CA2067120C - Transfer printing process - Google Patents

Transfer printing process

Info

Publication number
CA2067120C
CA2067120C CA002067120A CA2067120A CA2067120C CA 2067120 C CA2067120 C CA 2067120C CA 002067120 A CA002067120 A CA 002067120A CA 2067120 A CA2067120 A CA 2067120A CA 2067120 C CA2067120 C CA 2067120C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
temperature
medium
ink solids
image
ink
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA002067120A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2067120A1 (en
Inventor
Nathan Hale
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SAWGRASS TECHNOLOGIES Inc
Original Assignee
Sawgrass Systems Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sawgrass Systems Inc filed Critical Sawgrass Systems Inc
Publication of CA2067120A1 publication Critical patent/CA2067120A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2067120C publication Critical patent/CA2067120C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/26—Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used
    • B41M5/382—Contact thermal transfer or sublimation processes
    • B41M5/38257—Contact thermal transfer or sublimation processes characterised by the use of an intermediate receptor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41F—PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES
    • B41F16/00—Transfer printing apparatus
    • B41F16/02—Transfer printing apparatus for textile material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
    • B41J2/325—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/407—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
    • B41M3/12—Transfer pictures or the like, e.g. decalcomanias
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet
    • B41M5/0256—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet the transferable ink pattern being obtained by means of a computer driven printer, e.g. an ink jet or laser printer, or by electrographic means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet
    • B41M5/035—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet by sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design, e.g. sublistatic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M7/00—After-treatment of prints, e.g. heating, irradiating, setting of the ink, protection of the printed stock
    • B41M7/009—After-treatment of prints, e.g. heating, irradiating, setting of the ink, protection of the printed stock using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
    • B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
    • B44C1/00—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects
    • B44C1/16—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like
    • B44C1/165—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like for decalcomanias; sheet material therefor
    • B44C1/17—Dry transfer
    • B44C1/1712—Decalcomanias applied under heat and pressure, e.g. provided with a heat activable adhesive
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
    • B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
    • B44C1/00—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects
    • B44C1/16—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like
    • B44C1/165—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like for decalcomanias; sheet material therefor
    • B44C1/17—Dry transfer
    • B44C1/1712—Decalcomanias applied under heat and pressure, e.g. provided with a heat activable adhesive
    • B44C1/1716—Decalcomanias provided with a particular decorative layer, e.g. specially adapted to allow the formation of a metallic or dyestuff layer on a substrate unsuitable for direct deposition
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
    • C09D11/00—Inks
    • C09D11/30—Inkjet printing inks
    • C09D11/32—Inkjet printing inks characterised by colouring agents
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
    • C09D11/00—Inks
    • C09D11/30—Inkjet printing inks
    • C09D11/32—Inkjet printing inks characterised by colouring agents
    • C09D11/328—Inkjet printing inks characterised by colouring agents characterised by dyes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
    • C09D11/00—Inks
    • C09D11/30—Inkjet printing inks
    • C09D11/34—Hot-melt inks
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
    • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
    • D06P5/003—Transfer printing
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
    • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
    • D06P5/003—Transfer printing
    • D06P5/004—Transfer printing using subliming dyes
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
    • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
    • D06P5/003—Transfer printing
    • D06P5/004—Transfer printing using subliming dyes
    • D06P5/006—Transfer printing using subliming dyes using specified dyes
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
    • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
    • D06P5/003—Transfer printing
    • D06P5/007—Transfer printing using non-subliming dyes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/65—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
    • G03G15/6588—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material characterised by the copy material, e.g. postcards, large copies, multi-layered materials, coloured sheet material
    • G03G15/6591—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material characterised by the copy material, e.g. postcards, large copies, multi-layered materials, coloured sheet material characterised by the recording material, e.g. plastic material, OHP, ceramics, tiles, textiles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G9/00—Developers
    • G03G9/08—Developers with toner particles
    • G03G9/09—Colouring agents for toner particles
    • G03G9/0926—Colouring agents for toner particles characterised by physical or chemical properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet
    • B41M5/035—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet by sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design, e.g. sublistatic
    • B41M5/0356—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet by sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design, e.g. sublistatic characterised by the inks used for printing the pattern on the temporary support or additives therefor, e.g. dyes, transferable compounds, binders or transfer promoting additives
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00443—Copy medium
    • G03G2215/00523—Other special types, e.g. tabbed
    • G03G2215/00527—Fabrics, e.g. textiles

Abstract

An image (3) is permanently printed on an object (8) by capturing the image (3) printing heat sensitive ink solids by ther-mal mean onto a medium (9) and then transferring the ink solids from the medium (9) to the object (8) by applying sufficient heat to the ink solids to cause the heat sensitive ink to permanently bond to the object (8) in the desired image (3). The heat sensitive transfer ink is printed onto the medium (9) by thermal printing means (10) at a temperature which will release and print the ink, but which is below the temperature which will cause the heat sensitive ink to bond permanently. The image (3) is then transferred from the medium (9) onto the object (8) at a higher temperature which will cause the sensitive ink to permanently bond to the ob-ject (8).

Description

W092/~852 2 0 6 7 1 2 0 PCT/US91/~U~2 ~UNS~K PRINTING PR0CESS
1 R~C~POUND OF THB INVENTION
2 This invention relates to printing generally and more 3 specifically relates to a method of transferring a design onto an 4 object by means of printing heat sensitive ink in the desired design onto paper or other printable material by thermal means at 6 a relatively low temperature, then transferring the design from the 7 paper or printable material to an object on which the design is to 8 permanently appear at a higher temperature which will cause the 9 heat sensitive ink to bond to the object.
Words and designs are frequently printed onto clothing and 11 other textile materials, as well as other objects. Common means of 12 applying such designs to objects include the use of silk screens, 13 and mechanically bonded thermal transfers. Silk screen process is 14 well known in the art, and a mechanical thermal process to textile materials is described in Hare, U.S. Patent Number 4,244,358.
16 The use of computer technology has allowed almost 17 instantaneous printing of images. For example, video cameras or 18 scanning may be used to capture an image on magnetic media such as 19 computer hard disks or floppy disks. The image may then be printed by any suitable printing means, including mechanical thermal 21 printers, wet printed (inkjet) heat sensitive transfers and laser 22 printers.
23 The process of thermal transfers by mechanical means is 24 described in Hare, U.S. Patent Number 4,773,953. The art, as developed under this patent, is well known and defined in practice.
26 The resulting mechanical image, as transferred, is a surface bonded 27 image with a raised plastic like feel to the surface. The *

W092/~852 - 2 - 2 0 6 7 1 2 0 PCT/US91/~U~2 1 resulting printed image is stiff to the feel, has poor dimensional 2 stability when stretched and poor color range.
3 Certain ink solids bond to or dye fabrics or other materials 4 as a result of the application of heat. These ink solids liquify or sublimate upon the application of heat. Sublimation ink solids 6 have been applied from pre-printed media, but the printing of such 7 media with heat sensitive inks has not been done by thermal means 8 at a temperature lower than that which activates the heat sensitive 9 ink.
Sublimation ink solids change to a gas typically in a range of 11 140F - 500F, depending upon the particular ink solid chosen. once 12 the sublimation occurs, bonding of the ink solid to the application 13 takes place, the ink is permanent and highly resistant to change or 14 fading caused by laundry products.

8UMNARY OF THE PRE8~NT INVENTION

16 The present invention uses ink solids which may be affixed to 17 an object by applying heat. This heat sensitive ink solid is 18 transferred in the desired design by means of a thermal printer 19 onto a medium, which will most commonly be paper. This initial thermal printing takes place at a temperature which is below that 21 which will liquefy or sublimate the ink solid.

W092/~852 3 2 0 6 7 1 2 0 PCT/US91/~2 1 The image is then transferred from the medium onto the desired 2 material. Dye diffusion, sublimation or other activation of the 3 heat sensitive ink solid does not take place at the time of 4 transfer from the ribbon to the print medium, but rather takes place at the time of the transfer of the image from the medium to 6 the object onto which the image is to be applied. Accordingly, a 7 higher temperature is used to apply the image from the medium than 8 is used to print the image onto the medium.
9 The present invention allows the desired image to be transferred onto a medium almost instantaneously from the creation 11 of the image. This image may be then permanently transferred from 12 the medium onto the object on which it is to be displayed either at 13 the same time, or "stored" by means of the medium to be permanently 14 applied later as desired.
The process allows relatively low volumes of the design to be 16 produced and printed onto a medium by thermal printing means using 17 heat sensitive ink solids. By heat activating the heat sensitive 18 transfer ink solids at the time of application of the image onto 19 the object on which it is displayed, the design has a look of being "dyed in" when applied to a textile material. The image does not 21 look or feel as though it has been topically applied. The image 22 will stretch and move as the fabric moves, and is permanently 23 affixed to the object.

W092/~852 4 2 0 6 7 1 2 0 PCT/US91/~U~2 1 ~R~PTPTION OF Ta~ D~A~N~ -2 Flgur~ 1 is a block diagram showing the printing process.
3 Figure 2 illustrates an example of a design printed by a 4 printer using the printing p~9C ~.
Figure 3 iR a diagram illustration showing exemplary elements 6 of computer and printing ~ystem~ which could be used to achieve the 7 printing process.

8 DET~Tt-~n DE8CRIPT~ON OP T~E PR~r~-~Fn ~NBODIMENT

g In the preferred embodiment, a video camera or scanning device 2 may be used to capture an image 3. This image i8 then input into 11 a computer ~. The computer directs a thermal printer 6 to print 12 the image.
13 Any means of inputting an image into a computer may be used.
14 Available computer design graphic software may be used, or still photography may be used. The design may be photographic, graphic 16 artistic, or simply letters or words.
17 Virtually any thermal printer which will print in response to 18 a computer may be used. In most applications, a printer which will 19 print in multiple colors i5 desirable. A thermal printer which will print in what is known as "four pass" (four color) or "three W092/~852 _ 5 _ 2 0 6 7 1 2 0 PCT/US91/~U~2 1 pass" (three color) may be preferred.
2 In the present invention, ink solids are used, and are 3 transferred to a medium in a dry, solid form by the printer. In 4 the preferred embodiment, the heat sensitive transfer ink solids are transferred onto the medium, such as paper, by the printer from 6 a ribbon on which the ink solids are bound.
7 The ribbon to be used with the printer may be a polyester 8 ribbon. The dry ink solids may be retained on the polyester ribbon 9 by the use of wax. The printer, such as a thermal printer, will transfer the ink in the desired design and colors from the ribbon 11 to the medium at a temperature which is sufficient to release the 12 ink solids from the binder, such as wax, but which is below the 13 temperature which will cause any substantial liquification or 14 sublimation of the ink solids. Typically, the binder will melt in a range of 130F to 225F, so that the thermal printing of the ink 16 solids onto the medium will take place within this range. The 17 temperature range will, however, be dependent on the thermal 18 printing means.
19 The quality of the image is achieved in part through the use of a means such as a ribbon to which the heat sensitive transfer 21 ink solids are bonded by means of wax. The wax is melted by the 22 thermal printer, which releases not only the ink solids, but also 23 the wax, some of which is transferred to the medium. The wax aids 24 in holding the heat sensitive transfer ink solids on the medium in the precise design, eliminating the need for special paper, while 26 also producing an image which has high resolution.

20~ 0 W092/~852 PCTtUS91/~U~2 ., 1 Virtually any material may be used as a medium which can be 2 printed upon by a printer, and which will withstand the higher 3 transfer temperature, as is described herein. If a thermal printer 4 is used, this medium may be any paper commonly used with thermal printers, however, standard bond paper could be used. Other 6 materials, such as a sheet of metal could be used, if the metal 7 sheet can be printed upon by the particular thermal printer 8 employed.
9 Once the image is transferred onto the medium, the image may be permanently transferred onto an object presently, or at a later 11 time. Most commonly, the design will be transferred onto a textile 12 material, such as a shirt 8, although the image may be transferred 13 onto other materials, such as metal, wood, or plastic 14 The design 3, which is printed onto the medium 9, is placed against the object 8. A temperature which is sufficient to 16 sublimate the ink solids or cause diffusion or other activation of 17 the ink solids is then applied to the medium. A heat transfer 18 machine 10 may be used to accomplish the transfer process.
19 The ink which is chosen is heat sensitive. The application of the relatively high heat of the transfer process causes a diffusion 21 of the ink, or causes a sublimation of the ink, depending upon the 22 particular ink chosen. For example, if a sublimation ink is 23 chosen, it should be one which will sufficiently sublimate at a 24 temperature above the temperature used to thermally print onto the medium so as to produce a good quality image. By way of example, 26 a binder is chosen which will release the ink onto the medium by W092/~852 7 2 0 6 7 1 2 0 PCT/US91/~U~2 1 the thermal printer at around 200F, while the transfer from the 2 medium to the object will take place at around 400F. In terms of 3 a range, the thermal printing will typically take place at 130F to 4 225F, while the transfer will take place at 250F to 500F.
However, if the thermal printing temperature is too close to the 6 sublimation temperature, excessive sublimation may take place 7 during the thermal printing process, and the ultimate print quality 8 may not be acceptable. Therefore, the thermal printing temperature 9 must be sufficient to properly release the ink, and the ink chosen should not have noticeable sublimation at the temperature at which 11 thermal printing takes place. For other types of heat sensitive 12 inks other than sublimation ink solids, these principles are the 13 same. The thermal printing temperature must be below that at which 14 diffusion ink solids will dye a textile material, for example.

