Patents by Inventor Yuanqiao Rao

Yuanqiao Rao 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: 20060092400
    Abstract: A printing system having a printer that is adapted to develop images on microencapsulated media. The printing system includes a pressure applicator that includes micro-features that are adapted to contact the media to develop images on the media. The invention provides for improved image quality while enabling the use of a media that is made of inexpensive fiber based natural paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Yongcai Wang, Joseph Sedita
  • Patent number: 6946240
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaging element comprising a support, an imaging layer, and at least one layer comprising a clay nanocomposite wherein said nanocomposite comprises a splayant and at least one natural clay particle having an aspect ratio of from 20:1 to 500:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Joseph S. Sedita
  • Patent number: 6942831
    Abstract: A high-CHDM PET-based support for an imaging element can be annealed relatively rapidly to achieve acceptable core-set and post-process curl properties. The fast annealing response of this material allows effective in-line annealing of the film support, yielding a more efficient manufacturing process with less annealing-induced defects in the imaging support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jehuda Greener, Beverly A. Contestable, Jeffrey R. Gillmor, YuanQiao Rao
  • Publication number: 20050137089
    Abstract: A thermal printing ribbon that has reduced or no wrinkling during printing includes inorganic particles in a polymeric host material in at least one layer of the ribbon. The ribbon has improved mechanical and thermal properties as compared to ribbons not incorporating the inorganic particles. The ribbon can be used to form images on a dye-receiver element wherein the images have few or no artifacts caused by wrinkling of the thermal printing ribbon. The ribbon can be used in high speed printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Zhanjun Gao, Yuanqiao Rao, William Simpson, Debasis Majumdar, John Corman
  • Publication number: 20050084622
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical film comprising a layer containing layered clay particles in a radiation cured binder. Also disclosed is a coating dispersion and a method of forming an optical film comprising coating the dispersion on a flexible transparent polymeric support and an LCD or touch screen display incorporating the film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Bradley Houghtaling, Mridula Nair, Yuanqiao Rao, Tamara Jones, Robert Kress
  • Patent number: 6881492
    Abstract: A composition suitable for forming a primer layer on a polymer sheet comprising: a) polyethyleneimine; b) latex; wherein the latex has a Tg lower than 25° C. and c) a hydrophilic colloid material. A method of coating the composition is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, DeBasis Majumdar, Robert J. Kress, David E. Decker
  • Patent number: 6854840
    Abstract: An ink jet printing process for improving the durability and image quality of an ink jet image having the steps of a) providing an ink jet recording element having a support having thereon an image-receiving layer containing an ink jet image; and b) applying over the surface of the image-receiving layer an overcoat layer of water-dispersible, smectite clay particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, Robert J. Kress, Lawrence P. Demejo, Sandra D. Nesbitt
  • Publication number: 20050031983
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaging element comprising at least one imaging layer and a support wherein the support comprises at least one layer comprising a splayant and a layered material, wherein the layered material has an aspect ratio from 20:1 and 500:1 and wherein the layered material comprises less than 10% by weight of the layer. The present invention also relates to a method of making a dimensionally stable imaging element comprising providing a support wherein said support comprises at least one layer comprising a splayant and a layered material, wherein said layered material comprises an aspect ratio of from 20:1 to 500:1 and wherein said layered material comprises less than 10% by weight of said at least one layer; and applying at least one imaging layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Robert Kress
  • Publication number: 20050031982
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaging element comprising a support, an imaging layer, and at least one layer comprising a clay nanocomposite wherein said nanocomposite comprises a splayant and at least one natural clay particle having an aspect ratio of from 20:1 to 500:1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Joseph Sedita
  • Publication number: 20050026088
    Abstract: A high-CHDM PET-based support for an imaging element can be annealed relatively rapidly to achieve acceptable core-set and post-process curl properties. The fast annealing response of this material allows effective in-line annealing of the film support, yielding a more efficient manufacturing process with less annealing-induced defects in the imaging support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Jehuda Greener, Beverly Contestable, Jeffrey Gillmor, YuanQiao Rao
  • Patent number: 6797458
    Abstract: This invention relates to a poly(ethylene terephthalate)-based photographic multilayer film base having improved properties with regard to cutting and finishing operations compared to conventional PET film base. A specified amount of monomeric units derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) is used in at least two layers of the multilayer structure, such that the multilayer film base has a specified cutting related property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Jehuda Greener, Yeh-Hung Lai, Dennis J. Massa
  • Publication number: 20040121272
    Abstract: This invention relates to a poly(ethylene terephthalate)-based photographic multilayer film base having improved properties with regard to cutting and finishing operations compared to conventional PET film base. A specified amount of monomeric units derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) is used in at least two layers of the multilayer structure, such that the multilayer film base has a specified cutting-related property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Jehuda Greener, Yeh-Hung Lai, Dennis J. Massa
  • Patent number: 6749982
    Abstract: An imaging member comprising a polymer sheet, a primer layer contacting said polymer sheet, and an image receiving layer contacting said primer layer; wherein said primer layer comprises: a) polyethyleneimine; and b) latex; wherein the latex has a Tg lower than 25° C. and c) hydrophilic colloid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, DeBasis Majumdar, Robert J. Kress, David E. Decker
  • Patent number: 6737226
    Abstract: A process for making polyester film base material comprising more than 65 mol % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) of the total glycol component in the polyester material. The film base is prepared by sequentially carrying out the following steps: (a) casting a molten polyester resin in a machine direction onto a casting surface to form a continuous sheet, (b) drafting the sheet by stretching in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 70° C. to 130° C., (c) tentering the sheet in the transverse direction by stretching at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 70° C. to 130° C. to obtain a biaxially oriented film, (d) heat-setting the oriented film at an actual temperature of from 160° C. to 200° C., and (e) cooling the heat-set film without substantial detentering to obtain a biaxially oriented, heat-set polyester-based film having a cutting index of 1 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, Jehuda Greener, Michael R. Brickey
  • Publication number: 20040081928
    Abstract: A process for making polyester film base material comprising more than 65 mol % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) of the total glycol component in the polyester material. The film base is prepared by sequentially carrying out the following steps: (a) casting a molten polyester resin in a machine direction onto a casting surface to form a continuous sheet, (b) drafting the sheet by stretching in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 70° C. to 130° C., (c) tentering the sheet in the transverse direction by stretching at a stretch ratio of from 2 to 4, and at a temperature ranging from 70° C. to 130° C. to obtain a biaxially oriented film, (d) heat-setting the oriented film at an actual temperature of from 160° C. to 200° C., and (e) cooling the heat-set film without substantial detentering to obtain a biaxially oriented, heat-set polyester-based film having a cutting index of 1 to 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, Jehuda Greener, Michael R. Brickey
  • Patent number: 6727052
    Abstract: This invention relates to a PET-based photographic multilayer film base having improved properties with regard to cutting, stiffness and post-process curl. In particular, the polyester film base comprises a biaxially-stretched multilayer film structure, in which layers a specified amount of monomeric units derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), sulfonic-acid-substituted aromatic dicarboxylic acid and poly(alkylene glycol) is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: YuanQiao Rao, Jehuda Greener, Robert H. Fehnel, Michael R. Brickey
  • Publication number: 20040063819
    Abstract: A composition suitable for forming a primer layer on a polymer sheet comprising: a) polyethyleneimine; b) latex; wherein the latex has a Tg lower than 25° C. and c) a hydrophilic colloid material. A method of coating the composition is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, DeBasis Majumdar, Robert J. Kress, David E. Decker
  • Publication number: 20040063023
    Abstract: An imaging member comprising a polymer sheet, a primer layer contacting said polymer sheet, and an image receiving layer contacting said primer layer; wherein said primer layer comprises: a) polyethyleneimine; and b) latex; wherein the latex has a Tg lower than 25° C. and c) hydrophilic colloid material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, DeBasis Majumdar, Robert J. Kress, David E. Decker
  • Publication number: 20040041891
    Abstract: An ink jet printing process for improving the durability and image quality of an ink jet image having the steps of a) providing an ink jet recording element having a support having thereon an image-receiving layer containing an ink jet image; and b) applying over the surface of the image-receiving layer an overcoat layer of water-dispersible, smectite clay particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yuanqiao Rao, Robert J. Kress, Lawrence P. Demejo, Sandra D. Nesbitt
  • 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