U.S. patent application number 11/207856 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-03 for active, printed emissive packaging for promotional products.
Invention is credited to Timothy J. Collins, Daniel R. Gamota, Julius S. Gyorfi, Krishna D. Jonnalagadda, Krishna Kalyanasundaram, Tomasz L. Klosowiak, Swee M. Mok, Mansour Toloo, Jie Zhang.
Application Number | 20080000365 11/207856 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37758008 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080000365 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jonnalagadda; Krishna D. ;
et al. |
January 3, 2008 |
Active, printed emissive packaging for promotional products
Abstract
An energizable design image portion (203) of a provided design
pattern is printed on a provided substrate (201) using a functional
ink comprised of at least one energy emissive material. A passive
design image portion (202) of that design pattern is then also
printed on that substrate using at least one graphic arts ink. In a
preferred embodiment this apparatus may further comprise
electrically conductive electrodes (204) on the substrate to permit
selective energization of the energy emissive material to thereby
induce illumination of the energizable design image portion of the
design pattern.
Inventors: |
Jonnalagadda; Krishna D.;
(Algonquin, IL) ; Gamota; Daniel R.; (Palatine,
IL) ; Gyorfi; Julius S.; (Vernon Hills, IL) ;
Kalyanasundaram; Krishna; (Elmhurst, IL) ; Mok; Swee
M.; (Palatine, IL) ; Toloo; Mansour;
(Palatine, IL) ; Collins; Timothy J.; (Homer Glen,
IL) ; Zhang; Jie; (Buffalo Grove, IL) ;
Klosowiak; Tomasz L.; (Glenview, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MOTOROLA, INC.
1303 EAST ALGONQUIN ROAD
IL01/3RD
SCHAUMBURG
IL
60196
US
|
Family ID: |
37758008 |
Appl. No.: |
11/207856 |
Filed: |
August 18, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
101/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41F 17/00 20130101;
G09F 13/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
101/101 |
International
Class: |
D06F 93/00 20060101
D06F093/00 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a substrate; a printed pattern disposed
on the substrate, wherein at least a part of the printed pattern
comprises: an energizable design image formed using a functional
ink comprising at least one energy emissive material; an
energizable design image energization interface formed using at
least one functional ink comprising an electrically conductive
material; a design image formed using at least one graphic arts ink
and that comprises at least one of an artistic rendering and
symbolic informational content.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a paper
substrate.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the paper substrate comprises
at least one of: paper; cardboard; paperboard; corrugated
cardboard.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises at
least one of: a polymer; a woven material substrate.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energizable design image
comprises at least one of: at least one alphanumeric character; at
least one logo; at least one depiction of an object; at least one
artistic rendering of an image; at least one pictograph; at least
one pictogram; at least one optical code.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energy emissive material is
energizable by application of an electric field.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energizable design image
comprises a design image that is printed on the flexible substrate
using at least one of: a contact printing process; a non-contact
printing process.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energizable design image
energization interface comprises a fully printed interface.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a portion of the energizable
design image energization interface comprises a partially unprinted
electrically conductive element.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energizable design image
energization interface comprises a wireless interface.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printed pattern comprises
a plurality of the energizable design images and a corresponding
plurality of the energizable design image energization
interfaces.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises at
least a portion of a poster.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises at
least a portion of a container for an object.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an energizable
design image energization unit that is operably coupleable to the
energizable design image energization interface such that the
energizable design image is selectively energizable, and hence
illuminatable, by the energizable design image energization
unit
15. An information conveying apparatus comprising: an object having
a surface; a printed rendering disposed, at least in part, on the
surface, wherein the printed rendering comprises, at least in part:
at least a first portion that is formed of at least one functional
ink comprising at least one energy emissive material; an
energization interface that is operably coupled to the first
portion and that is formed of at least one functional ink
comprising an electrically conductive material; at least a second
portion that is formed of at least one graphic arts ink.
16. The information conveying apparatus of claim 15 wherein the
apparatus comprises at least one of: a poster; a container for an
object.
17. The information conveying apparatus of claim 15 wherein the
second portion comprises at least one of an artistic rendering and
symbolic informational content
18. The information conveying apparatus of claim 17 wherein the
first portion comprises an integral aesthetic component of the
second portion.
19. The information conveying apparatus of claim 15 further
comprising: a first portion energization unit that is operably
coupleable to the energization interface such that the first
portion is selectively energizable, and hence illuminatable, by the
energization unit.
20. The information conveying apparatus of claim 15 wherein the
surface comprises a frontward-facing surface of the object.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to an application bearing
attorney's docket number CML02310T, entitled METHOD TO FACILITATE
PROVISION OF AN ENERGIZABLE DESIGN IMAGE and filed on even date
herewith, the contents of which are incorporated herein by this
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates generally to images and more
particularly to printed images.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Printing comprises a generally well understood area of
endeavor and typically serves to produce images comprising artistic
and/or informational content for viewing by an interested observer.
Various printing techniques are known and various substrates exist
to be printed upon. Graphic arts inks also exist in great variety
and profusion, offering a wide range of colors, opacity, drying
times, and adherent tendencies.
[0004] In recent times printing techniques have also been proposed
for use in producing functional electrical circuits. In particular,
recent ability to print active electric circuit elements such as
transistors using functional inks that are, for example,
electrically conductive or semiconductive has fostered considerable
interest in this approach to producing known circuits in a new
way.
[0005] To a large extent, however, the printing of traditional
visually-perceptible content and the printing of active electrical
circuitry has been viewed as two distinct fields of endeavor with
only incidental overlap apart from the potential for similar ink
application techniques to be employed for either.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The above needs are at least partially met through provision
of the energizable design image apparatus described in the
following detailed description, particularly when studied in
conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance
with various embodiments of the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance
with various embodiments of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance
with various embodiments of the invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance
with various embodiments of the invention; and
[0011] FIG. 5 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance
with various embodiments of the invention.
[0012] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the
figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not
necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or
relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be
exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve
understanding of various embodiments of the present invention.
Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or
necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not
depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these
various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be
appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or
depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in
the art will understand that such specificity with respect to
sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that
the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as
is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their
corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where
specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments,
an apparatus comprises a substrate having a printed pattern
disposed thereon. The printed pattern itself can comprise any
combination of artistic and/or symbolic informational content. The
substrate, in turn, can comprise essentially any suitable printing
surface including both two-dimensional and three-dimensional
surfaces. The printed pattern preferably comprises both a design
image that is formed using at least one graphic arts ink (and which
comprises at least one of an artistic rendering and symbolic
informational content) and an energizable design image that is
formed using a functional ink comprising at least one energy
emissive material.
[0014] In a preferred though optional approach the apparatus
further comprises electrically conductive electrodes which may be
also printed on the surface to thereby facilitate an application of
electrical potential to the energizable design image to effect its
illumination.
[0015] So configured, relatively inexpensive printing processes and
materials can serve to produce energizable images on commonly
available surfaces such as posters, containers, stationary, and so
forth. When energized, such images can complement and/or otherwise
emphasize the passive design content as also appears on the
substrate or can provide supplement artistic and/or informational
content. As these teachings require relatively modest expense to
effect, these teachings are readily applicable for use with
relatively short-term applications such as daily menus, weekly
retail sales promotions, newspaper headlines, boxes for consumer
commodities of various types, shipping containers, and any number
of promotions-related applications, to name but a few.
[0016] These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a
thorough review and study of the following detailed description.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, an
exemplary process 100 provides 101 for at least one design pattern.
Design patterns in general are well known in the art. Those skilled
in the art will understand that these teachings are compatible for
use with essentially any and all design patterns including, but not
limited to: [0017] alphanumeric characters; [0018] logos; [0019]
object depictions; [0020] artistic renderings of images (where
"artistic" is commonly understood to comprise that which relates to
the conscious production or arrangement of forms in a manner that
affects a sense of aesthetic value); [0021] pictographs; [0022] at
least one pictogram; and [0023] optical codes (such as bar codes
and the like); to name but a few.
[0024] It will also be understood that such a design pattern can
comprise any combination of mixed content. For example, it is
specifically contemplated that a design pattern can comprise both
artistic renderings (such as an image of an object of interest) and
symbolic informational content (such as written text). It will also
be understood by those skilled in the art that a plurality of such
design patterns can be provided when and as desired.
[0025] Such design patterns can be provided via any appropriate
means of delivery as may presently exist or as may be developed in
the future. This can include hard copy renderings, digitally
rendered and stored offerings, specific instructions which, when
executed, yield the desired design pattern, and so forth.
[0026] This process 100 also provides for provision 102 of a
substrate upon which the design pattern can be printed. Essentially
any suitable printing medium can be employed with specific
selections likely serving the specific needs and requirements of a
given application. Examples include, but are not limited to, paper
substrates (such as but not limited to paper, cardboard,
paperboard, corrugated cardboard, and other cellulose pulp-based
materials), polymer-based materials, woven material substrates
(including but not limited to cloths of various types), and so
forth. As will be shown below, this substrate can further comprise
any of a wide variety of substantially two-dimensional surfaces
(such as a sheet of material) or a three-dimensional surface (such
as a container for an object or the object itself).
