Secure ink-jet printing for verification of an original document

Abstract

The present invention provides ink-jet inks, systems, and methods for marking documents as original. Specifically, an aqueous ink-jet ink can comprise an ink vehicle; and a sufficient amount of particulates having directionally dependent light reflective properties within the ink vehicle such that when the ink-jet ink is substantially dried on a desired substrate, a multi-colored reflected light is emittable in the presence of a light source. Printing documents as original can be carried out for compensation, as a service, or by providing cartridges containing these inks to clients and/or customers.

1 . A specialty ink-jet ink, comprising: 
 an ink vehicle; and    a sufficient amount of particulates having directionally dependent light reflective properties dispersed within the ink vehicle such that when the ink-jet ink is substantially dried on a desired substrate, a multi-colored reflected light is emittable in the presence of a light source due to diffraction of light off of the particulates, said specialty ink-jet ink being ink-jettable.    
     
     
         2 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1  wherein the particulates are selected from the group consisting of pearlescent particulates, mica particulates, glitter particulates, coated silica composite particulates, coated plastic composite particulates, magnesium fluoride particulates, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1  wherein the particulates are shaped according to a general geometry selected from the group consisting of substantially spherical, substantially plate-like, substantially irregular, and substantially needle-like.  
     
     
         4 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1  wherein the particulates range in size from 2 microns to 20 microns in length.  
     
     
         5 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1  wherein the particulates range in size from 20 microns to 100 microns in length.  
     
     
         6 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1  wherein the particulates range in size from 0.01 to 0.1 microns in length.  
     
     
         7 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1  wherein the particulates are present in the ink vehicle at from 1% to 10% by weight.  
     
     
         8 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1  further comprising an effective amount of an ink colorant.  
     
     
         9 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 8  wherein the ink colorant imparts the directionally dependent light reflective properties.  
     
     
         10 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 8  wherein the ink colorant is a plurality of pigment solids, and the pigment solids are attached to the particulates.  
     
     
         11 . An aqueous inkjet ink printing system, comprising: 
 a specialty ink-jet ink comprising an ink vehicle having dispersed therein an effective amount of particulates, said particulates having directionally dependent light reflective properties due to diffraction of light off of the particulates; and    a specialty ink-jet ink pen configured for jetting the ink-jet ink.    
     
     
         12 . A system as in  claim 11  wherein the specialty ink-jet ink pen is selected from the group consisting of a thermal ink-jet ink pen and a piezo ink-jet ink pen.  
     
     
         13 . A system as in  claim 11  further comprising a substrate configured for accepting the jetted specialty ink-jet ink.  
     
     
         14 . A system as in  claim 13  wherein the particulates, when printed on the substrate and in the presence of light, emit multi-colored reflected light.  
     
     
         15 . A system as in  claim 13  wherein the intensity of the directionally dependent light reflective properties is increased upon a second coating of the specialty ink-jet ink printed onto the printed substrate.  
     
     
         16 . A system as in  claim 11  wherein the average particulate size in length to bore size in diameter is from 1:8 to 1:300.  
     
     
         17 . A system as in  claim 11  wherein the bore size is from 20 microns to 200 microns in diameter.  
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 11  wherein the particulate size is from 0.01 microns to 100 microns in length.  
     
     
         19 . A system as in  claim 13  further comprising a standard ink-jet ink pen capable of printing black or colored images, wherein the specialty ink-jet ink pen rides along with the standard ink-jet pen, and wherein the specialty ink-jet ink pen is activated when the substrate is to be marked as an original.  
     
     
         20 . A method for marking a document as an original, comprising: 
 providing an image-containing document that is to be marked as an original; and    ink-jetting a visible mark onto the document, wherein the visible mark has a non-copyable property, said non-copyable property being a directionally dependent light reflective property present in the visible mark when exposed to a light source such that a multi-colored reflected light is emittable in the presence of the light source due to diffraction of light off of particles in the visible mark.    
     
     
         21 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 20  wherein the visible mark is ink-jetted onto the document during a single pass through a printer that also provides the image on the document.  
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 20  wherein the image is text or pictorial.  
     
     
         24 . A method as in  claim 20  wherein the visible mark is text.  
     
     
         25 . A method as in  claim 20  wherein the visible mark is pictorial.  
     
     
         26 - 38 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         39 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 4 , wherein the particulates range in size from 5 microns to 10 microns in length.  
     
     
         40 . A specialty ink-jet ink as in  claim 1 , wherein the particulates are shaped according to a substantially regular shape.