Decorative articles with portions in relief and methods of making same
AssigneeWilliam M. Stecker
InventorWillliam Stecker
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Abstract
A decorative article of manufacture includes a substrate having a surface of thermoplastic material and one or more relief portions extending from the substrate surface. The one or more relief portions are formed from a blend of powdered thermoplastic material and powdered non-thermoplastic material, wherein the powdered non-thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of metals, glass, minerals, and combinations thereof, wherein the powdered thermoplastic material is fused together and to the substrate thermoplastic material.
Claims33
A method of producing a decorative article of manufacture, comprising:
- depositing a layer of powder onto a mold surface, wherein the powder comprises thermoplastic powder;
- placing a substrate in contacting relationship with the layer of thermoplastic powder, wherein the substrate comprises thermoplastic material;
- applying a compressive force to the substrate and mold such that the thermoplastic powder becomes thermoformable without liquefying, and fuses to the substrate thermoplastic material;
- and
- removing the article of manufacture from the mold.
A method of producing a decorative article of manufacture having at least one relief portion extending therefrom, the method comprising:
- depositing powder into one or more recesses formed within a mold surface, such that the powder is not in contact with the mold surface, wherein the powder comprises thermoplastic material;
- placing a substrate surface in contacting relationship with the mold surface, wherein the substrate comprises thermoplastic material;
- applying a compressive force to the substrate and mold such that the thermoplastic powder becomes thermoformable without liquefying, and fuses to the substrate thermoplastic material;
- and
- removing the article of manufacture from the mold.
A decorative article of manufacture, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a surface of thermoplastic material;
- and
- a relief portion extending from the substrate surface, wherein the relief portion is formed from a blend of powdered thermoplastic material and powdered non-thermoplastic material, wherein the powdered non-thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of metals, glass, minerals, thermoset plastics, and combinations thereof, wherein the powdered thermoplastic material is fused together and to the substrate thermoplastic material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.