AU605311B2

AU605311B2 - A method and a transfer for decorating textiles with patterns consisting of highly light-reflecting areas defined by inked areas

Info

Publication number: AU605311B2
Application number: AU17820/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Erik Franke; Ulf Normann Olsen; Ulrich Oppenhejm; Eilif Strand
Original assignee: REFLEX PROMOTION
Current assignee: REFLEX PROMOTION AS
Priority date: 1987-05-06
Filing date: 1988-05-05
Publication date: 1991-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-05
Also published as: EP0294936A1; JPH01503528A; DK155888C; AU1782088A; WO1988008793A1; DK231387A; FI890019A; BR8807045A; DK155888B; DK231387D0; FI890019A0; KR890701375A; PT87436A

Description

1 SFP4 Signature c Declarant(s) Eilif Strand To: The Commissioner of ea tents 11/31 AUIffLI.A (51) (43) 6.12.88 A-A-17820/ I 1-1 L i r O WORLD INTELLE Lt.AL.OPE8. ORGANIZATION INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHD E EtENCOOERATION TREATY (PCT) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHV J UE130-1EiE AE COO RATION TREATY (PCT)_ (51) International Patent Classification 4 B41M 3/12, B44C 1/16 (11) International Publication Number: Al (43) International Publication Date: 17 I' WO 88/ 08793 qovember 1988 (17.11.88) (21) International Application Number: PCT/DK88/00076 (22) International Filing Date: 5 May 1988 (05.05.88) (31) Priority Application Number: 2313/87 (32) Priority Date: 6 May 1987 (06.05.87) (33) Priority Country: DK (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): REF- LEX PROMOTION A/S [NO/NO]; Prof. Smiths all& 58, N-3048 Drammen (NO).

(72) Inventors; and Inventors/Applicants (for US only) OLSEN, Ulf, Normann [NO/NO]; Sandvollen 25, N-3023 Solbergmoen Franke, Erik [DK/DK]; Oster Sogade 10, DK- 1357 Copenhagen K Oppenhejm, Ulrich [DK/ DK]; Ostbanegade 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen 0 (DK).

STRAND, Eilif [NO/NO]; Rugdeveien 25, N-3030 Drammen (NO).

(74) Agent: HOFMAN-BANG BOUTARD A/S; Adelgade 15, DK-1304 Copenhagen K (DK).

(81) Designated States: AU, BR, FI, JP, KR, NO, US.

Published. t n the With internation fsc, ent co.tains tile amendments made undr Section 49 and is correct for printing.

A.O.J.P. 27 JAN 1989

AUSTRALIAN

6 DEC 1988 PATENT OFFICE (54) Title: A METHOD AND A TRANSFER FOR DECORATING TEXTILES WITH PATTERNS CONSISTING OF HIGHLY LIGHT-REFLECTING AREAS DEFINED BY INKED AREAS (57) Abstract For decoration of textiles and the like with patterns comprising highly light-reflecting areas defined by inked areas, a plastisol transfer, produced by printed a desired pattern in mirror-inverted fashion with plastisol ink on a suitable substrate, is coated with an elastomer granulate of a type which is compatible with the plastisol ink and with the surface layer of a reflex transfer film, and the granulate is fused into the plastisol print by heating. Then a reflex transfer film cut to the contour of the pattern is placed with the reflecting side inwards against the elastomer treated plastisol print and adhered to it by brief heating under a quite slight pressure to form a combined plastisol reflex transfer, which is transferred to the textile or the like by conventional heat application. It is also possible first to apply the cut reflex transfer film to the textile or the like in the usual manner and then to apply the elastomer treated plastisol print on top of the reflex film by conventional heat application.

WO 88/08793 PCT/D K88/00076 -1- A method and a transfer for decorating textiles with patterns consisting of highly light-reflecting areas defined by inked areas The invention concerns a method of decorating textiles or other, preferably flexible, materials with patterns comprising highly light-reflecting areas defined by inked areas. The invention also relates to a combined plastisol reflex transfer for decorating textiles or other, preferably flexible, materials by application of heat.

It is known to decorate textiles by printing patterns in various colours by a suitable printing method, e.g. the silk screen process. For such patterns to be durable in use and to have good fastness to repeated washing, it is important that the inks used for the printing have good adhesion and cannot be peeled or picked off, that they are elastic so as to be capable of following the expansion and contraction of the substrate, and that they do not crackle or flake.

So-called plastisol inks have been developed for this purpose, based on elastomeric resins, often modified :h polyvinyl chloride (PVC), dissolved in high-boiling organic solvents. These plastisol inks, which are also called gum printing inks, can be given all possible shades by pigmentation.

It is also known to produce so-called transfers by means of these plastisol inks, i.e. by printing a given pattern in mirror-inverted fashion on a suitable substrate, preferably silicone or wax treated paper. The pattern may then be transferred by the user, e.g. a j textile factory, from such a transfer to the textile by !I application of heat, i.e. tie transfer is placed with WO 88/08793 PCT/DK88/00076 2 the inked side against the textile and heated to 130 to 200 0 C, generally 160 to 1800C, under pressure with a pressure of 100 to 800 kPa, generally about 500 kPa, for to 30 seconds, generally 15 to 20 seconds. The temperature, pressure and treatment time used depend, of course, upon the type and nature of the textile fabric and upon the plastisol type applied, but generally elevated temperatures will involve treatment for a shorter period of time, and vice versa.

It is also known to produce so-called retro-reflecting films with a great light reflecting capacity for application on e.g. textiles, first and foremost for security reasons. These retro-reflecting films or reflex films come in two main types, one with a very large number of fine glass beads with a high refractive index embedded with a reflecting substrate in a base sheet (glass bead type), and another formed with a large number of prisms in a sheet. Both types may be formed with the glass beads or the prisms exposed in the surface (open type) or enclosed in a transparent layer (semi-open type) or coated with an optionally inked layer (closed type), or finally encapsulated in closed cavities with entrapped air (capsule type). The reflex films may be formed as reflex transfer films with a heat-activated adhesive intended for e.g. heat application to textiles. Reflex transfer films of the glass bead type may moreover be produced in a very elastic material, which makes them particularly suitable for application to flexible materials.

It would be a great advantage if the high reflectivity and consequent warning and attention-attraction value of the reflex films could be combined with the decoration 35 and advertising purposes which it is attempted to ii Sachieve by printing of e.g. company names, trade marks, logos, slogans and decorative images on textiles with Ii i- i WO 88/08793 PCT/DK88/00076 3 plastisol inks.

However, it has till now been considered impossible to combine application of reflex films with printing of plastisol inks because the inks did not adhere to the reflex films, but peeled or rapidly flaked in use.

Therefore, where it was desired to apply patterns, e.g.

letters, in reflex films, it has been necessary to resort to punching or cutting these from the transfer film and then applying the individual pieces separately, which is very cumbersome.

This problem is solved by the method of the invention, it having surprisingly been found possible to make plastisol inks adhere firmly to both reflex films and textiles, thus permitting production of durable patterns comprising highly light-reflecting areas defined by inked areas. Further, according to the invention, it has been found possible to provide combined plastisol reflex transfers by which patterns of the above-mentioned type can be transferred in one step to textiles or the like by heat application.

In the process of the invention, first a plastisol transfer is produced by printing a desired pattern in mirror-inverted fashion with plastisol ink on a suitable substrate, preferably silicone or wax treated paper, by a suitable printing method, preferably silk-screen printing, and the method is characterized in that said plastisol transfer is coated with an elastonler granulate of a type compatible with the plastisol ink and with the surface layer of a reflex transfer film, and the granulate is fused into the plastisol print by heating, following which a reflex transfer film cut to the contour of the pattern is positioned with the reflecting i side inwards against the elastomer treated plastisol Sprint and adhered to it by brief heating under a que t-i I -i 4 -4pressure just keeping the layers together to form a combined plastisol reflex transfer, which is finally transferred to the textile or the like by conventional heat application, or the cut reflex transfer film is first applied to the textile or the like with the reflecting side outwards by normal heat activation, and the elastomer treated plastisol print is subsequently applied on top of the reflex film by conventional heat application.

The combined plastisol reflex transfer of the invention is characterised in that it consists of a substrate, preferably silicone or wax treated paper, which carries a desired pattern printed in mirrorinverted fashion with plastisol ink and an overlying reflex transfer film cut to the contour of the pattern with the reflecting side inwards against the plastisol print and anchored to it by means of a fused elastomer of a type which is compatible with both the plastisol ink and the surface layer '5 of the reflex transfer film.

