Patent Publication Number: US-2005133153-A1

Title: Poster as well as methods and materials for its manufacturing

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the priority of Swiss patent application no. 606/03, filed Apr. 4, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to an adhesion compound which is appropriate for manufacturing graphical products, especially for one-sided printed graphical products which can be seen through from the other side, as well as such a graphical product and a method for manufacturing such products.  
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
      Products with a thin foil may be referred to as transfer images. Such products may comprise a plastic foil with an adhesive which is protected by a removable liner, the liner being a silicone coated paper or a plastic liner. When the product is being used, the liner will first be removed such as to uncover the adhesive and the sticky side of the product will then be fixed on the specified area. The disadvantage of such sticky foils is that the liner will be thrown away after the foil has been fixed on the desired area. Moreover, the complete removal of such foils, or of such adhesive, respectively, can be problematic. A further disadvantage is that the picture which has been applied on such a foil is either opaque or the contrast is unsatisfying. Also already known are transparent cling foils that can be applied to smooth surfaces, such as glass, and that can be removed without leaving traces of adhesive (see e.g. GB 2 217 256). Also these foils have to be protected by a liner up to their use, since otherwise they would cling to each other or to themselves.  
      WO 00/56556 describes non-adherent image carriers that are part of a set further comprising a double sided adhesive carrier. The adhesive carrier may have good adhesion to the substrate and releasable adhesion to the image carrier, such that the image carrier can be replaced by another one while the adhesive carrier remains in place.  
      GB 2 244 585 A discloses a poster to be stuck on a window comprising a cling or self-adhesive layer on one side of a transparent material and at least one printed matter comprising layer as well as a one-colored layer, the adhesive poster being perforated.  
      Also already known are one sided see-through, punched self-adhesive foils that on the other side are provided with an image. U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,938 discloses one-way vision display panels that are perforated plastic panel assemblies having a rear surface provided with a light absorbing color coating and a front surface carrying an image. In specific embodiments, either a white opaque intermediate panel may be present or a light reflective image may be applied onto a black substrate. Such image carrying panel assembly is then provided with an adhesive and a peelable layer and the whole assembly is perforated. As an alternative to a panel that on one surface is provided with adhesive, a panel comprising a static cling material may be used, and as an alternative to a plastic panel assembly a display panel assembly may comprise a single perforated membrane, printed on one side with a light reflective color image and printed or coated on a reverse side with a light absorbing dark color coating.  
      Another embodiment, in particular for interior mounting, is described in WO 99/65680. The graphic article described therein is made of a perforated imaginable film layer and a non perforated attachment component. The graphic article is produced in that the perforated imaginable film layer composed of an opaque light absorbing layer and an opaque, which may be a light reflecting layer with an imaginable surface that is imaged and then the imaged surface is adhered to a heat activated adhesive layer of the attachment component that on the second surface has a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive. On the light absorbing side a non perforated transparent protective foil can be provided.  
      The self-adhesive foils described above usually are intended for being applied to the interior or exterior surface of a window.  
      Also with these foils, the liner on which such foils are delivered, will be thrown away after the application, and also with these foils the removal from the surface on which they have been stuck, or their replacement, respectively, can be a problem because the adhesive used for the fixation, on the one hand needs to have an adequately good adhesion to ensure that the foil cannot easily be peeled off under environmental influences or due to mild vandalism, respectively, but on the other hand, after a certain time, it should be easily removable without leaving traces and under application of special, mild methods of removal. The trace-less removal is important since the transparency of foils subsequently applied on the same surface should not be affected.  
      Further disadvantages of these self-adhesive, one sided see-through foils are that their application has to be done on specific surfaces and, on the manufacturing side, the liner that is punched simultaneously with the self-adhesive foil will be disposed as rubbish.  
      Furthermore, if the perforated foils are imaged, color may pass through the perforations and pollute the light absorbing surface, thereby affecting the through view.  
      Thus, there is still a need for one-side transparent (see-through), on the other side image carrying graphical products and intermediates and production methods that do overcome the above mentioned disadvantages.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Hence, it is a general object of the invention to provide an adhesion compound suitable as intermediate in the production of a poster material or poster of the present invention.  
      It is a further object of the present invention to provide a poster material that has regularly allocated holes and a surface which is printable on the first side and a surface which is light absorbing on the second side, and whereby the poster material has an adhesion coating neither on the first nor on the second side.  
      It is still another object of the present invention to provide a poster wherein the poster material carries information on the light reflecting, first side.  
      It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for the preparation of such a poster.  
      It is still another object to provide a method for producing a printable adhesion compound.  
      Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the adhesion compound suitable as intermediate in the production of a non-adhesive, one-sided see-through poster material or poster of the present invention is manifested by the features that it comprises at least a poster material with a poster substrate and a carrier material with a carrier substrate, wherein the poster material and the carrier material are separably connected together by an adhesive layer, and wherein the poster material has on a first side a printable or with an image receptive coating directly or after pre-treatment providable surface and on a second side a light absorbing surface, and wherein the adhesive layer has a better adhesion towards the carrier material than towards the poster material such that after separation of the poster material and the carrier material the adhesive layer remains on the carrier material, and wherein the poster material has in at least an area regularly or in a regular pattern distributed holes, such that in separated form it is see-through from the second side with the light absorbing surface.  
      The poster material or poster of the present invention has no adhesive properties at all, i.e. also no electrostatic or other adhesion properties, such as so called “cling” properties.  
      Specific embodiments of the adhesion compounds of the present invention comprise one or any reasonable combination of two or more of the following additional features, whereby such additional features can make the compound suitable as intermediate in another step of a poster production method.  
      For use as intermediate in the poster production method, an inventive adhesion compound comprises a poster material wherein the side facing the carrier material is the second side with the light absorbing surface. In one embodiment, the first side of the poster material has a printable surface. In another embodiment that may also be a precursor of the before described embodiment, the fist side of the poster material has a surface that can be directly provided with an image receptive coating. In yet another embodiment, the first side of the poster material can be provided with an image receptive coating after pre-treatment.  
