US3666948A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid crystal thermal imaging system having an undisturbed image on a disturbed background
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1971-01-06
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Granted: 1972-05-30
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Expires: 1991-01-06
Abstract
Abstract An imaging system wherein an imaging member comprising a material having a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase in its Grandjean or ''''disturbed'''' texture state is thermally imaged by imagewise heating image portions of said imaging material to a temperature at least about the cholesteric liquid crystallineliquid isotropic transition temperature of said material and allowing said heated portions of said imaging material to return to a temperature within the cholesteric liquid crystalline mesophase temperature range of said material whereby said imaged areas assume the focal-conic or ''''undistrubed'''' texture state in the desired image configuration. Images provided by the inventive system are erasible, and the imaging members are reusable.
Inventors
- 👤 Bela Mechlowitz
- 👤 James E Adams
- 👤 Werner Erwin Louis Haas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:33
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/28; B41M5/281
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said layer of imaging composition is provided on a supporting substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the supporting substrate is substantially transparent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the imaged composition is observed between polarizers with transmitted light, and the transparent substrate is optically isotropic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the supporting substrate is opaque.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said layer of imaging composition is overcoated with a transparent overcoating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said transparent overcoating is of thickness not greater than about 10 mils.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said layer of imaging composition is of thickness not greater than about 250 microns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said layer of imaging composition is of thickness in the range between about 1 and about 50 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the energy applied to the layer of imaging composition is in the range between about 1 millijoule/cm2 and about 100 millijoules/cm2 of surface area of said layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the energy is applied in imagewise configuration to the layer of imaging composition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said layer of imaging composition is of thickness not greater than about 250 microns, and the energy applied is in the range between about 1 millijoule/cm2 and about 100 millijoules/cm2 of surface area of said layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the energy is applied by exposing the layer of imaging composition to radiant energy through a mask in image configuration.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the source of said radiant energy is a gas discharge lamp.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the exposure time is not greater than about 10 seconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said imaging composition comprises a mixture of a material having a cholesteric liquid crystalline mesophase and at least one material selected from the group consisting of: materials having a nematic liquid crystalline mesophase, materials having a smectic liquid crystalline mesophase, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said imaging composition exhibits cholesteric liquid crystalline characteristics in the temperature range between about 20* C. and about 30* C.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
An imaging method comprising: a. providing and imaging a layer of imaging composition by the method of claim 1, and b. thereafter uniformly applying an external force to said imaging member to erase the image by uniformly providing the layer of imaging composition in the Grandjean texture state.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A repetitive imaging method comprising repeating steps (a) and (b) of claim 18 a plurality of times using the same layer of imaging composition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the layer of imaging composition has a lambda o in the visible spectrum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US3401262A
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US3415991A
Cited
US3529156A
Cited
US3569709A
Cited
US3604930A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-30 | 1975-11-29 | 1976-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-30 | 1979-11-29 | 1980-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-30 | 1983-11-29 | 1984-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |