Patent Publication Number: US-9424762-B2

Title: Cling print system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/326,316, filed Apr. 21, 2010. The present patent application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/421,488, filed Dec. 9, 2010. Each of the above referenced applications is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a re-usable sign system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Food buffets often include labels or other means of identification so patrons can quickly and easily identify the various food items present. Maintaining the accuracy of the labels can often be difficult, especially in situations where the menu or food selection changes on regular basis. These changes often require the owners to repeatedly re-arrange existing labels and create new labels to correspond with the updated food choices. In addition, aesthetically pleasing displays are often desired to provide a professional, clean look for the buffet. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, this invention provides a label assembly. The label assembly including a label having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, where the top surface includes indicia printed thereupon, and a layer of a first adhesive is coated on the bottom surface. The first adhesive having a first holding capability. The label assembly also includes a dome cover coupled to the label, the dome cover being formed of a substantially transparent material and having an underside, where a layer of a second adhesive is coated on the underside, the second adhesive having a second holding capability greater than the first holding capability. 
     In another aspect, this invention includes a kit for creating reusable label assemblies having indicia thereon. The kit including one or more sheets of label stock, one or more dome covers, a label removal tool, one or more backing plates, and a storage apparatus. 
     In still another aspect, this invention includes a method of creating a reusable label assembly. The method including placing a sheet of label stock in a printing apparatus, printing indicia on the top surface of the label stock, dividing the label stock into multiple labels, obtaining a dome cover, and applying the dome cover to a top surface of a corresponding label to create a label assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a label assembly placed on a backing plate. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the label assembly and backing plate of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a section view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a piece of label stock. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates various sizes and shapes of the labels. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates various patterns that may be pre-printed on a label. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a storage binder for the label assemblies. 
         FIGS. 8 a -8 b    illustrate a frame with a label assembly and backing plate coupled thereto. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the frame with a label assembly and backing plate coupled thereto. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of a tool for removing the labels shown in the previous Figs. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the tool of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a screen shot of a submenu of one embodiment of a software program for printing on the labels shown in the previous FIGS. 
         FIG. 13  is a screen shot of a “Select Document Type” window of the software program of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is a screen shot of a blank template of the software program of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 15  is a screen shot of a “Format Text” window of the software program of FIG. 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the above-described drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-11  illustrate the various items contained within a reusable signage system or kit  10 . The kit  10  contains the materials necessary to create, store, and display multiple, reusable label assemblies  14 , each of which can be used to identify a particular food item in a buffet. The label assemblies  14  are configured to be easily created, applied, removed, and re-applied, as necessary, so the signage can be altered to correspond to the food items present for a particular meal. In the present invention, the kit  10  includes multiple sheets of label stock  18 , a plurality of dome covers  22 , a storage apparatus or binder  26 , a label removal tool  30 , and various forms of backing plates  34 . Although the present invention includes each of the above items, in alternate constructions, more or fewer items may be included in the kit  10  as necessary. 
     In the illustrated construction, each label assembly  14  includes an individual label  38  from the stock  18  (described below) and a dome  22  coupled to the label  38 . During use, the label assembly  14  acts as a unit, whereby the label  38  and dome  22  are placed on, and removed from, a support surface together. In alternate constructions, each label assembly  14  may include additional layers, such as supplemental domes  22 , labels  38 , and the like, to produce a desired aesthetic appearance. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the stock  18  is preferably a piece of Mylar (PET) that has been coated with a print receptive coating, however in alternate constructions, other forms of adhesive sheeting may be used. The stock  18  includes a top surface  42  and a bottom surface  46  opposite the top surface  42 . The stock  18  is formed from material having the proper size, shape, thickness, and flexibility for use in most common desktop printers, such as an inkjet or laser style printer. To aid the printing process (described below) the stock  18  is typically formed in one of the many standardized paper stock sizes, such as, but not limited to, #10 Envelope, A4, Legal, Letter, and the like. When available, the stock  18  is preferably sized so it can be fed through the straight pass portion of a printer, eliminating unnecessary bending of the stock  18  and minimizing the chances of jamming the printer. 
     The top surface  42  of the stock  18  is treated or coated so that indicia, such as logos, text, pictures, and the like may be printed thereon, preferably with a standard desktop printer. The stock  18  illustrated herein includes a plain, unmarked top surface  42 , however, in alternate embodiments, the top surface  42  may include preprinted designs, logos, pictures, patterns, backgrounds, and the like (see  FIG. 6 ). Furthermore, the stock  18  may be formed from colored or textured material to create a desired aesthetic appearance. In still other constructions, clear or translucent material may be used for the stock  18 . 
     The bottom surface  46  of the stock  18  (see  FIG. 3 ) has a reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive applied thereon. Each label  38  may be peeled from a backing layer (not shown) or other release material and stuck to any one of a backing plate  34 , a saver binder page  66  (described below), an acrylic sneeze guard (not shown), or additional materials having a glossy, non-porous surface, such as metal, painted surfaces, wood, plastic, and the like. In the present invention, the reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive is formulated such that a corresponding label  38  may be applied, removed, and re-applied multiple times (e.g., upwards of 100 cycles) to various surfaces before the adhesive begins to degrade. It is also preferred that the label  38  can be removed cleanly from the substrate to which it has been attached without damaging or leaving gooey, dirty, stained, or otherwise undesirable texture on the substrate. 
     The stock  18  is typically die-cut into multiple labels  38 , each of which can be individually removed and applied. The labels  38  are preferably cut into standard sizes and shapes and may include, but are not limited to squares, ovals, circles, and the like (see  FIG. 5 ). It is preferred that the labels  38  are cut into the stock  18  in a way that maximizes the number of labels  38  that can be produced from a particular sheet of stock  18 , thereby minimizing waste. In alternate constructions, the labels  38  may form unique shapes, such as thematic designs (e.g., animals, flowers, hearts, etc.), logos, symbols, letters, numbers, or the like, for a more customized look. In still other constructions, the stock  18  may remain uncut to form a single label  38 . 
     Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , each dome cover  22  is a piece of substantially transparent material which may be attached to the top surface  42  of a corresponding label  38  to provide rigidity and protect any indicia on the top surface  42 . Each dome  22  is generally formed from plastic (such as epoxy, a mixture of urethanes, or the like) and includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the underside thereof. This adhesive typically has stronger holding capability than the adhesive used on the bottom surface  46  of the stock  18 . The plastic material of the dome  22  should be sufficiently transparent so that, when the dome  22  is coupled to the label  38 , any indicia printed on the top surface  42  can be clearly seen through the dome  22  without excessive distortion or obfuscation. Furthermore, the plastic material used for the dome  22  should be strong enough to resist breaking, hard enough to resist scratches, and should not discolor over time. The adhesive portion of the dome  22  is typically attached to a suitable sheet of release paper (not shown) or other form of backing from which the domes  22  can be easily peeled away for application to the top surface  42  of a label  38 . 
     The domes  22  are typically formed in a shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the label  38  to which they are to be adhered. The upper surface  50  of the domes  22  as illustrated with a somewhat rounded surface, however, the domes  22  may have any suitable shape consistent with the objects of the invention. Thus, the domes  22  may be flat, rounded, or have an uneven or textured surface. In addition to rigidity and protection, the domes  22  may also provide special effects (such as pearlescence, magnification, and the like). In some constructions the domes  22  may be pastel amber, blue, green or the like. In still other constructions, the domes  22  may have a logo, a design, or a pattern preprinted thereon. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the kit  10  also includes a storage apparatus or binder  26  for storing the unused or surplus label assemblies  14  when not in use. The binder  26  includes a bottom cover  54 , a top cover  58  moveable with respect to the bottom cover  54 , a plurality of locking rings  62  positioned between the top and bottom covers  54 ,  58 , and a plurality of pages  66  positioned therein. The locking rings  62  of the binder  26  are preferably spring-loaded (much like a typical 2-ring or 3-ring binder), and are configured to be received within apertures  74  defined by the pages  66 . Furthermore, the locking rings  62  may be opened and closed by the user to add, remove, or re-arrange the pages  66  of the storage apparatus  26 , as necessary. The binder  26  also includes side walls  70  to allow the interior of the binder  26  to be substantially sealed from dust and dirt to help preserve the label assemblies  14  stored therein. The binder  26  may include one or more locking tabs  78  to lock the binder  26  when not in use. 
