Non-Porous Thermofoil Decorative Object and a Method For Thermoforming a Non-Porous Substrate

Abstract

Non-porous thermofoil decorative objects and a method for thermoforming such objects are disclosed herein. A preferred embodiment of the decorative object comprises a non-porous substrate and a thermofoil thermoformed to the substrate. The substrate of this embodiment has a top surface, a flat bottom surface, and an exhaust port extending from the top surface to and bottom surface. The thermofoil of this embodiment is thermoformed onto the top surface and the edges of the substrate and covers the exhaust port from the top. An exemplary exhaust port can be located at any location of the substrate, but if the top surface of the embodiment additionally has a steeply raised level, the exhaust port is preferably located at an edge of the raised level. A preferred diameter of the exhaust port is 1/32-5/32 and most preferably 3/32.

Claims

1. A decorative object comprising: a. a non-porous substrate having: i. a top surface, ii. a bottom surface, and iii. an exhaust port extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; and b. a thermofoil thermoformed to the top surface of the substrate and covering the exhaust port.

2. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein the top surface is contoured.

3. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein when the top surface of the substrate further comprises a steeply raised level, the exhaust port is located at an edge of the raised level.

4. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein the exhaust port comprises a diameter in a range between 1/32- 5/32.

5. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein the substrate is lightweight, water resistant, and fire resistant.

6. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein the substrate is made of polyurethane.

7. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein the thermofoil is textured.

8. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein the bottom surface is configured to attach to another object.

9. The decorative object in claim 1, wherein the thermofoil is further thermofoiled to at least one edge of the substrate.

10. A method for thermoforming a non-porous object, the method comprising the steps of: a. Retrieving the object, the object comprising: i. a top surface, ii. a bottom surface, and iii. an exhaust port extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; b. Retrieving a thermofoil; and c. Thermoforming the thermofoil to the top surface of the object with the thermofoil covering the exhaust port.

11. The method in claim 10, wherein the top surface is contoured.

12. The method in claim 10, wherein when the top surface of the object further comprises a steeply raised level, the exhaust port is located at an edge of the raised level.

13. The method in claim 10, wherein the exhaust port comprises a diameter in a range between 1/32- 5/32.

14. The method in claim 10, wherein the object is lightweight, water resistant, and fire resistant.

15. The method in claim 10, wherein the object is made of polyurethane.

16. The method in claim 10, wherein the bottom surface is configured to attach to another object.

17. The method in claim 10 further comprises a step of trimming an unwanted portion of the thermofoil.

18. The method in claim 10, wherein the thermofoil is further thermoformed to at least one edge of the object.

19. A decorative object comprising: a. a non-porous substrate having: i. a top surface, ii. a bottom surface configured to attach to another object, and iii. at least one exhaust port with a diameter in a range between 1/32- 5/32 and extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; and b. a thermofoil thermoformed to the top surface of the substrate and covering the exhaust port.

20. The decorative object in claim 19, wherein when the top surface further comprises a steeply raised level, the exhaust port is located at an edge of the raised level.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS OR PICTURES

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the non-porous thermofoil decorative object.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment in FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment, along a virtual line 3-3, in FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 4 is the perspective view of the substrate of an alternate embodiment of the non-porous thermofoil decorative object.

[0029] FIG. 5 is the cross sectional view of another embodiment of the non-porous thermofoil decorative object.

[0030] FIG. 6 shows a wall partially covered with multiple embodiments of the non-porous thermofoil decorative object in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the thermofoil decorative object and/or portions thereof are shown in FIGS. 1-6. A preferred embodiment 100 is shown in FIGS. 1-3. This embodiment 100 has a non-porous substrate 110 and a thermofoil 120. The substrate 110 comprises a contoured top surface 111, a flat bottom surface 112, an exhaust port 113 extending from the top surface 111 to and bottom surface 112, and six edges 114. The thermofoil 120 preferably has an aesthetically appealing texture such as imitation wood grain and is thermoformed onto the top surface 111 and the edges 114. The exhaust port 113 is covered by the thermofoil 120 so that the exhaust port 113 is not seen from the top. In this preferred embodiment 100, the exhaust port 113 is located at the center of the substrate 110 and has a 3/32 diameter. The preferred embodiment 100 may be displayed individually or attached to a wall with other similar embodiments, as in FIG. 6, to give the space a more dramatic focal point.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a non-porous substrate 200 of another embodiment. This exemplary substrate 200 has a contoured top surface 210, a bottom surface (not shown), and two exhaust ports 220 and 230. The top surface 210 of this embodiment has two steeply raised levels 211 and 212. The exhaust ports 220 and 230 are preferably located at the edges of the raised levels 211 and 212 respectively.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment 300 that comprises a non-porous substrate 310 thermoformed with a thermofoil 320 only at the substrate's contoured top surface 311. The substrate 310 has an exhaust port 313 extending from the top surface 311 to the bottom surface 312 and located near a side of the substrate 310.

[0034] While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those ordinarily skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit disclosed herein. For instance, a substrate of an embodiment may have different dimensions, profiles, and designs. An exemplary substrate may be a simple flat square block, a contoured polygon, a panel with multiple bumps on the top surface, and so forth. The substrates of different embodiments may have different numbers of exhaust ports at various locations and formed by different methods known in the art. The thermofoil in an embodiment may have various thickness, textures, colors, and sheen levels. Thermoforming a non-porous object in an embodiment may be done by any thermoforming methods known in the art. Therefore, the invention is intended to cover all techniques, devices, or structures known in the art and not be limited in scope except by the purview of the appended claims.