Patents Assigned to Eastman Kodak Company
  • Patent number: 12258463
    Abstract: A method to facilitate the reduction of solar radiation impacting Earth proposes the use of a plurality of porous particles that are introduced into Earth's stratosphere at an average distance of at least 10 kilometers above sea level. Each porous particle has a continuous polymeric phase composed of an organic polymer, and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase. Each porous particle has a mode particle size of 2-20 ?m; a coefficient of variance (CV) of no more than 20% compared to the mode particle size; and a porosity of 20%-75%. The discrete pores have an average pore size “d” (nm) that is defined by 0.3?d/??0.8 wherein ? is 400-3,000 nm. Each of the discrete pores of the porous particles is filled with air and optionally a pore stabilizing hydrocolloid that is disposed at the interface of the discrete pore and the continuous polymeric phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Lloyd Anthony Lobo, Mridula Nair
  • Patent number: 12240957
    Abstract: A method for preparing core/shell particles includes forming a suspension of ethylenically unsaturated monomer droplets containing one or more monomers and a porogen in an aqueous medium containing a first stabilizer and a polymerization initiator, wherein at least one of the monomers is a cross-linking monomer, and wherein the first stabilizer is an inorganic colloid. The method further includes polymerizing the one or more monomers to form core/shell particles having a core of a porous polymer and a polymeric shell having a shell thickness of at least 5 nm, wherein any pores in the polymeric shell have a diameter of less than 2 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin D. Lofftus, John Leonard Muehlbauer, Mridula Nair
  • Patent number: 12222645
    Abstract: IR-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursors provide a stable print-out image using a unique IR-sensitive image-recording layer. The IR radiation-sensitive layer includes: (1) a free radical initiator composition with an electron-donating agent and one or more iodonium cations; (2) a free radically polymerizable composition; and (3) a color-changing compound of Structure (I) having an indene ring in the conjugated chain between the aromatic terminal groups. The IR radiation-sensitive composition and layer also contains one or more borate ions such that the molar ratio of one or more borate ions to the one or more iodonium ions is at least 0.5:1. After IR imaging, these precursors exhibit desirable printout images both fresh and after dark storage. The precursors can be developed on-press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher D. Simpson, Stefanie Hansmann, Saija Werner, Jianbing Huang
  • Patent number: 12220904
    Abstract: An inking system is used to transfer a plurality of different inks to an anilox roller in a flexographic printing plate in a flexographic printing system. A fountain roller includes a plurality of ink transfer zones separated by recessed zones, and a segmented ink tray includes a plurality of ink tray segments corresponding to each of the ink transfer zones, wherein the fountain roller is positioned such that the ink transfer zones contact the anilox roller. Each ink transfer zone of the fountain roller is adapted to receive ink from the corresponding ink tray segment and transfer the received ink to a corresponding zone of the anilox roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Jason D. Steadman, Michael G. Shaughnessy, Carolyn Rae Ellinger
  • Patent number: 12202277
    Abstract: A printhead in a digital printing includes an array of light sources for exposing a photosensitive medium moving past the printhead. Artifacts are reduced in a high-speed print mode by defining first and a second power level control values that differ by at least 20%. The light sources used to print odd-numbered image pixels are activated responsive to the first power level control value and the light sources used to print even-numbered image pixels are activated responsive to the second power level control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Chung-Hui Kuo
  • Patent number: 12147010
    Abstract: An article includes a substrate with a surface, and a coating disposed over the surface. The coating includes a binder material and a plurality of UV scattering porous polymer particles having pores with a light scattering effective pore size of no more than 100 nm. The coating has a scattering opacity of no more than 20% in the wavelength band from 500 to 3000 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin D. Lofftus, John Leonard Muehlbauer, Mridula Nair, Cumar Sreekumar
  • Patent number: 12044970
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a flexographic printing plate for printing image patterns including one or more uniform image regions includes defining a repeating tile having a plurality of different feature shapes positioned in a pattern of pseudo-random feature locations. A plate formation pattern corresponding to the image pattern is determined wherein the repeating tile is applied in a tiled arrangement to the uniform image regions. The plate formation pattern is used to form a flexographic printing plate, wherein regions of the flexographic printing plate corresponding to the uniform image regions of the image pattern include a pattern of raised features in positions corresponding to the feature positions in the repeating tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas F. Kaltenbach, Kam Chuen Ng, James S. Honan, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Patent number: 12007690
