US3043732A - Top label surprinting - Google Patents

Description

July 10, 1962 R. G. SHEPHERD, JR 3,043,732

TOP LABEL SURPRINTING Filed Jan. 2, 1957 4 4 4 f //////V A 6 \J I''w? l N, um f YI@ d, j

United States Patent O* 3,043,732 TGP LABEL SURPRINTING Ridgley G. Shepherd, Jr., Weston, Mass., assignor to Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 632,235 6 Claims. (Cl. 156-230) This invention relates to transfers and particularly to a method of legibly surprinting over printing in top label transfers and transfers made by such method. Usually the first printing is in the for-m of a design or lettering or both but sometimes it is solid coloring. Usually the surprinting is applied directly over the first printing but sometimes there is an intermediate layer of adhesive or the like.

Transfer labels are often used for application of a design from a temporary carrier to a receiving surface. In many packaging operations it is desired to add over an Y existing label later or last minute information such as prices, dates, contents, numbers, etc. These indicia are most advantageously added to the top of the transfer before being applied to the receiving surface. Where the transferred label is affixed to the underside of a transparent material such that the layers of the transfer are viewed in the same order as they were placed on the temporary carrier no problem exists as to ligibility. However, where the transfers (herein called top label transfers) are applied to the face or outer side of a receiving surface the layers will be reversed in viewing order from the order in which they were placed on the backing. In this situation it has not been heretofore possible to add additional information with conventional transfer inks over the top of opaque printing since this information will be covered by the opaque printing when the layers are reversed and attached to the receiving surface.

It is accordingly the principal object of this invention to provide a method whereby additional data may be legibly surprinted over printed top label transfers so that the data is visible through the printing even though the printing is more or less opaque.

Legible surprinting according to the present invention is provided by surprinting the transfer with `an ink comprising a substantially water insoluble dye dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent. These inks, unlike the conventional transfer printing inks which are insoluble pigments in a carrier vehicle, will strike or diffuse through an opaque label and become legible therethrough. Legibility is further improved by transferring the label while the surprinting ink is still wet.

This invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a transfer surprinting according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on. line 2-2 of FIG. l; and l l FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the transfer of FIG. l applied to the face of a receiving surface with the backing layers partially removed.

Referring to the drawing, the illustrated transfer comprises a backing or temporary `carrier 1 such as, for example, paper, arelease coating 2 such as wax, an opaquetransferable label 3, and an after-addedsurprint 4. As best illustrated in FIG` 2, thesurprint 4 is diffused through rhe1abe1 s.

In use the transfer is placed with theouter face 5 of thelabel 3 against the outer face of a receiving surface 6 and the label adhered to the surface 6 by the application of heat and pressure. Thelayers 1 and 2 over the label are then stripped away leaving the label exposed on the surface 6. This stripping away is facilitated by the reresins, etc., or mixtures of these materials.

3,043,732 Patented July 1o, 1962 Iicelease layer 2 which, in the transfer as illustrated, melts or is softened by heat. It should be noted that thelabel 3 is reversed after transfer so that thesurface 5, which is outermost on the transfer backing, is next to the receiving surface 6 after transfer, and thesurprint 4 would be hidden thereby were it not diffused through thedesign 3.

Thelabel 3 may comprise a single layer or a plurality of layers and may be continuous or discontinuous. 'Ihese labels or designs are usually opaque, thermoplastic or drying oil compositions with pigments, that is, insoluble coloring matter, incorporated therein.

Examples are pigments in a vehicle comprising polyvinyl acetate, cellulose esters and ethers, polyalkyl acrylates and methacrylates, vinyl chloride polymers, chlorinated rubber, synthetic rubber polymers, polyethylene, drying oils such as linseed oil, synthetic varnishes, alkyd These label coatings usually vary from .0l to 1.0 mils in thickness.

Transfer inks heretofore used, such as letterpress and rotogravure inks which comprise insoluble pigments such as phthalocyanine blue, toluidine red, titanium dioxide, carbon black and the like suspended in a vehicle, cannot be used to surprint top-label transfer before transfer since these inks will not diffuse through existing designs and would be covered after transfer by thelabel 3.

However it has been discovered that if, instead of the usual pigment-vehicle ink, special inks which comprise a dye or dyes dissolved in aI non-aqueous solvent are used .for surprinting before transfer, the dye-solvent ink will diifuse throughlabel 3 and -be legible when the label is reversed during transfer. While a lsubstantially water insoluble dye and `a non-aqueous solvent are necessary for this invention, some water can also be tolerated in addition to dye solvent if it is thoroughly dispersed. Such solvents can, however, be used if the printing medium (such as a rubber stamp) is not'left in contact with the first printing too long. These surprinting inks have been found effective to surprint all top-labels tested except transfers which embody labels having very dense, leafed, powder-metal inks incorporated therein. Common types of .ing ink concentration and reservoir supplies. Solvents which evaporate 'at rates (parts by volume) higher than butyl acetate derived from fusel oil are not, for this reason, recommended. For the purpose of this invention, wax is considered to be `a solvent for oil soluble dyes if the Wax melts `and becomes liquid at the transfer tempertature used such that the liquid wax and dye strike through the label during transfer. A wax-dye surprint `can also be printed with the wax melted 4to facilitate transfer. Surprinting inks should, of course, be of a different color from the label over which they are printed in order to be legible. f

In addition'to the above disclosed special inks, it has been discovered that if the surprinted transfers are transferred while the surprinting ink is still wet, the ink is assisted in striking (diffusing) through the label to become legible therethrough. While this step is advantageous it `is not normally required unless a normally solid solvent is utilized.

