US5114520A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image transfer apparatus and method
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1991-09-27
•
Granted: 1992-05-19
•
Expires: 2011-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for the transfer of images from a donor surface to a receptor utilizing heated pressure rolls to cause transfer to the image materials to the receptor.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul J. Wang, Jr.
- 👤 Michael J. Petrich
- 👤 Francis A. Wadzinski
- 👤 James E. Guither
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 10:11
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/14; G03G15/16; G03G15/1665; G03G15/167; B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/025; B41M5/03; B44; B44C; B44C1/00; B44C1/16; B44C1/165; B44C1/17; B44C1/1712; B44C1/1716; G03G15/1625; G03G7/00; G03G7/006; G03G7/0073; G03G7/008; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1705
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for transferring images carried on a thin, flexible carrier to a vinyl receptor sheet comprising a) holding and continuously feeding a vinyl web into register contact with the surface of a continuously fed carrier having images thereon to form a laminated web, b) advancing said laminated web in a wrinkle-free condition along a path toward a pressure nip formed by a pair of complementary pressure rolls, c) directing said laminated web toward said nip at an angle of between 8 and 12 degrees from a reference line for a distance between 8 and 30 centimeters from said nip, said reference line being perpendicular to the common center line of the complementary pressure rolls and passing through said nip, d) rotating at least one of said pressure rolls around its axis to cooperate with the other pressure roll to draw said laminated web between said rolls to an exit point on the other side of said nip, said pressure rolls being urged toward one another to cause said vinyl web to intimately contact said images on said carrier and cause preferential adherence of said images to said vinyl web, and e) separating the vinyl web and the carrier whereby said images separate from said carrier and preferentially adhere to said vinyl web.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for transferring images carried on a thin, flexible carrier to a vinyl receptor sheet comprising a) holding and continuously feeding a vinyl web into register contact with the surface of a continuously fed carrier having images thereon to form a laminated web, b) advancing said laminated web in a wrinkle-free condition along a path toward a pressure nip formed by a pair of complementary pressure rolls, c) directing said laminated web toward said nip at an angle of between 8 and 12 degrees from a reference line for a distance between 8 and 30 centimeters from said nip, said reference line being perpendicular to the common center line of the complementary pressure rolls and passing through said nip, d) rotating at least one of said pressure rolls around its axis to cooperate with the other pressure roll to draw said laminated web between said rolls to an exit point on the other side of said nip, said pressure rolls being urged toward one another to cause said vinyl web to intimately contact said images on said carrier and cause preferential adherence of said images to said vinyl web, and e) separating the vinyl web and the carrier whereby said images separate from said carrier and preferentially adhere to said vinyl web.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein at least the pressure roll in contact with the web carrying said images is heated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said pressure roll is heated to a temperature of about 195° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said laminated web is advanced through said nip at a rate of about 0.45 meters per minute.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said vinyl web entering said nip is tensioned at a force of between 0.1 kg/cm of width and 0.3 kg/cm of width.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said complementary pressure rolls comprise at least one roll which has a silicone rubber cover having a Shore A durometer hardness of between 55 and 65.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein one of said complementary rolls is stainless steel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein both of said pressure rolls are rubber covered rolls.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
223 words
Apparatus for transferring images carried on a substrate to a vinyl receptor sheet comprising a) means for holding and feeding a vinyl web, b) means for holding and feeding a carrier web having images on one major surface thereof, c) upper and lower pressure rolls having means to urge said rolls toward one another and form a nip area for receiving a web of material, d) means to rotate at least one of said pressure rolls around its axis to cooperate with the other pressure roll to draw said web of material presented to said nip between said rolls to an exit point on the other side of said nip area, e) a series of idler rolls for bringing the image bearing surface of said carrier web into contact with said vinyl web to form a laminated web and advancing said laminated web in a wrinkle-free condition along a path toward said nip formed by said pressure rolls, f) a final idler roll arranged along the laminated web path between 8 and 30 centimeters from the entry to said nip area, said idler roll arranged to direct the laminated web away from the idler roll at an angle of between 8 and 12 degrees from a reference line perpendicular to the common center line of the pressure rolls and passing through said nip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
223 words
Apparatus for transferring images carried on a substrate to a vinyl receptor sheet comprising a) means for holding and feeding a vinyl web, b) means for holding and feeding a carrier web having images on one major surface thereof, c) upper and lower pressure rolls having means to urge said rolls toward one another and form a nip area for receiving a web of material, d) means to rotate at least one of said pressure rolls around its axis to cooperate with the other pressure roll to draw said web of material presented to said nip between said rolls to an exit point on the other side of said nip area, e) a series of idler rolls for bringing the image bearing surface of said carrier web into contact with said vinyl web to form a laminated web and advancing said laminated web in a wrinkle-free condition along a path toward said nip formed by said pressure rolls, f) a final idler roll arranged along the laminated web path between 8 and 30 centimeters from the entry to said nip area, said idler roll arranged to direct the laminated web away from the idler roll at an angle of between 8 and 12 degrees from a reference line perpendicular to the common center line of the pressure rolls and passing through said nip.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 which further includes means for supporting said laminated web exiting said nip area.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 which further includes means for separating said carrier web from said vinyl web.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said pressure rolls are between 20 cm and 30 cm in diameter and are at least about 1 meter in length.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein one of said pressure rolls is a heated, polished chrome roll and the other pressure roll is a rubber covered roll.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said complementary pressure rolls comprise at least one roll which has a silicone rubber cover having a Shore A durometer hardness of between 55 and 65.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein one of said complementary rolls is stainless steel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein both of said pressure rolls are rubber covered rolls.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3075859A
Cited
US3415706A
Cited
US3920880A
Cited
US4015027A
Cited
US4020204A
Cited
US4440590A
Cited
US4201701A
Cited
US4208467A
Cited
US4737224A
Cited
US4565842A
Cited
US4529650A
Cited
US4595931A
Cited
US4612074A
Cited
US4773959A
Cited
US4861409A
Cited
US4828638A
Cited
US5021318A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-05-19 | 1995-11-18 | 1996-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-05-19 | 1999-11-18 | 2000-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-05-19 | 2003-11-18 | 2004-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |