Patent Publication Number: US-2011069107-A1

Title: Media Coating Formulation for Contact and Non-Contact Printing

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION NO. 61/240,263 
     The present application is a non-provisional application. 
     This application claims benefits of provisional application No. 61/240,263 filed on Sep. 07, 2009. 
    
    
     INVENTION SUMMARY 
     This coating provides an efficient surface when applied to a media or carrier and used in the graphics industry with a contact or non-contact method of printing applying an image that will be transferred to another surface or substrate utilizing any or all of the following variables: Heat, Pressure, and/or time. The coating may also be used to enhance the quality and performance of a non-transferred image such as a photographic quality print or standard quality non-contact print. The coating is designed to be applied either onto an existing media surface after the media has been produced or manufactured, or during the actual process of producing or manufacturing the media. The method of coating can be any commercial or non-commercial method such as but not limited to roller, bar, spray, fountain and or by incorporating the coating into the base formula of the media itself. This coating will allow for smoother finish, higher efficiency of the dye, colorant, pigment or other system of applying the image or graphic, faster absorption and or drying of the color system as well as a more efficient color release in the case of the use of transfer coating. 
    
    
     INVENTION DESCRIPTION 
     This invention is very efficient in holding color, very efficient at drying or absorbing the color, and very efficient at releasing the color when used in a transfer process to apply or release the color to another surface or substrate. This coating is very unique in that it works well with all three (3) conventional color systems at this point (i.e. water, oil, and solvent based systems). All other coatings available at this point are specific for a particular color system which requires manufacturers and customers to have multiple media&#39;s depending on the printing method and color system used. This coating when applied allows for a reduction in the inventory and an increase in efficiency during the actual printing process. Then invention also works to reduce lateral bleed during and after the printing process, allows for a reduced use of color during the printing process to achieve a desired color, makes the media more stable during the printing process and when used for transfer application—keeps the media more stable during the transfer process which helps to prevent cockling or buckling. This invention works by balancing the materials involved in the production of the coating to allow for maximum surface area which functions as a type of storage cell for the color, balancing the materials involved to allow for quick absorption or drying of the colors used within the combination of material used to make the coating which removes the color away from the surface allowing for a faster process speed or time during the printing process. The combination of materials used to make the coating allows for the use of multiple color systems without the need for the different coatings required for each color system. This invention is very unique in its ability to be used with all of the currently available color systems which reduces the need for multiple inventories of media&#39;s for each specific color system. This invention is usable on all sizes of media and with all printing methods both contact and non-contact. 
     Coatings currently available are specific for a particular color system resulting in higher inventory costs and longer more difficult processing time to balance the colors of the different systems (oil, water, solvent). Today&#39;s coatings also require more costly production as the coating must be purged from the system at the end of use on a given media to then introduce the new functional coating into the coating line for another color system whether it be oil, water, or solvent. With this invention, it is not necessary to purge or flush the system as the same coating will be used for coating the entire run of media regardless of the type (oil, water, solvent) to ultimately be used on the media. No other coating has this capability. This invention also maintains the ability to have a high color release, high color retention to the surface of the coated media, fast dry and or absorption, as well as very good resolution and the ability to slow down and or prevent lateral bleed in or on the surface of the coated media. 
     The invention allows for the use of any commercially available color system without changing the coating to match the system used in the contact or non-contact printing method. 
     Improvements on Pre-Existing Inventions 
     Coatings currently in use are color system specific which means that an oil system requires a coating suited for that system; a solvent system requires a coating suited to that system, and a water system requires a coating suited for that system. This invention does not require a different coating for each system. This coating functions equally well with all three systems (oil, water and solvent), without a change in the coating itself. No other coating offers this ability. 
     Other Uses or Applications for this Invention 
     This coating has also been found to provide a good printing surface for printing methods other than the typical transfer system using any or all of the following variables: heat, pressure, time. Other methods of contact and non-contact printing such as photographic quality, documents, and standard quality where high resolution, clean color, even color saturation or density, and fast drying are needed.