US3855928A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for printing
Assignee: American Screen Printing Equipment Co
•
Filing: 1970-02-27
•
Granted: 1974-12-24
•
Expires: 1990-02-27
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for printing intelligence on a surface by the use of short pulses of visible light energy impinging on a coating formed of a colorant and an absorber of radiant energy. A stack is formed including a sheet of material having transparent areas, a coating made up of the colorant and energy absorber and a surface to be printed. A burst of light is caused to pass through the transparent areas of the sheet material causing momentary heating of the exposed areas of the coating and volatilization of the colorant in the exposed areas followed by immediate condensation of the colorant on the printing surface immediately adjacent the coating. The colorant transference corresponds exactly to the shape of the transparent areas in the sheet of material.
Inventors
- 👤 L Kinney
- 👤 E Tompkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:30
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/40; B41M5/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of printing intelligence on a surface of a printing medium comprising steps of: forming a layer comprising a volatilizable colorant and an absorber of radiant energy, positioning said layer between the surface to be printed and a sheet of material having an area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to the intelligence to be printed, and subjecting said sheet of material and the portion of said layer adjacent said transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy sufficient to cause said colorant in said area to volatilize under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy and to condense on said surface to be printed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of printing intelligence on a surface of a printing medium comprising steps of: forming a layer comprising a volatilizable colorant and an absorber of radiant energy, positioning said layer between the surface to be printed and a sheet of material having an area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to the intelligence to be printed, and subjecting said sheet of material and the portion of said layer adjacent said transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy sufficient to cause said colorant in said area to volatilize under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy and to condense on said surface to be printed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said layer is a coating and is formed on the surface of said sheet of material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of forming said layer as a coating on a transparent substrate and positioning said substrate between said sheet material and said surface to be printed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said sheet material is a stencil having cutout areas corresponding to said intelligence to permit said radiant energy to pass through said substrate to said layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein forming said layer comprises the steps of: mixing colorant, radiant energy absorbent material and a binder with a solvent, applying the resultant mixture to one surface of said sheet of material to form a coating, and driving off the solvent without disrupting said coating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said layer and said sheet material are employed for multiple prints, said method including the steps of providing successive surfaces to be printed adjacent said layer, and subjecting said sheet of material to successively stronger pulses of radiant energy for each successive surface to be printed whereby said colorant is partially volatilized by each successive pulse.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the strength of said pulse of radiant energy on said sheet of material is of the order of 20 joules per square inch.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of printing intelligence onto a surface of a printing medium comprising the steps of: forming a first layer having a first dye and an absorber of radiant energy, positioning said first layer between said surface to be printed and a first sheet of material having a first area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a first portion of the intelligence to be printed, subjecting said first sheet of material and the portion of said first layer adjacent said first transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy effective to cause said first dye in said area to volatilize under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy and to condense on said surface to be printed, forming a second layer comprising a second dye and an absorber or radiant energy, positioning said second layer between said surface to be printed and a second sheet of material having a second area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a second portiOn of the intelligence to be printed, and subjecting said second sheet of material and the portion of said second layer adjacent said second transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy effective to cause said second dye in said second area to volatilize due to the influence of radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy and to condense on said surface to be printed.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of printing intelligence onto a surface of a printing medium comprising the steps of: forming a first layer having a first dye and an absorber of radiant energy, positioning said first layer between said surface to be printed and a first sheet of material having a first area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a first portion of the intelligence to be printed, subjecting said first sheet of material and the portion of said first layer adjacent said first transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy effective to cause said first dye in said area to volatilize under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy and to condense on said surface to be printed, forming a second layer comprising a second dye and an absorber or radiant energy, positioning said second layer between said surface to be printed and a second sheet of material having a second area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a second portiOn of the intelligence to be printed, and subjecting said second sheet of material and the portion of said second layer adjacent said second transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy effective to cause said second dye in said second area to volatilize due to the influence of radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy and to condense on said surface to be printed.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
211 words
A method of printing intelligence onto a surface of printing medium comprising the steps of: forming a layer comprising a first colorant, a second colorant, and an absorber of radiant energy, said first colorant and said second colorant having different latent heats of vaporization, positioning said layer between the surface to be printed and a first sheet of material having a first area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a first portion of the intelligence to be printed, subjecting said first sheet of material and the portion of said layer adjacent said transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy of sufficient strength to volatilize under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy said first colorant adjacent said first transparent area, substituting a second sheet of material for said first sheet of material said second sheet of material having a second area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a second portion of the intelligence to be printed, and subjecting said second sheet of material and the portion of said layer adjacent said second transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy of sufficient strength to volatilize said second colorant under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
211 words
A method of printing intelligence onto a surface of printing medium comprising the steps of: forming a layer comprising a first colorant, a second colorant, and an absorber of radiant energy, said first colorant and said second colorant having different latent heats of vaporization, positioning said layer between the surface to be printed and a first sheet of material having a first area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a first portion of the intelligence to be printed, subjecting said first sheet of material and the portion of said layer adjacent said transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy of sufficient strength to volatilize under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy said first colorant adjacent said first transparent area, substituting a second sheet of material for said first sheet of material said second sheet of material having a second area transparent to radiant energy and corresponding to a second portion of the intelligence to be printed, and subjecting said second sheet of material and the portion of said layer adjacent said second transparent area to a pulse of radiant energy of sufficient strength to volatilize said second colorant under the influence of the radiant energy absorbed by said absorber of radiant energy.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-23 | 1978-06-24 | 1978-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-23 | 1982-06-24 | 1982-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-23 | 1986-06-24 | 1986-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |