IE46992B1 - Decorative relief pattern transfer - Google Patents

Abstract

Decorative elements (4) are fixed provisionally on a temporary semi-rigid support (2) by means of a coat of adhesive (3). Onto these decorative elements (4), and in a mirror image of the pattern to be transferred, there are deposited successively and in order: a coat of resin (5) capable of fixing the decorative elements together, and a coat of resin (6) capable of fixing the decorative elements (4) to a support as a means of decoration.

Description

The present invention relates to a transfer assembly for applying a decorative relief pattern to a substrate by transfer, and to a process for its production.

The invention is especially useful for applying a supple and flexible decorative relief pattern- to a flexible support, e.g. made of leather, textile, woven or knitted fabric, or non-woven material, the relief pattern elements being for example, flocks, metallic particles or glass beads.

Numerous processes for the preparation of markings or decorative patterns which can be applied to any textile support are already known. Thus, in particular, relief patterns made of textile materials decorated by embroidery or printing are traditionally applied by sewing. However, this method of fixing is lengthy and, when complex patterns comprising several unit patterns are used, it is necessary to assemble them before hand on a continuous support in order to ensure that they can be easily and correctly arranged on the article to be decorated.

The development of the techniques of glueing directly or by transfer has made it possible, especially through the use of a temporary support which is most frequently made of silicone-coated paper , to produce decorative patterns which can exhibit surface effects such as flocking or reflectivity and are easy to apply. However, the production, in the desired geometry, of complex patterns which comprise several decorative elements and are - 2 46993 easy to apply requires the presence of a continuous supporting layer to ensure an adequate bond between the decorative patterns and the material to be decorated.

A process is known for the application by transfer of patterns which do not have relief, which process does not require a permanent continuous support. This process consists of printing onto a non-stick temporary support a system of resins, which can be crosslink’d by heat, and a pigment, and in then covering this system with a system which is analogous bu: does not contain a pigment and which will be used for bonding the marking system to the textile support after transfer under the combined action of pressure and heat. However, this process does not make it possible to produce decorative relief patterns which exhibit a surface effect, such as those imparted by flocking or by reflecting materials, because the pattern is printed directly onto the temporary non-stick support.

Furthermore, a process for the production of a transferable relief pattern is known from the United States Patent 3,379,604, which process consists of depositing a layer of thermoplastic onto a temporary support made of nonstick paper, arranging on this layer, according to the pattern to be reproduced, an adhesive which can be activated by heat, and in applying thereto flocks which are then covered with a sheet of a substance which, under the action of heat and pressure, absorbs the thermoplastic - 3 46992 which is not covered by the adhesive which can be activated This substance thus acting as a temporary support which is removed when the transfer sheet is applied to the final support. However, this is a lengthy and complicated process due to the presence of the two temporary supports which are applied in two separate operations .

The present inzention makes it possible to produce, simply and rapidly decorative relief patterns which can be applied by transfer without requiring the use of a specially treated temporary support or of a sheet of absorbent substance.

The invention thus provides a transfer assembly for transferring a decor itive relief pattern to a substrate, the assembly comprising a temporary support carrying a layer of relief pattern elements, a first layer of resin(s) which overlies said relief pattern elements and which is in a pattern corresponding to the pattern to be transferred, the perimeter of which pattern lies within the perimeter of the relief elements fur said pattern, and a second layer of resin(s) overlying sail first layer in the same pattern, said second layer of resin (s) being capable- in use of bonding to the Jesirei substrate with'said first layer of resin(s) bonding the relief pattern elenents ever laid thereby to said second layer of resin (s), and said temporary support being renewable from the relief pattern elements thus banded to the .substrate, thereby to transfer said relief pattern to said substrate. - 4 46992 It will be understood that when the pattern to be transferred is directional e.g. lettering, the resin layers corresponding to said pattern will appear as a reversed image thereof car the temporary support.

The resin of the second layer, which is intended to ensure that, when the transfer is carried out, the pattern is fixed to the receiving substrate, is preferably a hot melt adhesive chosen from the following heat-fusible resins: polyamide, polyethylene, vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, cellulose acetobutyrate and cellulose acetopropionate; and the resins of the first layer, which is intended to ensure that the embossed pattern elements are permanently fixed to the bonding second layer, preferably consists of a supple and crosslinkable latex chosen from amongst the following resins: acrylic, acrylic/butadiene, polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride/ acrylic copolymer .

The resin can also consist of a polyurethane resin or a polyvinyl chloride resin, these being applied in an organic solvent medium.

The two layers of resin must be perfectly compatible so as to guarantee the permanent bond between the hot melt adhesive part and the decorative elements.

