U.S. patent application number 12/275562 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-19 for name badge with digitally produced image thereon.
Invention is credited to James P. Peterson.
Application Number | 20090071045 12/275562 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24018112 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090071045 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Peterson; James P. |
March 19, 2009 |
NAME BADGE WITH DIGITALLY PRODUCED IMAGE THEREON
Abstract
A uniquely shaped plate may be transmitted through a card
printer designed to print on only a card having a standard size and
shape. The plate includes a laminate including a card having a
sheet of backing material affixed thereto, preferably by an easy
release adhesive. For example, the card may have a backing, such as
release paper. If the plate is a flexible material, the backing
material is a rigid sheet. The standard card is kiss cut through
its thickness to form segments having contours for making said
unique shape. However, the kiss cut does not cut the sheet of
backing material, which continues to hold the segments in place.
Therefore, the card retains its standard size and shape so that it
may be sent through the card printer with the segments in place.
Then, the segments are separated.
Inventors: |
Peterson; James P.;
(Manitowoc, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP
Two Prudential Plaza, 180 North Stetson Avenue, Suite 2000
CHICAGO
IL
60601
US
|
Family ID: |
24018112 |
Appl. No.: |
12/275562 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10606504 |
Jun 26, 2003 |
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12275562 |
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09507310 |
Feb 18, 2000 |
6585845 |
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10606504 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
40/1.5 ;
283/107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 428/24314 20150115;
G09F 3/10 20130101; Y10T 156/108 20150115; Y10T 156/1064 20150115;
G09F 3/02 20130101; Y10T 156/1075 20150115; Y10T 156/1082 20150115;
Y10T 428/24322 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
40/1.5 ;
283/107 |
International
Class: |
G09F 3/02 20060101
G09F003/02; A44C 3/00 20060101 A44C003/00 |
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. A printing medium for producing badges comprising a plastic
plate of a fixed size and shape, made of a card material; the rear
surface of the card material being covered by a first pressure
sensitive adhesive; the first pressure sensitive adhesive being
covered by paper liner backing; a second layer of pressure
sensitive adhesive on the underside of the paper liner; and a rigid
base adhered to the paper liner backing by the second layer of
pressure sensitive adhesive, whereby the card material, first
pressure sensitive adhesive, and paper liner backing being kiss cut
into segments of unique sizes and shapes, and whereby the card
material may be sent through a card printing machine while the
second adhesive layer holds the segments in place on the rigid base
and then the card material, the first pressure sensitive adhesive
and paper liner backing may be pulled away from the rigid base.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to name badges and more particularly
to a process for making name badges having a digitally produced
image printed thereon, and especially to such badges made of a
thermally debossable and other plastic material.
[0002] For convenience of expression, the term "badge" is used
hereinafter to generically identify all similar devices such as
badges, trophies, business cards, awards, ID card, luggage tags,
signs, key ring tags, and the like.
[0003] Reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,940,864; 4,047,996;
4,267,224; 4,125,655; 4,459,772; 4,497,248; 5,305,538; and
5,398,435. These patents relate to a thermally debossable ("thermal
printing") plastic material which may be used to provide a name
badge having a jewelry like quality and an engraved appearance. The
badges made of this material look like engraved brass, gold, or
silver plates.
[0004] The thermally printing and debossable plastic material is
covered by a plastic film with a metallized surface and may be
imprinted by hot stamping which is a fairly expensive process that
requires a relatively high degree of expertise. While it is easy
for a person to acquire this expertise to use thermal printing if
he does so every few days, it is not too easy for the casual user
who may use it once every six or eight months, for example. From
the manufacturer's viewpoint, the office procedures required to
take orders, print or stamp the plates in response to the specific
orders, ship the stamped plates, bill and collect, answer
complaints, etc. require a relatively large service
organization.
[0005] Some of these prior patents use a plastic plate with a field
of textured material in combination with a transparent tape having
a pressure sensitive adhesive and with graphics on the back of the
tape. When the tape is pressed over the textured area, the badge
appears to have graphics sealed in the plastic forming the
badge.
[0006] The invention is not limited to thermally debossible
material. Quite the contrary, any suitable "card material" (such as
PVC) may be used. This is especially important since modern
plastics may have almost any appearance such as gold, silver,
marble, leather, wood, or the like. Some of these newer materials
are available from the Rowmark Company and the Innovative Plastics
Company.
[0007] On the other hand, many new procedures for making badges
involve card printers using digital data in order to form images.
For example, the Credentia Company of 111 Bren Road West,
Minnotonka, Minn. 55343-9015 produces a line of printers, software,
cameras, video equipment, and the like. This company's card printer
product is sold under the name Data Card. Other companies
manufacturing card printers such as this are Direct Color and Magic
Card.
