Patents by Inventor Sukun Zhang

Sukun Zhang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140161996
    Abstract: A method of imaging acrylic glass is presented. An image is formed on a transfer sheet or medium, and is heat transferred to the acrylic glass substrate on which the image is to permanently appear. An opaque pass-through coating is applied to one surface of the clear or transparent acrylic glass article. Heat activatable dye forms the image, and the heat activatable dye, when heat activated in close relationship to the opaque pass-through coating, passes through the opaque pass-through coating to the acrylic glass substrate. The image reflects light through the acrylic glass and is visible through the material and from the side opposite the opaque coating. The opaque pass-through coating layer permanently bonds to the acrylic glass surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Zhenrong Guo, Sukun Zhang, Paul Hirst
  • Patent number: 8628185
    Abstract: A reactive ink for printing. A reagent in the ink reacts with a second reagent. A resultant product of the reaction of said first reagent with said second reagent is a polymeric material that is present on the substrate. A heat activated colorant or colorants, such as a sublimation dyes, are applied to the substrate. The heat activated dye has an affinity for the polymeric material, and the heat activated dye binds to the polymeric material upon heat activation of said heat activated dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sawgrass Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, Sukun Zhang
  • Patent number: 8398224
    Abstract: Reactive inks and methods of generating an image on a substrate using both reactive and heat activated inks are presented. An image is printed on a substrate, without reacting the reagents in the ink. Subsequently, the reagents are reacted to fix the image to a substrate, with substantial permanency and fastness. Sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are printed are also printed on the substrate. The sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are activated, and have an affinity for polymer that is applied to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sawgrass Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, Sukun Zhang
  • Patent number: 8337006
    Abstract: Reactive inks and methods of generating an image on a substrate using both reactive and heat activated inks are presented. An image is printed on a substrate, without reacting the reagents in the ink. Subsequently, the reagents are reacted to fix the image to a substrate, with substantial permanency and fastness. Sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are printed are also printed on the substrate. The sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are activated, and have an affinity for polymer that is applied to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sawgrass Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, Sukun Zhang
  • Patent number: 8029883
    Abstract: A transfer medium is provided for receiving images formed on the medium by inks or toners comprising thermally diffusible colorants, including disperse dye and sublimation dye, and methods of using the medium to present images on substrates. The medium provides an opaque layer that allows transfer of the image from the medium to a substrate, and provides a background for the image when the image is transferred to a dark colored substrate, so that the dark colored substrate does not obscure the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Zhenrong Guo, Sukun Zhang
  • Publication number: 20110111188
    Abstract: A method of imaging thermoplastics, such as acrylic glass, is presented. An image is formed on a transfer sheet or medium, and is heat transferred to the acrylic glass substrate on which the image is to permanently appear. An opaque pass-through coating is applied to one surface of the clear or transparent acrylic glass article. Heat activatable dye forms the image, and the heat activatable dye, when heat activated in close relationship to the opaque pass-through coating, passes through the opaque pass-through coating to the thermoplastic substrate. The image reflects light through the thermoplastic material and is visible through the material and from the side opposite the opaque coating. The opaque pass-through coating layer permanently bonds to the acrylic glass surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Zhenrong Guo, Sukun Zhang, Paul Hirst
  • Publication number: 20100129572
    Abstract: A transfer medium is provided for receiving images formed on the medium by inks or toners comprising thermally diffusible colorants, including disperse dye and sublimation dye, and methods of using the medium to present images on substrates. The medium provides an opaque layer that allows transfer of the image from the medium to a substrate, and provides a background for the image when the image is transferred to a dark colored substrate, so that the dark colored substrate does not obscure the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Zhenrong Guo, Sukun Zhang
  • Publication number: 20100091058
    Abstract: Reactive inks and methods of generating an image on a substrate using both reactive and heat activated inks are presented. An image is printed on a substrate, without reacting the reagents in the ink. Subsequently, the reagents are reacted to fix the image to a substrate, with substantial permanency and fastness. Sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are printed are also printed on the substrate. The sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are activated, and have an affinity for polymer that is applied to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, SUKUN ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20100073408
    Abstract: Reactive inks and methods of generating an image on a substrate using both reactive and heat activated inks are presented. An image is printed on a substrate, without reacting the reagents in the ink. Subsequently, the reagents are reacted to fix the image to a substrate, with substantial permanency and fastness. Sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are printed are also printed on the substrate. The sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are activated, and have an affinity for polymer that is applied to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, Sukun Zhang
