Processor for imaging media

US8203584B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carestream Health, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Kent R. Struble · Woodbury, US
• David J. McDaniel · Vadnais Heights, US
• Duane A. Preszler · River Falls, US
• Paul Stelzig · Ham Lake, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 23, 2011
• Grant date: Jun 19, 2012
• Expiry date: Mar 23, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03D13/002
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A thermal processor including an oven and a cooling section. The oven is configured to heat an imaging media to a development temperature. The cooling section is configured to cool the imaging media from the development temperature to a desired exit temperature as imaging media moves along a transport path from an entrance to an exit. The cooling section provides a varying rate of heat transfer from the imaging media along the transport path so as to create a varying cooling temperature gradient in the imaging media substantially equal to and not exceeding a varying maximum cooling temperature gradient of imaging media.