[0001] This invention relates to the production of display materials, and is particularly
concerned with improved methods of preparing and presenting display material in sheet
form.
[0002] Sheet display material can be of various types. For example, it may take the form
of printed paper or fabric, photographs or transparencies. Many of such sheet materials
are unsuitable for direct exposure to the surrounding environment, for example because
of the danger of damage, and accordingly it is desirable to protect the sheet material
by means of a transparent covering, which could be glass, but more usually is transparent
plastics; especially acrylic sheet such as Perspex (Trade Mark). If the display sheet
is merely supported behind the covering panel, the covering panel merely has a protective
effect, and does not contribute greatly towards the visual effect of the display.
However, if the display sheet is laminated to the reverse side of the protecting panel,
there is a considerable enhancement of the visual effect. The present invention is
directed to a method of effecting such lamination, and to display products produced
thereby.
[0003] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing
a display panel using a substantially rigid transparent panel to one surface of which
a contact adhesive has been applied, the surface of the adhesive remote from the panel
being covered by a protective sheet which is peelable therefrom so as to leave the
contact adhesive on the panel; the method comprising peeling the protective sheet
from the adhesive and applying to the exposed adhesive a flexible sheet carrying the
display indicia, so that the display indicia are in contact with the adhesive. There
can then optionally be applied to the exposed reverse side of the indicia sheet a
protective backing layer. This backing layer may take the form of a sheet of material
carrying a contact adhesive on one surface which is brought into contact with the
exposed reverse side of the indicia sheet. If the indicia sheet is transparent, the
backing sheet may be adapted to provide a specific visual effect when the indicia
sheet is viewed through the transparent panel. For example, the backing sheet may
be of translucent material so that the finished panel can be mounted in a light box
to produce an illuminated sign. Alternatively or additionally the backing can be coloured
so as to provide a coloured background to the transparency. Instead of a coloured
backing sheet, a coloured backing may be applied by means of paint.
[0004] In another aspect the present invention provides a substantially rigid transparent
panel having a contact adhesive applied to one face thereof, the surface of the contact
adhesive remote from the panel being covered with a protective sheet which is peelable
therefrom leaving the adhesive on the panel.
[0005] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, various embodiments will
now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show in fragmentary
side view four successive stages in the production of a typical display panel.
[0006] Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Fig. 1; a substantially rigid transparent
acrylic plastics panel 10 is protected on one surface by a layer of plastics film
12 laminated to it by a contact adhesive; the adhesive being selected so that the
film 12 can be peeled from the panel 10, taking the adhesive with it, and leaving
a clean surface to the panel 10. The opposite surface of the panel 10 is to have a
layer of contact adhesive applied to it. This is effected by means of a web 14, of
a type which is commercially available, and comprises a double-sided contact adhesive
layer 16 laminated on one side to a plastics film 18 and on the other side to a silicon
treated paper 20. Both the plastics film 18 and the paper 20 are peelable from the
adhesive layer 16, but the silicon treatment of the paper layer causes the paper to
be more easily peelable from the adhesive layer. Thus, the paper layer is drawn away
from the adhesive layer 16 as the web is passed around a rubber roller 22. This roller
co-operates with another roller (not shown) to provide a nip, and the transparent
panel 10 is introduced into this nip so that its surface remote from the protective
film 12 contacts the adhesive layer 16, thereby causing the adhesive layer 16 and
film layer 18 to be laminated to the transparent panel.
[0007] The laminated product resulting from the step shown in Fig. 1 can then be handled,
.transported and stored until required for use. When that time comes, the next stage
shown in Fig. 2 takes place. First of all, the protective film layer 18 is peeled
back from one edge of the panel 10, exposing a marginal portion of the adhesive layer
16. A sheet 24 carrying the display indicia is then carefully positioned so that a
marginal portion of the sheet 24 overlies the exposed marginal portion of the adhesive
16, and the edge of the sheet is pressed onto the adhesive. Then the panel 10, with
the sheet 24 marginally attached, is fed into a nip between a roller 26, preferably
of steel but it could be rubber, and a rubber roller 28; these rollers being driven
at a suitable speed by an electric motor. The edge at which the sheet 24 is initially
adhered to the panel 10 enters the nip first, and as the rollers draw the panel and
sheet through the nip the protective film layer 18 is drawn away from the adhesive
layer 16, until finally the panel passes completely through the nip and the sheet
24 is fully laminated to the panel 10. The display indicia on the sheet 24 face the
panel 10, and are therefore visible through the panel when the protective film 12
is removed. This protective film 12 can be removed at any desired time; even before
the laminating process. More likely, however, it will be left in place until the panel
is ready for installation at the desired display site, so as to provide maximum protection.
