Image enhancement
AssigneeDe La Rue Holographics Limited
InventorRalph Kay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of enhancing an image (11) provided by thermoplastic marking material on a substrate (4) which material can be thermally activated to take on adhesive properties. The method comprises bringing a transfer medium (7) into contact with the substrate (4) carrying the marking material, the transfer medium including a carrier (3) and a transferable layer (15, 16), the transferable layer being positioned in use between the carrier and the substrate: thermally activating the adhesive property of the marking material; and separating the carrier (13) and substrate (4) whereby areas of the transferable layer containing the activated marking material remain on the marking material, characterized in that the transferable layer exhibits or generates a visible pattern.
Claims21
A method of enhancing an image provided by a thermoplastic marking material on a substrate which material can be thermally activated to take on adhesive properties, the method comprising selecting a transferable layer from a group of transferable layers including a visible pattern exhibiting transferable layer and a visible pattern generating transfer layer wherein at least a portion of the pattern repeats;
- bringing a transfer medium into contact with the substrate carrying the marking material, the transfer medium including a carrier and said selected transferable layer, the selected transferable layer being positioned in use between the carrier and the substrate;
- thermally activating the adhesive property of the marking material;
- and separating the carrier and substrate whereby areas of the selected transferable layer contacting the activated marking material remain on the marking material.
A method of enhancing an image provided by a marking material on a substrate the method comprising contacting the substrate and marking material with a patterned mould under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure at which the marking material is thermoplastic and mouldable but the substrate is not;
- and, after the marking material has taken up the mould pattern, removing the mould.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.