The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 10, 2015
Filed:
Jun. 27, 2011
Douglas S. Dunn, Maplewood, MN (US);
William Ward Merrill, White Bear Lake, MN (US);
Przemyslaw P. Markowicz, Woodbury, MN (US);
Douglas S. Dunn, Maplewood, MN (US);
William Ward Merrill, White Bear Lake, MN (US);
Przemyslaw P. Markowicz, Woodbury, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
Multi-layer articles are described that are capable of forming color images. The articles may contain at least two layers, a thermally activatable layer and a blocking layer, or at least three layers with two thermally activatable layers and a blocking layer between. The thermally activatable layers absorb light of a write wavelength and have an absorption threshold for activation. The blocking layer blocks light of the write wavelength at certain incident angles or polarization states and permits light of the write wavelength and certain incident angles or polarization states to pass through. The thermally activatable layers may be layers with a light to heat convertor composition and a color changing compound or they may be a group of layers arranged to change its reflective characteristic upon exposure to light while maintaining the structural integrity of the group of layers.