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US 8,660,414 B2Granted
Thermal processor employing radiant heater
AssigneeCarestream Health, Inc.
InventorsRobert R. Brearey, John T. Olson, Kent R. Struble
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal processor including a rotatable hollow drum including a drum core having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and a radiant heater positioned within an interior of the drum and configured to provide radiant energy to heat the drum, wherein at least one radiant energy absorption characteristic of the interior of the drum varies across its longitudinal width Wd so that selected areas of the interior of the drum absorb more radiant energy than other areas of the interior of the drum so as to compensate for non-uniform heat loss from the drum and to provide the exterior surface of the drum core at a desired temperature which is substantially uniform across the longitudinal width of the drum core.
Claims14
A thermal processor, comprising:
- a rotatable hollow drum including a drum core having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- and
- a radiant heater positioned within an interior of the drum and configured to provide radiant energy to heat the drum, wherein at least one radiant energy absorption characteristic of the interior of the drum varies across its longitudinal width so that selected areas of the interior of the drum absorb more radiant energy than other areas of the interior of the drum to compensate for non-uniform heat loss from the drum and to provide the exterior surface of the drum core at a desired temperature which is substantially uniform across a longitudinal width of the drum core,
- wherein the at least one radiant energy absorption characteristic comprises an emissivity of the interior surface of the drum core, and wherein the emissivity of the interior surface of the drum core varies across the lateral width of the drum core;
- wherein the emissivity is greater at end portions of the interior surface of the drum core relative to a middle portion of the interior surface of the drum core;
- and wherein the end portions of the interior surface of the drum core are coated with a material that increases the emissivity of the end portions relative to the interior surface of the middle portion of the drum core.
3 more elements
A thermal processor, comprising:
- a rotatable hollow drum including a drum core having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- and
- a radiant heater positioned within an interior of the drum and configured to provide radiant energy to heat the drum, wherein at least one radiant energy absorption characteristic of the interior of the drum varies across its longitudinal width so that selected areas of the interior of the drum absorb more radiant energy than other areas of the interior of the drum to compensate for non-uniform heat loss from the drum and to provide the exterior surface of the drum core at a desired temperature which is substantially uniform across a longitudinal width of the drum core, wherein the at least one radiant energy absorption characteristic comprises a surface area of the interior surface of the drum core, and wherein the surface area per unit of length of the interior surface is varied across a longitudinal width of drum core.
A thermal processor, comprising:
- a rotatable hollow drum including a drum core having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- and
- a radiant heater positioned within an interior of the drum and configured to provide radiant energy to heat the drum, wherein at least one radiant energy absorption characteristic of the interior of the drum varies across its longitudinal width so that selected areas of the interior of the drum absorb more radiant energy than other areas of the interior of the drum to compensate for non-uniform heat loss from the drum and to provide the exterior surface of the drum core at a desired temperature which is substantially uniform across a longitudinal width of the drum core, wherein the drum includes end caps coupled to lateral ends of the drum core, and wherein reflective shields are coupled between drum core and end caps and positioned between the radiant heater and end caps to direct radiant energy from the end caps to the end portions of the drum core.
A thermal processor, comprising:
- a rotatable hollow drum including a drum core having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- and
- a radiant heater positioned within an interior of the drum and configured to provide radiant energy to heat the drum, wherein at least one radiant energy absorption characteristic of the interior of the drum varies across its longitudinal width so that selected areas of the interior of the drum absorb more radiant energy than other areas of the interior of the drum to compensate for non-uniform heat loss from the drum and to provide the exterior surface of the drum core at a desired temperature which is substantially uniform across a longitudinal width of the drum core;
- and
- a temperature sensor mounted to and extending about a circumference of the interior of the middle portion of the drum core, wherein the temperature sensor is coated with a material having an emissivity less than an emissivity of the interior surface of the middle portion of the drum core.
2 more elements
A thermal processor for thermally developing photothermographic film, comprising:
- a rotatable hollow drum including a drum core having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- a radiant heater positioned within an interior of the drum and configured to provide radiant energy to heat the drum;
- and
- a temperature sensor mounted to an extending about a circumference of a middle portion of the interior surface of the drum core and having opposing ends which are offset from and overlapping one another, wherein the temperature sensor is embedded within an insulating material, and wherein the insulating material facing the interior of the drum core has an overcoat layer with an emissivity less than that of interior surface of the middle portion of the drum core.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.