Pressure indicating structure

Abstract

A pressure indicating structure comprising (1) a translucent or transparent sheet having opposite first and second major surfaces, reflective structure defining at least a portion of that second surface for reflecting back through the first surface at an observation angle in a predetermined range of observation angles a visually significant amount of the light entering the sheet through its first surface, that reflective structure comprising a multiplicity of peak portions and recessed portions having recessed surface portions of the second surface that define recesses from the peak portions; and (2) a deformable layer comprising pressure sensitive adhesive, the deformable layer having opposite major surfaces with one of those surfaces defined by the pressure sensitive adhesive being along the second surface of the sheet adjacent and over the peak portions of the reflective structure and spaced from the recessed surface portions of the second surface. The shape and size of the peak portions and recessed portions of the reflective structure and the deformability of the deformable layer are selected or adapted so that a predetermined pressure is needed between the first surface of the sheet and the surface of the deformable material opposite the reflective structure to deform the pressure sensitive adhesive of the deformable layer adjacent the reflective structure into the recesses to wet part or all of the recessed surface portions of the reflective structure. Such wetting of part or all of the recessed surface portions of the reflective structure causes light to pass through the second surface along the wetted recessed surface portions instead of being reflected, thereby causing significant visually observable changes in the appearance of the reflective structure at an observation angle in the range of observation angles to indicate that the predetermined pressure has been applied.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.