Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVED REPOSITIONABLE BLANK SIGNAGE SHEETS
AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THEM
FIELD OF THE ~NVENTION
The invention relates to signage sheets.
BACKGROUND
Businesses commonly prepare customized advertising signage on-site, which
are then displayed by mounting the signage on a bulletin board or taping the signage
to a window with adhesive tape. The use of such signage has expanded
significantly in recent times due to the wide-spread prevalence of high quality
computer printers capable of imprinting professional quality text and graphics on
such signage.
While the quality of the text and graphics imprinted upon such signage has
improved significantly, the mechanisms utilized to mount the signage for display has
not changed much over the years. The most common mechanisms continue to be
push-pins and lengths of adhesive tape pulled from a standard roll of office tape~
Accordingly, a substantial need exists for an improved mech~nism for
mounting such signage upon both transparent and opaque vertical surfaces which (i)
does not interfere with the printing process, (ii) allows the signage to be
repositioned, (iii) does not mark the surface upon which the signage is mounted,(iv) does not leave any residue, and (v) allows the signage to be mounted upon avariety of surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have invented a simple, easy to use, repositionable, adhesively mounted,
blank signage sheet which is compatible with copy machines and computer printersand provides extended hang time on a variety of surfaces from glass window panes~ to concrete blocks. The signage sheet includes (i) a sheet having imprintable first
and second major surfaces which are essentially void of communicative indicia, (ii)
repositionable adhesive strips disposed on the first major surface of the sheet along
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repositionable adhesive strips disposed on the first major surface of the sheet along
each of the margins, with each adhesive strip offset from the edge of the sheet so as
to define adhesive-free tabs along the first and second edges of the sheet, and (iii)
release liners covering the marginal adhesive strips. An adhesive free imprintab}e
area is provided between the adhesive strips.
We have also invented a method of making our unique signage sheet and
methods of making customized signs from our signage sheets and displaying such
customized signs.
The method of making blank signage includes the steps of (i) conveying a
o continuous, imprintable, essentially blank web in a first direction, (ii) applying a
repositionable adhesive along the side margins ofthe first major surface ofthe
conveyed web so as to define marginal adhesive strips and an adhesive free
plhllable area between the marginal adhesive strips on the first major surface; and
(iii) applying release liner over the marginal adhesive strips as the web is conveyed
in the first direction. The web may be either a true web fed from a continuous roll
or a pseudo web of overlapped individual sheets. Alternatively, individual sheets
may be separately processed in accordance with this method.
When a true web is used to manufacture the blank signage, the method
further includes the step of transversely cutting the resultant continuous length of
blank signage to form individual blank signage sheets.
When a pseudo web is used to manufacture the blank signage and a
continuous length of release liner is applied to the pseudo web, the method further
includes the step of transversely cutting the continuous length of release liner to
allow separation of the individual blank signage sheets.
The method of creating customized signs includes the steps of obtaining one
of our unique signage sheets as described above and then printing communicative
indicia upon the imprintable area of the first and/or second major surfaces of the
signage sheet.
The method of displaying the custom printed signage sheet includes the
steps of removing the release liners to expose the marginal adhesive strips; andadhering the exposed adhesive strips to a mounting surface. When communicative
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inidica intended for display is printed upon the first major surface, the signage sheet
should be adhered to a transparent mounting surface so that the printed
communicative indicia will be viewable through the surface. Alternatively, when
communicative inidica intended for display is printed only upon the second majors surface, the signage sheet may be adhered to a transparent, translucent or opaque
mounting surface since the printed communicative indicia need not be viewable
through the surface.
DESCR~PTION OF THE DRAWINGS
o Figure 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the signage sheet of invention
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the signage sheet embodiment shown in Figure
1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the signage sheet
embodiment shown in Figure 1 depicting the various layers of material disposed
along the margins of the signage sheet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
INCLUDING BEST MODE
De~lnitions
The term "repositionable adhesive" is a term of art which is utilized herein in
accordance with its standard industry meaning. Broadly, a repositionable adhesive
is an adhesive which permits typical label and signage substrates, such as paper and
polymeric films, to be repeatedly attached to and removed from various surfaces
without significant loss in adhesive strength, without leaving adhesive residue upon
the surface, and without destruction of the substrate.
As utilized herein, the term "computer printer" includes the various
commercial, industrial and personal impact and nonimpact printers, other than those
which require specially coated paper to produce the image (e.g, thermal transferprinters and dye sublimation printers), such as dot matrix, ink jet and laser jet
printers.
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As utilized herein, the term '~imp~ lable7t is utilized in its broadest sense toindicate a surface capable of accepting and retaining communicative indicia by one
or more of the well-known means of producing such indicia, from handwriting to aHeidelberg press, utilizing any of the well-known im~ing compositions ranging
5 from aqueous-based dyes to electrostatic toners.
As utilized herein, the term "printing" is utilized in its broadest sense to
include all of the well-known personal and commercial means of producing
communicative indicia upon a substrate, including specifically, but not exclusively,
handwriting, painting, printing on a computer printer, printing on a printing press,
o screen printing, xerographic copying, etc.
As utilized herein, the term "communicative indicia" means indicia which
conveys information, including specifically, but not exclusively, letters (such as
"X"), numbers (such as "40%"), words (such as "On Sale"), symbols (such as
"a"), and designs (such as "The Triple Arrow Reduce/~euse/Recycle Design").
As utilized herein, the term "design indicia" means ornamental or decorative
indicia which does not convey information, including specifically, but not
exclusively, a background pattern or color, and a decorative border.
As utilized herein, the phrase "roughly textured surface" means an uneven
surface having various irregularities which results in a significant reduction in the
20 surface area available for contacting the marginal adhesive strips 40 of a signage
sheet 10 adhered to the surface. Surface which are typically "roughly textured
surfaces" include specifically, but not exclusively: painted and unpainted brickand/or mortar, painted and unpainted cinder block and/or mortar, painted and
unpainted concrete, textured drywall, cork board, woven and ribbed fabric, textured
25 polymeric surfaces such as computer cabinets, refrigerator doors, and kitchencabinets, painted and unpainted rock walls, textured vinyl wallpaper, and fabricwallpaper. Examples of surfaces which, unless intentionally textured to provide a
rough surface, are generally not roughly textured surfaces include: surface
l~min~ted countertops such as Formica(~), polished painted and unpainted metal
30 surfaces such as metal automobile bodies and aluminum clad exterior doors,
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window glass panes, painted and unpainted wood, and varnished and unvarnished
wood.
As utilized herein, the phrase "pseudo web of overlapped individual sheets"
means a plurality of individual sheets wherein the trailing edge of each sheet
s overlaps or underlies the leading edge of a subsequent sheet so as to form a
continuous line of individual sheets which can be processed as a normal continuous
web since upper and lower rollers and other mechanisms in contact with the sheets
are continuously separated by the pseudo web.
As utilized herein, the phrase "essentially void of communicative indicia"
o means that any communicative inidica is sized, positioned, shaded, colored andotherwise of such a nature as to avoid interfering with the printing, viewing and
display of any primary communicative indicia printed upon the sheet by the end
user, with such secondary indicia substantially inconspicuous to the intended
audience of the primary communicative indicia. Examples of common
5 communicative indicia which could be printed upon a major surface of a sheet while
m~int~ining the status of the surface as "essentially void of communicative indicia"
would include a water mark and a manufacturers label (i.e., "made by 3M") in 8
point type-font positioned along an edge of an A4 sized signage sheet.
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Nomencl~ture
10 Signage Sheet
20 Imprintable Substrate
21 Top Edge of Imprintable Substrate
s 22 Bottom Edge of Imprintable Substrate
23 Right Edge of Imprintable Substrate
23m Right Margin of Imprintable Substrate
23t Right Edge Tab
24 ~eft Edge of Imprintable Substrate
0 24m Left Margin of Imprintable Substrate
24t ~eft Edge Tab
25 First Major Surface of Imprintable Substrate
25a Imprintable Area of First Major Surface
26 Second Major Surface of Imprintable Substrate
5 30 Bleed-Resist Coating
40 Repositionable Adhesive
50 Release Liner
Construction
The signage sheet 10 of our invention may be provided in any desired shape
including circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, trapezoids, pentagons, etc.
However, since consumer preference and ease of manufacture generally dictate theproduction of rectangular signage sheets 10, the remainder ofthe discussion will be
based upon a rect~ng~ r signage sheet 10.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the signage sheet 10 is based upon an
imprintable substrate 20 having a top edge 21, a bottom edge 22, a right edge 23, a
left edge 24, and first 25 and second 26 major surfaces. The major surfaces 25 and
26 are i"".l illl~ble, but provided to an end user essentially void of communicative
indicia (not shown) so that the end user may customize communicative indicia
printed on the signage sheet 10 without interference from plep"~lted communicative
indicia. Design indicia (not shown), such as a background pattern or a border, may
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be imprinted upon the first 25 and/or second 26 major surfaces as desired. When
design indicia (not shown) is provided on both the first 25 and the second 26 major
surfaces, the appearance of phantom images, caused by design indicia from one
surface showing through to the other surface, may be prevented by (i) the use ofstandard bleed resist 30 and opaque (not shown) coatings, and/or (ii) printing the
design indicia as mirror images.
The substrate 20 may be of substantially any size, with the lower limit
dictated primarily by the need for sufficient space to imprint an appropriately sized
communicative image (not shown) and the upper limit dictated primarily by
o limitations on the printing equipment to be used, as well as the ability to handle the
signage sheet 10 and limitations on display space. As a practical matter, customer
p~ efel ~nce is for a rectangular signage sheet 10 of about 200 to I ,000 cm2,
preferably about 400 to 600 cm2, and between about 5 to 100 cm wide by 5 to 100
cm long, preferably 15 to 25 cm wide and 20 to 40 cm long.
The substrate 20 may be constructed from any of the various opaque,
transparent or translucent imprintable sheet materials known in the industry,
including paper and polymeric films. Since the signage sheet 10 is designed to
permit production of custom printed signage with communicative indicia (not
shown) on one or both major surfaces 25 and 26 of the substrate 20, the substrate
20 is preferably constructed of an opaque material.
The right 23m and left 24m margins ofthe first major surface 25 are coated
with a repositionable adhesive 40 along the entire length of the right 23m and left
24m margins so as to define marginal adhesive strips 40. While the repositionable
adhesive 40 may be pattern coated or coated along less than the entire length of the
2s margins 23m and 24m, such coating styles are not generally preferred due to the
decreased adhesive strength provided by such incomplete marginal adhesive strips40 and accompanying increase in the risk that the signage 10 will separate from a
vertical mounting surface (not shown).
The adhesive strips 40 are offset from the right 23 and left 24 edges of the
substrate 20 so as to define a right edge tab 23t and a left edge tab 24t which is free
of adhesive. The tabs 23t and 24t facilitate removal of the signage sheet 10 from a
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mounting surface (not shown) as they do not adhere to the mounting surface and
can be grasped without having to del~min~te a corner ~unnumbered) of the sheet 10
from the mounting surface first. The tabs 23t and 24t preferably extend along the
entire length ofthe substrate 10 and are provided along both the right 23 and left 24
5 edges so that a user need not search for the tab 23t, 24t when removing the signage
10 from a mounting surface (not shown). The tabs 23t and 24t are preferably about
0.5 to 2 cm wide. Tabs 23t and 24t of less than about 0.5 cm are difficult to grasp
while tabs 23t and 24t of greater than about 2 cm wide are susceptible to curling,
crumpling or other damage during use without a corresponding improvement in the
lo ease with which the substrate 10 can be removed from a mounting surface (not
shown).
The top (unnumbered) and bottom (unnumbered) margins of the first major
surface 25 may also optionally be coated with a repositionable adhesive 40 so as to
define top and bottom marginal adhesive strips (not shown). However, the addition
15 of such top and bottom marginal adhesive strips (not shown) provides only limited
advantages and is generally not preferred due to the detrimental side effects of (i)
increased time and expense involved in manufacturing such signage sheets 10 due to
the need to add the cross-directional top and bottom marginal adhesive strips
(llnnllmbered) and accompanying release liners (not shown), (ii) increased time
20 required to mount the signage sheet 10 due to the need to remove the additional top
and bottom release liners (not shown) and, (iii) increased opportunity for the
signage sheet 10 to warp, bubble or otherwise be distorted when applied to a
mounting surface (not shown).
The width of the left and right marginal adhesive strips 40 must be sufficient
25 to ensure that adequate adhesive strength is provided to prevent the loss of
adhesion between the signage 10 and a mounting substrate (not shown). On the
other hand, the width of the left and right marginal adhesive strips 40 should be
limited to that width necessary to minimize the risk of adhesive failure in order to
maximize the size of the adhesive free imprintable area 25a available for being
30 printed with communicative indicia (not shown). While the optimal width of the
marginal adhesive strips 40 depends upon a number of factors, such as the
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aggressiveness of the specific adhesive used, individual marginal adhesive stripwidths of about l/50'h to about 1/10'h of the total width of the substrate 20 generally
provides a proper balance between the competing interests of ensuring prolonged
adhesion of the signage 10 to a mounting substrate (not shown) and providing
s maximum imprintable adhesive free area 25~. Generally, a width of between about
0.~ cm to about 10 cm, preferably about 1 cm to about 4 cm, has been found to
provide the desired balance when the preferred pressure sensitive microsphere
adhesive described herein is utilized.
The adhesive strips 40 define an adhesive free il~lpl hltable area 25a on the
o first major surface 25 between the adhesive strips 40.
The repositionable adhesive 40 may be any of the well known repositionable
adhesives disclosed in the literature, including any of the various microsphere-based
repositionable adhesives, such as the revolutionary microsphere adhesive utilized to
produce repositional notes of the type available from the Minnesota Mining and
15 Manufacturing Company under the trade designation "Post-It.". Preferred
repositionable adhesives 40 are those capable of allowing the marginal adhesive
strips 40 to maintain an adhesive bond to roughly textured surfaces (not shown), at
the adhesive surface area limitations set forth herein, for at least 30 days. A
plere.,ed repositionable adhesive 40, effective for providing such aggressive
20 adhesion without sacrificing the other characteristics required of a repositionable
adhesive composition comprises a blend of one or more microspheres and an
adhesive binder comprising at least one acrylamide-based moiety. Preferably, themicrospheres are polymeric, inherently tacky, elastomeric microspheres; and the
binder is a pressure sensitive adhesive polymer having at least one acrylamide
2s moiety, with the acrylamide moiety optionally copolymerized with one or more free
radically polymerizable monomers, such as an acrylate or methacrylate. A detailed
discussion of these types of adhesives is provided in WO 94/19420 published on
January 9, 1994.
Release liners 50 cover both the right and left adhesive strips 40 to prevent
30 premature bonding of the repositionable adhesive 40. Alternatively, a single piece
release liner (not shown), sized to cover both the right and left adhesive strips 40,
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may be used. However, the use of such a single piece release liner (not shown) to
cover both adhesive strips 40 is not generally preferred because it must either (i)
cover the adhesive-free imprintable area 25a of the first major surface 25, or (ii)
re~uire the rn~nuf~ctllre, application and removal of a relatively expensive ands awkward frame-shaped release liner.
