Thermal imaging paper laminate

• US 20040001000A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appvion LLC
• Original Assignee: Appleton Papers Incorporated (Oldapco PDC Corp.)
• Inventors: Redlin, Gregory George
• Granted Patent: US 6,937,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A thermal imaging paper having a laminate structure is disclosed. The laminate structure includes a thermal imaging heat sensitive substrate, an adhesive layer, and a polyfoam layer. In addition, a security feature such as an antenna and integrated circuit are provided in a position interposed between said adhesive layer and said thermal imaging heat sensitive substrate. The thermal imaging paper provides the combination of an effective thermal imaging paper product incorporating the benefits of a security feature such as a wireless memory device.

Claims

1. A thermal imaging laminate structure comprising:

a thermal imaging paper substrate;

a foam layer;

a wireless memory device, said foam layer and said wireless memory device being disposed along the thermal imaging paper substrate; and

an adhesive layer, said wireless memory device being positioned between said thermal imaging paper substrate and said adhesive layer.

2. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 1, further comprising a release liner layer, said adhesive layer being interposed between said foam layer and said release liner layer.

3. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 1, further comprising a protective topcoat, said thermal imaging paper substrate being interposed between said topcoat and said foam layer.

4. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 1, wherein said thermal imaging paper substrate is a direct thermal imaging paper.

5. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 1, wherein said thermal imaging paper substrate is a thermal transfer imaging paper.

6. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 2, further comprising an antistatic coating, said thermal imaging paper substrate being interposed between said antistatic coating and said foam layer.

7. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 6, wherein said thermal imaging paper substrate is a direct thermal imaging paper.

8. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 6, wherein said thermal imaging paper substrate is a thermal transfer imaging paper.

9. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

10. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 6, wherein said adhesive layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

11. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer is an encapsulated adhesive.

12. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 3, wherein said adhesive layer is an encapsulated adhesive.

13. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 1, wherein said wireless memory device includes an integrated circuit and an antenna substrate.

14. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 3, wherein said topcoat is polyvinyl alcohol.

15. A thermal imaging system comprising:

a thermal printing device;

a heat sensitive, thermal imaging paper, said thermal imaging paper having a laminate structure including

a thermal imaging paper substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being positioned to face toward said thermal printing device during a printing process,

a cushioning layer,

a wireless memory device capable of reflecting RF signals, said cushioning layer and said wireless memory device being disposed along said second surface of the thermal imaging paper substrate, and

an adhesive layer, said wireless memory device being positioned between said thermal imaging paper substrate and said adhesive layer; and

a detection unit, said detection unit being positioned in the proximity of said wireless memory device to transmit and receive RF signals from said wireless memory device.

16. The thermal imaging system according to claim 15, further comprising a release liner layer within said thermal imaging paper'"'"'s laminate structure, said adhesive layer being interposed between said cushioning layer and said release liner layer.

17. The thermal imaging system according to claim 15, further comprising an antistatic coating within said thermal imaging paper'"'"'s laminate structure, said thermal imaging paper substrate being interposed between said antistatic coating and said cushioning layer.

18. The thermal imaging system according to claim 15, wherein said thermal imaging paper substrate is a direct thermal imaging paper.

19. The thermal imaging system according to claim 15, wherein said thermal imaging paper substrate is a thermal transfer imaging paper.

20. The thermal imaging system according to claim 16, wherein said adhesive layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

21. A method of producing a thermal printed paper product incorporating a security feature from the system described in claim 15, said method comprising the steps of:

thermally printing said thermal imaging paper with said thermal printing device; and

producing the thermal imaged paper product having said security feature, wherein said security feature includes said wireless device and said thermal imaged paper product includes at least one of a paper sheet, a roll of paper product, a label, and a tag.

22. A method of detecting a security feature within a thermal printed paper product from the system described in claim 15, said method detecting said security feature with said detection unit, wherein said security feature includes an antenna and an integrated circuit within said wireless memory device.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising thermal printing said thermal imaging paper with said thermal printing device.

24. A thermal imaging laminate structure comprising:

a thermal imaging paper substrate;

a cushioning layer;

a wireless memory device, said cushioning layer and said wireless memory device being disposed along the thermal imaging paper substrate;

an antistatic coating layer; and

an adhesive layer, said wireless memory device being positioned between said thermal imaging paper substrate and said adhesive layer.

25. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 24, wherein said antistatic coating is applied to at least one surface of said thermal imaging substrate.

26. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 24, wherein said antistatic coatings includes at least one of a quaternary ammonium salt, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, conductive polymers, doped polyanilides, and powdered metal coatings.

27. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 24, wherein said antistatic coating is applied to said thermal imaging substrate at a coating weight of between 0.1 and 10 pounds per ream.

28. The thermal imaging laminate structure according to claim 24, wherein said antistatic coating has a static dissipating ability to dissipate a static charge of 5000 volts in less than 2 seconds to 10% of full charge after being conditioned in 20% relative humidity and 27 degrees centigrade for 24 hours.

29. A RFID product having a thermal imaging laminate structure, said product comprising:

a thermal imaging paper substrate;

a cushioning layer;

a wireless memory device, said cushioning layer and said wireless memory device being disposed along the thermal imaging paper substrate;

an antistatic coating layer; and

an adhesive layer, said wireless memory device being positioned between said thermal imaging paper substrate and said adhesive layer, wherein said product is at least one of a direct thermal label, a thermal transfer label, a direct thermal tag and a thermal transfer thermal tag.

30. The RFID product according to claim 29, wherein said antistatic coating is applied to at least one surface of said thermal imaging substrate.

31. The RFID product according to claim 29, wherein said cushioning layer is a polyfoam.