Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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IMPRINT COLLECTING DEVICE AND
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[00011 The present invention relates to an imprint collecting device for
collecting
imprints such as fingerprints which can be employed in applications such as
the creation of
personalized decorative items. The invention further relates to methods of
manufacturing said
imprint collecting device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Personalized decorative items and mementos such as jewellery, charms,
keychains and the like, have recently been gaining in popularity with
consumers. One means of
personalizing items has been with permanent representations of fingerprints.
For instance, many
parents of young children or infants wish to capture a representation of their
child's fingerprints,
and have these impressions preserved and incorporated into jewellery, such as
charms, made of
precious or semi-precious metals. Persons may also wish to capture and use
representations of
adult fingerprints in the same manner. As well, many wish to have preserved
imprints of an
infant or child's appendage such as a hand or foot, or even pawprints of
beloved pets such as
dogs and cats.
[0003] Such personalized jewellery or other decorative items may be created in
accordance with known methods. For instance, fingerprints can be taken by
pressing the
subject's finger into wax, followed by the creation of a mold which is
ultimately used to cast the
fingerprint impression into relief on a permanent object. There is also a
specialized type of clay
commercially available known as metal clay, which can itself be fired in a
kiln after an
impression is taken, and then incorporated into the decorative object or
jewellery without the
need for creating a mold.
[0004] The collection of imprints for the above purpose is a process with some
inherent
difficulties and inconveniences. A principal difficulty has been the necessity
for the subject who
is providing an imprint to attend in person at the site of the jeweller or
other professional who is
to receive the impression in the wax or clay. This has been necessary as there
has never existed
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in the field an inexpensive container that can be used to ship a quantity of
deformable material
such as clay that will keep the clay malleable until it is deformed with a
three-dimensional
impression, and also keep the impression intact during shipment to the
jeweller. The difficulties
with designing such a container have centred around the fact that adequate air
space must be
provided in such a container to accommodate the three-dimensional impression,
and to preserve
the impression so that it arrives safely at the jeweller. However, allowing
too much space in the
container will be problematic because the clay can shift during shipment with
damage resulting
to the three-dimensional impression. As well, clay is a humid substance that
is highly
susceptible to rapid moisture loss in the presence of even a small volume of
air. Moisture lost
from the clay tends to condense on the inside of the container, and the clay
dries out. Once the
clay dries out, an accurate impression of the delicate features of a
fingerprint cannot be captured.
[0005] What is needed is an inexpensively constructed, shippable container for
a
deformable material such as clay which will prevent the clay from drying out
prior to use, and
which can be used to ship the deformed clay, all while protecting the
integrity of the imprint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides an imprint collecting device which
contains a
sufficient quantity of clay to receive a three-dimensional impression of an
imprint, said device
having a lid, a recess into which the clay is inserted, and a seal for
covering the surface of the
clay in the container.
[0007] In one embodiment the present invention provides a quantity of metal
clay which
is pressed into a disk and inserted into a recess of a plastic tray with a
hinged lid. The clay is
covered with a protective seal made of wax that has been sprayed with a non-
stick silicone spray.
The wax seal protects the exposed surface of the clay during shipment to a
customer, and
prevents the clay from drying out. Once the customer has received the
container, the lid is
opened, the wax seal is removed and discarded, and the impression made. The
lid can then be
closed. The lid is configured to leave some air space between the lid and the
wax seal when
closed in the absence of the seal, which serves to protect the integrity of
the three-dimensional
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impression and further allows for additional air to circulate in the
container, dry the deformed
clay, and further preserve the impression. The impressed clay can then be
shipped back in the
container, and safely delivered to the jeweller or other professional.
[0008] .A further aspect of this invention is a manufacturing method for
making devices
for shipping deformable materials such as clay. A container is preformed to
incorporate a recess,
and a snugly fitting fold-over lid. A wax seal in the shape of a disk is also
preformed to fit the
recess of the tray. The tray is placed on the plate of a press such as an
arbour press. A quantity
of clay is then placed into the recess of the tray, and the ram of the press
is lowered onto the clay
and pressure applied to form the clay into a malleable, flat disk with a
smooth surface. The wax
seal is sprayed with a lubricating spray, and placed, coated side down, onto
the disk of clay. The
lid of the tray is then folded over and closed to secure the disk of clay in
place.
[0009] Yet a further aspect of this invention is a kit including the imprint
collecting
device described above, which can be mailed to the consumer. The kit is
accompanied by
written directions that instruct the consumer in the use of the imprint
collecting device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention will now be better understood with reference to
the
description and to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0011] Figure 1 is a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the
imprint
collecting device in accordance with one aspect of the invention.
[0012] Figure 2 is an front elevation view of the imprint collecting device
from the
viewpoint indicated by the numeral 2 in figure 1.
[0013] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the imprint collecting
device taken along
the line indicated by the numeral 3 in figure 1.
[0014] Figure 4 is a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the
imprint
collecting device with the lid opened.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] The present invention provides an imprint collecting device comprising
a
sufficient quantity of deformable material such as clay to receive a three-
dimensional impression
of an imprint such as a fingerprint, said container having a lid, a recess
into which the clay is
inserted, and a seal for covering the surface of the clay in the container.
The device of the
present invention maintains the moisture necessary to preserve the deformable
material so that it
is kept sufficiently malleable until use. After the material receives a three
dimensional
impression, the device safely contains and protects the impression in the
deformable material
until it has been sent to the jeweller and a permanent representation of the
impression captured as
part of a personalized decorative object.
[0016] As set out above, one feature of the device of the invention is that
the moisture is
maintained in the deformable material prior to use. A number of experiments
were conducted
using metal clay in combination with different substances and configurations
further to
developing the device of the present invention. Various configurations were
attempted in an
effort to increase or control the ambient humidity in the containers. The
results obtained with
alternate configurations are summarized in Table 1 below. As set out in Table
1, until the
invention described herein was developed, numerous problems were encountered
including
evaporation of moisture out of the clay, and loss of malleability.
TABLE 1
Test Combination Moisture Retention Clay Malleability
Clay alone (control) Moisture condensed on surface of clay Decreased
malleability
and on interior of lid
Clay + drop of distilled water Moisture condensed on surface of clay Decreased
malleability
and on interior of lid
Clay + moist towellette* Moisture condensed on surface of clay Decreased
malleability
and on interior of lid
Clay + acetate film cover Moisture condensed on interior of lid Decreased
malleability
Clay + acetate film cover + moist Moisture condensed on interior of lid
Decreased malleability
towellette
Clay + drop of mineral oil Moisture condensed on interior of lid Decreased
malleability
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Test Combination Moisture Retention Clay Malleability
Clay + drop of mineral oil + acetate Moisture condensed on interior of lid
Acceptable malleability
film cover
Clay + plastic cling film cover Moisture condensed on interior of lid
Decreased malleability
Clay + drop of mineral oil + plastic No condensation Inconsistent impact on
cling film cover malleability
Clay + silicone seal with flange No condensation Decreased malleability
Clay + silicone seal without flange No condensation Decreased malleability
Clay + wax seal with flange + drop Condensation on clay surface Decreased
malleability
mineral oil
Clay + drop of distilled water + Condensation on clay surface Acceptable
malleability
wax seal with flange
Clay + CastaldoTM release spray + No condensation Retained malleability
wax seal with flange
All samples were sealed and placed in age-testing incubator, model 1510E,
manufactured by VWR Scientific
Products. According to the manufacturer, 24 hours in this incubator at 125 F
is equivalent to 52 days of aging at
ambient temperatures.
All samples were aged in the incubator for 24 hours, which was maintained at a
temperature of 125 F.
* moist towellette used was WET-NAPTM brand.
[0017] The imprint collecting device of the invention will now be described in
further
detail with reference to Figures 1 through 4 in which the imprint collecting
device is indicated
generally at numeral 10.
[0018] Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the imprint collecting device 10,
which
comprises a recessed tray 11 attached to a lid 12 by way of hinge 13. Lid 12
is secured shut
against recessed tray 11 by the application of light pressure.
[0019] Recessed tray 11 also incorporates recess 14, depicted as circular in
this
embodiment, into which a quantity of deformable material 15 (see figures 3 and
4) is inserted. If
the impression will be a fingerprint, it has been found that a diameter of 23
mm and a depth of 3
mm for recess 14 are suitable dimensions. A suitable quantity of deformable
material 15 for a
single fingerprint is 5 g. However, this invention should not be considered to
be limited to the
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stated dimensions. Different dimensions for recess 14 may be used, and amounts
of deformable
material 15 may be varied depending on the intended use. For instance, larger
dimensions for
recessed tray 11 and recess 14, and a larger quantity of deformable material
15, are needed if an
impression will be taken of an appendage such as a hand, foot, or paw.
[0020] A convenient material for fabricating recessed tray 11 and lid 12 is
PVC
(polyvinyl chloride). Recessed tray 11 and lid 12 can be manufactured by
standard procedures
such as thermoforming or injection molding.
[0021] A suitable deformable material is a specialized type of clay known
commonly as
metal clay. It is available commercially from a number of companies, including
Mitsubishi
MaterialsTM under the brand name PMCTM (Precious Metal Clay) and from Aida
ChemicalsTM
under the brand name ART CLAY SILVERTM. However, other deformable materials
may be
used in place of metal clay, such as wax, putty, or other types of clay.
[0022] Figure 2 shows a front elevation view of imprint collecting device 10,
and
displays the interlocking of recessed tray 11 and lid 12 when closed.
[0023] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of imprint collecting device
10.
Recessed tray 11 contains a quantity of deformable material 15 inserted into
recess 14. A seal 16
is placed on the exposed side of deformable material 15, and secured in place
with the closing of
lid 12. Seal 16 includes a flange 17 of larger diameter than recess 14. Flange
17 provides
additional protection against moisture loss from deformable material 15. Seal
16 of the depicted
embodiment may be formed of specialized wax known as jewellery wax,
commercially available
under the trade name FREEMANTM.
[0024] As will be appreciated from Figure 3, if seal 16 has been removed and
lid 12 is
secured shut against recessed tray 11, there remains an interior space between
the rim of recess
14 and lid 12. This interior space is incorporated so as to accommodate any
raised surfaces of
deformable material 15 following an imprint being taken. In an embodiment
which is
dimensioned for accommodating a single fingerprint, the interior space may be
approximately 1
mm in height.
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[0025] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of imprint collecting device 10 with
recessed
tray 11 and lid 12 opened in relation to each other at hinge 13. Clearly seen
are recess 14, into
which deformable material 15 will be inserted when the device is closed, and
the exposed surface
of which will be covered by seal 16, which incorporates flange 17.
[0026] A method for manufacturing imprint collecting device 10 of the present
invention
is also disclosed. Recessed tray 11 may be preformed to incorporate recess 14,
and lid 12. Seal
16 may also be preformed with flange 17 to fit recess 14 of recessed tray 11.
Lid 12 may be
raised from recessed tray 11 to expose recess 14, and recessed tray 11 may
then be placed, with
recess 14 facing upwards, onto the press plate of a press such as an arbour
press. A quantity of
deformable material 15 may then be placed into recess 14 of the tray, and the
ram of the press
lowered onto deformable material 15 and pressure applied to press deformable
material 15 into a
malleable, flat disk with a smooth surface. Seal 16 may be sprayed with a non-
stick spray such
as the jewellery mold release spray commercially available under the brand
CASTALDOTM.
Seal 16 may then be placed so that the sprayed side is adjacent to the exposed
surface of the disk
of deformable material 15. Lid 12 may then be folded over and closed against
recessed tray 11
to secure seal 16 in place.
[0027] Alternately, deformable material 15 may not require pressing if said
deformable
material 15 is provided in an amount appropriate to fit recess 14, or if said
deformable material
15 is placed into recess 14 by a method such as extrusion. As well, seal 16
may be made of other
materials that may not require a non-stick spray coating. Other possible
materials for seal 16 are
substantially moisture proof sheet materials such as foil laminate, paper
laminate, or a barrier
plastic. If such sheet materials are used for seal 16, they can be pre-cut to
a size in excess of
perimeter of recess 14, to allow seal 16 to be attached to perimeter of recess
14 by means such as
adhesive or heat sealing.
[0028] Following its manufacture, imprint collecting device 10 may then
optionally be
inserted into a foil pouch or envelope (not shown) and sealed therein, using
adhesive or a
standard heat sealing press. A favoured material used for the foil pouch is a
barrier material that
is substantially resistant to the passage of moisture and air, such as a
layered barrier material
which includes PET (polyethylene terephthalate), foil, and LLDPE (linear low
density
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polyethylene). It is additionally beneficial if the foil pouch material has a
printable surface and
incorporates tear notches for easy opening.
[0029] Further, a kit incorporating the imprint collecting device 10 of the
present
invention to obtain an imprint is also disclosed. Such a kit includes imprint
collecting device 10
and written instructions which direct a user in the method of employing
imprint collecting device
10. The user is instructed to remove seal 16, impress the object to be
imprinted into deformable
material 15, close lid 12 on recessed tray 11, and send imprint collecting
device 10 to a specified
professional for processing. Upon receipt, the professional may then
immediately employ the
imprint captured in deformable material 15 to create a personalized decorative
item incorporating
the imprint.
[0030] The invention described herein is a practical and inexpensive way of
remotely
obtaining imprints for use in the creation of jewellery and other decorative
items. The invention
preserves the moisture in the clay until a three-dimensional impression is
taken, and then protects
the integrity of that three-dimensional impression until it is received by a
jeweller. The invention
is simple to manufacture and use, and is expected to permit the creation of
personalized
decorative items on a wider commercial scale than has been previously
permitted due to the
limitations of the existing technology and processes.
[00311 While the invention has been described with reference to specific
embodiments
thereof, it will be appreciated that numerous variations, modifications, and
embodiment are
possible. For instance, while metal clay is described as the deformable
material in the preferred
embodiment, any number of other deformable substances such as wax, putty, or
the like could be
used in place of metal clay. Accordingly, all such variations, modifications
and embodiments
are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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