Appeal No. 94-0539
Application 07/890,456
1. In a dye donor element for laser-induced thermal dye
transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer
comprising a sublimable image dye in a binder, said image dye
being capable of transferring to a dye-receiving element, and
an infrared absorbing dye associated with said dye layer and
which absorbs the laser radiation, the improvement wherein
said binder comprises a nonpolymeric, organic material with a
glassy state having a glass transition temperature of greater
than 25EC., capable of forming an amorphous glass with said
image dye.
The examiner relies upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Molaire 4,626,361 Dec. 2, 1986
Chapman et al. (Chapman) 5,036,040 July 30, 1991
Kawakami et al. (Kawakami) 5,114,904 May 19, 1992
(filed Dec. 20, 1990)
Appellant's claimed invention is directed to a dye donor
element that is used in laser-induced thermal dye transfer
processes. According to appellant, the invention is an
improve-ment over the use of a conventional, polymeric binder
for the donor element. In particular, appellant employs a
non-polymeric, organic material with a glassy state as the
binder. According to appellant, the comparative example at
page 15 of the present specification shows improved
transferred dye density when the claimed binder is used
instead of a cellulose acetate propionate binder, which is a
typical polymeric binder of the prior art.
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