UV and thermal guard

Abstract

An image element having an imperceptible message that becomes readily apparent when the image element is exposed to an excessive amount of heat and/or UV radiation is provided. The image element may be associated with a material such that, upon becoming readily apparent, the imperceptible message provides a warning that the material has been exposed to excessive heat and/or UV radiation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of a dual-sided direct thermal printer for dual-sided printing of media such as transaction receipts, tickets, labels and the like.

FIG. 2A illustrates an example embodiment of a pharmaceutical label with an invisible pre-printed message.

FIG. 2B illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIG. 2A selectively imaged to include prescription information, and the like, in regions surrounding the invisible pre-printed message.

FIG. 2C illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIGS. 2A and 2B after exposure to excessive temperature.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example embodiment of a pharmaceutical label with an invisible pre-printed message and an associated functional coating confined to a particular region of the label.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIG. 3A selectively imaged to include prescription information, and the like, in regions surrounding the invisible pre-printed message.

FIG. 3C illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIGS. 3A and 3B after exposure to excessive temperature.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example embodiment of a pharmaceutical label with visible and invisible pre-printed messages confined to a particular region of the label.

FIG. 4B illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIG. 4A selectively imaged to include prescription information, and the like, in regions other than the particular region, and a thermal print block in the particular region.

FIG. 4C illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIGS. 4A and 4B after exposure to excessive UV radiation.

FIG. 5A illustrates an example embodiment of a pharmaceutical label with visible and invisible pre-printed messages and an associated functional coating confined to a particular region of the label.

FIG. 5B illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIG. 5A selectively imaged to include prescription information, and the like, in regions other than the particular region, and a thermal print block in the particular region.

FIG. 5C illustrates an example embodiment of the pharmaceutical label of FIGS. 5A and 5B after exposure to excessive UV radiation.

Claims

1. An image element comprising: a first thermally sensitive coating on at least a first portion of the image element; anda first mark printed on the first portion of the image element,wherein the first printed mark is not readily discernable until the first portion of the image element is thermally imaged.

2. The image element of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the image element thermally images at a predetermined temperature.

3. The image element of claim 2, wherein the predetermined temperature corresponds to a temperature at or above which a material with which the image element is associated is expected to degrade.

4. The image element of claim 3, wherein the first printed mark comprises a message warning a user that the material has been exposed to a temperature at or above which the material is expected to degrade.

5. The image element of claim 4, wherein the image element comprises a label for attaching to a container of the material.

6. The image element of claim 2, wherein the first thermally sensitive coating comprises a leuco dye, a developer and a sensitizer.

7. The image element of claim 6, wherein the sensitizer is selected such that the first portion of the image element thermally images at the predetermined temperature.

8. The image element of claim 1, further comprising: a second thermally sensitive coating on at least a second portion of the image element.

9. The image element of claim 8, wherein the first and second thermally sensitive coatings thermally image in response to respective first and second temperatures.

10. The image element of claim 9, wherein the first temperature is less than the second temperature.

11. The image element of claim 8, wherein the first portion of the image element corresponds to a first side of the image element and the second portion of the image element corresponds to a second side of the image element opposite the first side.

12. The image element of claim 8, wherein the first portion of the image element comprises a first portion of a first side of the image element, and the second portion of the image element comprises a second portion of the first side of the image element different from the first portion.

13. The image element of claim 1, further comprising one or more sense marks, the one or more sense marks demarcating the first portion of the image element.

14. The image element of claim 8, further comprising one or more sense marks, the one or more sense marks demarcating the first and second portions of the image element.

15. An image element comprising: a first thermally sensitive coating on at least a first portion of the image element;a first UV absorbing material on at least the first portion of the image element; anda first mark printed on the first portion of the image element,wherein the first printed mark is not readily discernable until the first portion of the image element is thermally imaged.

16. The image element of claim 15, further comprising a second mark printed on a second portion of the image element, wherein the second printed mark is not readily discernable when the second portion of the image element is thermally imaged.

