Flocked transfer and article of manufacture including the flocked transfer

A method for continuously producing an article of manufacture having a flocked surface;

• the method comprising:
• (a) providing a flocked release sheet comprising a release sheet, a release agent on the release sheet and a plurality of flock fibers attached to the release agent, wherein the flock fibers are formed in a desired pattern on the release sheet and are substantially perpendicular to the release sheet;
• (b) providing a pre-formed, solid, and self-supporting thermosetting adhesive sheet;
• (c) providing a substrate;
• (d) thereafter contacting the thermosetting adhesive sheet, flocked release sheet, and substrate, with the thermosetting adhesive sheet being positioned between the release sheet and the substrate and the flock in contact with the thermosetting adhesive sheet, to produce a pre-assembly, wherein at least substantially all of the flock fibers that are substantially perpendicular to the release sheet contact the thermosetting adhesive sheet;
• and
• (e) heating while applying pressure to the pre-assembly to soften and thermoset the thermosetting adhesive and thereby adhere the free surface of the flock and the substrate to the thermosetting adhesive sheet to form an article of manufacture, wherein the at least substantially all of the flock fibers are embedded in the thermosetting adhesive sheet.

A method of producing an article of manufacture having a flocked surface, comprising:

• supplying a flocked surface comprising flock fibers;
• supplying a pre-formed solid, and self-supporting thermosetting adhesive sheet having a substantially uniform thickness and substantially flat upper and lower surfaces;
• thereafter contacting the thermosetting adhesive sheet with the flock fibers;
• and
• while the flocked surface is in contact with the thermosetting adhesive sheet, heating and applying pressure to the flocked surface to soften the thermosetting adhesive and embed ends of the flock fibers in the thermosetting adhesive sheet, thereby binding the thermosetting adhesive sheet to the flock fibers;
• wherein the step of heating the thermosetting adhesive sheet comprises heating the thermosetting adhesive sheet to a temperature at which the thermosetting adhesive sheet becomes tacky, but below the temperature at which the thermosetting adhesive sheet begins to cure and cross-link, and wherein the thermosetting adhesive sheet is later adhered to a substrate.

A method of producing a flocked article, comprising:

• (a) forming a flocked release sheet, the flocked release sheet comprising a release sheet, a release adhesive and flock adhered to the release sheet by the release adhesive;
• (b) contacting a pre-formed, solid, and self-supporting thermosetting adhesive sheet to the exposed ends of the flock of the flocked release sheet, wherein the thermosetting adhesive sheet is formed before step (b);
• and
• (c) while the thermosetting adhesive sheet is in contact with the flock, heating and applying pressure to the flocked release sheet and thermosetting adhesive sheet to soften the thermosetting adhesive and embed ends of the flock in the thermosetting adhesive, thermoplastically adhere the flock to the thermosetting adhesive sheet, and provide a transfer comprising the thermosetting adhesive sheet and the flocked release sheet, wherein embedded fibers of the flock are substantially perpendicular to an adjacent surface of the thermosetting adhesive sheet.

A method of producing a flocked transfer assembly, comprising:

• providing a release agent on the release sheet;
• flocking a plurality of flock fibers on the release agent in a desired pattern to define a free surface of the flock, wherein the release agent holds the flock to the release sheet, and wherein the flock fibers are substantially perpendicular to an adjacent surface of the release sheet;
• providing a pre-formed, solid and self-supporting thermosetting adhesive sheet;
• contacting the free surface of the flock with the thermosetting adhesive sheet such that at least most of a free surface of the flock is in direct physical contact with the thermosetting adhesive sheet;
• and
• while the flock fibers are in contact with the thermosetting adhesive sheet, heating and applying pressure to the release sheet to force the ends of the flock fibers into the heated and softened thermosetting adhesive sheet, thereby adhering the thermosetting adhesive sheet to the free surface of the flock to produce a flocked transfer assembly, wherein the flock fibers are substantially perpendicular to an adjacent surface of the thermosetting adhesive sheet.