Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses an elongate tape medium with print indicia
repeated on one or
both of its surfaces, said repeating print indicia being printed in multiple
orientations along the
longitudinal axis of the elongate tape medium so as to permit a viewer to view
the repeating print
indicia in a legible manner in more than one orientation of the elongate tape
medium.
Tape markers are widely used in a variety of applications all over the world,
whether to
demarcate a boundary, indicate a route, or provide warning of a nearby hazard.
A tape marker
will typically include text, images or graphics (generally referred to
hereinafter as "print
indicia") printed on one of its surfaces. These print indicia are often
displayed in a repeating
pattern along the length of the marker. Such print indicia may be useful in
providing a message
to a viewer of the tape marker - for example, to warn a passer-by of the
danger of a construction
zone located nearby.
A significant disadvantage of known tape marker products is that the text
and/or graphics
included thereon are always printed in a single orientation, and often on only
one surface of the
tape marker product. The result of such unidirectional, single-surface
printing of print indicia on
a tape marker product is that the product must be affixed in a specific
orientation for said print
indicia to be displayed in the proper orientation. If the tape marker product
is not properly
installed, the print indicia may appear as "upside down", or may face in the
wrong direction,
thereby rendering the print indicia illegible to the intended viewer.
Further, known tape marker products are generally made of pliable materials,
such as plastic.
Such pliable tape marker products, whether properly installed or not, may
easily be contorted
under even the most mild conditions, such as in a light breeze. The result of
such contortion of a
pliable tape marker product is the same as if said product were not properly
installed: any
unidirectional, single-surface print indicia displayed along the twisted
surface would be rendered
illegible to the intended viewer and of no use.
Canadian Patent Application Number 2,404,525 (and corresponding United States
Patent
Application Number 2004/0048103) discloses an extruded plastic tape having a
light reactive
surface that may include a crenulated surface of irregular formation and which
is useful as a
marking means. The extruded plastic tape is claimed to be highly visible, as a
result of the
plastic containing rare earth phosphors. Further, the inventors allege that
one embodiment of the
invention, which features an irregular, crenulated surface, is advantageous,
since it does not form
a smooth and slippery surface when it is used on the ground.
United States Patent Application Number 2004/020694 discloses a trail marking
device which
includes an elongated sheet of pliable tape having at least one surface with
first and second
sections being formed by illuminative material and brightly-coloured material,
respectively. The
illuminative material and brightly coloured material of the first and second
sections are formed in
a pattern of diagonals on the tape which the inventors allege is readily
visible during both day
and night times.
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United States Patent Number 4,623,282 (the "282 Patent") discloses utility
line-locating tape for
facilitating the location of underground utility lines and related elements.
The claimed tape is
readily frangible and coloured. The claimed tape product is useful in locating
underground
utility lines and related elements when it is placed on the line or element
and then buried with
same. The frangible and coloured tape is intended to alert or caution of the
location of marked
utility lines and related elements by its colour, which is selected to
contrast the colour of the line
or element to which it is attached. This patent also provides that the
frangible and coloured tape
comprises, inter alia, a sheet of plastic film having printing indicia in the
form of a cautionary
phrase on the film lower, inner face visible through the film upper, outer
face, said printing
indicia identifying the type of underground facility to which the tape is
attached.
None of the above-referenced prior art patents addresses the need for an
elongate tape medium
bearing print indicia on one or both of its surfaces, and with said print
indicia being displayed in
their proper orientation in more than one orientation of the elongate tape
medium, such as when
said elongate tape medium is contorted. Further, the above-referenced prior
art does not provide
for an elongate tape medium that may be affixed in more than one orientation
while still
displaying print indicia on one or both of its surfaces in their proper
orientation, so that the print
indicia are not displayed "upside down", or facing away from the viewer. The
invention
disclosed herein addresses each of these deficiencies in the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses a device comprising an elongate tape medium
with a first and
second surface. At least one set of print indicia is printed on at least one
of the surfaces of the
elongate tape medium, said set of print indicia consisting of text, an image
or a graphic, or a
combination of two or more of same. The set of print indicia printed on at
least one of the
surfaces of the elongate tape medium is repeated along its longitudinal axis,
providing for a
sequence of repeating print indicia along as much as the entire length of the
elongate tape
medium.
