Patent ID: 6116794
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: G03D

Abstract:
An apparatus for cooling a thermally processed, imaging material which has been heated to a first temperature by a thermal processor of the type having an imaging material conveyance device operating at an operational rate of speed, the cooling apparatus comprising:a cooling article on which imaging material rides after the imaging material exits a thermal processor at a first temperature, the cooling article having a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature so as to cool the imaging material; andimaging material transport means adjacent the cooling article for engaging the imaging material to convey the imaging material over the cooling article, the transport means operating at an operational rate of speed that is greater than an operational rate of speed of an imaging material conveyance device of the thermal processor so that said imaging material evenly contacts said cooling article to insure even cooling of said imaging material and to control the dimensional changes in said imaging material during cooling.