Patent Application
20190258201
The present disclosure relates generally to security taggant toners, toner cartridge printers that use security taggant toner, and, more specifically, to converting a standard toner cartridge toner printer to a printer that use security taggant toner.
Generally, security printing deals with printing at risk documents, such as identification documents, checks, money, secure documents, stock certificates, postage/stamps, certification labels, authentication labels, and the like. The purpose of security printing is to limit forgery, prevent counterfeiting, and make tampering more evident. Security toner printing is a relatively new technology and typically involves a magnetic toner. Another type of security printing uses an ink that includes a non-magnetic taggant. A taggant is a microscopic chemical marker that can be added to the ink itself, to allow various forms of verification. Taggants may be invisible to the naked eye (or, alternatively, may be purposefully visible) and can, usually, only be detected (verified) by special readers. Taggants cannot be removed and they are difficult to reverse engineer. Taggants are typically embedded in the ink during the production process. If taggant ink is being used to print variable information, it makes the packaging almost impossible to duplicate. Importantly, before the method and system of the present disclosure, use of security toner, magnetic or taggant, was exclusively with a printer that has been specially designed to use the security toner. Additionally, the use of taggants with toner has not been disclosed before the present disclosure. Thus, there is a need for device, system, and method for allowing a standard toner cartridge printer to be converted to use a security toner and a security toner with taggant.
To minimize the limitations in the cited references, and to minimize other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the toner cartridge printer devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein disclose a taggant printing toner and using this taggant toner to convert a standard toner cartridge printer to a printer that prints using a security toner.
One embodiment may be a taggant toner for printing in a standard toner printer.
Another embodiment may be a method of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYK security color taggant toner printer.
Another embodiment may be a method of converting a monochrome toner printer to a monochrome security taggant toner printer.
Another embodiment may be a method of converting a CMYX color printer, wherein the X may be a non-standard color, including, for example, white, metallic, fluorescent, light colors, clear, and clear fluorescent, to a CMYX security color taggant toner printer.
Another embodiment may be a method of converting a five cartridge CMYKX toner printer, wherein K is black, and X is a non-standard color, to a CMYKX security color taggant toner printer.
Preferably, at least one of the one, four or five total toners is a security toner, but multiple of the four or five total toners may be a security toner.
One embodiment may be a method of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYK security color toner printer, comprising the steps: providing a standard CMYK color toner printer that comprises four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge; removing one or more of the four toner printing cartridges from the standard CMYK color toner printer, such that at least one printing cartridge position is empty and there is at least one removed toner printing cartridge; providing one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges; filling at least one of the one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges with a mixture of a toner and a taggant, such that one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges are created; wherein the taggant is configured to be detected by a security reader; and installing the one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges into the at least one empty printing cartridge position. The one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges may be the one or more removed toner printing cartridges that have been emptied and cleaned. The step of providing the one or more of the empty replacement toner printing cartridges may comprise: disassembling and cleaning the one or more removed toner printing cartridges. The one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges may be new. Although usually only one toner cartridge is a security toner cartridge, two, three, or all four toner printing cartridges may be removed and replaced with security replacement toner printing cartridges. The one or more colors of the one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges may match one or more colors of the at least one removed toner printing cartridge. The taggant in the mixture may be approximately 1% to 20% weight by volume of the mixture, and preferably 5% weight by volume of the mixture.
One embodiment may be a method of converting a standard CMYX color toner printer to a CMYX security color toner printer, comprising the steps: providing a standard CMYX color toner printer that comprises four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a non-standard toner printing cartridge; removing one or more of the four toner printing cartridges from the standard CMYX color toner printer, such that at least one printing cartridge position is empty and there is at least one removed toner printing cartridge; providing one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges; filling at least one of the one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges with a mixture of a toner and a taggant, such that one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges are created; wherein the taggant is configured to be detected by a security reader; and installing the one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges into the at least one empty printing cartridge position. The one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges may be the one or more removed toner printing cartridges that have been emptied and cleaned. The step of providing the one or more of the empty replacement toner printing cartridges may comprise: disassembling and cleaning the one or more removed toner printing cartridges. The one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges may be new. Although usually only one toner cartridge is a security toner cartridge, two, three, or all four toner printing cartridges may be removed and replaced with security replacement toner printing cartridges. The one or more colors of the one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges may match one or more colors of the at least one removed toner printing cartridge. The taggant in the mixture may be approximately 1% to 20% weight by volume of the mixture, and preferably 5% weight by volume of the mixture. The non-standard color toner may be selected from the group of toners consisting of at least one of: white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, sublimation, ceramic, and combinations thereof.
Another embodiment may be a method of converting a CMYKX color toner printer to a CMYKX security color toner printer, comprising the steps: providing a standard CMYKX color toner printer that comprises five toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, a black toner printing cartridge, and a non-standard toner printing cartridge; removing one or more of the five toner printing cartridges from the CMYKX color toner printer, such that at least one printing cartridge position is empty and there is at least one removed toner printing cartridge; providing one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges; filling at least one of the one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges with a mixture of a toner and a taggant, such that one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges are created; wherein the taggant is configured to be detected by a security reader; and installing the one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges into the at least one empty printing cartridge position. The one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges may be the one or more removed toner printing cartridges that have been emptied and cleaned. The step of providing one or more of the empty replacement toner printing cartridges may comprise: disassembling and cleaning the one or more removed toner printing cartridges. The one or more empty replacement toner printing cartridges may be new. Although usually only one toner cartridge is a security toner cartridge, two, three, four, or all five toner printing cartridges may be removed and replaced with security replacement toner printing cartridges. The one or more colors of the one or more security replacement toner printing cartridges may match one or more colors of the at least one removed toner printing cartridge. The taggant in the mixture may be approximately 1% to 20% weight by volume of the mixture, and preferably 5% weight by volume of the mixture. The non-standard color toner may be selected from the group of toners consisting of at least one of: white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, sublimation, ceramic, and combinations thereof.
Another embodiment may be a method of converting a standard toner printing cartridge to a security toner printing cartridge, comprising the steps: providing a toner printing cartridge; emptying the toner printing cartridge; providing a toner and a taggant; wherein a security reader is able to detect the taggant; mixing the toner and the taggant in a container, creating a toner-taggant mixture; and filling the toner printing cartridge with the toner-taggant mixture. The toner printing cartridge may be a new toner printing cartridge and wherein a toner removed from the new toner printing cartridge may be the toner that is mixed with the taggant. The toner printing cartridge may be a used toner printing cartridge and wherein a toner removed from the used toner printing cartridge is preferably not reused. The step of emptying the toner printing cartridge may comprise the steps of: disassembling and cleaning the toner printing cartridge. The taggant in the toner-taggant mixture may be approximately 1% to 20% weight by volume of the toner-taggant mixture and may preferably be approximately 5% weight by volume of the toner-taggant mixture.
Another embodiment may be a method of converting a standard monochrome toner printer to a monochrome security toner printer, comprising the steps: providing a standard monochrome toner printer that comprises a toner printing cartridge; removing the toner printing cartridge from the standard monochrome toner printer, such that a printing cartridge position is empty and there is a removed toner printing cartridge; providing an empty replacement toner printing cartridge; filling the empty replacement toner printing cartridge with a mixture of a toner and a taggant, such that a security replacement toner printing cartridge is created; wherein the taggant is configured to be detected by a security reader; and installing the security replacement toner printing cartridge into the empty printing cartridge position. The empty replacement toner printing cartridge may be the removed toner printing cartridge that has been emptied and cleaned. The step of providing the empty replacement toner printing cartridge may comprise: disassembling and cleaning the removed toner printing cartridge. The taggant in the toner-taggant mixture may be approximately 1% to 20% weight by volume of the toner-taggant mixture and may preferably be approximately 5% weight by volume of the toner-taggant mixture.
It is an object of the present disclosure to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art.
Other features and advantages inherent in the taggant security toner and methods for converting a standard toner cartridge printer into security toner printer claimed and disclosed will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.
The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details which may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps, which are illustrated. When the same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same or like components or steps.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of one or more embodiments. However, these embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of embodiments.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. As will be realized, these embodiments are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of protection. Accordingly, figures and the detailed descriptions thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment shall not be interpreted to limit the scope of protection.
In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments. For purposes of the specification, unless otherwise specified, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, in one embodiment, an object that is “substantially” located within a housing would mean that the object is either completely within a housing or nearly completely within a housing. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking, the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is also equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result.
As used herein, the terms “approximately” and “about” generally refer to a deviance of within 5% of the indicated number or range of numbers. In one embodiment, the term “approximately” and “about,” may refer to a deviance of between 0.0001-10% from the indicated number or range of numbers.
The present specification discloses systems and methods for converting a toner cartridge printer to a security toner printer. The methods and systems for converting a toner cartridge printer to a security toner printer preferably require no special or dedicated printer drivers.
In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments. For purposes of the specification, unless otherwise specified, the term “printing cartridge(s)” generally refers to a toner cartridge, a laser toner cartridge, a LED toner cartridge, a drum cartridge, and/or a combined toner and drum cartridge.
As used herein, the term “toner” generally refers to a powder, particulate, or dry ink that is used in laser printers, printers, and printing machines to form the printed text and images on the medium being printed. Generally, toner particles are melted by the heat of a fuser and bound to the media.
Regarding a CMYX printer, the letter “X” may refer to a non-standard color, such as white, light, clear, clear fluorescent, metallic, ceramic, and/or sublimation.
One embodiment may be a method of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a security color taggant toner printer, comprising the steps:
The taggant may be mixed with any of the four toners but is preferably mixed with the yellow and/or white toners. If a white toner is mixed with the taggant, the white toner with taggant may typically replace the black toner cartridge. The taggant may preferably be approximately 1% to 20% by volume in the one or more security toner replacement toner printing cartridges and more preferably may be approximately 5% by volume.
Generally, a taggant is a chemical or physical marker added to materials to allow various forms of testing, verification, and authentication. Taggants can take many different forms but are typically microscopic in size and are able to be detected with a security reader. They can be utilized to differentiate authentic products from counterfeits, provide identifying information for traceability purposes (e.g. lot number, company name). Taggants have previously been combined with inks for ink printing, but before the present disclosure have not been combined with toner.
One embodiment may be a CMYX color security toner printer. The CMYX color security toner printer may comprise: four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a fourth toner printing cartridge. The fourth toner printing cartridge may be black, white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, or ceramic toner. At least one of the four toner printing cartridges comprises a taggant. The taggant may be approximately 1-20% by volume and mixed with toner at 80-99% by volume. The taggant is preferably 5% by volume. In other embodiments, the printer may be a five cartridge CMYKX printer, wherein K is black and X is a non-standard color.
Another embodiment of the conversion method may comprise the steps:
In one embodiment, all of the toner in one standard new toner and drum cartridge (for a 2 cartridge system) or one new “all in one” toner cartridge is removed and the toner is saved. This toner may then be mixed with a taggant and reloaded into the new, but now empty cartridge. This can also be done with a used cartridge. The same process of cleaning all the toner out is followed, but the toner from the used cartridge is generally not saved or reused. Instead, the but the Taggant is added to the new replacement toner. The final taggant-toner mixture is preferably 1-20% by weight of taggant and 80-99% by weight of toner. Preferably, the taggant is 5% wt/wt %. The taggant-toner mixture is mixed/shaken thoroughly and then put back into the empty new or used cartridge. If the toner cartridge has a separate drum, the drum is primed with a small amount of the mixture. The cartridge may then be reassembled and tested.
The Taggant may be a physical marker that is invisible in any color (even clear) and can be authenticated at any time with handheld detectors that are supplied by the manufacturer. The taggant detectors or readers are able to determine whether the specific taggant was used. Typically, in a color printer, only one of the color cartridges is made to use the security toner to further enhance the security. The things, such as labels, printed with the taggant toner can help protect brand integrity, stop counterfeiting, and product diversion.
The toner printing cartridges may be cartridge and drum all in one cartridges or the drum unit may be separable. If they are separate, then the drum unit must also be emptied, cleaned, and primed. If the toner cartridges are new, the toner emptied from the cartridges may be used to mix with the taggant. If the removed cartridges are used, the toner removed is preferably not saved and reused or mixed with taggant.
The toner printing cartridge may be a cartridge and drum all-in-one cartridge or the drum unit may be separable. If they are separate, then the drum unit must also be emptied, cleaned, and primed. If the toner cartridge is new, the toner emptied from the cartridges may be used to mix with the taggant. If the removed cartridge is used, the toner removed is preferably not saved and reused or mixed with taggant.
Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, locations, and other specifications, which set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range, which is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the above detailed description, which shows and describes the illustrative embodiments. As will be realized, these embodiments are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the detailed description is to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, although not explicitly recited, one or more additional embodiments may be practiced in combination or conjunction with one another. Furthermore, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment shall not be interpreted to limit the scope of protection. It is intended that the scope of protection not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims that are appended hereto.
Except as stated immediately above, nothing which has been stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recited in the claims.
This Patent Application is a Continuation-in-Part Application of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/800,482, titled Method For Converting A Toner Cartridge Printer To A Sublimation Toner Printer, filed on Nov. 1, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in their entirety and to which priority is claimed. U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/800,482 takes priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/470,639, filed on Mar. 13, 2017, titled Toner Cartridge Printer Devices, Systems, and Methods, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in their entirety and to which priority is claimed. This Patent Application is also a Continuation-in-Part Application of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/722,562, titled Toner Cartridge Printer Devices, Systems, And Methods For Under Printing, filed on Oct. 2, 2017, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in their entirety and to which priority is claimed. U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/800,482, is a Continuation-in-Part of the following U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. Nos., which means that this U.S. Patent Application is also a Continuation in Part of the following U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No.: (1) Ser. No. 15/408,186, filed on Jan. 17, 2017, titled, Toner Cartridge Printer Devices, Systems, and Methods For Over Printing and Under Printing, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,835,968; (2) Ser. No. 15/286,998, filed on Oct. 6, 2016, titled, Method and System for Converting a Toner Cartridge Printer to a Double White Toner Printer, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,835,983; (3) Ser. No. 15/286,943, filed on Oct. 6, 2016, titled Method And System For Converting A Toner Cartridge Printer To A White, Clear, Metallic, Fluorescent, Or Light Toner Printer, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,835,982; (4) Ser. No. 15/286,875, filed on Oct. 6, 2016, titled, Method and System for Converting a Toner Cartridge Printer to a Metallic, Clear Fluorescent, or Light Toner Printer, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,835,981; (5) Ser. No. 14/879,548, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,488,932, filed on Oct. 9, 2015, titled, Method and System for Converting a Toner Cartridge Printer to a White, Clear, or Fluorescent Toner Printer; (6) Ser. No. 14/731,785, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,383,684, filed on Jun. 5, 2015, titled, Method and System for Converting a Toner Cartridge Printer to a White Toner Printer; the contents of all of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in their entirety and to which priority is claimed as Continuation in Part. This Patent Application is also a Continuation-in-Part Application of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/944,750, titled Method And System For Converting A Toner Cartridge Printer, filed on May 31, 2018, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in their entirety and to which priority is claimed. U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/944,750, is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/722,503, filed on Oct. 17, 2017, titled Method And System For Converting A Toner Cartridge Printer To A Metallic Or Light Toner Printer, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,228,637.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62470639 | Mar 2017 | US |
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