The set of repeating print indicia printed on one or both of the first and
second surfaces of the
elongate tape medium is printed in at least two different orientations, for
example, where the set
is alternately rotated 180 degrees along the longitudinal axis. The result of
this alternating
orientation of the set of repeating print indicia is that a viewer may view
the set in an upright
manner in more than one orientation of the elongate tape medium. Contrary to
the tape products
which are disclosed in the prior art and which display printed matter, the set
of print indicia on
the elongate tape medium is equally legible to a viewer when said elongate
tape medium is
affixed in two different orientations. In effect, the elongate tape medium of
the present invention
does not have an "up" or "down" side, and hence may not be affixed in an
"upside down"
manner.
The device claimed herein will generally be used by procuring a length of the
elongate tape
medium and affixing each end of said length to a separate stable surface, for
example, by
affixing each end to a separate lamp post. The elongate tape medium should be
affixed so that it
is extended along its longitudinal and vertical axes, by which its surfaces,
and particularly any
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surface on which is printed a set of repeating print indicia, are
substantially flat and on display.
The set of repeating print indicia may then transmit specific information to
any viewer who sees
the affixed elongate tape medium.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Certain embodiments of the present invention are described by way of
illustration, without
limitation thereto other than as set forth in the accompanying claims,
reference being made to the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a first preferred embodiment of the device,
comprising a length of the
elongate tape medium which includes a set of repeating print indicia printed
on its first and
second surfaces in two distinct orientations, in accordance with the present
invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a second preferred embodiment of the device,
comprising a length of
the elongate tape medium which includes a set of repeating print indicia
printed on its first and
second surfaces in four distinct orientations, in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 1, the
device comprises a
length of the elongate tape medium 1 with an identical set of print indicia
printed in a regular,
repeating pattern on its first surface 3 and on its second surface 4, said
repeating print indicia
printed on the entire length of the elongate tape medium 1 along its
longitudinal axis. On the
first surface 3, the set of repeating print indicia is alternately printed,
beginning at the proximal
end 5 and ending at the distal end 6, in an upright orientation 2a, and in a
downward orientation
2b where the upright set of repeating print indicia 2a is rotated 180 degrees.
On the second
surface 4, the set of repeating print indicia is alternately printed,
beginning at the distal end 6 and
ending at the proximal end 5, in an upright rotation 2c, and in a downward
orientation 2d where
the upright set of repeating print indicia 2c is rotated 180 degrees. The
length of elongate tape
medium 1 has a first edge 10 and a second edge 11.
In one orientation of the first preferred embodiment of the claimed device,
the proximal end 5 of
the length of elongate tape medium 1 is affixed to the proximal stable surface
7, while the distal
end 6 is affixed to the distal stable surface 8. The first edge 10 of the
length of elongate tape
medium 1 is directed upward, while the second edge 11 is directed downward. In
this
orientation, the viewer 9, when facing the first surface 3, may view the set
of repeating print
indicia 2a in a legible manner. Alternatively, when facing the second surface
4, the viewer 9
may view the set of repeating print indicia 2c in a legible manner. In the
event that the length of
elongate tape medium 1, in this first orientation, is contorted, the viewer 9,
when facing the first
surface 3, will be able to view one of the set of repeating print indicia 2a
or 2d in a legible
manner, depending on the contortion state of the length of elongate tape
medium 1 and on which
of the first surface 3 and second surface 4 is facing the viewer. Similarly,
when facing the
second surface 4, the viewer 9 will be able to view one of the set of
repeating print indicia 2b or
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2c in a legible manner, depending on how the length of elongate tape medium 1
is contorted and
on which of the first surface 3 and second surface 4 is directed toward the
viewer 9.
In a second orientation of the first preferred embodiment of the claimed
device, the proximal end
of the length of elongate tape medium 1 is affixed to the proximal stable
surface 7, while the
distal end 6 is affixed to the distal stable surface 8. The first edge 10 of
the length of elongate
tape medium 1 is directed downward, while the second edge 11 is directed
upward. In this
orientation, the viewer 9, when facing the first surface 3, may view the set
of repeating print
indicia 2b in a legible manner. Alternatively, when facing the second surface
4, the viewer 9
may view the set of repeating print indicia 2d in a legible manner. In the
event that the length of
elongate tape medium 1, in this second orientation, is contorted, the viewer
9, when facing the
first surface 3, will be able to view one of the set of repeating print
indicia 2b or 2c in a legible
manner, depending on the contortion state of the length of elongate tape
medium 1 and on which
of the first surface 3 and second surface 4 is facing the viewer. Similarly,
when facing the
second surface 4, the viewer 9 will be able to view one of the set of
repeating print indicia 2a or
2d in a legible manner, depending on how the length of elongate tape medium 1
is contorted and
on which of the first surface 3 and second surface 4 is directed toward the
viewer 9.