[0008] I have discovered that the thermal printing material is very
well suited for use in these and other card printers. Moreover, the
thermal printing machines offer the added benefit of mixing various
printing techniques in order to make a truly unique card.
[0009] Digital cameras store the digital image data in a memory
which may be fed into a computer that is a part of or drives a card
printer to print out the image. Likewise, images on 35 mm film, or
the like, are being delivered to a customer in a digital image data
form. Hence, a card printer may use any of this digital image data
in order to place a person's picture or written material on a
badge, id card, or the like.
[0010] Usually, the card material is then fed through the card
printer machine, printed, and then cut to size or shape. The
invention eliminates procedures for cutting the material which
would normally follow the printing of the card material. This card
printing has become more important since the introduction of this
process to the Awards and Engraving industry and because of the
nature of that industry.
[0011] It would be highly desirable to combine the known prior art
structures and techniques, the thermally printing and debossible
material, and similar plastic material with the digital image
printing equipment so that the best features of each may be
utilized. That way existing and new techniques may be mixed and
matched. Thus, for example, a company logo may be debossed into and
thermally printed on the plastic material and then the name, title,
and picture of a person may be printed on the plastic material. Or,
everything except a person's name may be prepared and then the
person may add his own name on a do-it-yourself basis. Some of the
above cited patents enable one to type his own name on a
transparent tape and to press it onto the partly completed badge.
The point is that many unique badges may be made on a
design-it-yourself basis, on a partially do-it-yourself basis, or
on a completely custom made basis. Moreover, by combining
technologies, very unique badges maybe made in a one of a kind
design.
[0012] Another point of interest is in novelty items such as
luggage tags, key ring tags, or the like which may have unique
features, such as the outline of a well known cartoon character.
The crew of a cruise line might want to wear name badges cut out in
the outline of the particular ship on which they serve.
[0013] A difficulty with such creativity is that a card printer
which uses digital imaging to make badges is generally designed for
use with material of a specific shape and size. Thus, for example,
usually business cards, driver's licenses, luggage tags and the
like must be a fixed size and shape before a card printer may be
used, while creativity may seek to use a plastic plate having a
shape in a ship's outline, a circular disk, star or sheriffs badge,
for example. How will a restaurant, hotel, casino, cruise ship,
country club, retail store, or amusement park achieve the cutting
process? The focus of these and other types of end users is not the
same as these in an Awards or Engraving (Trophy) business. They
want the process to be as easy as possible and do not want to make
an investment necessary to further process a blank.
[0014] The inventive process involves pre-cutting the material to
the desired shape before it is fed through the card printer
machine. In the prior art scenario, the material would be fed
through the card printer machine and then cut to shape after it is
printed. Since the material is pre-cut into the desired shape
before it is printed, the end user does not have to provide extra
process steps to complete the badge.
[0015] Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a
process which makes it possible to use the best feature of many
techniques including both the thermal printing on debossible
plastic and the modern card printers. Here, an object is to open
channels for creativity without requiring uniquely designed card
printers.
[0016] Yet another object is to accomplish the foregoing objects
with a minimum amount of specially designed production equipment
and at a minimum capital requirement for entry into the business of
making badges.
[0017] In keeping with an aspect of the invention, these and other
objects of the invention are provided by a process wherein a
standard size card made of suitable material is selected and then
covered on its under-surface by a sheet of backing material adhered
thereto. The next step depends upon the material that is used. For
some particularly flexible materials, a rigid carrier backing plate
may be temporarily added to the card material during their trip
through the card printer machine. For the debossible, thermal
printing plastic material, a suitable logo, depression, textured
strip, etc. step may be applied to the card. Then, the card is cut
(sometimes called "kiss cut") to the desired end shape and to a
depth which cuts the card material without penetrating the sheet of
backing material. This "kiss cut" separates the card material into
a segment or segments held in place by the sheet backing material.
The kiss cut material may then be run directly through the card
printer because the card remains the standard size and shape. Then,
the backing material is peeled away from the kiss cut card material
to separate the segments from the card. Finally, any suitable
mounting step may be carried out to form a means for an attachment
(such as adding a suitable finding hole, jump ring, etc.) of the
separated segment or segments of card material.
[0018] Another unique feature of the inventive process that is that
the material may be hot stamped, silk screened, or some other form
of printing may be applied before being fed through the card
printer. Even though this card printer is capable of printing in
full color, the vibrancy of silk screening and hot stamping is not
otherwise achieved on certain materials.
[0019] The invention will be better understood from the following
description, taken with the attached drawings in which:
[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 are plan views of a suitable card material
having a standard size and shape which fits into a card printer,
with segments of the card material formed by a kiss cut;
[0021] FIG. 2A is a cross section of a textured area of a badge and
a transparent tape with graphics on the back being applied over the
texture;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view showing how the card
material is assembled on a sheet of backing material;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along line 4-4 of FIG.
2.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along line 5-5 of FIG.
2.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a side elevation showing the separated segments
after the backing material has been peeled away and the selvage is
removed;
[0026] FIGS. 7-9 show exemplary findings which may be applied to
the individual segments; and
[0027] FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a structure formed by a
flexible material which has a rigid carrier plate temporarily added
to the back during their trip through the card printing
machine.
[0028] FIGS. 1 and 2 show plates 20, 22 of a suitable card material
in a standard size and shape which a card printer can accommodate.
Depending upon the particular card printer that is used, the plates
20, 22 may be the size of a business card, or it may be in the
nature of 3-inches by 10-inches, or it may be another suitable and
standard size and shape, for example. The point is that card
printers are generally designed to process plates of one specific
size and shape. If a customer wants to use his own size and shape,
he may have to absorb the cost of designing and building a new
machine. The invention is designed to avoid this cost.
[0029] By way of example only, FIG. 1 shows a plate 20 with
segments that might be a luggage or identification badge 24, a star
26, and a sheriffs badge 28. The logo 66 might be a thermally
printed name of a detective or law enforcement agency, for example.
FIG. 2 shows a card 22 with segments forming business card 30 and a
dog tag 32. Of course, these are merely examples. Within reason,
segments of any suitable design may be accommodated.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a side elevation view of a plate made of any
suitable card material 40, such as the thermal printing plastic
described in the above cited patents, PVC, and other materials
which will readily occur to those who are skilled in the art. A
sheet 42 of suitable backing material is adhered to the bottom of
the card material plate 40, preferably by means of a or releasable
pressure sensitive adhesive 44. An example of a suitable backing
material is a or a PVC of thickness required to have the material
pass through the digital printer depending on thickness of material
being printed plastic coated release paper which is found on the
thermal printing material of the above identified patents.
[0031] Many of the card materials that are available for this
inventive process do not come with a backing paper. In order to
keep the material forming segments from separating from the card
material while being cut, these materials are attached to a backing
paper with an easy release adhesive. This way, the outside size and
shape which the currently available card printers require is
retained, so that the material can be printed, while the card is
adapted to the customer's needs.
[0032] Once the backing material 42 is bonded to the plate of card
material 40, the plate is subjected to suitable means which "kiss
cuts" the card material into segments as shown in FIG. 4. This
"kiss cutting" may be carried out by a die, laser, shearing, or
engraving machine (hereinafter collectively called "die"). In
greater detail, the die or the like (not shown) penetrates and cuts
the card material 40, but does not enter into or cut the sheet
backing material 42. The resulting cuts are defined in FIG. 4 by
the vertical edges 46, 48 of the business card segment 30. The cuts
50, 52 define the edges of the dog tag segment 32. If the cross
section is taken some place other than line 4-4 of FIG. 2, the cut
marks would conform to the locations of the edges of the segments
where the cross section is taken. The notation "S" indicates
selvage that is to be discarded.
[0033] The point is that each segment is cut completely through the
thickness of the card material 40, but the segment or segments are
held in place by the sheet of backing material 42. Hence, the
entire plate 20 or 22 remains intact and in a shape and size which
may be fed through the card printer.
[0034] The next step depends upon how the segment is to be treated
in order to customize the material 40. For example, FIG. 1 shows a
tag 24 having a slot or hole 46 for receiving a strap or ribbon so
that it can hang on luggage or around the neck. The users name and
address 54 might be debossed in thermal printing material and his
picture 56 printed by a card printer. The inventive process also
lends itself to silk screening, hot stamping, and other printing
techniques. Hereinafter, all of these and other printing techniques
are herein called "forming an image". Any of these techniques may
be mixed or matched.
[0035] A star 26 or badge 28 may be provided for a security guard,
for example. The star 26 has a hole 60 so that it may be attached
to a chain or a key ring for example. The name 62 may be applied by
a card printer, or other image forming means, for example. The
badge 28 may have a guard's picture 64 printed thereon by a card
printer and perhaps a company logo 66 hot stamped thereon.
[0036] The business card 30 of FIG. 2 might have the user picture
68 and other printed material 70 (name, address, occupation, title,
etc.) applied by a card printer or other image forming means. A
textured area 72 provides a number of shallow depressions to
receive a pressure adhesive, transparent tape 73 (FIG. 2A) without
leaving air bubbles under the tape. Some of the cited patents
explain how graphics 75 may be placed on the back of the
transparent tape 73 so that when viewed through the tape, the
graphics appear to be integral with and sealed into the plastic of
the card material. This arrangement enables a business, for
example, to buy blank cards which may be customized to identify the
individual who receives a card.
[0037] Also, a depressed area, which may be made either before or
after the kiss cut, may be provided to establish an aid for
alignment in order to receive a sticker, decal, ornamentation, or
the like. For example, the sticker might say "manager" or some
other identifying information which individualizes an otherwise
generic card. Or the depression might receive an ornamentation such
as mother of pearl, or the like.
[0038] FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and
shows depression 74 which represents any and all of this type of
customization. The depression 74 may be made in any suitable shape
and simultaneously with the texture at 72. For example, it could be
an angel in bas relief.
[0039] The business card 30 is intended to show that the end
product may be complex. The dog tag 32 is intended to show that the
invention may also include the very simple. Item 76 is a simple
hole for securing the dog tag to a ring, or the like, on a dog
collar.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 6, once the segments are completed and the
card printer has printed a suitable image, etc., the backing
material may be peeled away and the selvages discarded leaving the
segments 30, 32 as free standing badges. Then, any suitable
findings may be applied thereto. For example, FIG. 7 shows a pin
back, FIG. 8 shows an alligator clip 86, and FIG. 9 shows a simple
jump ring 84. The alligator clip has a movable jaw 86 pivotally
attached at 88 to a stationary jaw 90 and spring biased to a closed
position. When a force F is applied to an end 92 of lever 82, it
moves away from stationary jaw 90 to admit part of clothing into
the jaw. When force F is removed, the jaws close to capture the
part of clothing. Any other suitable findings may be used.
[0041] Since some card materials are too weak to be a free standing
badge, FIGS. 7 and 8 show the card material 94 adhered to a metal
or other plate 96. If the card material is, say, PVC or another
sturdy material, the metal backing plate may not be required.
[0042] In greater detail, some of the material which may be used to
make badges may be relatively flexible. Perhaps, the badges might
be sew-on patches, appliques, materials to be attached or adhered
to cloth by a hot iron, or the like. Perhaps the badge might be a
name plate to be added to a plaque or sign that hangs on a wall or
sets on a desk. For what ever reason, the desire is to make a
flexible badge which is not rigid enough to travel through a card
printer machine. For this situation, a laminate structure such as
that shown in FIG. 10 may be used. The printable surface 100 may be
the exposed surface on any suitable flexible or semi-flexible badge
material 102 such as plastic, fabric, paperboard, or the like. The
rear surface of badge material 102 is covered by a first pressure
sensitive adhesive 104, and then covered by a paper liner backing
106. Depending upon the nature of the desired end product, the
liner paper 106 backing may be either a removable release paper or
a non-release paper which is permanently bonded to the flexible
badge material 102.
[0043] Next, a second layer of pressure sensitive material 108 is
placed on the underside of paper liner 106. Depending upon the
particular needs of a particular product, a release paper (not
shown) may temporarily protect the second layer of adhesive 108.
However, the adhesive layer 108 and its associated laminate 102-106
is placed on a rigid base layer 110 which is sturdy enough to go
through the card printer machine. An example of a suitable rigid
material is a relatively thin card made of PVC.
[0044] The second layer 108 of adhesive is pressed directly on the
rigid base 110 and then the layers 102-106 of the laminate are
"kiss cut. Then the card is sent through the card printing machine
while the second adhesive layer 108 holds the segments in place on
the rigid base. Then the laminate including the flexible material
is peeled away from the rigid base 110.
[0045] The resulting product may involve a substantial or
insubstantial amount of do-it-yourself work depending upon the
customer's desires. For example, if the customer owns or has access
to a card printer and a digital camera, he may apply his own
pictures 56, 64, 68. If he does not have such access, he may have
the picture taken by someone having such a camera and then have
them supply the picture to him on a floppy disk which may drive the
card printer. Indeed, many modern film processors will generate
digital pictures from 35-mm pictures taken by conventional cameras,
and deliver them recorded on a suitable memory means. Other
customers may own or have access to printers which apply graphics
to the back of transparent tape for application over textured area
72. Still other customers may buy blank badges having some graphics
debossed on the thermal plastic and then customize those blanks in
their own way for the individual who will wear the completed
badges. For example, these customers might do their own silk
screening.
[0046] Hence, a relatively great flexibility is realized by the
invention for enabling the manufacturer and the user to accommodate
a great variety of styles, graphics, methods of operation, and the
like.
[0047] Those who are skilled in the art will readily perceive
various modifications which fall within the scope and spirit of the
invention. Therefore, the appended claims are to be construed to
cover all equivalents falling within such scope and spirit of the
invention.
* * * * *