Digital printable reactive dye and process
AssigneeSawgrass Systems, Inc.
InventorsMing Xu, Barbara J. Wagner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A formulation and method of printing an ink or meltable ink layer having reactive dyes or mixtures of reactive dyes and disperse dyes as colorants. The ink or ink melt layer also includes an alkaline substance, a binder, and optionally, a heat-activated printing additive. Permanently bonded color images are provided by the reaction between the reactive dye and the final substrate, which may be any cellulosic, protein, or polyamide fiber material, or mixtures with polyester. Reaction occurs upon heat activation of the printed ink image.
Claims16
A method of printing using a thermal printer, comprising the steps of:
- a. applying an ink layer to a ribbon substrate, wherein said ink layer comprises a reactive dye, a binder material which is thermally meltable at an operating temperature of a thermal printer, and an alkaline material which promotes the reaction of said reactive dye with a printable substrate having an active hydrogen containing functional group available for reaction with said reactive dye;
- b. supplying said thermal printer with said ribbon having said ink layer applied thereto;
- and
- c. thermally printing from said ink layer using said thermal printer and forming an image on said printable substrate, wherein said reactive dye reacts with said printable substrate and fixes said image to said printable substrate.
A method of printing using a thermal printer, comprising the steps of:
- a. applying an ink layer to a ribbon substrate, wherein said ink layer comprises a reactive dye, a binder material which is thermally meltable at an operating temperature of a thermal printer, and an alkaline material which promotes the reaction of said reactive dye with a printable substrate having an active hydrogen containing functional group available for reaction with said reactive dye;
- b. supplying said thermal printer with said ribbon having said ink layer applied thereto;
- c. thermally printing from said ink layer using said thermal printer and forming an image on said printable substrate;
- and
- d. applying heat to said image to promote reaction of said reactive dye with said printable substrate, and fixing said image to said printable substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.