Consumer product package and method of manufacture

Abstract

The invention relates to consumer product packages having impact promotional items printed directly on the package and methods for manufacturing such product packages. An image constituting the impact promotional item is printed using blended printing inks and sublimation dyes onto a paperboard blank, which is folded to form a product package. The printed image has a visual appearance substantially unchanged from a conventional printed image. The sublimation dyes present in the printed image supply a transferrable image component that, following transfer to a substrate such as a fabric article, accurately reproduces the printed image viewed by the consumer on the product package. Printing ink and sublimation dye blends for printing the image are also disclosed, as are methods for transferring the transferrable image component to an article, such as a fabric article or textile.

1 - 27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . A promotional method comprising: 
 distributing a consumer product package including a transferrable image and a visible image overlapping with the transferrable image printed on a panel of the consumer product package; and    instructing how to transfer the transferrable image thermally from the panel of the consumer product package to a substrate.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the transferrable image is formed from sublimation dyes, and instructing how to transfer the transferrable image further comprises: 
 directing a consumer to place the panel carrying the transferrable image in contact with a substrate; and    directing a consumer to supply heat energy to the transferrable image sufficient to sublimate the sublimation dyes to form vapors that transfer the image to the substrate.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein instructing how to transfer the transferrable image further comprises: 
 directing a consumer to apply a pressure sufficient to maintain the contact between the transferrable image and the substrate while heat energy is supplied to the transferrable image.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the panel is coated, and directing the consumer to supply heat energy further comprises: 
 directing the consumer to select a temperature at which the coating on the panel becomes tacky so that the panel adheres releasably to the substrate.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the panel is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of clay coated newsback, natural kraft, uncoated recycled board, solid bleached sulfate and coated unbleached kraft.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the substrate is a fabric article.  
   
   
       34 - 38 . (canceled)  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the transferrable image and the visible image are printed simultaneously on the panel.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising: 
 blending a printing ink with a sublimation dye to form a composition; and    applying the composition in a pattern consistent with the visible and transferrable images onto the panel.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising: 
 blending a plurality of printing inks with a plurality of sublimation dyes to provide a plurality of compositions; and    applying each of the compositions in a pattern consistent with the visible and transferrable images onto the panel    
   
   
       42 . A promotional method comprising: 
 printing a transferrable image capable of being thermally transferred to a substrate on a panel of a consumer product package; and    printing a visible image overlapping with the transferrable image on the panel of the consumer product package.    
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein printing the visible image further comprises: 
 registering features of the visible image with corresponding features of the transferrable image.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein printing the transferrable image further comprises: 
 printing the transferrable image with at least three sublimation dyes of different color proportionately present so that said transferrable image is gray balanced.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42  wherein printing the visible image further comprises: 
 printing the visible image with at least three printing inks of different color proportionately present so that the visible image is gray balanced.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 42  wherein printing the transferrable image and printing the visible image further comprises: 
 printing the transferrable image and the visible image with a total thickness ranging from about 10 −6  lbs/in 2  to about 10 −5  lbs/in 2  solid coverage.    
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the panel is a portion of a foldable blank capable of being folded to form the consumer product package, and further comprising: 
 folding the foldable blank to form said consumer product package; and    positioning the panel inside of the consumer product package during folding.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the panel is a portion of a foldable blank capable of being folded to form the consumer product package, the panel has a visible side and a non-visible side opposite the visible side, and the transferrable image is located on the non-visible side of the panel.  
   
   
       49 . A promotional method comprising: 
 printing a visible image on a panel of a consumer product package printing a transferrable image capable of being thermally transferred to a substrate on the panel of the consumer product package such that the transferrable image overlaps with the visible image.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein printing the transferrable image further comprises: 
 registering features of the transferrable image with corresponding features of the visible image.