Process for forming a color coated article

In a process for forming a color coated article by applying a color coated material to an injection mold having mold halves, a mold parting face, a mold cavity edge and a mold cavity therein for the formation of an injection molded article, and injecting molten plastic into said mold cavity to form a laminated article with the color coated material bonded to the injected plastic, the improvement which comprises:

• cutting a color coated blank by means independent of said mold halves from a web to form a substantially flat pre-cut undeformed blank in a size and shape adapted to fit between the mold halves and with a rim portion thereof adapted to mate with the mold cavity edge at the parting face of the mold;
• transferring said undeformed pre-cut blank into registry with at least one of said mold halves, said blank being transferred by a holding means independent of said mold halves and retained on the holding means during transfer, and retaining the rim portion thereof on the mold cavity edge;
• releasing the blank from the holding means and removing the holding means from the blank;
• clamping the blank between the mold halves at the mold cavity edge;
• deforming the clamped blank to conform to said at least one mold half and closing the mold halves to form a mold cavity, wherein the blank is deformed at least in part by a mold half, said deforming step being conducted after transferring the pre-cut blank into registry with at least one of said mold halves and while retaining the rim portion of the blank on the mold cavity edge;
• and
• injecting molten plastic into the mold cavity against the blank to form a laminated, injection molded article with the color coated blank bonded to the injected plastic.