Flash device for transferring a dye matrix

Abstract: The invention relates to a flash device, preferably for transferring a dye matrix which by means of a high-energy light flash is transferred from a radiation-absorbing carrier film by interleaving a mask (10) onto a receiver element (11). This requires substantially perpendicular irradiation of the transfer plane (9) with a high-energy radiation and a high uniformity of irradiance distribution of the light flash. To achieve this, one or two linearly extending plasma discharge tubes (2, 2') are provided which to concentrate radiation are enclosed by two separate aspheric-cylindrical reflectors (3, 3'), the concentrated radiation being directed through a lamellar louver element (4) arranged downstream of the reflector and impinging on the predetermined transfer plane (9) in a substantially parallel and perpendicular manner.

Description: The invention relates to a flash device for directing high-energy light flash to a dye transfer plane by transferring dye particles from a radiation-absorbing carrier film which is provided with a sublimeable dye layer through a mask onto a receiver element, e.g. glass plate or the like. A prerequisite for a obtaining a high quality of such color patterns, e. g. when producing color video display screens, is a high uniformity of pixel density across the entire receiver plate. Apart from this macro-uniformity behavior, uniformity of optical density of the individual pixel elements and their crisp pixel edges are important parameters to increase the resolution of the color patterns produced. Uniformity and edge crispness of the transferred pixels is reached by substantially homogeneous light distribution and the impingement of parallel radiation, perpendicular through a mask, onto the receiver element, that is to say by uniform distribution of irradiance and perpendicular light incidence. From DE-OS 23 47 287 and EP-PS 0 101 014 electronic flash devices are known whose reflectors are designed such that a variation of the light emitting angle and a uniform illumination of the receiver surface are possible. CH-PS 636 714 discloses an electrostatic copier having a flash lamp whose reflector distributes the radiation of the lamp as uniform as possible onto a surface to be fused, thereby heating toner powder to melt. A copier described in DE-OS 25 11 423 discloses an quartz iodine lamp which is arranged in one of the focal axes of an elliptic cylinder-shaped reflector. The opposite focal axis of the reflector is to coincide as exactly as possible with the surface of an image carrier and the toner layer coated thereon so that the toner layer is fused due to the radiant energy absorbed. The EP-A-0 422 383 discloses a scanning apparatus with a light unit movable across the entire exposure frame and with a bulky collimator having a honeycomb array of parallel open-ended cells which are separated by thick walls for directing the light. A disadvantage of the above mentioned arrangements is that neither a parallel nor a perpendicular light incidence onto the predetermined receiver or transfer plane is obtained. Moreover, no high-energy light flash having a high radiant output can be produced on a relatively large receiver surface corresponding, for example, to a medium-sized video display screen. It is the object of the present invention to provide a flash device of the initially mentioned type, preferably for transferring a dye matrix, permitting substantially perpendicualar irradiation of a predetermined transfer plane with high irradiance and a high uniformity of irradiance distribution. The object is attained in accordance with the features of claim 1. The above arrangement is particularly advantageous in that a cost-effective and quick manufacture of the individual reflectors having complex curves of intersection is possible and a large surface of the transfer plane - as, for example, required for the manufacture of a dye matrix for a display surface of medium-sized video monitors - is illuminated according to the object of the present application. In another advantageous embodiment of the invention the curvatures of the two reflector areas are formed in accordance with a curve of intersection which directs the light emitted by the plasma discharge tubes substantially perpendicular onto a lamellar louver element formed by a film absorbing light in response to the incidence angle, said film including parallel microlouvers arranged perpendicular and at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the plasma discharge tubes and perpendicular to the transfer plane. As a result, the film acting as a louver element absorbs only the amount of light which is not perpendicularly directed thereon. Due to the particular curvatures of the reflectors and the covering of the reflector openings by the louver element consisting of a light-absorbing film, a uniformity of irradiance in the transfer plane of more than 90% can be reached. Surprisingly, the above object can also be obtained in that a steel band is used as a louver element. This embodiment of the invention has the advantage that the flash frequency of the plasma discharge tubes can be increased because a steel band shows better heat dissipation properties. For further improving the uniformity of the irradiance in the predetermined transfer plane and for obtaining an almost perpendicular irradiation of the transfer plane, the plasma discharge tubes can be adjusted horizontally and vertically by means of micrometric screws located at right angles on the lateral exterior walls. Advantageously, the micrometric screws may also be actuated by stepper motors controlled by a microcomputer. Thus, a maximum of uniformity of irradiance in the transfer plane is guaranteed. Further advantageous developments of the invention are characterized by the features disclosed in the subclaims. A preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawing. Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of the flash device, Fig. 2 shows a top view of the flash device according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows an axonometric representation of a louver element and Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a different louver element. In a housing 1 enclosing the flash device to aspheric-cylindrical reflectors 3, 3' consisting of an aluminum alloy are arranged as separate blocks in which parallel to their surface lines are placed one rod-shaped plasma discharge tube each having a preferable tube diameter of 8 mm. A shell 7 slid over the plasma discharge tube is enclosed by a frame 8 which is located at the lateral exterior walls of the reflectors 3, 3' and which, in turn, is surrounded by an additional frame 8'. Threads 20 of a micrometric screw 6a, 6b engage with one side each of the frames 8 and 8', said screw being arranged on each of the two lateral exterior walls 21 for each of the plasma discharge tubes 2, 2'. Adjustment and checking of the correct alignment of the plasma discharge tubes 2, 2' in the reflectors 3, 3' is effected by means of a CCD camera (not illustrated) which is aligned with respect to the transfer plane 9 and by means of which the intensity of illumination in the transfer plane 9 is converted into an electrical signal and fed to a microcomputer. The microcomputer compares between a stored illumination value and the measured value and defines a signal used, for example, for microcomputer-controlled adjustment of the micrometric screws 6a, 6b driven by stepper motors. In a simplified form, as shown in Fig. 1, the micrometric screws 6a, 6b are adjusted manually. A metal frame 12 covering the two reflectors 3, 3' carry the lamellar louver element 4 which in a first embodiment of the invention consists of a radiation-absorbing polymer film in which radiation-absorbing sections acting in the same manner as the microlouvers 4' are incorporated. The microlouvers 4' are arranged parallel to each other as well as perpendicular and at right angles with respect to the longitudinal axes 14, 14' of the plasma discharge tubes 2, 2' and normal to the transfer plane 9. Laterally impinging light, for example, is effectively reduced by said film 4 in that the light is absorbed within the blackened areal film sections (microlouvers), that is to say, the greater the light incidence angle deviates from an angle of 90° the greater is the absorption. To remove the heat produced thereby air is blown through the air vents 15 and 16 provided in housing 1 which then escapes through the ventilating ducts arranged on the rear sides of the reflectors 3, 3'. The uniform illumination of the given transfer plane 9 by means of perpendicular light incidence 22 and high irradiation intensity requires a number of microlouvers 4' (Fig. 3) in the radiation-absorbing polymer film which depends on the size of the transfer plane. When optimized, a spacing between ween the individual microlouvers of 0.1 to 0.3 mm will result for a 150 x 300 mm sized transfer surface at a film thickness of 0.75 mm. Each of the reflectors 3, 3' are covered by a highly shockproof and highly transparent Synsil Registered trademark No. 785 442 quartz plate 5 so as to prevent the emission of particles into the clean room required for performing the method if the plasma tube explodes. In a further embodiment of the invention (Fig. 4) the louver element 4 consists of a steel band 4" which is held under tension in a meander-like shape in a frame 12 such that it takes a position perpendicular and at right angles to the longitudinal axes 14, 14' of the plasma discharge tubes 2, 2'. The individual sections thereof thus formed extend parallel to one another. The illumination of the given transfer plane 9 which requires perpendicular light incidence and a high irradiance level necessitates with regard to the size of the transfer plane already described 75 to 80 sections at a thickness of the steel band of 0.05 mm and a height of 6 mm. The tensile load is 25 newton per section. At a distance "A" from the reflector housing 1 a mask 17 is located at the transfer plane 9. Beneath said mask a radiation-absorbing carrier film 10 provided with the sublimeable dye layer is arranged and a receiver element 11 is positioned underneath said carrier film. Ignition of the plasma discharge tubes is effected by means of a power supply which is not described in detail and delivers an approximately rectangualar 5 kilojoule pulse with a duration t < 1.0 ms. The light emitted by the tubes 2, 2' is reflected substantially parallel or with a maximum deviation from the normal to the reflecting surface of less than 10° onto the polyester film, acting as a louver element 4 and including microlouvers 4' or a steel band 4'', by the smooth reflective surfaces of the reflectors 3, 3' having a curve of intersection which is defined according to the function wherein R = 47,96 mm A k = - 1,198 D = - 0,62 x 10 -7 E = 2,92 x 10 -11 F = - 1,2 x 10 -15 In this way, overheating of the polyester film or the reflectors due to radiation absorption is prevented and a parallel and perpendicular light incidence onto the transfer plane 9 achieved, the uniformity of the illumination intensity being raised to more than 90 %. The light flash impinging on the mask 17 located in the transfer plane 9 dissolves the dye layer in the areas of the carrier film 10 not covered by the mask and transfers the dye onto the receiver element 11 which in the embodiment is a glass plate. The flash device described thus permits the manufacture of a dye matrix on a surface of the transfer plane 9 of at least 300 x 600 mm in which edge crispness and high uniformity of the pixels transferred onto the receiver element 11 are achieved.

Claims: Flash device for directing high-energy flash light to a dye transfer plane by transferring dye particles from a radiation-absorbing layer provided with a sublimable dye layer through a mask onto a receiver element, e.g. a glass plate or the like, said device including at least one linearly extending plasma discharge tube (2, 2') surrounded by aspheric-cylindrical reflectors (3, 3') for concentrating the radiation, the concentrated radiation being parallelly directed by a lamellar louver element (4) arranged downstream of the reflectors and impinging on a predetermined transfer plane (9) in a substantially perpendicular manner, characterized in that said at least one plasma discharge tube (3, 3') is arranged for delivering a flash light of an approximately rectangular 5 kilojoule pulse with a duration t < 1,0 ms and that the reflectors (3, 3') have a reflective surface with a curvature according to the formula: wherein : R = 47,96 mm A k = -1,198 D = - 0,62 x 10 -7 E = 2,92 x 10 -11 F = - 1,2 x 10 -15 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lamellar louver element (4) includes a light absorbing film having microlouvers (4') arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular and at right angles to the longitudinal axes (14, 14') of the plasma discharge tubes (2, 2') and perpendicular to the transfer plane (9). Device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the film forming the louver element (4) is mounted in a frame (12) covering both reflectors, and in that the microlouvers (4') in the film are arranged in spaced relation to one another so that a unifcrmity of irradiance on the transfer plane (9) of more than 90 % is reached. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lamellar louver element (4) is formed of a steel band (4'') having absorbing surfaces, and in that the steel band (4'') is arranged perpendicular and at right angles to the longitudinal axes (14, 14') of the plasma discharge tubes (2, 2') and perpendicular to the transfer plane (9). Device according to claims 1 thru 4, characterized in that the steel band (4'') is held under tension in a frame (12) in a meander-shaped manner, in that the frame covers the two reflectors, and in that the individual sections of the meandering steel band are arranged parallel and in spaced relation to one another so that a uniformity of irradiance on the transfer plane (9) of more than 90 % is reached. Device according to claims 1 thru 5, characterized in that in the main sections of the aspheric-cylindrical reflectors (3, 3') are designed such that lamp radiation is directed almost perpendicular onto the lamellar louver element (4). Device according to claims 1 thru 6, characterized in that for horizontal and vertical adjustment of the plasma discharge tubes two micrometric screws (6a, 6b) are provided which are arranged at right angles on the two lateral exterior walls of the reflectors, the micrometric screws acting on one of the frames (8, 81) defining the holding means of the plasma discharge tube. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the micrometric screws are actuated by stepper motors connected to a microcomputer. Device according to claims 1 thru 8, characterized in that the reflectors (3, 3') are covered by a highly transmissive and shock-proof quartz glass plate (5).

Inventors: GERICKE VOLKER, KOSANKE OLAF, STAIGER ULRICH, THIEL REINHOLD, GERICKE, VOLKER, KOSANKE, OLAF, STAIGER, ULRICH, THIEL, REINHOLD, Gericke, Volker, c/o KODAK Aktiengesellschaft, Kosanke, Olaf, c/o KODAK Aktiengesellschaft, Staiger, Ulrich, c/o KODAK Aktiengesellschaft, Thiel, Reinhold, c/o KODAK Aktiengesellschaft
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, KODAK AG, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, KODAK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G03B27
IPC codes: G03B27