Claims (6)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A method of printing a design using heat sensitive ink solids, comprising the steps of:
a. printing by thermal means heat sensitive ink solids in a desired design onto a medium at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said ink solids are activated; and b. transferring said image from said medium to an object on which the image is to appear by thermal means at a temperature which is above the temperature at which said ink activates, so as to cause said ink to transfer onto said object from said medium in the desires design.
2. A method of printing a design using heat sensitive ink solids, comprising the steps of:
a. creating an image;
b. printing by thermal means heat sensitive ink solids in a desired design onto a medium at a temperature, which is below the temperature at which said ink solids diffuse or sublimate; and c. transferring said image from said medium to an object on which the image is to appear by thermal means at a temperature which is above the temperature at which said ink diffuses or sublimates, so as to cause said ink to transfer onto said object from said medium in the desired design.
3. A method of printing a design using heat sensitive ink solids, comprising the steps of:
a. printing by thermal means heat sensitive ink solids from a ribbon to which said ink solids are bound by means of a binder, at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said ink solids diffuse or sublimate, but at a temperature which is sufficient to cause said ink solids to be released from said binder onto said medium in a desired design; and b. transferring said image from said medium to an object on which the image is to appear by thermal means at a temperature which is above the temperature at which said ink solids diffuse or sublimate, so as to cause said ink solids to transfer onto said object from said medium in the desired design.
4. A method of printing a design using sublimation ink solids, comprising the steps of:
a. printing by thermal means sublimation ink solids in a desired design onto a medium at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said sublimation ink solids sublimate; and b. transferring said image from said medium to an object on which the image is to appear by thermal means at a temperature which is above the temperature at which said sublimation ink solids sublimate, so as to cause sai?
sublimation ink solids to transfer onto said object.
5. A method of printing a design using sublimation ink solids, comprising the steps of:
a. creating an image;
b. printing by thermal means sublimation ink solids in a desired design onto a medium at a temperature which is in a range of temperatures below the temperature at which said sublimation ink solids sublimate and above the temperature which will cause said ink solids to be transferred to said medium; and c. transferring said image from said medium to an object on which the image is to appear by thermal means at a temperature which is above the temperature at which said sublimation on ink solids sublimate, so as to cause said sublimation ink solids to transfer onto said object.
6. A method of printing a design using sublimation ink solids, comprising steps the of:
a. printing by thermal means sublimation ink solids from a ribbon to which said ink solids are bound by means of wax at a temperature which is below the temperature at which said sublimation ink solids sublimate, but at a temperature which is sufficient to cause said ink solids to be released from said binder onto said medium in a desired design; and b. transferring said image from said medium to an object on which the image is to appear by thermal means at a temperature which is above the temperature at which said sublimation ink solids sublimate, so as to cause said sublimation ink solids to transfer onto said object.
CA002067120A 1990-07-09 1991-07-05 Transfer printing process Expired - Fee Related CA2067120C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US54960090A 1990-07-09 1990-07-09
US549,600 1990-07-09
US07/724,610 US5302223A (en) 1990-07-09 1991-07-02 Permanent heat sensitive transfer printing process
US724,610 1991-07-02

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CA2067120A1 (en) 1992-01-10
AU649261B2 (en) 1994-05-19
WO1992000852A1 (en) 1992-01-23
SE9200690L (en) 1992-03-06
GB2254049B (en) 1995-03-15
US5431501A (en) 1995-07-11
AU8321891A (en) 1992-02-04
US5302223A (en) 1994-04-12
GB9204896D0 (en) 1992-05-27
US5522317A (en) 1996-06-04
SE9200690D0 (en) 1992-03-06
US5644988A (en) 1997-07-08
ES2073338B1 (en) 1996-03-01
ES2073338A1 (en) 1995-08-01
DE4191525T (en) 1992-08-27
SE505819C2 (en) 1997-10-13
NL9120005A (en) 1992-07-01
GB2254049A (en) 1992-09-30

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