Thermal conduction transfer printing

Abstract

A printing assembly is disclosed for thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate. The assembly comprises at least one first printing system comprising a transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of thermoplastic particles is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which energy is applied by a thermal print head, optionally via the rear side of the transfer member, to selected regions of the imaging surface to render particles coating the selected regions tacky, a transfer station at which the imaging surface of the transfer member and the substrate surface are pressed against each other to transfer to the substrate the particles that have been rendered tacky to form an adhesive image; and at least one more printing system downstream from the first system.

Description

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for printing on a surface of a substrate with a film of a thermoplastic material.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure is a development of the teachings of WO2016/189512 to the same Applicant, which was published on 1 Dec. 2016 and has a priority date of 27 May 2015. To avoid unnecessary repetition, reference will be made throughout the present disclosure to the latter publication.

Thermal transfer printers are known that employ a ribbon carrying a polymeric ink film. The ribbon is equivalent to the ink ribbon used in a conventional typewriter but the ink is solid ink and is transferred from it onto a substrate (usually paper) not by impact but by means of a thermal print head that heats only the regions of the ribbon from which the ink is to be transferred to the paper. Thermal transfer printers can print in monochrome or in full color, by transferring images successively from colored ribbons.

Such printers achieve printing of high quality but are wasteful, and therefore costly to operate, since the ribbon is generally single-use and when discarded, much of its ink surface has not been transferred to a printing substrate.

WO2016/189512 discloses a printing system and method that operate on the same principle as thermal transfer printers, but in which the single-use ribbon is replaced by a transfer member which, rather than carrying a polymeric ink film, is coated with a layer of thermoplastic or thermoplastic-coated particles, which can be replenished after each transfer cycle, enabling the transfer member to perform multiple printing cycles, significantly reducing waste.

In particular, WO2016/189512 discloses a method of thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate, which method comprises the steps of:

a) providing a transfer member having front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side,

b) coating the imaging surface of the transfer member with individual particles formed of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer,

c) removing substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the imaging surface to leave a uniform monolayer particle coating on the imaging surface,

d) applying radiation to selected regions of the coated imaging surface to heat and render tacky the particles within the selected regions, and

e) pressing at least a portion of the coated imaging surface and at least a corresponding portion of the substrate surface against one another, either during or after application of radiation, to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of only the regions of the particle coating that have been rendered tacky.

To permit continuous printing, following transfer of particles from the selected regions to a first substrate surface, steps b) and c) may be repeated to apply a fresh monolayer coating of particles at least to the selected regions from which the previously applied monolayer coating was transferred to the substrate surface in step e), so as to leave the imaging surface again uniformly coated with a monolayer of particles for printing onto a subsequent substrate surface, as described in steps d) and e). In other words, for printing of subsequent images (which need not be identical from cycle to cycle), steps b) to e) can be sequentially repeated.

WO2016/189512 only teaches rendering the particles tacky by exposing them to EM radiation and the present invention extends the teaching to an alternative method of rendering the particles tacky.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a printing system for thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate, the system comprising:

a) a movable transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side;

b) a coating station adapted to apply to the imaging surface or at least a segment thereof, a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer;

c) an imaging station adapted to apply energy via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions; and

d) a transfer station adapted to press said imaging surface of said transfer member and said substrate surface, or respective segments thereof, against each other to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of only the regions of the particle coating that have been rendered tacky;characterised in thate) the imaging station comprises a thermal print head in thermal contact with the rear side of the transfer member and operative to apply energy to the particles on the imaging surface by heat conduction through the transfer member.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate, which comprises:

a) providing a movable transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side,

b) applying to the imaging surface a monolayer coating of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer,

c) applying heat by thermal conduction via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and

d) pressing the imaging surface and the surface of the substrate against one another to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of only the regions of the particle coating that have been rendered tacky;

e) repeating step b) to apply a fresh monolayer coating of particles to the selected regions from which the previously applied monolayer coating was transferred to the substrate surface in step d), to leave the imaging surface again uniformly coated with a monolayer of particles, which can be repeatedly subjected to steps c) to e).

The terms “tacky” and “sufficiently tacky” as used herein are not intended to mean that the particle coating is necessarily tacky to the touch but only that it is softened sufficiently to enable its adhesion to the surface of a substrate when pressed against it in the transfer station. The tacky particles or regions of particles rendered tacky are believed to form individual films or contiguous films which following their transfer to a printing substrate may optionally yield thinner films, as a result of the pressure being applied upon contacting of the imaging surface (or a segment thereof) to the substrate (or a corresponding segment thereof) and/or of the optional further processing (e.g., fusing, drying, curing, coating, etc.) of the transferred films. Such optional further processing may include heating of the already-transferred images and/or the receiving substrate by means which do not contact the transferred image or by means which contact the transferred images, both of which means are well known in the art. In the case of non-contact heating, such as hot air, radiant heating, radio frequency heating and the like, heating the transferred image may enhance its adhesion to the substrate, its adhesivity towards subsequently applied materials, its abrasion resistance, its chemical resistance and the like. In the case of heating means which contact the image, such as silicone-coated fuser rolls or belts, in addition to the benefits of non-contact heating, the image film may also acquire higher gloss and scratch resistance.

The intended meaning of the term “monolayer” and different ways in which a monolayer can be achieved are disclosed in WO2016/189512 and WO2016/189513 which provide details of the particle size, polymer film thickness as well as the design and construction of a coating station for applying the particles.

Briefly, in order to facilitate replenishment of the particle coating on the imaging surface after each transfer, particles that adhere to the imaging surface more strongly than they do to one another are utilized. This results in an applied layer that is substantially a monolayer of individual particles, with little, if any, overlap, the thickness of the monolayer being therefore commensurate (e.g., 1-3-times) with the thickness of the particles. Stated differently, the layer is only one particle thick over a major proportion of the area of the imaging surface and most, if not all, of the particles have at least some direct contact with the imaging surface.

One advantage of having a monolayer is that it can provide for good thermal coupling between the particles and the imaging surface on which the particles are coated.

The thermoplastic particles may have a particle size of less than 40 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or less than 5 μm, or less than 1 μm, or within the range of 100 nm to 4 μm, or 300 nm to 1 μm, or 500 nm to 1.5 μm.

To permit the printing on the substrate of patterns corresponding to the selected regions exposed to heat applied by thermal conduction, the affinity of the heated tacky particles needs to be greater to the substrate than to the imaging surface. Moreover, this relatively higher affinity of the tacky particle to the substrate in the selected regions shall also be greater than the affinity of the bare substrate to the particles not rendered tacky. In the present context, a substrate is termed “bare” if lacking any desired image pattern to be printed by the present method or system. Though the bare substrate should for most purposes have substantially no affinity to the thermoplastic particles, to enable the selective affinity of the tacky ones, some residual affinity can be tolerated (e.g., if not visually detectable) or even desired for particular printing effects. Undesired transfer of particles to areas of the bare substrate is also termed parasite or parasitic transfer.

The term “thermoplastic particles” is used to refer to all particles (colored or not) comprising a thermoplastic polymer, whether coating the particle or forming substantially all of the particle, including any intermediate range of presence of the polymer allowing the thermoplastic particles to serve their intended purposes. In the latter cases, wherein the thermoplastic polymer(s) can be homogeneously present in the entire particle, not being particularly restricted to an external coating, the particles may also be said to be made of a thermoplastic polymer. Colored thermoplastic particles may alone, but also in combination, provide a desirable printing effect (e.g., a colored pattern or a part thereof). Uncolored transparent thermoplastic particles not necessarily but typically provide a desirable printing effect when combined with other materials capable of displaying a visually detectable effect. For illustration, transparent particles may form an uncolored under-coat image capable of further adhering to subsequently applied particles (e.g., made of plastics, metals, or any material providing a desirable printing effect) or may form an uncolored over-coat capable of modifying the mechanical or esthetical properties of an image previously formed on the substrate. A transferred image of thermoplastic particles (whether or not colored) that may serve to later adhere different particles thereto may be termed an “adhesive image”.

Such gradient of affinities between the particles (before and after heating), the fluid carrying the native particles for coating or replenishing of the transfer member, the imaging surface, the printing substrate, any such element of the method, can be modulated by selection of suitable materials or characteristics, such as hardness, smoothness, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, charge, polarity and any such properties known to affect interaction between any two elements.

For assisting in the transfer of the tacky film of particles from the imaging surface to the substrate, the imaging surface may be hydrophobic.

In some embodiments, the thermoplastic particles may themselves be hydrophobic. In such case, the relative affinity between the particles in their different states and the imaging surface can be based, at least partially, on hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions. In some embodiments, attachment of the monolayer of particles to the imaging surface is assisted by the relative low hardness of the imaging surface as is further detailed below. A relatively soft imaging surface may assist in forming an intimate contact with each individual particle, such intimate contact manifesting itself in a relatively large contact area between the imaging surface and the particle, in contrast to the discrete contact formed between the particle and a relatively hard surface. Such intimate contact may thus further intensify effects of any short-range attraction forces between the imaging surface and the particles, such as, e.g., hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions or Van der Waals forces.

In some embodiments, the thermoplastic particles and/or the imaging surface can alternatively or additionally achieve desired relative affinity one to another (and to any other fluid or surface suitable for a printing process according to present teachings) by way of charge-based interactions. For instance, positively charged particles may favor negatively charged surfaces. In such case, the relative affinity between the particles in their different states and the imaging surface can be based on charge-charge interactions.

Other aspects and features of particular non-limiting embodiments of the invention are set out in the detailed description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description, together with the figures, makes apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the teachings of the disclosure may be practiced, by way of non-limiting examples. The figures are for the purpose of illustrative discussion and no attempt is made to show structural details of an embodiment in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental and enabling understanding of the disclosure. For the sake of clarity and simplicity, some objects depicted in the figures may not be drawn to scale.

In the Figures:

FIG. 1 depicts schematically a printing system as previously disclosed by the Applicant in WO2016/189512.

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C each shows a schematic representation of a digital printing system of the present invention utilizing a thin thermally conductive transfer member, the digital printing system being illustrated in an exemplary printing assembly additionally comprising at least one second printing system.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic representations of alternative embodiments of a digital printing system 1000 as exemplified in the printing assemblies of FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overall Description of a Printing System

FIG. 1 shows a printing system as disclosed in WO2016/189512 of which the printing system of the present disclosure is a development. In FIG. 1, a drum 10 serving as a transfer member has an outer surface 12 that acts as an imaging surface. As the drum 10 rotates clockwise, as represented by an arrow, it cyclically passes beneath a coating station 14 where it acquires a monolayer coating of fine particles. After exiting the coating station 14, the imaging surface 12 passes beneath an imaging station 16 where radiation is applied by the imaging station 16 to selected regions of the imaging surface 12 to heat and render tacky the particle coating on the selected regions of the imaging surface 12. In FIG. 1, the radiation is applied by exposing the selected regions of the front side of the imaging surface 12 to laser radiation. By contrast, in the present disclosure, as described in more detail below, heat is directly applied to the rear side of the transfer member and conveyed to the thermoplastic particles by conduction.

Next, the imaging surface 12 passes through a transfer station 18, having a nip where a substrate 20 is compressed between the drum 10 and an impression cylinder 22. To enhance contact between the imaging surface and the substrate, the impression cylinder may include on its outer surface a compressible layer 222. The pressure applied at the transfer station 18 causes the selected regions of the coating on the imaging surface 12 that have been rendered tacky by exposure to laser radiation in the imaging station 16, to transfer from the imaging surface 12 to the substrate 20. The regions on the imaging surface 12 corresponding to the selected tacky areas transferred to the substrate consequently become exposed, being depleted by the transfer of particles. The imaging surface 12 can then complete its cycle, by returning to the coating station 14 where a fresh monolayer particle coating is applied to the exposed regions from which the previously applied particles were transferred to the substrate 20 in the transfer station 18. This step can be viewed as a replenishment of the particle coating. As detailed below, the substrate, also termed printing substrate, may be made of various materials (e.g., paper, cardboard, plastics, fabrics etc.), some optionally existing in coated and uncoated form depending on desired characteristics, and can be supplied to the transfer station in different forms (e.g., as sheets or continuous webs).

