Imaging Media Thermal Processor Gradient Cooling Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in photothermographic film processing is to achieve uniform heat transfer during development and cooling to prevent visual and physical artifacts such as non-uniform density and wrinkling, while increasing throughput in compact processors.
Innovation Solution
A thermal processor with a cooling section that varies heat transfer rates along a transport path by adjusting thermal conductivity and temperature levels to match the maximum cooling temperature gradient of the imaging media, minimizing cooling time without causing wrinkling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If active cooling is added by blowing air across the cooling plate to increase throughput, then cooling speed increases, but the processor size increases and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of the cooling plate by using a gradient structure where thermal conductivity varies across the plate surface. This allows different regions of the plate to transfer heat at different rates, enabling faster overall cooling without requiring additional active cooling components that would increase processor size
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate is segmented into multiple zones with different thermal conductivity characteristics. Each zone is designed to provide appropriate cooling intensity for its specific region, allowing the system to achieve high throughput cooling while maintaining a compact form factor without requiring a single large active cooling system
2Productivity
If the film is cooled too rapidly, then throughput increases, but contraction wrinkles occur causing visual and physical artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a gradient thermal conductivity structure in the cooling plate where the thermal conductivity parameter varies spatially. This creates different cooling rates in different regions of the film, preventing excessive cooling speed that would cause contraction wrinkles while still achieving high throughput by optimizing the overall cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the cooling plate are designed with different thermal conductivity properties to match the local cooling requirements of the film. This local optimization prevents wrinkles in critical areas while maintaining fast cooling overall, thus preserving image quality without sacrificing throughput
3Duration of action of moving object
If heat transfer is not uniform during development, then processing time decreases, but visual artifacts such as non-uniform density and streaking occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses gradient thermal conductivity in the cooling plate to create controlled non-uniform heat transfer patterns. By carefully designing the thermal conductivity gradient, the system achieves uniform cooling across the film while reducing overall processing time, preventing visual artifacts like non-uniform density and streaking
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for increased throughput in compact processors while maintaining high image quality by ensuring uniform cooling and preventing artifacts like wrinkling and uneven densities.
Implementation Method 1
heat is transferred from the heated film to the cooling plate
Implementation Method 2
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
Implementation Method 3
active cooling has been added by blowing air across the side of the plate opposite the side contacting the film to remove heat from the cooling plate
Data Source
AI summary
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.