Abstract:
Photofinishers and photo finishing methods are provided. A laminate comprising a transparent medium disposed on at least one image on a photographic medium is produced using a laminator of a photofinisher. A texture is disposed in the transparent medium of the laminate using a texurizer of the photofinisher during a texturing mode of operation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to photo processing. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Many photofinishers employ a wet process, such as a silver-halide process, for photo finishing. The silver-halide process typically includes treating a photographic medium that is laminated on both sides, e.g., with polyethylene, with a chemical to transfer a photographic image onto the laminate. To produce different surface finishes, e.g., matte, luster, glossy, etc., the image is transferred onto a laminated photographic medium having a surface that corresponds to one of the desired surface finishes. This means that a separate photographic medium is used to produce each different surface finish, e.g., a glossy medium for a glossy finish, a matte medium for a matte finish, etc. In some applications, changing to a different surface finish requires stopping the photo-finishing process using a photographic medium for one surface finish and changing to a photographic medium for the different surface finish, which can be time consuming and costly because it requires an inventory of more than one photographic medium. Other applications involve breaking a photo-finishing order according to different surface finishes and using one photofinisher for each surface finish. 
   With the advent of digital cameras, many applications involve producing photographic prints from digital data. One application involves creating an analog image from the digital data and using the silver-halide process described above to produce prints having various textures from the analog image. Therefore, this application includes the various surface-finishing problems of silver-halide processing. Another application involves using an electro-photographic printer that converts, e.g., rasterizes, digital data into a format that can be printed on electro-photographic paper in the form of prints. The prints are often laminated with a thin plastic skin to protect the image. However, there is no provision for producing different surface textures. 
   SUMMARY 
   One embodiment of the present invention provides a photofinisher halving a laminator adapted to produce a laminate comprising a transparent medium disposed on at least one image on a photographic medium and a texturizer adapted to dispose a texture in the transparent medium of the laminate during a texturing mode of operation. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a photographic processor according to an embodiment of the present invention 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a photofinisher according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a finishing section of the photofinisher of  FIG. 1  according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a finishing section of a photofinisher according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a finishing section of a photofinisher according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In the following detailed description of the present embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical or mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a photographic processor  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. For one embodiment, photographic processor  100  includes a printer  110 , such as an electro-photographic printer, e.g., the Indigo Digital Printing Press available from Hewlett-Packard Company (Palo Alto, Calif., USA), electrically connected to a photofinisher  120 . 
   For one embodiment, printer  110  receives digital image data from a computer  130 , a scanner  140 , etc. For another embodiment, printer  110  receives digital image data from a removable storage media  150  removably connected to printer  110 . Examples of storage media  150  include flash memory cards, floppy disks, compact discs, Universal Serial Bus (USB) drives, etc. 
   For some embodiments, printer  110  prints images corresponding to the image data on a photographic medium  160 , such as photographic paper. For one embodiment, photographic medium  160  is in the form of a continuous sheet (or web) disposed on a roller. For another embodiment, after the images are printed on photographic medium  160 , photographic medium is sent to photofinisher  120  for finishing. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a photofinisher  200  according to another embodiment of the present invention. For one embodiment, photofinisher  200  receives photographic medium  160  from a printer, such as printer  110 . For another embodiment, one or more images corresponding to digital image data are printed on surface  162  of photographic medium  160 . 
   For some embodiments, photographic medium  160  is directed through a buffer  202  of photofinisher  200 , as shown in FIG.  2 . Buffer  202  compensates for the possibility that photographic medium  160  may exit printer  110  at a different speed than photographic medium  160  passes through photofinisher  200 . For one embodiment, buffer  202  has a roller  204  that is movable within a slot  206  of buffer  202 . For another embodiment, when photographic medium  160  passes through photofinisher  200  faster than photographic medium  160  exits printer  110 , roller  204  moves upward in slot  206 . Conversely, when photographic medium  160  passes through photofinisher  200  slower than photographic medium  160  exits printer  110 , roller  204  moves downward in slot  206 . 
   Photographic medium  160  exits buffer  202  and is directed to a finishing section  300  of photofinisher  200 . Finishing section  300  is best viewed in FIG.  3 . Photographic medium  160  is directed to a laminator  310  of finishing section  300 . In particular, photographic medium  160  is directed to a nip  312  between rollers  314  and  316  of laminator  310 . A transparent medium  320 , e.g., of plastic, in the form of a continuous sheet (or web) disposed on a roller  321 , for one embodiment, is also directed to laminator  310 . In particular, transparent medium  320  is also directed to nip  312 . While in nip  312 , transparent medium  320  is bonded to surface  162  of photographic medium  160  to form a laminate  322  that has a layer of transparent medium  320  disposed on the one or more images printed on surface  162  to cover the one or more printed images. 
   Specifically, roller  316  is heated, in one embodiment, by a heater, such as a light bulb disposed in a hollow central core  326  of roller  316 . Alternatively, roller  316  can be heated by resistors embedded in roller  316 , a heated fluid, such as oil, flowing through hollow central core  326  of roller  316 , etc. For one embodiment, a temperature sensor  324 , such as an infrared temperature sensor, monitors the temperature of roller  316 . In addition to heating transparent medium  320  using roller  316 , an actuator  328 , such as a lever, e.g., activated by air, hydraulics, a solenoid, etc., selectively moves roller  314  to close nip  312  so that transparent medium  320  and photographic medium  160  are squeezed together between rollers  314  and  316 . Heating transparent medium  320  and squeezing transparent medium  320  and photographic medium  160  between rollers  314  and  316  bonds transparent medium  320  to surface  162  of photographic medium  160  to form laminate  322 . Actuator  328  can selectively open nip  312 , e.g., for threading finisher  200  with transparent medium  320  and photographic medium  160 . 
   After exiting nip  312 , laminate  322  is directed to a movable roller  330 . For one embodiment, roller  330  is attached to a piston arm  331  of piston-cylinder  332  for movement thereby. Piston-cylinder  332  can operate on air, hydraulic fluid, or the like. Roller  330  is movable between positions  334  and  336 , as shown in FIG.  3 . For some embodiments, roller  330  is moved to position  336  when finisher is stopped to hold laminate  322  away from roller  316  when nip  312  is open or closed. This reduces the contact area between laminate  322  and roller  316  and thus acts to prevent heat damage to laminate  322 . For one embodiment, laminate  322  passes between a pin  338  and roller  330  so that laminate  332  follows roller  330  when roller  330  moves from position  334  to  336 . This acts to keep laminate  332  taut when roller moves from position  334  to  336 , which acts hold laminate  322  away from roller  316  when nip  312  is open or closed. 
   Directing laminate  322  to roller  330  while in position  334  maintains contact between laminate  322  and roller  316  for a longer time as opposed to directing laminate  322  to roller  330  while in position  336 . The longer contact time enables transparent medium  320  to flow better on surface  162  of photographic medium  160 , producing a more even coating of transparent medium  320 . For other embodiments, the longer contact time acts to keep transparent medium  320  soft and thus more malleable in preparation for disposing a texture in laminate  322  using a texturizer  340  of photofinisher  200 . 
   Laminate  322  is directed from laminator  310  to texturizer  340 , where, for some embodiments, the texture is disposed in transparent medium  320  of laminate  322 . Specifically, laminate  322  is directed from roller  330  to between movable rollers  342  of texturizer  340 . For some embodiments, a single movable roller can replace movable rollers  342 . For one embodiment, rollers  342  are attached to a piston arm  344  of piston-cylinder  346  for movement thereby. Piston-cylinder  346  can operate on air, hydraulic fluid, or the like. Rollers  342  are movable between positions  348  and  350 , as shown in  FIG. 3. A  dashed line is used in  FIG. 3  to represent laminate  322  being directed from roller  330  to rollers  342  in position  350 , while a solid line represents laminate  322  being directed from roller  330  to rollers  342  in position  348 . 
   Laminate  322  is directed from rollers  342  to a nip  352  between rollers  354  and  356 . For one embodiment, roller  354  is a textured roller having a texture that is the reverse of the texture to be disposed on laminate  322 . Exemplary textures are brushstroke, linen, canvas, matte, etc. For another embodiment, the texture is disposed on roller  354  by plasma spraying, sand or grit blasting, chemical etching, laser machining, etc. 
   An actuator  360 , such as a lever, e.g., activated by air, hydraulics, a solenoid, etc., selectively moves roller  356  to selectively open and close nip  352 . When nip  352  is closed, laminate  322  is squeezed between rollers  354  and  356 . Actuator  360  selectively opens nip  352 , e.g., for threading photofinisher  200  laminate  322 . For one embodiment, a heater, such as a light bulb, disposed in a hollow central core  364  of roller  354  heats roller  354  for heating laminate  322 . Alternatively, roller  354  can be heated by resistors embedded in roller  354 , a heated fluid, such as oil, flowing through hollow central core  364  of roller  354 , etc. For another embodiment, temperature sensor  324  monitors the temperature of roller  354 . 
   Laminate  322  is directed from nip  352  to between movable rollers  370  of texturizer  340 . For some embodiments, a single movable roller can replace movable rollers  370 . For one embodiment, rollers  370  are attached to a piston arm  372  of piston-cylinder  374  for movement thereby. Piston-cylinder  374  can operate on air, hydraulic fluid, or the like. Rollers  370  are movable between positions  376  and  378 , as shown in FIG.  3 . 
   To dispose the texture in transparent medium  320  of laminate  322 , for one embodiment, rollers  342  and rollers  370  are respectively moved to positions  348  and  376  and nip  352  is closed. Moving rollers  342  to position  348  brings laminate  322  into contact with roller  354  before laminate  322  enters nip  352 , enabling roller  354  to heat laminate  322  before laminate  322  enters nip  352 . This softens transparent medium  320 , causing transparent medium  320  to be more malleable. This enables transparent medium  320  to flow into the texture of roller  354 , causing the texture to be transferred to transparent medium  320  when laminate  322  is in nip  352  and is squeezed between rollers  354  and  356 . Moving rollers  370  to position  376  maintains laminate  322  in contact with roller  354  after laminate  322  exits nip  352 , enabling continued flow of transparent medium  320  into the texture of roller  354 . For some embodiments, it may not be necessary to maintain laminate  322  in contact with roller  354  after laminate  322  exits nip  352 . For these embodiments, laminate  322  is directed to rollers  370  while in position  378  after exiting nip  352 . 
   Photofinisher  200  can be selectively operated in a texture bypass mode, e.g., for producing images having a glossy finish. For one embodiment, respectively moving rollers  342  and rollers  370  to positions  350  and  378  and opening nip  352  selects the texture bypass mode. When rollers  342  and rollers  370  are respectively in positions  350  and  378  and nip  352  is open, rollers  342  and rollers  370  hold laminate  322  against roller  356  and away from roller  354 , causing laminate  322  to move in contact with roller  356  without contacting roller  354 . For another embodiment rollers  342  and rollers  370  are respectively in positions  350  and  378  nip  352  is closed and laminate  322  is stopped. This a to prevent heat damage to laminate  322  when laminate  322  is stopped. 
   For various embodiments, photofinisher  200  can be changed from the texture bypass mode to a texturing mode on the fly. That is, without changing photographic medium  160  and/or without stopping laminator  310 , i.e., the transport photographic medium  160  and transparent medium  320  through laminator  310 . For some embodiments, closing nip  352  to change from the texture bypass mode to the texturing mode requires that texturizer  340  be stopped, i.e., stopping the transport of laminate  322  through texturizer  340  before closing nip  352 , without stopping laminator  310 . To compensate for this or other variations in the speeds of laminate  322  between laminator  310  and texturizer  340 , a buffer is disposed between laminator  310  and texturizer  340 , as indicated by arrow  380 . For some embodiments, the buffer is as described above for buffer  202 . 
