A MACHINE AND A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING DUPLICATES OF AN OBJECT HAVING A DECORATIVE THREE-DIMENSIONAL SURFACE

摘要

A process for duplicating in series an object having a decorative three-dimensional surface comprising a plurality of ridges, or protrusions. The process comprises, in particular the steps of introducing the object in a hollow container body having an side containing side that extends, in use, beyond the object. A step follows of distribution on said object of a setting material to cover the decorative three-dimensional surface of the object. Once the setting material sets, a mould is obtained having at the face oriented towards the object a three-dimensional surface that reproduces in negative the object's three-dimensional surface. The process provides then distributing a thermoplastic material on a first face of a support obtaining a layer having a predetermined height. Then, the support and the mould are overlapped to one another to obtain a system consisting of the support and of the mould, where the first face of the support is arranged in contact with the three-dimensional surface of the mould. The layer of the thermoplastic material, thus obtained, is cooled in order to provide a cast that is then subject to a printing step to obtain a duplication of the starting object.

主权项

1. A process for duplicating in series an object having a decorative three-dimensional surface comprising a plurality of ridges, or protrusions, each ridge of said plurality having a predetermined thickness, or height (s), said process comprising the steps of:
introducing said object in a hollow container body; distributing on said object a setting material, said setting material covering said decorative three-dimensional surface of said object; hardening said setting material obtaining a mould said mould providing at the face oriented towards said object a three-dimensional surface reproducing in negative said three-dimensional surface of said object; arranging a substantially planar support; distributing a predetermined amount of a thermoplastic material on a first face of said support, obtaining a layer of said thermoplastic material having a predetermined height; arranging said support and said mould overlapped to one another to obtain a system comprising said support and said mould, wherein said first face of said support is arranged in contact with said three-dimensional surface of said mould; applying heat and pressure to said system in such a way to cause a substantial melting of said thermoplastic material and its distribution on the three-dimensional surface of the mould obtaining a corresponding substantially molten layer of said thermoplastic material; cooling said corresponding layer of the thermoplastic material in such a way to cause it to harden obtaining a cast of said object, said cast having a decorative surface that reproduces said surface of said mould and then of said surface of said object, said decorative surface of said cast comprising a plurality of ridges with thicknesses corresponding to those of said ridges of said object; printing said decorative surface obtaining a printed decorative surface and then a duplication of said object.