CA2008586A1 - Decals and processes for transfer of images to substrates - Google Patents
Decals and processes for transfer of images to substratesInfo
- Publication number
- CA2008586A1 CA2008586A1 CA 2008586 CA2008586A CA2008586A1 CA 2008586 A1 CA2008586 A1 CA 2008586A1 CA 2008586 CA2008586 CA 2008586 CA 2008586 A CA2008586 A CA 2008586A CA 2008586 A1 CA2008586 A1 CA 2008586A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- paper
- image
- plastic film
- substrate
- applying
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
- B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
- B44C1/00—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects
- B44C1/16—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like
- B44C1/165—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like for decalcomanias; sheet material therefor
- B44C1/175—Transfer using solvent
- B44C1/1758—Decalcomanias applied under pressure only, e.g. provided with a pressure sensitive layer
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
- B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
- B44C1/00—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects
- B44C1/16—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like
- B44C1/165—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like for decalcomanias; sheet material therefor
- B44C1/175—Transfer using solvent
- B44C1/1756—Decalcomanias applied under heat and pressure, e.g. provided with a heat activable adhesive
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Decals and process for transfer of images to substrates. A paper base is provided, of which at least one side has been sized and one side only has been treated with pigmented adhesive coating, whereby the pores throughout essentially the whole of the paper's cross section have been filled and the coating and the paper firmly bonded together. The uncoated side is not substantially porous and is essentially free from filler material. An image and a plastic film, in either order, are applied on the non-coated surface and not penetrating the same, the said paper when wet being easily releasable from the film/image, from which it may be removed in essentially one piece or a few large pieces, thanks to the bonding effect of the sizing and the pigmented coating.
The resulting decal can be applied to substrates in various ways.
Decals and process for transfer of images to substrates. A paper base is provided, of which at least one side has been sized and one side only has been treated with pigmented adhesive coating, whereby the pores throughout essentially the whole of the paper's cross section have been filled and the coating and the paper firmly bonded together. The uncoated side is not substantially porous and is essentially free from filler material. An image and a plastic film, in either order, are applied on the non-coated surface and not penetrating the same, the said paper when wet being easily releasable from the film/image, from which it may be removed in essentially one piece or a few large pieces, thanks to the bonding effect of the sizing and the pigmented coating.
The resulting decal can be applied to substrates in various ways.
Description
DECALS AND PROCESSES FOR
TRANSFER_OF IMAGES TO S~BSTRATES
B~CKGROUND
Traditionally, the transEers of images, or, as they are known within the industry, decals, are oE two types:
those which have a dry release and those which have a wet release. This invention is related to decals wlth wet release. Those which are available in the market, have an image printed on a paper which has previously betn covered with a layer soluble in water. When the decal is soalced with water and pressed on a substrate, on the surface of which the image is to appear, this layer dissolves and becomes so~t, so that the paper may be removed, usually by sliding or lifting, leaving the image on the deslred surface.
The paper on which the image is printed i8 known as a wet release decal paper, normally made up of a paper of good quality which is coa~ed with a water soluble emulsion, e.g " starch and gum. The paper may have been specially treated in order to neutralize contraction and expan~ion due to metereological condi~tions. The coated paper is known as a "simplex" paper. If it is made to adhere to another paper, it becomes a stronger klnd o decai paper, known as a ~duplex" paper.
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38S~i The image may be printed on the decal paper with known methods, such as printing, copying or drawin~
directly or in reverse, depending on the final surface.
Normallv, the printer begins by application of a coat of lacqueJ or varnish on the decal paper surace.
Thereafter, he prints the image on the lacquer. Insteacl of printing directly on the decal paper, the ima(3e cou~d also be transferred from another paper, on which it had been applied with known methods. Normally, the decal is applied on the desired substrate with the use of an adhesive, varnish, emulsion or solution of special kind, etc. Before applying the decal, it is submerged in water for a short while, whereaEter the decal is applied in it~.
exact position and the paper is .slid of~. The sliding-oEE
results from the dissolution in water of the decal's water soluble layer.
As a variation, a decal paper is also made with a lacquer or varnish coat already ovee the water soluble layer. On this type o decal paper, lt is possible to print directly on the coat of lacquer or varnish.
A transfer resulting from a decal on which the image has been applied directly on the decal paper surface is called a "direct ~rans~er." On the other hand, i-~ the decal has an image which has been tran~Eerred from another paper, on which it was originally applied, the tranqfer to the substrate is called an indirect transfer.
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Dry release ~ecal papers, rather than coating the paper with a water soluble layer, re]y on a coatin~ o a dry release material such as silicone, polyethylene, or other material that has little affinity for the layer of lacque on which the image i~s to be printed or tran.sferred. ~fter application o the ima~e to the fin~l substrate, the paper backing o~ the decal is strip~-d o~E
with the dry release layer adhering to it.
The foregoing description i.s largely directe~l to decals carrying images and made in Eactories to be ~rold to users who effect the final transEer to a substrat~ ch users may be producers of consumer products, e.g., T-shirts, or producers of metal or pla~stic items onto which instructions, labels or decorations are to he applied by decal, or hobbiests or artists who transfer to canvas, cloth, ceramics, wood or metal. Th~ ulti~ate user, however, may be involved in part of the manufacture oE the decal itself, particularly in indirectly transferring a picture or other image first to the coated wet releaae decal paper or tlle dry release decal paper to form ~he decal ltself, and then in transferring s~me to the substrate.
In addition to the usual wet release paper caerying a water-so1ub1e~coating of, e.g., dextrine, starch and/or ~um, which acts as a release layer when wetted, it has . ~
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been suggested to use conventional coated papers, in which the paper is first sized, as with starch, then a coating comprising adhesive binders, pigments such as clay, casein or other ~illers, is coated on one or both sides oE the paper. ,uch papees are designed for printing on the coated side resulting in high-gloss printing suitable ~or magazine covers and art reproduc~ionx. When use(~ a w~
release decal paper, the coating serves to minimi~
penetration of the image into the paper, and on we~ting acts to release the paper from the Eilm carrylng the image. See Edwards U.S. Patent 3,334,003: Morgan ~?t al.
U.S. Patent 3,350,2~4.
A transfer utilizing a clay (and/or other pigment) coated paper sometimes works well i~ the coating is easily removed with water, as long as the transfer is indirect and to an opaque surface. However, if transparency is requiredl or the transfer is direct, the film carrying the transferred image must be thoroughly cleaned. This ls due to the fact that not only does the image transfer, but also part of the clay and binder coating on which the image was originally printed. Sometimes even a portion of the paper fibers and pigmentation may transfer. ~11 oE
this results in a transferred image which is obscured by a semi-opaque white layer. Normally, it is not pos.slble to clean away this layer with water only, and a more potent ` ~ -. . , . . . :
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200~sa6 only, and a more potent solution is requieed. Sodiurn hydroxide may be utilized for this task, as is ment~oned in some of the patent descriptions reEerring to ~such transfers.
TH E I NVENT I ON
The present invention utill~.es a dry paper ~heet base in which the pores of the paper have been ~illed with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous, i.e., the pores thereof have be~n substantially sealed, but said surface is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque fitler material. ~ pla~stic film is applied to said non-porou~s sur~ace, but does not penetrate the same, even if the film is applied as an aqueous emulsion of a film-foeming polymer or in other liquid form and then solidified, because of the ~act that the pores of the paper have been Eilled. An image to be transferred is applied either on said non-porou~s paper sur~ace before applying the plasttc film, or on the plastic ~ilm after it has been applied, or both. Tlle paper when wetted is easily releasable from the ~i]m and image(s). ; ~
A convenient way oE providing the paper sheet base is to subject a bond paper, or preferably a somewhat ~ .
harder paper, to coating only on one side with an~
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TRANSFER_OF IMAGES TO S~BSTRATES
B~CKGROUND
Traditionally, the transEers of images, or, as they are known within the industry, decals, are oE two types:
those which have a dry release and those which have a wet release. This invention is related to decals wlth wet release. Those which are available in the market, have an image printed on a paper which has previously betn covered with a layer soluble in water. When the decal is soalced with water and pressed on a substrate, on the surface of which the image is to appear, this layer dissolves and becomes so~t, so that the paper may be removed, usually by sliding or lifting, leaving the image on the deslred surface.
The paper on which the image is printed i8 known as a wet release decal paper, normally made up of a paper of good quality which is coa~ed with a water soluble emulsion, e.g " starch and gum. The paper may have been specially treated in order to neutralize contraction and expan~ion due to metereological condi~tions. The coated paper is known as a "simplex" paper. If it is made to adhere to another paper, it becomes a stronger klnd o decai paper, known as a ~duplex" paper.
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38S~i The image may be printed on the decal paper with known methods, such as printing, copying or drawin~
directly or in reverse, depending on the final surface.
Normallv, the printer begins by application of a coat of lacqueJ or varnish on the decal paper surace.
Thereafter, he prints the image on the lacquer. Insteacl of printing directly on the decal paper, the ima(3e cou~d also be transferred from another paper, on which it had been applied with known methods. Normally, the decal is applied on the desired substrate with the use of an adhesive, varnish, emulsion or solution of special kind, etc. Before applying the decal, it is submerged in water for a short while, whereaEter the decal is applied in it~.
exact position and the paper is .slid of~. The sliding-oEE
results from the dissolution in water of the decal's water soluble layer.
As a variation, a decal paper is also made with a lacquer or varnish coat already ovee the water soluble layer. On this type o decal paper, lt is possible to print directly on the coat of lacquer or varnish.
A transfer resulting from a decal on which the image has been applied directly on the decal paper surface is called a "direct ~rans~er." On the other hand, i-~ the decal has an image which has been tran~Eerred from another paper, on which it was originally applied, the tranqfer to the substrate is called an indirect transfer.
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Dry release ~ecal papers, rather than coating the paper with a water soluble layer, re]y on a coatin~ o a dry release material such as silicone, polyethylene, or other material that has little affinity for the layer of lacque on which the image i~s to be printed or tran.sferred. ~fter application o the ima~e to the fin~l substrate, the paper backing o~ the decal is strip~-d o~E
with the dry release layer adhering to it.
The foregoing description i.s largely directe~l to decals carrying images and made in Eactories to be ~rold to users who effect the final transEer to a substrat~ ch users may be producers of consumer products, e.g., T-shirts, or producers of metal or pla~stic items onto which instructions, labels or decorations are to he applied by decal, or hobbiests or artists who transfer to canvas, cloth, ceramics, wood or metal. Th~ ulti~ate user, however, may be involved in part of the manufacture oE the decal itself, particularly in indirectly transferring a picture or other image first to the coated wet releaae decal paper or tlle dry release decal paper to form ~he decal ltself, and then in transferring s~me to the substrate.
In addition to the usual wet release paper caerying a water-so1ub1e~coating of, e.g., dextrine, starch and/or ~um, which acts as a release layer when wetted, it has . ~
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.
.
