Heat-transfer label well-suited for labeling fabrics and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

A method for labeling fabrics, such as fabric garments, and a heat-transfer label well-suited for use in said method. In one embodiment, the heat-transfer label comprises (i) a support portion, the support portion comprising a carrier and a release layer; (ii) a wax layer, the wax layer overcoating the release layer; and (iii) a transfer portion, the transfer portion comprising an adhesive layer printed onto the wax layer and an ink design layer printed onto the adhesive layer. Preferably, at least a portion of the ink design layer is printed using a variable printing technique, such as thermal transfer printing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of presently-pending International Application No. PCT / US03 / 38315, with an international filing date of Dec. 2, 2003, which, in turn, claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 430,216, filed Dec. 2, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application SerialNo. 60 / 453,661, filed Mar. 11, 2003. All of the foregoing applications are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to heat-transfer labels and relates more particularly to heat-transfer labels well-suited for labeling fabrics. [0003] It is customary for manufacturers of garments and other finished fabrics (e.g., towels, bed linens, tablecloths, etc.) to attach thereto one or more labels that display various items of information, such as article size, fiber content, instructions for care, and the manufacturer's name or tradem...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019] According to still yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a thermal transfer printing ribbon, the thermal transfer printing ribbon comprising (a) a releasable support; (b) a first ink layer positioned over the releasable support; (c) a first ink diffusion barrier layer positioned over the releasable support, one of the first ink layer and the first ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned over the other; and (d) a heat-activatable adhesive layer positioned over the higher positioned of the first ink layer and the first ink diffusion barrier layer.

[0020] For purposes of the present specification and claims, it is to be understood that certain terms used herein, such as “on” or “over,” when used to denote the relative positions of two or more layers of a heat-transfer label, are primarily used to denote such relative positions in the context of how those layers are situated prior to transfer of the transfer portion of the label to an article since, after transfer, the arrangement of layers is inverted as those layers which were furthest removed from the associated support sheet are now closest to the labeled article.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, the presence of a permanent care label on certain articles, such as undergarments or other garments in which the label is in direct contact with the wearer's skin, can become irritating to the wearer.

However, as can readily be appreciated, such a practice not only results in a loss of the information contained on the label but the act of cutting or ripping the permanent care label from the garment can also result in significant damage to the garment, itself.

One problem with the heat-transfer label described above is that the transfer portion, once applied to a garment, must be allowed to cool prior to the peeling away of the support portion therefrom.

If such a period of time is not provided to permit the heated transfer portion to cool, the release of the transfer portion from the support portion will not be clean, and the transfer portion will not transfer completely to the garment.

This is problematic because the cooling step, which can have a duration in the range of several seconds up to one or more minutes, adds time to the labeling process, thereby limiting the throughput of the process.

Another problem with the heat-transfer label described above is that, once the transfer portion of the heat-transfer label has been printed, the particular array of information displayed by the label is fixed and cannot thereafter be altered or supplemented.

As can readily be appreciated, where a garment labeler (e.g. garment manufacturer, garment distributor, etc.) needs to label more than one type and / or size of garment, such an absence of flexibility in label content is undesirable since it requires the garment labeler to have on-hand pre-printed labels of every possible type in sufficient quantity to label every article with an appropriate label.

Such a requirement for labels of every type in sufficient quantity often results in the undesirable purchase and storage of more labels than are actually used.

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