US6939828B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Thermal dye-transfer receiver element comprising a silicone release agent in the dye-image receiving layer
Assignee: Kodak Alaris LLC
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Filing: 2003-02-26
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Granted: 2005-09-06
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Expires: 2023-02-26
Abstract
Abstract A dye-receiver element for thermal dye transfer includes a support having on one side thereof a dye image-receiving layer characterized in that a release agent is present in the dye-image receiving layer which release agent comprises a siloxane-containing polymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000 and a viscosity in the range of 10 million mm 2 /sec to 50 million mm 2 /second. The invention also relates to a process of making a dye-receiver element for thermal dye transfer from a dye-donor element, said dye-receiver element comprising a support having thereon a dye image-receiving layer made by a process comprising forming a melt of a thermoplastic material comprising the release agent, extruding or coextruding the melt as a single-layer film or a layer of a composite (multilayer) film; and applying the extruded film or composite film to a support for the dye-receiver element. The use of such a release agent provides improved non-sticking and improved image quality compared to other release agents.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric E. Arrington
- 👤 Brett Z. Blaisdell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 00:19
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/50; B41M5/52; B41M5/529; B41M2205/00; B41M2205/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A dye-receiver element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support and on one side thereof an extruded dye-image receiving layer, wherein the dye-image receiving layer comprises a thermoplastic binder material, the improvement being wherein an effective amount of at least one release agent is present in the dye-image receiving layer which release agent comprises a siloxane-containing polymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000 and a viscosity in the range of 10 million mm 2 /sec to 50 million mm 2 /second.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A dye-receiver element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support and on one side thereof an extruded dye-image receiving layer, wherein the dye-image receiving layer comprises a thermoplastic binder material, the improvement being wherein an effective amount of at least one release agent is present in the dye-image receiving layer which release agent comprises a siloxane-containing polymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000 and a viscosity in the range of 10 million mm 2 /sec to 50 million mm 2 /second.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the weight average molecular weight is at least 200,000.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the weight average molecular weight is between 1,000,000 and 5,000,000.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 wherein a glass transition temperature of the silicone-containing release agent is less than −100° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the siloxane-containing polymer comprises a terminal group selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted methyl or phenyl, hydroxy, and combinations thereof and wherein siloxane-containing polymer comprises a backbone with silicon atoms and aroups attached to one or more of the silicon atoms, and wherein the groups comprise organic groups.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the siloxane-containing polymer comprises hydroxy terminal groups and backbone with silicon atoms, wherein the silicon atoms have methyl groups attached thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the dye-image receiving layer comprises a polycarbonate binder material, and the siloxane-containing polymer comprises hydroxy terminal groups.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the siloxane-containing polymer is a polydimethyl siloxane polymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the sioxane-containing polymer is grafted or blocked to an organic condensation or addition polymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the release agent is used in amounts of 0.5 to 10 weight percent by weight solids in the dye-image receiving layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , further comprising an effective amount of a plasticizing agent for plasticizing the thermoplastic binder material in the dye-image receiving layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 11 , wherein the plasticizing agent is an aliphatic ester.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 12 wherein the aliphatic ester is selected from monomeric esters and polymeric esters.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 , wherein the dye-image receiving layer further comprises a phosphorous-containing stabilizing agent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic binder material comprises a polyester.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
181 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 15 , wherein the polyester thermoplastic binder material comprises recurring dibasic acid derived units and diol derived units, wherein (a) at least 50 mole % of the dibasic acid derived units comprise dicarboxylic acid derived units each containing an alicyclic ring comprising 4 to 10 ring carbon atoms, which ring is within two carbon atoms of each carboxyl group of a corresponding dicarboxylic acid, (b) 25 to 75 mole % of the diol derived units contain an aromatic ring not immediately adjacent to each hydroxyl group of a corresponding diol, (c) 25 to 75 mole % of the diol derived units of the polyester are non-aromatic and comprise 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and (d) at least 0.1 mole percent, in sum total, of (i) units, if any, are derived from a multifunctional polyol having more than two hydroxy groups, based on the total polyol component in the polymer and (ii) units, if any, are derived from a polyacid having more than two carboxylic acid groups, including derivatives thereof, based on the total acid derived units.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 16 wherein the multifunctional polyol is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, 1,1,1-trimethylolethane, and 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane, or combinations thereof and the polyacid having more than two carboxylic acid groups, including esters or anhydrides thereof, is selected from the group consisting of trimellitic acid, trimesic acid, 1,2,5-, 2,3,6- or 1,8,4-naphthalene tricarboxylic anhydride, 3,4,4′-diphenyltricarboxylic anhydride, 3,4,4′-diphenylmethanetricarboxylic anhydride, 3,4,4′-diphenylethertricarboxylic anhydride, 3,4,4′-benzophenonetricarboxylic anhydride acid and derivatives thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 16 wherein the polyester has a glass transition temperature between 30° C. and 100° C.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 16 wherein the dicarboxylic acid derived units are derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and the diol derived units are derived from 0 to 70 mole percent of 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol, and 30 to 100 mole percent 4,4′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) bisphenol-A.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 16 wherein the dicarboxylic acid derived units are derived from 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and the diol derived units are derived 30 to 100 mole percent 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and 30 to 100 mole percent 4,4′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) bisphenol-A.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 15 wherein the weight average molecular weight of the polyester is at least 50,000.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 21 wherein the weight average molecular weight of the polyester is 100,000 to 1,000,000.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 22 wherein the polyester has a weight average molecular weight of from 100,000 to 250,000.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 15 wherein the polyester has a glass transition temperature greater than about 20° C.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 15 wherein the polyester is blended with a second polymer that is not a polyester.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 25 wherein the second polymer is a polycarbonate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 26 wherein the polycarbonate is a bisphenol-A polycarbonate, and the polycarbonate and the polyester polymers are blended at a weight ratio of from 90:10 to 10:90.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 wherein the dye-receiving layer is less than 10 micrometers thick.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The dye-receiver element of claim 1 wherein the support is transparent or opaque.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
124 words
A process of making a dye-receiver element for thermal dye transfer from a dye-donor element, said dye-receiver element comprising a support having thereon a dye-image receiving layer, wherein the dye-image receiving layer is made by a process comprising: (a) forming a melt comprising a thermoplastic material and an effective amount of at least one release agent comprising an ultrahigh molecular weight siloxane-containing polymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000 and a viscosity in the range of 10 million mm 2 /sec to 50 million mm 2 /second; (b) extruding or coextruding the melt as a single-layer film or a layer of a composite film; and (c) applying the extruded film or composite film to the support for the dye-receiving element.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
124 words
A process of making a dye-receiver element for thermal dye transfer from a dye-donor element, said dye-receiver element comprising a support having thereon a dye-image receiving layer, wherein the dye-image receiving layer is made by a process comprising: (a) forming a melt comprising a thermoplastic material and an effective amount of at least one release agent comprising an ultrahigh molecular weight siloxane-containing polymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000 and a viscosity in the range of 10 million mm 2 /sec to 50 million mm 2 /second; (b) extruding or coextruding the melt as a single-layer film or a layer of a composite film; and (c) applying the extruded film or composite film to the support for the dye-receiving element.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
52 words
The process of claim 30 wherein, in step (b), the melt is extruded and cast as a film at a thickness of at least 100 microns and then biaxially stretched to less than 10 microns, and in step (c), the extruded biaxially stretched film or laminate film is applied to the support.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 30 wherein the support is a moving web and the film or composite film is extruded over the moving web.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 30 , wherein the release agent is added to the melt in the form of blend with a thermoplastic binder material in an amount that is in a ratio of 10:90 to 80:20.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 33 , wherein the thermoplastic binder material is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyolefin, polycarbonate, vinyl polymer, or a combination thereof.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 33 , wherein the blend is a material that takes a solid form and is not molten at 25° C.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of clain 35 , wherein the blend comprises solid flowable particles.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of clain 35 , wherein the blend comprises solid flowable particles.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 30 , wherein the dye image-receiving layer comprises a polycarbonate binder material and the siloxane-containing polymer comprises hydroxy terminal groups.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process of forming a dye transfer image comprising imagewise-heating a dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye-layer and transferring a dye image from the dye-layer to the dye-receiver element of claim 30 to form said dye transfer image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-05 | 2009-03-07 | 2009-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-09-05 | 2013-03-07 | 2013-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-09-05 | 2017-03-07 | 2017-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |