CA2026728A1 - Plastic article having a printed image or color sublimated into a surface thereof using light-fast dyes or volatizable inks and method of making such an article - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A plastic article such as a fiberglass or otherwise reinforced panel, preferably of a cured thermosetting polyester resin, has a volatizable ink or fiber-reactive disperse dye transferred into a surface thereof by sublimation from a sheet of wax- or silicone-coated transfer paper at a predetermined temperature and pressure for a predetermined dwell time.

Description

6~ ~ 2 ~

224.250 PLASTIC ARTICLE HAVING A PRINTED
INAGE OR COLOR SU~LIMATED INTO A SURFACE THEREOF
USING LIGHT-FAST DYES OR VOLATIZABLE INKS AND
METHOD OF MAKING SUCH ~ ARTICLE
~: .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention The preseint invention relates to a plastic article of cured resin and, more particularly, to a reinforced plastic panel having a dye or volatizable ink sublimated into a:surface thereof, and to a method of making suoh an~ article.

.Description~of~the~ Prlor Art einfor ~ ~plastic~panel-, such as a panel made.by cur1ng a~film~of~Iiquid ther setting resin with:glass f ~ rs~.in it~for~reinforc-ment:, have found wide acc ~ ance.~ Such~panels have~excellent s~rength and resistance to abuse~from~weather, chemicals and i~it ~ abrasion. Typical uses of these panels have been in .the~cons~tructi~n~ and~transportation industries~as hard, ~.
:durable walls and:wal1 1:iners.

However, such~panels~would::enjoy even wider de~and if it w-re possible~to provide graphics on them, but i:t is exactly the property of the panels that gives them such 'ii`` ` ~ ~ ~

~".`','''.''"~''i..'.,',,'~,.. 1 ;

- -~ 2!~728 great utility that also makes it difficult to decorate them: their resistance to reaction with other substances. A coating printed or painted on such a panel using conventional techniques has very little durability.

Various approaches have been t~ried to solve that problem. For example, the panel surface can be specially prepared prior to printing or painting, using a substance that will make ink or paint adhere better to the panel, or the panel can be specially treated after printing or painting, by curing or applying protective coatings. Neither approach is particularly satisfactory because both involve substantial additional material and labor costs. And the printed or painted coatings are still not particularly durable.
Moreover, it i5 clearly impracticable to mass produce panels having graphic designs by individually painting each panel. -~

Of course, it is also possible to make uniformly colored panels by dyeing the liquid resin before it is cured to form the panel, but that does not solve the problem of providing a durable graphic design on the ;Anothér~proposed solution involves embedding a témp~ate;~of plastic or~other suitable material in the liqu~id resin before it is cured. This, however, has ~ ~-not proved feasible from a cost standpoint, since making a template is very expensive, and a template can at best~provide a limited number of different visual effects.~ Other techniques for decorating panels are `~ ;
also known,~such as applying contact paper or wallpaper, but none are capable of providing a wide variety of graphic effects suitable for economic mass -~
production.

~.: ...: ~:
:: :-.
. ~

- `~
~2~

Thus, a versatile manner of printing on plastic articles such as reinforced panels of a cured resin, suitable for mass production and capable of providing a wide variety of graphic effects, heretofore has not been available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to solve these problems by providing a plastic article of a cured resin having a durable pattern thereon.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the plastic article is a reinforced panel that comprises a cured resin having a dye or ink subliminated under heat and intense pressure into a surface thereof.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method comprises providing a reinforced panel of a cured resin and transferring a dye or ink from a sheet into a surface of the panel by sublimation of the dye or ink under heat and intense pressure.

~ BRIEF DESCRIPT~ION OF THE DRAWINGS
~
The~present invention can be best understood by re~erence to the detailed dèscription of preferred embodiments set forth below taken with the drawings, in ii I which Fig. lA is an isometric ~iew of a panel and how a pattern is provided thereon in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. lB shows a section of a panel in accordance with one embodlmont the present invention;

2~ 7~

Fig. 2 is schematic representation of a method of making the panel shown in Fig. lB;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of an apparatus for carrying out the method depicted in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 with a panel in place therein; and Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a section of a panel in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EN~ODIMENTS -~

