Method and system of making digital image transfer thermoformed objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016167284-A1
Application number	US-201615051167-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2007
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and system is provided for forming a three-dimensional image and, more particularly, for making three-dimensional digital image transfer thermoformed objects on, e.g., generic molds. The system comprises a computer infrastructure operable to receive images of a subject.display the images, stitch together the images to form a single image, adjust portions of the images or single image to compensate for deformation during thermoforming of the single image, register the single image with points on a moldm, and print the single image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having readable program code embodied in the storage medium, the computer program product includes at least one component operable to:
receive a frontal and two side view images of a subject; stitch together the frontal and two side view images to form a single image; compress portions of the single image to compensate for deformation during thermoforming of the single image; register the single image with points on a generic mold; and print the registered single image.

2 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the at least one component is further operable to store a matrix of the generic mold.

3 . The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the matrix includes registration marks for orienting features of the single image.

4 . The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the generic mold includes customized features.

5 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the customized features are captured by a pin sculpture device.

6 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein side portions of the single image are compressed to about 50% to 60%.

7 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the side view images are taken at about a 30 degree angle from the frontal view.

8 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the single image is printed using dye sublimation printing.

9 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the dye sublimation printing is a linear transport type.

10 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the single image is printed onto Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic sheets.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Simons Lyle S

Classifications

• B29C51/02 Primary

  Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform · CPC title

• H04N1/3876

  Recombination of partial images to recreate the original image · CPC title

• B29K2027/06

  PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride · CPC title

• G05B2219/35134

  3-D cad-cam · CPC title

• H04N1/3872 Primary

  Repositioning or masking · CPC title