Marking method and marked molding

Abstract

The making method of forming a mark on a molding of the invention includes the steps of (a) feeding a film having a first surface and a second surface positioned at the back side of the first surface, (b) preparing a paint-containing film having a paint layer of lower heat resisting temperature than the film on one side, by disposing a paint containing a paint component on the first surface of the film, (c) positioning the paint containing film on the surface of a molding so that the surface of the paint layer may contact with the surface of the molding, and (d) forming a mark by emitting an energy ray from the second surface side of the paint-containing film, and transferring and disposing the paint component contained in the paint layer positioned on the first surface of the illuminated portion on the surface of the molding, thereby forming a mark. The molding is a resin molding formed of a material containing resin. In this constitution, a mark with a desired color can be formed on a molding. The mark is formed easily and inexpensively. A mark having an excellent wear resistance is formed. A mark having an excellent precision is easily formed on the surface of a molding having a complicated shape.

1 . A making method of forming a mark on a molding, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) feeding a film having a first surface and a second surface positioned at the back side of said first surface,    (b) preparing a paint-containing film having a paint layer of lower heat resisting temperature than said film on one side, by disposing a paint containing a paint component on said first surface of said film,    (c) positioning said paint-containing film on the surface of a molding so that the surface of said paint layer may contact with the surface of said molding, and    (d) forming a mark by emitting an energy ray from said second surface side of said paint-containing film, and transferring and disposing said paint component contained in said paint layer positioned on the first surface of the illuminated portion on the surface of said molding, thereby forming a mark.    
     
     
         2 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said molding is a resin molding formed of a material containing resin.  
     
     
         3 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said molding is a resin molding formed of a material containing thermoplastic resin.  
     
     
         4 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said energy ray is controlled in emitting position by a deflection device.  
     
     
         5 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said molding has at least one surface selected from the group consisting of (i) curved surface, (ii) concave surface, (iii) convex surface, and (iv) convexo-concave surface, and at said step (c), said paint-containing film is contacted tightly to said surface.  
     
     
         6 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said molding has a flat surface, and at said step (c), said paint-containing film is contacted tightly to said surface.  
     
     
         7 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said molding has a coarser surface roughness than said first surface of said film, and said paint component is transferred to said coarse surface of said molding.  
     
     
         8 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said energy ray is emitted to said paint layer by passing through said film without causing effects on said film.  
     
     
         9 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said energy ray is a laser beam.  
     
     
         10 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said paint component has a specific color, and said mark has said specific color.  
     
     
         11 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said paint component contains at least one of dye and pigment.  
     
     
         12 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said paint component may be melted by irradiation with said energy ray, and when said paint containing film is irradiated with said energy ray, said paint component is melted and transferred to said surface of said molding.  
     
     
         13 . A marking method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said paint component may be melted by irradiation with said energy ray,    said molding is a resin molding formed of a material containing resin,    when said paint-containing film is irradiated with said energy ray, the surface of said resin molding forms an activated surface layer, and    said paint component is melted and the molten paint component permeates over said surface layer to form said mark.    
     
     
         14 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said paint component may be sublimated when irradiated with said energy ray, and when said paint-containing film is irradiated with said energy ray, said paint component is sublimated and transferred to said surface of said molding.  
     
     
         15 . A marking method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said paint component may be sublimated when irradiated with said energy ray,    said molding is a resin molding formed of a material containing resin,    when said paint containing film is irradiated with said energy ray, the surface of said resin molding forms an activated surface layer, and    said paint component is sublimated and the sublimated paint component permeates over said surface to form said mark.    
     
     
         16 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said energy ray is a laser beam using yttrium-aluminum-garnet material.  
     
     
         17 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said film has at least one of transparent and translucent properties.  
     
     
         18 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said film has a property of maintaining thermal characteristics even during irradiation of said energy ray.  
     
     
         19 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said film has a thickness in a range from about 10 micron meter to about 200 micron meter.  
     
     
         20 . A marking method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein at said step (c), said paint-containing film is deformed in a U-form so that said paint layer may be positioned outside,    said paint-containing film is positioned so that the lower surface of said U-form may contact with the surface of said molding, and    at said step (d), said energy ray is emitted from the surface side of the concave portion of said paint-containing film in said U-form.    
     
     
         21 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein said molding has a convex surface, at said step (c), said paint-containing film is pulled from both sides and deformed so that said paint layer may conform to the shape of said convex surface to contact, and at said step (d), said energy ray is emitted from said second surface side of said paint-containing film.  
     
     
         22 . A marking method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said molding has a convex surface,    at said step (c), said paint-containing film is evacuated and deformed so that said paint layer may conform to the shape of said convex surface to contact, and    at said step (d), said energy ray is emitted from said second surface side of said paint-containing film.    
     
     
         23 . A marking method of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said paint layer has a peelable tackiness, at said-step (c), a deformable elastic piece is pressed from said second surface side to push said paint-containing film to the surface of said molding so that the surface of said paint layer may conform to the shape of the surface of said molding to adhere, then said elastic piece is released from said second surface and said paint-containing film is positioned by conforming to said shape of the surface of said molding, and    at said step (d), said energy ray is emitted from said second surface side of said paint-containing film.    
     
     
         24 . A marking method of  claim 1 , wherein at said step (a) and said step (b), said paint-containing film consists of a plurality of paint-containing films, each one of said plurality of paint-containing films has a paint layer containing a paint component of a different color, and a mark having a plurality of colors is formed on the surface of said molding by repeating said step (c) and step (d) by using said plurality of paint-containing films.  
     
     
         25 . A marked molding comprising: 
 a molding, and    a mark formed on the surface of said molding, wherein said mark is formed in a marking method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) feeding a film having a first surface and a second surface positioned at the back side of said first surface,  
 (b) preparing a paint-containing film having a paint layer of lower heat resisting temperature than said film on one side, by disposing a paint containing a paint component on said first surface of said film,  
 (c) positioning said paint-containing film on the surface of a molding so that the surface of said paint layer may contact with the surface of said molding, and  
 (d) forming a mark by emitting an energy ray from said second surface side of said paint containing film, and transferring and disposed said paint component contained in said paint layer positioned on the first surface of the illuminated portion on the surface of said molding, thereby forming a mark.  
   
     
     
         26 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said molding has at least one surface selected from the group consisting of (i) curved surface, (ii) concave surface, (iii) convex surface, and (iv) convexo-concave surface, and said mark is formed on said surface.  
     
     
         27 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said mark is formed of a sublimatable material.  
     
     
         28 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said mark is formed of a paint component permeating into the surface layer of said molding.  
     
     
         29 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said mark is formed of a paint component permeating into the surface layer of said molding, and said paint component is a material fusible by energy ray.  
     
     
         30 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said mark is formed of a paint component permeating into the surface layer of said molding, and said paint component is a material that may be sublimated by energy ray.  
     
     
         31 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said molding is formed of a material that may be activated by irradiation with energy ray, and said mark is formed by a paint component permeating into the surface layer of said molding activated by said energy ray.  
     
     
         32 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said molding is formed of a thermoplastic resin that may be activated by irradiation with energy ray, and said mark is formed by a paint component permeating into the surface layer of said thermoplastic resin activated by said energy ray.  
     
     
         33 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said molding is a key top of a keyboard used in an input device of an electronic information appliance.  
     
     
         34 . A marked molding of  claim 25 , wherein said mark is formed of at least one material of pigment and dye permeating into the surface layer of said molding.