GB2331175A

GB2331175A - Marking indicia for domestic appliance surfaces

Info

Publication number: GB2331175A
Application number: GB9824302A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roberto Pezzetta
Original assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA; Electrolux Zanussi SpA
Current assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA; Electrolux Zanussi SpA
Priority date: 1997-11-05
Filing date: 1998-11-05
Publication date: 1999-05-12
Also published as: IT243441Y1; FR2770438A1; ES1041508U; FR2770438B3; ITPN970045V0; GB9824302D0; ES1041508Y; DE29818553U1; ITPN970045U1

Abstract

The walls of domestic appliances (e.g a refrigerator or dishwasher) are marked by the application of letters or figures in the form of thick, transparent, flexible bodies 1. The bodies may be attached by means of adhesive or support foil 5. The bodies may have rounded edges.

Description

IMPROVED DEVICE FOR APPLYING MARKINGS The invention relates to a device for the apposition of a mark to a smooth surface, in particular a casing of an electrical appliance for domestic use, such as for example a refrigerator or a dishwasher.

It is known that the apposition of the mark or brand in relation to domestic appliances frequently represents a problem since two contrasting requirements have to be resolved, more specifically: - on the one hand the mark or brand has to be highly visible and thus with large characters and possibly disposed in the region of the electrical domestic appliance which is most in view, typically on the face which is in view of the operator; and - on the other hand to be able to satisfy those requirements it becomes absolutely necessary to stamp or suitably process the sheet material or at any event the relevant surface, which involves obvious cost problems, or dispose on that surface suitable plaques, transfers and the like which bear the mark or brand.

However this latter solution is not very highly rated by virtue of its excessively precarious character and in consideration of the impression of meanness that it entails, so that in order to minimise such an impression the preference is to mark with such additional means only a small area on the appliance, preferably at a position corresponding to the control panel when available.

In addition that solution relates to a mark or brand, however applied, of small dimensions and thus not always clearly legible, in particular when it is disposed on the upper control panel of a refrigerator of substantial height.

It would therefore be desirable, and this is the aim of the present invention, to provide a device for applying the mark which does not involve any operation for working the subjacent surface, which automatically assumes the same colouring as the surface, which adheres without complicated and expensive operations, which can assume substantial dimensions and which can assume the appearance of a relief configuration or working provided on the surface itself.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for applying script and/or figures to a wall of a domestic appliance which is formed by a plurality of thick, flexible bodies which can be produced in the desired shape and dimensions in such a way as to be capable of reproducing the desired figure, provided on the side thereof for application to said support walls with a flat smooth external surface.

The invention will be better appreciated from the following description given solely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a semi-side external perspective view of some devices for marking surfaces according to the invention; Figure 2 is a semi-side external perspective view of the same devices but showing the portions of the sections generated between said devices and planes orthogonal to the surface of application of said devices; Figure 3 shows a front view of the devices according to the invention; Figure 4 shows a lateral section of devices according to the invention, obtained in a section plane orthogonal to the surface of application of said devices; and Figure 5 shows a second lateral section of the same devices according to the invention, in a section plane orthogonal to the surface of application of said devices and also the section plane in Figure 4.

The invention essentially comprises the provision of a plurality of flexible bodies 1 involving the shape and dimensions of the figure or character which it is desired to read. As shown in Figure 1 suitable application to the support wall 2 of said flexible bodies 1 creates the complete image or marking which is to be recognised on the wall surface to be marked.

So that those flexible bodies can be easily applied to the wall in question it is advantageous for the respective contact surface 3 which is applied to the wall to be at least partially stretchable in a plane.

That fact greatly improves the possibility of the flexible bodies adhering to the respective wall, such adhesion being further enhanced if interposed between the wall and the contact surface 3 of the flexible bodies is a layer of adhesive substance involving suitable characteristics which can be easily identified by the man skilled in the art on the basis of the characteristics of the materials to be joined together from time to time.

Furthermore in order to simulate in an even better fashion a 'pressing' effect in respect of the wall which represents the image to be accentuated, it is highly desirable for the flexible bodies to be rounded in their zones 4 which correspond to the outwardly facing curved parts, as is shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5; Figure 2 also constitutes a further contribution to understanding the geometry of the devices since shown therein as an axonometric and partially transparent view are some sections 13 between those devices and respective planes H orthogonal to the support walls 2 and intersecting the respective devices.

In order then to avoid different colouring of the bodies being able naturally to give rise to the suspicion that they are added, but instead that they are stamped or pressed, it is appropriate for them to be generally transparent, as can be achieved with various types of substances, for example, the polyurethane resin which is known commercially as 'LCR 225/D + DK 155/D' produced by SPECIAL ENGINES in such a way that the colour of the subjacent wall appears through the bodies which are thus more easily viewed as being stamped or pressed from the subjacent wall.

Finally in order to improve the characteristics of adhesiveness of the bodies an ameliorative variant has been found involving interposing between them and the respective wall a portion 5 of suitably shaped semi-rigid sheet or foil having a support function and naturally being of the same profile as the common contact surface; the portion 5 of foil can be easily obtained from a portion of polycarbonate foil.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A device for applying script and/or figures to a wall of a domestic appliance which is formed by a plurality of thick, flexible bodies which can be produced in the desired shape and dimensions in such a way as to be capable of reproducing the desired figure, provided on the side thereof for application to said support walls with a flat smooth external surface.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least partially the curvature zones of the device and which face outwardly are of a rounded shape.
3. A device according to either of the preceding claims and which is made of transparent material.
4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said material is the resin LCR 255/D + DK 155/D from 'Special Engines'.
5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the application thereof to said support wall requires the interposition of a suitable adhesive substance and/or a support foil portion, for example of polycarbonate.
6. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. A domestic appliance having a device according to any one of the preceding claims affixed to a wall thereof.