US4579804A — Method and material for image formation

Claim 1

Independent Claim 197 words

A method of forming an image, comprising: (a) dissolving an oil-soluble, light-sensitive development inhibitor in a water-miscible solvent and mixing the obtained solution with a hydrophilic binder solution containing a metal developing nucleus source to form a coating composition, said light-sensitive development inhibitor being present in a ratio of 1 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder and being selected from compounds each having a diazo group, said metal developing nucleus source being present in a ratio of 0.01 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder and comprising a metal compound capable of producing metal developing nuclei by reduction; (b) coating said coating composition on a support to form an image forming layer; (c) subjecting said image forming material to pattern light exposure; (d) contacting the light-exposed image forming layer with a reducing agent to form metal developing nuclei in said image forming layer; and (e) contacting said image forming layer with a physical developer containing reducible metal ions and a reducing agent thereby to form an image constituted by metal particles precipitated and grown by reduction of said reducible metal ions around the centers of metal developing nuclei at the light-exposed portion.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 197 words

A method of forming an image, comprising: (a) dissolving an oil-soluble, light-sensitive development inhibitor in a water-miscible solvent and mixing the obtained solution with a hydrophilic binder solution containing a metal developing nucleus source to form a coating composition, said light-sensitive development inhibitor being present in a ratio of 1 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder and being selected from compounds each having a diazo group, said metal developing nucleus source being present in a ratio of 0.01 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder and comprising a metal compound capable of producing metal developing nuclei by reduction; (b) coating said coating composition on a support to form an image forming layer; (c) subjecting said image forming material to pattern light exposure; (d) contacting the light-exposed image forming layer with a reducing agent to form metal developing nuclei in said image forming layer; and (e) contacting said image forming layer with a physical developer containing reducible metal ions and a reducing agent thereby to form an image constituted by metal particles precipitated and grown by reduction of said reducible metal ions around the centers of metal developing nuclei at the light-exposed portion.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said first developing step and said second developing step are performed successively in the order mentioned.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 46 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said first developing step and said second developing step are performed substantially simultaneously be contacting the image forming layer with said physical developer and generating metal developing nuclei through the action of said reducing agent in the physical developer.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 188 words

A method of forming an image, comprising: (a) coating on a support an image forming layer comprising an aqueous composition comprising a hydrophilic binder, a metal developing nucleus source in a ratio of 0.01 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder and water, and an organic composition comprising an oil-soluble light-sensitive development inhibitor in a ratio of 1 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder selected from compounds each having a diazo group or azide group, and a water-miscible organic solvent to form an image forming material, said metal developing nucleus source comprising a metal compound capable of producing metal developing nuclei by reduction; (b) contacting a reducing agent with said image forming layer thereby to form metal developing nuclei in the image forming layer; (c) subjecting said image forming layer to pattern light exposure; and (d) contacting the light-exposed layer with a developer containing metal ions to be reduced and a reducing agent thereby to form an image constituted by metal particles precipitated and grown by reduction of said metal ions to be reduced around the metal developing nuclei at the light-exposed portion.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 188 words

A method of forming an image, comprising: (a) coating on a support an image forming layer comprising an aqueous composition comprising a hydrophilic binder, a metal developing nucleus source in a ratio of 0.01 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder and water, and an organic composition comprising an oil-soluble light-sensitive development inhibitor in a ratio of 1 to 100 parts per 100 parts of said binder selected from compounds each having a diazo group or azide group, and a water-miscible organic solvent to form an image forming material, said metal developing nucleus source comprising a metal compound capable of producing metal developing nuclei by reduction; (b) contacting a reducing agent with said image forming layer thereby to form metal developing nuclei in the image forming layer; (c) subjecting said image forming layer to pattern light exposure; and (d) contacting the light-exposed layer with a developer containing metal ions to be reduced and a reducing agent thereby to form an image constituted by metal particles precipitated and grown by reduction of said metal ions to be reduced around the metal developing nuclei at the light-exposed portion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method according to claim 4 wherein the development inhibitor is a compound containing a diazo group.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 51 words

A method according to claim 5 wherein the image forming layer further contains a coupling agent which produces a diazo dye through reaction with the compound containing the diazo group, and a coupling reaction is carried out by heating or contacting the image forming layer with ammonia gas after light exposure.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method according to claim 5 wherein a coupling reaction is performed by contacting the image forming layer after light exposure with an alkaline aqueous solution of a coupling agent.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 87 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein the physical development is performed in two steps, the first physical development being carried out with a physical developer containing a boron type reducing agent until a visible image with a transmission density of 0.08 to 0.5 is obtained, the subsequent development being carried out with the use of a physical developer containing a reducing agent with a reducing power weaker than the boron type reducing agent to obtain a visible image with a transmission density of 4.0 or more.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-03-31	1989-09-30	1990-04-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-03-31	1993-09-30	1994-04-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-03-31	1997-09-30	1998-04-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and material for image formation

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