Method and system of making digital image transfer thermoformed objects
View Patent ↗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 method includes manipulating digital images of a subject into a single image; printing the single image onto a media; and thermoforming the media with the single image using a generic mold. 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 mold; and print the single image.
1. A method, comprising:
manipulating digital images of a subject into a single image;
printing the single image onto a media;
thermoforming the media with the single image using a generic mold; and
manufacturing an identification badge of the subject including the thermoformed media,
wherein the thermoformed media is a miniature scale reproduction of the subject.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manipulating includes stitching together a frontal view and side views of the subject.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the side views are two side views at an angle of approximately 30 degrees from the frontal view.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the manipulating further includes compressing the side views to compensate for molding distortion.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the compression is about 50% to 60% of an original size.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising registering points of the single image with points on the generic mold.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing a matrix of the generic mold.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the matrix includes registration marks for orienting features of the single image.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic mold includes customized features.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a computer infrastructure implementing the steps of claim 1 and which is at least one of created, deployed, maintained and supported by service provider.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic mold is a face mold.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the face mold is selected from a predefined matrix of different generic face molds representing a plurality of face shapes.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the face shapes include long, oval, square, round, youthful, and geriatric.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the face mold includes eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth, and
the manipulating the digital images comprises registering the single image with the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the mouth of the face mold.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoforming the media with the single image using the generic mold comprises selecting the generic mold by determining a best fit match between the single image and one of a plurality of different, predefined generic molds.
16. A method, comprising:
stitching together digital images of a frontal view and side views of a subject into a single image of a face of the subject;
registering the single image of the face of the subject with eyes, ears, nose, and mouth of a selected one of a plurality of generic face molds;
printing the single image of the face of the subject onto a media;
thermoforming the media with the single image of the face of the subject using the selected one of the plurality of generic face molds; and
manufacturing an identification badge of the subject including the thermoformed media,
wherein the thermoformed media is a miniature scale reproduction of the subject.