Patent US4920358A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4920358A
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US
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Imprinting apparatus
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1989-06-23
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Granted: 1990-04-24
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Expires: 2009-06-23
Abstract
Abstract An imprinting apparatus having application means for applying thermal energy to a recording portion of thermoplastic magnetic ink and generation means for simultaneously generating magnetic attraction force in the ink is provided. The recording portion of the ink is transferred to a transfer medium by the magnetic attraction force while the application of thermal energy is controlled. The ink and the transfer medium do not come into contact with each other in a non-recording portion of the ink. An ink medium having a support layer and a thermoplastic magnetic ink layer for use with the imprinting apparatus of the invention is also provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsumori Takei
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:01
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/382; B41M5/38285; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/315; B41J2/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 65
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
An imprinting apparatus for printing on a transfer medium by transferring thermoplastic magnetic ink having a recording portion and a non-recording portion to said transfer medium, comprising: heating means for controlling application of thermal energy to the recording portion of said thermoplastic magnetic ink; and magnetic force means for applying magnetic force to the recording portion of said ink being transferred to said transfer medium by said magnetic force, the magnetic force means including a first magnetic force member and a second magnetic force member, the thermoplastic magnetic ink positioned intermediate said first and second magnetic force members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
An imprinting apparatus for printing on a transfer medium by transferring thermoplastic magnetic ink having a recording portion and a non-recording portion to said transfer medium, comprising: heating means for controlling application of thermal energy to the recording portion of said thermoplastic magnetic ink; and magnetic force means for applying magnetic force to the recording portion of said ink being transferred to said transfer medium by said magnetic force, the magnetic force means including a first magnetic force member and a second magnetic force member, the thermoplastic magnetic ink positioned intermediate said first and second magnetic force members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating means comprises a thermal head.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the thermal head has a resolution of between about 180 and 2000 DPI.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic magnetic ink is provided as part of an ink medium having a base film coated with thermoplastic magnetic ink.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 4, wherein the base film is a heat resistant resin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the heat resistant resin is a uniform resin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the heat resistant resin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, polyamidoimide, polyetheretherketone, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heat resistant resin is polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heat resistant resin is polyimide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic magnetic ink is positioned so that non-recording portions do not contact a transfer medium during printing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic magnetic ink includes a binder and a ferromagnetic material disposed in the binder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 11, wherein the binder comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, carnauba wax, α-olefin maleic anhydride copolymer, oxidized wax, polyethylene wax, fatty acid amide, fatty acid ester, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene ethyl acrylate and distearylketone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the ferromagnetic material is selected from the group consisting of fine grain magnetite, manganese-zinc ferrite, nickel-zinc ferrite, garnet, metal, and metal alloys of iron, cobalt or nickel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 13, wherein the grain size of the ferromagnetic material is between about 10 and 10,000 Å.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the grain size of the ferromagnetic material is between about 500 and 5000 Å.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second magnetic force member of the magnetic force means includes an electromagnet and the first magnetic force member includes magnetic pole means for increasing the magnetic force on the recording portion by increasing the magnetic field gradient on the recording portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electromagnet includes a core having two top end portions said top end portions having a gap therebetween.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the core is formed from a high permeability material and the pole means is formed from one of a high permeability material and a high saturation flux density material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 18, wherein the high permeability material is selected from the group consisting of iron, iron-silicon, iron-nickel, manganese-zinc ferrite and nickel-zinc ferrite.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the top end portions are formed from a high saturation flux density material and the pole means is formed from one of a high permeability material and a high saturation flux density material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 20, wherein the high saturation flux density material is iron-cobalt.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the gap between the top end portions is less than about 1000 μm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 16 wherein the thermoplastic magnetic ink is positioned so that non-recording portions do not contact a transfer medium during printing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 18, wherein the core is permendur.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second magnetic force member includes a permanent magnet and the first magnetic force member includes magnetic pole means for increasing the magnetic force on the recording portion by increasing the magnetic field gradient on the recording portion.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the pole means is formed from one of a high saturation flux density material and a high permeability material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the maximum energy product of the permanent magnet is greater than about 10 MGOe.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet is an alnico magnet.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet is a barium-ferrite magnet.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet is a rare earth magnet.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet comprises a yoke having two top end portions and a gap between said top end portions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
36 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 31, wherein the yoke is formed of a high permeability material and the pole means is formed from one of a high saturation flux density material and a high permeability material.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 32, wherein the high permeability material is selected from the group consisting of iron, iron-silicon, iron-nickel, manganese-zinc ferrite and nickel-zinc ferrite.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 31, wherein the top end portions are a high saturation flux density material.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 34, wherein the high saturation flux density material is iron-cobalt.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 31, wherein the gap is between about 100 and 1000 μm.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
11 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 31, wherein the yoke is permendur.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet is a Sam magnet.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
34 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein pulse sharing is used to prolong the period of time during which the ink temperature is maintained at a temperature above the melting point of the ink.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein bias energy is applied to the ink prior to application of thermal energy.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein bias energy is applied to the ink after the application of thermal energy.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
22 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein bias energy is applied to the ink both before and after application of thermal energy.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1 wherein thermal bias is applied to the transfer medium prior to transferring the ink to the transfer medium.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein thermal bias is applied to the transfer medium after transfer of the ink to the transfer medium.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein thermal bias is applied to the transfer medium both prior to and after transfer of the ink to the transfer medium.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising rolling means for thermally rolling recording portion ink after transfer of the ink to the transfer medium.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
25 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the thermoplastic magnetic ink is positioned so that non-recording portions do not contact a transfer medium during printing.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
44 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic force means comprises a closed magnetic circuit having a magnetic material therein and wherein said magnetic material has a discontinuous portion so as to utilize leakage flux from the discontinuous portion to generate magnetic force.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
24 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 48, wherein the magnetic force is generated primarily by leakage flux at an edge portion of the discontinuous portion.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
19 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein thermal bias is applied to the transfer medium using a halogen lamp.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
18 words
The imprinting apparatus of claim 1, wherein thermal bias is applied to the transfer medium using a dryer-heater.
Claim 53
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of imprinting by transferring thermoplastic magnetic ink onto a transfer medium from an ink medium having a recording portion and non-recording portion comprising applying a controlled amount of thermal energy to said recording portion of said thermoplastic magnetic ink and applying magnetic force in said ink from first and second magnetic force generating members located on both sides of the ink medium to magnetically urge the recording portion towards the transfer medium, transferring said recording portion ink to said transfer medium by said magnetic force when said thermal energy is applied.
Claim 54
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of imprinting by transferring thermoplastic magnetic ink onto a transfer medium from an ink medium having a recording portion and non-recording portion comprising applying a controlled amount of thermal energy to said recording portion of said thermoplastic magnetic ink and applying magnetic force in said ink from first and second magnetic force generating members located on both sides of the ink medium to magnetically urge the recording portion towards the transfer medium, transferring said recording portion ink to said transfer medium by said magnetic force when said thermal energy is applied.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 52, wherein thermal energy is applied using a thermal head.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 52, wherein the magnetic force is generated using an electromagnet on one side of the ink medium and an auxiliary magnetic pole for increasing the magnetic force on the recording portion located on the other side of the ink medium.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 52, wherein magnetic attraction force is generated using a permanent magnet.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 52, wherein thermal energy is applied by means of pulse sharing.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 52, further comprising applying bias energy to the ink prior to application of thermal energy.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 52, further comprising applying bias energy to the ink after application of thermal energy.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 52, further comprising applying bias energy to the ink both before and after application of thermal energy.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 52, further comprising applying thermal bias to the transfer medium prior to transfer of the ink.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 52, further comprising the step of applying thermal bias to the transfer medium after transfer of the ink.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 52, wherein the non-recording portion of the ink medium is kept from contacting the transfer medium.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 52, further comprising rolling recording portion ink after transfer of the ink to the transfer medium.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-04-23 | 1993-10-23 | 1994-04-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-23 | 1997-10-23 | 1998-04-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-23 | 2001-10-23 | 2002-04-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |