GB2360250A

GB2360250A - Printing whereby different images are discernable at different angles of view

Info

Publication number: GB2360250A
Application number: GB0006339A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Russell Chidgey; Roger Pyott Millar; Anthony Paul Scotchbrook
Original assignee: ARC SCREEN PRINT Ltd
Current assignee: ARC SCREEN PRINT Ltd
Priority date: 2000-03-17
Filing date: 2000-03-17
Publication date: 2001-09-19
Also published as: GB0006339D0

Abstract

A method of printing onto a substrate 12, such as for example textile piece goods such as T-shirts, to produce two or more images thereon which are selectively discernible according to the angle at which the printed substrate is viewed. The method consists of printing a primary image 14 of a regular background pattern of geometrical shapes onto the substrate 12, printing a secondary image 16 of the same colour as the primary image 14 onto selected geometrical shapes of primary image 14 so that the level of the surface of the secondary image 16 is raised above the level of the surface of the primary image 14 (see Fig 3) and hence producing a "subliminal image" (ie the letter R) which is only discernable at an angle. A tertiary image 18 can also be printed onto the substrate 12 by printing onto selected spaces between the geometrical shapes of the primary image 14.

Description

2360250 "A Method of Printing And Kitliile,g Produced thereby" This

invention relates to a method of printing and articles produced thereby and more particularly but not exclusively to a method of screen printing onto a substrate such as, for example, textile piece goods or artieles manufactured therefrom.

It is already known to carry out a screen printing process to produce an image on a substrate and where the image to be produced is formed of more than one colour the necessary number of screens, one for each colour are prepared in conventional manner and are brought sequent,Jially into registration with a position on the substrate at which the image is to be printed and the necessary colours of inks which form the iinage are then printed onto the substrate. The printed substrate is then sub--"eted to a drying or Curing process to fix the inks to the substrate.

Although images formed of different colours can be pr,-duced by this known process, it suffers from the disadvantage that only a single primary printed image is fornked on the substrate. The object of the invention is to provide a method of printing which the above disadvantage of Ithe conventional printing process is alleviated. 25 According to one aspect of this invention, a method of printing comprises printing a primary image onto a (2) substrate, printing a secondary image onto the substrate which is disposed within the area of the primary image wherein the secondary image is capable of being both discernible and not discernible when v:'Lewing the primary 5 image.

Preferably, the secondary image is adapted to be discernible when viewed from an oblique angle to the plane of the substrate.

Preferably, also, the printing forming the secondary image is raised above the plane of the substrate.

The printing forming the secondary image on the subs,'--rate is, preferably, raised above the level of the pr.-L.nting on the substrate forming the primary image.

1?referably, the printing on the substrate forming the IS secondary image is aligned with at least part of the printing on the substrate forming the primary image thercon.

Preferably, also, the primary image on the substrate is formed by printing a first pattern onto the substrate said pattern being formed of at least one colour or shade of c-,,lour which is a contrast to the colour or shade of colour of the substrate.

The first pattern forming the primary image is, preferably, a regular pattern of geometrical shapes or lines.

Preferably, the secondary image is formed by printing (3) a second pattern of the or one of said colours or shades of colours of the f irst pattern onto the substrate said second pattern being in registration with at least part of the first pattern.

Preferably, also, the primary image is printed on the substrate utilising a pigment ink, The secondary image is, preferably, printed onto the substrate utilising an expandable ink.

Preferably, the printing is carried out by a screen 10 printing process.

According to another aspect of the invention, an art-icle is wholly or partially formed from a substrate having primary and secondary images printed thereon by a method according to said one of aspect of the invention.

is Preferably, the substrate is a textile piece product.

Preferably, also, the textile piece product is formed into, or into part of, an article of clothing.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the 20 accompanying drawings of which:Figure 1 is a plan view of a printed article, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the printed article shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectioned on the line III-III in Figure 25 2 to an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings, a printed article (4) indicated generally at 10 is produced on a substrate 12 which is a length of textile material suitable for forming, for example, a T-Shirt or other article of clothing. The substrate 12 has a regular background pattern 14 printed thereon of geometrical shapes which in this example are squares but other shapes such as circular dot;a or lines could be used. Although this pattern 14, which is a primary image, is of a black colour which contrasts with the white colour cf the substrate 12, it will be appreciated that other colours or contrasting shadis of colours could be used for both the pattern 14 or rhe substrate 12. A secondary image 16 which forms the letter "R" discernible in Figure 2 of the drawings is printed onto the substrate, 12 and is formed of selected ones of the squares of the pattern 14 which are in regi-.tration with and are of the same colour or shade of colour as the associated squares of the primary image pattern 14. However, the squares of the secondary image are _raised above the plane of the substrate 12 and above the Ifvel of the squares of the pattern 14 forming the primary image. A tertiary image 18 namely the latters 'W' and "-" can also he printed. onto the pattern 14 utilising dif-ferent colours from the --olour of the pattern 14 andlor as Jwn this case the colour of the substrate by printing black ink onto the selected white portions off the substrate in the pattern 14 to form solid black images of (5) the letters 'W' and "C" constitut-ing the tertiary image 18.

The printed article 10 can be produced by a placement screen printing process in which the different colours of rS the image to be produced are separated and formed on positives which when overlaid in registration enable the required image to be seen. Each of the positives are used in conventional manner to produce a screen ie to say by exposing the light sensitive emulsion coating on the mesh of the screen through the positive, The subsequent conventional washing operation of the screen removes the un-exposed pertions of the emulsion thus allowing during the printing operation ink spread onto the screen by a flooC bar to be passed therethrough in conventional manner by a slueegee to print the associated colour onto the substrate 12. The substrate 12 is secured on the printing bed of a printing machine and the appropriate colours required to form the image are printed Ithereon utilising the associated screens which are brought into registration to produce the required final image on the substrate 12 whiCh is then subjected to a heat'.ing process to cure and fix the inks. The ink used to produce the primary image pattern 14 and tertiary irp.age 18 can be plasticised pigment ink and the raised secondary image 16 can be printed utilising an expandable ink.

1'n operation as will be seen from Figure 1 of the (6) drawings, when the printed article is viewed in plan ie from a point perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 12 the secondary image 16 is not discernible and only beecipes discernible when the article is viewed from an oblique angle thus giving what may be termed a "sublimir.a-'i imaqe'5 due to the secondary image squares being elevated abovt- the llevel of the primary image squares and the surface of the substrate 12, AILthough the method of printing is particularly suitable fox. printing onto textile pieces which can then be used for the p.roduction of articles of clothing, it will De appreciated that the printing process and the printed articles formed thereby can be used for the production of other products such as advertising signs or banners without departing frem the scope of the invention.

Claims

(7) Claims: -

1. A method of printing comprising printing a primary image onto a substrate, printing a secondary image onto 5 the substrate which is disposed within the area of the prim.ary image wherein the secordary image is capable of be-ing both discernible and not discernible when viewing the primary image. 2. A method of printing according to claim 1, wherein the secondary image is adapted to be discernible when viewed frow an oblique angle to the plane of the substrate. 3. A method of printing, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the printing forming the seccndary image is raised above the plane of the 11.5 subst.rate. 4. A method of printing, according to claim. 3, wherein the printing forming the secondary image on the substrate is raised above the level of the printing on the substrate forming the primary image.

5. A method of printing according to claim, 4, wherein the printing on the substrate forming the secondary image is aligned with at least part of the printing on the substrate forming the primary image thereon. 6. A method of printing according to any one of the preced-ing claims, wherein the primary image on the substrate is formed by printing a firs"&-,, pattern onto the (8) substiate said pattern being formed of at least one colour or shade of colour which is a contrast to the colour or shade of colour of the substrate. 7, A method of printing according to claim 6, wherein the pattern forming the primary image is a regular pattern of geometrical shapes or lines.

8. A method of printing according to claim 7, wherein the secondary image is formed by printing a second pattern of the or one of said colours or shades of colours of the first pattern onto the substrate said second pattern being in registration with at least part of the first pattern. 9. A method of printing according to any one of the previous claims wherein the primary image is printed on the substrate utilising a pigment ink.

15, 10. A nethod of printing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the secondary image is printed. onto the substrate utilising an expandable ink. 11, A method of printing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the printing is carried out by a screen printing process. 12. An article which is wholly or partially formed from a substrate having primary and secondary images printed thereon by a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

13. An article according to claim 12, wherein the subst.rate is a textile piece product.

(9) 14. An article according to claim 13, wherein the textile piece product is formed into or into part of an article of clothing. 15. A method of printing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings. 16. An article substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying draw-.i.,-igs.