Patent US4267261A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4267261A
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US
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Method for full format imaging
Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1975-05-13
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Granted: 1981-05-12
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Expires: 1995-05-13
Abstract
Abstract In a method for full format imaging, a solid continuous film of a dispersion imaging material is provided on a substrate and it disperses into a discontinuous film comprising space globules and free space therebetween through which free space light can pass where it is subjected to a short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy above a certain threshold value. The short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy is applied to the solid continuous film, through a mask, simultaneously and substantially evenly in a full format pattern to a plurality of areas thereof to cause simultaneous and substantially even dispersion of the continuous film in those pattern areas into a discontinuous film comprising the spaced globules and free space which are substantially evenly distributed in those pattern areas and through which free space light can pass. A stable finished full format image of said discontinuous film in the solid continuous film corresponding to the full format pattern of energy is rapidly and inexpensively produced and which has high contrast between the imaged and unimaged regions.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W. Hallman
- 👤 Stanford R. Ovshinsky
- 👤 John P. de Neufville
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:36
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/06; B23K26/064; B23K26/066; B23K26/0661; B23K26/18; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/262; G; G03; G03C; G03C1/00; G03C1/705; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/004; G03F7/0042; G03F7/0043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
344 words
The method of producing an image by full format imaging, which method comprises the step of providing on a substrate a solid continuous film of a dispersion imaging material which, upon application of a short pulse of high intensity radiant energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy in the material above a certain threshold value, is capable of changing to a substantially molten state in which the surface tension of the material acts to cause the continuous film where subject to said energy pulse to change to a discontinuous film comprising spaced globules and free space therebetween in the film which are frozen in place following said energy pulse and through which free space light can pass, the step of applying a short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy through an imaging mask having a full format image pattern including portions of higher transmissiveness and portions of lower transmissiveness for said energy pulse to said continuous film of dispersion imaging material simultaneously and substantially evenly in a full format pattern, wherein said full format pattern of the simultaneously and substantially evenly applied energy pulse includes a plurality of areas in which the intensity and pulse width of said energy is sufficient to increase simultaneously and substantially evenly the absorbed energy in the corresponding pattern areas of said dispersion imaging material above said threshold value, and wherein the amount of the radiant energy pulse supplied in a plurality of other areas is insufficient to increase the absorbed energy above said threshold value, thereby causing the material of the continuous film in those pattern areas simultaneously and substantially evenly receiving the higher amount of the non-coherent radiant energy pulse to change to the discontinuous film comprising the spaced globules and free space in the film which are substantially evenly distributed in said pattern areas and through which free space light can pass to provide at one time a stable finished full format image pattern of said discontinuous film in the continuous film corresponding to said full format pattern of the energy pulse.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
344 words
The method of producing an image by full format imaging, which method comprises the step of providing on a substrate a solid continuous film of a dispersion imaging material which, upon application of a short pulse of high intensity radiant energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy in the material above a certain threshold value, is capable of changing to a substantially molten state in which the surface tension of the material acts to cause the continuous film where subject to said energy pulse to change to a discontinuous film comprising spaced globules and free space therebetween in the film which are frozen in place following said energy pulse and through which free space light can pass, the step of applying a short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy through an imaging mask having a full format image pattern including portions of higher transmissiveness and portions of lower transmissiveness for said energy pulse to said continuous film of dispersion imaging material simultaneously and substantially evenly in a full format pattern, wherein said full format pattern of the simultaneously and substantially evenly applied energy pulse includes a plurality of areas in which the intensity and pulse width of said energy is sufficient to increase simultaneously and substantially evenly the absorbed energy in the corresponding pattern areas of said dispersion imaging material above said threshold value, and wherein the amount of the radiant energy pulse supplied in a plurality of other areas is insufficient to increase the absorbed energy above said threshold value, thereby causing the material of the continuous film in those pattern areas simultaneously and substantially evenly receiving the higher amount of the non-coherent radiant energy pulse to change to the discontinuous film comprising the spaced globules and free space in the film which are substantially evenly distributed in said pattern areas and through which free space light can pass to provide at one time a stable finished full format image pattern of said discontinuous film in the continuous film corresponding to said full format pattern of the energy pulse.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
347 words
The method of producing an image by full format imaging which comprises the step of providing on a substrate a solid continuous film of a dispersion imaging material, the step of providing energy emitting means which are capable of emitting a short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy of an intensity sufficient to effect a change to a substantially molten state in the material in which the surface tension of the material acts to cause the continuous film where subject to said energy pulse to change to a discontinuous film comprising spaced globules and free space therebetween in the film which are frozen in place following said energy pulse and through which free space light can pass, the step of providing between said energy emitting means and said continuous film of dispersion imaging material masking means representing a full format image pattern and having a plurality of portions which are highly transmissive for said non-coherent radiant energy pulse and a plurality of other portions which have a lesser transmissiveness for said radiant energy pulse, and the step of subjecting through said masking means said continuous film of dispersion imaging material to a short pulse of said high intensity non-coherent radiant energy such that said non-coherent radiant energy pulse simultaneously and substantially evenly passes through said masking means and simultaneously and substantially evenly onto said continuous film of dispersion imaging material in a full format pattern corresponding to the full format image pattern represented by said masking means to change the material of the continuous film in those pattern areas which simultaneously and substantially evenly receive the higher amount of the non-coherent radiant energy pulse to a substantially molten state for causing the continuous film thereat to change to the discontinuous film comprising the spaced globules and free space in the film which are substantially evenly distributed in said pattern areas and through which free space light can pass to form at one time a stable finished full format discontinuous film duplicate of the full format image pattern represented by said masking means in the continuous film.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
347 words
The method of producing an image by full format imaging which comprises the step of providing on a substrate a solid continuous film of a dispersion imaging material, the step of providing energy emitting means which are capable of emitting a short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy of an intensity sufficient to effect a change to a substantially molten state in the material in which the surface tension of the material acts to cause the continuous film where subject to said energy pulse to change to a discontinuous film comprising spaced globules and free space therebetween in the film which are frozen in place following said energy pulse and through which free space light can pass, the step of providing between said energy emitting means and said continuous film of dispersion imaging material masking means representing a full format image pattern and having a plurality of portions which are highly transmissive for said non-coherent radiant energy pulse and a plurality of other portions which have a lesser transmissiveness for said radiant energy pulse, and the step of subjecting through said masking means said continuous film of dispersion imaging material to a short pulse of said high intensity non-coherent radiant energy such that said non-coherent radiant energy pulse simultaneously and substantially evenly passes through said masking means and simultaneously and substantially evenly onto said continuous film of dispersion imaging material in a full format pattern corresponding to the full format image pattern represented by said masking means to change the material of the continuous film in those pattern areas which simultaneously and substantially evenly receive the higher amount of the non-coherent radiant energy pulse to a substantially molten state for causing the continuous film thereat to change to the discontinuous film comprising the spaced globules and free space in the film which are substantially evenly distributed in said pattern areas and through which free space light can pass to form at one time a stable finished full format discontinuous film duplicate of the full format image pattern represented by said masking means in the continuous film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 in which the dispersion imaging material is an electrical semiconductor material having moderate thermal conductivity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 in which the dispersion imaging material is an inorganic non-metallic material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 in which the dispersion imaging material is a composition comprising at least one chalcogenide element other than oxygen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 in which the dispersion imaging material is a composition comprising tellurium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the dispersion imaging material is tellurium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is a transparent material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is a material having a heat conductivity lower than 1.5×10 -3 (cal·cm)/cm 2 ·s·deg·C).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is a transparent organic material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is a film of polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is a film of cellulose acetate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 in which the solid continuous film of dispersion imaging material has a thickness of from about 1,000 to about 50,000 Angstroms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 in which the solid continuous film of dispersion imaging material has a thickness of from about 500 to about 20,000 Angstroms.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 in which the short pulse of high intensity radiant energy has a duration of from about 1 to about 5,000 microseconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 in which the imaging mask comprises a silver image provided by a silver halide gelatin emulsion having a threshold of thermal damage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 16 in which the threshold of thermal damage to the imaging mask has a certain value, and in which the dispersion of the said dispersion imaging material is effected by an amount of energy lying substantially below that amount of energy which corresponds to said certain value of the thermal threshold of thermal damage to said imaging mask.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the substrate is an organic film.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2 in which said radiant energy is provided by an electronic flash gun.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 1 in which the said energy is applied to a solid continuous film of dispersion imaging material which has a melting point of not higher than about 1000° C., a viscosity at the melting point in the range from about 10 -2 poises to about 10 5 poises, a thermal conductivity of from 10 -4 to 10 -1 (cal·cm)/cm 2 ·s·deg·C) and a surface tension in the molten state of from 50 to 600 dyns/cm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the dispersion imaging material is an electrical semiconductor having an electrical conductivity of from about 10 -13 to about 10 3 ohm -1 cm -1 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the dispersion imaging material comprises bismuth.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-05-11 | 1984-11-10 | 1985-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-05-11 | 1988-11-10 | 1989-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-05-11 | 1992-11-10 | 1993-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |