Patent Application
20090044711
This application is related to U.S. application titled, “WALLPAPER WITH ERASABLE FRONT MATCH MARKS,” which was filed on even date herewith; attorney docket number 2380.0 and inventor Patrick J. Bluett.
This invention relates to the field of positioning wallpaper and more particularly to a method of manufacturing wallpaper with marks for assisting in the matching of two abutting sheets of wallpaper.
Wallpaper is applied to a surface such as a wall in wide varieties of ways. Typically, wallpaper is applied to the entire wall surface and often to all or most of the wall surfaces in a room.
Wallpaper is typically provided in rolls. Sheets of the approximate height of the wall are cut, water is applied to pre-pasted wallpaper or adhesive applied to un-pre-pasted wallpaper and the sheet is placed on the wall, adhesive side down, each sheet next to the previous sheet until the desired area is covered.
Wallpaper comes in a wide variety of designs and patterns. As an example, one such wallpaper has a paisley pattern, having designs of paisley interspersed regularly across its surface. When two strips of wallpaper are to be placed next to each other, an aesthetic or other acceptable match of the two pieces of wallpaper can be obtained if the pattern on the wallpaper is subtle e.g. does not have a large dominant feature. However if the wallpaper does have a dominant feature such as the paisley pattern, it is preferable that the abutting sheets of the wallpaper are abutted such that the pattern flows across the entire wall and/or room.
Typically, a pattern on wallpaper repeats at fixed intervals such as every two feet. To align such wallpaper, often a reference line is printed on each side of the back surface of the wallpaper. To successfully align the pattern, the right reference line of the first sheet needs to line up with the left reference line of the sheet to its right, and so forth. Unfortunately, once the first sheet is hung, it is difficult to find the location of the reference line being that the reference line is against the wall. Often, the wallpaper hanger will mark the wall with a pencil next to the location of the reference mark. That withstanding, when hanging the second sheet, it is difficult to find and see the pencil mark since it is covered by the second sheet and it is difficult to see/find the reference mark on the second sheet since it is on the adhesive side of the wallpaper.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,821 to Cousineau describes a method of matching wallpaper borders using a clear plastic sheet. This method requires extra tools and is not described for matching wallpaper, only borders.
What is needed is a wallpaper matching and alignment system that will improve the ease at which wallpaper with patterns is hung.
In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing wallpaper with match marks is disclosed including (1) providing a continuous sheet of wallpaper; (2) printing a wallpaper pattern on the face of the continuous sheet of wallpaper using at least one wallpaper printing device; and (3) printing left match marks and right match marks on the face of the continuous sheet of wallpaper using a modified wallpaper printing device.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for manufacturing wallpaper with erasable match marks on a front surface is disclosed including an input roller for accepting a continuous sheet of wallpaper, an ink tray for holding erasable ink and a match mark print cylinder in fluid communication with the ink tray for accepting the erasable ink. A pressure roller in communication with the match mark print cylinder to press the wallpaper between itself and the match mark print cylinder. Guide rollers route the wallpaper from the input roller between the match mark print cylinder and the pressure roller through additional guide rollers and to an output roller. The match mark pattern is printed on the face of wallpaper with the erasable ink.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for manufacturing wallpaper with erasable match marks on a front surface is disclosed including a machine for accepting a continuous sheet of wallpaper, a machine for holding erasable ink and a machine for printing match marks in fluid communication with the machine for holding the erasable ink. A machine applies pressure to the continuous sheet of wallpaper in communication with the machine for printing match marks and another machine routes the continuous sheet of wallpaper from the machine for accepting the continuous sheet of wallpaper to the machine for printing the match marks at which location a match mark pattern is printed on a face of the continuous sheet of wallpaper with the erasable ink. A machine is provided for exiting the continuous sheet of wallpaper from the apparatus and other machines route the continuous sheet of wallpaper from the machine for printing the match marks to a machine for exiting.
The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. Note that although the printing devices described here within use an engraved print cylinder, other print mechanisms are known in the industry and the present invention is not limited in any way to any particular print mechanism. Examples of such print mechanisms include rotary screen and flexo screen printing.
Referring to
To achieve this alignment, match marks 12/13/14/15 are printed on the face of the wallpaper. When hanging the wallpaper 5/6/7/8, a paper hanger will typically start by applying a first sheet to the surface (wall) using wallpaper paste (note, some wallpaper is pre-pasted and need only be wet to activate the paste). The first sheet 5 is hung vertically on the wall and a second sheet 6 is prepared and hung to the right of the first sheet 5. In order to assure correct pattern matching, the right edge match marks 12 of the first sheet 5 is aligned with the left edge match marks 14 of the second sheet 6. Although the match marks 12/13/14/15 are shown with arrows 12/14 and words POINT 15 and MATCH 13, any marking is envisioned that provides for alignment of one sheet to a subsequent sheet of wallpaper.
Once the wallpaper 5/6/7/8 is hung and aligned correctly, there is no further need for the match marks 12/13/14/15. Actually, the finished wall would not look good if the match marks 12/13/14/15 remained. Therefore, it is important that the match marks 12/13/14/15 be easily removable, preferably with a soft, wet cloth, sponge or the like. This is achieved through the use of inks that do not permeate into the wallpaper and are erasable when wetted with water.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The ink used to print the match marks 12/13/14/15 needs to be kept at a low temperature so it does not coagulate in the ink tray 34 or on the rollers. One such ink is “Aqua Safe Removable Ink” number 7.2377 from Polytex Environmental Inks, 820 East 140th Street Bronx, N.Y. 10454. To keep the ink at a low temperature, the ink is constantly cycled from a reservoir 37 through the ink tray 34 and back to the reservoir 37 by a pump 36. The ink in the reservoir 37 is cooled by refrigeration coils 39 that are fluidly interfaced with a refrigeration unit 38 as known in the industry. In the preferred embodiment, the refrigeration coils 39 are immersed in the ink in the reservoir 37 (as shown). In alternate embodiments, the refrigeration coils 39 are disposed around the perimeter of the reservoir 37 or as known in the industry. Other methods of cooling the ink are known in the industry and included here within.
Referring to
In the example shown, the final print stage is a print device 30 for printing the match mark 12/13/14/15. This stage uses the ink cooling mechanism as described above consisting of the ink tray 34 fluidly coupled to the ink reservoir 37 by a pump 36. The ink in the reservoir 37 is cooled by coiling tubes/coil 39 that is/are fluidly coupled to a refrigeration unit 38.
Referring to
Hanging 130 begins with applying water or paste to a sheet of wallpaper 132 (the wallpaper is cut slightly longer than the height of the wall). Next, the sheet is placed vertically on the wall 134 (a plumb line is often used to assure a vertical hanging). Paste or water is then applied to the next sheet 136 and it is placed on the wall next to the previous sheet such that the match marks on the face of the right side of the first (previous) sheet align with the match marks on the face of the left side of the next sheet 138. If more sheets of wallpaper need to be hung 140, the previous two steps 136/138 are repeated until the wall is covered. Once finished hanging the wallpaper, the match marks on the face of the wallpaper are removed using a moistened cloth, sponge or other instrument and a slight rubbing motion 142 and the job is finished 144.
Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.
It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
