WO2007091166A2

WO2007091166A2 - Perfumed decalcomania

Info

Publication number: WO2007091166A2
Application number: PCT/IB2007/000310
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mikael Anthony Ford Latif
Original assignee: Mikael Anthony Ford Latif
Priority date: 2006-02-08
Filing date: 2007-01-31
Publication date: 2007-08-16
Also published as: WO2007091166A3

Abstract

A perfumed decalcomania comprises a support layer (1) having an object (2) printed on it. A substantially transparent fragrance layer (7) covers at least a part of the object (2), the fragrance layer including a plurality of micro-spheres in a supporting matrix, the micro-spheres containing a fragrance. A cover sheet (9) covers and is removably adhered to the fragrance layer (7), the cover sheet including a flap (11) adapted to remove the cover sheet from the fragrance layer.

Description

PERFUMED DECALCOMANIA

This invention relates to a perfumed decalcomania and to products incorporating such a perfumed decalcomania.

A very significant number of greetings cards are manufactured and sold every year. Greetings cards on their own are not always particularly exciting and it would be desirable to increase the sentimental value of products such as greetings cards by personalising such cards to incorporate a perfumed decalcomania.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a perfumed decalcomania which may be used to enhance the sentimental value of products such as decalcomanias.

According to the present invention there is provided a perfumed decalcomania which comprises:

a support layer;

an object printed on the support layer; a substantially transparent fragrance layer covering at least a part of the object, the fragrance layer including a plurality of micro-capsules in a supporting matrix, the micro-capsules containing a fragrance; and

a cover sheet covering and removably adhered to the fragrance layer, the cover sheet including a flap adapted to remove the cover sheet from the fragrance layer.

The support layer may be selected from paper, plastic or card.

The support layer may be in the shape of the object Alternatively, the support layer may be in the shape of the object together with the flap.

The support layer may be provided with a self-adhesive coating on that face thereof opposite to the object. The coating may be covered with a peelable layer. The peelable layer may be scored to facilitate removal thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention, a score is provided in the peelable layer in a location between the flap and the remainder of the cover sheet, whereby the peelable layer is removable from that part of the support layer other than the flap.

In another embodiment of the invention the flap of the cover sheet is not adhered to the fragrance layer. The supporting matrix may include an acrylic material.

The supporting matrix may include a release agent, such as talc, for the cover sheet. The release agent may comprise substantially 40 to 60 and preferably 50 to 51 percent by weight of the fragrance layer.

The micro-capsules may be made of plastics material.

The fragrance layer may contain substantially 4 to 20 and preferably substantially 10 to 20 percent by weight of the micro-capsules.

The cover sheet may have an object printed thereon. The object may be substantially the same as or different from the object printed on the support layer. Alternatively, the cover sheet may be substantially transparent. The cover sheet may comprise a plastics material such as glossy polypropylene.

The flap may carry a legend to facilitate removal of the cover sheet.

The present invention also relates to a greetings card or a postcard incorporating a decalcomania as defined hereinabove.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, byway of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a perfumed decalcomania according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, to a different scale, of the perfumed decalcomania shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a perfumed decalcomania according to the present invention.

The perfumed decalcomania shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a support layer

1, for example of paper and ideally having a weight in the range from 90 to 150 grams per square metre. The support layer may be made of other materials, such as plastics or card. The support layer 1 is cut into the shape of an object which is to have a corresponding perfume, in the present case, for example, a rose. The support layer 1 has printed on a top surface thereof an image 2 corresponding to the shape of the support layer, for example using a four colour offset printing process employing inks with a low level of volatile components, otherwise known as low-odour inks. The support layer 1 has a self-adhesive coating 3 applied to the under surface of the support layer and a peelable layer 5 is applied to the self-adhesive coating 3. The peelable layer 5 may be scored at 6 to facilitate peeling away of the layer 5 so as to enable the perfumed decalcomania to be adhered to a product, such as a greetings card or a postcard. Applied to the printed top surface of the support layer 1 is a substantially transparent fragrance layer 7 (shown diagrammatically in Figure 2) which comprises a mixture of talc and plastics micro-capsules (such as micro-spheres) in an acrylic base. The talc may be present in an amount of substantially 40 to 60 percent, preferably 50 to 51 percent by weight of the fragrance layer. The talc serves to allow a substantially transparent cover sheet 9 to be adhered to but which can be peeled away from the fragrance layer as will be explained in more detail hereinafter, while the micro-capsules contain a fragrance corresponding to the shape of the support layer 1 and the image printed thereon. The fragrance layer 7 may comprise, for example, about 4 to 20 percent by weight and preferably about 10 to 20 percent by weight of the micro-capsules.

The cover sheet 9 comprises a plastics material, such as a glossy polypropylene material, which is peelable from the fragrance layer 7 and is applied to the fragrance layer with the application of heat and pressure. The optimum temperature and pressure can be established by straightforward experiments, but it has been found that a temperature in the range from 100 to 105 degrees Celsius and a pressure of about 10 kg/linear metre have been found to be satisfactory.

The perfumed decalcomania may be manufactured in a number of steps in which the support layer 1 with the self-adhesive coating 3 and peelable layer 5 is provided with the printed image and with the fragrance layer 7. At this stage the support layer is cut to the shape of the object using, for example, a first laser-cut cutting tool. Thereafter the cover sheet 9 is applied to the support layer and the cover sheet is cut to the shape of the object, but with a small additional flap 11 , using, for example, a second laser-cut cutting tool. The additional flap is therefore not adhered to the remainder of the decalcomania and can therefore be flexed without any effect on the remainder of the decalcomania. The additional flap is printed with a suitable legend, such as "LIFT" to indicate to a person receiving a product to which the perfumed decalcomania has been applied that the additional flap should be lifted and peeled away from the remainder of the decalcomania. As the additional flap 11 is peeled away from the remainder of the decalcomania, a proportion of the micro-capsules are broken, releasing the perfume contained within the micro-capsules so as to enhance for the recipient the significance of the shape to which the support layer 1 is formed.

As an alternative, the perfumed decalcomania may be manufactured in a process starting from the peelable layer 5, with the self-adhesive coating 3, the support layer 1 and the fragrance layer 7 being applied in turn and finally the cover sheet 9. In sue a case, the additional flap 11 may be adhered to part of the fragrance layer 7, support layer 1 , self-adhesive coating 3 and the peelable layer 5.

In order to be able to lift the flap 11 and peel the cover sheet 9 from the remainder of the decalcomania, a score line may be created in the peelable layer 5 between the region of the flap 11 and the remainder of the cover sheet 9. Thus, in order to mount the decalcomania on a substrate (not shown) the peelable layer 5 may be removed from the self-adhesive coating 3 except for that portion covering the flap 11 which is separable from the remainder of the peelable layer 5 due to the score line. When the decalcomania is mounted on the substrate by way of the self-adhesive coating 3, the flap remains free and can be lifted away from the substrate and used to peel the cover sheet 9 from the fragrance layer 7 thereby releasing the perfume from the layer 7.

In use of the perfumed decalcomania according to the present invention, it is envisaged that the decalcomanias will be sold at a location adjacent, or close, to a location where greetings cards or like products are sold. A purchaser of a greetings card will then also purchase one or more perfumed decalcomanias and will removed the peelable layer 5 to expose the self-adhesive coating 3 and will then stick the perfumed decalcomania inside the greetings cards. The recipient of the card will then remove the transparent cover sheet 9 using the flap 11 to release the fragrance within the micro-capsules. The recipient of the greetings card can continue to release the fragrance for some time, for example several days, after removing the cover sheet 9 simply by rubbing a finger over the surface of the decalcomania.

It should be noted that the perfumed decalcomania can be made in a wide range of shapes and can incorporate a wide range of fragrances. While it is envisaged that decalcomanias in the shapes of flowers, such as the rose shown in Figure 1, will be particularly popular, particularly when incorporating a corresponding perfume, the decalcomanias can be made in other shapes such as fruits, chocolates, foods (such as pizza, burgers and the like) and cups or mugs and could incorporate perfumes such as of fruits, chocolate, foods and beverages, such as tea and coffee.

In a further development of the present invention shown in Figure 3, an object 2, such as a flower (in the form of a tulip in Figure 3), is printed on a support layer 1 , such as a greetings card, and the object has applied thereto, either in a region corresponding substantially to the printed object or in a region encompassing at least a part of the printed object, a substantially transparent fragrance layer 7

(not shown in Figure 3 for clarity). The fragrance layer in turn has applied thereto a transparent peelable cover sheet (not shown in Figure 3 for clarity) as described above, the cover sheet incorporating a flap 11 which is not applied to the fragrance layer and can be used to allow a user to grasp the flap and remove the cover sheet thereby exposing the fragrance layer and breaking a proportion of the micro-capsules to release the perfume within the micro-capsules.

The greetings card shown in Figure 3 shows the object 2 on the front of the card. However, this is not essential and the object could be printed on any convenient part of the card.

Claims

1. A perfumed decalcomania which comprises:

a support layer (1);

an object (2) printed on the support layer (1);

a substantially transparent fragrance layer (7) covering at least a part of the object (2), the fragrance layer including a plurality of micro-capsules in a supporting matrix, the micro-capsules containing a fragrance; and

a cover sheet (9) covering and removably adhered to the fragrance layer (7), the cover sheet including a flap (11) adapted to remove the cover sheet from the fragrance layer.

2. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the support layer (1) is selected from paper, plastics and card.

3. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the support layer (1) is in the shape of the object (2).

4. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the support layer (1) is in the shape of the object (2) together with the flap (11).

5. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the support layer (1 ) is provided with a self-adhesive coating on that face thereof opposite to the object (2).

6. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the coating

(3) is covered with a peelable layer (5).

7. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the peelable layer (5) is scored to facilitate removal thereof.

8. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that a score is provided in the peelable layer (5) in a location between the flap (11 ) and the remainder of the cover sheet (9), whereby the peelable leyer is removable from that part of the support layer other than the flap.

9. A decalcomania as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the flap (11) of the cover sheet (9) is not adhered to the fragrance layer (7).

10. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the supporting matrix includes an acrylic material.

11. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the supporting matrix includes a release agent for the cover sheet (9).

12. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 11 , characterised in that the release agent comprises talc.

13. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the release agent comprises substantially 40 to 60 and preferably 50 to 51 percent by weight of the fragrance layer.

14. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the micro-capsules are made of plastics material.

15. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the fragrance layer (7) contains substantially 4 to 20 and preferably substantially 10 to 20 percent by weight of the micro-capsules.

16. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the cover sheet (9) has an object printed thereon.

17. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the object printed on the cover sheet (9) is substantially the same as the object printed on the support layer (1).

18. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the object printed on the cover sheet (9) is different from the object printed on the support layer (1).

19. A decalcomania as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, characterised in that the cover sheet is substantially transparent.

20. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the cover sheet comprises a plasties material.

21. A decalcomania as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that the cover sheet (9) comprises glossy polypropylene.

22. A decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the flap (11) carries a legend to facilitate removal of the cover sheet (9).

23 A greetings card or a postcard incorporating a decalcomania as claimed in any preceding claim.