EP0192378B1 - Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung - Google Patents

Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0192378B1
EP0192378B1 EP19860300770 EP86300770A EP0192378B1 EP 0192378 B1 EP0192378 B1 EP 0192378B1 EP 19860300770 EP19860300770 EP 19860300770 EP 86300770 A EP86300770 A EP 86300770A EP 0192378 B1 EP0192378 B1 EP 0192378B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
reservoir
liquid
fluid
imaging device
imaging
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19860300770
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0192378A3 (en
EP0192378A2 (de
Inventor
Robert P. C/O Minnesota Mining And Arens
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
3M Co
Original Assignee
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co filed Critical Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co
Publication of EP0192378A2 publication Critical patent/EP0192378A2/de
Publication of EP0192378A3 publication Critical patent/EP0192378A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0192378B1 publication Critical patent/EP0192378B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/0029—Formation of a transparent pattern using a liquid marking fluid

Definitions

  • This invention relates to imaging devices and is particularly concerned with devices for applying clear, colorless imaging fluids to an opaque open-cell microvoid-containing layer overlying a contrasting substrate.
  • An innocuous non-solvent liquid employed to impart transparency to the opaque microporous layer can subsequently be evaporated to restore the original appearance.
  • a liquid that is a solvent for the lacquer coating would, of course, result in permanent transparency by collapsing the microvoids.
  • U.S. Patent No. 2,854,350 describes structures which are functionally similar to those just described, except that the blushed lacquer coatings are replaced by a microporous layer of finely divided calcium carbonate in an organic binder. Transparency is imparted by locally applying pressure or treating selected areas with a wax, oil or grease having a refractive index similar to that of the calcium carbonate. Other pigments may be incorporated in a microporous highly plasticized resin binder; see U.S. Patent No. 3,247,006.
  • microvoid-containing sheet material which can be repeatedly transparentized by applying a liquid, but which cannot readily be transparentized by the application of heat or pressure.
  • a microvoid-containing layer of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,299,880, owned by applicant's assignee is preferred.
  • This patent discloses a structure in which the microvoid-containing layer consists essentially of particles held in pseudo-sintered juxtaposition by a thermoset binder and has a cohesion value of at least 400 grams force * . * The cohesion value is determined by knife-coating a dispersion of a putative composition on a cleaned gray cold rolled steel panel, drying and curing as appropriate for the composition, to provide a coating 50-60 micrometers thick.
  • Products of the type just discussed can be further improved by incorporating in the microvoid layer an organic polymer that jellifies the transparentizing liquid and blocks lateral migration, thus permitting indicia to retain their initial sharpness; see, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 4,418,098.
  • microvoid coating is sufficiently durable (especially, one of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,199,880) it can be reused many times, thus making it attractive for incorporation in students' workbooks, overhead transparencies, computer cards, cards for use as optical character recognition devices, bingo cards, stenographic pads, easel pads, games, etc.
  • Microvoid layers of this type can also be applied to the surface of three-dimensional objects, making it possible to develop such unusual toys as a doll whose apparently pale lips become temporarily rosy-red when a transparentizing "lipstick” is applied to reveal the underlying color.
  • the specific marking fluid is chosen in large part on the basis of its evaporation rate, which is inversely related to image duration.
  • a transparentizing liquid can be applied to the surface of a microvoid-containing layer, e.g., by a stamp pad, typewriter ribbon, sponge, etc.
  • a particularly preferred imaging device is a pen having a porous nib made of felt, extruded polymer, compressed fiber bundles, etc.
  • the anticipated number of uses possible is substantially less than would have been predicted.
  • as few as two applications of the imaging device to the same area of a given microvoid substrate has resulted in the presence of a "ghost" image that is permanently visible.
  • the applicant has determined that purity of the imaging fluid is of great significance in obtaining an imaging device that can be used repeatedly without leaving permanent marks on the transparentizable substrate. Not only is it important to employ imaging fluids that are themselves essentially free from contaminating substances, but it is also important that the reservoir and any contacting parts of the receptacle in which it is contained be similarly free from contamination. Contamination can occur from the presence of any solid or liquid substance that dissolves in the imaging fluid and has an evaporation rate less than about one-half that of the imaging fluid. Problems arising from the application of solid contaminants can readily be appreciated. It is equally true, however, that liquid materials which evaporate far more slowly than the imaging fluid will cause a persistence of image that is highly undesirable.
