The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 25, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 03, 1998
Michael L Agronin, Owings Mills, MD (US);
United Container Machinery, Inc., Glen Arm, MD (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing erasable relief images including providing a face surface formed of a temperature sensitive shape memory material. The face surface may be selectively heated to cause the shape memory material to displace and form a predetermined relief image. Alternatively, the shape memory material may be selectively engaged with die elements to form a predetermined relief image. The relief image may be erased by heating the face surface to thereby cause the shape memory material to return to a uniform surface contour, or to soften the shape material sufficiently for it to be engaged and compressed to a predetermined uniform configuration by an erasing element.