摘要：
A heat-transfer label assembly. In one embodiment, the assembly comprises a carrier, the carrier comprising a paper substrate overcoated with a layer of polyethylene. The polyethylene layer is overcoated with a skim coat of wax. One or more heat-transfer labels are printed onto the skim coat and are spaced apart from one another, each label comprising a protective lacquer layer printed onto the skim coat, an ink design printed onto the protective lacquer layer, and a heat activatable adhesive layer printed over the ink design, any exposed areas of the protective lacquer layer and a surrounding area of the skim coat. The periphery of the skim coat extends beyond the periphery of the label and is, therefore, uncovered by the label. The assembly further comprises a mask deposited over the uncovered areas of the skim coat, the mask adhering to the polyethylene layer during label--transfer and preventing transfer onto an article of the previously uncovered areas of the skim coat together with the label.
权利要求：
1. A heat-transfer label assembly, said heat-transfer label assembly comprising: (a) a carrier; (b) a heat-transfer label, said heat-transfer label being positioned over said carrier for transfer of said heat-transfer label from said carrier to an article under conditions of heat and pressure, said carrier extending beyond the periphery of said heat-transfer label to yield one or more exposed areas of said carrier, said heat-transfer label comprising (i) an ink design layer, and (ii) a heat-activatable adhesive layer over, said ink design; and (c) a mask positioned over at least a portion of said one or more exposed areas of said carrier and not positioned over said heat-transfer label, said mask adhering to said carrier during heat-transfer of said heat-transfer label. 2. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a wax skim coat, said wax skim coat being positioned over said carrier and being positioned under each of said heat-transfer label and said mask. 3. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said carrier comprises a paper substrate overcoated with a layer of polyethylene. 4. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier comprises a polymeric film overcoated with a release coating made of a non-wax, non- silicone, thermoset release material, said release coating having a total surface energy of about 25 to 35 mN/m, of which about 0.1 to 4 mN/m is polar surface energy, and having a carbon content (by atomic %) of about 97% and an oxygen content (by atomic %) of about 3%, as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. 5. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein said polymeric film is made of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyolefins and polyamides and wherein said release coating is made by (i) applying to the polymeric film in its amorphous or semi- oriented state a composition comprising (a) a functionalized .alpha.-olefin containing copolymer and (b) a crosslinking agent; and (ii) reacting said composition with the carrier during uniaxial or biaxial stretching and heat setting. 6. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said carrier is in direct contact with each of said heat-transfer label and said mask. 7. The heat transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said heat- transfer label further comprises a protective lacquer layer, said ink design layer being positioned over said protective lacquer layer. 8. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said heat- transfer label further comprises a protective lacquer layer, said ink design layer being positioned over said protective lacquer layer. 9. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mask is positioned over all of said one or more exposed areas of said carrier. 10. The heat transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of said ink design layer and said heat-activatable adhesive layer has a periphery, the periphery of said heat-activatable adhesive layer extending beyond the periphery of said ink design layer. 11. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of said ink design layer and said heat-activatable adhesive layer has a periphery, the periphery of said heat-activatable adhesive layer matching the periphery of said ink design layer. 12. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said one or more exposed areas of said carrier is located along the leading end of said heat- transfer label and wherein said mask is positioned only over said exposed area along the leading end of said heat-transfer label. 13. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mask is formed by (i) printing a masking composition on top of said one or more exposed areas, said masking composition comprising (A) a resin that, when heated, bonds to said carrier, (B) a silica; and (C) a beat-activatable cross-linker for cross-linking said resin so as to render said resin non-adherent to the article to be labeled, and then (ii) heating the printed masking composition to bond said resin to said carrier and to activate said heat-activatable cross-linker. 14. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said resin is selected from the group consisting of a phenoxy resin, a polyester resin and an acrylic resin and wherein said heat-activatable cross-linker comprises a partially methylated melamine- formaldehyde cross-linking resin. 15. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein said masking composition further comprises a colorant. 16. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier is a single polymeric film. 17. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein said single polymeric film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester. 18. A heat-transfer label assembly, said heat-transfer label assembly comprising: (a) a carrier; (b) a protective lacquer layer over said carrier; (c) an ink design printed on said protective lacquer layer, said protective lacquer layer extending beyond the periphery of said ink design; (d) a heat-activatable adhesive layer deposited over said ink design and at least a portion of said protective lacquer layer, and (e) a mask deposited at least over said heat-activatable adhesive layer, except for that portion of said heat-activatable adhesive layer positioned directly over said ink design, said mask adhering to said polyethylene layer under conditions of heat and pressure; (f) whereby said ink design, together with that portion of said heat- activatable adhesive layer positioned directly over said ink design and that portion of said protective lacquer layer positioned directly below said ink design, collectively form a heat- transfer label. 19. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said heat- activatable adhesive layer is deposited over said ink design and all exposed portions of said protective lacquer layer. 20. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said carrier comprises a paper substrate overcoated with a layer of polyethylene, said heat-transfer label assembly further comprising a wax skim coat overcoating said layer of polyethylene, said protective lacquer layer overcoating said, skim coat. 21. A heat-transfer label assembly, said heat-transfer label assembly comprising: (a) a carrier; (b) a wax skim coat overcoating said carrier; (c) a protective lacquer layer printed onto a portion of said wax skim coat; (d) an ink design printed onto said protective lacquer layer; (e) a heat-activatable adhesive layer printed over said ink design, any exposed areas of said protective lacquer layer and a surrounding area of said wax skim coat, the periphery of said wax skim coat extending beyond the periphery of said adhesive layer to yield an exposed skim coat; and (f) a mask deposited at least over a portion of said exposed skim coat, but not deposited over that portion of said heat-activatable adhesive layer positioned directly over said ink design, said mask adhering to said polyethylene layer under conditions of heat and pressure. 22. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein said mask is deposited over the entirety of said exposed skim coat, but not over any of said heat- activatable adhesive layer, whereby said heat-activatable adhesive layer, said ink design and said protective lacquer layer collectively form a heat transfer label. 23. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein said mask is deposited over the entirety of said exposed skim coat and over that portion of said heat- activatable adhesive layer not positioned directly over said ink design, whereby said ink design, that portion of said heat- activatable adhesive layer positioned directly over said ink design and that portion of said protective lacquer layer positioned directly under said ink design collectively form a heat-transfer label. 24. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein said ink design, said protective lacquer layer and said heat-activatable adhesive layer collectively form a heat-transfer label having a leading end, wherein a portion of said exposed skim coat is disposed along the leading end of said heat-transfer label, and wherein said mask is deposited only on said exposed skim coat along the leading end of said heat-transfer label. 25. The heat-transfer label assembly as claimed in claim 21 wherein said carrier comprises a sheet of paper overcoated with layer of polyethylene.