Fig. lA shows a panel l of a cured thermosetting resin having embedded glass fibers distributed throughout the panel for increased strength. A suitable material for such a panel is a thermosetting polyester resin such as the~unsaturated~polyoster r-sin sold~by Aristech --Chemicals Inc. of Linden,~New Jersey, under~the des ~ nation~MR17112~ This resln comes dlssolved in a ;monomer such~a~styrene, and~suitable additional rs,~fillers~and;~dyes can be added~as desired, to lend;~color,~di~f-ring degrees of opacity or other properties~to~the f1nished product. ;-In a process that is well known to those skilled in this~;~art, ~an~uncured l1qu~id resin is deposited ln a ~
film~onto a moving~belt.~ Chopped glass fibers are ~ ~-~dropped onto the~-film in an appropriate concentration and th- moving~liquld-resin/glass-fiber fiim is~passed ---through~an oven to cure and harden the resin. The continuous structure thus formed is cut into desired~
lengths to form individual panels. Such panels and this method of maklnq them are well known. A more ~.

detailed descriPtiOn of this process is set forth in the 1989 Modern Plastics Encvclopedia at page 290. -It is possible to practice the present invention using plastic articles of a wide variety of materials, such as panels of acrylics, nylon 66, polycarbonates or hybrid materials such as polyester/urethane or polyester/acrylic. For example, a resin comprising a combination of 85% polyester and 15% acrylic provides a panel particularly suited for use in conditions in which the panel is exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
~, In addition reinforcing materials other than chopped glass fibers, including a wide variety of natural and synthetic materials, may be used. And, other processes, such as casting or extruding, can be employed to make panels or other plastic articles suitable for practicing the present invention.
~, The present invention resides in the unique manner in which a pattern can be provided on articles such as the panel 1, and in a panel 10 having such a pattern on it, as shown ln Fig. ~lB, by using a heat transfer paper 2 (shown in phantom lines in Fig. lA) having on it a graphic des~ign 3 or any other indicia to be transferred ;to~the~pan~

Transfer paper sultable for practicing the present invention is well known to those familiar with textile printing. Typically, to print on cloth, the transfer paper and~th- cloth~ar-~fed from rolls through the nip of heated rollers, and the heat of the rollers causes the dyes or~inks on the paper to volatize or vaporize and transfer to the cloth. This type of transfer printing is described, for example, in U.S. Pat-nt ,632,291, U.~S. Patent 3,829,286, U.S. Patent 3,940,246, U.S. Patent 3,969,071 and Canadian Patent 860,888. It is expected that transfer paper like that .`~ ' , ~` 2 ~ 7 ~ ~

discussed in these patents will, generally speaking, be suitable for use in practicing the present invention.

Types of transfer sheets other ~t3ha~Atransfer paper may be used, such as aluminum foil~ However, paper is preferred for the present invention since it is the most effective for achieving the purposes of the invention. It is also possible to use wide variety o~P n~ C CaOL~5, of dyes or volatizable inks,~although to date light- ~ /J
fast, fiber-reactive disperse dyes have been found to be particularly advantageous. In addition, the graphic design may be placed on the transfer sheet in many ~
different ways, such as offset printing, gravure ~-printing, flexography or screen printing. Those skilled in the art will be able to determine the most suitable material for the transfer sheet, and the most advantageous technique for providing the graphic pattern thereon. For the most part, commercially ;-;~
available transfer paper conventionally used for -textile printing, such as those provided by Technographics, Inc., by Panel Prints Inc. or by Storey Transprints, are suitable for practicing the present invention.

The transfer paper can be coated with wax or silicone before the pattern is printed thereon, whi¢h inhibits thè~dye or ink ~f the pattern from being absorbed by the paper. Transfer paper typically used in textile printing is rated between 28 and 60 grams. Light weight paper within ~his range can be used for bolder ~-~
designs, while heavier paper is needed for more intricate designs. Water-base colors generally penetrate deeper when transferred to the plastic article, although they are more expensive and require that the paper be pressed against the article for a longer period. Dyes or inks used in the present 2$72~

invention can be specially formulated to enhance certain properties, such as color fastness.

Fig. lB shows the panel 1 after the graphic pattern 3 on the transfer paper 2 has been sublimated into its surface. This panel 10 is characterized by the provision in its surface of a pattern 12, which corresponds to the pattern 3, that results from the sublimation, under heat and intense pressure, of the dye or ink of the pattern 3 into the surface of the panel 1. The resulting pattern 12 on the panel 10 will not rub off and cannot be scraped off. A tenacious bond is created between the dye or ink of the pattern 3 and the cured resin of the panel 1. It has the appearance of a chemical bond, in that the dye or ink becomes an integral part of the panel material. The heat and intense pressure under which the process is carried out causes the cured resin to be particularly receptive to the dye or ink that has been vaporized from the surface of the transfer paper 2.

;Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a preferred embodiment of~the~method of tbe present invention. The panel 1 and~t~he~printed trans~fer paper 2 are placed between a rigid~;upper platen 20 and a rigid lower platen 22. A
sheet 2~4 of~absorbent tissue paper is placed between the~lower~platen 22 and the panel 1. The tissue paper acts as a blotter and enables the panel to be printed uniformly across the entire surface, without blank ar-as. After the panel has~been printed, the tissue paper will remain loosely adhered to the panel, and will prevent~the printed pattern from migrating from one panel to another if the panels are stacked on top of each other before the printed pattern has completely cured ~which tàkes about 2 to 10 minutes). Suitable tissue paper for this purpose is an 11 pound thermal transfer tissue paper, also known as blotting tissue, distributed by Beaver Paper & Mfg. Co., Piedmont Court, Doraville, GA 30340. -The platens 20 and 22 may be of any suitable material, although steel coated with Teflon~ is particularly -useful. In addition, more uniform pressure may be obtained if a pad of silicone rubber is placed between the bottom platen 22 and the sheet of absorbent tissue -~
paper 24.
; ':`'"' .
Generally, a pattern can be transferred to a plastic article in accordance with the present invention by ~ `
pressing the article and a transfer sheet together at a ;-~
pressure of about 5 to 20 pounds per square inch at an elevated temperature of about 300-F to 450-F for about 30 to 90 seconds.

In one preferred embodiment, the platen 20 is heated so ~ ~
`~ that the panel 1 and transfer sheet 2 are subjected to ; ;
a temperature of about 380-F to 420-F and are pressed together by a force F that generates about 5 to 10 ~ -~
pounds~per square inch (psi) on the panel 1 for a dwe}l time of about 45 to 60 seconds. This will result in a -~
we~ defined pattern on a panel that has a smooth surrace.

~3.` ~ In~anoth-r~pr ferred embodiment, the panel and transfer sheet 2 are subjected to a temperature of about 380-F
to 420-F while being pressed together at a pressure of 10 to 15 psi for~about ~60 to 75 seconds. This will result in~a~well-defined pattern being printed on a panel that~has~a~téxtured surface. Such panels are also well;known and~are fabricated by embossing the - ~ resin wh~ile it is~still;liquid and then curing~it with the~embossed texture.~ For example, a panel may be made with a surface that simulates cloth or wood-grain, or any other desired texture.
,'~
- .~

. . ~ . . .

~2~

Figs. 3 and 4 depict a preferred embodiment of apparatus suitable for carrying out the method illustrated in Figure 2.

Fig. 3 is a schematic, isometric view of an apparatus with a frame 50 having a staging table 52 and a cooling table 54 mounted at opposite sides of the frame 50. A
continuous sheet of transfer paper 2 is provided in a feed roll 56 mounted at the top of the frame on the same side as the staging table 52. Used transfer paper 2 is wound on a take-up roll 58 mounted at the top of the frame on the same side as the cooling table 54.
Between the feed roll 56 and the take-up roll 58, the transfer paper 2 passes through an enclosure 60 inside the frame 50 (see Fig. 4). A continuous sheet 24 of absorbent tissue paper is provided in a feed roll 62 mounted to the end of the staging table 52. Used tissue paper is wound on a take-up roll 64 mounted to the end of the cooling table S2. Between the feed roll 62 and the take-up roll 58, the sheet 24 also passes through the enclosure 60.

Fig. 4 is a -ch-matic view of the enclosure 60 with a panel l therein. The panel 1 passes between the upper platen;20 and the lower platen 22, with the transfer paper 2 and~tissue paper 24 in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2. Thè platens 20 and 22 are typically made of ste~l having their faces coated with ~eflon~.
The upper platen 20 is heated and is mounted to a floating head 66 that enables the upper platen 20 to conform to~the~angu}ar orientation of the lower platen 20, so that~pressure is uniformly applied to the panel 1. The floating head 66 is attached to a hydraulic ram (not shown) for exerting sufficient pressure to provide the tenacious bond between the panel and the sublimated dyestuff or ink from the transfer paper 2 that :

-21~2fi728 ~

characterizes the present invention. An exhaust vent 68 allows venting of any vapors generated by the sublimation of the dyestuffs or inks on the transfer paper 2.

In operation, a panel 1 is placed on the staging table 52 on top of a clean portion of the tissue paper 24 that has been drawn off the roll 62. The panel 1 and ' '-~
tissue paper 24 move together toward the enclosure 60, with a length of clean transfer paper 2. The transfer paper 2, panel 1 and tissue paper 24 thus enter the enclosure 60 together and are stopped when the panel reaches the lower platen 22. The upper platen 20 is - '' pressed against the panel 1 having the transfer paper 2 on top and the tissue paper 24 on the bottom with a ''-preæsure and for a time in accordance with the above .~-~
guidelines. It is desirable to be able to generate a '~
force as high as 160,000 pounds to create the tenacious ~-~
bond between~the dyestuffs or inks and the panel for a rectangulsr panel 5 ft. x 10 ft. Accordingly, the apparatus and the hydraulic ram must be constructed to be capable of exerting such a force.

Af~t-r the r quired~dwell time, as discussed above, the panel,~ and~the transfer paper and tissue paper, are moved~out of the~enclosure~60 toward the cooling table 54~ The~ transfer~paper is stripped from the panel --~
~; ~ surface as the pan-l' leaves the enclosure and is wound -~
onto~the take-up roll' 58. The printed panel lo is then removed from the cooling table 54.

The apparatus depicted in Figs. 3 and 4 is well suited to mass-production,~since a panel can be positioned on the staging~tabl- while anoth-r panel is being printed and a third panel is'cooling on the cooling table.

. :~ . .

2 ~

Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a panel in accordance with the present invention. This panel 10' is similar to panel 10, except that it has been further treated after transfer thereto of a pattern.

In this embodiment, a panel such as panel 10 is provided with an acrylic coating. This coating is put on the panel by spraying or using coated rollers to deposit a film of liquid acrylic plastic, such as that sold by Borden, Inc. under the name Krylon No. 1301 or by Johnson Wax under the name Future0 floor covering.
This film is cured by baking at temperatures up to 400-F, or air drying, to provide a hard, glossy finish that resembles kiln-fired ceramic tile. A suitable tool is then used to provide scored channels 100 in the panel. These channels are sufficiently deep to extend into the underlying panel. If the cured resin used to make the panel is suitably colored, and the pattern is chosen properly, the resulting product resembles a plurality of ceramic tiIes, with the channels 100 resembling grout between the tiles.

The present invention thus provides a versatile technique for printing on~fiberglass reinforced panels of~cur-d~thermosetting resin.

As desoribed~above, a panel can be printed on one side.
Or, in an alternate embodiment, another sheet of transfer`paper can be placed between the bottom platen 22~and the~panel 1 (see Fig. 2~ to print simultaneously ~ i on both sides of~the~panel. In this alternate embodiment the bottom platen 22 will also be heated.
In addition;,~ the~panel is translucent, unique visual effects can be~created by printing on both sides of the panel. In still another variation within the scope of the invention, the panel can be pigmented and then printed. This latter embodiment is particularly useful :::: : :

- 12 - ~ 2 ~

for providing a wood-grain finish, since a suitably ~;
textured panel can be pigmented tan or light brown and a wood-grain pattern can be printed onto the panel in deeper shades of brown, thus giving a rich wood-grain effect. In addition, scratches are not highly noticeable since the underlying panel is pigmented.

EXAMPL~S

To illustrate the tenacity of a pattern provided on a panel in accordance with the present invention, as compared to the prior art, panels were made using sheets of transfer paper provided by Technographics, Inc., 1359 Broadway, Room 1202, New York, NY 10018, and having thereon a conventional dyestuff typically used for printing on textiles. This tranæfer paper was placed in an apparatus such as that depicted in Figs. 3 and 4 with panels of cured thermosetting resin sold by Dyrotech Industries, Inc., under the trademark GLASBORD.

An embodiment of the inventive process was used in these example~s in which dyestuff was transferred at 400-P~;for 60 seconds at 10 psi. The high heat (400~F) and~pressure ~10 pSl) of thls embodiment of the inventive process forced the sublimation inks into the top 3 to 4 mils ~1 mil = 0.001`inch) of the panel surface~ The decorative finish produced by the present invention has better resistance to chemicals, stains, and mechanical abuse than the other common decorating methods (i.e.! scr en printing, hot stamping, painting, applying contact paper and wallpapering) used in these examples, as shown by the following test results.
~ .~.,i .
Test panels were decorated using the methods listed below:

' 2 ~ ~ d~ 7 2 ~

A. Inventive process; a solid black pattern.
B~ Inventive process; a white, gray and black speckled pattern.
C. Inventive process; a yellow tile pattern.
D. Screen printing process; two coats of black ink.
E. Hot stamping process; using wood qrain and gold foil decals.
F. ,~pray painting; using exterior, black, acrylic-urethane paint.
G. Spray painting; using black, all-purpose enamel.
H. Brush painting; using one coat primer and two coats white interior latex.
I. Brush painting; using no primer and two coats white interior latex.
J. Applying vinyl contact paper with a wood grain pattern.
K. Applying vinyl wallpaper with one coat of sealer.
L. Applying vinyl wallpaper with no sealer.

All of the above were applied to two different types of ; Glaobord5 panel surfaces: smooth and deeply embossed.

Two other substrates Yere decorated using the inventive process and were included in the testing.

M.~ Smooth, white~Pormica~ panels.
N. Smooth, white tile board.

The~following tests were~run on the test panels:

Scratch esistance: Four different items (a quiarter, a key, a fork, and a razor knife) were dragged across the ~r,;~; surface (one time each) at a 45 angle. Panels were ~; then visually evaluated~from a 3 ft. distance and given an "A" rating for visually acceptable or a "U" rating for visualIy unacceptable. Then the panels were ~iven ~ ' :

2 ~

a close visual inspection and given one of the following ratings: l = no damage, no change; 2 = mild damage, surface changed but would probably not require replacement or repair; and 3 = severe damage, would require replacement or repair.

Abrasion Resistance: Four different abrasive materials (fine steel wool, grade 000; coarse steel wool, grade 1; fine sandpaper, 150 grit; and coarse sandpaper, 60 grit) were dragged across the surface 3 times each with a 1 kg. weiqht. Panels were evaluated as described under Scratch Resistance.

Staining/Cleanability: Seven staining agents were used (1 = black Sharpie marker, 2 - green crayon, 3 = yellow ~; mustard, 4 = ketchup, 5 = French dressing, 6 = grape juice, 7 = coffee with cream and sugar). Each of the staining agents was applied to the panel surfaces and allowed to sit for approximately 24 hrs. Then six different cleaning methods were used to try to remove each stain. These methods are listed below from the least harsh to the most harsh.

Warm water with a Handiwi~e~: light pressure.
2. Warm water with Palmolive~ soap and a Handiwipe~;
firm scrubbing and pressure.
3. Fantastik spray cleaner sprayed on and allowed to sit for one minute, then wiped with a Handiwipe~
' and then rinsed with warm water.

4. Softscrub~ mi}d-abrasive cleaner containinq bleach; firmly scrubbed with a Handiwipe~ for one ~-~ minute and then rinsed with warm water.
S~ 5. Comet~ cleanser: firmly scrubbed with a Handiwipe~
for one minute then rinsed with warm water.
6. S.O.S.~ steel wool soap pad; scrubbed with warm water for 15 seconds and then rinsed with warm i~i water. ~ - ~

Cleaning of each stain started with the least harsh cleaning method and progressed until the stain was removed; the method that removed the stain was recorded. A rating of "7" is used below to denote that none of the clea~ing methods worked.

Chemical Resistance: Eight different chemicals were used (1 = methylene chloride, 2 ~ methyl ethyl ketone, 3 z toluene, 4 = 40% sodium hydroxide solution, 5 = 40%
acetic acid solution, 6 = household ammonia, 7 = white distilled vinegar, 8 - tap water). Pieces of cotton or gauze were saturated with each chemical, then placed on the panel surfaces, and covered with a watch glass to minimize evaporation. Evaluations were made after 30 min., 1 hr., 2 hr. and 6 hr. Panels were rated using the same system used for Scratch Resistance and Abrasion Resistance.

~ ~

, ;. ~ . ~

.
: :::
; .

'`` ~

~ bJ ~
- 16 - ~
~:
Test Results The test results are shown below in tabulated form.

SCRATCH RESISTANCE TESTING -- SMOOTH SURFACE PANELS
Sample Ouarter Kev Fork Knife Ratin~
A. Inventive panel, black A2 A2 A2 U3 2.5 B. Inventive panel, speckled A1 A2 A2 ~2 1.7 C. Inventive panel, yellow U3 U3 U3 U3 4.0 D. Screen print, black U3 U3 U3 U3 4.0 E. Hot atamp U3 U3 U3 U3 4.0 F. Sprayed acrylic/urethane A2 U3 A2 A2 2.5 ~ -G. Sprayed enamel A2 U3 U3 U3 3.5 H. Brushed latex (primer) U3 U3 U3 U3 4.0 I. ~rushed latex (no primer) U3 U3 U3 U3 4.0 J. Vinyl contact paper A2 U3 U3 A2 3.0 ~. Vinyl wallpaper (sealer) Al U3 A2 A3 2.5 L. Vinyl wallpaper (no sealer) Al A2 Al A3 1 7 ~
M. Formica~ Al A2 A2 A3 2 0 N. Tile board A2 A2 A2 U3 2.5 ~, , SCRATCH RESISTANCE TESTING -- DEEPLY EM~OSSED SURFACE ~ -BamDle Quarter Kev Fork Knife B3~1ng ~-A. Al A2 A2 A3 2.0 B. ~ Al A1 A2 A2 1.5 C. A2 A2 Al A2 1.7 D. A3~A3 A3 U3 3.0 ;~
E. U3U3 U3 U3 4.0 F. A3A3 A2 A2 2.5 i G. A2A3 A3 A3 2.7 H. A3U3 U3 U3 3.7 -I. U3U3 U3 U3 4.0 J. U3U3 U3 A3 3.7 . A2U3 A2 A3 2.7 L. Al A2 A2 A3 2.0 ; ~;~