The decorative relief pattern elements to be transferred advantageously comprise textile particles of any nature, length and diameter, glass microbeads having suitable diameters and refractive indices, metallic flakes or powders or any other -relief element which reflects light or creates a special artistic effect.

The temporary support for the decorative elements - 5 46993 advantageously consists of hydrophilic kraft paper, coated with a suitably weak glue intended to provide a temporary bond between the decorative elements and the temporary support, this glue preferably consisting of an aqueous solution or pseudo-solution of a thickener having a low solids content. This temporary support may be printed beforehand with dyestuffs which can sublime under the action of heat. When the decorative elements applied to this support comprises substances which can De coloured by these sublimable dyestuffs , for example f Locks of triacetate, polyester or polyamide, the dyestuffs can be transferred by heat from the paper to the part of the flocks which is fixed thereto, which will ma^e it possible to obtain a multi-coloured effect on the top of the decorative elements which is visible after transfer. Such dyestuffs can also be included in said first layer of resin(s) so as to colour that part of the decorative elements which will be closest to the substrate to be decorated.

The invention further provides a process for the production of this transfer assembly, comprising (1) depositing a solution of adhesive material having a low solids content onto the surface of said temporary support, depositing the relief pattern elements onto this adhesive coating to form· said layer of pattern elements and drying the adhesive coating, (2) depositing on said layer of - 6 46992 pattern elements the required pattern of said first layer of resin(s) , so that the perimeter of the pattern 1 es within the perimeter of the relief elements far said pattern, spr i.nkling powdered thermoplastic resin(s) suitable fcr farming said second laya: onto the support carrying said f irst layer under conditions such that the powder adheres only to said first layer and removing the powdered resin not adhering to said first layer, and(3) subjecting the whole to a heat treatment at a temperature which is greater than the melting point of the powdered thermoplastic resin (s).

This heat treatment enhances the anchoring of the thermoplastic (preferably hot melt adhesive) resin, in preferred embodiments using a heat-crosslinkable resin in the first layer, cross-linking of the latter and the removal of the solvent which it may contain are also effected by the heat treatment. The assembly carrying the patterns to be transferred can then be stored md rolled up easily without the risk of separating the patterns from the semi-rigid support.

The adhesive can be applied to the whole surface of the temporary support by the conventional coating/ doctoring processes, but in order to reduce the number of decorative elements required to obtain the transferable patterns , the adhesive can be applied in smaller areas , provided that these extend beyond the edges of the pattern to be transferred, by the conventional printing processes.

The heat transfer of the pattern to the substrate 46993 to be decorated may be carried out in conventional manner, e.g. by applying heat and pressure, with suitabLe heat-bondable resin in said second layer. The preferred hot melt adhesive resir. fixes itself to the support to be decorated and carries with it the crosslirikable resin which supports the lower part of the decorative elements, the upper part of which elements is easily separated from the temporary support because of the low strength of the bond provided by the aqueous glue.

The present invention may be better understood with the aid of the description which follows , with reference to the attached schematic drawings which represent, by way of a non-limiting example, the preparation and application of a. decorative relief pattern using a transfer assembly according to the invention.

Figures 1 to 3 show the production of the transfer assembly; Figure 4 shows the pattern when it has been transferred and fixed to its final substrate; and Figure 5 shows the temporary support carrying residual decorative elements after transfer of the pattern.

Xn Fi - 8 46092 applied, according to the inverted image of the pattern to be transferred to this continuous layer of decorative elements and is then covered with powdered thermoplastic and hot melt adhesive resin 6.

The decorative elements 4 totally cover the support _2 in the case shown in Figure t, the layer of glue having been applied to the whole surface of the support.

The semi-rigid support 2, which is intended temporarily to hold the decorative elements in place, consists of a hydrophilic kraft paper weighing between and 120 g/m .

The glue 3 consists of a solution or pseudosolution of a conventional water-soluble thickener having a low solids content. The guaranates and hydroxyethylcelluloses are very suitable for this purpose.

The decorative elements 4 can be of a very diverse nature. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, they can consist of flocks of any nature, length and diameter, which may or may not be coloured: they could also consist of glass microbeads having suitable diameters and refractive indices, of metallic flakes or particles, or the like.

In the case where the decorative elements k consist of flocks, the latter are advantageously deposited onto the layer of glue 3 by an electrostatic process; however, other techniques, such as spraying or sprinkling, can be suitable.

The viscosity and the thickness of the layer of glue .3 will be conti oiled as a function o the process for applying the glue, of the hydrophilicity of the paper 2 and of the nature of the decorative elements which are to be temporarily fixed by this glue to only part of the height.

The paper/glue/decorative element assembly is then dried in a tunnel oven at a sufficiently low temperature so that the evaporation of the solvent from the glue does not lead to puckering of the paper. The superfluous decorative elements are then removed from this assembly by a conventional beating/suction process.

In the second stage of the process, which is shown in Figure 2, a crosslirikable resin 5. is applied to the paper/glue/decorative elements assembly according to the inverted image of the pattern which it is desired to reproduce.

The crosslinkable resin 5. can consist of supple latices which can be crosslinked under the action of heat or in the cold, such as acrylic, acrylic/butadiene, polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride/acrylic copolymer latices. It can also consist of a solution of polyurethane resin or polyvinyl chloride in a suitable organic solvent.

The third stage of the process, which immediately follows the second stage, consists in sprinkling the assembly shown in Figure 2 with a powdered hot melt adhesive thermoplastic resin 6; this powder 6 is deposited onto the zones of crosslirikable resin 5. which are still moist and , form the inverted pattern (Figure 3).

The hot melt adhesive resin 6 can consist of powdered polyamide, polyethylene, vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, cellulose acetobutyrate or cellulese acetopropionate resins having a particle size which varies between 100 and 400 μ.

The excess powder which is not fixed to the inverte'd pattern is then removed by the conventional beating/suction process.

The assembly shown in Figure 3 then passes under a source of heat radiation where it is heated to a temperature which is greater than the melting point of the powdered hot melt adhesive thermoplastic resin; this powder then gels, thus ensuring its anchoring in the layer of crosslinkable resin. The residual solvent is simultaneously removed from this crosslirikable resin.

The sheet carrying the inverted pattern can then be stored and rolled up for as long as is desired without the risk that the pattern will become separated from this sheet.

In the case where the resin 5. is crosslinkable by heat, the drying operation may also effect crosslinking polymerisation.

In order to apply the pattern shown in Figure 46993 to its final substrate, for ex;imple o a cloth 7_, it suffices to apply the face of the resi’i 6 to the cloth 7. ant^ then to subject the whole to the combined action of pressure and heat. The decorative pattern thus becomes bonded to the substrate 7. by means of the resin 6 which carries with it the crosslinked resin 5. and the decorative elements 4.

In order to reveal the pattern, it suffices to break the temporary bond existing between the paper 2 and the decorative elements 4 by pulling away the said paper j?. The pattern shown in Figure 4 is then obtained.

Figure 5 shows the sheet carrying the decorative elements after heat transfer of the pattern; the outline of the inverted pattern which appears recessed is defined by the remainder of the decorative elements k on the support The following examples illustrate specific embodiments of the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 A kraft paper 2, weighing about 80 g/m , is coated, by doctoring, with an aqueous solution containing 4% by weight of a guaranate thickener 3., the thickness of the layer of glue applied being calculated so as to correspond to about 10% of the height of the flocks to be applied.

Flocks 4. are then immediately deposited electrostatically, using flocks of dyed regenerated cellulose; after flocking, drying is carried out under a tunnel oven - 12 46992 at a temperature not exceeding 90°C.

Cleaning is then carried out by beating/suction in order to remove the flocks which are not fixed.

The inverted image of the pattern to be obtained 5,, which is the letter E in the present case, is then printed by a silkscreen process with an acrylic/butadiene resin which has a solids content of 40% and the viscosity of which is adjusted to 300 Poises (measured on a Haake TO 0 2 viscometer) with a solution of polyacrylic acid.

The sheet carrying the pattern is immediately sprinkled with a powdered polyamide resin 6,, having a melting point of about 120 °C and a particle size of about 200 μ, which becomes anchored onto the inverted image of the pattern carrying the layer 5. of acrylic/butadiene resin which is still moist.

A further beatsng/suction operation is then carried out in order to remove the particles of polyamide resin from those parts of the surface which are not coated with acrylic/butadiene resin. The sheet carrying the pattern then passes under a source of heat radiation where it is heated to l40°C, this temperature ensuring the gelling 1 of the polyamide powder and the removal of the solvent from the acrylic/butadiene resin.

EXAMPLE 2 A kraft paper is taken which weighs about 80 g/m and has been printed before hand using dyestuffs which can <6993 be sublimed by heat.

The printed face pf this paper is coated, by doctoring, with the glue described in Example 1, and the polyester flocks are then deposited electrostatically.

After drying under a tunnel oven at 90°C and cleaning by beating/suction, the complex sheet obtained is placed in an oven at 200°C for 30 seconds.

The dyestuffs then migrate from the paper to the ends of the flocks embedded in the glue.

The application of the two layers of resin then follows as described in Example 1.

EXAMPLE 3 The flocks are deposited on kraft paper by following the procedure described in Example 1.

The inverted image of the pattern to be reproduced is then printed by a silkscreen process with the acrylic/butadiene resin described in Example 1, into which resin 1% by weight of the heat-sublimable dyestuff marketed by CIBA-GEXGY under the name Rouge Teraprint 5B has been incorporated. Teraprint is a Trade Mark.

The application of the thermoplastic resin and the heat treatment are carried out as described in Example 1, but the heat treatment is followed by placing the sheet in an oven at 200°C for 30 seconds.

The dyestuff then migrates from the crosslinkable glue to that part of the flocks which, after transfer, will form the background of the pattern.

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS:1A transfer assembly for transferring a decorative relief pattern to a substrate, the assembly comprising a temporary support carrying a layer of relief pattern elements, a first layer of resin(s) which overlies said relief pattern elements and which is in a pattern corresponding to the pattern to be transferred, the perimeter of which pattern lies within the perimeter of the relief elenents for said pattern and a second layer of resin(s) overlying said first layer in the same pattern, said second layer of resin(s) overlying said first layer in the sane pattern, said second layer oE resin(s) being capable in use of bonding to the desired substrata witn said first layer of resin(s) bonding the relief pattern elements overlaid thereby to said second layer of resin(s), and said temporary support being removable from the relief pattern elements thus bended to the substrate, thereby to transfer said relief pattern to said substrate.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second layer caiprises a hot melt adhesive thermoplastic resin.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said thermoplastic resin is a polyamide polyethylene, vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, cellulose acetcbutyrate, or cellulose acetopropionate.

4. Ar assembly according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said first layer comprises a crosslinkable resin. - 15 46993 5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein said cross-linkable resin is a latex selected from acrylic, acrylic/ butadiene, polyvinyl chloride', and vinyl chloride/ac-rylic ccpolymer latexes or is a solution o r polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride resin in an organic 5 solvent.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first layer includes sublimable dyestuffs and the relief pattern elements comprise material colourable by said dyestuffs. 10 7 · An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temporary support is printed with sublimable dyestuffs and the relief pattern elements comprise material colourable by said dyestuffs.

6. 8. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the relief pattern elements are adhered to the temporary support in areas smaller than the whole area of the support surface .

7. 9. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the relief pattern elements are adhered 20 to the temporary support by a glue applied thereto as an aqueous solution or pseudo-solution of a thickener having a low solids content. 4 6 9 9 2

8. 10. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temporary support is a hydrophilic kraft paper.

9. 11. An assembly according to claim 1 substantially as described either with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, or in any one of the foregoing Examples 1 to 3.

10. 12. A process for producing a transfer assembly according to any one of the preceding claims comprising (1) depositing a solution of adhesive material having a low solids content onto the surface of said temporary support, depositing the relief pattern elements onto this adhesive coating to form said layer of pattern elements and drying the adhesive coating (2) depositing on said layer of pattern elements the required pattern of said first layer of resin(s), so that the perimeter of the pattern lies within the perimeter of the relief elements for said pattern, sprinkling powdered thermoplastic resin(s)suitable for forming said second layer onto the support carrying said first layer under conditions such that the powder adheres only to said first layer and removing the powdered resin not adhering to said first layer, and (3) subjecting the whole to a heat treatment at a temperature which is greater than the melting point of the powdered thermoplastic resin(s). -1746992

11. 13. A process according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive solution is applied to the temporary support in areas smaller than the whole area of the support surface so as to produce a transfer assembly according to claim 8. 5

12. 14. A process according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive solution is applied to substantially the whole support surface so as to produce a transfer assembly having said relief pattern elements on substantially the whole support surface. 10 15. A process according to claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the adhesive solution is applied as a glue comprising an aqueous solution or pseudo-solution of a thickener having a low solids content. 16. A process according to any one of claims 12

13. 15 to 15, wherein the temporary support is printed with sublimable dyestuff(s) prior to the application of the adhesive solution thereto, so as to produce a transfer assembly according to claim 7.

14. 17. A process according to any one of claims 20 12 to 16, wherein said first layer of resin(s) includes sublimable dyestuffs so as to produce a transfer assembly according to claim 6. - 18 46992

15. 18. A piocess according to claim 2 substantially as described either with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, or in any one of the foregoing Examples 1 to 3.

16. 19. A transfer assembly according to claim 1 when produced by a process according to any one of claims 12 to 18.

17. 20. A relief pattern applied to a substrate by transfer from an assembly according to any one of 10 claims 1 to 11 and 19.