As a specific example of the practice of this invention, ten grams of Calco Aviation Oil Blue dye are dissolved in 100 grams of a solvent mixture composed of 25 parts by weight of acetophenone and 75 parts by weight of phenyl methyl carbinol. This solution is filtered and then impregnated into -a stamp pad. Indica is then surprinted from this pad by use of a rubber stamp on an opaque top label transfer and immediately transferred to moistureproof, heat-scalable cellophane. The ink strikes through the first printing and is highly legible on the nonprinted side of the transfer label after the backing is stripped off. v

While this invention has been illustrated with a heat transfer having a backing, a release coating, land a label, it is obvious that it can be used Wi-th other transfers. Since the layersunderlying the label are to be stripped away after transfer the presence of other or additional underlying layers isimmaterial. Also additional permeable layers such 1as pressure-sensitive or heat-responsive adhesives may overlie the label and the surprinting will strike-through these layers as well las the label. Thus the invention is applicable to most forms of pressuresensitive, water-soluble decals, and heat-responsive transfers Where the l-abel therein is reversed after transfer.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that the invention includes all modifications and equivalents which Afall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A top label transfer comprising a temporary backing, a transferable coating of op-aque thermoplastic resin, containing non-metallic pigment ink on the face f said backing, the coating being soluble in a non-aqueous solvent, and surprinting of additional indicia over said coating, the surprinting comprising la substantially Waterinsoluble dye soluble ina non-aqueous solvent for said coating, said sur-printing being diffused through said coating so as to be visible on the opposite side ofthe coating when the vcoating is transferred and the backing is removed.

2. A top label ,transfer `according to claim l wherein said dye is dissolved in wax which melts during transfer.

3. A top label transfer according toclaim 1 wherein said backing comprises a release coating under the transferable coating.

4. In the art `of top label transfers having a temporary backing, the method which comprises applying to the face of a backing a transferable opaque thermoplastic resin coating containing non-metallic pigment ink, said resin coating being dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent, drying the coating, and surprinting over the coating with waterin-soluble dye dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent for said coating so that the surprinted dye diffuses through the coating and is visible on the opposite side of the coating when the coating is transferred and the backing is removed.

5. In the art of top label transfers having a temporary backing, the method which comprises applying to the face ,of a backing a transferable opaque thermoplastic resin coating containing non-metallic pigment ink, said resin coating being dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent, drying the coating, surprinting additional material over the coating, transferring the coating, and removing the backing, said additional material being printed with water-insoluble dye dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent in which said coating is soluble, whereby the dye diffuses through the coating and the surprinting is visible when the coating is transferred and the backing is removed.

6. The method according toclaim 5 further characterized in that the transfer is eected with heat and pressure while the dye is still wet to assist it in striking through the coating.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 702,350 Howard June 10, 1902 714,485 Howard Nov. 25, 1902 1,714,265 Gui-wick May 21, 1929 1,714,503 Gorham May 28, 19,29' 1,847,390 Finn Mar. 1, 1932 1,891,323 Eisenberg Dec. 20, 1932 2,185,983 Humphner Jan. 2, 1940 2,571,962 Smith et al Oct. 16, 1951 2,578,150 Ratlrke Dec. 11, 1951 2,627,485 Smith Feb. 3, 1953 2,635,974 Terry Apr.'21, 1953 2,688,579 Meyer Sept. 7, 1954 2,724,674 Pritikin Nov. `22, 1955 2,746,893 Matthes May 22, 1956 2,783,172 Avery Feb. 26, 1957 2,784,133 Grupe Mar. 5, 1957 2,810,673 Wooldrik Oct. 22, 1957 2,811,475 Edge Oct. 29, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES Printing Inks, Ellis, Reinhold Publishing Co., April 15, 1942, pp. 312, 353-4.

Claims (1)

1. 4. IN THE ART OF TOP LABEL TRANSFERS HAVING A TEMPORARY BACKING, THE METHOD WHICH COMPRISES APPLYING TO THE FACE OF A BACKING A TRANSFERABLE OPAQUE THERMOPLASTIC RESIN COATING CONTAINING NON-METALLIC PIGMENT INK, SAID RESIN COATING BEING DISSOLVED IN A NON-AQUEOUS SOLVENT, DRYING THE COATING, AND SURPRINTING OVER THE COATING WITH WATERINSOLUBLE DYE DISSOLVED IN A NON-AQUEOUS SOLVENT FOR SAID COATING SO THAT THE SURPRINTED DYE DIFFUSES THROUGH THE COATING AND IS VISIBLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE COATING WHEN THE COATING IS TRANSFERRED AND THE BACKING IS REMOVED.

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