Patents by Inventor Michael T. Regan

Michael T. Regan 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).

  • Patent number: 8313887
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is from about 300 to about 4,000 ?m thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The laser-ablatable material also comprises at least 0.01 weight % of a depolymerization catalyst that is a Lewis acid or organometallic based catalyst. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Publication number: 20120160120
    Abstract: Relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is from about 300 to about 4,000 ?m in thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The laser-ablatable material can also comprise at least 0.01 weight % of a depolymerization catalyst that is a Lewis acid or organometallic based catalyst. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Patent number: 8187793
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is at least 20 ?m in thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Patent number: 8187794
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is at least 20 ?m in thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Patent number: 8163465
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is from about 300 to about 4,000 ?m in thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The laser-ablatable material also comprises at least 0.01 weight % of a depolymerization catalyst that is a Lewis acid or organometallic based catalyst. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Publication number: 20120094104
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is from about 300 to about 4,000 ?m thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The laser-ablatable material also comprises at least 0.01 weight % of a depolymerization catalyst that is a Lewis acid or organometallic based catalyst. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Patent number: 8026034
    Abstract: An electrophotographic method for producing fused toner images on a receiver medium comprising the steps of: forming an electrostatic image pattern on an image forming member; developing the image pattern on the image forming member with fusible toner particles thereby forming a toner image thereon; transferring the toner image to the receiver medium; and heating the toner image to form a fused toner image on the receiver medium, wherein an amount of a plasticizer is added to the toner particles of the toner image after formation of the toner image on the image forming member and prior to or concurrent with fusing of the transferred toner image on the receiver medium, further wherein the amount of plasticizer added is effective in lowering the Tg of the toner below that of the toner under prevailing ambient conditions in the absence of the added plasticizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, Mridula Nair, David D. Putnam, Joseph S. Sedita, Cumar Sreekumar
  • Patent number: 7959278
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for printing an image-wise ink pattern on a receiver. A primary imaging member includes a series of substantially equal-sized cells located over the substrate surface thereof. The primary imaging member has an electrically conductive layer. An ink jet printhead selectively ejects drops of ink into the primary imaging member cells in a desired image-wise ink pattern. The image-wise ink on the primary imaging member is fractionated to separate the liquid in the ink. A receiver is transported into operative association with the primary imaging member, and a transfer mechanism applies a pressure between the receiver and the primary imaging member, and establishes an electrostatic field to transfer the image-wise ink pattern to the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, Donald S. Rimai, Robert E. Zeman, Maria Cristina Barbosa DeJesus, David Daniel Putnam, Thomas N. Tombs
  • Publication number: 20100285406
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is from about 300 to about 4,000 ?m in thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The laser-ablatable material also comprises at least 0.01 weight % of a depolymerization catalyst that is a Lewis acid or organometallic based catalyst. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Patent number: 7819518
    Abstract: A high speed digital printing apparatus having an imaging member, an ink jet head capable of image-wise jetting ink onto the imaging member, a mechanism for fractionating such image-wise ink on the imaging member to remove liquid therefrom, an intermediate transfer member onto which such image-wise ink is transferred from the imaging member, and a transfer member forming a nip with the intermediate transfer member for transferring a liquid-depleted image-wise ink to a receiver. An ink suitable for use in the printing press apparatus is formed by dispersing an ink concentrate with a suitable solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald S. Rimai, Thomas N. Tombs, Robert E. Zeman, Michael T. Regan
  • Publication number: 20100159384
    Abstract: An electrophotographic method for producing fused toner images on a receiver medium comprising the steps of: forming an electrostatic image pattern on an image forming member; developing the image pattern on the image forming member with fusible toner particles thereby forming a toner image thereon; transferring the toner image to the receiver medium; and heating the toner image to form a fused toner image on the receiver medium, wherein an amount of a plasticizer is added to the toner particles of the toner image after formation of the toner image on the image forming member and prior to or concurrent with fusing of the transferred toner image on the receiver medium, further wherein the amount of plasticizer added is effective in lowering the Tg of the toner below that of the toner under prevailing ambient conditions in the absence of the added plasticizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, Mridula Nair, David D. Putnam, Joseph S. Sedita, Cumar Sreekumar
  • Publication number: 20090153612
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of inkjet printing comprising providing a printhead, providing a controller for the printhead, providing a base ink formulation stream, introducing at least one first enhancer into the base ink stream to form a combined ink stream, adjusting the printhead setpoints and printing the combined ink onto a first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: Michael T. Regan
  • Patent number: 7466336
    Abstract: A camera that is adapted to present a preview image is provided. The camera has a trigger adapted to generate a trigger pulse and an image capture system for capturing images of a scene. A viewer is adapted to present one image to a first viewing area and another image to a second viewing area. A controller is adapted to receive a first trigger pulse and to cause the image capture system to capture a first image of the scene in response to the first trigger pulse. The controller is also adapted to receive a second trigger pulse and to cause the image capture system to capture a second image of the scene in response to the second trigger pulse and to cause the viewer to simultaneously present the first image to the first viewing area and to present the second image to the second viewing area. An observer positioned with a first eye in the first viewing area and a second eye in the second viewing area can detect parallax differences between the first image and the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, Kenneth A. Parulski
  • Publication number: 20080261028
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is at least 20 ?m in thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Publication number: 20080258344
    Abstract: Flexographic printing plates and other relief images can be formed from a laser-ablatable element having a laser-ablatable layer that is at least 20 ?m in thickness. The laser-ablatable layer includes a film-forming material that is a laser-laser-ablatable material or the film-forming material has dispersed therein a laser-ablatable material. The laser-ablatable material is a polymeric material that when heated to 300° C. at a rate of 10° C./minute, loses at least 60% of its mass to form at least one predominant low molecular weight product. The element can be imaged by ablation at an energy of at least 1 J/cm2 to provide a relief image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David B. Bailey, Christine J. Landry-Coltrain
  • Publication number: 20080055380
    Abstract: Printing images on an intermediate member by jetting conductive ink containing a fluid and marking particles in an image-wise fashion onto an intermediate member. The ink is concentrated by application of radio frequency (RF) energy, focused on the ink image to remove a substantial portion of the fluid. The concentrated ink marking particle image, is then transferred to a receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, David D. Putnam, Mary Christine Brick, Paul D. Yacobucci
  • Publication number: 20070279469
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for printing an image-wise ink pattern on a receiver. A primary imaging member includes a series of substantially equal-sized cells located over the substrate surface thereof. The primary imaging member has an electrically conductive layer. An ink jet printhead selectively ejects drops of ink into the primary imaging member cells in a desired image-wise ink pattern. The image-wise ink on the primary imaging member is fractionated to separate the liquid in the ink. A receiver is transported into operative association with the primary imaging member, and a transfer mechanism applies a pressure between the receiver and the primary imaging member, and establishes an electrostatic field to transfer the image-wise ink pattern to the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, Donald S. Rimai, Robert E. Zeman, Maria Cristina Barbosa DeJesus, David Daniel Putnam, Thomas N. Tombs
  • Publication number: 20070279472
    Abstract: A high speed digital printing apparatus having an imaging member, an ink jet head capable of image-wise jetting ink onto the imaging member, a mechanism for fractionating such image-wise ink on the imaging member to remove liquid therefrom, an intermediate transfer member onto which such image-wise ink is transferred from the imaging member, and a transfer member forming a nip with the intermediate transfer member for transferring a liquid-depleted image-wise ink to a receiver. An ink suitable for use in the printing press apparatus is formed by dispersing an ink concentrate with a suitable solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Donald S. Rimai, Thomas N. Tombs, Robert E. Zeman, Michael T. Regan
  • Patent number: 7031633
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling conditions in a printer that includes a print engine that is operative upon an article to print marks upon the article. Sensors are provided for detecting relative humidity and temperature within a moving air stream in the printer. A controller in the printer determines if the detected relative humidity within the apparatus falls within a range of acceptable relative humidities and the detected temperature within the apparatus falls within a range of acceptable temperatures. The range of acceptable relative humidities and acceptable temperatures defines a predetermined target area. When outside the range of the predetermined target area a determination is made of needed minimal adjustments to bring the temperature and humidity within the target area. Subject to such a determination, mist and/or heating of the air stream are provided to implement the needed adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Regan, Robert M. Peffer
  • Patent number: 6973277
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes one or more recording components which are operative upon a recording member for use in recording an image upon the recording member. The recording member is moved in a process path during recording and operated upon by the one or more recording components used in recording. An access door cover is openable for providing access to a serviceperson to the one or more recording components and/or the recording member. A blower establishes an air path of air within the apparatus to control temperature and humidity of the recording components. The air path has a substantial current flowing in a direction transverse to the process path and over or about the recording member and/or the one or more recording components towards the access door cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Peffer, Michael T. Regan