Registers – Records
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-12
2001-02-13
Lee, Michael G (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
C235S486000, C235S469000, C008S400000, C356S244000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186403
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a color measurement system and a device for use with the system, more particularly to the device and process of assigning a numerical value to the color of a material, to provide the ability to reproducibly test fabrics to determine the numerical color value.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
When manufacturers produce fabric, the ability to reproduce that color as close as possible in subsequent production runs is desirable. To this end, the spectrophotometer has been invented and is used throughout the fabric industry. The spectrophotometer assigns a numeric value to an individual fabric specimen, this value being achieved by light absorption of the specimen. This amount of light absorbed by an individual specimen is highly influenced by the pattern within the fabric. Therefore, in some fabrics, especially laces and prints, the readings can vary greatly depending upon the portion and/or direction of the fabric being viewed. Thus, a customer wishing to match a fabric purchased six months prior would read the numeric value of a piece of the fabric and send that number value to the manufacturer. Alternatively they could send the fabric sample to the manufacturer. Although manufacturers generally maintain records of dye lots, if the fabric sample was not mounted exactly the same as the original fabric at the initial reading, the subsequent readings can be inaccurate
The disclosed system overcomes the difficulties of matching dye lots through the use of a closed system to manage fabric specimens and spectrophotometer readings. The disclosed system enables the manufacturer to reproduce the fabric color within variations acceptable to the customer. The system also produces an easy-to-use reference for the customers to reorder the same fabric as well as order a number of different fabrics dyed to match.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A card, generally rectangular, for maintaining a material in a fixed position is disclosed. The card has a body containing a fold line between its two ends which is cut into a V-shape or otherwise scored, to enable the card to fold in on itself. A pair of polygon windows within the body are placed on either side of the fold line. Sealing means, which can run vertically or horizontally to the card ends, or cover the entire card, are placed on a first side of the card secure the card to itself when folded. The material retained can be a fabric swatch overlaying one of the windows and secured within the folded card. In one embodiment the center point of the windows is equidistant from the fold line. The fold line can be approximately equidistant between the ends, forming two sections substantially equal size. Alternatively, the fold line can form asymmetrical sections that, when folded, still align the windows. A fabric recess preferable encompasses one of the windows. A fabric adhesive, preferably releasable, maintains the fabric swatch in position. The fabric adhesive can be placed within the fabric recess or encompassing an opposing window. At least a of portion of a second side of the card should be a light absorbing color. In one embodiment the card can contain receiving notches that are dimensioned to slideably maintain the card on a holder having flanges.
The cards are stored within a pocketed holder having pockets dimensioned to individually store multiple cards on a sheet. The holder is manufactured from a material that will shield the cards from UV light.
A holding plate is dimensioned to be received and affixed to a spectrophotometer and the cards. The holding plate has a length and a width. A slot, open at one end of the holding plate has a width greater than the window and length proximate the length of the holding plate. A window extends through the width window and is positioned to align with said spectrophotometer's window. A light interactive material, such as industry approved color tiles, as well known in the art, is placed adjacent the window opposite the spectrophotometer. The interactive material is placed in a interactive material receiving area that is dimensioned to receive the material. In the preferred embodiment the receiving area is recessed and extends from the front surface for a predetermined distance into the width to form a back wall. A lip spaced from the back wall, extends around at least a portion of the recessed area perimeter. A portion of the slot is open to the recessed area. The holding plate can be manufacture from one piece of the front surface and said back wall can be separate portions and affixed together to form the body.
To use the card and holding plate combination a specific, repeated pattern within said fabric is chosen, centered over a die cutter and cut to create a first specimen. This is repeated to create at least one customer specimen. The fabric adhesive covers are removed from the submit holding card, the first specimen centered over holding card window and placed onto the fabric area adhesive. The permanent adhesive covers are removed and the holding card folded at the fold line and the permanent adhesives to themselves to maintain the holding card in a closed position. The holding card is placed into holding plate and a color reading of the specimen taken. The color reading is stored within the spectrophotometer and printed for affixing to readings the holding card. This is repeated for each specimen. One specimen is retain as a control specimen for reference and at least one other specimen is forwarded to the customer for future ordering. The color reading affixed to the card reflects a numeric value assigned to the fabric swatch by the spectrophotometer and enables subsequent fabric runs to be compared and matched to the control specimen. The customer's specimen enables the customer to compare new and current fabric colors to the customer specimen for reorder and verification of ordered color.
A die cutter for aligning and cutting specimens has a body with a base and a support arm. A cutting blade is affixed to a moveable arm which moves along the support arm through the use of drive means. Preferably a lit cutting pad is adjacent the base and positioned to receive the cutting blade when brought, by the moveable arm, in contact with the cutting pad. Contact of the blade to the pad cuts the specimen placed on the cutting pad after which the arm moves away from the cutting pad to permit removal of the specimen. Preferably the lit pad is a hollow base containing a light source and having a transparent top panel with marking indices. The cutting base, a resilient material to receive said cutting blade, encompasses the transparent top panel. The light source reflects through the transparent top panel, enabling a specimen to be aligned along the indices prior to the cutting blade contacting the cutting base to cut the specimen. Alternatively, the light source is proximate the cutting blade. Preferably the cutting base is removable to permit replacement.
The above card and holding plate provide a fabric color reading and management system to permit reproducible readings of fabric specimens. The spectrophotometer readings are affixed to one side of the card to provide data of the color readings at time of mounting. The opposite side of the card is provided with the company name, specimen and batch identification numbers, etc. The submit holding card is placed into the submit holding plate for reading with the spectrophotometer. The submit holding plate does not require removal after each use, therefore permitting rapid, easy changing of the holding cards. A holding sheet is used to receive the submit holding cards in a UV protected environment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4682890 (1987-07-01), De Macario et al.
patent: 4695727 (1987-09-01), Brierley et al.
patent: 4703943 (1987-11-01), Zelenko et al.
patent: 5174674 (1992-12-01), Norwood
patent: 5180062 (1993-01-01), Stables
patent: 5230709 (1993-07-01), Holfeld et al.
patent: 5245171 (1993-09-01), Fox et al.
patent: 5303487 (1994-04-01), Olson
patent: 5318598 (1994-06-01
Hillcoat David
Ozbey Yalcin
Sharpe Jerry
Lee Diane I.
Lee Michael G
Parker Sheldon H
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