DYE SUBLIMATION PRINTING ON POLYMER FILM FOR MOLDED PACKAGE PRINTING

摘要

A method for printing a package substrate prior to molding the package substrate into a desired shape. The present teachings include printing an aqueous ink onto a sacrificial carrier to form an ink pattern, and then drying the ink pattern on the carrier. The carrier and ink pattern are aligned with a package substrate and placed into a mold fixture. The ink pattern is transferred to the package substrate within the mold fixture during the molding of the package substrate into the desired shape. The ink pattern may be transferred from the sacrificial carrier to the package substrate using, for example, a dye sublimation (dye diffusion) process.

主权项

1. A method for forming a printed molded package container, comprising:
printing an ink pattern onto a sacrificial carrier to form a printed sacrificial carrier; aligning the printed sacrificial carrier with a package substrate; heating the printed sacrificial carrier while heating the package substrate to transfer the ink pattern from the printed sacrificial carrier to the package substrate to form a printed package substrate; and molding the package substrate during the heating of the package substrate.