The thermoplastic polymeric particles selectively heated for transfer to the substrate are said to form a film, or as further detailed hereinafter a polymer film. As used herein, the term “film” indicates that each spot of particle(s) exposed on the imaging surface may form a thin layer or coating of material, which may be flexible at least until transfer to the substrate at the transfer station. The term “film” should not be taken to mean that spots of adjacent particles that are heated at the imaging station are to transfer collectively as a continuous coating. It is believed that a thin film formed on the imaging surface (i.e. by one or more adjacent particles sufficiently exposed to a laser beam) may at most retain its thickness or become even thinner upon transfer. Hence the printing system and method according to the present teachings advantageously enable the printing on a substrate of a thin layer of particles that have been rendered tacky. In some embodiments, the printed film can have a thickness of 1 micrometer or less, or of no more than 800 nm, or of no more than 600 nm, or of no more than 400 nm, or of no more than 200 nm, or even of no more than 100 nm.

The Coating Station

The coating station 14 (or any coating station 14′ as may be found in additional printing systems that may be combined with the present one in printing assemblies) is essentially the same as described in WO2016/189512 and WO2016/189513 and will not therefore be described in detail herein. Essentially, the coating station comprises a plurality of spray heads 1401 that are aligned with each other along the axis of the drum 10. The sprays 1402 of the spray heads are confined within a bell housing 1403, of which the lower rim 1404 is shaped to conform closely to the imaging surface leaving only a narrow gap between the bell housing 1403 and the drum 10. The spray heads 1401 can be connected to a common supply rail 1405 which supplies to the spray heads 1401 a pressurized fluid carrier (gaseous or liquid) having suspended within it the fine particles to be used in coating the imaging surface 12.

The fluid and the surplus particles from the spray heads 1401, which are confined within a plenum 1406 formed by the inner space of the housing 1403, are extracted through an outlet pipe 1407, which is connected to a suitable suction source represented by an arrow, and can be recycled back to the spray heads 1401. Though herein referred to as spray heads, any other type of nozzle or orifice along the common supply pipe or conduit allowing applying the fluid suspended particles are encompassed.

As an alternative to the above-described direct spraying of the fluid and suspended particles onto the imaging surface, the coating station, may, as shown in FIG. 2 of WO2016/189512 comprise a rotatable applicator operative to wipe the fluid and suspended particles onto the surface. The rotatable applicator can alternatively be a brush having fiber or foam made bristles.

In some embodiments, there can be included on the entry side of the coating system 14, and typically at an external upstream location as shown in FIG. 1, a cooler 1422 allowing lowering the temperature of the imaging surface 12 before the previously exposed regions of the particle layer are replenished.

It is possible to provide both a cooler 1422 on the entry side of the coating system 14 and a heater 1424 on the exit side. Additionally, the drum 10 may be temperature controlled by suitable coolers/heaters internal to the drum, such temperature controlling arrangements being operated, if present, in a manner allowing the outer surface of the imaging surface, or portions thereof, to be maintained at any desired temperature.

The Coating Particles

The shape and composition of the coating particles are fully described in WO2016/189512. The invention described herein may employ particles that are pigmented, dyed or colorless. Briefly, for printing of high quality, it is desirable for the particles to be as fine as possible to minimize the interstices between particles of the applied monolayer coating, and to be preferably smaller than the required image resolution. Being dependent upon the desired image resolution, for some applications a particle size of up to 10 micrometer (μm) is deemed appropriate, in particular for pigmented thermoplastic particles. However, for improved image quality, it is preferred for the particle size to be a few micrometers and more preferably less than about 1 μm. In some embodiments, suitable particles can have an average diameter between 100 nm and 4 μm, 300 nm and 1 μm, in particular between 500 nm and 1.5 μm. On account of the manner in which such particles are produced, they are likely to be substantially spherical but that is not essential and they may be shaped as platelets.

In the case of colorless particles, such as those used to form a protective or decorative over-coating, such as a varnish or lacquer, it may be desirable to use particles as large as 5 micrometers, 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm or even 40 μm in average diameter. While colorless particles may be the sole type desired for a particular printing system or printing job, and may have any suitable dimensions, in some embodiments, to be further detailed in the following, the colorless particles are used as last to be applied on printing substrates to which colored particles were already transferred or as first to be applied on printing substrates to which colored particles are to be transferred. While for the former case, the colored particles are thermoplastic so as to be transferable by a thermal printing system according to the present teachings, such limitation no longer applies for colored particles to be adhered to an adhesive image formed by prior transfer of thermoplastic particles. Thus, in the latter case, the colored particles may be made of any material adapted to provide the desired printing effect, and can for instance be made of plastics, metals, ceramics or glasses. Furthermore, the second particles can have any desirable shape, and be relatively spherical, bead-like, rod-like or flake like, the longest dimensions of said shapes possibly, but not necessarily, exceeding the longest dimension of the rather globular first particles. For illustration, the second particles can be metallic flakes (made of metals or alloys, and oxides thereof) and provide for a shiny mirror-like, a glittering, a pearlescent and/or a nacreous appearance.

Typically sizes are provided as average of the population of particles and can be determined by any technique known in the art, such as microscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) or Light Scattering (LS), the former being more suited for relatively smaller particles (e.g., of up to 6 μm) and the latter being more suited for relatively larger particles (e.g., of up to 3.5 mm). The average diameter of a population of particles can be assessed by Dv50 (maximum particle hydrodynamic diameter below which 50% of the sample volume exists) and the size of a predominant portion of the population by Dv90, as measured by DLS or LS.

In some embodiments, the polymer film resulting from the conversion of the monolayer of particles by exposure to heat applied by thermal conduction, whether providing by itself a desired (e.g., colored) printing effect or forming an adhesive image for particles to be later applied, has a thickness of 2 μm or less, or of less than 1 μm, or even of less than 750 nm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the polymer film is of 100 nm or more, or of more than 200 nm, or even of more than 300 nm. The thickness of the polymer film may be in the range of 300 nm-1,000 nm, or of 500 nm-1,500 nm, or of 600 nm-800 nm, or of 700 nm-1,000 nm.

In embodiments, wherein the thermoplastic particles are colorless, being intended for instance for over-coating or under-coating, the particles are typically larger than pigmented particles, and the film obtained following transfer may have accordingly a greater thickness. In such embodiments, the thickness of the polymer film can be of up to 40 μm, or of no more than 30 μm, or of no more than 20 μm, or of no more than 10 μm.

In some embodiments, the particles may be substantially hydrophobic.

The Particle Carrier

The particle carrier, that is to say the fluid within which the coating particles are suspended, may be either a liquid or a gas. If liquid, the carrier is preferably water based and if gaseous the carrier is preferably air. In the interest of economy, surplus particles extracted (e.g., sucked) from the interior of the plenum of a housing may be recycled to the supply and/or applicator device.

The Imaging Station

The imaging device 16 in FIG. 1 is also fully described in WO2016/189512 and need not be described herein in detail because in the present disclosure the imaging station is replaced by a thermal print head 708 in thermal contact with the rear side of a transfer member, as will be described in more details below by reference to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

The Imaging Surface

The imaging surface 12 (and similarly the particle receiving surface 712′ and 712″) in some embodiments is a hydrophobic surface, made typically of an elastomer that can be tailored to have properties as herein disclosed, generally prepared from a release-prone (e.g., silicone-based) material. The silicone-based matrix may have any thickness and/or hardness suitable to bond the intended particles. The suitable hardness is to provide a strong bond to the particles when they are applied to the imaging surface 12 in the coating station 14, the bond being stronger than the tendency of the particles to adhere to one another. It is believed that for relatively thin imaging surfaces (e.g., 5 μm or less), the release-prone material may have a medium to low hardness; whereas for relatively thick imaging surfaces (e.g., up to about 100 μm), the release-prone (e.g., silicone-based) material may have a relatively high hardness. In some embodiments, a relatively high hardness between about 60 Shore A and about 80 Shore A is suitable for the imaging surface. In other embodiments, a medium-low hardness of less than 60, 50, 40, 30, 20 or even 10 Shore A is satisfactory. In a particular embodiment, the imaging surface has a hardness of about 30-40 Shore A, a lower hardness believed to be preferable for spherical particles. The hardness is of at least 5 Shore A.

The hydrophobicity of the imaging surface enables the tacky film created by exposing the particles to heat applied by thermal conduction to transfer cleanly to the substrate without splitting. A surface is said to be hydrophobic when the angle formed by the meniscus at the liquid/air/solid interface, also termed wetting angle or contact angle, exceeds 90°, the reference liquid being typically distilled water. Under such conditions, which are conventionally measured using a goniometer or a drop shape analyzer and can be assessed at a given temperature and pressure of relevance to the operational conditions of the coating process, the water tends to bead and does not wet, hence does not adhere, to the surface.

The imaging surface 12 in FIG. 1 is the outer surface of a drum 10. In the present disclosure, however, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the imaging surface is the surface of an endless transfer member 700 having the form of a belt guided over guide rollers 40 and maintained under an appropriate tension by a drum 30 while it passes through the coating station 14. Additional architectures may allow the imaging surface 12 and the coating station 14 to be in relative movement one with the other. For instance, the imaging surface may form a movable platen which can repeatedly pass beneath a static coating station, or form a static platen, the coating station repeatedly moving from one edge of the platen to the other so as to entirely cover the imaging surface with particles. Conceivably, both the imaging surface and the coating station may be moving with respect to one another and with respect to a static point in space so as to reduce the time it may take to achieve entire coating of the imaging surface with the particles dispensed by the coating station. All such forms of imaging surfaces can be said to be movable (e.g., rotatably, cyclically, endlessly, repeatedly movable or the like) with respect to the coating station where any such imaging surface can be coated with particles (or replenished with particles in exposed regions).

While in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, two guide rollers 40 bound the run of transfer member 700 subjected to the thermal print head 708, this should not be construed as limiting, as one or more guide rollers or smooth sliders may be used for this effect.

The Transfer Member

Thermal transfer printing devices employing direct contact thermal print heads, such as the thermal print head 708 shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, are commercially available and in common use, primarily for printing tags and labels, bar codes and boarding passes. They conventionally use a ribbon coated with a thermoplastic colorant layer. The ribbon is sandwiched between a receiving substrate and the thermal print head, which selectively heats and melts the thermoplastic colorant, transferring it to the substrate in the form of a printed image. Since the thermoplastic colorant layer is a uniform film, once part of that film is transferred to a substrate, the resultant voids render the ribbon unsuitable for reuse. Thus, such thermal transfer printing processes are very wasteful and cost-ineffective.

In accordance with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B in particular with respect to the upstream first printing system 1000, the ribbon is replaced by the transfer member 700 which is re-usable for multiple printing cycles. When using a thermal print head 708 to apply energy to the imaging surface by direct thermal contact with the rear side of the transfer member, it is necessary to employ a transfer member which is as thin as 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm and even 10 μm, or any intermediate value. In its most basic form, such a transfer member may comprise only two layers, namely a heat-resistant polymer base layer and the above-described imaging surface.

Examples of heat resistant polymers suitable for thin base layers are well known in the art, including polyimide (such as Dupont Kapton®), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), aramid polymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers and the like. In the case of low melt temperature particles, lower temperature polymers such as PET, which is the most commonly used polymer for base layers in conventional thermal transfer ribbons, may be employed as a base layer.

The imaging surface should readily release the tacky film of particles during the transfer step. For assisting in the transfer of the tacky film of particles from the imaging surface to the substrate, the imaging surface may be hydrophobic, with a low surface energy. Many such low surface energy surfaces are well known in the art and include common silicone release coatings, silicone elastomers, fluorosilicone compounds, fluoropolymers, fluroelastomers and the like. Any of the aforementioned release materials can be employed as the release layer of the imaging surface of such thin transfer members.

As can be readily appreciated, the transfer member 700 can include additional layers suitable to promote the printing quality of a printing system according to the present teachings. For instance, to enhance contact between the imaging surface and the substrate, the transfer member may include a compressible layer. As is well known in the art of thermal transfer ribbons, it may be desirable to coat the base layer with an additional “backcoat” (sometimes known as a backing layer or slip layer), in order to reduce the sliding friction between the transfer member and the thermal print head and to reduce wear of the print head. Exemplary backcoat materials well known in the art, whether applied to the transfer member during operation of the printing system or integral to the transfer member, include silicone oils, UV cured silicones and silicone block copolymers. Such backcoat compositions may also include “slip agents” well known to those skilled in the art, including derivatives of long chain carboxylic or phosphoric acids, long alkyl chain esters of phosphoric acid, and long alkyl chain acrylates.

The Printing System and Printing Assemblies Including the Same

In FIG. 2A, a first printing system, designated 1000, is based on that shown in FIG. 1 save that the imaging system 16 is replaced by a thermal transfer head 708 (also referred to as a thermal print head) and the transfer member is a belt rather than a drum. In the printing assembly illustrated in this embodiment, after passing through the nip of transfer station 218 of this first printing system 1000, where typically the coating station 14 applies a monolayer of (e.g., pigmented) thermoplastic particles, the substrate passes through the nip of a second printing system 2000 where the second (e.g., thermoplastic) particles, when transferred to the substrate, can serve as a varnish or protective or decorative coat. In this printing system 2000, a coating station 14′ can apply a monolayer of second (e.g., transparent or colored) particles of any desired material to a transfer member 700′ passing over a drum 30′. There is however no selective heating of the second particles in the transfer member 700′ by a thermal print head in this second printing system, that may be referred to as a post-coating arrangement or sub-system. Instead, when the transfer member 700′ is pressed against the substrate 20 conveyed by at substrate transport system 200, the second (e.g., plastic, metallic or ceramic) particles can be transferred to the substrate at transfer station 228′ either because the polymer film on the substrate applied by the printing system 1000 is still tacky (i.e. sufficiently adhesive to transfer second particles from their transfer member and adhere them to the substrate), or because a pressure roller 720 and/or the impression cylinder 22′ is heated, said heating restoring the tackiness of the image transferred at the first printing system and/or non-selectively heating the second particles. For simplicity, an image formed at the first printing system 1000 whose role is to adhere second particles brought into contact therewith at a second printing system (e.g., 2000, 3000) may be referred to as an adhesive image, regardless of any optional need for additional heat once on the printing substrate for it to be sufficiently tacky/adhesive towards the new particles. In the former case, only adhesive image areas of the substrate upon which particles transferred at the first transfer station with an open time sufficient to remain tacky at least until contacted at the second transfer station will have a coating of second particles (e.g., a varnish coating if the second particles are thermoplastic), whereas in the latter case the entire surface of the substrate may receive a transparent coating using such thermoplastic second particles, if non-selectively heated to become sufficiently tacky for transfer.

As previously described for the first printing system wherein the imaging surface 12 can be replenished with thermoplastic particles, the particle receiving surface 712′ of the second printing system can similarly be replenished with second particles at the second coating station 14′ following transfer of at least part of them to the substrate at a previous cycle. In such way, the particle receiving surface will again be uniformly coated with a monolayer of second particles before coming into contact with a subsequent substrate and adhesive image thereon. While the second particles are typically applied to the receiving surface (e.g., 712′, 712″) so as to entirely coat it, in some embodiments the density of the particles coating the second transfer member 700′ or 700″ may be controlled by coating station 14′ so as to coat only portions of the adhesive image created by the first printing system 1000. For illustration, if metallic particles are applied on the receiving surface of a second transfer member at a relatively low density achieving e.g., 5% area coverage, transfer of said relatively dispersed second particles to an adhesive image may provide for a glittering effect to the previously applied image.

Printing system 2000 is one example of a printing sub-assembly in a printing assembly or printing system assembly comprising a printing system 1000 according to the present teachings. FIG. 2A also shows a finishing station 740 that may be present as the sole station downstream of the printing system 1000 or in combination with an additional printing sub-assembly, such as a post-coating arrangement as illustrated by printing system 2000. At the finishing station 740, the polymer film may undergo (e.g., thermal) treatment to fix, cure, coat or dry the polymer film applied by printing system 1000 and/or by printing system 2000. If such (e.g., thermal) finishing treatment is accompanied by pressure contact with the polymer film, it may also serve to impart a desired surface finish, such as a gloss, to the surface of the substrate.

In FIG. 2B, the first printing system 1000 may be as previously described for FIG. 2A, this figure illustrating an alternative printing assembly wherein the second printing system is designated 3000. While in FIG. 2A the second particles applied at the second printing system 2000, were applied to the particle receiving surface 712′ of a second transfer member 700′ shaped as an endless belt, in the printing assembly of FIG. 2B the second particles are applied by the second coating station 14′ to the particle receiving surface 712″ of a second transfer member 700″ shaped as a drum. Drum 700″ not only provides the receiving surface to be coated by the second particles, but forms with the impression cylinder 22′ the second transfer station 228″ and the nip through which a substrate 20 would pass upon exit of the nip of the first transfer station 218 of the first printing system 1000. FIG. 2B illustrates a further alternative for a printing assembly, wherein the adhesive image formed by selective transfer of thermoplastic particles by the first printing system 1000 can be optionally subsequently heated at a heating station 750. Heater 750 may ensure that the adhesive image remains sufficiently tacky (or regains sufficient tackiness) by the time the substrate enters the second nip. While schematically represented by a box upstream of printing system 3000, the heating elements can additionally or alternatively be positioned at the nip of the second transfer station, impression cylinder 22′ containing for illustration an internal heating element or circulating liquid. Regardless of position at which it is directed along the printing path, the heat can be applied selectively to render tacky only the adhesive image or portions thereof. In some embodiments, when complete coating of the substrate is not sought, the heat can be configured to be sufficiently low so as to prevent non-selective transfer of thermoplastic second particles to the entire surface of the substrate. Generally, second particles made of materials other than thermoplastic polymers, such as thermosetting plastics, metals, ceramics, glasses and the like, transfer only to the areas of the adhesive images or to selectively heated part(s) thereof.

Elements of the exemplary embodiments of printing assemblies, and sub-systems thereof, separately illustrated in either FIG. 2A or FIG. 2B may be combined in any desired manner. For illustration, a heating station 750 can be present upstream and/or at a second transfer station, wherein the second particles are applied to a second transfer member shaped as an endless belt (e.g., 700′). As previously illustrated in FIG. 1, the impression cylinder 22 of printing system 1000 and/or the impression cylinder 22′ of printing system 2000 may each include on its outer surface a compressible layer 222 or 222′, respectively.

In FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the thermal transfer head 708 is shown as being located at the nip at which the particles that are rendered tacky are transferred onto the substrate 20. This however is not essential and, as shown in FIG. 3, the nip of a transfer station which may be the first of a printing assembly according to the present teaching may be defined between the impression cylinder 22 and a pressure roller 721 and the thermal transfer head 708 in the path of the transfer member between the pressure roller 721 and a guide roller 723. In such a case, where the particles are first rendered tacky and are only subsequently pressed into contact with the receiving substrate, the particles must retain at least some degree of tackiness from the time they are heated until the time they contact the substrate. This can be achieved by either ensuring that the thermal characteristics of the transfer member and/or the particles are adequate to keep the particles warm enough (i.e. tacky) until said contact is made, or, preferably, by employing thermoplastic particles which have a delayed crystallization characteristic (termed “open time” in the art of hot melt adhesives) adequate to retain tackiness and adhesiveness until pressed into contact with the substrate. While not shown in this figure, the impression cylinder 22 may include on its outer surface a compressible layer 222 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

While the transfer member 700 may have a low friction backcoat, as described above, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, a lubricant can be applied in the gap formed between the rear side of the transfer member 700 and the thermal print head 708. The embodiment of FIG. 4 only differs from that of FIG. 3 by the addition of a lubricant applicator in the form of a roller 725. While not shown in this figure, the impression cylinder 22 may include on its outer surface a compressible layer 222 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 4, lubrication is applied to the rear surface of the transfer member 700 by a lubrication roller 725 positioned upstream, and preferably close to the thermal print head 708. Lubrication roller 725 extends parallel to the rotational axes of the pressure roller 721 and the guide roller 723 and across the entire width of transfer member 700. Lubrication roller 725 may comprise a hollow tube in fluid communication with a lubricant reservoir (not shown here), and having a multitude of apertures along its cylindrical surface. The hollow tube may be further enveloped along its cylindrical surface with a compressible sleeve made of a porous material, such a sponge. The sleeve is thereby configured to allow liquid to drip in a generally radial direction from the hollow tube through the apertures and the sleeve onto the rear side of the transfer member 700.

Lubrication roller 725 is positioned so that its compressible sleeve contacts the transfer member and is configured to revolve about its axis. It may revolve correspondingly to the movement of the transfer member (e.g., by being driven by friction with the transfer member) or it may revolve independently of the movement of the transfer member so that the surface of sleeve slides over the rear surface of the transfer member. In some embodiments, the lubrication roller 725 may revolve in the opposite direction to the direction determined by the movement of the transfer member.

In operation, the hollow tube may be substantially filled with lubricant and lubricant may correspondingly drip through the apertures of the hollow tube and through the compressible sleeve to be smeared on the rear surface of the transfer member. According to some embodiments, lubricant may be pressurized through the apertures, e.g., by a pump, and according to some embodiments oil drips through the apertures through gravitational force.

In any configuration of the printing system, the lubricant is compatible with the transfer member and any element (e.g., guiding rollers) the lubricant may contact in the transfer member path, and advantageously stable at least at temperatures generated by the thermal print head in operation of the printing system. The lubricant typically has a surface tension higher than the surface energy of the transfer member, beading on the face the oil is due to lubricate.

In some embodiments the lubricant may be a silicone oil that is adapted to penetrate through the transfer member so as to exude on the imaging surface to form a thin film thereon and enhance release of tacky particles or film onto the substrate at the transfer station as described above. In such embodiments the use of a suitable silicone oil as a lubricant on the rear side of the transfer member may prolong the useful life expectancy of the transfer member, because, in contrast to spontaneous release of silicone oils from a silicone matrix, which may diminish and even end over time, the added lubricant is supplied incessantly during operation. The viscosity of the silicone oil may be selected in accordance with the permeability of the silicone matrix of the transfer member and with the total thickness thereof, to obtain sufficient penetration of the silicone oil through the transfer member, yet to avoid swelling of the transfer member to an extent that may affect the imaging surface uniformity, hence print quality. Similarly, the molecular weight of the silicone oil may be small enough to allow diffusion through the transfer member, yet sufficiently high to control the rate of diffusion. In any event, the amount of silicone oil that may be desorbed from front side of the transfer member is sufficiently high to provide the desired release of the image formed on the imaging surface, yet sufficiently low, so as to avoid any significant transfer to the printing substrate. A lubricant, which in a particular embodiment, facilitates the release of the ink image from the transfer member to the printing substrate is considered “a release enhancing aid”. In some embodiments the viscosity lies within the range of 30-400 mPa·S. More preferably, the viscosity may lie within the range of 50-300 mPa·S.

