IMAGE TRANSFER SHEETS AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

摘要

A versatile method of cold transferring images without using supplemental heat in the course of image transfer to a wide variety of substrates includes printing an image with water-based ink onto an image transfer sheet that has a coating of water-accepting adhesive. The sheet is then applied to the substrate to transfer only the portions of the adhesive that bear the image onto the substrate, with the remainder of the adhesive remaining attached to the sheet. A method of manufacturing image transfer sheets includes first applying a water impermeable layer onto a flexible substrate. A layer of water-activatable adhesive is applied upon the water impermeable layer. The adhesive is then dried in a dryer with dehumidified air. A water permeable detack layer is then applied upon the layer of adhesive. A sheet for transferring an image that has been printed onto the sheet with a water-based ink has a flexible backing layer and one or more water-accepting layers with water activatable adhesive that are printed with a printing press and/or coated onto the flexible backing layer. A water-impermeable layer is disposed in between the adhesive and the backing layer. A detack layer may be applied onto the layer of adhesive. A water permeable colored, tinted, or reflective water-permeable layer may be between the detack layer and the water-accepting layer, or a colorant may be added to the detack layer. One embodiment includes a water-permeable layer of cross-linker in between the detack layer the water-accepting layer, wherein said water-accepting layer becomes water-resisting when water-based ink flows through said layer of cross-linker and into said water-accepting layer. In another embodiment, the water-accepting layer includes both adhesive and cross-linker, wherein the water-accepting layer is adapted to become water-resisting when the adhesive and the cross-linker react when the water-accepting layer is heated. In another embodiment, the sheet further includes a water-accepting image holding layer in between the water-accepting adhesive layer and the water impermeable layer. The image holding layer becomes water-resisting when heated to within a range of activation temperatures.