Photopolymeric stamp indexing images
AssigneeChemence, Inc.
InventorJohn P. Maneira
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An indexing image for craft stamps that is opaque to the eye but transparent to UV light is produced by printing a wavelength-specific solvent-based ink on the stamp substrate. This eliminates the step of printing a separate adhesive-backed indexing image sheet and applying it to the substrate.
Claims25
A stamp comprising a cured photopolymer with a stamp image adjacent to the indexing image substrate comprising an actinic radiation-transmitting substrate, wherein the surface of the actinic radiation-transmitting substrate comprises an indexing image configured to resemble the stamp image, and wherein the indexing image is printed in an ink that is visible to a user and does not block ultra-violet radiation.
A stamp produced by the method comprising:
- printing an indexing image on a surface of an actinic radiation-transmitting substrate to produce an indexing image substrate, wherein the indexing image substrate has a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the indexing image is configured to resemble the stamp image and wherein the indexing image is printed in an ink that is visible to a user and does not block ultra-violet radiation;
- positioning a masking film above the top surface of the indexing image substrate, the masking film comprising a masking image printed on a portion of the masking film, the masking image being configured to block ultra-violet radiation;
- positioning a relief film below a bottom surface of the indexing image substrate, the relief film comprising a relief image, wherein a liquid photopolymer layer is between the bottom surface of the indexing image substrate and the relief film;
- and
- shining polymerizing radiation through the masking film and relief film to form a stamp in the bottom surface of the indexing image substrate.
A stamp with an indexing image printed on a surface of the stamp, wherein the stamp is produced by the method comprising:
- printing an indexing image directly on a surface of an actinic radiation-transmitting substrate to produce an indexing image substrate, wherein the indexing image substrate has a top surface and a bottom surface, the indexing image being printed in an ink that does not transmit visible wavelengths of light and does not block polymerizing radiation;
- positioning a relief film below a bottom surface of the indexing image substrate, the relief film comprising a relief image, wherein a photopolymer layer is between the bottom surface of the index image substrate and the relief film;
- and
- shining polymerizing radiation through the indexing image substrate and relief film.
A stamp produced by the method comprising:
- printing a masking image on a masking film;
- printing a stamp relief image on a relief film;
- printing an indexing image on a surface of a substrate to produce an indexing image substrate, wherein the indexing image substrate has a top surface and a bottom surface;
- positioning the relief film below the indexing image substrate;
- casting a layer of liquid photopolymer on top of the relief film;
- placing the bottom surface of the indexing image substrate in contact with the upper surface of the liquid photopolymer layer;
- positioning the masking film above the substrate;
- shining polymerizing radiation through the masking film to form a polymerized floor image in the liquid photopolymer;
- shining polymerizing radiation through the relief film to form a polymerized relief image in the liquid photopolymer between the polymerized floor image and the relief film;
- and
- removing the masking film and relief film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.