A photoelectrosolographic imaging method wherein an absorbent material is used

Claim 2

The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is substantially electrically insulating.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit a visible image.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material is of a thickness in the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.01 and about 3 microns.

Claim 6

The method of claim 6 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.5 and about 1 micron.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 8

The method of claim 8 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 9

The method of claim 8 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein said electrical latent image comprises an electrostatic latent image.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein a latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent liquid to said member, wherein said solvent lIquid is a solvent for said softenable material and wherein said solvent liquid does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 12

The method of claim 12 wherein said liquid solvent is rolled onto and through said absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 13

The method of claim 12 wherein said liquid solvent is sprayed onto and through said absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent vapor to said member, wherein said solvent vapor is a solvent vapor for the softenable material, and wherein said solvent vapor does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by heating the softenable material in an amount sufficient to decrease the resistance of the softenable material to migration of the migration marking material.

Claim 16

The method of claim 1 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer comprises the surface of an absorbent roller.

Claim 17

The method of claim 17 wherein said surface of said absorbent roller contains a liquid or vaporous solvent for the softenable material and said roller is rolled across the surface of the layer of softenable material, thereby simultaneously developing the latently imaged member and removing residual migration marking material and residual softenable material.

Claim 18

The method of claim 1 wherein said migration marking material is arranged in a fracturable layer of said material contiguous the surface of said softenable layer over which the absorbent blotter layer lies, and said fracturable layer of migration marking material is spaced apart from the surface of the softenable layer which overlies the substrate.

Claim 19

The method of claim 19 wherein the migration imaging member additionally comprises a second layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material overlying the fracturable layer of migration marking material and located between said fracturable layer and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 20

The method of claim 19 wherein said layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material is of a thickness in the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns.

Claim 21

The method of claim 19 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.01 and about 3 microns.

Claim 22

The method of claim 19 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 23

The method of claim 23 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 24

The method of claim 23 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 25

The method of claim 19 wherein said electrical latent image comprises an electrostatic latent image.

Claim 26

The method of claim 19 wherein a latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent liquid to said member, wherein said solvent liquid is a solvent for said softenable material and wherein said solvent liquid does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 27

The method of claim 19 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent vapor to said member, wherein said solvent vapor is a solvent vapor for the softenable material, and wherein said solvent vapor does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 28

The method of claim 19 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by heating the softenable material in an amount sufficIent to decrease the resistance of the softenable material to migration of the migration marking material.

Claim 29

The method of claim 1 wherein said migration marking material is dispersed throughout the layer of softenable material.

Claim 30

The method of claim 30 wherein said layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material is of a thickness in the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns.

Claim 31

The method of claim 30 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.01 and about 3 microns.

Claim 32

The method of claim 30 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 33

The method of claim 33 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 34

The method of claim 33 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of effecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 35

The method of claim 30 wherein said electrical latent image comprises an electrostatic latent image.

Claim 36

The method of claim 30 wherein a latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent liquid to said member, wherein said solvent liquid is a solvent for said softenable material and wherein said solvent liquid does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 37

The method of claim 30 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent vapor to said member, wherein said solvent vapor is a solvent vapor for the softenable material, and wherein said solvent vapor does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 38

The method of claim 30 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by heating the softenable material in an amount sufficient to decrease the resistance of the softenable material to migration of the migration marking material.

Claim 39

The method of claim 30 wherein said imaging member is provided by placing a substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer on the surface of a layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material which contains migration marking material and which overlies a substrate.

Claim 40

The method of claim 40 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer comprises the surface of an absorbent roller.

Claim 41

A migration imaging method comprising: providing an imaging member comprising a substrate, a layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material overlying said substrate, said softenable material containing migration marking material, said softenable material capable of having its resistance to migration of migration marking material decreased sufficiently to allow migration of migration marking material in depth in said softenable material; providing an electrical latent image on said member; developing said imaging member by decreasing the resistance to migration of migration marking material in depth in the layer of softenable material at least sufficient to allow imagewise migration of migration material at least in depth in said softenable layer; applying a solvent for said softenable material whereby said softenable material and said migration marking material are capable of being absorbed in the absorbent blotter layer recited below; contacting said imaged member with a substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer capable of absorbing migration marking material and softenable material; and removing the absorbent blotter layer thereby removing residual migration marking material and residual softenable material which are contacted by the absorbent blotter layer, leaving an imaged subsTrate comprising migration marking material in imagewise configuration on said substrate.

