Patent ID: 6890691
Filing Date: 2005-05-10
Classification: B23K,B41J,B41M,G02B,G02F

Abstract:
1. A process for adjusting the focus of an imaging laser for imaging a thermally imageable element comprises the steps of: (a) providing an imaging unit having a non-imaging laser and an imaging laser, the non-imaging laser having a light detector which is in communication with the imaging laser; (b) contacting a receiver element with the thermally imageable element in the imaging unit, the thermally imageable element comprising a thermally imageable layer on a front side of a base element and a light attenuated layer on a back side of the base element comprising a light attenuating agent; (c) actuating the non-imaging laser to expose the thermally imageable element and the receiver element to an amount of light energy sufficient for the light detector to detect the amount of light reflected from the light attenuated layer of the thermally imageable element and the receiver element; and (d) actuating the imaging laser to focus the imaging laser in order to expose the thermally imageable element to an amount of light energy sufficient for imaging the thermally imageable element, the focus of light energy being determined by the amount of light reflected from the light attenuated layer of the thermally imageable element and communicated to the imaging laser by the light detector.