The digital printing system shown in the printing assembly illustrated in FIG. 2A or FIG. 2B can only print in one color but multicolor printing can be achieved by passing the same substrate successively through multiple arrangements of coating, imaging and transfer stations (such as illustrated by printing system 1000) that are synchronized and/or in registration with one another and each printing a different color. In such case of printing systems assembly, it may be desirable to provide substrate treating stations between the different coating stations. A treating station can be, for instance, a cooler able to reduce the temperature of the substrate on its exit of a previous transfer station. As some transferred films may retain some residual tackiness to a degree that may impair a subsequent transfer of different particles, it may be advantageous to eliminate such residual tackiness by cooling of the film transferred to the substrate. Depending on the thermoplastic polymer, the elimination of any residual tackiness, or its reduction to a level not affecting the process, can alternatively be achieved by a treating station being a curing station.

Moreover, while in previous paragraph each arrangement of coating, imaging and transfer stations was considered for the sake of printing a different color, in a further embodiment, one set of such stations (in a printing system comprising at least two said arrangements of stations as illustrated by printing system 1000) can be used to apply colorless particles. For instance, the colorless particles can be applied at the final arrangement. In such a case, the colorless film of tacky thermoplastic particles of the last coating station, exposed to radiation of the last imaging station, are transferred at the last transfer station, for instance, to serve as overcoat to the previous colored films. These stations can be said to form an over-coating arrangement or sub-system. Conversely, an arrangement for colorless printing can be the first of a series, for instance, to modify the later application of colored particles or films, and/or the visual effect they may provide. These stations can be said to form an under-coating arrangement or sub-system.

Furthermore, a printing system, even if monochrome, may include a perfecting system allowing double-sided printing. In some cases, perfecting can be addressed at the level of the substrate transport system 200, which may for example revert a substrate to a side not yet printed on and return the unprinted side of the substrate to the same treating and impressions stations having served to print the first side. In other cases, perfecting can be addressed by including two separate transfer stations (and their respective upstream or downstream stations), each transfer station enabling printing on a different side of the same substrate.

The Substrate

The printing systems and assemblies shown in the drawings are not restricted to any particular type of substrate. The substrate may be individual sheets of paper or card or it may have the form of a continuous web. Because of the manner in which a thin film of softened polymeric particles is applied to the substrate, the film tends to reside on the surface of the substrate. This allows printing of high quality to be achieved on paper of indifferent quality. Furthermore, the material of the substrate need not be fibrous and may instead be any type of surface, for example a plastics film or a rigid board.

In some embodiments, the surface of the printing substrate can be treated to favor the transfer of the films of tacky particles. Treatment can be physical (e.g., by corona) and/or chemical (e.g., the substrate including a suitable external coat).

The Transfer Station

The transfer stations 218, 228′ and 228″ illustrated in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B comprise only a smooth impression cylinder 22 or 22′ that is pressed against the transfer member 700, 700′ or 700″ and their outer imaging surface 12 or particle receiving surfaces 712′ or 712″. The impression cylinder 22 and/or 22′ may form part of a substrate transport system 200, in which case it may be equipped with grippers for engaging the leading edge of individual substrate sheets. While the different transfer stations in a printing assembly comprising more than one printing system have been illustrated as being separately formed with distinct impression cylinders, such arrangement is not mandatory. In an alternative embodiment of a printing assembly, the transfer stations of a plurality of printing systems can be arranged across a same impression cylinder. For illustration, a printing assembly comprising four printing systems, each adapted to thermally transfer thermoplastic particles of a different color, such as cyan, magenta, yellow and black, can be radially positioned along the circumference of a single impression cylinder. This is schematically depicted in FIG. 2C, in which each of 1000a to 1000d can be adapted to transfer thermoplastic particles of a different color. Alternatively, one of 1000b to 1000d can serve as a second printing system (such as detailed for 2000 and 3000) capable of applying second particles to an adhesive image formed by 1000a being a first printing system. For sake of clarity, optional in-between or finishing stations and optional heater(s) are omitted from this figure. In other than digital printing systems, the impression cylinder 22 may have an embossed surface to select the regions of the particle coating to be transferred to the substrate 20.

In the description and claims of the present disclosure, each of the verbs, “comprise” “include” and “have”, and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of features, members, components, elements, steps or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb.

As used herein, the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include plural references and mean “at least one” or “one or more” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. At least one of A and B is intended to mean either A or B, and may mean, in some embodiments, A and B.

Positional or motional terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “right”, “left”, “bottom”, “below”, “lowered”, “low”, “top”, “above”, “elevated”, “high”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “front”, “back”, “backward”, “forward”, “upstream” and “downstream”, as well as grammatical variations thereof, may be used herein for exemplary purposes only, to illustrate the relative positioning, placement or displacement of certain components, to indicate a first and a second component in present illustrations or to do both. Such terms do not necessarily indicate that, for example, a “bottom” component is below a “top” component, as such directions, components or both may be flipped, rotated, moved in space, placed in a diagonal orientation or position, placed horizontally or vertically, or similarly modified.

Unless otherwise stated, the use of the expression “and/or” between the last two members of a list of options for selection indicates that a selection of one or more of the listed options is appropriate and may be made.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance or illustration”. Any embodiment described as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments and/or to exclude the incorporation of features from other embodiments.

In the disclosure, unless otherwise stated, adjectives such as “substantially”, “approximately” and “about” that modify a condition or relationship characteristic of a feature or features of an embodiment of the present technology, are to be understood to mean that the condition or characteristic is defined to within tolerances that are acceptable for operation of the embodiment for an application for which it is intended, or within variations expected from the measurement being performed and/or from the measuring instrument being used. When the term “about” or “approximately” precedes a numerical value, it is intended to indicate +/−15%, or +/−10%, or even only +/−5%, and in some instances the precise value. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the terms (e.g., numbers) used in this disclosure, even without such adjectives, should be construed as having tolerances which may depart from the precise meaning of the relevant term but would enable the invention or the relevant portion thereof to operate and function as described, and as understood by a person skilled in the art.

