US4965591A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recording with polymer liquid crystal recording medium
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1988-09-07
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Granted: 1990-10-23
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Expires: 2008-09-07
Abstract
Abstract A recording medium having a recording layer comprising a polymer liquid crystal is used for multivalue recording by using at least two different liquid crystal phases at least two levels of locally different liquid crystal proportion, or thicknesswise difference in an optical variable, such as transmittance a reflectance, generally through controlled heating and cooling. In effecting the recording, two heating sources may suitably be used, one for imagewise heating and the other for supplemental heating.
Inventors
- 👤 Yutaka Kurabayashi
- 👤 Toshikazu Ohnishi
- 👤 Kazuo Yoshinaga
- 👤 Akihiro Mouri
- 👤 Kazuo Isaka
- 👤 Shuzo Kaneko
- 👤 Takeo Eguchi
- 👤 Yomishi Toshida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 00:52
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/24; G11B7/241; G11B7/242; G11B7/244; G11B7/25; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/132; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/133365; G11B7/004; G11B7/0055; G11B7/00555; G11B7/245; G11B7/246; G11B7/2467; G11B7/247; G11B7/252; G11B7/253; G11B7/2531; G11B7/2533; G11B7/2535; G11B7/258; G11B7/2585
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A recording apparatus, including: a recording medium comprising a polymer liquid crystal layer capable of assuming a transparent state or an opaque state; first heating means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature below the isotropic transition temperature of the polymer liquid crystal layer; and second heating means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature above the isotropic transition temperature, thereby forming a written part therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
A recording apparatus, including: a recording medium comprising a polymer liquid crystal layer capable of assuming a transparent state or an opaque state; first heating means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature below the isotropic transition temperature of the polymer liquid crystal layer; and second heating means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature above the isotropic transition temperature, thereby forming a written part therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A recording apparatus, including: a polymer liquid crystal layer capable of assuming a transparent state or an opaque state; and means for controlling the liquid crystal proportion in the thickness direction of the polymer liquid crystal layer in accordance with given gradation data to form record portions having at least two optical density levels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
A recording apparatus, including: a polymer liquid crystal layer capable of assuming a transparent state or an opaque state; and means for controlling the liquid crystal proportion in the thickness direction of the polymer liquid crystal layer in accordance with given gradation data to form record portions having at least two optical density levels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquid crystal proportion of the polymer liquid crystal is controlled by modulating a light beam applied to the recording layer for writing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquid crystal proportion of the polymer liquid crystal is controlled by modulating a heat flux supplied from a thermal head to the recording layer for writing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the heat flux from the thermal head is modulated by controlling a voltage value or a voltage pulse duration applied to the thermal head.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said polymer liquid crystal layer has a thickness of 1-100 ∥m.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said controlling means controls the liquid crystal proportion by heating the polymer liquid crystal above the isotropic transition temperature, then holding the polymer liquid crystal at a temperature below the isotropic transition temperature for a time, and controlling the temperature and the time for holding the polymer liquid crystal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises third heating means for erasing the written part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
123 words
A recording apparatus, comprising: a recording medium comprising a polymer liquid crystal layer capable of assuming a transparent state or an opaque state; first heating means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature in a range from a temperature which is at the mid-point between room temperature and a phase transition temperature for writing, to a temperature which is the lower of a temperature 2-5° C. below the phase transition temperature and a temperature which is lower than the phase transition temperature by 1/10 of the temperature difference between the phase transition temperature and room temperature; and second means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature above the phase transition temperature, thereby forming a written part therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
123 words
A recording apparatus, comprising: a recording medium comprising a polymer liquid crystal layer capable of assuming a transparent state or an opaque state; first heating means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature in a range from a temperature which is at the mid-point between room temperature and a phase transition temperature for writing, to a temperature which is the lower of a temperature 2-5° C. below the phase transition temperature and a temperature which is lower than the phase transition temperature by 1/10 of the temperature difference between the phase transition temperature and room temperature; and second means for heating the polymer liquid crystal layer to a temperature above the phase transition temperature, thereby forming a written part therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, which further comprises third heating means for erasing the written part.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US4702945A
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US4810868A
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EP0231857A2
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-10-22 | 1994-04-23 | 1994-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-10-22 | 1998-04-23 | 1998-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-10-22 | 2002-04-23 | 2002-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |