Patents by Inventor Howard S. Tom

Howard S. Tom 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: 20120120142
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system (10) includes two inkjet fluid ejectors (14, 15) fluidically coupled to a respective reservoir (16, 17), one of which contains a colorant inkjet ink composition (18), and the other of which contains a latex coating composition (20). One of the fluid ejectors (14, 15) is configured to eject the colorant ink composition (18) onto a medium (24) to form a printed image (26). The other fluid ejector (14, 15) is configured to eject the latex coating composition (20) on the medium (24) i) on a region of the medium (24) surrounding the printed image (26), or ii) on the printed image (26) and on the region of the medium (24) surrounding the image (26). The optical density of the printed image (26) is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Howard S. Tom, Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Hou T Ng
  • Publication number: 20120116012
    Abstract: Polymer-encapsulated pigment which includes a pigment core and a polymer shell, the shell being a polymerized polymer including hydrophobic monomers and acidic monomers, and also including a specific cross-linking agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Laurie S. Mittelstadt
  • Publication number: 20120103542
    Abstract: An ink dispersion includes an ink vehicle and a colorant dispersed in the ink vehicle. The ink vehicle includes a non-ionic surfactant and a solvent. The non-ionic surfactant has an HLB value ranges from about 5 to about 16, and is chosen from: i) a material represented by one of the formulas R1—O—(OR2)n—H, R1—(OR2)n—OH or R1—C6H4—(OR2)n—OH, wherein: R1 is chosen from a) a linear or cyclic alkyl group including from 3 to 20 carbon atoms, or b) a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group including from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, R2 is chosen from CH2CH2 or CH2CH2CH2, and n is an integer chosen from 2 to 100; or ii) a diester having at least one ethylene oxide repeating unit; or iii) an octylphenol having at least one ethylene oxide repeating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Hou T. Ng, Manoj K. Bhattacharyya, Howard S. Tom
  • Publication number: 20120105554
    Abstract: An ink forming method involves preparing a deagglomerated ink or a modified deagglomerated ink. The deagglomerated ink or the modified deagglomerated ink includes at least deagglomerated colorant particles and a liquid component. The deagglomerated colorant particles are chosen from pigment particles each encapsulated with a dispersant. The colorant particles have a particle size ranging from about 50 nm to about 500 nm. Prior to shipping and/or storing the deagglomerated ink or the modified deagglomerated ink, a portion of the liquid component is removed to form a concentrated ink that has a nonvolatile solids content ranging from about 40 wt % to about 90 wt % of the concentrated ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Doris Pik-Yiu Chun, Thomas Anthony, Hou T. Ng, Howard S. Tom
  • Publication number: 20120092428
    Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to methods and compositions directed at durable ink-jet inks. As such, an ink-jet ink can comprise a liquid vehicle, a colorant dispersed or dissolved in the liquid vehicle, a high Tg polymer having a Tg of at least 45° C. dispersed in the liquid vehicle, and a near-infrared absorbing dye in the liquid vehicle. The ink can be formulated such that when printed on a substrate and irradiated with a near-infrared energy source, the near-infrared absorbing dye generates enough heat to uniformly melt the high Tg polymer, thereby enhancing the durability of ink-jet ink printed on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Hou Ng, Jayprakash Bhatt
  • Publication number: 20120092412
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes compositions, methods, and systems including an ink-jet ink comprising a liquid vehicle, a colorant dispersed or dissolved in a liquid vehicle, and self cross-linkable latex particles dispersed in the liquid vehicle. The self cross-linkable latex particle can have at least 0.1 wt % of the self cross-linkable monomer on the surface of the self cross-linkable latex particle providing cross-linking sites on the surface of the self cross-linkable latex particle, and can form an intra- and inter-particle cross-linked latex polymer film after printing the ink-jet ink on a substrate and upon at least partial depletion of the liquid vehicle or a liquid vehicle component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Hou T. Ng
  • Publication number: 20120092427
    Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to a nanoparticle containing overcoat composition for use in ink jet printing. The composition can include a liquid vehicle and a composite latex particulate. The composite latex particulate can include inorganic nanoparticles at least partially encapsulated by a polymer. The inorganic nanoparticles can be silica, titania, alumina, zinc oxide, silicates, oxides of indium and tin, and combinations thereof. The inorganic nanoparticles can comprise from about 1 wt % to about 20 wt % of the composite latex particulate. The overcoat composition can be used to improve the properties of ink-jetted images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Hou T. Ng
  • Publication number: 20120053289
    Abstract: Pigment particles are encapsulated by a polymer containing at least one vinyl group, wherein the polymer has a dielectric constant of greater than 3. An inkjet ink containing the pigment particles is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Hou T. Ng, Howard S. Tom
  • Publication number: 20120026238
    Abstract: An inkjet ink composition includes latex polymer particles. The latex polymer particles are present in the ink composition in an amount ranging from about 0.5 wt % to about 40 wt %. The latex polymer particles have: a Tg ranging from about ?40° C. to about 125° C.; and up to about 100% of total cross-linkable sites being present: on surfaces of the latex polymer particles; throughout a bulk of the latex polymer particles; or combinations thereof. The latex polymer particles are formed from monomers including at least one hydrophobic monomer, at least one acidic monomer, and at least one crosslinkable monomer, the at least one crosslinkable monomer including at least one keto group. The ink composition further includes at least one cross-linker compound selected from the group consisting of diamino compounds, polyamino compounds, and combinations thereof. Yet further, the ink composition includes at least one colorant and at least one aqueous solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Hou T. Ng
  • Publication number: 20110242241
    Abstract: Ink composition including non-VOC liquid carrier and method of making the same are disclosed. A disclosed example ink composition has a viscosity that is below about 70.0 cps and includes non-VOC liquid carrier, dispersing agents and pigment particles having an average size of less than about 10 ?m. Also disclosed are method of use and method of making such ink composition containing non-VOC liquid carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Doris Pik-Yiu Chun, Howard S. Tom, Hou T. Ng
  • Publication number: 20110184095
    Abstract: A light fast encapsulated pigment includes an inner core region that includes a pigment and an outer shell that includes a polymer comprising a UV absorber non-covalently incorporated therein. The light fast encapsulated pigment finds use in ink compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Howard S. Tom, Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Doris Pik-Yiu Chun, Hou T. Ng
  • Publication number: 20110184096
    Abstract: A polymer-coated pigment composition includes at least one organic pigment and a coating layer non-covalently attached to an outer surface of the organic pigment. The coating layer comprises at least one metal oxide or the metalloid oxide and a polymer attached to an outer surface of the metal oxide or metalloid oxide. A method of enhancing dispersibility of an organic pigment includes coating a surface of the organic pigment with the metal oxide or the metalloid oxide, or a combination thereof, and attaching the polymer to the metal oxide or the metalloid oxide, or the combination. An ink composition includes an ink vehicle and the polymer-coated pigment composition described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Hou T. Ng, Howard S. Tom
  • Publication number: 20110171386
    Abstract: An inkjet printing composition comprises an aqueous liquid vehicle; at least one pigment having a concentration of about 1 to 5 wt %; and a latex polymer having a concentration of about 2.5 to 8 wt % and comprising a polymerized mixture of styrene, butyl acrylate, at least one of methacrylonitrile and acrylonitrile, methacrylic acid, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. An inkjet ink printing system comprises a vinyl medium; the at least one inkjet printing composition; and a heating device, wherein the system is configured such that upon applying heat from the heating device to the inkjet ink printed on the vinyl medium, the latex particles fuse, thereby forming a printed image with a film encapsulating at least a portion of the pigment on the vinyl medium. A method of forming a printed image of the latex polymer using the inkjet ink printing system is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Hou Ng
  • Publication number: 20110082235
    Abstract: A method for making a pigment dispersion can include dispersing pigment particles in an aqueous liquid medium to form a dispersion, adding a first monomer to form a dispersive coating on the pigment particles, adding a second monomer to the dispersion, and forming a polymer coating on the surface of the pigment particles by polymerizing the second monomer with the first monomer, wherein the polymer coating includes at least one urethane linkage or urea linkage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Hou T. Ng
  • Publication number: 20110065834
    Abstract: An encapsulated pigment particle includes a pigment particle core and a polymer encapsulation layer established on a surface of the pigment particle core. The polymer encapsulation layer includes a polymer and a hydrophobe integrated with the polymer. The hydrophobe has the following structure: wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from H, a linear or branched alkyl group with its number of carbons ranging from 1 to 40, and an aryl group with its number of benzene rings ranging from 1 to 10; wherein R3 is H or OH; wherein Y1 is selected from a bond, 0, a linear or branched alkylene group with its number of carbons ranging from 1 to 40, and an arylene group with its number of benzene rings ranging from 1 to 10; and wherein Y2 is selected from a bond and (CH2)n, where n=0 to 40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom
  • Publication number: 20110012955
    Abstract: Compositions, systems, and methods for improving dry rub resistance and resistance to highlighter smear of a printed image on a substrate are provided. The overcoating composition can comprise an aqueous-based liquid vehicle and about 0.5 wt % to about 40 wt % latex polymer particles dispersed in the liquid vehicle. The latex polymer particles can include about 18 wt % to about 99.5 wt % polymerized hydrophobic monomers selected from the group of 4-methylstyrene, cyclohexyl acrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, isobornyl acrylate, and combinations thereof, about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt % polymerized acid monomers. The overcoating composition can be formulated to be ink-jetted onto the substrate and is substantially devoid of colorant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Howard S. Tom, Sivapackia Ganapathiappan
  • Publication number: 20100328411
    Abstract: A system and method of ink-jet printing on vinyl print media can comprise jetting an ink-jet ink onto a vinyl print medium to form a printed image, and applying from 50-100° C. of heat to the printed image. The ink-jet ink can include a colorant, an aqueous liquid vehicle, and core-shell polymer particles. Upon printing and heating, at least a portion of the aqueous liquid vehicle evaporates, the vinyl print medium plasticizes (but does not flow), and the ink-jet ink flows. The fused polymer particles form a film that encapsulates at least a portion of the colorant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Hou T. Ng
  • Publication number: 20100227947
    Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to methods and compositions directed at encapsulated pigments. As such, an encapsulated pigment can comprise a pigment and a polymer encapsulating the pigment, where the polymer comprises a monomer and a RAFT reagent. Additionally, a method of encapsulating pigments can comprise dispersing a pigment in an aqueous solution to form a pigment dispersion, adding a monomer to the pigment dispersion, adding a RAFT reagent to the pigment dispersion, and polymerizing the monomer using the RAFT reagent in the presence of the pigment to form an encapsulated pigment. Further, the present disclosure provides ink-jet inks comprising the encapsulated pigments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Howard S. Tom, Laurie S. Mittelstadt
  • Patent number: 6323258
    Abstract: An aqueous ink composition having insoluble dye dispersed uniformly throughout by means of a coupling/dispersive (dual function) agent. The coupling/dispersive agent is characterized by association with insoluble dye molecules as well as by solubilization in a water based carrier medium. The resulting ink is water fast because the coupling/dispersive agent probably evaporates during drying or migrates away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: An-Chung Robert Lin, Howard S. Tom
  • Patent number: 6056812
    Abstract: This invention concerns a composition for use as an additive in an ink composition for an inkjet printer or a laserjet printer or as a coating on paper or plastic substrate used in an inkjet or laserjet printer which improves lightfastness and durability properties of the ink, which additive composition comprises: (A) at least one ultraviolet absorber, (B) at least one free radical inhibitor, (C) at least one antioxidant, and (D) at least one liquid carrier selected from the group consisting of water, organic liquid or combinations thereof. These compositions result in a print image that is more colorfast and durable than those of the conventional art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: An-Chung Robert Lin, Howard S. Tom