Pressure-sensitive sheet material

Abstract

Abstract This invention relates to paper, or like sheet material, sensitized with a coating of liquid-containing pressurerupturable capsules of both minute and a little larger dimensions arranged in interspersion and in close juxtaposition. In the preferred embodiment, the larger capsules contain a nonsignificant diluent, and the smaller capsules contain a concentrated liquid marking substance or other significant material. The capsules, large and small, are rupturable individually, are interspersed as to size, and are closely spaced on the sheet, so that an intentional impact directed on a small area of the coating will smash all of the capsules in the area and result in the expression of diluted liquid marking or other significant material, whereas a hit-or-miss applied pressure will rupture only a few of the larger capsules of the area, releasing a small amount of harmless diluent. Each capsule is a unit containing a cluster of droplets and, when the cluster is encapsulated, forms an irregular botryoid minute mass. The larger and protruding bosses of the diluent capsules represent outside droplets acting to guard the smaller capsule units beside them. The marking or other significant material may be an inherently colored dye, a colorless chromogenic color reactant, or an odorous, obscurant, or active material, and the capsules on a sheet may be associated with other materials on the sheet or be used to express their contents onto another sheet in contact therewith.

Inventors

• 👤 Bruce W Brockett
• 👤 John W Stutz
• 👤 Frederick D Weaver

Bibliographic Details