Record receiver having plural interactive leaves or a colorless – Having a colorless color-former – developer therefor – or... – Method of use – kit – or combined with marking instrument or...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-13
2001-06-12
Hess, Bruce H. (Department: 1774)
Record receiver having plural interactive leaves or a colorless
Having a colorless color-former, developer therefor, or...
Method of use, kit, or combined with marking instrument or...
C428S195100, C428S207000, C428S321500, C428S327000, C428S484100, C428S488410, C428S913000, C428S914000, C503S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245710
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer element, using direct thermal full color recording and similar technology, and to a method of transferring image areas to a receptor element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Direct thermal full color recording technology of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (i.e. THERMO-AUTOCHROME), provides full color imaging with high resolution and photo-quality print with vivid color and rich tonal gradation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,032 discloses a thermal recording system, which is a direct thermal full color hardcopy system involving thermal media capable of producing color images with the use of microcapsules.
Direct thermal full color recording technology may utilize a diazonium salt compound as a color forming material.
Technologies surrounding image-receptive transfer paper are known in the art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,224,358, 4,284,456, 4,773,953, 4,966,815, 4,980,224, 4,555,436, 4,235,657, 4,863,781, 5,242,739, 5,271,990, and 5,501,902, incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,548 is directed to a silver halide photographic transfer element and to a method for transferring an image from the transfer element to a receptor surface. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/029,917 requires that the silver halide light-sensitive grains are dispersed within a carrier which functions as a transfer layer, and does not have a separate transfer layer. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/056,446 requires that the silver halide transfer element has a separate transfer layer. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/030,933 relates to a transfer element using Cycolor technology, but having no separate transfer layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,165 discloses an imaging system which provides an imaging sheet and a layer of microcapsules containing a photosensitive composition and a color former. However, the developed image and non-image areas thereof are not capable of being simultaneously transformed to a receptor element.
Accordingly, imaging systems based on photosensitive encapsulates are known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,446 by Berman discloses the selected transfer of dye to a capsule sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,439 by Phillips discloses a photocopy process involving development of capsules without transfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,032 discloses a thermo-autochrome system, which is a direct thermal full color hardcopy system involving thermal media capable of producing color images with the use of microcapsules.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,917 discloses an imaging system wherein the developed image and non-image areas are transferred to a receptor element by a separate transfer coating layer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to coat the direct thermal recording image layer(s) onto a transfer layer of the invention which is capable of heat-transferring said layer to a receptor element.
A second object of the present invention is to make a self-contained transfer sheet utilizing direct thermal recording technology. The desired image and non-image areas can then be transferred to a receptor element such as an article of clothing by means of heat and/or pressure, after which the support is removed.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an imaging system which comprises, a support having a front and rear surface, at least one layer of heat activated transfer layer and at least one direct thermal recording layer, on said front surface of the support, wherein said direct thermal recording layer is preferably situated on top of the heat activated transfer layer of the invention, said transfer layer preferably having a melting point of approximately 50° C. to 180° C., preferably greater than 100° C. and most preferably between 100° C. and 120° C., and being capable of transferring and adhering a developed image and non-image areas from said front surface of said support upon the application of heat energy to the rear surface of the support, said transfer layer strips from said front surface of the support by liquefying and releasing from said support when heated, said liquefied transfer layer providing adherence to a receptor element by flowing onto said receptor element and solidifying thereon, said adherence does not require an external (e.g. surface) adhesive layer and preferably occurs in an area at least coextensive with the area of said microcapsules. Preferably, the particle size of the transfer layer is the same as or smaller than that of the microcapsules of the direct thermal recording layer, for example, from 1-50 micrometers, preferably from 1-20 micrometers, and more preferably less than 10 micrometers.
The receptor surface for the image may be a textile such as a shirt (e.g. tee shirt), leather, ceramic, wool, glass or plastic or the like. Other suitable receptor surfaces include canvas, paper, or receptor supports used by the museum or conservatory industry. Preferably, the receptor element is a shirt or the like. Energy applied to the rear surface of the element is heat and/or pressure (e.g via ironing).
Accordingly, the transfer layer of the invention does not contain said microcapsules, and is most preferably located between the support and the microcapsule-containing direct thermal recording imaging element.
The present invention also relates to a method of applying an image to a receptor element, which comprises the steps of:
(a) forming an image on the direct thermal recording imaging element described above,
(b) positioning the front surface of said image against said receptor element, and
(c) applying energy (e.g heat) to the rear surface of the element to transfer the image to said receptor element.
The receptor element may be a textile, leather, ceramic, wool, glass or plastic. Preferably, the receptor element is a shirt or the like. Energy applied to the rear surface of the imaging system is heat and/or pressure (e.g. via ironing).
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Hare Donald S.
Williams Scott A.
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Foto-Wear !, Inc.
Hess Bruce H.
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