Patents by Inventor Karen K. Spreda

Karen K. Spreda 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).

  • Method for making a high solids interactive coating composition and ink jet recording medium
    Patent number: 6713550
    Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of binder, a cationic fixing agent, an absorptive pigment, and a sizing agent. The coating composition combines solids content of greater than 30% with good runnability. The composition may preferably be dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.5 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 50% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-2.0 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down a composition has sequential steps of dispersing a binder in water, adding a cationic fixing agent, dispersing an alumina and an absorptive silica, adding a fluorescent whitening agent, cooling the composition, and finally adding a sizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Stora Enso North America Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard J. Schliesman, Leland O. Tritz, Karen K. Spreda
  • Low pH coating composition for ink jet recording medium and method
    Patent number: 6656545
    Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of absorptive silica pigment, a polyvinyl alcohol binder, and a cationic fixing agent. The composition is dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.0 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 75% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-1.5 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down the coating composition and applying it to a substrate is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Stora Enso North America Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard J. Schliesman, Leland O. Tritz, Karen K. Spreda
  • Method for making a high solids interactive coating composition and ink jet recording medium
    Publication number: 20020055552
    Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of binder, a cationic fixing agent, an absorptive pigment, and a sizing agent. The coating composition combines solids content of greater than 30% with good runnability. The composition may preferably be dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.5 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 50% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-2.0 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down a composition has sequential steps of dispersing a binder in water, adding a cationic fixing agent, dispersing an alumina and an absorptive silica, adding a fluorescent whitening agent, cooling the composition, and finally adding a sizing agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Applicant: Stora Enso North America
    Inventors: Leonard J. Schliesman, Leland O. Tritz, Karen K. Spreda
  • High solids interactive coating composition, ink jet recording medium, and method
    Patent number: 6140406
    Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of absorptive pigment, a binder, a sizing agent, and a cationic fixing agent. The coating composition combines solids content of greater than 30% with good runnability. The composition may preferably be dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.5 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 75% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-2.0 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down the coating composition includes the sequential steps of dispersing a polyvinyl alcohol binder in water, cooling the binder dispersion, dispersing a sizing agent, and mixing the suspension thoroughly before addition of a cationic fixing agent and pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Consolidated Papers, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard J. Schliesman, Leland O. Tritz, Karen K. Spreda
  • Low pH coating composition for ink jet recording medium and method
    Patent number: 6129785
    Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of absorptive silica pigment, a polyvinyl alcohol binder, and a cationic fixing agent. The composition is dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.0 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 75% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-1.5 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down the coating composition and applying it to a substrate is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Consolidated Papers, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard J. Schliesman, Leland O. Tritz, Karen K. Spreda