Patent US5574493A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5574493A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum collection system for dye-ablation printing process
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1994-03-11
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Granted: 1996-11-12
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Expires: 2014-03-11
Abstract
Abstract An ablated materials collection apparatus for a laser dye ablation printing process includes a set of walls to define a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the walls on the crosstrack side of the vacuum chamber away from areas of the recording element already written and on the intrack side of the vacuum chamber downstream with respect to the direction of scan. A heat source for the vacuum chamber inhibits adherence of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum chamber, and a solvent application prevents buildup of ablated material on surfaces of the vacuum chamber. An electrostatic air cleaner and a carbon filter clean the discharge air. The wall set defines a semicylindrical end surface which substantially conforms to the cylindrical shape of the platen surface to thereby form a close fit with the platen surface such that the platen surface forms a wall of the vacuum chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt M. Sanger
- 👤 Lee W. Tutt
- 👤 James B. Geist
- 👤 Seung H. Baek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:05
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J29/00; B41J29/17; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, and a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, said opening being on the crosstrack side of the vacuum chamber away from areas of the recording element already written, whereby the ablated material is drawn over unwritten portions of the recording element and blow back of ablated materials onto previously written areas is inhibited.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, and a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, said opening being on the crosstrack side of the vacuum chamber away from areas of the recording element already written, whereby the ablated material is drawn over unwritten portions of the recording element and blow back of ablated materials onto previously written areas is inhibited.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, and a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, said opening being on the intrack side of the vacuum chamber downstream with respect to the direction of scan to take full advantage of scan velocity.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, and a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, said opening being on the intrack side of the vacuum chamber downstream with respect to the direction of scan to take full advantage of scan velocity.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, whereby the ablated material is drawn from the vacuum chamber, and a heat source adapted to apply heat to the vacuum chamber, whereby adherence of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum chamber is inhibited.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, whereby the ablated material is drawn from the vacuum chamber, and a heat source adapted to apply heat to the vacuum chamber, whereby adherence of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum chamber is inhibited.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said heat source is an electrically resistive element attached in heat conductive contact with the wall means of the vacuum chamber.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
115 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, whereby the ablated material is drawn from the vacuum chamber, and means for applying a solvent into the vacuum chamber, whereby buildup of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum chamber is inhibited.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
115 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: wall means for defining a vacuum chamber open towards the platen surface, a vacuum source which communicates with the vacuum chamber through an opening in the wall means, whereby the ablated material is drawn from the vacuum chamber, and means for applying a solvent into the vacuum chamber, whereby buildup of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum chamber is inhibited.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising a vacuum source on the crosstrack side of the vacuum chamber away from areas of the recording element already written, whereby the ablated material is dram over unwritten portions of the recording element and blow back of ablated materials onto previously written areas is inhibited.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising a vacuum source on the crosstrack side of the vacuum chamber away from areas of the recording element already written, whereby the ablated material is dram over unwritten portions of the recording element and blow back of ablated materials onto previously written areas is inhibited.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
100 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising a vacuum source on the intrack side of the radiation source downstream with respect to the direction of scan to take full advantage of scan velocity.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
100 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; means for raster scanning in a crosstrack direction and an intrack direction the recording element with radiation from the source; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising a vacuum source on the intrack side of the radiation source downstream with respect to the direction of scan to take full advantage of scan velocity.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: a vacuum tube for drawing the ablated material away from the platen, and a heat source adapted to apply heat to the vacuum tube, whereby adherence of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum tube is inhibited.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: a vacuum tube for drawing the ablated material away from the platen, and a heat source adapted to apply heat to the vacuum tube, whereby adherence of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum tube is inhibited.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said heat source is an electrically resistive element attached in heat conductive contact with the vacuum tube.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
87 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: a vacuum opening for drawing ablated material from the platen, and means for applying a solvent into the vacuum opening, whereby buildup of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum opening is inhibited.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
87 words
An apparatus for a printing process, said apparatus comprising: a platen having a surface for receiving an ablation materials recording element; a source of high energy radiation adapted to selectively irradiate portions of the received recording element to drive off the ablated materials from the recording element; and an ablated materials collection apparatus comprising: a vacuum opening for drawing ablated material from the platen, and means for applying a solvent into the vacuum opening, whereby buildup of ablated material to surfaces of the vacuum opening is inhibited.
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) | 1999-11-12 | 2000-05-13 | 2000-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-11-12 | 2004-05-13 | 2004-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-11-12 | 2008-05-13 | 2008-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |