Patent EP0097528A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0097528A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Dye pattern absorption into plastics
Assignee: HLH Corp
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Filing: 1983-06-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-06-21
Abstract
Abstract Method, apparatus and product are provided for absorption of a dye pattern on and below the surface of a plastic article including webs wherein one or more disposed dyes are applied to the surface of the article in a desired pattern. Sufficient subliming energy by application of heat or application of radio frequency waves to the dye deposited or printed surface of the plastic article, sufficient to heat the dyes to a sublimation temperature therefor causes the dyes and dye pattern to sublime on and below the surface of the plastic article. Also provided is a method for laminating or fusing the reverse side of the plastic article to a substrate during the dye sublimation process. Also provided is a method for thermoforming the plastic article during or after the dye sublimation process. Further provided is a decorated plastic article having a substantially non-porous surface penetrated with dispersed dyes therein in a pattern, said pattern being durable against weathering. The article can be of thermoplastic or thermo-set plastic.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald C. Worra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:11
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/025; B41M5/035; B41M5/0358
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for transferring a dye pattern on arid below the surface of a plastic art-icle comprising, applying at least one dispersed dye in a desired pattern to the surface of said plastic article, applying sufficient subliming energy to said article and said dye to sublime a substantial portion of said dye on and below the surface of said article.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for transferring a dye pattern on arid below the surface of a plastic art-icle comprising, applying at least one dispersed dye in a desired pattern to the surface of said plastic article, applying sufficient subliming energy to said article and said dye to sublime a substantial portion of said dye on and below the surface of said article.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said energy is applied by heating the surface of said article and said dye, to a sublimation temperature for said dye, maintaining said temperature until a substantial portion of said dyes have sublimed into the surface of said article and cooling said surface below the sublimation temperature of said dyes and the softening temperature thereof to obtain a dye pattern absorbed plastic article.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said sublimation energy is radio frequency waves applied to of said article at sufficient frequency and power to heat said article sufficiently to sublime said dyes on and below the surface of said article.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dyes are applied to a printinq member and said printing member is contacted with said surface to print said dyes on said surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dyes are applied directly to said surface.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
22 words
The method of claim wherein said surface and said dyes are heated between 330° F and 450° F to sublime said dyes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said article is heated between a pair of release sheets which are between the platens of a thermal press at a pressure between 1 to 100 psig.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 or 7 wherein said plastic art icle is substantially of thermoplastic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 or 7 wherein said plastic article is substantially of thermo-set plastic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said thermo-set plastic is in contact with fibrous carrier material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said article is a plastic web, and passing said web through a dye printing stage, a dye subliming staqe, and a cooling stage, to obtain a dye pattern absorbed, decorated, plastic web.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the dwell time in the dye subliming stage and the cooling stage is between 20 to 70 seconds.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for dye pattern transfer on and below the surface of a plastic article comprising; applying at least one sublimable dye to a printing member in a pattern, contacting said printing member with said plastic article to print said dyes on said article in a pattern and applying sufficient subliminq energy to said article to sublime said dyes into said plastic article.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for dye pattern transfer on and below the surface of a plastic article comprising; applying at least one sublimable dye to a printing member in a pattern, contacting said printing member with said plastic article to print said dyes on said article in a pattern and applying sufficient subliminq energy to said article to sublime said dyes into said plastic article.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said energy is heat applied to said plastic article to sublime said dyes into said article and cooling said article below the sublimation temperature of said dyes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said energy is a transmission of radio frequency waves applied to said plastic article at 1 to 100 mHz and .09 to .5 kw per so. in. of the dye presented surface of said article.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 2 or 7 wherein a dispersed dye pattern is printed on at least two surfaces of said plastic article, which surfaces are heated to sublime the dye patterns into each said surface and cooling said surfaces below the sublimation temperatures of said dyes and the softening temperature of the plastic article to obtain a plastic article with absorbed dye patterns on a least said two surfaces.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said surfaces are opposite sides of a plastic web.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 1, 2 or 7 wherein a sublayer of plastic web is placed in contact with the underside of said article and sufficient heat and pressure are applied above and below the multi-plied article to sublime said dyes into the adjacent surface of said article and to laminate or fuse said plies together and cooling the so-formed article below the softening temperature thereof to obtain a dye pattern absorbed plastic article.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for transfering a dye pattern on and below the surface of a plastic web comprisinq printing a dye pattern on the surface of a plastic sheet, contactina the so-printed plastic sheet on the reverse side thereof with an extruded thermoplastic web while said web is sufficiently hot to sublime said dyes and until said dyes sublime into at least said sheet and cooling said sheet and web below the softening temperature thereof to obtain a dye pattern absorbed laminated or fused web.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for transfering a dye pattern on and below the surface of a plastic web comprisinq printing a dye pattern on the surface of a plastic sheet, contactina the so-printed plastic sheet on the reverse side thereof with an extruded thermoplastic web while said web is sufficiently hot to sublime said dyes and until said dyes sublime into at least said sheet and cooling said sheet and web below the softening temperature thereof to obtain a dye pattern absorbed laminated or fused web.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said plastic sheet contacts the extruded plastic web in the pressured nip of cooperating rollers and a release sheet is positioned between the dye printed side of said plastic sheet and the adjacent nip roller.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dye pattern absorbed article is brought to a sufficient thermoforming temperature and thermoformed into a desired shape to obtain a dye pattern absorbed and shaped plastic article.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for transferinq a dye pattern on and below the surface of a plastic article comprising applying dispersed dyes in a pattern to the surface of a plastic web, applying sufficient heat to said web to prepare it for thermoforming and for subliminq said dyes into said web and thermoforming said web into said dye pattern absorbed plastic article.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for transferinq a dye pattern on and below the surface of a plastic article comprising applying dispersed dyes in a pattern to the surface of a plastic web, applying sufficient heat to said web to prepare it for thermoforming and for subliminq said dyes into said web and thermoforming said web into said dye pattern absorbed plastic article.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said article is formed by vacuum forming said web.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said article is formed during the dye sublimation step or after the dye sublimation step.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
A decorated plastic article comprisina a substantially non-porous surface penetrated with dispersed dyes therein in a pattern, said pattern being durable against weathering.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
A decorated plastic article comprisina a substantially non-porous surface penetrated with dispersed dyes therein in a pattern, said pattern being durable against weathering.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The decorated plastic article of claim 25 wherein said pattern has high definition of brush-stroke clarity and is durable against the weather for over 1 year.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
8 words
The article of clai-m 25 being of thermoplastic.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
8 words
The article of clai-m 25 being of thermoplastic.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
9 words
The article of claim 25 being of thermo-set plastic.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of claim 25 wherein said article is a web laminated or fused on its reverse side to a support member.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
The article of claim 25 wherein said article is a web having two opposed sides and each of said sides has a surface penetrated with dispersed dyes in a pattern so as to be dye penetrated on at least two sides.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
11 words
The article of claim 25 laminated or fused to a sublayer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The article of claim 25 being deformed or molded into a three-dimensional article.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for transferring dye patterns on and below the surface of plastic articles comprising, means for printing a dye pattern on the surface of a plastic article, means for applying sufficient subliming energy to sublime said dyes on and below the surface of said plastic article to obtain a dye- decorated plastic article.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for transferring dye patterns on and below the surface of plastic articles comprising, means for printing a dye pattern on the surface of a plastic article, means for applying sufficient subliming energy to sublime said dyes on and below the surface of said plastic article to obtain a dye- decorated plastic article.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the subliming energy means is a radio frequency generating press.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said article is a plastic web, said printing means a printing press, the subliming energy means is a heated press, which press is opened after the dye transfer step, to permit conlinq of the dye-absorbed web.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 35 havinQ a coolinq press and means to convey said web from the heated press to the cooling press.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for dye pattern transfer on ard below the surface of a plastic article comprising, contactinq the printed side of aged heat transfer paper having sublimable dyes thereon in a pattern, with the surface of said article, applying radio frequency waves at sufficient frequency and power to said plastic article to sufficiently heat said article and said surface to sublime said dye pattern on and below said surface, cooling said surface below the sublimation temperature for said dyes and separating the heat transfer paper from said surface to obtain a dye pattern absorbed plastic articled
Claim 45
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for dye pattern transfer on ard below the surface of a plastic article comprising, contactinq the printed side of aged heat transfer paper having sublimable dyes thereon in a pattern, with the surface of said article, applying radio frequency waves at sufficient frequency and power to said plastic article to sufficiently heat said article and said surface to sublime said dye pattern on and below said surface, cooling said surface below the sublimation temperature for said dyes and separating the heat transfer paper from said surface to obtain a dye pattern absorbed plastic articled
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
141 words
The method of claim 37 wherein said article is a plastic web, said web and said heat transfer paper are placed face-to- face between a brass plate above and an inert barrier pad below,.'to form a quadri-layer assembly, which assembly is placed between the plates of an RF press, said RF press is closed on said assembly at 1 to 20 psiq, RF transmission is applied to said assembly for 1 to 12 seconds, said RF press is opened and the assembly minus the brass plate plus an inert cover sheet is transmitted to a cooling press, said cooling press is closed on said assembly at 1 to 20 psig, to cool said web below the dye sublimation temperature, said cooling press is opened and the respective layers of the assembly are separated to obtain a dye pattern absorbed plastic web.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 38 wherein a dye pattern is printed directly on said plastic web, said heat transfer paper is omitted and the process repeated.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said thermal press is opened and said article and said adjacent release sheets are conveyed between the platens of a cooling press, said cooling press is closed thereon to a pressure of 1 to 20 psig to cool said article and said cooling press is opened.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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