Processor for imaging media
AssigneeCarestream Health, Inc.
InventorsKent R. Struble, David J. McDaniel, Duane A. Preszler, Paul Stelzig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal processor including an oven and a cooling section. The oven is configured to heat an imaging media to a development temperature. The cooling section is configured to cool the imaging media from the development temperature to a desired exit temperature as imaging media moves along a transport path from an entrance to an exit. The cooling section provides a varying rate of heat transfer from the imaging media along the transport path so as to create a varying cooling temperature gradient in the imaging media substantially equal to and not exceeding a varying maximum cooling temperature gradient of imaging media.
Claims8
A thermal processor, comprising:
- an oven configured to heat an imaging media to a development temperature;
- and
- a cooling section configured to cool the imaging media from the development temperature to a desired exit temperature as the imaging media moves along a transport path from an entrance to an exit, wherein the cooling section is configured to provide a varying rate of heat transfer from the imaging media along the transport path so as to create a varying cooling temperature gradient in the imaging media substantially equal to and not exceeding a varying maximum cooling temperature gradient of the imaging media, wherein a thermal conductivity of the cooling section increases along the transport path from the entrance to the exit to vary the heat transfer rate thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.