Method and Device for Applying a Film

Abstract

A method for applying a transfer ply of a foil to a substrate, with the steps of: a) applying a thermoplastic toner to at least one subregion of the substrate and/or to at least one subregion of the transfer ply; b) applying the transfer ply to the substrate; c) causing an applied pressure, and heat, to act on the transfer ply and/or the substrate; d) peeling a carrier ply of the foil from the at least one subregion of the transfer ply. An application apparatus and also printing apparatus for implementing such a method.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method for applying a transfer ply of a foil to a substrate, the method:
 a) applying a thermoplastic toner to at least one subregion of the substrate and/or to at least one subregion of the transfer ply;   b) applying the transfer ply to the substrate;   c) causing an applied pressure, and heat, to act on the transfer ply and/or the substrate;   d) peeling a carrier ply of the foil from the at least one subregion of the transfer ply.   
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a) applying a radically curable adhesive to at least one subregion of the transfer ply;   b) pre-curing the adhesive by UV irradiation;   c) applying the at least one subregion of a transfer ply provided with adhesive to the substrate;   d) fully curing the adhesive by UV irradiation;   e) peeling a carrier ply of the foil from the at least one subregion of the transfer ply.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the adhesive is applied with a weight per unit area of 0.5 g/m 2  to 20 g/m 2  and/or with a layer thickness of 0.5 μm to 20 μm, preferably of 1 μm to 15 μm, to the at least one subregion. 
     
     
         8 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the application of the at least one subregion of the transfer ply provided with adhesive to the substrate takes place between a press roll and an impression roll. 
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the application of the at least one subregion of the transfer ply provided with adhesive to the substrate takes place with an applied pressure of 10 N to 80 N. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the substrate, before the application of the at least one subregion of the transfer ply provided with adhesive, is pretreated, by a corona treatment, a plasma treatment or by flaming. 
     
     
         25 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the detachment of the carrier ply takes place 0.2 s to 1.7 s after the full curing of the adhesive. 
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the application of the transfer ply to the substrate takes place by means of a thermoplastic toner at a temperature of 100° C. to 250° C., and/or at an applied pressure of 1 bar to 6 bar,. 
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the application of the transfer ply to the substrate is carried out by means of a thermoplastic toner in a roll arrangement with a press nip of 5 mm to 20 mm. 
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a foil is used which has a carrier ply of polyester, polyolefin, polyvinyl, polyimide, ABS, PET, PP, PE, PVC or PS with a layer thickness of 5 μm to 50 μm, preferably of 7 μm to 23 μm. 
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a foil is used whose transfer ply has a detachment layer of acrylate copolymer, with a layer thickness of  0 . 01  μm to  2  μm, which is disposed on a surface of the carrier ply. 
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein a foil is used whose transfer ply has a varnish layer of nitrocellulose, polyacrylate and/or polyurethate copolymer with a layer thickness of 0.1 μm to 5 μm, which is disposed on a detachment layer surface facing away from the carrier ply. 
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein a foil is used whose transfer ply has a metal layer of aluminum and/or chromium and/or silver and/or gold and/or copper with a layer thickness of 10 nm to 200 nm, which is disposed on a varnish layer surface facing away from the carrier ply. 
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a foil is used whose transfer ply has a primer layer of polyacrylates and/or vinyl aceto copolymers with a layer thickness of 0.1 μm to 1.5 μm, which forms a transfer ply surface facing away from the carrier ply. 
     
     
         37 . The method as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the primer layer is microporous. 
     
     
         38 . The method as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the primer layer has a surface tension of 38 mN/m to 46 mN/m. 
     
     
         39 . The method as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the primer layer has a pigmentation number of 0.5 cm 3 /g to 120 cm 3 /g. 
     
     
         40 . The method as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the primer layer has a melting point of 60° C. to 130° C. 
     
     
         41 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein before and/or after the application of the transfer ply, a print layer is applied by means of a further inkjet printhead to the substrate and/or the transfer ply. 
     
     
         42 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the transfer ply is applied to a three-dimensional, or flat substrate. 
     
     
         43 . The method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the transfer ply is applied using a pressing apparatus. 
     
     
         44 . The method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the substrate, during the application of the transfer ply, is mounted rigidly or rotatably on a holding means. 
     
     
         45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . The method as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein the pressing means and/or the holding means has a pressing layer. 
     
     
         47 . The method as claimed in  claim 46 , wherein the pressing layer has a surface structure. 
     
     
         48 . The method as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein the transfer ply is applied with an applied force of 1 N to 1000 N. 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . An application apparatus for applying a transfer ply of a foil to a substrate, by means of a method as claimed in  claim 3 , comprising:
 a supply roller for providing the foil;   an inkjet printhead disposed downstream of the supply roller in the conveying direction of the foil, for applying a radically curable adhesive, and/or a printing apparatus for applying a thermoplastic toner to at least one subregion of the transfer ply;   at least one roll arrangement, disposed downstream of the inkjet printhead and/or of the printing apparatus in the conveying direction of the foil, for applying the at least one subregion of the transfer ply provided with adhesive and/or toner to the substrate;   a peeling unit disposed downstream of the roll arrangement in the conveying direction of the foil, for peeling a carrier ply of the foil from the at least one subregion of the transfer ply.   
     
     
         51 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The application apparatus as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein the roll arrangement comprises a press roll and an impression roll. 
     
     
         58 . The application apparatus as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein the press roll and/or the impression roll have a diameter of 1 cm to 3 cm. 
     
     
         59 . The application apparatus as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein the press roll is formed from a plastic or rubber having a hardness of 70 Shore A to 90 Shore A. 
     
     
         60 . The application apparatus as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein the counterbearing is formed of a material having a hardness of 60° Shore A to 95° Shore A, and/or having a degree of hardness of 450 HV 10 to 520 HV 10. 
     
     
         61 . The application apparatus as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein the counterbearing is designed as a sonotrode of an ultrasonic bearing means. 
     
     
         62 . The application apparatus as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein the roll arrangement comprises a heating apparatus, an electrical heating element disposed within the press roll, or a heating-medium circuit disposed within the press roll. 
     
     
         63 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . The application apparatus as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein the peeling unit has a roll having a diameter of 0.5 cm to 2 cm over which the carrier ply can be peeled off. 
     
     
         68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A printing apparatus having an inkjet printhead which is disposed movably in two orthogonal directions relative to a substrate to be printed, and also with an application apparatus as claimed in  claim 50  which is disposed movably in two orthogonal directions relative to the substrate to be printed. 
     
     
         70 . The printing apparatus as claimed in  claim 69 , wherein the printing apparatus has a support surface for the fixing of a substrate in sheet form. 
     
     
         71 - 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . The printing apparatus as claimed in  claim 69 , wherein the printing apparatus has a conveying apparatus for the relative moving of a substrate in sheet form or of a continuous substrate relative to the inkjet printhead and the application apparatus, and wherein the conveying apparatus is designed as a steel belt circulating around two rolls.