  • the present invention provides an imaging device comprising in combination a reservoir incorporated in a receptacle, imaging fluid in the reservoir, and means for delivering the fluid from the reservoir to a location where marks are to be applied to a substrate.
  • the microporous substrate can be imaged and re-imaged at least about 100 times before any ghosting is noted. Decreasing the contaminant level to 50 ppm increases the number of uses to about 1,000, and further reducing the value to 5 ppm increases the number of ghost-free uses to about 10,000.
  • a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is a pen of the type in which either an elongated cylindrical felt nib or a longitudinally porous relatively stiff polymeric nib extends from the reservoir to act as the writing tip.
  • the reservoir comprises a bundle of fine fibers, frequently enclosed in a tubular film sheath, which is mounted inside the pen body. Vent tubes may extend longitudinally throughout the reservoir to permit equalization of internal and external pressure as imaging fluid is drawn from the reservoir of the pen by capillary action during use.
  • the sources of contamination in this type of construction include the plasticizers commonly incorporated in polyvinyl chloride vent tubes, surface finishes applied to the fibers during processing, the plastic sheath surrounding the fibrous reservoir, and mold release agents or low molecular weight polymers clinging to the interior of the pen barrel. All such contaminants may be removed from pen components by rinsing them in acetone, heptane, etc., or by heating them for a long enough period of time (e.g., 72 hours at 120°C.) to volatilize, oxidize, or carbonize the contaminants.
  • the pen was mounted in a holder at a 60° angle to the horizontal and a 100-gram vertical force applied as the pen was moved along a l2.5-mm path while it was held in contact with a microvoid-containing sheet material of the type described in Example 1 of U.S. Patent No. 4,299,880 *, leaving a visible image 2 mm wide. After 5 minutes had elapsed, during which time substantially all of the isoparaffin solvent had evaporated, another stroke of the pen was made along the same path. After 5 minutes more had elapsed, the image was still visible, indicating the presence of relatively non-volatile contaminants. The reservoir was then removed from the pen and squeezed to express as much of the isoparaffin imaging liquid as possible.
  • the liquid was then injected into a packed chromatography column (cf. ASTM Test E260-73), which revealed that the level of contaminants was approximately 50,000 ppm.
  • the microvoid layer was approximately 25 micrometers thick; it appears that the contamination tolerance of an imaging liquid is directly related to the thickness of this layer. In practice, the thickness may range from about 10 ⁇ 2 micrometers to 40 ⁇ 6 micrometers. The exact nature of the components (especially fillers) of the microvoid layer may also influence specific results.
  • Example 5 Two pens substantially identical to those employed in Example 4 were obtained, the difference residing in the use of polypropylene fiber instead of cellulose acetate fiber in the reservoir.
  • the imaging fluid utilized was diisobutylketone, which has an evaporation rate of 0.14. It was found that extractable low molecular weight polypropylene still clung to the surface of the fibers.
  • Example 5 the shell and the fibrous reservoir were thoroughly cleansed with 1,1,1-trichloroethane and dried, following the procedures of Example 2, before adding the imaging fluid.
  • Example 6 the polypropylene fibers were replaced with a specially prepared dry, lubricant-free fibrillated polypropylene fiber. Results are tabulated below:
  • the ribbon was then mounted on a typewriter, an upper case 10-pitch Gothic H struck on sheet material of the type used in the preceding examples, and the imaging fluid evaporated. (The normal image duration of three hours was reduced by heating the imaged sheet material to 100°C. for about 30 seconds.) Another upper case H was then struck in the same place and the process repeated until a "ghost" image could be detected after heating.
  • the ribbon was carefully rinsed in 1,1,1-trichloroethane (to remove light mineral oil, the major contaminant) and dried before being saturated with the diethyl adipate. Results are tabulated below:
  • a control stamp pad comprising a 12.7 cm x 7.6 cm x 5 mm cotton felt mounted in a polypropylene container, was obtained. (This felt was found to contain light mineral oil lubricant.) The pad was saturated directly with 10 ml of tributyl citrate, which has an evaporation rate of 10 ⁇ 6, indicating that the expected duration of an image would be 1.5 years under room conditions.
  • Example 8 employed a similar pad, differing in that the cotton felt of the control was replaced with a pure cellulose fiber felt ("100% Cotton Webril Handi-Pad", supplied by Kendall Company) before saturating with tributyl citrate.
  • Example 8 shows how an image can be retained for substantial periods of time and "erased" with heat when it no longer serves its purpose, permitting the sheet material to be repeatedly reused.

