Patent · US Expired

Method for making an image by direct thermal imaging

US5734411A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
3References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 8, 1994
Grant dateMar 31, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 8, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03C1/4989
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for making an image by means of a direct thermal imaging element, comprising on a support a thermosensitive layer incorporating an organic silver salt and a reducing agent contained in said thermosensitive layer and/or in other optional layers. The imaging element is imagewise heated by means of a thermal head having energizable heating elements. The activation of the heating elements is executed duty cycled pulsewise with the steps of preheating each heating element for a preheating time such that a preheat temperature in the imaging element is reached, which is just below the conversion temperature; selecting a pulse duty cycle such that a maximal density on the imaging element will be reached at the end of the maximal writing time; retrieving from a memory for each individual pixel an individual writing time related to a desired density on the imaging element; and energizing the heating elements with the selected pulse duty cycle for a time related to the retrieved individual writing time.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.