Encapsulated signage and method of production
An article of manufacture ( 160 ) in the form of a sign or label comprises a disclosed embodiment, produced in accordance with an example method. A substrate ( 170 ) is provided which forms a flat planar surface area having a desired shape, thickness and size. A design layer is formed through the use of inks and/or paints ( 172 ) applied to the substrate ( 170 ) in a predetermined pattern. When the inks and/or paints ( 172 ) are applied to the substrate ( 170 ), no ink or paint ( 172 ) is applied on one or more edges formed around the periphery of the sign ( 160 ) for an edge bare border ( 164 ). Also, a mounting hole ( 168 ) is provided, and an opening bare border ( 166 ) is formed around the mounting hole ( 168 ). A protective coating ( 176 ) is then applied over the inks and/or paints ( 172 ) so as to provide a protective cover. Also, the protective coating ( 176 ) is applied to the edge bare border ( 164 ) and the openings bare border ( 166 ) so that the protective coating ( 176 ) fully covers not only the inks and/or paints ( 172 ), but also all borders, thereby fully encapsulating edge bare borders ( 164 ) and an openings bare border ( 166 ) between the protective coating and the substrate.
1. An article of manufacture in the form of a sign or label, said sign or label comprising a substrate forming a flat planar surface having any one of a plurality of shapes, thicknesses and sizes, said article of manufacture comprising:
a design layer formed with inks applied to said substrate in a predetermined pattern, so as to convey visual information to a viewer;
said substrate having one or more edges formed around a periphery of said sign or label, said one or more edges forming a bare edge border;
said inks applied to said substrate are absent from said bare edge border;
said article of manufacture further comprising a protective layer formed over said inks so as to provide a protective cover to said inks and to said substrate under said inks;
said protective layer fully covers and encapsulates not only said design layer but also said bare edge borders formed on said substrate where a developer has refrained from applying said inks;
said sign or label comprises at least one mounting hole for mounting said article of manufacture to a post, wall, or other supporting structure;
an openings bare border is positioned as a periphery around said mounting hole, and no portion of said inks is applied to said periphery around said mounting hole;
said protective layer also fully encapsulates said openings bare border;
said openings bare border formed as a periphery around said mounting hole is spaced apart and distinct from said bare edge border formed by said one or more edges of said substrate, and separated from said bare edge border by inks of said design layer; and
direct contact of said protective coating to said substrate on said bare edge borders and said openings bare border formed as a periphery around said mounting hole is achieved without the use of any layers of adhesives along said bare edge border or said openings bare border formed as a periphery around said mounting hole, and said resultant structure of said article of manufacture provides relatively increased resistance to delamination from subsequently occurring physical phenomena applied to said article of manufacture.