Image bearing substrate having increased density and method of forming same
AssigneeTechnology Innovations, LLC
InventorWilliam Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compressible substrate such as paper has an image formed on the substrate. The imaged substrate is subjected to a compressive force throughout the entire area of the substrate to reduce the thickness of the substrate. The substrate remains in the reduced thickness, increased density state upon release of the compressive force.
Claims10
A method for reducing a thickness of a compressible substrate bearing an image, the substrate having an initial thickness, comprising:
- (a) applying a compressive force to the imaged substrate to compress the substrate to a compressed thickness less than the initial thickness, the compressive force selected to preclude the substrate returning to the initial thickness after removal of the compressive force from the substrate.
A method for reducing a thickness of a substrate bearing an image, comprising:
- (a) forming an image on a substrate, the substrate transformable from an imaging state having a first thickness to a compressed state having a second smaller thickness;
- and
- (b) compressing the imaged substrate to transform the substrate to the compressed state without substantially distorting the image.
A method for compacting an imaged substrate, comprising:
- (a) forming an image on a plurality of sheets of a compressible substrate, the compressible substrate having an imaging thickness;
- (b) applying a sufficient compressive force to a plurality of imaged sheets in a stack to compress each sheet to a compressed thickness less than the imaging thickness;
- and
- (c) removing the compressive force from the stack, so that the sheets remain at the compressed thickness.
An apparatus for forming an image on a compressed substrate, comprising:
- (a) an image transfer station for transferring an image onto the substrate;
- and
- (b) a compressing station connected to the image transfer station to receive an imaged substrate and apply a sufficient compressive force to the imaged substrate to reduce a thickness of the substrate.
A method for increasing the density of a substrate bearing an image, the substrate having an initial density, comprising:
- (a) applying a compressive force to the imaged substrate to increase the density of the substrate, the compressive force selected to preclude the substrate returning to the initial density after removal of the compressive force from the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.