Process for high and medium energy dye printing a flocked article

Abstract

The processes and articles of the present invention use thermally stable and loft retentive polymers in sublimation printed flock fibers, which are particularly attractive for forming molded and heat laminated articles. The process and articles use high, medium and low energy dyes on the fibers. A preferred polymer for use in the fibers is poly(cyclohexylene-dimethylene terephthalate).

1 . An article, comprising: 
 a substrate;    a permanent adhesive; and    a plurality of fibers adhered by the permanent adhesive to the substrate, wherein the fibers comprise poly(cyclohexylene-dimethylene terephthalate), wherein the fibers are free-standing and oriented transversely to the adjacent surface of the substrate and wherein the fibers comprise at least one of a medium and high energy sublimation dye.    
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a medium and high energy dye is a medium energy dye.  
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the fibers are heat set, extruded, and/or drawn at a temperature of at least about 215° C. and wherein the fibers are flock.  
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a medium and high energy dye is a high energy dye.  
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the fibers are heat set, extruded, and/or drawn at a temperature of at least about 220° C. and wherein the fibers are flock.  
   
   
       6 . A method, comprising: 
 providing a carrier, the carrier comprising a carrier substrate, a release adhesive, and a sublimation ink layer, wherein the sublimation ink layer is at least one of (i) located between a first surface of the carrier substrate and a second surface of the release adhesive and (ii) located on a first surface of the release adhesive, the first and second surfaces of the release adhesive being in an opposing relationship;    applying fibers to the carrier, wherein the fibers contact the first surface of the release adhesive and have first and second ends, the second ends being adhered to the first surface of the release adhesive;    thermofixing the dye particles in the sublimation ink to the fibers to color the fibers; and    applying a permanent adhesive to the first ends of the fibers.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the release adhesive is at least one of a pressure sensitive adhesive and hot melt adhesive and wherein the permanent adhesive is at least one of a thermoplastic and thermoset adhesive, and wherein the permanent adhesive absorbs at least some of the dye particles such that the permanent adhesive has a color substantially the same as the color of fibers embedded in the permanent adhesive.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the fibers are flock fibers and wherein the flock fibers comprise a polyester.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one of (i) located between a first surface of the carrier substrate and a second surface of the release adhesive and (ii) located on a first surface of the release adhesive is (i).  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one of (i) located between a first surface of the carrier substrate and a second surface of the release adhesive and (ii) located on a first surface of the release adhesive is (ii).  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sublimation ink layer is substantially absent after the thermofixing step.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sublimation dye ink comprises at least one of a medium energy and high energy dye.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the fibers comprise at least about 25 wt. % of a terephthalate polymer and/or copolymer having a repeating unit of the formula of  FIG. 15  or  23 , where “R” represents independently hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl group and “S” is an aromatic or nonaromatic cyclic residue which can include one or more hereoatoms.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature of at least about 75° C., and wherein the fibers have an aspect ratio similar to that of nylon and a denier of from about 2 to about 50.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the polymer is poly(cyclohexylene-dimethylene terephthalate and the fibers are flock.  
   
   
       16 . A method, comprising: 
 providing a fiber-containing surface, the fibers comprising a polyester;    thermofixing dye particles in a sublimation ink onto the fibers, wherein the fibers are free of heat setting before the thermofixing step;    heat setting the fibers; and    applying a permanent adhesive to free ends of the fibers to form a printed article.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester has a deformation temperature at or above a maximum fiber temperature during the thermofixing step and wherein the sublimation ink is located on a release adhesive included in the fiber-containing surface.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fibers are flock fibers and wherein the lengths of the flock fibers ranges from about 1 to about 1.5 mm.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester has a glass transition temperature of at least about 75 degrees Celsius and is heat set at a temperature at or above a maximum fiber temperature in the thermofixing step.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the thermofixing step is performed with a high energy dye.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the thermofixing step is performed with a medium energy dye.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heat setting and thermofixing steps occur simultaneously.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heat setting step occurs after the thermofixing step.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester comprises poly(1,3 propylene terephthalate).  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polyester before the heat setting step has a higher degree of amorphous phase than the polyester after the heat setting step.  
   
   
       26 . A process for sublimation printing a design into a plurality of flock fibers, comprising: 
 (a) providing a first flocked carrier sheet comprising a fibers, a first carrier sheet, and a first release adhesive adhering second ends of the fibers to the first carrier sheet;    (b) sublimation printing a design onto the fibers to form a first printed flocked carrier sheet;    (c) contacting first ends of the fibers in the first printed flocked carrier sheet with a second release adhesive adhered to a second carrier sheet to form a second printed flocked carrier assembly, wherein the bonding strength of the second release adhesive is greater than that of the first release adhesive and the second release adhesive is positioned between the flock and the second carrier sheet;    (d) removing the first carrier sheet from the second ends of the fibers in the second printed flocked carrier assembly to form a second printed flocked carrier sheet; and    (e) applying a permanent adhesive to the exposed, second ends of the fibers to provide a printed article.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the sublimation printing step thermofixes a high energy dye on the fibers.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the sublimation printing step thermofixes a medium energy dye on the fibers.  
   
   
       29 . A method, comprising: 
 providing a first flocked article; the first flocked article comprising flock fibers adhered to a thermosetting adhesive, wherein the thermosetting adhesive is not yet thermoset; and    thermofixing dye particles on the flock fibers, wherein the thermosetting adhesive is thermoset during the thermofixing step.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 applying a second permanent adhesive to the thermoset adhesive.