[0008] The laminated product resulting from the step of Fig.2 can be used as it is, subject
to the removal of the protective film 12. Preferably, however, it goes through a further
laminating process as shown in Fig. 3. In this example, a composite sheet 30 comprises
a backing layer 32, for example of plastics film, carrying a contact adhesive layer
34, and a protective layer 36 overlies the adhesive layer 34 on the side remote from
the backing layer 32, and as with the layer 20 shown in Fig. 1 it is more readily
peelable from the adhesive layer 34 than is the backing layer 32. The protective layer
36 is peeled back along one edge, and the exposed edge portion of the adhesive layer
34 is applied to an edge of the reverse surface of the indicia sheet 24. Then the
panel 12 is fed through the nip between the rollers 26,28 in the same manner as in
Fig.2, the layer 36 being withdrawn from the adhesive layer 34 as the panel advances
through the rollers.
[0009] The result is a display panel as shown in Fig.4, which comprises a rigid transparent
panel 10 (in this case shown with the protective layer 12 removed) to which an indicia
sheet 24 is laminated by means of a contact adhesive layer 16 so that the indicia
are visible through the panel, the reverse side of the indicia sheet being protected
by means of a backing layer 32 laminated thereto by means of a contact adhesive layer
34.
[0010] In passing through the rollers 26,28, the steel roller 28 lies adjacent the panel
10 (or its protective layer 12), while the rubber roller 26 bears upon the sheet or
film which is being laminated to the other side of the panel. In this way a lamination
substantially free from noticeable air pockets can be produced.
[0011] The backing film 24 can conveniently be of polyvinyl chloride or other opaque plastics
film. If the indicia 24 is transparent or translucent, the backing sheet will be visible
through it, and hence the colour of the backing sheet can be selected so as to produce
a desired visual effect. In some cases, however, it may be intended that the transparent
indicia sheet should be mounted in a light box so as to produce an illuminated sign.
In such a case, the backing sheet, if provided, must obviously be able to transmit
that light. For this purpose, it is convenient if the backing sheet is of translucent
material so as to transmit light while obscuring details of the interior of the light
box, and also serving to diffuse the light more evenly.
[0012] In another modification, after the lamination step of Fig.2, if the indicia sheet
24 is of transparent or translucent material a layer of paint can be applied to its
reverse surface, for example by spray coating, so that the colour of the paint is
visible as a backing to the indicia. The panel thus prepared can be used as it is,
but preferably it undergoes a further lamination step as in Fig. 3 so as to provide
a protective backing film 32 over the paint layer. The application of paint, especially
by spraying, can be used to give very striking effects, particularly where different
colours are applied in different areas.
[0013] The present invention includes display panels produced by the foregoing methods,
or having an equivalent structure. The present invention has been found to produce
panels of remarkably high quality and striking visual appearance in a particularly
easy manner which does not require expensive machinery or highly skilled labour. Thus,
a user purchasing the laminated sheet resulting from the step shown in Fig. 1 can
apply his own indicia using a relatively expensive steel/rubber roller mechanism,
and with a little care and practice he should be able to produce near prefect results
every time.
1. A method of producing a display panel using a substantially rigid transparent panel
(10) to one surface of which a contact adhesive (16) has been applied, the surface
of the adhesive remote from the panel being covered by a protective sheet (18) which
is peelable therefrom so as to leave the contact ahdesive on the panel; the method
comprising peeling the protective sheet (18) from the adhesive and applying to the
exposed adhesive a flexible sheet (24) carrying the display indicia, so that the display
indicia are in contact with the adhesive.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein a protective backing layer (32) is then applied
to the exposed reverse side of the indicia sheet (24).
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the backing layer takes the form of a sheet
(32) of material carrying a contact adhesive (34) on one surface which is brought
into contact with the exposed reverse side of the indicia sheet (24).
4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protective sheet
(18) is peeled back from one edge of the panel exposing a marginal portion of the
adhesive (16), the indicia sheet (24) is positioned so that a marginal portion thereof
overlies the exposed marginal portion of the adhesive (16) and the two are then pressed
together, then the panel with the indicia sheet thus marginally attached is fed into
a nip between a pair of rollers (26,28), the edge at which the indicia sheet is initially
adhered to the panel entering the nip first, and as the panel and indicia sheet pass
through the nip the protective film layer (18) is drawn away from the adhesive layer
(16) until finally the panel passes completely through the nip and the indicia sheet
(24) is fully laminated to the panel.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the-nip is provided by a hard roller (28)
and a soft roller (26), the hard roller contacting the panel (10) on the side remote
from the indicia sheet.
6. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the transparent panel (10) carries
on its surface remote from the indicia sheet a protective layer (12) peelably secured
thereto by a contact adhesive which peels away with the protective layer leaving a
clean face to the transparent panel.
7. A substantially rigid transparent panel (10) having a contact adhesive (16) applied
to one face thereof, the surface of the contact adhesive remote from the panel being
covered with a protective sheet (18) which is peelable therefrom leaving the adhesive
(16) on the panel (10).
8. A panel according to claim 7 having a protective layer (12) peelably secured to
its other face by a contact adhesive which peels away with the protective layer leaving
a clean face to the transparent panel.