US4768437A — High contrast printing material

Claim 1

Independent Claim 71 words

An ink-impregnated material, comprising: a solid polymeric structure having an open-celled network of micropores extending therethrough, said micropores having smooth, rounded internal walls essentially free of fibrous projections, said structure having an outer surface which is substantially skin free; and an ink disposed in said micropores repetitvely transferrable to a surface brought in contact with said material, the rate of loss of said ink from said structure being of 0 order.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 71 words

An ink-impregnated material, comprising: a solid polymeric structure having an open-celled network of micropores extending therethrough, said micropores having smooth, rounded internal walls essentially free of fibrous projections, said structure having an outer surface which is substantially skin free; and an ink disposed in said micropores repetitvely transferrable to a surface brought in contact with said material, the rate of loss of said ink from said structure being of 0 order.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

The material of claim 1, wherein said ink is present in said micropores in sufficient quantity to repetitively produce not fewer than 50,000 light-scannable coded images when said ink is applied to an ink transfer surface.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The material of claim 1, wherein said polymeric structure has a generally cylindrical shape.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

An ink roll, comprising the material of claim 3 and a support for said structure.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The material of claim 1, wherein said micropores have an average size in the range of from about 10 to about 250 microns, and said ink comprises a liquid containing pigment particles having an average particle size of less than about 10 microns.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 42 words

The material of claim 1, wherein said polymeric structure consists essentially of a thermoplastic resin, and said structure is prepared by molding said structure in admixture with rounded inorganic salt particles, and then leaching away said salt particles to form said micropores.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

The material of claim 6, wherein said liquid ink is present in an amount in the range of from about 40 to about 90% by weight of said material.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 122 words

An ink roll having a microporous structure for dispensing a high density imageproducing ink, comprising a microporous polymeric structure impregnated with a liquid ink, said structure being formed by: mixing from about 8 to about 50% by weight of a plastic powder with about 10 to about 90% by weight of a water-soluble salt and about 10 to about 50% by weight of a water-soluble C 2 -C 5 alkanediol to form a mixture; heating said mixture in a mold to melt said plastic powder to form a cohesive structure conforming to said mold; leaching said, salt and said alkanediol from said structure; drying said structure; and impregnating said structure with from about 40 to about 90% by weight of said ink.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 122 words

An ink roll having a microporous structure for dispensing a high density imageproducing ink, comprising a microporous polymeric structure impregnated with a liquid ink, said structure being formed by: mixing from about 8 to about 50% by weight of a plastic powder with about 10 to about 90% by weight of a water-soluble salt and about 10 to about 50% by weight of a water-soluble C 2 -C 5 alkanediol to form a mixture; heating said mixture in a mold to melt said plastic powder to form a cohesive structure conforming to said mold; leaching said, salt and said alkanediol from said structure; drying said structure; and impregnating said structure with from about 40 to about 90% by weight of said ink.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 58 words

The ink roll of claim 8, wherein said plastic powder: is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene vinylacetate copolymers and mixtures thereof; has an average particle size before mixing of from about 1 to about 80 microns; and is present in an amount of from about 10% to about 25% by weight in said mixture.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 42 words

The ink roll of claim 8, wherein said water-soluble salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium nitrate, sodium chloride, and mixtures thereof, and is present in an amount of from about 40% to about 65% by weight in said mixture.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 47 words

The ink roll of claim 8, wherein said water-soluble alkanediol is present in an amount of from about 20% to about 40% by weight in said mixture, and said salt is present in an amount of from about 40% to about 65% by weight in said mixture.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 37 words

The ink roll of claim 8, wherein said mixing step is conducted in the absence of heating and under vacuum, and said leaching of said salt and said alkanediol is conducted by contacting said structure with water.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 170 words

An ink-impregnated roll, comprising: a support; a generally cylindrical, solid polymeric structure mounted on said support having an open-celled network of micropores extending therethrough, said micropores having smooth, rounded internal walls essentially free of fibrous projections and having an average size in the range of from about 10 to about 200 microns, said polymeric structure consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin prepared by molding said structure in admixture with rounded inorganic salt particles, and then leaching away said salt particles to form said micropores, said structure having an outer surface which is substantially skin free; and an ink disposed in said micropores repetitively transferrable to a surface brought in contact with said roll, said ink comprising a liquid containing pigment particles having an average particle size of less than about 10 microns, the rate of loss of said ink from said structure being of zero order, and said liquid ink is present in an amount in the range of from about 40% to about 90% by weight of said structure.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 170 words

An ink-impregnated roll, comprising: a support; a generally cylindrical, solid polymeric structure mounted on said support having an open-celled network of micropores extending therethrough, said micropores having smooth, rounded internal walls essentially free of fibrous projections and having an average size in the range of from about 10 to about 200 microns, said polymeric structure consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin prepared by molding said structure in admixture with rounded inorganic salt particles, and then leaching away said salt particles to form said micropores, said structure having an outer surface which is substantially skin free; and an ink disposed in said micropores repetitively transferrable to a surface brought in contact with said roll, said ink comprising a liquid containing pigment particles having an average particle size of less than about 10 microns, the rate of loss of said ink from said structure being of zero order, and said liquid ink is present in an amount in the range of from about 40% to about 90% by weight of said structure.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 106 words

An ink-impregnated material, comprising: a solid polymeric structure having an open-celled network of micropores extending therethrough; said structure having an outer surface which is substantially skin free; and a liquid ink disposed in said micropores repetitively transferrable to a surface brought in contact with said material; wherein said material is formed by mixing a plastic powder with a water-soluble salt and a polar organic solvent to form a mixture, heating the mixture in a mold to melt the plastic powder to form said structure in the mold, leaching the salt and the solvent from said structure, drying said structure, and impregnating said structure with said ink.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 106 words

An ink-impregnated material, comprising: a solid polymeric structure having an open-celled network of micropores extending therethrough; said structure having an outer surface which is substantially skin free; and a liquid ink disposed in said micropores repetitively transferrable to a surface brought in contact with said material; wherein said material is formed by mixing a plastic powder with a water-soluble salt and a polar organic solvent to form a mixture, heating the mixture in a mold to melt the plastic powder to form said structure in the mold, leaching the salt and the solvent from said structure, drying said structure, and impregnating said structure with said ink.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 13 words

The material of claim 14, wherein said polar organic solvent is an alcohol.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

The material of claim 15, wherein said polar organic solvent is a water-soluble alkandiol.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 19 words

The material of claim 14, wherein said organic solvent is an alkandiol having from two to five carbon atoms.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 93 words

The material of claim 17, wherein said plastic powder is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene vinylacetate copolymers and mixtures thereof, has an average particle size before mixing of from about 1 to about 80 microns, and is present in an amount of from about 10% to about 25% by weight in said mixture, and said water-soluble salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium nitrate, sodium chloride, and mixtures thereof, and is present in an amount of from about 40% to about 65% by weight in said mixture.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 46 words

The material of claim 16, wherein said water-soluble alkanediol is present in an amount of from about 20% to about 40% by weight in said mixture, and said salt is present in an amount of from about 40% to about 65% by weight in said mixture.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 36 words

The material of claim 17, wherein said mixing step is conducted in the absence of heating and under vacuum, and said leaching of said salt and said alkanediol is conducted by contacting said structure with water.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-09-06	1992-03-07	1992-09-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-09-06	1996-03-07	1996-09-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-09-06	2000-03-07	2000-09-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

High contrast printing material

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