Abstract:
A fast and reliable single or dual transfer process is provided. Unlike prior art foil transfer techniques, which rely on the very fragile nature of the transferred pattern and/or shape to obtain a clean break at the die edge, the present invention is directed toward relatively non-tearable or tear resistant materials that can be difficult or impossible to effectively transfer using these known foil transfer techniques. This problem is addressed by precision cutting, for example, patches in the relatively non-tearable or tear resistant material positioned on a carrier substrate and in one exemplary embodiment transferring areas surrounding the cut patches to a sacrificial carrier substrate. The resulting sharply defined, precision cut patches left on the carrier substrate may then be transferred to objects to be protected such as banknotes.
Abstract:
In one example, a foil printer includes a press configured to press together a foil and an image printed on a substrate and an imaging laser configured to direct a laser beam on to the foil or on to the substrate in a pattern of an image to be transferred from the foil to the substrate, where the pattern matches at least part of the image printed on the substrate.
Abstract:
There is described a method for applying foil material (200) onto successive sheets (S), especially sheets for the production of securities, such as banknotes. In a first step, individual sheets (S) are transported in succession along a sheet transport path. In a second step, at least one continuous band of foil material (200) is applied onto the individual sheets (S) along a direction substantially parallel to a direction of displacement (A) of the individual sheets, thereby forming a continuous flow of sheets linked to one another by the said at least one continuous band of foil material (200). In a third step, the said at least one continuous band of foil material (200) is cut by means of a laser beam (L) such that the continuous flow of sheets is again separated into individual sheets (S) with portions of foil material (200*) remaining on the sheet. The cutting is performed at positions located on the sheets (S) such that said portions of foil material (200*) remaining on the sheets do not extend beyond leading and trailing edges of the sheets (S). Waste portions (205) of said at least one continuous band of foil material (200) that are not to remain on the sheets (S) are seized prior to cutting by the laser beam (L) and are held throughout the cutting process. There is also described an installation for carrying out the above method.
Abstract:
A thermal transfer assembly that comprises a thermal transfer ribbon and a covercoated transfer sheet (210). The thermal transfer ribbon (210) includes a support (32) and a ceramic ink layer (202). The ceramic ink layer is present at a coating weight of from about 2 to about 15 grams per square meter, and it includes from about 15 to about 94.5 percent of a solid carbonaceous binder, and at least one of a film-forming glass frit, an opacifying agent and a colorant (at a combined level for the film forming glass frit, the opacifying agent and the colorant of at least 0.5 weight percent).
Abstract:
A system and process for placing printed color images on a series of objects including: generating digital data representing a plurality of different color images; providing a print medium composed of a substrate carrying a releasable coating which is formulated to retain printing inks; supplying the generated digital data to a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; feeding the print medium through the printer while opeating the print heads under control of the generated data; and placing a portion of the printed coating in contact with an objects and transferring the image to the object. The printed medium may be incorporated into a mold. Alternatively, this may be accomplished by: providing a digitally controlled color printer having a plurality of print heads; feeding the objects to be printed upon past the printer; and operating the print heads under control of the generated digital data to print the color images on the objects.
Abstract:
A candle (1) having a metal layer (4) which has been applied thereto. The metal layer is preferably applied using heat and/or pressure. The metal layer is preferably supplied in the form of a metallic foil (3) which includes the metal layer (4) carried on a carrier film (5). The metallic foil (3) is preferably a hot stamp metallic foil. The metal layer (4) preferably has a thickness of less than 5 microns, more preferably less than 3 microns, even more preferably less than 2 microns, and most preferably around 1 micron. The metal layer may be applied using a continuous automatic machine.
Abstract:
A radiation curable ink composition comprising, by weight of the total composition: 30-95 % of a bis phenol-A epoxy resin of formula (I), wherein n = 0-20, 0.1-25 % of an organofunctional silane of formula (II), wherein n = 0-3, a = 0-2, Y = (1), (2) or (3), X is each independently CH3, Cl, OCOCH3, OC2H4OCH3, V(OC2H4)2OCH3. or -OR, where R is a C1-20 straight or branched chain alkyl, preferably OCH3 or OCH2CH3, 0.1-25 % of a cationic photoinitiator, and 0.05-20 % of a fluorinated surfactant; and related methods and decorated end products.
Abstract:
A thermal transfer foil (32) includes a carrier film (71) and several layers including a thermally activatable release coating (73), a laquer layer (75) adhered to the release coating (73), a specular metal layer (77) adhered to laquer layer (75), and a thermally activatable adhesive layer (79). The adhesive layer (79) expands under heat and pressure to fill voids in a substrate (26) during thermal transfer of the laquer (75), metal (77) and adhesive layers (79) thereby enabling the metal layer (77) to retain substantially its specular property after the transfer. The thermal transfer foil (32) is used to transfer an image to a rough substrate (26) by delivering a selected amount of heat and pressure to a pattern of pixels that form the image. This heat and pressure delivered to the foil (32) thermally activates the release coating (73) and the adhesive layer (79) and causes expansion of the adhesive layer (79). The expansion, in turn, fills voids in the substrate (26) while the metal layer (77) substantially retains its specular property after the thermal transfer of the image.