The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 1993
Filed:
Apr. 03, 1992
Kouji Inaishi, Okazaki, JP;
Naomichi Kobayashi, Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to an image recording method utilizing photosensitive microcapsules. These photosensitive microcapsules have characteristics of being rendered hardenable upon exposure. Further, only the hardenable photosensitive microcapsules can be hardened. In this image recording method, an optional image pattern is initially exposed to a photosensitive recording medium having thereon the photosensitive microcapsules for rendering only the exposed photosensitive microcapsules hardenable corresponding to the image pattern. Subsequently, the exposed photosensitive recording medium is heated to harden only the hardenable photosensitive microcapsules. Further, the photosensitive recording medium is entirely exposed again with light to render the unhardened photosensitive microcapsules hardenable. Finally, at the transferring step, the recording medium is superposed with a medium to be transferred such that the medium to be transferred is opposed to the surface of the recording medium having thereon the photosensitive microcapsules. Pressure and heat are applied to the recording medium and the medium to be transferred which are superposed with each other to transfer the contents in the unhardened hardenable photosensitive microcapsules onto the medium to be transferred as well as to harden the transferred contents to record an image on the medium to be transferred. According to this image recording method, an excellent image can be recorded on a medium to be transferred without causing the transferred contents to excessively soak into or repel from the medium to be transferred.