Patent ID: 6340550
Filing Date: 2002-01-22
Classification: B41M,D06P,G03C,G03F

Abstract:
An imaging system, which comprises:a support having a front and rear surface, and at least one layer of radiation or heat sensitive microcapsules or at least one layer of radiation or heat sensitive microcapsules and developer in the same layer or at least one layer of radiation or heat sensitive microcapsules and developer in separate layers, on said front surface of the support, wherein the radiation or heat sensitive microcapsules or developer or radiation or heat sensitive microcapsules and developer are dispersed in a carrier which is capable of transferring and adhering developed image and non-image areas from said front surface of said support upon the application of heat energy to the rear surface of the support, said carrier strips from said front surface of the support by liquefying and releasing from said support when heated, said liquefied carrier providing adherence to a receptor element by flowing onto said receptor element and solidifying thereon, said adherence does not require an external adhesive layer, with the proviso that the carrier is not capable of reacting to form an image, and when the radiation or heat sensitive microcapsules are present together in the same layer as the carrier, the carrier has a particle size which is the same as or smaller than that of the radiation or heat sensitive microcapsules, wherein the carrier is cumulatively present in all layers on said support in an amount from about 15 g/m2 to about 30 g/m2, and wherein the carrier is capable of melting, flowing and transferring said image and non-image areas to the receptor at temperatures in the range of from more than 100Â° C. to about 180Â° C.