Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
  • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
  • B41M5/025—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet
  • B41M5/035—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein by transferring ink from the master sheet by sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design, e.g. sublistatic
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
  • B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
  • B44C1/00—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects
  • B44C1/16—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like
  • B44C1/165—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects for applying transfer pictures or the like for decalcomanias; sheet material therefor
  • B44C1/17—Dry transfer
  • B44C1/1712—Decalcomanias applied under heat and pressure, e.g. provided with a heat activable adhesive

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a sublimable colour transfer support to be used for the decoration of objects from metal, plastics, ceramics, wood and the like, with the transfer decoration technique.
• This invention also relates to a process for the realisation of said sublimable colour transfer support, as well as the apparatus for the realisation thereof.
• Processes are known for the production of objects of various types, having also a complex outline, and in particular large size variously decorated profiles, which processes comprise the following steps: wrapping up the object or artefact whose surface has undergone a prior treatment of pre-painting, anodic oxidation or the like, in a sublimable colour support carrying the decorations desired; covering the object wrapped up in the support with a membrane from rubber or the like; creating a vacuum through suitable ducts between the membrane or the artefact wrapped up in the support on prior interposition of means suitable to ensure the flow and outflow of air, so as to cause the support to uniformly adhere to the shape of the artefact, and permanently yielding means suitable to equalise the pressure exercised by the membrane; and lastly heating the whole so as to realise the transfer of the colours and therefore the pattern, and the polymerisation of the colours.
• the transfer support is constituted, as is known, by a supporting base constituted by a sheet or strip from paper, fabric and the like, on a face of which the decoration to be then transferred to the object to be decorated is carried by employing sublimable colours.
• the silk-screen process is usually employed, which consists in spreading the colour on a matrix which is kept in touch with the surface of the supporting base, said matrix being constituted by a fabric previously covered with impermeable material which leaves exposed only the shape of the ornament to be transferred to the support.
• the colour under the pressure of a special knife, filters through the very small holes of the fabric weft and deposits on the base.
• the fibres of which the matrix is made are subject to a marked wearing by effect of the pressure exercised by the knife on each pass, and the same matrix is then deformable by effect of the mechanical stress. It is therefore easy for the pattern and the decoration to result irregular on the base and to show defects which are afterwards transferred to the decorated artefact.
• the transfer support made from paper, fabric or the like according to the known art has some severe drawbacks consisting especially in that, when a vacuum is created to cause the transfer support to adhere to the artefact by means of the pressure exercised by the membrane, folds may form in the support, irregularities in the adhesion of the artefact, and consequently, defect may occur in the decoration of the artefact.
• Object of the present invention is to provide a sublimable colour transfer support to be employed for the decoration of various objects by the transfer technique or transfer, such as to allow to reproduce on the artefacts to be decorated, decorations with sharp outlines, without bleedings, colour superpositions and the like.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a sublimable colour flexible transfer support, such as to be easily removed from the surface of the decorated object, once the transfer of the decoration has been performed.
• Still a further object is to provide a transfer support that can also constitute, once the sublimable colour transfer has been performed, a protective film for the decorated artefact obtained.
• a sublimable colour flexible transfer support to be employed to realise a decoration on the surface of various objects from metal, plastics, wood, ceramics and the like, such as metal profiles from steel or light alloy, rolled sections, artefacts for urban equipment, tiles, household articles and the like by means of the transfer technique, which support, according to the present invention, comprises a supporting base constituted by a sheet, a strip or the like from gas-tight thermoformable plastic material, the pattern or decoration to be transferred to the object to be decorated being carried in sublimable colours on a face of such supporting base.
• said gas-tight thermoformable plastic material is polyvinyl alcohol.
• polyvinyl alcohol is a water soluble synthetic polymer having the formula (-CH 2 CHOH-) x , entirely gas-tight, oils-, lipids-, hydrocarbons-proof and the like, and resistant to high temperatures, of over 200°C.
• thermoformable plastic material during the step of transfer of the decoration to the object by effect of the temperature and the pressure, perfectly adheres to the object without formation of folds, irregularities and the like.
• the film from thermoformable material, in particular from polyvinyl alcohol, constituted by the exhausted supporting base may be left on the artefact to protect the surface of the same and removed only when the operations of storing and/or transportation of the artefact and its final working and installation have been carried out.
• said supporting base constitutes, according to the present invention, also a protective film once the transfer of the sublimable colours has been performed.
• thermoformable gas-tight flexible support comprises the following steps:
• said non-extensible flexible sheet or strip is from polypropylene and the transfer of said decoration to said supporting base is carried out at a temperature of from 100 and 150°C, in any case at a temperature lower than the softening temperature of polypropylene or any other plastic material used and/or of decomposition of said material constituting the supporting base.
• sublimable colour flexible transfer support allows to realise on any artefact or object any type of decoration, also with a complex pattern, free from defects such as deformation of the outline of the pattern, bleedings, superposition of colours and the like.
• an apparatus for the realisation of a flexible support from thermoformable gas-tight flexible material, such as polyvinyl alcohol, having the form of a strip according to the present invention comprises:

Landscapes

• Decoration By Transfer Pictures (AREA)
• Printing Methods (AREA)
• Coating By Spraying Or Casting (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=11379756

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (2)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1998
  • 1998-04-15 IT ITMI980781 patent/IT1299074B1/it active IP Right Grant
• 1999
  • 1999-04-12 EP EP99107092A patent/EP0950541A3/fr not_active Withdrawn

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