Laminated image printing method
View Patent ↗A method of determining an adjusted color to be used for computing colorants for printing on a specified substrate, comprising: specifying an apparent color; estimating diffuse reflection from an outside surface of colorants when printed on the specified substrate; and adjusting the specified color for the effects of the estimated diffuse reflection to determine a color to be used for computing the colorants.
1. A method for providing a laminated image having a desired surface, the method comprising:
bringing a clear cover sheet in contact with a substrate;
pressing the clear cover sheet against the substrate utilizing a roller, having a surface finish, to laminate an image between the cover sheet and the substrate, the lamination being by heat and pressure;
pre-bending the substrate to a degree such that, upon completion of the lamination and cooling, curling of the laminated image is counteracted by substantial equalization of opposed forces of the substrate and the cover sheet; and
heating the surface of the cover sheet that is in contact with the roller to a temperature and for a time such that the surface of the cover sheet replicates the surface finish of the roller.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the surface of the cover sheet is preheated, prior to contact with the substrate.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the roller is a heated roller and the sheet is preheated by contact with the roller.
4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the cover sheet is preheated by an external heater during to its contact with the roller.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cover sheet is kept in contact with the roller after the lamination for a time period such that the surface of the cover sheet replicates the surface finish of the roller.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the cover sheet is kept in contact with the roller for a period of at least 0.05 seconds.
7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the cover sheet is kept in contact with the roller for a period of less than 0.3 seconds.
8. A method according to claim 5 wherein the cover sheet is kept in contact with the roller for a period of between 0.1 and 0.2 seconds.
9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the image is formed on the cover sheet before it is brought into contact with the substrate.
10. A method for providing a laminated image having a desired surface, the method comprising:
bringing a clear cover sheet in contact with a substrate;
pressing the clear cover substrate against the substrate utilizing a roller, having a surface finish, to laminate an image between the cover sheet and the substrate, the lamination being by heat and pressure pre-bending the substrate to a degree such that, upon completion of the lamination and cooling, curling of the laminated image is counteracted by substantial equalization of opposed forces of the substrate and the cover sheet; and
heating the surface of the cover sheet that is in contact with the roller to a temperature and for a time such that the surface of the cover sheet replicates the surface finish of the roller, wherein the image is formed on the substrate before it is brought into contact with the cover sheet.
11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the surface finish is a glossy finish.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the surface finish is a matte finish.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the surface finish comprises a hologram.
14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the surface finish comprises a security marking.
15. A method according to claim 1 and including providing an adhesive to adhere the clear sheet to the substrate.
16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive is provided on the image.
17. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive is provided on top of the image.
18. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive is provided on the cover sheet.
19. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive is a thermoplastic layer.
20. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive is a hot melt adhesive.
21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the adhesive layer is less than 50 micrometers thick.
22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the adhesive layer is less than 30 microns thick.
23. A method according to claim 20 wherein the adhesive layer is more than 5 micrometers thick.
24. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive layer comprises ethylene vinyl acetate.
25. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive layer comprises amine terminated polyamide.
26. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive layer comprises polyethylene imine.
27. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive layer comprises a cross-linked polyacrylic ester.
28. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive layer comprises an ionomer.
29. A method according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive layer comprises a copolymer of ethylene and methacrylic acid.
30. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cover sheet is a plastic material.
31. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cover sheet is less than about 70 micrometers thick.
32. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cover sheet is less than 40 microns thick.
33. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cover sheet is less than 20 microns thick.
34. A method according to claim 1 wherein the overall thickness of the laminate between the image surface of the substrate and the outer surface of the laminate is less than 100 micrometers.
35. A method according to claim 34 wherein the overall thickness of the laminate between the image surface of the substrate and the outer surface of the laminate is less than 70 micrometers.
36. A method according to claim 34 wherein the overall thickness of the laminate between the image surface of the substrate and the outer surface of the laminate is less than 30 micrometers.
37. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image comprises a thermoplastic material.
38. A method according to claim 37 wherein pressing comprises heating the image to a temperature, at which it adheres to the final substrate.
39. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the image is a liquid toner image.
40. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image is a powder toner image.
41. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image comprises printing ink.
42. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image is formed by an ink-jet process.
43. A method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is kept in contact with a roller, after the lamination, as required to further counteract effects of shrinkage of the coversheet, and to thereby reduce curl of the laminated image.
44. A method according to claim 43 wherein the substrate is glossy paper.
45. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image is a digital image.
46. A method according to claim 1 wherein the image comprises a digital photographic image.
47. A method for providing a laminated image having a desired surface, the method comprising:
bringing a clear cover sheet in contact with a glossy paper substrate;
pressing the clear cover substrate against the substrate utilizing a roller, having a surface finish, to laminate an image between the cover sheet and the substrate, the lamination being by heat and pressure;
pre-bending the glossy paper substrate to a degree such that upon completion of lamination and cooling, curling of the laminated image is counteracted by substantial equalization of opposed forces generated by the glossy paper substrate and the clear cover sheet;
heating the surface of the cover sheet that is in contact with the roller to a temperature and for a time such that the surface of the cover sheet replicates the surface finish of the roller; and
post-bending the laminated image by keeping it in contact with a roller, after the lamination, as required to further counteract effects of shrinkage of the coversheet upon cooling, and to thereby reduce curl of the laminated image.
48. A method according to claim 47 wherein the image is a digital image.
49. A method according to claim 47 wherein the image comprises a digital photographic image.
50. A method for providing a laminated image having a desired surface, the method comprising:
bringing a clear cover sheet in contact with a substrate;
pressing the clear cover substrate against the substrate utilizing a roller, having a surface finish, to laminate an image between the cover sheet and the substrate, the lamination being by heat and pressure;
pre-bending the substrate to a degree such that upon completion of lamination and cooling, curling of the laminated image is counteracted by substantial equalization of opposed forces generated by the glossy paper substrate and the clear cover sheet; and
heating the surface of the cover sheet that is in contact with the roller to a temperature and for a time such that the surface of the cover sheet replicates the surface finish of the roller, wherein the roller is a heated roller and the sheet is preheated by contact with the roller.
51. A method according to claim 50 wherein the cover sheet is preheated by an external heater during to its contact with the roller.