TACTILE RELIEF FILMS, DECALS AND STICKERS FOR INDICATING OBJECT CHARACTERISTICS

• US 20130139952A1
• Filed: 12/03/2011
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OAK Novations Ltd.
• Original Assignee: OAK Novations Ltd.
• Inventors: BAKLANOV, Dmitry
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/67
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/023 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/0276 Safety features, e.g. colour, prominent part, logo
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/02 Forms or constructions layered products B32B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/10 by an adhesive layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1476 Release layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]

Abstract

A system and method of tactile relief stickers, decals or moldings to indicate object characteristics, for example to indicate object color. The system can include a plurality of stickers. Each sticker can have a first surface with a relief texture and a second surface opposite the first surface. Each sticker can also have a relief texture corresponding to a color according to a predetermined correspondence of one texture to one color. The second surface can have an adhesive applied thereto.

Claims

1. Tactile relief color indicators comprising:

a plurality of stickers, each sticker having a first surface with a relief texture and a second surface opposite the first surface,

each sticker having a relief texture corresponding to a color according to a predetermined correspondence of one texture to one color, and

the second surface having an adhesive applied thereto.

2. The tactile relief color indicators of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stickers are formed of a translucent material.

3. The tactile relief color indicators of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stickers is disposed on a single sheet of backing material applied to the adhesive such that the stickers are removable from the backing material and retain adhesive properties after removal from the backing material.

4. The tactile relief color indicators of claim 1, wherein the stickers further comprise a material having phosphorescent properties.

5. The tactile relief color indicators of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a reusable adhesive.

6. The tactile relief color indicators of claim 1, wherein the tactile relief textures are formed to stimulate an association with known objects.

7. The tactile relief color indicators of claim 1, wherein the tactile relief textures are raised textures.

8. The tactile relief color indicators of claim 1, wherein the tactile relief textures are recessed textures.

9. A system of sticker for indicating characteristics of objects, the system comprising:

a plurality of stickers, each having a first side with a tactile relief texture and a second side with an adhesive material applied thereto,

wherein the stickers are formed from a flexible and material and each tactile relief texture corresponds to a different characteristic.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the characteristics are colors.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the characteristics are selected from the group consisting of weight, type of surface, type of the end of the object, object hardness.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the stickers are formed from a translucent material.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the tactile relief textures are raised textures.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the tactile relief textures are recessed textures.

15. A method of utilization of tactile sensations to stimulate an association with a known object to identify a particular trait of an unknown object, the method comprising:

applying a tactile relief sticker to a first object, the tactile relief sticker having a first side with a tactile relief texture and a second side with an adhesive material applied thereto, and being formed from a flexible material; and

providing a predetermined correspondence of tactile relief textures to specific object traits,

wherein the tactile relief sticker corresponds to a trait of the object to which the tactile relief sticker is applied to.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the specific object traits are colors.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the specific object traits are selected from the group consisting of weight, type of surface, type of the end of the object, object hardness.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising stimulating an association between a known object and the object to which the tactile relief sticker is applied by tactile sensation.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising making the tactile relief sticker visible in low light by providing a phosphorescent material on the tactile relief sticker.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the tactile relief sticker is formed from a translucent material.