Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including components having same physical characteristic in...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-20
2001-07-10
Hess, Bruce H. (Department: 1774)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including components having same physical characteristic in...
C428S195100, C428S341000, C428S354000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06258451
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention is related to an improved recording medium. More specifically, this invention is related to an improved recording medium particularly suitable for use with phase change ink printing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Transparent films displaying information are widely used throughout many different industries and for many applications. Typically, a positive image is formed by placing an ink or pigment onto a transparent plastic sheet. The image is then displayed by projection of transmitted light.
Media which is suitable for phase change ink printing has been described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,756,226 and 5,753,360. The media taught therein is superior with regards to adhesion relative to available teachings in the art. Improvements with regard to the clarity and haze of the media is still desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved recording medium.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a recording medium which is particularly advantageous when used with phase change ink printing methods.
A particular advantage of the present invention is the improved adhesion achieved by the inventive media which is also achieved with improved clarity without scuffing marks.
Yet another particular advantage of the present invention is the clarity which is observed in the media when printed with clear ink.
These and other advantages are provided in a recording medium for recording with a phase change ink comprising a substrate. A support layer is coated on the substrate at a coating weight of at least 0.5 mg/dm
2
to no more than 10 mg/dm
2
. The support layer comprises a binder and an optional blooming crosslinker. Coated on the support layer is an adhesive layer at a coating weight of no more than 10 mg/dm
2
. The adhesive layer comprises a blooming crosslinker and the adhesive layer is soluble in the phase change ink.
A preferred embodiment is provided in a recording medium for recording with a phase change ink comprising a substrate. Coated on the substrate is a support layer at a coating weight of at least 0.5 mg/dm
2
to no more than 10 mg/dm
2
. The support layer preferably comprises a blooming crosslinker and a binder with the binder comprising at least one compound chosen from a group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyurethane and gelatin Coated on the support layer is an adhesive layer at a coating weight of no more than 10 mg/dm
2
. The adhesive layer comprises a second blooming crosslinker, and a low molecular weight polymer that leads to a wax soluble network.
A preferred use of the present invention is provided in a method for forming an image on a recording medium. The method comprises the steps of:
a) transporting the recording medium through a printing region;
b) applying a molten phase change ink in an image wise pattern to the recording medium in the printing region; and
c) cooling the molten phase change ink to form a solidified phase change ink in the imagewise pattern on the recording medium.
The recording medium comprises a substrate with a support and an adhesive layer coated thereon. The support layer comprises a binder and a first blooming crosslinker and the adhesive layer comprises a second blooming crosslinker. The adhesive layer is also soluble in the phase change ink.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The inventive media comprises a substrate, an optional subbing layer, a support layer coated thereon, an adhesive layer coated on the support layer, and a blooming crosslinker interconnecting the support layer and the adhesive layer.
The support layer comprises a binder. The binder preferably comprises at least one compound chosen from a group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, methyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, gelatin, polyurethane and acrylates. The binder more preferably comprises at least one element chosen from a group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide and polyvinyl pyrrolidone. The most preferred binder is polyvinylalcohol with a degree of hydrolysis between 70 and 100%.
The coating weight of the support layer is preferably at least 0.5 mg/dm
2
and no more than 10.0 mg/dm
2
. It is more preferred that the coating weight of the support layer be at least 1 mg/dm
2
and no more than 5 mg/dm
2
. A coating weight of the support layer of at least 2 mg/dm
2
and no more than 4 mg/dm
2
is most preferred.
The adhesive layer comprises a blooming crosslinker and optionally a low molecular weight polymer that leads to a wax soluble network when crosslinked with the blooming crosslinker. Preferably, the adhesive layer comprises a light activated blooming crosslinker. Most preferred of the light activated blooming crosslinkers are glycerol alkylene oxide-cynnamate and glycerol alkoxylate triacrylate.
The amount of blooming crosslinker in the adhesive layer is preferably at least 1.0 mole % based on the total weight of the blooming crosslinker and binder. The blooming crosslinker in the adhesive layer is preferably at least 20 mole % of the total weight of blooming crosslinker and binder. More preferred, the blooming crosslinker in the support layer is at least 50 mole % based on the total weight of the blooming crosslinker and binder. Most preferred, the blooming crosslinker in the adhesive layer is at least 80 mole % based on the total weight of the blooming crosslinker and binder.
Preferred waxes comprise esters of aliphatic alcohols of at least 10 carbons and aliphatic acids of at least 10 carbons with preferred waxes having a melting temperature of at least 37° C. and boiling temperatures of no more than 100° C.
The low molecular weight polymer that leads to a wax soluble network when crosslinked with the blooming crosslinker is defined by the interaction with the phase change ink and is sufficient to solubilize the phase change ink.
Particularly preferred is an adhesive layer comprising a low molecular weight polymer defined by Formula 1.
In Formula 1, R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
are a hydrogen, an alkyl of 1-5 carbons, a subsituted alkyl of 1-5 carbons, an aryl of 6, 10 or 14 carbons or a substitued aryl of 6, 10, or 14 carbons with the proviso that at least two of R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
are independently chosen from the groups consisting of —(OCH
2
CH
2
)
a
H; —(OCH
2
CH
2
CH
2
)
b
H; —(OCHCH
3
CH
2
)
c
H; —(OCH
2
CH
2
)
d
(OCH
2
CH
2
CH
2
)
e
H; —(OCH
2
CH
2
)
f
(OCHCH
3
CH
2
)
g
H; —OCO(CH
2
)
h
CH
3
; and —O(CH
2
)
j
CH
3
.
The subsripts a, b, c, d, e, f, and g independently represent the integers 1-40. More preferably, a, b, c, d, e, f, and g independently represent the integers 1-20. Most preferably, a, b, c, d, e, f, and g independently represent the integers 1-5.
h and j independently represent the integers 1-20.
Preferably, h and j independently represent the integers 10-20. More preferably, h and j represent the integers 14-18.
Particularly preferred low molecular weight polymers are:
In the present invention the solubility of the phase change ink in the matrix is defined by the steps of a) placing a sample of material comprising the same composition as the support layer in an aluminum dish and placing the dish in an 80° C. oven until dry; b) pouring a solution comprising the adhesive layer over the dried support layer and returning the sample to the 80° C. oven until dry; c) placing small pieces of the phase change ink on the adhesive layer and placing the sample in an oven at 98° C. until the ink melts to form a uniform layer of ink on top of the active layer; and d) after allowing the sample to cool to ambient temperature a cross-section microtome of the composite is observed in an electron microscope at a magnification of 0.5 Kx-1.5 Kx. If the phase change ink is soluble in the adhesive layer the boundaries between ink layers and the adhesive layer is not observed but instead a gradiant region is observed. If the phase change ink is not soluble the layers of phase change ink and adhesive layer are disjoined and the interface is distinguishable.
The coati
Chandler John Thomas
Guy Joseph T
Siqueira Jose A
Valentini Jose Esteban
Agfa Gevaert N.V.
Grendzynski Michael E
Guy Joseph T.
Hardaway/Mann IP Group
Hess Bruce H.
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