  • Patent number: 7654660
    Abstract: Reactive inks and methods of generating an image on a substrate using both reactive and heat activated inks are presented. An image is printed on a substrate, without reacting the reagents in the ink. Subsequently, the reagents are reacted to fix the image to a substrate, with substantial permanency and fastness. Sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are printed are also printed on the substrate. The sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are activated, and have an affinity for polymer that is applied to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sawgrass Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, Sukun Zhang
  • Publication number: 20070181253
    Abstract: This invention is a process of printing or forming a resist layer over an area of a printed transfer medium that has binders or other materials thereon but is not covered by a printed image. The layer resists transfer to the final substrate of binder materials and other materials of the transfer medium that are not covered with the printed image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Sukun Zhang, Zhenrong Guo
  • Publication number: 20050199152
    Abstract: Reactive inks and methods of generating an image on a substrate using both reactive and heat activated inks are presented. An image is printed on a substrate, without reacting the reagents in the ink. Subsequently, the reagents are reacted to fix the image to a substrate, with substantial permanency and fastness. Sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are printed are also printed on the substrate. The sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are activated, and have an affinity for polymer that is applied to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, Sukun Zhang
  • Patent number: 6887640
    Abstract: A process for printing images by means of an electrographic or electrostatic device using a toner that is cured by multiple applications of energy. The toner has energy-activated reactive components such as radiation-curable sites and reactive functional groups. An image is formed on a substrate by the toner without materially activating the reactive components. The reactive components are subsequently activated by applying a first energy source to adhere the image to the substrate by cross-linking and bonding the image permanently to the substrate, or by transferring the image to a second substrate. A second energy source is applied simultaneously with, or subsequently to, the first energy source, to promote cohesive strength of the image by cross-linking within the toner particles that form the image. The resulting image is permanently bonded to the substrate, yielding substantially enhanced image durability and fastnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Inventors: Sukun Zhang, Rebecca Silveston, Ming Xu
  • Patent number: 6723200
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in the art of making high pressure laminated materials utilizing saturating kraft paper. More particularly, the invention relates to release sheets coated with an aqueous polymeric composition which makes the sheets useful in the production of heat and pressure consolidated laminated materials. Papers which are coated with these aqueous polymeric compositions exhibit excellent release properties which, when employed as release sheets, permit high pressure laminates to be easily separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventor: Sukun Zhang
  • Patent number: 6713548
    Abstract: This invention relates to waterborne polymer compositions and their applications. More particularly, the invention relates to the utilization of water-dispersible polymers and fatty acid as surface-active agents in emulsion polymerization reactions to produce waterborne polymer compositions which exhibit superior grease, water, and chemical resistance properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Sukun Zhang, Charles Andrew Rumble, Warunee Srisiri-Sisson, Marc Stephen Moisa, James George Hayden
  • Publication number: 20030165766
    Abstract: A process for printing images by means of an electrographic or electrostatic device using a toner that is cured by multiple applications of energy. The toner has energy-activated reactive components such as radiation-curable sites and reactive functional groups. An image is formed on a substrate by the toner without materially activating the reactive components. The reactive components are subsequently activated by applying a first energy source to adhere the image to the substrate by cross-linking and bonding the image permanently to the substrate, or by transferring the image to a second substrate. A second energy source is applied simultaneously with, or subsequently to, the first energy source, to promote cohesive strength of the image by cross-linking within the toner particles that form the image. The resulting image is permanently bonded to the substrate, yielding substantially enhanced image durability and fastnesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Sukun Zhang, Rebecca Silveston, Ming Xu
  • Patent number: 6291075
    Abstract: This invention relates to ovenable and dual-ovenable coated paperboard suitable for use in producing food trays. More particularly, the invention relates to paperboard substrates which have been coated with a water-based release coating composition. Food trays made from such paperboard have superior grease resistance, high temperature resistance, and excellent food release properties—characteristics which make these trays particularly suitable for use in baking applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Westvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Sukun Zhang, Charles G. Ruffner
  • Patent number: 6103802
    Abstract: This invention relates to water-based release coating compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions for coating ovenable and dual-ovenable paperboard. Food trays made from this coated paperboard have superior grease resistance, high temperature resistance, and excellent food release properties--characteristics which make these trays particularly suitable for use in baking applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Westvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Sukun Zhang, Charles G. Ruffner