Patent US3756718A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3756718A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Color printer
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1972-03-29
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Granted: 1973-09-04
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Expires: 1992-03-29
Abstract
Abstract Photofinishing production of prints from positive photographic original transparencies such as color slides is accomplished by recording the pictorial information from the photosensitive photographic original transparency in three primary colors on three electro-optical temporary image forming and storing devices, then additively projecting corresponding color separation images of the three temporary images stored by the temporary image forming devices onto conventional color printing paper or film. The temporary image forming devices may each consist of a photoconductor liquid crystal sandwich structure in which each temporary image is formed in response to a first voltage potential applied to each of the sandwich structures during the interval in which the pictorial information on the positive photographic original transparency is recorded. After exposure of the photosensitive print material is completed, the temporary images may be erased by applying a second voltage potential to the photoconductor liquid crystal sandwich structures.
Inventors
- 👤 E Letzer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:16
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B33/00; G03B33/06; G03B27/00; G03B27/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
284 words
The method of printing color pictorial information carried by a positive color original transparency containing positive color pictorial information on photosensitive color print material utilizing intermediate image storage photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, each of which include in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode, the method comprising the steps of: a. illuminating said pictorial information on said color original transparency with red, green and blue light, whereby red, green and blue images of the pictorial information are transmitted by said color original transparency; b. exposing first, second and third respective photoconductorliquid crystal sandwich structures to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, of said color pictorial information; c. applying a first electrical signal across said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures substantially simultaneously with the exposure of said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to said red, green and blue light images, respectively, whereby first, second and third respective light transmissive temporary negative images corresponding to the red, grEen and blue light images, respectively, are formed in said respective photoconductorliquid crystal sandwich structures; d. removing the first electrical signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first, second and third temporary negative images, respectively, therein; e. illuminating said first, second and third temporary negative images in said respective first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures with red, green and blue light, respectively; and f. exposing photosensitive material to the red, green and blue light transmitted by the first, second and third photodonductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, respectively, whereby the first, second and third temporary negative images are projected in color onto said photosensitive material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
284 words
The method of printing color pictorial information carried by a positive color original transparency containing positive color pictorial information on photosensitive color print material utilizing intermediate image storage photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, each of which include in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode, the method comprising the steps of: a. illuminating said pictorial information on said color original transparency with red, green and blue light, whereby red, green and blue images of the pictorial information are transmitted by said color original transparency; b. exposing first, second and third respective photoconductorliquid crystal sandwich structures to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, of said color pictorial information; c. applying a first electrical signal across said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures substantially simultaneously with the exposure of said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to said red, green and blue light images, respectively, whereby first, second and third respective light transmissive temporary negative images corresponding to the red, grEen and blue light images, respectively, are formed in said respective photoconductorliquid crystal sandwich structures; d. removing the first electrical signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first, second and third temporary negative images, respectively, therein; e. illuminating said first, second and third temporary negative images in said respective first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures with red, green and blue light, respectively; and f. exposing photosensitive material to the red, green and blue light transmitted by the first, second and third photodonductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, respectively, whereby the first, second and third temporary negative images are projected in color onto said photosensitive material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive materail is additively exposed to the first, second and third temporary images in mutual superimposition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
222 words
Apparatus for printing pictorial information carried by an original on photosensitive material, said apparatus comprising: a. means for illuminating said pictorial information on said original with first and second wavelengths of radiation; b. photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures responsive to a radiation pattern and a first electrical signal for forming and storing a temporary image of the radiation pattern, said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures each including, in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode; c. means for exposing said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to radiation patterns of the first and second wavelengths conforming to said illuminated pictorial information on said original, and means for substantially simultaneously applying the first electrical signal to said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, whereby first and second temporary images corresponding to radiation patterns of the first and second wavelengths are formed in said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures; d. removing the first signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first and second temporary images, respectively, therein; and e. means for illuminating said first and second temporary images with first and second wavelengths of radiation, respectively, and for exposing photosensitive material to the first and second wavelengths of radiation from said illuminated first and second temporary images.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
222 words
Apparatus for printing pictorial information carried by an original on photosensitive material, said apparatus comprising: a. means for illuminating said pictorial information on said original with first and second wavelengths of radiation; b. photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures responsive to a radiation pattern and a first electrical signal for forming and storing a temporary image of the radiation pattern, said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures each including, in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode; c. means for exposing said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to radiation patterns of the first and second wavelengths conforming to said illuminated pictorial information on said original, and means for substantially simultaneously applying the first electrical signal to said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, whereby first and second temporary images corresponding to radiation patterns of the first and second wavelengths are formed in said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures; d. removing the first signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first and second temporary images, respectively, therein; and e. means for illuminating said first and second temporary images with first and second wavelengths of radiation, respectively, and for exposing photosensitive material to the first and second wavelengths of radiation from said illuminated first and second temporary images.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the photosensitive material is additively exposed to the first and second temporary images in mutual superimposition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising means for applying a second electrical signal across said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to erase said first and second temporary images.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
289 words
Apparatus for printing color pictorial information carried by a color original transparency on photosensitive material, said apparatus comprising: a. means for illuminating said color pictorial information on said color original transparency with red, green and blue light, whereby red, green and blue images of said color pictorial information are transmitted by said color original transparency; b. first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures each including, in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode each of said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures being responsive to a first electrical signal and light images incident thereon to form a temporary radiation transmissive image; c. means for expOsing said first, second and third respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to the red, green, and blue light images, respectively, of said color pictorial information on said color original transparency and means for substantially simultaneously applying a first electrical signal across said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, whereby first, second and third respective radiation transmissive temporary images corresponding to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, are formed in said respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures; d. means for removing the first electrical signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first, second and third temporary images, respectively, therein; and e. means for illuminating said first, second and third temporary images with red, green and blue light, respectively, and for exposing photosensitive material to the red, green and blue light transmitted by the first, second and third photoconductor liquid crystal sandwich structures, respectively, whereby the first, second and third temporary images are projected in color onto said photosensitive material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
289 words
Apparatus for printing color pictorial information carried by a color original transparency on photosensitive material, said apparatus comprising: a. means for illuminating said color pictorial information on said color original transparency with red, green and blue light, whereby red, green and blue images of said color pictorial information are transmitted by said color original transparency; b. first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures each including, in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode each of said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures being responsive to a first electrical signal and light images incident thereon to form a temporary radiation transmissive image; c. means for expOsing said first, second and third respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to the red, green, and blue light images, respectively, of said color pictorial information on said color original transparency and means for substantially simultaneously applying a first electrical signal across said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, whereby first, second and third respective radiation transmissive temporary images corresponding to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, are formed in said respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures; d. means for removing the first electrical signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first, second and third temporary images, respectively, therein; and e. means for illuminating said first, second and third temporary images with red, green and blue light, respectively, and for exposing photosensitive material to the red, green and blue light transmitted by the first, second and third photoconductor liquid crystal sandwich structures, respectively, whereby the first, second and third temporary images are projected in color onto said photosensitive material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the photosensitive material is photosensitive color print material and said photosensitive material exposing means is operative to additively expose said photosensitive color print material to the red, green and blue light transmitted through the first, second and third temporary images, respectively, in mutual superimposition to produce a color representation of the pictorial information on said color original transparency.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the color original transparency is a positive color original transparency containing positive color pictorial information, said first, second and third temporary images are negative images of the positive color pictorial information, and said photosensitive material comprises photosensitive color print material, whereby the exposure of the photosensitive color print material to the red, green and blue light transmitted through the first, second and third temporary negative images results, after development of the photosensitive color print material, in a positive color representation of the positive color pictorial information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising means for applying a second electrical signal across said photconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to erase said first, second and third temporary images.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for illuminating said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures further comprises means for altering the contrast of the first, second and third temporary images by controlling the specularity of the red, green and blue light transmitted through the first, second and third temporary images, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said photographic original transparency comprises a color negative carrying negative color pictorial information, said first, second and third temporary images constitute positive images of the negative color pictorial information, and said photosensitive material responds to red, green and blue light transmitted through the first, second and third positive temporary images to form first, second and third negative color representations of said negative color pictorial information.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
314 words
The method of printing pictorial information carried by a negative color original transparency containing negative color pictorial information on photosensitive color print material utilizing intermediate image storage photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, each of which include in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic an cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode, the method comprising the steps of: a. illuminating said pictorial inforMation on said color original transparency with red, green and blue light, whereby red, green and blue images of the pictorial information are transmitted by said color original transparency; b. exposing first, second and third respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, of said color pictorial information; c. applying a first electrical signal across said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures substantially simultaneously with the exposure of said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to said red, green and blue light images, respectively, whereby first, second and third respective light transmissive temporary positive images corresponding to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, are formed in said respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures; d. removing the first electrical signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first, second and third temporary positive images, respectively, therein: e. illuminating said first, second and third temporary positive images in said respective first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures with red, green and blue light, respectively; and f. exposing photosensitive material to the red, green and blue light transmitted by the first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, respectively, whereby the first, second and third temporary positive images are projected in color onto said photosensitive material, and said photosensitive material responds to said first and second and third positive color transparency images to form first, second and third negative color representations of said negative color pictorial information.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
314 words
The method of printing pictorial information carried by a negative color original transparency containing negative color pictorial information on photosensitive color print material utilizing intermediate image storage photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, each of which include in order, a first transparent electrode, a transparent photoconductor layer, a liquid crystal layer of a mixture of nematic an cholesteric liquid crystal material, and a second transparent electrode, the method comprising the steps of: a. illuminating said pictorial inforMation on said color original transparency with red, green and blue light, whereby red, green and blue images of the pictorial information are transmitted by said color original transparency; b. exposing first, second and third respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, of said color pictorial information; c. applying a first electrical signal across said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures substantially simultaneously with the exposure of said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to said red, green and blue light images, respectively, whereby first, second and third respective light transmissive temporary positive images corresponding to the red, green and blue light images, respectively, are formed in said respective photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures; d. removing the first electrical signal from said photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures to store said first, second and third temporary positive images, respectively, therein: e. illuminating said first, second and third temporary positive images in said respective first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures with red, green and blue light, respectively; and f. exposing photosensitive material to the red, green and blue light transmitted by the first, second and third photoconductor-liquid crystal sandwich structures, respectively, whereby the first, second and third temporary positive images are projected in color onto said photosensitive material, and said photosensitive material responds to said first and second and third positive color transparency images to form first, second and third negative color representations of said negative color pictorial information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-03 | 1977-03-05 | 1977-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-03 | 1981-03-05 | 1981-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-03 | 1985-03-05 | 1985-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |