Patents by Inventor Thomas M. Laney

Thomas M. Laney 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: 20040026816
    Abstract: A dyed polyester film comprising a B/A/B′ type laminate structure wherein B and B′ are clear polyester layers not containing a dye additive or a sublimate forming material and having a thickness LB and LB′ and a glass transition TgB and TgB′; A is a dyed polyester layer containing a dye additive and having a thickness LA and a glass transition temperature TgA; wherein the polyester in B, B′ and A is poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene naphthalate), polyesters containing sulfonate groups, copolymers of poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene naphthalate), or copolymers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(cyclohexane dimethylene terephthalate). A method of producing the dyed polyester film is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Jehuda Greener, Thomas M. Laney, Fred D. Kelley
  • Patent number: 6670110
    Abstract: This invention relates to a poly(ethylene terephthalate) photographic multilayer film base having improved properties with regard to cutting, stiffness and curl property. The multilayer film base comprises a multilayer structure, in which a tie layer comprises a PET-based polyester material having a specified amount of monomeric units derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), such that the support layers of the multilayer film base does not delaminate. This PET-based polyester material can be obtained either by the addition/blending of polyester polymers containing CHDM monomeric units to PET material and/or the incorporation of CHDM monomer units into a PET-polymer backbone at appropriate levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis J. Massa, Michael R. Brickey, Jose R. Garcia, Thomas M. Laney, YuanQiao Rao
  • Patent number: 6649250
    Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising a base polyester layer, an absorbent polyester layer above said base layer, and a glossy polymer layer above said absorbent layer; wherein said element has a 60° Gardner gloss greater than 30% wherein said glossy polymer layer has openings comprising between 5.0 and 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas M. Laney, Cathy Fleischer
  • Patent number: 6638893
    Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal dye-transfer dye-image receiving element comprising: (a) a dye-receiving layer 1; (b) beneath layer 1, a microvoided layer 2 containing a continuous phase polyester matrix having dispersed therein crosslinked organic microbeads, said layer having a void volume of at least 25% by volume; and (c) beneath layer 2, a microvoided layer 3 comprised of a continuous phase polyester matrix having dispersed therein non-crosslinked polymer particles that are immiscible with the polyester matrix of layer 3. The invention provides a receiver exhibiting an improved combination of dye-transfer efficiency and tear strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas M. Laney, Teh-Ming Kung, Jose L. Garcia
  • Publication number: 20030170442
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transparent polymeric diffusion film exhibiting at least 50% transmissivity containing a thermoplastic polymeric material with internal microvoids and containing a plurality of complex lenses on a surface thereof. Such films are useful for diffusing light when it is desired to provide and even light distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Cheryl J. Kaminsky, Robert P. Bourdelais, Thomas M. Laney, Michael R. Brickey
  • Publication number: 20030144146
    Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal dye-transfer dye-image receiving element comprising:
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas M. Laney, Teh-Ming Kung, Jose L. Garcia
  • Publication number: 20030138581
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shaped article comprising a continuous first polymer phase having dispersed therein microbeads of a cross-linked second polymer, which microbeads are bordered by void space, wherein the monomers from which the second polymer is derived are selected to provide microbeads that are both low-yellowing and thermally stable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, Teh-Ming Kung, Thomas M. Laney, John L. Muehlbauer
  • Publication number: 20030128313
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light diffuser comprising a polymeric film incorporating microvoids wherein the film has a diffuse light transmission efficiency of at least 65% at 500 nm and wherein the microvoids are of a size, shape and frequency sufficient to provide an average weight-balanced color temperature variation of not more than 40 degrees K.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Cheryl J. Kaminsky, Robert P. Bourdelais, Thomas M. Laney, Michael R. Brickey
  • Publication number: 20030123150
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light diffuser comprising a thermoplastic layer containing thermoplastic polymeric material and microvoids having a substantially circular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the direction of light travel and having a diffuse light transmission efficiency of at least 65%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Brickey, Cheryl J. Kaminsky, Robert P. Bourdelais, Thomas M. Laney
  • Publication number: 20030118807
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light diffuser comprising a polymeric film wherein the film comprises a plurality of layers having void geometry in which the x/y/z size or frequency varies by at least 28% between at least two layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas M. Laney, Michael R. Brickey, Cheryl J. Kaminsky, Robert P. Bourdelais
  • Publication number: 20030118750
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light diffuser comprising a thermoplastic layer incorporating organic bead-containing microvoids and having an integral smoothing layer on at least one surface thereof, the smoothing layer exhibiting an average thickness less than 12 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert P. Bourdelais, Thomas M. Laney, Michael R. Brickey, Cheryl J. Kaminsky
  • Publication number: 20030099820
    Abstract: A dyed polyester film comprising a B/A/B′ type laminate structure wherein B and B′ are clear polyester layers not containing a dye additive or a sublimate forming material and having a thickness LB and LB, and a glass transition TgB and TgB′; A is a dyed polyester layer containing a dye additive and having a thickness LA and a glass transition temperature TgA; wherein the polyester in B, B′ and A is poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene naphthalate), polyesters containing sulfonate groups, copolymers of poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene naphthalate), or copolymers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(cyclohexane dimethylene terephthalate). A method of producing the dyed polyester film is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Inventors: Jehuda Greener, Thomas M. Laney, Fred D. Kelley
  • Publication number: 20030077468
    Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising a base polyester layer, an absorbent polyester layer above said base layer, and a glossy polymer layer above said absorbent layer; wherein said element has a 60° Gardner gloss greater than 30%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas M. Laney, Cathy Fleischer
  • Publication number: 20030073577
    Abstract: The invention relates to a material comprising a sheet wherein said sheet comprises at least one layer comprising polyether polymeric antistat and thermally processable onium salt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Debasis Majumdar, Thomas M. Laney, Jehuda Greener, Peter T. Aylward, Dinesh Tyagi
  • Publication number: 20030059602
    Abstract: The invention relates to a material comprising a web wherein said web comprises at least one surface layer comprising polyether polymeric antistat, extrudable polymer, and compatibilizer wherein said surface layer has a roughness of greater than 0.3 Ra.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Debasis Majumdar, Thomas M. Laney, Jehuda Greener, Jose L. Garcia, Peter T. Aylward
  • Publication number: 20030036479
    Abstract: The invention relates to a material comprising a sheet wherein said sheet comprises at least one layer comprising polyether polymeric antistat and thermally processable onium salt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Debasis Majumdar, Thomas M. Laney, Jehuda Greener, Peter T. Aylward
  • Patent number: 6489008
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising an ink-permeable polyester substrate comprising a base polyester layer and an ink-permeable upper polyester layer, the upper polyester layer comprising a continuous polyester phase having an ink absorbency rate resulting in a dry time of less than about 10 seconds and a total absorbent capacity of at least about 14 cc/m2, the substrate having thereon a porous image-receiving layer having interconnecting voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Bruce C. Campbell, Thomas M. Laney, Lisa B. Todd, Lixin Chu
  • Patent number: 6465140
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of conductivity control comprising providing a photographic element having a lower surface antistatic layer comprising polyether polymeric antistat, imaging said photographic element, processing said photographic element in aqueous development solutions, and recovering said developed photographic element, wherein the lower surface resistivity of said photographic element attains a value ≧10 log ohm/sq. but <13 log ohms/sq. after processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Debasis Majumdar, Thomas M. Laney, Jehuda Greener, Peter T. Aylward, Gary S. Freedman
  • Patent number: 6436619
    Abstract: The invention relates to a material comprising a web wherein said web comprises at least one surface layer comprising polyether polymeric antistat, extrudable polymer, and compatibilizer wherein said surface layer has a roughness of greater than 0.3 Ra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Debasis Majumdar, Thomas M. Laney, Jehuda Greener, Jose L. Garcia, Peter T. Aylward
  • Patent number: 6409334
    Abstract: An ink jet printing method, comprising the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with ink jet recording elements comprising an ink-permeable polyester substrate comprising a base polyester layer and an ink-permeable upper polyester layer, the upper polyester layer comprising a continuous polyester phase having an ink absorbency rate resulting in a dry time of less than about 10 seconds and a total absorbent capacity of at least about 14 cc/m2, the substrate having thereon a porous image-receiving layer having interconnecting voids; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the ink jet recording element using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Bruce C. Campbell, Lixin Chu, Thomas M. Laney, Lisa B. Todd