[0027] This process 100 then provides for printing 103 an
energizable design image portion of the design pattern on the
substrate using a functional ink comprising at least one energy
emissive material. The energy emissive material is preferably one
that is energizable by application of an electric field (as may be
supplied, for example, by a battery, photovoltaics, fuel cell,
alternating current based power source, or the like). Useful
examples include, but are not limited to, functional inks comprised
of a phosphor or organic light emitting diode materials. In
general, any material suitable for placement as an ink and which is
capable of selectively emitting light when energized by an electric
field will likely suffice at least for some applications. Those
skilled in the art will understand that printing of the energizable
design image portion of the design pattern may also entail printing
a dielectric layer in conjunction therewith (depending upon the
particular material and technology employed for a given
embodiment).
[0028] These teachings are not especially sensitive regarding use
of any particular printing process and acceptable results are
likely possible with any of a wide variety of such techniques. In
general the energizable design image portion of the design pattern
can be printed using any contact or non-contact printing process.
Contact printing examples include, though are not limited to,
screen printing processes, flexography printing processes, gravure
printing processes, micro-contact printing process, and offset
printing processes while non-contact printing examples include,
though are not limited to, ink dispensing printing processes, ink
jet printing processes, curtain coating printing processes and so
forth.
[0029] In addition to printing the energizable design image portion
of the design pattern this process 100 also provides for printing
104 a passive design image portion of the design pattern on the
substrate using at least one graphic arts ink. "Passive," of
course, refers to the non-energizable nature of the graphic arts
ink as versus the functional ink (or inks) employed to print the
energizable design image portion and "graphic arts ink" will be
understood to refer to inks as are ordinarily used in the graphic
arts for traditional printing properties such as color, opacity,
dispersability, drying time, and so forth.
[0030] These printing steps 103 and 104 may each comprise, in a
specific application setting, a plurality of corresponding steps as
when multiple functional inks and/or graphic arts inks are to be
printed on a single substrate. Conversely, it may also be desirable
in a given setting to combine both printing steps 103 and 104 in a
single action such that both functional and graphic arts inks are
printed on the substrate effectively at the same time and/or
pursuant to a single printing action. Alternatively, of course,
steps 103 and 104 may be reversed as well.
[0031] In order to facilitate selective energization of the
energizable design image portion of the design pattern, it may be
helpful to provide electrically conductive electrodes to facilitate
application of an electric field. These electrodes can comprise
non-printed elements if desired. For example, electrically
conductive wires can be bonded (using, for example, an appropriate
adhesive) to the substrate to be in electrical contact with the
energizable design image portion of the design pattern. It is also
possible, however, to optionally print 105 at least a portion of
such electrodes on the substrate itself (using, for example, a
functional ink that is comprised of electrically conductive
material). This will typically entail printing the electrodes in
electrical contact with the energizable design image portion of the
design pattern.
[0032] Such electrodes can lead to an off-substrate power source
when appropriate. For example, such printed electrodes can lead to
a portion of the substrate where electrically conductive clips are
used to couple a battery, fuel cell, alternating current-based
power source, or photovoltaics to the electrodes and hence to the
energizable design image portion of the design pattern. To the
extent that a power source can itself be disposed as a part of the
substrate, of course, it would also be possible to couple that
power source to the energizable design image portion of the design
pattern through use of such electrodes.
[0033] So configured, this process 100 then further, optionally but
preferably, supports energization 106 of the energy emissive
material (for example, by applying electricity to the display
electrodes as may also be printed on the substrate as described
above) to thereby cause the energizable design image portion of the
design pattern as is printed on the substrate to become luminous
(i.e., to emit light). This, in turn, greatly expands artistic
opportunities as well as informational conveying opportunities as
compared to past practices. Such illumination can serve simply to
attract one's attention, to convey information not otherwise
conveyed, or even to enrich and expand the expressive palate
available to the designer.
[0034] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
above-described processes are readily carried out using any of a
wide variety of available and/or readily configured materials
and/or platforms. Referring now to FIG. 2, a platform illustrative
of these teachings will be provided. Those skilled in the art will
recognize that FIG. 2 comprises a block diagram logical view of an
illustrative embodiment as versus an explicit physical view of a
particular embodiment.
[0035] An apparatus 200 comprising at least a substrate 201 has a
design image 202 and a printed pattern 203 printed thereon. The
substrate 201 can comprise any suitable printing medium including,
but not limited to, paper substrate material, woven material, a
polymer material, and so forth. The substrate 201 itself can
comprise, for example, a poster, stationary, a menu, a theater
program, a map, an announcement, a page from a larger publication
such as a book, magazine, or newspaper, an envelope, an item of
clothing, or such other surface as may accommodate the specific
needs or requirements of a given application.
[0036] The design image 202 portion of the apparatus 200 can be
formed using at least one graphic arts ink and can comprise at
least one of an artistic rendering and/or symbolic informational
content. This design image 202 can be relatively simple in form or
complex in nature and can be monochromatic or polychromatic as
desired.
[0037] The printed pattern 203 preferably comprises an energizable
design image formed using a functional ink comprising at least one
selectively energy emissive material. It is this portion of the
apparatus 200 that can be selectively self-illuminated as described
above. This printed pattern 203 can comprise essentially any
artistic rendering and/or symbolic informational content as well as
only some portion thereof. The printed pattern 203 can be visually
separate and distinct from the design image 202 as is suggested by
the depiction provided in FIG. 2 or can be partially or wholly
inter-combined with the latter as is suggested by the depiction
provided in FIG. 3 (as when the energizable printed pattern
comprises an integral aesthetic component of the design image
itself).
[0038] As noted above, the design image and the printed pattern can
both be printed using any selected printing process including both
contact and non-contact printing processes. As also mentioned
above, it may be preferred to also provide an energizable design
image energization interface 204 to facilitate selective
energization of the printed pattern. Depending upon the application
context, this energization interface 204 can comprise a fully
printed interface such as display electrodes (using, for example,
electrically conductive functional ink) or can comprise a partially
or wholly unprinted electrically conductive element (such as a
discrete electrically conductive wire).
[0039] As already noted, this energization interface 204 can
comprise one or more electrical conductors that couple the
energizable printed pattern to a source of power. If desired, this
interface 204 can comprise additional functionality and/or
structure. For example, if desired, this interface 204 can comprise
a wireless interface (wherein the wireless interface further serves
to control the provision of energy to the printed pattern as a
function, at least in part, of remote control signals as are
received via the wireless interface) such as, for example, a
wireless local area network interface, a radio frequency identifier
interface, an optical interface or the like. Wireless interfaces
are generally well understood in the art as are the communication
protocols used therewith. Accordingly additional elaboration
regarding such interfaces will not be provided here for the sake of
brevity and clarity.
[0040] As noted, in a typical embodiment the printed pattern 203
will require a source of energy to become energized and hence
luminous. An optional energizable design image energization unit
205 can operably couple to the printed pattern 203 via the
energization interface 204 to effect such performance. This
energizable design image energization unit 205 can comprise, for
example, a suitable power source coupled, if desired, with
switching capability to control the provision of that power to the
printed pattern 203. This switching capability can be configured
and arranged as desired to suit the needs and requirements of a
given setting. For example, this switching capability can be
operable by a human operator through manipulation of a physical
interface such as a switch, button, potentiometer, or the like. As
another example, this switching capability can be responsive to a
fully or partially automated control scheme. So configured, an
illuminatable printed pattern 203 is selectively rendered luminous
via the provision and use of an energizable design image
energization unit 205 wherein the latter may comprise an integral
part of the substrate 201 (as when the energization unit 205 itself
comprises, for example, a printed battery) or may comprise a
stand-alone component of the overall apparatus 200.
[0041] As noted earlier, the artistic and/or informational content
of the design image 202 itself can be comprised of multiple
components. Similarly, and referring now to FIG. 4, the printed
pattern can comprise a plurality of printed patterns 401 and 403
wherein each such pattern is separately energizable via, for
example, a discrete and separate energization interface 402 and
404. So configured, these printed patterns can be illuminated
together or can be illuminated on an individually selective
basis.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 5, and also as noted earlier, the
substrate 201 itself can comprise a part of (or otherwise be
combined with) a three-dimensional object such as, in this
illustration, a container 501 for an object (such as a consumer
commodity). For example, the substrate 201 can comprise a
forward-facing (i.e., an outward-facing) surface of the container
or object.
[0043] It will therefore be seen and understood that these
teachings facilitate the provision of an object (such as a two or
three-dimensional object) having a surface with a printed rendering
disposed thereon. That printed rendering itself will preferably
comprise both a first portion that is formed of at least one
graphic arts ink and a second portion that is formed of at least
one functional ink comprising at least one energy emissive
material. In a preferred approach that printing further comprises
an energization interface that is operably coupled to the second
portion and that is itself comprised of at least one functional ink
that comprises an electrically conductive material. These
embodiments can be comprised of relatively inexpensive materials
and achieved through use of relatively inexpensive and
uncomplicated processes. Notwithstanding this relative ease of
implementation and low cost of the resultant apparatus offers
significant improvement with respect to increasing available
artistic and informational opportunities.
[0044] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety
of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with
respect to the above described embodiments without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications,
alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the
ambit of the inventive concept.
* * * * *