METHOD FOR DECORATING OBJECTS USING A TRANSFERABLE-INK IMAGE

PROCEDE DE DECORATION D'OBJETS AU MOYEN D'UNE IMAGE D'ENCRE TRANSFERABLE

English Abstract

A method for decorating an object (2) comprises positioning on the surface (5) of a solvent (4) a transfer film (6) provided with a soluble layer (7) associated with a decorative layer (8) of sublimable inks, and immersing said object (2) in said solvent (4) so that said decorative layer (8) remains associated with said object (2), said decorative layer (8) being in direct contact with said soluble layer (7) in said transfer film (6).

French Abstract

Une méthode de décoration d'un objet (2) comprend le positionnement sur la surface (5) d'un solvant (4) d'une pellicule de transfert (6) comportant une couche soluble (7) associée à une couche décorative (8) d'encres sublimables, et l'immersion dudit objet (2) dans ledit solvant (4) de sorte que ladite couche décorative (8) reste associée audit objet (2), ladite couche décorative (8) étant en contact direct avec ladite couche soluble (7) de ladite pellicule de transfert (6).

Claims

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CLAIMS:
1. Method for decorating an object, comprising positioning on the surface of
a solvent a transfer film provided with a soluble layer associated with a
decorative layer of sublimable inks, and immersing said object in said solvent
so
that said decorative layer remains associated with said object, said
decorative
layer being in direct contact with said soluble layer in said transfer film,
wherein
before said immersing there is provided applying to said object a base layer,
suitable for enabling said decorative layer to readily adhere to said object.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein after said immersing, there is
provided heating said object associated with said decorative layer in order to
obtain the sublimation of said sublimable inks.
3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said heating comprises subjecting
said object to temperatures comprised between about 150°C and
220°C.
4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said soluble layer
comprises a layer of polyvinyl alcohol.
5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said base layer is
applied in liquid or powder form.
6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and further comprising
further applying a transparent layer to said object.
7. Method according to claim 6 wherein said transparent layer is applied in
liquid or powder form.
8. Method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said transparent layer is
applied on said base layer.

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9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said solvent
comprises water.

Description

CA 02511791 2012-07-30
METHOD FOR DECORATING OBJECTS USING A TRANSFERABLE-INK
IMAGE
The invention relates to a method for decorating objects, particularly for
decorating objects by transferring a transferable-ink image initially printed
on a
support layer.
This method may for example be used for decorating metal objects, in
particular profiled elements, or objects in glass, in wood, in plastics or
textiles.
The method enables decorative patterns to be applied, in particular in
imitation
of wood or marble, but also of other ornamental effects.
FR 2730449 discloses a transfer film comprising a support layer in
polyvinyl alcohol, on which a finishing layer, a decorative layer, a base
layer
and a fixing layer are applied in sequence. The transfer film disclosed above
is
positioned on the surface of a liquid in contact with which the support layer
dissolves, leaving the remaining four layers on the free surface of the
liquid.
When the object to be decorated is immersed in the liquid the four layers
stick
to the surface of the object, forming a decorative pattern on it. In
particular,
the fixing layer is arranged in direct contact with the surface of the object
to
improve the adhesion of the decorative pattern to the surface; the base layer
provides a uniform background colour and the finishing layer enables the
decorative pattern to be protected from chemical, atmospheric and mechanical
agents and the like that could damage it. The decorative layer comprises the
decorative pattern and can for example be made by means of sublimable
colours.After the above disclosed four layers have stuck to the object to be
decorated, the latter is placed in a kiln, where it is heated to a temperature
that is sufficient to ensure the sublimation of the colours that form the
decorative layer and their diffusion in the layers below. According to the
disclosure in FR 2730449, the finishing layer arranged externally the
decorative
layer acts as an elastic membrane and exerts a pressure on the decorative
layer that facilitates the sublimation process.
A drawback of the decorating process disclosed in FR 2730449 is that
the finishing layer tends to get damaged when it is subjected to the
relatively

CA 02511791 2012-07-30
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high temperatures that are required to obtain sublimation of the colours of
the
decorative layer.
The transparent paint that make up the finishing layer have in fact
already undergone a process of at least partial reticulation during their
application to the transfer film and are unable to resist temperatures above
1500C, such as those temperatures that are normally reached during the
sublimation phase. For this reason, fissures may form in the finishing layer,
during the time in the kiln, which impair the quality of the decoration
obtained.
Furthermore, the transfer film disclosed in FR 2730449 has a
complicated structure that makes it particularly expensive.
An object of the invention is to improve the procedures for decorating
objects by transferring an image initially printed on a support layer.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for decorating
objects that enables high-quality decorations to be obtained that are
substantially free of surface fissures.
A further object of the invention is to simplify the structure of the
transfer films that are used in the methods of decoration of objects by
transferring an image of transferable colours.
According to the invention, a method is provided for decorating an object
comprising positioning on the surface of a solvent a transfer film provided
with a
soluble layer associated with a decorative layer of sublimable inks, and
immersing said object in said solvent so that said decorative layer remains
associated with said object, said decorative layer being in direct contact
with
said soluble layer in said transfer film, wherein in that before said
immersing
there is provided applying to said object a base layer, suitable for enabling
said
decorative layer to readily adhere to said object.
Owing to the invention, it is possible to obtain an object provided with a
decorative layer to be consolidated by means of heat treatment, the object
being devoid of further layers arranged externally the decorative layer. There
are thus no external layers, in which fissures or other faults could form
during
the heating phase that is necessary to obtain the sublimation of the colours
of
the decorative layer. This enables high-quality decorations to be obtained.
Furthermore, the structure of the transfer film is significantly simplified.

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The invention will now be disclosed with reference to the attached figures,
which illustrate an embodiment by way of non-limiting example, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic section showing a first operating phase of a method
for decorating objects;
Figure 2 is a section like the one in Figure 1, showing a second operating
phase of this method;
Figure 3 is a section like the one in Figures 1 and 2, showing a third
operating phase of the above said method;
Figure 4 is a section like the one in the preceding Figures, showing a final
phase of the method in Figure 1.
In Figure 1 an apparatus 1 is shown for decorating an object 2, in particular
a glass bottle, shown in section in Figure 1.
The apparatus 1 comprises a tank 3 containing a solvent 4, for example
water, on the free surface 5 of which a transfer film 6 is initially
positioned.
The transfer film 6 comprises a soluble layer 7 made from a material such
as polyvinyl alcohol that is able to dissolve in the solvent 5, with which a
decorative layer 8 of sublimable inks was first associated, the sublimable
inks
being arranged according to a desired pattern. In the transfer film 6, the
soluble
layer 7 is arranged in direct contact with the decorative layer 8.
On the external surface of the object 2 to be decorated, may have been
previously applied a base layer 9 suitable for providing a background colour
for the
decoration or for improving adhesion of the decoration to the object 2. The
base
layer 9 may be applied in liquid or powder form by means of known devices,
comprising for example gun means. This layer is usually not used when objects
in
plastic matter have to be decorated, since their surfaces are already able to
receive sublimable inks and do not require auxiliary layers.
In one version that is not shown, externally the base layer 9 a transparent
layer is further applied having the function of increasing definition of the
decoration. In fact, the transparent layer prevents sublimable colours from
mixing
with the colours of the base layer 9, which could cause blurring of the
pattern. The
transparent layer, too, can be applied in liquid or powder form.
As shown in Figure 1, the soluble layer 7 is positioned in direct contact with
the free surface 5 of the solvent 4, which dissolves the soluble layer 7. On
the free

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surface 5 of the solvent 4 the decorative layer 8 therefore remains.
The object 2 to be decorated is then brought up to the tank 3, as shown in
Figure 2, and subsequently immersed in the solvent 4, as shown in Figure 3.
When the object 2 to be decorated is immersed in the solvent 4, the
decorative layer 8, that was previously floating on the free surface 5,
adheres to
the external surface of the object 2, as shown in Figure 3. In this way, the
decorative layer 8 is transferred to the object 2 to be decorated.
The object 2 is then extracted from the tank 3 and placed in a kiln 10, as
shown in Figure 4. In the kiln 10, the object 2 remains for a time comprised
between a few tenths of a second and a few minutes and is heated to a
temperature comprised between approximately 1500C and 2200C. At these
temperatures, the inks that form the decorative layer 8 are sublimated,
penetrating inside the base layer 9. In the case of objects in plastic
material, to
which the base layer 9 has not been applied, the sublimable inks penetrate
directly on the surface of the object.
A decoration that is firmly fixed to the object 2 and that is provided with
significant resistance to abrasion is thereby obtained. Furthermore, as
externally
to the decorative layer 8 additional layers provided with poor heat resistance
are
not arranged, the risk of damage to visible layers during the heating phase is
eliminated.

Representative Drawing