Phoenix inks and coatings llc

Preferably, image 26 is printed using a flexographic printing process, most preferably flexography. This step can also be performed by a rotogravure printing process, offset, dry offset, or screen printing.

Image 26 is printed by selectively exposing metalized coating 24 to a protective coating Metalized film 20 is then exposed to ultraviolet light to cure protective coating Protective coating 28 is preferably a UV epoxy-based ink.

It has to resist caustic, as a caustic fluid is used for a demetalizing step as will later be described.

The ink also must be removable and it should be brittle. Enterprise St. In the next step, a demetalizing solution is applied to metalized film 20 , preferably using a flexographic printing process. The demetalizing solution can be any commercially available material suitable for removing metalizing coating 24 from substrate Preferably, the demetalizing solution is a caustic solution, 40 percent by weight sodium hydroxide, 10 percent by weight water, and 50 percent by weight propylene glycol.

The demetalizing solution removes metalized coating 24 from all areas not protected by protective coating 28 , as shown in FIG. Metalized film 20 is then rinsed, preferably with neutral water, and dried.

In the next step, an adhesive coating 30 is applied to metalized film Adhesive coating 30 covers exposed areas of substrate 22 and image areas formed of metalized coating 24 and protective coating 28 , as shown in FIG. Adhesive coating 30 can be applied by one of two methods. In one embodiment, a pressure-sensitive substrate to which adhesive coating 30 is adhered is married to metalized film In another embodiment, adhesive coating 30 is applied by floodcoating, either on metalized film 20 or on a removable barrier backing, and marrying the metalized film and removable barrier backing.

The removal of adhesive coating 30 can be can be performed in-line or at a later date. In some embodiments, after adhesive coating 30 has been applied, the pressure-sensitive substrate or the removable barrier backing is removed in-line. In other embodiments, metalized film 20 is rewound into a roll and stored or shipped to a customer. At a later time, adhesive coating 30 is removed by removal of the pressure-sensitive substrate or the removable barrier backing, either by the original preparer or by a customer.

The inventors have found, surprisingly, that removal of adhesive coating 30 also removes protective coating 28 , as shown in FIG. The only coating left on substrate 22 is therefore metalized coating 24 in image areas Image areas 26 can be very fine detailed images made of metal without any coatings or chemical residue. Metalized film 20 , if in a roll, is then rewound at this point into a final roll and shipped for final use.

The steps of the method of the preferred embodiment can be performed in-line in a single-pass process, such as on a web press or other similar process at speeds at or around feet per minute, or can be performed as a batch process. The method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in the flow chart diagrammed in FIG. The steps comprise:. Please note that step need not come before step In some applications, the user will stop after step and rewind metalized film 20 , and then perform steps through at a later time or in a different location.

In other applications, the user will stop after step and rewind, and then perform steps and at a later time or in a different location. The web roll, being either metalized film or metalized film married to a pressure-sensitive backing or a removable barrier backing, can be shipped to a final customer, who removes the adhesive coating as part of the final application.

Accordingly, the adhesive coating can be removed in-line, or rewound and removed later. In yet another embodiment, the initial process is stopped after step and metalized film 20 is rewound for later use. Steps through are performed later, at the same or a different location. A drawing of one embodiment of the method of the present invention is shown in FIG.

Metalized film 20 , in a roll, is mounted on unwinder Metalized film 20 proceeds through UV coating unit , where protective coating 28 is selectively applied. Metalized film 20 then proceeds under UV lamp , where protective coating 28 is cured. Metalized film 20 then proceeds through caustic unit for demetalizing, to rinse tank , and then through oven Finally, metalized film is rewound on rewinder Another embodiment is shown in FIG. This process is identical to the process shown in FIG.

At this point, pressure-sensitive substrate , carrying adhesive coating 30 and mounted on unwinder , is married to metalized film by nip rollers in nip unit The married combination of metalized film 20 and pressure-sensitive substrate is then rewound on rewinder At this point, UV adhesive coating 30 is applied by UV adhesive unit , which floodcoats adhesive coating 30 onto metalized film Metalized film 20 then proceeds to UV lamp for curing.

Floodcoated metalized film 20 then proceeds through unwinder , on which is mounted a roll of removable barrier backing Removable barrier backing is married to metalized film 20 by nip rollers in nip unit The married combination of metalized film 20 and removable barrier backing is then rewound on rewinder This process can be performed at the end of the process depicted in FIG. In this process, a substrate is mounted in a roll on unwinder Substrate proceeds through UV adhesive unit , where adhesive coating 30 is applied to substrate by floodcoating.