While this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of the embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The present disclosure is to be understood as not limited by the specific embodiments described herein.

To the extent necessary to understand or complete the disclosure of the present invention, all publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned herein, including in particular the applications of the Applicant, are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety by reference as is fully set forth herein.

Claims

1. A printing assembly comprising: A] a first printing system operational to effect printing onto a surface of a substrate by thermal transfer, the first printing system comprising:a) a transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side;b) a coating station at which a monolayer of first particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, or at least a segment thereof, the transfer member and the coating station being operationally in relative movement;c) an imaging station at which energy is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the imaging surface to render first particles coating the selected regions tacky, the imaging station comprising a thermal print head in thermal contact with the rear side of the transfer member and operative to apply energy to the selected regions by heat conduction through the transfer member; andd) a transfer station at which the imaging surface of the transfer member and the surface of the substrate, or respective segments thereof, are operationally pressed against each other to cause the first particles that have been rendered tacky to transfer to the surface of the substrate whereby an adhesive image is formed on the substrate; andB] a second printing system configured to apply second particles;the printing assembly further comprising a heating station at which at least a part of the adhesive image on the substrate is heated so that it is tacky at least during the application of the second particles at the second printing system, to cause second particles to adhere to the at least heated part of the adhesive image.

2. The printing assembly of claim 1, wherein the coating station is configured to apply a fresh monolayer coating of first particles to the selected regions from which the first particles were previously transferred to the substrate surface to form the adhesive image, to render the imaging surface uniformly coated with a monolayer of first particles.

3. The printing assembly of claim 1, wherein the transfer station of the first printing system comprises an impression cylinder positioned facing the front side of the transfer member so as to define a nip at which at least a segment of the imaging surface of the transfer member and at least a segment of the surface of the substrate are pressed against each other, and wherein the thermal print head of the imaging station is aligned to apply heat to the rear side of the transfer member at and/or adjacent the nip, so that rendering of the first particles coating the selected regions tacky, and pressing of the imaging surface of the transfer member and the surface of the substrate, or respective segments thereof, against each other, occur substantially concurrently.

4. The printing assembly of claim 3, wherein the impression cylinder further comprises a compressible layer on its outer surface.

5. The printing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lubrication system configured to controllably release a lubricant to the rear side of the transfer member to lubricate the rear side as the rear side slides over the thermal print head.

6. The printing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a processing station for processing the substrate before and/or after passage through the transfer station.

7. The printing assembly of claim 6, wherein (a) the processing station includes a heater operative to heat particles that were transferred onto the surface of the substrate and/or to heat the substrate, and/or wherein (b) the processing station is configured to chemically and/or physically treat the substrate prior to being pressed against the imaging surface.

8. The printing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cooler upstream or on the entry side of the coating station and/or a heater on the exit side of the coating station.

9. The printing assembly of claim 1, wherein the imaging surface is the outer surface of a drum or of an endless transfer member.

10. The printing assembly of claim 1, wherein the second printing system comprises: a) a second transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with a particle receiving surface on the front side;b) a second coating station at which a monolayer of second particles is applied to the particle receiving surface, the second transfer member and the second coating station being operationally in relative movement; andc) a second transfer station at which the particle receiving surface of the second transfer member and the surface of the substrate, or respective segments thereof, are operationally pressed against each other to cause transfer of the second particles to at least a part of the adhesive image formed on the substrate at the first printing system.

11. The printing assembly of claim 10, wherein the second transfer station of the second printing system comprises a second impression cylinder facing the front side of the second transfer member, the second impression cylinder being positioned so as to define a second nip at which the particle receiving surface of the second transfer member and the surface of the substrate, or respective segments thereof, are pressed against each other, the second impression cylinder being same or different than the impression cylinder of the transfer station of the first printing system.

12. The printing assembly of claim 11, wherein the particle receiving surface of the second transfer member is the outer surface of a) a second drum and the second nip is between the second drum and the second impression cylinder, or b) an endless second transfer member and the second nip is between a pressure roller facing the rear side of the endless second transfer member and the second impression cylinder.

13. The printing assembly of claim 12, wherein the second impression cylinder is different than the impression cylinder of the transfer station of the first printing system, and at least one of the drum, pressure roller and second impression cylinder is capable of heating so as to constitute at least a part of the heating station.

14. The printing assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of the drum, pressure roller and second impression cylinder further includes a compressible layer on its outer surface.

15. The printing assembly of claim 10, wherein the second coating station is configured to apply a fresh monolayer coating of second particles to selected regions of the particle receiving surface depleted from second particles previously transferred to at least a part of the adhesive image, to render the particle receiving surface uniformly coated with a monolayer of second particles.

16. The printing assembly of claim 11, wherein the heating station is disposed at or adjacent to the second nip, the heat being applied to at least a part of the adhesive image at and/or adjacent the second nip, so that heating the adhesive image and pressing of the particle receiving surface of the second transfer member and the surface of the substrate, or respective segments thereof, against each other, occur substantially concurrently.

17. The printing assembly of claim 1, comprising at least one of: a) an under-coating arrangement located upstream of the first printing system; b) a cooling station located downstream of the second printing system; c) an over-coating arrangement located downstream of the second printing system; and d) a finishing station located downstream of at least one of the printing systems.

18. The printing assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second particles are colored.

19. The printing assembly of claim 1, wherein a) the first and second particles are colored particles, a color of the first particles being different from a color of the second particles; orb) one of the first and second particles are colored and the other of the first and second particles are transparent.

20. The printing assembly of claim 1, wherein the second particles provide a decorative coating to the adhesive image, the second particles being made of plastics, metals, ceramics or glasses.