In-mold decorating process
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMichael N. Laurin, Brian A. Nourse, David P. Reis, Karen D. Riding, Blair Souder, Gary A. Soutier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved process for the manufacture of plastic articles such as light assemblies, and the articles made by said process, are disclosed. The disclosed process includes a step wherein one or more colors are decorated onto a single film which is then incorporated with other components in an in-mold decorating process to yield the improved articles of the invention.
Claims18
An improved second surface in-mold decorating process of encapsulating a decorated surface between an outer and an inner surface comprising the steps of:
- (1) providing a transparent substrate;
- (2) decorating one or more inks on one surface of said substrate;
- (3) forming the decorated substrate into a three-dimensional shape;
- (4) fitting the decorated substrate into a mold cavity having a surface which matches the three-dimensional shape of the substrate and wherein the surface of the substrate opposite the decorated surface is in contact with the mold cavity surface;
- and
- (5) injecting a molten resin into the mold cavity through one or more gates behind the decorated substrate and directly against the ink decorated surface of the substrate to produce a one-piece, permanently bonded three-dimensional piece.
An improved second surface in-mold decorating process of encapsulating a decorated surface between an outer and an inner surface comprising the steps of:
- (1) starting with a smooth, transparent substrate;
- (2) decorating ink graphics onto the second surface of the substrate;
- (3) forming the printed substrate;
- (4) providing a mold with at least two half sectins that form a mold cavity that has one surface that matches the shape of the formed substrate or dimensions of the unformed substrate;
- (5) trimming the substrate so that it fits inside the injection mold;
- (6) placing the decorated, formed, trimmed substrate between the at least two half sections of the mold;
- and
- (7) closing the mold and injecting a resin through one or more gates against the decoration on the second surface of the substrate wherein the decorated surface is encapsulated between the transparent substrate and the injected resin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.