Patents by Inventor Mridula Nair

Mridula Nair 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: 8252414
    Abstract: Porous particles comprising a polymer binder and at least one additive distinct from any pore stabilizing compound present in the particle, wherein: the polymer binder comprises a solid compositionally continuous phase having an external particle surface; discrete pores are dispersed within the solid compositionally continuous phase, forming internal pore surfaces; and the at least one additive is present primarily in the discrete pores. The additive may further preferably not be present in the solid compositionally continuous phase, and be substantially absent from the external particle surface. A toner set for forming a color electrophotographic image comprising a plurality of different colored toners, where at least one of the different colored toners comprise such porous particles comprising additives, and in a particular embodiment wherein at least two different colored toners each comprise different pigments present primarily in the internal pores. A process of making such porous particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David D. Putnam, Mridula Nair, Mary C. Brick, Tamara K. Jones
  • Patent number: 8241828
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing porous polymer particles comprising: forming a dispersion of porous polymer particles in an external aqueous phase, wherein individual porous particles each comprise a continuous polymer phase and internal pores containing an internal aqueous phase; and filtering the dispersion of porous polymer particles with a filter to remove the external aqueous phase, wherein the filtering is done while agitating the porous particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James R. Bennett, Mridula Nair
  • Publication number: 20120171605
    Abstract: Polymeric porous particles have a continuous solid phase and at least two different internal pores that are isolated from each other within the continuous phase. At least one set of discrete pores contains a marker material, and some instances, each set of discrete pores contain different pores marker materials that are isolated from each other. These marker materials are detectably different from each other. The porous particles can be spherical or non-spherical and can be used in any situation where the detectably different marker materials can be evaluated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, David F. Jennings, Tamara K. Jones, Joseph S. Sedita
  • Publication number: 20120167666
    Abstract: An article comprises one or more porous particles. Each porous particle comprises a polymer that provides a continuous solid phase including an external particle surface, and first and second discrete pores that are isolated from each other and dispersed within the continuous solid phase. The porous particle further comprises a first marker material present in the first discrete pores, and a second marker material that is detectably different from the first marker material and is present within the second discrete pores. The marker materials can provide a means for identifying documents, clothing, or other articles as genuine, and providing a detectable security system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, David F. Jennings, Tamara K. Jones, Joseph S. Sedita, Myra T. Olm
  • Publication number: 20120077000
    Abstract: A process of producing an image including transferring porous polymeric marking particles to a receiver, and fixing the marking particles to the receiver by applying heat and pressure by contacting the marking particles with a heated fuser member including a topcoat layer having a storage modulus of at least 10 MPa at 175° C. In particular embodiments, the invention is specifically directed towards fusing porous toner materials, and enables reducing the image relief, toner spread, and differential gloss of resulting fused toner images. Higher gloss and reduced differential gloss is obtained at similar or reduced toner spread, measured by toner particle area gain, allowing the use of reduced fusing conditions compared to solid toners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: David D. Putnam, Mridula Nair, Joseph S. Sedita, Charles P. Lusignan, Po-Jen Shih
  • Patent number: 8110628
    Abstract: Porous particles are prepared using a first water-in-oil emulsion comprising a first marker material in a first aqueous phase that is dispersed in a first oil phase containing a polymer and a first organic solvent, and a second water-in-oil emulsion comprising a second marker material in a second aqueous phase that is dispersed in a second oil phase. The first and second marker materials are detectably different. The two water-in-oil emulsions can be used to form a third water-in-oil emulsion containing distinct droplets of the first and second aqueous phases. This third water-in-oil emulsion is dispersed in a third aqueous phase containing a surface stabilizing agent to form a water-in-oil-in-water emulsion containing droplets of the third water-in-oil emulsion. The organic solvents are removed from the water-in-oil-in-water emulsion to form porous particles comprising first and second discrete pores that are isolated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Daniel L. Kapp
  • Publication number: 20120028185
    Abstract: A method for forming surface decorated particles including stabilizing dispersed hydrophobic phase particles in an aqueous phase with fine inorganic particles having a relatively hydrophilic surface; and treating the stabilized dispersed hydrophobic phase particles with a hydrophobic group containing reactant to form hydrophobic groups covalently bonded to surfaces of the fine inorganic particles. In a particular embodiment, the invention provides a limited coalescence process for preparing binder polymer particles using inorganic stabilizer particles that provide a plurality of surface bonding sites and reacting such sites with a plurality of alkoxy silane moieties that contains pendant hydrophobic groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, David D. Putnam, Shari L. Eiff, Cumar Sreekumar
  • Publication number: 20120028181
    Abstract: A surface decorated particle including a core particle phase having an outer surface; and fine inorganic particles on the outer surface of the core particle phase; wherein the fine inorganic particles have hydrophobic groups covalently bonded primarily on portions of surfaces of the fine inorganic particles positioned away from the core particle phase. Such surface decorated particles are obtainable by a method including stabilizing dispersed hydrophobic phase particles in an aqueous phase with fine inorganic particles having a relatively hydrophilic surface; and treating the stabilized dispersed hydrophobic phase particles with a hydrophobic group containing reactant to form hydrophobic groups covalently bonded to surfaces of the fine inorganic particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, David D. Putnam, Shari L. Eiff, Cumar Sreekumar
  • Patent number: 8058335
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dispersion comprising wax particles dispersed with a polymeric dispersant in a water immiscible solvent, wherein the dispersant comprises a wax-compatible polyolefin segment and a polyester compatible oleophilic polar segment. The invention is further directed towards a method of manufacturing such a wax dispersion, and towards methods of manufacturing wax-containing polymer particles by limited coalescence processes employing such a wax dispersion. In particular embodiments, the invention is directed towards chemically prepared toner derived from wax dispersions of the invention that shows improved toner performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mary C. Brick, Dennis J. Massa, Mridula Nair
  • Publication number: 20110262858
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a porous toner particle with encapsulated metallic flakes. The porous particle containing metallic flakes can be useful for reproduction of a metallic hue upon fusing to a substrate, preferably golden or silvery hue, and for manufacturing of printed circuits, by a printing process, especially electrophotography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Xiqiang Yang, Joseph S. Sedita
  • Publication number: 20110262654
    Abstract: A process for forming polymer particles containing metallic flakes, comprising: a) forming a suspension of metallic flakes in a solution of a polymeric binder in a solvent; b) forming droplets of the suspension, c) freezing the droplets to freeze solvent in the droplets to form frozen solvent domains within the polymeric binder, and d) removing the frozen solvent from the polymeric binder thereby forming porous polymer particles containing the metallic flakes encapsulated therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Mathew Z. Yates, Weisi Yin, Xiqiang Yang, Mridula Nair
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20110123920
    Abstract: The present invention is toner particle that includes a continuous phase of binder polymer and a second phase of hydrocolloid. The particle has a porosity of at least 10 percent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Xiqiang Yang, Tamara K. Jones, Jason Morgan
  • Patent number: 7888410
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for the preparation of porous particles that includes dissolving a polymer material in a first organic solvent and adding a second organic solvent and nonionic organic polymer particles to form an organic phase. The organic phase is dispersed in an aqueous phase that includes a particulate stabilizer to form a dispersion and the dispersion is homogenized. The first and second organic solvents are evaporated and the product is recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Xiqiang Yang, Tamara K. Jones, James G. Popowych
  • Patent number: 7887984
    Abstract: The present invention is toner particle that includes a continuous phase of binder polymer and a second phase of hydrocolloid. The particle has a porosity of at least 10 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Xiqiang Yang, Tamara K. Jones, Jason Morgan
  • Patent number: 7867679
    Abstract: The present invention is toner particle that includes a binder resin and nonionic organic polymer particles. The particle has porosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Xiqiang Yang, Tamara K. Jones, James G. Popowych
  • Patent number: 7858161
    Abstract: The present invention is an inkjet recording element including a support having thereon an image-receiving layer having porous fusible polymeric particles including a continuous phase binder polymer and a second phase including hydrocolloid, wherein the particles have a porosity of from 10 to 80 volume percent and a film forming binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Charles L. Bauer
  • Publication number: 20100279225
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing porous polymer particles comprising: forming a dispersion of porous polymer particles in an external aqueous phase, wherein individual porous particles each comprise a continuous polymer phase and internal pores containing an internal aqueous phase; and filtering the dispersion of porous polymer particles with a filter to remove the external aqueous phase, wherein the filtering is done while agitating the porous particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: James R. Bennett, Mridula Nair
  • Patent number: 7754315
    Abstract: The invention relates to a toner receiver element comprising a marking enhancement layer comprising inorganic particles and a polymer film-forming binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, Tamara K. Jones, Daniel M. Leusch
  • Patent number: 7754409
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing toner particles that includes providing a first emulsion of a first aqueous phase comprising a pore stabilizing hydrocolloid dispersed in an organic solution containing a polymer. The first emulsion is dispersed in a second aqueous phase to form a second emulsion that is sheared in the presence of a stabilizing agent to form droplets of the first emulsion in the second aqueous phase. The organic solution is evaporated from the droplets to form porous toner particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, David C. Boris, Charles P. Lusignan, Dennis J. Massa, Tamara K. Jones, Anita M. Fees