EP0187352A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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A method of ink jet colour printing
Assignee: iCad Inc
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Filing: 1985-12-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-12-20
Abstract
Abstract Color printing characterized by high color density and color contrast is provided by jetting an ink composition composed of an optically clear, phase change base material and a primary subtractive color dye which is soluble in the base material onto the surface of a printing medium to form a multiplicity of closely spaced color dots or spots arranged to define a line or character on the medium. Each dot consists of one or more well defined, optically clear, semitransparent color layers each of which has a different color so that the observed color of each dot is a true subtractive mixture of the colors in the layers. Specific ink compositions are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Howard
- 👤 Richard R. Helinski
- 👤 Herbert E. Menhennett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:42
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M3/00; B41M3/008; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2107; C; C09; C09D; C09D11/00; C09D11/30; C09D11/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of color printing on a printing medium comprising the steps of A. applying a first color phase-change ink as a liquid onto an area of said medium so that the first ink forms a first, thin, solid, semi-transparent, well-defined, optically clear ink layer that adheringly covers without appreciably penetrating or distorting said medium area; and B. applying a second color phase-change ink as a liquid onto the exposed surface of said first ink layer in superposition therewith so that the second ink forms a second, thin, solid, semi- transparent, well-defined, optically clear ink layer that adheringly covers said first ink layer whereby the ink layers transmit ambient light substantially specularly and produce subtractive color printing on said medium area characterized by high color density and brightness.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of color printing on a printing medium comprising the steps of A. applying a first color phase-change ink as a liquid onto an area of said medium so that the first ink forms a first, thin, solid, semi-transparent, well-defined, optically clear ink layer that adheringly covers without appreciably penetrating or distorting said medium area; and B. applying a second color phase-change ink as a liquid onto the exposed surface of said first ink layer in superposition therewith so that the second ink forms a second, thin, solid, semi- transparent, well-defined, optically clear ink layer that adheringly covers said first ink layer whereby the ink layers transmit ambient light substantially specularly and produce subtractive color printing on said medium area characterized by high color density and brightness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 1 and including the additional step of superimposing one or more additional said ink layers of different colors to said second ink layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said ink is applied to said medium by jetting the inks onto the medium area as successive liquid drops each of which solidifies prior to the impingement of a succeeding drop at that area of the medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method defined in claim 3 comprising the additional step of jetting the inks so that said successive liquid drops have different sizes whereby selected ink layers have different thicknesses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
An ink composition for ink jet color printing comprising A. a phase change base material which can exist in solid and liquid phases and which is optically clear in both phases; and B. a primary subtractive color dye which is soluble in the base material in both material phases and does not appreciably affect the viscosity of the base material, said ink composition having a viscosity when the base material is in the liquid phase of from one to fifty centipoise and an optical density of from one to three.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
An ink composition for ink jet color printing comprising A. a phase change base material which can exist in solid and liquid phases and which is optically clear in both phases; and B. a primary subtractive color dye which is soluble in the base material in both material phases and does not appreciably affect the viscosity of the base material, said ink composition having a viscosity when the base material is in the liquid phase of from one to fifty centipoise and an optical density of from one to three.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The ink composition defined in claim 5 wherein the base material is a fatty acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The ink composition defined in claim 6 wherein the base material is stearic acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The ink composition defined in claim 5 wherein the base material comprises a thermoplastic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The ink composition defined in claim 8 wherein the base material comprises polyethylene.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ink composition defined in claim 5 wherein the base material comprises a blend of natural and/or synthetic phase change materials.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
139 words
Color printed material comprising A. a printing medium; B. a first thin layer of a phase change primary subtractive color printing ink of a first color adhered to a surface area of the medium, said first layer having a well defined boundary substantially at the medium surface; C. one or more additional thin layers of a phase change printing ink, each additional layer having a different primary subtractive color different from said first color superimposed on the first ink layer, each said additional layer having a well defined boundary with any adjacent layer and each of said layers being optically clear and non-turbid so that specular reflection of ambient light occurs in each layer whereby the observed color of the print on said surface area is a vivid subtractive mixture of the colors of all of said ink layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
139 words
Color printed material comprising A. a printing medium; B. a first thin layer of a phase change primary subtractive color printing ink of a first color adhered to a surface area of the medium, said first layer having a well defined boundary substantially at the medium surface; C. one or more additional thin layers of a phase change printing ink, each additional layer having a different primary subtractive color different from said first color superimposed on the first ink layer, each said additional layer having a well defined boundary with any adjacent layer and each of said layers being optically clear and non-turbid so that specular reflection of ambient light occurs in each layer whereby the observed color of the print on said surface area is a vivid subtractive mixture of the colors of all of said ink layers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
92 words
The material defined in claim 11 wherein each phase change ink comprises A. a thermoplastic base material which can exist in solid and liquid phases and which is optically clear in both phases; and B. a primary subtractive color dye which is soluble in the base material in both material phases and does not appreciably affect the viscosity of the base material, said ink composition having a viscosity when the base material is in the liquid phase of from one to fifty centipoise and an optical density of from one to three.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The mater.ial defined in claim 11 wherein selected ones of said ink layers have different thicknesses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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