IP Library Granted Patent US 8,764,180
Granted Patent B2
US 8,764,180 · App. 13/334,574 · Granted Jul 1, 2014

Inkjet printing method with enhanced deinkability

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,764,180
App. No.
13/334,574
Granted
Jul 1, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Printing methods are provided. In one method an inkjet image is printed using an ink having a colorant with an electrical charge of a first polarity dispersed in a hydrophilic liquid carrier fluid with an electrical charge of a second polarity that is the opposite polarity of the first polarity. A colorant attracting toner image conforming to the inkjet image is generated using toner particles of the second polarity. The colorant attracting toner image is transferred in registration with an unabsorbed volume of the ink jet image on the receiver. The difference in polarity between the toner particles and the colorant attracts the colorant and the toner particles. The toner particles are fixed to the receiver. After fixing colorant attracted to the toner particles is bound to the toner particles so that removal of the toner from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner from the receiver.

Claims (21)

1. A printing method comprising:

printing an inkjet image on a receiver using an ink having a colorant with an electrical charge of a first polarity dispersed in a hydrophilic liquid carrier fluid with an electrical charge of a second polarity that is the opposite polarity of the first polarity;

generating a colorant attracting toner image conforming to the inkjet image on the receiver using toner particles of the second polarity;

transferring the colorant attracting toner image in registration with an unabsorbed volume of the ink jet image on the receiver so that the difference in polarity between the toner particles and the colorant attracts the colorant and the toner particles; and

fixing the toner image to the receiver wherein after fixing the colorant attracted to the toner particles is bound to the toner particles so that removal of the toner particles from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner particles from the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorant is a pigment having a boundary that has a surface charge of the first polarity formed by a counter charge of the second polarity formed during dispersion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical charge on the toner creates a difference of potential relative to the electrical charge on the colorant that attracts colorant to the toner.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a transfer electrostatic field to the colorant attracting the toner image to transfer the toner particles into the inkjet ink.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the toner particles have an open cell structure to provide more surface area over that available on a solid toner particle of comparable diameter.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the toner has addenda inside the open cell structure, with the addenda being electrically charged to the second polarity to attract the colorant into the open cells.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiver absorbs ink at a rate that is less than 1/10 of a rate at which the toner absorbs ink.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the receiver is at least one of a clay coated paper, a non-absorbent paper, a vinyl.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the toner particles have a binder that is a thermoplastic that is soluble in a non-polar organic solvent.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorant is in solution or is in suspension in the ink and wherein the toner particles include addenda that causes colorant particles to come out of solution or suspension so that colorant particles separate more rapidly or completely from the carrier fluid.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the addenda is a salt.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising moving a gas across or through the toner image layer after printing the ink image, so that at least some of the carrier fluid evaporates in the gas.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorant is a pigment suspended in the carrier fluid, the method further comprising causing the pigment to come out of suspension in the carrier fluid after printing the ink image and before fusing the toner image to the receiver.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is an uncoated paper.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid carrier is water or an alcohol.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the colorant attracting toner particles are stained by the colorant.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the colorant is a dye or a pigment.

Assignments (14)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 056733/0681 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 056734/0233 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 056734/0001 →
NOTICE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 056984/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2020
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST) INC.; KODAK AMERICAS LTD.; KODAK REALTY INC.; LASER PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES LTD.; NPEC INC.
Reel/Frame 052773/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2019
From: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; PFC, INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX, INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC, INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
Reel/Frame 049901/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2019
From: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: QUALEX, INC.; EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC, INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC, INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
Reel/Frame 050239/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 031162/0117 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS SENIOR DIP AGENT; WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS JUNIOR DIP AGENT
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
Reel/Frame 031157/0451 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE
Reel/Frame 031158/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; FPC INC.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031159/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 1, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 030122/0235 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2012
From: TOMBS, THOMAS N.; RIMAI, DONALD S.
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Reel/Frame 027787/0258 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2012
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
To: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 028201/0420 →