Etching a substrate: processes – Forming or treating a sign or material useful in a sign
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-19
2001-07-03
Gulakowski, Randy (Department: 1746)
Etching a substrate: processes
Forming or treating a sign or material useful in a sign
C216S024000, C216S065000, C216S095000, C156S099000, C156S250000, C156S252000, C156S272200, C156S293000, C156S513000, C362S330000, C362S333000, C362S339000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254791
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods for making multicolored panels, and, more particularly, to a method of making multicolored control panels used on control consoles in an operator's cab, such as on a blasthole drill.
It is desirable to have multiple colors on a control panel to help the operator with control recognition. Current control panels are made using two different types of processes. One is a silk screening process which enables a designer to create a multicolored control panel. The designer starts with a clear panel. An appropriate silk screen is then selected to produce the desired colors in the desired locations on the clear panel. The inks used in this process can be chosen to allow light to pass through for back lighting. The more colors the designer adds, the higher the cost. With this method, a finalized design will be released for tooling and templates to be made. This method does not allow for further changes without paying to have new tooling and templates made. Therefore, any control changes or single specials, options, or the like will force the designer to buy more tooling and templates for each new design. Lead times for this process change is normally 6-10 weeks. Because many equipment control panels may include special control panel changes, adding color to a control panel using this method is not practical. Further, silk screening produces a relative thin layer of color, and is normally done on a relative thin clear panel.
The second method for manufacturing nameplates is to engrave the panel using an electronic file from the designer and a CNC engraving machine. With this method, the designer can rapidly make changes to his design without incurring any tooling or template change costs. These panels consist of the panels base color and a clear engraved area. The clear engraved area allows for back lighting the panel, however, this method doesn't allow the designer to add color to the engraved area on the panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a method of making a multicolored panel, comprising the steps of fixing together an opaque layer to a clear layer to form a panel, etching a well into the opaque layer of the panel, and depositing tinted material into the well.
More particularly, this invention provides a method of making an illuminate, multicolored panel, comprising the steps of fixing together a thin opaque layer to a thicker clear layer to form a panel, etching a well into the opaque layer of the panel so that all of the opaque material in the well is removed, depositing tinted epoxy into the well to fill the well, etching a second well into the opaque layer of the panel so that all of the opaque material in the well is removed, and illuminating more than one of the wells from the opaque side of the panel.
One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a multicolored control panel which is thicker than in the prior art, and thus more durable.
Another of the objects of the invention is to more easily permit multiple colors to be used, and to allow for quick changes in the control panel's design.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4862613 (1989-09-01), Eyngrn
patent: 5456955 (1995-10-01), Muggli
patent: 5723843 (1998-03-01), Muggli
patent: 5916450 (1999-06-01), Muggli et al.
Earl Lowe, Jr. James
Gulakowski Randy
Harnischfeger Technologies Inc.
Kornakov Michael
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