Patents Represented by Attorney Chris P. Konkol
  • Patent number: 6727052
    Abstract: This invention relates to a PET-based photographic multilayer film base having improved properties with regard to cutting, stiffness and post-process curl. In particular, the polyester film base comprises a biaxially-stretched multilayer film structure, in which layers a specified amount of monomeric units derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), sulfonic-acid-substituted aromatic dicarboxylic acid and poly(alkylene glycol) is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Jehuda Greener, Robert H. Fehnel, Michael R. Brickey
  • Patent number: 6712892
    Abstract: An ink jet printing process having the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with ink jet recording elements having a support having thereon an image-receiving layer; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition including water, humectant and a metallized, phthalocyanine colorant, the metallized, phthalocyanine colorant having the formula: MPc(SO3X)a(SO2NRR′)b wherein: M represents a metal; Pc represents a phthalocyanine nucleus; each X independently represents hyrdrogen, alkali metal or an organic cation; a is from 0 to 3; b is from 1 to 4; each R independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; and each R′ independently represents R or hydrogen; with the proviso that a+b is an average of from 2 to 4; and with the further proviso that at least about 50 wt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrei Andrievsky, David T. Southby, Samuel Chen, Dale E. Decann
  • Patent number: 6712891
    Abstract: An ink jet ink composition including water, humectant and a metallized, phthalocyanine colorant, the metallized, phthalocyanine colorant having the formula: MPc(SO3X)a(SO2NRR′)b wherein: M represents a metal; Pc represents a phthalocyanine nucleus; each X independently represents hydrogen, alkali metal or an organic cation; a is from 0 to 3; b is from 1 to 4; each R independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; and each R′ independently represents R or hydrogen; with the proviso that a+b is an average of from 2 to 4; and with the further proviso that at least about 50 wt. % of the metallized, phthalocyanine colorant is present in the composition as particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrei Andrievsky, David T. Southby, Samuel Chen, Dale E. Decann
  • Patent number: 6704073
    Abstract: A light modulating layer formed by providing an emulsion having electro-optical fluid in a gelatin solution, heating the emulsion to reduce the viscosity of the emulsion and coating the heated emulsion on a substrate, lowering the temperature of the coated emulsion to change the state of the coated emulsion from a liquid to a gel state, and drying the coating, while in the high viscosity state, to form a layer of polymer-dispersed domains of electro-optical material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stanley W. Stephenson, Charles M. Rankin
  • Patent number: 6702486
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for processing an exposed color reversal photographic film. This method enables the water consumption of the washing baths to be limited, the water levels being maintained by a counter-current coming from the bath placed downstream, an equivalent volume of water being discharged through an overflow. The wash waters are recovered and treated by a nanofiltration unit capable of giving a permeate which can be recycled to the washing baths. This method makes it possible to overcome the problem of the presence of tin (II) in the first washing bath supplied with water by a counter-current coming from the reversal bath. This process also makes it possible to overcome the problems of discharges of chemical substances to the drains while maintaining a good sensitometry of the developed films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Didier J. Martin, Cécile A. Maudhuit
  • Patent number: 6699451
    Abstract: An inorganic polymeric aluminosilicate material and a method for preparing the same, are disclosed. Instead of having a fibrous structure, the material has a structure consisting of spindles with a length in the range of from 10 to 100 &mgr;m and a width in the range of from 2 to 20 &mgr;m. This polymeric alumino-silicate can be used for the production of antistatic layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jeannine Rigola, Olivier J. Poncelet, Didier J. Martin
  • Patent number: 6699651
    Abstract: Improved compounds and base precursors that undergo thermal decomposition are disclosed. Thermal-dye-bleach agents, and in particular, a novel class of salts of arylsulfonylacetic acids as bleaching agents for photothermographic use are disclosed. Photothermographic elements employing these thermal-dye-bleach agents are suitable for use as acutance and antihalation systems, bleachable filter dye materials, and in promoting unblocking of various components such as blocked developers, especially in in photothermographic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ramanuj Goswami, David H. Levy
  • Patent number: 6699538
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a support having thereon the following layers in order: a) a base layer having a polymeric binder and a polymeric mordant; and b) an overcoat layer having a polymeric UV-absorbing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Kristine B. Lawrence, Paul B. Merkel, Hwei-Ling Yau
  • Patent number: 6698880
    Abstract: An inkjet recording system comprising a pigment-based ink in combination with a recording element having a porous substrate with relatively large pores and a relatively thin overlying surface layer which traps pigment particles, from an applied pigmented ink, at or near the surface while not unduly restricting ink flow into the underlying porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Bruce C. Campbell, James A. Reczek, Lisa B. Todd
  • Patent number: 6695447
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a support having thereon in order: a) at least one porous, ink carrier liquid receptive layer; b) a fusible, porous dye-trapping layer of fusible polymeric particles, a binder, and a dye mordant; and c) a fusible, porous ink-transporting layer of fusible, polymeric particles and a film-forming, hydrophobic binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Allan Wexler
  • Patent number: 6692123
