JP2001525265A - Layer structure with controlled droplet formation - Google Patents

Abstract

A laminate, comprising a substrate and at least two controlled droplet-formed layers further comprising an array of discrete placed material volumes having a thickness extent, each material volume having a selected magnitude and a selected position relative to adjacent material volumes, said array being formed by deposition of droplets of selected volume at selected locations with respect to one another.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to forming coatings, thin films, and laminates. More specifically, the invention relates to the formation of material layers utilizing controlled droplet formation and deposition techniques.

[0002]

[Prior art]

In the manufacture of coatings, thin films, and laminates, it is often desirable to precisely control the physical properties and characteristics of individual material layers coated on a substrate. For laminated structures of pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs), such as labels and tapes, for example, thickness, surface morphology, and physical properties such as deformation under stress, as well as chemical components, cross-linking of polymer chains, It is desirable to control material properties such as the ratio of solids in the emulsion and solvent in the solution. This includes, for example, sticking, peeling, stability,
The same applies to the adhesive layer having the above-described structure in which it is desirable to control properties such as resistance to a solvent. Further, for release layers having such a structure, for example, it is desirable to control the release of the adhesive when used with a given PSA and underlying carrier, and the chemical and physical interaction with the adjacent carrier and PSA layer. The same is true for Further, such as facestock, which affects the overall lamination properties, such as whether the stiffness and structure of the facestock is self-supporting and whether the facestock is printable. The other layers of the laminate structure are also carefully designed and controlled in PSA laminate products, and it is desirable to have tighter control over their properties.

[0003] In tape products drawn from rolls and thin film products coated with adhesive, control of the properties of the individual component layers is also highly desirable. In particular, PSA products must be designed so that one side incorporates an adhesive layer, which can be very aggressive, the other side incorporates a release layer, and so that the desired release force is achieved. Controlling the properties of these layers is important to the functionality of the structure, as the functionality of the two sides must be carefully balanced.

However, the need for precise control of the constituent materials, the properties of the individual layers, and the overall performance is not limited to the foregoing examples, including PSA laminates. Many other applications, such as the production of laminated structures, free-standing polymer resin films that can be constructed into a layered structure, and electrical components with laminated coatings applied directly to the product for protective purposes, include:
Here are some of the many examples that can be listed.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In addition, many properties of the laminate structure directly affect the cost of products containing the laminate structure.
This is particularly the case, for example, for large labels and tapes and thin films. It would be highly desirable to optimize the layer or layers of the laminate to minimize the need for materials and achieve the desired result.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

Briefly and basically, the invention comprises a substrate and at least two controlled droplet formation layers, the layers comprising an array of individually arranged material volumes having a thickness range. Additionally, each material volume has a selected size and a selected location relative to an adjacent material volume, and the array is formed by welding selected volumes of droplets at selected locations with respect to each other. , In which a controlled droplet formation is provided. In a more detailed aspect, the selected material volume in at least one of the layers where the droplets are formed in a controlled manner is formed from a different material than the other material volumes in the layer where the droplets are formed. Thus, the layer in which the droplets are formed in a controlled manner comprises at least two different materials.

In yet another detailed aspect, in one embodiment, the substrate upon which the controlled droplet forming layer is deposited further comprises a layer of material on which the controlled droplet formation is performed. The controlled droplet forming layer can be formed from a different material than the substrate.

In another detailed aspect, the layer in which the droplets are controlled to form droplets is a discontinuous layer and comprises an array of material volumes, wherein at a selected first location, the material volume is in contact with the substrate. Overlap, and at the selected second location, the material volume does not overlap the substrate. In a more detailed aspect, it can be formed to be releasable from a substrate, wherein the deposition layer, or substrate, comprises a release material and other PSA materials. In this particular aspect, the layer in which the droplets are controlled to form is, in a particular example, a product selected from the following groups: thin films formed by the deposition of continuous layers, labels having multiple layers. Can consist of layers. In a laminated structure where the adhesive is PSA, the adhesive can consist of one layer and the structure can further include a facestock layer. Other layers can be incorporated, such as, for example, a carrier layer, a primer layer, a print coating layer, an image layer, and a protective coating layer, at least some of which can be formed by controlled droplet deposition.

With such a structure, the formation of each layer formed according to the present invention can be controlled very precisely. The placement of the material volume can be accomplished by spraying droplets onto the substrate through the atmosphere or by contact techniques, as described in more detail below. Other aspects and advantages achievable by the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0010]

【Example】

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for purposes of illustration and not limitation, there is shown a schematic diagram of a laminated or layered structure 10 illustrating the principles of the present invention.
A Cartesian coordinate system is shown to show the point-to-point variability of the structure. First
(X-axis) direction is in equilibrium with the relative movement direction of the laminated structure 12. Drop welding means 14, such as drop-on-demand, or continuous, such as thermal or piezoelectric jets similar to those used in ink jet printing, to deposit the droplets. A typical droplet stream ejector is used. The droplet welding means is movable in the lateral (y-axis) direction, and the welding of the droplets forms a manufacturing structure in a third (z-axis) direction. The droplet ejector may comprise other means for droplet formation, and may include, for example, electrostatic control of the trajectory of the ejected droplet. A key feature of the droplet welding means is the ability to deposit individual and distinct droplets on the substrate 16 in a controlled manner. The substrate itself may be, for example, a formed layer structure or layers, or a cast sheet. The droplet welding means may be a monodisperse droplet welding means in which all the droplets formed are of approximately the same material volume, or a bidisperse means which is capable of forming controlled but variable droplet volumes. Is fine. In this regard, the droplet welding means 14 can alternatively deposit individual droplets of material from the tip of a capillary needle utilizing the surface tension characteristics of the droplet between the needle and the substrate 16, for example. A contact device such as a capillary needle 17 positioned by a plotter 19, which is a Century Series Model No. c-702 manufactured by Asymtek, Inc. of San Carlos, Calif.

The relative movement may be in a second direction 18 parallel to the y-axis shown in FIG. For example, the droplet welding means 14 can reciprocate between a second direction parallel to the y-axis and an opposite direction 20 to place a new layer of material 22. Thus, the stack is formed in a third direction 24 parallel to the z-axis. Alternatively, a number of said droplet welding means may be provided in an array (not shown) such that each droplet welding means places a material of a certain width as the substrate moves, for example, in the first direction 12. Good.

Referring to FIG. 2, the laminate structure 10 thus formed can be thought of as an accumulation of individual regions or blocks, such as 26, 28, representing the individual droplets deposited. . The size of each such block is the volume of material contained in the droplet, and the shrinkage that may occur if, for example, drying or curing occurs.
And the resolution of the droplet welding means. It will be appreciated that the materials of adjacent blocks 26 and 28 may be different. This can be achieved, for example, by incorporating a plurality of droplet ejectors into the droplet welding means. Different materials 32, 34, for example, as provided in conventional ink jet printers.
Including, for example, two or more juxtaposed ejection heads 28, 3
0 may be provided. When the droplet welding means reciprocates parallel to the y-axis, the head ejects the droplets by adjusting different droplets to be welded at predetermined positions to form the adjacent blocks 26 and 28 in a laminated structure. For example, a 26 polystyrene droplet can be deposited next to a 28 polyvinyl chloride droplet, for example. By having more droplet ejectors, three or more different materials can be placed, for example, a PVC droplet 28 is placed next to a polystyrene droplet 42 at the beginning of the pattern repeat. It can be placed next to the polyethylene terephthalate droplet 40. Thereby, a layer 36 having unique characteristics, which is a combination of characteristics of component blocks representing controlled droplets, can be formed.

