EP0044750A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of marking a dimensionally heat recoverable article
Assignee: Raychem Corp
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Filing: 1981-07-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-07-23
Abstract
Abstract An article which in use is heated to an elevated temperature comprises a thermochromic composition, which when heated to a transition temperature, provides a visible colour change in less than 5 seconds. The transition temperature is at least 30°C greater than the maximum temperature to which the article is heated in use. To place visible indicia on the article, portions of the surface of the article corresponding to the indicia are heated to a temperature at least as great as the transition temperature.
Inventors
- 👤 William D. Carlomagno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:37
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01K; G01K11/00; G01K11/12; B; B29; B29C; B29C67/00; B29C67/0007; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/28; B41M5/282; B41M5/283; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
An article which, in use, is heated to an elevated temperature and has a surface comprising a thermochromic material that undergoes a visible colour change in not more than 5 seconds, preferably in less than 1 second and especially in less than 0.5 seconds, when heated to a transition temperature that is at least 30°C above, and preferably at least 70°C above the maximum temperature to which that portion of the articler is heated in use.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
An article which, in use, is heated to an elevated temperature and has a surface comprising a thermochromic material that undergoes a visible colour change in not more than 5 seconds, preferably in less than 1 second and especially in less than 0.5 seconds, when heated to a transition temperature that is at least 30°C above, and preferably at least 70°C above the maximum temperature to which that portion of the articler is heated in use.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
An article as claimed in claim 1, which is dimensionally heat-recoverable, the said maximum temperature to which the article is heated at least as high as the recovery temperature of the article.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An article as claimed in claim or claim 2, wherein the colour change of the thermochromic material is substantially irreversible.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the maximum temperature to which the article is heated is at least 100°C..
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transition temperature is not higher than 150°C above the said maximum temperature to which the article is heated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, at least part of which is formed from a polymeric material, the thermochromic material being present as a dispersion in the polymeric material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
An article as claimed in any ofclaims 1 to 6, wherein the thermochromic material comprises cadmium hydroxide, ammonium vanadate, bismuth subcarbonate and thiodipropionic acid, cobalt ammonium phosphate, copper carbonate or ferric oxide monohydrate.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
34 words
A device for marking objects, which comprises an article as claimed in any one of claimsl to 7 adapted to be positioned on an object and secured thereto by heating to an elevated temperature.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of marking an article as defined in any one of claims 1 to 7, which comprises forming at least one indicium on the said surface of the article by heating only selected portions of the surface that correspond to the indicium to at least the transistion temperature of the thermochromic material
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method of marking an object by means of a device as claimed in claim 8, which comprises forming at least one indicium on the said surface of the device by heating only selected portions of the surface that correspond to the indicium to the transition temperature of the thermochromic material, placing the device on the object and heating the device to the elevated temperature to secure it to the object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the or each indicium is formed by means of a thermal printer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
An object that has been marked by a method as claimed in claim 10.
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