Method of applying decals to surfaces of complex curvature

Claim 1

A method for applying a decal to an article having a curved surface, such as tableware, comprising the steps of: forming a decal on a backing, the decal-containing area of the backing being surrounded by a non-decal containing area of said backing; perforating the decal area with lines which extend outwardly toward the periphery of the said decal containing area and which are configured to permit the decal-containing area to conform to the curvature of the surface of the article to which the decal is to be applied; forming other perforations defining a separable portion which is separable by tearing from the surrounding portion, the separable portion including at least a part of the decalcontaining area; thereafter positioning the decal-containing area, while still attached to the non-decal containing area, in alignment with the article surface to which the decal is to be applied, holding the non-decal containing area taut while imparting to the decal-containing area a different curvature than said nondecal containing area by pressing said decal-containing area toward said curved surface by a plunger having a pressing surface conforming generally to the curvature of the article surface, thereby separating said separable portion from the surrounding portion at said other perforations as an incident to said pressing; holding the decal-containing area, which includes the area containing both said outwardly extending lines and said separated portions, under pressure and in contact with said article surface to transfer the entirety of said decalcontaining area thereto; releasing said pressure and removing the held area of the backing from said article surface; and removing the separated portion of said backing from said article surface.

Claim 2

A method for applying a decal to an article having a curved surface, such as tableware, comprising the steps of: forming a decal on a backing, the decal-containing area of the backing being surrounded by a non-decal containing area of said backing; perforating the decal area with lines which extend outwardly toward the periphery of the said decal containing area and which are configured to permit the decal-containing area to conform to the curvature of the surface of the article to which the decal is to be applied; forming other perforations defining a separable portion which is separable by tearing from the surrounding portion, the separable portion including at least a part of the decalcontaining area; thereafter positioning the decal-containing area, while still attached to the non-decal containing area, in alignment with the article surface to which the decal is to be applied, holding the non-decal containing area taut while imparting to the decal-containing area a different curvature than said nondecal containing area by pressing said decal-containing area toward said curved surface by a plunger having a pressing surface conforming generally to the curvature of the article surface, thereby separating said separable portion from the surrounding portion at said other perforations as an incident to said pressing; holding the decal-containing area, which includes the area containing both said outwardly extending lines and said separated portions, under pressure and in contact with said article surface to transfer the entirety of said decalcontaining area thereto; releasing said pressure and removing the held area of the backing from said article surface; and removing the separated portion of said backing from said article surface.