US4307047A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacture of identical parts displaying different indicia
Assignee: Siemens AG
•
Filing: 1980-08-18
•
Granted: 1981-12-22
•
Expires: 2000-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing parts which are otherwise identical but which display different indicia such as a typewriter or the like keys which comprises the steps of injection molding a plurality of identical parts of a plastic having a filler material capable of undergoing a color change, and thereafter exposing individually the identical parts to a radiation source for changing the color of localized portions of the part to display the indicia while retaining the molded color of remaining portions.
Inventors
- 👤 Egon Edinger
- 👤 Peter Reiser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:53
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/0053; B29C45/0013; B29C59/00; B29C59/16; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/47; B41J2/471; B41J5/00; B41J5/08; B41J5/12; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/267; B44; B44B; B44B7/00; B29C35/00; B29C35/02; B29C35/08; B29C35/0805; B29C2035/0838; B29C37/00; B29C2037/80; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/46; H; H01; H01H; H01H9/00; H01H9/18; H01H2009/187
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of producing identically shaped plastic keys having different readible indicia on a surface thereof which comprises the steps of preparing a mixture of a base plastics material and a filler material, the filler material capable of undergoing a color change by application of energy, molding the keys by injection molding with at least a surface portion of the key formed of the mixture, providing a laser beam, focusing the energy radiation in the beam, moving the key surface and beam with respect to one another in a predetermined pattern whereby the beam plays over the surface in a path corresponding to the desired readible indicia, the beam having a power sufficient to change the color of the filler material in the path area.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of producing identically shaped plastic keys having different readible indicia on a surface thereof which comprises the steps of preparing a mixture of a base plastics material and a filler material, the filler material capable of undergoing a color change by application of energy, molding the keys by injection molding with at least a surface portion of the key formed of the mixture, providing a laser beam, focusing the energy radiation in the beam, moving the key surface and beam with respect to one another in a predetermined pattern whereby the beam plays over the surface in a path corresponding to the desired readible indicia, the beam having a power sufficient to change the color of the filler material in the path area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the base plastics material is ABS and the filler is an iron oxide-hydroxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the mixture forms only a portion of the key including said surface with the remaining portions of the key formed by the base plastic alone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the mixture includes 0.5 to 1.0 percent by weight filler material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the laser beam is moved with respect to a stationary key surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3266393A
Cited
US3443936A
Cited
US4013747A
Cited
US3506779A
Cited
US3549733A
Cited
US3678141A
Cited
US3651191A
Cited
US3657510A
Cited
DE2240553C3
Cited
US4037075A
Cited
US4159414A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-12-21 | 1985-06-22 | 1985-12-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-12-21 | 1989-06-22 | 1989-12-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-12-21 | 1993-06-22 | 1993-12-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |