Thermally Reactive Ink Transfer System

a technology of ink transfer and thermal reactive ink, which is applied in the direction of mechanical control devices, instruments, process and machine control, etc., can solve the problems of difficult application to highly curved, edged or contoured surfaces, and laborious airbrush designs that require considerable skill,

US20100243140A1Inactive Publication Date: 2010-09-30DONALD D SLOAN TRUSTEE OF THE DONALD D SLOAN TRUST AND HIS SUCCESSOR & SUCCESSORS UNDER THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO & COMPLETE RESTATEMENT OF THE DONALD D SLOAN TRUST DATED JUNE 28 2012
9 Cites 12 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2010-09-30
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

Smart Images

  • Figure 1
    Figure 1
  • Figure 2
    Figure 2
  • Figure 3
    Figure 3
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

An ink transfer system including an ink transfer decal that is transferable to a final substrate, such as a bare metal or pre-painted autobody part, without use of a separate adhesive. The transferred ink decal is capable of withstanding temperature elevations common during automotive paint baking without significant thermal degradation, discoloration, shrinkage or pealing.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to methods of transferring paint or ink to solid surfaces and more particularly to a method of transferring a substantially solid ink layer to a surface without the use of a separately applied adhesive.

[0002] In the vehicle manufacturing industry, painted or inked designs are typically applied through application of liquid paint to the surface of a body element, such as a fender or hood. An example of this type of application is pinstriping. Manual application of stripes or designs requires artistic skill, even if the process is augmented through use of stencils or tape. Airbrushed designs are very labor intensive and require considerable skill.

[0003] One prior art method of automating the application of designs or stripes is the use of adhesive decals. A decal is created by applying ink to a plastic film bearing adhesive on the opposite surface. The adhesive side of the decal may then be applied to the desired surface. Further p...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0022]As required, a detailed embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

[0023]An ink transfer system according to the present invention provides for the application of liquid, polyurethane based inks onto a backing sheet to form an ink transfer decal. The decal is coated with a removable transfer medium. The resultant decal is solidified, typically through evaporation of diluents after application of each layer of liquid constituent. It may then be removed from the backing sheet and applied to a final substrate.

[0024]Through the us...