Indicator tags that exhibit color transition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243121-B2
Application number	US-201816228340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

An indicator tag and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. For example, the indicator tag includes a three-dimensional mesh comprising a plurality of pores, wherein the three-dimensional mesh is printed with a water soluble and ultra-violet (UV) light curable ink, a container enclosing the three-dimensional mesh, a membrane coupled to the three-dimensional mesh, and a dye dispensed on top of the membrane, wherein the three-dimensional mesh interacts with the dye when in contact with the dye to provide an indication.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An indicator tag, comprising:
a three-dimensional mesh comprising a plurality of pores, wherein the three-dimensional mesh is printed with a water soluble and ultra-violet (UV) light curable ink;
a container enclosing the three-dimensional mesh;
a membrane coupled to the three-dimensional mesh; and
a dye dispensed on top of the membrane, wherein the three-dimensional mesh interacts with the dye when in contact with the dye to provide an indication.

2. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is removably coupled to a top side of the three-dimensional mesh, wherein the membrane is removed to expose the three-dimensional mesh to the dye.

3. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is coupled to the top side of the three-dimensional mesh via an adhesive, wherein the membrane is punctured to expose the three-dimensional mesh to the dye.

4. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a non-permeable membrane and the indication comprises an expiration of time.

5. The indicator tag of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of pores are sized as a function of time to change color and completely dissolve when in contact with the dye.

6. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a temperature sensitive membrane and the indication comprises a temperature.

7. The indicator tag of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of pores have a diameter that causes an instant reaction when contact with the dye when the temperature sensitive membrane is removed by exposure to a temperature above a threshold.

8. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a time and temperature sensitive membrane wherein the indication comprises an expiration of time and a temperature.

9. The indicator tag of claim 8 , wherein the membrane comprises a paraffin wax that dissolves after exposure to a predefined amount of time at a predefined temperature.

10. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a material that bursts under a predefined amount of pressure and the indication comprises an amount of pressure.

11. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a porous material, wherein membrane pores of the membrane open to release the dye when exposed to a predefined amount of pressure.

12. The indicator tag of claim 1 , wherein a color of water soluble and UV light curable ink is a complementary color of a color of the dye.

13. The indicator tag of claim 12 , wherein the three-dimensional mesh completely dissolves to form a liquid of the complementary color when exposed to the dye.

14. An indicator tag, comprising:
a three-dimensional mesh comprising a plurality of pores, wherein the three-dimensional mesh is printed with a water soluble and ultra-violet (UV) light curable ink, wherein an average diameter of the plurality of pores is a function of a desired rate of an indication;
a container enclosing the three-dimensional mesh, wherein a height of the container is higher than a height of the three-dimensional mesh;
a membrane coupled to the container over the three-dimensional mesh; and
a dye dispensed on top of the membrane and inside of the container, wherein the three-dimensional mesh interacts with the dye when the membrane is removed and the dye contacts the three-dimensional mesh to provide an indication, wherein the indication comprises at least one of: an expiration of time based on average diameter of the plurality of pores of the three-dimensional mesh, a temperature based on a membrane that melts at a predefined temperature, or a pressure based on a membrane that comprises membrane pores that open when exposed to a predefined pressure.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Praharaj Seemit
• Levy Michael J
• Mcconville Paul J

Classifications

• H10P72/0614

  Marking devices · CPC title

• H10P72/0448 Primary

  Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like · CPC title

• B32B27/08

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• G09F2003/0276

  Safety features, e.g. colour, prominent part, logo · CPC title

• B32B27/20

  using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents · CPC title