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:
Jan. 18, 1994
Filed:
Nov. 30, 1992
Edward L Dedio, Pittsford, NY (US);
Gordon D Young, Macedon, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A photothermographic element comprising a photosensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt and a reducing agent in concentrations such that imagewise exposure to actinic radiation generates from the silver halide a catalyst which accelerates an image-forming reaction between the organic silver salt and the reducing agent is processed by a method comprising the steps of (1) imagewise-exposing the element to actinic radiation to form a latent image therein, (2) subjecting the imagewise-exposed element to a first heating step at a temperature and for a time sufficient to intensify the latent image but insufficient to produce a visible image, and thereafter (3) subjecting the element to a second heating step at a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce a visible image. This method of 'thermal latensification' serves to greatly reduce the significant speed losses that were heretofore encountered with photothermographic elements when considerable time was allowed to lapse between exposure to actinic radiation and generation of the visible image by heating.