Abstract: The invention relates to a protective cover sheet comprising a low birefringence protective polymer film and a layer that promotes adhesion to poly(vinyl alcohol), the protective cover sheet comprising at least one functional layer containing a UV-absorbing polymer.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to optical films useful in the manufacture of polarizer plates, an improved method for producing polarizing plates, and a Liquid Crystal Display employing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to an optical film composite comprising a temporary carrier substrate having a center area and an edge area, said substrate having coated thereon an optical film wherein the adhesive strength between the optical film and the substrate is greater at the edge area than at the center area of the substrate.

Abstract: An autonomous ultrasonic indoor location system includes a location beacon transmitting apparatus and a location beacon receiving apparatus. The location beacon transmitting apparatus is configured to sequentially transmit US signals at a predetermined time interval upon transmission of a signal containing synchronization information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protective cover sheet comprising a low birefringence protective polymer film and a layer that promotes adhesion to poly(vinyl alcohol), the protective cover sheet comprising at least one functional layer containing a UV-absorbing polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Positioning on One Device (POD) for locating and tracking objects and an autonomous ultrasound indoor track system (AUITS) and method for locating objects by using the POD. The AUITS can comprise: a tag device installed on a mobile object, which includes radio frequency (RF) and ultrasound transmitters for transmitting RF and ultrasound signals; and a POD for receiving the RF and ultrasound signals transmitted from the tag device to locate the mobile object. The POD can comprise: a plurality of leaf modules, each of the leaf modules including a positioning signal receiver for receiving the positioning signals (e.g. ultrasound signal) transmitted from the tag device, wherein there is a known structural topology relationship between the plurality of leaf modules. Then, the positioning signal detection times from respective positioning signal receivers and the structural topology relationship of the POD can be used for calculation of the position of the object.

Abstract: An ink composition comprising: (a) water; (b) a pigment dispersion comprising a pigment and a polymeric dispersant wherein the polymeric dispersant is a copolymer comprising at least a hydrophobic methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons, and a hydrophilic methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer, wherein the copolymer comprises at least 10% by weight of the methacrylate or acrylate monomer and at least 5% by weight of the methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer, and wherein the copolymer comprises, in total, 20 to 95 weight % of hydrophobic monomer; and (c) at least one water-dispersible polyurethane.

Abstract: An inkjet ink composition comprising water, and at least one water-dispersible polyurethane/urea polymer having at least a first soft segment formed from a polyol prepolymer and at least a second soft segment formed from a polyamine prepolymer, wherein the polyol prepolymer forms urethane bonds in the polyurethane/urea and the polyamine prepolymer forms urea bonds in the polyurethane/urea, and further wherein at least about 4% by weight of the combined soft segments is formed by polyamine prepolymers that form urea bonds in the polyurethane/urea polymer.

Abstract: An inkjet ink composition comprising water, pigment particles dispersed with a polymeric dispersant, at least one water-dispersible polyurethane, at least one pyrrolidinone compound, glycerol, and a 1,2-alkanediol having from four to eight carbon atoms.

Abstract: A colloidal pigment dispersion composition comprising: water; dispersed pigment particles; a first polymer dispersant comprising units derived from an acrylate or methacrylate monomer having an alkyl group with 12 or more carbons and units derived from an ethylenicaly unsaturated monomer comprising a carboxylic acid substituent; and a second polymer dispersant comprising units derived from a monomer comprising an aromatic group containing substituent and units derived from an ethylenicaly unsaturated monomer comprising a carboxylic acid substituent, wherein the second polymer dispersant does not comprise units derived from an acrylate or methacrylate monomer having an alkyl group of 12 or more carbons, and wherein the second polymer dispersant has an acid number less than 270.

Abstract: Printing apparatii and methods are provided. In one aspect the printing method is provided for recording an image on a receiver medium having an image receiving layer and a support layer and with a stiffening and/or expansion layer therebetween comprising: a medium transport system for conveying a receiver medium to a range of positions wherein a print engine can record an image on the receiver medium; and an activation system is adapted to apply an activating energy or an activating material to the receiver medium to cause said stiffening and/or expansion layer to generally uniformly increase the stiffness and/or thickness of the receiver medium.

Abstract: A method of forming a printed image on an image receiving element is disclosed, comprising: providing an image receiving element comprising at least one activatable stiffening and/or thickening layer which comprises a polymer matrix and an activatable material; printing an image over a designated area of said image receiving element, and substantially uniformly and non-imagewise activating said activatable stiffening and/or thickening layer over the designated area of said image receiving element after step (b) to produce a printed image receiving element with an activated stiffened and/or thickened layer.

Abstract: A process for forming a dispersion of milled solid particles of a compound comprising forming a milling mixture of a liquid medium, milling media having an average particle size of less than or equal to about 300 microns, and a solid compound in a mixing vessel, and agitating the milling mixture with a mixer to contact the milling media and solid compound and to reduce the solid compound to a desired average particle size to form a dispersion of milled solid particles in the liquid medium, wherein the volume ratio of the milling media to the combined volume of the liquid media and solid compound in the milling mixture is less than 1, a rotor-stator mixer comprising rotor and stator elements separated by a rotor-stator gap of greater than the average particle size of the milling media and not greater than about 2.

Abstract: An ink composition comprising (a) water, (b) pigment particles, (c) at least one humectant, (d) at least one polyurethane having an average molecular weight of at least about 10,000 and a sufficient number of acid groups to provide an acid number from 60 to about 130, and being present at a weight concentration of greater than 0.7%, and (e) at least one water soluble acrylic polyiner comprising carboxylic acid groups, present at a weight concentration of greater than 0.6%, wherein the acid groups on the polyurethane and acrylic polymers are at least partially neutralized only with a monovalent inorganic base.

Abstract: An ink composition comprising (a) water, (b) pigment particles dispersed with a dispersant or self dispersing without the need for a dispersant, (c) at least one humectant, and (d) at least one polyurethane additive which is distinct from the dispersant, having an average molecular weight of at least about 10,000 and a sufficient number of acid groups to provide an acid number greater than about 60, the polyurethane being present at a level of at least 10 percent by weight relative to the pigment particles and comprising a polyether segment having a molecular weight greater than 250 and less than 2900, wherein the acid groups on the polyurethane are at least partially neutralized only with a monovalent inorganic base.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates a method of forming a polarizing plate comprising providing two protective cover sheets, each protective cover sheet for polarizers comprising a low birefringence protective polymer film and a layer promoting adhesion to poly(vinyl alcohol)-containing films comprising a hydrophilic polymer. The cover sheets are brought into contact with a PVA dichroic polarizing film such that said layer promoting adhesion to poly(vinyl alcohol)-containing films in each of said two cover sheets is in contact with said PVA dichroic polarizing film. A glue composition is applied just before contacting said PVA dichroic polarizing film and said cover sheets, said glue composition being substantially free of dissolved polymer and comprising a crosslinking agent that crosslinks PVA.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protective cover sheet comprising a low birefringence protective polymer film and a layer containing a water-soluble polymer and polymer particles that promotes adhesion to poly(vinyl alcohol). The cover sheet has excellent adhesion to poly(vinyl alcohol)-containing dichroic polarizing films and eliminates the need to alkali treat the cover sheet prior to lamination to the dichroic films, thereby simplifying the process to manufacture polarizing plates.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to polymer films used as protective cover sheets for polarizer plates, a method for producing polarizing plates, and a Liquid Crystal Display employing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to cover sheet composites having a removable, carrier substrate and, optionally, a strippable, protection layer that protects the cover sheet from abrasion and dirt during the manufacture of the cover sheet and polarizer plates.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to polymer films used as protective cover sheets for polarizer plates, a method for producing polarizing plates, and a Liquid Crystal Display employing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a cover sheet composite having a removable, carrier substrate and a cover sheet comprising a low birefringence polymer film and a layer that promotes adhesion to polyvinyl alcohol on the same side of the carrier substrate as the low birefringence polymer film. The guarded cover sheet of the invention is less susceptible to defects due to dirt and abrasion during the manufacture of the cover sheet and polarizer plates. In addition, the cover sheet has excellent adhesion to polyvinyl alcohol-containing dichroic films and eliminates the need to alkali treat the cover sheet prior to lamination to the dichroic films.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of coating multiple layers on a support comprising a) taking a support; b) simultaneously coating on said support a chill settable layer and a non-chill settable layer; c) lowering the temperature of the layers to immobilize said layers; and d) drying said layers. It further relates to imaging elements made by this process.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to optical films useful in the manufacture of polarizer plates, an improved method for producing polarizing plates, and a Liquid Crystal Display employing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to an optical film composite comprising a temporary carrier substrate having a center area and an edge area, said substrate having coated thereon an optical film wherein the adhesive strength between the optical film and the substrate is greater at the edge area than at the center area of the substrate.