For the purpose of the invention, there may advantageously be used plastisol ink which consists of at least 60% by weight of plasticized PVC dissolved in high-boiling organic solvents with usual additions, notably pigment, e.g. the one marketed by Farbenfabrik Proll GmbH Co.

under the name of "Tex-Ink" or the one marketed by Sericol Group Ltd. under the name of "Texopaque OP", or the one marketed by Union Ink on a licence from John T. Keep Sons Ltd, under the name of "Ultrasoft Plus 1000".

Expediently, an elastomeric granulate on the basis of polyacrylic amide is used, optionally with incorporated PVC, e.g. the one 5 marketed by CHT Group of Companies under the name of "Tubitrans Elastomelt", or the one marketed by KISSEL WOLF GmbH under the name of "Kiwomelt".

j gr/453r WO 88/08793 PCT/DK88/00076 5 As a reflex film for the purpose of the invention may be used both films with micro glass beads and films with micro prisms and of both open, semi-open, closed and capsule types, preferably as reflex transfer films with a heat activated adhesive. Highly elastic reflex transfer films of the glass bead type are particularly useful in connection with flexible textiles. Special examples of useful reflex transfer films are the one marketed by Unitika Sparklite Ltd. under the designation of "MR 3501", those marketed by 3M Corp. under the name of "Scotchlite" 8700 Series, and those marketed by Reflexite Corp. under the designations of "AP 1000 HA" and "IRE HA".

Fusing of the elastomeric granulate into the plastisol print by the method of the invention is usually performed in a heating furnace, e.g. and infrared heating furnace in which the granulate is heated to 130 to 200 0 C, preferably about 1800C.

In one embodiment of the method of the invention the reflex transfer film is adhered to the elastomer-treated plastisol print by heating the superimposed layers to 130 to 1800°C, preferably about 160°C, under a very slight pressure which just serves to keep the layers together, for 2 to 10 seconds, preferably about seconds. This heating may e.g. be performed in an ordinary heat press to transfer plastisol transfers to textiles, but just under the pressure of the own weight of the heat plate.

The reflex transfer film may be handled particularly conveniently during its cutting to the contour of the pattern and application to the elastomer treated plastisol transfer in that the reflex transfer film, in contrast to what is usually the case, is provided with a carrier of silicone or wax treated paper on the adhesive i----m*IR1 WO 88/08793 PCT/DK88/00076 6 -6 side. The advantage is that the resulting plastisol reflex transfer is provided with a protective coating of silicone or wax treated paper which is peeled off prior to-heat application to textile or the like.

The invention will be illustrated more fully by the following example.

EXAMPLE 1 A desired pattern is printed in a silk screen printing machine in mirror-inverted fashion on silicone paper with plastisol ink of the brand "Tex-Ink", marketed by Farbenfabrik Pr6ll GmbH Co. Printing is effected for a number of times corresponding to the number of inks in the pattern.

Before the ink layer dries, the paper is run through a vessel with elastomer granulate of the brand "Tubitrans Elastomelt" with a 95S fineness, marketed by CHT Group of Companies, so that the ink will be coated with granulate. Then the paper is shaken so that excess powder disappears.

The plastisol transfer with applied granulate is then run through an infrared heating furnace on a conveyor belt with a distance to the radiating elements of about cm and a temperature of these of 340 to 350 0 C, which 30 should give a temperature in the granulate of about 180 0 C. Time of residence about 20 seconds.

Then a reflex transfer film of the brand "Unitika MR 3501" marketed by Unitika Sparklite Ltd., is cut in a suitable format corresponding to or slightly smaller than the contour of the plastisol pattern. The elastomer S treated plastisol transfer is inserted in a heat press WO 88/08793 PCT/DK88/00076 7 with the ink side upwards, and the cut reflex transfer film is applied with the reflex side downwards against the plastisol print. High lustre wax paper is placed on top of the assembly., and then the heat plate wit.ha temperature of about 160 0 C is applied to the paper with a pressure which just corresponds to its own weight for about 5 seconds. Then the transfer with the high lustre paper is removed and is allowed to cool quite briefly, following which the high lustre paper is removed.

