Media for cold image transfer

• US 20010031342A1
• Filed: 02/07/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Samdahl, Lisa M., Graham, Paul D., Farooq, Omar, Kitchin, Jonathan P., Engle, Lori P., Tweeten, David W.
• Application Number:
  US09/778,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20010031342A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/32.18
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/006 Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/025 by transferring ink from the master sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0256 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
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/504 Backcoats
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/508 Supports
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/52 Macromolecular coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/529 characterised by the use of fluorine- or silicon-containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/17 Dry transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/1737 Decalcomanias provided with a particular decorative layer, e.g. specially adapted to allow the formation of a metallic or dyestuff on a substrate unsuitable for direct deposition
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/003 Transfer printing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]

Abstract

Image transfer media and methods of transferring images are provided. The image transfer media comprise a sheet having a nonporous micro-embossed surface topography comprising cavities on one major surface of the sheet and an ink release coating on the embossed surface, wherein said major surface has a surface energy of about 43 dyne/centimeter or less. A method of transferring an image to a substrate comprises the steps of (a) printing a selected image onto an imaging surface of an image transfer medium of the invention; (b) contacting the imaged micro-embossed surface with the substrate using pressure; and (c) removing the micro-embossed surface of the image transfer medium from the substrate.

Claims

1. An image transfer medium comprising a sheet having a nonporous micro-embossed surface topography comprising micro-embossed elements on one major surface of the sheet and an ink release coating on the micro-embossed surface, wherein said major surface has a surface energy of about 43 dyne/centimeter or less.

2. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the micro-embossed elements are cavities and the cavities have a depth of at least about 25 micrometers.

3. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the micro-embossed surface comprises a pattern over the area of the major surface wherein the pattern is regular, random or combination.

4. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the micro-embossed surface has a topography to protect printed material from abrasion from items contacting the micro-embossed surface.

5. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the ink release coating comprises fluorinated surfactants, silicone surfactants, silicones, fluorochemicals, polymers of silicones, polymers of fluorochemicals, and combinations thereof.

6. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein each cavity holds at least 10 pL of ink.

7. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein each cavity has a volume of about 1 to about 10,000 pL.

8. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the cavities have an aspect ratio of about 0.01 to about 2.

9. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the cavities have a depth of from about 5 to about 100 micrometers.

10. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the sheet is transparent, translucent, or opaque, wherein the sheet is clear or tinted, wherein the sheet is optically transmissive, or combinations thereof.

11. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the sheet is a polymeric film selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, poly(vinyl chloride), copolymers of ethylene with vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol, polycarbonate, norbomene copolymers, reactive silicones, fluorinated thermoplastics such as copolymers and terpolymers comprising hexafluoropropylene, vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene, or vinyl fluoride, and surface modified versions thereof, poly(ethylene terephthalate) and copolymers thereof, polyurethanes, polyimides, acrylics, and filled versions thereof.

12. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the sheet comprises two or more layers.

13. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

further comprising an adhesive layer on a major surface opposite the micro-embossed surface.

14. The image transfer medium of

claim 13

further comprising a release liner protecting the adhesive layer.

15. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

further having a material deposited on the micro-embossed surface.

16. The image transfer medium of

claim 15

wherein the material is jettable.

17. The image transfer medium of

claim 16

wherein the jettable material is selected from the group consisting of inks, adhesives, biological fluids, pharmaceuticals, chemical assay reagents, particulate dispersions, waxes, and combinations thereof.

18. The image transfer medium of

claim 16

wherein the jettable material is a pigmented ink.

36. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

further having an ink receptive medium on the micro-embossed surface.

37. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the ink release coating is a result of surface energy modifying additives in the sheet.

38. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the micro-embossed elements are posts.

39. The image transfer medium of

claim 1

wherein the micro-embossed elements are a combination of cavities and posts.

40. The image transfer medium of

claim 36

wherein the ink receptive medium is a co-polyester.

19. A method of making an image transfer medium comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a micro-embossing pattern for forming a micro-embossed pattern on a sheet;

(b) contacting a molding surface of a mold having a pattern inverse to the micro-embossing pattern against the sheet to form a micro-embossed surface on the sheet; and

(c) applying an ink release coating to the micro-embossed surface of the sheet such that the surface has a surface energy of about 43 dyne/centimeter.

20. The method of

claim 19

wherein the contacting step is selected from the group consisting of casting, coating, and compression techniques.

21. A method of transferring an image to a substrate comprising the steps of:

(a) printing a selected image onto an imaging surface of an image transfer medium wherein the image transfer medium comprises a sheet having a back surface and a nonporous imaging surface having a micro-embossed surface topography comprising micro-embossed elements on one major surface of the sheet wherein said major surface has a surface energy of about 43 dyne/centimeter or less;

(b) contacting the imaged micro-embossed surface with the substrate using pressure; and

(c) removing the micro-embossed surface of the image transfer medium from the substrate.

22. The method of

claim 21

wherein the image is selected on a computer.

23. The method of

claim 21

wherein the image is manipulated or modified on a computer.

24. The method of

claim 23

wherein the image is manipulated by reversing, rotating, reducing, adjusting color, removing or adding background, removing or adding foreground, removing or adding images, adjusting the brightness of the image, and combinations thereof.

25. The method of

claim 21

wherein the image is applied to the image transfer medium using inkjet printing techniques.

26. The method of

claim 21

wherein the substrate comprises cloth, wood, gypsum, sheet rock, plastic, glass, metal, ceramic, painted surfaces, paper, cardboard, or combinations thereof.

27. The method of

claim 21

wherein the pressure applied to the back of the image transfer medium is by hand, rollers, stamps, or combination thereof.

28. The method of

claim 21

wherein the image is created by printing ink onto the micro-embossed surface.

29. The method of

claim 21

wherein at least 20 percent of the ink is transferred to the substrate as measured by color density.

30. The method of

claim 21

wherein at least 50 percent of the ink is transferred to the substrate as measured by color density.

31. The method of

claim 21

wherein at least 75 percent of the ink is transferred to the substrate as measured by color density.

32. The method of

claim 21

wherein the image transfer medium has an ink release coating on the micro-embossed surface.

33. The method of

claim 21

wherein the sheet comprises polydimethylsiloxane, fluorinated polymer, polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, reactive silicones, or combinations thereof.

34. The method of

claim 21

wherein the sheet has two or more layers.

35. The method of

claim 21

wherein the micro-embossed elements are cavities.