Patent Document

RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is a U.S. National Stage Filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 from International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2007/019936 filed Sep. 13, 2007, and published on Mar. 20, 2008 as WO 2008/033470, which claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/825,552 filed Sep. 13, 2006 and entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING TRAIN WITH ADVERTISEMENT INCLUDING ELECTROLUMINESCENT LIGHTING; which applications and publication are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and made a part hereof. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to method and apparatus for wrapping a vehicle with a sheet of material carrying an advertisement, such as one or more images and/or text for the advertisement, wherein there are provided electroluminescent portions of the advertisement. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view of an apparatus according to example embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a schematic view of an apparatus according to example embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a cross sectional taken generally along line  2 B- 2 B of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3  is a partial view of an apparatus according to example embodiments of the invention 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic according to example embodiments of the invention 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In the drawings, like numerals describe substantially similar components throughout the several views. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and structural, logical, electrical changes, etc. may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B there is illustrated a train  100  “wrapped” with advertising indicia  110  carried on a film  120 . In the instant example, the advertising indicia  110  is for a camera, and depicts a climbing wall together with the slogan “LIVE THE ACTIVE LIFE”  130   a , the manufacturer&#39;s name PENTAX  130   b , the name of the camera line or product “K100D”  130   c  and a depiction of the camera  130   d . In the example, indicia  130   a  to  130   d  are illuminated with planar electroluminescent (EL) lamps that are disposed on the surface of the train under the film  120 . According to one embodiment, indicia  130   a  and  130   c  and the white portions of the depiction of camera  130   d  may be illuminated by white or light colored EL lamps, while indicia  130   b  may be illuminated with an EL lamp producing an orange color. According to another example embodiment, the entire depiction of the camera  130   d  may be illuminated by an EL lamp. According to one example embodiment, the orange color or the white colors may be produced by the EL light produced directly by the lamps or by the light produced by the lamp and filtered through a colored transparent overlay, for example but not limited to as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,138 to Golle, incorporated herein by reference. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , train  100  is shown with the film  120  cut away exposing EL lamp units  140   a  to  140   g  with in this example embodiment are rectangular, and carry the respective EL illuminated indicia  130   a  to  130   d . Lamp units  140  are each rectangular, planar lamp assemblies that include planar EL lamps. In one embodiment, the EL lamps are formed in the shape of the alphanumeric characters of indicia  130   a  to  130   d . In another embodiment, the lamp units  140  are covered with a mask that exposes only the alphanumeric characters of indicia  130   a  to  130   d , such that the entire surface area of the lamp units  140  produces EL light but only the area exposed the mask is visible. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2B , each of the planar lamp units  140   a  to  140   g  are attached to the side  138  of the train  100  using an adhesive or any other suitable attachment. The film  120  (indicated by hashing) is then applied over the side of the train and the lamp units  140   a  to  140   g , adhering to the side of the train and to the top of the lamp units  140   a  to  140   g . The film may then be removed from over the indicia  130   a  to  130   d  so that only the alphanumeric characters or the camera depiction are exposed and the remaining portions of the lamp units  140   a  to  140   g  are covered by the film  120 . Alternatively, the alphanumeric characters may be left covered by the film  120  but the film  120  is thin enough or translucent enough to allow the EL illuminated indicia to shine through it or be visible when the illumination is not active. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A and 3 , the EL lamp units  140   a  to  140   g  are each connected to a source of energy produced by a power and control unit  150 . The connection to unit  150  is provided by individual conductors  152  (four for each lamp unit  140   a  to  140   g , carrying power and ground to, in one embodiment, opposite sides or ends of the lamp units). Conductors  152  may leave unit  150  wrapped as a single bundle  151 , and leave the bundle  151  to run to the respective units  140   a  to  140   g . Accordingly, units  140   a  to  140   g  may each have its own separate power lines. Alternatively, a single bus may be used to run power to each unit  140   a  to  140   g , although such an arrangement does not allow for controlling the illumination of each unit  140   a  to  140   g  individually. 
     Power and control unit  150  is housed in a wiring or electrical compartment  160  on the train  100 , and is connected to a master power source, such as a 110 volt power supply or any suitable master power supply. Cable bundle  151  runs from the unit  150  through an aperture in the floor of the compartment and to the underside of the train and runs along the side edge on the bottom of the train undercarriage, for example held in place with fasteners  154  that may be attached to any suitable portion of the undercarriage. 
     According to still another example embodiment, the power and control unit  150  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 4 . Unit  150  includes a power inverter  170  that supplies power to conductors  152  through switches  172   a  through  172   n . Switches  172  are in turn controlled by a computer control device or other controller device  174  that may sequentially activate switches  172   a  through  172   n  and then, for example, activate them all in combination. In another embodiment, each switch may be activated in sequence and left on until all other switches are activated, and leaving all activated for a period of time until all are deactivated. According to another example embodiment, the switches may be deployed remotely from the unit  150 , such as on the undercarriage of the train or adjacent the lamp unit  140 , and a control line for the switch run from the control unit to the switch. 