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been suggested to use conventional coated papers, in which the paper is first sized, as with starch, then a coating comprising adhesive binders, pigments such as clay, casein or other ~illers, is coated on one or both sides oE the paper. ,uch papees are designed for printing on the coated side resulting in high-gloss printing suitable ~or magazine covers and art reproduc~ionx. When use(~ a w~
release decal paper, the coating serves to minimi~
penetration of the image into the paper, and on we~ting acts to release the paper from the Eilm carrylng the image. See Edwards U.S. Patent 3,334,003: Morgan ~?t al.
U.S. Patent 3,350,2~4.
A transfer utilizing a clay (and/or other pigment) coated paper sometimes works well i~ the coating is easily removed with water, as long as the transfer is indirect and to an opaque surface. However, if transparency is requiredl or the transfer is direct, the film carrying the transferred image must be thoroughly cleaned. This ls due to the fact that not only does the image transfer, but also part of the clay and binder coating on which the image was originally printed. Sometimes even a portion of the paper fibers and pigmentation may transfer. ~11 oE
this results in a transferred image which is obscured by a semi-opaque white layer. Normally, it is not pos.slble to clean away this layer with water only, and a more potent ` ~ -. . , . . . :
. .
:
200~sa6 only, and a more potent solution is requieed. Sodiurn hydroxide may be utilized for this task, as is ment~oned in some of the patent descriptions reEerring to ~such transfers.
TH E I NVENT I ON
The present invention utill~.es a dry paper ~heet base in which the pores of the paper have been ~illed with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous, i.e., the pores thereof have be~n substantially sealed, but said surface is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque fitler material. ~ pla~stic film is applied to said non-porou~s sur~ace, but does not penetrate the same, even if the film is applied as an aqueous emulsion of a film-foeming polymer or in other liquid form and then solidified, because of the ~act that the pores of the paper have been Eilled. An image to be transferred is applied either on said non-porou~s paper sur~ace before applying the plasttc film, or on the plastic ~ilm after it has been applied, or both. Tlle paper when wetted is easily releasable from the ~i]m and image(s). ; ~
A convenient way oE providing the paper sheet base is to subject a bond paper, or preferably a somewhat ~ .
harder paper, to coating only on one side with an~
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adhesive, or with an adhesive plus pigments as is customary in preparing coated papers.
Before such application of coating, the pa~er is ordinarily si~ed to improve water resistance. Si7Jing may be int~rnal, i.e., the sizing, such as rosin and alum, is mixed with the paper fibers before formation o the web.
Other materials may also be mixed with the fibers, .such as starch and pi~ments. or the siæing may be externally applied, as by treating one or both sides o~ the web with starch or other gums, e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, gu.~r gurns, that are water-soluble or readlly water-dispersible.
Opaque materials that are not water-soluble or di~peesib]e should not be used on the side to which the plastic ~ilm is to be applied. The sizing material, internally or externally applied, will to some extent fill or .qeal pore~, in the paper surace, but after sizing the paper wlll still be somewhat porous.
The coating applied on only one side may be ju~st an adhesive binder material, such as water-soluble binders, e g., starches, or protein~ from milk tcasein) or soybeans, or s~ch as latex binders, e.~., styrene~butadiene, polyvinyl acetate, or acrylic latices.
Preferably mineral pigments are admixed wlth binder to provide the coating. Clay~is the least expensive pigment and is almost aIways used. The other most commonly used pigments are calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide.
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Sizing and coating operations and materials clre well-known in the paper-making art. ~ee: "Paper and Paperboard-Manufacturing and Converting Fundamentals, n James E. Kline, Miller Freeman Pul)]ications, Inc., san Francisco, pp. 127-150-.
As the coating is applied to the one side oE the paper, the coating ingeedients penetrate the pores of the paper to a sufficient extent that the pores of the opposite, non-coated side are substantially sealed giving a non-porous surface. The coated side will be glo..sy while the uncoated side will be dull. Unless amount:s and/or pressure not customary in paper making woul-l be used in preparing the coated side, the pores of the paper are filled but the surface o~ the uncoated side is essentially free Erom the filler material. It ;s postulated that the paper àcts as a filter that limits the passaye of materials to the other .side, and that the non-coated surface somehow act.s as a barrier to limit passage through the surace to the outside. When a plastic film is applied to the uncoated side it adlleres to the paper but does not penetrate, and the paper when wetted is easily separated from the f~ilm.~
When I say that tile poees of the paper are filled, .~
or that the pores on the non-coate~side are sealed, or that the non-coated side is non-porous, this is not meant ` ~ ~ 7 : . .
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in the absolute sense, but in the fllnctional sense that this is sufficiently so to prevent the applied acrylic emulsion or other l quid Eorm of polymer (that on drying will form a plastic film) from penetrating to such an extent ls;to prevent a rapid release of wetted paper from film. A solution of film-orming p~lymer has a considerable viscosity, so that filling or sealln~ o~
pores such that substantial penetration of the uncoated surface will be inhibited will still allow watee, with a much lower viscosity, to penetrate quickly when thl~ pape~
is wetted It is perhaps theoretically possible to apply ju.~t enough filler material (si7e, pigment, adhesive) to fill the pores and leave none on either side of the paper. or one could use an excess then scrape the surface to remove the eXcess, though this would be expensive and likely to leave residual filler material on the surface or damage the paper. However, the pore-fil.liny proceduee is forgiving, and it i9 preferred and gives reproducible results to leave the coating. The coating of the one s~de, oppos~te to the side onto whlch the plastic fi].m is to be applied, serve~s another, important purpose. By ;~
being solidly bonded to the surface of the paper hy the sizing and the adhesive holding the coating pigments tif any) together, it reinforces the paper`~and makes it -possible to remove it in one or a few large pieces, rather than in small pieces, when the plastic film and the paper are being separated from each other. This is very important to the practicality of a decal.
A feature of my invention is that the surface o~
the uncoated side of the paper is essentially ~ree ~rom ~iller material. Mineral pigments are opaque and - water-insoluble. If present on the sueface to which the plastic ~ilm is applied, sufEicient pigment will adhere to the film, when the paper has been wetted and liEted, to cover the ~ilm or to create areas or blotches on the film which will disfigure the image when positionéd on the substrate. Material on the surEace that is trans~larent when dry, or that is water-soluble and thus largely or completely dissolved when the paper is wetted anA
separated and thus carried away with the paper or wiped off when the separated ~ilm is dried, is not a problem; an example would be starch sizing that might adhere to the surface.
The plastic film is applied to the non-coated side o~ tl~Q p~per ~ a~ ~n ~qu~oug ~mul8i~n oE a ~ilm-~ormlny - polymer, e.g., an acrylic emulsion, or a polyvinyl chloride emulsion including emulsions of vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer. Or a lacquer with an organic solvent base may be used. The liquid in any case , ' , :
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is allowed to dry in air, or with the aid of heat, to rorrn a solid film, usually accompanied by curin~, i.e., polymerizing or cross-linking.
A water emulsion of acrylic polymer has proved to work well in forming the plastic film. The emulsion may have a solids content of say 40 to 50%, dispersed in w.~ter with the aid of a suitable nonionic emulsifier. ~ very small amount of suitable de~oaming agent that prevents formation of bubbles or the so called "orange peel" eEfect as the coating dries should be added to the polyml~r. One commercial product is Rhoplex AC-33 (Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA), an aqueous emulsion of an acrylic polymer having a ~solid~; content of 46 to 47 percent, a p~ of 9 4 to 9.9, a weight per gallon o 8.9 pounds, and a minimum Eilm-formation temperature oE 9 C.
Rhoplex B-60A is also suitable.
~ lternatively, a thln pre-ormed plastic ~ilm --say 1 to 5 mils in thickness - such as a vinyl or polyurethane film, may be laminated to the non-coated side of the paper with the aid of an adhesive and/or heat and/or pr es su re.
When one is laminating with heat and pressu~e a `: :
pre-formed plastic film to the non-porous side o~ the coated paper, a protective sheèt is placed between the heat source~(such as a domestic iron) and the paper. I
have found that if a release paper, such as a silicone ., , 1 0 , ~ ; ~
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release paper, is used as the protective sheet, uncontrollable bubbles appear in the laminate. U.se of ~
very open (porous) paper, such as tissue paper or a pap~r napkin, as the protective sheet, avoids this by permitting ventilation of the gases created by the heat. The temperature and ironing time are kept within limits (readily determined in any given case by simple experiment), so as to prevent the plastic Eilm from becoming liquid, as it then under the heat and pre~sl~re penetrates even the otherwise substantially non-poro~s surface of the paper sheet base to such an extent it is not possible to separate the two.
One skilled in the art, having been given the benefit of the present disclosure, can readily cletermine by simple experiment suitable combinations of paperl filler material and plastic ~ilm that will provide ready release on wetting.
The image may be applied directly to the non~coated side beore application of the plastic film, as by painting, letterpress printing, xerographic printing including the new so-called laser color printers, or in any other manner. Alternatively, the image may be similarly applied to the plastic Eilm. OE course more than one image may be applied, and this normally occurs ln color printlng. Images maY also be applied both ~o ~he paper and to the plastic film. IE a pre-formed film is to be lamlnated to the non~coated side of the paper, it could carry image(s) on either or both sides.
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The ima~e(s) can be transferred to the desired substrate in a number of difEerent ways. In any event, the paper will be wetted, conveniently by soaking in water for a short time (from less than one minute to abo~t ~ive minutes). The film plus wetted paper can be readily manipulated, yet they separate very easily. The wette(l paper can be peeled (lifted) ofE more or less intact. I
have found that this separation occurs not only more cleanly but also more rapidly than in the case where the film is applied on the coated side of the paper.
In one procedure, the decal sandwich is w~ted, ~he paper removed, and the film-plus-image applied to the substrate. In another procedure, the wetted decal is applied to the substrate (p]astic film against the substrate) and the paper then removed. In another procedure, the dry decal is applied to the substrate, then the paper base wetted and removed.
In all Oe the applications, it is permissible and o~ten desirable to utili~e adhesives b~tween layers, e.g., between paper and image, paper and pla.stic film, plastic film/image and substrate.
i DRAWI~GS
The drawings are ampli~ied diagramatic cross-sections of various decals and parts thereof, illu~strating ~ various aspects of the invention.
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Figure I shows a dry paper whose pores have been filled as a consequence of applying a coating on one surface, the other surface be;ng non-porous and Eree ~rom filler.
Figure II shows the same, with a plastic film on the non-coa~ed side of the paper.
Figure III shows the paper of Figure I, with fir!;t an image and then a plastic film applled over the ima~e and not penetrating the non-porous surEace o~ the paper.
Fi~ure IV is in a sense the reverse oE ~l~u~e ~rl, with the plastic ilm applied first and then the ima~e.
Figure V shows the decal of Figure III, wlth the wetted paper base being pulled away ~rom the film/image layer.
~ igure VI shows the decal oE Figure IV beinq applied to a substrate, with the wetted paper base being lifted from the film/image layer.
FIgure VII shows the decal oE Figure III, wllh the film/image layer transferred to an intermediate transfer sheet, the wetted paper base of the Figure III dec~l being 11fted from the ilm/image layer.
