Claims
- 1. A thermal imaging process comprising, in order, the steps of:
- a) bringing a donor layer of a donor element into face to face relationship with a receiving layer of a receiving element to obtain an assemblage,
- b) image-wise heating the assemblage, thereby causing image-wise transfer of an amount of a thermotransferable reducing agent and an amount of a thermotransferable toning agent to said receiving element, the amount of transferred reducing agent and toning agent being proportional to the amount of heat supplied,
- c) separating said donor element from said receiving element, and
- d) overall heating said receiving element, wherein
- (i) said donor element comprises on a support, (a) a donor layer comprising a binder, a thermotransferable reducing agent which is capable of reducing a silver source to metallic silver upon heating, and a thermotransferable toning agent and (b) on a side of the support opposite a side comprising said donor layer, a heat-resistant backing layer, and
- (ii) said receiving element comprises said receiving layer on a support, said receiving layer comprising a silver source which is capable of being reduced by means of heat in the presence of a reducing agent.
- 2. A thermal imaging process according to claim 1 wherein said overall heating is performed by means of a heated roller.
- 3. A thermal imaging process according to claim 1 wherein said receiving element comprises a toning agent.
- 4. A thermal imaging process according to claim 1 wherein said image-wise heating is carried out by means of a thermal head.
- 5. A thermal imaging process according to claim 1, wherein the donor element has a thickness between 2 and 30 .mu.m.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
94200787 |
Mar 1994 |
EPX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/400,347, filed on Mar. 8, 1995.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
246832 |
Sep 1962 |
AUX |
0537975 |
Apr 1993 |
EPX |
0582144 |
Feb 1994 |
EPX |
2083726 |
Mar 1982 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
"Handbook of Imaging Materials" by A.S. Diamond, 1991, Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, Basel, HongKong, Chapter 11.1.1. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
400347 |
Mar 1995 |
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