IMAGE TRANSFER MEDIUM AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SAME

• US 20070095462A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Transpacific Plasma, LLC
• Original Assignee: Transpacific Plasma, LLC
• Inventors: Cheng, Yu-Chih, Yen, Hong-Che, Lin, Yen-Feng, Chang, Chih-Lung
• Application Number:
  US11/469,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20070095462A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/235
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/105 comprising an adhesive layer decalcomania B44C1/16; adhesive tapes C09J7/20
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/1733 Decalcomanias applied under pressure only, e.g. provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/00 Processes for producing special ornamental bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/066 comprising at least two transparent elements, e.g. sheets, layers layered products of glass and synthetic resin containing decorations or patterns B32B17/10247; window units comprising two or more parallel glass panes E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

An image-transfer medium includes a transparent substrate and a transferable material formed on a first surface of the substrate. A selected portion of the transferable material can be transferred in an arbitrary shape to an article to form a personalized image by a cold transfer-printing operation. Moreover, the remaining hollowed portion after the removal of the selected portion, including the transparent substrate, can be adhered to the same or another article having a light-transmitting surface to exhibit special lightening effect.

Claims

1. A method for applying an image onto an article, said article comprising a light transmissible surface and a light source disposed under said light tranmissible surface, said method comprising steps of:

providing an image-transfer medium comprising a transparent substrate and a transferable material formed on a first surface of said substrate;

removing a selected portion of said transferable material to obtain a hollowed transferable material with a specific pattern vacancy; and

adhering the remaining transferable material onto said light transmissible surface of said article, thereby allowing light emitted by said light source to penetrate through the specific pattern vacancy.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said transferable material comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and said step of removing said selected portion of said transferable material is performed by applying a depressing force onto a second surface of the substrate with a writing tool or stamping tool.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said remaining transferable material is adhered to said article along with said transparent substrate.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said transferable material is formed as a continuous layer.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said transferable material is formed with a plurality of said transferable dots, each of which has a shape selected from a group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a rectangle and a honeycomb.

6. A use of an image-transfer medium for applying an image onto an article, said image-transfer medium comprising a transparent substrate, a transferable ink layer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, said use comprising:

cold transfer-printing a first selected portion of said transferable ink layer onto the article when an ink pattern image is required; and

removing a second selected portion of said transferable ink layer, and adhering the remaining transferable ink layer along with said transparent substrate onto the article when a hollowed pattern image is required.

7. The use according to claim 6 wherein said cold transfer-printing operation is performed by applying a depressing force directly onto said transparent substrate at positions corresponding to said first selected portion of said transferable ink layer with a writing tool or stamping tool so that said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer adheres said first selected portion of said transferable ink layer to the article.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein said second selected portion of said transferable ink layer is removed by applying a depressing force onto said transparent substrate at positions corresponding to said second selected portion of said transferable ink layer so that said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer adheres said second selected portion of said transferable ink layer away from said transparent substrate.

9. The use according to claim 6 wherein said image-transfer medium further comprises an isolation layer containing a tack reducing agent for decreasing adhesion between said transferable ink layer and said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.

10. The use according to claim 6 wherein said transferable ink layer is a continuous layer.

11. The use according to claim 6 wherein said transferable ink layer is formed with a plurality of said transferable dots, each of which has a shape selected from a group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a rectangle and a honeycomb.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

an transparent film substrate; and

a transferable laminated material, said transferable laminated material comprising;

an inklayer;

a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and

an isolation layer disposed between the ink layer and the pressure-sensitive layer.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said transparent film substrate comprises a biaxially oriented propylene type material.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said ink layer comprises black powder, copolymer resin, dioctylphosphate, sophorone, SOLVESSO, or solvent, or combinations thereof.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said ink layer comprises silver powder, copolymer resin, dioctylphosphate, isophorone, SOLVESSO, or solvent, or combinations thereof.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the isolation layer is transparent.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the isolation layer comprises a tack reducing agent capable of decreasing adhesion between the ink layer and the pressure-sensitive adhesion layer.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the ink layer comprises a continuous layer, or a number of units, or combinations thereof.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the ink layer is capable of being transferred to a surface via application of force to said transparent film substrate.