Similarly, some blocks, for example 26 or 28, can be left unfilled, creating a discontinuous layer 36 on top of the underlying lower layer 38 in the case shown. This underlayer can likewise be formed from two or more different materials and can also be a discontinuous layer, such underlayer itself being, for example, an underlayer or a cast sheet (not shown) Formed on top. The cast sheet comprises, for example, a Teflon-coated cylinder, but may be any substrate from which the deposited layer can be peeled. The top layer 36 can thus be formed, if necessary, on a very small scale to have a particular desired surface morphology. The properties of the layers can also be tailored to the particular application for the laminate structure 10.

In one embodiment, the droplets 32, 34 forming the layer 36 are of the same size. However, this need not be the case. For example, two droplet ejectors 28, 30, in which the volume of material ejected by each droplet is different, can be used to form a pattern in which a larger droplet intersects a smaller droplet. In addition, the velocity of the drops in non-contact embodiments such as thermal spray, and the shape of the drops after impact and / or subsequent flushing can also determine the change in shape of the deposited layer 36. Depending on the material of the droplets selected to form the final structure, the droplets may spill and distribute so that they combine to form a continuous film, or the spillage may be less significant, A pattern incorporating spaces or voids between individual droplets may be arranged. For example, a fluid-permeable layer can be formed using such a technique.

The outflow of the droplets 32, 34 can be considered to be the "wetness" of the material to be deposited. The concept of depositing individual droplets at specific spatial locations means that the material onto which the droplets are deposited is at least partially "dry" or has sufficient rigidity to resist deformation. And thus support the deposited material. However, as long as the properties of the material after welding can be predicted so that the final structure can be controlled, the above factors are not necessarily required in the specific structure formed. For example, a "wet" material with a larger area may be placed so that it flows out together and solidifies as a single mass. This allows the two materials to be mixed, for example, by successive welding at the same or overlapping locations. On the other hand, if less spillage is desired, or less bonding between the deposited droplets, the previously deposited material may be reduced prior to subsequent deposition of new "wet" material. It can be completely dried. As will be apparent from this description, many factors can occur due to the nature of the material itself, up to the mere change in the distance that the droplets 32, 34 travel through the air before welding in the case of non-contact welding techniques. Affects the dryness of the material. For example, in order to dry the droplets relatively completely before welding, an "air jet" (in
-flight) Distance can be significantly longer than conventional inkjet devices.
This can be used, for example, to deposit a dry particulate coating on the underlying wet material.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, and as described above, the droplet welding means 14, 28
, 30 affect the physical properties of the layer 36 on which it is placed. For example, if needle welding is employed, the diameter of the drop is on the order of hundreds of microns. If a heated or piezoelectric drop generator is employed, the diameter of the drop is between 15 and 100 microns. The smaller the size of the drops, the greater the control over the microstructure of the individual layers 36, 38 and the laminated structure 10 as a whole.

Drying or curing of the material after the material 22 has been placed is another important consideration. For example, it may be necessary to add a solvent to the material so that it can be welded by the droplet welding means 14. Emulsions can also be used. In either case, drying is required, for example, to bring the material to the desired solids ratio. Therefore, by drying the laminated structure 10 with a conventional dryer, for example, the continuous layer 36,
38 during welding. The same applies to the case of a material which is cured by a chemical reaction such as crosslinking, as in the case of a certain kind of conventional silicon release material. For example, in the case of a two-part system where one part containing the catalyst is connected to the other part to initiate curing, the above process will weld each part of the adjacent block in the x, y, or z directions. This can be done by subsequent mechanical mixing, or may simply rely on droplet bleed to initiate curing. Alternatively, two droplet ejectors may be used that cause the droplets to collide and form mixed droplets before welding.

[0018] The viscosity of the ejected material directly affects the instability of the jet flow that it depends on to form the individual droplets to be ejected, so that the conventional demands of thermal jet and piezoelectric are met. Is very important for drip and continuous drip injectors. Currently most common droplet ejectors of this type require that the viscosity of the ejectable material be about 20 CPA or less. However, droplet ejectors adapted to higher viscosities are also known. Japanese Patent Application No. 7-300840 discloses an ink jet apparatus for ejecting a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 20-200 cps in a temperature range of 5-35 ° C. Nevertheless, the materials used to form the laminate structure 10 typically need to be modified. For example, drying after spraying or otherwise. To control the outflow, this can be done by air injection as described below. Since the exposed area of the ejected droplets is large compared to the volume, it is advantageous that the correction by aerial ejection can be performed more easily.

Any compatible with the droplet forming and welding means 14, 17, 19, 28, 30, including emulsions, suspensions, and solutions of the materials used to form the structure 10 Of droplet forming materials can be used. For example, the injection of high temperature liquid metal is known, and it has been found that the properties of the metal droplets are not viscoelastic but mainly of the nature of Newtonian fluids, and that the droplets are well formed. For example, to obtain the desired properties of the resulting synthetic material, the deposition of droplets of a high temperature material, such as liquid metal, can induce interaction with the substrate by dissolving and resolidifying the substrate material.

Other examples of materials to be deposited include soluble inorganic materials such as salts that can form crystals when dried. Such a material could be used, for example, for modifying the structure 10 to increase stiffness in one bending direction. In addition, pigments, inorganic components, particulate dispersions, and 100% solid solutions of inorganic materials can also be deposited in the form of droplets to solidify and form part of the structure, a variety of substrates. This is another example. In addition, other materials that have been deposited or that can chemically react with conventionally applied layers to form different materials can be used.

In an application in which a polymer thin film is formed by the laminated structure 10, examples of usable materials include polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, cellophane, cellulose ester, polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyamide,
Includes fluoropolymers, polyesters, polyvinylidene fluoride, and polyvinyl fluoride. However, the present invention can use any polymeric thin film material that is soluble in a solution having properties that allow for welding. The thin film thus formed can be tuned, for example, to be soft and flexible, or brittle and rigid, or to some desired property during these extremes. The thin film thus formed can be varied in all three dimensions.

The other layers 36, 38 of the laminated structure 10 thus formed can have different characteristics in different dimensions. For example, one or more adjacent layers can be fluid permeable in the z-axis direction, but impermeable in the x-axis and y-axis directions. Combining at least one layer, including the interconnected voids between the two impermeable layers, can form a structure that is permeable in the x and / or y dimensions, but impermeable in the z dimension. In another example, where the conductive material is arranged with a non-conductive material or voids of sufficient size, for example, forming a layer structure that is conductive in the z dimension but non-conductive in the x and y dimensions can do. Further, a stack of at least three layers can be used to construct a structure that is conductive in the x and / or y dimensions but non-conductive in the z dimensions.

As mentioned above, the “air-jet” of droplets 32, 34 passing through air or other locally generated gaseous environment is altered to alter its physical or chemical properties. be able to. For example, to control the runoff of a "jettable" material having properties within known parameters utilized with a continuous or on demand dropper for thermal injection, by changing the viscosity or other properties May need to be changed before welding. This is particularly useful if the desired finished material is not jettable or cannot be stored as is for the required time before welding.

The droplets 32, 34 formed are very small, from about 25 microns to about 1000 microns, and the ratio of surface area to material volume is so large that the droplets can interact with air or other media. Or can be easily processed by exposure to radiation. In the case of small droplets, increasing the mass transfer rate from the surface area promotes drying. Furthermore, the surface energy of the material governs the shape of the droplets, which can be used, for example, to promote mixing or separation of the combined two materials by aerial jetting.

The droplets 32, 34 formed from the emulsion material can be air-dried much more effectively than, for example, after being deposited on the laminated structure 10 where only the upper surface is exposed. Heating the material before and / or during thermal blasting only slightly increases drying efficiency. However, by providing a zone of hot air 29 flowing in a stacked manner between the droplet ejecting devices 28 and 30 and the substrate on which the material is deposited, the efficiency is greatly improved. Referring to FIG. 14, the distance 84 between the droplet ejector 86 and the substrate 92, the angle 88 at which the droplet 90 is ejected, and the speed at which the droplet is ejected, the diameter of the droplet, the droplet ejector and the substrate The speed of the relative movement with and the spacing between droplets are additional parameters that can be adjusted to increase or decrease drying.

Returning to FIG. 2, the droplets 32, 34 may be otherwise “air-blasted” by, for example, exposure to radiation. In the case of materials that are cured by ultraviolet radiation, the injectable material can be exposed to air jets to initiate curing, producing a non-jettable material of the desired viscosity at the welding point on the laminate structure. If the frequency of the radiation matches the size of the droplets, the resonant internal reflection effect can be used to further accelerate the curing. That is, the frequency matching and the curvature of the droplet cooperate to increase the efficiency of energy utilization. Microwave and infrared heating of the material can be used to increase the efficiency of the drying. Electron beams and lasers can be used to effect desired changes in materials that can be changed by exposure to radiation.

In another method of aerial spraying of material, the material to be sprayed 32, 34 may be chemically reacted with a passable medium. For example, air that saturates well with water can be provided, and the material to be water-hardened can be sprayed therethrough to initiate air-borne hardening. In addition, on the surface of the spherical droplet during the air jet,
Surface chemical reactions with air or other reactive gaseous media can occur.

The two droplet ejectors 28, 30 can be oriented such that the trajectories of the droplets 32, 34 intersect. Referring to FIG. 11, drops are generated simultaneously and collide to form new droplets 94. A mixture of the two materials results in a material having different properties than one or both of the two original materials. For example, two jettable materials combine during an air jet to form a non-jettable material.

[0029] Furthermore, droplets 96, 98 of different phenomena can be advantageously used by using two droplet ejectors 28, 30 oriented to produce an intersecting trajectory. If the surface energy of one of the two different materials joined is relatively high and the surface energy of the other is relatively low, then after the initial mixing, the materials will separate quickly and the material with the lower surface energy will Shells around materials with high surface energy. In this way, it is possible to form welded droplets having specific properties. For example, the air or other gas injected in the air may interact with the outer shell of the microencapsulated material to provide enhanced reinforcement against shell deformation due to impact with the deposited substrate layer (not shown). If the material is formed, the microencapsulated material can be welded. In this way, the structure of the microencapsulated material,
Both of the arrangements can be carefully controlled. Alternatively, if the shell ruptures on impact, the material subsequently separates. The result is a property different from that of a continuous weld, for example, where the bond is stronger due to insufficient separation resulting in striations of one or both of the materials, forming one inside the other 2 A layer of deposited material results.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is schematically illustrated an example of a laminated structure 10 formed as described above using a controlled droplet ejection device 44. By way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, with reference to a laminated structure that includes a PSA, for example, as used to form a label, tape, or adhesive film, the laminate may be a controlled small size. It can include all the layers necessary to form a structure that is arranged by drop deposition. For example, in the case of "net-shaped" manufacture of labels, the entire laminate structure can be manufactured "digitally" into the desired specific microstructure. That is, the layers can be micro- or macro-patterned in order to obtain different properties in the low spatial space of the laminated structure. Alternatively, one or more layers can be applied in a conventional manner, for example, in a contact lamination process, gravure printing, conventional spray coating, and the like. For example, a case for a PSA label can include a carrier 46, such as conventional kraft paper. For example, a release layer 48 of a silicon material, which can be limited to a region where a continuous layer is formed, can be overlapped on this. It will be appreciated that this allows a matrix-free structure, eliminates the need for stamping and matrix removal, and significantly reduces manufacturing costs. Such a structure is illustrated in FIG. 10, where a label 100 is welded onto a substrate 102.
The substrate may be a carrier in the form of a sheet or roll, a cast sheet from which the label is subsequently peeled, or a product to be labeled. Returning to FIG. 3, a PSA layer 50, which may itself be comprised of multiple layers, is deposited on the release layer. It will be appreciated that each of the above layers may itself be a multilayer structure, and may be thicker using even larger droplets. Next, a primer layer 52 can be formed. Overlying this layer is a facestock layer 54, followed by the deposition of a print coating layer 56, followed by an image 58. The images may include designs, including, for example, color photographic images, photographic images, and the like, which may be ejected using, for example, a conventional inkjet printhead, using drop-on-demand techniques, depending on demand. Alternatively, a print coating layer using another pigment could be arranged to form the image. A protective coating layer 60 is deposited over the image. The structure may be a separate carrier layer 62 for supporting a non-self-supporting label, or a textured surface, for example for a visual or tactile effect, due to the thinness of the layers made possible by the structure according to the invention. Additional layers such as a discontinuous layer 64 can be included to achieve

In another embodiment, the laminated structure 10 in which the droplets are formed in a controlled manner can be arranged in the reverse order, ie the successive layers are arranged in the reverse order. This is advantageous in certain applications, for example, where a matrix-free label is formed on a cast sheet or drum and subsequently transferred to a carrier or another product that is labeled by a finally deposited PSA layer. There may be. This eliminates the need for a carrier and a release layer in the latter case.

It will be understood that the particular layers included in the laminate structure 10 will vary depending on the intended use. Moreover, not all layers need be formed by controlled droplet technology. One or more layers can be formed utilizing conventional techniques.

As described above, a new laminated structure 10 can be realized by controlling the microstructure of each layer. For example, release layer 48 can be designed to achieve a desired release by some mechanism facilitated by the present invention. As described above, different materials can be arranged in the x and y dimensions to form a layer. Two different materials could be used in the x and y dimensions to achieve each desired advantage. Moreover, the PSA layer could be constructed using other materials as well. Thereby, one material can be optimized for the first temperature range and the second material can be optimized for the other temperature range, so that the temperature range, for example, when using the formed product can be greatly extended. It will be possible. A third material can be incorporated to further enhance performance, and so on.

In another embodiment that exhibits a novel product structure, a product consisting of “tape on sheet” is manufactured. A different PAS / peeling structure can be provided at one end of the carrier 46 and the peeling layer 48 on which the PSA layer 50 is superposed, for example, to make it difficult to peel locally.
By making the thin transparent facestock layer 54 disposed on a rectangular strip, an easy-to-use tab strip is obtained. A unique use of such an aspect of the invention is shown in FIG. The roll of gift wrap paper 310 may have a release layer, PA, as described above to form a tape segment 312 along one edge.
It is locally corrected by welding of the S layer and the face stock layer. In this case, the carrier forms part of the product. This arrangement allows the purchaser to be careful in folding or tearing the paper, or, if a perforation or cutter (not shown) is included within or with the product, a separate tape roll or its Wrapping paper can be used to wrap the article without having to obtain occasional scissors.
Alternatively, a backing sheet 314 with a number of tape segments 316 of various sizes welded thereto can be packaged with roll 310.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, as described above, a discontinuous layer 66 can be formed on a separate layer of substrate 68, particularly for a release layer where the release material is deposited on a carrier. In such cases, the discontinuous layer can be utilized to obtain another controllable variation of the achievable release. The value of the degree of release obtained with a PSA layer (not shown) disposed on such a discontinuous release coating layer is controlled and varied by the spacing and size of the deposited droplets, and the PSA and release material It is possible to increase or decrease the contact area between them and to make contact with the substrate. It affects, for example, the degree of release of the label and can be used to increase or decrease the release force at a given release rate. Thus, for example, by reducing the spacing between the placed droplets, the degree of peeling at the first end of the label with the leading edge can be changed, thereby reducing the peel force required to peel at that location. . This allows thinner labels to be distributed, for example, because the thinner labels are easier to peel off at the leading edge. It is important that this change position be properly aligned with the rest of the label structure.

