US4082861A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Continuous tone imaging film
Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1976-09-23
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Granted: 1978-04-04
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Expires: 1996-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A continuous tone dry process imaging film includes a solid, high optical density and substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material deposited on a substrate. Energy is applied to the film of dispersion imaging material, in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy in the material above a certain critical value, to change the same to a substantially fluid state in which the surface tension of the material acts to cause the film, where subject to the applied energy, to disperse and change to a discontinuous film comprising openings and deformed material which are frozen in place following the application of said energy and through which openings light can pass. Means are associated with the film of dispersion imaging material for retarding the change to the discontinuous film, caused by the surface tension, and for controlling the amount of such change in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value to increase the amount of such change and the area of the openings in the film and decrease the area of the deformed material in the film and, therefore, the optical density in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value for providing continuous tone imaging.
Inventors
- 👤 Masatsuga Izu
- 👤 Stanford R. Ovshinsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:55
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03C; G03C1/00; G03C1/705; G03C5/00; G03C5/56; G03G; G03G16/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film comprising a substrate, a solid, high optical density and substantially opaque film of a dispersion imaging material deposited on said substrate, said substantially opaque film of the dispersion imaging material, upon application of energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy in the material above a certain critical value, being capable of changing to a substantially fluid state in which the surface tension of the material acts to cause the substantially opaque film where subject to said energy to disperse and change to a discontinuous film comprising openings and deformed material which are frozen in place following said application of energy and through which openings light can pass, and means associated with said film of imaging material for retarding the change to the discontinuous film, caused by the surface tension, and for controlling the amount of such change in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value to increase the amount of said change and the area of the openings in the film and decrease the area of the deformed material in the film and, therefore, the optical density of the film in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value for providing continuous tone imaging of the dry process imaging film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film comprising a substrate, a solid, high optical density and substantially opaque film of a dispersion imaging material deposited on said substrate, said substantially opaque film of the dispersion imaging material, upon application of energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy in the material above a certain critical value, being capable of changing to a substantially fluid state in which the surface tension of the material acts to cause the substantially opaque film where subject to said energy to disperse and change to a discontinuous film comprising openings and deformed material which are frozen in place following said application of energy and through which openings light can pass, and means associated with said film of imaging material for retarding the change to the discontinuous film, caused by the surface tension, and for controlling the amount of such change in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value to increase the amount of said change and the area of the openings in the film and decrease the area of the deformed material in the film and, therefore, the optical density of the film in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value for providing continuous tone imaging of the dry process imaging film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises multiple different components and phase boundaries therebetween in the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material prior to dispersion thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises a grain structure in the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material having grains which are substantially vertically oriented with respect to the substrate with substantially vertically oriented grain boundaries, and multiple components in the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material with the grain boundaries thereof having a component different from that of the grains to provide phase boundaries therebetween.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises an outer surface of the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material having a component different from that of the remainder of the film to provide phase boundaries therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises the substrate and the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material deposited thereon and the interfacial adhesion therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material has a grain structure comprising grains which are relatively small in width, which are substantially vertically oriented with respect to the substrate with substantially vertically oriented grain boundaries therebetween, and which are substantially dome shaped at the outer surface of the film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 7, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the substantially dome shaped grains at the outer surface of the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 7, wherein the outer surfaces of the substantially dome shaped grains of the film have a coating of a component different from that of the grains themselves to provide phase boundaries therebetween.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 9, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises the coating of the component on the outer surfaces of the substantially dome shaped grains different from that of the grains themselves, and also an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said coating on the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the substantially dome shaped grains at the outer surface of the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 7, wherein the grain boundaries of the film have a coating of a component different from that of the grains to provide phase boundaries therebetween.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 11, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises the coating of the component of the grain boundaries different from that of the grains, and also an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the substantially dome shaped grains at the outer surface of the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 7, wherein the outer surfaces of the substantially dome shaped grains of the film and the grain boundaries of the film have a coating of a component different from that of the grains to provide phase boundaries therebetween.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
