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US4592945A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thermocolor ribbon

Assignee: Pelikan Produktions AG
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Filing: 1984-07-30
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Granted: 1986-06-03
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Expires: 2004-07-30
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Abstract

Abstract A thermocolor ribbon comprises a plastic support foil, a fusible color layer attached to one side of the plastic support foil and an organic coating layer covering the other side of the plastic support foil. The organic coating layer is composed of a nonfibrous, pressure-stable wax or waxlike substance. A process for making the thermocolor ribbon from a plastic support foil having a fusible color layer thereon comprises application of a solution containing an organic coating material to the side of the foil not having the fusible color layer bonded thereto, followed by solvent evaporation. Alternatively, the side of the support foil bearing the fusible color is brought into intimate contact with opposite side of the foil whereupon the latter is heated for a time sufficient for transport of material from the fusible color layer to the uncoated side of the foil to form the organic coating layer thereon.

Inventors

  • 👤 Norbert Mecke
  • 👤 Heinrich Krauter
  • 👤 Wieland Kuchenreuther

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 18:22
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/40; B41M5/42; B41M5/423; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913; Y10S428/914; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24893; Y10T428/24901; Y10T428/26; Y10T428/263; Y10T428/264; Y10T428/265

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 70 words
A thermocolor ribbon for thermal printing processes comprising a plastic support foil, a fusible color layer at least partially coating a side of said plastic support foil, and an organic coating layer on opposite side of said plastic support foil, said organic coating layer being composed of a nonfiber-forming, pressure-stable coating material having substantially waxlike properties and improving color-transfer definition and preventing contaminants build up on a thermal printing head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 70 words
A thermocolor ribbon for thermal printing processes comprising a plastic support foil, a fusible color layer at least partially coating a side of said plastic support foil, and an organic coating layer on opposite side of said plastic support foil, said organic coating layer being composed of a nonfiber-forming, pressure-stable coating material having substantially waxlike properties and improving color-transfer definition and preventing contaminants build up on a thermal printing head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
A thermocolor ribbon according to claim 1 wherein said organic coating layer comprises a wax.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
A thermocolor ribbon according to claim 1 wherein said organic coating layer comprises a fluid which wets said plastic support foil.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 47 words
A thermocolor ribbon according to claim 1 wherein said organic coating layer comprises a paraffin wax, a silicone, a carnauba wax, a bees' wax, ozocerite, an acid wax, an ester wax, a partially saponified ester wax, a polyethylene wax, glycol, a polyglycol or a phenolic plastic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
A thermocolor ribbon according to claim 1 wherein said organic layer is no more than a micron thick.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A thermocolor ribbon according to claim 5 wherein the thickness of said organic coating layer is between that of a monomolecular layer film and 0.01 microns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 46 words
A thermocolor ribbon according to claim 1 wherein said plastic foil comprises a polyethylene terephthalate supporting foil, said fusible color layer comprises a mixture of a carnauba wax, a paraffin wax, carbon black and mineral oil, and said organic coating layer material comprises an ester wax.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 40 words
A thermocolor ribbon according to claim 7 wherein said mixture comprises 42% by weight of said carnauba wax, 32% by weight of said paraffin wax, 20% by weight of said carbon black and 6% by weight of said mineral oil.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1375866A Cited
US2322367A Cited
US3035936A Cited
US3131080A Cited
US3628979A Cited
US3857720A Cited
US4320170A Cited
US4400100A Cited
US4465389A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-06-02 1989-12-02 1990-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-06-02 1993-12-02 1994-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-06-02 1997-12-02 1998-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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