17. The image element of claim 16, further comprising a second UV absorbing material on the second portion of the image element, wherein the second UV absorbing material is selected such that the second printed mark will become readily discernable when the second portion of the image element is exposed to a predetermined amount of UV radiation after the second portion of the image element is thermally imaged.

18. The image element of claim 17, wherein the predetermined amount of UV radiation corresponds to an amount of UV radiation at or above which a material with which the image element is associated is expected to degrade.

19. The image element of claim 17, wherein the first UV absorbing material is selected such that thermal print on the first portion of the image element will remain readily discernable at the predetermined amount of UV radiation.

20. The image element of claim 15, wherein the first printed mark comprises a message warning a user that a material with which the image element is associated has been exposed to a temperature at or above which the material is expected to degrade.

21. The image element of claim 16, wherein the second printed mark comprises a message warning a user that a material with which the image element is associated has been exposed to an amount of UV radiation at or above which the material is expected to degrade.

22. The image element of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the image element corresponds to a first side of the image element and the second portion of the image element corresponds to a second side of the image element opposite from the first side.

23. The image element of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the image element comprises a first portion of a first side of the image element, and the second portion of the image element comprises a second portion of the first side of the image element different from the first portion.

24. The image element of claim 16, further comprising a second thermally sensitive coating on at least the second portion of the image element, wherein the second thermally sensitive coating is selected such that the second printed mark will become readily discernable when the second portion of the image element is exposed to a predetermined amount of UV radiation after the second portion of the image element is thermally imaged.

25. The image element of claim 24, further comprising a second UV absorbing material on the second portion of the image element, wherein the second thermally sensitive coating and the second UV absorbing material are selected such that the second printed mark will become readily discernable when the second portion of the image element is exposed to a predetermined amount of UV radiation after the second portion of the image element is thermally imaged.

26. The image element of claim 25, wherein the first portion of the image element corresponds to a first side of the image element and the second portion of the image element corresponds to a second side of the image element opposite from the first side.

27. A method comprising: associating an image element with a material, the image element comprising a first thermally sensitive coating on at least a first portion of the image element and a first mark printed on the first portion of the image element, wherein the first printed mark is not readily discernable until the first portion of the image element is exposed to a temperature at or above which the material is expected to degrade.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first thermally sensitive coating comprises a leuco dye, a developer and a sensitizer.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising: selectively thermally imaging the image element,wherein selectively thermally imaging the image element comprises thermally imaging other than the first portion of the image element.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the image element further comprises a label, the method further comprising applying the label to a container of the material.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the first printed mark comprises a message warning a user that the material has been exposed to a temperature at or above which the material is expected to degrade.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the image element further comprises a UV absorbing material on at least the first portion of the image element and a second mark printed on a second portion of the image element, wherein the second printed mark is not readily discernable after the second portion of the image element has been thermally imaged and thereafter becomes readily discernable when the second portion of the image element is exposed to an amount of UV radiation at or above which the material is expected to degrade.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising: thermally imaging the second portion of the image element such that the second printed mark is not readily discernable.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the first portion of the image element corresponds to a first side of the image element and the second portion of the image element corresponds to a second side of the image element opposite the first side.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the first portion of the image element comprises a first portion of a first side of the image element, and the second portion of the image element comprises a second portion of the first side of the image element different from the first portion.

36. A method comprising: associating an image element with a material, the image element comprising a first thermally sensitive coating on at least a first portion of the image element and a mark printed on a second portion of the image element, wherein the printed mark is not readily discernable after the second portion of the image element has been thermally imaged and thereafter becomes readily discernable when the second portion of the image element is exposed to an amount of UV radiation at or above which the material is expected to degrade.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising: thermally imaging the second portion of the image element such that the printed mark is not readily discernable.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising: selectively thermally imaging the image element,wherein selectively thermally imaging the image element comprises thermally printing information in other than the second portion of the image element.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the image element further comprises a label, the method further comprising applying the label to a container of the material.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the printed mark comprises a message warning a user that the material has been exposed to an amount of UV radiation at or above which the material is expected to degrade.