GB2090791A

GB2090791A - Process for the preparation of a heat-transferable pattern

Info

Publication number: GB2090791A
Application number: GB8100788A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Jin An Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Jin An Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 1981-01-12
Filing date: 1981-01-12
Publication date: 1982-07-21
Also published as: GB2090791B

Abstract

A process for the preparation of a heat-transferable pattern comprises printing a transient adhesive layer (2) on a temporary substrate (1) according to a desired pattern, applying a reflective material layer (3) on the transient adhesive layer formed as a pattern, applying a hot- melt adhesive layer (4) on the reflective material layer, and applying a thermal sensitive adhesive layer (5) on the hot-melt adhesive layer. Subsequently, a material (6) to be decorated is closely attached to the thermal sensitive adhesive layer, pressure and temperature are applied to the outside of the resulting laminate, and the substrate and transient adhesive layer removed to expose the applied reflective layer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Process for the preparation of a thermal transplantable pattern The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a thermal transplantable pattern.

In the prior art, it is well known to use aluminium flakes for producing a reflective decorative effect. This is accomplished by directly coating an adhesive resin on a material to be decorated according to a predetermined pattern, and then distributing and fixing aluminium flakes thereon. This conventional method has many disadvantages, for example a lot of unfixed aluminium flakes will be wasted during treatment, the contour of the pattern so treated does not give a sharp appearance, and uneven margins cannot be trimmed, resulting in a quality too bad to be practically used.

For eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks, an alternative method has been suggested, in which reflective flakes of metal, such as aluminium or copper, are directly admixed with resin, and in which the admixture so obtained, after being coated on a substrate, may be subjected to transprinting treatment. Since the resin will flow out of the surface of the admixture layer to cover parts of the reflective material, the product exhibits a dull appearance and, more seriously, in the case of products superimposed together, adherence between the products readily occurs.

Moreover, the finished pattern will be readily peeled off due to inferior adhesion, when ironing is applied.

The present invention provides a process for the preparation of a thermal transplantable pattern, which comprises printing a transient adhesive layer on a substrate according to a desired pattern, applying a reflective material layer on the transient adhesive layer formed as a pattern, applying a hot-melt adhesive layer on the reflective material layer, and applying a thermal sensitive adhesive layer on the hot-melt adhesive layer.

More preferably the process according to the invention comprises the steps of screen printing a transient adhesive layer on a sub strate according to any desired pattern; attach ing a reflective layer of metal flakes or finely divided glass particles on the transient adhesive layer by means of a conventional tech nique such as electrostatic deposition, dispersion, or spray coating; applying a hot-melt adhesive layer thereon; and then dispersing a thermal sensitive adhesive layer on the upper most face of the hot-melt adhesive layer. The thermal sensitive adhesive may be in the form of a powder or liquid resin; in the latter case, a further step of drying is carried out.

The products obtainable by the process ac cording to the invention are not sticky, but may easily be transplanted on any material to be decorated by simply applying heat and pressure, and a vivid twinkling colourful decorative effect may be achieved by incident light. The products may also exhibit brilliant colours, sharp contour lines, non-fading, nonpeeling off, and good fastness to washing and rubbing.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are all crosssectional views schematically illustrating the steps of a preferred embodiment of the process according to the present invention, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a first step of printing a transient adhesive layer on a substrate; Figure 2 illustrates a second step of attaching a reflective material layer on the transient adhesive layer; Figure 3 illustrates a third step of applying a hot-melt adhesive layer on the reflective material layer; Figure ss illustrates a fourth step of applying a thermal sensitive adhesive layer on the hotmelt adhesive layer; Figure 5 illustrates the product made as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 closely adhered on a material to be decorated; and Figure 6 illustrates the state that the substrate has been separated and a twinkling pattern transplanted to the material to be decorated.

In Fig. 1, a substrate 1 may be a cardboard and is preferably a high quality paper board having a weight of about 1 50 grams per square meter. A transient adhesive layer 2 is applied on the substrate in a desired pattern by means of a conventional screen printing method. This transient adhesive is selected such that it has a great adhesion to the substrate 1 but only a separable slight adhesion to a reflective material to be subsequently applied thereon. This transient adhesive layer which may be used in the present invention may comprise various resins including polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl resins, or a mixture thereof, as well as one or more mixed solutions or emulsions of rubbers, starches, rosins and dextrins.The amount of the transient adhesive applied is varied as required, but is preferably about 200 grams per square meter.

The pattern printed with the transient adhesive layer may be any design, character, ornament, mark, sign, figure, or interior decoration.

Next, referring to Fig. 2, on the transient adhesive layer 2 printed as a pattern is applied a reflective material layer 3. This reflective material 3 may comprises flakes of a metal such as aluminium or copper, or finely divided glass particles, either in their original colour or after treatment to exhibit any colour, and may be monochromatic or multi-colour.

The metal flakes preferably have a size of 0.01 to 0.06 mm and are in the form of squares, rectangles or diamond-shapes of foil.

The glass particles preferably have a size of 0.01 to 0.10 mm and are of round, polygonal or irregular shape, but most preferably have a diamond shape since the angles thereof generate the most colourful reflective effect. This reflective material is applied by conventional means including electrostatic deposition, spraying or dispering treatment, for distributing it over all the transient adhesive layer 2.

Then, as shown in Fig. 3, on the reflective material layer 3 is further applied a layer of hot-melt adhesive 4 by a conventional screen printing method. The hot-melt adhesive 4 should have a property of thermal adhesion to the material to be decorated, as described hereinafter, when in use, and is preferably selected from thermoplastic acrylic resins, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, rubbers and mixtures thereof. Upon application of this hotmelt adhesive 4, it is preferred to leave the margins of the reflective material layer 3 untreated.

Finally, as shown in Fig. 4, on the hot-melt adhesive layer 4 is applied a layer of thermal sensitive adhesive 5, which may be either a powder, such as a vinyl acetate compound powder, or a liquid, such as a vinyl acetate resin solution. The powder may be applied by dispersion, while the liquid is preferably applied by a screen printing method; in the latter case, a further drying step is carried out.

After treatment of the thermal sensitive adhesive, the finished product under normal conditions would not be sticky and is convenient for storage or handling.

The product obtained by the process described above is also very convenient in use.

As shown in Fig. 5, there may be closely attached to the thermal sensitive adhesive 5 a material 6 to be decorated, such as-various fabrics, woven products, papers, chemical resin made boards, metal plates, wooden boards, and flat concrete walls. Then, there is applied to the back side of the substrate 1 a temperature of 90 to 100"C and a pressure of from 50g/cm2 to 20kg/cm2 for a period from 10 to 1 5 seconds, to make the hot-melt adhesive layer 4 and thermal sensitive adhesive layer 5 molten and adhered on the material 6. If the material 6 is a fabric, woven product, paper or plastics sheet, the heat and pressure may be alternatively applied on the outside of the material 6 to be decorated.

Subsequently, the substrate 1 together with the transient adhesive layer 2 are separated, as shown in Fig. 6, and the hot-melt adhesive layer 4 and thermal sensitive adhesive layer 5 will transplant the reflective material 3 firmly adhered on the material 6. Upon transplantation, the reflective material 3 on the margins untreated with hot-melt adhesive 4 will remain on the transient adhesive layer 2 and be separated along with the substrate 1, so that the reflective material layer 3 transplanted on the material 6 has sharp contours and a near appearance just as if directly printed thereon.

The invention will be further described with reference to the following illustrative example.

EXAMPLE The surface of a fine quality paper board substrate weighing 1 50 g/m2 was printed with approximately 200 g/m2 of a polyvinyl acetate adhesive emulsion having 30 weight per cent solid content by means of a conventional screen printing method according to a well designed pattern to form a transient adhesive layer. Then, on the transient adhesive layer was dispersed an admixture of aluminium foil flakes having a thickness of 0.012 mm and a size of 0.10 x 0.14 mm and flakes of resin film pre-treated by deposition of aluminium molecules, to attach on the transient adhesive layer a reflective material layer. Thereafter, a layer of acrylic mixed resin was printed on the reflective material by means of a screen printing method, and a layer of vinyl acetate mixed powder was further distributed thereon. Thus a thermal transplantable twinkling pattern product was obtained.

In use, the product was attached at the pattern side to a fabric and there was applied on the back side of the product heat by an iron at a temperature of about 90 - 1 00'C, and also a slight pressure by hand for a period from 10 to 15 seconds, and then the substrate was separated, whereby the pattern was completely transplanted on the fabric.

Claims

1. A process for the preparation of a thermal transplantable pattern, which comprises printing a transient adhesive layer on a substrate according to a desired pattern, applying a reflective material layer on the transient adhesive layer formed as a pattern, applying a hot-melt adhesive layer on the reflective material layer, and applying a thermal sensitive adhesive layer on the hot-melt adhesive layer.

2. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the substrate is a paper board, weighing about 1 50g/m2.

3. A process as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the transient adhesive is selected from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl resins, rubbers, starches, rosins, dextrins, and mixtures thereof.

4. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the reflective material comprises flakes of reflective metal and/or flakes of resin film previously deposited with reflective metal molecules.

5. A process as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the said metal is aluminium or copper.

6. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the reflective material is finely divided glass particles.

7. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the hot-melt adhesive layer is applied on the reflective material layer so as to leave the margins of the reflective material layer untreated with the hot-melt adhesive.

8. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the hot-melt adhesive is selected from thermo-plastic acrylic resins, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, rubbers and mixtures thereof.

9. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the thermal sensitive adhesive comprises vinyl acetate powder.

10. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the reflective material is used in its original colour.

11. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the reflective material is previously coloured.

1 2. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 11, wherein monochromatic reflective material is used.

1 3. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 11, wherein multicolour reflective material is used.

14. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 13, further comprising transplanting the pattern to a material closely attached to the thermal sensitive adhesive layer by applying a temperature of from 90 to 100"C and a pressure of from 50 g/cm2 to 20 kg/cm2 for a period of 10 to

1 5 seconds.

1 5. A process according to Claim 1 for the preparation of a thermal transplantable pattern, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A process according to Claim 1 for the preparation of a thermal transplantable pattern, substantially as herein described with reference to the foregoing Example.