US6827769B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Photosensitive optically variable ink heterogeneous compositions for ink jet printing
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 2002-04-10
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Granted: 2004-12-07
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Expires: 2022-04-10
Abstract
Abstract Ink compositions described are suitable for ink jet printing (ink jet inks) and are highly effective for simultaneously imparting visible and fluorescent images. In the preferred forms, both a dark, visible image and a complementary fluorescent image will be visually discernable as well as machine readable to enable efficient hand and automated processing or handling of the objects printed. These results are achieved by ink formulations that moderate the natural phenomena of quenching while possessing the physical properties necessary for an ink jet ink. In one form, the inks comprise a first colorant comprising a fluorescent dye embedded in a polymeric matrix, the fluorescent dye emitting light within a characteristic emission band when excited by fluorescent-exciting radiation; a second colorant comprising a dye or pigment having a light absorption band at longer wavelengths than the characteristic emission band of the first colorant; and an aqueous liquid vehicle comprising water and a water-soluble vehicle in sufficient amounts to achieve an ink viscosity and surface tension effective for application of the ink to a substrate in a predetermined pattern by ink jet printing. The colorants are present in combination in the aqueous ink in amounts effective to cause the ink, when dry, to exhibit a dark color due to the net absorption spectra of the colorants in the visual range and machine-readable or visually-discernable fluorescence when subjected to fluorescent-exciting radiation.
Inventors
- 👤 Judith D. Auslander
- 👤 Richard A Bernard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 13:27
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09D; C09D11/00; C09D11/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A heterogeneous aqueous ink capable of producing dark, machine-readable markings exhibiting fluorescence when exposed to fluorescent-exciting radiation, said ink being of suitable viscosity and surface tension for use in ink jet printing, comprising: a. a first colorant comprising a fluorescent dye embedded in a polymeric matrix, said fluorescent dye emitting light within a characteristic emission band when excited by fluorescent-exciting radiation; b. a second colorant comprising at least one of a dye and a pigment having a light absorption band at longer wavelengths than the characteristic emission band of the first colorant; and c. an aqueous liquid vehicle comprising water and a water-soluble vehicle in sufficient amounts to achieve an ink viscosity and surface tension effective for application of the ink to a substrate in a predetermined pattern by ink jet printing; wherein, the colorants are present in combination in the aqueous ink in amounts effective to cause the ink, when dry, to exhibit a dark color due to the net absorption spectra of the colorants in the visual range and machine-readable or visually-discernable fluorescence when subjected to fluorescent-exciting radiation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A heterogeneous aqueous ink capable of producing dark, machine-readable markings exhibiting fluorescence when exposed to fluorescent-exciting radiation, said ink being of suitable viscosity and surface tension for use in ink jet printing, comprising: a. a first colorant comprising a fluorescent dye embedded in a polymeric matrix, said fluorescent dye emitting light within a characteristic emission band when excited by fluorescent-exciting radiation; b. a second colorant comprising at least one of a dye and a pigment having a light absorption band at longer wavelengths than the characteristic emission band of the first colorant; and c. an aqueous liquid vehicle comprising water and a water-soluble vehicle in sufficient amounts to achieve an ink viscosity and surface tension effective for application of the ink to a substrate in a predetermined pattern by ink jet printing; wherein, the colorants are present in combination in the aqueous ink in amounts effective to cause the ink, when dry, to exhibit a dark color due to the net absorption spectra of the colorants in the visual range and machine-readable or visually-discernable fluorescence when subjected to fluorescent-exciting radiation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components of the ink when dry provides a phosphor meter reading of at least 7 PMU.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the ink when dry will exhibit a print reflectance in red and green light of less than 25%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the ink when dry will exhibit a blackness) which on the CIE scale shows L values of less than <57, a values of from −5 to 5 and b values of from −5 to 5.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein, within the spectral range of interest of from 400 to 680 nm, the ink reflectance is less than 50% of the paper reflectance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the second colorant comprises a water-soluble dye.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the first colorant comprises red-fluorescent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the viscosity is less than 15 centipoise.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink according to claim 8 suitable for thermal ink jet printing wherein the viscosity is form 1 to 5 centipoise.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink according to claim 8 suitable for piezoelectric ink jet printing wherein the viscosity is form 1 to 12 centipoise.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
An ink according to claim 10 suitable for piezoelectric ink jet printing wherein the surface tension is within the range of from 20 to 80 dyne/cm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
An ink according to claim 10 suitable for thermal ink jet printing wherein the surface tension is within the range of from 30 to 50 dyne/cm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the second colorant comprises a dye.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
An ink according to claim 9 wherein the second colorant comprises a dye immobilized within a particulate solid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the second colorant comprises a pigment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the second colorant comprises a pigment and a dye.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the polymeric matrix comprises emulsion polymer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that when dry after a draw down on white envelope substrate exhibits a fluorescent intensity of 50 to 99+PMU.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that when dry after a postage meter imprint is produced with a resolution of 160×480 dots per inch of a solid area on white envelope substrate exhibits a fluorescent intensity of 39 to 69 PMU.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch of a solid area on white envelope substrate exhibits a fluorescent intensity of 19 to 39 PMU.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
61 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch of a solid area on kraft paper substrate exhibits a fluorescent intensity of 19 to 32 PMU.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
67 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch of a solid area on white envelope substrate exhibits a fluorescence intensity by Fluoromax-2 Fluorescent Spectrophotometer of 96,482 to 232,643 counts per second.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
64 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch on kraft envelope substrate exhibits fluorescence intensity when measured with a Fluoromax-2 Fluorescent Spectrophotometer of 106,576 to 242,180 counts per second.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
99 words
A process for preparing an ink described in claim 1 , the process comprising: admixing the first and second colorants, in combination in amounts effective to cause the ink, when dry, to exhibit a dark color due to the net absorption spectra of the colorants in the visual range and machine-readable fluorescence when subjected to fluorescent-exciting radiation, with the aqueous liquid vehicle in sufficient amounts to achieve an ink viscosity of less than 15 centipoise and surface tension effective for application of the ink to a substrate in a predetermined pattern by ink jet printing the colorants are present.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
A printing process comprising: applying an ink as described in claim 1 to a substrate by ink jet printing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
A substrate bearing an image printed with the ink of claim 1 .
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that, when dry after drawdown on a white envelope substrate, the image exhibits a fluorescent intensity of 50 to 99+PMU.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
60 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that, when dry after a postage meter imprint, the image produced has a resolution of 160×480 dots per inch of a solid area on a white envelope and a fluorescent intensity of 39 to 69 PMU.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
59 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that, when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch on a white envelope substrate, the image exhibits fluorescent intensity of 19 to 39 PMU.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
59 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that, when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch on a kraft envelope substrate, the image exhibits fluorescent intensity of 19 to 32 PMU.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
68 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that, when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch on a white envelope substrate, the image exhibits fluorescent intensity when measured with a Fluoromax-2 Fluorescent Spectrophotometer of 106,575 to 242,180 counts per second.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
68 words
An ink according to claim 1 wherein the colorants are selected such that the net effect between fluorescence and quenching by the other components that, when dry after a high resolution printer produces a solid area with a resolution of 1440×720 dots per inch on a kraft envelope substrate, the image exhibits fluorescent intensity when measured with a Fluoromax-2 Fluorescent Spectrophotometer of 106,575 to 242,180 counts per second.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-12-07 | 2008-06-07 | 2008-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-12-07 | 2012-06-07 | 2012-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-12-07 | 2016-06-07 | 2016-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |