Sealed thermacolor tag and label structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604486-B2
Application number	US-201414463268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2014
Priority date	Aug 19, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

Provided is thermally imagable media in which selected areas may be thermally activated to change color. The thermally imagable media includes a substrate having a first and second surface, the first surface supporting a thermally imagable coating, an extender coating, and a top coating such that when activated the thermally imagable coating produces a visible color. The thermally imagable media is activated in a direct thermal printer.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. Thermally imageable media in which selected areas may be activated to form color areas comprising:
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the substrate is a clay coated paper stock, the first surface supporting:
a thermally imageable coating;
an extender coating, which overlies the first thermally imageable coating; and
a top coating, which overlies the extender coating such that when activated the thermally imageable coating produces a color, wherein the extender coating comprises acrylic resin, wax, and water.

2. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the extender coating is applied with a 2.0 to 6.0 bcm anilox roller.

3. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the extender coating is a coating without a colorant.

4. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the thermally imageable coating comprises a colorformer and developer.

5. Thermally imageable media of claim 4 wherein the colorformer comprises at least one of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

6. Thermally imageable media of claim 4 wherein the colorformer comprises at least two of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

7. Thermally imageable media of claim 4 wherein the colorformer comprises cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

8. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the thermally imageable coating comprises 30-40% polymer solids and 60-70% water.

9. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the top coating is a coating without a colorant.

10. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the top coating comprises a water soluble polymer, crosslinking agents, and fillers.

11. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the top coating comprises 5-10% clay, 10-20% polymer solids, and 80-85% water.

12. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 , wherein the thermally imageable media is a continuous web for producing a series of thermally imageable records.

13. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the thermally imageable coating is activated to form at least one of a symbol, image, and word.

14. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the first surface further supports a second thermally imageable coating such that when activated the second thermally imageable coating forms a color.

15. Thermally imageable media of claim 14 wherein the extender coating overlies the second thermally imageable coating and the top coating overlies the extender coating.

16. Thermally imageable media of claim 1 wherein the first surface has a plurality of thermally imageable coatings on the first surface such that when activated the plurality of coatings form a plurality of colors.

17. A method of preparing thermally imageable media, the method comprising:
providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the substrate is a clay coated paper stock;
applying a first thermally imageable coating on the first surface;
applying an extender coating over the first thermally imageable coating; and
applying a top coating over the extender coating such that when activated the thermally imageable coating produces a color, wherein the extender coating comprises acrylic resin, wax, and water.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the applying an extender coating comprises applying the coating with a 2.0-6.0 bcm anilox roller.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising applying an adhesive to the second surface of the substrate.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising applying a release liner to the adhesive.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising applying a second thermally imageable coating to the first surface such that when activated the second thermally imageable coating produces a color.

Assignees

• Zih Corp

Inventors

• Hofer Gene A
• Vandercar Steven
• Kelly David A

Classifications

• B41M2205/38

  Intermediate layers; Layers between substrate and imaging layer · CPC title

• B41M5/42

  Intermediate, {backcoat}, or covering layers {(B41M5/405 takes precedence; multilayer thermal transfer systems in general B41M5/38214)} · CPC title

• B41M5/44 Primary

  characterised by the macromolecular compounds · CPC title

• B41M5/323

  Organic colour formers, e.g. leuco dyes · CPC title

• B41M2205/40

  Cover layers; Layers separated from substrate by imaging layer; Protective layers; Layers applied before imaging · CPC title