Heat-transfer label well-suited for labeling fabrics and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

A method for labeling fabrics, such as fabric garments, and a heat-transfer label well-suited for use in said method. In one embodiment, the heat-transfer label comprises (i) a support portion, the support portion comprising a carrier and a release layer; (ii) a wax layer, the wax layer overcoating the release layer; and (iii) a transfer portion, the transfer portion comprising an adhesive layer printed onto the wax layer and an ink design layer printed onto the adhesive layer. Preferably, at least a portion of the ink design layer is printed using a variable printing technique, such as thermal transfer printing.

1 . A heat-transfer label well-suited for labeling an article of fabric, the heat-transfer label comprising: 
 (a) a support portion; and    (b) a transfer portion, the transfer portion being positioned over the support portion for transfer of the transfer portion from the support portion to an article of fabric, the transfer portion comprising 
 (i) a first printed marking, and  
 (ii) a heat-activatable adhesive layer, the heat-activatable adhesive layer having a surface roughness not exceeding about 10 microns;  
 (iii) wherein the first printed marking and the heat-activatable adhesive layer are positioned relative to one another so that one of the first printed marking and the heat-activatable adhesive layer is positioned over the other.  
   
   
   
       2 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first printed marking is positioned over the heat-activatable adhesive layer.  
   
   
       3 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the first printed marking is printed directly onto the heat-activatable adhesive layer.  
   
   
       4 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the first printed marking is printed by a variable printing technique.  
   
   
       5 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the variable printing technique is selected from the group consisting of thermal transfer printing, inkjet printing, laser jet printing, dye sublimation printing, electrographic printing, magnetographic printing, ionographic printing, digital stencil duplicator printing, imagesetter printing, platesetter printing, and direct imaging conventional press printing.  
   
   
       6 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the variable printing technique is direct thermal transfer printing.  
   
   
       7 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the first printed marking is formed using a wax and resin-based thermal transfer ribbon.  
   
   
       8 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the first printed marking is formed using a resin-based thermal transfer ribbon.  
   
   
       9 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the first printed marking comprises a first ink layer, the first ink layer having a thickness of about 1-20 microns.  
   
   
       10 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the first ink layer has a thickness of about 1-10 microns.  
   
   
       11 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the first ink layer has a thickness of about 4-8 microns.  
   
   
       12 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the first printed marking comprises a first ink layer and a first ink diffusion barrier layer, one of the first ink layer and the first ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned over the other.  
   
   
       13 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the first ink diffusion barrier layer has a thickness of about 0.1 to 10 microns and is selected from the group consisting of silicon-based oxide coatings, silicon-based nitride coatings, titanium oxide coatings, and resin-based adhesive coatings.  
   
   
       14 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the first ink layer is positioned over the first ink diffusion barrier layer.  
   
   
       15 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the first printed marking further comprises a second ink layer, the second ink layer being positioned over the first ink layer.  
   
   
       16 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the first ink diffusion barrier layer is positioned over the first ink layer.  
   
   
       17 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the first printed marking further comprises a second ink layer, the first ink layer being positioned over the second ink layer.  
   
   
       18 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the first printed marking further comprises a second ink diffusion barrier layer, the second ink layer being positioned over the second ink diffusion barrier layer.  
   
   
       19 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the first printed marking comprises at least a first ink layer and a second ink layer, one of the first ink layer and the second ink layer being positioned over the other, at least one of the first ink layer and the second ink layer comprising a UV- or IR-activatable ink.  
   
   
       20 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the first printed marking comprises a first ink layer and a second ink layer, the first ink layer and the second ink layer being of different colors.  
   
   
       21 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer comprises a PVC resin.  
   
   
       22 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the first printed marking is printed by a printing technique selected from the group consisting of screen printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing.  
   
   
       23 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 22 , the transfer portion further comprising a second printed marking printed directly onto the heat-activatable adhesive layer, the second printed marking being printed by a variable printing technique selected from the group consisting of thermal transfer printing, ink jet printing, laser jet printing, dye sublimation printing, electrographic printing, magnetographic printing, ionographic printing, digital stencil duplicator printing, imagesetter printing, platesetter printing, and direct imaging conventional press printing.  
   
   
       24 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer comprises a PVC resin, the first printed marking is printed using a PVC ink and the second printed marking is printed by thermal transfer printing.  
   
   
       25 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the support portion comprises a carrier and a release coating positioned directly on top of the carrier.  
   
   
       26 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 25  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer is in direct contact with said release coating.  
   
   
       27 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the release coating is made of a non-wax, non-silicone, release material.  
   
   
       28 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 25  further comprising a wax layer over the release coating, the heat-activatable adhesive layer being in direct contact with the wax layer.  
   
   
       29 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 28  wherein the transfer portion further comprises a second printed marking, the second printed marking being printed directly onto the wax layer.  
   
   
       30 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the second printed marking is made by a variable printing technique selected from the group consisting of thermal transfer printing, inkjet printing, laser jet printing, dye sublimation printing, electrographic printing, magnetographic printing, ionographic printing, digital stencil duplicator printing, imagesetter printing, platesetter printing, and direct imaging conventional press printing.  
   
   
       31 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the variable printing technique is direct thermal transfer printing.  
   
   
       32 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 31  wherein the second printed marking comprises a first ink diffusion barrier layer printed directly onto the wax layer, a first ink layer printed directly onto the first ink diffusion barrier layer, and a second ink diffusion barrier layer printed directly onto the ink layer.  
   
   
       33 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first printed marking and the heat-activatable adhesive layer includes at least one of a security ink and a security additive.  
   
   
       34 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer has a surface roughness of no more than about 5 microns.  
   
   
       35 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer has a surface roughness of no more than about 2 microns.  
   
   
       36 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer is prepared by at least a two pass-through printing process.  
   
   
       37 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer is positioned over the first printed marking.  
   
   
       38 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 37  wherein the transfer portion further comprises a second printed marking, the second printed marking being printed directly onto the heat-activatable adhesive layer.  
   
   
       39 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 38  wherein the second printed marking is printed by a variable printing technique.  
   
   
       40 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 39  wherein the variable printing technique is selected from the group consisting of thermal transfer printing, ink jet printing, laser jet printing, dye sublimation printing, electrographic printing, magnetographic printing, ionographic printing, digital stencil duplicator printing, imagesetter printing, platesetter printing, and direct imaging conventional press printing.  
   
   
       41 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the variable printing technique is direct thermal transfer printing.  
   
   
       42 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 41  wherein the first printed marking comprises a first ink layer and a first ink diffusion barrier layer, one of the first ink layer and the first ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned over the other.  
   
   
       43 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 42  wherein the first printed marking further comprises a second ink diffusion barrier layer, the first ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned directly on top of the heat-activatable adhesive layer, the first ink layer being positioned directly on top of the first ink diffusion barrier layer, the second ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned directly on top of the first ink layer.  
   
   
       44 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 41  wherein the first printed marking is formed using a PVC ink and the heat-activatable adhesive layer comprises a PVC resin.  
   
   
       45 . A heat-transfer label well-suited for labeling an article of fabric, the heat-transfer label comprising: 
 (a) a support portion; and    (b) a transfer portion, the transfer portion being positioned over the support portion for transfer of the transfer portion from the support portion to an article of fabric, the transfer portion comprising 
 (i) a heat-activatable adhesive layer, the heat-activatable adhesive layer having a surface roughness not exceeding about 15 microns; and  
 (ii) a design layer positioned directly over the heat-activatable adhesive layer, the design layer being printed entirely by a variable printing technique.  
   
   
   
       46 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 45  wherein the design layer is printed entirely by direct thermal transfer printing.  
   
   
       47 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 45  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer has a surface roughness of no more than about 5 microns.  
   
   
       48 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 47  wherein the heat-activatable adhesive layer includes a PVC resin.  
   
   
       49 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 45  wherein the design layer is printed using a wax and resin-based thermal transfer ribbon.  
   
   
       50 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 45  wherein the design layer is printed using a resin-based thermal transfer ribbon.  
   
   
       51 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 45  wherein the design layer comprises a first ink layer and a first ink diffusion barrier layer, one of the first ink layer and the first ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned over the other.  
   
   
       52 . A heat-transfer label well-suited for labeling an article of fabric, the heat-transfer label comprising: 
 (a) a carrier;    (b) a release layer, the release layer being positioned over the carrier; and    (c) a first marking transferable to the article of fabric, the first marking being positioned over the release layer, the first marking being made by thermal transfer printing and comprising a first ink layer and a first ink diffusion barrier layer, one of the first ink layer and the first ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned over the other.    
   
   
       53 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 52  wherein the first marking further comprises a second ink diffusion barrier layer, the first ink layer being positioned directly on top of the first ink diffusion barrier layer, the second ink diffusion barrier layer being positioned directly on top of the first ink layer.  
   
   
       54 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 52  wherein the release layer is a non-wax, non-silicone, release material positioned directly on top of the carrier and wherein the first marking is printed directly onto the release layer.  
   
   
       55 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 52  wherein the release layer is a non-wax, non-silicone, release material positioned directly on top of the carrier, the heat-transfer label further comprising a wax layer positioned directly on top of the release layer, the first marking being printed directly onto the wax layer.  
   
   
       56 . The heat-transfer label as claimed in  claim 52  further comprising a second marking positioned over the release layer and transferable to the article of fabric, the second marking being printed by a printing technique selected from the group consisting of screen printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing.  
   
   
       57 - 88 . (canceled).