Production of three-dimensional designs

Claim 2

Method of producing a foamed resin sheet having a three-dimensional pattern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern on a flexible sheet or web, then heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said heat-foamable plastic material to unite with said sheet or web and to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on said sheet or web and thus form a master mold form, applying a release coating to the three-dimensional surface of said flexible sheet or web, depositing a layer of a foamable resin plastisol upon the surface of said three-dimensional pattern, heating said layer to gel, fuse and foam said layer to form a foamed resin object, and removing said master mold form from said foamed resin object to expose the three-dimensional pattern thereon.

Claim 3

Method of claim 1 wherein the resin of said foamable resin plastisol is a thermoplastic polyurethane resin.

Claim 4

Method of claim 2 wherein the polyurethane resin plastisol contains a foaming agent.

Claim 5

Method of claim 3 wherein the foaming agent is a nitrogen-releasing organic compound.

Claim 6

Method of claim 4 wherein the release coating is a dialkylpolysiloxane.

Claim 7

Method of claim 3 wherein said foaming agent is a chemical blowing agent.

Claim 8

Method of producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pattern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern on a flexible sheet or web, then heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said heat-foamable plastic material to unite with said sheet or web and to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on said sheet or web and thus form a master mold form, applying a release coating to the three-dimensional surface of said sheet or web, depositing a layer of fluid non-foaming resin upon the surface of said three-dimensional pattern, curing said layer while said layer is in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article and removing said sheet or web from said fused resin article to expose the three-dimensional pattern thereon.

Claim 9

Method of producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pattern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern on a flexible sheet or web, then heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said heat-foamable plastic material to unite with said sheet or web and to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on said sheet or web and thus form a master mold form, applying a release coating to the three-dimensional surface of said sheet or web, depositing a layer of fluid non-foaming resin upon the surface of said three-dimensional pattern, curing said layer while said layer is in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article and removing said sheet or web from said fused resin article to expose the three-dimensional pattern thereon.

Claim 10

Method of claim 7 wherein said non-foaming resin is thermoplastic.

Claim 11

Method of claim 7 wherein said non-foaming resin is thermosetting.

Claim 12

Method of continuously producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pttern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern to a cylinder, heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said heat-foamable plastic to unite with the cylinder and to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on said cylinder and thus form a master mold form applying a release material to the three-dimensional surface of said cylinder, continuously contacting a fluid non-foaming resin with said release-coated three-dimensional surface of said cylinder and causing said fluid resin to cure while in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article.

Claim 13

Method of continuously producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pttern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern to a cylinder, heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said heat-foamable plastic to unite with the cylinder and to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on said cylinder and thus form a master mold form applying a release material to the three-dimensional surface of said cylinder, continuously contacting a fluid non-foaming resin with said release-coated three-dimensional surface of said cylinder and causing said fluid resin to cure while in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article.

Claim 14

Method of claim 10 wherein said heat-foamable plastic material is applied to a flexible sheet or web and said sheet or web is attached to the surface of said cylinder.

Claim 15

Method of continuously producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pattern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern to a flexible sheet or web, attaching said sheet or web to a cylinder, heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said material to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on sheet or web and thus form a master mold form, applying a release material to the three-dimensional surface of said sheet or web, continuously contacting a fluid resin with said release-coated three-dimensional surface of said sheet or web by rotating said cylinder, and causing said fluid resin to cure or gel and fuse while in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article.

Claim 16

Method of continuously producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pattern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern to a flexible sheet or web, attaching said sheet or web to a cylinder, heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said material to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on sheet or web and thus form a master mold form, applying a release material to the three-dimensional surface of said sheet or web, continuously contacting a fluid resin with said release-coated three-dimensional surface of said sheet or web by rotating said cylinder, and causing said fluid resin to cure or gel and fuse while in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article.

Claim 17

Method of continuously producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pattern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern to a cylinder, heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said heat-foamable plastic to unite with the cylinder and to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on said cylinder and thus form a master mold form, applying a release material to the three-dimensional surface of said cylinder, continuously contacting a fluid foaming resin with said release-coated three-dimensional surface of said cylinder and causing said fluid resin to fuse while in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article.

Claim 18

Method of continuously producing a resin sheet having a three-dimensional pattern or design thereon which comprises applying a heat-foamable plastic material in the form of a two-dimensional pattern to a cylinder, heating said heat-foamable plastic material to cause said heat-foamable plastic to unite with the cylinder and to expand forming a three-dimensional pattern on said cylinder and thus form a master mold form, applying a release material to the three-dimensional surface of said cylinder, continuously contacting a fluid foaming resin with said release-coated three-dimensional surface of said cylinder and causing said fluid resin to fuse while in contact with said three-dimensional surface to form a solid resin article.