Floodcoated substrate proceeds through UV lamp for curing. Metalized film 20 , on which an image was prepared by the process shown in FIG. Metalized film 20 is married to substrate by nip rollers in nip unit Metalized film 20 is immediately pulled off substrate by rewinder Substrate is rewound on rewinder In this process, metalized film 20 , prepared by the process of FIG. A roll of pressure sensitive substrate , carrying adhesive coating 30 , is mounted on unwinder Metalized film 20 and backing are married by nip rollers in nip unit Backing is immediately pulled of metalized film 20 by rewinder Metalized film 20 is then rewound on rewinder In addition to the production of fine detailed images on metalized films, the method of present invention can be used for applications in which UV-based inks are not permitted.

The metalized films made by the present invention have no residual UV-based ink, as the UV layer is removed, so the metalized films can be used for food packaging, as well as for other applications in which odor must be minimized or eliminated.

Moreover, the present invention can be used for preparation of images on metalized films that will then be laminated to another film. Laminated films are used for many applications, in which the two or more laminates are selected to control permeability to light and moisture, to achieve a particular structure, or for marketability issues such as touch and feel.

The coatings on metalized films of the prior art tended not to permit proper lamination. The coatings that caused delamination are not present on the metalized film of the present invention so the delamination problem is solved.

Additionally, lamination is sometimes required to protect the underlying image formed of ink. Since no ink remains on the metalized film of the present invention, an additional lamination step can be eliminated for applications of this nature.

The metalized film created by the method of the present invention can be used for various applications, including, but are not limited to, single or double-sided multi-layered printed circuit boards, holographic security identification badges with added detail to decrease likelihood of counterfeiting reproduction, security holograms such as labels and stickers, promotional holographic products, security tape and security labels, mechanical security seals, identification credentials, identification cards, printers and ribbons, parking permits such as stickers and hang tags, laminated labels and specialty products, solar panels, frozen microwavable food container subseptors, eye-catching food packaging, candy wrappers, miniature integrated drive electronics and panel connecter cables, attention-grabbing bags, and eye-catching laminate materials.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim: 1. A method of producing images on a metalized substrate, the method comprising the steps of: printing an image on a metalized film, the film comprising a substrate and a metalized coating on the substrate, by selectively applying a protective coating onto the metalized coating;. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying an adhesive coating step comprises marrying a pressure-sensitive substrate to the metalized film, the pressure-sensitive substrate having the adhesive coating adhered thereto.

While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. The metalized substrate used in the method of the preferred embodiment is shown at various stages in FIGS. In FIG. Substrate 22 is preferably a plastic film, such as polyester film or polyethylene terephthalate film.

Metalized coating 24 is preferably aluminum that has been statically charged to substrate Other coatings include copper and other metals that can be adhered to a substrate. Metalized film 20 is preferably a roll feeding a web press, but metalized film 20 can also be sheets, cards, or other sizes.

As shown in FIG. Preferably, image 26 is printed using a flexographic printing process, most preferably flexography. This step can also be performed by a rotogravure printing process, offset, dry offset, or screen printing. Image 26 is printed by selectively exposing metalized coating 24 to a protective coating Metalized film 20 is then exposed to ultraviolet light to cure protective coating Protective coating 28 is preferably a UV epoxy-based ink. It has to resist caustic, as a caustic fluid is used for a demetalizing step as will later be described.

The ink also must be removable and it should be brittle. Enterprise St. In the next step, a demetalizing solution is applied to metalized film 20 , preferably using a flexographic printing process.

The demetalizing solution can be any commercially available material suitable for removing metalizing coating 24 from substrate Preferably, the demetalizing solution is a caustic solution, 40 percent by weight sodium hydroxide, 10 percent by weight water, and 50 percent by weight propylene glycol. The demetalizing solution removes metalized coating 24 from all areas not protected by protective coating 28 , as shown in FIG. Metalized film 20 is then rinsed, preferably with neutral water, and dried.

In the next step, an adhesive coating 30 is applied to metalized film Adhesive coating 30 covers exposed areas of substrate 22 and image areas formed of metalized coating 24 and protective coating 28 , as shown in FIG. Adhesive coating 30 can be applied by one of two methods. In one embodiment, a pressure-sensitive substrate to which adhesive coating 30 is adhered is married to metalized film In another embodiment, adhesive coating 30 is applied by floodcoating, either on metalized film 20 or on a removable barrier backing, and marrying the metalized film and removable barrier backing.

The removal of adhesive coating 30 can be can be performed in-line or at a later date. In some embodiments, after adhesive coating 30 has been applied, the pressure-sensitive substrate or the removable barrier backing is removed in-line.

In other embodiments, metalized film 20 is rewound into a roll and stored or shipped to a customer. At a later time, adhesive coating 30 is removed by removal of the pressure-sensitive substrate or the removable barrier backing, either by the original preparer or by a customer. The inventors have found, surprisingly, that removal of adhesive coating 30 also removes protective coating 28 , as shown in FIG. The only coating left on substrate 22 is therefore metalized coating 24 in image areas Image areas 26 can be very fine detailed images made of metal without any coatings or chemical residue.

Metalized film 20 , if in a roll, is then rewound at this point into a final roll and shipped for final use. The steps of the method of the preferred embodiment can be performed in-line in a single-pass process, such as on a web press or other similar process at speeds at or around feet per minute, or can be performed as a batch process. The method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in the flow chart diagrammed in FIG.

The steps comprise: Step Printing an image onto a metalized coating of a metalized film comprising a substrate and a metalized coating, by selectively applying a protective coating onto the metalized coating.

Step Exposing the metalized film to ultraviolet radiation to cure the protective coating. Applying a demetalizing solution onto the metalized film, preferably a caustic solution. Rinsing the metalized film.

Drying the rinsed metalized film. Applying an adhesive coating onto the metalized film, by marrying a pressure-sensitive substrate to which adhesive coating is adhered, or by floodcoating the adhesive coating onto the metalized film and applying a removable barrier backing, or by floodcoating the adhesive coating onto a removable barrier backing and applying the metalized film.

Removing the adhesive coating by removal of the pressure-sensitive substrate or the removable barrier backing. Rewinding for later use or remove. Please note that step need not come before step In some applications, the user will stop after step and rewind metalized film 20 , and then perform steps through at a later time or in a different location. In other applications, the user will stop after step and rewind, and then perform steps and at a later time or in a different location.

The web roll, being either metalized film or metalized film married to a pressure-sensitive backing or a removable barrier backing, can be shipped to a final customer, who removes the adhesive coating as part of the final application.

Accordingly, the adhesive coating can be removed in-line, or rewound and removed later. In yet another embodiment, the initial process is stopped after step and metalized film 20 is rewound for later use. Steps through are performed later, at the same or a different location. A drawing of one embodiment of the method of the present invention is shown in FIG.

Metalized film 20 , in a roll, is mounted on unwinder Metalized film 20 proceeds through UV coating unit , where protective coating 28 is selectively applied. Metalized film 20 then proceeds under UV lamp , where protective coating 28 is cured. Metalized film 20 then proceeds through caustic unit for demetalizing, to rinse tank , and then through oven Finally, metalized film is rewound on rewinder Another embodiment is shown in FIG. This process is identical to the process shown in FIG.

At this point, pressure-sensitive substrate , carrying adhesive coating 30 and mounted on unwinder , is married to metalized film by nip rollers in nip unit The married combination of metalized film 20 and pressure-sensitive substrate is then rewound on rewinder At this point, UV adhesive coating 30 is applied by UV adhesive unit , which floodcoats adhesive coating 30 onto metalized film Metalized film 20 then proceeds to UV lamp for curing.

Floodcoated metalized film 20 then proceeds through unwinder , on which is mounted a roll of removable barrier backing Removable barrier backing is married to metalized film 20 by nip rollers in nip unit The married combination of metalized film 20 and removable barrier backing is then rewound on rewinder This process can be performed at the end of the process depicted in FIG. In this process, a substrate is mounted in a roll on unwinder Substrate proceeds through UV adhesive unit , where adhesive coating 30 is applied to substrate by floodcoating.

Floodcoated substrate proceeds through UV lamp for curing. Metalized film 20 , on which an image was prepared by the process shown in FIG. Metalized film 20 is married to substrate by nip rollers in nip unit Metalized film 20 is immediately pulled off substrate by rewinder Substrate is rewound on rewinder In this process, metalized film 20 , prepared by the process of FIG.

A roll of pressure sensitive substrate , carrying adhesive coating 30 , is mounted on unwinder Metalized film 20 and backing are married by nip rollers in nip unit Backing is immediately pulled of metalized film 20 by rewinder