US 2006/0068178 A1 · Fusible printing media

Abstract

A method and coating for printing a substantially permanent and smudge, water, and air fade resistant image on recording media is herein disclosed. The method involves the steps of formulating the coating, applying the coating to the recording media, drying the coating, forming an image on the coated recording media, drying the image on the recording media to remove the solvents from the colorants used to form the image, and fusing the coating to protective film over the recording media that substantially encapsulates the colorants used to print the image, thereby rendering the image substantially smudge, water, and air fade resistant. The coating includes a quantity of fusible particles admixed with a binder. In one formulation, the coating also includes a mordant. The coating itself is capable of absorbing and retaining colorants applied thereto and may therefore be used on absorbent or non-absorbent recording media.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A method of printing a smudge, water, and air fade resistant image on recording media, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating a fusible media coating;
applying the media coating to at least one side of the recording media;
printing an image on the at least one coated side of the recording media by applying a colorant thereto;
and,
fusing the fusible media coating so as to form a protective film over the recording media that is substantially permanently bonded to the recording media, the protective film substantially encapsulating the colorant used to print the image onto the recording media, the encapsulation of the colorant by the protective film rendering the image substantially permanent and substantially smudge, water, and air fade resistant.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fusible printing media

Life of this patent

Fusible printing media

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35