Transfer letter system

Claim 2

A composite strip material for composing graphics such as letters, numbers, symbols or pictures in accordance with patterns of radiation, the strip material comprising: an accepting tape comprising a layer of latent adhesive material, which adhesive material is nontacky at normal room temperature, but is softened and activated when heated to a temperature range somewhat above normal room temperature; a donor web; a friable layer of microgranules of up to 5 microns average diameter releasably adhered to the doner web and in face-to-face contact with the layer of adhesive material, said microgranules having a softening temperature above that of the adhesive material; at least one of said layers bearing a radiation absorbing pigment; and the composite strip material being essentially transparent to radiant energy between one exterior surface and said pigment to afford exposure of the pigment by momentary radiation so that the pigment is selectively heated in accordance with the pattern or radiation and momentarily softens the adjacent portions of the layer of adhesive material which then adheres to microgranules so that upon separation of the accepting tape and donor web, the microgranules are carried to the accepting tape only in irradiated areas.

Claim 3

A composite strip material according to claim 1, wherein said microgranules have an average diameter in the range of 0.3 to one micron.

Claim 4

A composite strip material according to claim 1, wherein said radiation absorbing pigment is incorporated in the layer of microgranules, and the accepting tape is essentially transparent to radiant energy to afford transmission of radiant energy to the radiation absorbing pigment.

Claim 5

A composite strip material according to claim 3, wherein said radiation absorbing pigment is carbon black, and said microgranules consist of a thermoplastic resin, the weight of which thermoplastic resin is over four times that of the carbon black.

Claim 6

A composite strip material according to claim 1, wherein said microgranules comprise a thermoplastic resin so that upon separation of the accepting tape and donor web, the microgranules which were carried to the separated accepting tape and which remain on the donor web may be adhered to a substrate by application of sufficient heat to soften the resin.

Claim 7

A composite strip material according to claim 4, wherein said thermoplastic resin is an acid-modified ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 8

A composite strip material according to claim 1, wherein said accepting tape includes a receiving web, and said layer of adhesive material is firmly adhered to one surface of the receiving web.

Claim 9

A composite strip material according to claim 7, wherein said adhesive material comprises a paraffin wax.

Claim 10

A composite strip material according to claim 7, wherein said adhesive material comprises approximately equal parts by weight of a paraffin wax, a polymerized hydrocarbon, and an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 11

A composite strip material according to claim 7, wherein said adhesive material comprises a paraffin wax and a polymerized hydrocarbon.

Claim 12

A composite strip material according to claim 7, wherein said adhesive material comprises a high molecular weight copolymer of equivalent amounts of bisphenol A and the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A.

Claim 13

A composite strip material according to claim 7, wherein said radiation absorbing pigment is in a coating adhering the layer of adhesive material to the receiving web, and the latter is essentially transparent to radiant energy.

Claim 14

A composite strip material according to claim 12, wherein said radiation absorbing pigment is carbon black, said microgranules consist of an acid-modified ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, and the layer of microgranules incorporate titanium dioxide at a ratio by weight to said microgranules of about one to two.

Claim 15

A composite strip material according to claim 1, wherein the accepting tape consists only of the adhesive material.

Claim 16

A composite strip material according to claim 14, wherein said adhesive material comprises ethylene/vinyl acetate having a softening range of 50° to 100° C.

Claim 17

A composite strip material according to claim 14, wherein said adhesive material comprises a low molecular weight polyester having a softening range of 50° to 100° C.

Claim 18

A composite strip material according to claim 1, wherein said radiation absorbing pigment is incorporated in said layer of microgranules, the donor web is essentially transparent to radiant energy to afford transmission of radiant energy to the radiation absorbing pigment, and the accepting tape is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on the side opposite the microgranules to afford application of the accepting tape to a substrate subsequent to the formation of graphics.

Claim 19

A composite strip material according to claim 1, wherein said radiation absorbing pigment is in a layer releasably adhering the layer of microgranules to the donor web.

Claim 20

A composite strip material according to claim 18, wherein said radiation absorbing pigment is carbon black, said microgranules consist of an acid-modified ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, and the layer of microgranules incorporates titanium dioxide at a ratio by weight of said microgranules of about one to two.

Claim 21

A composite strip material for composing graphics such as letters, numbers, symbols or pictures in accordance with patterns of radiation, the strip material comprising: a receiving web; a layer of adhesive material firmly adhered to the receiving web and having a melting temperature between 60° and 100° C.; a donor web; thermoplastic adhesive microgranules having an average diameter between 0.3 and 3 microns, a softening temperature up to 120° C. but at least 5° C. above the softening temperature of the adhesive material and being fused together into a friable layer which is almost free from voids; said layer of microgranules being releasably adhered to the donor web and in face-to-face contact with the layer of adhesive material; at least one of said layers bearing a pigment absorptive of heat-producing radiation; and one of said webs and any layer in the composite strip material between said one web and said pigment being essentially transmissive of heat-producing radiant energy to afford exposure of the pigment by momentary radiation so that the pigment is selectively heated in accordance with the pattern of radiation and momentarily softens the adjacent portions of the layer of adhesive material which then adheres to the microgranules so that upon separation of the webs, the microgranules are carried to the receiving web only in irradiated areas and may be applied to a substrate by application of heat through the receiving web.

Claim 22

A composite strip material for composing graphics such as letters, numbers, symbols or pictures in accordance with patterns of radiation, the strip material comprising: a receiving web; a layer of adhesive material firmly adhered to the receiving web and having a melting temperature between 60° and 100° C.; a donor web; thermoplastic adhesive microgranules having an average diameter between 0.3 and 3 microns, a softening temperature up to 120° C. but at least 5° C. above the softening temperature of the adhesive material and being fused together into a friable layer which is almost free from voids; said layer of microgranules being releasably adhered to the donor web and in face-to-face contact with the layer of adhesive material; at least one of said layers bearing a pigment absorptive of heat-producing radiation; and one of said webs and any layer in the composite strip material between said one web and said pigment being essentially transmissive of heat-producing radiant energy to afford exposure of the pigment by momentary radiation so that the pigment is selectively heated in accordance with the pattern of radiation and momentarily softens the adjacent portions of the layer of adhesive material which then adheres to the microgranules so that upon separation of the webs, the microgranules are carried to the receiving web only in irradiated areas and may be applied to a substrate by application of heat through the receiving web.

Claim 23

A composite strip material according to claim 20, wherein said thermoplastic microgranules consist of an acid-modified ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 24

A composite strip material according to claim 20, wherein said adhesive material comprises approximately equal parts by weight of a paraffin wax, a polymerized hydrocarbon, and an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer.