Ink, transfers, methods of making transfers, and methods of using transfers to decorate plastic articles
AssigneeThe Michael and Kathleen Stevenson Family Limited Partnership
InventorsRobert A. Reeves, Michael J. Stevenson, Corey R. Dibrom
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Abstract
A thermal indicia transfer comprises a fixing layer between a carrier sheet and a printed ink layer. The ink comprises plastic particles, a solvent, an indicia additive, a dispersing agent, and optionally a binder. The fixing layer is coated onto the carrier sheet and cured. The ink layer is printed onto the fixing layer where the plastic particles are held in place by the tackiness and structure of the fixing layer. The printed ink layer is dried at a temperature high enough to remove the solvent from the ink layer, but low enough to prevent melting of the plastic particles.
Claims6
A method of manufacturing a transfer, the method comprising:
- coating onto a carrier sheet or film a fixing layer composition;
- thermally curing the fixing layer composition;
- printing an ink on the fixing layer composition, the ink comprising:
- (a) at least one powdered plastic;
- (b) a solvent having sufficient volatility for substantially total removal at a temperature of less than about the melting temperature of the powdered plastic;
- (c) an indicia additive;
- (d) a dispersing agent;
- and (e) optionally, a binder;
- and
- drying the ink on the fixing layer composition at a temperature less than about the melting temperature of the powdered plastic to produce the transfer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.