Claims
- 1. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp, said stamp being defined in its entirety by a carrier sheet and a plurality of components, said components including a top coat layer, at least one design layer between said carrier sheet and said top coat layer, a release layer between said carrier sheet and said design layer, and a base coat layer between said release layer and said design layer, whereinsaid plurality of components defining the entirety of said stamp with said carrier sheet are presented as water-borne components, including, a water-borne adhesive release component, a water-borne base coat component, a water-borne design component, and a water-borne top coat component such that said unitary heat-transferable security stamp is entirely free of non-aqueous solvents, said carrier sheet is selected such that it is resistant to heat above a predetermined heat transfer temperature, said adhesive release component of said release layer is operative to secure said carrier sheet to said base coat layer at temperatures below said heat transfer temperature and to permit release of said carrier sheet from said base coat layer at temperatures above said heat transfer temperature, said base coat component of said base coat layer is operative to function as a barrier between said release layer and said design layer at temperatures above and below said heat transfer temperature, said design component of said design layer is operative to provide an indication of the presence of said security stamp, and said top coat component is operative to adhere to a substrate upon contact with said substrate and upon application of heat at said heat transfer temperature.
- 2. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier sheet further comprises a non-siliconized liner.
- 3. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said design layer is formed in a visually perceptible pattern in said security stamp.
- 4. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said release layer is applied to a major surface of said carrier sheet, said base coat layer is applied to said release layer, said design layer is applied to said base coat layer, and said top coat layer is applied to said design layer.
- 5. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adhesive release component is selected to have a melting point that is less than said heat transfer temperature.
- 6. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base coat component comprises a cross linked polymeric layer.
- 7. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein a melting point of said base coat component exceeds said heat transfer temperature.
- 8. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said design layer includes a visually perceptible pattern in said security stamp.
- 9. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said design component includes a pigment or dye.
- 10. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein a melting point of said design component exceeds said heat transfer temperature.
- 11. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of design layers are provided, and wherein each design layer includes a distinct design component.
- 12. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top coat component is selected such that said heat transfer temperature is at least as great as a characteristic softening temperature of said top coat.
- 13. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said release layer, said base coat layer, said design layer, and said top coat layer incorporate a security feature selected from the following group of security features and combinations thereof: fluorescent, thermo-chromic, and photo-chromic.
- 14. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top coat component is further selected such that it is not operative to adhere to said substrate upon application of heat below said heat transfer temperature.
- 15. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pigment or dye is selected such that it becomes apparent upon exposure to an activating agents selected from heat, a selected light intensity, or a selected UV light wavelength.
- 16. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an additional design layer in a predetermined pattern on said top coat layer.
- 17. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said additional design layer comprises UV fluorescent ink.
- 18. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said additional design layer comprises an ink jet printed layer.
- 19. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 18, wherein said additional design layer comprises a number selected from a series of consecutive numbers.
- 20. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 18, wherein said additional design layer comprises a security pattern or number printed in UV fluorescent ink.
- 21. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recited water-borne components are capable of being dispersed in water as an aqueous emulsion, an aqueous dispersion, or an aqueous solution.
- 22. A unitary heat-transferable security stamp comprising a carrier sheet and a plurality of components, said components including a top coat layer, at least one design layer between said carrier sheet and said top coat layer, a release layer between said carrier sheet and said design layer, and a base coat layer between said release layer and said design layer, wherein:said plurality of components are presented as water-borne components, including a water-borne adhesive release component, a water-borne base coat component, a water-borne design component, and a water-borne top coat component such that said unitary heat-transferable security stamp is entirely free of non-aqueous solvents; said carrier sheet comprises a non-siliconized densified paper liner and is selected such that it is resistant to heat above a predetermined heat transfer temperature; said adhesive release component of said release layer is selected such that it is operative to secure said carrier sheet to said base coat layer at temperatures below said heat transfer temperature and to permit release of said carrier sheet from said base coat layer at temperatures above said heat transfer temperature; said base coat component of said base coat layer comprises a water-borne modified acrylic material and is selected such that it is operative to function as a barrier between said release layer and said design layer at temperatures above and below said heat transfer temperature; said design component of said design layer comprises a film-forming acrylic polymer dissolved in a solution of water and is selected such that it is operative to provide an indication of the presence of said security stamp; and said top coat component comprises a blend of water-borne film-forming polymers including a tackifying resin and is selected such that it is operative to adhere to a substrate upon contact with said substrate and upon application of heat at said heat transfer temperature.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a divisional of applicants' earlier filed application Ser. No. 09/482,672, filed on Jan. 13, 2000, now U.S. Pat No. 6,410,082, which is a continuation-in-part of applicants' earlier filed application Ser. No. 09/374,923, filed Aug. 16, 1999, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/374923 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/482672 |
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US |