Imation Corporation

Carestream Health, Inc.

Eastman-Kodak Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

David J McDaniel

Kent R Struble

Duane A Preszler

Bradley B Rassatt

George G Lunde

Paul Stelzig

John J Allen

Robert M Biegler

James E Steffen

Donald J Goetzke

John M Nutter

John T Olson

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.

Processor for imaging media

A thermal processor includes an oven for thermally developing an imaging media which produces gaseous contaminants during development. The gaseous contaminants includes odorous portions and condensable portions which have a condensation temperature. A contaminant removal cartridge has a housing configured to couple to the oven, a heat exchanger, and a filter module. The heat exchanger receives from the oven at least a first air flow at a first temperature, wherein the first temperature is above the condensation temperature, and including gaseous contaminants. The heat exchanger cools the first air flow to a desired filtering temperature, which is below the condensation temperature, to condense and collect the condensable portion of the gaseous contaminants and form a filtering air flow. The filter module receives the filtering air flow, to collect the remaining condensed contaminants, and to absorb the odorous portion of the gaseous contaminants to form an exhaust air flow.

Thermal processor with contaminant removal cartridge

A thermal processor including a rotating drum including an internal heater configured to heat and maintain the drum at a desired set-point temperature, and a plurality of pressure rollers, including a first pressure roller, circumferentially spaced along a segment of the drum. A temperature sensor is configured to provide a temperature signal indicative of a temperature proximate to the first pressure roller. A controller is configured to adjust the desired set-point temperature based on the temperature signal.

Thermal processor with temperature compensation

An apparatus for cooling thermally processed media exiting from a thermal processor comprising: a heat conductive member which has first and second opposite sides which is positioned to receive media from a thermal processor, and which removes heat from the heated media as it passes over the first side of the member; and means for removing heat from the member by passing air in contact with and past the second side of the member to remove heat from the member.

Active cooling system for laser imager

A thermal processor having a contaminant removal system. The system includes a heated drum for heat developing exposed heat developable media which emit airborne contaminants during the development; a plurality of rollers located about a circumferential segment of the drum to hold an exposed media in contact with the drum; an enclosure for enclosing the heated drum and plurality of rollers, the enclosure including a first upper curved member spaced from and enclosing the rollers and the upper portion of the drum and a second lower curved member spaced from and enclosing the lower portion of the drum, the first and second curved members having first ends spaced from each other and defining a film entrance region, and further having second ends spaced from each other and defining a film exit region; wherein the first upper curved member includes a curved duct having a first opening above the rollers and a second opening configured to direct gaseous fluids away from the film exit from the drum. The system further includes a top condensation trap communicating with the second opening of the duct; a bottom condensation trap; and an air flow control system for drawing ambient air from outside the enclosure through the film entrance region, splitting the air flow into (a) a top flow stream which passes between the first member over the rollers, through the duct and through the top condensation trap where airborne contaminants are condensed and the air stream is cooled, and (b) a bottom flow stream which passes between the second member and the lower portion of the drum and through the bottom condensation trap where airborne contaminants are condensed and the bottom flow stream is cooled.

Contaminant removal system in a thermal processor

A thermographic imaging system in which exposed thermographic imaging media is moved along a path, apparatus comprising: a movable member of thermally conductive material located along said path, said member having a first dimension parallel to said path and a second dimension perpendicular to said path, said member having a first side which thermally contacts media moved along said path and a second opposite side, a first electrical heater in thermal contact with said second side of said member; a second electrical heater in thermal contact with said second side of said member, said second electrical heater having a plurality of separately activated segments extending in said first dimension, and a control for selectively activating said segments as media is moved along said path into contiguity with each said segments.

Segmented heated drum processor

An article for cooling an imaging material which has been heated to a first temperature by a thermal processor. The article includes a first cooling section on which the imaging material rides after the imaging material exits the thermal processor. The first cooling section is at a lower temperature than the first temperature. The first cooling section has a curved shape such that the imaging material is curved when riding on and being cooled by the first cooling section.

Article, apparatus and method for cooling a thermally processed material

A thermal processor and method for using the same which is particularly useful for developing a sheet of imaging material, such as photothermographic film. The thermal processor includes means for transporting the imaging material through the apparatus. The thermal processor also includes means for heating the imaging material to develop the image in the imaging material. The thermal processor also includes a fog reduction system which removes a gaseous by-product emitted from the imaging material which may cause fogging of the image as the image is developed on the imaging material.

Apparatus and method for thermally processing an imaging material

A thermal processor and method for using the same which is particularly useful for developing a sheet of imaging material, such as photothermographic film. The thermal processor including means for heating the imaging material which include a plurality of heated surfaces within the thermal processor. The thermal processor also includes means for transporting the imaging material through the thermal processor and means for bending the imaging material a plurality of times to have a plurality of curvatures and for positioning the imaging material adjacent to the plurality of heated surfaces when the imaging material is heated by the heating means.

A thermal processor particularly useful for developing a sheet of imaging material, such as photothermographic film. A thermal processor useful for thermally developing an image in an imaging material. At least a first roller and a second roller are positioned to contact the imaging material when the imaging material is transported into the thermal processor. A first heating means includes first and second curved, heated portions which wrap around a first circumferential portion of the first roller and the second roller to heat these rollers.

A thermal processor includes an air flow preventing means that substantially prevents the flow of air from a processor exit into a thermal processing compartment. The prevention of air flow reduces processing defects that otherwise could occur in sheets of thermally processed material handled by the thermal processor. The reduction of processing defects enhances the quality of the sheet of thermally processed material. In particular, the reduction of processing defects can enhance image quality of a sheet of photothermographic imaging material. The prevention of air flow reduces processing defects by maintaining a substantially uniform temperature within a thermal processing compartment of the thermal processor, and by reducing the condensation of fatty acids on interior surfaces of the thermal processing compartment prior to filtration.

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Vdnais Heights, MN, United States of America

David J McDaniel