Abstract: A countertop and method of countertop manufacture wherein the countertop has a horizontal surface and a vertical edge surface wherein the vertical edge surface is comprised of at least one luminescent component. The luminescent component being of a solid surface material with a luminescent quality.

Abstract: A laminate, comprising a substrate and at least two controlled droplet-formed layers further comprising an array of discrete placed material volumes having a thickness extent, each material volume having a selected magnitude and a selected position relative to adjacent material volumes, said array being formed by deposition of droplets of selected volume at selected locations with respect to one another.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide an antireflection film having a fine particle layer that is formed on a transparent substrate without allowing particles to aggregate as irregular lumps, while the region having no particles is being reduced to an area that is sufficiently small so as not to impair the visibility. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the present invention provides an antireflection film that is characterized by having: a transparent substrate and a fine particle layer that is placed on the surface of the transparent substrate and made from at least a single layer of fine particles, wherein the surface of the transparent substrate and fine particles are allowed to adhere to each other by at least an electrostatic interaction, while the bulk of the above-mentioned fine particle layer is set to have a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the above-mentioned transparent substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for a multilayer optical articles. A method comprises forming a first multilayer article with a first substrate and a second substrate with a first adherent disposed between the first and second substrate. A first surface of a third substrate is then grasped with a first holder and a second adherent is then disposed on one or more surfaces selected from a second surface of the third substrate and a surface of the first multilayer article while the multilayer article is grasped by a second holder. The second adherent is then at least partially cured while the first and second holders maintain their grasp and while the inner surfaces of the first and second holders are in the selected angular relationship to form a second multilayer article.

Abstract: The invention describes an article and method comprising a refractory article having an outer surface covered by an insulating coating over which a protective glaze is applied. The method includes applying a suspension of an insulating coating to a refractory piece, drying the suspension, applying a glaze slip over the coating, and drying the slip to form a protective glaze. In one embodiment, the article comprises a carbon-bonded alumina-graphite nozzle, an insulating coating containing hollow microspheres, and a protective glaze formed from a fusible frit. The invention is described as improving wetting to the refractory piece, reducing delamination of the glaze and insulating coating from the piece, and reducing oxidation of the piece.

Abstract: This invention relates to the partial printing of a substrate with a plurality of layers to form a partially printed panel. Within each printed portion, at least one layer is applied to the substrate with inexact registration in relation to a second layer. A “control layer” comprising “edge sealing strips” is printed so that, within each printed portion, each edge of the at least two layers with inexact registration is located within the edges of an overlapping edge sealing strip. The edge sealing strips may provide a visual seal or mask at the edges of printed portions, for example to enable the each printed portion to have the desired color rendering within a one-way vision control panel. The invention can comprise the physical sealing of printed portions containing gaseous or liquid fluids or particles in suspension, such as fragrances, medication, environmentally reactive materials or security printing features.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to triggerable, water-dispersible cationic polymers. The present invention is also directed to a method of making triggerable, water-dispersible cationic polymers and their applicability as binder compositions. The present invention is further directed to fiber-containing fabrics and webs comprising triggerable, water-dispersible binder compositions and their applicability in water-dispersible personal care products, such as wet wipes.

Abstract: On a support, a porous resin layer which is opaque in a water-unabsorbed state and capable of turning transparent in a water-absorbed state is formed, and also a water-repellent resin layer is so provided as to exist in the porous resin layer at its some area or areas in a co-existent state, to make up a water-metachromatic laminate. A novel toy element can be provided in which latent images standing invisible in a normal condition are rendered visible by means of water as a medium so as to be visually distinguished.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling article comprising a polymer absorbent enclosed within a bag delimited by a collapsible envelope having non-watertight walls, wherein said polymer absorbent is under the form of particles each of which comprises a core of less cross-linked polymer sequences more active in retaining absorbed water and a shell of more cross-linked polymer sequences apt to retard diffusion of water from a particle to another during desorption of absorbed water.

Abstract: A thin layer of hafnium oxide or stacking of thin layers comprising hafnium oxide layers for producing surface treatments of optical components, or optical components, in which at least one layer of hafnium oxide is in amorphous form and has a density less than 8 gm/cm3. The layer is formed by depositing on a substrate without energy input to the substrate.

Abstract: A multi color changing powder with a bluish base appearance color of which color tone varies according to the observation direction is provided. A pleochroism powder of the present invention comprises a flaky mica having a coating which consists of two layers wherein one of said two layers is a first layer comprising a metal oxide of titanium coated on said flaky mica and the other is a second layer comprising metal oxides of cobalt and aluminum coated on said first layer.

Abstract: Volatile organic compounds containing carbonyl groups can be released by lithographic printing materials including inks, fountain solutions and printed materials. Volatile organic compounds containing carbonyl groups can also have a serious negative impact on the taste or odor of staple materials such as foodstuffs. The volatile materials can be retained in the lithographic compositions and printed materials can be trapped in the printed materials using an improved reactive technology involving a chemically reactive trap for such volatile carbonyl containing compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for forming images in solid surfaces, and to solid surfaces containing an image. In particular, the present invention provides systems and methods for forming images in polymeric materials, and polymeric materials containing an image with novel optical density characteristics.

Abstract: A decorative sheet with good design properties and with superior moldability, without using a vinyl chloride resin, comprises a base material layer formed of a coloring resin material including an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate type resin as a main component; a print pattern layer formed on one surface of said base material layer and formed of a coloring ink comprising a binder including a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate as a main component; a transparent layer laminated on said print pattern layer and formed of a resin material including a transparent amorphous polyethylene terephthalate type resin as a main component; and a surface protective layer laminated on said transparent layer, which is made of a hard and transparent acryl type resin. The surface protective layer is constituted of a transfer protective layer of a transfer foil.

Abstract: On a support, a porous resin layer which is opaque in a water-unabsorbed state and capable of turning transparent in a water-absorbed state is formed, and also a water-repellent resin layer is so provided as to exist in the porous resin layer at its some area or areas in a co-existent state, to make up a water-metachromatic laminate. A novel toy element can be provided in which latent images standing invisible in a normal condition are rendered visible by means of water as a medium so as to be visually distinguished.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic enclosure for temporarily retaining documents, printed indicia, photographs or the like. More particularly, the present invention provides an enclosure that is created by laminating a magnetic material to a transparent sleeve created through the production process. The magnetic material serves as a backing member for mounting, displaying and securing printed indicia, creative content or other material in a convenient to use fashion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a non-contact information recording medium for ink-jet recording, on and from which information can be recorded and read in a non-contact state from the outside, comprising an electronic information storing circuit part and an image recording part, wherein at least part of the electronic information storing circuit part has an ink/circuit-part barrier structure by which the circuit part undergoes no circuit trouble caused by an ink applied to the image recording part.

Abstract: A liquid crystalline transfer sheet 10 includes a liquid crystal layer 12 formed on the surface of a substrate 14, where the surface hardness of the liquid crystal layer 12 is higher on the releasing surface 12A side, which is on the substrate 14 side, than on the adhering surface 12B side, which is on the receiving object 16 side. Therefore, the adhesion between the adhering surface 12B of the liquid crystal layer 12 and the receiving object 16 becomes stronger than that between the releasing surface 12A of the liquid crystal layer 12 and the substrate 14. It is thus possible to securely transfer the liquid crystal layer 12 to the receiving object 16 without leaving a part of the liquid crystal layer 12 on the substrate 14.

Abstract: Image transfer media and methods of transferring images are provided. The image transfer media comprise a sheet having a nonporous micro-embossed surface topography comprising cavities on one major surface of the sheet and an ink release coating on the embossed surface, wherein said major surface has a surface energy of about 43 dyne/centimeter or less. A method of transferring an image to a substrate comprises the steps of (a) printing a selected image onto an imaging surface of an image transfer medium of the invention; (b) contacting the imaged micro-embossed surface with the substrate using pressure; and (c) removing the micro-embossed surface of the image transfer medium from the substrate.

Abstract: A device for forming erasable images on a reusable medium, comprising: an erasing portion; and a writing portion; wherein the erasing portion comprises a separator for separating at least two layers of the reusable medium; and wherein the writing portion comprises automatic machine-driven pressure applicators for applying pressure but no ink to the reusable medium, thereby forming an image on the reusable medium.