US5614340A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Migration imaging, optionally with dyes or pigments to effect bleaching
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
•
Filing: 1993-09-27
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Granted: 1997-03-25
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Expires: 2013-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A bleachable composition, including an acid photogenerator and a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment, is utilized in a method of migration imaging to prevent unwanted absorptions. This composition can be incorporated either in the thermoplastic imaging surface layer of the imaging element, in the marking particles applied to the element, or both. Alternatively, the components of the bleachable composition can be separated with one in the thermoplastic imaging surface layer and the other in the marking particles. After the imaging element is marked and exposed with near-infrared radiation, the bleachable composition caused exposed portions of the imaging element to be bleached. If further bleaching is needed, the element can subsequently be exposed with near-ultraviolet radiation. A migration imaging method, which does not employ the bleachable composition of the present invention, wherein marking particles are magnetically attracted to the imaging element, is also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Douglas E. Bugner
- 👤 William Mey
- 👤 Dennis R. Kamp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:00
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G17/00; G03G17/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element comprising a thermoplastic imaging surface layer, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element; exposing the imaging element in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern; and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein a bleachable composition comprising an acid photogenerator and a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye, or pigment which undergoes bleaching, during said exposing, is present in the marking particles; or both said thermoplastic imaging surface layer and the marking particles; or the acid photogenerator is in the marking particles and the near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment is in said thermoplastic imaging surface layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element comprising a thermoplastic imaging surface layer, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element; exposing the imaging element in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern; and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein a bleachable composition comprising an acid photogenerator and a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye, or pigment which undergoes bleaching, during said exposing, is present in the marking particles; or both said thermoplastic imaging surface layer and the marking particles; or the acid photogenerator is in the marking particles and the near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment is in said thermoplastic imaging surface layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the marking particles contain the bleachable composition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein both said thermoplastic imaging surface layer and the marking particles contain the bleachable composition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the acid photogenerator is in the marking particles and the near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment is in said thermoplastic imaging surface layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the acid photogenerator is an aromatic onium salt selected from the group consisting of aryl halonium salts, aryl phosphonium salts, aryl arsenonium salts, aryl sulfonium salts, aryl selenonium salts, aryl diazonium salts, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the acid photogenerator is selected from the group consisting of triphenylsulfonium and di-4-t-butylphenyl)iodonium hexafluorophosphates and trifluoromethanesulfonates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment is selected from the group consisting of 3,3'-diethyl-thiatricarbocyanine iodide, cryptocyanine, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising: exposing said thermoplastic imaging surface layer with near-ultraviolet radiation after said removing to effect further bleaching of said near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the bleachable composition further comprises a near-ultraviolet radiation sensitizer and said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is exposed with near-ultraviolet radiation after said removing to effect further bleaching of said near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic imaging surface layer or the marking particles contain 0.1 to 20% of said near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment, 1.0 to 60% of said acid photogenerator, 0 to 20% of a near-ultraviolet radiation sensitizer, and a thermoplastic binder being the balance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the acid photogenerator is selected from the group consisting of aromatic onium salts selected from the group consisting of Group Va, Group VIa, and Group VIIa elements, diazonium salts and 6-substituted-2,4-bis-(trichloromethyl)-5-triazines having the structure ##STR10## wherein R represents ##STR11##
Claim 13
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element with a thermoplastic imaging surface layer, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element magnetically or both magnetically and electrostatically; exposing the imaging clement in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein both the marking particles and the thermoplastic imaging surface layer comprise: an acid photogenerator comprising an aromatic onium salt selected from the group consisting of aryl halonium salts, aryl phosphonium salts, aryl arsenonium salts, aryl sulfonium salts, aryl selenonium salts, aryl diazonium salts, and mixtures thereof and a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element with a thermoplastic imaging surface layer, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element magnetically or both magnetically and electrostatically; exposing the imaging clement in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein both the marking particles and the thermoplastic imaging surface layer comprise: an acid photogenerator comprising an aromatic onium salt selected from the group consisting of aryl halonium salts, aryl phosphonium salts, aryl arsenonium salts, aryl sulfonium salts, aryl selenonium salts, aryl diazonium salts, and mixtures thereof and a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein said attracting is achieved magnetically.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said conductive layer further comprises a soft magnetic material, and said attracting is achieved magnetically and electrostatically.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element with a thermoplastic imaging surface layer comprising: an acid photogenerator comprising an aromatic onium salt selected from the group consisting of aryl halonium salts, aryl phosphonium salts, aryl arsenonium salts, aryl sulfonium salts, aryl selenonium salts, aryl diazonium salts, and mixtures thereof, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein the marking particles comprise a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element magnetically; or both magnetically and electrostatically; exposing the imaging element in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern; and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element with a thermoplastic imaging surface layer comprising: an acid photogenerator comprising an aromatic onium salt selected from the group consisting of aryl halonium salts, aryl phosphonium salts, aryl arsenonium salts, aryl sulfonium salts, aryl selenonium salts, aryl diazonium salts, and mixtures thereof, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein the marking particles comprise a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element magnetically; or both magnetically and electrostatically; exposing the imaging element in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern; and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said attracting is achieved magnetically.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said conductive layer further comprises a soft magnetic material and said attracting is achieved magnetically and electrostatically.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element with a thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein said thermoplastic imaging surface layer comprises: a thermoplastic binder selected from the group consisting of polycarbonates, polyesters, polyolefins, phenolic resins, paraffins, polystyrenes, and mixtures thereof, an acid photogenerator comprising an aromatic onium salt selected from the group consisting of aryl halonium salts, aryl phosphonium salts, aryl arsenonium salts, aryl sulfonium salts, aryl selenonium salts, aryl diazonium salts, and mixtures thereof; and a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element magnetically; or magnetically and electrostatically; exposing said imaging element in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern; and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of migration imaging using an imaging element with a thermoplastic imaging surface layer, wherein said thermoplastic imaging surface layer comprises: a thermoplastic binder selected from the group consisting of polycarbonates, polyesters, polyolefins, phenolic resins, paraffins, polystyrenes, and mixtures thereof, an acid photogenerator comprising an aromatic onium salt selected from the group consisting of aryl halonium salts, aryl phosphonium salts, aryl arsenonium salts, aryl sulfonium salts, aryl selenonium salts, aryl diazonium salts, and mixtures thereof; and a near-infrared radiation-absorbing dye or pigment, said method comprising: depositing marking particles as a substantially continuous layer on said thermoplastic imaging surface layer; attracting the marking particles to said imaging element magnetically; or magnetically and electrostatically; exposing said imaging element in an imagewise pattern with near-infrared radiation, whereby said thermoplastic imaging surface layer is heated so that the marking particles addressed by said exposing migrate into said thermoplastic imaging surface layer to form an imagewise pattern; and removing unaddressed marking particles from said thermoplastic imaging surface layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said conductive layer further comprises a soft magnetic material, and said attracting is achieved magnetically and electrostatically.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said attracting is achieved magnetically.
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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) | 2000-03-24 | 2000-09-23 | 2001-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-03-24 | 2004-09-23 | 2005-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-03-24 | 2008-09-23 | 2009-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |