Full color, continuous tone laser diode photographic imaging apparatus and method

Claim 1

A laser diode imaging apparatus 10 for producing multi-color, continuous tone images on a photographic element 16 upon exposure to radiation 14, the photographic element 16 including a substrate 20 and at least two superposed photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 on one side of the substrate, each photosensitive layer 22, 26, 30 being associated with a different photographic coupler capable of foraing a different color dye upon exposure and development by reaction with an oxidized photographic developer, the photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 being sensitized to different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, the imaging apparatus 10 comprising: a plurality of laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b equal in number to the number of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30, each of said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b emitting radiation 14 at a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum which is different from that of any of the other laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b and which corresponds to said wavelength at which one of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 is sensitized; means for modulating 38, 38a, 38 b continuously the intensity of said radiation 14 emitted by said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b to correspondingly modulate said exposure of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 and thereby the density of said color upon development; means for directing 18 said radiation 14 emitted by said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b to said photographic element 16, focusing 67, 74, 76 said radiation 14 to a spot and traversely scanning said radiation 14 spot across the surface of said photographic element 16; and means for advancing 80 said photographic element 16 relative to said scanned radiation 14 in a direction having a component direction perpendicular to said direction of scanning so that all portions of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 are exposed to said radiation 14; so that an image is produced by said exposure of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 to said laser diode radiation 14, so that said image is multi-colored in that any color within the color space defined by said color dyes may be produced by the selection, said superposition and said density of said at least two color dyes and so that said color has a continuous tone in that the density of said color may be determined by modulation of all of said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b and thereby the exposure of all of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30.

Claim 8

A method of producing multi-color, continuous tone images on a photographic element 16 including a substrate 20 and at least two superposed photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 on one side of the substrate, each photosensitive layer 22, 26, 30 being associated with a different photographic coupler capable of forming a different color dye upon deveiopment by reaction with an oxidized color photographic developer, the photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 being sensitized to different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, the method comprising the steps of: providing laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b corresponding in number to the number of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30, each laser diode 12, 12a, 12b emitting radiation 14 at a different wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum and corresponding in wavelength to said wavelength at which a different one of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 is sensitized; directing radiation 14 from said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b to said photographic element 16 so that radiation 14 from each of said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b sensitizes each of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 to produce a color in each photosensitive layer 22, 26, 30 upon reaction with a photographic developer; modulating continuously the intensity of said radiation 14 emitted by each of said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b and directed to said photographic element 16 so that the density of said color produced upon reaction with a photographic developer is correspondingly modulated in a continuous tone.

Claim 9

A method of producing multi-color, continuous tone images on a photographic element 16 including a substrate 20 and at least two superposed photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 on one side of the substrate, each photosensitive layer 22, 26, 30 being associated with a different photographic coupler capable of forming a different color dye upon deveiopment by reaction with an oxidized color photographic developer, the photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 being sensitized to different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, the method comprising the steps of: providing laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b corresponding in number to the number of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30, each laser diode 12, 12a, 12b emitting radiation 14 at a different wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum and corresponding in wavelength to said wavelength at which a different one of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 is sensitized; directing radiation 14 from said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b to said photographic element 16 so that radiation 14 from each of said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b sensitizes each of said photosensitive layers 22, 26, 30 to produce a color in each photosensitive layer 22, 26, 30 upon reaction with a photographic developer; modulating continuously the intensity of said radiation 14 emitted by each of said laser diodes 12, 12a, 12b and directed to said photographic element 16 so that the density of said color produced upon reaction with a photographic developer is correspondingly modulated in a continuous tone.