Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Microcapsule – process – composition – or product
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2001-04-17
McPherson, John A. (Department: 1756)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Microcapsule, process, composition, or product
C430S256000, C430S257000, C430S293000, C430S945000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06218068
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording method using a monochrome or multicolor transfer type light- and heat-sensitive material which can be used with various light sources of the range from ultraviolet to infrared. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image recording method which can be applied to color proofs or the like, and in which high recording speed can be realized, and an inexpensive writing laser can be used because materials having excellent sensitivity are used.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various dry-type image recording methods, in which a liquid developer and the like are not used, have been studied. As a direct image forming method, a method using a photocurable composition has attracted attention, and such methods are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 3-87827, 4-211252 and the like. On the other hand, as a method of forming images by transfer, methods in which a predetermined color component in a recording material is moved (transferred) to an image receiving material by using a thermal head, a laser, or the like, have been studied.
The method using a photocurable composition is characterized in that a photocurable composition contained in a recording material is cured by exposure to light to form a latent image. A component, which is contained in the unexposed portion in the recording material and reacted upon the color forming reaction or decolorizing reaction by being heated, moves within the recording material and forms a color image. When the above-described recording material is used, the recording material is exposed to light which has passed through an original image. The exposed portion is cured to form a latent image. Then the recording material is heated and the component, which is contained in the uncured portion (the unexposed portion) and reacted upon the color reaction or decolorizing reaction, moves to form a visible image.
A perfect dry system free of waste products can be realized with this method.
These recording materials can be applied to various applications. However, in all of these applications, images are recorded by only UV light or short wave visible light, and compact and inexpensive infrared lasers as well as light of the range from green to red cannot be used. Further, although these recording materials can be used in various applications, it is difficult to reproduce an image on a desired support in accordance with applications only by this method.
Examples of the recording method by transfer include a method in which a recording material containing a sublimation type dye and a binder is employed, a method in which a heat-melting recording layer, containing a pigment, a dye and a binder, is transferred, and the like.
Among the aforementioned methods, in the method using a sublimation-type dye, the sharpness and durability of the image are inferior. In the method using the heat melting recording layer, the heat sensitivity of the heat-melting recording layer is high and the heat-melting recording layer is inexpensive, but there have been problems with regard to gradation reproduction and color reproduction. Accordingly, there has been desired a recording material which can be obtained by a simple process and has excellent sensitivity and excellent image reproduction. In particular, there has been desired a transfer type recording material which can be used with color proofs or the like, and which has high sharpness and excellent hue reproduction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording method using a transfer system which image recording method is such that, in a completely dry processing system in which a developer or the like is not required, laser light of the range from blue to red or a compact and inexpensive infrared laser or the like can be used, and an image with high sensitivity, high sharpness, excellent hue reproduction, and high quality can be formed.
The present inventors have found the inventions disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-36308 (which is incorporated herein by reference) for a black-and-white or color light- and heat-sensitive recording material in which an image can be recorded by using a small and inexpensive infrared laser or laser light of the range from blue to red, and an image with high sensitivity, high contrast, and high image quality can be formed. The present inventors arrived at the present invention by discovering that by using the aforementioned material in a transfer system, an image with high sensitivity, high sharpness and high image quality, which has excellent color reproduction and which can be used as a color proof, can be formed.
Namely, the image recording method of the present invention comprises the steps of (a) providing a light- and heat-sensitive transfer material, the material comprising: (i) a support, (ii) a light- and heat-sensitive layer on the support, wherein the light- and heat-sensitive layer includes a color forming component; and (iii) a heat-bonding layer on the light- and heat-sensitive layer; (b) irradiating the light- and heat-sensitive transfer material with light to form a latent image; (c) placing an image receiving material in surface contact with the light- and heat-sensitive transfer material; (d) heating the materials, wherein color forming components form color in accordance with the latent image so as to form an image; (e) removing the support to transfer the light- and heat-sensitive transfer layer to the image receiving material; and (f) irradiating the light- and heat-sensitive transfer layer with light to fix the image.
Here, as the light-and heat-sensitive transfer layer, a multicolor light- and heat-sensitive material comprises a plurality of light- and heat-sensitive transfer layers, wherein the layers contain color forming components that form colors of different hues.
In a case of using the multicolor light- and heat-sensitive transfer material having a plurality of light- and heat-sensitive transfer layers, in the step of irradiating the light- and heat-sensitive transfer material with light to form a latent image, latent images are formed on all of the light- and heat-sensitive transfer layers, and thereafter the steps of placing an image receiving material, heating the materials, removing the support, and irradiating the light- and heat-sensitive transfer layer with light to fix the image, are carried out in that order. In a case of using a plurality of light- and heat-sensitive transfer material which have light- and heat-sensitive transfer layers which have different color forming hues with light (for example, a first and second light- and heat-sensitive transfer materials are used), the above steps (b), (c) and (d) are conducted for the first light- and heat-sensitive transfer material, steps (b), (c) and (d) are conducted for the second light- and heat-sensitive transfer material, and thereafter step (e) is conducted for the first and second light- and heat-sensitive transfer materials.
Here, the light- and heat-sensitive transfer material includes a plurality of light- and heat-sensitive transfer layers having color forming hues of black, cyan, magenta, yellow.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A detailed description will be given hereinafter of an image recording method of the present invention and a light- and heat-sensitive recording material which is appropriately used in the method.
The light- and heat-sensitive recording material used with the image recording method of the present invention is a light- and heat-sensitive transfer material which is formed by laminating on a support a light- and heat-sensitive transfer layer and a heat-bonding layer in that order. Other known layers, for example, a protective layer, an intermediate layer, a UV absorption layer and the like may be provided at any positions as long as the support, the light- and heat-sensitive transfer layer and the heat-bonding layer are disposed in that order. When
Tanaka Toshiharu
Washizu Shintaro
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
McPherson John A.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
LandOfFree
Image recording method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image recording method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image recording method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2534073