Systems and methods are provided for thermal sublimation imaging and more generally thermal pressing through a continuous or intermittent feed-through thermal pressing system. Cutting assemblies may be configured to cut, connect, advance, and/or align transfer media. The transfer media may have images created using inks, dyes, or the like that are configured to be sublimated into a substrate material within a sublimation assembly. The substrate may be interposed between upper and lower transfer media to allow for dual-side imaging via thermal sublimation. A thermal sublimation chamber may include a pre-confinement zone to reduce ghosting, a preheat zone, a thermal saturation zone to effectuate sublimation and image transfer, and/or a post-sublimation cooling zone to reduce ghosting. A post-sublimation collection system may separate transfer media from substrate(s).

In an example implementation, an image transfer method includes inkjet printing a latex ink image onto a propylene-ethylene copolymer film extruded onto a single-layer image transfer sheet. The method includes putting the latex ink image and the single-layer image transfer sheet in contact with a substrate, and using heat and pressure to exclusively transfer the latex ink image onto the substrate, after which the single-layer transfer sheet is removed from the substrate.

A sublimation transfer paper for sublimation transfer printing with water-based dye sublimation inks, comprising a fibrous substrate and at least one printable transfer layer, characterized in that the printable transfer layer comprises at least one polyurethane.

An apparatus for texturing a plastic substrate, while forming a dye sublimation image in the plastic substrate, wherein the plastic substrate has a first side and a second side, is provided. A textured cover is on a side of a platen, wherein the platen is on a first, untextured side of the textured cover. A first side of the dye carrier is on a second, textured side of the textured cover, and wherein the plastic substrate is supported on a second side of the dye carrier, wherein a first side of the plastic substrate is supported by the dye carrier, wherein the textured side of the textured cover has a texture to be transferred to the plastic substrate. A membrane is on the second side of the plastic substrate. A vacuum pump provides a vacuum between the membrane and the platen. A heater is positioned to heat the plastic substrate.

A method of operating a sublimating device includes providing heat to a cavity of the sublimating device by increasing (i) a temperature of a heater to a predetermined target temperature and (ii) a temperature of a base heater to a predetermined standby temperature. The method further includes determining a difference between the predetermined target temperature and a reduced temperature of the heater. The method also includes determining whether a workpiece is arranged in the cavity based on the difference between the predetermined target temperature and a reduced temperature.

The invention relates to a process for partial colouring, in particular colour laser engraving, of plastic parts, preferably of thermoplastic parts, very particularly preferably of thermoplastic parts comprising a layer construction, comprising the steps of: i) providing a plastic part (A) having at least one surface; ii) laying a colour tape atop at least one portion of the at least one surface of the plastic part (A) to obtain a surface of the plastic part (A) covered with the colour tape; iii) irradiating the plastic part (A) from ii) with focused, preferably nonionizing, electromagnetic radiation (C) on at least one portion of the surface of the plastic part (A) covered with the colour tape, wherein the partial colouring is effected essentially only at the sites on the plastic part (A) irradiated in step iii), wherein the wavelength range of the focused, preferably nonionizing, electromagnetic radiation (C) is in a range from 200 to 20 000 nm, preferably in a range from 300 to 18 000 nm, particularly preferably in a range from 350 to 16 000 nm.

An article is comprised of a thermoset polymer having a dye sublimation image in a layer attached or integral to a surface of the thermoset polymer, wherein at least a portion of the thermoset polymer is a foam. The foam article may be made by pretreating a thermoset organic polymer foam to a temperature of 100? C. to about 250 ? C. for a time sufficient to stabilize the thermoset polymer and dye sublimating an image into a layer of the pretreated thermoset foam. The foam article having the dye sublimation image may be used for applications having aesthetic or structural requirements such as railing, decking or fences.

A sublimation device includes a first heater and a second heater. The first heater includes a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner surface. The distal end is disposed opposite the proximal end. The inner surface extends between the proximal end and the distal end and at least partially forms a cavity. The second heater is disposed proximate the distal end of the first heater.

A system arranged to transfer graphical images on objects (8) wrapped into transfer supports (2) by sublimation. The system comprises an oven (12) comprising an inlet mouth (21) and an outlet mouth (23), at least one suction unit (14) located along at least one side of the oven (12), a plurality of hooking/unhooking components (50) located along at least one side of the oven (12) and arranged to hook/unhook the objects (8) wrapped by the transfer supports (2), at least one catenary (18) located along at least one side of the oven (12) and arranged to transport the objects (8) wrapped into transfer supports (2) from the inlet mouth (21) to the outlet mouth (23) of the oven (12) by way of the hooking/unhooking components (50). The system further comprises at least one separation wall (71), configured to keep separate a hot zone, in which the oven (12) is active and the hooking/unhooking components (50) are provided, from a cold zone in which the oven (12) is not working and the at least one the catenary (18) and the at least one suction unit (14) are provided. Moreover, the system comprises a handling device (25) configured to move transversely to the inlet mouth (21) and to the outlet mouth (23) of the oven (12) the at least one suction unit (14), the at least one catenary (18) and the plurality of hooking/unhooking components (50) so that the separation wall (71) keeps separate the hot zone from the cold zone according to the dimensions of objects (8) wrapped by the transfer supports (2). The invention also concerns a method for realizing the system.

A sublimation furnace has a first endless conveyor belt extending along a first axis through the furnace, with a chamber extending above and along that first conveyor belt. Vacuum trays placed on the first belt have products abutting sublimation images to be transferred to the product as the trays pass through the furnace. The furnace has a first sidewall with a slot extending along the sidewall and along the first conveyor belt. A second endless conveyor belt extends along but offset from the first axis. A plurality of vacuum pumps are connected to the second conveyor belt and move with that belt, with each pump connected by a hose passing through the slot during use of the furnace to a different vacuum tray on the first conveyor in order to evacuate the vacuum trays and press the images against the product for sublimation transfer.