Method and label system for marking property

• US 6,076,859 A
• Filed: 06/01/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Express Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Express Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: McGuff, Gilbert W., Hall, Dee Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Fridie, Jr., Willmon
• Application Number:
  US09/088,351
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 283/72, 283/88, 283/89, 283/91, 283/92, 283/74, 283/113, 283/117
• US Class Current: 283/89
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0294 where the change is not permanent, e.g. labels only readable under a special light, temperature indicating labels and the like

Abstract

A method especially useful for marking property having a multitude of individually-valuable metal components involves adhering at least one specially-constructed label to at least one painted metal surface of the property to be marked. Each label includes a thermal label stock layer having information relating to the marked property imprinted on one side and a non-release thermal adhesive layer coated on another side. The label is impregnated with a chemical which is visible only when exposed to ultraviolet light and has apertures therethrough forming identifying indicia at a predetermined location, such as a personal identification number unique to the property owner, and/or a bar code imprinted thereon containing the identifying indicia. A durable topcoat on the label provides a protective seal. After the label is adhered to the metal surface, the ultraviolet-visible chemical migrates to substrata thereof. The identifying indicia can be observed by scanning the bar code while the label is adhered to the metal surface. If the label is removed, the identifying indicia can still be observed by exposing the metal surface to ultraviolet light, rendering visible the ultraviolet-visible chemical and outlining the identifying indicia on the metal surface. A label system for marking property using the above-noted method and a method for making the label system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A label system for marking property, comprising:

at least one label and a backing element for supporting and transporting the at least one label prior to use;

each label comprising a thermal label stock layer having a front side and a rear side, the rear side having a non-release thermal adhesive layer thereon, the label stock and the non-release thermal adhesive layers being impregnated with a composition visible only when exposed to ultraviolet light and having apertures therethrough forming identifying indicia at a predetermined location, the identifying indicia relating to the property to be marked; and

the backing element comprising a backing layer releasably-attaching each label thereto prior to use.

2. A label system according to claim 1, wherein the identifying indicia is a personal identification number unique to the owner of the property to be marked.

3. A label system according to claim 1, wherein the front side of the label stock layer has imprinted thereon information relating to the property to be marked.

4. A label system according to claim 3, wherein the imprinted information includes bar code information.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the bar code information includes the identifying indicia.

6. A label system according to claim 1, further comprising a topcoat on the front side of the label providing a protective seal for the label.

7. A label system according to claim 1, wherein the label further comprises a moisture-resistant and thermal-resistant liner laminated to the front side of the label stock layer.

8. A label system according to claim 1, comprising at least ten labels arranged on the backing element in discrete relation to each other.

9. A label system for marking property, comprising:

at least one label and a backing element for supporting and transporting the at least one label prior to use;

each label comprising a thermal label stock layer having a front side and a rear side, the front side having imprinted thereon a bar code containing information relating to the property to be marked and the rear side having a non-release thermal adhesive layer thereon, the label stock and non-release thermal adhesive layers being impregnated with a composition visible only when exposed to ultraviolet light; and

the backing element comprising a backing layer releasably-attaching each label thereto prior to use.

10. A label system according to claim 9, wherein the bar code information comprises identifying indicia including a personal identification number unique to the owner of the property to be marked.

11. A label system according to claim 9, further comprising a topcoat on the front side of the label providing a protective seal for the label.

12. A label system according to claim 9, wherein the label further comprises a moisture-resistant and thermal-resistant liner laminated to the front side of the label stock layer.

13. A label system according to claim 9, comprising at least ten labels arranged on the backing element in discrete relation to each other.

14. A method for marking property having at least one painted or coated surface, comprising:

adhering at least one label to at least one metal surface of the property, each label comprising a thermal label stock layer having a front side and a rear side, the rear side having a non-release thermal adhesive layer thereon, the label stock and non-release thermal adhesive layers being impregnated with a composition visible only when exposed to ultraviolet light and having apertures therethrough forming identifying indicia at a predetermined location, the identifying indicia relating to the property to be marked; and

allowing the ultraviolet-visible composition to migrate to substrata of the painted or coated surface, whereby the identifying indicia can be observed on the painted or coated surface should the label be removed from the painted or coated surface by exposing the painted or coated surface to ultraviolet light, thereby rendering visible the ultraviolet-visible composition and outlining the identifying indicia on the painted or coated surface.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the identifying indicia is a personal identification number unique to the owner of the marked property.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the front side of the label stock layer has imprinted thereon information relating to the property to be marked.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the imprinted information includes bar code information.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the bar code information includes the identifying indicia.

19. A method according to claim 14, further comprising applying a topcoat on the front side of the label to provide a protective seal for the label.

20. A method according to claim 14, further comprising adhering a plurality of the labels to a plurality of metal surfaces of the property, each of the metal surfaces being at least part of a separable component of the property.

21. A method for marking property having at least one metal surface, comprising:

adhering at least one label to at least one metal surface of the property, each label comprising a thermal label stock layer having a front side and a rear side, the front side having imprinted thereon a bar code containing information relating to the property to be marked and the rear side having a non-release thermal adhesive layer thereon, the label stock and non-release thermal adhesive layers being impregnated with a composition visible only when exposed to ultraviolet light; and

allowing the ultraviolet-visible composition to migrate to substrata of the metal surface, whereby the information can first be detected by scanning the bar code while the label is adhered to the metal surface and thereafter the ultraviolet-visible composition can be detected on the metal surface should the label be removed from the metal surface by exposing the metal surface to ultraviolet light, thereby rendering visible the ultraviolet-visible composition on the metal surface.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the bar code information comprises identifying indicia including a personal identification number unique to the owner of the marked property.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising applying a topcoat on the front side of the label to provide a protective seal for the label.

24. A method according to claim 21, further comprising adhering a plurality of the labels to a plurality of metal surfaces of the property, each of the metal surfaces being at least part of a separable component of the property.

25. A method for making a label system for marking property, comprising:

providing a label sheet impregnated with a composition visible only when exposed to ultraviolet light, the label sheet comprising a label element and a backing element, the label element comprising a thermal label stock layer having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side having a non-release thermal adhesive layer thereon, the backing element comprising a backing layer releasably-securing the label element thereto;

creating apertures from the top side through the bottom side of the label element at a plurality of predetermined locations on the label element to remove portions of the label element and the ultraviolet-visible composition and form identifying indicia through the label element; and

dividing the label element into a plurality of discrete labels releasably-secured to the backing element, each label containing identifying indicia thereon.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising applying a topcoat to the label element to provide a protective seal for the label, including the identifying indicia apertures.

27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising imprinting the top side of the label element with information relating to the property to be marked.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the imprinting comprises ink-impregnating the top side of the label element to provide first information relating to the property to be marked, and then laser imprinting a bar code on the top side of the label element to provide bar code information.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the bar code information comprises the identifying indicia.

30. A method according to claim 27, wherein the information imprinted on the top side of the label element includes bar code information, the bar code information including the identifying indicia.

31. A method according to claim 25, wherein the identifying indicia is a personal identification number unique to the owner of the marked property.

32. A method for making a label system for marking property, comprising:

providing a label sheet impregnated with a composition visible only when exposed to ultraviolet light, the label sheet comprising a label element and a backing element, the label element comprising a thermal label stock layer having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side having a non-release thermal adhesive layer thereon, the backing element comprising a backing layer releasably-securing the label element thereto;

imprinting the top side of the label element with a plurality of bar codes containing information relating to the property to be marked at a plurality of predetermined locations on the label element; and

dividing the label element into a plurality of discrete labels releasably-secured to the backing element, each label containing a bar code thereon.

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising applying a topcoat to the label element to provide a protective seal for each label, including the bar code.

34. A method according to claim 32, wherein the imprinting comprises ink-impregnating the top side of the label element to provide first information relating to the property to be marked, and then laser imprinting a bar code on the top side of the label element to provide bar code information.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the bar code information comprises identifying indicia including a personal identification number unique to the over of the marked property.

36. A method according to claim 32, wherein the bar code information comprises identifying indicia including a personal identification number unique to the owner of the marked property.