GB1561986A - Method of applying advertisements onto vehicles - Google Patents

Description

(54) A METHOD OF APPLYING ADVERTISEMENTS ONTO VEHICLES (71) We, BRITISH TRANSPORT ADVER TRI SING LIMITED, a British Company, of 77 Newman Street, London, W1A lDX, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a method of applying advertisements on vehicle, especially buses, coaches, vans, covered lorries and other road vehicles, including containers which are transported on road vehicles.

The aim of the invention is to provide a method by which printed advertisements can be applied to surfaces which include protrusions such as rivets, and according to the invention a method of applying an advertisement on to an area of a vehicle body external surface includes the steps of first preparing the said area by covering rivets or other protrusions in the area with one or more adhesive-backed synthetic plastics strips to thus provide the area with a smooth surface, and then applying to the smooth surface one or more adhesive-backed sheets of water-resistant material on which the advertisement is printed.

One advantage of this method is that it makes it possible to apply a printed advertisement in an unbroken line round a vehicle body, which is very attractive visually. Another advantage is that it facilitates the application of the printed sheet(s) to the vehicle surface without the usual risk of wrinkles or other surface irregularities appearing in the printed sheet(s). Further, the vehicle can be washed down in automatic washing bays without damaging the adhesion of the printed sheet(s) to the vehicle.

An example of a method in accordance with the invention as applied to a coach is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front part of the coach; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rear part of the coach shown in Figure 1; Figures 3-6 are enlarged perspective views of a small portion of the coach's side illustrating the way in which the system of the invention is applied to the coach; and Figure 7 is a plan view of the reverse side of a plastics strip used in the system.

The coach shown partially in Figures 1 and 2 is of conventional construction. Unlike existing coaches, however, it has a printed advertisement 10 running in an unbroken line round its body 12 from one side of the folding entry doors 14 right round the vehicle to the other side of the doors 14. The advertisement is printed on overlapping sheets 16 (see Figure 6) of an adhesive-backed synthetic plastics material or of an adhesive-backed paper which has a surface treatment (for example, with silicone) to make it resistant to water. The advertisement can be printed in as many different colours as desired, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back of the sheets is preferably protected prior to use of the sheets by a silicone-treated paper which can be peeled off immediately before the printed sheets are to be applied to the vehicle.

To allow the printed sheets to be applied to the coach body without undesirable wrinkling or outting of the sheets, thin strips 18 of adhesive-backed synthetic plastics material are applied to the coach body so as to cover rivets 20 and any other minor protrusions on the body surface. As shown in Figure 7, the strips 18 have lines 22 of pressure-sensitive adhesive on their rear surfaces which are protected, prior to use of the strips, by silicone-treated paper 24 which can then be peeled off. If desired, corner slits 26 can be provided in the strips so that they can conform neatly to the surface of the body.

It will therefore be seen that the printed sheets 16 adhere to the coach side with the interposition, between the coach surface and the printed sheets, of the strips 18 which cover any protrusions on the coach surface.

Some of the advantages of this system have already been mentioned in the introductory part of this Specification. Other advantages include the fact that, when the advertisement has served its purpose, the printed sheets 16 can easiy be peeled off, leaving the strips 18 still in position on the coach body ready for the next advertisement to be applied. In addition, it does not matter if the paintwork of the vehicle is damaged under a printed advertisement as the next advertisement will go over exactly the same area and will thus cover up such damaged paintwork.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of applying an advertisement on to an area of a vehicle body external surface includes the steps of first preparing the said area by covering rivets or other protrusions in the area with one or more adhesive-backed synthetic plastics strips to thus provide the area with a smooth surface, and then applying to the smooth surface one or more adhesivebacked sheets of water-resistant material on which the advertisement is printed.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the printed sheet(s) carrying the advertisement is or are applied to a vehicle body so as to extend in an unbroken line round the body.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the sheet(s) on which the advertisement is printed in or are made of a synthetic plastics material or of paper which has undergone a silicone surface treatment to make it resistant to water.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1-3, in which the adhesive on the back of the sheet(s) is a pressure-sensitive adhesive covered by silicone-treated paper which protects the adhesive and is peeled off immediately before the printed sheet(s) is or are applied to the vehicle.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the synthetic plastics strips have lines of pressure-sensitive adhesive on their rear surfaces which are protected, prior to use of the strips. by silit cone-treated paper which is then peeled off.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, in which corner slits are provided in the strips so that they conform neatly to the vehicle surface.

7. A vehicle carrying an advertisement which has been applied to it by the method of any preceding claim.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. cover any protrusions on the coach surface. Some of the advantages of this system have already been mentioned in the introductory part of this Specification. Other advantages include the fact that, when the advertisement has served its purpose, the printed sheets 16 can easiy be peeled off, leaving the strips 18 still in position on the coach body ready for the next advertisement to be applied. In addition, it does not matter if the paintwork of the vehicle is damaged under a printed advertisement as the next advertisement will go over exactly the same area and will thus cover up such damaged paintwork. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of applying an advertisement on to an area of a vehicle body external surface includes the steps of first preparing the said area by covering rivets or other protrusions in the area with one or more adhesive-backed synthetic plastics strips to thus provide the area with a smooth surface, and then applying to the smooth surface one or more adhesivebacked sheets of water-resistant material on which the advertisement is printed.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the printed sheet(s) carrying the advertisement is or are applied to a vehicle body so as to extend in an unbroken line round the body.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the sheet(s) on which the advertisement is printed in or are made of a synthetic plastics material or of paper which has undergone a silicone surface treatment to make it resistant to water.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1-3, in which the adhesive on the back of the sheet(s) is a pressure-sensitive adhesive covered by silicone-treated paper which protects the adhesive and is peeled off immediately before the printed sheet(s) is or are applied to the vehicle.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the synthetic plastics strips have lines of pressure-sensitive adhesive on their rear surfaces which are protected, prior to use of the strips. by silit cone-treated paper which is then peeled off.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, in which corner slits are provided in the strips so that they conform neatly to the vehicle surface.

7. A vehicle carrying an advertisement which has been applied to it by the method of any preceding claim.