Patent ID: 9132931
Filing Date: 2015-09-15
Classification: B29C,B65C,G09F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A heat-transfer label assembly, the heat-transfer label assembly comprising: (a) a support, wherein the support is one of a paper substrate, a polymer-coated paper substrate and a polymer film substrate, wherein the support has a thickness of about 0.5-7 mil; (b) a heat-transfer label positioned over the support and releasably adhered thereto for transfer, under conditions of heat and pressure, from the support to an article, the heat-transfer label having a top and comprising an ink layer; and (c) a spacer positioned over the support but not over the heat-transfer label, the spacer not being transferable with the heat-transfer label from the support to an article, the spacer having a top, wherein a height from the top of the spacer to the support exceeds a height from the top of the label to the support, and wherein the spacer is endowed with a certain degree of stiffness so as to resist compression (d) whereby, when the heat-transfer label assembly is wound into a roll, the spacer is configured to prevent the heat-transfer label from contacting a bottom surface of an underlying portion of the support.