Decorative plaques and process

Claim 2

A material which simulates engraved metal and which may be engraved by a hot die of the type used in a hot stamping process, said material comprising a solid non-porous debossing layer of a self-supporting rigid thermoplastic material substantially free of any voids and having heat-deformable characteristics such that said material debosses under the heat and pressure of a hot stamping die, a first non-heat-conductive polyester film layer bonded to and covering the top of said self-supporting, solid, and rigid debossing material to contain and follow said thermoplastic material as it deforms responsive exclusively to dry heat and pressure of a hot die, and a second stabilizing layer bonded to and covering the bottom of said debossing self-supporting, solid, and rigid material to control displacement near the top of said thermoplastic material and to prevent displacement near the bottom of said thermoplastic material.

Claim 3

The material of claim 1 and means responsive to the heat of a hot stamping die for selectively applying at least one color in the debossed areas simultaneously with a subjection of said material to the localized heat and pressure of said hot stamping die to form said debossment.

Claim 4

A product made by a process for engraving a laminate responsive to a hot stamping process, said process comprising the steps of: (a) first forming a self-supported, separate, and independent solid layer of rigid thermoplastic material approximating the thickness of an engraved metal plate, said thermoplastic material having heat deformable characteristics such that said material debosses under the dry heat and pressure of a hot stamping die; (b) laminating onto the upper side of said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid layer a first polyester film covering which withstands the dry heat and pressure of said hot stamping die, said film covering following and containing said thermoplastic material as it debosses responsive to the dry heat of said hot die to form an imprintable surface, said polyester film having a surface characteristic which receives ink from an overlying hot stamping foil when said hot stamping die is pressed against said foil; (c) laminating onto the lower side of said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid layer a second covering material which stabilizes the back of said thermoplastic material while the upper side debosses as the thermoplastic material flows laterally under the dry heat and pressure of said hot die; and (d) locally applying the dry heat and pressure of said hot stamping die to said first covering film to deboss said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid thermoplastic material and generally supporting the second covering material to preclude deformation of said thermoplastic material, except where said dry heat and pressure are locally applied, said ink transferring from said hot stamping foil to said polyester film under the dry heat of said die simultaneously with said debossment.

Claim 5

A product made by a process for engraving a laminate responsive to a hot stamping process, said process comprising the steps of: (a) first forming a self-supported, separate, and independent solid layer of rigid thermoplastic material approximating the thickness of an engraved metal plate, said thermoplastic material having heat deformable characteristics such that said material debosses under the dry heat and pressure of a hot stamping die; (b) laminating onto the upper side of said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid layer a first polyester film covering which withstands the dry heat and pressure of said hot stamping die, said film covering following and containing said thermoplastic material as it debosses responsive to the dry heat of said hot die to form an imprintable surface, said polyester film having a surface characteristic which receives ink from an overlying hot stamping foil when said hot stamping die is pressed against said foil; (c) laminating onto the lower side of said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid layer a second covering material which stabilizes the back of said thermoplastic material while the upper side debosses as the thermoplastic material flows laterally under the dry heat and pressure of said hot die; and (d) locally applying the dry heat and pressure of said hot stamping die to said first covering film to deboss said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid thermoplastic material and generally supporting the second covering material to preclude deformation of said thermoplastic material, except where said dry heat and pressure are locally applied, said ink transferring from said hot stamping foil to said polyester film under the dry heat of said die simultaneously with said debossment.

Claim 6

A product made by the process of engraving a laminate with a hot stamping die, said process comprising the steps of: (a) first forming a self-supported, separate, and independent layer of solid and rigid thermoplastic material approximating the thickness of an engraved metal plate, said thermoplastic material having heat deformable characteristics such that said material undergoes a plastic flow which debosses under dry heat and pressure of a hot stamping die, the flow of said debossed material faithfully conforming to stamping contours of said die; (b) laminating onto the upper side of said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid layer a first heat-insulating polyester film covering which withstands the temperature of said hot stamping die, said polyester film following and containing said thermoplastic material as it debosses and flows under the pressure and temperature of said hot stamping die during said hot stamping process to form a debossed imprintable surface on said polyester film, said film having a surface characteristic which selectively receives ink from a hot stamping foil when said die heats said hot stamping foil; (c) laminating onto the lower side of said first formed layer of self-supporting, solid, and rigid thermoplastic material a second covering material which stabilizes said thermoplastic material to preclude displacement of said thermoplastic material from its self-supporting solid state position as it flows laterally under the heat of said hot stamping die; (d) locally applying dry heat and pressure of said hot stamping die to said first covering film to deboss the top of said self-supporting, solid, and rigid thermoplastic material and generally supporting the second covering material to preclude deformation of the bottom of said thermoplastic material, said ink transferring from said hot stamping foil to said polyester film in said debossed area simultaneously with said debossment; and (e) using a combination of metallic and color appearances in forming said polyester film of step (b) and said ink of step (d) so that transfer of ink in step (d) results in a combination of colored and metallic appearing surfaces.

Claim 7

A product made by the process of engraving a laminate with a hot stamping die, said process comprising the steps of: (a) first forming a self-supported, separate, and independent layer of solid and rigid thermoplastic material approximating the thickness of an engraved metal plate, said thermoplastic material having heat deformable characteristics such that said material undergoes a plastic flow which debosses under dry heat and pressure of a hot stamping die, the flow of said debossed material faithfully conforming to stamping contours of said die; (b) laminating onto the upper side of said first formed self-supporting, solid, and rigid layer a first heat-insulating polyester film covering which withstands the temperature of said hot stamping die, said polyester film following and containing said thermoplastic material as it debosses and flows under the pressure and temperature of said hot stamping die during said hot stamping process to form a debossed imprintable surface on said polyester film, said film having a surface characteristic which selectively receives ink from a hot stamping foil when said die heats said hot stamping foil; (c) laminating onto the lower side of said first formed layer of self-supporting, solid, and rigid thermoplastic material a second covering material which stabilizes said thermoplastic material to preclude displacement of said thermoplastic material from its self-supporting solid state position as it flows laterally under the heat of said hot stamping die; (d) locally applying dry heat and pressure of said hot stamping die to said first covering film to deboss the top of said self-supporting, solid, and rigid thermoplastic material and generally supporting the second covering material to preclude deformation of the bottom of said thermoplastic material, said ink transferring from said hot stamping foil to said polyester film in said debossed area simultaneously with said debossment; and (e) using a combination of metallic and color appearances in forming said polyester film of step (b) and said ink of step (d) so that transfer of ink in step (d) results in a combination of colored and metallic appearing surfaces.