Genuine printing refill and method

• Main Author: SHLOMO DUKLER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.04.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; CHEMISTRY; COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES ORLACQUERS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS; DYES; FILLING PASTES; i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; INKS; LINING MACHINES; METALLURGY; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; PAINTS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POLISHES; PRINTING; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS; STAMPS; TRANSPORTING; TYPEWRITERS; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR; WOODSTAINS

A method for preventing the use of non-original refills in printing apparatus, such as a printer or a copying machine, comprising labeling the refill material, which may be a toner or ink, with a material the presence of which can be detected using detection apparatus, and disallowing the use of the apparatus, and/or alerting the user of the non-genuine nature of the refill, if the required labeled material is not detected in the refill. The material is labeled using a material the presence of which can be detected using spectrophotometric techniques. The detection apparatus is a spectrophotometric detection apparatus. The toner or ink is marked with a single compound, emitting light in a known spectrum and characteristic. Two or more compounds having different spectra and/or characteristics may be mixed, so as to produce a characteristic "code" or "signature" as the result of their excitation with light.