Landscapes

  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)
  • Color Printing (AREA)
  • Duplication Or Marking (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Bilderzeugsvorrichtung, die im Kombination umfaßt: eine Vorrathalteeinrichtung in einem Behälter, ein Bilderzeugungsfluid in der Vorrathalteeinrichtung und eine Einrichtung zur Abgabe des Fluids aus der Vorrathalteeinrichtung an eine Stelle, an der auf ein Substrat Marken aufgetragen werden sollen, wobei das Bilderzeugungsfluid aus einer klaren, farblosen, unschädlichen, vollkommen verflüchtigbaren Flüssigkeit mit einer Verdunstungszahl in einer Größenordnung von 20 bis 10⁻⁶(n-Butylacetat = 1,00) ist, das Fluid zu höchstens etwa 500 ppm aus einer Substanz besteht, deren Verdampfungszahl kleiner ist als etwa die Hälfte jener der Flüssigkeit, so daß die Vorrichtung wiederholt zum Auftragen von Zeichen auf denselben Bereich von Substraten des Typs verwendbar ist, der eine Grundschicht besitzt, die mit einer relativ hellfarbenen, opaken, offenzellige Mikroporen enthaltenden Schicht bedeckt ist, die bei mit einer Flüssigkeit gefüllten Mikroporen durchscheinend ist, und bei einer derartigen wiederholten Verwendung keine sichtbaren Spuren von vorher aufgetragenen Zeichen zurückbleiben.
  2. Bilderzeugungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Fluid höchstens zu etwa 50 ppm aus einer Substanz besteht, deren Verdunstungszahl kleiner ist als die Hälfte jener der Flüssigkeit.
  3. Bilderzeugungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Fluid höchstens zu etwa 5 ppm aus einer Substanz besteht, deren Verdunstungszahl kleiner ist als die Hälfte jener der Flüssigkeit.
  4. Bilderzeugungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Vorrathalteeinrichtung ein Bündel aus feinen Fasern aufweist, die in einer Hülle aus einem Feinfolienschlauch eingeschlossen sind.
  5. Bilderzeugungsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Vorrichtung ein Schreibstift ist, der als Abgabeeinrichtung eine relativ steife, axial poröse, langgestreckte polymere Schreibspitze besitzt, die sich an ihrem einen Ende in die Vorrathalteeinrichtung erstreckt und sich mit ihrem anderen Ende aus dem Behälter erstreckt und dort die Einrichtung zum Auftragen von Marken auf ein Substrat bildet.
EP19860300770 1985-02-20 1986-02-05 Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung Expired EP0192378B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US70330085A 1985-02-20 1985-02-20
US703300 1985-02-20

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0192378A2 EP0192378A2 (de) 1986-08-27
EP0192378A3 EP0192378A3 (en) 1988-05-04
EP0192378B1 true EP0192378B1 (de) 1991-04-03

Family

ID=24824839

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19860300770 Expired EP0192378B1 (de) 1985-02-20 1986-02-05 Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0192378B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH07420B2 (de)
DE (1) DE3678464D1 (de)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2091753B1 (de) * 2006-12-07 2010-04-21 Agfa-Gevaert Verfahren zur herstellung eines informationsträgers
DE602007009719D1 (de) * 2006-12-07 2010-11-18 Agfa Gevaert Nv Verfahren zur herstellung eines informationsträgers

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4299880A (en) * 1979-11-15 1981-11-10 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Demand and timed renewing imaging media
CA1151869A (en) * 1980-09-02 1983-08-16 Anthony R. Maistrovich Imaging media capable of displaying sharp indicia

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0192378A3 (en) 1988-05-04
DE3678464D1 (de) 1991-05-08
EP0192378A2 (de) 1986-08-27
JPH07420B2 (ja) 1995-01-11
JPS61202882A (ja) 1986-09-08

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