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:
Apr. 23, 1996
Filed:
May. 09, 1994
Robert M Biegler, Woodbury, MN (US);
Rosanne E Gronseth, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Robert J Ryther, St. Paul, MN (US);
Michael P Juaire, Maple Grove, MN (US);
John A Svendsen, Marine-on-St. Croix, MN (US);
Youngtzung Shih, North Oaks, MN (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A process for thermally developing a photothermographic media within an enclosed processor comprising the steps of transporting a photothermographic element with a latent image thereon to a thermal heating element comprising a rounded heating element such as a drum, placing said photothermographic media with a latent image into contact with said drum, heating said photothermographic media with a latent image thereon with said drum to generate a photothermographic media with a visible image thereon, then removing said media with a visible image thereon, said process comprising venting gas from at least two separate areas within said processor, said at least two areas including a first vent at a position above the axis of the heating drum, and a second vent at a position sufficiently near a point on the drum where the photothermographic media with a visible image thereon is removed from the drum so that at least some vapor material leaving said photothermographic media with a visible image thereon exits through said second vent.