Patent Application
20060188828
The present invention relates to media and mechanisms for laser imaging. More particularly the present invention relates to media having a substrate that incorporates microstructures that may be readily altered to effect the formation of images thereon. The present invention also includes a printing mechanism for forming images on the aforementioned media.
The use of microstructures in printable media is well known. Most such arrangements utilize reflective microstructures to provide an image, pattern, or color that changes with the angle at which the media is viewed. The microstructures in question generally function by diffraction, interference, scattering, diffusion, transmission or reflection of light of a preselected wavelength or by polarizing reflected light. Other methods and structures for producing an optically discernable image, pattern, or color using microstructures are also known.
Generally, images, colors, or patterns are produced by directly applying or depositing microstructures onto the media in a desired arrangement prior to the use of the media, i.e. the images, colors, or patterns are printed on the media. Secondary images, colors, or patterns may be applied to the media over the pre-existing microstructural images, patterns, or colors. In other cases molding, stamping, patterning, pressure embossing, or mechanical abrasion of selected areas are used to produce the optical patterns. In recent times, high power lasers have also been used to ablate, melt, or otherwise damage the microstructures on the media to form a secondary image. In short, the formation of images on media using microstructures is relatively expensive, requires complicated and dangerous lasers, and/or may damage or chemically decompose the media being printed. Accordingly, there is a need for a media and a method of printing using microstructures that is inexpensive, flexible, and which uses apparatuses that are safe and which do not damage the media being printed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide media having a substrate that may be readily modified using relatively low power light source sources. It is another object of the invention to provide media for printing having microstructural features that may be readily modified to form an image without damaging the substrate of the media. One other object of the present invention involves the provision of a printing apparatus that utilizes a relatively low power light/radiation source to form an image on media in such a way as to avoid damaging or chemically decomposing the media.
These and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the accompanying Drawings, which may be disproportionate for ease of understanding, wherein like structure and steps are referenced generally by corresponding numerals and indicators.
The present invention is realized in a printing medium, a printing mechanism and a method of printing in which microstructures having a chosen optical characteristic are applied to a printing medium. Radiation within a predetermined range of wavelengths is applied by a printing mechanism to the medium and is absorbed as heat energy by a radiation antenna that is selectively sensitive to the applied radiation.
The printing medium of the present invention generally includes a coated or uncoated substrate to which is applied a coating that incorporates microstructures having a selected optical characteristic, color, for example.
A printing mechanism of the present invention will include one or more source radiation sources that output light within a range of wavelengths to which a corresponding radiation antenna in the media is sensitive.
In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof and in which is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In the drawings, like numerals describe substantially similar components throughout the several views. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
The present invention generally includes a medium for printing and a method of printing that involves the use of certain types of microstructures in conjunction with radiation sources and radiation antennae. In a basic embodiment, a substrate of the printing media has applied thereto microstructures that impart a desired optical characteristic to the substrate. The microstructures have associated therewith a radiation antenna that facilitates the use of relatively low powered light sources, such as a light emitting diode laser or the like, to be used to develop or modify the desired optical characteristic of the microstructures, thereby forming an image on the media.
Microstructures 16 impart one or more optical characteristics to the media 10. As used herein, the term “microstructure” may refer to discrete beads, chips, films, voids or bubbles, or fluid reservoirs that reflect and/or polarize light that is incident thereupon and three-dimensional structures formed in or on the layer(s) 14 on the surface of the of media 10 to impart a desired optical characteristic. Accordingly, the term “microstructure” is to be construed broadly and may include other types of structures and materials of similar function not specifically described herein. The term “optical characteristic” refers to any optically detectable characteristic of the media 10, including, but not limited to color, refraction, dispersion, iridescence, and other similar optical characteristics. Note that optical characteristics include optical features that are visible to the human eye and to optical devices.
