Coating composition
First Claim
1. A heat responsive colorant particle comprising a colorant, an opaque polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the colorant more visible when exposed to heat, and an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between said colorant and said opaque polymeric material.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a laser markable coating composition comprising a colorant and a polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly when exposed to heat. The composition may further include a carrier, an adhesion promoter, an energy transfer agent, an opaque polymeric material, and one or more binder resins. The present invention further provides a heat responsive colorant particle comprising a colorant and a polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly when exposed to heat. A laser beam can be used to provide the heat. An example of a suitable polymeric material that irreversibly changes in opacity is a styrene/acrylic microsphere. An example of a suitable colorant is carbon black pigment. An example of an energy transfer agent is fumed silica. An example of an adhesion promoter is an oxidized polyethylene. An example of a suitable carrier is water. The coating composition offers advantages such as the ability to mark substrates at high line speeds and without creating dust or residues. The surface of the marked substrate is smooth.
51 Citations
41 Claims
- 1. A heat responsive colorant particle comprising a colorant, an opaque polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the colorant more visible when exposed to heat, and an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between said colorant and said opaque polymeric material.
- 10. A heat markable coating composition comprising a colorant, an opaque polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the colorant more visible when exposed to heat, and an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between said colorant and said opaque polymeric material.
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36. A heat responsive colorant particle comprising a colorant, a polymeric hollow microsphere whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the colorant more visible when exposed to heat, and an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between said colorant and said polymeric hollow microsphere.
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37. A heat markable coating composition comprising a colorant, a polymeric hollow microsphere whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the colorant more visible when exposed to heat, and an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between said colorant and said polymeric hollow microsphere.
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38. A heat responsive pigment particle comprising a pigment, an opaque polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the pigment more visible when exposed to heat, and an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between said pigment and said opaque polymeric material.
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39. A heat markable coating composition comprising a pigment, an opaque polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the pigment more visible when exposed to heat, and an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between said pigment and said opaque polymeric material.
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40. A heat responsive colorant particle comprising a colorant, an opaque polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the colorant more visible when exposed to heat, an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between the colorant and the opaque polymeric material, and an energy transfer agent.
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41. A heat markable coating composition comprising a colorant particle comprising a colorant, an opaque polymeric material whose opacity changes substantially irreversibly and renders the colorant more visible when exposed to heat, an adhesion promoter that promotes adhesion between the colorant and the opaque polymeric material, and an energy transfer agent.
Specification