Hand held photochromic marking implement

• US 8,128,300 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kugel, Alexander, Banning, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Anthony J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parvini, Pegah
• Application Number:
  US12/817,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20100254747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 401/49, 401/52, 401/88, 106/31.1, 106/31.14, 106/31.29, 106/31.32, 434/391, 523/164, 264/21, 264/348
• 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 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 1′

3′

-Dihydro-1′

,3′

,3′

-trimethyl-6-nitrospiro[2H-1-benzopyran-2,2′

-(2H)-indole], 1,3-dihydro-1,3,3-trimethylspiro[2H-indole-2,3′

-[3H]naphtha[2,1-b][1,4]oxazine, 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.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising shaping said solid hand-held marking implement by cooling said flowable carrier material in a mold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising wrapping said handle portion with an outer cladding.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the photochromic colorant is substantially colorless when inactivated and has a color when activated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said photochromic colorant is activated by electromagnetic radiation having an ultraviolet wavelength.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said photochromic colorant is activated by electromagnetic radiation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said photochromic colorant is activated by an ultraviolet dye.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the photochromic colorant comprises a hydrazine compound.

9. The method 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.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier material includes a mechanical strengthening agent.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mechanical strengthening agent comprises a resin tackifier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the low polarity wax comprises a polyalkylene wax.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the polyalkylene wax comprises a polyethylene wax.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the low polarity wax comprises a tetra-amide wax.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the dye solubility agent comprises a fatty amide.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the dye solubility agent is a fatty acid.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said handle portion is embedded within an outer cladding.