Back to results
US 6,599,383 B1Granted
Coextruded film
AssigneeTerphane Inc.
InventorsRonald C. Wood, Jr., Claudio de Moraes Paulino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present application discloses a film comprising a first layer formed from a first extruded and solidified material and a second layer formed from a second extruded and solidified material. The first material has a lower coefficient of friction when solidified than the second material.
Claims13
A method for performing a printing operation wherein a coloring medium is applied to a selected substrate, said method comprising:
- providing a film comprising:
- first and second coextruded layers;
- the first layer being extruded and solidified from a first extrudible material including silicone oil, said first layer providing said film with a printer head engaging surface;
- and
- the second layer being extruded and solidified from a second extrudible material, said second layer providing said film with a color receiving surface opposite said printer head engaging surface, the silicone oil providing said first extrudible material with a lower coefficient of friction when solidified than said second extrudible material so that said printer head engaging surface has a lower coefficient of friction than said color receiving surface to thereby allow said film to slide over surfaces with less frictional resistance than if the first layer were extruded and solidified from said second extrudible material;
- applying a coloring medium to the color receiving surface of said film;
- engaging the printing head engaging surface of said film with a thermal printing head and engaging the color receiving surface of said film with the selected substrate;
- operating said thermal printing head so that said thermal printing head applies heat to said film so as to cause said coloring medium to transfer from said color receiving surface to said selected substrate;
- and
- moving said film relative to said thermal printing head so that said printer head engaging surface slides over said thermal printing head.
7 more elements
A method for performing a printing operation wherein a coloring medium is applied to a selected substrate, said method comprising:
- providing a film comprising:
- a first layer extruded and solidified from a first extrudible material, said first layer providing said film with a printer head engaging surface;
- and
- a second layer extruded and solidified from a second extrudible material, said second layer providing said film with a color receiving surface opposite said printer head engaging surface, said first extrudible material having a lower coefficient of friction when solidified than said second extrudible material so that said printer head engaging surface has a lower coefficient of friction than said color receiving surface to thereby allow said film to slide over surfaces with less frictional resistance than if the first layer were extruded and solidified from said second extrudible material;
- applying a coloring medium to the color receiving surface of said film;
- engaging the printing head engaging surface of said film with a thermal printing head and engaging the color receiving surface of said film with the selected substrate;
- operating said thermal printing head so that said thermal printing head applies heat to said film so as to cause said coloring medium to transfer from said color receiving surface to said selected substrate;
- and
- moving said film relative to said thermal printing head so that said printer head engaging surface slides over said thermal printing head;
- wherein providing said film comprises extruding and solidifying said first extrudible material to form said first layer, and extruding and solidifying said second extrudible material to form said second layer;
- said method further comprising providing said first extrudible material with a slipping agent that provides said first extrudible material with the lower coefficient of friction when solidified than said second extrudible material, said slipping agent being silicone oil;
- wherein said first extrudible material is devoid of silica.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.