摘要：
A heat transfer label that may be used, for example, to decorate clear glass articles to provide a frosted appearance. In a preferred embodiment, the label includes a support portion (13) and a transfer portion (21). The support portion comprises a sheet of paper (15) overcoated with a release layer of polyethylene (17), and a skim coat of wax (19) which is overcoated onto the release layer. The transfer portion (21) comprises a protective lacquer layer (23) printed onto the skim coat (19), an ink layer (25) printed onto the protective lacquer layer, and an adhesiver layer (27) printed onto the ink layer. The protective lacquer layer comprises a solvent-soluble phenoxy resin that has been cross-linked by a melamine resin. The ink layer comprises a design printed with a frosted ink, the frosted ink preferably comprising a solvent-soluble phenoxy resin, silica, and a colorant. The adhesive layer comprises a phenoxy resin of the type present in a water-based phenoxy dispersion.
权利要求：
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS;
1. A heat-transfer label comprising:
(a) a support portion; and
(b) a transfer portion over said support portion for transfer of the transfer portion from the support portion to an article upon application of heat to the support portion while the transfer portion is placed into contact with the article, said transfer portion comprising
(i) an ink layer, said ink layer including a design printed with a frosted ink; and (ii) an adhesive layer over said ink layer.
2. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a protective lacquer layer, said ink layer being positioned over said protective lacquer layer.
3. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a waxlike skim coat, said waxlike skim coat being interposed between said support portion and said transfer portion.
4. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frosted ink comprises a phenoxy resin and a silica.
5. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 4 wherein said frosted ink further comprises a colorant. 6. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 5 wherein said colorant is titanium dioxide.
7. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 4 wherein said phenoxy resin is a solvent-soluble phenoxy resin having the following chemical structure:
###0001###
8. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 7 wherein said solvent-soluble phenoxy resin has a solution viscosity of 4500 to 7000 mPa*s(cP) at 40% solids, by weight, in methyl ethyl ketone.
9. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 4 wherein said silica is an aerogel-type synthetic fine particle silica having an average particle size of about 4.2 microns.
10. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frosted ink comprises about 20%, by weight, of a phenoxy resin having the following chemical
###0002### about 7-10%, by weight, of an aerogel-type synthetic fine particle silica having an average particle size of about 4.2 microns and about 5-10%, by weight, of titanium oxide for a total non-volatile solids content of about 35%, the remainder of said frosted ink constituting a 2:1 mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and toluene.
11. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adhesive layer comprises a phenoxy resin of the type present in a waterborne phenoxy dispersion.
12. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 11 wherein said waterborne phenoxy dispersion is an anionically-stabilized aqueous colloidal dispersion of a solid grade phenoxy resin having both hydroxyl groups and carboxyl groups, said anionically-stabilized aqueous colloidal dispersion having a solids content of about 34%., by weight, a pH of about 7.2, a Brookfield viscosity at 25°C of about 1100 cP, a weight per gallon of about 8.80 pounds, an average particle size of about 0.09 micron, a flash point (PMCC) of about 141 °F and a freeze point of about -4°C.
13. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 12 wherein said adhesive layer is made by depositing onto said ink layer a composition comprising about 66.5%, by weight, of said anionically-stabilized aqueous colloidal dispersion, about 16.75%, by weight, isopropyl alcohol and about 16.75%, by weight, water and then evaporating the volatile components thereof.
14. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 2 wherein said protective lacquer layer comprises a cross-linked phenoxy resin.
15. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 14 wherein said cross-linked phenoxy resin is made by cross-linking a solvent-soluble phenoxy resin having the following chemical structure:
###0003###
16. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 15 wherein said solvent- soluble phenoxy resin, prior to cross-linking, has a solution viscosity of 4500 to 7000 mPa*s(cP) at 40% solids, by weight, in methyl ethyl ketone.
17. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 16 wherein said solvent- soluble phenoxy resin is cross-linked using a melamine-formaldehyde resin.
18. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 17 wherein said melamine- formaldehyde resin is a partially methylated melamine-formaldehyde resin.
19. The heat-transfer label as claimed in claim 18 wherein said partially methylated melamine-formaldehyde resin constitutes no more than about 5%, by weight, of said protective lacquer layer.
20. A frosted ink formulation comprising:
(a) a phenoxy resin;
(b) a silica;
(c) a colorant; and
(d) a volatile solvent.
21. The frosted ink formulation as claimed in claim 20 wherein said phenoxy resin, said silica and said colorant together constitute about 35%, by weight, of said frosted ink formulation, said phenoxy resin constituting about 20%, by weight, of said frosted ink formulation and having the following chemical structure:
###0004### said silica constituting about 7-10%, by weight, of said frosted ink formulation and being an aerogel-type synthetic fine particle silica having an average particle size of about 4.2 microns, said colorant constituting about 5-10%, by weight, of said frosted ink formulation and being titanium oxide and wherein said volatile solvent constitutes about 65%, by weight, of said frosted ink formulation and constitutes a 2:1 mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and toluene. 22. A transfer portion of a heat-transfer label, said transfer portion comprising:
(a) an ink layer, said ink layer including a design printed with a frosted ink; and
(b) an adhesive layer positioned over said ink design layer.
23. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 22 further comprising a protective lacquer layer, said ink layer being positioned over said protective lacquer layer.
24. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 22 wherein said frosted ink comprises a phenoxy resin and a silica.
25. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 24 wherein said frosted ink further comprises a colorant. 26. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 25 wherein said colorant is titanium dioxide.
27. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 24 wherein said phenoxy resin is
###0005### aerogel-type synthetic fine particle silica having an average particle size of about 4.2 microns. 29. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 22 wherein said frosted ink comprises about 20%, by weight, of a phenoxy resin having the following chemical structure:
###0006### about 7-10%, by weight, of an aerogel-type synthetic fine particle silica having an average particle size of about 4.2 microns and about 5-10%, by weight, of titanium oxide for a total non-volatile solids content of about 35%, the remainder of said frosted ink constituting a 2:1 mixture of methyl ethyl ketone and toluene. 30. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 22 wherein said adhesive layer comprises a phenoxy resin of the type present in a waterborne phenoxy dispersion.
31. The transfer portion as claimed in claim 23 wherein said protective lacquer layer comprises a cross-linked phenoxy resin.
32. A method of decorating a clear article, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a heat-transfer labei, said heat-transfer label comprising:
(i) a support portion, and
(ii) a transfer portion over said support portion for transfer of the transfer portion from the support portion to the clear article upon application of heat to the support portion while the transfer portion is placed into contact with the clear article, said transfer portion comprising a design printed with a frosted ink; and
(b) transferring said transfer portion from said support portion to the clear article. 33. The method as claimed in claim 32 wherein the clear article is a glass container.
34. The method as claimed in claim 32 wherein the clear article is a silane- treated glass container.
35. The method as claimed in claim 32 wherein said transfer portion further comprises a heat-activatable adhesive layer, said heat-activatable adhesive layer being positioned over said design.
36. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein said transfer portion further comprises a protective lacquer layer, said design being positioned over said protective lacquer layer.
37. The method as claimed in claim 32 wherein said frosted ink comprises a phenoxy resin and a silica.
38. The method as claimed in claim 37 wherein said frosted ink further comprises a colorant. 39. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein said colorant is titanium dioxide.
40. A method of decorating an article, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a heat-transfer label, said heat-transfer label comprising: (i) a support portion, and
(ii) a transfer portion over said support portion for transfer of the transfer portion from the support portion to the article upon application of heat to the support portion while the transfer portion is placed into contact with the article, said transfer portion comprising an ink layer, said ink layer including a design printed with a frosted ink, and an adhesive layer over said ink layer; and
(b) transferring said transfer portion from said support portion to the article.
41. The method as claimed in claim 40 wherein said frosted ink comprises a phenoxy resin and a silica. 42. The method as claimed in claim 41 wherein said frosted ink further comprises a colorant.
43. The method as claimed in claim 42 wherein said adhesive layer comprises a phenoxy resin of the type present in a waterborne phenoxy dispersion.
44. The method as claimed in claim 43 wherein said transfer portion further comprises a protective lacquer layer, said ink layer being positioned over said protective lacquer layer.
45. The method as claimed in claim 44 wherein said protective lacquer layer comprises a cross-linked phenoxy resin.
46. The method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the article is a clear glass container.
47. The method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the article is a silane-treated clear glass container.
48. A method of decorating an article, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a printed design made using a frosted ink, said frosted ink comprising a phenoxy resin, a silica and a colorant; and
(b) applying said printed design to the article.
49. The method as claimed in claim 48 wherein the article is a clear glass container.
50. A method of decorating a clear article, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) printing a design using a frosted ink; and
(b) affixing said design to the clear article.