US6176185B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for marking a gaming disk by pad printing
Assignee: Bourgogne et Grasset SA
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Filing: 1998-03-11
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Granted: 2001-01-23
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Expires: 2018-03-11
Abstract
Abstract A method for marking a side of a straight-sided chip with a decoration by pad printing. The method comprises providing an ink plate with an image defined by radially deformed representation of the decoration of the straight side of the chip in a ring-shaped zone, moving a pad coaxially into contact with the ink plate such that the image transfers to the pad, and moving the pad coaxially into contact with the chip such that the image transfers to the side of the chip.
Inventors
- 👤 G{acute over (e)}rard Charlier
- 👤 Eric Philippe
- 👤 Michel Tollhupp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:08
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41F; B41F17/00; B41F17/001; A; A44; A44C; A44C21/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for marking a side of a straight-sided chip with a decoration by pad printing, said method comprising: providing an ink plate with an image defined by a radially deformed representation of the decoration of the straight side of the chip in a ring-shaped zone; moving a pad coaxially into contact with said ink plate such that said image transfers to said pad; moving said pad coaxially into contact with said chip such that said image transfers to said side of said chip such that said side is marked with said decoration; forming said image, said forming further comprising radially folding up said decoration for said side of said chip into a reference plane corresponding to a plane of said ink plate and including a face of said chip to produce an intermediate decoration; and contracting said intermediate decoration inward toward a circular border of said plane to radially transform said intermediate decoration.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for marking a side of a straight-sided chip with a decoration by pad printing, said method comprising: providing an ink plate with an image defined by a radially deformed representation of the decoration of the straight side of the chip in a ring-shaped zone; moving a pad coaxially into contact with said ink plate such that said image transfers to said pad; moving said pad coaxially into contact with said chip such that said image transfers to said side of said chip such that said side is marked with said decoration; forming said image, said forming further comprising radially folding up said decoration for said side of said chip into a reference plane corresponding to a plane of said ink plate and including a face of said chip to produce an intermediate decoration; and contracting said intermediate decoration inward toward a circular border of said plane to radially transform said intermediate decoration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein, said forming further comprises radially folding up said decoration for said side of said chip around a facial edge of said chip in a plane, and contracting said decoration for said side of the said chip toward said facial edge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein a position of said circular border, and a contraction coefficient of the radial transformation are determined, for a given straight-sided chip model and a given pad, by marking the chip model using a positioning ink plate centered on the axis (ZZ′) of the chip and bearing a pattern consisting of closely-spaced concentric circles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein characteristics of the radial transformation are chosen to reduce a radial height of said intermediate decoration of between 25 and 40%, using a radial contraction coefficient of between 0.75 and 0.6.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said circular border substantially corresponds to an edge of said face of said chip, which defines a reference edge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the radial transformation uses, as relative origin on each radius (OR), a corresponding point (A) on said reference edge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method claim 1 , wherein said chip is circular, and said circular border substantially corresponds to a circular side on said face of said chip.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing said pad, said pad being axially symmetric deformable, and having a diameter (Dt) at least equal to the diameter of the chip plus approximately five times a height of said side of said chip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said ink plate has a halftone image for said face of said chip, and a non-halftone image for said side of said chip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said ink plate has a first decoration image for said face of said chip and second decoration image for said side of said chip, said second decoration image being etched more deeply than said first decoration image.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for pad-printing a substantially cylindrical chip having opposing faces and a side, said method comprising: defining a first decoration, including a first section for one of said opposing faces and a second section for at least a portion of said side of said chip; radially deforming said second section to form a second decoration, said second decoration including said first section and a radially deformed second section; providing an ink plate with said second decoration; moving a pad coaxially into contact with said ink plate such that said second decoration transfers to said pad; moving said pad coaxially into contact with said chip such that said second decoration transfers to said chip such that said radially deformed second section transfers to said side to print said second section in substantially its original state; wherein a contraction coefficient of said radially deforming step is determined, for a given straight-sided chip model and a given pad, by marking the chip model using a positioning ink plate centered on an axis (ZZ′) of the chip and bearing a pattern consisting of closely-spaced concentric circles.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for pad-printing a substantially cylindrical chip having opposing faces and a side, said method comprising: defining a first decoration, including a first section for one of said opposing faces and a second section for at least a portion of said side of said chip; radially deforming said second section to form a second decoration, said second decoration including said first section and a radially deformed second section; providing an ink plate with said second decoration; moving a pad coaxially into contact with said ink plate such that said second decoration transfers to said pad; moving said pad coaxially into contact with said chip such that said second decoration transfers to said chip such that said radially deformed second section transfers to said side to print said second section in substantially its original state; wherein a contraction coefficient of said radially deforming step is determined, for a given straight-sided chip model and a given pad, by marking the chip model using a positioning ink plate centered on an axis (ZZ′) of the chip and bearing a pattern consisting of closely-spaced concentric circles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein said radially deforming further comprises flattening said second section into a plane defined by said first section to form a ring around said first section, and shrinking said second section radially inward toward a center of said first section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein said radially deforming further comprises compressing said second section, and flattening said second section into a plane defined by said first section to form a ring around said first section.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein characteristics of said radial deformation are set to reduce a radial height of said second section of between 25 and 40%, using, a radial contraction coefficient of between 0.75 and 0.6.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-23 | 2004-07-24 | 2005-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-23 | 2008-07-24 | 2009-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-23 | 2012-07-24 | 2013-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |