Printing – Printing members – Yielding surface
Patent
1997-08-08
1999-08-24
Burr, Edgar
Printing
Printing members
Yielding surface
101217, 428909, B41F 1310
Patent
active
059411724
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer printing and laminating blanket.
2. Description of Related Art
Transfer printing is usually carried out using a calender-type machine equipped with an endless NOMEX (R.T.M.) needlefelt blanket. The blanket comprises a woven basecloth onto which one or more layers of staple fibres are applied by needling. The blanket generally comprises a standard polyester, NOMEX (R.T.M.) OR KEVLAR (R.T.M.) basecloth onto which high temperature resistant staple NOMEX (R.T.M.) fibres are needled.
It is proposed that a calender-type transfer printing machine be used both for transfer printing and laminating. A conventional transfer printing blanket would be unsuitable as a dual purpose transfer printing blanket and laminating belt. This is because these known needlefelt blankets would be readily contaminated by the hot melt adhesives used during the laminating process. The contaminants would pose a problem in the transfer printing process. In view of this silicone coated blankets have been proposed, but these have proven to be unsuccessful because of the temperature, chemical and physical limitations of silicone rubber at the operating temperature of the calender machines which may be as high as 260.degree. C.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide a blanket, to be used for both transfer printing and laminating, which offers a satisfactory solution to the problem of hot melt adhesive contamination.
According to the present invention there is provided a dual purpose transfer printing and laminating blanket, said blanket comprising an endless woven base fabric and at least one layer of a fluoropolymer coating material applied thereto.
The blankets of the invention achieve as good a print as is achieved with the traditional blankets as described herein, but substantially avoid the potential problems of contamination of such traditional blankets owing to the smooth, non-stick impermeable fabric surface. The blankets of the invention further exhibit superior heat resistance, chemical inertness, hardness and suppleness.
The thickness of the fabrics of the invention is preferably at least 1.5 mm and is more preferably in the range from 1.5 mm to 7 mm.
The coating may include silicate bodies therein thereby to mask the fabric interstices and substantially avoid manifestation of the base fabric at the belt surface. Ideally, the silicate bodies comprise glass beads having a diameter in the range 2 to 200 microns. Preferably the silicate bodies have a diameter monosized at approximately 90 microns. Multiple coating layers may be provided. Ideally the silicate bodies exist in each coating layer in like amount by weight to the coating material. More preferably the multiple thin layers include at least one bonding layer applied to the woven base fabric.
The coating is preferably applied to any one side of the fabric, preferably the face side, but may be applied to both sides. The preferred method of coating includes the use of a doctor blade. Alternatively, the fabric coating may be provided by means of dip and/or lick coating. The upper layer of fluoropolymer coating may contain metal powder, for example of stainless steel, bronze or nickel, to reflect heat back into the article being the subject of the transfer printing or laminating process.
The fabric may typically have a semi-triplex of plain weave structure, optionally with one or more layers of fibres needled onto one side, usually the backside of the fabric. Examples of suitable fabric materials include any of the following either alone or in combination: glass, ceramic, metal, PEEK, meta- and para-aramid fibres, filaments and spun yarns. Width stability to avoid blanket creasing can be improved, particularly for wide blankets, by incorporating metal wires, for example stainless steel or bronze, into the fabric. These wires can run in either or both of the machine direction or cross-machine direction of the fabric.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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patent: 3983287 (1976-09-01), Gossen et al.
patent: 4015046 (1977-03-01), Pinkston et al.
patent: 4174244 (1979-11-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5113760 (1992-05-01), Sonobe et al.
patent: 5294481 (1994-03-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5347927 (1994-09-01), Berna et al.
patent: 5366799 (1994-11-01), Pinkston et al.
Burr Edgar
Ghatt Dave A.
Scapa Group PLC
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