WO1999058343A1

WO1999058343A1 - Providing decoration on a substrate

Info

Publication number: WO1999058343A1
Application number: PCT/GB1999/001545
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul John Blower
Original assignee: DECOGLAS Ltd
Current assignee: DECOGLAS Ltd
Priority date: 1998-05-14
Filing date: 1999-05-14
Publication date: 1999-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 2000-11-14
Also published as: AU3942499A; GB9810213D0

Abstract

A method of providing regions of decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) on a substrate (2), comprises adhering glass powder in the form or shape of the desired decoration to the substrate. The substrate can be sheet glass, the whole is heated to soften or melt the glass powder to increase its adhesion to the substrate. The glass powder in the different regions of decoration can be of different colours. Also, figures or devices (14) can be applied in heat resistant ink to the substrate to simulate lead strips. The glass substrate (2) bearing its regions of decoration and with, or without, the figures or devices (14) can give the appearance of a stained glass window.

Description

PROVIDING DECORATION ON A SUBSTRATE

This invention relates to a method of providing decoration on a substrate and also to a substrate bearing the decoration.

In a particular application of this invention, glass carries the decoration and replicates or has the appearance of stained glass, for example a stained glass window.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a method of providing decoration on a substrate comprises applying adhesive to a substrate so that the applied adhesive defines at least a two-dimensional shape of the decoration, and adhering glass powder to said adhesive so that the adhered powder has the shape of said decoration.

The adhesive may be applied by printing, for example by a screen printing method.

For a pleasing effect powdered glass of different colours can be used.

A plurality of said decorations can be produced on the same substrate, each decoration occupying a respective surface area on the substrate. In this case a said decoration may be produced on the substrate after another said decoration has been produced.

The viscosity of the adhesive used to produce one said decoration may be different to that of the adhesive used for another said decoration. One said decoration may stand further off the substrate than another. For example, a said decoration formed using a higher viscosity adhesive may 2 stand further off than another said decoration formed using a lower viscosity adhesive.

Also a figure or device denoted in ink may be applied to the substrate. The application of the ink may be by printing, for example screen printing. Preferably the ink is of a type which can withstand high temperatures and be visible after being subjected to such temperature. The ink may be applied to the substrate at a different time to the application of aforesaid adhesive.

A holding coating of an adhesive, for example an emulsion, may be applied over the or each said decoration and over any aforesaid figure or device in ink. This holding coating may be applied by screen printing.

The substrate may be glass, for example sheet glass. In this case the holding coating may be omitted.

In an alternative, the substrate may be an initial substrate of semi-stiff sheet material pervious to liquid, for example a paper or board material. In this instance a holding coating is preferably used. The holding coating may substantially retain (or substantially maintain the integrity) of the or each decoration in powdered glass by forming a retaining film thereover and over any said figure or device in ink which may have been applied. In contrast to the adhesive used in this case to adhere the glass powder to the substrate, which adhesive is soluble in said liquid, the holding coating is preferably non-soluble in the liquid, which may be water. By immersing the initial substrate in said liquid, the holding film with the or each decoration attached thereto plus any said figure or device in ink may be released as a transfer which may be applied to another substrate. That other substrate may be glass. A glass substrate bearing one or more said decorations and optionally one or more said figures or devices in ink may be heated to a high temperature, for example to substantially 630°C, in a suitable enclosure, for example, a tempering furnace or oven. This may cause the powdered glass to melt or at least reach an incipient melting condition. This causes the glass decoration(s) to bond or bond more securely with the substrate. Also the glass powder converts into a more unified and smooth decoration, though it may have an uneven or contoured surface.

After heat treatment, the glass substrate bears one or more regions each forming a said decoration which if initially produced from coloured powdered glass gives the substrate the appearance of a stained glass. This appearance is enhanced if there are several decorations of different colours. Also a stained glass window effect may be achieved if the figures or devices in ink have a shape and colour resembling or simulating lead strip. Such simulated lead strip may be in the form of an enclosed figure in ink surrounding a said decoration.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided at least a substrate bearing at least one region of decoration derived from powdered glass adhered to a surface area of the substrate. The substrate may be glass.

There may be a plurality of said regions. At least two such regions may each be a different colour. The substrate may bear one or more figures or devices denoted in adhered coloured matter or ink. Such figures or devices may simulate or appear to be lead strip. If desired, the glass substrate may be plate glass with one or more said regions (and if desired 4 with one or more said figures or devices) replicating or simulating a stained glass window.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing showing a substrate according to the second aspect of the invention in which decoration is provided by the method according to the first aspect.

In the drawing a sheet substrate is shown at 2 bearing regions or areas of decoration generally identified by reference numeral 4 and individually at

4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f and 4g. In each area of decoration 4 powdered glass or glass sugar is adhered to the substrate 2 by means of a varnish applied to the substrate by screen printing so the varnish expresses in at least two dimensions the shape of the decoration. For example the decoration 4g is triangular, the outer periphery or boundary of the applied varnish being indicated at 6 so that no glass sugar adheres in substantially varnish free areas such as 8. This silk screen technique allows patterns or designs to be created in the decorations 4 such as a stylised flower 10 in decoration 4a, the flower being demarcated by substantially varnish free portions or lines 12. In decoration 4b a shield pattern is demarcated, in decoration 4e a cracked-ice pattern, and in decoration 4f a spiral.

Glass sugar of different colours can be used for different decorations 4.

Devices or figures 14 may also be screen printed onto the substrate 2 using an ink which may be black or at least dark coloured.

Substrate 2 may be of a water permeable material, for example semi-stiff paper or paper board, and the adhesive used to adhere the glass sugar to the substrate is preferably soluble in water. Because the substrate is 5 bendable or creasable it is preferred to coat the decorations 4 and ink figures 14 with a holding coating or film 16 which may be applied by screen printing, the coating having an outer periphery 18. The holding coating 16 may be an adhesive, for example an emulsion, which is non- soluble in water. The coating 16 maintains the integrity of the decorations should the substrate 2 be rubbed or bent, i.e. the coating stops glass sugar detaching from the substrate. When the substrate is soaked or otherwise has water applied thereto the holding coating 16, decorations 4 and devices or figures 14 all detach in one-piece from the substrate 2 as a transfer which can then be applied to another substrate. This other substrate may be glass, for example sheet glass.

The glass substrate bearing the decorations 4 and ink devices or figures 14 is then subject to heating in a tempering furnace at high temperature, for example substantially 630°C. This causes the glass sugar to melt or soften so that in any given decoration 4 the glass particles merge into a substantially unified smooth whole which may still exhibit surface unevenness, and also enables the glass decorations 4 to bond to the substrate. The ink can withstand the high temperature, thus after the heat treatment coloured decorations 4 give the glass substrate the appearance of stained glass and the devices or figures 14 look like lead strip giving the whole the appearance of a stained glass window.

In another embodiment the substrate 2 may be sheet glass to begin with. In that case the adhesive for the glass sugar is screen printed directly onto the glass sheet as are the ink devices or figures 14 which may be dried by exposure to heat, for example a temperature of substantially 80°C. Then, the glass substrate is subject to heating in a furnace as aforesaid. 6 The screen printing is performed by using a number of different screen stencils in turn if it is desired to use different coloured glass sugars for different decorations 4 and to also provide printed devices or figures 14.

To produce a screen stencil for printing any desired decoration 4 or device or figure 14, a positive of the shape to be replicated is produced in dark colours on an acetate sheet. Then a light sensitive water-soluble emulsion is coated over the screen and the emulsion exposed to ultraviolet light through the acetate sheet. The positive on the sheet shades parts of the emulsion which thus do not become hardened by the light. These shaded parts can be dissolved out leaving behind the exposed hardened parts forming a screen stencil in the shape of the positive on the acetate sheet. The hardened emulsion remaining on the screen forms a vertical wall of initially negligible height. But by repeating the procedure layers of hardened emulsion may be built up one on another to increase the wall height. This height controls the depth of adhesive applied to the substrate in the forming of a particular decoration 4, so different decorations 4 may be formed to stand off the substrate by differing amounts. It is preferred to use more viscous adhesive for relatively deep decorations 4 than for shallow ones. Thus different decorations 4 may be formed using adhesive of differing viscosities.

When a layer of adhesive has been screen printed onto the substrate 2 during formation of a decoration 4, glass sugar of desired colour is sprinkled over the wet adhesive which is then allowed to dry or subjected to drying heat. After the adhesive has dried excess glass sugar is removed, for example by shaking the substrate, or brushing or suction.

Claims

1. A method of providing decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) on a substrate (2) is characterised in that the method comprises applying adhesive to a substrate (2) so that the applied adhesive defines at least a two-dimensional shape of the decoration, and adhering glass powder to said adhesive so that the adhered powder has the shape of said decoration.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the adhesive is applied by printing.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the adhesive is applied by screen printing.

4. A method as claimed in any one preceding claim, characterised in that glass powders of different colours are adhered to said substrate (2) .

5. A method as claimed in any one preceding claim, characterised in that a plurality of said decorations (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) are provided on said substrate (2) , each said decoration occupying a respective surface area of the substrate.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that a said decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) is produced on said substrate (2) after a another said decoration is produced on the substrate.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, characterised in that the adhesive used to produce one said decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 8 4g) has a viscosity which differs from that of the adhesive used to produce another of said decorations.

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that a said decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) stands further off the substrate than another said decoration.

9. A method as claimed in one preceding claim, characterised in that, a figure or device (14) denoted in ink is applied to the substrate (2).

10. A method as claimed in any one preceding claim, characterised in that the figure or device (14) is printed on the substrate (2) .

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the figure or device (14) is screen printed on the substrate (2) .

12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, characterised in that the ink denoting said figure or device (14) is to simulate the appearance of lead strip.

13. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised, in that a holding coating is adhered over the or each said decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) on the substrate.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 and in any one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that a said holding coating is adhered over said figure or device (14) on the substrate (2) .

15. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said substrate (2) is formed of glass.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, characterised in that said adhesive is soluble in a solvent in which the holding coating is substantially insoluble, and the adhesive is dissolved by said solvent so as to detach the or each said decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) from said substrate (2) but leave the or each said decoration adhered to said holding coating to which any figure or device (14) also adheres such that the holding coating acts as a second substrate which with the or each said decoration or with or each said decoration and figure or device forms a transfer.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the transfer is applied to a third substrate.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that the third substrate is formed of glass.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15 or claim 18, characterised in that the substrate of glass bearing the or each said decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) is heated to cause the glass powder to melt or soften thereby to adhere to the substrate of glass.

20. A substrate (2) characterised in that it bears at least one region of decoration (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g) derived from powdered glass adhered to a surface area of the substrate.

21. A substrate (2) as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that the substrate is formed of glass. 10

22. A substrate (2) as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21 , characterised in that the substrate bears a plurality of said regions.

23. A substrate (2) as claimed in claim 22, characterised in that the substrate bears at least two said regions which are each of a different colour.

24. A substrate (2) as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 23, characterised in that the substrate bears one or more figures or device (14) denoted in ink adhered to the substrate.

25. A substrate (2) as claimed in claim 24, characterised in that there is at least one said figure or device (14) simulating an appearance of lead strip.

26. A substrate (2) as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 25, characterised in that said substrate replicates or simulates a stained glass window.