Abstract: This invention relates to an ink impregnated material, particularly an ink roll, useful in the printing of high contrast images suitable for laser scanning. The ink roll according to the invention is a microporous polymeric structure impregnated with an ink. The ink is repetitively transferable to a surface in sufficient quantity to produce thousands of visible images. The invention further provides a method for printing a light scannable, coded image, and an apparatus therefor.

Abstract: A method for making an ink-impregnated material includes steps of mixing from a plastic powder, a water-soluble salt and a water-soluble, polar organic liquid to form a mixture, heating the mixture to a temperature sufficient to melt the plastic and form a cohesive structure, leaching the salt and polar organic liquid from the structure, drying the structure, and impregnating the structure with an ink. The resulting microporous material has an open-celled network of micropores extending therethrough, which micropores have smooth, rounded internal walls free of fibrous projections. An ink roll made of this material is suitable for use in an apparatus for printing coded images such as bar codes.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ink impregnated material, particularly an ink roll, useful in the printing of high contrast images suitable for laser scanning. The ink roll according to the invention is a microporous polymeric structure impregnated with an ink. The ink is repetitively transferable to a surface in sufficient quantity to produce thousands of visible images. The invention further provides a method for printing a light scannable, coded image, and an apparatus therefor.