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US4952969A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for forming a color image and image forming apparatus therefor

Assignee: Fujifilm Corp
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Filing: 1990-01-02
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Granted: 1990-08-28
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Expires: 2010-01-02
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Abstract

Abstract A method for forming an image by the steps of: (a) imagewise exposing a heat-developable color light-sensitive material; (b) uniformly exposing at least a portion of the heat-developable light-sensitive material; and (c) heat developing the imagewise exposed and uniformly exposed heat-developable light-sensitive material to form a color image. The present invention also includes an apparatus for forming an image on a heat-developable color light-sensitive material by imagewise exposing the material, uniformly exposing at least a portion of the material, and developing the uniformly exposed and imagewise exposed material by application of heat to form a color image, the apparatus comprising: imagewise exposure means for imagewise exposing the heat-delvelopable positive color light-sensitive material; uniform exposure means for uniformly exposing at least a portion of the heat-developable light-sensitive material; transferring means for superposing an image-receiving sheet member onto the imagewise exposed and uniformly exposed heat-developable color light-sensitive material; and heating means for heating the superposed heat-developable light-sensitive material and the image-receiving sheet member, to develop a color image and transfer the image from the heat-developable light-sensitive material to the image-receiving sheet member. According to the invention, heat-developable materials can be used to reproduce originals having various gradations, or continuous-tone and on-off originals, simply and quickly.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Hara

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 06:13
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03C; G03C8/00; G03C8/40; G03C8/4013; G03C8/4093

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 126 words
An apparatus for forming an image on a heat-developable color light-sensitive material by imagewise exposing said material, uniformly exposing at least a portion of said material, and developing said uniformly exposed and imagewise exposed material by application of heat to form a color image, said apparatus comprising: imagewise exposure means for imagewise exposing said heat-developable color light-sensitive material; uniform exposure means for uniformly exposing at least a portion of said heat-developable light-sensitive material; transferring means for superposing an image-receiving sheet member onto said imagewise exposed and uniformly exposed heat-developable color light-sensitive material; and heating means for heating said superposed heat-developable light-sensitive material and said image-receiving sheet member, to develop a color image and transfer said image from said heat-developable light-sensitive material to said image-receiving sheet member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 126 words
An apparatus for forming an image on a heat-developable color light-sensitive material by imagewise exposing said material, uniformly exposing at least a portion of said material, and developing said uniformly exposed and imagewise exposed material by application of heat to form a color image, said apparatus comprising: imagewise exposure means for imagewise exposing said heat-developable color light-sensitive material; uniform exposure means for uniformly exposing at least a portion of said heat-developable light-sensitive material; transferring means for superposing an image-receiving sheet member onto said imagewise exposed and uniformly exposed heat-developable color light-sensitive material; and heating means for heating said superposed heat-developable light-sensitive material and said image-receiving sheet member, to develop a color image and transfer said image from said heat-developable light-sensitive material to said image-receiving sheet member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 44 words
The apparatus for forming an image as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises shutter means for selectively controlling said imagewise exposure and a uniform exposure controlling means cooperating with said shutter means adopted to control the extent of said uniform exposure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
The apparatus for forming an image as claimed in claim 1, further comprising wetting means for applying a liquid medium between said superposed image-receiving member and said imagewise exposed and uniformly exposed color light-sensitive material.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-08-27 1994-02-26 1994-08-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-08-27 1998-02-26 1998-08-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-08-27 2002-02-26 2002-08-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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