This provides a plastisol reflex transfer accordii.g to the invention.

When this is transferred to textile in the heat press at a temperature of 160 to 180 0 C and a pressure of about 500 kPa for 15 to 20 seconds, the result is a textile with a firmly adhered and durable pattern comprising highly light-reflecting areas defined by inked areas.

EXAMPLE 2 The procedure of Example 1 is repeated, except that a reflex transfer film of the brand "Scotchlite 8710" marketed by 3M Corp. is substituted for the "Unitika MR 3501" film.

When the plastisol reflex transfer is transferred to textile as described in Example 1, the result is a textile with a firmly adhered and durable pattern having 30 an even better resistance to dry cleaning.

Claims

1. A method of decorating textiles or other, preferably flexible, materials with patterns comprising highly light-reflecting areas defined by inked areas, wherein first a plastisol transfer is produced by printing a desired pattern in mirror-inverted fashion with plastisol ink on a suitable substrate, preferably silicone or wax treated paper, by a suitable printing method, preferably silk screen printing, characterized in that said plastisol transfer is coated with an elastomer granulate of a type compatible with the plastisol ink and with the surface layer of a reflex transfer film (as hereinbefore described), and the granulate is fused into the plastisol print by heating, following which a reflex transfer film (as hereinbefore described) cut to the contour of the pattern is positioned with the reflecting side inwards against the elastomer treated plastisol print and adhered to it by brief heating under a pressure just keeping the layers together to form a combined plastisol reflex transfer, which is finally transferred to the textile or the like by conventional heat application, or the cut reflex transfer film is first applied to the textile or the like with the reflecting side outwards by normal heat activation, and the elastomer treated plastisol print is subsequently *20 applied on top of the reflex film by conventional heat application.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by using a plastisol ink which consists of at least 60% by weight of plasticized polyvinyl chloride dissolved in high-boiling organic solvents with usual additions, notably pigment. 5

3. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by using an elastomer granulate on the basis of polyacrylic amide, optionally with incorporated polyvinyl chloride.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims characterized by using a reflex transfer film of the glass bead type or prism (cube-corner) type with a heat activated adhesive.

5. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastomer granulate is fused into the plastisol print by heating to 130 to 300 0 C, preferably about 180*C.

6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reflex transfer film is adhered to the elastomer treated plastisol print by heating the superimposed layers to 130 to 180 0 C, preferably about 160°C, under a very slight pressure which just serves to i keep the layers together, for 2 to 10 seconds, preferably about 5 seconds. ~I i i-l( -LL-IIILII-. i.i-i I oSe' S i I 9

7. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that for application to the elastomer treated plastisol print the reflex transfer film has been provided with a carrier of silicone or wax treated paper on the adhesive side, and that said paper is peeled off the resulting .,Vlastisol. reflex transfer prior to application thereof to the textile.

8. A combined plastisol reflex transfer for decoration of textiles or other, preferably flexible, materials by application of heat, characterized in that it consists of a substrate, preferably silicone or wax treated paper, which carries a desired pattern printed in mirror- 10 inverted fashion with plastisol ink and an overlying reflex transfer film S (as hereinbefore described) cut to the contour of the pattern with the reflecting side inwards against the plastisol print and anchored to it by means of a fused elastomer of a type which is compatible with both the plastisol ink and the surface layer of the reflex transfer film,

9. A transfer according to claim 8, characterized in that the plastisol ink used consists of at least 60% by weight of plasticized polyvinyl chloride dissolved in high-boiling organic solvents with usual additions, notably pigment.

10. A transfer according to either of claims 8 or 9, characterized '20 in that the anchoring elastomer is based on polyacrylic amide, optionally with incorporated polyvinyl chloride.

11. A transfer according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized S in that the reflex transfer film is of the glass bead type or prism (cube- S corner) type with a heat activated adhesive. 25

12. A transfer according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that on the upwardly facing adhesive side of the reflex transfer film it is provided with a coating of silicone or wax treated paper, which is peeled off prior to the heat application to textile or the like.

13. A method of decorating textiles or other, preferably flexible material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to either one of the Examples.

