Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Check – label – or tag
Patent
1995-06-15
1999-01-19
Dorner, Kenneth J.
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Check, label, or tag
40594, 434410, B43L 112
Patent
active
058602356
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention comprises an erasable product such as an erasable label, sign or similar. The erasable product of the invention may be a separate label, sign or similar or may be an integral part of another product such as a book for example.
BACKGROUND
In many situations a rewritable label is desirable. For example, when a video cassette has been used to record from television, it is typically labelled by writing details of the recorded program on a paper label on the cassette. Blank video cassettes are typically sold with a number of labels shaped to fit on the cassette. However, when the cassette is used again and another item is added to the tape or over-recorded, the details on the label identifying the first recorded item must be crossed out. Soon there is insufficient room to write identifying details on the cassette once the cassette has been used a few times, and in practice users often simply do not bother to label the cassette because of these difficulties. The same labelling problems arise in labelling computer floppy discs for example, folders or files and in various other labelling situations.
Our PCT patent application WO 92/22434 describes a unique erasable and rewritable label consisting of a wax or similar base layer and an upper sheet over the base layer. The label can be written on and erased for reuse by a finger-wipe erasure action.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved or at least alternative form of erasable product such as a rewritable label, a reusable sign or similar.
In broad terms the invention comprises an erasable product, comprising a base layer and an upper sheet extending over the base layer and fixed in relation to the base layer and providing a smooth and substantially wrinkle free top surface to the product, which upper sheet and base layer are sufficiently releasably adhesive together under pressure applied manually on the upper sheet to cause the upper sheet and the base layer to adhere in the localised region of said pressure but to allow the upper sheet to move sufficiently relative to the base layer to separate the upper sheet from the base layer when a users finger or thumb is wiped across the top surface of the upper sheet, the upper sheet also extending over a "wipe-start" region adjacent the base layer in which wipe-start region the upper sheet and the base layer are not adhesive together, over which region a users finger or thumb may be placed to begin said movement to separate the upper sheet from the base layer.
The upper sheet and the base layer may be made non-adhesive together in the wipe-start region by not applying material comprising the base layer beneath the upper sheet in the wipe-start region, or by applying a coating which prevents the upper sheet and base layer from adhering together to the under surface of the upper sheet or the top surface of the base layer in the wipe-start region.
The erasable product may be an erasable and rewritable label or an erasable sign. It may have a contact adhesive applied to the rear surface or a part of the rear surface of the label or sign enabling it to be stuck on to a video cassette, computer disc, folder or any other object or item. Instead of having a rear surface carrying the base layer, the base layer of the label and upper sheet above it could be applied directly and permanently to an item such as the cover of a folder, a phone card, a ruler or any other solid object.
In a form of erasable product of the invention which is an erasable and rewritable label, details are written on the upper sheet for example with a blunt instrument such as a blunt stylus, a pen or pencil (preferably the non-marking end so as not to permanently mark the erasable product) or any hard object. To erase the label a user's finger is wiped under moderate pressure from the "wipe-start" region across the label over the written details on the label, which are thereby erased.
The upper sheet is preferably translucent to enhance the contrast between the colour of the base l
REFERENCES:
patent: 3943643 (1976-03-01), Fisher et al.
patent: 4051609 (1977-10-01), Boursaw
patent: 4589685 (1986-05-01), Lazar
Bilbie Clive James
Tipper Roy Beverly
Davis Cassandra
Dorner Kenneth J.
Re-Mark-It (Holdings) LTD.
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