# US 5,706,733 A · Process for printing thermoplastic materials

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- Number: US 5,706,733 A
- Document ID: US5706733A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/635,975
- Filed: 1996-05-08
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1994-09-15
- Assignees: Isosport Verbundbauteile Gesellschaft m.b.H.
- Inventors: Erwin Bichler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706733A

## CPC

- B41M 5/0358: {characterised by the mechanisms or artifacts to obtain the transfer, e.g. the heating means, the pressure means or the transport means}
- B41M 7/0027: {using protective coatings or layers by lamination or by fusion of the coatings or layers}
- B44C 1/1716: {Decalcomanias provided with a particular decorative layer, e.g. specially adapted to allow the formation of a metallic or dyestuff layer on a substrate unsuitable for direct deposition}
- 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)
- B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)}

## Abstract

A process is disclosed for transfer printing thermoplastic materials with thermal diffusion inks. An image is transferred in a heatable press from a paper substrate colored with thermal diffusion inks onto an intermittently moved, fiber-containing carrier material into which the thermal diffusion inks can at first be sublimated then diffused. This fiber-containing carrier material provided with thermal diffusion inks is then transported into the gap between the calender rollers, where it is continuously brought into contact with a thermoplastic melt at an increased temperature so that the thermal diffusion inks penetrate into the thermoplastic melt and at the same time a composite strip made of the fiber-containing carrier material and the thermoplastic melt is formed. The products obtained by this process are suitable for producing a decorative layer on parts of skis or snowboards and on composite materials made of fiber-reinforced plastics.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Process for printing thermoplastic materials with thermodiffusion dyes by transfer printing comprising
a) producing in a heatable press a printed picture on an intermittently moving fiber-containing carrier material by picture transfer from a paper carrier provided with thermodiffusion dyes which are first sublimable and then diffusible and
b) guiding the fiber-containing carrier material provided with the thermodiffusion dyes into a calender roller gap at elevated temperature and bringing it continuously in contact with a thermoplastic material in such a manner that the thermodiffusion dyes penetrate into the thermoplastic material and, at the same time, create a strip-shaped composite consisting of the fiber-containing carrier material and the printed thermoplastic material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1 wherein the fiber-containing material is a material selected from the group consisting of a fiber fabric, weave, or fleece.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

Process according to claim 2 wherein the fibers in the carrier material are selected from the group consisting of artificial fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

Process according to claim 3 wherein the artificial fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyester polyamide and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

Process according to claim 3 wherein the natural fibers are cotton fibers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1 wherein polyethylene is used as the thermoplastic material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1 wherein polyamide is used as the thermoplastic material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A thermoplastic material printed with thermodiffusion dyes manufactured according to claim 1 for manufacturing a decorative layer on ski or snowboard parts.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A thermoplastic material printed with thermodiffusion dyes manufactured according to claim 1 for manufacturing a decorative layer on a fiber reinforced plastic compound.