comprises a vinyl acetate-crotonic acid copolymer having less than 5 percent crotonic acid by weight.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer comprises hydroxypropyl cellulose.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer comprises hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose.

Claim 9

A photographic film unit which comprises, in combination: a photosensitive element having a diffusion transfer image-receiving element affixed at least one edge thereof, said photosensitive element comprisIng as essential layers: a. a support layer; b. at least two selectively sensitized silver halide emulsion layers each having a dye which is a silver halide developing agent of predetermined color associated therewith; and c. a layer intermediate at least two of said silver halide emulsion layers comprising an alkaline processing solution permeable and hydratable metal-free synthetic polymer which is permeable to dye image-forming material only in the hydrated state and is processing solution hydratable at a rate which renders said synthetic polymer layer permeable to dye image-forming subsequent to substantial development of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the slowest development rate and preceding substantial fogging of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the most rapid fogging rate so that substantial development of said silver halide emulsions is accomplished prior to substantial hydration of said intermediate layer and resultant diffusion of dye image-forming materials therethrough, said diffusion transfer image-receiving element comprising as essential layers, in sequence: d. a support layer; and e. an alkaline processing composition permeable and dyeable polymeric layer; wherein said photosensitive and said image-receiving elements are adapted to be superposed, the support layers of each comprising the extremities of the superposed structure.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 10 wherein said image-receiving element additionally comprises a polymeric acid layer intermediate the support layer and dyeable polymeric layer.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 10 including a rupturable container retaining an aqueous alkaline processing solution affixed one edge of said photosensitive and said image-receiving elements and adapted upon rupture to distribute the contents intermediate said photosensitive element and said image-receiving element.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 12 wherein said aqueous alkaline processing solution has a pH of not less than about 12.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 12 wherein said image-receiving element support layer is transparent.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 14 wherein said photographic film unit comprises a composite structure comprising said photosensitive element and said image-receiving element permanently affixed each to the other in superposed relationship, the support layers of each of said elements comprising the extremities of said composite structure.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 10 which comprises, in combination: a photosensitive element containing a plurality of essential layers including in sequence; a. a support layer; b. a cyan dye containing layer associated with a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion; c. a spacer layer; d. a magenta dye containing layer associated with a green-sensitive silver halide emulsion; e. a spacer layer; and f. a yellow dye containing layer associated with a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion; each of said cyan, magenta and yellow dyes being silver halide developing agents and at least one of said spacer layers comprising a processing solution permeable and hydratable metal-free synthetic polymer, which is permeable to dye image-forming materials only in the hydrated state and is processing solution hydratable at a rate which renders said synthetic polymer layer permeable to dye image-forming materials subsequent to substantial development of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the slowest development rate and preceding substantial fogging of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the most rapid fogging rate so that substantial development of said silver halide emulsions is accomplished prior to substantial hydration of said processing solution permeable and hydratable synthetic polymeric spacer layer and resultant diffusion of dye image-forming materials therethrough.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 16 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is selected from the group consistiNg of cellulosic and vinyl polymers.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 16 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially uncross-linked.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 16 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially water-insoluble.

Claim 19

A process for forming transfer images in color which comprises the steps of: exposing a photosensitive element comprising at least two selectively sensitized silver halide emulsion layers, each having associated therewith a dye image-forming material of predetermined color, said material additionally being a silver halide developing agent, and a layer intermediate at least two of said silver halide emulsion layers comprising an aqueous alkaline processing solution permeable and hydratable metal-free synthetic polymer which is permeable to dye image-forming material only in the hydrated state and is processing solution hydratable at a rate which renders said synthetic polymer layer permeable to dye image-forming materials subsequent to substantial development of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the slowest development rate and preceding substantial fogging of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the most rapid fogging rate so that substantial development of said silver halide emulsions is accomplished prior to substantial hydration of said intermediate layer and resultant diffusion of dye image-forming materials therethrough; contacting said exposed photosensitive element with said aqueous alkaline processing composition affecting thereby substantially concomitant development of said silver halide emulsions and hydration of said alkaline solution permeable and hydratable polymer whereby dye associated with each of said emulsions is immobilized as a result of development thereby forming imagewise distributions of mobile dye as a function of the point-to-point degree of exposure thereof; and transferring by diffusion at least a portion of each of said imagewise distributions of mobile dye to a superposed image-receiving layer to provide thereto a multicolored dye image.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 20 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of vinyl and cellulosic polymers.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 20 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially uncross-linked.

Claim 22

The invention of claim 20 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially water-insoluble.

Claim 23

The invention of claim 21 wherein said synthetic polymer comprises a vinyl acetate-crotonic acid copolymer having less than 5 percent crotonic acid by weight.

Claim 24

The invention of claim 21 wherein said polymer comprises hydroxypropyl cellulose.

Claim 25

The invention of claim 21 wherein said polymer comprises hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose.

Claim 26

The invention of claim 20 which comprises the steps of: exposing a photosensitive element which comprises blue-sensitive, green-sensitive and red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers mounted on a common support, said blue-sensitive, green-sensitive and red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers having associated therewith, respectively, yellow, magenta and cyan dyes, each of said dyes being a silver halide developing agent, at least two of said emulsions and associated dyes having interposed therebetween a layer comprising an aqueous alkaline processing solution permeable and hydratable metal-free synthetic polymer which is permeable to dye image-forming material only in the hydrated state and is processing solution hydratable at a rate which renders said synthetic polymer layer permeable to dye image-forming materials subsequent to substantial development of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the slowest development rate and preceding substantial fogging of the dye associated silver halide emulsion possessing the most rapid fogging rate so that substantial development of said silver halide emulsions is accomplished prior to substantial hydration of said inteRposed layer and resultant diffusion of dye image-forming materials therethrough; applying said aqueous alkaline processing solution to said exposed photosensitive element thereby initiating development of said photosensitive emulsion layers and hydration of said hydratable synthetic polymer, immobilizing said yellow, magenta and cyan dyes as a result of development of the exposed areas of their associated silver halide emulsions forming thereby an imagewise distribution of mobile yellow, magenta and cyan dyes in unexposed areas of their associated emulsions as a function of the point-to-point degree of exposure; and transferring by diffusion at least a portion of each of said imagewise distributions of dye to a superposed image-receiving layer to provide thereto a multicolor dye image.

Claim 27

The invention of claim 27 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of cellulosic and vinyl polymers.

Claim 28

The invention of claim 27 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially uncross-linked.

Claim 29

The invention of claim 27 wherein said hydratable synthetic polymer is substantially water-insoluble.

Claim 30

The invention of claim 27 wherein the support layer for said image-receiving element is transparent.

Claim 31

The invention of claim 31 wherein said photosensitive element and said image-receiving element are permanently affixed each to the other in superposed relationship thereby forming a composite structure, the support layers of each of said elements comprising the extremities of said structure.