Differential gloss covering and method for making same

Abstract

The foregoing differential gloss covering comprises a backing substrate, an ink layer, and a cured top layer having a first surface portion with a first gloss and a second surface portion, made by the process comprising providing the backing substrate; depositing an ink formulation comprising a curing agent over at least a first area of a top side of the backing substrate to form said ink layer; coating the top side of the backing substrate with a radiation curable formulation to form a top curable layer; diffusing at least a portion of the curing agent into the top curable layer; curing the top curable layer to form the cured top layer and thereby forming a differential gloss covering having said first surface portion above the first area of said top of said backing substrate having the first gloss and the second surface portion having the second gloss that is different from said first gloss.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing a differential gloss covering, comprising: 
 providing a backing substrate;    depositing an ink formulation comprising a curing agent over at least a first area of a top side of said backing substrate to form an ink layer;    coating said top side of said backing substrate with a radiation curable formulation to form a top curable layer;    diffusing at least a portion of said curing agent into said top curable layer;    curing said top curable layer to form a cured top layer and thereby forming a differential gloss covering having a first surface portion above said first area of said top of said backing substrate having a first gloss and a second surface portion having a second gloss that is different from said first gloss.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said backing substrate comprises a backing layer, a gel layer, and a substrate ink layer.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization promoter.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said polymerization promoter is selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one, 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 2-methyl-1-(4-methylthio-phenyl)-2-morpholino-propanone-1, benzophenones, 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine-oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization inhibitor.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said polymerization inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-ether-acrylates, ethoxylated-bisphenol-A derivatives, hydroquinones, butylated hydroxy toluenes, methacrylates, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first gloss has a higher gloss level than said second gloss.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second gloss has a higher gloss level than said first gloss.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding a flatting agent to said top curable layer.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization promoter and further comprising causing said flatting agent to move toward said top side of said backing substrate.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said polymerization promoter is selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one, 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 2-methyl-1-(4-methylthio-phenyl)-2-morpholino-propanone-1, benzophenones, 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine-oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization inhibitor and further comprising causing said flatting agent to move away from said top side of said backing substrate.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said polymerization inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-ether-acrylates, ethoxylated-bisphenol-A derivatives, hydroquinones, butylated hydroxy toluenes, methacrylates, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         14 . A differential gloss covering comprising a backing substrate, an ink layer, and a cured top layer having a first surface portion with a first gloss and a second surface portion, made by the process comprising: 
 providing said backing substrate;    depositing an ink formulation comprising a curing agent over at least a first area of a top side of said backing substrate to form said ink layer;    coating said top side of said backing substrate with a radiation curable formulation to form a top curable layer;    diffusing at least a portion of said curing agent into said top curable layer;    curing said top curable layer to form said cured top layer and thereby forming a differential gloss covering having said first surface portion above said first area of said top of said backing substrate having said first gloss and said second surface portion having said second gloss that is different from said first gloss.    
     
     
         15 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 14 , wherein said backing substrate comprises a backing layer, a gel layer, and a substrate ink layer.  
     
     
         16 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 14 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization promoter.  
     
     
         17 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 16 , wherein said polymerization promoter is selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one, 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 2-methyl-1-(4-methylthio-phenyl)-2-morpholino-propanone-1, benzophenones, 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine-oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 14 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization inhibitor.  
     
     
         19 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 18 , wherein said polymerization inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-ether-acrylates, ethoxylated-bisphenol-A derivatives, hydroquinones, butylated hydroxy toluenes, methacrylates, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 14 , wherein said first gloss has a higher gloss level than said second gloss.  
     
     
         21 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 14 , wherein said second gloss has a higher gloss level than said first gloss.  
     
     
         22 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 14 , further comprising adding a flatting agent to said top curable layer.  
     
     
         23 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 22 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization promoter and further comprising causing said flatting agent to move toward said top side of said backing substrate.  
     
     
         24 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 23 , wherein said polymerization promoter is selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one, 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 2-methyl-1-(4-methylthio-phenyl)-2-morpholino-propanone-1, benzophenones, 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine-oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 22 , wherein said curing agent comprises a polymerization inhibitor and further comprising causing said flatting agent to move away from said top side of said backing substrate.  
     
     
         26 . The differential gloss covering of  claim 25 , wherein said polymerization inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-ether-acrylates, ethoxylated-bisphenol-A derivatives, hydroquinones, butylated hydroxy toluenes, methacrylates, and mixtures thereof.