Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Decorative article
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2001-06-19
Jones, Deborah (Department: 1775)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Decorative article
C428S014000, C428S064100, C428S066500, C428S066600, C428S066700, C070S45600R, C070S457000, C040S634000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248451
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS, IF ANY
None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of leather articles, such as leather fobs or tags used with duffle bags, luggage, golf bags, brief cases and the like. More specifically, the preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a leather surround for metallic decorative articles, such as decorative articles made from pewter. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing such an article wherein the decorative article is firmly adhered within a leather surround by using a liquid adhesive to attach it to a plastic mesh sewn between sheets of leather.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Key fobs, bag tags, brief case tags, luggage tags and the like have been known for many years and have been prepared in a variety of sizes, shapes, and from a variety of different types of materials. Some of such devices have included combinations of different materials such as flat, painted metal sheets adhered to natural or synthetic leather using an adhesive. Leather does not adhere well to most adhesives due to the oils and surface textures of the leather, and alternative approaches have been employed, especially when the metal is expensive or where in the decoration of the sheet is itself is intricate and/or expensive. Because of the flexibility of leather, there has always been a tendency for the metal portion to break loose from the backing when an adhesive is used.
One solution to the above-noted problems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,466, entitled “Leather Surround For Decorative Articles” issued on Mar. 15, 1994 to one of the present inventors. In this patent, a technique is suggested wherein two leather sheets are stitched to one another, one of the leather sheets having an opening therein to receive the decorative article. The article described in this patent includes a flange surrounding at least a portion of its outer boundary and adapted to be received between the two sheets of leather. The stitching of the leather sheets preferably is provided immediately to the outside of the flange and, the patent suggests, that an adhesive may be used to assist in bonding the article and maintaining a desired orientation.
It is highly desirable in the creation of tags and fobs using relief pewter castings and the like to improve the aesthetic appeal and durability as much as possible. Because it is becoming increasingly common for consumers to personalize expensive accessories, the ability to prepare leather and metal combinations is becoming increasingly important. It is also becoming increasingly common to have consumers personalize articles and by-products, including artistically detailed displays, including relief images. Such images can be pictorial, graphic, corporate logos and/or combinations of the foregoing with information identifying the purchaser. As an example of the latter, it is relatively common to have the initials of a purchaser engraved in the article.
Regardless of the types of materials which have heretofore been used, when leather is employed as the main support for the decorative article, it has been necessary to employ an adhesive of some sort, and all adhesives known to the present inventors have a tendency to fail, resulting in reduced aesthetics and potential loss of the decorative article itself. It would be highly desirable to provide a surround for a decorative article which could be in the form of a leather tag or fob, and in which the article is securely attached.
FEATURES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary feature of the present invention is to provide a leather surround for decorative articles which overcomes the manufacturing and security defects of the prior art.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a leather surround for decorative articles which may be made in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing technique for preparing leather surrounds for decorative articles which eliminates the need to provide a flange around the article itself.
A different feature of the present invention is to provide a leather surround for decorative articles in which final assembly may be conducted at a location different from that where the leather sheets are sewn together, and which will permit the leather surround inventories to be manufactured before orders are received for the decorative articles themselves.
Yet a further feature of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive and reliable manufacturing method for preparing leather surrounds for decorative articles.
How these and further features of the present invention are accomplished will be described in the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment taken in conjunction with the FIGURES. Generally, however, they are provided by providing a first leather sheet and a second leather sheet having an opening therein sized to contain the decorative article. The two sheets are sandwiched about a plastic mesh and are sewn together so that the mesh is captured by the stitching. A decorative article, which can be made from pewter or other materials, is subsequently placed within the opening in the second leather sheet after an adhesive is added to the mesh which couples the rear surface of a decorative article to the mesh. In the most preferred embodiment, the mesh is nylon and the adhesive is a cyanoacrylate. Other ways in which the features of the present invention are accomplished will become apparent to those skilled in this art after they have reviewed this specification. Such other ways are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention if they fall within the scope of the claims which follow.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5294466 (1994-03-01), Baughman
Bahta Abraham
Bergamot Incorporated
Foley & Lardner
Jones Deborah
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