As outlined in the examples above, the first preferred embodiment of the
device claimed herein
may be affixed in more than one orientation without affecting the legibility
of at least one
orientation of the set of repeating print indicia printed on the first and
second surfaces of the
elongate tape medium. In other words, the device of the first preferred
embodiment may be
affixed in two distinct orientations and viewed from two distinct angles with
at least one
orientation of the set of repeating print indicia appearing as right-side up
and legible. Further,
the device may be contorted while still displaying at least one orientation of
the set of repeating
print indicia in a legible manner.
In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 2, the
device comprises a
length of the elongate tape medium 12 with an identical set of print indicia
printed in a regular,
repeating pattern on its first surface 14 and on its second surface 15, said
repeating print indicia
printed on the entire length of the elongate tape medium along its
longitudinal axis. On the first
surface 14, the set of repeating print indicia is alternately printed,
beginning at the proximal end
16 and ending at the distal end 17, in four distinct orientations: an upright
orientation 13a; a side
orientation 13b where the upright set of repeating print indicia 13a is
rotated 90 degrees; a
downward orientation 13c where the upright set of repeating print indicia 13a
is rotated 180
degrees; and a reverse side orientation 13d where the upright set of repeating
print indicia 13a is
rotated 270 degrees. On the second surface 15, the set of repeating print
indicia is alternately
printed, beginning at the distal end 17 and ending at the proximal end 16, in
four distinct
orientations: an upright orientation 13e; a side orientation 13f where the
upright set of repeating
print indicia 13e is rotated 90 degrees; a downward orientation 13g where the
upright set of
repeating print indicia 13e is rotated 180 degrees; and a reverse side
orientation 13h where the
upright set of repeating print indicia 13e is rotated 270 degrees. The length
of elongate tape
medium 12 has a first edge 21 and a second edge 22.
In one orientation of the second preferred embodiment of the claimed device,
the proximal end
16 of the length of elongate tape medium 12 is affixed to the proximal stable
surface 18, while the
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distal end 17 is affixed to the distal stable surface 19. The first edge 21 of
the length of elongate
tape medium 12 is directed upward, while the second edge 22 is directed
downward. In this
orientation, the viewer 20, when facing the first surface 14, may view the set
of repeating print
indicia 13a in a legible manner. Alternatively, when facing the second surface
15, the viewer 20
may view the set of repeating print indicia 13e in a legible manner. In the
event that the length
of elongate tape medium 12, in this first orientation, is contorted, the
viewer 20, when facing the
first surface 14, will be able to view one of the set of repeating print
indicia 13a or 13g in a
legible manner, depending on the contortion state of the length of elongate
tape medium 12 and
on which of the first surface 14 and second surface 15 is facing the viewer.
Similarly, when
facing the second surface 15, the viewer 20 will be able to view one of the
set of repeating print
indicia 13e or 13c in a legible manner, depending on how the length of
elongate tape medium 12
is contorted and on which of the first surface 14 and second surface 15 is
directed toward the
viewer 20.
In a second orientation of the second preferred embodiment of the claimed
device, the proximal
end 16 of the length of elongate tape medium 12 is affixed to the proximal
stable surface 18,
while the distal end 17 is affixed to the distal stable surface 19. The first
edge 21 of the length of
elongate tape medium 12 is directed downward, while the second edge 22 is
directed upward. In
this orientation, the viewer 20, when facing the first surface 14, may view
the set of repeating
print indicia 13c in a legible manner. Alternatively, when facing the second
surface 15, the
viewer 20 may view the set of repeating print indicia 13g in a legible manner.
In the event that
the length of elongate tape medium 12, in this second orientation, is
contorted, the viewer 20,
when facing the first surface 14, will be able to view one of the set of
repeating print indicia 13c
or 13e in a legible manner, depending on the contortion state of the length of
elongate tape
medium 1 and on which of the first surface 14 and second surface 15 is facing
the viewer.
Similarly, when facing the second surface 15, the viewer 20 will be able to
view one of the set of
repeating print indicia 13g or 13a in a legible manner, depending on how the
length of elongate
tape medium 12 is contorted and on which of the first surface 14 and second
surface 15 is
directed toward the viewer 20.
In a third orientation of the second preferred embodiment of the claimed
device, the proximal
end 16 of the length of elongate tape medium 12 is affixed to the upper stable
surface 23, while
the distal end 17 is affixed to the lower stable surface 24. In this
orientation, the viewer 20,
when facing the first surface 14, may view the set of repeating print indicia
13d in a legible
manner. Alternatively, when facing the second surface 15, the viewer 20 may
view the set of
repeating print indicia 13f in a legible manner. In the event that the length
of elongate tape
medium 12, in this second orientation, is contorted, the viewer 20, when
facing the first surface
14, will be able to view one of the set of repeating print indicia 13d or 13f
in a legible manner,
depending on the contortion state of the length of elongate tape medium 12 and
on which of the
first surface 14 and second surface 15 is facing the viewer. Similarly, when
facing the second
surface 15, the viewer 20 will be able to view one of the set of repeating
print indicia 13f or 13d
in a legible manner, depending on how the length of elongate tape medium 12 is
contorted and
on which of the first surface 14 and second surface 15 is directed toward the
viewer 20.
In a fourth orientation of the second preferred embodiment of the claimed
device, the proximal
end 16 of the length of elongate tape medium 12 is affixed to the lower stable
surface 23, while
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the distal end 17 is affixed to the upper stable surface 24. In this
orientation, the viewer 20,
when facing the first surface 14, may view the set of repeating print indicia
13b in a legible
manner. Alternatively, when facing the second surface 15, the viewer 20 may
view the set of
repeating print indicia 13h in a legible manner. In the event that the length
of elongate tape
medium 12, in this second orientation, is contorted, the viewer 20, when
facing the first surface
14, will be able to view one of the set of repeating print indicia 13b or 13h
in a legible manner,
depending on the contortion state of the length of elongate tape medium 12 and
on which of the
first surface 14 and second surface 15 is facing the viewer. Similarly, when
facing the second
surface 15, the viewer 20 will be able to view one of the set of repeating
print indicia 13h or 13b
in a legible manner, depending on how the length of elongate tape medium 12 is
contorted and
on which of the first surface 14 and second surface 15 is directed toward the
viewer 20.
As outlined in the examples above, the second preferred embodiment of the
invention claimed
herein may be affixed in more than one orientation while still displaying at
least one orientation
of the set of repeating print indicia in a legible manner to a viewer facing
one of the first surface
or second surface of the elongate tape medium. In fact, the second preferred
embodiment of the
device may be affixed in four distinct orientations, each viewable from two
distinct angles,
without affecting the legibility of the set of repeating print indicia.
Further, the second preferred
embodiment may be contorted while still displaying at least one orientation of
the set of
repeating print indicia in a legible manner.
The elongate tape medium of the present invention may be made of a number of
different
materials. In one embodiment of the invention, the elongate tape medium is
made of a pliable
material that is readily foldable. Use of a pliable material for the elongate
tape medium permits
that it may be rolled for compact storage. Further, use of a pliable material
contributes to the
resiliency of the elongate tape medium, particularly when said elongate tape
medium is affixed
in an environment where it may be contorted, such as in adverse weather
conditions. Moreover,
use of a pliable material facilitates the affixation of the claimed device, as
said device may be
affixed by tying or knotting each end of the elongate tape medium to a
separate stable surface,
such as a lamp post. The pliable material used for making the elongate tape
medium may be
selected from rubber, plastics or fabrics. The use of certain plastics or
rubber for making the
elongate tape medium has an added advantage, in that it provides the device
with a measure of
elasticity, so the elongate tape medium may be stretched to a degree, such as
for affixing the
elongate tape medium to two separate stable surfaces that are further apart
than the elongate tape
medium is long.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the elongate tape material
is comprised of a
reflective material to enhance its visibility when said elongate tape medium
is not readily seen by
a viewer, such as in conditions of darkness. Yet another embodiment of the
present invention
provides that the elongate tape medium is comprised of a brightly-coloured
material, again to
enhance visibility.
The print indicia of the present invention may comprise text, images, graphics
singly, or any
combination of two or more of same. A set of repeating print indicia may
provide a warning to
passers-by in the form of a cautionary phrase, such as "WARNING: DANGER
AHEAD", or in
the form of an image or graphic, such as an image of explosives. The print
indicia may be
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printed in reflective or brightly-coloured inks, to enhance their visibility
in low-light conditions,
such as in the dark.
The device of the present invention may be used in a number of applications,
such as, but not
limited to:
1. a warning marker for a crime scene, construction site, or accident scene;
2. a flag for an object of interest, such as oversized or overweight luggage
at an airport
check-in; and
3. a vertical sign to denote a cooler door at a supermarket.
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