US5012300A — Two-color imaging system and process

Claim 1

Independent Claim 99 words

A dual color imaging process which comprises the following steps: forming an image having adjacent first and second areas respectively containing first and second types of pigmented particles and desirably uncolored background areas; removing unwanted pigmented particles from said background area and undesirably removing particles from the juncture of said first and second areas such that they are undesirably separated by third areas relatively free of particles of said first and second types; transferring the image to a final substrate; and subsequently causing said image to flow into said third areas, thereby at least partially eliminating said third areas.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 99 words

A dual color imaging process which comprises the following steps: forming an image having adjacent first and second areas respectively containing first and second types of pigmented particles and desirably uncolored background areas; removing unwanted pigmented particles from said background area and undesirably removing particles from the juncture of said first and second areas such that they are undesirably separated by third areas relatively free of particles of said first and second types; transferring the image to a final substrate; and subsequently causing said image to flow into said third areas, thereby at least partially eliminating said third areas.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

A process according to claim 1 and wherein said step of causing comprises the step of heating said image.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

A process according to claim 1, wherein said image is obtained by electrostatic imaging.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

A process according to claim 1, wherein said image is produced by employing a liquid toner composition which comprises an insulating, nonpolar liquid having admixed therewith two different particulate pigments carrying opposite charges.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

A process according to claim 2, wherein said image is produced by employing a liquid toner composition which comprises an insulating, nonpolar liquid having admixed therewith two different particulate pigments carrying opposite charges.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

A process according to claim 5, wherein said composition also comprises at least one polymeric binder for the particulate pigments.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

A process according to claim 6, wherein said composition also comprises at least one binder wax.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

A process according to claim 6, wherein said at least one polymeric binder comprises an ethylene copolymer including carboxylic acid functionality.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

A process according to claim 8, wherein said image flow is effected by a hot plate fuser and the temperature is higher than about 120° C.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

A process according to claim 8, wherein said image flow is effected by a roll fuser with pressure and the temperature is equal to or higher than about 100° C.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 21 words

A process according to claim 7, wherein said at least one polymeric binder comprises an ethylene copolymer including carboxylic acid functionality.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process according to claim 11, wherein said image flow is effected by a hot plate fuser and the fusion temperature is lower than about 120° C.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process according to claim 11, wherein said image flow is effected by a roll fuser with pressure and the temperature is lower than about 100° C.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 37 words

A process according to claim 7, wherein said at least one binder wax is selected from the group consisting of Bamboo leaf, Caranda, Carnauba, Montan, Ouricury, Palm, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chinese insect, Indian Corn and Shellac waxes.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 37 words

A process according to claim 12, wherein said at least one binder wax is selected from the group consisting of Bamboo leaf, Caranda, Carnauba, Montan, Ouricury, Palm, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chinese insect. Indian Corn and Shellac waxes.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

A process according to claim 13, wherein said at least one binder wax is selected from the group consisting of Bamboo leaf, Caranda, Carnauba, Montan, Ouricury, Palm, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chinese insect, Indian Corn and Shellac waxes.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 93 words

An imaging system comprising: means for forming an image having adjacent first and second areas respectively containing first and second types of pigmented particles and desirably uncolored background areas; means for removing unwanted pigmented particles from said background regions and also undesirably removing pigment from the juncture of said first and second areas so that they are undesirably separated by third areas relatively free of particles of said first and second types; and means for causing flow of the image into said third areas, thereby to at least partially eliminate said third areas.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 93 words

An imaging system comprising: means for forming an image having adjacent first and second areas respectively containing first and second types of pigmented particles and desirably uncolored background areas; means for removing unwanted pigmented particles from said background regions and also undesirably removing pigment from the juncture of said first and second areas so that they are undesirably separated by third areas relatively free of particles of said first and second types; and means for causing flow of the image into said third areas, thereby to at least partially eliminate said third areas.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

An imaging system according to claim 17 and wherein said means for causing comprises means for heating said image which is insufficient to cause flow of the image.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 48 words

A system according to claim 17 and wherein said image is formed of a liquid toner composition and said means for forming comprises a development electrode biased at an electrostatic potential level intermediate the surface potential of areas on a photoconductor corresponding to said first and second areas.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 47 words

A system according to claim 18 wherein said image is formed of a liquid toner composition and said means for forming comprises a development electrode biased at an electrostatic potential level intermediate the surface potential of areas on a photoconductor corresponding to said first and second areas.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 21 words

A system according to claim 17, and wherein said liquid toner composition also comprises a polymeric binder for said pigmented particles.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

A system according to claim 21, and wherein said toner composition also comprises at least one charge director.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 45 words

A system according to claim 22 and wherein said at least one charge director is operative to induce on said first type of pigmented particles charges of a first polarity and to induce on said second type of pigmented particles charges of an opposite polarity.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 19 words

A system according to claim 23, and wherein said at least one charge director comprises a single charge director.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 54 words

A system according to claim 23, and wherein said at least one charge director comprises first and second charge directors, said charge directors being operative to induce on said first type of pigmented particles charges of a first polarity and to induce on said second type of pigmented particles charges of an opposite polarity.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

A system according to claim 18, and also comprising means for removing unwanted pigmented particles from a background area of the developed image defined by said third portion.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 95 words

A system according to claim 1, and wherein said means for removing unwanted pigmented particles comprises: first removal means biased at a potential between (i) the average surface potential of the background area and, (ii) the potential of said first portion, for the removal of said first type of pigmented particles from the background area; and second removal means biased at a potential between (i) the average surface potential of the background areas, and (ii) the potential of said second portion, for the removal of said second type of pigmented particles from the background area.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 95 words

A system according to claim 26, and wherein said means for removing unwanted pigmented particles comprises: first removal means biased at a potential between (i) the average surface potential of the background area, and (ii) the potential of said first portion, for the removal of said first type of pigmented particles from the background area; and second removal means biased at a potential between (i) the average surface potential of the background areas, and (ii) the potential of said second portion, for the removal of said second type of pigmented particles from the background area.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 43 words

A system according to claim 27, and wherein said first and second removal means are spaced from each other such that said second type of pigmented particles is repelled from said first removal means and is attracted thereafter to said second removal means.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 45 words

A system according to claim 27, wherein said means for removing unwanted pigmented particles further comprises: a liquid retaining housing associated with said first and second removal means; and means for circulating a liquid within said housing and around said first and second removal means.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 28 words

A system according to claim 30, and wherein said means for removing unwanted pigmented particles also comprises means for mechanically transferring removed pigmented particles to said circulating fluid.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 25 words

A system according to claim 31 wherein said means for removing unwanted pigmented particles also comprises means for filtering pigmented particles from said circulating fluid.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 34 words

A system according to claim 17, and also comprising means for converting the charges of said first and second types of pigmented particles from charges of opposite polarities to charges having the same polarity.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 23 words

A system according to claim 33, and wherein said means for converting comprise means for imposing on said pigment particles an electrical discharge.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 28 words

A system according to claim 17, and also comprising means for regulating the concentration of said first and second types of pigmented particles in said liquid toner composition.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 26 words

A system according to claim 22, and also comprising means for regulating the concentration of said at least one charge director in said liquid toner composition.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 67 words

A system according to claim 35, and wherein said means for regulating the concentration of said pigmented particles comprises: means for measuring the light absorption of the liquid toner at two different wavelengths of light; means for determining the concentrations of the first and second pigmented particles in said composition; and means for selectably replenishing one or both of said pigmented particles in said liquid toner composition.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 53 words

A system according to claim 37 and wherein said at least one charge director comprises first and second charge directors and said means for regulating the concentration of said at least one charge director in said liquid toner composition comprises means for separately regulating the concentrations of said first and second charge directors.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 26 words

A system according to claim 36 and wherein said means for removing excess liquid is also operative for removing unwanted pigmented particles from the background area.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 20 words

A system according to claim 19, and wherein said liquid toner composition comprises a polymeric binder for said pigmented particles.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 18 words

A system according to claim 20, and wherein said liquid toner composition comprises at least one binder wax.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 21 words

A system according to claim 40, wherein said at least one polymeric binder comprises an ethylene copolymer including carboxylic acid functionality.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 26 words

A system according to claim 42, wherein said image flow is effected by a hot plate fuser and the temperature is higher than about 120° C.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 25 words

A system according to claim 42, wherein said image flow is effected by a roll fuser with pressure and the temperature is about 100° C.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 20 words

A system according to claim 40, wherein said at least one binder comprises an ethylene copolymer including carboxylic acid functionality.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 26 words

A system according to claim 45, wherein said image flow is effected by a hot plate fuser and the temperature is lower than about 120° C.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 27 words

A system according to claim 45, wherein said image flow is effected by a roll fuser with pressure and the temperature is lower than about 100° C.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 37 words

A system according to claim 41 wherein said at least one binder wax is selected from the group consisting of Bamboo leaf, Caranda, Carnauba, Montan, Ouricury, Palm, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chinese insect, Indian Corn and Shellac waxes.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 36 words

A system according to claim 45 wherein said at least one binder wax is selected from the group consisting of Bamboo leaf, Carnauba, Montan, Ouricury, Palm, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chinese insect, Indian Corn and Shellac waxes.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 37 words

A system according to claim 46 wherein said at least one binder wax is selected from the group consisting of Bamboo leaf, Caranda, Carnauba, Montan, Ouricury, Palm, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chinese insect, Indian Corn and Shellac waxes.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-04-29	1994-10-29	1995-04-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-04-29	1998-10-29	1999-04-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-04-29	2002-10-29	2003-04-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Two-color imaging system and process

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