Figure VIII shows the film/image layer on an intermediate transfer sheet as sbown in Figure VII, bu~
with the wetted paper base removed and the film~image layer' coveeed with a heat-activated adhesive polyester ~film and an ironing tissue over the~polyester film.
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20~586 Figure IX shows Figure VIII but with the intermediate transfer sheet and the ironin~ tisslle removed Figure X shows the decal oL Figure IX app]ied on a substrate.
It will be appreciated that the Figures are merely diagramatic. In actuality the paper sheets may ran(3e in thickness from simple writing paper to considerably thicker paper boards. The coating, plastic film and image layers are quite thin, ranging from less than a mil (one thousandth of an inch) to several mils, e.g., 5 mil, in thickness.
DETAIL~D DESCRIPTION
Figure I illustrates the preferred paper sheet base used in the invention. Application of a coating (2) of filler mate~ial to one side of a sized paper (1) has caused the pore~s of the paper to be filled without much eÇfect on the uncoated side 3 of the paper, which is now substantially non-porous but essentially ~ree from coating substance. This operation is practiced commercially.
Suitable si~e is, among others, starch, gums and polyvinyl alcohol. ~or the coating, clay, calcium carbonate and `~titanlum dioxide, together witb an adhesive, such as starch, latex, polyvinyl acetate and acrylics, may be ~ ~ used. It is within the skill of the art to choose `~
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2~ 586 formulations and application procedures suitable to prepare papers for use in this invention.
Figure II illustrates the paper o~ Fiyure I, upon the uncoated side (3) of which a plastic ~ilm (4) ha~s been applied Most conveniently this may be done by coating with an emulsion of a Eilm-orming polymer, e.g. r an acrylic emulsion of, say, 40 to 50 weight per cent sol;ds, the remainder being largely water. Such emulsions are available commercially in a great variety o~ formulations in which the particular polymer or mixture of polymers, emulsifiers, plasticizers, air-activated polymeri7.~lti~n catalysts, cross-linking agents, etc. and their concentrations are chosen to give optimum balance oE
properties for various uses. T~e liquid formulatiQn ~ .
quickly dries, in air or with the aid of a heating oven, to a solid plastic film that does not penetrate the non-porous surface of the paper. The paper, when wet with water, is easily releasable from the ~ilm. ~s indicated earlier, other plastics in liquid form may be used, or pre-formed plastlc films may be laminated to the paper surface, normally with the aid of heat and/or adheslve.
Figure III shows the paper of Figure I, upon th~
non-coated side (3) of~wh~ich have been applied, in succession, an image (5) and a plastic ilm ~4).
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plastic film onto which an image has first been applied could also be applied to surface (3) to give a ~ecal represented by Figure III.
In Figure IV, the sandwich o~ Figure II h~s had an image (5~ applied to the plastic film ~4).
In Figures III and IV the ~ilm ~4) and imag~ ~5) are shown as discrete layers. Depending on their natures and thicknesses, in practice they may tend to blend into a film layer in which the components may not appear, even with magnification, to be separate. Figure III ~how.s that if lmage is applied first, the film will tend to E~ll ally interstices and be in direct contact with the paper sueface. In any event, because the pores oE the paper were filled, neither the plastic ~ilm nor the image has penetrated the paper ~urface which, therefore, when w~tted is easiliy releasable Erom both image and plastic fi]m.
If one uses polymer inks for the image and a compatible plastic coating or laminated film, the ink layer may co-polymerize or cross-link with the film or be absoebed therebyt resulting in a plastic film with the image - ~ forming an integral part thereof.
In Figure V, ~the decal sandwlch of Figuee III has been ~oàked briefly in room-temperature water and the paper base (1) is being pulled away from the image and film. The non-porous surface (3) of paper ~1) very easily ` : ~ :
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-~ 8 releases. Coating (2) is shown intact, and in pr~cticewill stay so during the short period required to obtain release. In act, if the coated surface (2) is roll~h~ne(l slightly, the paper gets qulckly saturated with water, and takes on a darker tone. However, it does not disintegrate, and may be removed or lifted off froln the film/image in one piece or a Eew~large pieces. This is due to the fact that the size and pigmented adhesive coating is water resistant to some degree, and keepc: the paper (l) and coated s~rface (2) toyether as one unit, which stays together during the period required ~o obt~in full release between the paper surace (3) and the film~image (4/5). An advantage of my invention i.s t.hat a very short soaking time is required to obtain release sometimes;just a few seconds, and seldom more than a ~ew minutes, e.g., 5 minutes. A prior patent in which image and film are applied on the coated side of a coatecl paper uses 30 minutes of soaking.
The film/image released as shown in Figure V can be dried and applied to a substrate, usually employin~ c~n adhesive. In the case of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or polyurethane~film, it can be adhered to windows or other glass for decoration,~or to a chalkboard in the school room for instruction, solely by clinging to the sur~ace, presumably by electrostatic charges.
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adhesive, or with an adhesive plus pigments as is customary in preparing coated papers.
Before such application of coating, the pa~er is ordinarily si~ed to improve water resistance. Si7Jing may be int~rnal, i.e., the sizing, such as rosin and alum, is mixed with the paper fibers before formation o the web.
Other materials may also be mixed with the fibers, .such as starch and pi~ments. or the siæing may be externally applied, as by treating one or both sides o~ the web with starch or other gums, e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, gu.~r gurns, that are water-soluble or readlly water-dispersible.
Opaque materials that are not water-soluble or di~peesib]e should not be used on the side to which the plastic ~ilm is to be applied. The sizing material, internally or externally applied, will to some extent fill or .qeal pore~, in the paper surace, but after sizing the paper wlll still be somewhat porous.
The coating applied on only one side may be ju~st an adhesive binder material, such as water-soluble binders, e g., starches, or protein~ from milk tcasein) or soybeans, or s~ch as latex binders, e.~., styrene~butadiene, polyvinyl acetate, or acrylic latices.
Preferably mineral pigments are admixed wlth binder to provide the coating. Clay~is the least expensive pigment and is almost aIways used. The other most commonly used pigments are calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide.
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Sizing and coating operations and materials clre well-known in the paper-making art. ~ee: "Paper and Paperboard-Manufacturing and Converting Fundamentals, n James E. Kline, Miller Freeman Pul)]ications, Inc., san Francisco, pp. 127-150-.
As the coating is applied to the one side oE the paper, the coating ingeedients penetrate the pores of the paper to a sufficient extent that the pores of the opposite, non-coated side are substantially sealed giving a non-porous surface. The coated side will be glo..sy while the uncoated side will be dull. Unless amount:s and/or pressure not customary in paper making woul-l be used in preparing the coated side, the pores of the paper are filled but the surface o~ the uncoated side is essentially free Erom the filler material. It ;s postulated that the paper àcts as a filter that limits the passaye of materials to the other .side, and that the non-coated surface somehow act.s as a barrier to limit passage through the surace to the outside. When a plastic film is applied to the uncoated side it adlleres to the paper but does not penetrate, and the paper when wetted is easily separated from the f~ilm.~
When I say that tile poees of the paper are filled, .~
or that the pores on the non-coate~side are sealed, or that the non-coated side is non-porous, this is not meant ` ~ ~ 7 : . .
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in the absolute sense, but in the fllnctional sense that this is sufficiently so to prevent the applied acrylic emulsion or other l quid Eorm of polymer (that on drying will form a plastic film) from penetrating to such an extent ls;to prevent a rapid release of wetted paper from film. A solution of film-orming p~lymer has a considerable viscosity, so that filling or sealln~ o~
pores such that substantial penetration of the uncoated surface will be inhibited will still allow watee, with a much lower viscosity, to penetrate quickly when thl~ pape~
is wetted It is perhaps theoretically possible to apply ju.~t enough filler material (si7e, pigment, adhesive) to fill the pores and leave none on either side of the paper. or one could use an excess then scrape the surface to remove the eXcess, though this would be expensive and likely to leave residual filler material on the surface or damage the paper. However, the pore-fil.liny proceduee is forgiving, and it i9 preferred and gives reproducible results to leave the coating. The coating of the one s~de, oppos~te to the side onto whlch the plastic fi].m is to be applied, serve~s another, important purpose. By ;~
being solidly bonded to the surface of the paper hy the sizing and the adhesive holding the coating pigments tif any) together, it reinforces the paper`~and makes it -possible to remove it in one or a few large pieces, rather than in small pieces, when the plastic film and the paper are being separated from each other. This is very important to the practicality of a decal.
A feature of my invention is that the surface o~
the uncoated side of the paper is essentially ~ree ~rom ~iller material. Mineral pigments are opaque and - water-insoluble. If present on the sueface to which the plastic ~ilm is applied, sufEicient pigment will adhere to the film, when the paper has been wetted and liEted, to cover the ~ilm or to create areas or blotches on the film which will disfigure the image when positionéd on the substrate. Material on the surEace that is trans~larent when dry, or that is water-soluble and thus largely or completely dissolved when the paper is wetted anA
separated and thus carried away with the paper or wiped off when the separated ~ilm is dried, is not a problem; an example would be starch sizing that might adhere to the surface.
The plastic film is applied to the non-coated side o~ tl~Q p~per ~ a~ ~n ~qu~oug ~mul8i~n oE a ~ilm-~ormlny - polymer, e.g., an acrylic emulsion, or a polyvinyl chloride emulsion including emulsions of vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer. Or a lacquer with an organic solvent base may be used. The liquid in any case , ' , :
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is allowed to dry in air, or with the aid of heat, to rorrn a solid film, usually accompanied by curin~, i.e., polymerizing or cross-linking.
A water emulsion of acrylic polymer has proved to work well in forming the plastic film. The emulsion may have a solids content of say 40 to 50%, dispersed in w.~ter with the aid of a suitable nonionic emulsifier. ~ very small amount of suitable de~oaming agent that prevents formation of bubbles or the so called "orange peel" eEfect as the coating dries should be added to the polyml~r. One commercial product is Rhoplex AC-33 (Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA), an aqueous emulsion of an acrylic polymer having a ~solid~; content of 46 to 47 percent, a p~ of 9 4 to 9.9, a weight per gallon o 8.9 pounds, and a minimum Eilm-formation temperature oE 9 C.
Rhoplex B-60A is also suitable.
~ lternatively, a thln pre-ormed plastic ~ilm --say 1 to 5 mils in thickness - such as a vinyl or polyurethane film, may be laminated to the non-coated side of the paper with the aid of an adhesive and/or heat and/or pr es su re.
When one is laminating with heat and pressu~e a `: :
pre-formed plastic film to the non-porous side o~ the coated paper, a protective sheèt is placed between the heat source~(such as a domestic iron) and the paper. I
have found that if a release paper, such as a silicone ., , 1 0 , ~ ; ~
S~
release paper, is used as the protective sheet, uncontrollable bubbles appear in the laminate. U.se of ~
very open (porous) paper, such as tissue paper or a pap~r napkin, as the protective sheet, avoids this by permitting ventilation of the gases created by the heat. The temperature and ironing time are kept within limits (readily determined in any given case by simple experiment), so as to prevent the plastic Eilm from becoming liquid, as it then under the heat and pre~sl~re penetrates even the otherwise substantially non-poro~s surface of the paper sheet base to such an extent it is not possible to separate the two.