Claim 42

The method according to claim 42 wherein said substrate is electrically conductive.

Claim 43

The method according to claim 42 wherein said substrate is substantially electrically insulating.

Claim 44

The method according to claim 42 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit a visible image.

Claim 45

The method according to claim 42 wherein said layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material is of a thickness in the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns.

Claim 46

The method according to claim 42 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.01 and about 3 microns.

Claim 47

The method according to claim 47 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.5 and about 1 micron.

Claim 48

The method according to claim 42 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 49

The method according to claim 49 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 50

The method according to claim 42 wherein said electrical latent image comprises an electrostatic latent image.

Claim 51

The method according to claim 42 wherein a latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent liquid to said member, wherein said solvent liquid is a solvent for said softenable material and wherein said solvent liquid does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 52

The method according to claim 42 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent vapor to said member, wherein said solvent vapor is a solvent vapor for the softenable material, and wherein said solvent vapor does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 53

The method according to claim 42 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by heating the softenable material.

Claim 54

The method according to claim 42 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer comprises the surface of an absorbent roller.

Claim 55

The method according to claim 55 wherein said surface of said absorbent roller contains a liquid or vaporous sol-vent for the softenable material and said roller is rolled across the surface of the layer of softenable material, thereby simultaneously developing the latently imaged member and removing residual migration marking material and residual softenable material.

Claim 56

The method according to claim 42 wherein said migration marking material is arranged in a fracturable layer of said material contiguous the surface of said softenable layer and said fracturable layer of migration marking material is spaced apart from the surface of the softenable layer which overlies the substrate.

Claim 57

The method according to claim 57 wherein said layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material is of a thickness of the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns.

Claim 58

The method according to claim 57 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.01 and about 3 microns.

Claim 59

The method according to claim 57 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 60

The method according to claim 60 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 61

The method according to claim 57 wherein said electrical latent image comprises an electrostatic latent image.

Claim 62

The method according to claim 57 wherein a latently imageD member is developed by applying a solvent liquid to said member, wherein said solvent liquid is a solvent for said softenable material and wherein said solvent liquid does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 63

The method according to claim 57 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent vapor to said member, wherein said solvent vapor is a solvent vapor for the softenable material, and wherein said solvent vapor does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 64

The method according to claim 57 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by heating the softenable material.

Claim 65

The method according to claim 19 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer comprises the surface of an absorbent roller.

Claim 66

The method according to claim 66 wherein said surface of said absorbent roller contains a liquid or vaporous solvent for the softenable material and said roller is rolled across the surface of the layer of softenable material, thereby simultaneously developing the latently imaged member and removing residual migration marking material and residual softenable material.

Claim 67

The method according to claim 42 wherein said migration marking material is dispersed throughout the layer of softenable material.

Claim 68

The method according to claim 68 wherein said layer of substantially electrically insulating softenable material is of a thickness in the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns.

Claim 69

The method according to claim 68 wherein said migration marking material is particulate material of average particle size in the range between about 0.01 and about 3 microns.

Claim 70

The method according to claim 68 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 71

The method according to claim 71 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation which is capable of affecting said electrically photosensitive material.

Claim 72

The method according to claim 68 wherein said electrical latent image comprises an electrostatic latent image.

Claim 73

The method according to claim 68 wherein a latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent liquid to said member, wherein said solvent liquid is a solvent for said softenable material and wherein said solvent liquid does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 74

The method according to claim 68 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by applying a solvent vapor to said member, wherein said solvent vapor is a solvent vapor for the softenable material, and wherein said solvent vapor does not substantially degrade the migration marking material, the substrate, and the absorbent blotter layer.

Claim 75

The method according to claim 68 wherein the latently imaged member is developed by heating the softenable material.

Claim 76

The method according to claim 68 wherein said substantially electrically insulating absorbent blotter layer comprises the surface of an absorbent roller.

Claim 77

The method according to claim 77 wherein said surface of said absorbent roller contains a liquid or vaporous solvent for the softenable material and said roller is rolled across the surface of the layer of softenable material, thereby simultaneously developing the latently imaged member and removing residual migration marking material and residual softenable material.