. :~
A - Vi-ually acceptable at 3 ft.
U - Vi~ually unacceptable at 3 ft.
No damage or~change on the surface (close exam).
2 - Surface changed but repair not needed (close exam).
3 - Surface~damaged and~need repair ~close exam).

` Overall rating is a calculated average using the following values~
Al ~ 1, A2 - 2, A3 = 3, U2 - 3, U3 = 4 ~U3 is the worst rating).

. :. ;~ .: :i -~

"D ~ '} ~

ABRASION ~ESTING -- SMOOTH SURFACE
Fine Coarc- Fine Coar~e Over-Steel Steel Sand- Sand- all Sam~le _Wool Wool oaoer pa~er Ratina A. Inventive panel, black A1 A2 U3 U32.7 B. Inventive panel, cpeckled Al Al A2 A21.5 C. Inventive panel, yellow A1 Al A2 A21.5 D. Screen print, black A2 A2 A3 U32.7 E. Hot ~tamp Al Al U3 U32.5 F. Sprayed acrylic/urethane U3 U3 U3 U34.0 G. Sprayed enamel U3 U3 U3 U34.0 H. Brushed latex ~primer) A2 A2 Al A21.7 I. Brushed latex (no primer~ A2 A2 Al U32.2 J. Vinyl contact paper Al A2 U2 U32.5 K. Vinyl wallpaper ~sealer) Al Al Al A11.0 L. Vinyl wallpaper (no sealer) A1 Al Al A11.0 M. Formica~ Al Al Al A21.2 N. Tile board Al Al A2 A21.5 i ~ A3RASION TESTING -- DEEPLY EM30SSED SURFACE
-Flne Coarce Fine Coar~e Over-Steel Steel Sand- Sand- all _ Sam~le Wool Woo~, paoer paper ~atina A. Al A1 A2 A21.5 8. Al Al Al A11.0 C. Al A2 A2 A21.7 ` -~
~; D. A2 A2 A3 A32.5 E. A2 A2 U3 U33.0 ;~ F. A2 U3 U3 U33.5 G. U3 U3 U3 U34.0 H. A2 A2 A3 A32.5 I. Al A2 A3 A322 ~J~ J. A2 A2 U3 U330 K. Al Al A1 A11.0 L. A1 A1 A1 A11.0 ~ ~ A - Visually acceptable at 3 ft.
; , U - Vi~ually unacceptable at 3 ft.
; 1 - No damage or change on the surface (close exam).
2 - Surface changed but no repair needed ~close exam).
3 - Surface;damaged and needs repair ~clo~e exam).
~^~ overall rating is a calculated average using the following values:
A1 - 1, A2 - 2, A3 ~ 3, U2 - 3, U3 - 4 ~worst rating).

' 'j. ;'.: - : . : ::: , .. -- . ~, :: ,-, .: , . , - : , - : : :: :
," ',, ~ ', ! , ~' .: ' , ~ " ' ' ' . . - ` - . , . ' ~ .
7 ~ 8 STAINING/CLEANABILITY TESTING -- S~OOTH SURFACE

Black Green Yellow French Grape Overall Sam~le Marker Crayon Mustard ~etchu~ Dressinc Juice Coffee Ratlna A. 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1.6 B. 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1.6 C. 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1.6 D. 7d 2 7c 1 7c 1 7c 4.6 E. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
F. Se 2e 1 1 1 1 1 1.7 G. 6 4 4e 1 2ce 1 2c 2.9 H. 7 4 7 4 1 7 7 5.3 I. 7 3 7 4 1 7 4 4.7 J. 7b 2 7b 1 1 1 1 2.9 K. 7 3 7 1 1 3 1 3.3 L. 7 3 7 1 1 3 1 3.3 M. 6 3 6 1 1 1 1 2.7 N. 5 1 5 1 1 1 1 2.1 ,, :

STAINING/CLEANABILITY TESTING -- DEEPLY EMBOSSED S~JRFACE

Black Green Yellow French Grape Overall Sam~le Marker Cravon Mustard Xetchuo DressLna ~y~ Coffee RatLn A. 5a 2a 1 1 1 1 1 1.7 B. 4a 2a 1 1 1 1 1 1.6 C. 5a 2a 1 1 1 1 1 1.7 D. 7d 2 7c 1 7c 1 7c 4.6 E. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
F. 4e 1 1 1 1 1 1 I.4 G. 4e 4- 3e 2ce 1 2c 1 2.4 H. 7 4 7 4 1 7 7 5.3 I. 7 5 7 4 1 7 4e 5.0 J. 7b 2 7b 1 1 1 1 2.9 K. 7 3 7 1 1 3 1 3.3 L. 7 3 ~ 7 1 1 3 1 3.3 , .
Lower case lettering code: a - soft brush used to remove residue from the valleys in the deep emboss pattern.
b - de~ign i9 wearin~ off.
c - lo~ of gloss.
d - lo~ of glos~ after 3, and then unable to tell if stain was removed.
e - 3urface looks scratched or de~LgnlpaLnt was removed from embossed peaks.

Numbers refer to the various cleaning methods used (1 i9 the least harsh, 6 is the most harsh, and 7 means the stain could not be removed). See above for detaLls.
~ ~ .

:
., :
:

2 ~; 7 2 ~

CHEMICAL RSSISTANCE TESTING -- SMOOTH SURFACE
(1) (2) (3) ~4) ~4) (5) (5) ~6) ~7) ~8) Overall Sam~le5h Sh lh ~h ~h 2h 6h 6h 6h gh Ratin~
A.U3 U3 A2 Al Al Al A2 Al Al A12.2 B.U3 A2 Al Al Al Al Al Al Al A11.7 C.U3 A2 Al Al Al Al Al Al Al A11.7 D.U3 U3 U3 Al U3 Al A2 U3 A2 A13.4 E.NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
F. U3 Al A2 Al Al Al A2 A2 Al A12.0 G. U3 U3 U3 Al A2 A2 A2 A2 Al A13.0 H. U3 A3 U3 Al U3 U3 U3 Al U3 A13.7 I. U3 U3 U3 Al U3 U3 U3 A2 A2 A23.9 J. U3 U3 A2 A2 U2 A2 U2 U2 U2 U23.6 K.U3 U3 Al Al Al Al Al Al Al A12.0 L.U3 U3 Al Al Al Al Al Al Al A12.0 N.U2 A2 A2 Al Al Al Al Al Al A11.7 CHEMICA~ RSSISTANCE TSSTING -- DEEPLY E~BOSSSD SURFACE
Overall SamDle :~h Sh iLh ~h ~h 2h 6h 6h 6h 6h Ratin~
A.U3 U2 Al Al Al Al Al Al Al Al l.9 B.U3 A2 Al Al Al al Al Al Al A11.7 C.U3 U3 A2 Al Al Al Al Al Al A12.1 D.U3 U3 U3 Al U3 Al Al U3 Al A13.1 E.NA NA NA NA NA N~ NA NA NA NA NA
F. U3 U3 U3 Al Al Al Al A2 Al A12.5 G. U3 U3 U3 Al Al A2 A2 U3 Al A13.0 H. U3 A3 U3 Al U3 U3 U3 A2 U3 A13.9 I. U3 U3 U3 Al U3 U3 U3 Al A2 A13.6 J. U3 U3 A2 A2 U2 A2 U2 U2 U2 U23.6 K.U3 U3 Al Al Al Al Al Al Al A12.0 L.U3 U3 Al Al Al Al Al Al Al A12.0 Column headings: number~ in ~ ) de~ignate solvent type ~see below) or exDo~ure time in hrs. (h).
Solvent tyDes: (1) Methylene chlorido ~5) 40% Acetic Acid (2) Methyl ethyl ketone (6) Household ammonia ~3) Toluene (7) Vinegar 4) 40~i Sodium hydroxide ~8) Water ~ .

, ~f~

: ~2~728 Final Overall RatLngs ~8e~t to Wor~t) This rating i- the average of the overall ratings for each of the four test~ (ScratCh Re~istance, Abra~ion Re-i~tance, Staining/Cleanability, and Chemical Reiai~tance) Ra~inqL_ sam~le 1 4 B Inventive proce-- on embonsed Glanbord~ panel 1 6 B Inventive proce~ on ~mooth Gla~bord- panel 1 8 A Inventive procea- on embosi3ed Gla-bord- panel 1 8 C Inventive proceis- on embo~ed Gla-bord- panel 1 9 N Inventive proce-- on mooth Tile board 2 0 L Vinyl wallpaper on mooth Gla~bord- panel 2 1 M Inventive process on smooth Formica- panel 2 1 ~ Vinyl wallpaper on embo--ed Gla~bord- panel 2 2 A Inventive proce-a on smooth Gla~bord- panel 2 2 C Inventive proce~i on ~imooth Glasbord- panel 2 2 K Vinyl wallpaper on ~mooth Gla-bord- panel (w~th iqealer) 2 2 K Vinyl wallpaper on embos~ed Gla-bord- panel ~with aealer) 2 5 F Acryllc/urethane palnt sprayed on mooth Gla~bord- panel 2 5 F Acrylic/urethane paint ~prayed on embos~ed Gla~bord- panel 3 0 J Vinyl contact paper on mooth Gla-bord~ panel 3 0 G Sprayed enamel on embo-aed Gla~bord- panel 3 3 G Sprayed enamel on ~mooth Gla-bord- panel 3 3 J Vinyl contact paper on ~mbo-sed Glasbord- panel 3 3 D Screen pr~nt on embo~-ed Gla~bord- panel 3 7 D Scre-n print on mooth Glaabord- panel 3 7 I Lat-x palnt bru-hed on smooth Gla-bord~ panel 3 7 H Latex paint bru-hed on mooth Glai~bord- panel (with primer) m~ 3 7 I Latex paint bru-hed on embos~ed Gla-bord- panel 3 8 H Lat-x paint bru-hed on embosi-ed Gla-bord- panel (with primer) -Hot Stamping ~E ) wa- not included becau-e there wa~ not enough material to put through the ~taining and chemical re~i~tance te~ts ~ -~
However, con-id ring ju-t cratch and abra-ion re~istance, hot ~tamping ~ i p~rformed very~poorly ) :. ;
:: . :
~ :
,~

',' 72g Base on these tests, the inventive panels performed better as a group than panels decorated using any other techniques. In particular, other than Glasbord~ panels decorated using vinyl wallpaper (which is clearly unsuited to mass production), the inventive process performed better than any other decorating technique, and significantly better than any technique in which coatings are applied to the surface of a panel.

Of course, it will be appreciated that the invention may take forms other than those specifically described, and it will be clear to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications other than those specifically pointed out may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is to be determined by reference to the appended claims.

:~ :

: .

Claims (14)

1. A plastic article of a cured resin having a dye or ink transferred by sublimation under heat and intense pressure into a surface of said panel.

2. An article according to claim 1, comprising a cured thermosetting resin having glass fibers embedded therein for reinforcement.

3. An article according to claim 2, wherein said resin is a polyester.

4. An article according to claim 3, having channels cut into said surface to form a plurality of panel sections, each of said panel sections having a glossy finish provided by a cured acrylic resin.

5. An article according to claim 3, wherein said panel is translucent and said dye or ink is sublimated under heat and pressure into opposite faces of said panel.

6. A method of making a reinforced panel of a cured resin having a dye or ink transferred by sublimination into a surface of the panel, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a reinforced panel of a cured resin and a sheet having on a surface thereof a sublimatable dye or ink;
placing said surface of said sheet against a surface of said panel; and pressing said sheet and said panel together at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time at a predetermined pressure.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said panel comprises a cured polyester resin having glass fibers embedded therein, said predetermined temperature is about 300°F to 450°F, said predetermined time is about 30 to 90 seconds and said predetermined pressure is between about 5 to 20 pounds per square inch.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said panel has a smooth surface, said predetermined temperature is about 380°F to 420°F, said predetermined time is between about 45 to 60 seconds and said predetermined pressure is between about 5 to 10 pounds per square inch.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein said panel has a textured surface, said predetermined temperature is about 380°F to 420°F, said predetermined time is between 60 to 75 seconds and said predetermined pressure is between 10 to 15 pounds per square inch.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein said panel is provided tinted.

11. A method according to claim 6, wherein prior to said pressing step an absorbent material is placed against the surface of said panel opposite said surface against which said sheet is placed.

12. A method according to claim 6, wherein said panel is translucent and one of said sheets is placed against each opposing face of said panel in said placing step, and in said pressing step both of said sheets are pressed against said panel simultaneously using heated platens.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said sheet comprises transfer paper having a fiber-reactive disperse dye pattern printed thereon.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said sheet comprises transfer paper having a volatizable ink pattern printed thereon.