US4822674A — Ink donor films

Claim 1

Independent Claim 70 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film comprised of a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink is comprised of a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethylsiloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 70 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film comprised of a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink is comprised of a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethylsiloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are selected oil soluble dyes as the pigment particles.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 2 wherein the oil soluble dyes are selected from the group consisting of black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 3 wherein from about 1.0 percent by weight to about 3.0 percent by weight of the oil soluble dye is present.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the waxes are comprised of a mixture of ester waxes, paraffin waxes, carnauba waxes, and polyethylene waxes.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 85 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the blend of waxes is comprised of from about 25 percent by weight to about 35 percent by weight of natural ester beeswax, from about 45 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight of a paraffin wax, from about 1 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight of a carnauba wax, and from about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of a modified polyethylene wax (Vybar 103).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 85 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the blend of waxes is comprised of from about 35 percent by weight to about 50 percent by weight of a paraffin wax, from about 25 percent by weight to about 35 percent by weight of a montan ester wax, from about 7 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of a modified polyethylene wax, and from about 7 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of an unmodified polyethylene wax.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the dispersant is present in an amount of from about 4 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight, and is comprised of a urethane modified wax.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pigment particles are selected from the group consisting of black, magenta, cyan and yellow, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 72 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 9 wherein from about 8 percent by weight to about 12 percent by weight of carbon black pigment, from about 6 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of cyan, from about 6 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of magenta, and from about 6 percent by weight to about 12 percent by weight of yellow pigment are present.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein from about 3 percent by weight to about 30 percent by weight of the binder polymer is present.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the the binder copolymer is poly(vinylmethyl ether).

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 68 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate polymer contains styrene in an amount of from about 30 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight, ethylacrylate in an amount of from about 35 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight, and butylacrylate in an amount of from about 35 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the supporting substrate is comprised of poly(ethylene terephthalate).

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film in accordance with claim 14 wherein the thickness of the substrate is from about 6 to about 22 microns.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thickness of the ink formulation present on the supporting substrate for single strike ink donor films is from about 3 to about 6 microns.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 37 words

A thermal transfer ink donor film in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thickness of the ink formulation present on the supporting substrate for multistrike ink donor films is from about 10 microns to about 20 microns.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 88 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether), wherein the supporting substate contains a coating of poly(vinyl alcohol) or aluminum on the bottom surface thereof.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 88 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether), wherein the supporting substate contains a coating of poly(vinyl alcohol) or aluminum on the bottom surface thereof.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 81 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers comprised of (1) styrene-b-isoprene, and (2) styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane with from about 35 percent by weight to about 65 percent by weight of copolymer (1) and from about 65 percent by weight to about 35 percent by weight of copolymer (2).

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 81 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers comprised of (1) styrene-b-isoprene, and (2) styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane with from about 35 percent by weight to about 65 percent by weight of copolymer (1) and from about 65 percent by weight to about 35 percent by weight of copolymer (2).

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 93 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers comprised of a styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymer with from about 30 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight of styrene, from about 50 percent by weight to about 30 percent by weight of isoprene, and from about 20 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of dimethyl siloxane.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 93 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers comprised of a styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymer with from about 30 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight of styrene, from about 50 percent by weight to about 30 percent by weight of isoprene, and from about 20 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of dimethyl siloxane.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 20 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 20 wherein there are selected water soluble dyes as the pigment particles.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 26 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 20 wherein the supporting substrate contains a coating of polyvinyl alcohol or aluminum on the bottom surface thereof.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 27 words

An ink donor film in accordance with claim 20 wherein the waxes are comprised of a mixture of ester waxes, paraffin waxes, carnauba waxes and polyethylene waxes.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 83 words

An ink fonor film in accordance with claim 20 wherein the blend of waxes is comprised of from about 25 percent by weight to about 35 percent by weight of natural ester beeswax, from about 45 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight of a paraffin wax, from about 1 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight of a carnauba wax, and from about 1 percent by weight to about 3 percent by weight of a modified polyethylene wax.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 98 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether), wherein the supporting substrate contains on the bottom surface thereof a release coating of poly(vinyl alcohol) in a thickness of from about 1 to about 2 microns.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 98 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether), wherein the supporting substrate contains on the bottom surface thereof a release coating of poly(vinyl alcohol) in a thickness of from about 1 to about 2 microns.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 95 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether), wherein the supporting substrate contains on the bottom surface a coating of aluminum in a thickness of from about 30 to about 80 Angstroms.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 95 words

An ink donor film for thermal transfer printing processes, comprising a supporting substrate with a coating of an ink composition on the top surface thereof, which ink comprises a blend of four hydrocarbon waxes, pigment particles, pigment dispersants, and binder polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) styrene-b-isoprene-b-dimethyl siloxane triblock copolymers; (2) blends of styrene-b-isoprene diblock copolymers with styrene-b-dimethyl siloxane diblock copolymers; (3) styrene/ethylacrylate/butylacrylate random copolymers; and (4) poly(vinylmethyl ether), wherein the supporting substrate contains on the bottom surface a coating of aluminum in a thickness of from about 30 to about 80 Angstroms.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-04-17	1992-10-17	1993-04-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-04-17	1996-10-17	1997-04-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-04-17	2000-10-17	2001-04-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ink donor films

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