Thermal processing drum

A drum for thermally developing an image in an imaging media having a development temperature, comprising:

• two lamp heaters, each heater positioned in a direction along the axis of the drum, one heater comprising a center filament and the other heater comprising two end/zone filaments;
• a first partition plate disposed along the axis of the drum at or near an end of the center filament, substantially perpendicular to the axis of the drum, the first partition plate including a first cone-shaped portion extending in a first direction along the axis of the drum;
• and
• a second partition plate disposed along the axis of the drum, substantially perpendicular to the axis of the drum, the second partition plate including a second cone-shaped portion extending in a second direction along the axis of the drum.

A drum for thermally developing an image in an imaging media having a development temperature, comprising:

• a first lamp heater disposed within a first and second end zone of the drum;
• a second lamp heater disposed within a central zone of the drum, the central zone located intermediate the first and second end zones, each of the two lamp heaters positioned in a direction along the axis of the drum;
• a first partition plate disposed along the axis of the drum, positioned at or within a transition region between the first end zone and the central zone, the first partition plate including a first cone-shaped portion extending in a first direction along the axis of the drum;
• and
• a second partition plate disposed along the axis of the drum, positioned at or within a transition region between the second end zone and the central zone, the second partition plate including a second cone-shaped portion extending in a second direction along the axis of the drum, opposite the first direction.

A cylindrical drum for processing a thermal image medium, the drum having an axis of rotation and comprising:

• first and second end plates that each extend orthogonally to the axis of rotation and enclose an inner core of the drum;
• first, second, and third lamp heaters, each within the core and each extending in the direction of the axis of rotation, wherein the first lamp heater heats a first heat zone within the core, the second lamp heater heats a second heat zone within the core, and the third lamp heater heats a third heat zone within the core;
• and
• at least one partition plate that defines a boundary between the first and the second heat zones within the core, the partition plate extending orthogonally to the axis of rotation.

A cylindrical drum for processing a thermal image medium, the drum having an axis of rotation and comprising:

• first and second end plates that each extend orthogonally to the axis of rotation and enclose an inner core of the drum;
• first and second inner partition plates disposed along the axis of rotation, defining a first zone in the inner core lying between the first partition plate and the first end plate, a second zone in the inner core lying between the second partition plate and the second end plate, and a middle zone in the inner core lying between the first and second partition plates;
• a first lamp heater positioned within the first zone;
• a second lamp heater positioned within the second zone;
• a third lamp heater positioned within the middle zone;
• and
• a heater control configured to independently energize the first, second, and third lamp heaters.