Patent ID: 7921680

Claim:
An apparatus for treating an article to impart color to that article and/or to enhance the physical properties of that article comprising: a) a heated enclosure or vessel sufficiently large to enclose the article to be treated, b) means for applying components of a treatment system comprising (i) a coloring solution and/or a solution comprising a performance enhancing additive, (ii) an organic solvent, and (iii) water directly onto the article's surface in sequence in a manner such that the article's surface to be treated is completely covered, c) means for securely holding the article to be treated, d) means for transporting the article to be treated into the heated enclosure and removing the article from the enclosure after treatment, e) a closed, heated vessel capable of delivering enough hot saturated coloring solution and/or performance enhancing solution with sufficient pressure to form small droplets when applied onto the article's surface, f) a closed, heated vessel capable of delivering enough hot dye-free rinse solution with sufficient pressure to form small droplets when applied onto the article's surface, and g) a closed, heated vessel capable of delivering enough hot deionized water with sufficient pressure to form small droplets when applied onto the article's surface, wherein the article is made from a plastic selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyester, (polymethylmethacrylate (acrylic), nylon, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blend, a polycarbonate/polyester blend or an ABS.