Plastic objects including lenticular lens sheets

Abstract

A plastic product having an insert of lenticular lens material integrally bonded or otherwise attached therein. In one embodiment, a 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 . A product for displaying a lenticular image comprising:
 a lenticular insert comprising a lenticular lens material, ink, and a bonding and thermal protection layer, the lenticular lens material comprising a first surface having optical ridges and optical grooves and a second surface provided for receipt of the ink, the ink is provided on the second surface of the lenticular lens material as a result of printing, and the bonding and thermal protection layer is provided covering the ink; and   a plastic base, wherein the bonding and thermal protection layer is thermally fused to the plastic base.   
   
   
       2 . The product for displaying a lenticular image according to  claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the lenticular lens material comprises a flat surface for receipt of the ink. 
   
   
       3 . The product for displaying a lenticular image according to  claim 1 , further comprising a primer provided between the second surface of the lenticular lens material and the ink. 
   
   
       4 . The product for displaying a lenticular image according to  claim 1 , wherein the lenticular lens material comprises lens forming air channels. 
   
   
       5 . The product for displaying a lenticular image according to  claim 1 , wherein the product comprises a cup. 
   
   
       6 . A thermally molded product, comprising:
 a synthetic resin carrier formed by a thermal molding process, the synthetic resin carrier including a display receiving portion; and   a lenticular display insert adapted for thermal bonding to said synthetic resin carrier display receiving portion during said thermal molding process, said lenticular display insert comprising   a lenticular lens including an optical surface, said optical surface having a plurality of optical ridges and corresponding optical grooves defined by said optical ridges, said lenticular lens further including an image surface opposed to said optical surface,   an image layer carried by said lenticular lens image surface, and,   a thermal molding interface layer carried by said image layer, said thermal molding interface layer comprising a hot melt material extending over said image layer at a thickness to present a thermal protection substrate that provides thermal insulation of the image layer during said thermal molding process, said hot melt material having a thermal coefficient enabling thermal bonding of said thermal molding interface layer to said synthetic resin carrier display receiving portion during said thermal molding process.