US4795601A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing metallized thermoplastic flower pot cover
Assignee: CHENG SHENG-CHI A/K/A THOMAS CHENG
•
Filing: 1987-08-19
•
Granted: 1989-01-03
•
Expires: 2007-08-19
Abstract
Abstract The present invention pertains to an improved method for rapidly forming a decorative container for use as a covering for a similarly shaped object, which method comprises: (a) providing a thin sheet of metallized thermoplastic heat shrinkage polymer material; (b) optionally imprinting a design or other matter upon the sheet of polymer; (c) optionally cutting said sheet to the dimensions approximating the dimensions of the base and side walls of said object; (d) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 80 DEG and 110 DEG C. (e) placing a complementary heated form also having a temperature of between about 80 DEG and 110 DEG C. (f) fitting the heated forms of substep (d) and (e) together having the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (g) maintaining the temperature of between about 80 DEG and 100 DEG C. between the forms for between 1 and 10 minutes until said sheet folds under the influence of the heat within the space between form and its complementary form; (h) removing the formed container from the heated form; and (i) cooling the formed shaped object which retains its shape without chemical adhesive or mechanical supports. Preferably, the polymer material is a metallized heat shrinkable polyvinylchloride.
Inventors
- 👤 Sheng-Chi Cheng
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:38
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C61/00; B29C61/02; A; A47; A47G; A47G7/00; A47G7/02; A47G7/08; A47G7/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
An improved method for rapidly forming a metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride decorative container for use as a covering for a similarly shaped object, which method comprises: (a) providing a thin sheet of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inches of metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride; (b) imprinting or embossing a design or other matter upon the sheet of metallized polyvinyl chloride; (c) cutting said sheet to the dimensions approximating the dimensions of the base and side walls of said object; (d) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C.; (e) placing a complementary heated form also having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. above the sheet; (f) fitting the heated form and the heated complementary form of substep (d) and (e) together having a space for the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (g) maintaining the temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. between the forms for between about 3 to 5 seconds until said sheet folds under the influence of the heat within the space between the form and the complementary form; (h) removing the formed container from the heated form; and (i) cooling the formed container which retains its shape without chemical adhesive or mechanical support.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
An improved method for rapidly forming a metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride decorative container for use as a covering for a similarly shaped object, which method comprises: (a) providing a thin sheet of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inches of metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride; (b) imprinting or embossing a design or other matter upon the sheet of metallized polyvinyl chloride; (c) cutting said sheet to the dimensions approximating the dimensions of the base and side walls of said object; (d) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C.; (e) placing a complementary heated form also having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. above the sheet; (f) fitting the heated form and the heated complementary form of substep (d) and (e) together having a space for the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (g) maintaining the temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. between the forms for between about 3 to 5 seconds until said sheet folds under the influence of the heat within the space between the form and the complementary form; (h) removing the formed container from the heated form; and (i) cooling the formed container which retains its shape without chemical adhesive or mechanical support.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein metallized polyvinylchloride has heat shrinkable properties.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the decorative container is a preformed flower decorative pot cover.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
198 words
An improved method for rapid mass production of a decorative container for use as a partial container covering for a similarly shaped object, which method comprises: (a) providing a sheet of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inch of metallized thermoplastic polymer material of metallized polyvinylchloride; (b) imprinting a design or other matter upon the sheet of polymer material; (c) arranging said imprinted sheet upon a form of desired shape; (d) cutting said sheet to the dimensions approximating the dimensions of the base and side walls of the similarly shaped object; (e) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 80° and 90° C.; (f) placing a complementary heated form having a temperature of between about 80° and 90° C. above the sheet; (g) fitting the heated forms of substep (e) and (f) together having a space for the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (h) maintaining the temperature between the forms at between 3 and 5 seconds until said sheet folds under the influence of the heat within the space between the heated form and the complementary heated form; (i) removing the formed decorative container from the heated form; and (j) cooling the formed decorative container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
198 words
An improved method for rapid mass production of a decorative container for use as a partial container covering for a similarly shaped object, which method comprises: (a) providing a sheet of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inch of metallized thermoplastic polymer material of metallized polyvinylchloride; (b) imprinting a design or other matter upon the sheet of polymer material; (c) arranging said imprinted sheet upon a form of desired shape; (d) cutting said sheet to the dimensions approximating the dimensions of the base and side walls of the similarly shaped object; (e) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 80° and 90° C.; (f) placing a complementary heated form having a temperature of between about 80° and 90° C. above the sheet; (g) fitting the heated forms of substep (e) and (f) together having a space for the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (h) maintaining the temperature between the forms at between 3 and 5 seconds until said sheet folds under the influence of the heat within the space between the heated form and the complementary heated form; (i) removing the formed decorative container from the heated form; and (j) cooling the formed decorative container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the metallized polyvinylchloride has heat shrinkable properties.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the decorative container of step (j) is a formed flower pot cover.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
169 words
In a method for rapidly forming a thin metallized decorative container for an object, the improvement wherein a thin metallized thermoplastic polymer sheet of polyvinyl chloride of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inch is provided of a size to approximate the outer dimensions of said object followed by: (a) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C.; (b) placing a complementary-shaped heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. above the sheet; (c) fitting the heated forms of step (A) and (B) together having the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (d) maintaining the temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. between the forms between about 2 and 6 seconds until the heated sheet folds under the influence of the heat within a space between the forms of step (a) and (b); (e) removing the heated formed container from the heated forms; and (f) cooling the formed container which retains its shape without chemical adhesives or mechanical support.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
169 words
In a method for rapidly forming a thin metallized decorative container for an object, the improvement wherein a thin metallized thermoplastic polymer sheet of polyvinyl chloride of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inch is provided of a size to approximate the outer dimensions of said object followed by: (a) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C.; (b) placing a complementary-shaped heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. above the sheet; (c) fitting the heated forms of step (A) and (B) together having the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (d) maintaining the temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. between the forms between about 2 and 6 seconds until the heated sheet folds under the influence of the heat within a space between the forms of step (a) and (b); (e) removing the heated formed container from the heated forms; and (f) cooling the formed container which retains its shape without chemical adhesives or mechanical support.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
An improved method for rapidly forming a metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride decorative container for use as a covering for a similarly shaped object, which method comprises: (A) providing a thin sheet of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inches of metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride; (B) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C.; (C) placing a complementary heated form also having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. above the sheet; (D) fitting the heated forms of substep (B) and (C) together having a space for the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (E) maintaining the temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. between the forms for between about 3 and 5 seconds until said sheet folds under the influence of the heat within the space between the form and the complementary form; (F) removing the formed container from the heated forms; and (G) cooling the formed container which retains its shape without chemical adhesive or mechanical support.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
166 words
An improved method for rapidly forming a metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride decorative container for use as a covering for a similarly shaped object, which method comprises: (A) providing a thin sheet of between about 0.01 and 0.001 inches of metallized thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride; (B) placing the sheet over a heated form having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C.; (C) placing a complementary heated form also having a temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. above the sheet; (D) fitting the heated forms of substep (B) and (C) together having a space for the thermoplastic sheet therebetween; (E) maintaining the temperature of between about 85° and 90° C. between the forms for between about 3 and 5 seconds until said sheet folds under the influence of the heat within the space between the form and the complementary form; (F) removing the formed container from the heated forms; and (G) cooling the formed container which retains its shape without chemical adhesive or mechanical support.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-01-03 | 1992-07-04 | 1993-01-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-01-03 | 1996-07-04 | 1997-01-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-01-03 | 2000-07-04 | 2001-01-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |