# US 2021/0240123 A1 · Heat transfer printing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240123 A1 - Document ID: US20210240123A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/049,624 - Filed: 2018-10-03 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-03 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Inna TZOMIK; Dima LIBSTER; Katty NOORANY; Albert TEISHEV - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240123A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/6591: {characterised by the recording material, e.g. plastic material, OHP, ceramics, tiles, textiles (details transferring the toner pattern onto particular materials G03G15/1625)} - B32B 7/06: permitting easy separation - B32B 27/12: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer - B32B 27/40: comprising polyurethanes - B32B 37/025: {Transfer laminating} - B41J 2/315: characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material (B41J2/385, B41J2/435 take precedence) - B41J 2/335: Structure of thermal heads - B41M 5/0256: {the transferable ink pattern being obtained by means of a computer driven printer, e.g. an ink jet or laser printer, or by electrographic means} - D06P 5/007: {using non-subliming dyes} - G03G 15/1625: {on a base other than paper} - G03G 17/00: Electrographic processes using patterns other than charge patterns, e.g. an electric conductivity pattern; Processes involving a migration, e.g. photoelectrophoresis, photoelectrosolography; Processes involving a selective transfer, e.g. electrophoto-adhesive processes; Apparatus essentially involving a single such process - G03G 15/10: using a liquid developer - G03G 2215/00801: Coating device - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) - D06P: DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM ## Abstract Described herein is a process for heat transfer printing, the process comprising: electrostatically printing a transparent release composition onto a transfer material to form a release layer disposed on the transfer material; electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink composition on the release layer to form an image layer disposed on the release layer; contacting a thermoplastic film with the image layer; contacting the thermoplastic film with a target substrate under conditions such that the thermoplastic film adheres to the target substrate and the release layer is softened; and separating the target substrate and the transfer material such that the thermoplastic film, image layer and release layer are transferred to the target substrate. A heat transferrable printed image is also ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for heat transfer printing, the process comprising: electrostatically printing a transparent release composition onto a transfer material to form a release layer disposed on the transfer material; electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink composition on the release layer to form an image layer disposed on the release layer; contacting a thermoplastic film with the image layer; contacting the thermoplastic film with a target substrate under conditions such that the thermoplastic film adheres to the target substrate and the release layer is softened; and separating the target substrate and the transfer material such that the thermoplastic film, image layer and release layer are transferred to the target substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic film has a thickness of at least 50 μm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic film has a melting temperature of at least 50° C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic film comprises a material selected from ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, polybutene, polyester, poly(meth)acrylate, polyamides, thermoplastic polyimides, styrene block co-polymers, and thermoplastic polyurethanes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic film comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The process according to claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane comprises a polymer formed from a polyisocyanate, a polyether polyol and a chain extender. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic film comprises two or more layers of material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein contacting the thermoplastic film with the image layer constitutes laminating the thermoplastic film to the image layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein contacting the thermoplastic film with the target substrate occurs at a temperature of 100° C. or above. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the target substrate is fabric. ### Claim 11 A process for printing a heat transferable image, the process comprising: electrostatically printing a transparent release composition onto a transfer material to form a release layer disposed on the transfer material; electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink composition on the release layer to form an image layer disposed on the release layer; and laminating a thermoplastic film to the image layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The process according to claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic film has a thickness of at least 50 μm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The process according to claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic film comprises two or more layers of material. ### Claim 14 A heat transferable printed image comprising: a transfer material; an electrostatically printed transparent release layer disposed on the transfer material; an electrostatically printed image layer disposed on the release layer; and a thermoplastic film laminated to the image layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The heat transferable printed image according to claim 14, wherein the thermoplastic film has a thickness of at least 50 μm.