Abstract: A blue ink for postage printing, which contains a blue pigment, a black dye, and an aqueous carrier, wherein the weight ratio of blue pigment to black dye is in the range of 50:1 to 2:1. The blue pigment is a copper phthalocyanine pigment or an anthraquinone pigment, and the black dye is an azo dye.

Abstract: A blue ink for postage printing, which contains a blue pigment, a black dye, and an aqueous carrier, wherein the weight ratio of blue pigment to black dye is in the range of 50:1 to 2:1. The blue pigment is a copper phthalocyanine pigment or an anthraquinone pigment, and the black dye is an azo dye.

Abstract: Inkjet ink formulations and methods using the same, with improved performance, wherein the inks are formulated to work as an ink set with darker inks having a higher dynamic surface tension.

Abstract: An inkjet ink set includes eleven colored inks and a surface enhancing ink. The eleven colored inks include a magenta ink, a light magenta ink, a yellow ink, a cyan ink, a light cyan ink, a medium gray ink, a light gray ink, a photo black ink, a red ink, a green ink, and a blue ink. The surface enhancing ink is configured to enhance gloss of an image formed with at least one of the eleven colored inks.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to versatile ink-jet inks, ink-jet ink sets, and methods of printing images with improved quality when printed on both glossy coated media and on plain paper. In accordance with these embodiments, an ink-jet ink formulated for printing on plain paper and glossy coated media can comprise a liquid vehicle including water, an organic solvent, and an organic amine; and a polymer-encapsulated, acid-sensitive pigment colorant dispersed the liquid vehicle.

Abstract: An inkjet ink set includes eleven colored inks and a surface enhancing ink. The eleven colored inks include a magenta ink, a light magenta ink, a yellow ink, a cyan ink, a light cyan ink, a medium gray ink, a light gray ink, a photo black ink, a red ink, a green ink, and a blue ink. The surface enhancing ink is configured to enhance gloss of an image formed with at least one of the eleven colored inks.

Abstract: Ink-jet printing systems and methods of use for printing visible and invisible inks for subsequent development, which can produce text with associated highlighting or underlining that reduces messiness inherent in highlighting important text are disclosed. The ink-jet printing systems and methods of use can include a substrate, visible ink-jet ink configured to be ink-jetted onto at least a portion of the substrate to form a first visible image, a first invisible composition configured to be ink-jetted onto at least a portion of the substrate to form an invisible image visibly associated with the first visible image, and a second invisible composition configured for over-striking at least a portion of the invisible image. The first and second invisible compositions can be further configured to react and form a second visible image on the substrate.

Abstract: A print medium is encoded with information bearing indicia. A transparent layer or substrate which receives the printed information during printing has a first surface, a second surface and a leading edge. A strip of tape is applied to the first surface. A machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to at least one surface of the tape strip. The indicia is formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range. The tape reflects radiation in the given excitation spectral range and in the fluorescent spectral range. One type of indicia is a bar code pattern, although other types can also be employed.

Abstract: A print medium is encoded with information bearing indicia. A transparent layer or substrate which receives the printed information during printing has a first surface, a second surface and a leading edge. A strip of tape is applied to the first surface. A machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to at least one surface of the tape strip. The indicia is formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range. The tape reflects radiation in the given excitation spectral range and in the fluorescent spectral range. One type of indicia is a bar code pattern, although other types can also be employed.

Abstract: A method of selecting a dye for use with a spreading vehicle can comprise the steps of evaluating a first dye having polar atoms and a second dye having polar atoms to determine a first polarity index and a second polarity index, respectively; and selecting the first dye or the second dye for inclusion in the spreading vehicle based upon a comparison of the first polarity index and the second polarity index. Further, a method of evaluating a dye and formulating an ink-jet ink can comprise the steps of providing a spreading ink-jet ink vehicle; selecting a dye to be evaluated for inclusion in the spreading ink-jet ink vehicle; determining the ratio of polar atoms to carbon atoms within the dye; selecting a desired polarity index ratio range; and admixing the dye with the spreading ink-jet ink vehicle if the ratio is within the desired polarity index ratio range.

Abstract: A specific dye set for formulating yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks comprises Direct Yellow 132, at least one other yellow dye, Direct Blue 199, a magenta dye comprising a dye having the structure and, optionally, Pacified Reactive Black 31, respectively. The dye set provides excellent ink-jet prints having excellent lightfastness when exposed to office light, excellent imaging onto glossy inkjet media, and large color gamut which substantially encompasses the color space for a silver halide reference print. The aqueous inks each comprise from about 0.1 to about 5 wt % of at least one dye with the black ink comprising from about 0.5 to about 5 wt % of at least one colorant; from about 5 to about 20 wt % of at least one organic solvent; 0 to about 1.5 wt % of at least one component independently selected from the group consisting of surfactants, buffers, biocides, and metal chelators; and the balance water.

Abstract: A print medium is encoded with information bearing indicia. A transparent layer or substrate which receives the printed information during printing has a first surface, a second surface and a leading edge. A strip of tape is applied to the first surface. A machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to at least one surface of the tape strip. The indicia is formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range. The tape reflects radiation in the given excitation spectral range and in the fluorescent spectral range. In another embodiment, the strip of tape is applied to the first surface of the layer of the print medium, and has a top surface which is exposed when the tape strip is applied to the print medium and a bottom surface adjacent the first surface of the print medium. A first machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to the top surface of the tape strip.

Abstract: A method of selecting a dye for use with a spreading vehicle can comprise the steps of evaluating a first dye having polar atoms and a second dye having polar atoms to determine a first polarity index and a second polarity index, respectively; and selecting the first dye or the second dye for inclusion in the spreading vehicle based upon a comparison of the first polarity index and the second polarity index. Further, a method of evaluating a dye and formulating an ink-jet ink can comprise the steps of providing a spreading ink-jet ink vehicle; selecting a dye to be evaluated for inclusion in the spreading ink-jet ink vehicle; determining the ratio of polar atoms to carbon atoms within the dye; selecting a desired polarity index ratio range; and admixing the dye with the spreading ink-jet ink vehicle if the ratio is within the desired polarity index ratio range.

Abstract: A specific dye set for formulating yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks comprises Direct Yellow 132, at least one other yellow dye, Direct Blue 199, a magenta dye comprising a dye having the structure 1

Abstract: Reactive Red 23 magenta dye that is hydrolyzed to produce a passivated form having improved lightfastness in inkjet ink.

Abstract: Reactive Red 23 magenta dye that is hydrolyzed to produce a passivated form having improved lightfastness in inkjet ink.

Abstract: A transparent medium for printers and plotters having optical edge and media sensors has one or more reflective strips applied to the non-image side to trip the sensors. The reflective strips can include a narrow strip along one lateral edge to locate the edge, and a wider strip along the other lateral edge to locate the edge and trip the media sensor. The strips are applied by a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and are removed after the printing operations on the medium. The reflective strips can be formed of the same transparent base as the medium, with fillers added to provide sufficient opacity to trip the optical sensors.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention a set of dyes suitable for use in ink-jet inks and method for formulating the same are provided. A specific dye set for formulating the yellow, cyan, magenta, and optionally black inks is disclosed, comprising Direct Yellow 132, Direct Blue 199, Magenta 377, and optionally Pacified Reactive Black 31 dyes, respectively. This dye set provides ink-jet prints able to match printed color standards such as specification for web offset publications (SWOP) and Euroweb, with excellent lightfade and pen reliability performance.

Abstract: A transparent medium for printers and plotters having optical edge and media sensors has one or more reflective strips applied to the non-image side to trip the sensors. The reflective strips can include a narrow strip along one lateral edge to locate the edge, and a wider strip along the other lateral edge to locate the edge and trip the media sensor. The strips are applied by a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and are removed after the printing operations on the medium. The reflective strips can be formed of the same transparent base as the medium, with fillers added to provide sufficient opacity to trip the optical sensors.

Abstract: Ink-jet images are improved by printing groups of adjacent pixels with clusters of overlapping ink drops for resisting random ink drop coalescence that would lead to a mottled image.