    Abstract: An inkjet printing method having the steps of: I) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; II) loading the printer with a porous ink jet recording element having a substrate having thereon a porous image-receiving layer having a) inorganic particles encapsulated with an organic polymer having a Tg of less than about 100° C.; and b) particles having a mean particle size of up to about 5 &mgr;m; III) loading the printer with an inkjet ink composition; and IV) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink composition in response to the digital data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Gallo, Sridhar Sadasivan, Xiaoru Wang
  • Patent number: 6690447
    Abstract: A method of making a liquid crystal display, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; providing a first electrode over the substrate; coating the first electrode with aqueous dispersed material which when dried provides a dielectric layer over the first electrode; coating the dielectric layer with liquid crystal bearing material and drying such liquid crystal bearing material and providing a second electrode in contact with the dried liquid crystal bearing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stanley W. Stephenson, John I. Kilburn, John W. Boettcher, Thomas M. Smith
  • Patent number: 6689429
    Abstract: A coating fluid for forming a coating on a support for use in printing comprises an aqueous liquid having dispersed therein (a) from 2 to 50% of an inorganic oxide selected from aluminum oxide and silica the % being by weight based on the combined weight of aqueous liquid and inorganic oxide and (b) from 1 to 50% by weight based on the weight of oxide (a) of a composition comprising a polymer containing negatively charged groups and a cationic surfactant. The composition may be formed from a polymer containing maleic acid units and a surfactant containing a quaternary nitrogen atom. The polymer may be a copolymer obtained by copolymerizing a maleic acid containing monomer with another ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomers and where the molar ratio of maleic acid containing monomers to other monomers is from 1:1 to 1:5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Michael J. Simons
  • Patent number: 6689431
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising a substrate having thereon a porous image-receiving layer having a) organic particles encapsulated with an organic polymer having a Tg of less than about 100° C.; and b) water-insoluble, cationic, polymeric particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Sridhar Sadasivan, Elizabeth A. Gallo, Xiaoru Wang
  • Patent number: 6686001
    Abstract: An ink jet printing method having the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with ink jet recording element having a substrate having thereon a porous image-receiving layer of a) organic particles encapsulated with an organic polymer having a Tg of less than about 100 ° C.; and b) water-insoluble, cationic, polymeric particles; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the inkjet ink composition in response to the digital data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Gallo, Sridhar Sadasivan, Xiaoru Wang
  • Patent number: 6686407
    Abstract: A nanocomposite made with an inorganic layered material and a star-shaped polystyrene that can be blended with normal linear polystyrene is disclosed. The inorganic layered material can have an exfoliated structure, substantially exfoliated, or intercalated structure. The exfoliated structure can result in significantly improved physical properties, even with only a very low content of clay. The invention is also directed to a process that can be used to make the compositions of the present invention. In one embodiment, a physical mixture of clay and star polymer is prepared and then the mixture is heated for several hours, preferably under high-shear mixing, to increase the rate of exfoliation, after which mostly inexpensive commodity linear polystyrene polymer completes the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Douglas R. Robello, Nori Yamaguchi, Thomas N. Blanton, Craig L. Barnes
  • Patent number: 6679603
    Abstract: An ink jet printing method, including the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with ink jet recording elements with a support having thereon an image-receiving layer of a polymer having a given contact angle; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals to form an imaged recording element; and E) heating the imaged recording element sufficiently to cause the layer of polymer to increase the contact angle at least about 15 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Allan Wexler, James A. Reczek, Shiying Zheng
  • Patent number: 6677008
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a substrate having thereon an image-receiving layer of a filler and coated particles of a polymeric hard core-polymeric soft shell, the Tg of the polymeric hard core material being greater than about 60° C., the Tg of the polymeric soft shell material being less than about 100° C., and the filler being present in the image-receiving layer in an amount of from about 50 to about 95% by weight, the substrate being paper, resin-coated paper, synthetic paper, impregnated paper, cellulose acetate or a polyester film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Tienteh Chen, Lixin Chu, Sridhar Sadasivan, Elizabeth A. Gallo, Xiaoru Wang
  • Patent number: 6677004
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a support having thereon an image-receiving layer of porous polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, the porous polymeric particles being prepared in the presence of an anionic or cationic dispersant, and the image-receiving layer containing a surfactant having a charge opposite to that of the dispersant used to make the porous polymeric particles, the surfactant being present in an amount from about 0.04 parts to about 0.30 parts by weight of the dispersant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Paul B. Merkel, Gregory E. Missell, Jeanne E. Kaeding, Dennis E. Smith
  • Patent number: 6670110
    Abstract: This invention relates to a poly(ethylene terephthalate) photographic multilayer film base having improved properties with regard to cutting, stiffness and curl property. The multilayer film base comprises a multilayer structure, in which a tie layer comprises a PET-based polyester material having a specified amount of monomeric units derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), such that the support layers of the multilayer film base does not delaminate. This PET-based polyester material can be obtained either by the addition/blending of polyester polymers containing CHDM monomeric units to PET material and/or the incorporation of CHDM monomer units into a PET-polymer backbone at appropriate levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis J. Massa, Michael R. Brickey, Jose R. Garcia, Thomas M. Laney, YuanQiao Rao