Rear projected screen materials and processes

Number: 9885947
Published: 2018-02-06
Filed: 2016-02-08
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: Wang; Dolce Lin; LaDuke; Thomas F.
CPC: B41J11/002; G03B21/32; B41J3/407; B29C51/18; C09D11/101; G03B21/60; G03B21/606; A63J5/021; B29C51/10; B29C51/00; C09D11/30; G03B21/62; B32B38/145
Verdict: Medium Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Rear-projection screen materials.

Abstract

Disclosed herein are materials and methods used to form a three dimensional (3D) article having a printed layer thereon. The 3D articles are capable of displaying rear projected images, effectively as a 3D “screen” for displaying an image or a movie. The 3D articles are used as standalone articles or as a portion of an animatronic figure. The articles are made by forming a substantially planar thermoformable laminate including a rear projection screen material, printing and curing a radiation curable ink onto one or both sides of the laminate, and thermoforming to impart a shape to the laminate.

Background

TECHNICAL FIELD(1) The disclosure relates to three-dimensional rear projected screen materials and methods of printing thereon.BACKGROUND(2) Animatronics was developed by The Walt Disney Company in the 1960s. An animatronic figure is a sophisticated puppet that is animated by means of electromechanical devices. The figure can be, but is not necessarily, a humanoid figure; it can be an animal or a moving object or moving scenery. Early examples of animatronics include those observed at the 1964 World's Fair in the New York Hall of Presidents, and at Disneyland in California. In the Hall of Presidents, an animatronic Lincoln, with all the gestures of a statesman, delivered the Gettysburg address. Body language and facial motions were matched with the recorded speech. While computer generated imagery dominates on-screen applications, theme parks and other non-screen applications rely on animatronic figures to provide realistic portrayals of human and non-human characters, moving objects, and moving scenery.(3) Generation of animatronic figures requires a combination of skills such as mechanical engineering, casting, sculpting, or vacuum forming, control technologies including various wireless control technologies, electrical and electronic engineering, computer code writing, and artistic skills.(4) Recently, advances in the animatronic arts include the use of rear projection imaging technology. Using internal projected images, a “blank” three dimensional shape can be employed as

Claims

1. A three-dimensional article formed by contacting a flexible thermoformable film and a flexible rear projection screen film to form a substantially planar thermoformable laminate comprising first and second major surfaces, wherein the flexible thermoformable film comprises an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer bonds the flexible thermoformable film to the flexible rear projection screen film to generate the substantially planar thermoformable laminate; printing one or more radiation curable inks onto at least a portion of the first major surface, second major surface, or both; irradiating the one or more radiation curable inks to form an imaged thermoformable laminate; and thermoforming the imaged thermoformable laminate to form the three-dimensional article. 9. A three-dimensional article formed by: contacting a flexible thermoformable film and a flexible rear projection screen film to form a substantially planar thermoformable laminate comprising first and second major surfaces; printing one or more radiation curable inks onto at least a portion of the first major surface, second major surface, or both; irradiating the one or more radiation curable inks to form an imaged thermoformable laminate; and thermoforming the imaged thermoformable laminate to form the three-dimensional article, wherein during thermoforming, the flexible rear projection screen film does not substantially crack, tear, or detach from the flexible thermoformable film.