Patent ID: 6146028
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: G03D

Abstract:
An apparatus for cooling a thermally processed, imaging material which has been heated to a first temperature by a thermal processor, the cooling apparatus comprising:an imaging material conveyance device associated with said thermal processor;a cooling article on which the imaging material rides after the imaging material exits the thermal processor at the first temperature, the cooling article having a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature so as to cool the imaging material; andan imaging material transport mechanism adjacent the cooling article for engaging the imaging material to convey the imaging material over the cooling article, the transport mechanism including:a first roller;a second roller;a displacement mechanism for effecting relative movement between the first and second rollers, such that in a first position of the first and second rollers, the first and second rollers engage the imaging material to convey the imaging material over the cooling article, and in a second position of the first and second rollers the imaging material is substantially freely movable relative to the first and second rollers; andcontrol means for controlling said imaging material conveyance device and said imaging material transport mechanism: (1) to transport said imaging material over said cooling article using only said imaging material conveyance device, said displacement mechanism being in said second position; (2) to further transport said imaging material over said cooling article using both said imaging material conveyance device and said imaging material transport mechanism, said displacement mechanism being in said first position; and (3) to additionally transport said imaging material over said cooling article using only said imaging material transport mechanism, said displacement mechanism being in said first position.