ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR COOLING A SHEET OF MATERIAL WHILE MINIMIZING WRINKLING AND CURLING WITHIN THE SHEET

Abstract: A cooling article (10) adapted for use with a thermal-processing apparatus for cooling a thermally-processable element after the element is heated by a heating member (12) within the thermal-processing apparatus (14). The cooling article can include a cooling plate (18) having a textured and/or perforated cooling surface (20) positionable relative to the heated member so that the sheet slides on the cooling surface.

Description: ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR COOLING A SHEET OF MATERIAL WHILE MINIMIZING WRINKLING AND CURLING WITHIN THE SHEET FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed generally to an apparatus and method for cooling heated sheets of material, and is directed more specifically to an apparatus and method for cooling sheets of material while minimizing the wrinkling within the sheets BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various medical, industrial, and graphic imaging applications require the production of very high quality images on sheets or lengths of photothermographic materials Sheets, lengths, and rolls of photothermographic mateπals are referred to as photothermographic elements An exposed photothermographic element is thermally processed, that is, heated by a heated member within a processing apparatus, to at least a threshold development temperature for a specific period of time to develop the image within the photothermographic element Subsequently, the photothermographic element must be cooled by a cooling member or apparatus within the processing apparatus to allow a user to hold the element while examining the developed image Photothermographic elements generally include an emulsion coated onto a paper base or backing, or polyester film base The emulsion coating, when heated, becomes soft and vulnerable to surface abrasions or marring, and delamination from the base during the transporting of the photothermographic element across components within the processing apparatus One known cause of these problems is the component within the processing apparatus which directs the sheet away from the heated member, such as a heated, rotating drum, and toward the cooling apparatus Like the emulsion coating, the polyester film base softens when heated In addition, the polyester film is susceptible to dimensional changes duπng heating and/or cooling Uncontrolled dimensional changes which occur during cooling can results in wπnkling, especially when the rate of cooling the photothermographic mateπal is increased Increasing the cooling rate within known processing apparatus can increase productivity and/or reduce the space needed for cooling But, increasing the cooling rate also can increase wrinkling One known apparatus and method for cooling includes a plurality of rotating nip rollers which withdraw the heat from each sheet after the sheet is processed by the heating component Because the sheet shrinks as it cools, the constraining ofthe sheet by the nip rollers can cause wrinkles in the sheet which significantly affect the image quality. As shown in Figure 1, opposing, diagonal wrinkles 2 in the polyester-film base 4 ofthe sheet 6 are caused by this constraint and appear like sloping branches of an evergreen tree Rollers present other problems First, rollers can be difficult to keep clean The emulsion 8 from the sheet 6, when heated, can gradually transfer from the sheet and build-up on the rollers which are not easily cleaned A build-up of emulsion 8 on the cooling surface can change the conductivity and cooling effectiveness of the rollers, and the build-up can retransfer to subsequent sheets Furthermore, known cooling rollers are not inexpensive and can include several parts to function smoothly, which adds complexity to the installation, cleaning, and repair ofthe rollers In addition to wrinkling and emulsion transfer, a heated and cooled sheet can suffer from excessive curling This can occur because the sheet is heated when on a curved surface such as a rotating drum As shown in Figure 1, a curl C in a sheet 6 of radiographic film (used for medical diagnoses) causes the sheet 6 to lift away from the lightbox 9 At the very least, this inconveniences the medical specialist who is attempting to examine the sheet 6 Like radiographic film sheets, image-setting sheets and other sheets can suffer from undesirable curling There is a need for a cooling apparatus or article and method which offers sufficient cooling productivity, cost-effectiveness, and ease of assembly and repair, but without causing an unacceptable amount of wrinkling and curling within the sheet base and scratches in the sheet base or emulsion In conjunction with this cooling apparatus or article, there is a need for a component which properly directs the sheet from the heating member to the cooling apparatus or article, but without delaminating or stripping the soft emulsion away from the base -j - SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a cooling article for cooling a thermally-processable imaging element after the element is heated by a heating means. The cooling article includes a cooling member having a cooling surface. The cooling surface is positioned relative to the heated means so that the element is transported from the heating means and slides on at least a portion ofthe cooling surface The cooling surface is perforated The cooling surface can be perforated such that between 50 and 75 percent of the cooling surface over which the element is transported is open, or such that between 55 to 70 percent ofthe cooling surface over which the element is transported is open, or such that approximately 63 percent ofthe cooling surface over which the element is transported is open Another embodiment includes a method for cooling a thermally-processable imaging element using the cooling article described in the first paragraph of this Summary Section after the element is heated by a heating means within a thermal- processing apparatus The method includes the step of directing the element across the cooling surface ofthe cooling member so that the element slides over at least a portion ofthe cooling surface The element can have a first side on which an imageable material is positioned The previously described directing step can include directing the first side in contact with the cooling surface Another embodiment ofthe present invention includes an apparatus for creating a visible image on an thermally-processed imaging element. The apparatus can include a thermal processing station for heating the imaging element to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient duration to develop the visible image A cooling member can have a cooling surface positioned relative to the thermal processing station, the cooling surface being perforated A directing means can be positioned relative to the thermal processing station and the cooling member for directing the imaging element from the thermal processing station to the cooling article such that the imaging element slides on at least a portion ofthe perforated cooling surface Another embodiment ofthe present invention includes an apparatus for creating a visible image on an imaging element employing the cooling article described in the first paragraph of this Summary Section. A housing can have an input station which can accept a container containing the imaging element. A transport means can be positioned within the housing and relative to the input station for transporting the imaging element within the housing. An exposure station can be positioned within the housing and relative to the transport means. The exposure station can receive the imaging element from the transport means and expose the imaging element to an image- wise pattern of light to create a first image on the imaging element. A thermal processing station can be positioned within the housing and relative to the transport means and the exposure station The thermal processing station can include a heating member which can receive the imaging element transported by the transport means from the exposure station and can heat the imaging element to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient duration to process the first image to the visible image Directing means can be positioned relative to the heating member for directing the imaging element from the heating member to the cooling article BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing advantages, construction, and operation of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a film sheet attached to a lightbox, Figure 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a cooling article positioned relative to a heated drum, Figure 3 is a side view of a photothermographic imager which includes the cooling article shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a perspective view of cooling system including another embodiment ofthe cooling article shown in Figures 2 and 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the perforated cooling article shown in Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a partial top view of the cooling article shown in Figures 4 and 5 DETAILED DESCRIPTION One embodiment of a cooling article 10 is shown in Figure 2 as receiving an element or sheet 6 of thermally-processable material from a heated drum 12, a form of heating member within the thermal-processing apparatus 14 The sheet 6 can be made of a backing or base 4 coated with a thermally-processable emulsion 8. Examples of the base 4 include paper, polyester film, or the like Examples ofthe emulsion 8 include silver halide-based, diazo, or the like Elements ofthe thermally-processable material, other than the sheet 6, can also be cooled by the cooling article 10, including elements fed into the thermal-processing apparatus in roll-form The cooling article 10 includes a cooling plate 18 having a top surface 20 on which the sheet 6 slides The cooling plate 18 can be flat and can be stationary By stationary, it is generally meant that the cooling plate 18 does not move while the sheet 6 slides over the cooling plate 18, unlike cooling nip rollers The cooling plate 18 is made of a thermally conductive material such as aluminum, copper, steel, or the like The cooling plate 18 withdraws heat from the sheet 6 to cool the sheet 6 to a sufficiently low temperature so that a user can pick up the sheet 6 to examine the thermally processed image The cooling plate 18 is shown as contacting the emulsion 8, although this is not necessary Using the cooling plate 18, the sheet 6 is cooled while relatively flat and without being constrained or compressed by, for example, cooling nip rollers This lack of constraint and pressure allows for consistent dimensional changes within the sheet 6 during cooling As a result, wrinkling, like that shown in Figure 1 , is reduced To prevent the cooling plate 18 from scratching or marring the emulsion 8, the top surface 20 of the cooling plate 18 is relatively smooth However, to control the cooling rate ofthe sheet 6, the top surface 20 is sufficiently textured This term, textured, is meant to refer to a surface which is not smooth The texture slows the cooling rate because the top surface 20, at any one instance, contacts only a portion of the sheet 6 sliding over the cooling plate 18 (i e , less than 100 percent contact) As a result, the top surface 20 withdraws the heat from the sheet 6 at a slower rate than if the top surface 20 had not been textured This slower cooling rate reduces the curling ofthe sheet 6 which can occur because the sheet 6 was heated while contacting the curved surface of the heated drum 12 A texture which causes the top surface 20 to contact approximately 20-80 percent of the portion of the sheet 6 sliding over the cooling plate 18 compromises the reduction of marring ofthe emulsion 8 with the reduction ofthe curling ofthe sheet 6 A texture which causes the top surface to contact approximately 40-70 percent more finely compromises the reduction of marring and curling A texture which causes the top surface to contact approximately 50-65 percent even more finely compromises the reduction of marring and curling The texture ofthe top surface 20 has other beneficial effects For example, when the emulsion 8 is heated, gases can be formed and be released from the emulsion 8 When the emulsion 8 is contacting the top surface 20, the gases can escape from between the emulsion 8 and the top surface 20 This is referred to as outgassing Without outgassing, trapped gases can adversely effect the emulsion surface and the image being developed within the emulsion 8 To effectively guide the sheet 6 after the sheet 6 is on the cooling article 10, the cooling article 10 can include side walls 30, 32 and a top cover 34 The cooling plate 18, side walls 30, 32, and top cover 34 form a chute 36 through which the sheet 6 can pass. The chute 36 prevents the sheet 6 from sliding sideways off the cooling plate 18 and can direct the sheet 6 to an exit port (not shown) In addition, the chute 36 can be made sufficiently open with a generally C-shaped top cover 34 so that sheets 6 which stick or jam within the chute 36 can be easily cleared by an operator The openness also prevent the trapping of hot air which reduces convection within the chute and uneven cooling Moreover, the openness and the absence of moving parts with the chute 36 allows for simpler cleaning of residual emulsion 8 from the chute 36, when compared to known cooling means such as cooling rollers The side walls 30, 32 and the top cover 34 can be made of the same material as the cooling plate 18 The side walls 30, 32 can be formed by bending the sides ofthe cooling plate 18 upwardly This eliminates sharp edges on which the ends ofthe sheet 6 can be scratched The top cover 34 can have the same textured surface and be welded to the side walls 30, 32, or joined with an epoxy so that the textured surface faces the top surface 20 of the cooling plate 18 To increase the thermal mass of the cooling article 10 and allow for cooling of consecutive sheets 6, the cooling article 10 can include one or more cooling fins 35 The cooling fins 35 can be coupled to the cooling plate 18 rather than, for example, welding these components Using epoxy to join the fins 35 to the bottom surface 28 does not create a risk of harming the top surface 20, unlike welding Welding can result in the roughening ofthe top surface 20 to the point where a sheet 6 can be scratched when sliding over the top surface 20 In addition, the epoxy provides sufficient thermal conductivity allowing the cooling article 10 to cool a succession of heated sheets 6 with minimal wrinkling One example of the cooling article 10 to cool a photothermographic sheet is a stainless steel cooling plate 18, approximately 0 09 centimeter thick, 38 1 centimeters x 16 5 centimeters The side walls 30, 32 are approximately 2 1 centimeters in height The top surface 20 has a Rigid-Tex texture or pattern #3-ND (Rigidized Metal Corp , 658 Ohio Street, Buffalo, NY 14203-3 185) This texture creates a top surface 20 which, at any one instance, contacts approximately 50-65 percent ofthe portion ofthe sheet 6 sliding over the cooling plate 18 Five cooling fins 35, as shown in Figure 1 , are attached to the bottom surface 28 of the cooling plate 18 The fins 35 shown in Figure 2 are made of lengths of aluminum channel and are attached to the bottom surface 28 of the cooling plate using an epoxy (3M Company, St Paul, MN, Scotchweld-TM DP-420) Using the above-described example ofthe cooling article 10, a sheet 6 is cooled from approximately 122 degrees Centigrade to approximately 60 degrees Centigrade, and at a rate of not less than one sheet 6 (above-described photothermographic sheet) every thirty seconds In addition, when compared with a sheet cooled using cooling nip rollers, the sheet 6 has approximately 90 percent fewer wrinkles Plus, when compared with a sheet cooled using a flat top surface 20, the curl C within the sheet 6, shown in Figure 1 , is reduced to approximately 0 16 centimeters Furthermore, this is accomplished without causing an unacceptable amount of image-damaging scratches or marring The photothermographic sheet used is disclosed in pending U S Patent Application Nos 08/072, 153 and 08/239,984, filed on 1 1/23/93 and 5/9/94 respectively, both assigned to 3M Company, St Paul, MN, 55144 The size of this sheet is approximately 35 6 centimeter x 43 2 centimeter For directing the sheet 6 from the heated drum 12 to the cooling article 10, the thermal processing apparatus 14 can also include a stripper 38 The stripper can be positioned relative to the heated drum 12 so that the sheet 6 is directed away from the heated drum 12 at an angle of 23 degrees from horizontal To prevent the build-up of a static charges on the stripper 38, the stripper 38 can be made of a conductive material and electrically grounded or connected to another conductive member which can absorb or dissipate the static charges Without the prevention ofthe static build¬ up, a sheet 6 can become attracted and stick to the stripper, particularly when the sheet 6 has a film base 4 The sticking of a sheet 6 to the stripper can cause scratching ofthe emulsion 8 and/or delamination ofthe emulsion 8 from the base 4 The cooling article 10 and the other components ofthe thermal-processing apparatus 14 can be part of a larger apparatus, such as the photothermographic imager 40 shown in Figure 3 The photothermographic imager 40 can include a container 42 for holding photothermographic sheets Transport mechanisms 44 can transport the sheets 6 from the container 42 to an exposure station or apparatus 46 and to the thermal-processing apparatus 14 The exposure apparatus 46 scans a light beam onto the sheet 6 in an image-wise pattern to create a first or latent image in the sheet 6 The thermal-processing apparatus 14 heats the sheet 6 to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient duration to develop the latent image in the sheet 6 to a visible image The cooling article 10, as noted, cools the sheet 6 before the sheet 6 is transported through an exit slot 48 to a holding surface 50 Other embodiments of the cooling article 10 and other apparatuses and methods, similar to the previously noted embodiments, apparatuses, and methods, are contemplated by the inventors One such embodiment, shown in Figures 4-6, can include a top surface 20A having a first cooling portion 52A and a second cooling portion 54A The first cooling portion can be made of or include a felt material A more detailed description ofthe first cooling portion 52 A, including the felt material or similar materials, is included in a co-pending United States patent application (filed on even date herewith by 3M Company and designated initially as 3M Docket No 51868USA5A, and entitled Article for Cooling A Sheet of Thermally Processed Material) The disclosure within this co-pending patent application is hereby incorporated by reference The second cooling article or portion 54A can be perforated With a perforated portion, photothermographic elements can be cooled quickly without significantly affecting optical density uniformity. This is particularly true for the first several photothermographic elements which are passed through the cooling apparatus 10A. Because the cooling apparatus can be at room temperature when the first several (heated) elements are cooled, the significant temperature differential between the elements and the cooling apparatus 10A can affect optical density uniformity. The perforations 56A allow the cooling apparatus 10A to be more quickly heated to a steady-state temperature As a result, the cooling process is less detrimental, in terms of optical density uniformity, to the first cooled elements (e g , the first 20 sheets) The perforations 56A, like a textured top surface, can affect and provide control ofthe cooling rate ofthe sheet 6 A The perforations 56 A, unlike the textured top surface, allow for air to pass through the second cooling article or portion 56A This allows the bottom side of the sheet 6 and the second cooling article or portion 54 A itself to be cooled convectively The heated air resulting from the convection can be removed (and can be filtered) by an air exchange system within the overall apparatus. In addition to controlling the cooling rate of a sheet, perforations 56A allow for consistent cooling throughout each sheet and from sheet-to-sheet such that optical density uniformity is improved The size and spacing of the perforations 56A can be particularly important factors While an exact size and an exact spacing are not critical, Figures 4-6 illustrate one embodiment which is effective. The diameter D of the perforations 56A is approximately 3 97 millimeters with a tolerance of approximately +/-0 2 millimeters The center-to-center distance C between adjacent perforations 56A is approximately 4 76 millimeters with a tolerance of approximately +/-0 2 millimeters Across the second cooling portion 54A, the perforations 56A are aligned in rows (i e , aligned rows in the cross- web direction) Down the length of the second cooling portion 54A (in the direction which the sheet travels or down-web direction), the perforations 56A are staggered The stagger angle A is approximately 60 degrees, with a tolerance of approximately +/- one degree With this size and spacing arrangement, approximately sixty-three percent (63%) of he second portion 54 A is open due to the perforations 56 A Conversely, thirty-seven percent (37%) is not open and can contact the sheet 6 The staggering ofthe perforations 56A is one way of assuring that all portions or all critical portions ofthe sheet 6 make contact with approximately the same amount of cooling material (in this embodiment, the cooling material is the Aluminum ofthe second cooling poπion 54A) Other patterns for assuring this other than staggering are envisioned Other size and spacing arrangements could be used which provides approximately the same percentage And, still other size and spacing arrangements could be used which provide an open percentage which ranges from 55 percent to 70 percent (conversely, 30 to 45 non-open percentage) Or, the open percentage could range from 50 to 75 percent The finally determined percentage depends on optimizing the rate of cooling and the need to maintain a level of optical density uniformity This optimization depends at least partially on the material which is being cooled (i e , emulsion-type, material mass, etc ) The second cooling portion 54 A can be perforated in a number of ways A key criterion is that the second cooling portion 54A of the top surface 50A be substantially (and preferably, completely) free of burrs and other significant surface roughness This will minimize scratching, marring, or other damage to a sheet 6A when the sheet 6A slides over and is cooled by the second cooling portion 54A One way of perforating the second cooling portion is by using a sharp-pointed, conical punch The conical shape minimizes the creation of burrs on the top surface 50A when the punch is retracted from each perforation 56A This also results in perforations 56A which slope away from the top surface 50A Sloped perforations can be less likely to damage a sheet having a sufficiently soft material (photothermographic coating) which could be damaged by a flatter perforation (e g., a drilled perforation) The second cooling article or portion 56A can be made of a thermally conductive material such as aluminum, copper, steel, or the like Aluminum is preferred due to its high thermal conductivity and its high heat capacity An aluminum component reaches a steady state more quickly than a similar sized, shaped steel component

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A cooling article for cooling a thermally-processable imaging element after the element is heated by a heating means, wherein the cooling article comprises a cooling member having a cooling surface, wherein the cooling surface is positioned relative to the heated means so that the element is transported from the heating means and slides on at least a portion ofthe cooling surface, the cooling surface being perforated 2 The cooling article of claim 1, the cooling surface being perforated such that between 50 and 75 percent of the cooling surface over which the element is transported is open 3. The cooling article of claim 1, the cooling surface being perforated such that between 55 to 70 percent ofthe cooling surface over which the element is transported is open 4 The cooling article of claim 1, the cooling surface being perforated such that approximately 63 percent of the cooling surface over which the element is transported is open 5 The cooling article of claim 1 , the cooling member being stationary 6. A method for cooling a thermally-processable imaging element using the cooling article of claim I after the element is heated by a heating means within a thermal-processing apparatus, comprising the step of directing the element across the cooling surface ofthe cooling member so that the element slides over at least a portion ofthe cooling surface. 7 The method of claim 6, wherein the element has a first side on which an imageable material is positioned, wherein the directing step includes directing the first side in contact with the cooline; surface 8 An apparatus for creating a visible image on an thermally-processed imaging element, comprising a thermal processing station for heating the imaging element to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient duration to develop the visible image, a cooling member having a cooling surface positioned relative to the thermal processing station, the cooling surface being perforated; and directing means positioned relative to the thermal processing station and the cooling member for directing the imaging element from the thermal processing station to the cooling article such that the imaging element slides on at least a portion ofthe perforated cooling surface 9 The apparatus of claim 8, the cooling surface being perforated such that between 50 and 75 percent of the cooling surface over which the element is directed is open. 10 An apparatus for creating a visible image on an imaging element employing the cooling article of claim 1, comprising a housing having an input station, wherein the input station can accept a container containing the imaging element, transport means positioned within the housing and relative to the input station for transporting the imaging element within the housing, an exposure station positioned within the housing and relative to the transport means, wherein the exposure station can receive the imaging element from the transport means and expose the imaging element to an image-wise pattern of light to create a first image on the imaging element, a thermal processing station positioned within the housing and relative to the transport means and the exposure station, wherein the thermal processing station includes a heating member which can receive the imaging element transported by the transport means from the exposure station and can heat the imaging element to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient duration to process the first image to the visible image; and directing means positioned relative to the heating member for directing the imaging element from the heating member to the cooling article

Inventors: BIEGLER ROBERT M, GOTICH THOMAS F, KIRKWOLD JOHN O, MUNTIFERING ROGER H, SORENSEN STEVEN W, BIEGLER, ROBERT, M., GOTICH, THOMAS, F., KIRKWOLD, JOHN, O., MUNTIFERING, ROGER, H., SORENSEN, STEVEN, W.
Applicants: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG, MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G03D13
IPC codes: G03D13