Method for Decorating the Sides of Plastic Cards

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for decorating the sides of plastic cards by means of hot foil stamping and the die for coupling to the heating head of a hot foil stamping machine in order to carry out said method. To this end, a plurality of plastic cards is placed in the supporting cradle of the stamping machine in such a way that the first shortest side of said plastic cards faces the die, a hot foil stamping being carried out on the shortest sides of the plastic cards.

1 . Method for decorating the sides of plastic cards of the hot foil stamping variety, characterised in that it comprises the following steps:
 a. Placing a plurality of plastic cards on the support wedge, such that a first side of said plastic cards is opposite the engraver.   b. Hot foil stamping the first sides of the plastic cards and including round corners formed by said first sides with the adjacent sides of the cards.   c. Blowing air on the stamping applied to the first sides.   d. Placing a plurality of plastic cards on the support wedge such that a second side of said plastic cards is opposite the engraver.   e. Hot foil stamping the second shortest sides of the plastic cards and including round corners formed by said second sides with the adjacent sides of the cards   f. Blowing air on the stamping applied to the second sides.   g. Placing a plurality of plastic cards on the support wedge, such that a third side of said plastic cards is opposite the engraver.   h. Hot foil stamping the third sides of the plastic cards and including round corners formed by said third sides with the adjacent sides of the cards.   i. Blowing air onto the stamping applied to the third sides.   j. Placing a plurality of plastic cards on the support wedge, such that a fourth side of said plastic cards is opposite the engraver.   k. Hot foil stamping the fourth sides of the plastic cards and including round corners formed by said fourth sides with the adjacent sides of the cards.   l. Blowing air onto the stamping made on the fourth sides.   
     
     
         2 . Method for decorating the sides of plastic cards according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cards consists of 25 cards. 
     
     
         3 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . Method for decorating the sides of plastic cards according to  claim 1 , wherein a same wedge is used to hot stamp all four sides of said plastic cards. 
     
     
         12 . Engraver of the variety coupled to the heater head pieces of hot foil stamping machines, whether vertical or roll-on, according to the method for decorating the sides of plastic cards according to previous claims, wherein the engraver is made of silicone that may be heated up and has a recess on its external face opposite the foil, in such a way that a cross-section of said engraver is the negative shape and same size as one side of said plurality of cards, including the round corners formed by said side with the adjacent sides, wherein the size of the engraver is dependent on the number of cards of the said plurality of cards, said engraver may be heated up and is suitable for being coupled to the heater head piece of a hot stamping machine. 
     
     
         13 . Engraver according to claim  4  wherein the engraver is made from 80° Shore A silicone. 
     
     
         14 . Engraver according to  claim 12  wherein the negative of the three-dimensional shapes to be decorated on the sides of the plastic card are suitably arranged on the engraver. 
     
     
         15 . Engraver according to  claim 12  wherein it is suitable to be coupled to the heater head piece of a vertical hot foil stamping machine. 
     
     
         16 . Engraver according to  claim 12  wherein it is suitable to be coupled to the heater head piece of a roll-on hot foil stamping machine. 
     
     
         17 . Plastic card wherein the sides and the round corners formed by said sides with the adjacent sides of the card are stamped with hot foil according to the method described in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The plastic card of  claim 17  formed using the engraver described in  claim 12 .