Timer Technologies, LLC

Wisconsin Label Corporation

Translucent Technologies, LLC

Other

Voxcom, Inc.

Gerrit L Verschuur

Chauncey T Mitchell, Jr

David M Good

Mark A Shadle

Robert Parker

David M Uland

Andrew J Friesch

Franz Hrubes

Corneliu C Leordeanu

A unique conductivity pattern is applied to printable articles to provide a 'signature' for later verifying the authenticity of the printable articles. Preferably, the conductivity pattern is hidden from sight and differs from other conductivity patterns applied to other printable articles in an effectively random manner. Capacitive sensors read the conductivity patterns, and the resulting data for recording the signatures reflects not only details of the conductivity patterns themselves but also the characteristics of the capacitive sensors and their use.

Media verification system

Display information is revealed from behind a metal film that can be cleared upon effective contact with a clearing agent. The metal film, while opaque, is generally less than 1000 Angstroms thick and can be cleared by exposure to innocuous agents including food or other household products.

Irreversible metal film display

Method of making a succession of irreversible thin film displays

Printed electrochemical cells including both power cells and display cells are arranged in a partially assembled condition to extend shelf life of the cells. The partially assembled condition is also used as a switching mechanism for controlling activation of some of the cells. The active components of the cells include two electrodes and an electrolyte layer that is maintained out of contact with at least one of the electrodes for interrupting an ionically conductive pathway between the electrodes. The electrolyte is preferably an electrolytic adhesive that is protected by a release layer until the cells are needed for service.

Deferred assembly construction of electrochemical cells

An electrolyte is formulated as a printing ink and laid down by an in-line press for manufacturing printed electrochemical cells. A curing station transforms the electrolyte to perform additional functions such as separating electrodes, preventing leakage, bonding cell layers, and resisting evaporation.

Printing electrochemical cells with in-line cured electrolyte

Electrochemical displays have electronic or ionic pathways between electrodes interrupted to control activation. Electrochemical erosion of one of the electrodes reveals an underlying graphic image. Game assemblies are constructed by dividing electrochemical components between a main substrate and one or more mounting pieces that can be assembled on the main substrate to activate the display cells.

Interactive electrochemical displays

Irreversible thin film display with clearing agent

Printed electrochemical display cells are arranged in layer form with two electrode layers and an electrolyte layer occupying distinct areas of a substrate. When activated, an electrochemical reaction progressively increases the area occupied by the electrolyte layer and progressively decreases the area occupied by the thin-film electrode layer. The thin-film electrode layer recedes at a boundary in common with the electrolyte layer and provides an irreversible indication of change at a rate governed by the electrochemical reaction.

Electrochemical display and timing mechanism with migrating electrolyte

Barcode patterns or other meaningful patterns are printed with a differentially conductive ink. A sensor incorporating a plurality of capacitive couplings distinguishes features of the patterns by comparative measurements that are largely independent of variations between the sensor and the patterns affecting all of the couplings. The patterns can be distinguished despite being hidden from view, such as inside sealed envelopes.

Capacitive method and apparatus for accessing information encoded by a differentially conductive pattern

The contents of sealed envelopes are accessed by detecting and digitizing a change in capacitance produced when a pattern of dielectric or conductive ink is passed by a sensitive capacitance sensor. The capacitance changes are converted into corresponding electrical patterns for further processing.

Capacitive method and apparatus for accessing contents of envelopes and other similarly concealed information

Electrochemical cell with deferred assembly

Printed electrochemical display cells are arranged in layer form with two electrode layers and an electrolyte layer occupying distinct areas of a substrate. An electrolyte layer overlaps most of one electrode layer but contacts a smaller portion of the other electrode layer, which is made of a thin film. When activated, an electrochemical reaction progressively increases the area occupied by the electrolyte layer and progressively decreases the area occupied by the thin-film electrode layer. The thin-film electrode layer recedes at a boundary in common with the electrolyte layer and provides an irreversible indication of change at a rate governed by the electrochemical reaction.

An electrochemical display cell has a layered construction including two electrode layers separated by a dielectric layer. Concentric openings are formed in the dielectric layer and one of the electrode layers exposing a designated portion of the other electrode layer. An electrolyte layer overlaps the one electrode layer and the designated portion of the other electrode layer. When activated, current flow cascades through the openings in the one electrode layer and the dielectric layer to the designated portion of the other electrode layer supporting an electrochemical reaction that erodes the designated portion revealing underlying visual information.

Electrochemical display cell with focused field

The contents of sealed envelopes are accessed using radiation to differentially heat information patterns within the contents and conduction to transfer corresponding thermal patterns to the envelopes' outer surfaces. The radiation is preferably within the wavelengths of microwaves or radio waves for penetrating the envelopes. The information pattern differentially absorbs the radiation by converting the attendant radiant energy into heat by either induction heating or dielectric heating. An infrared camera or other thermally sensitive device converts the thermal patterns conducted to the envelopes' outer surfaces into corresponding electrical patterns for further processing.

Method and apparatus for accessing contents of envelopes and other

A printing station conveys a supply of molten lithium from a heated tank to a nozzle within a protective shroud. A web traverses a chiller also within the shroud. The nozzle dispenses discrete amounts of the molten lithium onto successive portions of the web in contact with the chiller. The chilled lithium solidifies into solid lithium patterns. A sealer also within the shroud prevents exposure of the solid lithium patterns to ambient air. The station can be incorporated into an in-line press for forming a succession of electrochemical cells.

Growing community of inventors

Lakeland, TN, United States of America

Gerrit L Verschuur