Method for making a decorative film with hot melt adhesive layer

• US 6,146,485 A
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leonhard KURZ Stiftung & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Leonhard KURZ Stiftung & Company KG
• Inventors: Miller, Robert E., Iacono, Charles A., Adel, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Sells, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): LORENGO, JERRY A
• Application Number:
  US08/996,506
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 156/230, 156/233, 156/234, 156/235, 156/237, 156/238, 156/239, 156/240, 156/241, 156/247, 156/277, 156/289, 156/498, 156/242, 427/207.1, 427/208.2, 427/208.4, 427/146, 427/148, 118/271, 118/59, 118/101, 428/914
• US Class Current: 156/230
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/1712 Decalcomanias applied under heat and pressure, e.g. provided with a heat activable adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/1729 Hot stamping techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/914 Transfer or decalcomania

Abstract

In a method of making such a decorative film, a thermoplastic adhesive formulation is heated to a temperature in excess of the softening temperature of the thermoplastic in the formulation to form a molten adhesive formulation, which is then applied to a decorative layer on the carrier sheet thereby forming a transfer layer having a transfer surface and the transfer layer and carrier sheet form the decorative film. The decorative film is then chilled.

Claims

1. A method for making a decorative film having a heat-activatable transfer layer for affixation to a substrate to be decorated, comprising:

(a) providing a carrier sheet having a decorative layer applied to a first surface of the carrier sheet;

(b) heating a heat-activatable thermoplastic adhesive formulation to a temperature in excess of a softening temperature of a thermoplastic in the formulation such that the adhesive formulation is molten;

(c) applying a layer of the molten thermoplastic adhesive formulation on the decorative layer thereby forming a heat-activatable transfer layer on top of the carrier sheet, wherein the transfer layer comprises the decorative layer and the layer of the adhesive formulation, the transfer layer having a transfer surface for affixation to a substrate and said transfer layer and said carrier sheet form a decorative film; and

(d) chilling said decorative film such that the decorative film comprises a solidified layer of a molten adhesive formulation, wherein said molten adhesive formulation is solvent-free.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises chilling a second surface of the carrier sheet opposite the first surface of the carrier sheet.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

(e) chilling the transfer surface.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein step (d) comprises contacting the second surface of the carrier sheet with a first chill roll and step (e) comprises contacting the transfer surface with a second chill roll.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising providing a flow of heat transfer fluid to chambers within the first and second chill rolls to maintain the surface of the first and second chill rolls at a temperature of from about 4 to about 27°

C.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises chilling the transfer surface.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of

(e) chilling a second surface of the carrier sheet opposite the first surface of the carrier sheet.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein step (d) comprises contacting the transfer layer with a first chill roll and step (e) comprises contacting the second surface of the carrier sheet with a second chill roll.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising providing a flow of heat transfer fluid to chambers within the first and second chill rolls to maintain the surface of the first and second chill rolls at a temperature of from about 4 to about 27°

C.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic adhesive formulation comprises a polyamide copolymer.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the thermoplastic adhesive formulation further comprises a filler selected from the group consisting of pigments and extenders.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic adhesive formulation comprises from about 1 to about 99.9% by weight of the polyamide copolymer and from about 99 to about 0.1% by weight of the filler.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the softening temperature of the thermoplastic is from about 110°

C. to about 160°

C.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic adhesive formulation is heated in excess of the softening temperature to a temperature of from about 160°

C. to about 250°

C.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the layer of the adhesive formulation is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 60 g/m².

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying the molten thermoplastic adhesive formulation to the decorative layer with an applicator in communication with a melt chamber, wherein the melt chamber is fed with the molten thermoplastic adhesive formulation.