Composite for in-mold transfer printing and process for in-mold printing of molded plastic or rubber articles therewith
AssigneeDecora, Incorporated
InventorJohn Ralph Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transfer composite for in-mold decoration of molded plastic or rubber articles comprising a casting substrate having a controlled release surface, and a thin discontinuously printed pressure sensitive adhesive tape-strippable pattern deposited on the casting substrate, whereby the transfer composite is suitable for inserting into a mold and adapted to resist print-distorting movement during flow of plastics or rubbers in the mold, yet capable of permanently bonding to the molded article without the use of adhesives. After removal from the mold the casting substrate and the controlled release surface are stripped from the decorated article.
Claims10
A process for the in-mold embedding of indicia into the surface of a molded plastic or rubber article, said process comprising the steps of:
- (A) forming a transfer composite by
- (i) providing a casting substrate;
- (ii) permanently adhering onto said casting substrate a printable controlled-release surface;
- (iii) semi-permanently adhering onto said controlled-release surface a thin discontinuous pattern of ink, wherein said ink comprises a pigment or a dye and a polymeric vehicle;
- (B) fitting the transfer composite into a mold;
- (C) causing a flow of rubber or plastic in said mold, said rubber or plastic flowing around and embedding the discontinuous pattern of ink to a depth about equal to the height of said discontinuous pattern;
- (D) allowing said rubber or plastic to cure in said mold, thus forming a molded plastic or rubber article;
- and
- (E) removing the casting substrate (A)(i) and the controlled release surface (A)(ii) from said plastic or rubber article while leaving the discontinuous pattern of ink embedded in the surface of said plastic or rubber article, said discontinuous pattern being exposed at the surface of said plastic or rubber article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.