US5723202A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transparent printer media with reflective strips for media sensing
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
•
Filing: 1994-04-29
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Granted: 1998-03-03
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Expires: 2014-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A transparent medium for printers and plotters having optical edge and media sensors has one or more reflective strips applied to the non-image side to trip the sensors. The reflective strips can include a narrow strip along one lateral edge to locate the edge, and a wider strip along the other lateral edge to locate the edge and trip the media sensor. The strips are applied by a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and are removed after the printing operations on the medium. The reflective strips can be formed of the same transparent base as the medium, with fillers added to provide sufficient opacity to trip the optical sensors.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce E. Mueller
- 👤 Mark Wisnosky
- 👤 Todd R. Medin
- 👤 William D. Meyer
- 👤 Peter C. Morris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:20
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J11/00; B41J11/36; B41J11/42; B41J11/46; B41J11/008; B41J11/0095; B41J15/00; B41J15/04; B41J11/0015; B41J11/002; B41J11/0022; B41J2203/00; B41J2203/01; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/906; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24917; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31786
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements in a printer apparatus, the print medium comprising a layer of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges and a transverse edge, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements in the printer apparatus, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet first and second separate and distinct opaque reflective layer portions having edges coincident with at least a portion of said first and second lateral edges of the medium and coterminous with at least a portion of said transverse medium edge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements in a printer apparatus, the print medium comprising a layer of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges and a transverse edge, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements in the printer apparatus, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet first and second separate and distinct opaque reflective layer portions having edges coincident with at least a portion of said first and second lateral edges of the medium and coterminous with at least a portion of said transverse medium edge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The print medium of claim 1 wherein said first and second reflective layer portions is characterized by an opacity characteristic value in excess of thirty percent opacity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The print medium of claim 1 wherein said transparent medium is a layer of transparent polyethylene terephthalate, and said first and second separate and distinct reflective layer portions are defined by first and second layer strips of polyethylene terephthalate filled with barium sulfate to provide a desired opacity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The print medium of claim 1 wherein said print medium is rolled into a roll for dispensing print medium therefrom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The print medium of claim 1 wherein said opaque reflective layer comprises aluminum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The print medium of claim 1 wherein said opaque reflective layer has a white surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The print medium of claim 1 wherein the print medium is for use in an ink-jet printer employing water-based ink to record said image elements, and wherein said first surface of said transparent sheet has applied thereto a hydrophilic coating to accept said water-based ink.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
124 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements, comprising a sheet of transparent material comprising first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first opaque reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, a second opaque reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and a third opaque reflective layer portion intermediate the lateral edges, and wherein said first reflective layer portion is defined by a first reflective strip of reflective layer material, and said second and third reflective layer portions are defined by a second reflective strip of reflective layer material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
124 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements, comprising a sheet of transparent material comprising first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first opaque reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, a second opaque reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and a third opaque reflective layer portion intermediate the lateral edges, and wherein said first reflective layer portion is defined by a first reflective strip of reflective layer material, and said second and third reflective layer portions are defined by a second reflective strip of reflective layer material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The print medium of claim 8 wherein said second strip has a width determined by a media sensor spacing distance from said second lateral edge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The print medium of claim 8 wherein said reflective layer portions are characterized by an opacity characteristic value in excess of thirty percent opacity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The print medium of claim 8 wherein said transparent medium is a layer of transparent polyethylene terephthalate, and said reflective layer portions are defined by one or more layers of polyethylene terephthalate filled with barium sulfate to provide a desired opacity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The print medium of claim 8 wherein said transparent medium is a layer of transparent polyethylene terephthalate, and said reflective layer is a layer of polyethylene terephthalate filled with barium sulfate to provide a desired opacity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The print medium of claim 8 wherein said sheet medium is rolled into a roll for dispensing print medium therefrom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The print medium of claim 8 wherein said first, second and third layer portions comprise aluminum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The print medium of claim 8 wherein said first, second and third layer portions have white surfaces.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
147 words
