Method of bonding a lenticular lens sheet to plastic objects and objects made from same

Abstract

A method of fabricating plastic objects having an insert of Lenticular lens material integrally bonded or otherwise attached therein. In one embodiment, the method is used to fabricate a container, such as a conical cup, by first manufacturing or providing a sheet of Lenticular material comprising layers of lens material and optical ridges and grooves and an ink layer printed on the flat side of the lens material. To protect the ink from the heat of molten or moldable plastic during later plastic processing, a thermally protective substrate is attached or bonded to the ink layer by using adhesives to attach a plastic substrate or by coating the ink with coating materials that thermally protect the ink from high temperatures. In one embodiment, the protective substrate is applied in a two step process of first placing a plastic hot melt onto a polyester or other material release liner and, after cooling of the hot melt, using heat and pressure to laminate or bond the hot melt plastic to the ink and then removing the liner. Lenticular inserts are cut out of the Lenticular material sheets and the inserts are positioned within a mold where the container is formed by injection, blow, or other molding process. In this step, the substrate acts as a bonding surface as it contacts the molten plastic, melts, and then cools forming a bonding interface with the plastic used to form the container.

1 .- 25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . A method for making a molded article having a lenticular image attached thereto, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mold having a mold cavity in which to form the molded article having a lenticular image, the lenticular image comprising a lenticular lens and interlaced image, the mold cavity having a size that is appropriate to the molded article with the lenticular image;    inserting the lenticular image into the mold cavity;    introducing a molten plastic into the mold cavity having the lenticular image therein to form the molded article with the lenticular image attached thereto, the molten plastic introduced at least one of a temperature, a pressure, and a turbulence that minimizes any distortion to the lenticular lens and any degradation to the interlaced image; and    removing the molded article having the attached lenticular image from the mold cavity.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of delivering a plurality of lenticular images to an area near the mold and inserting at least one of the plurality of lenticular images into the mold using a robotic arm.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  in which the mold has an open cavity defined by a surface and the lenticular image, the lenticular image comprising a lens and an interlaced image, is oriented within the mold cavity such that the lens is positioned along at least part of the cavity surface.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the lenticular image has a thickness that is not insignificant with respect to the size mold cavity.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the molten plastic is introduced in a shot size quantity that packs the mold so as to result in little, if any, of at least one of distortion to the lenticular lens and degradation to the underlying image.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  in which the lenticular image further includes at least one of a substrate, an adhesive, and a coating.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  in which the substrate comprises plastic.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the interlaced image is printed directly to the lenticular lens.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the lenticular image is held in place along the cavity surface.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of cooling the molded article, the article comprising the attached lenticular image, so as to create a finished molded article.  
     
     
         36 . A method for making a molded article having a lenticular image integral therewith, the method comprising the step of: 
 providing a mold having a cavity in which to form the molded article having the lenticular image, the mold cavity having a size that is appropriate to the molded article with the integral lenticular image;    inserting an lenticular image into the mold cavity, the lenticular image comprising a lenticular lens and an interlaced image;    introducing a molten plastic into the mold cavity having the lenticular image therein to form the molded article with the integral lenticular image, the molten plastic introduced at least one of temperature, a pressure, and a turbulence that minimizes any distortion to the lenticular lens and any degradation to the interlaced image;    cooling the molten plastic such that the plastic and the lenticular image form the molded article having the lenticular image integral therewith; and    removing the molded article having the integral lenticular image from the mold cavity.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the introducing step includes packing the mold cavity with molten plastic so as to minimize distortion of the lenticular lens.  
     
     
         38 . A method for making a molded article having a lenticular image attached thereto, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mold having a mold cavity in which to form the molded article having a lenticular image, the lenticular image comprising a lenticular lens and interlaced image, the mold cavity having a size that is appropriate to the molded article with the lenticular image;    inserting the lenticular image into the mold cavity;    introducing a molten plastic into the mold cavity having the lenticular image therein to form the molded article with the lenticular image attached thereto; and    removing the molded article having the attached lenticular image from the mold cavity.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the molten plastic is introduced at a temperature and a pressure that minimizes any distortion to the lenticular lens and any degradation to the interlaced image.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the molten plastic is introduced at a temperature of from about 300° F. to about 700° F.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the molten plastic is introduced at a temperature of from about 400° F. to about 500° F.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the molten plastic is introduced at a temperature about 500° F. or hotter.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the molten plastic is introduced at a pressure of from about 5,000 p.s.i. to about 50,000 p.s.i.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 0.5 to 3.0 mils.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 0.5 to 2.0 mils.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the substrate bonds to the interlaced image and thermally protects the interlaced image.  
     
     
         47 . A method for making a molded article having a lenticular image integral therewith, the method comprising the step of: 
 providing a mold having a cavity in which to form the molded article having the lenticular image, the mold cavity having a size that is appropriate to the molded article with the integral lenticular image;    inserting a lenticular image into the mold cavity, the lenticular image comprising a lenticular lens and an interlaced image;    introducing a molten plastic into the mold cavity having the lenticular image therein to form the molded article with the integral lenticular image;    cooling the molten plastic such that the plastic and the lenticular image form the molded article having the lenticular image integral therewith; and    removing the molded article having the integral lenticular image from the mold cavity.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  wherein introducing the molten plastic is accomplished in a manner which minimizes distortion to the lenticular image.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47  wherein introducing the molten plastic is accomplished at a temperature which minimizes distortion to the lenticular image.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47  wherein introducing the molten plastic is accomplished at conditions which minimizes distortion to the lenticular image.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47  wherein introducing the molten plastic is accomplished in a manner that does not substantially degrade the ink of the interlaced image.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47  wherein introducing the molten plastic is accomplished in a manner that provides a desirable visual effect to the interlaced image.  
     
     
         53 . A method for making a molded article having a lenticular image integral therewith, the method comprising the step of: 
 providing a mold having a cavity in which to form the molded article having the lenticular image, the mold cavity having a size that is appropriate to the molded article with the integral lenticular image;    inserting a lenticular image into the mold cavity, the lenticular image comprising a lenticular lens and an interlaced image;    introducing a molten plastic into the mold cavity having the lenticular image therein to form the molded article with the integral lenticular image;    cooling the molten plastic such that the plastic and the lenticular image form the molded article having the lenticular image integral therewith; and    removing the molded article having the integral lenticular image from the mold cavity, wherein introducing the molten plastic is accomplished in such a manner that any lenticular image distortion or lenticular image degradation is maintained below an acceptable level.