Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

Eastman-kodak Company

Lawrence B Wallace

Aparna V Bhave

Robert A Yapel

Thomas M Milbourn

Daniel V Norton

Hans E Iverson

Mridula Nair

William Blake Kolb

Raymond J Kenney

Thomas M Smith

Takuzo Ishida

Karissa L Eckert

Paul G Skoug

Timothy J Edman

Bernard A Scheller

Glen A Jerry

Jerry L Warren

Barry M Brown

Kenneth W Metz

A photothermographic film and a method for making same is taught. The film includes a support, a photothermographic imaging layer coated on the support, and a complement film generally confining the photothermographic imaging layer between the support and the complement film. The complement film is applied to the photothermographic imaging layer prior to exposure of the photothermographic imaging layer. The complement film retains any volatile materials present in the photothermographic imaging layer generated when thermal energy is applied thereto to develop a latent image exposed on the photothermographic imaging layer.

Lamination of emissions prevention layer in photothermographic materials

A method and apparatus for continuously coating moving web and splices with a coating fluid. The system includes a slide coating die having a slide surface with at least one feed slot for extruding the coating fluid onto the moving web. The slide coating die defines a coating gap with the moving web. The coating gap is adjustable between a coating position and a splice coating position. A web guide is positioned to guide the moving web in a first direction past the slide coating die such that a coating bead of the coating fluid can be formed in the coating gap. A vacuum system is positioned to generate a reduced pressure condition along a lower surface of the slide coating die. The vacuum system defines a vacuum gap with the moving web. The vacuum gap is adjustable independent of the coating gap between a coating position and a splice coating position. A detector signals an increase in web thickness. A controller is functionally connected to the detector. The controller adjusts the coating gap and the vacuum gap to the splice coating position in response to an increase in web thickness in excess of a predetermined magnitude while maintaining a stable coating bead.

Web coating method and apparatus for continuous coating over splices

A method for reducing coating defects caused by strikethrough when simultaneously slide coating a first fluid layer, a second fluid layer, and a third fluid layer. The method includes preparing the first, second, and third fluids such that the first solute is incompatible with the second and third solutes and such that the first fluid minimizes strikethrough of at least one of the second and third fluids to a slide surface when the first fluid is positioned between the slide surface and the second and third fluids. The present invention is useful in preparing imaging, data storage, and other media.

Method for coating a plurality of fluid layers onto a substrate

High contrast thermographic and photothermographic materials comprise a barrier layer to prevent migration of diffusible by-products resulting from high temperature development. The barrier layer comprises a film-forming polymer(s) that reacts with or acts as a physical barrier to diffusible by-products resulting from development including formic acid, hydrazo compounds, azo compounds, diimide compounds, hydrazine, and water.

High contrast thermally-developable imaging materials containing barrier layer

A method and apparatus for coating a moving web with a coating fluid. The coating die has at least one feed slot for supplying the coating fluid to the moving web and a front face demarked from the at least one feed slot by a die edge. A guide mechanism guides the moving web in a first direction past the coating die such that a coating bead is formed in a gap between the moving web and the die edge. The spraying system sprays a cleaning fluid on at least a portion of the front face of the slide coating die such that the coating bead forms a substantially linear static wetting line on the front face of the coating die.

Die edge cleaning system

A method for minimizing coating defects caused by strikethrough when simultaneously slide coating a first fluid layer, a second fluid layer, and a third fluid layer. The method includes preparing the first, second, and third fluids such that the first solute is incompatible with the second and third solutes and such that the first fluid minimizes strikethrough of at least one of the second and third fluids to a slide surface when the first fluid is positioned between the slide surface and the second and third fluids. The present invention is useful in preparing imaging, data storage, and other media.

A method of microfinishing the edge of a die component includes polishing the edges after the die component is machined by known methods to finish the edges of the die component to a smoother finish than the rest of the die component. This eliminates the incidence of undesirable streaking defects in the coating. The polishing step can be lapping, vapor honing, or grit blasting. The edges are polished to a finish of less than 8 microinches.

Coater die edge finishing method

A method for minimizing waste resulting from defects caused at the edges of a coating on a substrate which was applied to the substrate by a slide coater. A first fluid flows through the first slot main portion at a first flow rate and through the first slot end portions at flow rates which differ from the first flow rate. A second fluid flows through a second slot onto a second slide surface positioned relative to the first slide surface and oriented such that the second coating fluid flows from the second slide surface onto the first coating fluid.

Method for minimizing waste when coating a fluid with a slide coater

The present invention provides an enclosure for a coating apparatus, the coating apparatus being of the type comprising a coater face adapted for the flow of a fluid thereover. The fluid flows over the coater face in the form of a film having one or more edges contacting the coating apparatus at one or more 'edge contact surfaces.' The enclosure defines a partially enclosed space above one or more of the edge contact surfaces. The atmosphere within the partially enclosed space can be at least partially saturated with solvent vapor to prevent or inhibit drying of coating fluid at the edge contact surfaces. Also, the enclosure has a shape that allows visibility of and access to a substantial portion of the coater face of the coating apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Newport, MN, United States of America

Lawrence B Wallace