CA2522769A1

CA2522769A1 - Decal organization tool

Info

Publication number: CA2522769A1
Application number: CA002522769A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Roger A. Hansen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-22
Filing date: 1996-10-24
Publication date: 1998-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-24
Also published as: WO1998017465A1; AU4906297A; CA2522769C; CA2188823C; CA2188823A1

Abstract

A decal organization tool for products needing large numbers of decals utilizes a single large sheet on which all product decals for a specific product or product model are carried. The invention includes a means by which the previously unavoidable irregular margins surrounding the decals are effectively hidden from the eye and allows large sheet printing of decals with an aesthetically satisfactory overall appearance. An irregularly zone is added to the edge of each decal, and along with an ultraviolet responsive additive placed in the decal adhesive, allows the decal to form an indelible footprint on the product to which it is applied. The footprint, invisible to the eye, becomes visible under ultraviolet light, allowing identification of a specific decal and proof of its application to a product, even when the decal is no longer on the product.

Claims

1. A decal organization tool useable with a product which has a predetermined color and requires a multiplicity of decal messages thereon, wherein irregular outer margins about individual decal messages are effectively concealed from a human viewer, said decal tool comprising:
an information layer having obverse and reverse faces;
an adhesive applied to said reverse face of said information layer;
a decal liner sheet releasably retained by said adhesive;
said information layer including a multiplicity of decal messages containing information visible by the human viewer, said messages printed adjacent each other on a said face of said information layer, each of said multiplicity of decal messages having an associated border at least partially surrounding the information on said decal message with which it is associated;
said borders of said adjacent decal messages being spaced from one another by an intervening gap;
a multiplicity of removal cuts in said information layer, a said removal cut surrounding and associated with each of said decal messages to define the edge of each said associated decal message and to permit removal of each said associated decal message from said information layer and said liner sheet, each said removal cut being wholly outside said border of said associated decal message and within said intervening gap surrounding the associated decal message to define a margin between each said removal cut and said border of said decal message associated with said removal cut;
product match means in said intervening gap on a said face of said information layer outside said borders, surrounding and contacting the said borders of a multiplicity of said decal messages and allowing the viewer to see a color in each said margin substantially matching said product predetermined color when said decal messages are affixed to the product;

whereby each said decal message is releasably peelable from said liner sheet, and adhereable to the product with the said product match means which surrounds each decal message border allowing color matching of said margins with the product so that when said decal message is applied to the product and is viewed at a distance from the product by a human viewer, the said margin between said border and said edge of said associated decal message will color match the product and no portion of said decal message outside its said border visually color contrasts substantially with said product, thereby effectively visually concealing any irregular margin between said border and said removal cut.

2. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein said product match means includes a color band applied to a said face of said information layer, said color band having substantially the color of the predetermined color.

3. The decal organization tool of claim 2, wherein said color band extends between and around said multiplicity of decal messages.

4. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein said product match means includes a base color layer on a said face of said information layer and said base color layer is of substantially said predetermined color.

5. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein said product match means comprises said information layer being formed of substantially transparent material which allows a human viewer to see the predetermined color of the product through said margins when said decal messages are applied to the product.

6. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein a said border is a virtual border defined by the space occupied by said information within said associated decal message.

7. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein a said border is a line border.

8. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein the said information associated with a multiplicity of said decal messages is centered within the said associated borders of said decal messages and said associated margins are irregular in size.

9. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein said information within a said border has a color background using a color other than said predetermined color.

10. The decal organization tool of claim 1, wherein said adhesive contains an additive responsive to ultraviolet light, such that when said information layer, adhesive and additive of a decal message have been adhered to the product and thereafter removed from the product, a residue of said additive remains substantially permanently on said product to define a visible footprint on said product and matched to said decal message when the ultraviolet light is incident on said product, thereby confirming that a decal message was applied to the product.

11. The decal organization tool of claim 10, wherein said removal cuts surrounding a multiplicity of said decal messages have a continuous regular edge except for a predetermined irregularity zone unique to each of said multiplicity of decal messages so as to identify from the said footprint, the specific decal message which was removed from the product.

12. The decal organization tool of claim 11, wherein said irregularity zones are on said margins and of said predetermined product color such that each irregularity zone blends with the color of the product and is substantially visually concealed when said decal message is adhered to the product and viewed at a distance from said decal message.

13. The decal organization tool of claim 11, wherein each said irregularity zone includes at least one protrusion extending outward from said edge of said associated decal message.

14. The decal organization tool of claim 11, wherein each said irregularity zone includes at least one indentation in said edge of said associated decal message.

15. The decal organization tool of claim 11, wherein said irregularity zone includes at least one indentation in and at least one protrusion extending outwardly from said edge of said associated decal message.