In-mold decorated articles and methods

Abstract

The invention provides in-mold decorated articles and methods to form the articles. The in-mold decorated articles include a polymeric portion having a substrate material adhered to a surface of the polymeric portion. The substrate material may be, for example, a film or a fabric. In some embodiments, the polymeric portion may be a foam and, particularly, a microcellular polymeric material. The articles are formed by injecting a mixture of blowing agent and polymeric material into a mold cavity in which the substrate material is disposed, so that the substrate material is forced against a wall of the mold cavity. The blowing agent, which in certain preferred cases is a supercritical fluid, decreases the viscosity of the polymeric material and, therefore, enables reductions in injection pressures and temperatures. Reduced injection temperature and pressure may widen the processing window, increase flexibility in the selection of substrate materials, and can eliminate the need for a barrier layer that is sometimes used in conventional processes. The method may be used to produce a variety of in-mold decorated articles.

1 . An in-mold decorated article comprising:
 an injection-molded microcellular polymeric material; and   a substrate adhered to a surface of the microcellular polymeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a single layer. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a fabric material. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a plastic film. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the microcellular polymeric material is essentially free of any residual chemical blowing agent or reaction by-product of chemical blowing agent. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the microcellular polymeric material article has a void fraction of between about 0.05 and about 0.30. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate covers an entire first side of the microcellular polymeric material. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the microcellular polymeric material has an average cell size of less than 100 microns. 
     
     
         9 . An in-mold decorated article comprising:
 an injection-molded polymeric material; and   a single-layer fabric substrate adhered to a surface of the polymeric material.   
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a polymeric foam. 
     
     
         11 . A method for forming an in-mold decorated article comprising:
 providing a substrate within a mold cavity; and   injecting a mixture of a thermoplastic polymeric material and blowing agent into the mold cavity to form an in-mold decorated article in the mold cavity, the article including a microcellular thermoplastic polymeric material portion adhered to the substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the blowing agent comprises carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the blowing agent comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising injecting a single-phase solution of polymeric material and blowing agent into the mold cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate material has a single layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises a fabric material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises a plastic film.