WO1996025691A1 - Manufacture of coloured sheet material - Google Patents

Manufacture of coloured sheet material Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1996025691A1
WO1996025691A1 PCT/GB1996/000311 GB9600311W WO9625691A1 WO 1996025691 A1 WO1996025691 A1 WO 1996025691A1 GB 9600311 W GB9600311 W GB 9600311W WO 9625691 A1 WO9625691 A1 WO 9625691A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ribbon
light
coating
sheet material
thermoplastics
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1996/000311
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Andrew Cunningham-Thomson
Original Assignee
Orangeacre Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Orangeacre Limited filed Critical Orangeacre Limited
Priority to AU46695/96A priority Critical patent/AU4669596A/en
Publication of WO1996025691A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996025691A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
    • G03C5/00—Photographic processes or agents therefor; Regeneration of such processing agents
    • G03C5/04—Photo-taking processes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
    • G03C5/00—Photographic processes or agents therefor; Regeneration of such processing agents
    • G03C5/08—Photoprinting; Processes and means for preventing photoprinting
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
    • G03C7/00—Multicolour photographic processes or agents therefor; Regeneration of such processing agents; Photosensitive materials for multicolour processes
    • G03C7/30—Colour processes using colour-coupling substances; Materials therefor; Preparing or processing such materials

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the manufacture of coloured sheet material, particularly coloured thermoplastics sheet material which can be used for the production of three- dimensional articles by vacuum-forming or thermo-forming.
  • coloured sheet material particularly coloured thermoplastics sheet material which can be used for the production of three- dimensional articles by vacuum-forming or thermo-forming.
  • thermoplastics sheet material In the manufacture of three-dimensional articles by vacuum-forming or thermo-forming pieces of thermoplastics sheet material, it is difficult to provide a good quality colour finish to the article.
  • the most common method is to print onto the article after it has been formed, but it is difficult to achieve accurate registration. We have now devised arrangements for overcoming these problems.
  • a method of forming a three-dimensional article which comprises vacuum-forming or thermo-forming a piece of thermoplastics sheet material to three-dimensional shape, said piece of thermoplastics sheet material having a processed photographic coating over a surface thereof.
  • the starting material already has a coloured surface, the colour having been created by exposing and then developing a coating of photographic emulsion or other light sensitive substance. Accordingly, the problem of lack of registration between the article and any pattern in the coloured surface is overcome.
  • thermoplastics sheet having a coloured surface comprising providing a ribbon of thermoplastics sheet material with a coating of photographic light-sensitive substance, then continuously advancing said ribbon past an exposure station, at which light is continuously directed onto said coating of said ribbon.
  • thermoplastics sheet having a coloured (and optionally patterned) surface, which can then be cut into individual pieces of appropriate sizes: these pieces can then be vacuum-formed or thermo-formed to form an article of required three-dimensional shape.
  • the method is particularly simplified by avoiding the complication of advancing the ribbon in successive steps, and making an individual exposure at each step.
  • the ribbon of thermoplastics sheet material is advanced by being wound from one spool to another.
  • the light is directed onto the light-sensitive coating of the ribbon through a shutter, the width of which is adjustable: alternatively or in addition, the speed of advancement of the ribbon may be adjustable; by varying the width of the shutter and/or the speed of advancement of the ribbon, the colour and density of colour which the photographic coating will exhibit, once developed, can be controlled.
  • a light source which provides a constant light output.
  • a filter arrangement is provided, which includes light filters of different colours, any of which can be selected according to the colour required.
  • Patterns may be created in the ribbon surface, by additional exposure by intermittent and/or varying coloured lights: these may be directed onto the light-sensitive coating of the ribbon through either the same shutter as the main light beam, or through one or more further shutters.
  • an apparatus which comprises two spools 10,12 which are spaced apart and have their axes parallel to each other.
  • a length or ribbon 20 of sheet material to be exposed is initially wound around the spool 10 but has its free end coupled to the spool 12: a variable speed drive motor (not shown) then turns the spool 12 continuously (steplessly) , to progressively wind the ribbon 20 from the feed spool 10 and onto the take-up spool 12.
  • the two spools 10,12, and the length of ribbon 20 extending between the two spools are covered by two plates 14,16 one of which is longitudinally movable relative to the other, to alter the width of a gap 15 between these two plates, thus forming an adjustable shutter.
  • a light source and filter arrangement 18 is positioned above the shutter, to direct light continuously (without interruption) onto the continuously- advancing ribbon 20.
  • the ribbon 20 comprises a base layer of thermoplastics material, which is coated with a colour photographic emulsion.
  • the ribbon 20 is continuously advanced from spool 10 to spool 12, and its coating of photographic emulsion is continuously exposed by the light which is directed at it through the shutter 15.
  • the light source provides a constant, fade-free light output and for this purpose preferably comprises a bank of printing lamps projecting through a Diachrolic (fade free) filter system.
  • This provides constant light exposure to the light-sensitive coating of the ribbon 20 and consequently provides a solid, even colour when the ribbon emulsion is developed.
  • the final colour and colour density which are achieved are dependent upon the width of the shutter 15 and the speed of advancement of the ribbon 20: in essence the wider the shutter 15, the greater the exposure and the darker the colour, whilst the speed of advancement provides a fine adjustment.
  • the light source and filter arrangement 18 may include light filters of different colours, which can be selected according to the colour required in the coating of the ribbon 20. Patterns may be created in the ribbon surface, by additional exposure by intermittent and/or varying coloured lights, which may be directed onto the ribbon coating via optical fibres: the same shutter 15 or one or more further shutters (not shown) may be used for this purpose.
  • the ribbon emulsion is photographically developed in accordance with standard processes. A transparent coating is then applied, as a protection against abrasion, to the developed and now coloured emulsion.
  • the ribbon may if required be laminated to a thermoplastics substrate layer: this may be done either before or after the protective coating is applied.
  • the sheet material thus provided exhibits a surface which is coloured or patterned to a high quality.
  • the sheet material is then cut to pieces of appropriate sizes, and then the individual pieces are vacuum-formed or thermo-formed to form articles of required three-dimensional shapes: the coloured (and optionally patterned) surface may face outwardly, or it may face inwardly, in the article thus formed.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

