Claims
- 1. An imaging process comprising:
- providing an imaging member comprising a substrate, a substantially electrically insulating softenable layer, a fracturable layer of migration marking material contiguous the surface of and contacting the softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate, said softenable layer capable of having its resistance to migration of migration marking material decreased sufficiently to allow migration of migration marking material in depth in said softenable material, and
- providing an electically conductive member contacting the surface of said softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate; either said conductive member of said substrate and said softenable layers being at least partially transparent to said activating electromagnetic radiation set forth below;
- electrically latently imaging said imaging member by imagewise exposing said member through the transparent side thereof to activating electromagnetic radiation and electrically connecting said electrically conductive member to a first electrical potential and contacting the substrate to ground or to an electrical potential different from the first electrical potential, said imagewise exposure and electrically connecting steps being substantially simultaneous, and
- developing said imaged member by decreasing the resistance to migration of migration marking material in depth in said softenable layer, said development step occurring after said imagewise exposure begins.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the softenable layer is of a thickness in the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns, and the migration marking material is of average particle size not greater than about 2 microns.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein said fracturable layer is of a thickness in the range between about 0.01 microns and about 2 microns.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation.
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive member is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is electrically conductive.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is substantially electrically insulating and said member is electrically latently imaged while said insulating substrate is substantially everywhere contacting a conductive member which is electrically grounded or electrically connected to the opposite pole of the source of electrical potential.
- 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the imaging member comprising the substrate, softenable layer and migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.
- 9. The process of claim 8 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.
- 10. The process of claim 8 wherein the softenable layer comprises electrically photosensitive softenable material.
- 11. The process of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive member comprises a composite member comprising an electrically conductive member overlying a layer of material which is more insulating than the electrically conductive portion of the composite member, and said more insulating layer contacts the surface of the softenable layer.
- 12. The process of claim 11 wherein said more insulating layer is of a thickness not greater than about 75 microns.
- 13. The process of claim 11 wherein said more insulating layer comprises an insulating liquid.
- 14. The process of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive member is in a shape corresponding to the desired electrical latent image.
- 15. The process of claim 1 wherein said softenable layer and said supporting substrate are separate members and are brought into contact with each other.
- 16. The process of claim 1 wherein said softenable layer and said conductive member are separate members and are brought into contact with each other.
- 17. The process of claim 13 wherein said electrically conductive member is coated with said liquid layer, the surface of the softenable layer is brought into contact with said liquid layer and then separated from said liquid layers.
- 18. An imaging process comprising:
- providing an imaging member comprising a substrate, a substantially electrically insulating softenable layer containing migration marking material, said softenable layer capable of having its resistance to migration of migration marking material decreased sufficienty to allow migration of migration marking material in depth in said softenable material, and
- providing an electrically conductive member contacting the surface of said softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate, either said conductive member or said substrate and softenable layers being at least partially transparent to said activating electromagnetic radiation set forth below;
- electrically latently imaging said imaging member by imagewise exposing said member through the transparent side thereof to activating electromagnetic radiation and electrically connecting said electrically conductive member to a first electrical potential and contacting the substrate to ground or to an electrical potential different from the first electrical potential, said imagewise exposure and electrically connecting steps being substantially simultaneous, and
- developing said imaged member by softening said softenable layer at least sufficient to allow imagewise migration of migration marking material at least in depth in said softenable layer.
- 19. An imaging process comprising:
- providing an imaging member comprising a substrate, a substantially electrically insulating softenable layer containing migration marking material, said softenable layer capable of having its resistance to migration of migration marking material decreased sufficiently to allow migration of migration marking material in depth in said softenable material, and
- providing an electrically conductive member contacting the surface of said softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate; either said conductive member or said substrate and said softenable layers being at least partially transparent to said activating electromagnetic radiation set forth below;
- electrically latently imaging said imaging member by imagewise exposing said member through the transparent side thereof to activating electromagnetic radiation and electrically connecting said electrically conductive member to a first electrical potential and contacting the substrate to ground or to an electrical potential different from the first electrical potential, said imagewise exposure and electrically connecting steps being substantially simultaneous, and
- developing said imaged member by removing the softenable material and unmigrated material by contacting the imaged member with a solvent liquid which dissolves said softenable layer and washes away said unmigrated material, said development step occurring after said imagewise exposure begins.
- 20. The imaging process of claim 1 wherein the resistance to migration is decreased by softening said softenable layer at least sufficient to allow imagewise migration of migration marking material at least in depth in said softenable layer.
- 21. The imaging process of claim 1 wherein the resistance to migration is decreased by applying a liquid solvent to said softenable layer which removes the softenable material and unmigrated material, and dissolves said softenable layer and washes away the unmigrated material.
- 22. The process of claim 18 wherein said migration marking material initially comprises a fracturable layer contiguous and contacting the surface of the softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate.
- 23. The process of claim 22 wherein said fracturable layer is of a thickness in the range between about 0.01 micron and about 2 microns.
- 24. The process of claim 18 wherein the migration marking material is initially dispersed throughout said softenable layer.
- 25. The process of claim 18 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation.
- 26. The process of claim 18 wherein said electrically conductive member is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation.
- 27. The process of claim 18 wherein said substrate is electrically conductive.
- 28. The process of claim 18 wherein said substrate is substantially electrically insulating and said member is electrically latently imaged while said insulating substrate is substantially everywhere contacting a conductive member which is electrically grounded or electrically connected to the opposite pole of the source of electrical potential.
- 29. The process of claim 18 wherein the imaging member comprising the substrate, softenable layer and migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.
- 30. The process of claim 29 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.
- 31. The process of claim 29 wherein the softenable layer comprises electrically photosensitive softenable material.
- 32. The process of claim 18 wherein the electrically conductive member comprises a composite member comprising an electrically conductive member overlying a layer of material which is more insulating than the electrically conductive portion of the composite member, and said more insulating layer contacts the surface of the softenable layer.
- 33. The process of claim 32 wherein said more insulating layer is of a thickness not greater than about 75 microns.
- 34. The process of claim 32 wherein said more insulating layer comprises an insulating liquid.
- 35. The process of claim 18 wherein said softenable layer and said conductive member are separate members and are brought into contact with each other.
- 36. The process of claim 34 wherein said electrically conductive member is coated with said liquid layer, the surface of the softenable layer is brought into contact with said liquid layer and then separated from said liquid layers.
- 37. The process of claim 19 wherein the softenable layer is of a thickness in the range between about 1/2 and about 16 microns, and the migration marking material is of average particle size not greater than about 2 microns.
- 38. The process of claim 19 wherein said migration marking material initially comprises a fracturable layer contiguous and contacting the surface of the softenable layer spaced apart from the substrate.
- 39. The process of claim 38 wherein said fracturable layer is of a thickness in the range between about 0.01 microns and about 2 microns.
- 40. The process of claim 19 wherein the migration marking material is initially dispersed throughout said softenable layer.
- 41. The process of claim 19 wherein said substrate is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation.
- 42. The process of claim 19 wherein said electrically conductive member is sufficiently transparent to transmit activating electromagnetic radiation.
- 43. The process of claim 19 wherein said substrate is electrically conductive.
- 44. The process of claim 19 wherein said substrate is substantially electrically insulating and said member is electrically latently imaged while said insulating substrate is substantially everywhere contacting a conductive member which is electrically grounded or electrically connected to the opposite pole of the source of electrical potential.
- 45. The process of claim 19 wherein the imaging member comprising the substrate, softenable layer and migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.
- 46. The process of claim 45 wherein said migration marking material comprises electrically photosensitive material.
- 47. The process of claim 45 wherein the softenable layer comprises electrically photosensitive softenable material.
- 48. The process of claim 19 wherein the electrically conductive member comprises a composite member comprising an electrically conductive member overlying a layer of material which is more insulating than the electrically conductive portion of the composite member, and said more insulating layer contacts the surface of the softenable layer.
- 49. The process of claim 48 wherein said more insulating layer is of a thickness not greater than about 75 microns.
- 50. The process of claim 48 wherein said more insulating layer comprises an insulating liquid.
- 51. The process of claim 19 wherein said softenable layer and said supporting substrate are separate members and are brought into contact with each other.
- 52. The process of claim 19 wherein said softenable layer and said conductive member are separate members and are brought into contact with each other.
- 53. The process of claim 50 wherein said electrically conductive member is coated with said liquid layer, the surface of the softenable layer is brought into contact with said liquid layer and then separated from said liquid layers.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending U.S. patent applications (1) Ser. No. 327, filed Jan. 2, 1970 now abandoned; (2) Ser. No. 854,596, filed Sept. 2, 1969; (3) Ser. No. 837,780, filed June 30, 1969: and (4) Ser. No. 460,377, filed June 1, 1965 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,681. Application (1) is a continuation-in-part of my copending applications (2) and (3). Application (3) is a continuation-in-part of my applications (4), (5) Ser. No. 725,676, filed May 1, 1968, now abandoned, and (6) Ser. No. 483,675, filed Aug. 30, 1965; application (5) being a continuation-in-part of (4) and (6) and application Ser. No. 403,002, filed Oct. 12, 1964 (403,002 pending when (5) was filed but 403,002 now abandoned); (4) and (6) both being continuations-in-part of 403,002.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
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7,504 |
Oct 1965 |
AE |
Related Publications (8)
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Date |
Country |
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854596 |
Sep 1969 |
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837780 |
Jun 1969 |
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460377 |
Jun 1965 |
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725676 |
May 1968 |
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483675 |
Aug 1965 |
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483675 |
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403002 |
Aug 1964 |
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483675 |
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Continuation in Parts (5)
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Parent |
327 |
Jan 1970 |
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854596 |
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Parent |
460377 |
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Parent |
460377 |
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Parent |
403002 |
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