     Each page  66  of the binder  26  includes one or more apertures  74 , each corresponding to a locking ring  62  of the binder  26 . The pages  66  also include at least one coated or glossy surface to which the label assemblies  14  can be applied between uses without damaging or excessively deteriorating the reusable adhesive. In the present invention, the pages  66  include a PVC coating. 
     In some constructions, the binder  26  is organized such that the labels  14  can be easily located and categorized. More specifically, the binder  26  may include locating tabs, dividers, pockets, and the like (not shown). The binder  26  may also include storage provisions for other aspects of the kit  10 , including but not limited to, an instruction manual, the backing plates  34 , the removal tool  30 , the stock  18 , the dome covers  22 , and the like. 
     Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 and 8-9 , the kit  10  also includes one or more backing plates  34  to which one or more label assemblies  14  may be adhered to for rigidity and display. Each backing plate  34  includes a display surface  82  for the label assemblies  14 . This surface is preferably smooth and glossy and constructed so that it will not excessively deteriorate the re-usable adhesive of the label assemblies  14 . The backing plates  34  are typically coupled to a frame  86  (described below) or other form of support (e.g., a sneeze guard, a wall, a table, and the like) by any one of, but not limited to, double sided tape, magnetic tape, suction cups, reusable pressure-sensitive adhesive, cling foam, or other suitable fastening means. When adhesives are used, the holding power of the backing plate adhesive is preferably greater than that of the adhesives found on the stock  18  and the dome cover  22 . Typically, the backing plates  34  are positioned so that the display surface  82 , and any label assemblies  14  adhered thereto, will be located in a prominent, easy to see place. In alternative constructions, the backing plates  34  may be permanently coupled to a supporting surface through appropriate fastening means. 
     The backing plate  34  may include a beveled edge  90  stamped or otherwise formed into the plate  34  along at least a portion of the periphery to give the backing plate  34  a finished and aesthetically pleasing look. The backing plate  34  may also include logos, patterns, textures, and the like, which may be carved, pressed, molded, or otherwise formed on the plate  34 . 
     Each backing plate  34  is formed from a substantially rigid material (e.g., metal, acrylic or other plastic materials) and is typically polished or coated to a jewel-like finish. The backing plate  34  is preferably formed in a typical shape, such as a rectangle, oval, or circle, or it may have a less typical form; and it may or may not correspond to the shapes of the corresponding label assemblies  14  (see  FIG. 1 ). The backing plate  34  may also be formed in unique shapes, such as numbers, letters, logos, animals, etc. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 a    a frame  86   a  is shown, which is a self-supporting structure, which can be placed upon a substantially horizontal surface (e.g., a table top) to position the corresponding label assembly  14  in a substantially vertical or upright position. For example, illustrated in  FIG. 8 a   , the frame  86   a  includes a substantially “inverted-V” shape having a first leg  94 , a second leg  98 , placed at an angle with respect to the first leg  94 , and a backing plate  34  coupled to the first leg  94  (as described above) for display. Alternatively, the backing plate  34  may be formed integrally with the first leg  94  of the frame  86   a . In another construction, a backing plate  34  may be coupled to both the first and second legs  94 ,  98 . Also, the frame  86   a  may include alternate forms and shapes (e.g., cube-shaped, pyramid-shaped, etc.). 
       FIG. 9  shows a second embodiment of the frame  86   b . Here, the frame  86   b  is configured to be hung from an object such as a hook, door knob, and the like. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the frame  86   b  includes a chain or loop of material  102  coupled to the backing plate  86   b . In still other constructions, the frame  86   b  may include a hook, clamp, or lanyard. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the kit  10  also includes a removal tool  30 , which includes a handle portion  106 , and a blade portion  110 , extending from the handle portion  106 . The blade portion  110  is shaped and contoured such that it can be positioned (e.g., wedged) between the label assembly  14  and the surface to which the label assembly  14  is adhered (e.g., a backing plate  34 , sneeze guard, and the like) to separate the two items without excessively damaging the adhesive on the bottom surface  46  of the label  38 . The blade portion  110  includes a beveled edge  114  along at least a portion of its periphery, which allows the edge to be easily inserted between the items. In the illustrated construction, the blade portion  110  is substantially diamond shaped, but various other suitable shapes can be used where desired. 
