Patent ID: 6454896
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: B41M,G03C,G03G,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for laminating an ink jet print comprising:a) providing an ink jet print comprising a support having thereon an ink jet image; b) contacting the imaged surface of said ink jet print with a transfer laminating element to form a composite, said transfer laminating element comprising a flexible, polymeric support having thereon a porous, fusible, transferable protection layer comprising fusible, thermoplastic polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, said protection layer having a thickness of between about 2 and about 100 &mgr;m and a particle-to-binder ratio of between about 95:5 and about 70:30 on a weight basis, said thermoplastic polymeric particles having a particle size of less than about 10 &mgr;m and a Tm or softening point of greater than about 50Â° C. and said polymeric binder having a Tg of less than about 20Â° C., said porous, fusible, transferable protection layer being capable of forming a substantially continuous film which is optically clear upon the application of heat and pressure, said transfer laminating element being larger in area than said ink jet print; c) applying heat and pressure to said composite to fuse said porous, fusible, transferable protection layer to form a substantially continuous protection layer which is optically clear; d) allowing said composite to cool; and e) peeling said flexible, polymeric support of said transfer laminating element from said composite so that the area of said transfer laminating element containing unfused, porous, fusible, transferable protection layer is separated from the area of said fused protection layer protecting said ink jet print without the need for cutting, thereby forming said laminated ink jet print.