Edge decorated articles and method of making same using hot stamping foils

Abstract

Articles such as glassware, ceramicware and hollowware are decorated with hot stamping foil along their exposed edge. The hot stamping foil is adhered to an underlying radiation curable adhesive ink which avoids the use of inks or frits having heavy metals such as lead which are leachable. The hot stamping foil may have a metallized noble metal decorative layer. The hot stamping process employs a polymer die having a hardness in the range of from about 50 to 80 durometer for adhering the hot stamping foil to the article under applied heat and pressure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article having an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil, said article comprising a body having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface, a radiation cured adhesive ink adhered to at least a portion of said edge, and a hot stamping foil adhered to said ink overlying at least a portion of said edge.  
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said body is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic and plastic.  
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said hot stamping foil includes a layer of material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, palladium, and platinum.  
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said ink comprises an ultraviolet curable ink.  
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said ink is applied to said edge by silk screening.  
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said hot stamping foil is applied to said edge under heat and pressure.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises ceramicware, glassware or hollowware.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said hot stamping foil is confined to a location overlying said edge between said inner surface and said outer surface.  
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said hot stamping foil overlies a portion of said edge and a portion of said outer surface of said body adjacent said edge.  
     
     
         10 . An article having an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil, said article comprising a body having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface, a radiation curable adhesive ink applied to at least a portion of said edge, said adhesive ink adhered to said edge by being exposed to radiation operative for curing said ink, a hot stamping foil applied to the radiation cured adhesive ink overlying at least a portion of said edge, said hot stamping foil adhered to the radiation cured adhesive ink by pressing said foil against said edge with a die heated to a temperature sufficient to cause said foil to adhere thereto.  
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein said body is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, ceramic and plastic.  
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein said hot stamping foil includes a layer of material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, palladium and platinum.  
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein said radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation.  
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein said ink is applied to said edge by silk screening.  
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein said body comprises ceramicware, glassware or hollowware.  
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein said hot stamping foil is confined to a location overlying said edge between said inner surface and said outer surface.  
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein said hot stamping foil overlies a portion of said edge and a portion of said outer surface of said body adjacent said edge.  
     
     
         18 . An article and die combination comprising an article of  claim 10  and a die, wherein said die is formed of polymer material having a hardness in the range of about 50-80 durometer.  
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein said die includes a groove operative for receiving said edge of said article therein.  
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein said die is in the form of a planar body.  
     
     
         21 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein said die is in the form of a disk having a concave circumferential edge operative for engaging said edge of said body.  
     
     
         22 . An article of polymer material comprising a body having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface, and a hot stamping foil adhered to at least a portion of said edge by application of heat and pressure thereto using a die of polymer material having a hardness in the range of about 50 to about 80 durometer.  
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 22 , said hot stamping foil includes a layer of material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, palladium and platinum.  
     
     
         24 . The article of  claim 22 , wherein said hot stamping foil is confined to a location overlying said edge between said inner surface and said outer surface.  
     
     
         25 . The article of  claim 22 , wherein said hot stamping foil overlies a portion of said edge and a portion of said outer surface of said body adjacent said edge.  
     
     
         26 . An article and die combination comprising an article of  claim 22  and a die, wherein said die is in the form of a planar body.  
     
     
         27 . The combination of  claim 26 , wherein said die includes a groove operative for receiving said edge of said article therein.  
     
     
         28 . The combination of  claim 26 , wherein said die is in the form of a disk having a concave circumferential edge operative for engaging said edge of said body.  
     
     
         29 . The combination of  claim 26 , wherein said die is heated to a temperature in the range of about 350-450° C.  
     
     
         30 . An article having an edge decorated with a hot stamping foil, said article comprising a body of glass or ceramic having an exposed edge formed between an inner surface and an outer surface, an ultraviolet curable adhesive ink applied to at least a portion of said edge, said adhesive ink adhered to said edge by being exposed to ultraviolet radiation operative for curing said ink, a hot stamping foil applied to the radiation cured adhesive ink overlying at least a portion of said edge, said hot stamping foil including a layer of material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, palladium and platinum, said hot stamping foil adhered to the radiation cured adhesive ink by pressing said foil against said edge with a die heated to a temperature sufficient to cause said foil to adhere thereto, said die formed of polymer material having a hardness in the range of about 50-80 durometer.