      For connecting the poster material to the carrier material, the adhesion compound is provided with an adhesive layer arranged between the poster material and the carrier material the adhesive layer showing a better adhesion against the carrier material than against the poster material such that after separating the poster material and the carrier material, the adhesive layer remains on the carrier material.  
      In an exemplary adhesion compound of the present invention, the holes are perforation holes or punching holes, respectively.  
      In one embodiment of an intermediate adhesion compound, the first side of the poster material has a first surface that is also light reflective. This light reflective surface can be provided by a light reflective poster material or by a light reflective coating/layer or by a light reflective print.  
      If suitably equipped, the carrier material present in the perforation step can also be used, namely as a one side information carrying from the other side see-through product of the state of the art, i.e. for images (information) that can be fixed on e.g. window panes. In this case, the carrier material has a first side with a surface which is printable or that can be provided with an image receptive coating directly or after pre-treatment, and a second side with a surface which is light absorbing.  
      As the first side of the poster material also the first side of the carrier material can have a surface which is also light reflecting. Such light reflecting surface of the carrier material can be provided as described above in connection with the poster material.  
      In an exemplary embodiment of the adhesion compound an adhesive layer is arranged between the carrier material and the poster material the adhesive layer having a better adhesion against the carrier material than against the poster material, and the light absorbing second side of the carrier material is facing the poster material.  
      In a specific adhesion compound intermediate of the present invention, both the poster material and the carrier material are in at least one area provided with regularly distributed holes, the holes may be perforation holes or punching holes, respectively, which may be identical holes, although it may also be that the holes are not all identical but form a regularly repeating pattern of holes.  
      In another adhesion compound intermediate of or for use in the present invention, the carrier material has no holes. This is e.g. the case in an adhesion compound intermediate prior to perforation or punching, respectively, or in an adhesion compound wherein after perforation or punching the perforated/punched carrier has been replaced by a protective carrier for protecting the light absorbing surface during the poster production steps during which the first side is provided with a light reflecting surface and/or an information such as an image and/or a text.  
      In a further adhesion compound of the present invention, the first side of the poster material is provided with information, especially an image and/or a text.  
      If the carrier shall not be disposed of, the first side of the carrier material of an inventive adhesion compound can have a surface which is printable or which features an image receptive coating. The surface of the first side of the carrier material of such an adhesion compound can then be printed on with information. If such information provided carrier has no holes, for see-through applications it should be at least partially transparent. If not transparent, the applications may be on opaque surfaces.  
      As already shortly addressed above, the surface of the first side and/or the surface of the second side of the poster material and/or the surface of the fist side and/or the surface of the second side of the carrier material may be light absorbing and/or light reflecting, respectively, e.g. due to at least one layer applied to the respective side having the required light absorbing or light reflecting properties.  
      In another embodiment, the surface of the first side and/or the surface of the second side of the poster material and/or the surface of the first side and/or the surface of the second side of the carrier material of an inventive adhesion compound are light absorbing and/or light reflecting due to dyeing of the poster substrate and/or of the carrier substrate.  
      In another embodiment of the adhesion compound the poster substrate and/or the carrier substrate are a compound material, particularly a laminate. This or these compound material(s) can be selected such that they provide at least one of the light reflecting or light absorbing surfaces, which may be both.  
      Two or three of the above described approaches may be used, e.g., to provide one or more of the light absorbing or light reflecting surfaces by coating, others by dyeing and/or using compound materials( ).  
      In exemplary embodiments of the inventive adhesion compound, the light reflecting surface of the first side of the poster material and/or the light reflecting surface of the first side of the carrier material appear white or metallized, and the light absorbing surface of the second side of the poster material and/or the light absorbing surface of the second side of the carrier material appear black. The metallized appearing surfaces may have such appearance due to an aluminum layer.  
      In order to be well see-through, the holes provided adhesion compound of the present invention is in at least one area of the poster material, and optionally of the carrier material, provided with regularly (evenly) distributed holes, in such a way that the holes show a diameter of 1 to 5 mm, which may be 1 to 2 mm and that the holes account for 30% to 60%, which may be 30% to 50% of the area provided with regularly distributed holes.  
      In particular in the case of the punched holes, the holes are round and may be identical.  
      Specific poster materials suitable for being used in specific adhesion compounds of the present invention comprise poster materials selected from the group comprising materials provided with or containing light absorbingly colored paper or light absorbingly coated paper, light absorbing, colored plastic foils, synthetic foils provided with or containing a light absorbing coating, materials being or containing more than one layered compound fabric, particularly paper and synthetic fabric, a compound fabric made of various synthetic fabrics, a compound made of paper and/or synthetic fabric and one or more further materials, pulp fabrics, especially an open work fabric made of textile- and/or synthetic fibers.  
      Specific carrier materials suitable for being used in specific adhesion compounds of the present invention comprise carrier materials selected from the group consisting of materials provided with or containing light absorbingly colored paper or light absorbingly coated paper, light absorbing, colored plastic foils, synthetic foils provided with or containing a light absorbing coating, materials being or containing more than one layered compound fabrics, particularly paper and synthetic fabric, compound fabrics made of various synthetic fabrics, compounds made of paper and/or synthetic fabric and one or more further materials.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the poster material and/or the carrier material comprise at least one auxiliary coating, in particular a translucent separation/release layer and/or a protection layer on the second side of the poster material, and/or an auxiliary layer which improves the printability on the first side of the poster material and/or the carrier material.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the inventive adhesion compound that has already been provided with information over the information has at least one additional layer, especially one or more protection layer(s) selected from the group comprising layers for improving the abrasion resistance, layers for enhancing the light fastness, layers for enhancing the weather fastness, layers for protection against graffiti, and two or more layers of the same or different kind.  
      In a further embodiment, the carrier material of the adhesion compound of the present invention is a carrier substrate that is sticky on both sides, whereby in this case both sides of such a carrier material are covered with poster material, in particular holes containing poster material. Dependent on the production step, also the carrier material can have holes.  
      In the embodiment with a both sides adhesive coated carrier material sandwiched between two poster materials, the carrier material usually is disposed of, since such material, if perforated, is not suitable for being used in the information printing step or as adhesive poster and if not perforated, it might be polluted during information printing such that it could only be re-used to a limited extent, or it could be delivered to the end user with the posters on it, if e.g. the simultaneous use of the posters of both sides were intended.  
      In an exemplary embodiment of the poster material, or such poster material comprising adhesion compound, the sum of all areas that are see-through from at least one side due to holes is at least 50% of the total area of the adhesion compound, which may be at least 75%, in particular at least 90%, and especially may be 100%.  
      It has to be understood that an adhesion compound of the present invention is always such that neither the surface of the poster material intended for printing nor the opposite surface of the carrier material are sticky. This means that either the carrier material has only an adhesive layer on one surface, or—in the case of two adhesive layers—the carrier material is sandwiched between two poster materials with non sticky sides intended for information print directed away from the carrier.  
      Also an object of the present invention is a poster material as defined above that has regularly arranged holes and a printable surface on the first side and a light absorbing surface on the second side, the poster material having an adhesion coating neither on the first side nor on the second side. The poster material may have no adhesive properties at all.  
      The poster material of the present invention may already has a light reflecting first side. In another embodiment light reflecting properties are subsequently applied, e.g. during the information providing step. In the scope of the present invention, a poster material provided with information on the first side, alternatively is also termed poster.  
      The adhesion compound may consists of or include perforated poster material with a light reflecting, in particular white first side and a light absorbing, in particular black second side, a continuous carrier material and an adhesive layer between the second side of the poster material and the carrier material, whereby the adhesive layer upon separating the poster material remains on the carrier material.  
      Such adhesion compound can easily be printed by common printing equipment and separated from the carrier/liner material already at the printing site such that the carrier/liner material can easily be collected in large quantities for correct disposal, re-use or recycling.  
      A poster of the present invention can be produced in that a printable adhesion compound 
          comprising at least a poster material with a poster substrate and a carrier material with a carrier substrate, the poster material and the carrier material being separably joined together by an adhesive coating, the poster material having on a first side a printable surface that is light reflecting and on a second side a light absorbing surface, the poster material furthermore comprising holes at least in one area such that after separation from the carrier material it is one-sided see-through and does not comprise any adhesion coating,     is printed with information on the first side of the poster material and optionally on the first side of the carrier material, and in that optionally a protection layer is applied to the printed surface of the poster material and optionally to the optionally printed surface of the carrier material, and in that finally the poster material is separated from the carrier material.        

      Since a non adhesive poster shall be produced, also the poster substrate and the poster material are non adhesive.  
      A printable adhesion compound can be produced in that a poster material that is one-sided see-through in at least one area and that has on a first side a printable surface or a surface that can be directly provided with an image receptive coating or a surface that after pre-treatment can be provided with such coating and that has on a second side a light absorbing surface, is separably stuck to a hole-free (non-perforated, continuous) carrier material by means of an adhesive layer. If the first side is not per se printable, it is provided with an image receptive coating, and if it is not yet light reflecting, it is directly or after application of an image receptive layer provided with a light reflecting coating or layer.  
      In the exemplary method of the present invention, the poster material that is one-sided see-through in at least one area is produced in that poster material comprising on a first side a printable surface, and on a second side a light absorbing surface, is provided with holes in at least one area by perforation. Alternatively to a poster material with printable surface, a poster material with a surface directly provided with an image receptive coating, or with a surface that after pre-treatment is provided with such coating can be applied.  
      The poster material being one-sided see-through in at least one area can be produced by using a starting or base adhesion compound comprising at least a poster material with a poster substrate and a carrier material with a carrier substrate, the poster material and the carrier material being separably connected to each other by an adhesive layer such that after separation from the carrier material the poster material shows no adhesive layer, the poster material having on a first side a printable surface and on a second side a light absorbing surface, the starting or base adhesion compound being provided with holes in at least one area by means of a perforation that goes through the complete starting or base adhesion compound, the such generated adhesion compound then being separated to give a perforated poster material and a perforated adhesive carrier material. Alternatively to the poster material with a printable surface, a poster material with a surface that is directly provided with an image receptive coating or a surface that after pre-treatment can be provided with such coating are suitable.  
      The method of the present invention also may comprise the steps that the base adhesion compound is made by providing a hole-free poster substrate with a light absorbing coating on its second side and optionally with a printable coating or an image receptive coating on its first side, and that the poster material is separably connected with a carrier material, whereby after separation from the carrier material the poster material does not comprise any adhesive layer.  
      A method for producing an alternative base adhesion compound comprises separably connecting a hole-free poster substrate to a carrier material, wherein the poster material is produced in that a laminate of a light absorbing layer and a printable layer or a layer that is directly or after pre-treatment providable with an image receptive coating is produced, and wherein after separation from the carrier material the poster material does not have any adhesive layer.  
      In an exemplary method, the carrier material used has on a first side a printable coating or a surface that is directly or after pre-treatment provided with an image receptive coating and on a second side a light absorbing surface. The method of the present invention may also comprise further steps during which the first side of the carrier material is provided with a printable coating or, optionally after pre-treatment, with an image receptive coating and on a second side with a light absorbing surface.  
      The carrier material used in the inventive method may be provided with an adhesion coating on the light absorbing surface of its second side.  
      The poster material and optionally the carrier material may in any step of the method for the production of a printable adhesion compound be provided with an image receptive layer/coating and/or a light reflecting surface and/or at least one auxiliary layer/coating, provided that such layer/coating does not affect the further use of the compound (e.g. an auxiliary layer/coating that improves abrasion resistance, or protects against graffiti but is not well printable should not be applied in an early step but only after information printing).  
      An exemplary method of the present invention is a material and cost saving method using specific adhesion compounds having in at least some steps a carrier material that has not to be discharged but that can be used in other applications, e.g. a perforated carrier as a poster material for one-side see-through adhesive posters, non perforated carriers as adhesive posters for use on opaque surfaces.  
      A poster produced as described above that is printed on one side and that can be seen through from the other side can be hung-up or put-up in a room in various ways, e.g. stabilized—if need be—by a frame or placed against—but not adhered to—a glass pane, or hung in a room without any additional stabilization.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a scheme of the method for the production of a poster described in the present invention wherein the poster material gets punched without additional carrier/liner.  
       FIG. 2  shows a variant of the procedure of  Figure 1 , wherein the poster material attached to a self-adhesive carrier material gets punched.  
       FIGS. 3A-3F  show cross sections of poster material in different phases of the process.  
       FIG. 3A  shows the poster substrate.  
       FIG. 3B  shows the poster substrate of  FIG. 3A  provided with a light absorbing layer.  
       FIG. 3C  shows the poster material of  FIG. 3B  with an additional layer e.g. a separating layer.  
       FIG. 3D  shows the poster material of  FIG. 3C  after perforation.  
       FIG. 3E  shows the perforated poster material during its application onto a non-perforated carrier/liner material, the carrier/liner material being provided with an adhesive layer.  
       FIG. 3F  shows the poster material of  FIG. 3E  in completely laminated condition.  
       FIG. 4  shows a cross section of the adhesion compound of  FIG. 3F  after application of an image receptive layer and an image.  
       FIG. 5  shows a cross section of the adhesion compound shown in  FIG. 3F , wherein the poster material is directly provided with an image.  
       FIG. 6  shows a cross section of the release of the finished poster of  FIG. 5  from the self-adhesive carrier.  
       FIG. 7  shows the step of the application of a poster made of a poster material including an image receptive layer to e.g. a window pane.  
       FIG. 8  shows a cross section of the poster analogous to the one of  FIG. 6  with a protective layer applied over the image.  
       FIG. 9  shows a cross section of a similar embodiment as shown in  FIG. 8  whereby the protective layer is a continuous protective film.  
       FIGS. 10A-10C  show a cross sections of a material saving alternative, the material saving being due to using a carrier/liner material that is on both sides provided with an adhesive layer and thereon mounted poster material;  
       FIG. 10A  shows such a material in delivery status.  
       FIG. 10B  shows the material shown in  FIG. 10A  during the release of one poster.  
       FIG. 10C  shows the material shown in  FIG. 10B  after complete removal of the first and beginning removal of the second poster.  
       FIG. 11  shows a cross section of a material of the state of the art for the production of a sticking poster.  
       FIGS. 12A-12D  show cross sections of the improvements of the present invention.  
       FIG. 12A  shows an inventive adhesion compound, wherein a one-sided, light absorbing poster material, that is not coated with adhesive, is used for protecting the adhesive layer, or as alternative to the liner of the material of  FIG. 11 , respectively.  
       FIG. 12B  shows the material of  FIG. 12A  in punched condition.  
       FIG. 12C  shows the punched material of  FIG. 12B  during separation of the adhesive coated material from the not adhesive coated poster material.  
       FIG. 12D  shows the application of a new, non-perforated, adhesive coated carrier onto the adhesive-free poster material of  FIG. 12C .  
       FIGS. 13A-13D  show an analogous material whereby in this case the poster material does not have to be perforated since it is a translucent fibrous material e.g. textures.  
       FIG. 13A  shows the one-sided, black coated fibrous material,  
       FIG. 13B  shows a cross section of the one-sided, black coated fibrous material with the black layer adjacent to an adhesive carrier/liner layer.  
       FIG. 13C  shows a cross section of the fibrous material that is provided with an image applied onto an adhesive carrier/liner that also caries an image.  
       FIG. 13D  shows a cross section of the disconnection of the adhesion compound of  FIG. 13C .  
    
    
     LEGEND OF THE FIGURES  
     
         
           1  poster substrate (material)  
           2  carrier/liner substrate (material)  
           3  surface/side  1  of the poster material/substrate  
           4  surface/side  2  of the poster material/substrate  
           5  surface/side  1  of the carrier material/substrate or liner material/substrate  
           6  surface/side  2  of the carrier material/substrate or liner material/substrate  
           16  fibrous material (long grain)  
           16 A fibrous material, (short grain)  
           20 , 20 ′ adhesive layer  
           21  information/image on carrier/liner  
           23  separation/release layer  
           24  image receptive layer  
           29  removable carrier/liner  
           30  information/image  
           32  light absorbing layer  
           34  protective layer  
           46  hole cutting tool/die cutting tool  
           50  hole  
           70  roll  
           71  transportation roll  
           72  window pane  
       
    
      Definitions  
      In order to ensure that the terms used herein are interpreted as intended, some definitions are given below:  
      Poster material/poster substrate designates a material that possesses the therefor mentioned features. It can consist of a poster substrate or it can comprise several additional layers, provided that the minimum features attributed to the poster material are fulfilled. The way of manufacturing, or the kind of the application of the layers/coatings, respectively, is irrelevant.  
      Carrier material/liner material/carrier substrate/liner substrate designates at least a carrier/liner material/substrate, yet can also be a material comprising diverse layers/coatings, provided that the minimum features attributed to the carrier material are fulfilled. The way of manufacturing, or the kind of the application of the coatings/layers, respectively, is irrelevant.  
      Within the scope of the present invention, a material is designated a substrate, if it provides all features requested for the poster material or the carrier material, or if it is a bearing or integral constituent, respectively, of these materials, that together with other layers or coatings forms the materials. Materials suitable to be used as substrates are e.g. metals, plastics, glass, cellulose products, such as paper or cardboard, synthetic papers, textures, non woven fabrics as well as multi-layer materials e.g. coextrusion products and laminates made from one or more of the previously mentioned materials.  
      Light absorbing means that at least 60% of the impinging light gets absorbed, which may be 80%, particularly 100%.  
      Light reflecting means that at least 60% of the impinging light gets reflected, which may be 80%, particularly 100%.  
