Method and compositions for applying a material onto articles
First Claim
1. A process for applying a transfer material onto the surface of a three-dimensional article comprising:
- providing at least one three-dimensional article which has a surface;
providing at least one deposition device comprising an inkjet print head;
providing a transfer component with initial dimensions, a surface, and an initial configuration;
depositing a material onto a portion of the surface of said transfer component with said deposition device to form a transfer material on said transfer component, wherein at least a portion of said transfer material comprises a UV curable inkjet-able composition comprising a thiol-acrylate composition, a thiol-ene-acrylate inkjet-able composition, or a combination thereof, wherein said transfer material has an outer surface, and said UV curable composition is on the outer surface of said transfer material;
moving at least one of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon and the article toward the other so that the transfer component with the transfer material and a portion of the article make contact such that the outer surface of the transfer material is adjacent to the surface of the article;
providing a source of UV radiation;
at least partially curing the UV curable composition with the source of UV radiation; and
transferring the transfer material from the transfer component onto the surface of said article,wherein the curing takes place during the time period between when the article and the transfer material make contact up until the transfer material is transferred from the transfer component onto the surface of the article.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material from a transfer component onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some embodiments, the method may utilize a printer such as an inkjet printer. In some cases, the transfer material may be a UV curable ink and/or adhesive. When the transfer material is UV curable, the transfer component may be permeable to UV radiation to allow curing of the ink and/or adhesive therethrough. UV curable adhesives including thiol-acrylate and thiol-ene acrylate inkjet-able adhesives are disclosed.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A process for applying a transfer material onto the surface of a three-dimensional article comprising:
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providing at least one three-dimensional article which has a surface; providing at least one deposition device comprising an inkjet print head; providing a transfer component with initial dimensions, a surface, and an initial configuration; depositing a material onto a portion of the surface of said transfer component with said deposition device to form a transfer material on said transfer component, wherein at least a portion of said transfer material comprises a UV curable inkjet-able composition comprising a thiol-acrylate composition, a thiol-ene-acrylate inkjet-able composition, or a combination thereof, wherein said transfer material has an outer surface, and said UV curable composition is on the outer surface of said transfer material; moving at least one of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon and the article toward the other so that the transfer component with the transfer material and a portion of the article make contact such that the outer surface of the transfer material is adjacent to the surface of the article; providing a source of UV radiation; at least partially curing the UV curable composition with the source of UV radiation; and transferring the transfer material from the transfer component onto the surface of said article, wherein the curing takes place during the time period between when the article and the transfer material make contact up until the transfer material is transferred from the transfer component onto the surface of the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification