Transfer printing metal substrates
AssigneeAmerican Trim, LLC
InventorsLouis R. Sherman, Phillip G. Elmore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for transfer printing sheet metal which is especially suited for manufacture into three-dimensional articles such as appliance panels and one-piece pictures and frames. A decorative image is transfer printed in a clear top coat on the sheet metal by pressing transfer paper against the clear coat using a printing press which includes an upper heated platen having a polished undersurface with a polymer facing sheet covering the polished undersurface. The transfer paper has an adhesive on its surface facing the polymer sheet on the platen so the transfer paper will temporarily adhere to the platen when the printing press is opened for removal of the decorated sheet metal.
Claims27
A process for transfer printing sheet metal comprising:
- providing sheet metal having at least one surface coated with a thermoset polymer base coat containing a pigment and a clear thermoset top coat over the base coat;
- providing transfer paper having a reverse printed dye image in the paper;
- pressing said transfer paper against said clear top coat with a first metal platen having a polished finish with a fluoro carbon polymer layer thereover facing said transfer paper;
- and
- heating said paper to transfer said image into said clear coat.
A process for transfer printing sheet metal comprising:
- providing sheet metal having at least its top surface coated with a thermoset polymer base coat containing a pigment and a clear thermoset top coat over the base coat;
- placing said sheet metal in a transfer printing press having an upper platen and a lower platen, at least one of which platens includes heating means and said upper platen has a polished finish on its undersurface with a fluorocarbon polymer layer covering said polished finish;
- providing transfer paper having a reverse printed dye image in it, said paper having adhesive on its upper surface;
- placing said paper on said sheet metal;
- moving at least one of said platens toward the other said platen to heat said transfer paper and press it against said clear top coat for transfer of said image into said clear coat;
- moving at least one of said platens away from the other said platen with said transfer paper temporarily adhering to said upper platen;
- and
- removing said sheet metal from said transfer printing press.
A process for transfer printing sheet metal comprising:
- providing sheet metal having at least one surface coated with a thermoset polymer base coat containing a pigment and a clear thermoset top coat over the base coat;
- providing transfer paper having a reverse printed dye image in the paper;
- pressing said transfer paper against said clear top coat;
- and
- heating said paper to transfer said image into said clear coat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.