      Coating means a layer material that is applied to another material in liquid or solid form. Examples of coatings include adhesive coatings, primer coatings, release coatings (e.g. silicones), light absorbing coatings such as black pigmented plastic coatings, light reflecting coatings such as white pigmented plastic coatings and metalizations. Methods for the application/attachment of coatings are printing, reverse roll coating, blade coating etc. A coating is in contrast to a substrate—not a bearing or integral constituent, i.e. it is neither responsible for the shape nor for the mechanical strength.  
      Non-adhesive, non-adherent means that there is neither an adhesive coating nor electrostatic forces leading to an adhesion on specific surfaces.  
      The terms “holey” “perforated, “provided with holes”, “punched”, “perforated”, “die cut” all describe materials wherein material-containing and material-free areas alternate in a regular pattern whereby some of the terms specify products that have been produced by a specific manufacturing step or a method. The term “holey” is used to designate a material that is translucent/see-through due to any kind of holes, i.e. it encompasses open-work textiles as well as originally continuous material that has been provided with holes by perforation, punching, die cutting etc.  
      In the scope of the present invention, hole means every material-free area or opening, respectively, in a material. Holes may be made directly during the production of e.g. textures or interlaced yarns, or they can be made subsequently by hand or machine. They can have several shapes, e.g. round, multigonal or polygonal, regular or irregular, symmetric or asymmetric, and within one area different hole shapes, hole patterns and hole sizes can occur provided that the eye recognizes the structure or its sequence as regular.  
      Regular in relation to the arrangement of the holes means that the transparency is not affected due to irregularities. The regularity of holey fibrous material is mostly lower than the regularity of perforations. The regularity of perforations should be such that the material thickness between proximate holes, or hole paths, respectively, varies by at most 20%, which may be by at most 10%, which may be by 0%.  
      Auxiliary layers may e.g. be primer-coatings, adhesive coatings within the poster material or the carrier material, respectively, separating/release coatings that facilitate the separation of materials, and barrier coatings that prevent an undesired mixing of materials/diffusion. Auxiliary layers may be provided as additional layers wherever required or necessary.  
      Additional layers are e.g. layers/coatings that improve the end product (the poster) yet have no impact on the adhesion compound and its usage during the manufacturing process of the poster. Such coatings in particular are protective layers that are used above the information for its protection or for the generation of special effects. Such layers are in particular layers that serve for the reduction of abrasion, for the increase of light resistance, for the increase of weather resistance and/or for the protection against graffiti.  
      The terms “side” and “surface” in relation to the poster material, the carrier material or the adhesion compound, respectively, are largely used synonymous.  
      The description of a surface as being light absorbing or light reflecting or appearing light absorbing or light reflecting includes also surfaces that comprise colorless or transparent, respectively, coatings/layers between the light absorbing or light reflecting coatings and the surface, or between the light absorbing or light reflecting substrates and the surface.  
      In the specification, the term “adhesion compound” is used for all materials that at least comprise one poster material and one carrier material and that are separably joined together. Depending on the step of the method in which they appear, they may be further specified, e.g. as basic adhesion compound for an adhesion compound that is provided with holes, as perforated adhesion compound for an adhesion compound that comprises holes passing through the whole compound, and as printable adhesion compound for an adhesion compound that comprises all coatings and characteristics which are at least desirable for the application of information. Any of the adhesion compounds of the present invention is suitable as an intermediate in different steps of the production of a non adhesive poster of the present invention.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The inventive adhesion compound that is suitable for being used in the production of a non-adhesive, one-sided see-through poster comprises at least a poster material with a poster substrate  1  and a carrier material with a carrier substrate  2  wherein the poster material and the carrier material are separably joined together by an adhesive layer  20 , and wherein the poster material has on a first side a printable or with an image receptive coating directly or after pre-treatment providable surface  3  and on a second side a light absorbing surface  4 , and wherein the adhesive layer  20  has a better adhesion towards the carrier material than towards the poster material such that after separation of the poster material and the carrier material the adhesive layer  20  remains on the carrier material, and wherein the poster material has in at least an area regularly or in a regular pattern distributed holes  50 , such that it is see-through from the second side with the light absorbing surface  4 .  
      Within the scope of the present invention, several process intermediates are referred to as adhesion compounds, provided that they comprise the above mentioned characteristics.  
      An inventive adhesion compound may e.g. comprise a poster material that is translucent/see-through (open-work, perforated) due to regularly spread material-comprising areas and material-free areas (holes  50 ).  
      Such arrangement of material-comprising areas and material-free areas may occur e.g. in a regular fibrous material or it can be created by the means of perforation of a previously non-translucent/not-see-through, persistent material.  
      In an exemplary embodiment of the adhesion compound the side of the poster material facing the carrier material is the second, light absorbing side  4 . This is in particular the case when the adhesion compound comprises a poster material already having holes  50  on a continuous carrier  2 .  
      In one embodiment of the adhesion compound, the poster material has on its first side a surface  3  that is directly printable with information and in another embodiment it comprises a surface  3  that can be provided with an image receptive layer/coating  24 . The surface that can be provided with an image receptive coating  24  can be directly furnished with the image receptive layer/coating  24  or after a pre-treatment e.g. a primer treatment and/or a corona treatment etc. of the surface.  
      A poster material with printable surface  3  may for example be a printable material such as paper or a material on which an image receptive layer/coating  24  has already been applied e.g. a foil coated with an ink jet layer. A surface  3  being able to be provided with an image receptive layer  24  may be any surface that allows to be coated or otherwise combined with or connected to a respective layer by means of fluid application, welding or laminating without harming the adhesion compound.  
      The adhesion of the poster material on the carrier material may be obtained through e.g. extrusion, welding or by gluing, whereby for the gluing process an adhesive layer  20  is arranged between the poster material and the carrier material. The adhesive layer/coating  20  has a stronger adhesion towards the carrier material than towards the poster material. In particular in adhesion compounds with perforated poster material and continuous carrier material an adhesive layer  20  is in general present.  
      The poster material may be a poster substrate  1  or it may comprise such substrate  1 . The poster substrate  1  may be a uniform material or a material compound, especially a laminate, made from equal or different materials, e.g. differently colored foils.  
      The first side of the poster material may possess a light reflecting surface  3 , e.g. a light reflectingly provided foil that is part of the poster substrate  1 , or a light reflective layer/coating or a light reflective print. Very light colors such as light yellow, light beige and especially white are generally considered as light reflecting. Light reflecting metalizations, such as aluminizations, may be used in order to obtain special effects.  
      Also the light absorbing surface  4  may especially be provided by a coating on the respective side of the poster material or by a suitably colored poster substrate  1  itself. Very dark colors, particularly black, are considered as suitably light absorbing. Any auxiliary layers that are applied on the light absorbing surface  4  such as layers which regulate the adhesion or increase the abrasion resistance and/or UV resistance shall not have an impact on the light absorption. Within the scope of this invention, such auxiliary coatings/layers are considered as belonging to the poster material.  
      A specific adhesion compound of the present invention has a carrier material with a first side or surface  5 , respectively, that is printable and a second side or surface  6 , respectively, that is light absorbing. The first side  5  of the carrier material may also have a light reflecting surface. Between the carrier material and the poster material such an adhesion compound in general has an adhesive layer/coating  20  with a stronger adhesion towards the carrier material than towards the poster material whereby the light absorbing second side  6  of the carrier material is turned towards the adhesive layer/coating  20  and the poster material.  
      The light absorbing or light reflecting surfaces  5 ,  6  of the carrier material may be generated according to the description above concerning the poster material. The carrier substrate  2  used for the carrier material may also be a material compound, particularly a laminate.  
      After perforation, the carrier material of such adhesion compound may be used as an adhesive, one sided transparent poster material according to the prior art. Besides of positive ecological effects (savings in material and energy) this leads to a bisection of the perforation costs and to savings at the materials costs (perforated carrier does not have to be discarded and disposed).  
      If the adhesive layer  20  is missing in an adhesion compound that with respect to the other features is as described before, then the poster material as well as the carrier material (if non-adhesive) may be processed to a poster according to the present invention with the above mentioned advantages. Compound materials that are separable and after separation are non-tacky and do not adhere to any surface by their own are known to the skilled person.  
      The poster material and/or the carrier material may be or may contain light absorbingly colored paper or paper coated with a light absorbing coating, or the poster material and/or the carrier material may be or may contain a light absorbingly colored plastic foil or a plastic foil coated with a light absorbing coating. Also suitable are materials that contain paper and/or plastic foil, e.g. multilayered composites made from paper and/or plastics, from different plastics or from paper and/or plastics and another material e.g. a metal or fibrous material. Suitable poster materials are also fibrous materials, in particular holey fabrics made from textile fibers and/or plastic fibers.  
      One possibility to provide the adhesion compound with holes  50 , i.e. to make it holey, is by a perforation that during the production is performed through the whole adhesion compound and—in direction perpendicular to the direction of the perforation—in at least specific areas and which may be over the whole adhesion compound. Such a perforated adhesion compound is also an inventive adhesion compound. In a further production step, such an adhesion compound may be disconnected and the perforated material may be applied on a new, continuous (i.e. not holey) carrier material for simple printing and/or for protecting the light absorbing surface against pollution.  
      At a later stage of the production method, the first, light reflecting surface  3  of the poster material will be provided with information  30 , particularly with an image and/or text. Such an adhesion compound carrying information is also an object of the present invention.  
      A very regular allocation of the material-free areas  50 , the holes, is primarily essential in order to obtain on the one hand a good through sight and on the other hand a good visibility of the information, e.g. a clear picture. A very good combination of the two competing demands is obtained when the regularly allocated material-containing and material-free areas of the poster material, and optionally the carrier material, are such that the material-free areas have a diameter of 1 to 5 mm, in particular 1 to 2 mm, and the material-containing areas provide 30 to 60%, in particular 30 to 50% of the poster area whereby the sum of the material-free and the material-containing areas is 100%.  
      The material-free areas  50 , the holes, may be round, and may also be identical. Such holes advantageously are perforation holes  50 , punching holes  50 .  
      In general, the sum of all areas with holes  50 , e.g. the perforated area, is at least 50% of the total area of the adhesion compound or the poster material or poster, respectively, which may be at least 75%, which may be at least 90%, and especially may be about 100%, i.e. the whole poster material/poster may be see-through due to holes  50 , possibly except a small area (“frame”) adjacent the edges.  
      In a further embodiment of the inventive adhesion compound, the light absorbingly and/or the light reflectingly colored material, or the material that is provided with a light absorbing and/or a light reflecting coating or layer may be provided with a transparent auxiliary layer, in particular with a separating/release layer  23  improving the separation of the carrier material or with a coating improving the printability.  
      Also a subject of the present invention is a nonadhesive/non-adherent poster material as described above that is provided with regularly allocated (distributed) holes  50  and that on the first side has a printable surface  3  or a surface  3  that may be provided with a printable layer/coating and that on the second side has a light absorbing surface  4 , and whereby the poster material has neither on the first side  3  nor on the second side  4  an adhesive layer  20 , in particular a poster material that on the first side  3  is light reflecting. It is especially favored when the poster material has already been made printable on the first side  3 .  
      On the light reflecting first side  3 , the poster material may carry information and is then generally referred to as a poster.  
      While with special printing machines directly printing on a holey poster material may be done, e.g. by sucking excessive color off the light absorbing side or by feeding the poster material to the printing facility simultaneously with and pressed on a protection material (e.g. a sucking paper or a soft plastic foil that due to its softness “seals” the holes), printing in an adhesion compound and subsequent disconnection may be better. Such a method is further described below taking into consideration different alternatives.  
      An adhesion compound comprising a poster material and a carrier material, whereby the poster material and the carrier material are separably combined with each other and whereby the poster material has on a first side a printable or with an image receptive layer directly or after pre-treatment providable surface  3  and on the second side a light absorbing surface  4 , is perforated, in particular by dye cutting. This adhesion compound will then be disconnected and, depending on its actual equipment, the carrier material will either be discarded or be further processed as a poster material of the state of the art in a respective adhesion compound.  
      The inventive poster material obtained as described above may be applied to a continuous (not-holey) carrier with its second, light absorbing side  4 . The continuous carrier possesses an adhesive layer  20  that may be totally residue free releasable from the poster material, i.e. the adhesive layer  20  totally remains on the carrier material. The adhesion compound then is subjected to coating steps/printing steps wherein—depending on the requirements—not yet existent-layers such as e.g. adhesion improving (primer) layers and/or a light reflecting printing or coating and/or an image receptive layer and/or a print of information and/or a protective layer are applied.  
      Alternatively, the poster material may be perforated alone, i.e. without carrier material, and to apply such material directly on a continuous, not perforated carrier for further processing, or to use appropriate holey fibrous material  16  as poster material in this step.  
      Provision may be made for a “both sides” adhesive coated carrier with poster material on both sides and to further process such a compound accordingly, e.g. in that successively first the one and then the other side are printed, or by simultaneously printing both sides in appropriately equipped facilities. Such “sandwich” type adhesion compound with continuous poster material can also be used in the perforation step.  
      After application of the information  30  and optionally a protective layer/coating  34 , the poster may be separated from the carrier. Since bigger amounts of carrier material accumulate during production, it can relatively easy be collected and re-used or recycled.  
      The poster may then be leaned against a window or—if the material has sufficient stability—it may e.g. be hung up or erected in a shop-window. In case that the material itself is not sufficiently dimensionally stable, it may be stabilized by means of a frame that is not impacting the visibility and transparency, in particular by a clip-on picture frame.  
      Specific embodiments of the present invention will be further explained below by means of the Figures. These Figures merely represent examples of embodiments and shall not be construed as in any way limiting the invention described in the appended claims.  
       FIG. 1  shows in  9  steps a method for the production of a poster starting from a poster material that is perforated without a carrier.  
      Step  1  shows the application by means of a roller  70  of a light absorbing, in particular a black, coating  32  on a poster substrate  1 . The application of such a coating  32  may be achieved through e.g. coating with fluid material or by laminating with an appropriate foil. The first side or surface  3  of the poster substrate  1  is suitable for the application of an image and/or other information  30  by means of printing methods. The result of this first step is a poster material as described above. Step  2  shows the poster material made in step  1  at the application of an auxiliary layer, in this case a separating/release layer  23 , on the light absorbing layer  32 . The separating layer has to be such that the respectively coated surface  4  of the poster material is still light absorbing. The separating/release layer  23  thus may also be a light absorbing layer or a colorless, transparent layer. This coating can also be applied as a fluid (liquid) or as a foil whereby the application of the layer as a fluid (liquid) may be used. Step  3  shows the perforation step whereby the perforating tool  46  is shown during the breakthrough of the poster material  1 ,  32 ,  23 . The arrows indicate the direction of the perforation and the movement of the tool  46 . Step  4  is a cross section representation of the poster material provided with holes  50  after the punching step. Step  5  shows a roller  71  with which an adhesive  20  and a carrier substrate  2 , whereby here the carrier substrate  2  is identical with the carrier material, or an adhesive  20  coated carrier material, are applied to the poster material, and step  6  shows the resulting adhesion compound. The application of information  30  by means of printing methods takes place between the steps  6  and  7 , and the perforated and printed adhesion compound is shown in step  7 . Step  8  shows the disconnection of the adhesion compound and step  9  shows the final product, applied to a window pane  72 .  
       FIG. 2  shows different steps of the inventive method starting from an adhesion compound that prior to perforation has been provided with a carrier material.  
      Step  1  schematically illustrates a roll of adhesion compound having the construction described in step  2  in cross section. This base adhesion compound consists of (from top to bottom) a carrier substrate/carrier material  2 , an adhesive layer  20  and a poster material made of a separating layer  23 , a black layer  32  and a poster substrate  1 . The carrier material may have a printable surface  5  that is turned away from the adhesion coating  20  and a light absorbing surface  6  that is turned towards the adhesive layer  20 . In step  3  the die-cutting of the adhesion compound by means of the tool  46  is shown and in the steps  4  and  5  the completely perforated adhesion compound is illustrated. The steps  6  and  7  show the disconnection of the perforated adhesion compound and the application of the perforated poster material on a new, not perforated carrier material by means of adhesive layer  20  and with application of a transport roller  71  whereby a new adhesion compound is generated.  
       FIG. 3A  shows a cross section through a poster substrate  1  that has been provided with a light absorbing coating  32  in  FIG. 3B .  FIG. 3C  shows the material of  FIG. 3B  with an additional separating/release layer  23 , e.g. a silicone layer. Such layer is only necessary if the adhesion of the adhesive on the carrier material is not sufficiently stronger than on the poster material or if an undesired (e.g. irregular) cohesive fracture would occur.  FIG. 3D  shows the material of  FIG. 3C  after application of holes and  FIG. 3E  shows how the poster material of  FIG. 3C  is stuck together with an adhesive layer  20  coated carrier such forming an adhesion compound wherein the separating/release layer  23  separably adheres to the adhesive layer  20 . The adhesion between the separating layer  23  and the adhesive layer  20  may be adjusted such that the adhesion is just sufficient to survive the intended further steps of the method without any problems, in particular the printing of an information  30  and if necessary—previously the application of an image receptive layer  24 .  FIG. 3F  finally shows the material produced according to  FIG. 3E .  
       FIG. 4  shows the adhesion compound of  FIG. 3F , wherein the surface  3  of the poster substrate  1  is not sufficiently well printable and therefore has to be prepared for the printing of information by applying an image receptive coating  24 , after application of the image receptive coating  24  and the information  30 .  
       FIG. 5  shows the material of  FIG. 3F , wherein the surface  3  of the poster substrate  1  is directly suitable for the printing of information, after the application of information  30 .  
       FIG. 6  shows a cross section through the material of  FIG. 5  during separation of the finished poster from a self adhesive carrier  2 , 20 . Provided that the self adhesive carrier  2 , 20  is not too badly soiled, it can be re-used again as a carrier. Alternatively, and not shown in the Figure, such a carrier can (provided that it is printably featured on the not adhesive coated side or surface  5 ), be provided with an information printing  21  (not shown here) either at a stage where it is still in the above described adhesion compound, or at a later stage joined to a liner. Such a printed carrier can be used as a common transfer image.  
       FIG. 7  schematically shows the step of attaching a poster onto a glass pane  72 . The poster consists of a poster material comprising a light absorbing layer  32 , a poster substrate  1  as well as an image receptive layer  24  and an information layer  30 .  
       FIG. 8  shows a cross section through a poster analogous to the peeled off poster in  FIG. 6  with an additional layer applied over picture  30 , a protection layer  34 . Here, the protection layer was applied in liquid form wherefore the holes  50  have also been formed. In this embodiment, it is not a must that the protection layer  34  is fully transparent and colorless but it may optionally contain a special effects generating filler that only mildly decreases transparency.  
       FIG. 9  shows a similar embodiment as  FIG. 8  wherein the protection layer  34  applied is a continuous protection film, in particular a transparent, at least mostly colorless lamination foil.  
       FIG. 10A  shows a materials saving variant of an inventive adhesion compound as it might be delivered to the end user. In this embodiment, by using a carrier material that is on both sides coated with adhesive  20 ,  20 ′, two posters, either formed by a separating/release layer  23 , a light absorbing poster substrate  1 , and an information printing  30  on a white base coat, or formed by a poster substrate  1  being a laminate made of a light absorbing foil and a light reflecting foil, whereby the information  30  has been directly applied on the surface  3  of the light reflecting foil, can simultaneously be provided. This is e.g. reasonable if the information of the two posters is interrelated such that it has to be ensured that always the desired set is delivered to the end user, or if a carrier is desired to enhance the stability during transport. A respective sandwich that has not yet been provided with information  30  is also advantageous for the use in printing equipment suitable for more or less simultaneous front and back side printing, and thus for shipping from the adhesion compound manufacturing site to the printing facilities.  
       FIG. 10B  shows the material of  FIG. 10A  during detachment of one of the posters and  FIG. 10C  shows the material of  FIG. 10B  after complete separation of the first poster and started detachment of the second poster. If the posters neither have interrelated information nor need stabilization during transport, they can be removed from the carrier already at the production site thereby improving the collecting and recycling of the carrier material.  
      An adhesion compound formed from a double sided sticking carrier material and two poster materials can also be used in the perforation step, if simultaneously, i.e. in one punching step, two inventive poster materials shall be perforated.  
       FIG. 11  shows a material of the state of the art for manufacturing of an adhesively bonding, one-sided see-through poster with a substrate  2  having a light reflecting, printable surface  5  and a light absorbing surface  6 , and which comprises a usual removable carrier  29  instead of the poster material relevant according to the present invention.  
       FIGS. 12A-12D  show for a sticky material, like the one shown in  FIG. 11 , an improvement achievable by the present invention. By not anymore using a common liner for covering the adhesive layer  20 , but a poster material according to the present invention with a light absorbing layer  32  on the side  4  of the poster substrate  1  being oriented towards the adhesive layer ( FIG. 12A ), the complex perforation procedure can be carried out simultaneously for two poster materials, for a poster material comprising a layer of adhesive material (in the scope of the present invention, such adhesive poster material is in general referred to as carrier material), which will be processed further to a sticky poster as known from the state of the art, and for an inventive poster material that is free of an adhesive layer ( FIG. 12B ).  
       FIG. 12C  shows the separation of a poster material provided with an adhesive layer from a poster material free of an adhesive layer. Alternatively, the procedure of  FIG. 12A  to  FIG. 12C  might also be applied for simultaneously manufacturing two inventive, punched non-adherent poster materials, namely when, e.g. a separable compound material free of any adhesive layer were used. Such materials comprise coextrusion products and welded products.  
      In a further process step of the present invention, an adhesive coated, not perforated carrier is applied onto the adhesive free poster material ( FIG. 12D ). This step is only necessary or desirable when the printing apparatus construction does not provide any means by which a pollution of the light absorbing side during the printing procedure can at least be reduced and may be completely avoided. Such means are e.g. a sucking (exhaust) device, or the simultaneous supply of a covering foil that can be pressed onto the poster material, or a roll provided with an adequate surface. If the material is adequately chosen, not only the surface  3  of the poster material can subsequently be printed with information  30 , but also the surface  5  of the carrier material with information  21 .  
       FIGS. 13A-13D  show an analogous material, whereby in this embodiment the poster material does not need to be perforated, since it is a loose, and thus already “holes” comprising, light permeable fibrous material  16 ,  16 A, e.g. a fabric. This fibrous material  16 ,  16 A is one-sided light absorbingly coated ( FIG. 13A ) such that the regular, light permeable structure of the fibrous material  16 ,  16 A is not affected. For easy processing in various printing apparatuses, this one sided light absorbingly coated fibrous material  16 ,  16 A is then bonded with its light absorbing side  4  onto a self adhesive, separable foil  2 ,  20  ( FIG. 13B ). This foil, the carrier, shall be at least as elastic and as soft, that upon application of a certain pressure it is nestled to the light absorbing side  4  of the fibrous material such that the light absorbing side  4  is not soiled during the printing procedure.  
       FIG. 13C  shows an exemplary embodiment, wherein not only the fibrous material  16 ,  16 A comprises information  30  but also the carrier material  2 ,  20 ,  5  is provided with information  21 . As already more than once described above, after having been printed with information  30 , the carrier material  2 ,  20 ,  5  can be peeled off the inventive poster  32 ,  16 ,  30  and its adhesive layer can be covered with a foil comprising a separation/release layer ( FIG. 13D ).  
      In a further embodiment of the present invention and analogous to the above description also an “open work” poster material can be manufactured whose light reflecting side  3  is provided with a metallization which does not need to be printable. Such a material, for example, is adequate to be used as a reflective covering of glass panes, e.g. of winter gardens.