     Although not illustrated, the kit  10  may also include the rights to use, or an electronic copy of, a computer software program for generating the text and graphics (hereafter “badge indicia”) for the top surface  42  of the labels  38 . The program enables a user to generate and print customized badge indicia and apply it to a piece of stock  18  through a desktop printer. The program uses profile files to define the content and layout of the badge indicia. The content includes text fields and image fields (e.g., quantity and type of each). The layout includes the positioning and size of the fields, as well as the font of the text fields on the top surface  42  of the stock  18 . The profile files are provided by the manufacturer or can be created by a user via a profile creation program. A user inputs data (e.g., name, department, etc.) into the program for a plurality of badges based on a chosen profile. The entered data can be saved, merged, or exported to memory (e.g., a hard drive). The data then can be printed onto the stock  18 . Additional details of the software program can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/718,827, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     To create customized badge indicia, the user first opens the appropriate word processing program (e.g., Microsoft® Word). The user then right-clicks on the screen causing a submenu  118  to open (see  FIG. 12 ). The user mouses down to the “Cling [Label] Print” selection causing a secondary submenu  122  to open. The user selects “New Document” from the secondary submenu  122 , thereby causing a “New Document Type” window  126  to open. Window  126  lists a number of pre-fabricated or user-fabricated document templates  130  (see  FIG. 13 ). After the user selects a template style that generally corresponds to the stock  18  loaded into the printer, a blank label template  134  will open (see  FIG. 14 ). The user may then enter the proper information into the relevant entry locations  138 . Once complete, the user may choose to print the created badge indicia onto the stock  18  or save the document for future use. 
     To modify the format of the text, the user right-clicks on the screen causing submenu  118  to open (see  FIG. 12 ). The user then mouses down to the “Cling [Label] Print” selection, causing a secondary submenu  122  to open. The user selects “Format Text” from the secondary submenu  122 , causing a “Format Text” window  142  to open (see  FIG. 15 ). The user may then change various text properties, such as, but not limited to bold type, italics, underline, font, size, and the like. The user then selects “OK” to apply the changes to the selected text. 
     To print badge indicia onto a label  38 , a standard desktop printer is set to accept the size of the cling stock  14  (e.g., #10 Envelope). The cling stock is loaded into the printer, making sure to properly orient the stock  14  so that the badge indicia will be printed onto the top surface  42 . The user uploads, creates, or otherwise prepares the badge indicia for printing onto the top surface  42  of the stock  18 . While creating the badge indicia, the user may utilize any number of pre-existing computer programs (e.g., Microsoft Word, Print Shop, and the like) or the user may utilize the above-described software program when available to properly position and size the text. The stock  18  is fed through the printer and the badge indicia is printed onto the top surface  42  of each of the corresponding labels  38 . It is not necessary to print badge indicia on every label  38  of a particular piece of stock  18  in a single pass. Rather, the user may save the remaining or unused labels  38  for use at a later time. 
     To cover the printed labels and thereby form the label assembly  14 , the user selects a dome  22  corresponding to the size and shape of the label  38  they wish to cover. The selected dome  22  is removed from a backing sheet (not shown) and aligned with the label  38  using the die-cut lines as guides. The dome  22  is applied to the top surface  42  of the label  38 , making sure to eliminate any air bubbles as the two are adhered to one another, thereby creating a label assembly  14 . 
     To apply the label assembly  14  to a support surface (such as a backing plate  34 , a page  66  of the binder  26 , or a sneeze guard), the label assembly  14  is removed gently from the release paper in a manner that assures that excessive stretching or otherwise excessive handling of the media is avoided. Then the label assembly  14  is aligned with the surface to which it is to be applied and care is taken to make sure that the surface is clean by the removal of any grease, residue, soot, or dust that may be present. The label assembly  14  is then applied to the surface. 
     To remove the label assembly  14  from a surface, the blade portion  110  of the removal tool  30  is placed proximate to an edge of the label assembly  14 , and the blade is slid between the bottom surface  46  of the label assembly  14  and the surface to which the label  14  is adhered. The tool is gently moved towards the center of the label assembly  14  so that it peels the label assembly  14  from the surface without damaging the label  14 . Once a sufficient amount of the label assembly  14  is peeled away, it may be grasped by the edges and removed entirely from the surface.