Production of molded plastic articles with artwork thereon

Claim 3

A method as defined in claim 25 and including the step of mounting a thin template having an opening corresponding to the artwork on the second mold section adjacent the mold cavity, and advancing the strip of transfer material between the template and the mold plate when the mold plate and the second mold section are in the released position.

Claim 4

A method as defined in claim 25 wherein the mold sections have a plurality of cavities therein, and simultaneously advancing plurality of separate carrier strips through the space between the mold plate and the second mold section in the released position and into positions adjacent the cavities.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing articles of molded plastics material with each article having thereon a decorative coating according to predetermined artwork, comprising a mold including a first mold section and a second mold section having corresponding surfaces cooperating to define a portion of at least one mold cavity corresponding to the shape of the article, a mold plate disposed adjacent said second mold section and having a generally flat surface also defining a portion of said cavity and substantially coextensive with said cavity, means supporting said first and second mold sections for relative movement between open and closed positions, means supporting said second mold section and said mold plate for relative movement between a clamped position and a released position defining a clearance space therebetween, an elongated flexible carrier strip releasably supporting a layer of heat responsive transfer material, means for directing said carrier strip through said clearance space and along a path adjacent said mold plate surface and said cavity, said carrier strip being clamped between said mold plate surface and said second mold section when said mold plate and said second mold section are in said clamped position, means for injecting a molten plastics material into said mold cavity remote from said surface on said mold plate and into contact with said layer of transfer material on said carrier strip adjacent said mold plate surface to form an article within said cavity and to transfer a portion of said layer of transfer material from said carrier strip to the article while the corresponding portion of said carrier strip remains in contact with said mold plate surface, and means for pulling said carrier strip longitudinally through said clearance space when said mold plate and said second mold section are in the said released position to advance said carrier strip and position another portion of the said layer of transfer material adjacent said mold cavity.

Claim 6

Apparatus for producing articles of molded plastics material with each article having thereon a decorative coating according to predetermined artwork, comprising a mold including a first mold section and a second mold section having corresponding surfaces cooperating to define a portion of at least one mold cavity corresponding to the shape of the article, a mold plate disposed adjacent said second mold section and having a generally flat surface also defining a portion of said cavity and substantially coextensive with said cavity, means supporting said first and second mold sections for relative movement between open and closed positions, means supporting said second mold section and said mold plate for relative movement between a clamped position and a released position defining a clearance space therebetween, an elongated flexible carrier strip releasably supporting a layer of heat responsive transfer material, means for directing said carrier strip through said clearance space and along a path adjacent said mold plate surface and said cavity, said carrier strip being clamped between said mold plate surface and said second mold section when said mold plate and said second mold section are in said clamped position, means for injecting a molten plastics material into said mold cavity remote from said surface on said mold plate and into contact with said layer of transfer material on said carrier strip adjacent said mold plate surface to form an article within said cavity and to transfer a portion of said layer of transfer material from said carrier strip to the article while the corresponding portion of said carrier strip remains in contact with said mold plate surface, and means for pulling said carrier strip longitudinally through said clearance space when said mold plate and said second mold section are in the said released position to advance said carrier strip and position another portion of the said layer of transfer material adjacent said mold cavity.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said mold sections is supported by said mold plate for movement between said clamped position securing said strip and said released position defining said space, and a set of springs normally urging said one mold section towards said released position.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said carrier strip releasably supports longitudinally spaced transfers each corresponding to the desired artwork.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said mold defines a plurality of said cavities aligned in a row, and said pulling means is effective to pull a sufficient length of said strip for locating corresponding said transfers in alignment with said cavities while said mold sections are in said open position.

Claim 10

Apparatus for producing articles of molded plastics material with each article having thereon a decorative coating according to predetermined artwork, comprising a mold including a first mold section and a second mold section having corresponding surfaces cooperating to define a portion of at least one mold cavity corresponding to the shape of the article, a mold plate disposed adjacent said second mold section and having a generally flat surface also defining a portion of said cavity and substantially coextensive with said cavity, a thin template mounted on said second mold section and having a surface also defining a portion of said cavity, said template defining an opening corresponding to said artwork, means supporting said first and second mold sections for relative movement between open and closed positions, means supporting said second mold section and said mold plate for relative movement between a clamped position and a released position defining a clearance space therebetween, an elongated flexible carrier strip releasably supporting a layer of heat responsive transfer material, means for directing said carrier strip through said clearance space and along a path between said template and said mold plate surface, said carrier strip being clamped between said mold plate surface and said template when said mold plate and said second mold section are in said clamped position, means for injecting a molten plastics material into said mold cavity remote from said surface on said mold plate and outwardly through said opening within said template into contact with said layer of transfer material covering said opening to form an article within said cavity and to transfer a portion of said layer of transfer material from said carrier strip to the article while the corresponding portion of said carrier strip remains in contact with said mold plate surface, and means for pulling said carrier strip longitudinally through said clearance space when said mold plate and said second mold section are in the said released position to advance said carrier strip and position another portion of the said layer of transfer material to said opening within said template.

Claim 11

Apparatus for producing articles of molded plastics material with each article having thereon a decorative coating according to predetermined artwork, comprising a mold including a first mold section and a second mold section having corresponding surfaces cooperating to define a portion of at least one mold cavity corresponding to the shape of the article, a mold plate disposed adjacent said second mold section and having a generally flat surface also defining a portion of said cavity and substantially coextensive with said cavity, a thin template mounted on said second mold section and having a surface also defining a portion of said cavity, said template defining an opening corresponding to said artwork, means supporting said first and second mold sections for relative movement between open and closed positions, means supporting said second mold section and said mold plate for relative movement between a clamped position and a released position defining a clearance space therebetween, an elongated flexible carrier strip releasably supporting a layer of heat responsive transfer material, means for directing said carrier strip through said clearance space and along a path between said template and said mold plate surface, said carrier strip being clamped between said mold plate surface and said template when said mold plate and said second mold section are in said clamped position, means for injecting a molten plastics material into said mold cavity remote from said surface on said mold plate and outwardly through said opening within said template into contact with said layer of transfer material covering said opening to form an article within said cavity and to transfer a portion of said layer of transfer material from said carrier strip to the article while the corresponding portion of said carrier strip remains in contact with said mold plate surface, and means for pulling said carrier strip longitudinally through said clearance space when said mold plate and said second mold section are in the said released position to advance said carrier strip and position another portion of the said layer of transfer material to said opening within said template.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said strip comprises a substantially continuous said layer of said heat responsive transfer material disposed for contacting said template when said mold sections are moved to said closed position.