CA2573847A1 - Method to transfer images - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method to transfer an image from an image support to a substrate using epoxy. A further characteristic of the method is that the texture of the image support may also be transferred on the substrate.

Description

File number: 11185 - 001 Revision: as filed Date: 2007/01/12 Title of the Invention [0001 ] Method to transfer images Cross-Reference to Related Applications [0002] There is no cross-reference to any related application Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention generally relates to the transfer of an image from a support to a substrate.

Background of the Invention [0004] Many methods have been presented in the past to transfer an image on a surface or on objects. However, these methods are more suitable for big production in plant and involve many complicated steps. Usually, a film having a particular chemical composition has to be made, this film being an intermediary to support the ink before the image transfer. Furthermore, to fix the image, a heat treatment has to be done. These methods are not suitable to be use for smaller scale use and for a neophyte in that field and they usually require a particular image support and a particular chemical composition for the image itself.

Objects of the Invention [0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method to transfer an image on a substrate using epoxy.

[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method to transfer a texture on a substrate using epoxy.

File number: 11185 - 001 Revision: as filed Date: 2007/01/12 [0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method to transfer an image with or without texture from most image supports.

[0008] A further object of the present invention is to provide a transferred image which has a high resistance to water, abrasion and outside conditions.

[0009] Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

Summary of the Invention [0010] The present invention discloses a method to transfer an image from a support to a substrate comprising the following steps: provide a substrate, provide an image on an image support, apply a layer of epoxy on said substrate and allow said epoxy to cure partially or completely, apply said image on said substrate and preferably remove said image support from said epoxy.

[0011] The present invention allows a user to transfer an image from a support to a wide variety of substrates. In fact, this method may be used on any substrate on which epoxy may be used. For example, it may be ceramic, flooring tiles, mural tiles, porcelain, glass, wood, plastic, cement, stone, leather, minerals, rubber, textiles, concrete, metals, organic fibres, mineral fibres, vegetal fibres, ceramic, board or form composition, glass, cork, acetyl films (rolls), paper, clay, anti-adhesive molds, membranes, UV film, etc...Any materials having a 3D texture and from which the epoxy may be removed may act as a an image support. In the particular field of flooring, the substrate may be the subfloor or the membranes that are used for different uses such as acoustic membrane, isolating membrane, anti-crack membrane, etc...The main advantage of epoxy is the high File number: 11185 - 001 Revision: as filed Date: 2007/01/12 resistance to abrasion and water which are the main causes of damage and erosion.
Furthermore, this method allows the transfer of the texture of the image.

[0012] It is to be noted that, in the present document, the term "image"
refers not only to photographs, lithographs and printed material but also to any other composition of pigments and/or elements having a color and/or texture that may be absorbed and/or reproduced on a layer of epoxy. For example, an image may be composed by the elements of the non-limiting following list: dry ink, metallic ink, paint, pigments, rubber, metallic or organic powder, organic (mineral or vegetal) fibres, organic and mineral powders and crystals and other products having phosphorescent, reflective and/or luminescent properties. Finally, the image support does not have to be saturated by the pigments and/or elements.

[0013] The image may come from a wide variety of supports and forms with or without texture, as shown in the following non limiting examples; paper, photograph, newspaper, paperboard, textured paperboard, painting, paint canvas, fabric, leather, mineral, rubber, concrete, metal, organic fibres, wood, tiles, ceramic, board or foam compositions, glass, porcelain, cork, acetate films, clay, anti-adhesive mold, membrane, plastic, UV films. The image support may have protective properties that need a further treatment such as a baking or a curing to have the protective properties. The substrate and the elements composing the image are then chosen with an adequate resistance to the temperature of the baking or the curing of the protective layer.

[0014] The layer of epoxy may be applied between two image supports and in this case one of the image supports on which the layer of epoxy is applied acts as a substrate. It is thus possible to have a sheet like piece of epoxy on which both sides have a transferred image and/or texture.

[0015] The method to transfer the image is quite simple. The substrate on which the image will be transferred is coated with epoxy. The thickness of the layer will depend on the desired end result and whether a texture is to be transferred or not. When the layer of File number: 11185 - 001 Revision: as filed Date: 2007/01/12 epoxy is partially or completely cured, the image support is applied on the layer of epoxy, the image side facing epoxy. Pressure is preferably applied to the image support to insure proper image and/or texture transfer. This can be achieved with a pressure applied on the image support manually, by a mechanical process, or any other suitable means.

[0016] After that step, the epoxy is allowed to cure partially or completely.
The curing may be done naturally (with time) or accelerated with an external source like heat, microwave or UV light or any other suitable means. Depending of the desired result and of the material of the image support, the latter may be removed or not. The image support may be left on the layer of epoxy for aesthetical reasons of if the image support has protective properties. The image support may be removed using an appropriate method depending of the image support. It is to be noted that further treatments may be done on the image to change or improve its properties. For example, a supplemental layer of epoxy or other material may be added to improve the resistance to abrasion or degradation. A shining product or a colored layer of epoxy may be added for an aesthetical goal.

[0017] Typically, the image support may be removed by pulling it. In the case of paper and similar products, water is applied and the surface is brushed to remove the residual fibres.

[0018] Many forms of epoxy may be used to transfer images and textures, for example, epoxy resins, epoxy foam bonding gels. Acrylic resins may also be used for this application. Furthermore, additives may be added to changes the physical or aesthetical properties. The resin or the foam may be colored and/or translucide.

[0019] The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

File number: 11185 - 001 Revision: as filed Date: 2007/01/12 Brief Description of the Drawings [0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0021] Figure 1(not to scale) is a schematic representation showing the layers applied on a substrate.

[0022] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing for the method of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a preferred embodiment for a method to transfer an image on a substrate.

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic representation showing the transfer of the texture of an image support.

[0025] Figure 5 is a schematic representation showing the method applied to transfer an image on a hockey puck.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment [0026] A novel method to transfer images on a substrate will be described hereinafter.
Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the embodiment(s) described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.

[0027] Figure 1 shows is a schematic representation of the layers applied on the substrate 110. A thin layer of epoxy 120 is disposed on the substrate 110 and the image support 130 is disposed on the layer of epoxy 120.

File number: 1 1185 - 001 Revision: as filed Date: 2007/01112 [0028] In Figure 2, the method to transfer images on a substrate is illustrated. First, a layer of epoxy 240 is applied on the substrate 210. Then, the image support 250 is disposed on the layer of epoxy 240 following the direction of the arrows. The image side 260 of the image support 250 is placed in contact with the layer of epoxy 240.
Pressure is applied as needed. The method to transfer a texture is shown in Figure 4. A
layer of epoxy 400 is applied on the substrate 410. Then, the image support 420 having a texture is pressed against the layer of epoxy 400. The texture is transferred in the layer of epoxy 430.

[0029] The flow chart of Figure 3 shows the steps of the present invention.
For the first step 310, prepare a substrate surface, the surface may be any surface on which epoxy will adhere, with examples shown in the bracket 320. The next step 330 is to apply a layer of epoxy on the substrate surface or on a mold surface. Indeed, epoxy may be used in a resin form, a foam bonding gel form or any other suitable form for this application.
Furthermore, the resin or the foam bonding gel may be translucent or opaque and even colored with the addition of pigments. When the resin or the foam bonding gel is partially cured or completely cured 350, the image is applied on the substrate surface through the image support 360. The curing of the layer of epoxy may be accelerated by providing proper conditions through an external source. The support may be a paper sheet, a photograph, a painting, a fabric or any other suitable support. Finally, when the epoxy is partially or completely cured, the image support is removed 380. A facultative step 390 is to apply a finishing coat to get a particular effect (brilliance, mate, etc...) or to get a better protection.

[0030] In Figure 5, an image is transferred from an image support 525 to a layer of epoxy 520 which is applied in a cavity 515 of a hockey puck 510. A protective layer may be added to protect the image and the image support itself may be the protective layer.

[0031] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiment(s) of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are File number: 11185 - 001 Revision: as filed Date: 2007/01/12 intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.

Claims (8)

1. A method to transfer an image on a substrate, said method comprising the following steps:
a. provide a substrate;
b. provide an image on a first image support;
c. apply a layer of epoxy on said substrate and allow said epoxy to cure partially;
d. apply said image on said layer of epoxy, said image facing said layer of epoxy and allow epoxy to cure partially or completely;

2. The method to transfer an image on a substrate of claim 1, wherein said first image support is removed from said layer of epoxy.

3. The method to transfer an image on a substrate of claim 1, wherein said layer of epoxy is removed from said substrate.

4. The method to transfer an image on a substrate of claim 1, wherein said substrate is a second image support.

5. The method to transfer an image on a substrate of claim 1, wherein said substrate is a mold.

6. The method to transfer an image on a substrate of claim 1, wherein a pressure is applied on said first image support.

7. The method to transfer an image on a substrate of claim 1, wherein said first image support has a texture, said texture being transferred with said image.

8. The method to transfer an image on a substrate of claim 4, wherein a pressure is applied on said first image support.