Photographic products for direct observation and optical projection, and photographic processes for their production and utilization

Claim 2

A VISUAL SHEET PRODUCT COMPRISING A VISUAL IMAGE STRATUM AND A LIGHT CONTROL STRATUM, SAID VISUAL IMAGE STRATUM BEING COMPOSED OF A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEDIUM SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS AND MATERIALS PRODUCED BY EXPOSING AND DEVELOPING PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS, SAID LIGHT CONTROL STRATUM BEING COMPOSED OF A MICROCRYSTALLINE MEDIUM HAVING A CRYSTALLINE STATE AND AN AMORPHIC STATE AS A FUNCTION OF THE ENERGY LEVEL OF SAID LIGHT CONTROL STRATUM, SAID CRYSTALLINE STATE BEING CHARACTERIZED BY UNIFORM DIFFUSE REFLECTION THROUGHOUT SAID LIGHT CONTROL STRATUM, SAID AMOR-. PHIC STATE BEING CHARACTERIZED BY UNIFORM OPTICAL CLARITY THROUGHOUT SAID LIGHT CONTROL STRATUM, WHEREBY, WHEN SAID MICROCRYSTALLINE MEDIUM IS IN SAID CRYSTALLINE STATE, SAID VISUAL IMAGE STRATUM IS PRESENTED IN AN OPAQUE FORMAT FOR OBSERVATION IN TERMS OF DIFFUSE LIGHT AND, WHEN SAID MICROCRYSTALLINE MEDIUM IS IN SAID AMORPHIC STATE, SAID VISUAL IMAGE IS PRESENTED IN A TRANSPARENT FORMAT FOR PROJECTION IN TERMS OF CONDENSED LIGHT.

Claim 3

The photographic product of claim 1 wherein said photographic medium is selected from the class consisting of silver halide material, ferric material, diazo material, bichromated material, photopolymerization material, photothermographic material and electroscopic material.

Claim 4

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum and a light control stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said liquid crystal medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said liquid crystal medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light.

Claim 5

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum and a light control stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said liquid crystal medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said liquid crystal medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light.

Claim 6

The photographic product of claim 2 wherein said photographic medium is selected from the class consisting of silver halide material, ferric material, diazo material, bichromated material, photopolymerization material, photothermographic material and electroscopic material.

Claim 7

The photographic product of claim 2 wherein said liquid crystal material is selected from the class consisting of smectic materials, nematic materials and cholesteric materials.

Claim 8

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum, a light control stratum, and a support stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a microcrystalline medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, said support stratum being optically clear, whereby, when said microcrystalline medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said microcrystalline medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light.

Claim 9

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum, a light control stratum, and a support stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a microcrystalline medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, said support stratum being optically clear, whereby, when said microcrystalline medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said microcrystalline medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light.

Claim 10

The visual sheet product of claIm 6 wherein said microcrystalline medium is a microcrystalline wax.

Claim 11

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum, a light control stratum, and a metallic reflecting stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a microcrystalline medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said microcrystalline medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for direct observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said microcrystalline medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light transmitted without diffusion through said visual image stratum and said optical control stratum to said reflecting stratum and from said reflecting stratum through said optical control stratum and said visual image stratum to a viewing screen.

Claim 12

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum, a light control stratum, and a metallic reflecting stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a microcrystalline medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said microcrystalline medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for direct observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said microcrystalline medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light transmitted without diffusion through said visual image stratum and said optical control stratum to said reflecting stratum and from said reflecting stratum through said optical control stratum and said visual image stratum to a viewing screen.

Claim 13

The visual product of claim 8 wherein said photographic medium is selected from the class consisting of silver halide material, ferric material, diazo material, bichromated material, photopolymerization material, photothermographic material and electroscopic material.

Claim 14

The visual product of claim 8 wherein said microcrystalline medium is a microcrystalline wax.

Claim 15

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum, a light control stratum, and a metallic reflecting stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said liquid crystal medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for direct observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said liquid crystal medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light transmitted without diffusion through said visual image stratum and from said optical control stratum to said reflecting stratum and from said reflecting stratum through said optical control stratum and said visual image stratum to a viewing screen.

Claim 16

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum, a light control stratum, and a metallic reflecting stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said liquid crystal medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for direct observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said liquid crystal medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light transmitted without diffusion through said visual image stratum and from said optical control stratum to said reflecting stratum and from said reflecting stratum through said optical control stratum and said visual image stratum to a viewing screen.

Claim 17

The visual product of claim 11 wherein said photographic medium is selected from the class consisting of silver halide material, ferric material, diazo material, bichromated material, photopolymerization material, photothermographic material and electroscopic material.

Claim 18

The visual product of claim 11 wherein said liquid crystal medium is selected from the class consisting of smectic, cholesteric and nematic materials.

Claim 19

A process for displaying optical images, said process comprising subjecting, to a first energy level and a second energy level, a laminated structure including a visual image stratum and a light control stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photographic materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, converting said liquid crystal medium to said crystalline state by subjection to said first energy level for presentation in an opaque format for direct observation in terms of diffuse light, and converting said liquid crystal to said amorphic state by subjection to said second energy level for presentation in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light.

Claim 20

A process for displaying optical images, said process comprising subjecting, to a first energy level and a second energy level, a laminated structure including a visual image stratum and a light control stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photographic materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, converting said liquid crystal medium to said crystalline state by subjection to said first energy level for presentation in an opaque format for direct observation in terms of diffuse light, and converting said liquid crystal to said amorphic state by subjection to said second energy level for presentation in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light.

Claim 21

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum and a light control stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said liquid crystal medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said light crystal medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light, said liquid crystal material being selected from the class consisting of smectic materials, nematic materials and cholesteric materials.

Claim 22

A visual sheet product comprising a visual image stratum and a light control stratum, said visual image stratum being composed of a photographic medium selected from the class consisting of photosensitive materials and materials produced by exposing and developing photosensitive materials, said light control stratum being composed of a liquid crystal medium having a crystalline state and an amorphic state as a function of the energy level of said light control stratum, said crystalline state being characterized by uniform diffuse reflection throughout said light control stratum, said amorphic state being characterized by uniform optical clarity throughout said light control stratum, whereby, when said liquid crystal medium is in said crystalline state, said visual image stratum is presented in an opaque format for observation in terms of diffuse light and, when said light crystal medium is in said amorphic state, said visual image is presented in a transparent format for projection in terms of condensed light, said liquid crystal material being selected from the class consisting of smectic materials, nematic materials and cholesteric materials.