Digitally printed and produced heat transfer and method of manufacture

Abstract

A digitally produced heat transfer can be manufactured by digitally printing an image onto the protective coating that is receptive to ink and/or toner to form a printed area and an unprinted area of the protective coating, and digitally printing an attractant precisely onto the printed area and not onto the unprinted area. An adhesive powder can be applied onto the printed area and the unprinted area. The adhesive powder can then be removed from the unprinted area and the remaining adhesive powder can be bonded to the printed area. A digitally produced heat transfer can include a protective coating that is receptive to ink and/or toner, a digital image printed onto the protective coating to form a printed area and an unprinted area of the protective coating, an attractant digitally printed precisely onto the printed area, and an adhesive powder applied onto the attractant.

1 . A method for manufacturing a digitally produced heat transfer, comprising:
 on a protective coating receptive to ink and/or toner, digitally printing an image onto the protective coating to form a printed area and an unprinted area of the protective coating;   digitally printing an attractant precisely onto the printed area and not onto the unprinted area;   applying an adhesive powder onto the printed area and the unprinted area;   removing the adhesive powder from the unprinted area; and   bonding the remaining adhesive powder to the printed area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a release layer onto a substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising applying the protective coating onto the release layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the bonding of the remaining adhesive powder to the printed area comprises drying the adhesive powder to the printed area with at least one device selected from a group consisting of an infrared lamp, a heated roller, and an oven. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the bonding of the remaining adhesive powder to the printed area comprises fusing the adhesive powder to the printed area with at least one device selected from a group consisting of an infrared lamp, a heated roller, and an oven. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bonding of the remaining adhesive powder to the printed area comprises:
 drying the adhesive powder to the printed area with at least one device selected from a group consisting of an infrared lamp, a heated roller, and an oven; and   fusing the adhesive powder to the printed area with at least one device selected from a group consisting of an infrared lamp, a heated roller, and an oven.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising applying pressure in the fusing of the adhesive powder to the printed area 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising cooling the fused adhesive powder, the attractant, the printed area, and the unprinted area. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying a release liner onto the cooled, fused adhesive powder. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein digitally printing the attractant precisely onto the printed area and not onto the unprinted area comprises digitally printing the attractant onto substantially all of the printed area and not digitally printing the attractant onto substantially any of the unprinted area of the protective coating. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attractant comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of ionized water, alcohol, a mixture of water and alcohol, an organic solvent, and an oil. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive powder comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of polyester, polyurethane, polyolefin, and polyamide. 
     
     
         13 . A heat transfer manufactured by the method of  claim 1 , wherein, when the heat transfer is applied onto a soft outerwear textile, the textile has a proportional strain limit greater than two percent and an elongation limit greater than ten percent. 
     
     
         14 . A digitally produced heat transfer, comprising:
 a protective coating that is receptive to ink and/or toner;   a digital image printed onto the protective coating to form a printed area and an unprinted area of the protective coating;   an attractant digitally printed precisely onto the printed area and not onto the unprinted area; and   an adhesive powder applied onto the attractant and not onto the unprinted area of the protective coating.   
     
     
         15 . The digitally produced heat transfer of  claim 14 , further comprising a substrate upon which the protective coating is applied. 
     
     
         16 . The digitally produced heat transfer of  claim 15 , further comprising a release layer between the substrate and the protective coating. 
     
     
         17 . The digitally produced heat transfer of  claim 16 , further comprising a release liner applied onto the adhesive powder. 
     
     
         18 . The digitally produced heat transfer of  claim 14 , wherein the attractant comprises ionized water. 
     
     
         19 . The digitally produced heat transfer of  claim 14 , wherein the attractant comprises a mixture of water and alcohol. 
     
     
         20 . The digitally produced heat transfer of  claim 14 , wherein the attractant comprises an organic solvent. 
     
     
         21 . The digitally produced printed heat transfer of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive powder layer comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of polyester, polyurethane, polyolefin, and polyamide. 
     
     
         22 . The digitally produced printed heat transfer of  claim 14 , wherein, when the heat transfer is applied onto a soft outerwear textile, the textile has a proportional strain limit greater than two percent and an elongation limit greater than ten percent. 
     
     
         23 . The digitally produced heat transfer of  claim 14 , wherein the attractant comprises an oil.