3m Innovative Properties Company

Eastman-kodak Company

Carestream Health, Inc.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

James C Vanous

Justin M Johnson

Paul C Schubert

Donald R Battles

Robert D Lorentz

Lori-Ann S Prioleau

Thomas C Geisler

Steven J Perron

Mark C Skinner

Brinda B Badri

Jacob D Chatterton

Thomas J Kub

Darlene F Stewart

Bryan V Hunt

Arnold B Dammermann

Steven H Kong

Badri Veeraraghavan

Bert A Munthe

Robert L Rydeen

Robert R Brearey

Arnold J Alderman

Thomas J Lundgren

A wetness sensor includes a substrate that carries a tuned RF circuit. The circuit includes a conductive pattern applied to the substrate, a capacitor, and a jumper all disposed on a same side of the substrate. The conductive pattern includes an inductive coil, and an inner and outer terminus. The jumper electrically couples the inner terminus to the outer terminus. The jumper also includes a frangible link which, when contacted by a target fluid, produces a drastic change in the operation of the RF circuit. The drastic change can be interpreted by a remote reader as a 'wet' condition. Contact of the frangible link by the target fluid may change the impedance or resistance of the RF circuit by at least a factor of 5, 10, 100, or more, and/or may cause the frangible link to disintegrate to produce an open circuit, and/or may substantially render the RF circuit inoperative.

Wetness sensor using RF circuit with frangible link

A wetness sensor includes a self-supporting substrate and an electrically conductive trace carried by the substrate. The trace is patterned to provide at least a portion of a tuned RF circuit, which may be disposed on only one side of the substrate and characterized by an impedance or resistance. The trace is not self-supporting. The substrate is adapted to dissolve, swell, or otherwise degrade when contacted by a target fluid. Such degradation produces a drastic change in the operation of the RF circuit, which can be interpreted by a remote reader as a 'wet' condition. Contact of the substrate by the target fluid may change the impedance or resistance of the RF circuit by at least a factor of 5, 10, 100, or 1000, and/or may cause the trace to disintegrate so as to provide the RF circuit with an open circuit, and/or may substantially render the RF circuit inoperative.

Wetness sensors

A photothermographic material having a Dmin and Dmax optical density. The material includes a support having hereon one or more thermally-developable imaging layers which are developable to produce an image when the photothermographic material is thermally processed; and an area disposed along a length of at least one edge of the photothermographic material, wherein the area has an optical density less than the Dmax and greater than the Dmin of the photothermographic material.

Thermally developable imaging material

A thermal processor for thermally developing an image in an imaging material. The processor includes an oven, at least one rotatable member positioned within oven, and a sleeve adapted to slideably fit over and selectively couple to at least a portion of the rotatable member. The sleeve has an exterior surface coated with a layer of polymer material and is positioned such that the layer of polymer material contacts and transports the imaging material through the oven as the at least one rotatable member rotates.

Thermal processor employing replaceable sleeve

The present invention provides a spectrally sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition which displays uniform image density across its surface when exposed to floodlight or uniform incandescent light exposure at radiation wavelengths to which the element is sensitive, said element comprising at least two layers, including a top layer and a photothermographic emulsion layer, said photothermographic emulsion layer comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive silver halide grains, wherein the coherent radiation is rendered more diffuse in its passage through the element than when it strikes the top layer. This may be accomplished at least in part by 1) the top layer of the element having haze induced therein of 0.05 to 30% by surface modification of that layer, 2) there being a random refractive pattern on the top layer, 3) haze being induced in the silver halide containing layer, 4) the reflective characteristics of a surface of the support layer facing the photothermographic composition have been altered to reduce reflection of coherent radiation into said composition, and/or 5) having a radiation absorbing material contained within the photothermographic element to decrease light reflected off of the support.

Photothermographic element with reduced woodgrain interference patterns

The present invention provides a spectrally sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition which displays uniform image density across its surface when exposed to floodlight or uniform incandescent light exposure at radiation wavelengths to which the element is sensitive, said element comprising at least two layers, including a top layer and a photothermographic emulsion layer, said photothermographic emulsion layer comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive silver halide grains, wherein the coherent radiation is rendered more diffuse in its passage through the element than when it strikes the top layer. This may be accomplished at least in part by 1) the top layer of the element having haze induced therein of 0.05 to 306 by surface modification of that layer, 2) there being a random refractive pattern on the top layer, 3) haze being induced in the silver halide containing layer, 4) the reflective characteristics of a surface of the support layer facing the photothermographic composition have been altered to reduce reflection of coherent radiation into said composition, and/or 5) having a radiation absorbing material contained within the photothermographic element to decrease light reflected off of the support.

A film removal mechanism to aid in removing film from a thermal drum processor. The film removal mechanism includes a body having a thin, film removal edge, wherein the body extends longitudinally along the drum surface in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of drum rotation. At least a portion of the film removal edge contacts the drum surface. A mechanism is provided for coupling the body to the thermal drum processor.

Film removal mechanism for use with a thermal drum processor system

A receive magazine for collecting and transporting sheets of exposed photographic media. The receive magazine includes an elongated, light-tight enclosure having front and back walls, top and bottom walls, and first and second end walls. Sheets of media are gravity fed into the magazine entrance through a collection door on the top wall of the enclosure. The collection door includes a media-receiving slot, a shutter and a spring for biasing the shutter to a normally closed, light-tight position over the slot. A lower downwardly sloping resilient member mounted to the front wall engages the sheets as they are inserted into the magazine and forces the sheets into a vertically stacked arrangement against the back wall of the enclosure, away from the entrance. A ramp surface on the back wall guides sheets being inserted over previously collected sheets. A compound curved surface on the back wall of the enclosure below the ramp surface arcs the sheets to minimize contact during insertion. Collected sheets of media can be removed from the magazine through a retrieve door on the front wall.

Film receive magazine for a laser imager

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MN, United States of America

James C Vanous