Image transfer medium and process for producing same

Abstract

An image-transfer medium includes a transparent substrate and a transferable material formed on a first surface of the substrate. A selected portion of the transferable material can be transferred in an arbitrary shape to an article to form a personalized image by a cold transfer-printing operation. Moreover, the remaining hollowed portion after the removal of the selected portion, including the transparent substrate, can be adhered to the same or another article having a light-transmitting surface to exhibit special lightening effect.

1 . A method for applying an image onto an article, said article comprising a light transmissible surface and a light source disposed under said light tranmissible surface, said method comprising steps of: 
 providing an image-transfer medium comprising a transparent substrate and a transferable material formed on a first surface of said substrate;    removing a selected portion of said transferable material to obtain a hollowed transferable material with a specific pattern vacancy; and    adhering the remaining transferable material onto said light transmissible surface of said article, thereby allowing light emitted by said light source to penetrate through the specific pattern vacancy.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said transferable material comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and said step of removing said selected portion of said transferable material is performed by applying a depressing force onto a second surface of the substrate with a writing tool or stamping tool.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said remaining transferable material is adhered to said article along with said transparent substrate.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said transferable material is formed as a continuous layer.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said transferable material is formed with a plurality of said transferable dots, each of which has a shape selected from a group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a rectangle and a honeycomb.  
   
   
       6 . A use of an image-transfer medium for applying an image onto an article, said image-transfer medium comprising a transparent substrate, a transferable ink layer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, said use comprising: 
 cold transfer-printing a first selected portion of said transferable ink layer onto the article when an ink pattern image is required; and    removing a second selected portion of said transferable ink layer, and adhering the remaining transferable ink layer along with said transparent substrate onto the article when a hollowed pattern image is required.    
   
   
       7 . The use according to  claim 6  wherein said cold transfer-printing operation is performed by applying a depressing force directly onto said transparent substrate at positions corresponding to said first selected portion of said transferable ink layer with a writing tool or stamping tool so that said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer adheres said first selected portion of said transferable ink layer to the article.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein said second selected portion of said transferable ink layer is removed by applying a depressing force onto said transparent substrate at positions corresponding to said second selected portion of said transferable ink layer so that said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer adheres said second selected portion of said transferable ink layer away from said transparent substrate.  
   
   
       9 . The use according to  claim 6  wherein said image-transfer medium further comprises an isolation layer containing a tack reducing agent for decreasing adhesion between said transferable ink layer and said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.  
   
   
       10 . The use according to  claim 6  wherein said transferable ink layer is a continuous layer.  
   
   
       11 . The use according to  claim 6  wherein said transferable ink layer is formed with a plurality of said transferable dots, each of which has a shape selected from a group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a rectangle and a honeycomb.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 an transparent film substrate; and    a transferable laminated material, said transferable laminated material comprising: 
 an inklayer;  
 a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; and  
 an isolation layer disposed between the ink layer and the pressure-sensitive layer.  
   
   
   
       13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said transparent film substrate comprises a biaxially oriented propylene type material.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said ink layer comprises black powder, copolymer resin, dioctylphosphate, sophorone, SOLVESSO, or solvent, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said ink layer comprises silver powder, copolymer resin, dioctylphosphate, isophorone, SOLVESSO, or solvent, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the isolation layer is transparent.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the isolation layer comprises a tack reducing agent capable of decreasing adhesion between the ink layer and the pressure-sensitive adhesion layer.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the ink layer comprises a continuous layer, or a number of units, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the ink layer is capable of being transferred to a surface via application of force to said transparent film substrate.