14. A combined plastisol reflex transfer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to either one of the Examples. s 0 S0 S S DATED this TWENTY FIFTH day of SEPTEMBER 1990 Reflex Promotion A/S Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT international Application No PCT/DK88/00076 I1. CLASSIFICATION OF SUBJEC.T MATTER (it several claxhific3tion symbols apply, indicate all) According to International Patent Ciassification (IPC) ortto both National Classification and IPC 14 B 41 M 3/12, B 144 C 1/16 11. FIELDS SEARCHED Minimum Documentation Searched Classification System Clasaification Symbols IPC 14 iB 41 M 3/12; B '41 F 16/00-/02; B 144 F 1/00-/02; B 414 C 1/16-/175; B 32 B 7/014; D o6 P 1/52, 5/00-/02; ID 06 Q 1/00, /04.1. Documentation Searched other than Minimum Documentation to the Extent that such Documents are tncluded In the Fields Searched SE, NO, DK, FI classes as above Ill. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT' Category Citation of Document. I' with Indication, where appropriate, of the releant Passage@ "3 Relevant to Claim No. 13 A FR, Al, 2 442 721 (LELLOUCHE) 27 June 1980 A WO, Al, P)/oo1462 CERADSHAW) March 1980 A GB, A, 2 1143 180 (VERNON CARTER) 6 February 1985 A GB, A, 2 090 791 (JIN AN IND CO LTD) 21 July 1982 A US, A, 2 6146 3614 (FORTH) 21 July 1953 A WO, Al, 81/00825 (jOHNS-MANVILLE CORP) 2 April 1981 *Special categories of cited documents! 10 later document pubtished after the International filingi date Or priority date and not In conflict with the application but document defining the general state of the art which ie not cited to undesrstand the principle or theory underlying the considered to be of particular relevance invention "Ell earlier document but published on or aftar the international "X"I document of particular relevance; the claimed invention filin datecannot be considered novel of cannot be considered to "Ll' docuinient which may throw doubts on priority claim(s) or Involve an Inventive step whi chI is cited to estabish the publication date of another doumn of pcrticutar relevance: fte claimed invention citation or other special reason %pecified) cannot be considered to Involve at) Inventive step when the document referring to an oral disclosure, usee, exhibition Of document Is combined with one or more other much docu. other meana ments, auch combination being obvious to a person skilled "fel document published prior to the International filing d&gto but In the art. later then the priority date claimad document member of the same patent family IV. CERTIFICATION Date of the Actual Completion of the International Search DOW of Mailing of this International Search Report

1988-07-11 191-7 International Semrching Authr~rity Signature of Authorlieg-OftieL.. Swedishi Patent Office Hn Peerson Form PCTIISA21O 4'second sheet) (January 1995) I 1 International Application No. PCT/DK88/00076 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTINUED FROM THE SECOND SHEET Fields searched (cont) I.,ernetione, ADotceton No. PCT/DK88/00076 US Cl 156: 230-233, 2 3 8-241, 277; 437: 145-153 V.D OBSERVATIONS WHERE CERTAIN CLAIMS WERE FOUND UNSEARCHABLE I This international search report has not been eatablilhed in respect of certain claims under Article 17(2) for the following reasons: Claim because they relate to subject matter not required to be earched by this Authority, namely: 2.[M Claim because they relate to parts of the international application that do not comply with the prescribed require- ments to such an .'xtent that no meaningful international search can be carried out, specIfically: Caim becaus they are dependent dilms and are not iirted in acco'dance with th second and third entenos of PCT Rule 6.4(a). VI.Q OBSERVATIONSWHERE UNITY OF INVENTION IS LACKING ^,r This International Searching Authority found multiple inventions In this international application as follows: As all required additional search fees were timely paid by the applicant, this International search report covers all searchable claims of the International application. 2.e As only some of the required additional search fees were timely paid by the applicant, this International earch report covers only those claims of the International application for which fees were paid, specifically claims: &L0 No required additional search fees were timely paid by the applicant. Consequently, this International search report Is restricted to the Invention first mentioned In the clalms; It is covered by claim numbers: As all searchable claims could be searched without eflort justifying an additionlt fee, the International Searching Authority did not invite payment of any additional fee, Remark on Protest SThe additional search fees were accompanied by applicant's protest. E No protest accompanied the payment of additional search (es. I Form PCTIISAlO (supplemental sheet (January 1985)