GB2063764A

GB2063764A - Application of decorations to surfaces

Info

Publication number: GB2063764A
Application number: GB7940692A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SKIPTON CERAMIC PRINTERS Ltd
Current assignee: SKIPTON CERAMIC PRINTERS Ltd
Priority date: 1979-11-24
Filing date: 1979-11-24
Publication date: 1981-06-10

Abstract

A decoration is applied to the surface (2) of an article (1), such as a rigid wooden board, from a support sheet which is printed with the decoration. The article surface is first provided with a base coat and a heat transfer process is then used to transfer the decoration from the sheet to the base coat. After application of the decoration an inner portion (3) of the article may be cut into interfitting sections (4) so as to form a child's assembly puzzle of the jig-saw kind. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Application of decorations to surfaces This invention relates to the application of decorations to surfaces.

A conventional method of applying multicoloured decorations to surfaces of articles involves subjecting the articles to repeated printing operations, the articles being printed with a different colour of the desired decoration in each such operation.

Whilst this conventional method is generally satisfactory in the case of articles which are thin flexible sheets, problems may arise with heavy, rigid articles, such as wooden boards, in so far as it may not be practical or convenient to subject same to the requisite repeated operations.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of applying decorations to surfaces which is particularly suitable for use in the context of applying multicoloured decorations to relatively heavy, rigid articles.

According to the invention therefore a method of applying a decoration to a surface of an article comprises the steps of applying a base coat to the said surface, and transferring a decoration printed on a support sheet onto the said base coat by a heat transfer process, the nature of the printing on the support sheet and of the base coat being respectively appropriate to heat transfer and secure support of the said decoration.

With this arrangement, a multi-coloured decoration can be conveniently printed in conventional manner on the said support sheet using suitable heat transfer inks, and such printing can then be readily transferred to the coated surface of the article. Inconvenient repreated printing of the article is not required.

The article may be made from any suitable material including (but not restricted to) wood, chipboard, fibreboard, glass, plastics, metal.

The article may comprise a relatively heavy, rigid board or panel, or may be of any other suitable formation.

The said base coat is preferably formed from a resinous material capable of providing a smooth coherent surface suited to the support of the transferred decoration and capable of withstanding the heat applied in the heat transfer process. In the case where the article has a porous surface, the said coat will preferably seal same.

The base coat may be applied in one or more layers and may incorporate a pigment.

In a particularly preferred arrangement a first layer containing a pigment is applied to the article and a second clear layer is then applied on top. Application of the base coat layers may be effected by any suitable printing, spraying or other technique.

The printed support sheet may take any suitable form and thus for example may comprise a paper sheet printed with heat subliming dyes. Transfer from the sheet to the base coated article may be effected in conventional manner in a press in which the sheet is heated and pressed against the article.

In one embodiment, the invention is applied to the manufacture of jig-saws or similar assembly puzzles particularly for infants. In this case, the article may comprise a wooden board and an inner portion of the board may be cut into interfitting sections after application of the decoration thereto, a backing panel then being secured to the back of the board so that said cut-out inner portion defines a shallow recess into which the interfitting sections can be placed and reassembled.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic perspective view of an infant's jigsaw made in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

A thin rectangular board 1 formed, for example from plywood is coated on a top surface 2 thereof with a base layer of a twocomponent epoxy resin containing a white pigment (or any other colour pigment as desired). A suitable material is that sold by Sericol Limited under the trade name POLY SCREEN WHITE, and application to the board may be effected by screen printing.

The resinous component is solvent based and has a density of 1.70 kgms. per litre. The other (catalyst) component has a density of 0.92 kgms. per litre. The components are mixed in the ratio of five parts resinous component to one part catalyst (by volume) and screen printing is effected through a screen with a mesh count of 62 threads per centimetre.

The screen printed based layer is allowed to dry overnight.

A top layer of a two-component clay epoxy resin is then screen printed on top of the base layer, a suitable material being that sold by Sericol Limited under the trade name POLY SCREEN VARNISH.

The resinous component is solvent based and has a density of 1.08 kgms. per litre. The other (catalyst) component has a density of 0.92 kgms. per litre. The components are mixed in the ratio three parts resinous component to one part catalyst and screen printing is effected through a screen with a mesh count of 62 threads per centimetre.

The screen printed top layer is allowed to dry overnight.

Both the base layer and the top layer are formed from non-toxic materials suitable for use in toys. If desired instead of drying overnight, each layer may be dried in a convection oven for three minutes at 204"C or alternatively for one hour at 74 C.

A transfer paper which is an uncoated bond paper of approximately 60 g.s.m. is printed (for example by a silk-screen or litho process) with a multi-coloured decoration in conventional manner using coloured heat activated inks of density 0.87 kgms per litre (for example SUBLISCREEN inks).

The transfer paper is pressed on top of the coated surface 2 of the board in a transfer press and a temperature of 200"C is maintained for 20 seconds.

The coat applied to the board surface 2 seals such surface and provides a secure base for the heat transfer inks. The decoration is therefore firmly secured in position on the board. Also the pigmented base coat provides a suitably coloured background for the decoration.

After removal from the press, the central portion 3 of the decorated board may be cut out to give interfitting sections 4. The mode of application of the decoration as described above is such that there is little tendency for chipping or cracking of the decoration to occur at the cut edges.

The back surface of the board 1 is then bonded to a hardboard panel 5 whereby the cut-out central portion 3 defines a recess into which the interfitting sections 4 can be placed and reassembled with each other.

With the procedure so far described it will be appreciated that decorations can be applied to boards in a particularly simple and convenient manner.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only. Thus, for example, if desired, the base coating applied to the board may comprise solely the clear layer in the case where a pigmented background is not required.

Claims

1. A method of applying a decoration to a surface of an article comprising the steps of applying a base coat to the said surface, and transferring a decoration printed on a support sheet onto the said base coat by a heat transfer process, the nature of the printing on the support sheet and of the base coat being respectively appropriate to heat transfer and secure support of the said decoration.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the printed decoration is multi-coloured.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the article comprises a rigid board or panel.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base coat is formed from a resinous material.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base coat incorporates a pigment.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base coat is applied in a number of layers.

7. A method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a first said layer containing said pigment is applied to the article and then a second clear said layer is applied on top.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the printed support sheet comprises a paper sheet printed with heat subliming dyes.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the decoration is transferred from the support sheet onto the base coat in a press in which the sheet is heated and pressed against the article.

10. A method according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

11. An article when provided with a decoration thereon in accordance with the method of any one of claims 1 to 10.

1 2. A method of forming an assembly puzzle wherein an article is provided with a decoration thereon in accordance with the method any one of claims 1 to 10 and is then cut into interfitting sections.

1 3. A method according to claim 12, wherein the article is a board and an inner portion thereof is cut into said sections.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein a backing panel is secured to the back of the board so that the cut-out inner portion defines a shallow recess into which the interfitting sections can be placed and reassembled.

15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the board is a wooden board.

16. An assembly puzzle when formed by the method of any one of claims 1 2 to 1 5.