US4741930A — Ink jet color printing method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 127 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 127 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 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 7

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 8

Dependent Claim 52 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, said phase change ink comprising

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 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, said phase change ink comprising

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 181 words

a thermoplastic base material which can exist in solid and liquid phases and which is optically clear in both phases; and 2. a first 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 and being semitransparent when solid; and C. one or more additional thin layers of a similar phase change printing ink, superimposed on the first ink layer, each additional layer having a primary subtractive dye color different from said first color, each said additional layer also having a well defined boundary with any adjacent layer and all 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 medium surface area is a vivid subtractive mixture of the colors of all of said ink layers.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 181 words

a thermoplastic base material which can exist in solid and liquid phases and which is optically clear in both phases; and 2. a first 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 and being semitransparent when solid; and C. one or more additional thin layers of a similar phase change printing ink, superimposed on the first ink layer, each additional layer having a primary subtractive dye color different from said first color, each said additional layer also having a well defined boundary with any adjacent layer and all 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 medium surface area is a vivid subtractive mixture of the colors of all of said ink layers.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

The material defined in claim 6 wherein selected ones of said ink layers have different thicknesses.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

The material defined in claim 7 wherein each additional ink layer is thinner than the immediately underlying ink layer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-05-03	1991-11-02	1992-05-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-05-03	1995-11-02	1996-05-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-05-03	1999-11-02	2000-05-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ink jet color printing method

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