Method and apparatus for producing a three-dimensionally molded, laminated article with transfer-printed surface decoration

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensionally contoured laminated article, comprising:

• a pre-heating and pre-pressing station comprising a first heated press tool and a second heated press tool having respective contact heater press surfaces arranged and adapted to receive, heat and press therebetween at least a structural substrate, wherein at least one of said heated press tools is drivable toward and away from another of said heated press tools;
• a laminating and transfer-printing station arranged adjacent to said pre-heating and pre-pressing station, and comprising a first laminating tool and a second laminating tool wherein at least one of said laminating tools is drivable toward and away from another of said laminating tools, a laminating heater arrangement that is arranged and adapted to heat said first and second laminating tools, and a transfer-printing transfer medium carrier arrangement that is movably arranged between said first and second laminating tools and that is drivable toward and away from at least one of said laminating tools, wherein said carrier arrangement is arranged and adapted to supply and feed a transfer medium for transfer-printing between said first and second laminating tools, and wherein said first and second laminating tools respectively have first and second laminating press surfaces arranged and adapted to receive, heat and press therebetween the transfer medium and a laminated body including the structural substrate and a cover layer as an intermediate product for production of the three-dimensionally contoured laminated article whereby a surface decoration is transfer-printed from the transfer medium onto a surface of the cover layer of the laminated body;
• and
• a molding station comprising a first mold tool and a second mold tool that is drivable toward and away from said first mold tool, wherein said first and second mold tools respectively have first and second three-dimensionally contoured mold surfaces arranged and adapted to receive and three-dimensionally mold therebetween the laminated body to produce thereof the three-dimensionally contoured laminated article having the surface decoration on an outer surface of the cover layer thereof.