Laser engraving methods and compositions, and articles having laser ...

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(12) United States Patent

LaBrec et al.

(io) Patent No.: (45) Date of Patent:

US 7,927,685 B2 Apr. 19, 2011

(54) LASER ENGRAVING METHODS AND

COMPOSITIONS, AND ARTICLES HAVING
LASER ENGRAVING THEREON

(75) Inventors: Brian LaBrec, North Oxford, MA (US);

Robert L. Jones, Andover, MA (US)

(73) Assignee: L-l Secure Credentialing, Inc.,

Billerica, MA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 1293 days.

(21) Appl.No.: 10/942,321

(22) Filed: Sep. 14, 2004

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2005/0095408 Al May 5, 2005

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation of application No. 10/326,886, filed on Dec. 20, 2002, now abandoned.

(60) Provisional application No. 60/344,677, filed on Dec. 24, 2001, provisional application No. 60/344,675, filed on Dec. 24, 2001, provisional application No. 60/344,676, filed on Dec. 24, 2001.

428/318.4

EP

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(Continued)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
190997 Bl 8/1986
(Continued)

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Canadian Patent application 2,469,938, Office Action dated Jul. 24, 2006, 2 pages.

(Continued)

Primary Examiner — Jennifer C McNeil

Assistant Examiner — Catherine Simone

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris,

Glovsky and Popeo, PC.

(57) ABSTRACT

The invention provides a composition having laser engraving properties, comprising a host material and an effective amount of a laser enhancing additive. The laser enhancing additive comprises a first quantity of least one of copper potassium iodide (CuKI3) or Copper Iodide (Cul), and a second quantity at least one substance selected from the group consisting of zinc sulfide (ZnS), barium sulfide (BaS), alkyl sulfonate, and thioester. The composition can be engraved with grayscale images by an Nd: Yag laser and can be added to laminates or coatings. The composition can be used during the manufacture of many articles of manufacture, including identification documents.

15 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

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Clariant Masterbatches Division Price Quotation # 474938, Nov. 30, 2000, 2 pages.

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* cited by examiner