Printed item having an image with a high durability and/or resolution

• US 20050099486A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SSGII, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SSGII, Inc.
• Inventors: Rosland, Mark, Peterson, Chris, Schmitt, Stephen E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,341,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/106
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0015 for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing selective coating B41J2/2114
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/12 specially adapted for small cards, envelopes, or the like , e.g. credit cards, cut visiting cards
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/20 characterised by a particular use or purpose

Abstract

A printed device is provided with an image printed thereon, having a relatively high durability and/or resolution. A printer and method are also provided to produce a high durability image by treating an item to be printed with plasma. In particular, a printer is provided that is configured to convey a plurality of individuated items through a plasma treatment stage to prepare the surfaces of the item for printing. More specifically such printer may use a non-continuous ink jet printing assembly such as a drop on demand printing assembly.

Claims

1. A printed item comprising:

a surface; and

an image printed on the surface of the item by a non-contact ink printing technique,

wherein the image is comprises a bar code readable after at least about 250 Taber cycles.

2. The printed item of claim 1 wherein the image is readable after at least about 300 Taber cycles.

3. The printed item of claim 2 wherein the image is readable after at least about 500 Taber cycles.

4. The printed item of claim 2 wherein the printed item comprises a plurality of individuated items each of the plurality of items having an image printed thereon, wherein the image is readable after about 300 Taber cycles.

5. The printed item of claim 1 wherein the image comprises an image printed on the surface of the item by a drop on demand ink jet printer.

6. The printed item of claim 1 wherein the image is printed with a curable ink.

7. The printed item of claim 1 wherein the image has a resolution of at least about 150 dpi.

8. The printed item of claim 1 wherein the surface comprises a plastic.

9-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A printed item comprising:

a surface; and

an image deposited on the surface of the item

wherein the image comprises a scannable code readable after at least about 250 Taber cycles.

40. The printed item of claim 39 wherein the image is readable after at least about 300 Taber cycles.

41. The printed item of claim 40 wherein the image is readable after at least about 500 Taber cycles.

42. The printed item of claim 39 wherein the image has a resolution of at least about 150 dpi.

43. A printed item comprising:

a surface; and

an image structure printed on the surface of the item by a non-contact ink printing technique and forming an image,

wherein the image has a percent loss in color density of less than or equal to about 60% after about 350 Taber cycles applied to at least a portion of the image structure.

44. The printed item of claim 43

wherein the image has a resolution of at least about 150 dpi.

45. The printed item of claim 43 wherein the surface comprises a plastic.

46. A printed item comprising:

a surface; and

an image structure printed on the surface of the item by a non-contact ink printing technique and forming an image,

wherein the image has a percent loss in color density of less than or equal to about 60% after about 300 Taber cycles applied to at least a portion of the image structure.

47. The printed item of claim 46 wherein the image has a resolution of at least about 150 dpi.

48. The printed item of claim 46 wherein the surface comprises a plastic.

49. A printed item comprising:

a surface; and

an image structure printed on the surface of the item by a non-contact ink printing technique and forming an image,

wherein the image has a percent loss in color density of less than or equal to about 30% after about 150 Taber cycles to at least a portion of the image structure.

50. The printed item of claim 49 wherein the image has a resolution of at least about 150 dpi.

51. The printed item of claim 49 wherein the surface comprises a plastic.

52. A printed item comprising:

a surface; and

an image structure printed on the surface of the item by a non-contact ink printing technique and forming an image,

wherein the image structure has durability to resist more than 3 rub strokes of acetone.

53. The printed item of claim 52 wherein the image structure has the durability to resist more than 100 rub strokes of acetone.

54. The printed item of claim 53 wherein the image structure has the durability to resist more than 200 rub strokes of acetone.

55. A plurality of individuated transaction cards wherein each card has two opposing planar sides, at least one of the planar sides having a image structure printed thereon allowing for matching of a transaction with the printed image structure thereon, forming an image thereon being unique to the transaction card upon which the image structure resides so that it distinguishes the transaction card from the other of said plurality of transaction cards wherein the image has a percent loss in color density of less than or equal to about 60% after about 350 Taber cycles to at least a portion of said image structure.

56. A printed transaction card comprising:

a card having a planar surface; and

an image structure printed on the surface of the item and forming an image, wherein the image has a percent loss in color density of less than or equal to about 60% after about 350 Taber cycles to at least a portion of the image structure.