Vehicle identification marking system

• US 7,566,473 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIN Mark Security Services, LLC
• Original Assignee: VIN Mark Security Services, LLC
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Milton
• Primary Examiner(s): Meeks; Timothy H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US10/707,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20050112275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 427/157, 427/402, 427/429, 427/258, 427/331, 427/282, 427/7, 427/264, 427/272, 427/260, 427/407.3, 106/31.01, 283/92, 283/96, 283/97, 428/916
• US Class Current: 427/157
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/061 Special surface effect
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/063 Reflective effect B05D5/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/10 Registration, licensing, or like devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/20 with luminescent surfaces or parts luminescent compositions C09K11/00; light sources using luminescence F21K2/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/00 Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/16 Letters, numerals, or other symbols adapted for permanent fixing to a support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 Fraud or tamper detecting

Abstract

A method of identifying an object comprising providing an vehicle having on a surface thereof at least one layer of paint, such as a urethane-based paint. A unique alphanumeric identification is applied to the paint layer with a fluorescent material at a selected unrevealed location thereon. The fluorescent material is permitted to migrate into the at least one paint layer, while an excess amount of fluorescent material remains on the at least one paint layer. Thereupon, the excess amount of fluorescent material is removed from the at least one paint layer with a solvent. The unique discrete identification created by fluorescent material migrated into the at least one paint layer is visible at an acute angle to the object surface without use of an ultraviolet light, while being substantially invisible at an angle normal to the object surface.

Claims

1. A method of identifying an object comprising:

providing an object having on a surface thereof at least one layer of paint;

determining a unique discrete identification for the object;

applying the unique discrete identification to the at least one paint layer on the surface with a UV fluorescent material;

permitting the fluorescent material to migrate into the at least one paint layer, while an excess amount of fluorescent material remains on the at least one paint layer;

removing the excess amount of fluorescent material from the at least one paint layer with a solvent;

wherein the unique discrete identification created by the fluorescent material migrated into the at least one paint layer is visible at an acute angle to the object surface without the use of ultraviolet light and intermediary layer between the viewer and the at least one paint layer, while being substantially invisible at an angle normal to the object surface; and

directly viewing the at least one paint layer at an acute angle to the object surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the object has thereon a plurality of layers of paint on the surface, and wherein the unique discrete identification is applied to an upper paint layer and the fluorescent material migrates through the upper paint layer and into at least one lower paint layer, while an excess amount of fluorescent material remains on the upper paint layer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the object and the fluorescent material remain at about room temperature.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluorescent material is a liquid, and the solvent is a non-aqueous solvent.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the object is a motor vehicle, and the at least one paint layer is over a metallic surface of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the unique discrete identification is an alphanumeric identification that is applied to the object at a selected unrevealed location thereon.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluorescent material is a liquid, and the unique discrete identification is applied to the paint layer by brush.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluorescent material is a liquid, and the unique discrete identification is applied to the paint layer by use of a stencil containing cut-outs of the discrete identification.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluorescent material is a liquid, and the unique discrete identification is applied to the paint layer by use of a stencil containing cut-outs of an alphanumeric identification, and wherein the stencil is created by:

a) providing a stencil sheet having an adhesive backing layer attached to a release sheet, b) cutting the alphanumeric identification into the stencil sheet without cutting through the release sheet, c) removing the stencil sheet with cut alphanumeric identification and adhesive backing layer from the release sheet, d) placing the stencil sheet with cut alphanumeric identification and adhesive backing layer onto a second adhesive layer, and e) removing the stencil sheet and adhesive backing layer without the cut alphanumeric identification from the second adhesive layer, creating cut-out openings on the stencil sheet and leaving the cut alphanumeric identification on the second adhesive layer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluorescent material comprises a nonaqueous-based ultraviolet ink.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the paint comprises a urethane-based paint.

12. A method of identifying an object comprising:

providing an object having on a surface thereof at least one layer of paint;

determining a unique discrete identification for the object;

applying at essentially room temperature the unique discrete identification to the at least one paint layer on the surface with a liquid UV fluorescent material using a brush;

permitting the fluorescent material to migrate into the at least one paint layer at essentially room temperature, while an excess amount of fluorescent material remains on the at least one paint layer;

removing the excess amount of fluorescent material from the at least one paint layer with a solvent;

wherein the unique discrete identification created by the fluorescent material migrated into the at least one paint layer is visible at an acute angle to the object surface without the use of ultraviolet light and intermediary layer between the viewer and the at least one paint layer, while being substantially invisible at an angle normal to the object surface; and

directly viewing the at least one paint layer at an acute angle to the object surface.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the paint comprises a urethane-based paint.

14. A method of identifying an object comprising:

providing an object having on a surface thereof at least one layer of paint;

determining a unique alphanumeric identification for the object;

creating a stencil of the unique alphanumeric identification by a) providing a stencil sheet having an adhesive backing layer attached to a release sheet, b) cutting the alphanumeric identification into the stencil sheet without cutting through the release sheet, c) removing the stencil sheet with cut alphanumeric identification and adhesive backing layer from the release sheet, d) placing the stencil sheet with cut alphanumeric identification and adhesive backing layer onto a second adhesive layer, and e) removing the stencil sheet and adhesive backing layer without the cut alphanumeric identification from the second adhesive layer, creating cut-out openings on the stencil sheet and leaving the cut alphanumeric identification on the second adhesive layer;

applying the stencil sheet and adhesive backing layer with the cut-out openings to the at least one paint layer on the object surface;

applying a UV fluorescent material to the stencil sheet through the cut-out openings and on to the at least one paint layer on the surface;

removing the stencil sheet and adhesive backing layer from the object surface, leaving fluorescent material in the form of the unique alphanumeric identification on the at least one paint layer;

permitting the fluorescent material to migrate into the at least one paint layer, while an excess amount of fluorescent material remains on the at least one paint layer;

removing the excess amount of fluorescent material from the at least one paint layer;

wherein the unique discrete identification created by the fluorescent material migrated into the at least one paint layer is visible at an acute angle to the object surface without the use of ultraviolet light and intermediary layer between the viewer and the at least one paint layer, while being substantially invisible at an angle normal to the object surface; and

directly viewing the at least one paint layer at an acute angle to the object surface.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the paint comprises a urethane system paint.

16. A method of secretly identifying a vehicle comprising:

providing a vehicle having a surface;

selecting a desired, unrevealed location on a portion of the vehicle surface;

determining a unique discrete identification for the vehicle;

applying the unique discrete identification to the unrevealed location on the vehicle surface with a marking fluid not normally visible in daylight when viewed normal to the vehicle surface;

permitting the marking fluid to become embedded in the vehicle surface in the form of the unique discrete identification at the unrevealed location, while leaving an excess amount of the marking fluid on the vehicle surface;

removing the excess amount of the marking fluid on the vehicle surface, such that the unique discrete identification formed by the embedded marking fluid in the vehicle surface is visible at the unrevealed location at an acute angle to the vehicle surface or by use of light other than daylight;

wherein the unique discrete identification created by the fluorescent material embedded into the vehicle surface is visible at an acute angle to the vehicle surface without the use of ultraviolet light and intermediary layer between the viewer and the embedded marking fluid on the vehicle surface, while being substantially invisible at angle normal to vehicle surface;

directly viewing the unrevealed location of the vehicle surface at an acute angle;

recording'"'"' the unique discrete identification and the unrevealed location on the vehicle surface in a searchable database for retrieval in the event that the vehicle needs to be identified.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the vehicle surface comprises metal, and the unique discrete identification formed by the marking fluid is embedded in the metal.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the vehicle surface comprises a painted surface, and the unique discrete identification formed by the marking fluid is embedded in the paint on the surface.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the vehicle surface comprises a surface painted with a urethane-based paint, and the unique discrete identification formed by the marking fluid is embedded in the paint on the surface.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the vehicle surface comprises fiberglass, and the unique discrete identification formed by the marking fluid is embedded in the fiberglass.