Method of debossing from character and indicia-forming pigmented tape

United States Patent m

Groswith, HI et al.

[54] METHOD OF DEBOSSING FROM

CHARACTER AND INDICIA-FORMING
PIGMENTED TAPE

[75] Inventors: Charles T. Groswith, HI. Los Altos,
Calif.; Eugene F. Duval, Menlo Park,
Calif.; Roger M. Gray, Lewisville,
Tex.; Barry C. Kockler, Lewisville,
Tex.; Robert E. Smith. Woodside,
Calif.

[73] Assignee: Taurus Impressions, Inc., Mountain View, Calif.

[21] Appl. No.: 452,604

[22] Filed: May 25,1995

Related U.S. Application Data

[62] Division of Ser. No. 78,792, Jun. 17, 1993, Pat. No. 5,441, 589.

[51] Int CI.6 B4U 1/J0; B41J 3/28

[52] U.S. CI 156/234; 156/235; 156/238;

101/27; 101/29; 400/118.1; 400/134.1

[58] Field of Search 156/230, 233.

156/234, 235, 238, 239, 240, 540, 541, 542; 400/24. 28, 29, 31, 118.1, 134.1, 144.2;

101/27. 29, 336

[56] References Cited

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4,373,436 2/1983 Shenoha 101/27

4,416,199 11/1983 Davison ~ 101/193

4,462,708 7/1984 Luartesetal 400/304

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US005665193A [ii] Patent Number: 5,665,193 [45] Date of Patent: Sep. 9, 1997

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0 105 472 4/1984 European Pat. Off. .

0 193 343 9/1986 European Pat. Off. .

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 25, No. 3b, Aug. 1982, New York, US, pp. 1547-1549. XP002003191, Craft, J.A.: "Reversible Print Wheel".

Automark ACEP-J2 Series brochure, Automark Marking

Systems, pre May 1992, 6 pp.

Proposal from Automark, Feb. 12, 1986, 1 p.

(List continued on next page.)

Primary Examiner—James Sells

Attorney Agent, or Firm—Skjerven, Morrill. MacPherson, Franklin & Friel; Thomas S. MacDonald

[57] ABSTRACT

A method of debossing character and indicia-forming pigmented tape onto a report or book cover workpiece positioned under a print engine having a character finger daisy wheel forcer and a logo die or other indicia die forcer is described. Steps of inserting a print wheel and a first tape cartridge into the engine, heating a character-containing portion of a character finger, forcing and printing a desired character in a character debossment operation are included. In another operation, the steps of removing the daisy wheel and the first tape cartridge, inserting an indicia-forming debossment die and a second tape cartridge, heating the die and forcing and thermally printing desired indicia on the workpiece, is set forth. In another aspect of the method, the steps of holding the tape on reels in the cartridges, striking the tape to deboss the pigmented media, stripping a struck portion of the tape from the workpiece and then advancing a tape take-up reel are set forth. In another embodiment, the steps of determining residual heat in a character portion or die and varying the dwell time of subsequent striMngs of the workpiece accordingly, are included.

(List continued on next page.)

7 Claims, 58 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,516,493 5/1985 Schemenauer 101/27

4,542,690 9/1985 Kikuchi 101/27

4,627,750 12/1986 Kitteletal 400/144.2

4,787,763 11/1988 Kondo 400/213

4,930,911 6/1990 Sampson etal 400/28

4,970,531 11/1990 Shimizuetal 346/76

5,004,360 4/1991 Ann 400/144.2

5,318,660 6/1994 Olsenetal 156/542

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Proposal from Automark Marking Equipment Div., Defiance
Machine and Tool Co., Inc., Feb. 4, 1987, 1 p.
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Company, Inc. pre-1986, 6 pp.

Franklin stamping machine brochures, Franklin Manufacturing Corporation, Model 115 11/83 and Super Regal Model 11/79, pre-1986, 2 pp. each.

Kwikprint stamper brochure. Models 86, AA and 64, pre-1986, 3 pp.

WEGO printer brochure. Precision Machine, Inc. pre-1986, 4 pp.

"Automark Marking Systems" ACEP-J1B Brochure, Defiance Machine and Tool Co., Inc., published Feb., 1985. (2 pp.).

"Easymark" Hot Foil Lettering Brochures, Didde Graphic Systems Corporation pre-1986, 9 pp.

Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 11, No. 74 (M-568) (2521), 6 Mar. 1987 & JP-A-61228979 (NEC Corp.), 13 Oct. 1986.