Tool coating with colored patterns

Abstract

A tool coating with colored patterns is attached to a tool, has a tool coating foundation having a surface and at least one colored pattern layer. The at least one colored pattern layer may form exquisite and colorful characters and figures and may be attached to any surface of the tool coating foundation instead of only flat surfaces of the tool coating body. Therefore the appearance of the tool is more attractive and a user can see the characters and figures of the tool coating and identify the tool easily.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tool coating, and more particularly to a tool coating with an exterior surface having colored patterns bonded to the surface without regard to the shape of the surface.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional tool such as a wrench used to turn a bolt, is usually made of metal and a handle that is covered by a tool coating. The functions of the tool coating include but are not limited to improving a person's grip on the tool, insulating the tool and decorating the tool. The tool coating usually has a shape and a feel to allow a user to grip the tool safely, easily and comfortably.

Tool coatings are available in two basic types depending on how the tool coating is fabricated. Tool coatings may be fabricated and applied by dipping the handle or handles of tool into a liquid plastic or polymer material, removing the handle or handles of the tool from the liquid material and allowing a film of the liquid material covering the handle or handles to dry or cure. After the film dries or cures, a dipped tool coating is formed on the tool. Alternatively, tool coatings may be made by molding plastic or polymer material to form cast tool coatings. Dipped tool coatings have a shape similar to the handle or handles of the coated tool. However, the cast tool coating may be used to alter the shape of the handle.

To make tool coatings more attractive and identify the tools, colored patterns, letters, numbers, figures or any combination are printed on a surface of a tool coating. A conventional printing technique requires that the colored patterns, letters, numbers, figures or combination be printed on flat surfaces instead of curved surfaces. Conventional tool coatings have very few flat surfaces so printing on the surface of the tool coatings is difficult, especially when the colored patterns, letters, numbers, figures or combination be printed intricate and need precision printing. Therefore, printing on tool coatings is often restricted to flat surfaces of the tool coating. Printing the patterns, letters, numbers, figures or combination in color with conventional printing techniques results in poor quality, unfocused images so as the appearance of the tool coating is not attractive.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a tool coating to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One objective of the invention is to provide a tool coating with colored patterns wherein characters and figures composed of a colored pattern layer of the tool coating are more colorful and distinct and make the tool coating look more attractive and beautiful.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a tool coating with characters and figures that can be positioned at any location on the tool coating. Consequently, the colored patterns, characters and figures can be seen easily, which makes identifying the tool easy.

A tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention comprises a tool coating body, at least one colored pattern layer, and at least one optional composite layer.

The at least one colored pattern layer is applied to a surface of the tool coating.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of pliers with a tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional partial top view of a tool handle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a wrench with a second embodiment of a tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a pair of pliers with a third embodiment of a tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of a pair of pliers with a fourth embodiment of a tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention is mounted on a handle (21) of a tool (20), comprises a tool coating foundation (11), at least one colored pattern layer (13), and an optional transparent film (19). The tool coating foundation (11) has a surface (not numbered).

The at least one colored pattern layer (13) is soft and pliable, has a front (not numbered), a back (not numbered), a printed dye layer (17) and an adhesive layer (15), is attached to the surface of the tool coating foundation (11).

The printed dye layer (17) has a front (not numbered) and a back (not numbered) and may have colorful characters and figures.

The adhesive layer (15) is formed on the back of the printed dye layer (17), attaches the printed dye layer (17) to the surface of the tool coating foundation (11), has a back (not numbered) and may be glue or another adhesive. A releasable film may be removably mounted on the back of the adhesive layer (15). The releasable film may be releasable paper or other non-sticking synthetic film.

The at least one colored pattern layer (13) is attached to the surface of the tool coating foundation (11) by separating the releasable paper from the back of the at least one colored pattern layer (13) and pressing the colored pattern layer (13) securely against the surface.

The optional transparent film (19) keeps the at least one colored pattern layer (13) from being damaged and is a liquid composite material. The optional transparent film (19) may be applied by dipping the tool handle (21) with the at least one colored pattern layer (13) into the liquid composite material or brushing or spraying the liquid composite material onto the at least one colored pattern layer (13).

With further reference to FIG. 3 a second embodiment of the tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention applied to a tool (30) is a dipped tool coating and has a colored pattern layer (33).

With further reference to FIG. 4, a third embodiment of the tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention applied to a tool (40) is a dipped tool coating and has two color pattern layers (43).

With further reference to FIG. 5, a fourth embodiment of the tool coating with colored patterns in accordance with the present invention applied to a tool (50) is a cast tool coating and has a colored pattern layer (53).

The present invention has the following improvements.

1. The at least one colored pattern layer with colorful and exquisite characters and figures may be applied to any the surface of the tool coating mounted on the tool to decorate the tool make the tool more attractive.

2. The color pattern layers are soft and pliable so they readily conform to any flat or curved surface of the tool coating body. Therefore, the characters and figures of the colored pattern layer may be placed at any desired position on the tool coating body.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A tool coating with colored patterns comprising:

a tool coating foundation having a surface; and

at least one colored pattern layer being soft and pliable, attached to the surface of the tool coating foundation and having: a front; a back; a printed dye layer having a front and a back; and an adhesive layer formed on the back of the printed dye layer to attach to the surface of the tool coating foundation.

2. The tool coating with colored patterns as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent film applied to the at least one colored pattern layer to keep the at least one colored pattern layer from being damaged.