A press can include an upper platen, a lower platen, a support arm, and an adjuster. The support arm can be adapted to move the upper platen substantially parallel to the lower paten between an open position and a closed position. The adjuster can have a cam adapted to engage a surface of the support arm and to rotate between a first rotational position and a second rotational position relative to the support arm. Rotation of the cam from the first rotational position to the second rotational position can move the upper platen toward the lower platen.

A method for introducing a reflective and/or diffractive metallic variable and/or non-variable image to a substrate by use of thermal transfer printing includes simultaneously transferring a defined portion of each of a protective coating layer, a metal layer, and an adhesive layer from a carrier film of a transfer ribbon to the substrate by applying heat to the transfer ribbon. The defined portions of the metal layer and the protective coating layer are adhered to the substrate using the adhesive layer. Subsequent to transferring the protective coating layer, the metal layer, and the adhesive layer, durability is provided to the metal layer by cross-linking the protective coating layer that is over the metal layer by exposing the protective coating layer to a radiation source after the defined portions of the protective coating layer, the metal layer, and the adhesive layer are transferred from the carrier film.

A multi-purpose heat foil embossing machine and a heat foil adapter are disclosed herein. According to an embodiment, the heat foil adapter includes an injection molded body, a metal heat plate configured in the cavity of the molded body, a heating element, a temperature control system configured to maintain metal heat plate temperature, and a polycarbonate lid. According to another embodiment, the multi-purpose heat foil embossing machine is of platform and roller type construction wherein platform provides a flatbed working area and roller is moved over it that eliminates need to sandwich folder between plastic mats and push the mat between the rollers. According to another embodiment, the heat plate adapter is configured within a cavity on the platform of the embossing machine with electric connectivity.

A foil transfer method of performing foil transfer onto a surface of a transfer subject includes preparing a foil transfer tool including a light output portion, preparing the transfer subject and a transfer foil, stacking the transfer foil and a light absorbing film with optical absorptivity on a surface, of the transfer subject, on which the foil transfer is to be performed, to produce a stack body, and while moving either one of the stack body and the foil transfer tool with respect to the other, putting the foil transfer tool into contact with a surface of the stack body at which the light absorbing film is provided and outputting light from the light output portion.

Herein is described a method of applying foil from a foil web to a substrate. The method may comprise: ink-jet printing a UV-curable adhesive onto the substrate in a predetermined image area; subjecting the adhesive to a first curing by exposing the adhesive to UV light in a dosage range of 140-170 mJ/cm.sup.2; passing the substrate and a foil web through a nip where the foil web is pressed against the adhesive; subjecting the adhesive disposed between the substrate and the foil web to a second curing by exposing the adhesive to UV light in a dosage of at least 250 mJ/cm.sup.2; and separating excess foil from the substrate, to leave foil on the predetermined image area. Substrates and UV-curable adhesives are also described.

A method of applying a pattern formed of two different materials to a pattern support layer includes: providing a die form having a surface with recesses defining the pattern; applying a first curable material to a surface first region, received in some of the first region recesses and partially filling a first region recess set; applying a second curable material to some of the surface first region, the second curable material at least partially fills the first set of the first region recesses; contacting a pattern support layer with the die form surface to cover the recesses containing both the first and second curable materials; separating the pattern support layer from the die form surface, the first and second curable materials in the covered recesses removed therefrom and retained on the pattern support layer; and curing the first and second curable materials during and/or after the second and third steps.

A hot-stamping foil has a carrier that is a base film or a coated base film, and a laminated optical decoration formed on the carrier in a removable manner. The laminated optical decoration includes a laminated optical structure, an anchor layer formed on the laminated optical structure at a side opposite against the carrier, the anchor layer being a mixture of an acid-modified polyolefin and a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, and an adhesive layer which is formed on the anchor layer at a side opposite against the laminated optical structure. The adhesive layer has an adhesive domain containing an acid-modified polyolefin as a major component, and a non-adhesive domain containing a blocking preventing agent as a major component. The blocking preventing agent is one or both of a resin filler and an inorganic filler. A glass transition point of the blocking preventing agent is greater than 60 C.

A hot-stamping foil which is transferred to a transfer target by applying a transfer thermal pressure, including: a carrier that is a base film or a coated base film; a laminated optical decoration having a laminated optical structure formed on the carrier; a sinking control layer which contains a soft resin and a deformation limiting agent and is formed on the laminated optical structure; and an adhesive layer which is formed on the sinking control layer, wherein the adhesive layer contains a resin component which contains a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature lower than room temperature and defines the thickness of the adhesive layer, and spacer particles which have a particle size larger than the thickness of the adhesive layer and some of which protrude from the resin component, and wherein the spacer particles sink into the sinking control layer after transfer thermal pressing.

A method for transferring a decorative section of a stamping foil onto a substrate by means of an embossing die, wherein the stamping foil includes a carrier film and a transfer ply arranged on the carrier film. The method includes:

a) Provision of the stamping foil;
b) Embossing or pressing of at least one compression section spaced apart from the edge of the decorative section, into the transfer ply;
c) Stamping of the decorative section onto the substrate;
d) Detachment of the residual stamping film from the substrate embossed with the decorative section.

A sparkling fabric includes: a fabric substrate; and a tri-layer adhered to the fabric substrate. The tri-layer includes: an adhesive layer that adheres the tri-layer to the fabric substrate; an exposed design layer; and a metal plating layer between the exposed design layer and the adhesive layer. The tri-layer is distributed as a plurality of separable and identifiable tri-layer pieces across the fabric substrate such that the distribution of tri-layer pieces has a density on the order of 15-25 pieces per centimeter squared (pcs/cm2) and a size of a piece is less than 1 millimeter (mm).