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a flexographic printing plate for printing image patterns including one or more uniform image regions includes defining a repeating tile having a pattern of feature shapes positioned at pseudo-random feature locations. A plate formation pattern corresponding to the image pattern is determined wherein the repeating tile is applied in a tiled arrangement to the uniform image regions. The plate formation pattern is used to form a flexographic printing plate, wherein regions of the flexographic printing plate corresponding to the uniform image regions of the image pattern include a pattern of raised features in positions corresponding to the feature positions in the repeating tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas F. Kaltenbach, Kam Chuen Ng, James S. Honan, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Patent number: 12004676
    Abstract: A prepared for print (PFP) light-blocking element has a scoured fabric with face side and back side, and a dried and non-foamed color-masking composition on the back side at a coverage of 5-75 g/m2. This dried and non-foamed color-masking composition contains a tinting component and a film-forming polymeric binder having a Tg of less than 25° C. The light-blocking element further has a cured, crushed, and dried foamed opacifying layer disposed on the dried and non-foamed color-masking composition. The dried and non-foamed color-masking composition effectively reduces visual perception on the uncoated face side as measured by a ?E value as determined from ?L*, ?a*, and ?b* CEILAB color values, to be <2, compared to visual perception on the uncoated face side of the same treated fabric when the cured, crushed, and dried foamed opacifying layer is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Mridula Nair
  • Patent number: 11964466
    Abstract: Lithographic printing plate precursors are prepared with a unique aluminum-containing substrate prepared using two separate anodizing processes to provide an inner aluminum oxide layer of average dry thickness (Ti) of 300-3,000 nm and a multiplicity of inner micropores of average inner micropore diameter (Di) of ?100 nm. An outer aluminum oxide layer is also provided to have a multiplicity of outer micropores of average outer micropore diameter (Do) of 15-30 nm and a dry thickness (To) of 30-650 nm. A hydrophilic layer disposed on the outer aluminum oxide layer at 0.0002-0.1 g/m2 has at least a hydrophilic copolymer composed of (a) recurring units having an amide group and (b) recurring units comprising an —OM group directly connected to a phosphorus atom, wherein M represents a hydrogen, sodium, potassium, or aluminum atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Oliver Merka, Yasushi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 11945240
    Abstract: A method of printing on an inkjet printer including a plurality of overlapping jetting modules includes analyzing image data within a stitch area to designate white pixels and non-white pixels. For rows where the stitch area includes white pixels, a hard stitch boundary is defined within the stitch area where image pixels to the left of the hard stitch boundary are to be printed using a left jetting module and image pixels to the right of the hard stitch boundary are to be printed using a right jetting module. For image regions where the rows of image pixels within the stitch area include only non-white pixels, a soft-stitching path is defined through the image region, and a fading function is used to gradually transition from printing image pixels with the left jetting module to printing image pixels with the right jetting module in a transition zone around the soft-stitching path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Manfred L. Holl, Rainer Kuessel, Andreas Weiser
  • Patent number: 11932744
    Abstract: A foamed, opacifying element has a substrate with opposing planar surfaces and a foamed opacifying layer disposed on one opposing surface. The foamed opacifying layer contains (a) 0.1-80 weight % of nonporous polymeric particles; (b?) 10-80 weight % of a matrix material derived from a (b) binder material having a glass transition temperature of less than 40° C.; (c) 0.0001-50 weight % of certain additives; (d) less than 5 weight % of water; and (e) at least 0.002 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from all of the (c) additives. Foamable and foamed aqueous compositions can be used to provide these foamed, opacifying elements for use as light-blocking window shades, curtains, or other materials. These light-blocking articles can also have a printable outer surface that accepts ink for making printed images that are not observable from the opposite surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Mridula Nair
  • Patent number: 11914319
    Abstract: A digital printing system incorporating in-track position corrections includes one or more printing subsystems, a data processing system; and a digital memory for storing a representation of an in-track position correction function, wherein the in-track position correction function is a non-linear function that specifies in-track position corrections to be applied as a function of cross-track position, and wherein the representation of the in-track position correction function includes the cross-track positions and transition direction of transitions in the in-track position correction function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Chung-Hui Kuo
  • Patent number: 11868070
    Abstract: A method for reducing artifacts in an electrophotographic printing system includes receiving a print job including image data for a set of pages. The electrophotographic printing system is used to print a block of pages from the print job to provide corresponding printed pages. The image data for the block of pages is analyzed to determine an average toner usage rate. If the determined average toner usage rate for the block of pages falls outside an acceptable toner usage rate range, image data for a compensation image and a number of compensation images are determined such that the average toner usage rate will be brought back into the acceptable toner usage rate range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Chung-Hui Kuo
  • Patent number: 11838480
    Abstract: A method for reducing image burn-in artifacts in an electrophotographic printing system, includes receiving a print job including image data for a set of pages to be printed. The pages are analyzed to determine that the image data for a sequence of pages in the print job are similar. The similar pages are printed using a pattern of lateral translations wherein the image data is laterally translated such that it is printed at a different lateral position on the printed page. The similar pages can also be printed using a pattern of page orientations including a first page orientation and a second page orientation, wherein the image data for the second page orientation is rotated 180 degrees relative to the image data for the first page orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas L. Schwartz, Horia Neamtu, Chung-Hui Kuo
  • Patent number: 11829084
    Abstract: An electrophotographic printing system for printing with a set of toners including a white toner. A plurality of printing modules are configured to print respective toner patterns, each including a toner image printed onto a receiver medium being transported on a transparent transport web and a corresponding registration mark positioned outside a border of the receiver medium. A first registration mark sensing system is positioned to detect the registration marks printed with a first subset of the toners that doesn't include the white toner. A second registration mark sensing system is positioned to detect the registration marks printed with a second subset of the toners that includes the white toner. The registration mark sensing systems each include a reflector plate positioned behind the transport web. The reflector plate for the first registration mark sensing system is white, and the reflector plate for the second registration mark sensing system is black.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Karlheinz Peter, Hans-Guenter Staack, Michael Thomas Dobbertin
  • Patent number: 11822262
    Abstract: An electrophotographic printing system for printing with a set of toners including a white toner. A plurality of printing modules are configured to print respective toner patterns, each including a toner image printed onto a receiver medium being transported on a transparent transport web and a corresponding registration mark positioned outside a border of the receiver medium. A registration mark sensing system is positioned to detect the printed registration marks. The registration mark sensing system includes a light detector positioned to detect light that is emitted by a light source, transmitted through the transport web and reflected off a non-white colored reflector plate positioned behind the transport web. The colored reflector plate has a color that provides detection signals for the registration marks having a magnitude that is greater than or equal to a predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Chung-Hui Kuo
  • Patent number: 11813882
    Abstract: An aqueous composition can be used for pre-treating a substrate prior to inkjet printing to provide a white opaque background for inkjet-printed images. This aqueous composition includes: (a) one or more water-soluble salts of a multivalent metal cation at 5-30 weight %; (b) a nonionic or cationic water-soluble or water-dispersible polymeric binder material at 5-30 weight %; and (c) surface-treated visible light-scattering particles having a D50 (median) particle size of at least 0.04 ?m and up to and including 2 ?m in an amount of 5-60 weight % based on the total aqueous composition weight. The pre-treated substrate is useful as an inkjet receiving medium that can be readily inkjet-printed particularly with anionically-stabilized aqueous pigment-based inks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Edward Irving, Douglas Eugene Bugner, David D. Putnam
  • Patent number: 11813884
    Abstract: Lithographic printing plate precursors have an aluminum-containing substrate prepared using two anodizing processes to provide an inner aluminum oxide layer of average dry thickness of 300-3,000 nm and a multiplicity of inner micropores of average inner micropore diameter of ?100 nm. An outer aluminum oxide layer is provided with a multiplicity of outer micropores of average outer micropore diameter of 15-30 nm and a dry thickness of 30-650 nm. A hydrophilic layer is disposed on the outer aluminum oxide layer at 0.0002-0.1 g/m2 and has a (1) compound having an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable groups; a —OM group connected directly to a phosphorus atom, wherein M represents hydrogen, sodium, potassium, or aluminum; and (2) one or more hydrophilic polymers having (a) recurring units comprising an amide group, and (b) recurring units having an —OM? group that is directly connected to a phosphorus atom, wherein M? represents hydrogen, sodium, potassium, or aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Johannes Obenauf, Domenico Balbinot
  • Patent number: 11812005
    Abstract: A method for reproducing an out-of-gamut spot color includes determining a color gamut for a color printer, and specifying a spot color by color coordinates in a three-dimensional color space. A first target color is determined corresponding to a color having a minimum color difference to the specified spot color, and a second target color is determined corresponding to a color on the color gamut surface having a hue value equal to a hue value of the specified spot color. A path is defined on the color gamut surface connecting the first target color and the second target color, wherein a control parameter is used to specify a relative position along the defined path. A user interface is provided enabling a user to adjust the control parameter to specify an aim color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Chung-Hui Kuo, Victor Ignacio Ibarluzea, Thomas L. Schwartz