EP0914645B1

EP0914645B1 - Improved repositionable blank signage sheets and methods of making and using them

Info

Publication number: EP0914645B1
Application number: EP97935176A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Terry E. Cooprider; Dale O. Bailey; Lori A. Bilski; Jean P. Weber
Original assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: 3M Co
Priority date: 1996-07-22
Filing date: 1997-07-22
Publication date: 2002-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-22
Also published as: AU3817897A; EP0914645A1; JP2007279760A; CA2260986A1; DE69712064D1; WO1998003958A1; JP2000515263A; DE69712064T2

Description

The invention relates to sheets.

Businesses commonly prepare customized sheets suitable for a sign, which are then displayed by mounting the sheet on a bulletin board or taping the sheet to a window with adhesive tape. The use of such sheets has expanded significantly in recent times due to the wide-spread prevalence of high quality computer printers capable of imprinting professional quality text and graphics on such sheets.

While the quality of the text and graphics imprinted upon such sheet has improved significantly, the mechanisms utilized to mount the sheet for display has not changed much over the years. The most common mechanisms continue to be push-pins and lengths of adhesive tape pulled from a standard roll of office tape.

DE-U-9 000 841 discloses an adhesive repositionable note sheet with adhesive strips. One of the adhesive strips is arranged along the entire edge of the surface of the note sheet while the second adhesive strip does not extend over the entire length of the edge leaving a portion thereof free of adhesive. The adhesive-free portion is used to facilitate the removal of the note. The adhesive-free portion may be in the corner of the note or in the middle of the edge.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for mounting sheets upon both transparent and opaque vertical surfaces which (i) does not interfere with the printing process, (ii) allows the sheet to be repositioned, (iii) does not mark the surface upon which the sheet is mounted, (iv) does not leave any residue, and (v) allows the sheet to be mounted upon a variety of surfaces.

The invention is a simple, easy to use, repositionable, adhesively mounted, blank sheet which is compatible with copy machines and computer printers and provides extended hang time on a variety of surfaces from glass window paned to concrete blocks. The sheet according to the invention is set out in the appended claims. The sheet according to the invention includes (i) imprintable first and second major surfaces, (ii) first and second opposite edges, and (iii) margins extending along the entire length of the first and second edges; a repeatedly attachable adhesive strip disposed on the first major surface of the sheet along the entire length of each of the margins with each adhesive strip offset from the edge of the sheet, whereby the adhesive strips define (i) adhesive-free tabs along the entire length of the first and second edges of the sheet, and (ii) an adhesive-free imprintable area between the adhesive strips; and at least one release liner covering the marginal adhesive strips.

The invention also relates to a method of making a unique customized sheet and methods of making customized signs from the sheets and displaying such customized signs.

The method of making blank sheets in a first alternative includes the steps of conveying an opaque sheet in a first direction, wherein the sheet has (i) imprintable first and second major surfaces, (ii) first and second opposite side edges, and (iii) first and second side margins extending along the opposite side edges, wherein the first and second major surfaces are void of primary communicative indicia which conveys information, applying a repeatedly attachable adhesive along the entire length of the side margins of the first major surface of the conveyed sheet with an offset from the respective side edge of the sheet, so as to define (i) adhesive-free tabs along the entire length of the edges of the sheet, (ii) marginal adhesive strips extending along the entire length of the edge tabs, and (iii) an adhesive-free imprintable area between the marginal adhesive strips, and applying separate release liners over each of the marginal adhesive strips, as the sheet is conveyed in the first direction, to form a blank sheet.

The method of making a blank sheet according to a second alternative includes making a blank web suitable for use as a sign and the steps of (i) conveying a continuous, imprintable, essentially blank web in a first direction, (ii) applying a repositionable adhesive along the side margins of the first major surface of the conveyed web so as to define marginal adhesive strips and an adhesive free imprintable area between the marginal adhesive strips on the first major surface; and (iii) applying release liner over the marginal adhesive strips as the web is conveyed in the first direction. The web may be either a true web fed from a continuous roll or a pseudo web of overlapped individual sheets. Alternatively, individual sheets may be separately processed in accordance with this method.

When a true web is used to manufacture the blank sheet, the method further includes the step of transversely cutting the resultant continuous length of blank sheet to form individual blank signage sheets.

When a pseudo web is used to manufacture the blank sheets and a continuous length of release liner is applied to the pseudo web, the method further includes the step of transversely cutting the continuous length of release liner to allow separation of the individual blank sheets.

The method of creating customized signs includes the steps of obtaining one of our unique sheets as described above and then printing communicative indicia upon the imprintable area of the first and/or second major surfaces of the sheet.

The method of displaying the custom printed sheet includes the steps of removing the release liners to expose the marginal adhesive strips; and adhering the exposed adhesive strips to a mounting surface. When communicative inidica intended for display is printed upon the first major surface, the sheet should be adhered to a transparent mounting surface so that the printed communicative indicia will be viewable through the surface. Alternatively, when communicative inidica intended for display is printed only upon the second major surface, the sheet may be adhered to a transparent, translucent or opaque mounting surface since the printed communicative indicia need not be viewable through the surface.

The invention will be described in more detail referring to the drawing in which

Figure 1 is a top view of one embodiment of a sheet of invention,

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the sheet embodiment shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the sheet embodiment shown in Figure 1 depicting the various layers of material disposed along the margins of the sheet.

Definitions

The term "repositionable adhesive" is a term of art which is utilized herein in accordance with its standard industry meaning. Broadly, a repositionable adhesive is an adhesive which permits typical label and substrates suitable for use as a sign, such as paper and polymeric films, to be repeatedly attached to and removed from various surfaces without significant loss in adhesive strength, without leaving adhesive residue upon the surface, and without destruction of the substrate.

As utilized herein, the term "computer printer" includes the various commercial, industrial and personal impact and nonimpact printers, other than those which require specially coated paper to produce the image (e.g., thermal transfer printers and dye sublimation printers), such as dot matrix, ink jet and laser jet printers.

As utilized herein, the term "imprintable" is utilized in its broadest sense to indicate a surface capable of accepting and retaining communicative indicia by one or more of the well-known means of producing such indicia, from handwriting to a Heidelberg press, utilizing any of the well-known imaging compositions ranging from aqueous-based dyes to electrostatic toners.

As utilized herein, the term "printing" is utilized in its broadest sense to include all of the well-known personal and commercial means of producing communicative indicia upon a substrate, including specifically, but not exclusively, handwriting, painting, printing on a computer printer, printing on a printing press, screen printing, xerographic copying, etc.

As utilized herein, the term "communicative indicia" means indicia which conveys information, including specifically, but not exclusively, letters (such as "X"), numbers (such as "40%"), words (such as "On Sale"), symbols (such as "α"), and designs (such as "The Triple Arrow Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Design").

As utilized herein, the term "design indicia" means ornamental or decorative indicia which does not convey information, including specifically, but not exclusively, a background pattern or color, and a decorative border.

As utilized herein, the phrase "roughly textured surface" means an uneven surface having various irregularities which results in a significant reduction in the surface area available for contacting the marginal adhesive strips of a sheet suitable for use as a sign and adhered to the surface. Surface which are typically "roughly textured surfaces" include specifically, but not exclusively: painted and unpainted brick and/or mortar, painted and unpainted cinder block and/or mortar, painted and unpainted concrete, textured drywall, cork board, woven and ribbed fabric, textured polymeric surfaces such as computer cabinets, refrigerator doors, and kitchen cabinets, painted and unpainted rock walls, textured vinyl wallpaper, and fabric wallpaper. Examples of surfaces which, unless intentionally textured to provide a rough surface, are generally not roughly textured surfaces include: surface laminated countertops such as Formica®, polished painted and unpainted metal surfaces such as metal automobile bodies and aluminum clad exterior doors, window glass panes, painted and unpainted wood, and varnished and unvarnished wood.

As utilized herein, the phrase "pseudo web of overlapped individual sheets" means a plurality of individual sheets wherein the trailing edge of each sheet overlaps or underlies the leading edge of a subsequent sheet so as to form a continuous line of individual sheets which can be processed as a normal continuous web since upper and lower rollers and other mechanisms in contact with the sheets are continuously separated by the pseudo web.

As utilized herein, the phrase "essentially void of communicative indicia" means that any communicative inidica is sized, positioned, shaded, colored and otherwise of such a nature as to avoid interfering with the printing, viewing and display of any primary communicative indicia printed upon the sheet by the end user, with such secondary indicia substantially inconspicuous to the intended audience of the primary communicative indicia. Examples of common communicative indicia which could be printed upon a major surface of a sheet while maintaining the status of the surface as "essentially void of communicative indicia" would include a water mark and a manufacturers label (i.e., "made by 3M") in 8 point type-font positioned along an edge of an A4 sized sheet.

Nomenclature

10: Sheet suitable to be used as a sign
20: Imprintable Substrate
21: Top Edge of Imprintable Substrate
22: Bottom Edge of Imprintable Substrate
23: Right Edge of Imprintable Substrate
23m: Right Margin of Imprintable Substrate
23t: Right Edge Tab
24: Left Edge of Imprintable Substrate
24m: Left Margin of Imprintable Substrate
24t: Left Edge Tab
25: First Major Surface of Imprintable Substrate
25a: Imprintable Area of First Major Surface
26: Second Major Surface of Imprintable Substrate
30: Bleed-Resist Coating
40: Repositionable Adhesive
50: Release Liner

Construction

The sheet 10 suitable for use as a sign may be provided in any desired shape including circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, trapezoids, pentagons, etc. However, since consumer preference and ease of manufacture generally dictate the production of rectangular sheets 10, the remainder of the discussion will be based upon a rectangular sheet 10.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the sheet 10 is based upon an imprintable substrate 20 having a top edge 21, a bottom edge 22, a right edge 23, a left edge 24, and first 25 and second 26 major surfaces. The major surfaces 25 and 26 are imprintable, but provided to an end user essentially void of communicative indicia (not shown) so that the end user may customize communicative indicia printed on the sheet 10 without interference from preprinted communicative indicia. Design indicia (not shown), such as a background pattern or a border, may be imprinted upon the first 25 and/or second 26 major surfaces as desired. When design indicia (not shown) is provided on both the first 25 and the second 26 major surfaces, the appearance of phantom images, caused by design indicia from one surface showing through to the other surface, may be prevented by (i) the use of standard bleed resist 30 and opaque (not shown) coatings, and/or (ii) printing the design indicia as mirror images.

The substrate 20 may be of substantially any size, with the lower limit dictated primarily by the need for sufficient space to imprint an appropriately sized communicative image (not shown) and the upper limit dictated primarily by limitations on the printing equipment to be used, as well as the ability to handle the sheet 10 and limitations on display space. As a practical matter, customer preference is for a rectangular sheet 10 of about 200 to 1,000 cm², preferably about 400 to 600 cm², and between about 5 to 100 cm wide by 5 to 100 cm long, preferably 15 to 25 cm wide and 20 to 40 cm long.

The substrate 20 may be constructed from any of the various opaque, transparent or translucent imprintable sheet materials known in the industry, including paper and polymeric films. Since the sheet 10 is designed to permit production of custom printed signs with communicative indicia (not shown) on one or both major surfaces 25 and 26 of the substrate 20, the substrate 20 is preferably constructed of an opaque material.

The right 23m and left 24m margins of the first major surface 25 are coated with a repositionable adhesive 40 along the entire length of the right 23m and left 24m margins so as to define marginal adhesive strips 40. While the repositionable adhesive 40 may be pattern coated or coated along less than the entire length of the

margins

23m and 24m, such coating styles are not generally preferred due to the decreased adhesive strength provided by such incomplete marginal adhesive strips 40 and accompanying increase in the risk that the sheet 10 will separate from a vertical mounting surface (not shown).

The adhesive strips 40 are offset from the right 23 and left 24 edges of the substrate 20 so as to define a right edge tab 23t and a left edge tab 24t which is free of adhesive. The

tabs

23t and 24t facilitate removal of the signage sheet 10 from a mounting surface (not shown) as they do not adhere to the mounting surface and can be grasped without having to delaminate a corner (unnumbered) of the sheet 10 from the mounting surface first. The

tabs

23t and 24t preferably extend along the entire length of the substrate 10 and are provided along both the right 23 and left 24 edges so that a user need not search for the

tab

23t, 24t when removing the sheet 10 from a mounting surface (not shown). The

tabs

23t and 24t are preferably about 0.5 to 2 cm wide.

Tabs

23t and 24t of less than about 0.5 cm are difficult to grasp while

tabs

23t and 24t of greater than about 2 cm wide are susceptible to curling, crumpling or other damage during use without a corresponding improvement in the ease with which the sheet 10 can be removed from a mounting surface (not shown).

The top (unnumbered) and bottom (unnumbered) margins of the first major surface 25 may also optionally be coated with a repositionable adhesive 40 so as to define top and bottom marginal adhesive strips (not shown). However, the addition of such top and bottom marginal adhesive strips (not shown) provides only limited advantages and is generally not preferred due to the detrimental side effects of (i) increased time and expense involved in manufacturing such sheets 10 due to the need to add the cross-directional top and bottom marginal adhesive strips (unnumbered) and accompanying release liners (not shown), (ii) increased time required to mount the sheet 10 due to the need to remove the additional top and bottom release liners (not shown) and, (iii) increased opportunity for the sheet 10 to warp, bubble or otherwise be distorted when applied to a mounting surface (not shown).

The width of the left and right marginal adhesive strips 40 must be sufficient to ensure that adequate adhesive strength is provided to prevent the loss of adhesion between the sheet 10 and a mounting substrate (not shown). On the other hand, the width of the left and right marginal adhesive strips 40 should be limited to that width necessary to minimize the risk of adhesive failure in order to maximize the size of the adhesive free imprintable area 25a available for being printed with communicative indicia (not shown). While the optimal width of the marginal adhesive strips 40 depends upon a number of factors, such as the aggressiveness of the specific adhesive used, individual marginal adhesive strip widths of about 1/50^th to about 1/10^th of the total width of the substrate 20 generally provides a proper balance between the competing interests of ensuring prolonged adhesion of the sheet 10 to a mounting substrate (not shown) and providing maximum imprintable adhesive free area 25a. Generally, a width of between about 0.5 cm to about 10 cm, preferably about 1 cm to about 4 cm, has been found to provide the desired balance when the preferred pressure sensitive microsphere adhesive described herein is utilized.

The adhesive strips 40 define an adhesive free imprintable area 25a on the first major surface 25 between the adhesive strips 40.

The repositionable adhesive 40 may be any of the well known repositionable adhesives disclosed in the literature, including any of the various microsphere-based repositionable adhesives, such as the revolutionary microsphere adhesive utilized to produce repositional notes of the type available from the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company under the trade designation "Post-It.". Preferred repositionable adhesives 40 are those capable of allowing the marginal adhesive strips 40 to maintain an adhesive bond to roughly textured surfaces (not shown), at the adhesive surface area limitations set forth herein, for at least 30 days. A preferred repositionable adhesive 40, effective for providing such aggressive adhesion without sacrificing the other characteristics required of a repositionable adhesive composition comprises a blend of one or more microspheres and an adhesive binder comprising at least one acrylamide-based moiety. Preferably, the microspheres are polymeric, inherently tacky, elastomeric microspheres; and the binder is a pressure sensitive adhesive polymer having at least one acrylamide moiety, with the acrylamide moiety optionally copolymerized with one or more free radically polymerizable monomers, such as an acrylate or methacrylate. A detailed discussion of these types of adhesives is provided in WO-A-94/19420 published on January 9, 1994.

Release liners

50 cover both the right and left adhesive strips 40 to prevent premature bonding of the repositionable adhesive 40. Alternatively, a single piece release liner (not shown), sized to cover both the right and left adhesive strips 40, may be used. However, the use of such a single piece release liner (not shown) to cover both adhesive strips 40 is not generally preferred because it must either (i) cover the adhesive-free imprintable area 25a of the first major surface 25, or (ii) require the manufacture, application and removal of a relatively expensive and awkward frame-shaped release liner.

The substrate 20 may optionally be coated with any of the well known bleed-resist coating materials 30 for the purpose of preventing an image (not shown) printed on one major surface from bleeding through the substrate 20 and onto the other surface. The substrate 20 may also optionally be coated with any of the well known high opacity value coating materials (not shown), such as titanium dioxide, for the purpose of preventing communicative and/or design indicia (not shown) printed on one major surface from showing through the substrate 20 and interfering with the appearance of any communicative and/or design indicia printed on the other surface.

Method of Making

The blank sheets 10 may be conveniently constructed by (i) conveying a continuous, imprintable, web (not shown) in a first direction, (ii) applying a repositionable adhesive 40 along the right 23m and left 24m margins of the first major surface 25 of the conveyed web so as to define marginal adhesive strips 40 and an adhesive free imprintable area 25a between the marginal adhesive strips 40 on the first major surface 25; and (iii) applying release liner 50, typically from a continuous roll (not shown), over the marginal adhesive strips 40 as the web is conveyed in the first direction. The web may be either a true web fed from a continuous roll or a pseudo web of overlapped individual sheets. Alternatively, individual sheets of imprintable substrate 20 may be separately processed in accordance with this method.

When a true web (not shown) is used to manufacture the sheets 10, the method further includes the step of transversely cutting the resultant continuous length of sheet to form individual sheets 10.

When a pseudo web is used to manufacture the sheets 10, the release liner 50 must either be (i) cut to the proper length and properly registered with each individual sheet 10 when applied, or (ii) applied as a continuous length to the sheets 10 and then transversely cut so that the individual sheets 10 may be separated.

The repositionable adhesive 40 may be applied to the first major surface 25 of the substrate 20 by (i) directly coating the adhesive 40 onto the substrate 20, (ii) coating the adhesive 40 onto a transfer belt (not shown) with subsequent drying of the adhesive 40 and transfer of the dried adhesive film (not shown) from the transfer belt to the substrate 20, or (iii) coating the adhesive 40 onto a first major surface of a tape strip (not shown) and then adhering the tape strip to the substrate 20 with an aggressive adhesive (not shown) coated onto the second major surface of the tape strip.

When separate release liners 50 are applied over the left and right marginal adhesive strips 40 from continuous rolls (not shown), the rolls should be applied from independently rotatable mandrels (not shown). It was surprisingly discovered that, unless the rolls (not shown) of release liner 50 are started at precisely the same time and maintain exactly the same diameter throughout application of the entire roll (not shown), the rolls will be dispensed at different rates, causing one roll to be unwound and applied under insufficient tension.

Method of Using

Customized signs (not shown) may be quickly and conveniently producing using the sheets 10 by simply obtaining one of the sheets 10 and then printing communicative indicia (not shown) upon the imprintable area 25a of the first 25 and/or the second 26 major surfaces of the sheet 10. High quality printing can be quickly and inexpensively achieved by using a personal computer (not shown) to design the message and a computer printer (not shown) to print the message upon the sheet 10.

Once the communicative indicia (not shown) is printed upon the sheet 10, the sheet may be displayed by simply removing the release liners 50 so as to expose the marginal adhesive strips 40; and then adhering the exposed adhesive strips 40 to a mounting surface (not shown), including roughly textured surfaces, by simply applying hand-pressure to the adhesive strips 40. As mentioned previously, when communicative inidica (not shown) is printed upon the first major surface 25, the sheet 10 should be adhered to a transparent mounting surface (not shown) so that the printed communicative indicia will be viewable through the surface. Alternatively, when communicative inidica (not shown) is printed only upon the second major surface 26, the sheet 10 may be adhered to a transparent, translucent or opaque mounting surface (not shown) since the printed communicative indicia need not be viewable through the mounting surface.

The printed sheets 10 may most beneficially be adhered to the inside of store front windows (not shown) for display.

Claims

A sheet suitable for use as a sign, comprising:

(a) a sheet (10) having (i) imprintable first and second major surfaces (25,26), (ii) first and second opposite edges (23,24) and (iii) margins (23m,24m) extending along the entire length of the first and second edges (23,24), wherein the first and second major surfaces (25,26) are void of primary communicative indicia which would convey the information of the sign when the sheet is in use as a sign.

(b) a repeatedly attachable adhesive strip (40) disposed on the first major surface (25) of the sheet (10) along the entire length of each of said margins (23m,24m) with each adhesive strip (40) offset from the edge (23,24) of the sheet (10), whereby the adhesive strips (40) define (i) adhesive-free tabs (23t,24t) along the entire length of the first and second edges (23,24) of the sheet (10), and (ii) an adhesive-free imprintable area (25a) between the adhesive strips (40); and

(c) at least one release liner (50) covering the marginal adhesive strips (40).
The sheet of claim 1, wherein secondary communicative indicia are printed upon at least one of the imprintable area (25) of the first major surface (25a) of the sheet (10) and the second major surface (26) of the sheet (10) and wherein the secondary communicative indicia are indicia which are distinct from the primary communicative indicia.
The sheet of claim 1 or 2 wherein the sheet is a paper.
The sheet of one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the repeatedly attachable adhesive (40) comprises a blend of polymeric elastomeric microspheres and a pressure sensitive adhesive binder.
The sheet of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the adhesive-free tabs (23t,24t) are independently about 0.5 cm to about 2 cm wide.
The sheet of claim 5 wherein the marginal adhesive strips (40) are independently about 1 cm to about 4 cm wide.
A method of creating a custom printed sheet (10) suitable for use as a sign, comprising:

(a) obtaining a sheet (10) according to claim 1, and

(b) printing the primary communicative indicia upon at least one of the imprintable area (25a) of the first major surface (25) of the sheet (10) and the second major surface (26) of the sheet (10).
The method of claim 7, further comprising:

(c) printing secondary communicative indicia which are distinct from the primary communicative indicia.
A method for displaying the custom printed sheet (10) produced in accordance with the method of claim 7 or 8, comprising:

(a) removing the release liners (50) after communicative indicia has been printed upon the sheet to expose the marginal adhesive strips (40); and

(b) adhering the exposed adhesive strips (40) to a transparent surface, such that the printed communicative indicia on the first major surface (25) is viewable through the transparent surface.
A method of creating a custom printed sheet (10) suitable for use as a sign, comprising:

(a) obtaining a sheet (10) according to claim 1,

(b) printing the primary communicative indicia upon at least one of the imprintable area (25a) of the first major surface (25) of the sheet (10) and the second major surface (26) of the sheet (10);

(c) removing the release liner (50) after printing communicative indicia upon the sheet (10) to expose the marginal adhesive strips (40); and

(d) adhering the exposed adhesive strips (50) to a surface.
A method of making a blank sheet or a blank web suitable for use as a sign, consisting essentially of:

(a) conveying a continuous imprintable opaque web or blank sheet in a first direction, wherein the web or blank sheet has (i) imprintable first and second major surfaces (25,26), (ii) first and second opposite side edges (23,24), and (iii) first and second side margins (23m,24m) extending along the entire length of the opposite side edges, wherein the first and second major surfaces (25,26) are void of primary communicative indicia which would convey the information of the sign when the sheet on web is in use as a sign,

(b) applying a repeatedly attachable adhesive (40) along said side margins (23m,24m) of the first major surface (25) of the conveyed web or blank sheet with an offset from the respective side edge (23,24) of the web or blank sheet, so as to define (i) adhesive-free tabs along the entire length of said edges (23,24) of the web or blank sheet, (ii) marginal adhesive strips (40) extending along the entire length of the edge tabs (23t,24t), and (iii) an adhesive-free imprintable area (25a) between the marginal adhesive strips (40), and

(c) applying separate release liners (50) over each of the marginal adhesive strips (40), as the web or blank sheet is conveyed in the first direction, to form a blank web or blank sheet.
The method of claim 11 wherein application of a repeatedly attachable adhesive composition (40) comprises application of a repeatedly attachable adhesive comprising a blend of polymeric elastomeric microspheres and a pressure sensitive adhesive binder.
The method of claim 11 or 12 wherein the repeatedly attachable adhesive (40) is applied so as to form (i) marginal adhesive strips which are independently about 1 cm to about 4 cm wide.
The method of claim 13 wherein the repeatedly attachable adhesive (40) is applied so as to also form adhesive-free tabs (23t,24t) which are independently about 0.5 cm to about 2 cm wide.