US4525722A — Chemical heat amplification in thermal transfer p…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 85 words

In thermal transfer printing an ink bearing ribbon comprising a support layer and at least one other layer, said one other layer including a fusible ink which is solid at room temperature and which includes a low melting point polymer binder and a suitable colorant, and an exothermic heat amplification material, said material giving off heat to said ink when its temperature is raised to at least a threshold amount, and being a hydrazone derivative having a molecular weight between about 150 and about 650.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 85 words

In thermal transfer printing an ink bearing ribbon comprising a support layer and at least one other layer, said one other layer including a fusible ink which is solid at room temperature and which includes a low melting point polymer binder and a suitable colorant, and an exothermic heat amplification material, said material giving off heat to said ink when its temperature is raised to at least a threshold amount, and being a hydrazone derivative having a molecular weight between about 150 and about 650.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The ribbon of claim 1, where said exothermic material is substantially colorless and undergoes an exothermic reaction at temperatures between about 100° C. and 200° C. to release at least about 200 J/gram.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The ribbon of claim 2, where said exothermic material is located in said fusible ink layer in an amount 5-20 weight percent of dry ink.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The ribbon of claim 2, where said exothermic material is located in a separate layer on said ribbon.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

The ribbon of claim 2, where said exothermic material is located in said support layer.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The ribbon of claim 2, where said exothermic material is chosen from the group consisting of substituted aryl sulfonyl hydrazones, monohydrazones of acyclic α-diketones, aromatic disulfonyl and diacyl hydrazones, and monohydrazones of cyclic α-dicarbonyl heterocycles.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The ribbon of claim 6, where said substituted aryl sulfonyl hydrazones have the formula ##STR6## where R=CH 3 ,C 2 H 5 ,C 3 H 7 ,NO 2 ,C 6 H 5 R'=CH 3 ,C 6 H 5 CO,CH 3 COOC 6 H 4 CO, ##STR7## R"=CH 3 ,C 6 H 5 ,CH 3 COOC 6 H 4 , ##STR8##

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 55 words

The ribbon of claim 6, where said mono hydrazones of acyclic α-diketones have the formula ##STR9## where R=aklyl, OCOCH 3 , ##STR10## R'=H, SO 2 C 6 H 5 , SO 2 C 6 H 4 CH 3 , COC 6 H 5 , the position of said R group on said rings being non-critical.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 53 words

The ribbon of claim 2, where said aromatic disulfonyl and diacyl hydrazones have the formula ##STR11## where R=O, CH 2 , SO 2 R'=CO, SO 2 R", R"'=CH 3 , C 6 H 5 , C 2 H 5 , the position of said R and R' groups on said rings being non-critical.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 79 words

The ribbon of claim 2, where said monohydrazones of cyclic α-diacarbobyl hetero cycles have the formulae ##STR12## where R'=H, SO 2 C 6 H 5 , COC 6 H 5 , SO 2 C 6 H 4 CH 3 ##STR13## where where R'=H, SO 2 C 6 H 5 , COC 6 H 5 , SO 2 C 6 H 4 CH 3 R=H, alkyl, Phenyl, substituted phenyl, the position of said R group on said rings being non-critical.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 71 words

In a thermal transfer printing process wherein energy is applied to an ink-bearing ribbon to melt and transfer said ink to a receiving medium for printing thereon, the improvement wherein some of the heat required for said printing is provided by an exothermic chemical reaction of a chemical substance in said ribbon, said chemical substance being a substantially colorless hydrazone derivative having a molecular weight between about 150 and about 650.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 71 words

In a thermal transfer printing process wherein energy is applied to an ink-bearing ribbon to melt and transfer said ink to a receiving medium for printing thereon, the improvement wherein some of the heat required for said printing is provided by an exothermic chemical reaction of a chemical substance in said ribbon, said chemical substance being a substantially colorless hydrazone derivative having a molecular weight between about 150 and about 650.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 11, wherein said exothermic reaction is produced locally, and occurs within the operative temperature range of said ink.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 12, wherein said exothermic reaction occurs at temperatures greater than about 100° C. and less than about 200° C.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 13, where said exothermic reaction provides heat in excess of approximately 200 J/gram of said chemical substance.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 14, where said exothermic reaction is provided by the decomposition of said chemical substance, said substance being stable at room temperature and decomposing at temperatures between approximately 100° C. and 200° C.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 174 words

A method for thermal transfer printing, comprising the steps of: bringing a ribbon containing a fusible ink which is solid at room temperature and a receiving medium into contact with one another, applying heat energy to a localized area of said ink to increase the temperature of said ink in said localized area, said heat energy being an amount sufficient to trigger an exothermic reaction in said ribbon, and chemically amplifying the amount of heat in said localized area by said exothermic reaction, the total amount of heat energy delivered to said localized area by said application of heat energy and said exothermic reaction being sufficient to cause melting of said ink and transfer of said melted ink to said receiving medium, where said exothermic reaction is produced by the decomposition of an exothermic material in said ribbon upon the application of said heat energy, said exothermic material being a substantially colorless hydrazone derivative having a molecular weight between about 150 and 650, and which undergoes thermally induced chemical changes between about 150°-180° celcius.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 174 words

A method for thermal transfer printing, comprising the steps of: bringing a ribbon containing a fusible ink which is solid at room temperature and a receiving medium into contact with one another, applying heat energy to a localized area of said ink to increase the temperature of said ink in said localized area, said heat energy being an amount sufficient to trigger an exothermic reaction in said ribbon, and chemically amplifying the amount of heat in said localized area by said exothermic reaction, the total amount of heat energy delivered to said localized area by said application of heat energy and said exothermic reaction being sufficient to cause melting of said ink and transfer of said melted ink to said receiving medium, where said exothermic reaction is produced by the decomposition of an exothermic material in said ribbon upon the application of said heat energy, said exothermic material being a substantially colorless hydrazone derivative having a molecular weight between about 150 and 650, and which undergoes thermally induced chemical changes between about 150°-180° celcius.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 16, where said heat energy is applied from a heat-producing thermal head brought into contact with said ribbon.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 16, where said heat energy is applied from a laser printhead which directs photons to said ribbon.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 16, where said heat energy is supplied by the passage of electrical current through a resistive layer in said ribbon.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 16, where the amount of exothermic material in said ink-bearing layer is in the range 5-20 weight percent of dry ink material.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 20, where said exothermic material produces heat in excess of 200 J/gram of said material during said exothermic reaction.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 16, where said exothermic material is selected from the group consisting of substituted aryl sulfonyl hydrazones, mono hydrazones of acylic α-diketones, aromatic disulfonyl and diacyl hydrazones, and mono hydrazones of cyclic α-dicarbonyl heterocycles.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-06-24	1988-12-24	1989-06-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-06-24	1992-12-24	1993-06-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-06-24	1996-12-24	1997-06-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Chemical heat amplification in thermal transfer printing

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