US3506528A

US3506528A - Composite contrast color embossed displays

Info

Publication number: US3506528A
Authority: US
Inventors: John I Dean
Original assignee: Dymo Industries Inc
Current assignee: Dymo Industries Inc
Priority date: 1965-02-01
Filing date: 1965-02-01
Publication date: 1970-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 1987-04-14
Also published as: CH452340A; ES321527A1; DK120065B; GB1098110A; DE1497870A1; FR1508082A

Description

April 14, 1970 J. l. DEAN COMPOSITE CONTRAST COLOR EMBOSSED DISPLAYS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVENTOR JOHN L DEA N BY 2 Z Z ATTORN Y5 United States Patent US. Cl. 161-44 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A backing strip for a composite contrast color embossed display, the backing strip comprising a plastic sheet of predetermined width and thickness and indeterminate length, the sheet having first and second surfaces and a substantially uniform color throughout the thickness thereof. Beveled margins are provided along edges defining the width of the strip. Each of the surfaces is treated so as to enable a pressure sensitive adhesive to be attached thereto. A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive is attached to one of the surfaces and a detachable protective backing is removably adhered to the exposed surface of the adhesive layer. The plastic sheet is preferably fabricated of a W density polyethylene.

The invention relates to composite contrast color embossed displays and in particular to such embossed displays in which the embossed display is framed by an outer border of suitable color.

It is now Well known that a contrast color embossment may be provided in certain sheeted thermoplastic resins by means of cold dies. In this manner, plastic displays such as labels, signs, plates, badges, tags, etc. having contrasting color embossments are provided quickly, conveniently and without complex or expensive equipment.

The plastic sheet materials which are generally employed in the manufacture of such articles are usually supplied in the form of relatively thin tapes and most frequently have a substantially uniform background color upon which the contrast color lettering or enfigurement is embossed.

While displays fabricated of such materials have proved quite acceptable, it has been found that displays having greater aesthetic appeal can be derived from the use of such materials and techniques by affixing the embossed plastic sheet, by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive on its back, to the face of a second plastic sheet, or backing strip, having a color contrasting with the background color of the first sheet. By making the second sheet some what larger in area than the first sheet, a border of contrasting color can be provided around the first sheet. The effect is enhanced by providing a second sheet of relatively greater thickness than the first sheet and beveling the peripheral edges thereof. If the second sheet has a contrasting color throughout its thickness, such beveling will produce a beveled margin of contrasting color and establish an aesthetically appealing frame around the perimeter of the first sheet. The assembled first and second sheets thus form a composite contrast color embossed display.

The backing is formed of flexible sheeting to facilitate its adherence to curved surfaces and is of such a material which will be non-migratory so that none of its elements will migrate into and damage the pressure sensitive film. A pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to the back of both the contrast color tape and the backing tape and suitable release films are laminated to the back side of the pressure sensitive adhesive for protection of the adhesive 3,506,528 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 film before application to the surface to which the tape is to be affixed.

The invention may be described briefly as a backing strip for a composite contrast color embossed display, the backing strip comprising a palstic sheet of predetermined Width and thickness and indeterminate length, the sheet having first and second surfaces and a substantilly uniform color throughout the thickness thereof. Beveled margins are provided along edges defining the Width of the strip. Each of the surfaces is treated so as to enable a pressure sensitive adhesive to be attached thereto. A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive is attached to one of the surfaces and a detachable protective backing is removably adhered to the exposed surface of the adhesive layer. The plastic sheet is preferably fabricated of a low density polyethylene.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a backing tape of single color onto which a contrast color embossed tape may be aflixed so that the embossed tape is framed by the backing tape.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a backing tape which is beveled on all sides surrounding the embossed tape to enhance the framing effect.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a composite contrast color embossed display in which the background color of the embossed tape is framed by contrasting color.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide such a composite contrast color embossed tape which may be used for labels, tags, signs, plates, etc. and which may be easily and readily applied to surfaces of various conformation and texture.

These and other objects, features, advantages and uses will be apparent during the course of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the contrast color embossed tape being applied to the surface of the backing tape which is being dispensed from a roll of indeterminate length;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a finished composite framed, contrast color, embossed display of the invention; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Contrast color tape 10 is seen to comprise plastic sheet 12 on which are embossed enfigurements 14 of contrasting color to that of the background of plastic sheet 12 and pressure sensitive adhesive 16. Plastic sheet 12 has a length and width defined by peripheral edegs 17 which are generally perpendicular to the face of sheet. A release film is laminated to the back of pressure sensitive adhesive 16 for protection of the adhesive film before the tape 10 is applied to the backing tape or to any other surface. Plastic sheet 12 is of the order of .003" to .02" thick and adhesive film 16 is of the order of .002" thick.

Backing sheet 18 is fed from a roll of indeterminate length 26 and comprises flexible sheeting 20 to the under surface of which is applied pressure sensitive adhesive film 22. Release backing film 24 is laminated to the back of the pressure sensitive adhesive to protect the adhesive film before application. Flexible sheeting 20 is provided with longitudinal 45

bevels

19 and 21.

Bevels

23 and 25 are cut in the sheet 20 using a suitable tool capable of severing the sheet and establishing the bevels.

Plastic sheet 20 is formed of any flexible material which is flexible enough to permit it to be easily applied to curved surfaces. The color of sheet 20 is chosen to contrast with the background color of sheet 12 and extends throughout the thickness of the sheet 20. Low density polyethylene is preferred because it possesses non-migratory properties in that it contains no plasticizers or other materials which will migrate into and damage the pressure sensitive adhesive. The surfaces of sheet 20 are electrostatically treated, chemically oxidized, flame treated or otherwise processed to produce surfaces having maximum adhesion to the pressure sensitive adhesive. Sheet 20 is of the order of .025" thick and the bevel is preferably at 45 Pressure sensitive adhesive 22 is a film approximately .002" thick and is formed of a material which has good aging properties when exposed to heat, air and light. Release film 24 is preferably formed of polyethylene and is of the order of .004" thick. It serves to protect the adhesive film prior to applying the tape to another surface.

Finished composite contrast color embossed displays of the invention may be produced as follows: tape sheet is embossed in the manner well known in the art; the release film on the back of sheet 10 isremoved thereby exposing the pressure sensitive film 16. Embossed tape 10 is applied to the top surface of backing sheet 18 until it is applied thereto along its total length such that tape sheet 10 is adhered to the top surface of backing sheet 18 with the embossed enfigurements 14 raised from the top surface of the backing sheet as illustrated at 26 in FIGURE 3. Then, the backing sheet is severed from the roll and the

bevels

23 and 25 are established along lateral edges of the sheet. Now, the release film 24 is removed from the back of the sheet and the combination is applied to the desired surface.

Since the perimeter of the backing sheet must be greater than that of the embossed sheet, it is obvious that the backing sheet must be slightly wider than the embossed sheet and the severed length of the backing sheet must be slightly longer than the embossed sheet. Because the color of the backing sheet extends throughout the thickness of the sheet and the

bevels

19, 21, 23 and 25 extend from the peripheral edges 17 to the full length and width of the backing sheet 18, the beveled margin along the peripheral edge of backing sheet 20 will establish a frame of color around the perimeter of sheet 12, with the color of the frame contrasting with the background color of sheet 12.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite contrast color embossed display comprising in combination:

a first plastic sheet of predetermined length and width having a face of substantially uniform background color and at least one embossment thereon raised from said face and having a color contrasting with the background color, said length and width defining peripheral edges which are generally perpendicular to said face;

a second plastic sheet of a length and width greater than the respective length and width of the first plastic sheet and having color throughout the thickness thereof contrasting with said background color of the first sheet, said second plastic sheet having opposite first and second generally planar surfaces;

a first layer of pressure sensitive adhesive securing said first sheet to said first surface of said second sheet with said embossment raised from said first surface;

beveled margins along the peripheral edges of said second sheet extending between the peripheral edges of the first sheet and the length and width of said second sheet thereby establishing a frame of contrasting color around the perimeter of said first sheet;

a second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive attached to the second surface of the second sheet; and

a detachable protective backing removably adhered to the exposed surface of said second adhesion layer.

2. A composite contrast color embossed display of claim 1 wherein said second plastic sheet is fabricated of a low density polyethylene.

3. A backing strip for use in a composite contrast color embossed display, which display includes first and second plastic sheets secured to one another by means of a first layer of pressure sensitive adhesive, the first plastic sheet being of predetermined length and width and having a face of substantially uniform background color with at least one embossment thereon raised from said face and having a color contrasting with the background color, said length and width defining peripheral edges which are generally perpendicular to said face, said backing strip comprising:

a second plastic sheet of predetermined width greater than the width of the first sheet and indeterminate length having color contrasting with said background color, said second plastic sheet having opposite first and second surfaces;

beveled margins along edges defining said width and extending between the first and second surfaces to establish a first surface of a width corresponding to the Width of the first plastic sheet and a second surface of said greater width;

the contrasting color of said second sheet extending throughout the thickness of the sheet such that said sheet may be severed to establish a backing strip of any predetermined length with beveled margins along the peripheral edges thereof and with said contrasting color displayed throughout said beveled margins;

the first surface of the second plastic sheet being capable of receiving the first plastic sheet with the first adhesive layer maintaining said first and second sheets secured to one another with said embossment raised from said first surface and the beveled margins establishing a frame of contrasting color around the perimeter of said first sheet between the peripheral edges of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet;

a detachable protective backing removably adhered to the exposed surface of said second adhesive layer.

4. A backing strip of claim 3 wherein said second plas- D tic sheet is fabricated of a low density polyethylene.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,965 10/1880 Hastings 161-118 3,309,257 3/1967 Borack 16l406 ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner R. J. ROCHE, Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R.