Claims
- 1. A method of printing a multiple color design using sublimation dyes, comprising the steps of printing, by thermal means, sublimation dye in at least three colors to form a multiple color image on a substrate, wherein said printing by thermal means occurs at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said sublimation dye sublimates, and subsequently sublimating said sublimation dye, by the application of heat at a temperature which will cause said sublimation dye to sublimate and permanently bond said image to said substrate, wherein said image is resistant to laundering.
- 2. A method of printing a multiple color design using sublimation dyes as described in claim 1, wherein said sublimation dye is present on a ribbon, and said sublimation dye is printed from said ribbon by a thermal printer.
- 3. A method of printing a multiple color design using sublimation dyes as described in claim 1, wherein said sublimation dye is present within a liquid ink, and is printed by means of a thermal ink jet printer.
- 4. A method of printing a multiple color design using sublimation dyes, comprising the steps of:
a. creating a multiple color design; b. printing, by thermal means, sublimation dye in at least three colors to form a multiple color image, according to said multiple color design, on a substrate, wherein said printing by thermal means occurs at a temperature which is in a range of temperatures below a temperature at which said sublimation dye sublimates, and above a temperature which will cause said multiple color image to be thermally transferred to said substrate, wherein the multiple color image is produced on said substrate by said sublimation dye; and c. subsequently activating said sublimation dye by thermal means at a temperature which is in a range of temperatures which will cause said sublimation dye to sublimate and permanently bond said image to said substrate, wherein said image is resistant to laundering.
- 5. A method of printing a multiple color design using sublimation dyes as described in claim 4, wherein said sublimation dye is present on a ribbon, and said sublimation dye is printed from said ribbon by a thermal printer.
- 6. A method of printing a multiple color design using sublimation dyes as described in claim 4, wherein said sublimation dye is present within a liquid ink, and is printed by means of a thermal ink jet printer.
- 7. A method of printing a multiple color image using sublimation dye which is printed by a color thermal printer, comprising the steps of:
a. creating a multiple color image; b. providing a color thermal ink jet printer; c. printing, by said color thermal ink jet printer, sublimation dye in at least three colors to form said multiple color image on a substrate, wherein the printing by said color thermal ink jet printer is at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said sublimation dye sublimates; and d. subsequently sublimating said sublimation dye by thermal means at a temperature which will cause said sublimation dye to sublimate and permanently bond said image to said substrate, wherein said image is resistant to laundering.
- 8. A method of printing a multiple color image using sublimation dye which is printed by a color thermal printer as described in claim 7, wherein said sublimation dye is printed from an ink that comprises said sublimation dye, and wherein said ink comprises a surfactant.
- 9. A method of printing a design by means of an ink jet printer using heat activated dye solids, comprising the steps of:
a. preparing a liquid ink formulation suitable for use in an ink jet printer which uses liquid ink, said liquid ink formulation comprising heat activated dye solids, at least one emulsifying enforcing agent for shielding the heat activated dye solids and at least one solvent, wherein said emulsifying enforcing agent emulsifies said heat activated dye solids within the liquid ink formulation; b. supplying an ink jet printer which uses liquid ink with said liquid ink formulation; c. printing said liquid ink formulation in a desired image by means of said ink jet printer onto a medium at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said heat activated dye solids activate; and d. transferring said image from said medium to an object on which the image is to appear by thermal means at a temperature which is above the temperature at which said heat activated dye solids activate, so as to cause said heat activated dye solids to transfer onto said object and permanently bond said image to said substrate, wherein said image is resistant to laundering.
- 10. A method of printing a design by means of an ink jet printer using heat activated dye solids as described in claim 9, wherein said liquid ink formulation comprises a surfactant.
- 11. A method of printing a design by means of an ink jet printer using heat activated dye solids as described in claim 9, wherein said ink jet printer is a piezo electric printer.
- 12. A method of printing a design by means of an ink jet printer using heat activated dye solids as described in claim 9, wherein said ink jet printer is a thermal ink jet printer.
- 13. A method of printing using heat activated dye solids by means of a printer which uses liquid ink, comprising the steps of:
a. preparing a liquid ink formulation comprising a heat activated dye, a liquid carrier, and an emulsifying enforcing agent which is soluble in said liquid carrier and has an affinity for said heat activated dye and surrounds individual particles of said heat activated dye and separates said individual particles from said liquid carrier, and which allows heat activation of said heat activated dye at the temperature at which said heat activated dye activates, and wherein said heat activated dye is a finely divided solid which is substantially insoluble in said liquid carrier, and wherein said emulsifying enforcing agent emulsifies said heat activated dye within the liquid ink formulation; b. supplying a printer with said liquid ink formulation; c. printing said liquid ink formulation in a desired image by means of said printer onto a medium at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said heat activated dye activates; and d. subsequently activating said heat activated dye by the application of pressure and heat at a temperature which is sufficient to activate the heat activated dye and permanently bond said image, wherein said image is resistant to laundering.
- 14. A method of printing using heat activated dye solids by means of a printer which uses liquid ink as described in claim 13, wherein said liquid ink formulation comprises a surfactant.
- 15. A method of printing using heat activated dye solids by means of a printer which uses liquid ink as described in claim 13, wherein said liquid ink formulation is printed by a piezo electric ink jet printer.
- 16. A method of printing using heat activated dye solids by means of a printer which uses liquid ink as described in claim 13, wherein said liquid ink formulation is printed by a thermal ink jet printer.
- 17. A method of printing a design by means of a computer driven printer using heat activated dye solids, comprising the steps of:
a. preparing an ink formulation comprising a heat activated dye, a liquid carrier, and an emulsifying enforcing agent which is soluble in said liquid carrier and has an affinity for said heat activated dye, wherein said emulsifying enforcing agent surrounds and shields individual particles of said heat activated dye and separates said individual particles from said liquid carrier, and wherein said heat activated dye is a finely divided solid which is substantially insoluble in said liquid carrier, and wherein said emulsifying enforcing agent emulsifies said heat activated dye within the liquid carrier; b. supplying a printer with said ink formulation; c. printing said ink formulation in a desired image by means of said printer onto a medium at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said heat activated dye activates; and d. subsequently activating said heat activated dye by the application of pressure and heat at a temperature which is sufficient to activate the heat activated dye and permanently bond said image, wherein said image is resistant to laundering.
- 18. A method of printing a design by means of a computer driven printer using heat activated dye solids as described in claim 17, wherein said ink formulation further comprises a surfactant.
- 19. A method of printing a design by means of a computer driven printer using heat activated dye solids as described in claim 17, wherein said computer driven printer is a piezo electric ink jet printer.
- 20. A method of printing a design by means of a computer driven printer using heat activated dye solids as described in claim 17, wherein said computer driven printer is a thermal ink jet printer.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority of application Ser. No. 09/206,262, filed Jan. 3, 2001, which is a continuing prosecution application of Ser. No. 09/206,262, filed Jan. 13, 2000, This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/206,262 filed Oct. 27, 1998, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/749,426, filed Nov. 15, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/565,999 filed Dec. 1, 1995, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/207,756 filed Mar. 8, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,614, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/195,851, filed Feb. 10, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,501, which is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 07/724,610, filed Jul. 2, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,223, which is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 07/549,600, filed Jul. 9, 1990, now abandoned. The within application is a continuation -in-part of application Ser. No. 08/506,894, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,396, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/299,736, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,614.
Continuations (3)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09206262 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Child |
09963060 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
Parent |
08749426 |
Nov 1996 |
US |
Child |
09206262 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Parent |
08195851 |
Feb 1994 |
US |
Child |
08207756 |
Mar 1994 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (6)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08565999 |
Dec 1995 |
US |
Child |
08749426 |
Nov 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08207756 |
Mar 1994 |
US |
Child |
08565999 |
Dec 1995 |
US |
Parent |
07724610 |
Jul 1991 |
US |
Child |
08195851 |
Feb 1994 |
US |
Parent |
07549600 |
Jul 1990 |
US |
Child |
07724610 |
Jul 1991 |
US |
Parent |
08506894 |
Jul 1995 |
US |
Child |
09963060 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
Parent |
08299736 |
Sep 1994 |
US |
Child |
08506894 |
Jul 1995 |
US |