Still referring to FIG. 20, the pattern of the material 140 deposited on the substrate 142 can be modified to impart locally different properties in the x, y, and z directions. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a commercially available universal acrylic emulsion is deposited in a row on a 2 mil Mylar substrate by a contact technique using a plotter and a dispensing capillary needle as described above. By changing the distance between the droplets according to this pattern, the peeling characteristics in the x and y directions are different from each other. Surface shape
(Topology) can also be changed locally.

Referring to FIG. 21, the proximity of the deposited material arrangement is indicated by the aligned line 144 showing the pattern inserted on the pattern to locally alter the properties of the layer. Controlling the degree and spillability allows for further variability. As will be apparent, relatively weak lines can be formed, for example, to provide "crack and peel" lines in the PSA laminate structure.

For example, it is important to align a welding pattern at a portion where two layers are linked in order to form a specific material shape. In FIG. 22, two successive layers of adhesive droplets as described above are welded on top of each other. This makes it possible to form a layer structure in the z-direction on the base 142 as described above.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a discontinuous stack 72 in which controlled droplets are formed is shown. In this case, the weld pattern on the substrate 73 would have a pattern of separate voids 74 in otherwise continuous layers. As shown, the layers themselves can be thickened by successive layer welding, as shown schematically in individual blocks 76. In the latter case, the alignment must be carefully controlled to ensure that the successive layers are precisely welded on top of each other. Such a structure is
In dimensions, it is fluid permeable and can be used, for example, to form a breathable film, but in this example such a layer can form a release coating.

As schematically shown in FIG. 8, the present invention facilitates a large variation in surface shape. For example, the surface texture can be varied almost infinitely, as shown by texture region 80, so that a separate combination region 78 can be patterned on the surface. In addition, textures can be formed on the top surface of the laminated structure 10, such as a label or thin film manufactured in accordance with the present invention, to provide a tactile and / or aesthetic visual effect.

Referring to FIG. 3, altering the microstructure of release layer 48 can also affect the properties of PSA 50 after separation and removal from release coated substrates 46, 48. For example, if a multilayer release coating is used, the morphology of the surface can be controlled, for example, to provide a rough texture to the surface of the release coating. Thereby, the deposited PSA layer can have a correspondingly rough surface morphology. This is an important consideration in the design of PSA laminates for label applications where minimal entrainment of air under the distributed label is required. Utilizing the principles of the present invention, surface topography can be controlled much more easily than is possible with conventional welding methods for release coatings.

In another example, where controlled welding causes holes to be formed in the release layer 48 due to the penetration of the adhesive, fibril that is generated during the release causes newly released P
The releasability of SA50 is further promoted. In another example, the adhesive may be in contact with P
It can be stripped in areas exposed to a substrate designed to provide the SA with strippability. The source fibers serve to reduce the contact area between the bottom surface of the PSA and the substrate over a period of time.

By controlling the morphology of the release layer 48, in addition to the release material used, both the numerical value of the degree of release, a key parameter in the PSA industry, and more precise control of the shape of the PSA 50 are possible. Become. Such improved control of PSA lamination parameters is highly desirable.

Another example of the invention is the formation of a printable release coating. For example, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, even when the release material 66 does not accept ink, for example, the movement of the ink through the discontinuous release layer 66 to the substrate may cause
Being able to print on is facilitated by the above example. Embodiments in practical applications include a "self-releasing" self-winding PSA mail that allows for a distribution similar to that of the tape, and which releases the adhesive but also accepts ink. There are stamp rolls. An illustration of a substrate 68 coated with a discontinuous release material layer 66 of individual droplets may be pre-printed and / or laminated with a PSA layer 70 on the bottom of a printable paper carrier. Is done. Stamps are peeled off and distributed individually to letters. Thereafter, the stamp can be deactivated when the substrate receives ink passing through the open area in the release layer, as described above. In another embodiment, the stamp itself can be printed on the release layer. Perforations (not shown) that allow individual stamps to be separated can be stamped on the substrate.

The printability of the release coating layer is controlled by the amount of open area between the deposited droplets forming layer 66. This amount, on the other hand, is controlled by the spacing of the droplets to be deposited, as well as the volume of material within each droplet, and the outflow. Referring to FIG. 9, variations of the outflow are shown, which helps to explain such considerations. The printability of conventionally applied release coatings is poor, and the advantages provided by the present invention are significant in this regard.

Referring to FIG. 3, the material of the release layer 48 is welded using a contact technique such as a capillary needle distributed from a plotter as described above, or injected from a drop-on-demand or continuous drop-on spray device on demand. can do. In the latter case, such a release material layer can be formed by, for example, spraying polydimethylsiloxane silicon from a monodisperse inkjet print head. In a continuous mode of operation, such a drop ejector was capable of ejecting drops at a rate in the range of about 15 Hz to 14 Hz. The material may be in pure form or, for example, about 25% solids and have a viscosity of about 2%.
It can be a water emulsion reaching 0 cp. As mentioned above, in practice the only constraints on the material are the requirements of the particular application and the compatibility with the droplet formation and welding means.

Referring to the PSA layer 50, the adhesion of a given surface energy to a substrate, and the properties of the adhesive layer, such as the change in performance with temperature, can be controlled using a controlled drop deposition technique. Can be controlled by utilizing Other important attributes such as water resistance, assemblage strength, edge size, die cutability, etc. can also be varied.
Further, in the prior art, the properties can be changed at each location by a control method which is usually difficult. The thickness of the PSA layer 50 affects the performance of the adhesive as well as the laminate structure 10 as a whole. Conventional coating weights are generally greater than about 15 grams / square meter. However, the invention allows the other layers of the structure to be thinner, and thus allows the adhesive layer to be thinner and perform the same contact function. When formed using controlled droplet deposition, very thin labels, for example in the range of 8 to 96 microns, can be formed. Even thinner labels are possible by forming very fine droplets and / or spreading or "smearing" them upon impact with the substrate.

In general, the coating layer of the PSA layer 48 in one embodiment weighs about 5 to 500 grams /
Square meters and a thickness in the range of about 5 to 500 microns. Similarly,
The thickness of the facestock layer 54 formed by controlled droplet deposition is, for example, about 5 to 500 microns. As will be appreciated, the thin end label construction enabled by the present invention allows for the use of non-conventional dispensing techniques for dispensing such thin labels. For example, the lower carrier 46
And release layer 48, and the V in a Venturi dispenser as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,217,164 and 4,303,461, which are hereby incorporated by reference. It is a method of distributing over the notches of the shape.

