Patents Examined by Martin Angebranndt
  • Patent number: 8921011
    Abstract: A method is provided for mastering optically variable devices (OVDs) used to authenticate optical discs. The method generally includes the steps of providing a laser beam recorder (LBR), introducing a substrate to the LBR, and exposing a portion of the substrate to the LBR. The mastering system thus includes the LBR, which has a laser that emits a beam, a processor or computer for programming or otherwise controlling the beam in order to expose the substrate and create the desired optical effect. Depending on the material used for the substrate, the exposure is then developed, if necessary, and processed to generate a master for the OVD. The OVD can then be replicated in order to provide authentic resultant products or articles, such as optical discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: 3dcd, LLC
    Inventors: Nigel C. Abraham, Holger Hofmann, Raymond L. Keating
  • Patent number: 8916335
    Abstract: A photo-curable transfer sheet having a photo-curable transfer layer comprising a photo-curable composition, the photo-curable composition being deformable by application of pressure and containing a reactive polymer having a photopolymerizable functional group, wherein the photo-curable transfer layer shows linearity in relationship between strain [?] (%) and time [t] (second) measured by a creep test using a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring apparatus under the conditions of an ordinary temperature, stress of 50 Pa and a time period of 120 seconds, and satisfies a following formula: log ?=a+b·log t, in which “a” is a real number, and “b” is in the range of 0.10 to 0.53; and a process for the preparation of an optical information recording medium using the sheet and an optical information recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Kitano, Takato Inamiya, Kenji Murayama, Hidefumi Kotsubo, Yasuhiro Morimura
  • Patent number: 8900775
    Abstract: A hologram recording material includes a polymerizable monomer (A) that is active in radical polymerization but is substantially inactive in cationic polymerization, a polymerizable monomer (B) that is active in cationic polymerization but is substantially inactive in radical polymerization, and an initiator system (C) that polymerizes at least one of the polymerizable monomer (A) and the polymerizable monomer (B) through irradiation with light. The polymerizable monomer (A) and the polymerizable monomer (B) each have, in its structure, a moiety selected from the group consisting of aromatic rings, halogen atoms other than a fluorine atom, and sulfur atoms not derived from a cyclic sulfide or a mercapto group. A hologram recording medium includes a recording layer composed of the hologram recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Hayashida, Shohei Fujii, Jiro Yoshinari
  • Patent number: 8895233
    Abstract: A method of creating a region of index change in a photopolymer includes providing a photopolymer having a photosensitivity to light of a particular wavelength and creating a region of index change in the photopolymer by applying direct write lithography to expose the photopolymer of the region to light that includes the particular wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
    Inventor: Robert R. McLeod
  • Patent number: 8889322
    Abstract: The invention relates to a photopolymer formulation comprising matrix polymers, writing monomers, and photo initiators, comprising a combination of at least two different writing monomers. The invention further relates to the use of the photopolymer formulation for producing optical elements, in particular for producing holographic elements and images, to a method for producing the photopolymer formulation and to a method for illuminating holographic media made of the photopolymer formulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Marc-Stephan Weiser, Friedrich-Karl Bruder, Thomas Rölle, Thomas Fäcke, Dennis Hönel, Jörg Hofmann
  • Patent number: 8889321
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a holographic film, wherein a photopolymer formulation comprising matrix polymers, writing monomers, photoinitiator system, and optionally auxiliary materials and additives is provided, the photopolymer formulation is applied as a film to the surface of a substrate, and the film is dried, wherein a photopolymer formulation having a plateau module G0 of =0.03 MPa is used. The invention further relates to a holographic medium that can be obtained by means of the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Friedrich-Karl Bruder, Dennis Hönel, Marc-Stephan Weiser, Thomas Rölle, Thomas Fäcke
  • Patent number: 8877408
    Abstract: The invention relates to a photopolymer formulation comprising matrix polymers, writing monomers and photo initiators, to a method for producing said photopolymer formulation, a photopolymer formulation obtained according to said method, a sheeting, a film, a layer, a layer structure or a moulded body made from said photopolymer formulation and to the use of said photopolymer formulation for producing optical elements, in particular for producing holographic elements and images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Thomas Rölle, Friedrich-Karl Bruder, Thomas Fäcke, Marc-Stephan Weiser, Dennis Hönel
  • Patent number: 8865374
    Abstract: A package that has at least one hologram on its exterior surface is formed from a paper, paperboard or thermoplastic substrate material that has an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface has a radiation curable particulate metal containing coating. This coating is cured and zero to one or more ink containing coatings are applied to the radiation curable particulate metal containing coating in areas that are not to have a hologram. Each of these ink containing coatings are cured, and a substantially transparent radiation curable coating is applied to the areas deficient in the zero to one or more ink coatings. This substantially transparent radiation curable coating is contacted with a substantially transparent holographic shim in an area not having thereon ink containing coatings while curing radiation is applied to the substantially transparent radiation curable coating and the substantially transparent shim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventor: John A. Sarnataro
  • Patent number: 8865379
    Abstract: Generally, polymeric members and laser marking methods for producing visible marks on polymeric members, such as on thin and/or curved surfaces. The laser marking methods can include methods of laser marking straws with the step of matching laser source properties to the properties of straws being marked or with the step of laser marking straws having photochromic dyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Inguran, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Charles Sharpe, Thomas B. Gilligan, Richard W. Lenz, Juan Moreno
  • Patent number: 8859184
    Abstract: A write-only-read-many type optical recording medium includes a substrate, an organic material layer having a light absorption function that is sufficient for recording in the recording/reproduction wavelength range, the organic material layer being situated on the substrate, and a reflection layer being situated on the organic material layer. The recording medium is configured to have a Low-to-High recording property and record with a laser having a wavelength that is no greater than 500 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Noboru Sasa
