Method for moving articles and controlling the position of same

Abstract

Heat and/or mechanical treatments on a post-molded article to create designs or textures that extend minimally above or below a surface of the article are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for altering the appearance of a molded article, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing an article that has been blow or injection molded, the article having a non-planar exterior surface section;   b. thereafter heating discrete portions of the non-planar exterior surface section so that the discrete portions take on a different appearance compared to an area around the discrete portions, wherein the discrete portions extend above and/or below the exterior surface by 1-50 microns.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete portions extend above and/or below the exterior surface by 1-10 microns. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete portions extend above and/or below the exterior surface by 1-5 microns. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete portions have a matte appearance. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the area around the discrete portions have a shiny appearance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article is made out of polyethylene, polypropylene, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method for altering the appearance of a molded article, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing an article that has been blow or injection molded, the article having a wall thickness and a non-planar exterior surface section;   b. thereafter heating discrete portions of the non-planar exterior surface section so that the discrete portions take on a different appearance compared to an area around the discrete portions, wherein the discrete portions extend above and/or below the exterior surface by less than 25% of the wall thickness.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the discrete portions extend above and/or below the exterior surface by less than 10% of the wall thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the discrete portions extend above and/or below the exterior surface by less than 5% of the wall thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the discrete portions have a matte appearance. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the area around the discrete portions have a shiny appearance. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the article is made out of polyethylene, polypropylene, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A molded article comprising:
 a. a first portion that comprises a first heat history from a process used to injection or blow mold the article;   b. a second portion that comprises both the first heat history and a subsequent second heat history,   c. wherein the subsequent second heat history defines a visible pattern associated with an exterior surface of the article, and   d. wherein the visible pattern extends above and/or below the exterior surface by 1-50 microns.   
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the visible patterns extends above and/or below the exterior surface by 1-10 microns. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the visible pattern extends above and/or below the exterior surface by 1-5 microns. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the visible pattern has a matte appearance. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein an area adjacent the visible pattern has a shiny appearance. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the article is an applicator for inserting a contained product in a mammalian body cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the article is a tampon or pessary applicator. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 19 , wherein the applicator comprises a barrel section, a grip section proximate one end of the barrel section, and an insertion section proximate an opposite end of the barrel section, and wherein at least the barrel section comprises the visible pattern.