Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Article having latent image or transformation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-21
2001-07-03
Hess, Bruce H. (Department: 1774)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Article having latent image or transformation
C156S235000, C428S195100, C503S201000, C503S206000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254943
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to heat transfer sheeting of the type including a supported image disposed on a carrier substrate which, when properly heated, transfers the supported image to a receiver substrate such a fabric or a garment. More specifically, the present invention relates to heat transfer sheeting which includes an indicator which signals that appropriate transfer conditions, such as thermal and or pressure, including threshold temperature and minimum time duration, have been accomplished and satisfied to provide complete and high quality image transfer results.
Heat transfer sheeting is known and has been a popular means for transferring a design or reflective design onto an article, such as a garment, reference for example, heat transfer sheeting articles and methods disclosed in U. S. Pat. Nos. 5,484,644, and 4,248,500, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A common problem with heat transfer sheeting is that operators frequently inconsistently apply heat to the transfer sheeting resulting in, for example, incomplete transfer of the image when the heating and or pressure is too low or too brief in duration, or a damaged or burned image when the heating and or pressure is too high or too long in duration.
The present invention provides a simple solution to the aforementioned problems by providing a thermally sensitive and or time sensitive indicator which indicates when satisfactory thermal, pressure, and durational conditions have been achieved so that high quality and high reproducibility of transferred images can be consistently obtained.
PRIOR ART
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,441, issued Jul. 28, 1981, to McNeely, there is disclosed a temperature indicator including a backing strip with an embossed well stamped therein. The well contains a matrix carrier which is impregnated with a thermally responsive fusible chemical. The bottom of the well is painted a bright color. The impregnated matrix is placed over and substantially covers the colored bottom of the well. The top of the well is covered by a transparent film. At a temperature below a predetermined level, the colored bottom of the well is substantially invisible due to the impregnated matrix being opaque, and at temperatures above such predetermined level, the colored bottom of the well is clearly visible due to the transparency of the impregnated matrix upon melting of the chemical.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,107, issued May 15, 1979, to Giezen et al., there is disclosed a time-temperature device having an indicator layer which visually indicates the lapse of a time temperature integral. A signaling component is provided which, upon contact with the indicating layer, causes the indicator layer to undergo a visually perceptive change. The device further includes a reservoir for the signaling component, including a first backing and adhesive layer containing an adhesive substance. The adhesive layer is positioned between the indicating layer and the first backing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,088, issued Jul. 18, 1972, to Lang, there is disclosed a thermometer having a thermally sensitive substance deposited on a thermally conductive sheet, and an overlying transparent film carrying indicator means which are superpositionably registrable with the thermally responsive substance for communicating therewith to denote specified temperatures upon change of state of the substance is provided with a readily removable flexible shield interposed between the thermally responsive substance and indicator means to prevent communication and reaction between the two until the thermometer is actually required for use. The shield is readily removably adhesively secured to the transparent film and can be peelably removed therefrom by pulling action applied digitally to a pull tab at one end of the shield. Concurrent with peeling of the shield from the transparent film, the latter is pressed against the thermally conductive sheet to position the indicator means in proper overlying communicating registration with the temperature responsive substance on the carrier sheet.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,735, issued May 12, 1987, to Pericano, there is disclosed a heat transfer sheeting combination of the type for being applied to an article to imprint a design thereon including a substrate, a design coating disposed on the substrate, and an adhesive layer disposed on the design coating for adhesively securing the design coating to the article. The combination is characterized by the substrate including a releasing agent coat disposed between the design coating and the substrate for facilitating the removal of the substrate from the design coating after the application thereof onto the article.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,557, issued Oct. 11, 1983, to Bradley et al., there is disclosed a timer and storage conditions indicator for indicating the passage of a predetermined length of time under predetermined ambient physical environmental conditions, in which a carrier mixture is contained in a relatively confined area above a base layer. An absorptive layer is disposed on the base layer and accepts the carrier mixture at a predetermined rate. A barrier means is disposed between the carrier mixture and the absorptive layer, and the removal of the barrier activates the timer. Transfer means such as a capillary tube or a second absorptive layer may be disposed between the carrier mixture and the first mentioned absorptive layer.
The following references are of interest and disclose, for example, time-temperature indicators, compositions, and devices, and include U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,932,134; 3,942,467; 3,946,611; 3,946,612; 3,966,414; 3,980,581; 3,981,683; 3,996,007; 4,042,336; and 4,154,107.
The disclosure of the above mentioned patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Appropriate components and processes of these patent applications may be selected for the articles and processes of the present invention in embodiments thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention, include:
A transfer sheet comprising a substrate; and an indicator; and
A process comprising:
treating for a time an indicating transfer sheet with an image on one surface together with a receiver substrate, wherein the image is transferred from the transfer sheet to the receiver sheet and wherein an indicating component of the indicating transfer sheet changes color when the image transfer is substantially complete.
These and other aspects are achieved, in embodiments, of the present invention as described and illustrated herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides in embodiments a useful printing article comprising: a transfer sheet comprising a substrate; and an indicator.
In use applications the substrate further comprises a transferable image layer wherein the transferable image layer resides on one surface of the substrate. The combined image layer and substrate are adapted to transfer the image layer from the substrate to a receiver sheet upon appropriate application of energy in the form of, for example, heat, pressure, light, or combinations thereof. The image layer transfer can be effected, for example, heating the substrate at from about 300 to about 450° F. for about 10 seconds to about 5 minutes. A suitable image layer can be, for example, a transferable and fusible ink composition comprised of a resin binder and a colorant. The image layer can be comprised entirely of a printed image deposited on the transfer sheet substrate. Alternatively, the image layer can be comprised of a printed image deposited on the transfer sheet substrate in combination with material, for example, a polymeric transferable coating or release layer, residing on the transfer sheet prior to the deposition of the image layer.
In embodiments, the indicator can reside on the substrate surface opposite the image layer. Preferably, the indicator remains with the substrate and is not transferred to the receiver sheet nor transferred to or removed by the heat source, such
Hess Bruce H.
Palazzo E. O.
Xerox Corporation
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