Thermal transfer assembly for ceramic imaging

• US 7,438,973 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Imaging Materials Inc. (IIMAK Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Imaging Materials Inc. (IIMAK Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Harrison, Daniel J., Geddes, Pamela A., Briggs, Barry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shosho; Callie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joy; David J
• Application Number:
  US11/074,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 428/32.51, 428/195.1, 428/325, 428/432, 156/235, 156/277, 156/279, 156/283, 156/284, 252/519.1, 252/520, 501/11, 501/14, 501/17
• US Class Current: 428/325
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 2205/06 relating to melt (thermal) mass transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 2205/10 Post-imaging transfer of imaged layer; transfer of the whole imaged layer
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/385 characterised by the transferable dyes or pigments infrared absorbing dyes B41M5/465
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/395 Macromolecular additives, e.g. binders
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/41 Base layers supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/42 Intermediate, backcoat, or covering layers B41M5/405 takes precedence; multilayer thermal transfer systems in general B41M5/38214
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/423 characterised by non-macromolecular compounds, e.g. waxes
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/44 characterised by the macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/443 Silicon-containing polymers, e.g. silicones, siloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/446 Fluorine-containing polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/165 for decalcomanias; sheet material therefor apparatus or machines for applying decalcomanias B65C
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/1729 Hot stamping techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/252 Glass or ceramic [i.e., fired or glazed clay, cement, etc.] [porcelain, quartz, etc.]

Abstract

A thermal transfer assembly that comprises a thermal transfer ribbon and a covercoated transfer sheet. The thermal transfer ribbon includes a support and a ceramic ink layer. The ceramic ink layer is present at a coating weight of from about 2 to about 15 grams per square meter, and it includes from about 15 to about 94.5 percent of a solid carbonaceous binder, and at least one of a film-forming glass frit, an opacifying agent and a colorant (at a combined level for the film forming glass frit, the opacifying agent and the colorant of at least 0.5 weight percent).

Claims

1. A digitally printed assembly comprised of a substrate and, disposed on said substrate, a digitally printed ceramic ink image, wherein said ceramic ink image comprises from about 15 to about 94.5 weight percent of a solid, volatilizable carbonaceous binder, from about 5 to about 75 weight percent of a film-forming frit comprised of at least 5 weight percent of silica, and at least about 0.5 weight percent of a metal oxide containing ceramic colorant selected from the group consisting of metal oxide containing pigment, metal oxide containing opacifying agent, and mixtures thereof, and wherein:

(a) said metal oxide containing ceramic colorant has a first refractive index, and such film-forming frit has a second refractive index, such that the difference between said first refractive index and said second refractive index is at least 0.1;

(b) said metal oxide containing ceramic colorant has a first melting point, and said film-forming frit has a second melting point, such that said first melting point exceeds said second melting point by at least about 100 degrees Celsius; and

(c) said metal oxide containing ceramic colorant has a first concentration in said ceramic ink layer, said film-forming frit has a second concentration in said ceramic ink layer, such that the ratio of said first concentration to said second concentration is no greater than about 1.25.

2. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said solid, volatilizable carbonaeous binder, after it has been heated at a temperature greater than 500 degrees Centigrade for at least 6 minutes in an atmosphere containing at least about 15 volume percent of oxygen, is volatilized such that less than about 5 weight percent of said volatilizable carbonaceous binder remains as a solid phase.

3. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said film-forming frit has a melting temperature of greater than about 300 degrees Celsius.

4. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said metal oxide containing ceramic colorant has a particle size distribution such that all of its particles are smaller than about 20 microns.

5. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate is a ceramic substrate.

6. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises at least about 80 weight percent of a plastic material.

7. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises at least about 80 weight percent of a ceramic material.

8. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises at least about 80 weight percent of a glass-ceramic material.

9. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate has a melting temperature of at least about 580 degrees Celsius.

10. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate has a melting temperature of from about 580 to about 1,200 degrees Celsius.

11. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises at least about 80 weight percent of glass.

12. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said digitally printed ceramic ink image is heat treated at a temperature of at least 350 degrees Celsius for at least about 5 minutes, wherein prior to said heat treating said digitally printed ceramic ink image has a first opacity, wherein after said heat treating said digitally printed ceramic ink image has a second opacity, and wherein the difference between said first opacity and said second opacity is less than about 15 percent.

13. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein said difference between said first opacity and said second opacity is less than about 8 percent.

14. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said digitally printed ceramic ink image is heat treated at a temperature of at least 350 degrees Centigrade for at least about 5 minutes, wherein prior to said heat treating said digitally printed ceramic ink image has a first transmission density, wherein after said heat treating said digitally printed ceramic ink image has a second transmission density, and said second transmission density is at least about 0.8 times as great as said first transmission density.

15. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said digitally printed ceramic ink image is heat treated at a temperature of at least 350 degrees Centigrade for at least about 5 minutes, wherein prior to said heat treating said digitally printed ceramic ink image has a first reflection density, wherein after said heat treating said digitally printed ceramic ink image has a second reflection density, and said second reflection density is at least about 0.8 times as great as said first reflection density.

16. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said film-forming frit has a melting temperature of greater than 550 degrees Centigrade.

17. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said film-forming frit has a melting temperature of greater than 750 degrees Centigrade.

18. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said film-forming frit has a melting temperature of greater than 950 degrees Centigrade.

19. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 18, wherein said film-forming frit has a particle size distribution such that all of its particles are smaller than about 10 microns.

20. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein at least about 80 weight percent of said particles of said film-forming frit are smaller than about 5 microns.

21. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said carbonaceous binder has a softening point of from about 45 to about 150 degrees Centigrade.

22. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said carbonaceous binder is comprised of a mixture of a first synthetic resin and a second synthetic resin.

23. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said carbonaceous binder is comprised of polybutylmethacryate and polymethylmethacrylate, and wherein said metal oxide containing ceramic colorant is an opacifying agent, said first melting point is the melting point of said opacifying agent, and said first melting point is at least about 350 degrees Centigrade.

24. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said metal oxide containing agent is an opacifying agent, and wherein said first refractive index of said opacifying agent is greater than 2.0.

25. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 24, wherein said first refractive index of said opacifying agent is greater than 2.4.

26. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 25, wherein all of the particles in said opacifying agent are smaller than 10 microns.

27. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 26, wherein at least about 80 weight percent of the particles in said opacifying agent are smaller than 5 microns.

28. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 24, wherein said pigment has a particle size distribution such that at least about 90 weight percent of its particles are from about 0.2 to about 20 microns.

29. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 28, wherein said pigment has a refractive index greater than about 1.4.

30. The digitally printed assembly as recited in claim 29, wherein said pigment has a refractive index greater than about 1.6.