Display card with interactive imagery and method of producing same

A method of producing a display card depicting a composite image comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a self-supporting substrate having an optically opaque surface with a defined area adapted to receive within first and second non-intersecting areas a composite complementary image having separate first and second image elements, the first image element having a first area, a perimeter and a contour, the second image element having a second area, a perimeter and a contour, where a segment of the perimeter of the first image element coincides with a segment of the perimeter of the second image element to form a shared perimeter segment having a contour defined by the contour of the first image element, the first area of the substrate surface and the first area of the composite complementary image having substantially coincident areas and contours;
• b. reproducing the first image element directly on the surface of the substrate within the first area, the reproduced first image having a two-dimensional image characteristic with an outer surface which remains exposed to ambient light;
• c. providing a web of hot stamping foil including a carrier, a heat-activated release layer and a hot stamping layer having interior and exterior surfaces, the release layer securing the interior surface of the hot stamping layer to the carrier;
• d. embossing a holographic reproduction of the second image element into a second area of the exterior surface of the hot stamping layer to transfer to the exterior surface of the hot stamping layer a holographic reproduction of the second image element, the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer having an area, a perimeter and a contour substantially coincident with the area, the perimeter and the contour of the original second image element;
• e. coating the embossed exposed surface of the hot stamping layer with a heat-activated adhesive;
• f. providing a hot stamping die having a stamping surface including a raised non-transfer area having a first area, a perimeter and a contour formed within the stamping surface to coincide with the location of the first area of the composite image and an image transfer area having a second area, a perimeter and a contour positioned with respect to the stamping surface to coincide with the location of the second image element of the composite image, the hot stamping die being heated to a temperature suitable to activate both the hot stamping foil release coat and the head-activated adhesive;
• g. registering the stamping surface of the stamping die with the hot stamping foil web and with the substrate surface, with the web positioned between the die and the substrate surface such that the image transfer area of the stamping surface, the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer and the second area of the substrate surface are aligned;
• and
• h. displacing the hot stamping die toward and away from the substrate surface to transfer the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer from the hot stamping foil to the second area of the substrate surface to yield a substrate bearing the complementary image including the two-dimensional reproduction of the first image element within the first area and the holographic reproduction of the second image element within the second area.

A method of producing a display card depicting a composite image comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a self-supporting substrate having an optically opaque surface with a defined area adapted to receive within first and second non-intersecting areas a composite complementary image having separate first and second image elements, the first image element having a first area, a perimeter and a contour, the second image element having a second area, a perimeter and a contour where a segment of the perimeter of the first image element coincides with a segment of the perimeter of the second image element to form a shared perimeter segment having a contour defined by the contour of the first image element, the first area of the substrate surface and the first area of the composite complementary image having substantially coincident areas and contours;
• b. reproducing the first image element directly on the surface of the substrate within the first area, the reproduced first image having a two-dimensional image characteristic with an outer surface which remains exposed to ambient light;
• c. providing a web of hot stamping foil including a carrier, a heat-activated release layer and a hot stamping layer having interior and exterior surfaces, the release layer securing the interior surface of the hot stamping layer to the carrier;
• d. depositing a reflective metal layer on the exterior surface of the hot stamping layer;
• e. embossing a holographic reproduction of the second image element into a second area of the metal layer to transfer to the hot stamping a holographic reproduction of the second image element, the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer having an area, a perimeter and a contour substantially coincident with the area, the perimeter and the contour of the original second image element;
• f. coating the embossed exposed surface of the metal layer with a heat-activated adhesive;
• g. providing a hot stamping die having a stamping surface including a raised non-transfer area having a first area, a perimeter and a contour formed within the stamping surface to coincide with the location of the first area of the composite image and an image transfer area having a second area, a perimeter and a contour positioned with respect to the stamping surface to coincide with the location of the second image element of the composite image, the hot stamping die being heated to a temperature suitable to activate both the hot stamping foil release coat and the heat-activated adhesive;
• h. registering the stamping surface of the stamping die with the hot stamping foil web and with the substrate surface, with the web positioned between the die and the substrate surface such that the image transfer area of the stamping surface, the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer and the second area of the substrate surface are aligned;
• and
• i. displacing the hot stamping die toward and away from the substrate surface to transfer the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer and the metal layer from the hot stamping foil to the second area of the substrate surface to yield a substrate bearing the complementary image including the two-dimensional reproduction of the first image element within the first area and the holographic reproduction of the second image element within the second area.

A method of producing a display card depicting a composite image comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a self-supporting substrate having an optically opaque surface with a defined area adapted to receive within first and second non-intersecting areas a composite complementary image having separate first and second image elements, the first image element having a first area, a perimeter and a contour, the second image element having a second area, a perimeter and a contour where a segment of the perimeter of the first image element coincides with a segment of the perimeter of the second image element to form a shared perimeter segment having a contour defined by the contour of the first image element, the first area of the substrate surface and the first area of the composite complementary image having substantially coincident areas and contours;
• b. reproducing the first image element directly on the surface of the substrate within the first area, the reproduced first image having a two-dimensional image characteristic with an outer surface which remains exposed to ambient light;
• c. providing a web of hot stamping foil including a carrier, a heat-activated release layer and a hot stamping layer having interior and exterior surfaces, the release layer securing the interior surface of the hot stamping layer to the carrier;
• d. embossing a holographic reproduction of the second image element into a second area of the exterior surface of the hot stamping layer to transfer to the hot stamping foil a holographic reproduction of the second image element, the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer having an area, a perimeter and a contour substantially coincident with the area, the perimeter and the contour of the original second image element;
• e. depositing a reflective metal layer on the exterior surface of the hot stamping layer;
• f. coating the embossed exposed surface of the metal layer with a heat-activated adhesive;
• g. providing a hot stamping die having a stamping surface including a raised non-transfer area having a first area, a perimeter and a contour formed within the stamping surface to coincide with the location of the first area of the composite image and an image transfer area having a second area, a perimeter and a contour positioned with respect to the stamping surface to coincide with the location of the second image element of the composite image, the hot stamping die being heated to a temperature suitable to activate both the hot stamping foil release coat and the heat-activated adhesive;
• h. registering the stamping surface of the stamping die with the hot stamping foil web and with the substrate surface, with the web positioned between the die and the substrate surface such that the second transfer area of the stamping surface, the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer and the second area of the substrate surface are aligned;
• and
• i. displacing the hot stamping die toward and away from the substrate surface to transfer the embossed second area of the hot stamping layer and the metal layer from the hot stamping foil to the second area of the substrate surface to yield a substrate bearing the complementary image including the two-dimensional reproduction of the first image element within the first area and the holographic reproduction of the second image element within the second area.