The substrate 20 may optionally be coated with any of the well known
bleed-resist coating materials 30 for the purpose of preventing an image (not
shown) printed on one major surface from bleeding through the substrate 20 and
onto the other surface. The substrate 20 may also optionally be coated with any of
o the well known high opacity value coating materials (not shown), such as titanium
dioxide, for the purpose of preventing communicative and/or design indicia (not
shown) printed on one major surface from showing through the substrate 20 and
interfering with the appearance of any communicative and/or design indicia printed
on the other surface.
Method orMaking
The blank signage sheets 10 may be conveniently constructed by (i)
conveying a continuous, imprintable, web (not shown) in a first direction, (ii)
applying a repositionable adhesive 40 along the right 23m and left 24m margins of
20 the first major surface 25 of the conveyed web so as to define marginal adhesive
strips 40 and an adhesive free imprintable area 25a between the marginal adhesive
strips 40 on the first major surface 25; and (iii) applying release liner 50, typically
from a continuous roll (not shown), over the marginal adhesive strips 40 as the web
is conveyed in the first direction. The web may be either a true web fed from a
25 continuous roll or a pseudo web of overlapped individual sheets. Alternatively,
individual sheets of imprintable substrate 20 may be separately processed in
accordance with this method.
When a true web (not shown) is used to manufacture the signage sheets 10,
the method further includes the step of transversely cutting the resultant continuous
30 length of sign~ge to form individual signage sheets 10.
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When a pseudo web is used to manufacture the signage sheets 10, the
release liner S0 must either be (i) cut to the proper length and properly registered
with each individual sheet 10 when applied, or (ii) applied as a continuous length to
the sheets 1~ and then transversely cut so that the individual sheets 10 may be
separated.
The repositionable adhesive 40 may be applied to the first major surface 25
of the substrate 20 by (i) directly coating the adhesive 40 onto the substrate 20, (ii)
coating the adhesive 40 onto a transfer belt (not shown) with subsequent drying of
the adhesive 40 and transfer of the dried adhesive film (not shown) from the transfer
0 belt to the substrate 20, or (iii) coating the adhesive 40 onto a first major surface of
a tape strip (not shown) and then adhering the tape strip to the substrate 20 with an
aggressive adhesive (not shown) coated onto the second major surface of the tapestrip.
When separate release liners 50 are applied over the left and right marginal
adhesive strips 40 from continuous rolls (not shown), the rolls should be applied
from independently rotatable mandrels (not shown). We have surprisingly
discovered that, unless the rolls (not shown) of release liner 50 are started atprecisely the same time and maintain exactly the same diameter throughout
application of the entire roll (not shown), the rolls will be dispensed at different
rates, causing one roll to be unwound and applied under insufficient tension.
Method OrUsillg
Customized signs (not shown) may be quickly and conveniently producing
using the signage sheets 10 by simply obtaining one of the signage sheets 10 and2s then printing communicative indicia (not shown) upon the imprintable area 25a of
the first 25 and/or the second 26 major surfaces of the signage sheet 10. High
quality printing can be quickly and inexpensively achieved by using a personal
computer (not shown) to design the message and a computer printer (not shown) toprint the message upon the signage sheet 10.
Once the communicative indicia (not shown) is printed upon the signage
sheet 10, The signage sheet may be displayed by simply removing the release liners
. . .
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SO so as to expose the marginal adhesive strips 40; and then adhering the exposed
adhesive strips 40 to a mounting surface (not shown), including roughly texturedsurfaces, by simply applying hand-pressure to the adhesive strips 40. As mentioned
previously, when communicative inidica (not shown) is printed upon the first major
s surface 25, the signage sheet 10 should be adhered to a transparent mounting
surface (not shown) so that the printed communicative indicia will be viewable
through the surface. Alternatively, when communicative inidica (not shown) is
printed only upon the second major surface 26, the signage sheet 10 may be
adhered to a transparent, translucent or opaque mounting surface (not shown) since
o the printed communicative indicia need not be viewable through the mounting
surface.
The printed signage sheets 10 may most beneficially be adhered to the inside
of store front windows (not shown) for display.