98 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 13, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises the coating of the component of the outer surfaces of the substantially dome shaped grains and of the grain boundaries different from that of the grains themselves, and also an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the overcoat film and the substantially dome shaped grains at the outer surface of the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material has a structure comprising deposited alternating layers of different components and phase boundaries therebetween substantially parallely oriented with respect to the substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 15, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises the different components of the deposited alternating layers, and also an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the outer surface of the substantially opaque film and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material comprises an alloy, having a eutectic within its system, of a plurality of substantially mutually insoluble solid components having an excess of at least one of the components so that the alloy is off the eutectic of the alloy system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 17, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises said at least one of the solid components of the alloy in the fluid state above the eutectic temperature.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 18, wherein said retarding and controlling means also comprises an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the outer surface of the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 1, wherein said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material comprises a microheterogeneous structure of a plurality of different solid components having different fluid forming temperatures.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 20, wherein said retarding and controlling means comprises at least one of said solid components in the material when the other components thereof are in the fluid state.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 21, wherein said retarding and controlling means also comprises an overcoat film deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material, and the interfacial adhesion between the outer surface of the substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material and the overcoat film deposited thereon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 2, wherein one of said multiple components comprises bismuth.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 23, wherein another of said multiple components comprises oxygen.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 23, wherein another of said multiple components comprises aluminum oxide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 23, wherein another of said multiple components comprises lead.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 23, wherein another of said multiple components comprises tin.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 23, wherein another of said multiple components comprises cadmium.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 2, wherein one of said multiple components comprises tellurium.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
A continuous tone dry process imaging film as defined in claim 29 wherein another of said multiple components comprises iodine.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
158 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film comprising a substrate, a solid, high optical density and substantially opaque film of a dispersion imaging material deposited on said substrate, said film material comprising a microheterogeneous alloy of a plurality of substantially mutually insoluble solid components and having a low melting point eutectic within its system, said film, upon application of energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy in the film material above a certain critical value related to the low melting point value of the eutectic thereof, being capable of changing to a substantially fluid state in which the surface tension of the film material acts to cause the substantially opaque film, where subject of said energy, to disperse and change to a discontinuous film comprising openings and deformed material which are frozen in place following said application of energy and through which openings light can pass for decreasing the optical density of the film thereat.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
158 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film comprising a substrate, a solid, high optical density and substantially opaque film of a dispersion imaging material deposited on said substrate, said film material comprising a microheterogeneous alloy of a plurality of substantially mutually insoluble solid components and having a low melting point eutectic within its system, said film, upon application of energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy in the film material above a certain critical value related to the low melting point value of the eutectic thereof, being capable of changing to a substantially fluid state in which the surface tension of the film material acts to cause the substantially opaque film, where subject of said energy, to disperse and change to a discontinuous film comprising openings and deformed material which are frozen in place following said application of energy and through which openings light can pass for decreasing the optical density of the film thereat.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
117 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 31, wherein means are associated with said film of imaging material for retarding the change to the discontinuous film, caused by the surface tension, and for controlling the amount of such change in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value to increase the amount of said change and the area of the openings in the film and decrease the area of the deformed material in the film and, therefore, the optical density of the film in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value for providing continuous tone imaging of the dry process imaging film.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 32, wherein said retarding and controlling means includes components and phase boundaries in the imaging material in addition to the components forming the eutectic in the imaging material.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
46 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 31, wherein said alloy of said plurality of substantially mutually insoluble solid components has an excess of at least one of the components so that the alloy is off the eutectic of the alloy system.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
157 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 34, wherein, in the substantially fluid state of the film above the low melting point value of the eutectic, said excess of said at least one of the solid components remains solid up to its melting point and in amount depending upon its temperature below its melting point, retards the change of the film to the discontinuous film, caused by the surface tension, and controls the amount of such change in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value to increase the amount of such change and the area of the openings in the film and decrease the area of the deformed material in the film and, therefore, the optical density of the film in accordance with the intensity of the applied energy above said certain critical value for providing continuous tone imaging of the high sensitivity dry process imaging film.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 31, wherein an overcoat film is deposited on the outer surface of said substantially opaque film of dispersion imaging material.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 31, wherein one of said components of said alloy comprises bismuth.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 37, wherein another of said components of said alloy comprises lead.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
22 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 37, wherein another of said components of said alloy comprises tin.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
24 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 37, wherein another of said components of said alloy comprises lead and tin.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
22 words
A dry process high sensitivity imaging film as defined in claim 37, wherein another of said components of said alloy comprises cadmium.
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) | 1981-04-03 | 1981-10-03 | 1982-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-04-03 | 1985-10-03 | 1986-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-04-03 | 1989-10-03 | 1990-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |