Patent ID: 6071456
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
A process for effecting injection-molded-in foil decoration, comprising the steps of:deforming a decoration sheet by a sheet clamp relative to a female die so that the decoration sheet is curved substantially along a surface of a cavity of the female die, but is not in contact with the surface of the cavity of the female die, wherein the sheet clamp has a shape corresponding to that of the cavity surface of the female die;retaining the decoration sheet curved substantially along the surface of the cavity of the female die, between the sheet clamp and the female die;then, heating the decoration sheet by a hot platen having a heating surface of substantially the same shape as the decoration sheet retained between the sheet clamp and the female die, while retaining the decoration sheet between the female die and the sheet clamp so that the decoration sheet is curved substantially along the surface of the cavity but is not in contact with the surface of the cavity wherein the retained decoration sheet is softened;fitting said softened and retained decoration sheet closely to the surface of the cavity of the female die;coupling the female die having said softened and retained decoration sheet closely fitted thereto with a male die to clamp the dies; andinjection molding a molten resin between said softened and retained decoration sheet and the male die, thereby adhering the decoration sheet to an injection molded article.