Thermal transfer assembly for ceramic imaging

Abstract

A thermal transfer assembly that comprises a thermal transfer ribbon and a covercoated transfer sheet. The thermal transfer ribbon includes a support and a ceramic ink layer. The ceramic ink layer is present at a coating weight of from about 2 to about 15 grams per square meter, and it includes from about 15 to about 94.5 percent of a solid carbonaceous binder, and at least one of a film-forming glass frit, an opacifying agent and a colorant (at a combined level for the film forming glass frit, the opacifying agent and the colorant of at least 0.5 weight percent).

1 . A system for transferring a digitally formed image, said system comprising: 
 (a) a device for transferring an image transfer medium to a ceramic object thus producing a transferred image transfer medium; and    (b) a device for adhesively removing a portion of said transferred image transfer medium.    
   
   
       2 . A process for transferring a digitally formed image, comprising: 
 (a) transferring an image transfer medium to a ceramic object thus producing a transferred image transfer medium; and    (b) adhesively removing a portion of said transferred image transfer medium.    
   
   
       3 . A system for providing an image on a ceramic substrate, said system comprising: 
 (a) a ceramic substrate and a ceramic substrate conveyor;    (b) an adhesive applicator for applying adhesive to a surface of said ceramic substrate thus producing an adhesive-coated ceramic substrate;    (c) an image transfer medium and an image transfer medium conveyor and positioner for conveying and positioning said image transfer medium with respect to said ceramic substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium, said image transfer medium comprising a transfer substrate, a cover-coating, and a digitally printed image;    (d) an image transfer medium applicator for applying said positioned image transfer medium to said adhesive-coated ceramic substrate, and for removing said transfer substrate from said image transfer medium; and    (e) a heat treater for removing said cover-coating and said adhesive, and for fusing said digitally printed image to said ceramic substrate.    
   
   
       4 . A process for providing an image on a ceramic substrate, comprising: 
 (a) conveying a ceramic substrate,    (b) applying an adhesive to a surface of said ceramic substrate, thus producing an adhesively coated ceramic substrate;    (c) conveying and positioning an image transfer medium with respect to said ceramic substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium said image transfer medium comprising a transfer substrate, a cover-coating, and a digitally printed image,    (d) applying said positioned image transfer medium to said adhesively coated ceramic substrate, removing said transfer substrate from said image transfer medium; and    (e) removing said cover-coating and said adhesive, and fusing said digitally printed image to said ceramic substrate.    
   
   
       5 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate, said system comprising: 
 (a) a glass substrate and a glass substrate conveyor;    (b) a glass substrate washer for washing said glass substrate, thus producing a washed glass substrate;    (c) an adhesive applicator for applying with pressure a coating of an adhesive to a surface of said washed glass substrate, thus producing an adhesive-coated glass substrate;    (d) an image transfer medium and an image transfer medium conveyor and positioner for conveying and positioning said image transfer medium with respect to said adhesive-coated glass substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium, said image transfer medium comprising a flexible support, a polymeric cover-coating, and a digitally printed image;    (e) an image transfer medium applicator for applying with pressure said positioned image transfer medium to said adhesive-coated glass substrate, and for adhesively separating and removing said flexible support from said image transfer medium thus producing a cover-coated, imaged, glass substrate;    (f) a heat treater for removing said polymeric cover-coating and said adhesive and for fusing said digitally printed image to the surface of said glass substrate thus producing a fused digitally printed image and glass substrate; and    (g) a quencher for cooling said fused digitally printed image and glass substrate.    
   
   
       6 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said image transfer medium is further comprised of opacification particles wherein said opacification particles have a refractive index of at least about 2.0.  
   
   
       7 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said refractive index is at least about 2.5.  
   
   
       8 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said opacification particles are comprised of oxides of a metal, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, tin, zirconium, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said adhesive is an acrylic adhesive.  
   
   
       10 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said image transfer medium is further comprised of a release layer operatively configured to promote separation and removal of said flexible support from said image transfer medium.  
   
   
       11 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said release layer is a silicone release layer.  
   
   
       12 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a drier, wherein said drier dries said washed glass substrate prior to application of said adhesive.  
   
   
       13 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said flexible support has a Sheffield smoothness of from about 1 to about 50 Sheffield units.  
   
