Patent GB-1244407-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to applique articles and method and apparatus for making same
Inventor: KURODA MINORU
IPC: B44C3/08
Filed: 1969-02-28
Abstract: 1,244,407. Laminates. NISHIZAWA SHOJI CO. Ltd., and PILGRIM INDUSTRIES Inc. 28 Feb., 1969, No. 10688/69. Heading B5N. [Also in Division B6] Three-dimensional resilient appliquÚ articles are produced by superimposing a layer of compressible resilient padding material on a support material, superimposing upon the padding material a layer of sheet material, at least one of the materials being latently adhesive, severing at least the layers along the contour line of the desired appliquÚ, and simultaneously pressing the layer of sheet material against the support material at the selected zones inwardly of the contour line whilst activating the latently adhesive material in said zones and thereby adhering the layer of sheet material to the support material in these zones and across the facing means. The padding material may comprise a thermoplastic foam, a natural or synthetic fibrous layer or a layer of material consisting of discrete particles which entrap air pockets so that when the sheet material comprises gas-impervious thermoplastic material the latter is distended away from the support material owing to the expansion of the gas in said pockets and the thermoplastic becoming deformable in response to application of the heat during the bonding. The sheet material and the support layer may consist of synthetic thermoplastic material, e.g. vinyl material, or one or both may consist of a textile material. The layer of sheet material may be at least in part light-transmissive either by being partially opaque and partially transparent and translucent or by providing cut-outs. The surface of the layer of padding material visible through the light-transmissive portions may be smooth, or sculptured, and it may be coloured, printed or otherwise decorated so as to complement a design provided on the remaining portions of the sheet material and/or on the light-transmissive portions. As shown in Fig. 1, a layer 3 of synthetic plastics foam material is superimposed upon support 2 and a layer 4 of synthetic plastics material is adhered to support 2 across portions of layer 3 along the zones 5 and 6 due to the latently adhesive layer 3 melting along zones 5 and 6 when subjected to pressure and heat in these zones. The layer 4 may be metallized and an additional layer of transparent synthetic plastics material superimposed thereon. The layer 4 may have one or both of its surfaces embossed to impart a frosted appearance. The support 2 may be reinforced with a backing layer (Fig. 9, not shown) adhered to the support along portions corresponding to the zones 5 and 6. Portions of the backing layer intermediate the adhered portions may be removed. The support may also be provided with an adhesive backing in the form of an activatable or active adhesive protected by a release paper. The appliquÚ article may be provided with lettering, symbols, entire pictorial representations of flowers, animals, and any selected portions of such designs may be provided either raised or depressed. They may be provided in the form of "stick-on" patches for garments, adhesive signs or adhesive advertising stickers, decorative panels for furniture, wallpaper. As shown in Fig. 16, apparatus for making the appliquÚ articles comprises a work-table 75, a mould platen 60 connected to a heating platen 61, the underface of the mould platen being provided with projection 65 having cutting edges 63 in correspondence with the contour line of the appliquÚ to be produced, and projections 67 having flat edge faces 66 located within the projections 65 and projecting from the face by a smaller distance than the cutting edges. The platen is mounted for movement towards and away from the work-table.