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US 2003/0224151 A1Published application
Direct thermal printable pull-aparts
OwnerChauncey T. Mitchell JR., Daniel R. Fulwilerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved construction for pull-aparts, which take such forms as game pieces, promotional articles, and report forms, involves the use or two or more substrates that are rendered opaque for concealing information. A thermosensitive imaging layer is located beneath an opaque cover layer through which the concealed information is direct thermally printed. The concealed information is revealed by at least partially separating the two substrates for exposing a view of the thermosensitive imaging layer.
Claims56
A direct thermal printable pull-apart comprising:
- a base substrate that is at least partially transparent and has front and back surfaces;
- a thermosensitive imaging layer on the front surface of the base substrate;
- an at least partially opaque layer covering the thermosensitive imaging layer on the front surface of the base substrate;
- a cover substrate being partially bonded to the back surface of the base substrate;
- the base substrate and the cover substrate being at least partially separable for exposing a view of the thermosensitive imaging layer through the back surface of the base substrate;
- and
- the opaque layer providing for:
- (a) transmitting concentrations of heat required to form thermal images in the thermosensitive imaging layer from a thermal print head;
- (b) at least partly obscuring a view of the thermal images formed in the thermosensitive imaging layer from the front side of the base layer;
- and
- (c) visually contrasting with the thermal images formed in the thermosensitive imaging layer as a background against which the thermal images can be distinguished through the back surface of the base layer.
8 more elements
A direct thermal printable pull-apart comprising:
- a direct thermal printable film having front and back surfaces;
- a thermosensitive imaging layer of the direct thermal printable film being located on the back surface of the direct thermal printable film;
- a cover substrate bonded to the back surface of the direct thermal printable film;
- an at least partially removable tab formed in the cover substrate overlapping with a printable area of the thermosensitive imaging area;
- an opaque layer apparent on the front surface of the direct thermal printable film covering at least a portion of the printable area of the direct thermal printable film and overlapping with the at least partially removable tab;
- and
- the at least partially removable tab and the opaque layer providing for obscuring views of thermal images formed in the thermosensitive imaging layer by direct thermal printing through the direct thermal printable film.
4 more elements
A direct thermal printable medium comprising:
- a base substrate having front and back surfaces;
- a thermosensitive imaging layer supported on the back surface of the base substrate;
- a cover substrate being bonded to the back surface of the base substrate;
- a tab formed in one of the substrates overlapping a region of the thermosensitive imaging layer where thermal images can be formed by direct thermal printing;
- both substrates being rendered opaque for obscuring a view of the thermal images through the base substrate and through the cover substrate;
- and
- the tab formed in the one substrate being retractable from the other of the substrates for viewing the thermal images in the thermosensitive imaging layer.
4 more elements
A direct thermal printable pull-apart comprising:
- a base substrate;
- a thermally sensitive imaging layer supported on the base substrate;
- an opaque layer covering the thermally sensitive imaging layer;
- a cover substrate;
- the cover substrate being laminated to the base substrate so that the thermally sensitive imaging layer is concealed between the opaque layer and the cover substrate;
- and
- one of the base substrate and the cover substrate being arranged as a tab that can be retracted to view thermal images that are direct thermally printed in the thermosensitive imaging layer.
4 more elements
A method of making a direct thermal printable pull-apart comprising the steps of:
- supporting a thermally sensitive imaging layer on a base substrate;
- covering the thermally sensitive imaging layer with an opaque layer;
- laminating a cover substrate to the base substrate so that the thermally sensitive imaging layer is concealed between the opaque layer and the cover substrate;
- and
- arranging one of the base substrate and the cover substrate as a tab that can be retracted to view thermal images that are-direct thermally printed in the thermosensitive imaging layer.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.