Laser ablative imaging method

• US 5,633,119 A
• Filed: 03/21/1996
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Tutt, Lee W., Burberry, Mitchell S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schilling, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US08/620,715
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 430/201, 430/200, 430/330, 430/292, 430/324, 430/964, 503/227
• US Class Current: 430/292
• CPC Class Codes: B41C 1/1033 by laser or spark ablation
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/24 Ablative recording, e.g. by burning marks; Spark recording marking by high energetic means, e.g. by laser otherwise than burning or ablative removal B41M5/26; materials or methods for recording or reproduction by optical means G11B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/165 Thermal imaging composition

Abstract

A process of forming a single color image comprising:

a) imagewise exposing, by means of a laser, a dye-ablative recording element comprising a support having thereon, in order, a hydrophilic dye-receiving layer and a hydrophobic dye-barrier layer, at least one of the dye-receiving layer and the dye-barrier layer having an infrared-absorbing material therein or in a layer therebetween to absorb at a given wavelength of the laser used to expose the element, thereby imagewise heating the dye-barrier layer and causing it to ablate;

b) removing the ablated dye-barrier layer material;

c) contacting the imagewise-exposed element with an aqueous ink solution; and

d) drying the element to obtain a single color image in the ablative recording element.

Claims

1. A process of forming a single color image comprising:

a) imagewise exposing, by means of a laser, a dye-ablative recording element comprising a support having thereon, in order, a hydrophilic dye-receiving layer and a hydrophobic dye-barrier layer, at least one of said dye-receiving layer and said dye-barrier layer having an infrared-absorbing material therein or in a layer therebetween to absorb at a given wavelength of said laser used to expose said element, thereby imagewise heating said dye-barrier layer and causing it to ablate;

b) removing the ablated dye-barrier layer material;

c) contacting said imagewise-exposed element with an aqueous ink solution; and

d) drying said element to obtain a single color image in said ablative recording element.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said infrared-absorbing material is a dye which is contained in said dye-barrier layer.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said support is transparent.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said dye-receiving layer is gelatin.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said dye-receiving layer is xanthum gum.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein said dye-barrier layer is cellulose acetate propionate.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein said dye-barrier layer is nitrocellulose.