Process to attach thermal stencils to a glass substrate and permanently etch a mark therein

An aqueous adhesive solution as claimed in claim 1, as claimed in claim 9, as claimed in claim 10, and as claimed in claim 11, is made from a liquid or a combination of liquids which are not reactive to:

• glass substrates;
• paper made from natural or synthetic fibers;
• and plastic resins, which have an evaporation rate equal to or faster than of water, leaves no residue after evaporation and in which an adhesive substance readily dissolves into;
• and a natural or synthetic adhesive which does not, change, react with or dilute the effectiveness of the said glass etching compound, does not mask the said glass etchant compound from percolating through the permeable areas of the said stencil and does not mask the glass thereupon the stencil is applied.

A process to permanently chemically etch a glass substrate comprising the steps herein listed:

• (a) applying an aqueous adhesive solution to a clean glass surface in the area to be etched;
• (b) applying to the wetted glass resist side down, a preprinted thermal bi-layer stencil in which said aqueous adhesive solution has also been applied to the resist side of the stencil;
• said bi-layer stencil media manufactured with a pervious layer, permeable to glass etching compounds and a resist layer, non-permeable to glass etching compounds;
• in which said bi-layer stencil is printed with a design indicia, including but not limited to, a serial number, VIN number, logo, barcode, or picture;
• in which said non-permeable resist layer is rendered permeable, by thermal perforations from a thermal print head, only in the exact design indicia to be etched, printed to it by the printer;
• (c) further securing the stencil, which has been applied to the wetted glass, by scraping across the surface of the stencil, with a straight edged tool, to force out any remaining air and pockets of the aqueous solution;
• (d) allowing the adhesive aqueous solution to evaporate from wetted stencil and glass to further complete the detachable bond between the stencil and the glass, facilitated by the adhesive binding the stencil to the glass;
• (e) applying a glass etching compound to all permeable areas of the said printed stencil including that area of the stencil resist layer delineated to it by the thermal print perforations, allowing the etch compound to percolate down through the bi-layer stencil where the it is in direct contact with the glass to be etched, and allowing sufficient time for the glass etching compound in contact with the glass to react and complete a permanent mark substantially similar to the design indicia printed to the stencil;
• (f) removing the stencil from the glass surface;
• and
• (g) cleaning the glass containing any residual said glass etchant compound and/or said adhesive, with a glass cleaner or detergent.

A process to permanently chemically etch a glass substrate comprising the steps herein listed:

• (a) placing upon a glass surface, a preprinted thermal bi-layer stencil media manufactured with a pervious layer, permeable to glass etching compounds and a resist layer, non-permeable to glass etching compounds;
• in which said bi-layer stencil is printed with a design indicia, including but not limited to, a serial number, VIN number, logo, barcode, or picture;
• in which said non-permeable resist layer is rendered permeable, by thermal perforations from a thermal print head, only in the exact design indicia to be etched, printed to it by the printer;
• (b) saturating said stencil placed upon the clean glass surface with an aqueous adhesive solution;
• (c) securing the stencil, which has been applied to the wetted glass, by scraping across the surface of the stencil, with a straight edged tool, to evacuate any trapped air or aqueous adhesive solution between the saturated stencil and the glass, and to force aside droplets of the aqueous adhesive solution;
• (d) allowing the adhesive aqueous solution to evaporate from saturated stencil and glass to further complete the detachable bond between the stencil and the glass, facilitated by the adhesive binding the stencil to the glass;
• (e) applying a glass etching compound to all permeable areas of the said printed stencil including that area of the stencil resist layer delineated to it by the thermal print perforations, allowing the etch compound to percolate down through the bi-layer stencil where the it is in direct contact with the glass to be etched, and allowing sufficient time for the glass etching compound in contact with the glass to react and complete a permanent mark substantially similar to the design indicia printed to the stencil;
• (f) removing the stencil from the glass surface;
• and
• (g) cleaning the glass containing any residual said glass etchant compound and/or said adhesive, with a glass cleaner or detergent.

A process to secure a bi-layer stencil to a smooth substrate comprising the steps herein listed:

• (a) applying to a clean substrate, an aqueous adhesive solution;
• (b) applying to the wetted substrate resist side down, a preprinted thermal bi-layer stencil;
• said bi-layer stencil media manufactured with a permeable layer and a resist layer;
• in which said bi-layer stencil is printed with a design indicia, including but not limited to, a serial number, VIN number, logo, barcode, picture, in which said non-permeable resist layer is rendered permeable, by thermal perforations from a thermal print head, only in the exact design indicia printed to it by the printer;
• (c) further securing the stencil, which has been applied to the wetted substrate, by scraping across the surface of the stencil, with a straight edged tool, to force out any remaining air and pockets of the aqueous solution;
• and
• (d) allowing the adhesive aqueous solution to evaporate from wetted stencil and substrate to further complete the detachable bond between the stencil and the substrate, facilitated by the adhesive binding the stencil to the substrate.