Decorative decal assembly for a weight plate
View Patent ↗The decorative decal assembly ( 20 ) is configured to be secured within a recessed surface ( 26 ) of a weight plate ( 18 ) and includes an adhesive layer ( 36 ), a printable surface ( 44 ) of an adjacent ink protective printing layer ( 42 ), and one or more print decals ( 48 ) secured to the printable surface ( 44 ) and between an upper support surface ( 40 ) of the adhesive layer ( 36 ) and the ink protective layer ( 42 ). The recessed surface ( 26 ) defines a display area ( 56 ) surrounded on all sides by an expansion zone ( 58 ) extending between the display area ( 56 ) and the shoulders ( 30, 32 ) of the weight plate ( 18 ) that define the recessed surface ( 26 ) to permit limited expansion of perimeter edges ( 62 A, 62 B) of the decal assembly ( 20 ) into the expansion zone ( 58 ) without contacting the shoulders ( 30, 32 ) whenever the weight plate ( 18 ) experiences a bounce shock.
1. A rubber substrate with decal assembly attached thereto, wherein the decal assembly comprises:
an adhesive layer having a contact surface that is attached by chemical bond to a surface of the rubber substrate;
an intermediate layer in direct contact with the adhesive layer, wherein the intermediate layer is formed from an elastomeric material; and
a decal on a surface of the intermediate layer opposite the adhesive layer, wherein the decal comprises a colored material.
2. The rubber substrate with decal assembly as recited in claim 1 comprising more than one decals, wherein the decals may be of one or more colors and/or shapes.
3. The rubber substrate with decal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the decal is disposed on a printable surface of the intermediate layer.
4. The rubber substrate with decal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the decal is in direct contact with the intermediate layer.
5. The rubber substrate with decal assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a protective layer disposed over an outer surface of the decal.
6. The rubber substrate with decal assembly as recited in claim 1 comprising a plurality of the decals positioned adjacent one another along a display surface of the rubber substrate.
7. The rubber substrate with decal assembly as recited in claim 1 comprising at least two decals wherein a first decal is positioned at least partially over a second decal.
8. The rubber substrate with decal assembly as recited in claim 1 comprising more than one decals, and wherein at least one of the one or more decals comprises a color different from that of the substrate.
9. A rubber substrate and decal assembly comprising;
an adhesive layer having a contact surface that is attached to a surface of the rubber substrate and having a support surface opposite the contact surface, wherein the adhesive is formed from a material that chemically bonds to the surface of the rubber substrate;
an intervening layer in direct contact with the adhesive layer support surface and formed from an elastomeric material; and
a visual display on a surface of the intervening layer opposite the adhesive layer, wherein the visual display comprises a colored material.
10. The rubber substrate and decal assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the visual display is positioned along a display area of the rubber substrate.
11. The rubber substrate and decal assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the display area is a sidewall surface of the rubber substrate.
12. The rubber substrate and decal assembly as recited in claim 9 comprising two or more visual displays that include at least one overlapping segment with one another.
13. The rubber substrate and decal assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the intervening layer protects the visual display from mechanical stress and deformation associated of the substrate.
14. The rubber substrate and decal assembly as recited in claim 9 further comprising an outermost layer that is disposed over the visual display.
15. The rubber substrate and decal assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the decal assembly comprises a number of visual displays that are positioned a distance away from one another along the surface of the rubber substrate.