Patents Examined by Pamela R. Schwartz
  • Membrane coated paper
    Patent number: 6132858
    Abstract: The present invention is a printing medium for use with an ink jet printer. The printing medium includes a substrate and a porous coating layer formed on the substrate using a phase inversion technique. The porous coating layer draws at least one component of an ink solution placed on the porous coating layer into the porous coating layer to dry the ink solution on the porous coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Omonics, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven D. Kloos
  • Ink jet recording medium
    Patent number: 6127037
    Abstract: An ink sorptive coating for ink jet recording media, and ink jet recording media that contain the same, wherein the ink jet recording medium contains a substrate having an ink sorptive layer coated thereon. The ink sorptive coating layer contains (1) a polymer or copolymer that comprises a polyalkyl oxazoline monomer unit or a polyphenyl oxazoline monomer unit, or a copolymer that comprises a polyalkyl oxazoline monomer unit and a polyphenyl oxazoline monomer unit, and (2) a hydrophilic, water-insoluble polymer or copolymer which preferably contains hydroxyl groups. The ink sorptive coating provides the ink jet media with improved image quality, dry time and a low degree of curl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Arkwright, Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven J. Sargeant, Joshua D. Rundus
  • Thermal image transfer recording medium
    Patent number: 6117562
    Abstract: A thermal image transfer recording sodium includes a support and a thermal image transfer ink layer formed on the support. The thermal image transfer ink layer contains a coloring agent, a resin with a melting point of 120.degree. C. or more and an SP value of 10.5 to 12.5, and a melt viscosity lowering material for lowering the melt viscosity of the resin, with the compatibility of the resin and the malt viscosity lowering material, measured by a transparency measurement method, being 0.20 or less, or with the melt viscosity at 150.degree. C. of the thermal image transfer ink layer being in the range of 1.times.10.sup.2 to 5.times.10.sup.6 poise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junko Yamaguchi, Mitsuru Maeda, Tetsuji Kunitake, Kazuyoshi Inamura, Yasumitsu Kuga, Shigeru Miyajima, Tadafumi Tatewaki, Yoshiaki Yamada
  • Recording material for the ink jet printing process
    Patent number: 6114030
    Abstract: The invention relates to a recording material for the ink jet printing prss. The recording material is characterized by a good smudgeproofness, image sharpness and color density, combined with only very low color transfer.The ink receiving layer comprises a pigment and a carboxyl group-modified gelatin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Felix Schoeller jr. Foto- und Speczialpapier GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Horst Westfal, Andreas Diekmann, Sonja Lonker
  • Recording medium and ink-jet recording process using the recording medium
    Patent number: 6114020
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a recording medium comprising a base material and a porous surface layer containing particles of a thermoplastic resin, wherein the breadth of the particle size distribution of the particles of the thermoplastic resin is within 3.sigma., and the proportion of particles having a particle size at most a fifth of the average particle size of the particles of the thermoplastic resin is 10% or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Misuda, Nobuyuki Hosoi, Kenji Shinjo, Ako Omata
  • Recording material
    Patent number: 6114047
    Abstract: Recording material comprising a substrate and an ink-receiving layer(s) provided on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the ink-receiving layer comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone and a basic (meth)acrylic acid ester copolymer prepared from at least four kinds of monomers, which can be used in common for ink-jet printing, direct thermal transfer printing, PPC and pen plotter printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Kimoto Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuzi Ohta
  • Ink jet recording element
    Patent number: 6110601
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising a water-impervious support having thereon the following layers:a) a water-absorbing layer; andb) an image-recording layer comprising a colloidal oxide and a pigment dispersed in a binder, the binder comprising a mixture of poly(ethylene glycol) having a molecular weight of from about 1400 to about 35,000 and poly(vinyl alcohol), the ratio of the poly(ethylene glycol) to the poly(vinyl alcohol) being from about 1:0.8 to about 1:1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Lori J. Shaw-Klein, Richard J. Kapusniak
  • Pressure-sensitive magnetic transfer recording medium
    Patent number: 6099973
    Abstract: A pressure-sensitive magnetic transfer recording medium comprising a support and a pressure-sensitive transferable magnetic ink layer provided on the support, the pressure-sensitive transferable magnetic ink layer comprising a particulate magnetic substance, a resin and an oily substance, the resin comprising a cellulose acetate butyrate resin having a number average molecular weight of 2.0.times.10.sup.4 to 5.0.times.10.sup.4 and a glass transition point of 100.degree. to 140.degree. C., the oily substance being compatible with the cellulose acetate butyrate resin, and the mixing ratio of the cellulose acetate butyrate to the oily substance being from 3:10 to 7:5 by weight, wherein the oily substance is at least one member selected from the group consisting of an adipic acid ester, a sebacic acid ester, an azelaic acid ester and a trimethylolpropane fatty acid triester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Fujicopian Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Miyai, Yasuhiro Tanikawa, Kyoichi Suzuki
  • Recording medium
    Patent number: 6096440
    Abstract: A recording medium has an ink-receiving layer. The layer comprises a hydrophilic resin, and a block copolymer of polyvinyl alcohol and a hydrophobic polymer. The ratio by weight of the hydrophilic resin to the block copolymer is in a range of from 100:1 to 1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Moriya, Akio Kashiwazaki
  • Sheet for ink-jet recording
    Patent number: 6096418
    Abstract: To provide a sheet for ink-jet recording having a low ink-spreading property and an excellent sheet-feeding property, a sheet for ink-jet recording which comprises a base material taking the form of sheet and an ink receiving layer which is laminated onto at least one surface of the base material and contains a binder and fine porous polysaccharide particles is produced. Further, the above-mentioned sheet for ink-jet recording wherein the fine porous polysaccharide particles are exposed on the surface of the ink receiving layer to form unevenness thereon is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Nisshinbo Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Takaya Sato, Tsutomu Uehara
  • Mordanting substrates and agents
    Patent number: 6093447
    Abstract: A mordanting substrate is provided including a porous substrate, and, distributed within the substrate, a mordanting agent. Preferably, the substrate is a fibrous cellulosic material, and the mordanting agent is a cationic polymer that is soluble in polar solvents, preferably water-soluble. The polar solvent solubility of the polymer, in combination with the porosity and cellulosic nature of the material, has been found to cause the mordanting agent, when imbibed into the substrate in the form of a solution, to bind to fibers within the substrate. This binding in turn allows excellent immobilization of dye within the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Iris Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Johnson, Donald R. Allred
  • Alumina sol and recording sheet
    Patent number: 6093483
    Abstract: An alumina sol having colloidal particles of alumina hydrate dispersed in an aqueous solvent, said sol containing a compound which has a sulfonic acid group in its molecule and which, when made into a 1 wt % aqueous solution, has a pH of at most 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiro Tanuma
  • Overcoat for ink jet recording element
    Patent number: 6089704
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising the following layers in the order recited:a) a support;b) a hydrophilic image-recording layer; andc) an overcoat layer comprising a vinyl latex polymer having the following formula: ##STR1## wherein: A is a hydrophilic, vinyl monomer;B is a hydrophobic, vinyl monomer;C is a cationic monomer;x is from about 1 to about 80 mole %;y is from about 10 to about 80 mole %; andz is from about 2 to about 20 mole %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Elizabeth G. Burns, John Dicillo, Lori J. Shaw-Klein
  • Thermal transfer recording medium
    Patent number: 6080479
    Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium providing clear printed images with a metallic luster without causing blocking is disclosed which comprises a foundation, and provided on one side of the foundation in order from the foundation side, at least a colored ink layer or a substantially colorless transparent layer with no coloring agent, a metal deposition layer and an adhesive layer, and a heat-resistant layer provided between the metal deposition layer and the adhesive layer and comprising as the main component a resin having a glass transition temperature of not lower than 65.degree. C. and a melt viscosity of not higher than 1.times.10.sup.3 cps at 160.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Fujicopian Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Sogabe, Yuuichi Miyakusa, Hitomi Kawabata
  • Sheet for providing ink-receiving layer
    Patent number: 6071611
    Abstract: A sheet for providing an ink-receiving layer comprising a peelable substrate provided with an ink-receiving layer and an adhesive layer laminated thereon in this order or a sheet for providing an ink-receiving layer comprising a peelable substrate provided with an adhesive layer laminated thereon, which adhesive layer has ink-receiving property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Kimoto Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuzi Ohta, Yuichiro Yoneyama, Takayuki Aikawa
  • Ink jet recording sheet
    Patent number: 6068373
    Abstract: An ink jet recording sheet comprises a support carrying an ink-receiving layer, this layer comprising a hydrophilic polymer, preferably poly(vinyl alcohol) and a poly(vinylbenzyl quaternary ammonium salt) of the formula: ##STR1## wherein each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 is independently alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; each of R.sup.7, R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 is independently alkyl of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms and the total number of carbon atoms in R.sup.7, R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 is from 13 to 20; each M.sup.- is an anion; and each of a, b and c is the molar proportion of the respective repeating units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Yung T. Chen, Gerald P. Harwood, Jr., Michael S. Viola
  • Recording sheet and method of recording image using such recording sheet
    Patent number: 6068937
    Abstract: A recording sheet has a base and a receptive layer disposed on at least one surface of the base. The receptive layer contains at least a water-absorbent copolymer and said water-resistant graft copolymer whose main chain is polyvinyl alcohol. The water-absorbent copolymer absorbs inks, and the water-resistant graft copolymer makes the receptive layer resistant to discoloration, blurring, and gloss or luster irregularities. The water-absorbent graft copolymer comprises a graft copolymer produced by grafting a vinyl monomer having a carboxyl group and a monomer having a functional group reacting with the carboxyl group. The water-absorbent copolymer comprises a copolymer of acrylic acid and vinyl alcohol. The water-resistant graft copolymer and the water-absorbent copolymer are added at a ratio in parts by weight ranging from 20/80 to 80/20, preferably, from 30/70 to 70/30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Chemicals Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Nozawa, Tetsuya Abe, Naoki Tanaka, Shuichi Yamaguchi
  • Recording sheet for ink-jet recording
    Patent number: 6066387
    Abstract: A recording sheet for ink-jet recording is disclosed which comprises a support, and provided thereon, an ink receiving layer, wherein the ink receiving layer contains a water soluble polymer, a polymer latex and gelatin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Ueda, Ichiro Tsuchiya, Kenji Kuwae, Koji Takemura, Hiroyuki Uemura
  • Reversible thermosensitive recording material
    Patent number: 6060425
    Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording material containing a support which is composed of a first film, an adhesive layer formed on the first film and a second film formed on the adhesive layer, with the adhesive strength between the first film and the second film being 0.5 kgf/25 mm or more in terms of the average tensile load at an angle of 180.degree. measured in accordance with JIS K 6854, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer formed on the support, capable of reversibly assuming a transparent state and a white opaque state depending on the temperature thereof, which recording layer contains a matrix resin and an organic low-molecular-weight mateiral dispersed in the form of finely-divided particles in the matrix resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunichika Morohoshi, Yoshihiko Hotta, Yukio Konagaya, Makoto Kawaguchi, Fumihito Masubuchi, Nobuo Yamada, Toru Nogiwa
  • Multilayered thermal transfer medium for high speed printing
    Patent number: 6057028
    Abstract: A thermal transfer medium which forms images with high speed thermal transfer printers is provided which comprises a substrate, a first coating comprised of at least 75 wt. % of a wax, a second coating comprising a sensible material such as a pigment and a binder resin with high hot tack properties in an amount of at least 20 wt. % based on total dry components and an optional third coating which does not contain any coloring agent. The first coating has a melt viscosity and cohesion lower than that of the second coating and preferably lower hot tack properties to simplify complete transfer to a receiving substrate. The coating formulation provides high adhesion to a receiving substrate with reduced adhesion to the flexible substrate of the thermal transfer medium, allowing for rapid transfer to a receiving substrate as required with high speed thermal transfer printers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Yaoping Tan, Thomas C. Miller, Jr., Thomas J. Obringer