Photothermographic processing system
AssigneeAgfa-Gevaert
InventorsLeo Oelbrandt, Karl Anthonissen, Marc De Niel, Martin De Kegelaer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for bringing a thermographic imaging element (11) to a desired temperature by means of thermal contact with a heating body (10, 30) which is at least filled with an accessory material in a first phase (15) and with said accessory material in a second phase (16) comprise pressure setting means (17, 18) for setting a desired pressure, energy means (19) for exchanging thermal energy with said heating body, detection means for detecting a phase or a phase transition of said accessory material, and relocation means for bringing said imaging element into contact with said heating body.
Claims7
A method for bringing an imaging element to a desired temperature wherein said element is placed in heat exchange relationship with a heat exchange material, said heat exchange material capable of existing in a first and a second phase, comprising the following steps:
- (i) bringing said heat exchange material to a desired pressure;
- (ii) supplying thermal energy to said heat exchange material or removing thermal energy therefrom;
- (iii) detecting a phase or phase transition of said heat exchange material;
- (iv) bringing said imaging element into heat exchange relationship with said heat exchange material;
- and
- (v) maintaining said imaging element in said heat exchange relationship until said imaging element reaches said desired temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.