A thermoplastics sheet having a coloured surface is formed by providing a ribbon (20) of thermoplastics sheet material with a coating of photographic light-sensitive substance, then continuously advancing the ribbon past an exposure station (15, 18), at which light is continuously directed onto the light-sensitive coating of the ribbon (20). The ribbon (20) is subsequently cut into individual pieces, which are then used to form three-dimensional articles by vacuum-forming or thermo-forming.

Description

Manufacture of coloured sheet material
This invention relates to the manufacture of coloured sheet material, particularly coloured thermoplastics sheet material which can be used for the production of three- dimensional articles by vacuum-forming or thermo-forming. In the manufacture of three-dimensional articles by vacuum-forming or thermo-forming pieces of thermoplastics sheet material, it is difficult to provide a good quality colour finish to the article. The most common method is to print onto the article after it has been formed, but it is difficult to achieve accurate registration. We have now devised arrangements for overcoming these problems.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a method of forming a three-dimensional article, which comprises vacuum-forming or thermo-forming a piece of thermoplastics sheet material to three-dimensional shape, said piece of thermoplastics sheet material having a processed photographic coating over a surface thereof.
Thus, in this method, the starting material already has a coloured surface, the colour having been created by exposing and then developing a coating of photographic emulsion or other light sensitive substance. Accordingly, the problem of lack of registration between the article and any pattern in the coloured surface is overcome.
Also in accordance with this invention, there is provided a method of forming a thermoplastics sheet having a coloured surface, comprising providing a ribbon of thermoplastics sheet material with a coating of photographic light-sensitive substance, then continuously advancing said ribbon past an exposure station, at which light is continuously directed onto said coating of said ribbon.
It will be appreciated that this method is simple to carry out and produces a thermoplastics sheet, having a coloured (and optionally patterned) surface, which can then be cut into individual pieces of appropriate sizes: these pieces can then be vacuum-formed or thermo-formed to form an article of required three-dimensional shape. The method is particularly simplified by avoiding the complication of advancing the ribbon in successive steps, and making an individual exposure at each step.
Preferably the ribbon of thermoplastics sheet material is advanced by being wound from one spool to another. Preferably the light is directed onto the light-sensitive coating of the ribbon through a shutter, the width of which is adjustable: alternatively or in addition, the speed of advancement of the ribbon may be adjustable; by varying the width of the shutter and/or the speed of advancement of the ribbon, the colour and density of colour which the photographic coating will exhibit, once developed, can be controlled.
Preferably a light source is used which provides a constant light output. Preferably a filter arrangement is provided, which includes light filters of different colours, any of which can be selected according to the colour required.
Patterns may be created in the ribbon surface, by additional exposure by intermittent and/or varying coloured lights: these may be directed onto the light-sensitive coating of the ribbon through either the same shutter as the main light beam, or through one or more further shutters.
An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus for carrying out a method in accordance with the invention.
Referring to the drawing, there is shown an apparatus which comprises two spools 10,12 which are spaced apart and have their axes parallel to each other. A length or ribbon 20 of sheet material to be exposed is initially wound around the spool 10 but has its free end coupled to the spool 12: a variable speed drive motor (not shown) then turns the spool 12 continuously (steplessly) , to progressively wind the ribbon 20 from the feed spool 10 and onto the take-up spool 12. The two spools 10,12, and the length of ribbon 20 extending between the two spools, are covered by two plates 14,16 one of which is longitudinally movable relative to the other, to alter the width of a gap 15 between these two plates, thus forming an adjustable shutter. A light source and filter arrangement 18 is positioned above the shutter, to direct light continuously (without interruption) onto the continuously- advancing ribbon 20.
The ribbon 20 comprises a base layer of thermoplastics material, which is coated with a colour photographic emulsion. In use of the apparatus which is shown, the ribbon 20 is continuously advanced from spool 10 to spool 12, and its coating of photographic emulsion is continuously exposed by the light which is directed at it through the shutter 15. Preferably the light source provides a constant, fade-free light output and for this purpose preferably comprises a bank of printing lamps projecting through a Diachrolic (fade free) filter system. This provides constant light exposure to the light-sensitive coating of the ribbon 20 and consequently provides a solid, even colour when the ribbon emulsion is developed. The final colour and colour density which are achieved are dependent upon the width of the shutter 15 and the speed of advancement of the ribbon 20: in essence the wider the shutter 15, the greater the exposure and the darker the colour, whilst the speed of advancement provides a fine adjustment.
The light source and filter arrangement 18 may include light filters of different colours, which can be selected according to the colour required in the coating of the ribbon 20. Patterns may be created in the ribbon surface, by additional exposure by intermittent and/or varying coloured lights, which may be directed onto the ribbon coating via optical fibres: the same shutter 15 or one or more further shutters (not shown) may be used for this purpose. After the ribbon 20 has wound completely onto the take- up spool 12, the ribbon emulsion is photographically developed in accordance with standard processes. A transparent coating is then applied, as a protection against abrasion, to the developed and now coloured emulsion. The ribbon may if required be laminated to a thermoplastics substrate layer: this may be done either before or after the protective coating is applied.
The sheet material thus provided exhibits a surface which is coloured or patterned to a high quality. The sheet material is then cut to pieces of appropriate sizes, and then the individual pieces are vacuum-formed or thermo-formed to form articles of required three-dimensional shapes: the coloured (and optionally patterned) surface may face outwardly, or it may face inwardly, in the article thus formed.

Claims

Claims
1) A method of forming a thermoplastics sheet having a coloured surface, comprising providing a ribbon of thermoplastics sheet material with a coating of photographic light-sensitive substance, then continuously advancing said ribbon past an exposure station, at which light is continuously directed onto said coating of said ribbon.
2) A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said ribbon of thermoplastics sheet material is advanced by being wound from one spool to another.
3) A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said light is directed onto said light-sensitive coating of said ribbon through a shutter, the width of which is adjustable.
4) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the speed of advancement of said ribbon is adjustable.
5) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said light is provided by a source which provides a light output of constant intensity.
6) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said light is passed through a filter arrangement which includes filters of different colours, any of which can be selected according to the colour required for said surface of the thermoplastics sheet.
7) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a pattern is created in said surface by additional exposure of said light-sensitive coating by intermittent and/or varying coloured lights.
8) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising applying a transparent protective coating over said light-sensitive coating, after the latter has been photographically developed. 9) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising the step of laminating said ribbon of thermoplastics material to a thermoplastics substrate layer.
10) A method of forming a three-dimensional article, which comprises vacuum-forming or thermo-forming a piece of thermoplastics sheet material to a three-dimensional shape, said piece of thermoplastics sheet material having a processed photographic coating over a surface thereof.
11) A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said piece of thermoplastics sheet material has a transparent protective coating applied over said processed photographic coating.
12) A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, in which said piece of thermoplastics sheet material is laminated to a thermoplastic substrate layer.
PCT/GB1996/000311 1995-02-16 1996-02-14 Manufacture of coloured sheet material WO1996025691A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU46695/96A AU4669596A (en) 1995-02-16 1996-02-14 Manufacture of coloured sheet material

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9502984.9A GB9502984D0 (en) 1995-02-16 1995-02-16 Manufacture of coloured sheet material
GB9502984.9 1995-02-16

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1996025691A1 true WO1996025691A1 (en) 1996-08-22

Family

ID=10769667

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1996/000311 WO1996025691A1 (en) 1995-02-16 1996-02-14 Manufacture of coloured sheet material

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU4669596A (en)
GB (1) GB9502984D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1996025691A1 (en)

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE494797A (en) *
FR736192A (en) * 1931-08-05 1932-11-21 Schaeffer Et Co Ets New printing, reproduction or dyeing process
FR902781A (en) * 1943-03-18 1945-09-12 Ig Farbenindustrie Ag Process for the production of single-color images for direct examination or transparency
FR968638A (en) * 1944-08-03 1950-12-01 Kodak Pathe Improvements in photography
FR1029334A (en) * 1949-12-09 1953-06-02 Collux G M B H Apparatus for coloring or printing textile fabrics
GB739477A (en) * 1953-06-16 1955-10-26 Du Pont Photographic silver halide films
US3265503A (en) * 1962-06-27 1966-08-09 Eastman Kodak Co Photographic recording element
FR2070039A1 (en) * 1969-12-30 1971-09-10 Ahmedabad Mfg
DE2055240A1 (en) * 1970-10-12 1972-05-04 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., New York, N.Y. (V.St.A.) Method and apparatus for imaging an object on film with additional lighting
FR2130698A1 (en) * 1971-03-26 1972-11-03 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Treating strip material by partic laser beams - to produce configurations of perforations or welds
US4077830A (en) * 1974-09-09 1978-03-07 Tapecon, Inc. Laminate and method for protecting photographic element

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE494797A (en) *
FR736192A (en) * 1931-08-05 1932-11-21 Schaeffer Et Co Ets New printing, reproduction or dyeing process
FR902781A (en) * 1943-03-18 1945-09-12 Ig Farbenindustrie Ag Process for the production of single-color images for direct examination or transparency
FR968638A (en) * 1944-08-03 1950-12-01 Kodak Pathe Improvements in photography
FR1029334A (en) * 1949-12-09 1953-06-02 Collux G M B H Apparatus for coloring or printing textile fabrics
GB739477A (en) * 1953-06-16 1955-10-26 Du Pont Photographic silver halide films
US3265503A (en) * 1962-06-27 1966-08-09 Eastman Kodak Co Photographic recording element
FR2070039A1 (en) * 1969-12-30 1971-09-10 Ahmedabad Mfg
DE2055240A1 (en) * 1970-10-12 1972-05-04 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., New York, N.Y. (V.St.A.) Method and apparatus for imaging an object on film with additional lighting
FR2130698A1 (en) * 1971-03-26 1972-11-03 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Treating strip material by partic laser beams - to produce configurations of perforations or welds
US4077830A (en) * 1974-09-09 1978-03-07 Tapecon, Inc. Laminate and method for protecting photographic element

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU4669596A (en) 1996-09-04
GB9502984D0 (en) 1995-04-05

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