Printable overlaminate for attachment to a substrate
A printable overlaminate for attachment to a substrate permits application of decorative and/or informative printing on materials that normally are not receptive to ordinary inks. The overlaminate has a release liner releasably attached to a protective layer. On the protective layer is an ink acceptable adhesive, the exposed surface of which receives ordinary ink. After printing the ink acceptable layer is transferred to a substrate through the use of heat and pressure. Then the release liner is removed, leaving the ink visible through the protective layer.
1. A printable overlaminate for attachment to a substrate, comprising a protective layer that is resistant to abrasion and heat and an ink acceptable adhesive layer having first and second surfaces with the first surface connected to the protective layer, the second surface of the ink acceptable adhesive layer being exposed for receiving ink thereon and defining a surface area, the ink acceptable adhesive layer comprising a composition being absorbent such that a) inks applied to at least about 25% of said surface area do not impede the ability of the exposed surface of the ink acceptable adhesive layer to bond to said substrate and b) in the whole of the ink acceptable adhesive layer itself is bondable to said substrate, including in the areas that have received ink, and no bonding of the ink to the substrate is required.
2. The structure of claim 1 further comprising a release liner releasably attached to the protective layer.
3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the ink acceptable adhesive layer is an aliphatic, hydrophilic polyether-based resin.
4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the ink acceptable adhesive layer has a dry Shore hardness durometer of about 55D to about 65D.
5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the ink acceptable adhesive layer has a dry Shore hardness durometer of about 58D to about 62D.
6. The structure of claim 1 wherein the protective layer is an aliphatic, polyether-based thermoplastic polyurethane resin.
7. The structure of claim 1 wherein the protective layer has a Shore hardness durometer of about 52D to about 62D.
8. The structure of claim 7 wherein the protective layer has a Shore hardness durometer of about 55D to about 59D.
9. The structure of claim 1 wherein the ink acceptable adhesive layer and the protective layer have a Shore hardness durometer within about five points of each other on the Shore D scale.
10. The structure of claim 1 wherein the combined thickness of the ink acceptable adhesive layer and the protective layer is about 0.2 to 12 mils.
11. The structure of claim 10 wherein the combined thickness of the ink acceptable adhesive layer and the protective layer is about 2 to 12 mils.
12. The structure of claim 1 wherein the protective layer is made of heat transfer paper.
13. The structure of claim 1 wherein the ink acceptable adhesive layer is one of a coating, casting or extrusion formed on the protective layer.
14. The structure of claim 1 wherein the protective layer is one of a coating, casting or extrusion.
15. The structure of claim 1 wherein the ink acceptable adhesive layer is connected to the protective layer by a moisture-warding layer which intervenes between the ink acceptable adhesive layer and the protective layer.
16. The structure of claim 15 wherein the protective layer comprises a laminate having a first polyester layer and a first polyethylene layer.
17. The structure of claim 16 wherein the first polyethylene layer is extrusion coated on the first polyester layer.
18. The structure of claim 15 further comprising a second moisture-warding layer connected to the ink acceptable adhesive layer.
19. The structure of claim 18 wherein the second moisture-warding layer is connected to a substrate.
20. The structure of claim 1 wherein the protective layer comprises a laminate having a first polyester layer and a first polyethylene layer and wherein the substrate comprises a laminate having a second polyester layer and a second polyethylene layer.
21. A printable overlaminate for attachment to a substrate, comprising a protective layer that is resistant to abrasion and heat and an aliphatic, hydrophilic polyether-based resin layer connected on one side thereof to the protective layer and on the other side thereof presenting an exposed surface for receiving ink thereon and defining a surface area, the resin layer comprising a composition being absorbent such that a) inks applied to at least about 25% of said surface area do not impede the ability of the exposed surface of the resin layer to bond to said substrate and b) in the whole of the second surface the ink acceptable adhesive layer itself is bondable to said substrate, including in the areas that have received ink, and no bonding of the ink to the substrate is required.
22. The structure of claim 21 further comprising a release liner releasably attached to the protective layer.
23. The structure of claim 21 wherein the resin layer is connected to the protective layer by a moisture-warding layer which intervenes between the resin layer and the protective layer.
24. The structure of claim 23 wherein the protective layer comprises a laminate having a first polyester layer and a first polyethylene layer.
25. The structure of claim 24 wherein the first polyethylene layer is extrusion coated on the first polyester layer.
26. The structure of claim 23 further comprising a second moisture-warding layer connected to the resin layer.
27. The structure of claim 26 wherein the second moisture-warding layer is connected to a substrate.
28. The structure of claim 21 wherein the protective layer comprises a laminate having a first polyester layer and a first polyethylene layer and wherein the substrate comprises a laminate having a second polyester layer and a second polyethylene layer.
29. A printable overlaminate for attachment to a substrate, comprising a first calendered polyvinyl chloride layer that is resistant to abrasion and heat and an ink acceptable adhesive layer connected to the first calendered polyvinyl chloride layer, the ink acceptable adhesive layer having first and second surfaces with the first surface connected to the first calendered polyvinyl chloride layer and the second surface being exposed for receiving ink thereon and defining a surface area, the ink acceptable adhesive layer comprising a composition being absorbent such that a) inks applied to at least about 25% of said surface area do not impede the ability of the exposed surface of the ink acceptable adhesive layer to bond to said substrate and b) in the whale of the second surface the ink acceptable adhesive layer itself is bondable to said substrate, including in the areas that have received ink, and no bonding of the ink to the substrate is required.
30. The structure of claim 29 further comprising a second calendered polyvinyl chloride layer connected to the ink acceptable adhesive layer on the side opposite the first calendered polyvinyl chloride layer.
31. The structure of claim 29 wherein the ink acceptable adhesive layer is connected to the first calendered polyvinyl chloride layer by a moisture-warding layer which intervenes between the ink acceptable adhesive layer and the first calendered polyvinyl chloride layer.
32. The structure of claim 31 further comprising a second moisture-warding layer connected to the ink acceptable adhesive layer.
33. The structure of claim 32 further comprising a second calendered polyvinyl chloride layer, the second moisture-warding layer being connected to the second calendered polyvinyl chloride layer.