PANELS WITH DECORATIVE OBJECTS AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

1 . A method of manufacturing a decorative thermoplastic panel that incorporates decorative objects, the method comprising:

laying out a bed of thermoplastic resin particles;

placing at least one decorative object at least partially within the bed of thermoplastic resin particles;

applying pressure to the bed of thermoplastic resin particles containing the at least one decorative object; and

applying heat to the bed of thermoplastic resin particles containing the at least one decorative object, thereby fusing the thermoplastic resin particles together about the at least one decorative object.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bed of thermoplastic resin particles has a first major surface.

3 . The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the at least one decorative object has at least one major surface that has a substantially parallel orientation with the first major surface of the bed of thermoplastic resin particles.

4 . The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the at least one decorative object has at least one major surface that has a substantially non-parallel orientation with the first major surface of the bed of thermoplastic resin particles.

5 . The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein:

at least one decorative object comprises a plurality of decorative objects; and

two or more decorative objects of the plurality of decorative objects are placed on different two-dimensional planes that are parallel to the first major surface.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one decorative object has one or more cavities therein, and the thermoplastic resin particles at least partially fill the one or more cavities of the decorative object.

7 . The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising positioning one or more of a first sheet and a second sheet about the bed of thermoplastic resin particles.

8 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the bed of thermoplastic resin particles comprises a first material and one or more of the first sheet and the second sheet comprise a second material different than the first material.

9 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bed of thermoplastic resin particles comprises thermoplastic resin particles having at least one dimension in the range of approximately 0.01 inches to 0.1 inches.

10 . The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the bed of thermoplastic resin particles comprises between approximately at least 100 thermoplastic resin particles.

11 . A method of manufacturing a decorative thermoplastic panel that incorporates decorative objects, the method comprising:

laying out a bed of thermoplastic resin particles having a first dimension defined by a length thereof, a second dimension defined by a width thereof, and a third dimension defined by a thickness thereof, the first, second, and third dimensions defining a plurality of two-dimensional planes;

placing at least one flexible decorative object within the bed of thermoplastic resin particles in a manner that at least a portion of the at least one flexible decorative object is in two or more two-dimensional planes of the plurality of two-dimensional planes, and wherein the bed of thermoplastic resin particles together with the at least one flexible decorative object form a layup assembly;

applying pressure to the layup assembly; and

applying heat to the layup assembly, thereby fusing the thermoplastic resin particles together about the at least one flexible decorative object.

12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the at least one flexible decorative object has opposing major surfaces separated by a distance that defines a thickness of the at least one flexible decorative object.

13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one flexible decorative object has a non-flat configuration.

14 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the at least on flexible decorative object has one or more of a bent and twisted configuration.

15 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first and second dimensions are substantially greater than the third dimension of the bed of thermoplastic resin particles.

16 . A decorative thermoplastic resin panel with a sheet-like three-dimensional decorative interlayer, the decorative thermoplastic resin panel comprising:

a fused thermoplastic block having a first dimension defined by a length thereof, a second dimension defined by a width thereof, and a third dimension defined by a thickness thereof, the first, second, and third dimensions defining a plurality of two-dimensional planes; and

at least one flexible decorative object encapsulated within the fused thermoplastic block, wherein the at least a portion of the at least one flexible decorative object is positioned in two or more two-dimensional planes of the plurality of two-dimensional planes.

17 . The decorative thermoplastic panel as recited in claim 16 , wherein the at least one flexible decorative object is encapsulated at a predetermined position within the fused thermoplastic block.

18 . The decorative thermoplastic panel as recited in claim 16 , wherein the at least one flexible decorative object has a non-flat configuration.

19 . The decorative thermoplastic panel as recited in claim 16 , wherein the at least one flexible decorative object has two opposing major surfaces separated by a distance that defines a thickness of the at least one flexible decorative object.

20 . The decorative thermoplastic panel as recited in claim 16 , wherein the fused thermoplastic block has a first major surface defined by the first and second dimensions, and at least one of the opposing major surfaces of the at least one flexible decorative object is oriented at a non-parallel angle relative to the major surface of the fused thermoplastic block.