Method and device of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and method for transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface comprising a surface coated with first layer of release agent; either a second layer of polyvinyl acetate; and a third layer of mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate or a single layer of mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate; and having the impression to be transferred thereon, and a method of making the aforesaid device and transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface.

Claims

1. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface comprising the following steps: (i) applying a layer of a release agent upon a side of the substrate and drying the same; (ii) applying a layer of polyvinyl acetate upon the layer of the release agent on the substrate and drying the same; (iii) applying a mixture of acrylamide and a styrene acetate upon the layer of polyvinyl acetate on the substrate and drying the mixture; (iv) applying an impression of a mark or graphic or pictorial representation of a person or object on the layer of acrylamide and styrene acetate; (v) separating from the substrate a film of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate bearing the impression; (vi) adhering the rear side of the separated film obtained in step (v) above on the surface; (vii) applying water on the film bearing the impression adhered to the surface.

2. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface comprising the following steps: (i) applying a layer of a release agent upon a side of the substrate and drying the release agent; (ii) applying a layer of a mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate upon the layer of the release agent on the substrate and drying the mixture; (iii) impressing an impression of a mark or graphic or pictorial representation of a person or object on the layer of the mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate; (iv) separating from the substrate a film of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate bearing the impression; (v) adhering a rear side of the separated film obtained in step (iv) above on the surface; (vi) applying water on the film bearing the impression adhered to the surface.

3. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein adhesive is applied either on a rear side of the film obtained in step (v) in claim 1 before adhering the rear side of the film on the surface, or over the surface before adhering the film obtained in step (v) in claim 1 on the surface.

4. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 2, wherein adhesive is applied either on a rear side of the film obtained in step (iv) in claim 2 before adhering the film obtained in step (iv) in claim 2 on the surface, or over the surface before adhering the film obtained in step (iv) in claim 2 on the surface.

5. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 2, wherein a second substrate with a release agent applied on the substrate as in steps (i) is obtained/made, and adhesive is applied on the layer of release agent of the second substrate, the film obtained in step (ii) in claim 2 is transferred upon the layer of adhesive on the second substrate and thereafter the remaining steps (iii) to (vi) in claim 2 are followed.

6. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the release agent comprises one or more silicone release agents.

7. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 2, wherein the release agent comprises one or more silicone release agents.

8. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the substrate is a liner material selected from the group consisting of: Super Calandered Kraft (SCK) paper, poly coated Kraft paper, Glassine, Clay Coated Kraft (CCK) paper, Machine Finished Kraft (MFK) paper or Machine Glazed (MG) paper, and a plastic film selected from the group consisting of BO-PET film (biaxially oriented), poly coated BO-PET film, BOPP (biaxially oriented PP film) and other Polyolefins.

9. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 2 wherein, the substrate is a liner material selected from the group consisting of: Super Calandered Kraft (SCK) paper, poly coated Kraft paper, Glassine, Clay Coated Kraft (CCK) paper, Machine Finished Kraft (MFK) paper or Machine Glazed (MG) paper, and a plastic film selected from the group consisting of BO-PET film (biaxially oriented), poly coated BO-PET film, BOPP (biaxially oriented PP film) and other Polyolefins.

10. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the layer of polyvinyl acetate is prepared by the following steps: (i) heating water in a reactor between 70 C. and 90 C., and adding Polyvinyl alcohol and stirred slowly for about an hour to make a solution of Polyvinyl alcohol; (ii) adding an anti-foaming agent to the solution of Polyvinyl alcohol, slowly stirring the mixture, and sealing the; (iii) dissolving an oxidising agent in water, adding the water and dissolved oxidising agent into the mixture in Step (ii), and slowly stirring the mixture; (iv) adding Vinyl acetate monomer into the mixture in step (iii) for over an hour and slowly stirring the mixture for about an hour while maintaining the temperature between 70 C. and 90 C.; (v) again adding the oxidising agent dissolved in water to the mixture in step (iv) and slowly stirring the mixture, and then slowly adding Vinyl acetate into the mixture over an hour; (vi) repeating the process in step (v); (vii) during the above process, controlling the pressure by condensation of gases and sending back the condensate to the reactor; (viii) cooling the mixture to about room temperature.

11. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 2 wherein, the layer of polyvinyl acetate is prepared by the following steps: (i) heating water in a reactor to between 70 C. and 90 C., adding Polyvinyl alcohol and slowly stirring for about an hour to make a solution of Polyvinyl alcohol; (ii) adding an anti-foaming agent to the solution of Polyvinyl alcohol stirring the mixture, and then sealing the; (iii) adding an oxidising agent pre-dissolved in water into the mixture in Step (ii) and slowly stirring the mixture; (iv) adding Vinyl acetate monomer into the mixture in step (iii) and slowly stirring for over an hour while maintaining the temperature of the mixture between 70 C. and 90 C.; (v) again adding the oxidising agent dissolved in water to mixture in step (iv) and slowly stirring, and then adding Vinyl acetate monomer into the mixture of step (v) over an hour; (vi) repeating step (v); (vii) during the above process of steps (i)-(v), controlling the pressure by condensation of gases and sending back the condensate to the reactor; (viii) cooling the mixture to about room temperature.

12. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate is prepared by the following steps: (i) adding a solution comprising acrylamide and water to a container and heating the solution to between 70 C. and 90 C. while slowly stirring the solution; (ii) adding an oxidizing agent dissolved in water to the solution of acrylamide; (iii) adding Styrene Acetate Monomer to the mixture in step (ii), while maintaining the temperature of the mixture between 70 C. and 90 C.; (iv) in another reactor, heating water to between 70 C. and 90 C., adding Polyvinyl alcohol, and stirring the water and polyvinyl alcohol for about an hour; (v) adding an anti-foaming agent into mixture in step (iv) and slowly stirring the mixture with the anti-foaming agent added for about an hour, then sealing the reactor; (vi) adding an oxidising agent dissolved in water into the mixture in step (v) and stirring the mixture with the oxidising agent dissolved in water added; (vii) thereafter, adding Acrylamide and Styrene Acetate Monomer into the mixture in step (iii), and adding Anti foaming agent and oxidising agent mixture in step (vi), then slowly mixing and stirring the mixture in step (iii) and the mixture in step (vi) for at an hour; and (viii) cooling the mixture in step (vii) to room temperature.

13. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate is prepared by the following steps: (i) adding a solution comprising of acrylamide and water to a container and heating the solution to between 70 C. and 90 C. while slowly stirring the solution; (ii) adding an oxidizing agent dissolved in water to the solution of acrylamide; (iii) adding Styrene Acetate Monomer to the mixture in step (ii) while maintaining the mixture at between 70 C. and 90 C.; (iv) in another reactor, heating water to between 70 C. and 90 C. and adding Polyvinyl alcohol to the water in the other reactor and stirring for an hour; (v) adding an anti-foaming agent into mixture in step (iv), slowly stirring for about an hour, and sealing the reactor; (vi) adding an oxidising agent dissolved in water into the mixture in step (v) and stirring; (vii) thereafter, mixing and stirring, over an hour, the Acrylamide and Styrene Acetate Monomer mixture in step (iii) and the Anti foaming agent and oxidising agent mixture in step (vi) are slowly mixed and stirred for over an hour; and (viii) cooling the mixture in step (vii) to room temperature.

14. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step (iii) in the mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate, acrylamide is 55% to 60% and styrene acetate is 40% to 45%.

15. A method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface as claimed in claim 2, wherein in the mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate, polyvinyl acetate is 50% to 65%, acrylamide is 23% to 32% and styrene acetate is 12% to 18%.

16. A device for transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface prepared by the method as claimed in any one of claim 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14 comprising: a substrate coated with a first layer of release agent, with or without adhesive; a second layer of polyvinyl acetate; a third layer of mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate having the impression to be transferred thereon.

17. A device for transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface prepared by the method as claimed in any one of claim 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, or 15 comprising: a substrate coated with a first layer of release agent, with or without adhesive; a second layer of mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate; and a third layer of mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate having the impression to be transferred thereon.

18. The method of claim 10 or 11, further comprising adding whitening agent to the mixture.

19. The device of claim 16 or 17, wherein the device is free from PVC.

Description

(1) In the accompanying drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a device comprising of layers of release agent, polyvinyl acetate and acrylamide and styrene acetate, wherein 1 is a Substrate; 2 is a layer of Release Agent; 3 is a Layer of polyvinyl acetate; and 4 is a Layer of acrylamide and styrene acetate.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of another method of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface.

(5) In a preferable embodiment according to the present invention, the substrate (1) is a liner material, typically either paper or plastic films such as such as Super Calandered Kraft (SCK) paper, poly coated Kraft paper, Glassine, Clay Coated Kraft (CCK) paper, Machine Finished Kraft (MFK) paper or Machine Glazed (MG) paper or from plastic film such as BO-PET film (biaxially oriented), poly coated BO-PET film, BOPP (biaxially oriented PP film) or other Polyolefins typically made out of HDPE, LDPE or PP plastic resins.

(6) A layer of release agent (2) is applied over the said substrate (1). The said release agent (2) may be selected from a group of silicone release agents. After application of layer of release agent (2) on the substrate, the same is allowed to dry. Thereafter, layer inter alia comprising of polyvinyl acetate (3), as prepared in the manner provided in the example provided herein below, is applied over the layer of release agent (2) on the substrate (1). The said layer of polyvinyl acetate (3) helps in the formation of the base coat. After application of the layer of polyvinyl acetate (3) over the release agent (2) on the substrate, the same is allowed to dry. After the said layer of polyvinyl acetate (3) has dried completely, a layer comprising of mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate (4), as prepared in the manner provided in the example provided herein below, is applied over the said layer of polyvinyl acetate (3) on the substrate (1). The said layer comprising of mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate (4) serve as the ink receptive coat. After application of the said layer of acrylamide and styrene acetate (4), the same is also allowed to dry. The layers of polyvinyl acetate and acrylamide and styrene acetate together form a coating/film which can be separated from the substrate. After the drying of the aforesaid layer (4), the impression to be transferred to a surface is impressed, either by means of a printer or by physically drawing/painting, on the substrate over the layer of acrylamide and styrene acetate (4). The impression so impressed on the substrate is now ready for transfer.

(7) In another embodiment of the present invention, a single layer comprising of a mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate is applied over the layer of the release agent (2) on the substrate (1). In the said mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate, preferably polyvinyl acetate is 50% to 65%, acrylamide is 23% to 32% and styrene acetate is 12% to 18%.

(8) In another embodiment of the present invention, in the mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate, acrylamide is 55% to 60% and styrene acetate is 40% to 45%.

(9) In yet another embodiment of the present invention, adhesive is applied either on the rear side of the coating/film after it is separated from the substrate or on the surface on which the impression is to be transferred or both.

(10) In yet another embodiment of this invention, adhesive is applied on the layer of release agent of a second substrate; the coating/film of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate is separated from a first substrate having layer of release agent and transferred upon said second substrate having layer of release agent and layer of adhesive; and thereafter impression is printed/made thereon.

(11) Before the impression impressed on the substrate is transferred to a surface, the surface upon which impression is to be transferred is cleaned to remove any dust or other foreign material. Thereafter, the coating/film of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate formed on the substrate in the manner described aforesaid bearing the said impression is separated from the substrate by peeling of the said coating/film from the substrate. After separating the coating/film bearing the impression from the substrate, the rear side of the said separated coating/film so obtained is adhered on the said surface.

(12) After the coating/film bearing the impression is adhered to the surface, water is applied over the said coating/film on the surface. Application of water activates the polyvinyl acetate in the coating/film which enables the impression to conform to the contours and boundaries of the desired surface thereby infusing/merging itself with the desired surface.

(13) In another embodiment of the present invention, after application of water on the surface, the said surface bearing the impression is dabbed to remove air bubbles or gaps, if any, formed between the impression and the surface.

(14) FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method 200 of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface. The method 200 includes applying a release agent upon a side of the substrate and drying the same, as at 202. The method 200 includes applying polyvinyl acetate upon the layer of the release agent on the substrate and drying the same, as at 204. The method 200 also includes applying mixture of acrylamide and styrene acetate upon the layer of polyvinyl acetate on the substrate and drying the same, as at 206. The method 200 further includes impressing a mark or graphic or pictorial representation of someone or something (impression) on the layer of acrylamide and styrene acetate, as at 208. The method 200 further includes separating from the substrate the film of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate bearing the impression, as at 210. The method 200 additionally includes adhering the rear side of the separated coating/film on the surface, as at 212. The method 200 further includes applying water on the coating/film bearing the impression adhered to the surface, as at 214.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of another method 300 of transferring an impression from a substrate to a surface. The method 300 includes applying a release agent upon a side of the substrate and drying the same, as at 302. The method 300 also includes applying mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate upon the layer of the release agent on the substrate and drying the same, as at 304. The method 300 further includes impressing a mark or graphic or pictorial representation of someone or something (impression) on the layer of mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate, as at 306. The method 300 further includes separating from the substrate the coating/film of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate bearing the impression, as at 308. The method 300 also includes adhering the rear side of the separated coating/film obtained on the surface, as at 310. The method 300 also includes applying water on the coating/film bearing the impression adhered to the surface, as at 312.

EXAMPLE

(16) The chemical layers coated over the release agent on the substrate over the release agent are prepared as under:

(17) Layer comprising of polyvinyl acetate is prepared as under: (i) Water is heated in a reactor between 70 C. and 90 C. Polyvinyl alcohol is added and stirred slowly for about an hour to make a solution of Polyvinyl alcohol; (ii) An anti-foaming agent is added to the aforesaid solution of Polyvinyl alcohol and the mixture is slowly stirred. The reactor is then sealed; (iii) An oxidising agent pre-dissolved in water is added into the aforesaid mixture in Step (ii) and the mixture is slowly stirred; (iv) Vinyl acetate monomer is added into the mixture in step (iii) for over an hour and the mixture is slowly stirred for about an hour while maintaining the temperature between 70 C. and 90 C.; (v) Again the oxidising agent dissolved in water is added to mixture in step (iv) and slowly stirred like in step (iii) and then Vinyl acetate monomer is slowly added into the above mixture over an hour; (vi) The process in step (v) may be repeated; (vii) During the above process, the pressure is controlled by condensation of gases and sending back the condensate to the reactor; (viii) The mixture is cooled to about room temperature. (ix) Whitening agent is, optionally, added to the above mixture.

(18) Layer comprising of acrylamide and styrene acetate is prepared as under: (i) A solution comprising of acrylamide and water is added to a container and is heated between 70 C. and 90 C. while slowly stirring it; (ii) An oxidizing agent dissolved in water is added to the above solution of acrylamide; (iii) Styrene Acetate Monomer is added to the mixture in step (ii). The temperature of the mixture is maintained between 70 C. and 90 C.; (iv) In another reactor, water is heated between 70 C. and 90 C. and Polyvinyl alcohol is added and stirred for an hour; (v) An anti-foaming agent is added into mixture in step (iv) and stirred slowly for about an hour. The reactor is then sealed; (vi) An oxidising agent dissolved in water is slowly added into the mixture in step (v) and stirred; (vii) Thereafter, Acrylamide and Styrene Acetate Monomer mixture in step (iii) and Anti foaming agent and oxidising agent mixture in step (vi) are slowly mixed and stirred for over an hour; (viii) The mixture in step (vii) is cooled to room temperature.

(19) In a preferable embodiment, percentage of acrylamide and styrene acetate in the above mixture is 60:40 to 55:45.

(20) In another embodiment according to this invention, when white background is desired, whitening agent, preferably titanium dioxide is mixed in the mixture.

(21) So also, different pigments may be added to the top coat chemical to give it different colours.

(22) In another embodiment a single layer of a mixture of polyvinyl acetate, acrylamide and styrene acetate may be used in place of two separate layers wherein preferably polyvinyl acetate is 50% to 65%, acrylamide is 23% to 32% and styrene acetate is 12% to 18%.

(23) In a preferable embodiment of the invention, the polyvinyl alcohol used is GH-17.

(24) In another preferable embodiment, the anti-foaming agent is Octyl Alcohol.

(25) In yet another preferable embodiment, the oxidising agent is Potassium Persulfate.

(26) Advantages:

(27) 1. The present invention is suitable for application of an impression on a multitude of surfaces such as wall, ply, metal, tile, glass, wood, stone, shutters of shops, rooftops, flooring, all types of clothes, leather, vessels, toys, glass, metal, cement, plastic and other even or uneven surfaces among others; 2. The device as claimed herein is suitable for all types of printing e.g screen printing, offset printing, inkjet printing, digital printing, laser printing, flexo-printing, rotogravure printing, latex printing, printer using ultra-violet ink, photocopying among others. 3. The device as claimed herein is suitable for both water based and solvent based printing. 4. The device as claimed herein is PVC free. 5. The impression transferred by the method claimed herein can fit into the contours of any surface and get infused/merged with the surface 6. The impression transferred by the method claimed herein lasts longer. 7. The device and method claimed herein can be used for application of large advertisements on various surfaces conveniently and speedily. 8. The device and method do not require application of heat. 9. The device and method are cost effective, easy to use and save time in their application.

(28) Many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact preparation and application illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.