     According to one example embodiment, suitable materials for use as the film  120  include various sheets, preferably comprised of thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric materials, such as films, providing a substrate to carry the advertising indicia  110 , in this example an advertisement for a camera. Further, such films may, in one example embodiment, be low surface energy substrates. “Low surface energy” refers to materials having a surface tension of less than about 50 dynes/cm (also equivalent to 50 milliNewtons/meter). The polymeric substrates are typically nonporous. However, microporous, apertured, as well as materials further comprising water-absorbing particles such as silica and/or super-absorbent polymers, may also be employed provided the substrate does not deteriorate or delaminate upon expose to water and temperature extremes, as previously described. Other suitable substrates include woven and nonwoven fabrics, particularly those comprised of synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and polyolefins. The substrates as well as the imaged article (e.g. sheets, films, polymeric materials) may be clear, translucent, or opaque. Further, the substrate and imaged article may be colorless, comprise a solid color or comprise a pattern of colors. Additionally, the substrate and imaged articles (e.g. films) may be transmissive, reflective, or retroreflective. 
     Representative examples of polymeric materials (e.g. sheet, films) for use as the substrate  120  include single and multi-layer constructions of acrylic-containing films (e.g. poly(methyl) methacrylate [PMMA]), poly(vinyl chloride)-containing films, (e.g., vinyl, polymeric materialized vinyl, reinforced vinyl, vinyl/acrylic blends), poly(vinyl fluoride) containing films, urethane-containing films, melamine-containing films, polyvinyl butyral-containing films, polyolefin-containing films, polyester-containing films (e.g. polyethylene terephthalate) and polycarbonate-containing films. Further, the substrate may comprise copolymers of such polymeric species. Other particular films for use as the substrate according to the inventive subject matter include multi-layered films having an image reception layer comprising an acid- or acid/acrylate modified ethylene vinyl acetate resin, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,086 (Emslander et al.). The image reception layer comprises a polymer comprising at least two monoethylenically unsaturated monomeric units, wherein one monomeric unit comprises a substituted alkene where each branch comprises from 0 to about 8 carbon atoms and wherein one other monomeric unit comprises a (meth)acrylic acid ester of a nontertiary alkyl alcohol in which the alkyl group contains from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms and can include heteroatoms in the alkyl chain and in which the alcohol can be linear, branched, or cyclic in nature. A preferred film for increased tear resistance includes multi-layer polyester/copolyester films such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,530 and 5,422,189. Depending of the choice of polymeric material and thickness of the substrate, the substrate (e.g. sheets, films) may be rigid or flexible. Preferred primer and ink compositions are preferably at least as flexible as the substrate. “Flexible” refers to the physical property wherein imaged primer layer having a thickness of 50 microns can be creased at 25 C. without any visible cracks in the imaged primer layer. 
     Commercially available films include a multitude of films typically used for signage and commercial graphic uses such as available from 3M under the trade designations “Panaflex”, “Nomad”, “Scotchcal”, “Scotchlite”, “Controltac”, and “Controltac Plus”. According to one example embodiment, the train  100  may be wrapped with 3M™ Controltac™ Plus Graphic Film with Comply™ Performance IJ180C-10, printed on roll having, for example, a width of 54 in and a length of 50 yd. This 2 mil, opaque film to produces high quality, long-term graphics with selected piezo ink jet printers. The film  120  may pressure-activated adhesive and 3M Comply™ Performance for easier installation of large fleet graphics, signs, emblems and more. In another embodiment, the film  120  may be 3M Scotchcal™ Luster Overlaminate 8519, 2 mil with PSA, 54 in×300 ft. 
     Primer compositions and optional barrier compositions applied to substrate  120  are made by mixing together the desired ingredients using any suitable technique. For example, in a one step approach, all of the ingredients are combined and blended, stirred, milled, or otherwise mixed to form a homogeneous composition. As another alternative, some of the components may be blended together in a first step. Then, in one or more additional steps, the remaining constituents of the component if any, and one or more additives may be incorporated into the composition via blending, milling, or other mixing technique. During the manufacture of the substrate  120 , the primer composition may be applied to a surface of the substrate or to the optional barrier layer. The primer may be applied with any suitable coating technique including screen printing, spraying, ink jetting, extrusion-die coating, flexographic printing, offset printing, gravure coating, knife coating, brushing, curtain coating, wire-wound rod coating, bar coating and the like. The primer is typically applied directly to the substrate. Alternatively, the primer may be coated onto a release liner and transfer coated onto the substrate. However, for embodiments wherein the primer surface is exposed and thus is non-tacky, additional bonding layers may be required. After being coated, the solvent-based primer compositions and optional barrier compositions are dried. The coated substrates are preferably dried at room temperature for at least 24 hours. Alternatively the coated substrates may be dried in a heated oven ranging in temperature from about 40° C. to about 70° C. for about 5 to about 20 minutes followed by room temperature drying for about 1 to 3 hours. For embodiments wherein a barrier layer is employed, it is preferred to employ a minimal thickness of primer to minimize the drying time. 
     The imaged, polymeric sheets may be a finished product or an intermediate and are useful for a variety of articles including signage and commercial graphics films. The commercial graphic films as for example shown in  FIG. 1  as substrate  120  may include a variety of advertising, promotional, and corporate identity imaged films. The films typically comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive on the non-viewing surface in order that the films can be adhered to a target surface such as an automobile, truck, airplane, billboard, building, awning, window, floor, etc. Alternatively, imaged films lacking an adhesive are suitable for use as a banner, etc. that may be mechanically attached to building, for example, in order to display. The films in combination with any associated adhesive and/or line range in thickness from about 5 mils (0.127 mm) to as thick as can be accommodate by the printer (e.g. ink jet printer). According to one example embodiment, printing on the films  120  may be done using the Xaar Jet XJ128-200 piezo printhead on an x-y stage at 317 by 295 dpi at room temperature. 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention includes any other applications in which the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

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