  • Patent number: 8852856
    Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a CO2 laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.59<I1/I2?2.00??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 80% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Kawahara, Tomomi Ishimi, Yoshihiko Hotta
  • Patent number: 8852829
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyurethane composition comprising A) a polyisocyanate component comprising an exclusively diol-based NCO-terminated polyurethane prepolymer, wherein the NCO groups are bonded in a primary manner, B) an isocyanate-reactive polymer, C) a compound having groups which react by polymerizing with an ethylenically unsaturated compound under the action of actinic radiation (radiation-curing groups) wherein the compound is free of NCO groups, D) a free-radical stabilizer, E) a photoinitiator, F) optionally a catalyst, G) optionally assistants and additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Marc-Stephan Weiser, Thomas Rölle, Friedrich-Karl Bruder, Thomas Fäcke, Dennis Hönel, Sebastian Dörr, Nicolas Stöckel
  • Patent number: 8852828
    Abstract: This invention provides a volume hologram photosensitive composition, which can realize a hologram having an excellent brightness and, at the same time, having excellent heat resistance and mechanical strength, and a photosensitive medium for volume hologram recording using the volume hologram photosensitive composition. The volume hologram photosensitive composition comprises at least a photopolymerizable monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, a sensitizing dye for sensitizing the initiator, and a binder resin. The binder resin comprises a heat curing resin, and optionally a thermoplastic resin, and the thermoplastic resin is contained in an amount of 0 to 25% by weight based on the total solid content of the photosensitive composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Azakami, Yoshihito Maeno, Hiroyuki Ohtaki
  • Patent number: 8846298
    Abstract: A write-only-read-many type optical recording medium includes a substrate, an organic material layer having a light absorption function that is sufficient for recording in the recording/reproduction wavelength range, the organic material layer being situated on the substrate, and a reflection layer being situated on the organic material layer. The recording medium is configured to have a Low-to-High recording property and record with a laser having a wavelength that is no greater than 500 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Noboru Sasa
  • Patent number: 8841046
    Abstract: A system for generating periodic or quasi-periodic patterns on a sample by means of an interference lithography technique includes a photon source, a mask and a sample holder. The mask has a grating for generating a predetermined pattern, wherein the mask is positioned at a first distance from the photon source. The sample holder is disposed at a second distance from the mask on a side facing away from the photon source. The second distance is selected to be where an intensity distribution is substantially stationary and distance-invariant, or the second distance is varied to obtain a desired average intensity distribution on the sample surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Eulitha AG
    Inventor: Harun H. Solak
  • Patent number: 8828624
    Abstract: A system for recording multiple volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) in a photo thermo-refractive material is configured to implement a method which provides for irradiating the material by a coherent light through a phase mask. The system has a plurality of actuators operative to displace the light source, phase mask and material relative to one another so as to mass produce multiple units of the material each having one or more uniformly configured VBGs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Valentin P Gapontsev, Alex Ovtchinnikov, Dmitry Starodubov, Alexey Komissarov
  • Patent number: 8815472
    Abstract: This invention provides, for example, a highly stable and reliable volume hologram optical recording medium which can suppress an intensity variation, for example, in diffraction efficiency after signal recording and can stably develop a high S/N ratio. The volume hologram optical recording medium includes a recording layer containing at least one compound selected from compounds (A1) having a terpenoid structure, compounds (A2) represented by a formula (I), and cyclic or noncyclic compounds (A3) having at least two double bonds two of these double bonds are located at 1,4-position relatively, wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent an organic group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and R1 and R2 may combine to form a cyclic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Miki, Naomi Fujimori
  • Patent number: 8808944
    Abstract: A method for storing holographic data, said method comprising: step (A) providing an optically transparent substrate comprising a polymer composition and a light absorbing chromophore, said polymer composition comprising a continuous phase and a dispersed phase, said dispersed phase being less than about 200 nm in size; and step (B) irradiating a volume element of the optically transparent substrate with a holographic interference pattern, wherein the pattern has a first wavelength and an intensity both sufficient to cause a phase change in at least a portion of the dispersed phase within the volume element of the substrate to produce within the irradiated volume element refractive index variations corresponding to the holographic interference pattern, thereby producing an optically readable datum corresponding to the volume element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Lee Lawrence, Marc Dubois, Eugene Pauling Boden, William David Richards, Patrick Joseph McCloskey, Azar Alizadeh, Xiaolei Shi
  • Patent number: 8808972
    Abstract: Films for optical use, articles containing such films, methods for making such films, and systems that utilize such films, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Polarization Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Jian Jim Wang, Paul Sciortino, Jr., Xuegong Deng, Anguel N. Nikolov
  • Patent number: 8808945
    Abstract: A volume hologram layer (2) is formed on a substrate (1), and a cholesteric liquid crystal layer (3) is then formed on the hologram layer (2). After the substrate (1) is peeled off the volume hologram layer (2), an adhesive layer (4) is formed on the surface of the volume hologram layer (2) with the substrate (1) peeled off, and another substrate (5) is then formed on the adhesive layer (4). Finally, a label form of cholesteric liquid crystal medium having a volume hologram is shaped out of the resulting multilayer structure; it is thus possible to fabricate cholesteric liquid crystal media having a volume hologram with efficiency yet without recourse to any complicated steps such as an alignment step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masachika Watanabe, Masanori Umeya, Koji Eto, Tsuyoshi Yamauchi