US4269650A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transfer printing apparatus
Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1980-04-23
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Granted: 1981-05-26
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Expires: 2000-04-23
Abstract
Abstract A printing pattern support sheet made up of a film soluble in water and a pattern pre-printed on one surface of the film is prepared beforehand. The pattern is activated, immediately before being used for transfer printing, into a tacky or adherent condition ready for printing by applying a solvent thereto. The sheet with the pattern thus activated is fed onto the free surface of a mass of water, whereby the film supporting the pattern is dissolved in the water to leave the pattern floating on the surface of the water. An article on the surface of which the pattern is to be printed is then forced against the floating pattern into the water, whereby the pattern is transferred and adheres to the article. To apply the solvent to the pattern, a gravure printing plate cylinder can be used.
Inventors
- 👤 Eisuke Arai
- 👤 Kuniaki Kamei
- 👤 Akio Kawasaki
- 👤 Fumio Takagi
- 👤 Koichi Shirai
- 👤 Yasuharu Orihara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:28
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/025; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/914; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1705; Y10T156/1798; Y10T156/19; Y10T156/1928
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A transfer printing apparatus comprising: means forming a free surface of a liquid; means for placing on said free surface a printing pattern support sheet made up of a film soluble in said liquid and a pre-printed pattern supported on one surface of said film in a manner such that the sheet floats on the free liquid surface with the film directly contacting the surface; solvent applying means associated with said means for placing the sheet to apply a solvent to said pattern, before the sheet is placed on said free surface, to activate the pattern into an adherent condition ready for transfer printing, whereby as the sheet is floating on the free liquid surface, the film dissolves in the liquid to leave on the liquid surface the activated pattern against which an article can be forced to be printed with the pattern thereon; sheet raising means movable above and below said free surface of liquid; and means for lifting said raising means; said raising means being located between a first part, against which the article is forced, of the sheet floating on the free liquid surface and the remaining second part of the same whereby when the raising means is moved above the surface of liquid, the second part of the sheet is isolated from the first part of the sheet to prevent influence of disturbance of the pattern, in the first part, due to the transfer printing on the second part of the sheet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
A transfer printing apparatus comprising: means forming a free surface of a liquid; means for placing on said free surface a printing pattern support sheet made up of a film soluble in said liquid and a pre-printed pattern supported on one surface of said film in a manner such that the sheet floats on the free liquid surface with the film directly contacting the surface; solvent applying means associated with said means for placing the sheet to apply a solvent to said pattern, before the sheet is placed on said free surface, to activate the pattern into an adherent condition ready for transfer printing, whereby as the sheet is floating on the free liquid surface, the film dissolves in the liquid to leave on the liquid surface the activated pattern against which an article can be forced to be printed with the pattern thereon; sheet raising means movable above and below said free surface of liquid; and means for lifting said raising means; said raising means being located between a first part, against which the article is forced, of the sheet floating on the free liquid surface and the remaining second part of the same whereby when the raising means is moved above the surface of liquid, the second part of the sheet is isolated from the first part of the sheet to prevent influence of disturbance of the pattern, in the first part, due to the transfer printing on the second part of the sheet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for placing a printed pattern support sheet comprises means for storing a roll of the sheet in the form of a strip, and roller means for feeding the sheet paid out from the roll in a direction onto the free liquid surface, there being liquid flow generating means for causing flow of the liquid in said direction on said free surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said roller means includes suction roll means rotating in the direction to feed the sheet toward said free liquid surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said solvent applying means comprises a solvent pan, a plate cylinder in the solvent pan, an impression cylinder disposed above the plate cylinder to form between the plate and impression cylinder a clearance through which the sheet is passed, and a doctor blade acting on the plate cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plate cylinder is a printing cylinder for printing a pattern on the pre-printed pattern on the sheet and for activating the pre-printed pattern.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising delivery means for guiding the sheet to the free liquid surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said sheet raising means is a series of raising bars extending transversely to the direction of feed of the sheet and spaced apart in said direction of feed, said raising bars being mutually connected and driven in an endless manner, and wherein said means for moving the raising means is stationary cam means for raising each of the raising bars.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said sheet raising means is a single raising bar extending transversely to the direction of feed of the sheet, and said means for feeding the sheet has means for interrupting the feeding of the sheet, said means for lifting the raising means being operated in such a timed relationship with said interrupting means that the raising bar is lifted when the feeding of the sheet is interrupted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus as claimed by claim 8, wherein said means for interrupting the feeding of the sheet comprises a pair of parallel suction rolls spaced apart in the direction of feed of the sheet and operating to feed the sheet forward by continuous rotation, the downstream suction roll being associated with means for intermittently causing the sucking operation of the downstream suction roll to stop, whereby the feeding of the sheet is interrupted with the sheet slackened between the rolls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus as claimed by claim 9, further comprising a suction bar disposed between the suction rolls and sucking the sheet to hold it stationary while the sucking operation of the downstream roll is stopped.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for cutting the sheet at intervals into separate sheet elements before the sheet is fed onto the surface of liquid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said suction rolls includes therein a stationary cylinder having a lengthwise slot surrounded by a flange in sliding contact with the inner surface of the roll, the interior of the cylinder being subjected to a vacuum whereby the sheet is sucked by the rolls only at a portion of each of the rolls opposing said slit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for removing the printed pattern from the film along the two side edges of the sheet in the direction of the feed of the sheet before the sheet is fed to the free liquid surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising means for ejecting said liquid to said side edges of the sheet before the sheet is fed to the free liquid surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the effective length of said plate cylinder is greater than the breadth of the sheet, and the effective length of said impression cylinder is smaller than the breadth of the sheet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus as claimed by claim 2, further comprising means for ejecting air to the sheet over the entire width thereof in the region where the sheet is brought in contact with the surface of the liquid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means for ejecting air comprises at least one pipe extending across the breadth of the sheet, means for supplying air into the interior of the pipe, a number of flexible air ejection nozzles secured to the pipe along the length thereof, and valve means provided in each of the nozzles.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus as claimed in the claim 2, wherein said means forming a free surface of liquid is a liquid tank, and said liquid flow generating means comprises a box-like casing disposed at one end of the tank and having a slit through which liquid is forced into the tank, and means for supplying the liquid into the casing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said casing has baffle plates therein.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means forming a free surface of liquid is a liquid tank, and said liquid flow generating means comprises a liquid receptacle disposed at one end of the tank and having a weir, means for supplying the liquid into the receptacle, and trough means for guiding the liquid overflowing the weir into the tank.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means forming a free surface of liquid is a liquid tank, and said liquid flow generating means comprises a weir provided in said tank near one end of the same, and means for supplying the liquid into the space defined between the weir and the one end of the tank.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-05-25 | 1984-11-24 | 1985-05-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-05-25 | 1988-11-24 | 1989-05-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-05-25 | 1992-11-24 | 1993-05-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |