Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02573847 2014-08-19
File number: 11185-001
Revision: as amended
Date: August 19, 2014
Title of the Invention
[0001] Method to transfer images
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
[0002] There is no cross-reference to any related application
Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to the transfer of an image
from a support
to a substrate.
Background of the Invention
[0004] Many methods have been presented in the past to transfer an image on a
surface
or on objects. However, these methods are more suitable for big production in
plant and
involve many complicated steps. Usually, a film having a particular chemical
composition is used. These films act as support to images or act as stencils.
Also, one of
the concerns, was to have preferably, smooth surfaces and had defaulted the
exothermic
process in favour of UV treatment due to the plastic like nature of the
support.
Objects of the Invention
[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method
to transfer
an image and textured image onto a substrate using epoxy.
[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method
to transfer
a texture on a substrate using epoxy.
- 1 -
CA 02573847 2014-08-19
File number: 11185-001
Revision: as amended
Date: August 19, 2014
[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method to
transfer an
image with or without texture from most image supports.
[0008] A further object of the present invention is to provide a transferred
image which
has a high resistance to water, abrasion and outdoor conditions. The fine
process of
support removal is primordial into this method to obtain the highest degree of
resistance.
[0009] Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will
be obvious
upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or
will be
indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to
herein will occur
to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.
Summary of the Invention
[0010] The present invention discloses a method to transfer an image from a
support to a
substrate comprising the following steps: provide a substrate, provide an
image on an
image support, apply a layer of epoxy on said substrate and allow said epoxy
to cure
partially or completely, apply said image on said substrate and preferably
remove said
image support from said epoxy.
[0011] The present invention allows a user to transfer an image from a support
to a wide
variety of substrates. In fact, this method may be used on any substrate on
which epoxy
may be used. For example, it may be ceramic, flooring tiles, mural tiles,
porcelain, glass,
wood, plastic, cement, stone, leather, minerals, rubber, textiles, concrete,
metals, organic
fibres, mineral fibres, vegetal fibres, ceramic, board or form composition,
glass, cork,
acetyl films (rolls), paper, clay, anti-adhesive molds, membranes, UV film,
etc.. .Any
materials having a 3D texture and from which the epoxy may be removed may act
as a an
image support. In the particular field of flooring, the substrate may be the
subfloor or the
membranes that are used for different uses such as acoustic membrane,
isolating
membrane, anti-crack membrane, etc.. .The main advantage of epoxy is the high
- 2 -
CA 02573847 2014-08-19
File number: 11185-001
Revision: as amended
Date: August 19, 2014
resistance to abrasion and water which are the main causes of damage and
erosion.
Furthermore, this method allows the transfer of the texture of the image.
[0012] It is to be noted that, in the present document, the term "image"
refers not only to
photographs, lithographs and printed material but also to any other
composition of
pigments and/or elements having a color and/or texture that may be absorbed
and/or
reproduced on a layer of epoxy. For example, an image may be composed by the
elements of the non-limiting following list: dry ink, metallic ink, paint,
pigments, rubber,
metallic or organic powder, organic (mineral or vegetal) fibres, organic and
mineral
powders and crystals and other products having phosphorescent, reflective
and/or
luminescent properties. Finally, the image support does not have to be
saturated by the
pigments and/or elements.
[0013] The image may come from a wide variety of supports and forms with or
without
texture, as shown in the following non limiting examples; paper, photograph,
newspaper,
paperboard, textured paperboard, painting, paint canvas, fabric, leather,
mineral, rubber,
concrete, metal, organic fibres, wood, tiles, ceramic, board or foam
compositions, glass,
porcelain, cork, acetate films, clay, anti-adhesive mold, membrane, plastic,
UV films. The
image support may have protective properties that need a further treatment.
such as a
baking or a curing to have the protective properties. The substrate and the
elements
composing the image are then chosen with an adequate resistance to the
temperature of
the baking or the curing of the protective layer.
[0014] The layer of epoxy may be applied between two image supports and in
this case
one of the image supports on which the layer of epoxy is applied acts as a
substrate. It is
thus possible to have a sheet like piece of epoxy on which both sides have a
transferred
image and/or texture.
[0015] In one embodiment, the method to transfer the image is applied to flat
pattern or
none complex geometry. The substrate on which the image will be transferred is
coated
with epoxy. The thickness of the layer will depend on the desired end result
and whether
- 3 -
CA 02573847 2014-08-19
File number: 11185-001
Revision: as amended
Date: August 19, 2014
a texture is to be transferred or not. When the layer of epoxy is partially or
completely
cured, the image support is applied on the layer of epoxy, the image side
facing the
epoxy. Pressure is preferably applied to the image support to insure proper
image and/or
texture transfer. This can be achieved with a pressure applied on the image
support
manually, by a mechanical process, de-bubbling process or any other suitable
means.
[0016] In another embodiment, the method may be used for complex geometry
objects.
In such an embodiment, the epoxyis allowed to cure partially or completely.
The curing
may be endothermic or exothermic as a need to accelerated curing with an
external
source like heat, microwave or UV light, autoclave, or any other suitable
means.
Depending of the desired result and of the material of the image support, the
latter may be
removed or not. The image support may be left on the layer of epoxy for
aesthetical
reasons of if the image support has protective properties. The image support
may be
removed using an appropriate method depending of the image support. It is to
be noted
that further treatments may be done on the image to change or improve its
final
appearance properties. For example, a surface layer of epoxy or other material
may be
added to improve the resistance to abrasion or degradation. A shining
technique method
appropriated to product can be used to achieve esthetic appearances. Topcoat
layer may
be translucide, transparent colored for added esthetical goal.
[0017] Typically, the image support may be removed by pulling it. In the case
of paper
and similar products, such as dissoluble material, minerals, material having
fibrous or
crystalline properties, or, material made with combinations of fibers or
crystalline,
organic and minerals composites, water is applied and the surface is manually
or
mechanically brushed to remove some or all the residual fibres.
[0018] Many forms of epoxy may be used to transfer images and textures, for
example,
epoxy resins, epoxy foam bonding gels. Acrylic resins may also be used for
this
application. Furthermore, additives may be added to changes the physical or
aesthetical
properties. The resins or the foams may be colored and/or translucide.
- 4 -
CA 02573847 2014-08-19
File number: 11185-001
Revision: as amended
Date: August 19, 2014
[0019] Another aspect of the present invention is to allow the use of the
image support to
become a substrate. From that substrate, the image support may be subsequently
removed
from epoxy to leave a cavity. Such cavity may be later filled by elements or
objects to
procure desired characteristics.
[0020] Another aspect of the present invention is the use of dissolvable image
supports.
Such image support may bring a shape and texture to the object, either smooth
or plane,
with an image composition or textured with a textured image composition.
Furthermore,
it has the advantage of use of repeatable production of singular pattern
obtain from a
master cast.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0021] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention
will
become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being
made to
the accompanying drawings in which:
[0022] Figure 1 (not to scale) is a schematic representation showing the
layers applied on
a substrate.
[0023] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing for the method of the present
invention.
[0024] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a preferred embodiment for a method to
transfer an
image on a substrate.
[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic representation showing the transfer of the
texture of an
image support.
[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic representation showing the method applied to
transfer an
image on a hockey puck.
- 5 -
CA 02573847 2014-08-19
File number: 11185-001
Revision: as amended
Date: August 19, 2014
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
[0027] A novel method to transfer images on a substrate will be described
hereinafter.
Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative
embodiment(s), it is
to be understood that the embodiment(s) described herein are by way of example
only
and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.
[0028] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the layers applied on the
substrate
110. A thin layer of epoxy 120 is disposed on the substrate 110 and the image
support
130 is disposed on the layer of epoxy 120.
[0029] In Figure 2, the method to transfer images on a substrate is
illustrated. First, a
layer of epoxy 240 is applied on the substrate 210. Then, the image support
250 is
disposed on the layer of epoxy 240 following the direction of the arrows. The
image side
260 of the image support 250 is placed in contact with the layer of epoxy 240.
Pressure to
assure intimate contact is applied as needed.
[0030] The method to transfer a texture is shown in Figure 4. A layer of epoxy
400 is
applied on the substrate 410. Then, the image support 420 having a texture is
pressed
against the layer of epoxy 400. The texture is transferred in the layer of
epoxy 430. The
surface layer of image support 420 may also comprise the properties of layer
260, as
shown in Figure 2. The image support layer 420 may act as the substrate on
which a layer
of epoxy 400 is applied. As shown in Figure 4c), the epoxy 430 is shown in a
state where
the image support 420 is removed.
[0031] The flow chart of Figure 3 shows the steps of the present invention.
For the first
step 310, prepare a substrate surface, the surface may be any surface on which
epoxy will
adhere. The next step 330 is to apply a layer of epoxy on the substrate
surface or on a
mold surface. Indeed, epoxy may be used in a resin form, a foam bonding gel
form or any
other suitable form for this application. Furthermore, the resin or the foam
bonding gel
- 6 -
CA 02573847 2014-08-19
File number: 11185-001
Revision: as amended
Date: August 19, 2014
may be translucent or opaque and even colored with the addition of pigments.
When the
resin or the foam bonding gel is partially cured or completely cured 350, the
image is
applied on the substrate surface through the image support 360. The curing of
the layer of
epoxy may be accelerated by providing proper conditions through an external
source. The
support may be a paper sheet, a photograph, a painting, a fabric or any other
suitable
support. Finally, when the epoxy is partially or completely cured, the image
support is
removed 380. A facultative step 390 is to apply a finishing coat to get a
particular effect
(brilliance, mate, etc...) or to get a better protection.
[0032] In Figure 5, an image is transferred from an image support 525 to a
layer of epoxy
520 which is applied in a cavity 515 of a hockey puck 510. A protective layer
may be
added to protect the image and the image support itself may be the protective
layer.
[0033] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiment(s) of the
invention have
been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the
inventive concepts
may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims
are
intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited
by the prior
art.
- 7 -
