Simulated objects

Details Simulated objects Simulated objects

1994-05-04

1997-02-04

Ryan, Patrick

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

Display in frame or transparent casing; or diorama including...

428 15, 428195, 4285422, 4285426, 428543, 63 32, B32B 900

Patent

active

055995942

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to the production of articles comprising simulated objects especially in a form suitable for use as jewellery or decorative buttons.
The specification of Australian patent No. 465194 describes a method of setting gem chips in a base for subsequent use in articles of jewellery. The method comprised placing the gem chips in a prefabricated mould made from a black synthetic plastics material, filling the mould with a clear liquid resin and curing the resin to form an integral assembly comprising the mould, the gem chips and the thermoset resin. The resultant product enabled the production of items of jewellery considerably more cheaply than items produced from an actual gem. Nonetheless the cost of the chips of slices represented a substantial portion of the cost of producing the end product. In addition the cost of the end product increased with the quality of the gem stone from which slices or chips had been taken. Furthermore placing gem chips into the backing is labour intensive.
It has now been discovered that high quality reproductions can be produced using photographic and other reproductive techniques thereby substantially reducing the cost of the reproductions and permitting the reproduction of the finest gem stones.
Accordingly in a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an article comprising a two dimensional reproduction of a surface of an object and a protective coating of a clear resin or clear plastics material, the two dimensional reproduction being a photographic reproduction or a drawn simulation wherein the article is so formed that the reproduction has a three dimensional appearance. The three dimensional appearance may be achieved by forming the protecting coating with a convex external surface. Alternatively it may be achieved by interposing a layer of clear resin between a film bearing the two dimensional reproduction and a reflective backing.
The resin may be an epoxy resin or a polyester resin but an epoxy resin is preferred. The clear plastics material is preferably a poly(meth)acrylate.
In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of making an article which method comprises forming a two dimensional representation of a surface of an object, covering the two dimensional representation with a protective coating of a clear resin or clear plastics material and causing the protective coating to form an external surface that is so shaped that it causes the article to have the appearance of the object.
In a third aspect of the invention there is provided an article of a thermoplastics material, the article having an outer surface and an inner surface wherein the inner surface has a holographic grating applied thereto. In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a holographic grating on a surface of an article made from a thermoplastics material which method comprises forming a shim having a holographic grating applied thereto, placing the shim in a mould used to form the article by injection moulding, injecting molten thermoplastics material into the mould, causing the thermoplastics material to set and removing the article from the mould.
The two dimensional representation may also be produced using computer graphics and then transferring the image so produced to a photocopier such as the Canon CLC 500. This method has been particularly useful in generating simulated opal patterns.
In a preferred form of the invention there is provided a simulated gem stone comprising:
a photographic reproduction of a gemstone on a suitable backing sheet;
a layer of clear protective film covering the reproduction; and
a protective coating of a clear thermosetting resin covering the protective film;
The object may be reproduced by photographic printing techniques. However the photographic reproduction is preferably produced by using a laser colour photocopier such as the Canon CLC 500 as this method permits each simulated gem to be different and therefore unique.
The backing sheet may comprise any suitable material such

REFERENCES:
patent: 4604876 (1986-08-01), Hoffmann
Derwent WPi/L On Line Abstract Accession No. 88-193606, JP, A 63130399.
Derwent WPI/L On Line Abstract Accession No. 86-335053, JP, A 61249798.
Derwent WPI/L On Line Abstract Accession No. 77-11830y, JP, A, 51551751.
Derwent WPI/L On Line Abstract Accession No. 76-89601x, JP, A, 51116857.
Derwent WPI/L On Line Abstract Accession No. 77-11830Y, JP A, 51551751.
Derwent WPI/L On Line Abstract Accession No. 86-335053, JP, A 61249798.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Simulated objects does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Simulated objects, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Simulated objects will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-676597