One skilled in the art, having been given the benefit of the present disclosure, can readily cletermine by simple experiment suitable combinations of paperl filler material and plastic ~ilm that will provide ready release on wetting.
The image may be applied directly to the non~coated side beore application of the plastic film, as by painting, letterpress printing, xerographic printing including the new so-called laser color printers, or in any other manner. Alternatively, the image may be similarly applied to the plastic Eilm. OE course more than one image may be applied, and this normally occurs ln color printlng. Images maY also be applied both ~o ~he paper and to the plastic film. IE a pre-formed film is to be lamlnated to the non~coated side of the paper, it could carry image(s) on either or both sides.
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The ima~e(s) can be transferred to the desired substrate in a number of difEerent ways. In any event, the paper will be wetted, conveniently by soaking in water for a short time (from less than one minute to abo~t ~ive minutes). The film plus wetted paper can be readily manipulated, yet they separate very easily. The wette(l paper can be peeled (lifted) ofE more or less intact. I
have found that this separation occurs not only more cleanly but also more rapidly than in the case where the film is applied on the coated side of the paper.
In one procedure, the decal sandwich is w~ted, ~he paper removed, and the film-plus-image applied to the substrate. In another procedure, the wetted decal is applied to the substrate (p]astic film against the substrate) and the paper then removed. In another procedure, the dry decal is applied to the substrate, then the paper base wetted and removed.
In all Oe the applications, it is permissible and o~ten desirable to utili~e adhesives b~tween layers, e.g., between paper and image, paper and pla.stic film, plastic film/image and substrate.
i DRAWI~GS
The drawings are ampli~ied diagramatic cross-sections of various decals and parts thereof, illu~strating ~ various aspects of the invention.
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Figure I shows a dry paper whose pores have been filled as a consequence of applying a coating on one surface, the other surface be;ng non-porous and Eree ~rom filler.
Figure II shows the same, with a plastic film on the non-coa~ed side of the paper.
Figure III shows the paper of Figure I, with fir!;t an image and then a plastic film applled over the ima~e and not penetrating the non-porous surEace o~ the paper.
Fi~ure IV is in a sense the reverse oE ~l~u~e ~rl, with the plastic ilm applied first and then the ima~e.
Figure V shows the decal of Figure III, wlth the wetted paper base being pulled away ~rom the film/image layer.
~ igure VI shows the decal oE Figure IV beinq applied to a substrate, with the wetted paper base being lifted from the film/image layer.
FIgure VII shows the decal oE Figure III, wllh the film/image layer transferred to an intermediate transfer sheet, the wetted paper base of the Figure III dec~l being 11fted from the ilm/image layer.
Figure VIII shows the film/image layer on an intermediate transfer sheet as sbown in Figure VII, bu~
with the wetted paper base removed and the film~image layer' coveeed with a heat-activated adhesive polyester ~film and an ironing tissue over the~polyester film.
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20~586 Figure IX shows Figure VIII but with the intermediate transfer sheet and the ironin~ tisslle removed Figure X shows the decal oL Figure IX app]ied on a substrate.
It will be appreciated that the Figures are merely diagramatic. In actuality the paper sheets may ran(3e in thickness from simple writing paper to considerably thicker paper boards. The coating, plastic film and image layers are quite thin, ranging from less than a mil (one thousandth of an inch) to several mils, e.g., 5 mil, in thickness.
DETAIL~D DESCRIPTION
Figure I illustrates the preferred paper sheet base used in the invention. Application of a coating (2) of filler mate~ial to one side of a sized paper (1) has caused the pore~s of the paper to be filled without much eÇfect on the uncoated side 3 of the paper, which is now substantially non-porous but essentially ~ree from coating substance. This operation is practiced commercially.
Suitable si~e is, among others, starch, gums and polyvinyl alcohol. ~or the coating, clay, calcium carbonate and `~titanlum dioxide, together witb an adhesive, such as starch, latex, polyvinyl acetate and acrylics, may be ~ ~ used. It is within the skill of the art to choose `~
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2~ 586 formulations and application procedures suitable to prepare papers for use in this invention.
Figure II illustrates the paper o~ Fiyure I, upon the uncoated side (3) of which a plastic ~ilm (4) ha~s been applied Most conveniently this may be done by coating with an emulsion of a Eilm-orming polymer, e.g. r an acrylic emulsion of, say, 40 to 50 weight per cent sol;ds, the remainder being largely water. Such emulsions are available commercially in a great variety o~ formulations in which the particular polymer or mixture of polymers, emulsifiers, plasticizers, air-activated polymeri7.~lti~n catalysts, cross-linking agents, etc. and their concentrations are chosen to give optimum balance oE
properties for various uses. T~e liquid formulatiQn ~ .
quickly dries, in air or with the aid of a heating oven, to a solid plastic film that does not penetrate the non-porous surface of the paper. The paper, when wet with water, is easily releasable from the ~ilm. ~s indicated earlier, other plastics in liquid form may be used, or pre-formed plastlc films may be laminated to the paper surface, normally with the aid of heat and/or adheslve.
Figure III shows the paper of Figure I, upon th~
non-coated side (3) of~wh~ich have been applied, in succession, an image (5) and a plastic ilm ~4).
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plastic film onto which an image has first been applied could also be applied to surface (3) to give a ~ecal represented by Figure III.
In Figure IV, the sandwich o~ Figure II h~s had an image (5~ applied to the plastic film ~4).
In Figures III and IV the ~ilm ~4) and imag~ ~5) are shown as discrete layers. Depending on their natures and thicknesses, in practice they may tend to blend into a film layer in which the components may not appear, even with magnification, to be separate. Figure III ~how.s that if lmage is applied first, the film will tend to E~ll ally interstices and be in direct contact with the paper sueface. In any event, because the pores oE the paper were filled, neither the plastic ~ilm nor the image has penetrated the paper ~urface which, therefore, when w~tted is easiliy releasable Erom both image and plastic fi]m.
If one uses polymer inks for the image and a compatible plastic coating or laminated film, the ink layer may co-polymerize or cross-link with the film or be absoebed therebyt resulting in a plastic film with the image - ~ forming an integral part thereof.
In Figure V, ~the decal sandwlch of Figuee III has been ~oàked briefly in room-temperature water and the paper base (1) is being pulled away from the image and film. The non-porous surface (3) of paper ~1) very easily ` : ~ :
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-~ 8 releases. Coating (2) is shown intact, and in pr~cticewill stay so during the short period required to obtain release. In act, if the coated surface (2) is roll~h~ne(l slightly, the paper gets qulckly saturated with water, and takes on a darker tone. However, it does not disintegrate, and may be removed or lifted off froln the film/image in one piece or a Eew~large pieces. This is due to the fact that the size and pigmented adhesive coating is water resistant to some degree, and keepc: the paper (l) and coated s~rface (2) toyether as one unit, which stays together during the period required ~o obt~in full release between the paper surace (3) and the film~image (4/5). An advantage of my invention i.s t.hat a very short soaking time is required to obtain release sometimes;just a few seconds, and seldom more than a ~ew minutes, e.g., 5 minutes. A prior patent in which image and film are applied on the coated side of a coatecl paper uses 30 minutes of soaking.
The film/image released as shown in Figure V can be dried and applied to a substrate, usually employin~ c~n adhesive. In the case of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or polyurethane~film, it can be adhered to windows or other glass for decoration,~or to a chalkboard in the school room for instruction, solely by clinging to the sur~ace, presumably by electrostatic charges.
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Figure VI shows the application of the decal o~
~igure IV, wetted, to a substrate (6), which coulcl be glass, ceramic, wood, paper, or any other solid ma~:eria1.
The paper base (l) is shown being peeied away, i.~., lifted, from the filmJimage (4/5) on the substrate (6).
Figure VII show~ a special appllcation o~ ~-hi-invention, used in conjunction with the invention disclosed in my copending Canadian Patent application Serial No. 539,516 filed June 12, 1987.
It is sometimes desirable to u~e an inteem~ .e transfer sheet to carry the ilm/image from a decal o~ th~
present invention to an ultimate use. ~n interme~ te carrier is needed ~henever one wishes to transfer a picture that has been printed ~right.~ By direct application on the substrate, 5uch as in Figure VI, the transferred image will appear in rever.se, i.e., a.~ a mirror image. However, iE it is first tran.sferre~l to a transfer support (~ntermediate carrier), it will appear there in reverse and after re-transfer to the subs~rate, it will be seen right, i.e., as it was printed.
The aforementioned patent application teache~, that a paper sheet base with porous surface may have applied to it a plastic film that will adhere well to the porou.r.
surace and adopt the texture of the same but not .~
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' . . ~ ~-: . ' 20~3~586 penetrate it, and that when the paper sheet base har been saturated with water the adhesion to the plastic ~;lm will be substantially released but they will withstan(l substantial forces in the plane o~ the sheet without causing separation. This allows ready handling oE ~he decal sandwich, yet when it has been applied to the desired substrate the wet paper ~sheet base i~s ea ily lifted from the plastic ilm.
In ~igure VII, the decal o~ ~igure III hls heen soaked in water and pressed with its plastic sheet Cace (4) against the porous sueface (8) ~E a paper Bristo]
board (7), that may be dry or that has been soaked in water. The paper sheet base tl) of the decal oE ~iqure III is being pulled away ~rom its film/image layer, which remains on the surface (8) o paper (7) which thus r.erves as an intermediate transfer sheet. Image (5) now ~ppears on the transfer sheet (7) in reverse. Paper (7) c.lrryin~
film (4) and image (5) can then be used wet, as t~lght in thè aforesaid paten~ application, to apply the fi~m/image to a Qubstrate and the image (5) will appear ~rl~l-t" on the substrate.
It may be mentioned here that instead of usln~ a paper with porous surEace as an intermediate transEer sheet, which when wet will release the transferred film as just described, one may use a one-side coated paper of Figure 1 as an intermediate transfer sheet with the uncoated surace receiving the film to be transferred.
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Figure VIII shows the decal of Figure VII, a~ter the paper ~1) has been removed and the image/f ilm ~ 5/~ ) covered with a heat activated adhesive polye.ster fi].m (9), over which an ironing tissue (10) has been placed.
Figure IX shows Figure VIII after the heat activated adhesive fi].m (9) has been ironed on to tlle image/film (5/4), and the intermed;.ate carrier paper (7), as well as the ironing tissue (10) h~ve been remove~l by .soak.ing in water. Like the decal shown in Figure V, I:h.is one may be used for overhead projectionr an~l wl.l.l clinq to a number of suraces if wetted slightly.
~; Figure X shows the decal of Figure IX appl.ie-l on a substrate (6), such as a T-shirt, the Eilm/image (4/5) firmly adhering to the fabric by mean.s of the heat activated adhesive ilm (9).
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In each of the ~ollowing examples, one of the following two papers was used as the one-side coated paper sheet ba.se: they are similar and give substantially equlvalent results: :
- Kimbeely~Clark 100 gram paper. Sized ~rom both sides with starch. Coated on one side with pigment plus adhesive binder. The white coating pi.gment :
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s~ l is largely clay, with ~mal] amounts oE calcillmcarbonate and titanium dioxide.
- Similar paper from San Rafael S.A. de C.V.
Both oE these papers are made in Mexico and can he purchased on the open market.
Transfers of Pictures Located on Other Papers Example 1: A magazine picture was transferr~ o a wood plaque in the following manner:
a) The picture was cut out with a margin oE 1/~
inch. ~ piece of one-side coated paper in accordance with ~igure 1, intended to serv~? a~
the support sheet Eor the transfer, with a ; margin of 1/2 inch in relatlon to the m~gazine paper was also cut out.
b) The picture and the non-coated side oE the support sheet were each given one coat oE a ~6 solid content acrylic polymer emulsion.
c) Without waiting Eoc the acrylic coatin~ to dry, the coated picture, face down, was applied over the acrylic coating o~ the support she~t.
Pressure was applied, and the laminate ~et aside to dry.
d) After a suEicient period of drying, the laminate was placed on a papee towel, p~per - ~
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backing oE picture up. Water was applied over the paper backing, utiliæing a spon~e. Care was taken that no water reached the r~v~rC;e side of the support sheet.
e) A~ter a few mlnutes, the magazine paper got saturated with water, and ~;eparated ~ro~ the picture, which remained on the support sheet, firmly adhering to the acrylic pla.st;c ~ilm coating. (Water may spill over the e-l-3(s oE
the picture, without any harm done, a.~ Ihe whole o~ the support c.heet i5 covered wi~
acrylic coating. ~lowever, it mu~t not be permiteed to enter beyond the edges o~ the support sheet).
f) The support sheet with the picture, appearing in reverse, w~s trimmed to the desired shape and size.
g) The laminate was submerged in water ~or a ~ew minutes.
h1 The laminate was p]aced on a paper napkin,~
reverse image up, and coated with the s~lme acrylic emulsion.
i) The lamlnate was p].aced in position on A piece;
of wood, coated reverse side of picture down.
:' Pressure was applied.
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j) After a few minutes, water was applied over the support sheet, which became saturated in a few minutes, whereater the paper was removed, with care, as the emulsion was still wet, leavlng the picture adhering to the wood plaque, the bond still in the stage of drying. (The two previous coatings, the one of the picture ~nd the one of the support ~sheet, which were completely dry, give the ima~e suÇEi(-ien~:
support during this application).
Example 2^ An art reproduction was tran--.rerred to canvas in the following manner:
a) The picture was cut out with a margin oE l/~
inch. A support paper of Figure I, with a margin o~ 1/2 inch in relation to the art reproduction paper was also cut out b) The picture and the non-coated side of the :
support sheet were each given one coat oE a 46 solid content acrylic polymer emulsion.
c) After a sufflcient period ~or the coatlngs to dry to the touch, about lO minutes, the coated ~ picture~was placed, ace down, over the acrylic y emulsion coated surface o~f the support paper.
The sandwich~was covered with a tissue paper, and heat and~pressure we~re applied,~causing the ` 23 ~
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two acrylic layers to form a strong bond, and the printing ink layer to become part oL the joint layer.
d) Thereafter, the laminate was placed on a papee towel, paper backing o picture up. Water was applied over the paper backing, utili~ing a sponge. Care was taken that no water re~ched the reverse side oE the support sheet.
e) ~fter a few minutes, the art reproduction 1-aper backing, which was a coated letterpress paper, ; got saturated with water, and separated ~rom the picture, which remained on the support sheet, firmly adhering to the acrylic coatlng.
(Water may spill over the edges o~ the pic~ure, , without any harm done, as the whole o~ the support sheet is covered with acrylic coating.
However, it must not be permitted to enter beyond the edges o~ the support sheet).
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f) The support sheet with the picture appe~ring in reverse, i.e., as a mirror image, was tr~immed to the desired shape and size.
~; ; g) The laminate was submerged in water for a ew minutes.
h) The laminate was placed on a paper napkin, reverse image up, and coated with the .same acrylic emulsion.
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i) The laminate was placed in position on ~ piece of canvas, which had previously been ~iven a coat of white acrylic palnt, coated eev~rse side of picture down. Heat and pressure were applied, utilizing a do~estic iron.
j) Thexeafter, water was applied over the support sheet, which becarne ~saturated in a Eew ~inutes, whereafter it was removed, leaving the picture adhering to the canvas, protected by th~ l~yer of acrylic lacquer.
Transfer of Pictures Located on the Support Paper, Including Utilizatio~n o~F a Tis~sue or Bond P~per ~e Ironinq and Lamination Example 3: An image was printed "righ~on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with Fi~ure I, utilizing vinyl base printing ink.s. The printed sheet was, thereafter placed with the printed side in contact with a 2 mil thick film o~ polyvinyl chloride, supported by a paper napkin. Tissue paper was placed over the support paper, whereaftee the sandwich was ironed Eor 20 seconds at a setting of the iron between wool and cotton, about 150 C. The laminate~ was thereafter submerged in water for a few minu~es, whereafter the tissue and picture paper backing were removed, and the surface cleaned. The sheet of PVC fllm was then trimmed to desired shape and size, and utilized as an electro-statlc decal, cllnging to glass, through which it was viewed.
, , 2~85i86 Example 4: A photocopy oE a woodworking patteen was first copied on a sheet of transparent plastic, whereafter the resultant transparency was copied on to a paper in accordance with Figure I non-coated side, on which ~surface it appeared in reverse, i.e., as a mirror image. The pattern thereafter, was given two coats ~E
acrylic polymer emulsion, and the coating cured by placin~
a release paper over it, when dry to the touch, and ironing with a dome~tic 1at-iron at polyester settin~ for 2 minutes. The piece o~ wood was als.o given a o~l~ o~ the acrylic polymer emul.sion ln the area where the pattern wc~s to be applied. Next, the coated ~)hotocopy was suhmerged in water for 5 minutes, whereaEter lt was removecl an(l pressed down ln the desired position on the piece oE woodr face down. Using a sponge and some water, the support sheet was removed, leaving the pattern clinging to the coated wood surface. The transfer was wlped clean and dry and air bubbles sponged out, whereafter it wa.s given a coat of the same acrylic polymer emul.sion. A~ter a while, the transfer surface became dry to the touch, while the underside bec.ame tacky, through~molecular mlgration, the~
bond obtainlng full strength in a matter of 24 hours.
Example 5- A~color laser copy was obtained;on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with Figure I, the copy appe~ring in reverse, i.e., as a mirror image, :
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which had been achieved by placlng the negative, ~rom which the copy was made, in reverse in the copying machine. The picture was given two coats of acrylic emulsion, which layer was then cured in the manne~ st~ted in Rxamp]e 4. The sheet was theeeafter submerged in water for 5 mLIlutes, whereafter it wa.s placed on a pape~ tow-], face up, cleaned and given a cocit o acrylic polymer emulsion. While the emul.sion wa~s still wet, the sheet was placed in desired position on a sheet of art canvas, Eace down. ~eat and pressure wa.s applied, utilizing a heat transfer machine. Water was, therea~ter, applied to the support paper, which ~as removec3 in a matter oE second~, leaving the picture fi~mly ac]herin~ to-the c.lnvar., havin~
adopted its texture.
; Example 6: A picture, printed riqllt on the support sheet non-coated side, was covered with one coat oL a PVA
(polyvinyl acetate) based clear emulsion, which wa.s thereafter cured in an oven. The coated picture was then laminated to a sheet of transparent PVC (polyvinyl chloride) ~ilm, utilizing a dome.stic iron. In order not to destroy the P~C film surface, it was covered with tissue paper, and the time and temperature of the lamination so adjus~ted that the tissue paper~.stuck to the ~` surface of the PVC film, hut could still be removed with water. Next, the laminate was submerged in water for a :
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few minutes, whereafter the tissue and the .support .she~t were removed, leaving the picture adhering to the PVC
surface, in reverse if viewed Erom the picture ~side, an right if seen through the film. The film with the trans~er was thereafter placecl with the picture ag(~in~
the uncoated surface of a s.heet of white adhesive coa~ed vinyl, having a release liner protecting the adhesive side. The laminate was covered with a tissue paper and ironed with a domestic flat iron for 20 second~ at an iron setting hetween wool and cotton. ~rh~ tissue pap~e wa5 thereafter removed with a sponge and some water, leaving the transferred picture adhering to the sheet of w~lite ~VC
film, protected by the transparent fllm to which ~:he picture was originally transferred, the end product laminate belng a so-called bumpersticker. When used, the release liner of the white PVC Eilm is first removed, whereafter the adhesive film carrying the picture i.s applied on the bumper or other desir~ed sur~ace.
Example 7: A pattern, intended to be painted after transfer, was first copied in reverse on the non-coated side of a ~uppor~t sheet o~ this invention and, therea~ter, coated with a layer of PVA based emul~Sion. After curing~
in an oven, the coated pattern was laminated to a ~ilm o~
white polyurethane plastic,~with the coated pattern in contact with the polyuretha`ne fil~m, using a domestic :, . : : .: . :
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.: . .
~o~
iron. During the lamination, the filrn was covered with a tissue paper, to protect its sur~ace. The laminate was, therea~ter, trimmed to desired sllape and si~e, wherea~ter it was submerged in water. After a few minutes, the tissue and support paper were removed, leaving the pattern adhering to the surface o~ the film. The pattern wa.s, thereafter, covered with a heat curable polyvinyl acet.lte based paste to protect it and to rnake the transEer s.oEt, the paste remaining creamy un~ il heated~ T~le dec;ll was then placed in desired position on a sweatshirt, witl~ the white polyurethane film in contact with the abr;.c. The laminate was covered with a silicone coated relea.se pal~er and ironed-on to the sweatshirt, utillzing a domestic iron at ~cotton" setting dueing 60 seconds. After a period of cooling,''the release paper was removed, leaving the transferred'pattern integrated with the fabric, ready for painting.
Rxample 8: A picture, intended for tran.~.fer to a white T-shirt, Was printed on the .support ~sheet non-coated side, whereafter it was laminated to a 1 mll tran.sparent polyurethane filmj using a polyvinyl acetate (PV~) basecl adhesive. The ;laminate was submerged in water for a ~ow minutes, whereafter the .support sheet was removed, thc ~ ;
print adhering to the polyurethane fllm, in reverse. The film was, thereafter, placed on a paper towel, rever.se ,~. ., ' ' :
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2~ 8~
picture up. This was cleanedt whereafter it was covered with another sheet of 1 mil transparent polyurethane film, which was then laminated over the reverse picture, by covering with a paper napkin and using a domestic iron, at ~wool~ setting, ~or 20 seconds. The laminate was then trimmed to the desirec3 shape, whereafter it was placed reverse side down in position on the T-shirt, covered with a release paper, and ironed-on to the abric for 60 seconds at ~cotton.~ AEter a period of cooling, the release paper was rem~ved, leaving the decal integrated in the fabric oE the T-.shirt.
Example 9: ~ picture, intended for trans~er to a pair of blue jeans, was printed on the support sheet non-coated side, wherea~ter it was laminated to a 1 mil transparent polyurethane Eilm, using a polyvinyl acetate (PV~) based adhesive. The laminate was submerged in water Eor a few minutes, wherea~ter the support sheet was removed, the print adherlng to the polyurethane film, in reverse. The fi].m was, thereafter, placed on a paper towel, reverse picture up. This was cleaned, whereafter it was covered with a sheet of 1 mil white polyueethane f ilm, which was then laminated over the reverse picture, covered with a tissue paper, u5ing a domestic iron,~at ~wool~ setting, for 20 seconds. The tissue paper was removed and the laminate was then trimmed to the desired ':
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:
shape, whereaEter it was placed, picture up, in ro.~i.tion on the jeans, covered with a rele<~se paper, and i~on~d-on to the fabric Eor ~0 seconds at ~cotton. n ~fter a ~eriod of cooling, the release paper was removed, leavin~ the decal integrated in the denim Eabric of the jeans.
Example 10: ~ one-side coated paper in accorrlance with Figure I was coated on the.non-c~atecl .s.ir3e w;.~h pressure-sensitive adhesive, whlch layer wa.s then covered for protection with a .silicone-coated relea!.e l.in(~l. Ihis adhesive-coated sheet was then set a.side for use as described later in this ~xample.
A color laser copy was obtained on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with F~gure I. The copy was given two coats of an acrylic emulsion. After a period o~
2 hours, the coated copy was submerged i.n water, together with a sheet of white ~paper board havlng a porous surface. ~fter 5 minutes of soaking, the coated pict~re and the board were~removed from the water an~ re.spect.ive surfaces wiped clean of superfluous water. The coated picture was thereafter placed with its coated surEace in contact with the boa~rd surface, and pressed down with the finger tips in order to obtain good contact. The picture ~ :
paper backiny was thereafter penetrated at the :
center,whereafter it~ was removed entirely, which wa.s done ~:
: in~a few large p.iecés oE paper. ~The~ picture, now .in reverse and complete~ly free from any~paper re~ts, was :
wiped dry.
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~ ressure sensitive adhesive was then applied to the picture by use of the adhesive coated sheet described at the beginnin-3 o~ ttliS Example. The release liner was removed from that .sheet and the sheet submerged in water Eor 5 minutes. lt was then ~ressed with its adhesive side against the treverse) picture s~pported on the wet paper board. The coated paper sheet ba~e backing o~ the adhesive, having béen wetted, was readily removed, leaving the pressure sensitive adhesive on the surface of the picture.
The adhesive side o~ the resulting l~minate was then pre~ssed into contact with the surEace of a T-shirt.
The paper board, whicll was still wet, was then removed, leaving the picture right sic`e up on the T-shirt, but wit?o little or no adhesion becau3e th~ ~?ressure-sensitive adhesive was still wet. The picture was covered with a sllicone-treated release paper and ironed for one minute at a setting between highest wool and cotton (about 175 C). AEter a ew minute~s oE cooling the ironin~ sheet was removed, leaving the picture ~irmly adhering to the fabric of the T-shirt.
Example 11: The fe~sibility of manufacturing decals for commercial use was tested in the ~ollowing manner:
An image was printed in offset (in reverse) on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with :
.~ :
:`
Figure VI shows the application of the decal o~
~igure IV, wetted, to a substrate (6), which coulcl be glass, ceramic, wood, paper, or any other solid ma~:eria1.
The paper base (l) is shown being peeied away, i.~., lifted, from the filmJimage (4/5) on the substrate (6).
Figure VII show~ a special appllcation o~ ~-hi-invention, used in conjunction with the invention disclosed in my copending Canadian Patent application Serial No. 539,516 filed June 12, 1987.
It is sometimes desirable to u~e an inteem~ .e transfer sheet to carry the ilm/image from a decal o~ th~
present invention to an ultimate use. ~n interme~ te carrier is needed ~henever one wishes to transfer a picture that has been printed ~right.~ By direct application on the substrate, 5uch as in Figure VI, the transferred image will appear in rever.se, i.e., a.~ a mirror image. However, iE it is first tran.sferre~l to a transfer support (~ntermediate carrier), it will appear there in reverse and after re-transfer to the subs~rate, it will be seen right, i.e., as it was printed.
The aforementioned patent application teache~, that a paper sheet base with porous surface may have applied to it a plastic film that will adhere well to the porou.r.
surace and adopt the texture of the same but not .~
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' . . ~ ~-: . ' 20~3~586 penetrate it, and that when the paper sheet base har been saturated with water the adhesion to the plastic ~;lm will be substantially released but they will withstan(l substantial forces in the plane o~ the sheet without causing separation. This allows ready handling oE ~he decal sandwich, yet when it has been applied to the desired substrate the wet paper ~sheet base i~s ea ily lifted from the plastic ilm.
In ~igure VII, the decal o~ ~igure III hls heen soaked in water and pressed with its plastic sheet Cace (4) against the porous sueface (8) ~E a paper Bristo]
board (7), that may be dry or that has been soaked in water. The paper sheet base tl) of the decal oE ~iqure III is being pulled away ~rom its film/image layer, which remains on the surface (8) o paper (7) which thus r.erves as an intermediate transfer sheet. Image (5) now ~ppears on the transfer sheet (7) in reverse. Paper (7) c.lrryin~
film (4) and image (5) can then be used wet, as t~lght in thè aforesaid paten~ application, to apply the fi~m/image to a Qubstrate and the image (5) will appear ~rl~l-t" on the substrate.
It may be mentioned here that instead of usln~ a paper with porous surEace as an intermediate transEer sheet, which when wet will release the transferred film as just described, one may use a one-side coated paper of Figure 1 as an intermediate transfer sheet with the uncoated surace receiving the film to be transferred.
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Figure VIII shows the decal of Figure VII, a~ter the paper ~1) has been removed and the image/f ilm ~ 5/~ ) covered with a heat activated adhesive polye.ster fi].m (9), over which an ironing tissue (10) has been placed.
Figure IX shows Figure VIII after the heat activated adhesive fi].m (9) has been ironed on to tlle image/film (5/4), and the intermed;.ate carrier paper (7), as well as the ironing tissue (10) h~ve been remove~l by .soak.ing in water. Like the decal shown in Figure V, I:h.is one may be used for overhead projectionr an~l wl.l.l clinq to a number of suraces if wetted slightly.
~; Figure X shows the decal of Figure IX appl.ie-l on a substrate (6), such as a T-shirt, the Eilm/image (4/5) firmly adhering to the fabric by mean.s of the heat activated adhesive ilm (9).
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EXAMPLES
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In each of the ~ollowing examples, one of the following two papers was used as the one-side coated paper sheet ba.se: they are similar and give substantially equlvalent results: :
- Kimbeely~Clark 100 gram paper. Sized ~rom both sides with starch. Coated on one side with pigment plus adhesive binder. The white coating pi.gment :
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s~ l is largely clay, with ~mal] amounts oE calcillmcarbonate and titanium dioxide.
- Similar paper from San Rafael S.A. de C.V.
Both oE these papers are made in Mexico and can he purchased on the open market.
Transfers of Pictures Located on Other Papers Example 1: A magazine picture was transferr~ o a wood plaque in the following manner:
a) The picture was cut out with a margin oE 1/~
inch. ~ piece of one-side coated paper in accordance with ~igure 1, intended to serv~? a~
the support sheet Eor the transfer, with a ; margin of 1/2 inch in relatlon to the m~gazine paper was also cut out.
b) The picture and the non-coated side oE the support sheet were each given one coat oE a ~6 solid content acrylic polymer emulsion.
c) Without waiting Eoc the acrylic coatin~ to dry, the coated picture, face down, was applied over the acrylic coating o~ the support she~t.
Pressure was applied, and the laminate ~et aside to dry.
d) After a suEicient period of drying, the laminate was placed on a papee towel, p~per - ~
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backing oE picture up. Water was applied over the paper backing, utiliæing a spon~e. Care was taken that no water reached the r~v~rC;e side of the support sheet.
e) A~ter a few mlnutes, the magazine paper got saturated with water, and ~;eparated ~ro~ the picture, which remained on the support sheet, firmly adhering to the acrylic pla.st;c ~ilm coating. (Water may spill over the e-l-3(s oE
the picture, without any harm done, a.~ Ihe whole o~ the support c.heet i5 covered wi~
acrylic coating. ~lowever, it mu~t not be permiteed to enter beyond the edges o~ the support sheet).
f) The support sheet with the picture, appearing in reverse, w~s trimmed to the desired shape and size.
g) The laminate was submerged in water ~or a ~ew minutes.
h1 The laminate was p]aced on a paper napkin,~
reverse image up, and coated with the s~lme acrylic emulsion.
i) The lamlnate was p].aced in position on A piece;
of wood, coated reverse side of picture down.
:' Pressure was applied.
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j) After a few minutes, water was applied over the support sheet, which became saturated in a few minutes, whereater the paper was removed, with care, as the emulsion was still wet, leavlng the picture adhering to the wood plaque, the bond still in the stage of drying. (The two previous coatings, the one of the picture ~nd the one of the support ~sheet, which were completely dry, give the ima~e suÇEi(-ien~:
support during this application).
Example 2^ An art reproduction was tran--.rerred to canvas in the following manner:
a) The picture was cut out with a margin oE l/~
inch. A support paper of Figure I, with a margin o~ 1/2 inch in relation to the art reproduction paper was also cut out b) The picture and the non-coated side of the :
support sheet were each given one coat oE a 46 solid content acrylic polymer emulsion.
c) After a sufflcient period ~or the coatlngs to dry to the touch, about lO minutes, the coated ~ picture~was placed, ace down, over the acrylic y emulsion coated surface o~f the support paper.
The sandwich~was covered with a tissue paper, and heat and~pressure we~re applied,~causing the ` 23 ~
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two acrylic layers to form a strong bond, and the printing ink layer to become part oL the joint layer.
d) Thereafter, the laminate was placed on a papee towel, paper backing o picture up. Water was applied over the paper backing, utili~ing a sponge. Care was taken that no water re~ched the reverse side oE the support sheet.
e) ~fter a few minutes, the art reproduction 1-aper backing, which was a coated letterpress paper, ; got saturated with water, and separated ~rom the picture, which remained on the support sheet, firmly adhering to the acrylic coatlng.
(Water may spill over the edges o~ the pic~ure, , without any harm done, as the whole o~ the support sheet is covered with acrylic coating.
However, it must not be permitted to enter beyond the edges o~ the support sheet).
~ .
f) The support sheet with the picture appe~ring in reverse, i.e., as a mirror image, was tr~immed to the desired shape and size.
~; ; g) The laminate was submerged in water for a ew minutes.
h) The laminate was placed on a paper napkin, reverse image up, and coated with the .same acrylic emulsion.
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i) The laminate was placed in position on ~ piece of canvas, which had previously been ~iven a coat of white acrylic palnt, coated eev~rse side of picture down. Heat and pressure were applied, utilizing a do~estic iron.
j) Thexeafter, water was applied over the support sheet, which becarne ~saturated in a Eew ~inutes, whereafter it was removed, leaving the picture adhering to the canvas, protected by th~ l~yer of acrylic lacquer.
Transfer of Pictures Located on the Support Paper, Including Utilizatio~n o~F a Tis~sue or Bond P~per ~e Ironinq and Lamination Example 3: An image was printed "righ~on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with Fi~ure I, utilizing vinyl base printing ink.s. The printed sheet was, thereafter placed with the printed side in contact with a 2 mil thick film o~ polyvinyl chloride, supported by a paper napkin. Tissue paper was placed over the support paper, whereaftee the sandwich was ironed Eor 20 seconds at a setting of the iron between wool and cotton, about 150 C. The laminate~ was thereafter submerged in water for a few minu~es, whereafter the tissue and picture paper backing were removed, and the surface cleaned. The sheet of PVC fllm was then trimmed to desired shape and size, and utilized as an electro-statlc decal, cllnging to glass, through which it was viewed.
, , 2~85i86 Example 4: A photocopy oE a woodworking patteen was first copied on a sheet of transparent plastic, whereafter the resultant transparency was copied on to a paper in accordance with Figure I non-coated side, on which ~surface it appeared in reverse, i.e., as a mirror image. The pattern thereafter, was given two coats ~E
acrylic polymer emulsion, and the coating cured by placin~
a release paper over it, when dry to the touch, and ironing with a dome~tic 1at-iron at polyester settin~ for 2 minutes. The piece o~ wood was als.o given a o~l~ o~ the acrylic polymer emul.sion ln the area where the pattern wc~s to be applied. Next, the coated ~)hotocopy was suhmerged in water for 5 minutes, whereaEter lt was removecl an(l pressed down ln the desired position on the piece oE woodr face down. Using a sponge and some water, the support sheet was removed, leaving the pattern clinging to the coated wood surface. The transfer was wlped clean and dry and air bubbles sponged out, whereafter it wa.s given a coat of the same acrylic polymer emul.sion. A~ter a while, the transfer surface became dry to the touch, while the underside bec.ame tacky, through~molecular mlgration, the~
bond obtainlng full strength in a matter of 24 hours.
Example 5- A~color laser copy was obtained;on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with Figure I, the copy appe~ring in reverse, i.e., as a mirror image, :
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which had been achieved by placlng the negative, ~rom which the copy was made, in reverse in the copying machine. The picture was given two coats of acrylic emulsion, which layer was then cured in the manne~ st~ted in Rxamp]e 4. The sheet was theeeafter submerged in water for 5 mLIlutes, whereafter it wa.s placed on a pape~ tow-], face up, cleaned and given a cocit o acrylic polymer emulsion. While the emul.sion wa~s still wet, the sheet was placed in desired position on a sheet of art canvas, Eace down. ~eat and pressure wa.s applied, utilizing a heat transfer machine. Water was, therea~ter, applied to the support paper, which ~as removec3 in a matter oE second~, leaving the picture fi~mly ac]herin~ to-the c.lnvar., havin~
adopted its texture.
; Example 6: A picture, printed riqllt on the support sheet non-coated side, was covered with one coat oL a PVA
(polyvinyl acetate) based clear emulsion, which wa.s thereafter cured in an oven. The coated picture was then laminated to a sheet of transparent PVC (polyvinyl chloride) ~ilm, utilizing a dome.stic iron. In order not to destroy the P~C film surface, it was covered with tissue paper, and the time and temperature of the lamination so adjus~ted that the tissue paper~.stuck to the ~` surface of the PVC film, hut could still be removed with water. Next, the laminate was submerged in water for a :
:
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few minutes, whereafter the tissue and the .support .she~t were removed, leaving the picture adhering to the PVC
surface, in reverse if viewed Erom the picture ~side, an right if seen through the film. The film with the trans~er was thereafter placecl with the picture ag(~in~
the uncoated surface of a s.heet of white adhesive coa~ed vinyl, having a release liner protecting the adhesive side. The laminate was covered with a tissue paper and ironed with a domestic flat iron for 20 second~ at an iron setting hetween wool and cotton. ~rh~ tissue pap~e wa5 thereafter removed with a sponge and some water, leaving the transferred picture adhering to the sheet of w~lite ~VC
film, protected by the transparent fllm to which ~:he picture was originally transferred, the end product laminate belng a so-called bumpersticker. When used, the release liner of the white PVC Eilm is first removed, whereafter the adhesive film carrying the picture i.s applied on the bumper or other desir~ed sur~ace.
Example 7: A pattern, intended to be painted after transfer, was first copied in reverse on the non-coated side of a ~uppor~t sheet o~ this invention and, therea~ter, coated with a layer of PVA based emul~Sion. After curing~
in an oven, the coated pattern was laminated to a ~ilm o~
white polyurethane plastic,~with the coated pattern in contact with the polyuretha`ne fil~m, using a domestic :, . : : .: . :
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iron. During the lamination, the filrn was covered with a tissue paper, to protect its sur~ace. The laminate was, therea~ter, trimmed to desired sllape and si~e, wherea~ter it was submerged in water. After a few minutes, the tissue and support paper were removed, leaving the pattern adhering to the surface o~ the film. The pattern wa.s, thereafter, covered with a heat curable polyvinyl acet.lte based paste to protect it and to rnake the transEer s.oEt, the paste remaining creamy un~ il heated~ T~le dec;ll was then placed in desired position on a sweatshirt, witl~ the white polyurethane film in contact with the abr;.c. The laminate was covered with a silicone coated relea.se pal~er and ironed-on to the sweatshirt, utillzing a domestic iron at ~cotton" setting dueing 60 seconds. After a period of cooling,''the release paper was removed, leaving the transferred'pattern integrated with the fabric, ready for painting.
Rxample 8: A picture, intended for tran.~.fer to a white T-shirt, Was printed on the .support ~sheet non-coated side, whereafter it was laminated to a 1 mll tran.sparent polyurethane filmj using a polyvinyl acetate (PV~) basecl adhesive. The ;laminate was submerged in water for a ~ow minutes, whereafter the .support sheet was removed, thc ~ ;
print adhering to the polyurethane fllm, in reverse. The film was, thereafter, placed on a paper towel, rever.se ,~. ., ' ' :
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picture up. This was cleanedt whereafter it was covered with another sheet of 1 mil transparent polyurethane film, which was then laminated over the reverse picture, by covering with a paper napkin and using a domestic iron, at ~wool~ setting, ~or 20 seconds. The laminate was then trimmed to the desirec3 shape, whereafter it was placed reverse side down in position on the T-shirt, covered with a release paper, and ironed-on to the abric for 60 seconds at ~cotton.~ AEter a period of cooling, the release paper was rem~ved, leaving the decal integrated in the fabric oE the T-.shirt.
Example 9: ~ picture, intended for trans~er to a pair of blue jeans, was printed on the support sheet non-coated side, wherea~ter it was laminated to a 1 mil transparent polyurethane Eilm, using a polyvinyl acetate (PV~) based adhesive. The laminate was submerged in water Eor a few minutes, wherea~ter the support sheet was removed, the print adherlng to the polyurethane film, in reverse. The fi].m was, thereafter, placed on a paper towel, reverse picture up. This was cleaned, whereafter it was covered with a sheet of 1 mil white polyueethane f ilm, which was then laminated over the reverse picture, covered with a tissue paper, u5ing a domestic iron,~at ~wool~ setting, for 20 seconds. The tissue paper was removed and the laminate was then trimmed to the desired ':
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:
shape, whereaEter it was placed, picture up, in ro.~i.tion on the jeans, covered with a rele<~se paper, and i~on~d-on to the fabric Eor ~0 seconds at ~cotton. n ~fter a ~eriod of cooling, the release paper was removed, leavin~ the decal integrated in the denim Eabric of the jeans.
Example 10: ~ one-side coated paper in accorrlance with Figure I was coated on the.non-c~atecl .s.ir3e w;.~h pressure-sensitive adhesive, whlch layer wa.s then covered for protection with a .silicone-coated relea!.e l.in(~l. Ihis adhesive-coated sheet was then set a.side for use as described later in this ~xample.
A color laser copy was obtained on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with F~gure I. The copy was given two coats of an acrylic emulsion. After a period o~
2 hours, the coated copy was submerged i.n water, together with a sheet of white ~paper board havlng a porous surface. ~fter 5 minutes of soaking, the coated pict~re and the board were~removed from the water an~ re.spect.ive surfaces wiped clean of superfluous water. The coated picture was thereafter placed with its coated surEace in contact with the boa~rd surface, and pressed down with the finger tips in order to obtain good contact. The picture ~ :
paper backiny was thereafter penetrated at the :
center,whereafter it~ was removed entirely, which wa.s done ~:
: in~a few large p.iecés oE paper. ~The~ picture, now .in reverse and complete~ly free from any~paper re~ts, was :
wiped dry.
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~ ressure sensitive adhesive was then applied to the picture by use of the adhesive coated sheet described at the beginnin-3 o~ ttliS Example. The release liner was removed from that .sheet and the sheet submerged in water Eor 5 minutes. lt was then ~ressed with its adhesive side against the treverse) picture s~pported on the wet paper board. The coated paper sheet ba~e backing o~ the adhesive, having béen wetted, was readily removed, leaving the pressure sensitive adhesive on the surface of the picture.
The adhesive side o~ the resulting l~minate was then pre~ssed into contact with the surEace of a T-shirt.
The paper board, whicll was still wet, was then removed, leaving the picture right sic`e up on the T-shirt, but wit?o little or no adhesion becau3e th~ ~?ressure-sensitive adhesive was still wet. The picture was covered with a sllicone-treated release paper and ironed for one minute at a setting between highest wool and cotton (about 175 C). AEter a ew minute~s oE cooling the ironin~ sheet was removed, leaving the picture ~irmly adhering to the fabric of the T-shirt.
Example 11: The fe~sibility of manufacturing decals for commercial use was tested in the ~ollowing manner:
An image was printed in offset (in reverse) on the non-coated side of a paper in accordance with :
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5~3~
Figure I, using the same printing inks inl:ent3ed ~or the production. The imaqe was therea~ter ~iven one coat of an acrylic emulsion of the same kind to l~e used in the coat.ing machine where the production coating would be made. F`inally, the coated ima~
was given one coat of a pressure-sens:itive adhesive, and covered with a release liner, a.ll oE
which was to be made in the coating mach.i.ne dur.il1y the production stage. The resultant decal.~ w~re then tested as follows:
a) The relea~se llner was removed.
' b) The decal was .submer~ed in water or 3 minutes.
' c) The decal was removed from the water and superfluous water was wiped away, whereafter the decal was placed in the desired position, w.ith the pressure-sensitive adhesive i~n cont~1ct with the substrate.
d) The decal w~s pressed down with the inyer tips, in order to obtain good contact.
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e) The image paper backlng was removed.
Example 12: ~ decal was prepared an~ appl.ir~d on a T-shirt in the same manner as described in Example ll. In order to make the decal mach.ine washable, a sixth step was added, as follows:
f) The trans~erred picture wa.s covered with a silicone coated re].ea.~e paper, an(l ;roned for one minute with a flat aome.stic ;.ron at a "wool" temperature setting. AEter a short period o cooling, the relea.~e pap~r was removed, leavlrlg the tranq~errea image permanently adheFing to the ~abric.
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~ .: . : ~ : .. : :
.~ :
Figure I, using the same printing inks inl:ent3ed ~or the production. The imaqe was therea~ter ~iven one coat of an acrylic emulsion of the same kind to l~e used in the coat.ing machine where the production coating would be made. F`inally, the coated ima~
was given one coat of a pressure-sens:itive adhesive, and covered with a release liner, a.ll oE
which was to be made in the coating mach.i.ne dur.il1y the production stage. The resultant decal.~ w~re then tested as follows:
a) The relea~se llner was removed.
' b) The decal was .submer~ed in water or 3 minutes.
' c) The decal was removed from the water and superfluous water was wiped away, whereafter the decal was placed in the desired position, w.ith the pressure-sensitive adhesive i~n cont~1ct with the substrate.
d) The decal w~s pressed down with the inyer tips, in order to obtain good contact.
, : : 33 : ~
:: : :
2~
e) The image paper backlng was removed.
Example 12: ~ decal was prepared an~ appl.ir~d on a T-shirt in the same manner as described in Example ll. In order to make the decal mach.ine washable, a sixth step was added, as follows:
f) The trans~erred picture wa.s covered with a silicone coated re].ea.~e paper, an(l ;roned for one minute with a flat aome.stic ;.ron at a "wool" temperature setting. AEter a short period o cooling, the relea.~e pap~r was removed, leavlrlg the tranq~errea image permanently adheFing to the ~abric.
, : -~ .
~ ~ 34 ~ ~ ~
. . ~ - : ~ .
,: . . :. . .
- : : , . : : ~ ; , .
~ .: . : ~ : .. : :
.~ :
Claims (17)
1. A decal comprising a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material, an image applied on said non-porous surface, and a plastic film applied over said image and not penetrating said non-porous surface of the paper, said paper when wet being easily releasable from the image and plastic film.
2. A decal according to Claim 1, wherein said paper sheet base is a paper coated on one side with a binder and optionally pigment, and the opposite side is the surface on which the image is applied.
3. A decal according to Claim 1, wherein said image is applied by xerographic copying.
4. A decal according to Claim 1, wherein said image is applied by laser printing.
5. A decal according to Claim 1, wherein said plastic film is applied as an acrylic emulsion and dried.
6. A decal comprising a dry paper sheet bane in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material, a plastic film applied on said non-porous surface and not penetrating same, and an image applied on said plastic film, said paper when wet being easily releasable from the plastic film.
7. A decal according to Claim 6, wherein said paper sheet base is a paper coated on one side with a binder and optionally pigment, and the opposite side is the surface on which the plastic film is applied.
8. A decal according to claim 1, pressed with the plastic film against an intermediate paper transfer sheet having a porous surface so that the plastic film, with image and paper sheet base still attached, adheres well to the porous surface and adopts the texture of the same does not penetrate it, said intermediate paper transfer sheet being wet with water;
9. Process for applying an image to a substrate which comprises:
a) soaking a decal according to Claim 1 in water;
b) soaking in water an intermediate paper transfer sheet having a porous surface;
c) pressing the wet decal from (a) with the plastic film against the wet intermediate paper transfer sheet from (b) so that the plastic film adheres well to the porous surface of the transfer sheet and adopts the texture of the same but does not penetrate it;
d) removing the paper sheet base of the decal from the image, plastic film and transfer sheet;
e) placing the remaining sandwich on the substrate with the image against the substrate;
f) adhering the image to the substrate;
g) removing the transfer sheet from the back of the plastic film leaving the image on the substrate and covered by the plastic film.
a) soaking a decal according to Claim 1 in water;
b) soaking in water an intermediate paper transfer sheet having a porous surface;
c) pressing the wet decal from (a) with the plastic film against the wet intermediate paper transfer sheet from (b) so that the plastic film adheres well to the porous surface of the transfer sheet and adopts the texture of the same but does not penetrate it;
d) removing the paper sheet base of the decal from the image, plastic film and transfer sheet;
e) placing the remaining sandwich on the substrate with the image against the substrate;
f) adhering the image to the substrate;
g) removing the transfer sheet from the back of the plastic film leaving the image on the substrate and covered by the plastic film.
10. Process for applying an image to a substrate which comprises:
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying an image on said surface;
c) applying a plastic film over said image such that it does not penetrate said non-porous surface of the paper;
d) soaking the resulting sandwich in water;
e) placing the wet sandwich on the substrate with the plastic film against the substrate;
f) adhering the plastic film to the substrate;
g) removing the paper sheet base leaving the image-carrying plastic film on the substrate.
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying an image on said surface;
c) applying a plastic film over said image such that it does not penetrate said non-porous surface of the paper;
d) soaking the resulting sandwich in water;
e) placing the wet sandwich on the substrate with the plastic film against the substrate;
f) adhering the plastic film to the substrate;
g) removing the paper sheet base leaving the image-carrying plastic film on the substrate.
11. Process for applying an image to a substrate which comprises:
a) placing a decal according to Claim 6 on the substrate with the image against the substrate;
b) before or after Step (a) wetting the paper sheet base of the decal;
c) before or after Step (a) removing the wet paper sheet base from the back of the plastic film;
whereby the image adheres to and remains on the substrate and covered by the plastic film.
a) placing a decal according to Claim 6 on the substrate with the image against the substrate;
b) before or after Step (a) wetting the paper sheet base of the decal;
c) before or after Step (a) removing the wet paper sheet base from the back of the plastic film;
whereby the image adheres to and remains on the substrate and covered by the plastic film.
12. Process for applying an image to a substrate which comprises:
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying a plastic film on said non-porous surface and not penetrating same;
c) applying an image optionally on said non-porous surface before applying said plastic film, or on said plastic film, or both;
d) wetting the paper sheet base;
e) applying the film and image(s) to the substrate;
f) removing the wet paper sheet base from the film/image(s) before or after Step (e).
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying a plastic film on said non-porous surface and not penetrating same;
c) applying an image optionally on said non-porous surface before applying said plastic film, or on said plastic film, or both;
d) wetting the paper sheet base;
e) applying the film and image(s) to the substrate;
f) removing the wet paper sheet base from the film/image(s) before or after Step (e).
13. Process for applying an image to a substrate which comprises:
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying a plastic film on said non-porous surface and not penetrating same;
c) applying an image optionally on said non-porous surface before applying said plastic film, or on said plastic film, or both;
d) applying the resulting sandwich to the substrate with the film/image(s) against the substrate;
e) wetting the paper sheet base and removing it leaving the film/image on the substrate.
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying a plastic film on said non-porous surface and not penetrating same;
c) applying an image optionally on said non-porous surface before applying said plastic film, or on said plastic film, or both;
d) applying the resulting sandwich to the substrate with the film/image(s) against the substrate;
e) wetting the paper sheet base and removing it leaving the film/image on the substrate.
14. Process for applying an image to a substrate which comprises:
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying an image on said surface;
c) applying a film-forming adhesive to the substrate;
d) applying the image side of the sandwich formed by Steps (a) and (b) to the adhesive- covered substrate;
e) causing the image to adhere to the substrate;
f) wetting the paper sheet bae and removing it.
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) applying an image on said surface;
c) applying a film-forming adhesive to the substrate;
d) applying the image side of the sandwich formed by Steps (a) and (b) to the adhesive- covered substrate;
e) causing the image to adhere to the substrate;
f) wetting the paper sheet bae and removing it.
15. Process according to Claim 14, wherein the adhesive is an acrylic emulsion, and Step (e) is effected by heat.
16. Process according to Claim 14, wherein the adhesive is an acrylic emulsion, and Step (e) is effected by air drying.
17. Process for making a decal which comprises:
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) optionally applying an adhesive to said non-porous surface;
c) applying a pre-formed plastic film to said non-porous surface;
d) applying a tissue or other porous paper to said plastic film;
e) applying to the paper of Step (d) heat and pressure short of liquefying the plastic film of Step (c), thereby laminating said plastic film to said non-porous surface;
whereby gases formed during lamination readily escape through the porous paper avoiding bubbles in the laminate;
a) providing a dry paper sheet base in which the pores of the paper have been filled with solid material such that a surface thereof is not substantially porous but is essentially free from non-water-soluble opaque filler material;
b) optionally applying an adhesive to said non-porous surface;
c) applying a pre-formed plastic film to said non-porous surface;
d) applying a tissue or other porous paper to said plastic film;
e) applying to the paper of Step (d) heat and pressure short of liquefying the plastic film of Step (c), thereby laminating said plastic film to said non-porous surface;
whereby gases formed during lamination readily escape through the porous paper avoiding bubbles in the laminate;
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US30184689A | 1989-01-26 | 1989-01-26 | |
| US301,846 | 1989-01-26 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2008586A1 true CA2008586A1 (en) | 1990-07-26 |
Family
ID=23165152
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2008586 Abandoned CA2008586A1 (en) | 1989-01-26 | 1990-01-25 | Decals and processes for transfer of images to substrates |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0380356A3 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2008586A1 (en) |
| MX (1) | MX172933B (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE4120101A1 (en) * | 1991-06-19 | 1992-12-24 | Hagedorn Juergen | METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING, IN PARTICULAR, COLORED REPRESENTATIONS TO SMOOTH DOCKS AND TRANSFER LAYER |
| ITVA20000044A1 (en) * | 2000-12-22 | 2002-06-22 | Lamberti Spa | DECALS FOR CERAMIC OR GLASS USE |
| US10406830B2 (en) | 2017-03-29 | 2019-09-10 | Xerox Corporation | Decal print process |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3924026A (en) * | 1974-01-28 | 1975-12-02 | Henry S Penfield | Image preservation and transfer process |
| DE2551860C2 (en) * | 1975-11-19 | 1985-06-20 | Hoffmann & Engelmann Ag, 6730 Neustadt | Paper carrier |
| AT367352B (en) * | 1979-01-12 | 1982-06-25 | Barta Franz Kg | DECAL FOR APPLICATION OF DECORS OR SIGNS USING VAPOR AND PRINT ON ITEMS OF GLASS, CERAMIC OR THE LIKE. |
| AU7416187A (en) * | 1986-06-13 | 1987-12-17 | Oscar Richard Fredrik af Strom Lech | A device for sensing the number of items stored in a compartment |
-
1990
- 1990-01-25 CA CA 2008586 patent/CA2008586A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1990-01-25 MX MX1924590A patent/MX172933B/en unknown
- 1990-01-26 EP EP19900300828 patent/EP0380356A3/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0380356A3 (en) | 1991-07-17 |
| EP0380356A2 (en) | 1990-08-01 |
| MX172933B (en) | 1994-01-24 |
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| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |