GB2366241A - Sublimation transfer decoration - Google Patents

Sublimation transfer decoration Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2366241A
GB2366241A GB0021180A GB0021180A GB2366241A GB 2366241 A GB2366241 A GB 2366241A GB 0021180 A GB0021180 A GB 0021180A GB 0021180 A GB0021180 A GB 0021180A GB 2366241 A GB2366241 A GB 2366241A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
decoration
article
sheet
printed
fascia
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0021180A
Other versions
GB0021180D0 (en
Inventor
Richard James Ernie Gardner
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GARDVENUS Ltd
Original Assignee
GARDVENUS Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GARDVENUS Ltd filed Critical GARDVENUS Ltd
Priority to GB0021180A priority Critical patent/GB2366241A/en
Publication of GB0021180D0 publication Critical patent/GB0021180D0/en
Publication of GB2366241A publication Critical patent/GB2366241A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet
    • B41M5/035—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet by sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design, e.g. sublistatic
    • B41M5/0353—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet by sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design, e.g. sublistatic using heat shrinkable film material; Thermotransfer combined with the shaping of the workpiece; Recto-verso printing; Image correction
    • 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
    • B44C1/17—Dry transfer
    • B44C1/1712—Decalcomanias applied under heat and pressure, e.g. provided with a heat activable adhesive

Landscapes

  • Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

The three-dimensional surface of an article (10) is provided with a decoration by a method in which the decoration is printed, in reverse and using sublimable ink, on one side (22) of a plastics sheet (20): then the sheet (20) is vacuum-formed to bring its printed side into intimate, conforming contact with the surface of the article; then heat is applied to transfer the decoration from the printed side of the deformed sheet (20) to the surface of the article (10).

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> Sublimation Transfer Decoration The present invention relates to a method of providing a three-dimensional surface of an article with a decoration, using a sublimation transfer technique.
There are nowadays a variety of articles to which it desirable to provide a decorative design. The sublimation transfer technique is capable of providing decorative designs to a high degree of definition: however, difficulties are encountered where the decoration is to be applied to a three- dimensional surface.
We have now devised a method of providing a three- dimensional surface of an article with a decoration, using a sublimation transfer technique, which is able to form the decoration to a high degree of definition.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a three-dimensional surface of an article with a decoration, comprising the steps of printing a decoration, in reverse and using sublimable ink, on one side of a sheet of plastics material, positioning the printed sheet over the surface of the article to be decorated, with the printed side of the sheet facing said surface of the article, using heat and pressure to deform said sheet so that its printed side is brought into intimate contact with the article, over the three-dimensional surface thereof to be decorated, and then applying heat to transfer the decoration from the printed side of the deformed sheet to said three-dimensional surface of the article.
It will be appreciated that the plastics sheet is permanently deformed into intimate contact with the surface of the article to be decorated. The plastics sheet is impermeable, so that the gases generated from the ink, upon sublimation, are unable to escape: these gases therefore permeate in concentrated manner into the surface of the article
<Desc/Clms Page number 2>
being decorated, to enhance the definition of the resulting decoration. Moreover, the vacuum-forming of the plastics film causes relatively little distortion of the film and correspondingly little distortion of the printed decoration.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a schematic sectional view of a fascia for a mobile phone and a plastics film printed with a decoration, in sublimable ink, which is to be transferred to the front surface of the fascia; and FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the plastics film vacuum-formed into intimate contact with the surface of the fascia, prior to transfer of the decoration to the fascia.
Referring to the drawings, the method of the present invention will be described with reference to the application of a decoration to the front surface of the fascia of a mobile phone. The method of the invention may be used, however, for applying decoration to a wide variety of articles.
The mobile phone fascia is shown in longitudinal section at 10 and is formed of plastics material. The fascia has a peripheral rim 12 and is formed with a number of openings e.g. 14, for access to the liquid crystal display and numerical and function buttons of the phone (not shown) to which the fascia is intended to be secured. Each of these openings is formed with a peripheral rim, e.g. 15. The front of the fascia is contoured and it is desired to apply a decoration to the front of the fascia, and to continue this decoration over the peripheral rim 12 of the fascia and over the rims 15 of the openings 14.
In carrying out the method of the present invention, one side 22 of a plastics film 20 is printed with the required decoration, in reverse, using sublimable ink. Then the printed
<Desc/Clms Page number 3>
film 20 is positioned over the front of the fascia 10: by a vacuum-forming process, the film 20 is then permanently deformed and brought into intimate contact with the fascia 10, over the surfaces to be decorated, as shown in Figure 2. The vacuum-forming of the printed film 20 is carried out at a temperature of typically 1500C, insufficient to effect sublimation of the ink printed on the plastics film 20. Subsequently, the sublimation transfer of the decoration is effected by raising the temperature to a higher level, typically 200 to 2200C.
The sublimation transfer may be carried out whilst the fascia 10 remains within the assembly in which the printed film is vacuum-formed to confirm to the surface of the fascia. Alternatively, the fascia 10 and vacuum-formed film may be removed from the vacuum-forming assembly, then placed in a two- part mould, which holds the film in firm contact with the fascia, and is then heated to an appropriate temperature for the decoration to be transferred to the fascia.
It will be appreciated that the vacuum-forming of the film ensures that the printed side of the film is brought into intimate contact with the fascia, over all of the surface to be decorated. Because the film is impermeable, then the gases, generated from the ink upon sublimation, are unable to escape and therefore permeate in concentrated manner into the surface of the fascia, to enhance the definition of the decorative design thus formed on the fascia.
<Desc/Clms Page number 4>

Claims (4)

  1. CLAIMS 1) A method of providing a three-dimensional surface of an article with a decoration, comprising the steps of printing a decoration, in reverse and using sublimable ink, on one side of a sheet of plastics material, positioning the printed sheet over the surface of the article to be decorated, with the printed side of the sheet facing said surface of the article, using heat and pressure to deform said sheet so that its printed side is brought into intimate contact with the article, over the three-dimensional surface thereof to be decorated, and then applying heat to transfer the decoration from the printed side of the deformed sheet to said three-dimensional surface of the article.
  2. 2) A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step of applying heat to transfer the decoration, from the printed side of the deformed sheet to the three- dimensional surface of the article, is carried out in the same assembly in which the printed sheet is deformed into intimate contact with the surface of said article.
  3. 3) A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step of applying heat to transfer the decoration, from the printed side of the deformed sheet to the three- dimensional surface of the article, is carried out in a different assembly from that in which the printed sheet is deformed into intimate contact with the surface of said article.
  4. 4) A method as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB0021180A 2000-08-30 2000-08-30 Sublimation transfer decoration Withdrawn GB2366241A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0021180A GB2366241A (en) 2000-08-30 2000-08-30 Sublimation transfer decoration

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0021180A GB2366241A (en) 2000-08-30 2000-08-30 Sublimation transfer decoration

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0021180D0 GB0021180D0 (en) 2000-10-18
GB2366241A true GB2366241A (en) 2002-03-06

Family

ID=9898447

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0021180A Withdrawn GB2366241A (en) 2000-08-30 2000-08-30 Sublimation transfer decoration

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2366241A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004022354A1 (en) * 2002-09-07 2004-03-18 E-Comeleon Limited Method and apparatus for printing an image onto a 3-dimensional surface
WO2018227084A1 (en) * 2017-06-09 2018-12-13 The Procter & Gamble Company Method for applying material onto and conforming to three-dimensional articles
US10682837B2 (en) 2017-06-09 2020-06-16 The Proctor & Gamble Company Method and compositions for applying a material onto articles

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5318942A (en) * 1989-11-20 1994-06-07 Laudy Roger K Elastic member for facilitating sublistatic printing

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5318942A (en) * 1989-11-20 1994-06-07 Laudy Roger K Elastic member for facilitating sublistatic printing

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004022354A1 (en) * 2002-09-07 2004-03-18 E-Comeleon Limited Method and apparatus for printing an image onto a 3-dimensional surface
GB2408017A (en) * 2002-09-07 2005-05-18 Comeleon Ltd E Method and apparatus for printing an image onto a 3-dimensional surface
GB2408017B (en) * 2002-09-07 2005-10-19 Comeleon Ltd E Method and apparatus for printing an image onto a 3-dimensional surface
WO2018227084A1 (en) * 2017-06-09 2018-12-13 The Procter & Gamble Company Method for applying material onto and conforming to three-dimensional articles
CN110636945A (en) * 2017-06-09 2019-12-31 宝洁公司 Method for applying and conforming a material to a three-dimensional article
US10682837B2 (en) 2017-06-09 2020-06-16 The Proctor & Gamble Company Method and compositions for applying a material onto articles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0021180D0 (en) 2000-10-18

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)