Patents Examined by Veronica Faison-Gee
  • Pigment-based inks for ink-jet printing
    Patent number: 7678186
    Abstract: A neutral gray or black ink and combinations thereof for ink-jet printing, comprising: an ink vehicle; carbon black; another colored pigment or pigments such as a combination of cyan and violet pigments; wherein the carbon black and colored pigments are associated with a polymer or polymers which render the carbon black and pigments dispersible in aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bauer, Zeying Ma
  • Dye-based ink
    Patent number: 7674328
    Abstract: A dye-based ink includes a dye and a solvent. The dye-based ink has a high print quality on plain paper. The dye-based ink may have a print quality similar to pigment-based inks. This may be particularly relevant for black inks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Hiang P Lauw, Linda C. Uhlir-Tsang, John R Moffatt
  • Water-based ink set for ink-jet recording
    Patent number: 7674329
    Abstract: According embodiments of the present disclosure, a water-based ink set for ink-jet recording is provided. The ink set may contain a black ink, a cyan ink, a magenta ink and a yellow ink. Each ink may contain a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Narumi Koga, Masaya Fujioka, Kazuma Goto, Shunichi Higashiyama
  • Fluorescent phase change inks
    Patent number: 7674326
    Abstract: Disclosed is a phase change ink containing a fluorescent colorant that upon exposure to activating energy fluoresces such that an image that was not visible prior to exposure to the activating energy becomes visible. Also disclosed are an ink jet system and a process for authenticating a color document using the disclosed phase change ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel Iftime, Christopher A. Wagner, C. Geoffrey Allen, Peter M. Kazmaier, Peter G. Odell, Paul F. Smith
  • Composite color and method of making the same
    Patent number: 7670417
    Abstract: A composite color includes a first colored ink and a second colored ink. The first colored ink exhibits a color that is different from that exhibited by the second colored ink. The first colored ink includes pigment particles either formulated at a basic pH so that a surface of the pigment particles carries a net negative charge or formulated at an acidic pH so that a surface of the pigment particles carries a net positive charge; and the second colored ink includes pigment particles either formulated at an acidic pH so that a surface of each of the pigment particles carries a net positive charge or formulated at a basic pH so that a surface of the pigment particles carries a net negative charge. The first colored ink and the second colored ink have opposite charges. The composite color exhibits enhanced color richness when printed on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jayprakash C. Bhatt, Cory J. Ruud, Sundar Vasudevan
  • Ink-jet inks having surfactants below the critical micelle concentration and associated methods
    Patent number: 7666255
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for ink-jet printing having increased slewing decap time and reduced clogging are disclosed and described. An ink-jet ink composition can include a colorant and a liquid vehicle having a surfactant. The surfactant can have a critical micelle concentration with respect to the ink-jet ink composition. In addition, the surfactant can be present in the ink-jet ink composition at a concentration from about 0.4 to about 0.95 times the critical micelle concentration. Further, the surfactant can also have an aromatic-containing portion. Using the ink-jet inks of the present invention during printing can allow for reduced clogging and increased stewing decap time during ink-jet printing on a variety of substrates with improved reliability, faster printing, and more efficient use of the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Hiang P Lauw, Tye Dodge
  • Amphoteric pigment dispersion containing ink formulations, methods of using ink formulations, and systems using ink formulations
    Patent number: 7666256
    Abstract: Ink-jet ink sets, pigment-based ink formulations, methods of printing, and methods of enhancing print quality, are disclosed. One exemplary ink-jet ink set, among others, includes a pigment-based ink formulation at a first pH, including: a pigment, and an amphoteric dispersant having an isoelectric point; and a second ink formulation at a second pH, wherein the first pH and the second pH are each selected from an acidic pH and a basic pH, wherein the first pH and the second pH are not the same, and wherein the amphoteric dispersant has a higher isoelectric point than the first pH when the dispersant is acidic, and a lower isoelectric point than the first pH when the dispersant is basic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Palitha Wickramanayake
  • Non-aqueous ink composition for inkjet
    Patent number: 7645332
    Abstract: A non-aqueous ink composition for inkjet which comprises a pigment, a dispersant, and a non-aqueous solvent is disclosed. The non-aqueous solvent comprises 50 to 90% by weight of a first liquid paraffin, and the balance of a second liquid paraffin, which is characterized in that an average number of carbon atom in the first liquid paraffin is 28 and an average number of carbon atom in the second liquid paraffin ranges from 23 to 27.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hiroki, Takaya Kitawaki, Hiroshi Kiyomoto
  • Ink composition including surface modified coloring agent
    Patent number: 7641722
    Abstract: An ink composition includes a self-dispersible coloring agent that includes an ionic group and a non-ionic linear or cyclic ester or amide moiety on a surface of the coloring agent at a mole ratio of about 1:10 to about 10:1, an organic solvent, and water. The coloring agent has a modified surface, so that stability of the ink can be increased due to an interaction between the coloring agent and the organic solvent, the particle size of the coloring agent can be kept uniform, an adhering force with respect to a substrate is increased to minimize bleeding between colors of a printed image, waterfastness and rubfastness in dry and wet conditions are increased to obtain an excellent colorfastness, and resulting in a high quality printed image and an excellent storage stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-in Lee, Seung-min Ryu
  • Printing process with edible inks
    Patent number: 7608141
    Abstract: An edible ink with a viscosity of about 2000 to about 16000 cp at 25° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: DecoPac, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Russell, Andrew M. Candler, Angela Wright
  • Edible inks for ink-jet printing on edible substrates
    Patent number: 7597752
    Abstract: High resolution ink-jet printing on edible substrates is disclosed in which fat or wax-based edible inks, which contain a colorant, a fat or wax dispersible carrier, and a fat or wax base, are used to produce high resolution images on edibles. The methods utilize a piezoelectric printhead; and the edible products include confectionery pieces having non-planar, hydrophobic surfaces, such as wax-polished sugar shell surfaces, with a printed image thereon having a resolution greater than 100 dpi, preferably greater than 300 dpi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Arun V. Shastry, Thomas M. Collins, James M. Suttle, Neil A. Willcocks, Eyal Ben-Yoseph, Megan Walters
  • Dissimilar pigments for use in dark and light inkjet inks
    Patent number: 7591889
    Abstract: An ink set providing reduced differential lightfade and graininess. The ink set comprises at least one dark inkjet ink and at least one light inkjet ink. The dark inkjet ink comprises at least one pigment having a high chromaticity and a low lightfastness and the light inkjet ink comprises at least one less chromatic pigment having a high lightfastness. The pigment in the dark inkjet ink is dissimilar from the pigment in the light inkjet ink in at least one of a crystal form, particle size, chromophore, and chemical dispersant. A method of reducing differential lightfade and graininess in a printed image is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John L. Stoffel, David Tyvoll
  • Printing inks comprising cyclohexane polycarboxylic acid derivatives
    Patent number: 7591887
    Abstract: Printing inks, in particular packaging-printing inks, and also printing lacquers, which comprise cyclohexanepolycarboxylic acid derivatives as a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Joelle Bédat, Boris Breitscheidel, Richard Selberdinger
  • Biodegradable flexographic ink
    Patent number: 7588632
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flexographic water based ink in which a biodegradable polymer, such a polyhy-droxyalkanoate (PHA), replaces conventional poorly or non-biodegradable organic polymeric resins for example. PHAs are used as a latex suspension in water, thus the present invention relates to a novel pigment/latex mixture. PHA in a latex form is a fluid vehicle in which all the other components necessary to provide a flexographic ink are added, i.e., pigments, wax and/or binder, as well as a solvent, if necessary. The PHAs are mainly responsible for the biodegradability of the flexographic water based ink. The present invention relates also a method to produce a flexographic water based composition with enhanced biodegradability properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: BioMatera inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Masaro, Patrick Lapointe, Jean-Charles Jacques Gayet
  • Aqueous ink, ink jet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit, and ink jet recording apparatus
    Patent number: 7578876
    Abstract: The invention provides an aqueous ink that can prevent clogging at an orifice due to drying of the ink though the ink contains a pigment, and can achieve high-level ejection stability required in recent years. The aqueous ink contains at least water, a water-soluble organic solvent and carbon black particles, the carbon black particles including carbon black particles having a particle size of 0.5 ?m or more, wherein a proportion made up by the volume of carbon black particles having a particle size of 0.2 ?m or more and less than 0.5 ?m is 0.3% or less based on the total volume of all the carbon black particles in the ink, a number of carbon black particles having a particle size of 0.5 ?m or more and less than 5.0 ?m is 1.0×107 or less per mL of the aqueous ink, and an average particle size value of the carbon black particles is from 0.060 ?m or more to 0.130 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Nakajima, Sadayuki Sugama, Shin-ichi Hakamada
  • Hot melt inks
    Patent number: 7578874
    Abstract: A method for forming a mark on a food product is disclosed. The method includes: (a) heating an edible hot melt ink including a colorant to a temperature sufficient to liquify the ink; and (b) transferring the ink to a substrate to provide a mark on the food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Markem Corporation
    Inventors: Ann Benjamin, DeAva Lambert
  • Consumable inks with improved image performance
    Patent number: 7569103
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to ink compositions and printed substrates produced using the ink, inkjet dispensers including the ink, printing systems for using and printing with the ink, and methods for using the same. In an embodiment, the ink composition is a consumable inkjet ink formulated by combining an aqueous inkjet vehicle having at least one water soluble organic solvent, and a colorant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Marcos A. Barreto, Jorge L. Garcia
  • Colouring preparations
    Patent number: 7566361
    Abstract: Colorant preparations contain the following ingredients: a) at least one dispersed, substantially water insoluble dye, b) water, c) at least one dispersant d) a compound of the general formula I where R1, R2 are independently selected from hydrogen, (CH2—CH2—O)nH or (CH(CH3)—CH2—O)n—H, where n is an integer from 1 to 8; (CH2—CH2—O)a—(CH(CH3)—CH2—O)b—(CH2—CH2—O)c—(CH(CH3)—CH2—O)d—H, where a, b, c, d are each an integer from 0 to 7 and a+b+c+d=9. R3 is selected from straight-chain C2-C10-alkyl, C6-C14 aryl, identicallly or differently substituted by hydrogen or C1-C8-alkyl CH2—O—R4 where R4 is selected from C1-C10-alkyl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Freyberg, Friedrich-Wilhelm Raulfs, Karl Siemensmeyer
  • Water base ink for ink-jet recording
    Patent number: 7553361
    Abstract: A water base ink for ink-jet recording contains self-dispersible carbon black as a coloring agent. The total content of an organic acid having a number of carbon or carbons of 1 to 6 and a salt of the organic acid is not more than 400 ppm. The organic acid having a number of carbon or carbons of 1 to 6 includes monocarboxylic acid, dicarboxylic acid and oxy acid, and the salt of the organic acid includes salts of these acids. When the water base ink is used in an ink-jet recording apparatus, the discharge stability of the ink is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriatsu Aoi, Akihiko Taniguchi, Ryuji Kato, Hideo Ohira, Masaya Fujioka, Shunichi Higashiyama
  • Aqueous inkjet ink composition
    Patent number: 7550039
    Abstract: This invention is related to an inkjet ink comprising water, a first self-dispersing pigment, and a second self-dispersing pigment, wherein said first self-dispersing pigment comprises a charged group bonded directly to the surface thereof, and said second self-dispersing pigment comprises a charged group bonded through a linking group to the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Richard P. Szajewski, Gang C. Han-Adebekun, Paul H. Munger, Paul D. Zimmerman