Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-19
2003-06-10
Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06576080
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an adhesive transfer device for applying adhesive to a selected substrate.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,584,962 and 5,580,417 disclose devices that can be used for performing an adhesive transfer operation wherein pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to one side of a selected substrate, such as a printed label or a photograph. These devices each comprise a frame, structure for mounting a set of supply rolls, a pair of nip rollers for applying pressure to the substrates being advanced therethrough, and a manual crank handle for imparting rotation to the nip rollers. One of the supply rolls carries a wound-up supply of an adhesive carrying substrate coated on one side thereof with a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive. The other supply roll carries a wound-up supply of an adhesive mask substrate that has a greater affinity for adhesive bonding than the adhesive carrying substrate.
To perform an adhesive transfer operation using the devices of the aforementioned patents, the mask and adhesive carrying substrates are unwound and fed in between the nip rollers with the adhesive layer engaging the mask substrate. Then, the selected substrate is fed into the nip roller between the adhesive carrying and mask substrates and the user rotates the crank handle to rotate the nip rollers. The rotation of the nip rollers advances the substrates therethrough and discharges them out from the device. The rotation of the nip rollers also applies pressure to the substrates so that the adhesive bonds or adheres to the selected substrate and any portion of the mask substrate extending around the periphery of the selected substrate.
The user then cuts the bonded substrates and peels the mask substrate back from the adhesive carrying substrate to uncover the selected substrate. As the mask substrate is peeled back, any excess adhesive around the periphery of the selected substrate remains bonded to the mask substrate and is removed from the adhesive carrying substrate. Thus, the user can discard the mask substrate, and peel back the selected substrate for adherence to a contact surface as desired. Because the excess adhesive around the periphery of the selected substrate is removed along with the mask substrate, the portions of the adhesive carrying substrate are relatively clean, thereby reducing the potential for adhesive sticking to the user's hands as he/she peels back the selected substrate.
While the devices of the '962 and '417 patents have proven quite effective at the above-described adhesive transfer operation, the costs associated with purchasing these devices can be prohibitive for the occasional user who does not plan on using the device on a regular basis. To date, unless the occasional user is willing to invest in such a device, the only commercially available options are prior adhesive transfer devices, such as glue sticks or spray-on adhesives.
Furthermore, the commercial embodiments of the devices disclosed in the '962 and '417 patents use supply rolls that range between 8½ inches and 25 inches in axial length. For users that desire to make small labels, such as 2 inches by 2 inches, for example, these patented devices may not necessarily be the most cost-effective solutions. In other words, the user may end up with “too much” machine for his small label making needs.
Consequently, there exists a need in the art for a small, hand-held adhesive transfer device that can be manufactured at a low cost, which results in a lower cost machine for the ultimate end user.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to meet the above-described need. To achieve this object, one aspect of the invention provides a hand-held actuatorless adhesive transfer device for performing an adhesive transfer operation wherein adhesive is applied to a selected substrate. The device comprises a frame having a feeding side and a discharge side. The frame is sized and configured to be received in one hand of a user for manual handling and transport. A first supply roll is rotatably mounted within the frame and carries a wound up supply of an adhesive carrying substrate that has an adhesive carrying surface coated with a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive. A second supply roll is rotatably mounted and carries a wound up supply of an adhesive mask substrate. The adhesive carrying substrate is unwound from the first supply roll with a lead end portion thereof extending outwardly from the discharge side of the frame. The mask substrate is unwound from the second supply roll with a lead end portion thereof extending outwardly from the discharge side of the frame adjacent the lead end portion of the carrying substrate.
The frame is constructed and arranged to enable the adhesive transfer operation to be initiated by manually grasping the frame with one hand and inserting a leading edge portion of the selected substrate between the adhesive carrying and mask substrates. The adhesive transfer device further comprising pressure applying structure constructed and arranged such that the adhesive transfer operation can be continued while continuing to manually grasp the frame with the one hand by manually grasping the lead end portions of the adhesive carrying and mask substrates at the discharge side of the frame with the other hand and manually pulling the lead end portions so as to advance the mask, adhesive carrying, and selected substrates together outwardly from the discharge side of the frame. The pressure applying structure applies pressure to the substrates being advanced through the device, thereby causing the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the adhesive carrying substrate to bond to the selected substrate.
Because the device constructed in accordance with this aspect of the invention is hand-held, material costs can be realized over the larger sized prior devices discussed above. Further, because the device is “actuatorless” and instead is operated by pulling on the lead end portion of the substrates, the manufacturing costs associated with making the actuator and connecting the same to associated components within the frame is obviated. Thus, the object of providing a low cost, hand-held adhesive transfer device has been effectively achieved.
Another disadvantage of the prior art devices discussed above is that they are not well-suited for applying adhesive to the edge of a selected substrate. For example, with a large window sign it may be desirable to apply adhesive only to the edge portions so as to make the sign easier to remove after mounting and to reduce the potential for residual adhesive sticking to the window glass. Instead, the device is adapted to apply adhesive over the entire substrate and the only plausible way of limiting the application of adhesive to the edge is by covering the portion that is not to receive adhesive with another substrate during the operation. However, performing such an operation is inefficient and ends up wasting the material used to cover the portion that is not to be adhered. Further, such an operation is not intuitive and it may not be appreciated by many users that such an option is available.
Consequently, there exists a need in the art for an adhesive transfer device that can be used to apply adhesive to the edge portion of a selected substrate. To achieve this object, another aspect of the invention provides an adhesive transfer device for performing an adhesive transfer operation wherein adhesive is applied to one side of a side edge portion of a selected substrate. The device comprises a frame having a feeding side and a discharge side. A first supply roll is rotatably mounted within the frame and carries a wound up supply of an adhesive carrying substrate that has an adhesive carrying surface coated with a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive. A second supply roll is rotatably mounted within the frame and carries a wound up supply of an adhesive mask substrate that has a mask surface.
The frame has a substrate receiving opening extending f
Hardy Jerry
Lemens Paul
Velasquez Joseph P. E.
Crispino Richard
Koch, III George R.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Xyron Inc.
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