HAND HELD PHOTOCHROMIC MARKING IMPLEMENT

• US 20100254747A1
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Banning, Jeffrey, Kugel, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 401/88
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/17 characterised by colouring agents

Abstract

Disclosed is a hand-held photochromic marking implement including a photochromic colorant and solid phase colorant carrier which can be used in direct-to-media marking and a method of forming same.

Claims

1. A solid hand held direct marking crayon implement comprising:

a handle portion for gripping said direct marking crayon implement comprising a solid phase carrier material and a photochromic colorant which is a solid phase; and

at least one direct marking crayon portion comprising a solid phase carrier material comprising (a) at least about 20% by weight, based on the weight of the carrier material, of at least one low polarity wax, (b) a dye solubility agent and (c) a photochromic colorant comprising at least one of bisimidazole compounds, bis-tetraphenylpyrrole compounds, aryl disulfide compounds, stilbene compounds, aromatic azo compounds, and mixtures thereof, which is a solid phase, and which is soft enough to write a colored carrier material directly onto a selected media, at ambient temperature.

2. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the photochromic colorant is substantially colorless when inactivated and a predetermined color when activated.

3. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein said photochromic colorant is activated by electromagnetic radiation.

4. The marking implement of claim 3, wherein said electromagnetic radiation has an ultraviolet wavelength.

5. The marking implement of claim 3, wherein said photochromic colorant is activated by an ultraviolet dye.

6. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the photochromic colorant comprises a hydrazine compound.

7. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the carrier material further comprises a soluble visible non-photochromic colorant which permits the markings to be viewed as they are made.

8. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the carrier material includes a mechanical strengthening agent.

9. The marking implement of claim 8, wherein the mechanical strengthening agent comprises a resin tackifier.

10. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the low polarity wax comprises a polyalkylene wax.

11. The marking implement of claim 10, wherein the polyalkylene wax comprises a polyethylene wax.

12. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the low polarity wax comprises a tetra-amide wax.

13. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the dye solubility agent comprises a fatty amide.

14. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein the dye solubility agent is a fatty acid.

15. The marking implement of claim 1, wherein said handle portion is embedded within an outer cladding.

16. A method of forming a solid hand held direct marking crayon implement comprising:

forming a flowable solid phase carrier material comprising (a) at least about 20% by weight, based on the weight of the carrier material, of at least one low polarity wax, (b) a dye solubility agent and (c) a photochromic colorant comprising at least one of bisimidazole compounds, bis-tetraphenylpyrrole compounds, aryl disulfide compounds, stilbene compounds, aromatic azo compounds, and mixtures thereof;

cooling and shaping said solid phase flowable carrier material; and

forming a solid hand-held direct marking implement which is soft enough to write a colored carrier material directly onto a selected media, at ambient temperature, said marking implement comprising a handle portion for gripping said marking implement and a marking portion comprising said solid phase carrier material.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising shaping said solid hand-held marking implement by cooling said flowable carrier material in a mold.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising wrapping said handle portion with an outer cladding.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the photochromic colorant is substantially colorless when inactivated and a predetermined color when activated.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said photochromic colorant is activated by electromagnetic radiation having an ultraviolet wavelength.

21. A solid hand held direct marking crayon implement comprising:

a handle portion for gripping said crayon marking implement comprising a solid phase carrier material and a photochromic colorant which is a solid phase; and

at least one direct marking crayon portion comprising a solid phase carrier material comprising (a) at least one low polarity wax, (b) a dye solubility agent and (c) a photochromic colorant comprising at least one of compounds that undergo heterolytic cleavage, compounds that undergo homolytic cleavage, compounds that undergo cis-trans isomerization, compounds that undergo photochromic tautomerism, and mixtures thereof, which is a solid phase, and which is soft enough to write a colored carrier material directly onto a selected media, at ambient temperature, wherein the photochromic colorant is substantially colorless when inactivated and a predetermined color when activated by electromagnetic radiation.