CH637780A5 - Process for producing signs - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the manufacture of signs using transfer materials.

In the following, signs, sheets, 65 sheets or plates, e.g. Signs, plates, vehicle registration plates or the like.

Dry-working character transfer materials have been known for many years and have been described, for example, in British Patents 959670 and 954459. Such dry transfer materials conventionally consist of a flexible, translucent or translucent plastic film on which a plurality of transferable characters are arranged, usually letters of the alphabet, numbers and punctuation marks. There is a coating of an adhesive over each sign, which enables the sign to be transferred by sticking it onto a sensor surface. In order to facilitate such a transfer, the mechanical properties of the sign and the carrier film in relation to one another can be chosen such that the bond between the carrier film and the signs can be weakened or broken by local stretching of the carrier film. The local stretching of the carrier film is effected by rubbing on the back of the carrier film in the area of a character with a suitable pen. Such a system is described in GB-PS 959670.

Such dry transfer materials have been widely used in various fields for a number of years. Because of the relatively delicate, fragile, and sensitive nature of the ink film from which the characters are made, such dry transfer materials are generally unsuitable for the manufacture of labels that must be exposed to weathering, cleaning solutions, or the like. Accordingly, in the manufacture of signs that were not to be hand-drawn or printed characters but rather pre-formed characters, the tendency was to use die-cut vinyl letters instead of dry-transfer characters. The inscription with dry transfer characters can be used in the production of composite signs in which the characters are covered by a protective plate or film, e.g. the characters on a suitable carrier, such as paper, can be placed in a frame and covered with a glass or plastic plate through which the lettering is visible. Such designs are generally unsatisfactory and tend to be unsightly.

The inventive method for producing signs using a transfer material is characterized in patent claim 1; various special embodiments of the method are specified in dependent claims 2 to and 10.

In particular, the transfer material thus comprises a transparent or translucent carrier film which has a plurality of transferable characters on one side, which either have sufficient adhesive power itself to enable them to be transferred to the intermediate carrier film, or each have an adhesive layer on their outer surface facing away from the carrier film wear, or which are non-adhesive but can be transferred to the temporary intermediate carrier film by means of a coating of adhesive, the adhesive, if present, being designed such that it sticks the characters to the temporary intermediate carrier film more firmly than the characters adhere to the carrier film , and the material of the signs is adhesive under the influence of heat and pressure.

The heat and pressure should be sufficient to ensure that the characters adhere to the translucent (transparent or translucent) label film with greater strength than the adhesive strength of the characters to the temporary intermediate carrier film. The temporary liner sheet can then be pulled away and the characters can, if desired, be coated with a layer of a suitable material, e.g. a color coating, which then forms a background for the characters when the sign is viewed. The background can also be colored by a

3rd

637 780

Paper or a colored film is produced, which is glued over the characters or held against the characters. Alternatively, the layer can be provided by transferring a colored layer from a blocking foil under pressure and, if necessary, heating.

As the characters come into intimate contact with the surface of the transparent or translucent shield foil under the influence of heat and pressure, this surface is completely “wetted” and the characters appear optically dense and completely flat and even. The signs are protected in the sign by the transparent or translucent film through which they are viewed, and this can be chosen according to the purpose. The transparent or translucent film can be made of glass, but is preferably a plastic material, e.g. an acrylic plastic; particularly preferred are polyvinyl chloride, cellulose triacetate and polymethyl methacrylate (e.g. commercial products, such as those sold under the registered trademark PERSPEX and PLEXIGLAS).

The property of the signs, that they should be adhesive under the action of heat and pressure, can be given to the signs, for example, by formation on the basis of a thermoplastic polymer material, which softens to a sticky adherent state when exposed to heat. Alternatively, a thermosetting material, which also initially softens when heated, can be used as the base material. In such a case, the finished sign can be made extraordinarily heat-resistant by heating it after its manufacture, thereby hardening the thermosetting base material into a hard, thermoset film adhering to the transparent or translucent film. It can thus be said that the characters are formed from a hot melt or heat seal adhesive together with a suitable pigment or dye to make the surface of the character visible.

Preferably, the transfer material used in the method of the invention is in the form of a stretch release type dry transfer material, i.e. as described in GB-PS 959670. The characters are preferably formed by screen printing using an appropriate ink and then the entire printed surface of the film, including the spaces between the characters, is expediently overlaid with an essentially non-sticky pressure-sensitive adhesive. The characters can also be formed in a known manner by printing a drawing surface from a colorless carrier film and a visible drawing image from colored printing ink. The film can be screen printed and the visible character image can be printed e.g. Gravure, using a printing press or lithographic printing, either before or after the film is printed. Substantially non-tacky pressure sensitive adhesives are generally not particularly strong, and there may be a need to use the aforementioned stretch release method to ensure that a relatively weak adhesive has sufficient peel strength to remove the characters from the carrier film when the dry transfer material is used. The fact that the heat and pressure bond between the characters and the translucent or translucent shield sheet through which the characters are to be viewed is generally much stronger than the adhesive bond created by the adhesive of the transfer material or on the temporary intermediate carrier sheet makes it possible to pull away the temporary intermediate carrier sheet to which the characters were originally transferred when the inscription or the like was put together, either hot or cold, with the characters adhering firmly to the transparent or translucent label sheet.

The individual components of the preferred dry transfer materials for use in the method of the invention are explained in more detail below.

Carrier film

The base sheet of the transfer material for the method of the invention can be any of the base sheets commonly used in the manufacture of dry-working character transfer sheets. Clear or translucent plastic films are preferred, especially films made of polyethylene, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate. Coated papers can also be used. The thickness of the film is preferably 0.1 to 0.15 mm.

The carrier film can have a release agent coating on the surfaces bearing the characters.

character

The characters can be produced from an ink based on a film-forming polymeric thermoplastic material. Both plastisol and organosol printing inks can be used, likewise printing inks can be used which, when compiled on the basis of a thermosetting polymeric material, have an appropriate content of a modification agent in order to give the overall sign thermoplastic heat seal or hot-melt adhesive properties. For example, nitrocellulose-based printing inks can be given thermoplastic heat-sealing properties by suitably chosen plasticizers; polymeric plasticizers, when used in a sufficiently high content, bring about the desired properties, yet they enable printing of the characters without difficulty and allow the production of dry transfer materials which work according to the so-called "stretch release" as described in GB-PS 959670 is. The characters can be applied simply by a single printing process or they can be built up in the form of a number of layers, wherein these layers can be varied and can be applied by successive printing processes. Alternatively, it is possible to create suitable characters photographically by modifying one of the known photographic methods for making dry transfer materials. Such methods include in British Patents 1079661, 1291960 and 1364627. The melting or softening point of the signs should be chosen carefully, especially considering the types of transparent or translucent film on which the signs are to be glued.

adhesive

As noted above, the adhesive is preferably an essentially non-tacky pressure sensitive adhesive type adhesive. Preferred adhesives consist of a highly tacky polymeric component, e.g. Polyisobutylene, polyvinyl ether, poly-vinyl isobutyl ether, or a mixture containing one or more of these components, together with a tack-modifying or reducing component. Typical tack-reducing components are finely divided minerals, especially finely divided silicon dioxide, and waxy materials, e.g. natural or synthetic waxes.

5

10th

15

20th

25th

30th

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

637 780

4th

The compilation of the characters in parts and percentages by weight, if provided

Printing ink compositions may not be otherwise specified in accordance with the intended uses.

Turning of the material can be chosen. For example, if it is desired to use the material in the manufacture of Example 1

5 A printing ink mass was put together in the following way, through which the characters are ultimately viewed: A mixture of the printing ink mass for the characters could be compiled in such a way that they match the material the transparent or methyl methacrylate copolymer 20 parts translucent film is chemically compatible. In a corresponding manner, 68 parts of ethylene glycol ethyl ether acetate can be used if the transparent or translucent 10 unc *

film e.g. consists of polyvinyl chloride, the combination of polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl acetate mixed poly 11 parts position of the printing ink is chosen so that a merisat (Vinylite VYHH - Bakelite)

Printing ink mass results which is compatible with polyvinyl chloride. Then 43 parts by weight of this mixture were mixed in an egg and on such a surface with optically and in a three-roller mixer together with 9 parts by weight ani

Consideration of satisfactory results can be achieved with slightly hot-black, 5-black pigment, 0.2 parts by weight of fine, light-colored silicon. As preferred examples of plastic foamed powder, which is known in the art as fumed silica types which are used for the manufacture of the signs ( Aerosil 300 - Degussa) and 3.8 parts by weight can be mentioned: polymer methyl methacrylate foils milled ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate. The processing of the above-mentioned types, polyvinylchloride films, polystyrene milling was continued up to a Hegman value of 7, using polyethylene and polypropylene films, polycarbonate film. Suitable materials for IQ parts by weight of a 40% by weight solution of the temporary intermediate carrier are plastic films, e.g. Methyimethacrylate-butyl methacrylate mixed polymer (para-polyethylene terephthalate films, various treated loid ß66 _ Röhm and Haas in ethylene glycol monoethyl ether

Papers and for example aluminum foils. The material of the acetate and 1Q parts by weight of a temporary methyl methacrylate interchangeable backing film should of course be able to withstand the heat that is added during the working stage of and Haas in ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate the transparent or translucent and the mixture up to Zm Hom in the glowing shield foil under heat and pressure to act. The s0 prepared black ink mass came to an end. Correspondingly, the adhesive printing of Lettem on j 5Q thick films made of polyethylene component of the transmission material of the invention should be used by high density. The silk screen printing process was used for heat and the pressure used to stick the characters on; printing was carried out using a 240-mesh

the surface of the transparent or translucent screen (24Q mesh screen) The printed images were on

Shield films are not used adversely in a belt dryer during 30 seconds of inactivity. In particular, the adhesive should not be dried at 60 ° C, melt too low a temperature, as this will slide and 35 An adhesive was prepared in the following way:

Slip between the characters and the temporary interim- The components listed below were mixed together in the carrier film during the heat transfer stage as indicated on the occasion:

could give. Particularly preferred adhesives comprise a highly tacky thermoplastic polymer component. Fine, light silica powder, fumed 8.0 parts with an appropriate amount of a finely divided silica. 40 silica (Aerosil R972 - Degussa)

dioxide to reduce the overall stickiness of the adhesive 48.0 parts aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent. (Exsol 145/160 - Esso)

The adhesive is preferably solvent-soluble in polyisobutylene solution (low 7.7 parts of a non-solvent for the transparent or through-molecular weight, Opanol BIO - BASF,

shiny shield foil. This makes it possible to easily remove any adhesive solution with 30% by weight solids in material residues from the sign for cleaning purposes - Exsol 145/160)

to create a clean, final look. Polyisobutylene solution (high 20.0 parts

The removal of such adhesive residues is particularly molecular weight, Oppanol B50 - BASF,

important if the characters are to be coated with a sprayed paint over 20% by weight solution in Exsol train. With the following- 50 145/160)

In the examples, the adhesives used can be dissolved in hexane polybutene (low molecular weight, 13.8 parts or heptane. Hyvis 10 - B.P. Chemicals Ltd.)

Since one mistake can inevitably be made when compiling the inscription, it is preferred that the latter component became the other

transferred characters either from the temporary intermediate 55 ingredients added while hot at 50 to 60 ° C

liner carrier film or from which transparent or translucent was stirred.

base film also by the action of solvent. 99.0 parts by weight of a 10% by weight were then made removable. In the examples below, solution of polyethylene wax (type ACP6 - Allied nen the signs by dissolving in technical methylated chemicals Limited) in the aliphatic hydrocarbon

Sprits (industriai methylated spirits) removed 60 solvents (Exsol 145/160) added.

will. Finally, a melted 50 weight percent

If the transparent or translucent shield film, solution of a fatty amide (oleamide, crodamide O - Croda to which the characters are to be transferred is very thin, Chemicals) in the aliphatic hydrocarbon solution

e.g. consists of a thin plastic film, this film can be added medium (Exsol 145/160) and stirring to produce

continued during the heat transfer stage by using a homogeneous adhesive.

rigid base is supported. This adhesive was applied by printing,

The invention is illustrated below by means of examples by screen printing, an entire layer by another. In these examples, all 240 mesh screen details are preceded by those

5

637 780

printed polyethylene films. The adhesive coating was dried by passing the films through a belt dryer at a residence time of 30 seconds at 65 ° C. The transfer films produced in this way were protected by interposing siliconized vegetable parchment paper films.

Using the transfer materials thus produced, a word was built up from individual letters on a 50 (in the thick film made of polyethylene terephthalate film (Melinex - ICI). The film carrying the letters was then such that the letters were in Contact with a 2 mm thick sheet of polymethyl methacrylate (Perspex-ICI Limited) was passed through a heated nip, the temperature of the nip forming rolls was 170 ° C. and the collapsed structure was passed between the rolls at a speed of 4 m / minute.

The polyethylene terephthalate film was then removed from the polymethyl methacrylate film, the letters remaining firmly adhering to the surface of the polymethyl methacrylate film and being the correct inscription when viewed through this film. The side of the film carrying the letters was then sprayed with a spray paint. The result was a sign in which the black letters stood out clearly against the colored background and which had an overall very attractive appearance.

Example 2

The following constituents were mixed together in the stated proportions by weight:

Rutile Titanium Dioxide (Grade R-HD3 - British 29.0 parts Titan Products)

Mixed polymer mixture as in Example 1 43.0 parts of fine silicon dioxide powder, fumed silica 0.2 parts (Aerosil 300 - Degussa)

Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate 7.8 parts

This mixture was dispersed in a three-roll mixer until a Hegman fineness of 7 was obtained, and then 10 parts by weight of a methyl methacrylate-lat-butyl methacrylate copolymer solution (as in Example 1) and 10 parts by weight of a methyl methacrylate copolymer solution (as in Example 1) added.

Dry transfer films were produced by printing this ink mass onto 150 (in thick high-density polyethylene films as in Example 1) and then drying and applying the films obtained in exactly the same way as in Example 1.

Words were assembled using these films in the usual manner by transferring individual letters to 50 µm thick polyethylene terephthalate films. The word-bearing film was then passed through a heated gap along with a 1 mm thick clear polyvinyl chloride film. The gap temperature was 120 ° C and the polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride films were passed at a speed of 4 m / minute. After passing through the gap, the polyethylene terephthalate film could be pulled down, the white letters remaining firmly adhering to the polyvinyl chloride film. The side of the polyvinyl chloride film carrying the letters was then sprayed with a black cellulose varnish and dried in air. The resulting sign was very attractive in appearance.

It has been found that higher processing speeds can be used in conjunction with higher gap temperatures, for example a gap temperature of 160 ° C. in conjunction with a throughput speed of 9 m / minute. If too high temperatures are used in conjunction with low speeds, there is a risk of the polyvinyl chloride film tending to distort.

Example 3

The black ink of Example 1 was used to screen print on 100 µm high density polyethylene films using a 61T mesh (61T mesh).

The characters printed in this manner were overprinted in alignment using a colorless carrier film of the following composition:

Fine silicon dioxide powder, fumed silica 2.8 parts (Aerosil 130V - Degussa)

polymeric plasticizer (Uralac 923/68 - 30.0 parts Synthetic Resins Ltd.)

monomeric plasticizer (Howflex SP - 3.7 parts laporte)

Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate 99.5 parts

Cellulose nitrate (33% DHX 3A in butanol) 63.9 parts

After each printing, the films were belt dried with a residence time of 40 seconds at 85 ° C.

The films were then overprinted with an adhesive of the following composition:

Fine silica powder, fumed silica 8.8 parts (Aerosil 300 - Degussa)

Aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent 76.9 parts (ECS 2033 - Esso)

Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether 26.0 parts

Xylene 10.3 parts

High viscosity polyvinyl ethyl ether 2.0 parts (Union Carbide)

Low viscosity polyvinyl ethyl ether 16.0 parts (Union Carbide)

Polyterpene resin (A125 - R.H. Cole Co.) 3.2 parts

The adhesive was printed through a TOOT mesh (100T mesh) and then dried by passing the transfer materials through a belt dryer with a residence time of 40 seconds at 85 ° C.

The transmission material thus produced was used to build up words on 50 [in thick polyethylene terephthalate films (Melinex grade S - I.C.I.) and the inscription thus formed was brought into contact with polymethyl methacrylate films 2 mm thick. The collated structure of the polymethyl methacrylate film and the polyethylene terephthalate film carrying the letters was then passed through a heated gap. The gap was heated to 180 ° C and the passage speed was 8 m / minute. The polyethylene terephthalate film could then be removed. The letters remained firmly adhered to the polymethyl methacrylate film.

In order to emphasize these letters sharply, the polymethyl methacrylate film was then deposited with a base made of retro-flective material (e.g. Scotchlite - 3M Company, or a paint containing microspheres) in order to frame a vehicle license plate, i.e. to form a so-called vehicle number plate; this had a very attractive appearance and was very legible.

Example 4

The measures of Example 1 were repeated

however, white and black color masses were used, which were prepared in the following way:

5

10th

15

20th

25th

30th

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

637 780

6

First, a base was prepared by using the ingredients below

Polymethyl methacrylate (Plexigum P 24 - 90 parts Cornelius Chemical Co.)

Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether 110 parts

Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether 5 parts aromatic hydrocarbon fraction in 10 parts boiling range between 168 ° C and 200 ° C (Aromasol H - I.C.I.)

were mixed together.

This base mass was then used to prepare color masses of the following composition:

Base 215 parts

Butylphthalylbutylglycolat (Reomol 4PG - 9 parts Ciba Geigy)

Amide wax (dehysol wax) 2.6 parts titanium dioxide (rutile grade RH472 -

Laporte) 68 parts or carbon black (Elftex 150 - Cabot Carbon) 14 parts polymeric plasticizer (Paraplex G25 - 14.0 Röhm & Haas)

Titanium dioxide 30.0

Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (oxitol) 7.7

5

The ink mass was ground in a three-roll mixer to a Hegman value of 7 and the final viscosity was adjusted for printing with oxitol acetate.

io black ink mass%

Cellulose nitrate, 33% n-butanol soaked in 62.5 ethyl glycol monoethyl ether acetal polymeric plasticizers (Paraplex G25 - 16.5 Röhm & Haas)

15 Russ 7.5

Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether 9.5

Superplasticizer

Dehysol wax (Henkel & Cie GmbH) 2.0

20 flow regulators (Modaflow - Monsanto 2.0 Chemicals Ltd)

The ingredients were premixed using a pallet knife and then ground in a three-roll mixer to a fineness level according to Hegman value 7.

The printing ink compositions produced in this way were used as in Examples 1 and 4 for the production of signs and motor vehicle number plates. Similar good and satisfactory results were achieved.

If characters with very fine details are to be used, the characters can be printed in two stages: First, a general area is printed using a printing compound of the type specified above, but which contains no pigment, in order to cut off a colorless carrier film. Then the finely detailed characters with the colored ink are printed on this area. Alternatively, the characters can be printed first and then overprinted with a clear film area. Since the colorless carrier film is an acrylic polymer-based film, it does not adversely affect the appearance of the final shield.

Example 5

Example 1 was repeated using black and white printing ink compositions of the following composition and using an adhesive of the composition listed below:

The ink mass was ground in a three roll mixer to a Hegman value of 7 and the final viscosity was adjusted with oxitol acetate for printing.

%

White ink, cellulose nitrate, 33% n-butanol, soaked in ethyl glycol monoethyl ether acetate

48.3

adhesive

Fine silicon dioxide powder, fumed silica (Aerosil R972 - Degussa)

30 aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent 17.2 (Exsol 145/160 Esso)

Oleamide (Crodamide '0' - Croda Chemicals Limited)

Polyisobutylene solution (low 35 molecular weight, Opanol BIO - BASF, 50 percent by weight in Exsol 145/160)

Polysobutylene solution (high molecular weight, Oppanol B50 - BASF, 20 percent by weight in Exsol 145/160)

40 polybutene (medium molecular weight, Hyvis 30 - B.P. chemicals Ltd.)

Polyethylene wax solution (type ACP6 - Allied 49.46 Chemicals Ltd., 10 weight percent dispersed in Exsol 145/160)

45

Similar, very satisfactory results were again obtained.

The method of the invention thus easily produces signs with a very appealing appearance and good legibility, the inscription being read through the transparent or translucent film which protects the inscription against abrasion, weather conditions or other damage.

4.0

10.12

2.33

10.00

6.89

G

Claims (10)

637 780 2nd PATENT CLAIMS 1. A method for the production of signs using a transfer material, characterized in that one of a transfer material having a translucent carrier film with a plurality of transferable characters located on a 5 side of the carrier film, the characters by gluing in the arrangement provided for training the desired inscription for the sign by means of adhesion onto a temporary intermediate carrier film, which applies the transferred signs under heat and pressure to the surface of a translucent sign film, and thereby uses such a combination for the material from which the signs are formed that Removal of the intermediate carrier foil the characters on the shield foil remain. 15 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that one uses a transfer material, the characters of which are inherently sufficiently adhesive to bring about their transfer to the temporary intermediate carrier film. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that one uses a transfer material in which each character carries an adhesive layer which allows the transfer of the characters to the temporary intermediate carrier film. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface of the temporary intermediate carrier sheet 25 to which the characters are transferred is provided with an adhesive coating sufficient adhesive strength to enable the transfer of the characters from the transfer material to the temporary intermediate carrier sheet. 5. The method according to any one of claims I to 4, characterized in that one forms the characters of the transfer material from a material based on a thermoplastic polymeric material which softens under the action of heat to a sticky state. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the characters of the transfer material are formed from a nitrocellulose-based ink which contains a sufficient proportion of a polymeric plasticizer to impart thermoplastic heat-sealing properties to the characters. 40 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the temporary intermediate carrier film consists of polyethylene terephthalate. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the characters are brought into contact with the shielding foil 45 under heat and pressure by removing a structure from the temporary intermediate carrier foil, the characters forming the shielding inscription and the shielding foil by a heated one Gap between the rollers conducts. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that one uses a shield film made of an acrylic plastic material, polyvinyl chloride or cellulose triacetate. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that after removal of the temporary 55 intermediate carrier film, the surface of the shield film bearing the characters is coated with a color layer which stands out from the color of the characters.