Selected textile medium for transfer printing

Abstract

This invention pertains to a method of transfer printing, in particular to a method of utilizing an inkjet printer and one or more disperse dye inkjet inks to print a transfer image onto a selected textile transfer medium, then transfer the transfer image from the transfer medium to an object to create an image on the object.

1 . A transfer printing method for creating an image on an object, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing an inkjet printer that is responsive to digital data signals;    (b) loading the inkjet printer with a transfer medium to be printed;    (c) loading the inkjet printer with a first disperse dye inkjet ink suitable for printing onto the transfer medium, the first disperse dye ink containing a first disperse dye having a first activation temperature;    (d) printing onto the transfer medium using the first disperse dye inkjet ink in response to the digital data signals to create a disperse dye printed transfer image of the image on the transfer medium; and    (e) applying the printed transfer medium onto the object under temperature conditions at or above the first activation temperature, for a time sufficient to effectively transfer the disperse dye printed transfer image from the transfer medium to the object to create the image on the object,    wherein the transfer medium is a textile transfer medium that is a knitted or woven fabric comprising fibers consisting essentially of fibers selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, ramie, viscose, lyocell, polyamide, polyolefin, polyacrylonitrile, aramid and elastene fibers, and blends of two or more thereof.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the printer is loaded with a disperse dye ink set comprising at least two disperse dye inkjet inks suitable for printing onto the transfer medium, one of the at least two disperse dye inkjet inks being the first disperse dye ink, and another of the at least two disperse dye inkjet inks being a second disperse dye ink containing a second disperse dye having a second activation temperature; and wherein the temperature conditions are at or above the higher of the first and second activation temperatures.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the printer is loaded with a disperse dye ink set comprising at least three disperse dye inkjet inks suitable for printing onto the transfer medium, one of the at least three disperse dye inkjet inks being the first disperse dye ink, another of the at least three disperse dye inkjet inks being the second disperse dye ink, and another of the at least three disperse dye inkjet inks being a third disperse dye inkjet ink containing a third disperse dye having a third activation temperature; and wherein the temperature conditions are at or above the higher of the first, second and third activation temperatures.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein one of the first, second or third disperse inkjet inks is cyan in color; another of the first, second or third disperse inkjet inks is magenta in color; and another of the first, second or third disperse inkjet inks is yellow in color.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the printer is loaded with a disperse dye ink set comprising at least four disperse dye inkjet inks suitable for printing onto the transfer medium, one of the at least four disperse dye inkjet inks being the first disperse dye ink, another of the at least four disperse dye inkjet inks being the second disperse dye ink, another of the at least four disperse dye inkjet inks being the third disperse dye ink, and another of the at least four disperse dye inkjet inks being a fourth disperse dye inkjet ink containing a fourth disperse dye having a fourth activation temperature; and wherein the temperature conditions are at or above the higher of the first, second, third and fourth activation temperatures.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein one of the first, second, third or fourth disperse inkjet inks is cyan in color; another of the first, second, third or fourth disperse inkjet inks is magenta in color; another of the first, second, third or fourth disperse inkjet inks is yellow in color, and another of the first, second, third or fourth disperse inkjet inks is black in color.  
   
   
       7 . The method of any one of claims  1 - 6 , wherein the temperature conditions are from about 150° C. to about 275° C., for from about 0.5 to about 5 minutes.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature conditions are from about 180° C. to about 220° C., for from about 0.75 to about 2 minutes.  
   
   
       9 . The method of any one of claims  1 - 8 , wherein the object is a three-dimensional object.  
   
   
       10 . The method of any one of claims  1 - 9 , wherein the object is a polyester object.  
   
   
       11 . The method of any one of claims  1 - 10 , wherein the textile transfer medium is selected from the group consisting of a knitted or woven cotton fabric, and a knitted or woven cotton blend with one or more fibers selected from the group consisting of linen, ramie, viscose, lyocell, polyamide, polyolefin, polyacrylonitrile, aramid and elastene fibers.