The present invention relates to a laminated body, and is particularly concerned with the bonding of a polyester film to a glass sheet.

In the case of glass sheets used for shower screens and the like it is desired that such glass sheets should comply with official regulations and standards in relation to safety glass. A procedure which has been adopted in this regard is to bond a polyester film to'one or both sides of the glass sheet. Such arrangement provides that, should the glass sheet be accidentally broken, then jagged pieces of glass will not fall away from the glass sheet, since the bonded polyester film holds the broken glass sheet in place.

In producing such safety glass, it is extremely difficult to arrange for bonding of a polyester film to a sheet of glass. One is concerned with bonding two impermeable surfaces tog¬ ether which can prove to be extremely difficult. A polyester film is utilised since same is a biaxially orientated film and thus enables the film to have pressure applied thereto in both the longitudinal direction of the film as well as the transverse direction. It is believed that other plastics material films are not biaxially orientated and such would not be suitable for bonding to a glass sheet.

Bonding is effected utilising a suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive which is coated on one side of the polyester film. The adhesive may comprise an emulsioπ-or solvent-based acrylic resin whereby the solvent is removed by heat since the poly- ester film is insensitive to the temperature involved.

Many problems have been associated in bonding a polyester film to a glass sheet and various apparatus have been devised

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in an attempt to provide suitable bonding. When applying an adhesively coated polyester film to a glass sheet it is extremely difficult to avoid dust collecting or air bubbles forming between the polyester film and the glass sheet. The

5 marking caused by such dust and air bubbles would show through if the glass sheet were plain. Accordingly, it has been found necessary to utilise figured or patterned glass sheets so that the pattern appearing thereon disguises the marking caused by the dust and/or air bubbles or the like.

10 The generally non-uniform nature of the patterning effectively masks the undesired marks.

Such safety glass comprising a figured glass sheet having a polyester film bonded to the non-figured side of the glass

15 sheet has proved to be very popular as well as being very safe. However, no procedure has heretofore been available enabling plain glass sheets to be machine applied. It is thus an embodiment of the invention to provide a laminated body util¬ ising plain glass sheets.

20

According to the present invention there is provided a lamin¬ ated body comprising a substrate having at least one pre¬ printed polyester film bonded to a surface of said substrate.

-25 Preferably, the printing appears on the side of the film which is bonded to the substrate.

If desired, a plurality of differently pre-printed polyester films are bonded to the surface of the substrate, in order 30 to build up a picture or pattern.

Furthermore, the pre-printed polyester film can be applied to one or both side surfaces of the substrate.

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Whilst the present invention has many applications whereby " the pre-printed polyester film is bonded to a surface of a fk substrate, the surface in question depending upon the intended use, the following detailed description will be given in the 5 case where such substrate is a glass sheet.

By utilising a pre-printed polyester film it is possible to utilise plain glass instead of figured glass, which will produce a considerable saving in costs, whilst at the same 10 time ensuring that such plain glass complies with safety glass requirements.

It is,.of course, still possible to utilise the pre¬ printed polyester film with figured glass since the printing

15 in such case could be by way of a particular colour printing whereby a desired tinting of the glass could be achieved. Previously it has been necessary to subject the glass to a tinting process which has proved extremely costly. The embodiment referred to above, would make it possible to

20 utilise normal white glass, the tinting thereby being produced by printing or dyeing of polyester film.

In addition to its use ^" in shower screens, it is also envisaged that laminated or organically coated glass sheets • ,25 in accordance with the invention could be utilised in homes, offices and public buildings. For example, if it is desired to replace a wooden door by a glass door then instead of the patterned glass used at the present time, which is not safety ^ glass, one could use a plain glass sheet having a pre-printed

30 polyester film bonded to a surface thereof. Thus, at the same time as rendering such plain glass "safe", it is also possible to make such glass attractive and ornamental. It would also be possible to utilise the device of the present invention in any situation where glass sheets are utilised. 35 For example, in the entrance to a shop or an office where printing is normally applied to the glass surface, the

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arrangement of the present invention can be utilised with the polyester film containing the printing which was previously on the glass.

In practice, a roll of polyester film would have a desired pattern or marking printed thereon on one side of such film. A compatible pressure-sensitive adhesive would then be applied over the printing and the pre-printed film would then be bonded to a glass sheet. It will thus be seen that the printing would be sandwiched between the glass sheet and the polyester film and therefore would be unlikely to be marked by scratching or the like since the polyester film is extremely strong. Heretofore, printing on a glass surface has only been successful for a limited period of; time due to the effect of marking of the printing taking place.

It can thus be seen that numerous opportunities arise for use of an organically coated glass sheet in accordance with the present invention, with the added bonus that the glass utilised becomes safety glass. It will be appreciated that the laminated body in accordance with the invention can be of any desired shape or thickness depending upon its intended use. Whilst it is applicable to both figured and plain glass, it is also possible to use with mirrored glass.

It will thus be seen that the laminated body of the present invention provides a means whereby glass sheets are made into safety glass whilst at the same time having printing sandwiched between the polyester film and the glass. The provision of the printing, particularly if it is irregular, effectively masks any marks which may appear between the polyester film and the glass sheet.

As previously mentioned, the laminated body of the present invention has many uses and one can bond the pre-printed

polyester film to any desired'surface, e.g. wood, plastics sheet, sheet metal or the like. In the case o.f sheet metal for example the poly-printed polyester film would be of ornamental use.