US6203067B1 — Linerless postage stamps with cancellation ink ab…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 149 words

A method of making a linerless postage stamp from a sheet or web having top and bottom faces comprising: (a) applying a pressure sensitive adhesive, to the bottom face; (b) applying to the top face a release coat for the adhesive applied in (a) in fluid form with an effective amount of stamp cancellation ink retaining particles therein selected from the group consisting essentially of fumed silica, colloidal silica, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, talc, wollastonite, and titanium dioxide, or combinations thereof, so that when the release coat solidifies on the top face and is contacted by stamp cancellation ink the particles will retain sufficient stamp cancellation ink so that the ink is visible on the top face once applied and dried, and will not be wiped off during normal handling; and (c) forming the web or sheet into separate postage stamps with postage stamp indicia on a top face.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 149 words

A method of making a linerless postage stamp from a sheet or web having top and bottom faces comprising: (a) applying a pressure sensitive adhesive, to the bottom face; (b) applying to the top face a release coat for the adhesive applied in (a) in fluid form with an effective amount of stamp cancellation ink retaining particles therein selected from the group consisting essentially of fumed silica, colloidal silica, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, talc, wollastonite, and titanium dioxide, or combinations thereof, so that when the release coat solidifies on the top face and is contacted by stamp cancellation ink the particles will retain sufficient stamp cancellation ink so that the ink is visible on the top face once applied and dried, and will not be wiped off during normal handling; and (c) forming the web or sheet into separate postage stamps with postage stamp indicia on a top face.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein (c) is practiced by (c1) applying postage stamp indicia to the top face prior to the practice of (b); and (c2) forming lines of weakness in the sheet or web to define the boundaries of separable individual stamps.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

A method as recited in claim 2 wherein (c2) is practiced before (b).

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein (b) is practiced using silicone release coat containing between about 3-7% by weight of the release coat of fumed silica.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein (b) is practiced using silicone release coat containing between about 4-40% by weight of the release coat of colloidal silica.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method as recited in claim 4 wherein (b) is further practiced using a UV curable silicone release coat applied at a weight of between about 0.2-1.5 pounds per 17 inch by 22 inch by 500 sheet ream of paper as the web or sheet.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method as recited in claim 5 wherein (b) is further practiced using a UV curable silicone release coat applied at a weight of between about 0.2-1.5 pounds per 17 inch by 22 inch by 500 sheet ream of paper as the web or sheet.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 88 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the stamp is a canceled stamp, and further comprising applying the adhesive on the bottom face to a mailing piece, and applying cancellation ink in the form of a cancellation image to the release coat on the top surface of the stamp so that a sufficient quantity of the ink is retained by the retaining particles therein so that the cancellation image is visible and is not wiped off during normal automated processing and manual handling of the mailing piece.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 130 words

A canceled postage stamp comprising: a substrate having top and bottom surfaces; postage stamp indicia imaged on said top face; a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on said bottom face; an adhesive release coat, to which said pressure sensitive adhesive will not non-releasably adhere, on said top face having an effective amount of stamp cancellation ink retaining particles therein, and wherein said release coat is selected from the group consisting essentially of UV curable silicone and thermally curable silicone with thermo cured catalyst; stamp cancellation ink in a cancellation pattern on said release coat; and said effective amount of ink retaining particles retaining sufficient stamp cancellation ink so that said pattern is readily visible and said ink is not wiped off during normal handling of a mailing piece containing said substrate.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 130 words

A canceled postage stamp comprising: a substrate having top and bottom surfaces; postage stamp indicia imaged on said top face; a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on said bottom face; an adhesive release coat, to which said pressure sensitive adhesive will not non-releasably adhere, on said top face having an effective amount of stamp cancellation ink retaining particles therein, and wherein said release coat is selected from the group consisting essentially of UV curable silicone and thermally curable silicone with thermo cured catalyst; stamp cancellation ink in a cancellation pattern on said release coat; and said effective amount of ink retaining particles retaining sufficient stamp cancellation ink so that said pattern is readily visible and said ink is not wiped off during normal handling of a mailing piece containing said substrate.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 39 words

A canceled postage stamp as recited in claim 9 wherein said release coat is UV cured silicone applied at a weight of between about 0.2-1.5 pounds per 17 inch by 22 inch by 500 sheet ream of substrate sheets.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 36 words

A canceled postage stamp as recited in claim 10 wherein said particles are selected from the group consisting essentially of, titanium dioxide, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, wollastonite, talc, fumed silica, and colloidal silica, or combinations thereof.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

A canceled postage stamp as recited in claim 10 wherein said particles comprise fumed silica in the amount of between about 3-7% by weight of the silicone release coat.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 29 words

A canceled postage stamp as recited in claim 10 wherein said particles comprise colloidal silica in the amount of between about 4-40% by weight of the silicone release coat.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

A canceled postage stamp as recited claim 9 and wherein said particles are selected from the group consisting essentially of, titanium dioxide, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, wollastonite, talc, fumed silica, and colloidal silica, or combinations thereof.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 83 words

A postage stamp comprising: a paper substrate having top and bottom faces; a pressure sensitive adhesive on said bottom face; postage stamp indicia on said top face; and a silicone adhesive release material on said top face, said silicone release material having a top surface, and having more than a trace amount of particles consisting essentially of, titanium dioxide, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, wollastonite, talc, fumed silica, and colloidal silica, or combinations thereof, disposed at said top surface of said silicone release material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 83 words

A postage stamp comprising: a paper substrate having top and bottom faces; a pressure sensitive adhesive on said bottom face; postage stamp indicia on said top face; and a silicone adhesive release material on said top face, said silicone release material having a top surface, and having more than a trace amount of particles consisting essentially of, titanium dioxide, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, wollastonite, talc, fumed silica, and colloidal silica, or combinations thereof, disposed at said top surface of said silicone release material.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 39 words

A postage stamp as recited in claim 15 wherein said adhesive release material comprises silicone release material applied at a weight of between about 0.2-1.5 pounds per 17 inch by 22 inch by 500 sheet ream of substrate paper.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

A postage stamp as recited in claim 15 wherein said particles comprise fumed silica in the amount of between about 3-7% by weight of the silicone release coat.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 28 words

A postage stamp as recited in claim 15 wherein said particles comprise colloidal silica in the amount of between about 4-40% by weight of the silicone release coat.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 131 words

A linerless postage stamp assembly comprising: a web of a plurality of postage stamps comprising a substrate material with pressure sensitive adhesive on a first face, and having a second face with release material which will not adhere to said adhesive but will absorb or otherwise retain stamp cancellation ink substantially permanently in sufficient quantity so that a cancellation pattern thereof is clearly visible; said release material including ink retaining particles selected from the group consisting essentially of, titanium dioxide, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, wollastonite, talc, fumed silica, and colloidal silica, or combinations thereof; said web is a roll configuration with adhesive of one stamp engaging release material of another, each stamp connected to adjacent stamps by lines of weakness; and stamp cancellation ink absorbing particles provided in said release material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 131 words

A linerless postage stamp assembly comprising: a web of a plurality of postage stamps comprising a substrate material with pressure sensitive adhesive on a first face, and having a second face with release material which will not adhere to said adhesive but will absorb or otherwise retain stamp cancellation ink substantially permanently in sufficient quantity so that a cancellation pattern thereof is clearly visible; said release material including ink retaining particles selected from the group consisting essentially of, titanium dioxide, kaolin clay, aluminum oxide, wollastonite, talc, fumed silica, and colloidal silica, or combinations thereof; said web is a roll configuration with adhesive of one stamp engaging release material of another, each stamp connected to adjacent stamps by lines of weakness; and stamp cancellation ink absorbing particles provided in said release material.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 33 words

A canceled postage stamp as recited in claim 9 wherein said adhesive release coat has a top surface, and wherein said particles are disposed at said top surface of said adhesive release coat.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-03-19	2004-09-18	2005-03-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-03-19	2008-09-18	2009-03-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-03-19	2012-09-18	2013-03-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Linerless postage stamps with cancellation ink absorbing particles

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