Printing ink, transfers, and methods of decorating polyolefin articles
US8349917B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 2010 |
| Grant date | Jan 8, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T156/10
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The ink of the invention comprises a mixture of finely subdivided polyethylene powder, an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, a dispersing agent, an indicia material additive such as a dye or pigment and/or a physical property enhancing additive such as alumina, glass beads, silica, metal flakes, etc. Preferably high and very high molecular weight polyethylene is used, alone or in mixture with lower density polyethylene in amounts from 25 to 45 weight percent in the ink. The polyethylene can have a particle size from 1 nanometer to 150 microns, preferably from 0.1 to 100 microns.The printing ink can be used to prepare a transfer having a decorative layer printed onto a carrier sheet. Various printing methods can be used to prepare the transfer such as gravure printing with etched or engraved chrome-plated or copper rolls; flexography printing with a flexible printing plate; and screen printing. The preferred method is screen printing. The printed layer is thermally treated to remove hydrocarbon solvent.The transfers are applied to the surfaces of molded polyethylene or polypropylene parts with adequate heat, pressure and time to fuse the transfers into the walls of the parts…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.