Process of reshaping decorated plastic materials

The method of claim 2, wherein said mandrel has a circular or oval cross-section with essentially the same diameter as said tube.

A method of reshaping a hollow tube having a circumferential wall defining an inside and an outside of said tube and formed from at least one layer of a thermoformable plastic, said outside of said wall comprising at least one decoration, and said method comprising the steps of:

• introducing into said inside of said tube a mandrel having a surface in the shape of a pattern;
• and
• heating said tube wall to an elevated forming temperature at which said plastic is capable of being thermoformed and applying a differential fluid pressure to said tube so that the prevailing pressure on said outside of said tube exceeds the pressure prevailing on said inside of said tube, so that said heated tube wall contacts said mandrel surface pattern and is thereby formed into conformity with the shape of said pattern.

A method of reshaping a hollow tube having a circumferential wall defining an inside and an outside of said tube and formed from at least one layer of a thermoformable plastic, said outside of said wall comprising at least one decoration, and said method comprising the steps of:

• juxtaposing one side of said tube with a mandrel having a surface in the shape of a pattern, so that said pattern confronts said side of said tube, said surface pattern of said mandrel being connected to a vacuum system through the interior of said mandrel;
• and
• heating said tube wall to an elevated forming temperature at which said plastic is capable of being thermoformed and applying a differential fluid pressure to said tube with said vacuum system so that the prevailing pressure on the side of said tube opposite said mandrel exceeds the pressure prevailing on said side confronting said mandrel, so that said heated tube wall contacts said mandrel surface pattern and is thereby formed into conformity with the shape of said pattern.