INFORMATION CARRIER, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR

摘要

An information carrier such as a push-button switch consists of a silicone elastomer. The information carrier has an a label-carrying surface in which there is embedded a printing ink having a vulcanizing mechanism similar to that of the silicone elastomer. The ink and silicone elastomer are vulcanized to form the ink into a pattern on the label-carrying surface. The label-carrying surface having the pattern embedded therein constitutes a non-glossy surface of a predetermined roughness. Also disclosed are a method and apparatus for manufacturing the information carrier by printing the printing ink on a transfer plate, which has a roughness of several microns, followed by half vulcanization to embed a pattern which is manifested by the printing ink into the label-carrying surface of the information carrier.