Irreversible display with temporary imaging stage
AssigneeTimer Technologies, LLC
InventorsMark A. Shadle, David M. Good, Chauncey T. Mitchell, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A metal layer cleared by contact with a chemical clearing agent to reveal an underlying graphics layer is at least partially covered by a buffer material that delays contact with the clearing agent. The buffer material can be applied in a pattern that forms a temporary image in the metal layer prior to more completely revealing the underlying graphics layer.
Claims64
An irreversible multistage display comprising:
- a metal layer having first and second portions;
- a first graphics layer underlying both portions of the metal layer;
- a second graphics layer laid out in a pattern on the first portion of the metal layer;
- the first and second portions of the metal layer being differentially accessible to a chemical clearing agent that produces a chemical reaction for clearing the metal layer;
- and
- the first and second portions of the metal layer clearing at different rates for temporarily displaying the pattern of the second graphics layer in advance of more permanently displaying the first graphics layer.
An irreversible display system that temporarily displays an indicium comprising:
- a metal layer and a chemical clearing agent maintained out of operative contact with each other within a display region;
- a pattern on the metal layer within the display region for forming the indicium;
- the clearing agent being relatively moveable into operative contact with the metal layer within the display region for initiating a chemical reaction for clearing the metal layer;
- and
- the pattern being composed of a buffer material that delays clearing of the patterned portion of the metal layer with respect to a remaining portion of the metal layer to temporarily display the indicium.
A method of temporarily displaying an indicium with an irreversible display comprising the steps of:
- supporting a metal layer having a first and second portions within a display region, the first portion being covered by buffering material in a form of an indicium;
- engaging a chemical clearing agent with the metal layer within the display region;
- and
- producing an electrochemical reaction between the chemical clearing agent and the metal layer that clears the first and second portions of the metal layer at different rates for temporarily displaying the indicium.
A method of irreversibly displaying a sequence of images comprising the steps of:
- producing an electrochemical reaction between a chemical clearing agent and a metal layer without inducing a net flow of current in the metal layer;
- clearing a portion of the metal layer as a result of the electrochemical reaction to display a temporary image formed in the metal layer;
- and
- subsequently clearing a remaining portion of the metal layer as a further result of the electrochemical reaction to reveal a more permanent image that underlies the metal layer.
An irreversible display activated by the interaction of a chemical clearing agent with a metal layer comprising:
- the metal layer;
- a display window aligned with the metal layer;
- an indicium aligned with the display window and obscured by the metal layer;
- and
- a buffer layer covering the metal layer within the display window for regulating access of the chemical clearing agent to the metal layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.