Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Diffusion transfer dyeing process – transfer sheet and product – Dry heat treatment for penetration
Patent
1997-01-31
1999-02-09
Scheiner, Laurie
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Diffusion transfer dyeing process, transfer sheet and product
Dry heat treatment for penetration
8508, 8509, 8512, 156277, 156289, 264129, 264340, 264553, 428207, 428914, B29C 5100
Patent
active
058688013
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns a method for applying a pattern onto a work piece made of thermoplastic material, shaping the work piece to make an object, as well as an object produced by means of the method.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,663 how to transfer patterns to a object made of plastic by pacing a polyolefin film between a colour transfer paper and a sheet of thermoplastic material. Heating takes place to a sufficient degree for the colour to sublimate through the plastic film and the colour to be absorbed by the plastic sheet with possible pattern intact. The materials subsequently cool down and are separated whereby a decorated sheet is made. This colouring methods can also be used in connection with shaping of objects, so called "in-mold decoration". The disadvantage with this method is that several lasters must be laid onto the article which is to be patterned and possibly shaped, and after the process these two layers must on the other hand be discarded.
The invention concerns more precisely a method, by which an object of thermoplastic material of the type polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, ABS-plastic etc. is furnished with a pattern at the same time as a possible shaping of the object takes place.
The property, which makes thermoplastics usable in mans situations, is the property of these plastics becoming plastic when heated, which depends on the forces between the linear macromolecules in the plastics reducing at elevated temperatures. In this connection the plastic becomes more or less deformable under pressure. These plastics regain their original properties when cooled to normal temperatures. The usual way s to shape these plastics are to vacuum form or press the material under pressure into or onto a mould and then let the plastic cool down before the mould is taken away.
Thermoplastics are used in man areas where shaping of materials to form objects is an integral part. In orthopaedic technology different types of thermoplastics are used to produce rigid objects which are included in prostheses and other aids, i.e. they are rigid in comparison to soft parts made of fabric or another material. The object can e.g. consist of a brace or the like. The way to produce these objects consists mainly in that a mould, e.g. made of plaster, is made of the part in question, wherein this mould is individually adjusted to fit the person who will use the manufactured aid.
Once the mould is produced the object is shaped from some thermoplastic material. e.g. one of the above mentioned plastics. This shaping takes place through heating up the thermoplastic material to the temperature at which the material in question can be shaped either through vacuum forming or through the thermoplastic being laid over the prepared plaster mould and being shaped manually.
The above named thermoplastic materials can be obtained either in uncoloured or coloured state. Even if the material is functional and the objects which arc produced function satisfactorily they often do not give a completely, satisfactory visual impression. Especially when the manufactured shaped objects are included in orthopaedic aids for children it would be desirable to give the objects an aesthetically more attractive appearance.
It has no surprisingly been shown that through heating up a thermoplastic work piece, letting it lie in contact with a patterned fabric, which naturally must withstand temperature received during the heating up without itself being destroyed, the pattern is transferred to the heated thermoplastic. The thermoplastic work piece in this method is preferably in the form of a sheet. It is also conceivable to use as the pattern carrying material another heat resistant material with properties corresponding to those of fabric.
The fabric which during the heating up is brought into contact against the sheet shaped plastic material is advantageously made of a stretch material e.g. lycra. The heating up can take place in a press, in which heat can be applied from both or just one side. In one embodiment the pat
REFERENCES:
patent: 4202663 (1980-05-01), Haigh et al.
Holm Urban
Lindh Kjell
Lindh Leif
Scheiner Laurie
Viktor Begat AB
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