Method for making holographic foil

• US 6,638,386 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National City Bank (The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NovaVision
• Inventors: Boswell, David R., Messmer, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rossi, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US09/838,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20020003635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 156/209, 156/239-241, 156/230, 156/233, 156/235, 156/238, 156/157, 156/324, 156/297, 156/299, 156/580, 156/583.1, 156/555, 156/552, 156/553, 156/556, 428/195, 428/200, 428/209, 428/343, 428/346, 428/457, 428/458, 428/461, 428/462, 428/464, 428/446, 428/467, 428/484, 428/500, 428/913, 428/40.1, 428/41.7, 428/41.8, 428/42.1, 428/42.2, 428/42.3, 359/576, 359/1-35, 257/679, 361/737
• US Class Current: 156/209
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/105 comprising an adhesive layer decalcomania B44C1/16; adhesive tapes C09J7/20
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/14 Metallic leaves or foils, e.g. gold leaf
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/24 Pressing or stamping ornamental designs on surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0252 Laminate comprising a hologram layer
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/028 by embossing
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2250/10 arranged to be transferred onto a carrier body adhesive layer G03H2250/35
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2250/12 Special arrangement of layers
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2250/40 Printed information overlapped with the hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2270/23 Ribbon shaped, e.g. holographic foil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/915 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1023 Surface deformation only [e.g., embossing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1041 Subsequent to lamination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A composite sheet having the capability of having embossed therein a holographic image or diffraction grating image has a structure of multiple layers including a plastic film carrier, lacquer, metal and, optionally, a lacquer overlay. It may be adhered to a substrate without the necessity of removing the plastic film carrier and may have a holographic image embossed therein during the step of adhering or in a separate operation at a different time and may have printing applied to the layer of metal or to the lacquer overlay.

Claims

1. A method for making an article comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a composite sheet having the capability of receiving embossed therein a holographic image or diffraction grating image, said composite sheet including;

(i) a plastic film carrier layer,

(ii) a layer of lacquer,

(iii) a layer of metal,

(iv) a lacquer overlay on said layer of metal,

(b) providing a substrate having a layer of adhesive;

(c) feeding said substrate and said composite sheet to a pressurizing station with said layer of adhesive facing said plastic film carrier layer, said station having a pair of surfaces;

(d) subjecting said substrate and said composite sheet to pressure from said surfaces to adhere said composite sheet to said substrate; and

(e) embossing a holographic or diffraction grating image into said lacquer overlay, said layer of metal and at least partially into said layer of lacquer.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said composite sheet and said substrate are continuously fed from rolls and further including the step of cutting said composite sheet and substrate after step (e).

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (e) occurs prior to step (c).

4. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of printing over said lacquer overlay.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said printing forms discrete images and further including the step of registering said discrete images in relation to said holographic or diffraction grating images.

6. The method according to claim 4 further including the step of cutting said composite sheet and substrate after the step of printing.

7. A method for making an article comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a composite sheet having the capability of receiving embossed therein a holographic image or diffraction grating image, said composite sheet including;

(i) a plastic film carrier layer,

(ii) a first layer of lacquer,

(iii) a second layer of lacquer,

(iv) a layer of metal,

(v) a layer of lacquer overlay on said layer of metal,

(b) providing a substrate having a layer of adhesive;

(c) feeding said substrate and said composite sheet to a pressurizing station with said layer of adhesive facing said plastic film carrier layer, said station having a pair of surfaces;

(d) subjecting said substrate and said composite sheet to pressure from said surfaces to adhere said composite sheet to said substrate;

(e) embossing a holographic or diffraction grating image into said lacquer overlay, said layer of metal and at least partially into said second layer of lacquer; and

(f) printing on said lacquer overlay.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said printing forms discrete images and further including the step of registering said discrete images in relation to said holographic or diffraction grating images.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein said composite sheet and said substrate are continuously fed from rolls and further including the step of cutting said composite sheet and substrate after step (e).

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said cutting occurs after step (f).

11. The method according to claim 7 wherein further including the step of cutting said composite sheet and substrate prior to step (f).

12. The method according to claim 7 wherein step (e) occurs prior to step (c).