A transparent print medium in roll form for recording image elements, comprising an elongated sheet of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, a second reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and a third reflective layer portion intermediate the lateral edges, and a roll core, said elongated sheet rolled about said core with said lateral sheet edges at opposed ends of said roll core, and wherein said first reflective layer portion is defined by a first reflective strip of reflective layer material, and said second reflective layer portion is defined by a second reflective strip of reflective layer material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
147 words
A transparent print medium in roll form for recording image elements, comprising an elongated sheet of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, a second reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and a third reflective layer portion intermediate the lateral edges, and a roll core, said elongated sheet rolled about said core with said lateral sheet edges at opposed ends of said roll core, and wherein said first reflective layer portion is defined by a first reflective strip of reflective layer material, and said second reflective layer portion is defined by a second reflective strip of reflective layer material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
113 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements, comprising a sheet of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first opaque reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium and a second opaque reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and wherein said first reflective layer portion is defined by a first reflective strip of reflective layer material, and said second reflective layer portion is defined by a second reflective strip of reflective layer material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
113 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements, comprising a sheet of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first opaque reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium and a second opaque reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and wherein said first reflective layer portion is defined by a first reflective strip of reflective layer material, and said second reflective layer portion is defined by a second reflective strip of reflective layer material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein said second strip has a width determined by a media sensor spacing distance from said second lateral edge.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein said reflective layer portions are characterized by an opacity characteristic value in excess of thirty percent opacity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein said transparent medium is a layer of transparent polyethylene terephthalate, and said reflective layer portions are defined by one or more layers of polyethylene terephthalate filled with barium sulfate to provide a desired opacity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein said sheet medium is rolled into a roll for dispensing print medium therefrom.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein said sheet of transparent material and said first and second reflective layer portions all have similar thermal coefficients of expansion.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein the print medium is for use in an ink-jet printer employing water-based ink to record said image elements, and wherein said first surface of said transparent sheet has applied thereto a hydrophilic coating to accept said water-based ink.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein said opaque reflective layer portions comprise aluminum.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The print medium of claim 17 wherein said opaque reflective layer portions each have white surfaces.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
119 words
A transparent print medium in roll form for recording image elements, comprising an elongated sheet of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first reflective opaque layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, and a second reflective opaque layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, wherein said first and second layer portions are separate and distinct reflective layer portions, and a roll core, said elongated sheet rolled about said core with said lateral sheet edges at opposed ends of said roll core.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
119 words
A transparent print medium in roll form for recording image elements, comprising an elongated sheet of transparent material comprising opposed first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first reflective opaque layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, and a second reflective opaque layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, wherein said first and second layer portions are separate and distinct reflective layer portions, and a roll core, said elongated sheet rolled about said core with said lateral sheet edges at opposed ends of said roll core.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
111 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements, comprising a sheet of transparent material comprising first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first opaque reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, a second opaque reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and a third opaque reflective layer portion intermediate the lateral edges, and wherein said first, second and third reflective layer portions are respectively defined by first, second and third strip layers of a reflective material.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
111 words
A transparent print medium for recording image elements, comprising a sheet of transparent material comprising first and second surfaces and first and second opposed lateral edges, said first surface an image surface for recording thereon image elements, and having removably affixed to said second surface of said sheet a first opaque reflective layer portion at a first lateral edge of the medium, a second opaque reflective layer portion at a second lateral edge of the medium, and a third opaque reflective layer portion intermediate the lateral edges, and wherein said first, second and third reflective layer portions are respectively defined by first, second and third strip layers of a reflective material.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
38 words
The print medium of claim 27 wherein said transparent medium is a layer of transparent polyethylene terephthalate, and said reflective strip layers each are one layer of polyethylene terephthalate filled with barium sulfate to provide a desired opacity.
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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) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-09-01 | 2002-03-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-02 | 2005-09-01 | 2006-03-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-02 | 2009-09-01 | 2010-03-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |