Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1996-03-20
2001-08-21
Elve, M. Alexandra (Department: 1725)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S209000, C156S220000, C156S553000, C156S581000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06277228
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Almost all articles of manufacture include some type of identification, such as source, maker, model no., warnings, etc. In some instances, manufacturing regulations require it. Many different types of labels have been used in the past in this regard, such as less permanent stickers, wired tags, paint, and thin metal (usually aluminum) plates with an embossed or debossed marking attached to the articles using screws, nails, or rivets, etc. Sometimes a marking is engraved, debossed, embossed, or burnt directly onto the articles. For instance, in leather goods, markings are branded directly onto the articles using a hot iron. In this regard, one known type of consumer branding tool was sold in the trade name of BRAN-DET™ by Marketing International Inc., Topeka, Kans., which tool was advertised for branding wood, plastic, leather, and rubber. Labels and markings thus have considerable utility, particularly in the manufacturing industry.
In the past, articles, particularly home appliances and tools, were manufactured using a metal or wood housing. Any of the above noted labels could be used with these types of appliances. But now, more and more appliances are leaning toward housings made from thermoplastics, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystylene. These newer types could also use aforementioned conventional labels. With consumer safety in mind, many times appliances need to instruct the consumer of certain hazards associated with its use. Typically in the past, warnings or safety instructions were included in a label affixed to the articles. It would be desirable to make the label as permanent as possible. Glued, screwed, or riveted labels can come off through use or wear. Markings can also be engraved, but the newer materials do not necessarily provide a good result and they can also be difficult to apply.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,436 to Richey discloses an alternative method of forming indicia by melting away the top layer of a label while leaving the lower layer visible. While this method may provide a distinctively visible marking, when the label is taken off, it too is removed along with the label.
Consumers are often wary of buying stolen appliances (if bought used) or their own appliances being stolen. It would be desirable for the owner to leave a permanent indicia, such as the owner's name, on the appliance. While the commercial labels can be used for this purpose, the consumers usually do not have access to the necessary tooling, such as a metal stamping tool, rivets, etc. And commercially available labels are not too much different from the label taught by the '436 in that the markings come off along with the label. There is a need for an alternative, efficient, and economic way of permanently marking consumer goods, either commercially or by the end user. The present invention fulfills this need.
SUMMARY
The present invention is drawn to a method of forming or debossing a permanent identification mark or indicia onto a plastic material, such as a housing of an appliance, which housing melts when heated to a predetermined temperature. According to the present invention, a label having an adhesive on one side is applied to the substrate or housing with the adhesive side in contact with the substrate or housing. The label, including the adhesive, also melts when heated to the predetermined temperature. The adhesive is preferably of the type that permanently adheres the label to the substrate or housing.
Predetermined portions of the label, which portions form the outline of the permanent mark or indicia, are then heated to at least the predetermined temperature to melt away those portions. The portions of the substrate or housing that have been exposed by the melting of the predetermined label portions are also heated to the predetermined temperature and melted away to a predetermined depth, leaving a permanent mark or indicia debossed into the substrate or housing. Thus, even if one were to forcibly remove the label, the mark or indicia remains with the substrate or housing.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the heating of the label and the substrate or housing can be accomplished by providing a heating device with a debosser, which has the mark or indicia protruding from or embossed from a backing. The embossed mark or indicia, which is heated to at least the predetermined temperature, is penetrated into the substrate or housing through the label to melt away the predetermined label portions and, consequently, the exposed substrate portions to the predetermined depth. Thus, the melting of the predetermined label portions and the exposed substrate portions takes place substantially simultaneously or continuously consecutively.
A highly visible identification mark or indicia can be formed according to the present invention by selecting the color of the label to contrast the mark or indicia.
The label preferably consists essentially of a commercially available polyester film, such as MYLAR® and MELINEX®, and a commercially available general purpose label backing adhesive.
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Fabrikant Marvin
Fabrikant Patricia
Elve M. Alexandra
Foley & Lardner
LandOfFree
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