A thinner structure offers many advantages, for example, a thinner PSA layer has less tendency to bleed from the edge of the overlapping layer in some applications. The thinner the structure, the easier it is to remove. For example, in the case of internal or external signs that require occasional replacement of the stacked figures, these may be applied to the substrate to provide a new stack, for example, by simply swabbing, rather than trying to peel off, the substrate. Can be more easily removed. Cost savings are realized in all applications because fewer materials are required.

Further, the adhesive layer 50 itself can be composed of a plurality of layers. For example, in the case of a known two-layer structure, the layers are formed by adopting a double die coating process, or are formed by coating two layers. It is formed by laminating adhesive layers together. Utilizing a controlled droplet welding technique, the bonding of the two adhesive layers can be enhanced by providing a rough surface profile at the interface. Further, the first weld layer may include discrete voids or may be composed of individually disposed materials, whereby the upper adhesive layer fills the space and the bottom has a composite of the two adhesive properties. An adhesive layer having properties and a single adhesive layer having a patterned surface morphology are formed on the upper surface.

For example, if the solids ratio is within the range compatible with the distribution device used (30% depending on the device)
% -60%, e.g., about 30%), commercially available emulsion adhesives, such as general purpose acrylic emulsion adhesives, can be pattern deposited on a substrate, which is then also, e.g., about 30%. It has been found to be overcoated with a commercially available full temperature acrylic emulsion adhesive having a% solids component. This was performed, for example, using an Asymtek plotter as described above. The resulting adhesive layer structure has one surface made of a general-purpose adhesive and the other surface made of a full-temperature adhesive. In this structure, compared to a conventional die coat of two continuous layers, to form a structure that is consistent with known techniques that do not allow for the fine tuning that is possible with controlled droplet deposition of the present invention. The use of more expensive all-temperature adhesives is greatly reduced.

As described above for the release layer, the PSA layer 50 covers the release layer and covers the SE carriers 46 and 4.
8 can be pattern-welded on a substrate. 3 and 5, PSA layer 50 can be patterned and deposited by a contact technique such as a capillary needle 80 dispenser. Alternatively, the PSA material can be ejected from a controlled droplet ejector 44. If the structure is to be laminated from another direction, it can be deposited, for example, on the facestock 54 or the primer layer 52.
The adhesive can be welded in a continuous layer by bonding them using the outflow of the deposited droplets and / or by welding the droplets close together. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a pattern of discrete droplets or otherwise a pattern of void regions in a continuous layer can be deposited. Other patterns are possible and are advantageously employed for specific applications.

In one particular embodiment, the two-component adhesive 50 can be arranged in separate drops to form a pattern in which the two components constitute adjacent drops. After mechanical mixing, the two components combine and react to produce the required product. This reaction is a curing reaction or a suppression reaction.

In another particular embodiment, the adhesive having conductivity only in the z-axis welds a discrete volume of conductive adhesive comprising an emulsion comprising a conductive material, as described above, and xy
It is formed by fusing a non-conductive adhesive between the discrete volumes to prevent conduction at the surface.

A patterned adhesive layer of a conventional acrylic emulsion adhesive is thus deposited on a mylar substrate using the aforementioned Asymtek c-702 plotter and the adhesive material and the weight of the coating layer ( 0.5-2.4 grams / square meter) of a conventionally sprayed polydisperse layer of the same 90% peel of uniformly patterned adhesive when sprayed onto the same substrate. Gender values have been found to be higher. In another example, a low particle size, 30% figure fraction filtered through a 5 micron filter and continuously ejected from a vibrating orifice air-guided droplet ejector manufactured by TSI of Minneapolis, Minn. It has been found that acrylic emulsion adhesives up to 56 micron diameter produce a controlled flow of droplets. In order to prevent plugging of the injection orifice, special care must be taken in the synthesis of the emulsion adhesive to minimize particle size and agglomeration. Solution adhesives can also be used. However, emulsion adhesives are advantageous because the viscoelasticity of the carrier medium is generally higher.
If other factors are kept constant, the higher the viscoelasticity, the lower the growth rate of instability, which is essential for droplet formation. For example, when water is the medium, droplets are formed well, whereas with polymer solution adhesives, droplet formation is not as good.

[0056] Droplets in the range of about 50 to 130 microns are ejected, smaller diameters reduced to, for example, about 15 microns are possible with known ejection devices. The size of the droplet depends on the material and the application. The upper limit of droplet size is the point at which it begins to collapse during air jetting and becomes uncontrollable, which typically starts at a size of about 500 microns. Utilizing controlled droplet deposition techniques to produce droplets in this basic size range offers many advantages in forming PSA layer 50,
Further, by extending the same principle, an advantage can be obtained in forming another layer of the laminated structure 10. As the individual droplets 82 are ejected between the droplet ejector 44 and the laminate structure through air or other base phase environment, the droplets can change in a variety of ways as described above. .

It is also possible to change the material of the adhesive constituting the layer 50 or to locally change its performance parameters. This can be done by changing the welding pattern or by welding an adhesive of another material, or by applying a release material to locally detackify the adhesive.

For example, when forming a label having a multilayer structure 10 as shown in FIG. 3, it may be desirable for the adhesive at the edge of the label to have different properties than the inside of the adhesive layer 50. . Utilizing such variability possible with the present invention, glue squeeze at the edges of the adhesive is reduced, or moisture is prevented from penetrating the adhesive layer 50 and at the edges of the structure 10. The properties of the adhesive can be locally modified to facilitate peeling. Another example is to coat the area away from the perimeter with a strong general purpose adhesive or UV resistant adhesive to seal the adhesive or to apply a waterproof or low edge glue coating to the edges Can be. For example, face stock 5
In the case of a conventional multilayer PSA laminate structure in which 4 is adhered to a particular substrate, the choice of facestock, adhesive, and release layer 48 will affect overall performance in a particular use environment. When choosing an adhesive for a conventional single adhesive layer, a compromise is made. This generally means that one property is compromised in order to achieve an appropriate property with respect to another property of the structure. As is apparent from the foregoing description, the need for compromise is reduced by utilizing the layering technique according to the present invention.

In the case where the PSA layer 50 is weakened in adhesiveness, in one embodiment, microspheres mixed with a fluid carrier that can be ejected by using a thermal ejection device as the droplet ejection device 44 are welded to a desired position. You. The microspheres remain on the surface after drying of the carrier fluid.

With respect to pattern deposition of PSA layer 50, it will be appreciated from the foregoing that the desired micro- or macro-patterning of the adhesive layer is facilitated. As an example of the present invention, a medical adhesive can be pattern-coated with a laminated structure to improve breathability and wearer comfort. A pattern-coated A-generic acrylic emulsion adhesive placed on a backing, dried, and then laminated with a polyurethane facestock, was spray-coated if all other conditions were the same. It has been found that it has higher moisture and vapor permeability than the adhesive and is more comfortable.

In another example, a controlled droplet forming adhesive layer 50 is used to enhance the performance of the adhesive transfer sheet. In conventional adhesive transfer applications, a continuous coating of PSA on facestock is reduced in tack with a temperature activated system. A figure is printed on the face stock. When the substrate is coated with the structure and the printed top surface of the facestock is exposed to the light, the facestock is heated at the location of the deposited ink as the graphics are printed. The underlying PSA layer is activated only under the ink. Removal of the adhesive structure results in transfer of the graphic image printed on the facestock to the substrate. The adhesive consists of an open sticky surface on the substrate and can be used to attach glittering or other decorative materials. 3. Replace the conventional continuous PSA layer with an Asymtek A-402 plotter to weigh the coating layer.
The use of a pattern coated controlled droplet forming layer of 5 grams per square meter and reduced tackiness using a powder stripping process using ethylenediamine 12-hydroxystearate is used in this application. Performance over conventional PSA coatings. The peeling and cutting of the transferred adhesive is cleaner and stringing at the edges of the image, which is common with conventional structures of this type, is prevented.

For embodiments with the PSA laminate structure 10, the facestock layer 54 can be comprised of a plasticized thin film forming material deposited by the controlled droplet deposition technique described above. In one embodiment, such a facestock is As As described above.
Formed by welding the droplets with a # 25 capillary needle using a ymtek plotter, the material is 94/6 (60/40 methyl ethyl ketone / toluene solution, 30% solids). 25% diocdac adipate in chloride beamoni / vinyl acetate copolymer. The dispensing pressure was 8 lbs / inch2. The weight of the coating layer after drying was 98.6 g / m 2. In another embodiment, a plasticizer can be controllably added to spatially alter the thin film forming the facestock layer.

In the facestock layer 54 composed of a single layer of droplets, the shape of the surface can be controlled by changing the outflow degree. On the other hand, the degree of runoff can be controlled by changing factors such as the drying rate associated with the spreading rate. The spreading rate itself is governed by substrate surface interactions, including the wettability of the substrate by the deposited material, as well as viscoelastic properties of the deposited material (s) and surface area considerations. The tendency of the material to spread, and its level, is checked by the increase in viscosity as the material dries, resulting in discrete droplets deposited, patterned welds, or a continuous surface profile. can get.

In this way, the combination of the weld location, the volume of the material to be welded, and the controllability of the outflow of the material to be welded is used to combine the physical and material properties of the facestock layer 54. Is changed to be controllable. For example, the surface roughness can be locally modified, for example, to smooth the center of the label's facestock and to make the periphery rougher or uneven. This can be used to obtain the desired functional and / or tactile effects. Optical illusion effects, such as the "brush stroke" effect, are also possible, which result in a surface that looks hand-written even when printed with, for example, paint color graphics.

Facestocks can be designed and constructed using the controlled droplet welding method described above to achieve certain desired properties. For example, forming a desired thickness includes ultra-thin facestock. Also, the layers can be modified by changing the shape and composition of the material as described above to achieve the desired stress / strain relationship.

With respect to the print cover layer 52, the image 58, and the protective cover layer 60, the image is encapsulated between the two layers to protect the image. However, the structure can be designed to provide unique properties. In the example, a continuous layer of a 15% aqueous solution of a highly water-absorbing HEMA copolymer was formed on a 2 mil Mylar support using a plotter and capillary needle droplet welding means as described above. The color image layer was then formed by a conventional thermal ink jet printer that deposited controlled ink droplets of different colors on the print coating layer to be formed. On top of that another layer of HEMA copolymer consisting of a protective coating was coated. The edges of the top and bottom layers extend beyond the image to encapsulate the welded image. It has been found that the image disappears due to a change in the opacity of the protective coating due to water absorption and reappears after drying. This effect is useful for security purposes and special labels (spe
cialty label). For example, in medical applications, labels incorporating such encapsulated images are applied to bandages that need to be wet. It will be appreciated that label design requires moisture to reach the encapsulated coating, for example, through a permeable structure enabled by the patterned deposition of PSA.

With reference to FIGS. 9 and 12, the morphology of the deposited droplets 104, 106, 108 can be used to form different layer geometries. Depending on factors such as the viscoelastic properties of the material comprising the droplet and the substrate 68 (which may be a previously deposited layer of the same material) and surface energy, the droplet is compared like the droplet 104. It is either more compact or more spread like droplets 106 and 108. When the droplets come into contact with each other after welding, more outflow occurs due to surface effects, resulting in a smoother shape when dried. This is illustrated in FIG. 13 by the layer 110 formed by the controlled droplets 112. When the substrate 114 moves in the direction 116 with respect to the droplet ejector 118 or the droplet ejector moves in the direction 120 with respect to the substrate, the deposited material moves to the vicinity of the dryer 122;
This increases the outflow of the material. With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, the shape of the first region 124, consisting of a three-layer stack of droplets, when further spreading and / or more outflow occurs after welding, the shape of the first region 124 from the three-layer stack The shape of the second region 126 that is less deformed and / or less outflowed is different. It will be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes and are not scaled.

Different results are obtained depending on the amount of drying or curing of the previously deposited material with which the next layer of material interacts more or less. The entire area may be wider, as in area 124, or less so, as in area 126. This is due to the choice of material, temperature, and “air injection” as described above and as shown at 128.
It can be controlled by selecting the process, the time in the dryer 122, and the time interval between successive welds. It will be appreciated that in embodiments in which the droplets are microscopic and in which the droplets are ejected, they pass through an air medium or other base phase environment, which can significantly increase the rate of chemical and / or physical change. . This is due, for example, to an increase in mass transfer rate and / or reaction rate due to surface area considerations. In the case of the PSA laminated structure, the internal mass transfer restricted state with a solid ratio of about 70% or more is achieved more quickly. This has the advantage that the subsequent drying time is short.

In general, the amount of dryness of a previously deposited material before the next weld is in contact will affect the interaction between the deposited droplets and ultimately the properties of the structure 10 Effect. Factors such as material mix, as well as weld strength between deposited droplets, are directly affected by this parameter. In the extreme case, the apparently solid continuous layer is "chucked" in successive rows in which the apparently solid continuous layer is advanced in the negative x-direction by successively depositing the material in a continuous row as the structure advances in the x-direction. Can be un-zipped and appear to be pulled apart by pulling on one of the threads on which the fabric is formed.

Referring to FIG. 13, in a system 132 for forming a laminated structure using a controlled droplet welding technique, the relative position between the droplet ejection device 118 and the base 114 is controlled by a controller 132. The controller is a prosessor, a timer,
It can consist of a control system using a microprocessor including a memory and a known position detector with an encoder bar. Such control systems are known, for example, in the field of ink jet printers. The relative position between the substrate and the droplet ejector (or the capillary needle dispenser) in the xy plane is controlled by moving the droplet ejector in both the x-axis and the y-axis while moving the substrate in the x-direction by the substrate actuator 136. , Or by reciprocating only in the y-direction. The coordinated timing of the injection by the controller allows the "digital" structure of the stacked structure to be stacked in the z-direction from the material source 138 as described above. As described above, a multi-controlled droplet welder or capillary needle can be used to deposit multiple materials, mixed materials (FIG. 11), etc. on the substrate 114. The controller 132 controls multiple controlled droplet welding means 118 such as juxtaposed and mutually moving thermal injectors or separately activated droplet ejectors that move independently but in concert. Will be understood. Further, while for purposes of illustration, a single stream of droplets 112 is illustrated, the thermal on-demand technique of drop-on-demand technology is an array of injection orifices that incorporate orifice plates that each operate independently of one another. Can also be included. By using such a known technique, a material can be welded to form a laminated structure according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 14, a direction 1 parallel to the x-axis at a high speed with respect to the droplet ejector 86
When a continuous or on-demand drop ejection is performed on the substrate 150 moving to 52, otherwise the first portion of the droplet accelerates and reaches the substrate laterally, where the deposited droplet is deposited. "Smearing", which mitigates the effects of lateral movement that can deform the droplets, which can move in the direction of movement parallel to the substrate moving the stacked air or other medium. This can be achieved by accelerating the droplets in the air jet in the lateral direction, thereby reducing the problem of droplet rubbing, and by providing an angle to the trajectory of the droplets 90. The speed difference in the direction is reduced, which also alleviates the above problems.

On the other hand, in some applications, rubbing of a droplet upon impact may be desirable, for example, to make the coating layer thinner. Changing this parameter is analogous to changing the morphology of the deposited droplets to achieve the desired result, and the efflux. This effect can be enhanced by angling the trajectory in the opposite direction to increase the difference in lateral speed.

In addition, the trajectory could be angled to eject the droplets in a lateral direction opposite to the flow direction of the laminating airflow. This results in an arched trajectory, which reduces the speed of the droplets, thereby reducing the time required for the air ejection process. In another embodiment, the droplet can be modified, and the trajectory of the droplet can be controlled using an electric field based on known conventional techniques for accomplishing this.

Referring now to FIG. 15, forming the stack “digitally” enables a new methodology for manufacturing the stack. Again, by way of example, but not by way of limitation of the present invention, and referring to a PSA stack structure such as a label (FIG. 10), a system for on-site small scale production of customized labels is schematically illustrated. ing. The controlled droplet welding device 162, for example, comprising a conventional ink jet printer or plotter modified in a low cost embodiment, for example, is controlled by a personal computer 164 at the first or local manufacturing site as before. Is done. For the purpose of producing a matrix structure 166 without a matrix, for example a carrier sheet 16 with a plurality of matrix-free labels 170
8 are provided. The carrier sheet 168 can be pre-coated with a release coating layer or can be provided in any desired quantity without coating. Several different materials, for example, stored in material cartridges 172, 174, 176, are provided for welding utilizing the controlled droplet welding technique described above. These materials are also available from commercial suppliers, for example P
It consists of a material for forming the individual layers of the SA structure 166.

The software required to operate the controlled droplet welding device 162 can be stored, for example, in the memory of an on-site computer 164 licensed by a trader, and can be a suitable data storage medium reading device. 180 via a purchased storage medium such as a magnetic disk or CD-ROM. Alternatively, the software may be provided from the server 184 via the computer network 182 at a remote site. In another embodiment, the software is stored on server 184 and accessed by a user as needed. For example, the supplier of the carrier sheet, the cartridge for modifying the printer to produce labels, and the software may be a single company or a company licensed from that company.

The software can include a large inventory of graphics, or store them on the server 184 site, for example, to incorporate graphic elements into facestock. Alternatively, it may be manufactured in two segments, between which the label structure 1
66 may be printed on an unmodified inkjet printer. Careful alignment of the carrier sheet is required so that the alignment is not improper.

Still referring to FIG. 16, the production line 190 is controlled by a local on-site computer 164, rather than a relatively small application using a relatively small printer or plotter as the droplet welding device 162. A commercial scale embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, in addition to the droplet welding device 192, additional line devices such as a dryer 194 and a conveyor 196 are included. An air jet processor 198, such as a hot air zone as described above, or a beam of radiation, may be included. If it is advantageous to equip a dedicated production equipment controller 200 due to the complexity of the production line, this can be included to coordinate the operation of the various line devices 192, 194, 196, 198.

As is evident from FIGS. 15 and 16, the present invention allows for a distributed mode of operation. This is particularly advantageous for operations such as PSA labels, for example, when the volume of products sold to a particular customer is small, or when distribution costs are high compared to other costs. This allows a local manufacturing site to be located near the customer, or even at the customer's location, to be controlled or serviced from a center. Distribution costs are reduced, faster delivery is possible, and inventory previously held at the center is no longer needed.

An example of a production line 208 based on the principles of the present invention shown in FIG. 17 is shown in FIG. The carrier 210, which can be, for example, a continuous loop cast sheet, or a conventional kraft paper backing, has a controlled multiple droplet formation and welding station 21.
2, 214, 216, 218, 220. The number of stations can be increased or decreased, or activated and deactivated as needed to configure a particular desired structure.

Referring to the PSA label structure 222 as an example, the first stage 212 forms a release layer by depositing droplets on the carrier 210. The second station forms the PSA layer of the structure, and the third station 216 forms a facestock having a surface shape that gives the illusion of a brush stroke. In a fourth station 218, the image is welded to the facestock to give the appearance of the painted canvas, and a fifth station forms a welded transparent protective layer on the image. As will be apparent, each of these illustrated stations may themselves constitute a multi-station for producing a surface profile, for example by continuous welding. Processors 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, such as dryers, radiation sources for curing by crosslinking, etc., are provided between the stations, for example, as the deposited material passes between the stations. Treating the deposited material to control runoff, solids content, and / or other parameters. Further, "air injection" processors 234, 23, such as the hot air zones, radiation sources, etc. described above.
6, 238, 240, 242 can be installed near each station.

As will be apparent, appropriate measures are taken so that steps performed at one location do not interfere with steps at the other. In addition, one or more stations may be used to sharpen the edges of the structure and to reduce defects in the alignment of the welds in the layers, for example, to name a few. The methodology may be a more conventional station, such as dicing the edges or laminating a protective carrier on top of the finished structure.

Line 208 can be set up to dispense PSA label structure 222 directly to product 244 by pulling carrier 210 around edge 246 of release plate 248. Alternatively, the completed label structure may be wound on a roll 250 and stored until distributed for another operation or until another processing step is performed.

As will be apparent, there are many variations in the setup of line 208. Station (212 ... 220), processor (224 ... 23)
2) and other factors depend on the application (s) to which the line is adapted. As will be apparent, for higher speed line operation, the droplet ejector may comprise an array of individual droplet ejectors, each droplet ejector itself comprising, for example, an array of ejection orifices. be able to. Higher line speeds can be equipped with on-demand drop or continuous droplet ejectors, which can be switched on and off precisely controlled to weld the pattern as the substrate passes. ing. Each station can be equipped with multiple droplet ejectors that deposit different materials, the ejectors can be fixed or in one or two directions, x and y, as needed for a particular application. It can be configured to move.

Similarly, for the contact technique, a plurality of capillary needles arranged in an array can be used. For example, they can all be moved up and down at the same time, and a multiplex array can deposit closely spaced droplets by offsetting each other so that the pattern is composed of successive stages.

Referring to FIG. 18, in another embodiment, the production line 260 includes a drum 262 with a cast sheet surface 264, for example, made of polished stainless steel or Teflon.
It is arranged around. A plurality of droplet welding stations 266, 268, 270
, 272, 274 are disposed around the drum, each depositing a continuous layer of the same or different material necessary to form the desired laminated structure, such as, for example, label 276. In this embodiment, the label has its top layer welded at the first station.
The PSA layer is finally formed at a PSA deposition station 274. The exposed surface of the PSA deposition layer is treated in some way, for example, by arranging a pattern of activator or release agent. Additional stations 278 may be provided to modify or interact with the PSA layer to modify the properties of the PSA.

[0086] To provide the desired properties as described above, dryers 280, 282 may be provided for treating the PSA layer after the single or multiple layers of material have been deposited in the PASA layer. Further, if required for a particular laminated label product 276, other post-deposition processors 284, 286, such as devices for changing the material deposited in one or more ways, as described above, may be used. 288, 290 are line 260
Placed in

In addition, an air-jet droplet generator 292, 2, which functions as described above, to modify the air-jet droplet between the droplet ejector and the substrate on which the droplet is deposited.
94, 296, 298, 300 and 302 can also be provided. For example, the air jet 300 forms a laminated hot air flow zone 304 near the PSA controlled droplet welding station 274.

In one embodiment, label structure 276 is peeled from casting surface 264 by contact with carrier 306. By selectively sticking or peeling off the adhesive layer at the leading and / or trailing edge of the PSA layer, for example by including a separate station 278 for treating the surface, the locally deposited strong The label can be peeled from the casting surface 265 by contact of the appropriate adhesive with the carrier sheet 306. The carrier can be one of a number of commercially available carriers and can be coated with a silicon release layer. The remaining part of the adhesive layer is weakly cohesive, but follows the leading edge to the carrier. The next distribution is in the opposite direction, where the strong adhesive layer comes to the trailing edge. The peel force at the start of peeling of the leading edge of the label can thus be kept low even if the adhesive layer has a strong peel force at the other end of the label, so that the structure is already covered with the peel layer. Adheres to the carrier and separates it from the casting surface. Alternatively, the PSA label structure 276 may be applied directly to the product 308 by contact since the PSA layer is on top and exposed.

While the foregoing description has illustrated and described certain forms of the invention, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a layer structure and a means for forming the same, defining a reference direction.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a layer structure according to the invention and its forming means, showing different positions within the structure.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectional schematic side view of a laminated structure showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a layer having a multilayer structure.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the laminated structure shown in FIG. 4, taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the layers of a laminated structure according to the invention, schematically showing a part of the structure.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the laminated structure of FIG. 6, taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6, schematically illustrating a portion of the structure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic warm view of a laminated structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a laminated structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a part of a laminated structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a special droplet formation mode according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a part of a laminated structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a system for forming a laminated structure according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic side view of a portion of the system shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a system for fabricating a laminated structure in accordance with the principles of the present invention, coupled with FIG. 16 in one embodiment along line AA.

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a system for fabricating a laminated structure, showing the principle of the present invention, and showing a drawing along line AA in FIG. 15 according to one embodiment of the present invention; It is linked to

FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of a system for making a laminated structure in accordance with the principles of the present invention, in a manufacturing context.

FIG. 18 is a schematic illustration of a system for making a laminated structure in accordance with the principles of the present invention, in a manufacturing context.

FIG. 19 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a photograph showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a photograph showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a photograph showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Laminated structure 12 Moving direction of a laminated structure 14 Droplet welding means 16 Substrate 17 Capillary needle 18 Second direction 19 Plotter 20 Opposite direction 22 Material layer 24 Third direction 26 Block 28 Block 29 Hot air 30 Injection head 32 Another material 34 another material 36 discontinuous layer 38 underlayer 48 release layer 50 PSA layer 52 primer layer 54 facestock layer 56 print coating layer 58 image 60 protective coating layer 62 carrier layer 64 discontinuous layer 66 discontinuous release layer 68 substrate 70 PSA layer 72 Lamination 73 Substrate 74 Void 76 Block 78 Lamination area 80 Texture area 84 Distance between droplet ejector and substrate 86 Droplet ejector 88 Angle 90 Droplet 94 Droplet 96 Droplet 98 Droplet 100 Label 102 Substrate 112 Raindrop 114 Substrate 118 Droplet ejector 132 Control LA 134 actuator 136 base actuator 162 droplet welding apparatus 164 on-site computer 166 personal computer 168 carrier sheet 170 label without matrix 172 material cartridge 174 material cartridge 176 material cartridge 180 storage medium reader 182 computer network 184 server 190 manufacturing line 212 -220 station 222 PSA label structure 224-232 processor

[Procedural Amendment] Submission of translation of Article 34 Amendment of the Patent Cooperation Treaty

[Submission date] December 8, 1999 (1999.12.2.8)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (81) Designated country EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE ), OA (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, SD, SZ, UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CU, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE , KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZW (72) Inventor Mark Anthony Recon United States 91765 Diamond Bar North Lo Brook River Drive 266 (72) Inventor Timothy Ryan Eckhart United States of America 917723-1128 Covina East Hearst Street 255 (72) Inventor Jessie Reeves United States of America 90019 Los Angeles South Longwood Avenue 1159 (72) Inventor Pradeep S.A. Near 91745 Hacienda Heights Cabo Blanco Drive 3111 (72) Inventor Gunsham H Poppet USA California 91737 Alta Loma Bristol Drive 10365 F-term (reference) 4D075 AA17 AC07 AC09 BB24Z BB26Z BB29Z BB42Z BB46Z CA03 CA07 CA35 CA38 CA40 DA04 DB18 DB48 DC30 DC36 DC38 EA02 EA21 EB07 EB13 EB14 EB15 EB16 EB22 EB35 EB38 EB39 EB42 4F100 AT00C BA03 BA10A BA10C BA13 CC00A CC00B EH612 EJ862 EK11 GB90 JL02 JL13J04 AB04

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A layer structure in which droplets are formed in a controlled manner, comprising: a substrate; and at least two layers in which droplets are formed in a controlled manner, each layer having a thickness range. Further comprising an array of possible arranged material volumes, each material volume having a selected size and a selected position relative to an adjacent material volume, wherein the arrays are selected at selected positions relative to one another. A layered structure formed by welding small volumes of droplets. 2. The selected volume of material in at least one of the layers where the droplets are formed in a controlled manner is formed from a different material than the other material volumes in the layer where the droplets are formed. The article of claim 1, wherein the layer where the droplets are formed in a controlled manner comprises at least two different materials. 3. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the at least one droplet forming layer is a layer of a different size than other materials in the droplet forming layer. 4. The laminate of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a layer of material in which droplets are formed in a controlled manner. 5. The layer in which the droplets are formed in a controlled manner is a discontinuous layer and comprises an array of material volumes, wherein at a selected first location the material volume overlaps the substrate and is selected. 2. A laminate according to claim 1, wherein in the second position the material volume does not overlap the substrate. 6. The first and second layers in which droplets are controlled to form are:
The laminate according to claim 1, comprising a product layer selected from a thin film formed by welding continuous layers, a label having a plurality of layers, and a tape. 7. A process for forming a laminated structure wherein each layer has a controlled structure and a controlled material component within each layer, comprising: a) a first material that can be formed into droplets. B) providing a substrate to which droplets of the first material can be deposited; c) forming individual droplets of the first material having a controlled volume; d). Controlling the placement of the droplet at a desired location on the substrate; e) providing a second material that can be formed into a droplet; and f) the first material having a second material thereon. Providing a substrate onto which droplets of a second material can be deposited so that at least a portion of the substrate can be deposited on the substrate; g) individual droplets of the second material having a controlled volume. H) controlled droplets at a desired location on the substrate Placing; and i) repeating the treatment process as needed until the substrate is formed, wherein previously deposited droplets form at least a portion of the substrate for subsequent droplet deposition. And a process comprising: 8. The process of claim 7, wherein at least one of the layers comprises a substrate, and wherein the first and second material layers are pressure sensitive adhesives. 9. A layer structure in which a controlled droplet is formed incorporating a pressure-sensitive adhesive, comprising: a substrate; and at least two layers in which a controlled droplet is formed. The layer further comprises an array of controllably disposed material volumes having a thickness range, each material volume having a selected size and a selected position relative to an adjacent material volume, wherein the arrays are mutually separated. A layered structure formed by welding small volumes of droplets at selected locations. 10. The controlled droplet formation layer structure according to claim 9, wherein the controlled droplet formation layer comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive label.