   As is best seen from  FIG. 2 , for one embodiment, photofinisher  200  includes a post-finisher  282  for performing post-finishing processes. Post fishing processes may include slitting laminate  322  along the direction of motion of laminate  322  using a slitter  284 , cutting laminate  322  substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of laminate  322  using a cutter  286 , and disposing of any waste in a waste container  288 , etc. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates a finishing section  400  of a photofinisher, such as photofinisher  200 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. Reference numbers common to  FIGS. 3 and 4  are as discussed above for FIG.  3 . Photographic medium  160  is directed to a nip  412  between rollers  414  and  416 , e.g., from a buffer, such as buffer  202  of photofinisher  200 . For some embodiments, nip  412  and rollers  414  and  416  constitute a laminator  417 . Transparent medium  320  is also directed to nip  412 . While in nip  412 , transparent medium  320  is bonded to surface  162  of photographic medium  160  to form laminate  322 . 
   Roller  416  is heated, in one embodiment, by a heater, such as a light bulb disposed in a central hollow core of roller  416 . Alternatively, roller  416  can be heated by resistors embedded in roller  416 , a heated fluid, such as oil, flowing through the hollow central core, etc. In addition to heating transparent medium  320  using roller  416 , an actuator  428 , such as a lever, e.g., activated by air, hydraulics, a solenoid, etc., selectively moves roller  416  to close nip  412  so that transparent medium  320  and photographic medium  160  are squeezed together between rollers  414  and  416 . Heating transparent medium  320  using roller  416  and squeezing transparent medium  320  and photographic medium  160  between rollers  414  and  416  bonds transparent medium  320  to surface  162  of photographic medium  160  to form laminate  322 . Actuator  428  can selectively open nip  412 , e.g., for threading finisher  200  with transparent medium  320  and photographic medium  160 . For one embodiment, temperature sensor  324  monitors the temperature of roller  416 . 
   Laminate  322  is directed from nip  412  to a nip  430  between roller  414  and a roller  432 . Subsequently, laminate  322  is directed from nip  430  to a nip  434  between roller  414  and a roller  436 . Rollers  432  and  436  are textured rollers, each having a different texture that is the reverse of the texture to be disposed on laminate  322 . For one embodiment, rollers  432  and  436  are textured as described for roller  354  of finishing section  300  shown in FIG.  3 . For another embodiment, nip  430  and rollers  414  and  432  and nip  434  and rollers  414  and  436  constitute a texturizer  438 . 
   Each of rollers  432  and  436  are movable for selectively opening and closing nips  430  and  434 , respectively. Actuators  460 , such as levers, e.g., activated by air, hydraulics, solenoids, etc., selectively move rollers  432  and  436 . When nip  430  is closed laminate  322  is squeezed between rollers  432  and  414 . When nip  434  is closed laminate  322  is squeezed between rollers  436  and  414 . For one embodiment, nips  430  and  434  are opened for threading finishing section  400 . 
   When laminate  322  exits nip  412 , transparent medium  320  is relatively soft and malleable due to heating by roller  416 . For some embodiments, e.g., for certain textures, transparent medium  320  is sufficiently soft and malleable so that when laminate  322  is squeezed between rollers  432  and  414  or between rollers  436  and  414 , transparent medium  320  can flow into the texture of the respective one of rollers  432  or  436  and thus be texturized. For other embodiments, each of rollers  432  and  436  is heated, e.g., by a heater, such as a light bulb, disposed in a hollow central core of the respective one of rollers  432 , resistors embedded in the respective one of rollers  432  and  436 , a heated fluid, such as oil, flowing through the hollow central core of the respective one of rollers, etc. This provides additional heating for making transparent medium  320  softer and more malleable. For one embodiment, temperature sensors  324  monitor the temperatures of rollers  432  and  436 . 
   For various embodiments, finishing section  400  can be selectively changed from a texture bypass mode to a texturing mode on the fly. That is, without changing photographic medium  160 . To select the texture bypass mode, e.g., for producing images having a glossy finish, nips  430  and  434  are opened and laminate  322  passes through nips  430  and  434  in contact with roller  414 , but without contacting either of rollers  432  or  436 . To select the texturing mode either nip  432  or nip  434  is closed. For example, to transfer the texture of roller  432  to transparent medium  320 , nip  430  is closed and nip  434  is opened. While laminate  322  is in nip  430 , laminate  434  is squeezed between rollers  414  and  432 , causing transparent medium  430  to flow into the texture of roller  432 . To transfer the texture of roller  436  to transparent medium  320 , nip  434  is closed and nip  430  is opened. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates a finishing section  500  of a photofinisher, such as photofinisher  200 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. Reference numbers common to  FIGS. 3 and 5  are as discussed above for FIG.  3 . For one embodiment, finishing section  500  includes the laminator  310  described above. Laminator  310  produces laminate  322 , as described above. Laminate  322  is directed from laminator  310  to a texturizer  540 , where, for some embodiments, the texture is disposed in transparent medium  320  of laminate  322 . Specifically, laminate  322  is directed from roller  330  to between movable rollers  342  of texturizer  540  that move between positions  348  and  350 , as described above. 
   Laminate  322  is directed from rollers  342  to nip  352  between roller  356  and one of rollers  354 . For one embodiment, each of rollers  354  is heated as described above. For another embodiment, each of rollers has a different texture. For example, roller  354   1  may have linen texture, roller  354   2  canvas texture, and roller  354   3  brushstroke texture. Rollers  354  are disposed on a turret  550  for one embodiment. Turret  550  is selectively rotated, e.g., by a stepper motor or other actuator capable of rotating turret  550 , to selectively position one of rollers  354  adjacent roller  356 , as illustrated in FIG.  5 . This enables different textures to be selected and disposed on laminate  322 . Laminate  322  is directed from nip  352  to a stationary roller  560  that directs laminate  322  to a post-finisher, such as post-finisher  282  of photofinisher  200  in  FIG. 2 , for example. Turret  550  is not limited to containing three rollers  354 , but can contain more or less than three rollers. 
   For various embodiments, finishing section  500  can be selectively changed from a texture bypass mode to a texturing mode on the fly. That is, without changing photographic medium  160  and/or without stopping laminator  310 . Moreover, while operating in the texturing mode, different textures can be selected on the fly. In the texture bypass mode, e.g., for producing images having a glossy finish, rollers  342  are located in position  350  and nip  352  is open. When rollers  342  are in position  350  and nip  352  is open, rollers  342  and roller  560  hold laminate  322  against roller  356  and away from roller  354 , causing laminate  322  to move in contact with roller  356  without contacting roller  354 . 
   In the texturing mode, rollers  342  are located in position  348  and nip  352  is closed. Moving rollers  342  to position  348  brings laminate  322  into contact with roller  354  before laminate  322  enters nip  352 , enabling roller  354  to heat laminate  322  before laminate  322  enters nip  352 . This softens transparent medium  320 , enabling transparent medium  320  to flow into the texture of roller  354 , causing the texture to be transferred to transparent medium  320  when laminate  322  is in nip  352  and is squeezed between rollers  354  and  356 . Selecting a different texture, involves opening nip  352 , e.g., using actuator  360 , moving, for example, roller  354   1  away from roller  356  and roller  354   2  adjacent roller  356  by rotating turret  550 , and closing nip  352 . 
   For some embodiments, changing from the texture bypass mode to the texturing mode or selecting another texture requires that texturizer  540  be stopped, i.e., stopping the transport of laminate  322  through texturizer  540 , without stopping laminator  310 . To compensate for this or other variations in the speeds of laminate  322  between laminator  310  and texturizer  540 , a buffer is disposed between laminator  310  and texturizer  540 , as indicated by arrow  380  and described above. 
   CONCLUSION 
   Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. Many adaptations of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the invention. It is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.