   
       14 . A process for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate, comprising: 
 (a) conveying a glass substrate;    (b) washing said glass substrate, thus producing a washed glass substrate;    (c) applying with pressure a coating of an adhesive to a surface of said washed glass substrate, thus producing an adhesive-coated glass substrate;    (d) conveying and positioning an image transfer medium with respect to said adhesive-coated glass substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium, said image transfer medium comprising a flexible support, a polymeric cover-coating, and a digitally printed image;    (e) applying with pressure said positioned image transfer medium to said adhesive-coated glass substrate, and adhesively separating and removing said flexible support from said image transfer medium;    (f) removing said cover-coating and said adhesive and fusing said digitally printed image to said surface of said glass substrate, thus producing a fused digitally printed image and glass substrate; and    (g) cooling said fused digitally printed image and glass substrate.    
   
   
       15 . A system for providing an image on a ceramic substrate, said system comprising: 
 (a) a ceramic substrate and a ceramic substrate conveyor;    (b) a ceramic substrate heater for heating the ceramic substrate thus producing a heated ceramic substrate;    (c) an image transfer medium and an image transfer medium conveyor and positioner for conveying, positioning and adhering said image transfer medium with respect to said heated ceramic substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium, said image transfer medium comprising a transfer substrate, a cover-coating, and a digitally printed image;    (d) an image transfer medium applicator for applying said positioned image transfer medium to said heated ceramic substrate, and for removing said transfer substrate from said image transfer medium; and    (e) a heat treater for removing said cover-coating and said adhesive, and for fusing said digitally printed image to said ceramic substrate.    
   
   
       16 . A process for providing an image on a ceramic substrate, comprising: 
 (a) conveying a ceramic substrate,    (b) heating a ceramic substrate, thus producing an heated ceramic substrate;    (c) conveying and positioning an image transfer medium with respect to said heated ceramic substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium said image transfer medium comprising a transfer substrate, a cover-coating, and a digitally printed image,    (d) applying said positioned image transfer medium to said heated ceramic substrate, removing said transfer substrate from said image transfer medium; and    (e) removing said cover-coating and said adhesive, and fusing said digitally printed image to said ceramic substrate.    
   
   
       17 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate, said system comprising: 
 (a) a glass substrate and a glass substrate conveyor;    (b) a glass substrate washer for washing said glass substrate, thus producing a washed glass substrate;    (c) a heater for heating said washed glass substrate, thus producing a heated glass substrate;    (d) an image transfer medium and an image transfer medium conveyor and positioner for conveying and positioning said image transfer medium with respect to said heated glass substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium, said image transfer medium comprising a flexible support, a polymeric cover-coating, and a digitally printed image;    (e) an image transfer medium applicator for applying with pressure and heat said positioned image transfer medium to said heated glass substrate, and for adhesively separating and removing said flexible support from said image transfer medium thus producing a cover-coated, imaged, glass substrate;    (f) a heat treater for removing said polymeric cover-coating and for fusing said digitally printed image to the surface of said glass substrate thus producing a fused digitally printed image and glass substrate; and    (g) a quencher for cooling said fused digitally printed image and glass substrate.    
   
   
       18 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said image transfer medium is further comprised of opacification particles wherein said opacification particles have a refractive index of at least about 2.0.  
   
   
       19 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said refractive index is at least about 2.5.  
   
   
       20 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said opacification particles are comprised of oxides of a metal, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, tin, zirconium, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       21 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said image transfer medium is further comprised of a release layer operatively configured to promote separation and removal of said flexible support from said image transfer medium.  
   
   
       22 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said release layer is a silicone release layer.  
   
   
       23 . A system for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising a drier, wherein said drier dries said washed glass substrate prior to application of said adhesive.  
   
   
       24 . A process for forming a digitally printed image in a glass substrate, comprising: 
 (a) conveying a glass substrate;    (b) washing said glass substrate, thus producing a washed glass substrate;    (c) heating said washed glass substrate, thus producing an heated glass substrate;    (d) conveying and positioning an image transfer medium with respect to said heated glass substrate, thus producing a positioned image transfer medium, said image transfer medium comprising a flexible support, a polymeric cover-coating, and a digitally printed image;    (e) applying with heat and pressure said positioned image transfer medium to said heated glass substrate, and adhesively separating and removing said flexible support from said image transfer medium;    (f) removing said cover-coating and fusing said digitally printed image to said surface of said glass substrate, thus producing a fused digitally printed image and glass substrate; and    (g) cooling said fused digitally printed image and glass substrate.