In one embodiment, the carrier material of layer 14 is relatively opaque and therefore only microstructures 16 on the surface of layer 14 will impart their optical characteristics to the media 10. In another embodiment, the carrier material of layer 14 may be at least partially transmissive with respect to incident radiation and in this circumstance, most or all of the microstructures 16 present in layer 14 will impart their optical characteristics to the media 10.
The carrier material containing the microstructures 16 may be applied to one or both sides of the substrate 12. The carrier material may be applied to the entire surface of the substrate 12 using a typical wet end coating process such as a doctor blade, screen printer, roller coater, offset printing, pad printing, spray coating, spin coating, gravure, curtain coating, slot-die coating, ink jet printing and the like. Alternatively, microstructures 16 may be applied to the surface of the substrate 12 in a selective manner as by printing or screening or may be formed separately from the substrate 12 as a planar film (not shown) that is later laminated therewith to form an image or pattern thereon. Hereinafter, the application of microstructures 16 to a substrate 12 will be referred to as the formation of a first image. The first image may include, but is not limited to, solid colors, regular and irregular patterns, line art, and text. In some embodiments, the layer 14 having microstructures 16 in a carrier material may be used simply to impart a desired finish and color to a sheet of paper. In other embodiments, layer 14 having microstructures 16 in a carrier material may be used to form various types of security features common to sensitive documents such as bank notes and the like.
The substrate 12 of the media 10 may be any suitable substrate including, but not limited to, paper, films, cloth, wood, metal and the like. The substrate 12 may have preexisting coatings applied thereto prior to the application of a layer 14 thereto. Once layer 14 has been applied to the substrate 12 and properly cured or otherwise treated to allow further processing, a second image may be formed on the media 10 by modifying the optical characteristic(s) of the microstructures 16. This is done by chemically curing or developing the microstructures (where the microstructures are photosensitive) or by heating the microstructures 16 to a point at which their optical characteristics are modified in a desired manner. Modifying the microstructures 19 may also be referred to as ‘developing’ the second image on the media 10. In some embodiments, heating the microstructures 16 may result in the layer 14 becoming transmissive, thereby resulting in those portions of the media 10 where the modified microstructures reside effectively taking on at, at least partially, an optical characteristic of the substrate 12 or underlying layers 14, for example color. In one embodiment, microstructures 16 may be adapted to reflect and diffuse substantially all visible light, thereby imparting a “white” color to the media 10. In some embodiments, this is accomplished by forming or applying a grating line pattern on the surface of the media 10.
By curing or heating one or more of the microstructures 16 to a predetermined point, the microstructures 16 are modified such that they reflect only light in chosen wavelengths, thereby imparting a different color to that portion of the media where the modified microstructures reside. In some embodiments, the microstructures 16 may, after heating, become absorptive of substantially all visible light and will therefore render black those portions of the media 10 where the modified microstructures reside. It is to be understood that the starting and ending optical characteristics of the microstructures 16 may vary depending on the physical or chemical makeup of the microstructures themselves. Accordingly, such optical characteristics as color and reflectance, among others, may vary between different types of microstructures.
The present invention utilizes a radiation source and a radiation antenna that are attuned to one another to precisely and efficiently transfer energy from the source to the antenna in a selected portion of the media 10 to modify the optical characteristics of the microstructures. Radiation antennae that absorb light energy within a specified range of wavelengths and either pass or reflect substantially all other wavelengths of light are incorporated in and/or around the microstructures 16. In the embodiment illustrated in
As illustrated in
The embodiment shown in
Microstructures 16′ may be formed by many methods including, but not limited to, engraving, pressing, ablation, etching, selective deposition as by printing or screening, or by including the microstructures 16′ in an independent layer or film that is laminated to substrate 12. Three dimensional microstructures 16′ are typically formed in the surface of the layer 14, though it is to be understood that where multiple translucent layers 14 are applied to a substrate 12, it may be possible to form three dimensional microstructures 16′ at the interface between the respective layers 14. Microstructures 16′ have their optical characteristics modified in the same manner as described above in conjunction with
Each of the layers 104, 106, and 108 comprise a carrier material that may include binders, fillers, and other constituent parts, including respective radiation antennas and microstructures 105, 107, and 109. The radiation antennas of each layer 104, 106, and 108 are attuned to radiation in substantially mutually exclusive ranges of wavelengths. Radiation played upon the media 100 that is outside of the sensitive range of wavelengths for a given layer 104, 106, or 108 will not be absorbed by the radiation antenna thereof, but will be partially or wholly passed therethrough and/or partially reflected. Because the multiple layers 104, 106, and 108 are applied the one over the other, it is important that the outer layers be at least partially transmissive with respect to light output by the radiation sources to which the inner layers are sensitive. In this manner, light from the radiation sources may be directed at the radiation antenna of a chosen layer through the outer layers such that all or part of a secondary image can be formed by modifying the microstructures that reside in the chosen layer.
In one embodiment of the media 100, pair R of layers 104 include microstructures 105 that are constructed and arranged to reflect red light upon modification, pair B of layers 106 include microstructures 107 that are constructed and arranged to reflect blue light upon modification, and pair G of layers 108 include microstructures 109 that are constructed and arranged to reflect green light upon modification. In their unmodified state, microstructures 105, 107, and 109 may reflect all light incident upon media 100, thereby giving the media a white color, or the microstructures may be transmissive of light incident upon media 100 such that the inherent color of the substrate 102 will define the color of the media 100 before any of the microstructures are modified. Note that the microstructures of layers 104, 106, and 108 may take on any suitable color or optical characteristic and are not limited to the colors/optical characteristics described above.
A secondary image is printed upon media 100 in the same manner as described herein above in conjunction with
Media 100 may be divided into a grid of locations or pixels P. Each of the pixels P may be colored as described above by modifying the optical characteristics of the microstructures in the layers 104, 106, and 108 of the media 100 at pixel P. Radiation sources may be operated as by a controller (not shown) of printer 30 to form a pattern of colored or modified pixels P across the surface of the media 100 to form a desired image without requiring the application of a colorant such as an ink, dye, or toner to the surface of the media 100.
Printhead 40 includes one or more radiation sources 20a, 20b, and 20c that output light within predetermined ranges of wavelengths as described hereinabove. The radiation sources 20a, 20b, and 20c may each be adapted to output light in different wavelength ranges, or in the same wavelength ranges, depending on whether the printhead 40 is intended for multicolor printing or the multiple radiation sources 20a, 20b, and 20c are simply intended to support one another in a single color printing operation. In use, the printhead 40 and media 10 are manipulated by the printer 30 to align the radiation sources 20a, 20b, and 20c with a desired location on the media 10. One or more of the radiation sources 20a, 20b, and 20c are then activated to play light upon the media 10. The light from radiation sources 20a, 20b, and 20c is absorbed by the respective radiation antennas in or on the media 10, the light energy being absorbed thereby as heat that modifies the selected microstructures to create a secondary image on the media 10.
While the radiation sources 20a, 20b, and 20c in
As described hereinabove, the radiation antennae act as an efficient energy absorber and are included in the carrier material as a component that optimizes the development of the microstructures upon exposure to radiation at a predetermined exposure time and/or wavelength. In one embodiment, the radiation source and radiation antenna will be optimized to develop the microstructures on the media 10 over a range of wavelengths of about 200 nm to about 900 nm. It is to be understood however, that wavelengths outside this range can be used by adjusting composition or other characteristics of the radiation antenna and/or the radiation source.
Suitable radiation antennae can be selected from a number of radiation absorbing materials such as, but not limited to, aluminum quinoline complexes, porphyrins, porphins, indocyanine dyes, phenoxazine derivatives, phthalocyanine dyes, polymethyl indolium dyes, polymethine dyes, guaiazulenyl dyes, croconium dyes, polymethine indolium dyes, metal complex IR dyes, cyanine dyes, squarylium dyes, chalcogeno-pyryloarylidene dyes, indolizine dyes, pyrylium dyes, quinoid dyes, quinone dyes, azo dyes, and mixtures or derivatives thereof. Other suitable radiation antennae can also be used in the present invention and are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in such references as “Infrared Absorbing Dyes”, Matsuoka, Masaru, ed., Plenum Press, New York, 1990 (ISBN 0-306-43478-4) and “Near-Infrared Dyes for High Technology Applications”, Daehne, Resch-Genger, Wolfbeis, Kluwer Academic Publishers (ISBN 0-7923-5101-0), both incorporated herein by reference.
Suitable radiation antennae efficiently absorb electromagnetic radiation of a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths. Optimization of a coupled radiation source and radiation antenna involves utilizing a radiation source that emits radiation substantially at or near the wavelength that the radiation antenna most efficiently absorbs. In one embodiment for example, the development of the microstructures is optimized within a range of wavelengths that includes infrared radiation from about 720 nm to about 900 nm. Common CD-burning lasers have a wavelength of about 780 nm and can be adapted for use as a radiation sources for developing selected microstructures on the media 10. Examples of radiation antennae that are suitable for use in the infrared range can include, but are not limited to, polymethyl indoliums, metal complex IR dyes, indocyanine green, polymethine dyes such as pyrimidinetrione-cyclopentylidenes, guaiazulenyl dyes, croconium dyes, cyanine dyes, squarylium dyes, chalcogenopyryloarylidene dyes, metal thiolate complex dyes, bis(chalcogenopyrylo)polymethine dyes, oxyindolizine dyes, bis(aminoaryl)polymethine dyes, indolizine dyes, pyrylium dyes, quinoid dyes, quinone dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, naphthalocyanine dyes, azo dyes, hexafunctional polyester oligomers, heterocyclic compounds, and combinations thereof. Several specific polymethyl indolium compounds are available from Aldrich Chemical Company and include 2-[2-[2-chloro-3-[2-(1,3-dihydro-1,3,3-trimethyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-ethylidene]-1-cyclopenten-1-yl-ethenyl]-1,3,3-trimethyl-3H-indolium perchlorate; 2-[2-[2-Chloro-3-[2-(1,3-dihydro-1,3,3-trimethyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-ethylidene]-1-cyclopenten-1-yl-ethenyl]-1,3,3-trimethyl-3H-indolium chloride; 2-[2-[2-chloro-3-[(1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1-propyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)ethylidene]-11-cyclohexen-1-yl]ethenyl]-3,3-dimethyl-1-propylindolium iodide; 2-[2-[2-chloro-3-[(1,3-dihydro-1,3,3-trimethyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)ethylidene]-1-cyclohexen-1-yl]ethenyl]-1,3,3-trimethylindolium iodide; 2-[2-[2-chloro-3-[(1,3-dihydro-1,3,3-trimethyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)ethylidene]-1-cyclohexen-1-yl]ethenyl]-1,3,3-trimethylindolium perchlorate; 2-[2-[3-[(1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1-propyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)ethylidene]-2-(phenylthio)-1-cyclohexen-1-yl]ethenyl]-3,3-dimethyl-1-propylindolium perchlorate; and mixtures thereof. Alternatively, the radiation antenna can be an inorganic compound, e.g., ferric oxide, carbon black, selenium, or the like. Polymethine dyes or derivatives thereof such as a pyrimidinetrione-cyclopentylidene, squarylium dyes such as guaiazulenyl dyes, croconium dyes, or mixtures thereof can also be used in the present invention. Suitable infrared sensitive pyrimidinetrione-cyclopentylidene radiation antennae include, for example, 2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione 5-[2,5-bis[(1,3-dihydro-1,1,3-dimethyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)ethylidene]cyclopentylidene]-1,3-dimethyl-(9CI) (S0322 available from Few Chemicals, Germany)
