Compositions: coating or plastic – Coating or plastic compositions – Marking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-24
2002-07-30
Klemanski, Helene (Department: 1755)
Compositions: coating or plastic
Coating or plastic compositions
Marking
C106S031600, C106S031770, C106S031860
Reexamination Certificate
active
06425948
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to fluorescent ink compositions for writing instruments and writing instruments making use of the ink composition. The ink compositions comprise a fluorescent pigment dispersed in a resin and a high boiling point organic solvent.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Current bright ink pens are either gel ink pens requiring a grease follower and point seal feature or free ink pens wherein the ink viscosity is low (less than 1000 cPs) and a flow control mechanism such as a baffle and/or capillary connectors is required. U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,691 to Case et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,845 to Thompson et al. disclose aqueous gel ink pens. U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,564 to Horie; U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,708 to Horie; U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,954 to Chevron; U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,218 to Yoshida; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,555 to Wittnebert et al. disclose writing instruments utilizing liquid reservoirs employing porous ink feed rods. Disadvantages to using porous ink feed rods include a potential failure to provide a sufficiently continuous flow of ink through the writing instrument tip to the paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,921 to Noetzel et al. discloses fluorescent pigments dispersed in resins with an average particle size of 0.1 to 5&mgr; for printing inks. Example 1 of the Noetzel patent also discloses that the daylight fluorescent pigment obtained was insoluble in heptane, xylene, ethanol, butanol, butyl acetate and acetone. U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,921 does not disclose the use of these fluorescent pigments in writing instrument inks.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,856 to Voedisch discloses a printing ink and a method of manufacturing a pigment dispersion that contains pigmented resin particles suspended in an oil modified alkyd resin vehicle. Fluorescent and non-fluorescent pigments are disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,856 does not disclose the organic solvents of the present invention nor does it disclose ink compositions for writing instruments.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,026 to Mone discloses oleoresinous base printing inks which contain pigments dispersed in an organic resin and an oil solvent. The pigments can be fluorescent or non-fluorescent Particularly preferred are daylight fluorescent-type dyes and oil solvents with boiling points about 200° C., such as those sold by Magie Bros. Oil Company. The ink is used for planographic or letterpress printing, not for writing instruments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,348 to Auslander discloses non-aqueous fluorescent inks and non-aqueous pigment dispersions stabilized by rosin ester, linseed oil alkyds or other alkyds. The average particle size of the fluorescent pigment is 0.1 to 0.5&mgr;. The fluorescent inks of the Auslander patent fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet light. U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,348 does not disclose daylight fluorescent pigments or show their use in writing instrument inks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,814 to Fujita discloses an eraseable ink composition for writing boards. The composition comprises a pigment, a pigment dispersion resin, non-aqueous ambient temperature non-volatile liquid removal agent and a non-aqueous ambient temperature volatile organic solvent, wherein the amount of pigment dispersion resin relative to pigment is from about 2 to about 10%. Pigments disclosed are fluorescent and non-fluorescent pigments. U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,814 discloses the use of a volatile solvent at ambient temperature. Further, it states that the ink composition of Fujita is superior in time-erasion performance independent of the surface of the writing board. U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,814 does not disclose ink compositions for writing instruments, nor does it disclose high boiling point organic solvents, nor does it disclose writing surfaces other than writing boards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,858 to Loftin discloses erasable ink compositions comprising an aqueous-based marking ink comprising water, a colorant and a latex emulsion comprising a styrene-butadiene copolymer having a styrene content of less than about 35%. The colorant may be a fluorescent pigment with a particle size of less than 3 microns. U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,858 does not disclose the non-aqueous compositions of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,614 to Ueda et al. discloses a fluorescent ink composition comprising (1) an organic solvent comprising propylene glycol monomethyl ether, (2) a solution type fluorescent pigment dissolved in the organic solvent comprising propylene glycol monomethyl ether and (3) a ketone resin. The homogeneous ink composition of Ueda is particularly suitable for use in marking pens which have an ink reservoir composed of a bundle of fibers, wherein the ink composition is supplied from the ink reservoir by making use of capillary phenomenon. U.S. Pat. No 5,698,614 does not disclose the use of fluorescent pigments dispersed in a resin or the bright color effect within the transparent or translucent ink tube of a writing instrument or the heterogeneous ink compositions of the present invention.
There is a need for a bright ink writing instrument that does not require an aqueous gel ink or a free ink pen design which requires a flow control mechanism. This invention overcomes these deficiencies.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The ink of the present invention discloses a bright fluorescent ink composition that can be delivered in a conventional writing instrument. In particular, if the writing instrument incorporates a transparent or translucent tube (or member) mounted within a transparent or translucent barrel, the ink composition of the present invention exhibits a unique brilliant appearance. More particularly, when the ink of the present invention is written on paper, it exhibits the same brilliance or bright appearance on paper as in the ink containing tube member of the writing instrument.
In one embodiment of the invention, a non-eraseable fluorescent ink composition for a writing instrument comprises a fluorescent pigment dispersed in a resin and a high boiling point organic solvent. Accordingly, the ink compositions of the present invention are heterogeneous, not homogeneous.
Preferably, the writing instrument is a ballpoint pen.
The fluorescent pigment may be used alone or in the form of a mixture of two or more fluorescent pigments. Preferably, the fluorescent pigment is present in the ink composition in amounts from about 0.1 to about 60 weight percent of the ink composition.
The viscosity of the ink compositions of the present invention is that usable for a writing instrument. Preferably the viscosity of the ink composition of the present invention is less than 500,000 cPs at 20° C. More preferably the viscosity of the ink composition of the present invention is from about 1000 to about 50,000 cPs at 20° C.
The resin in which the fluorescent pigment is dispersed may be present alone or as a mixture of resins. Preferably, the resin is an alkyd resin, more preferably, the alkyd resin is an oil-modified alkyd resin.
The organic solvent may be used alone or in the form of a mixture between two or more organic solvents. Preferably, the boiling point of the organic solvent is above 100° C. Examples of solvents include, but are not limited to, hydrocarbons, alcohols, polyols, polyol ethers, ketones, pyrrolidones, lactones or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the hydrocarbon solvent is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, napthenic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the organic solvent is present in an amount from about 5 to about 90 weight percent of the ink composition. Most preferably, the organic solvent is present in an amount from about 20 to about 65 weight percent of the ink composition.
In another embodiment of the invention, a fluorescent ink composition comprises a fluorescent pigment dispersion in a high boiling point solvent and an antioxidant. Preferably, the antioxidant is present in an amount from about 0.1 to about 30 weight percent of the ink composition. More preferably, the antioxidant is present in an amount from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent of the ink composition. Preferably, the
Chen Qingping
Nowak Michael T.
BIC Corporation
Klemanski Helene
LandOfFree
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