Article for multiplicate marking

July 25, 1967

R. S. AVERY

3,332,829

ARTICLE FOR MULTIPLICATE MARKING

Filed Feb, 18, 1964

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INVENTOR.

Fay &lt;5. /(vert

BY

Ely.. Pearne &amp; Gordon Attorneys

United States Patent Office Patented July 25, 1967 which is of laminated construction as distinguished from a unified web.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the laminated webs are designated I and II.

At the top, web I includes a transparent color-changing coating 10, which may be formed of acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene polymer or the like. This material displays the phenomenon of color change when distorted beyond the yield point. Such color change occurs when the distortion is performed while the coating is cold or at room temperatures. This is visible from the front face of web I.

Numeral 12 designates a transparent film of plastic such as Mylar. This is a trademark for a highly durable, transparent, water-repellent film of polyethylene terephthalate resin, characterized by outstanding strength, electrical properties and chemical inertness. This carrier film does not exhibit a change in color when embossed. In the extended scope of invention, equivalent carrier films of this nature can be utilized.

Numeral 14 designates a base color coating that forms the background for color changes produced in layer 10 when the total structure comprises both webs I and II is distorted, as by embossing.

Numeral 16 designates a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating. This optionally, though preferably, is adjacent to a release coating 18 to permit laminated web I to be stripped away from web II. The coating 18 may originally form the lowest coating of a web I or the top coating of web II.

Web II is also a laminated structure suitably having the pattern of layers 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 repeated. At the bottom, however, there is additionally a removable protective backing 20.

The construction comprises webs I and II as shown in FIGURE 1 actually has a total thickness of only a few thousandths of an inch because of the low order of thickness of the various layers. Therefore, it is to be understood that this construction can be formed into an elongated tape to which embossing pressures can be applied by means of a suitable tool.

When the multiplicate construction of FIGURE 1 is embossed, accurate, fool-proof duplicates _ will be made in each of webs I and II in a single operation.

In an exemplary use, a' tape embossing tool would simultaneously emboss both webs I and II. Then during the cut-off operation, a tab would be formed so that the protective backing 20 could be removed from web II. The exposed adhesive 16 would thereafter be applied to ⁵⁰ a suitable article, applying web II as a label. The upper web I would then be peeled away and placed elsewhere as an exact duplicate of web II

It is to be understood that color-changing coating 10-1 can be the same or different from color-changing ⁶⁵ coating 18-11. Thus they may have the same or different sensitivity to color change.

In any event, these materials have the characteristic of becoming opaque or exhibiting different light reflection when distorted beyond the yield point. The effect is to ⁶⁰ produce a contrast embossment on a background determined by base color coating 14.

The base color coatings 14-1 and 14-11 also can be different. Thus, while on blue and white on red would be produced from a composite structure wherein coating ⁸⁶ 14-1 was red and coating 14-11 was blue. Thus the original and duplicate would always be readily identifiable as such.

The color coatings 10-1 and 14-11, or either of them, 70 may be over rather than under their associated base film 12-1 or 12-11, in which case the base film or films may be either transparent or opaque.

332 829

ARTICLE FOR MULTDPLICATE MARKING

Ray S. Avery, Bradbury, Calif., assignor to Avery Adhesive Products Inc., San Marino, Caiif., a corporation ₅of California

Filed Feb. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 345,676

Claims. (Cl. 161—33)

This invention relates to a multiplicate, embossmentresponsive article; and more particularly to a multiple iq layer article wherein at least one of the layers is an embossment-responsive article.

There are many instances when a common identification indicia is desirably duplicated. Thus, one of identical indicia members would be applied to an object as a label, 15 and a duplicate applied to or impressed upon an index record card for inventory control purposes.

The present invention encompasses a multiplicate marking system applicable as such. According to this invention such a system is embodied in a multiple web, em- 20 bossment-responsive article.

It is accordingly an important object of the present invention to provide a multiplicate marking article.

A further object is to provide an article for mutiplicate marking comprising at least two embossment-responsive 25 color-changing webs, wherein the webs have the same sensitivity to color change to produce embossed images of different color contrast.

A further object is to provide an article for mulutiplicate marking comprising at least two embossment-respon- 30 sive color-changing webs, wherein the webs embody different sensitivity to color change to produce embossments having the same color contrast.

A further object is to provide an article for multiplicate marking, comprising two or more embossment-re- 35 sponsive webs, at least one of which is an embossmentresponsive color-changing web, and another capable of retaining an embossed image.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being ⁴⁰had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of a multiplicate marking article made in accordance with the present invention wherein the color-changing webs are of laminated construction;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view, similar to FIGURE 1, of a second embodiment wherein the color-changing webs are of unitary construction;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention comprising two embossment-responsive webs, one being an embossment-responsive color-changing web, and the other an embossment-responsive web capable of retaining an embossed marking; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternate arrangement of the embodiment of FIGURE 3.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

The first embodiment

This embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of embossment-responsive color-changing webs, each of

3,332,829

Embodiment 2

The previous embodiment relates to a laminated web construction. Thus, the color-changing coatings 10 have been placed upon, rather than being a characteristic of, _ the plastic carrier film 12. However, the invention also encompasses unified color-changing webs or non-laminar webs. This construction is shown in FIGURE 2.

At the top there is a unified color-changing plastic web 24 as distinguished from the laminated webs I and II of FIGURE 1. 10

Web 24 is suitably made of a film of acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene polymer or like color-changing film of appropriate thickness to constitute a unified color-changing web in the absence of a supporting base, such as the ,,layer 12 of FIGURE 1. The web 24 may be transparent or have appropriate coloring agents milled in. If transparent, a color coat (not shown) corresponding to coat 14 of FIGURE 1 may optionally be applied to web 24.

Beneath web 24 is a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating ₂₀16, and beneath that a release coating 18. This forms a so-called unified web III which can be stripped from the subjacent web IV.

Web IV also includes a unified color-changing plastic web 24 beneath which is a coating of pressure-sensitive 25 adhesive 16. A release coating 18 provides the means whereby the removable protective backing 20 can be stripped away. Web IV may be modified in the ways discussed above in connection with web III.

It will be noted that the multiplicate article III-IV is 3Q ready for use with the adhesive components protected from dust by the impervious top layer 24 and the protective backing 20.

For use, the multiplicate article III-IV is embossed by suitable means to produce accurate fool-proof duplicates 35 as made with the first embodiment.

Thereafter, the protective backing 20 is removed and web IV applied to a surface. Then the upper web III is peeled away for use elsewhere. The release coating IS—III makes this possible. 40

Extended scope of invention

It is to be understood that though the prior embodiments have been described as two-web constructions, the broad scope of invention includes multiplicate construe- 45 tions, meaning at least two webs. Depending upon the capacity of embossing machinery, five or six webs or more may be employed.

As unified webs, other materials that can be employed include unplasticized straight polyvinyl chloride and poly- 50 vinyl chloride-polyvinyl acetate copolymers. Other socalled rigid plastics of this nature may also be encompassed within the invention.

In the foregoing embodiments of the invention it is to be understood that the following apply: The upper layer 55 will be found to undergo a sharper color change than the bottom layer in an embossing operation wherein both color-changing webs have the same color change sensitivity. This produces an advantage in the fact that the original and duplicate are always readily identifiable as 60 such. However, substantially exact duplicates can be produced if the bottom web incorporates greater color changing sensitivity than the top web. By such construction, duplicate images having the same color contrast are produced. 65

The duplicator concept

From the foregoing it will be evident that the invention is extensible to a multiplicate system wherein one of the webs is embossment-responsive, but not necessarily ₇₀sensitive to color change. This would include an aluminum foil, heavy plastic web or the like as one of the layers. This web, however, is capable of retaining an embossed image that is functional as a printing face. Such an embodiment is shown in FIGURE 3. 75

At the top, there is a color-changing plastic web 26 suitably of the nature of the unified web 24, shown in FIGURE 2, or the laminated structure 10, 12, 14, as shown in FIGURE 1. Next is a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 16 and then a release coating 18. At the bottom there is an embossment-responsive metal foil web 28. No protective backing is necessary since web 28 functions as such.

In this embodiment the top web 26 undergoes a color change on being deformed, as has been previously described. The web 28, though embossment-responsive, does not necessarily undergo a color change but does retain its embossed configuration. This sheet is utilized for producing printed images that are necessarily exact and accurate duplicates of that embossed on the color-change web 26.

In the extended scope of invention, the metal foil web 28 of FIGURE 3 can be positioned on top if desired. This is shown in FIGURE 4. Next to the foil web 28 is an adhesive coating 16 followed by a release coating 18. The color-changing web 26 then follows, with adhesive 16, release coating 18, and protective backing 20.

Summary

From the foregoing it will be understood that a principal advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that there is an absolute guarantee that the original and duplicate or duplicates are always identical. This prevails throughout all embodiments of the invention.

The present invention has substantial utility. Thus in hospitals, stores, laboratories, libraries and the like, wherever duplicate records are kept, the present invention can be used.

An exemplary application for use is in libraries for the labeling and inventory control of books. Presume that a book is to be labeled, and a printed record of the label as applied to the book provided at a remote location. A multiplicate article of invention is embossed. Thereafter one of the embossed webs is applied to the back of the book. Due to the curvature of the book, however, it would not be possible to print or take an impression from the label thereon to apply it to an index card. However, the other embossed web can be applied to a flat backing and placed in a press to transfer the indicia therefrom, as by a carbon transfer paper, to an index car'd. Under the conditions of the present invention this printed record is exactly the same as that recorded on the back of the book, even though placed in a remote location from the book.