In another embodiment, a radiation antenna can be selected to optimize the development of microstructures on the media 10 in a wavelength range from about 600 nm to about 720 nm and more specifically at about 650 nm. Non-limiting examples of suitable radiation antennae for use in this range of wavelengths can include indocyanine dyes such as 3H-indolium, 2-[5-(1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1-propyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-1,3-pentadienyl]-3,3-dimethyl-1-propyl-,iodide), 3H-indolium, 1-butyl-2-[5-(1-butyl-1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-1,3-pentadienyl]-3,3-dimethyl-,perchlorate, and phenoxazine derivatives such as phenoxazin-5-ium, 3,7-bis(diethylamino)-,perchlorate. Phthalocyanine dyes such as silicon 2,3-napthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide) and matrix soluble derivatives of 2,3-napthalocyanine (both commercially available from Aldrich Chemical), matrix soluble derivatives of silicon phthalocyanine (as described in Rodgers, A. J. et al., 107 J. Phys. Chem. A 3503-3514, May 8, 2003), matrix soluble derivatives of benzophthalocyanines (as described in Aoudia, Mohamed, 119 J. Am. Chem. Soc. 6029-6039, Jul. 2, 1997), phthalocyanine compounds such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,015,896 and 6,025,486 (which are each incorporated herein by reference), and Cirrus 715, a phthalocyanine dye available from Avecia, Manchester, England, may also be used.
In another embodiment, a radiation source such as a laser that outputs light having blue and indigo wavelengths ranging from about 300 nm to about 600 nm can be used to develop the microstructures on the media 10. In particular, radiation sources such as the lasers used in certain DVD and laser disk recording equipment emit energy at a wavelength of about 405 nm. Radiation antennae that most efficiently absorb radiation in these wavelengths may include, but are not limited to, aluminum quinoline complexes, porphyrins, porphins, and mixtures or derivatives thereof. Some specific examples of suitable radiation antennae suitable for use with radiation sources that output radiation between 300 and 600 nm include 1-(2-chloro-5-sulfophenyl)-3-methyl-4-(4-sulfophenyl)azo-2-pyrazolin-5-one disodium salt; ethyl 7-diethylaminocoumarin-3-carboxylate; 3,3′-diethylthiacyanine ethylsulfate; 3-allyl-5-(3-ethyl-4-methyl-2-thiazolinylidene) rhodanine (each available from Organica Feinchemie GmbH Wolfen), and mixtures thereof. Other examples of suitable radiation antennae include aluminum quinoline complexes such as tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum (CAS 2085-33-8) and derivatives such as tris(5-cholor-8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum (CAS 4154-66-1), 2-(4-(1-methyl-ethyl)-phenyl)-6-phenyl-4H-thiopyran-4-ylidene)-propanedinitril-1,1-dioxide (CAS 174493-15-3), 4,4′-[1,4-phenylenebis(1,3,4-oxadiazole-5,2-diyl)]bis N,N-diphenyl benzeneamine (CAS 184101-38-0), bis-tetraethylammonium-bis(1,2-dicyano-dithiolto)-zinc(II) (CAS 21312-70-9), 2-(4,5-dihydronaphtho[1,2-d]-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene)-4,5-dihydro-naphtho[1,2-d]1,3-dithiole, all available from Syntec GmbH. Other examples of specific porphyrin and porphyrin derivatives can include etioporphyrin 1 (CAS 448-71-5), deuteroporphyrin IX 2,4 bis ethylene glycol (D630-9) available from Frontier Scientific, and octaethyl porphrin (CAS 2683-82-1), azo dyes such as Mordant Orange CAS 2243-76-7, Merthyl Yellow (60-11-7), 4-phenylazoaniline (CAS 60-09-3), Alcian Yellow (CAS 61968-76-1), available from Aldrich chemical company, and mixtures thereof.
Although specific embodiments of media and printers have been illustrated and described herein, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.
