Authenticated removable signature patch for apparel

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority of US provisional application 63/742,044 filed on January 6, 2025, the content of which is hereby introduced by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Document US 4,776,043 discloses a baseball cap comprising a vanity area covered with loops of a hook-and-loop fastener system and configured for receiving a patch, the latter comprising a decoration face and hooks on an attachment face, configured for being attached to the vanity area through the hook-and-loop fastener system, thus enabling to personalize the baseball cap with a variety of patches.

[0003] Vanity patches, either sewn or attached by temporary means such as hook-and-loop fasteners have been used to personalize pieces of clothes, bags, hats, caps and other items.

[0004] Beyond the customization of an item, some enthusiasts are considering such patches as collectibles and may use such a customized item as a display of such collectibles. Yet, those vanity patches are usually mass produced and may gain value only with time.

[0005] Such collectible enthusiasts, but also teams or celebrity fans, may look for more exclusive vanity patches, liable to bear a significant collectible value from their first acquisition because of their uniqueness.

[0006] A true and authenticated signature, handwritten on a patch by a celebrity, a promising athlete or an artist may make such a vanity patch unique, conferring it instant and future exclusivity, provided the signature may be kept in good condition over time while the patch may wear out.

[0007] However, most of patches consist of an embroidered piece, and may comprise hooks on an attachment face. Those features make them difficult to be reliably signed because the texture of embroidery is not suitable for quick and accurate writing e.g. with a marker, and the attachment face with hooks does not provide a support hard enough to allow controlled writing.

[0008] Furthermore, even if such a conventional vanity patch may be actually signed, it is difficult to keep the signature in good condition if the vanity patch is actually worn on clothes or any customized item, because of potential exposure to wear and weather conditions.

SUMMARY

[0009] The described techniques relate to devices, apparatuses and methods implementing an authenticated removable signature patch for apparels.

[0010] A vanity patch, a customizable item and signing request kit are disclosed allowing to make an exclusive vanity patch which may bear a celebrity handwritten signature connected to an authentication certificate, in paper or in electronic form.

[0011] The vanity patch may comprise an indicium layer comprising a decoration face, an attachment layer laminated on a face opposite the decoration face of the indicium layer and comprising an attachment face, a transparent protective layer laminated over the decoration face.

[0012] The indicium layer may be made of a material selected among polypropylene, faux leather, rubber and synthetic vellum. Those materials are durable, tear, wear and water-resistant while being suitable for writing on them with an appropriate pen and ink.

[0013] The protective layer may be made of a film of a material selected among a polyurethane, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyethylene terephthalate, and a thermoplastic polyolefin and may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive on a sticking face. Such films are highly transparent, soft, UV and scratch resistant and may be stuck on the decoration face to protect the signature.

[0014] The attachment face may comprise one of hooks, magnetic particles and mushroom-shaped protrusions and may enable attachment of the vanity patch to an area of a customizable item provided with the adapted attachment counterpart.

[0015] The vanity patch may comprise a unique reference printed on the decoration face. Such a unique reference may be used to connect a given vanity patch bearing a signature to an authentication certificate comprising the same reference.

[0016] The authentication certificate may be a paper certificate or an electronic certificate, for instance a Non-Fungible Token registered in a block chain.

[0017] The disclosed vanity patch may be attached to a customizable item that may be selected among a cap, a hat, a piece of clothing and a bag, comprising a vanity area comprising an attachment counterpart such as loops, magnets or mushroom-shaped protrusions for attaching the patch to the vanity area.

[0018] Also disclosed is a signing request kit comprising a rigid board comprising a receiving surface, an a ready to sign assembly comprising an indicium layer comprising a decoration face attached to an attachment layer comprising an attachment face, the receiving surface comprising one of loops, magnet and mushroom-shaped protrusion configured to capture one of hooks, magnetic face and mushroom-shaped protrusions of the attachment face, the decoration face comprising a unique reference, a pen, configured to write on the decoration surface and a transparent protective layer comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive on a sticking face covered with a peelable film, allows to request a celebrity or a person in general, to easily sign with the appropriate pen on the decoration face of the indicium layer and to immediately protect the signature with the protective film. The thus obtained vanity patch comprising a unique reference may be registered and an authentication certificate, either paper or electronic may be generated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] The vanity patch may be implemented according to the non-limiting examples described hereunder in reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 in which:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective semi-exploded view of a vanity patch adapted to techniques implemented for an authenticated removable signature patch for apparel with detailed views of an attachment surface;

[0021]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a baseball cap configured to bear an authenticated removable signature patch for apparel, comprising a vanity patch with a partial cross section AA defined on the same view;

[0022]FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a signature request kit adapted for implementing an authenticated removable signature patch for apparel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023]FIG. 1, a vanity patch (100) adapted for implementing an authenticated removable signature patch for apparel, may comprise at least 3 laminated layers. Those layers are soft so as to fit the shape of a customizable item, such as a baseball cap even if the customizable item is creased.

[0024] The vanity patch (100) may have a rectangular shape or any other contour shape.

[0025] An indicium layer (110) may comprise a decoration face (111). The decoration face (111) may be made of the same material as the indicium layer or may be a coating over an upper face of the indicium layer, made of a material suitable for handwriting with a pen on the decoration surface.

[0026] The indicium layer or the coating comprising the decoration surface may be made of so-called synthetic paper made of polypropylene.

[0027] Such polymeric paper is tear and water-resistant while being compatible with most standard inks including ballpoint, gel ink pen and markers.

[0028] The indicium layer or the coating comprising the decoration surface may also be made of faux leather made of a film of polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. Such material is very durable though flexible, yet less versatile in terms of acceptable inks than synthetic paper, gel ink pens and alcohol-based markers are preferred for this embodiment.

[0029] According to another example, the indicium layer or the coating comprising the decoration face may be made of a rubberized material, being resistant to wear, flexible and waterproof, however requiring specialized ink pens though permanent markers may provide good results.

[0030] Still another selection may be a so-called synthetic vellum made from plasticized rag cotton or treated cellulose, such a material is tear resistant and may even be waterproof, having the advantage of being compatible for handwriting with a variety of inks and pens like fountain pens and markers.

[0031] The indicium layer (110) is stuck, e.g. with a hot melt adhesive, on an attachment layer (120). An underneath surface of the attachment layer is an attachment face (121) and comprise means for attaching the vanity patch (100) to a customizable item comprising an adapted attachment counterpart.

[0032]As a non limiting example, the attachment layer (120) may be a fabric, and the attachment face (121) may comprise hooks (121₁) to be attached to the customizable item though a hook-and-loop fastening system.

[0033]According to another non-limiting example the attachment layer may be of a polymeric base and may comprise mushroom-shaped protrusions (122₂) configured to interlock with a similar receiving surface, in a similar way than a hook-and-loop fastener. However, compared to a conventional hook-and-loop fastener such mushroom shapes provide higher gripping strength which may be desirable for a valuable vanity patch in order to limit risks of accidental loss.

[0034] Such kinds of mushroom-shaped interlocking protrusions fasteners are commercially available, for instance, under the brand 3M Dual Lock®.

[0035] The attachment layer may be of a polymeric or rubber base comprising magnetic particles, such as ferrite particles, making the attachment layer a magnetized layer, enabling the vanity patch to be attracted and hold by one or more magnets attached to the customizable item, but which may also enable to attach the vanity patch on a display board, a fridge or a car body panel.

[0036] A same attachment layer may comprise a combination of the above attachment means.

[0037] Although the attachment layer (120) is shown as having the same size and contour as the indicium layer (110), the attachment layer may be smaller or larger than the indicium layer.

[0038] The attachment means may cover part or all of the attachment face.

[0039] For instance, depending on the nature of the indicium layer and of the attachment layer, if the indicium layer is larger than the attachment layer, areas of the indicium layer beyond the attachment layer perimeter may be used, for instance, to sew the vanity patch onto the customizable item, thus providing and additional safety against an accidental loss of the vanity patch.

[0040] If the attachment layer is larger than the indicium layer, areas of the attachment layer beyond the indicium layer perimeter may be used, for instance, to sew or to rivet the vanity patch onto the customizable item.

[0041] The decoration face (111) may comprise printings (112) over part or all the face. In addition, the decoration face may comprise a unique reference (141), such as a smart code, that may be used for authenticating the vanity patch as explained farther.

[0042] A person, e.g. a celebrity, may affix her handwritten signature (140) on the decoration face (111) using a pen (190) adapted to the nature of the material making the decoration face.

[0043] Once the decoration face bears the handwritten signature (140) a transparent protective layer (130) in the form of a transparent film may cover the decoration face.

[0044] The transparent protective layer (130) may be made of a flexible transparent film comprising, for instance, a pressure sensitive adhesive on a sticking face of the transparent film that will contact the decoration face. Before sticking the transparent protective layer (130) on the decoration face, a peelable film may be set on the sticking face.

[0045] The transparent protective layer (130) may be made of a polyurethane, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyethylene terephthalate or a thermoplastic polyolefin. In addition, the transparent protective layer may receive an UV filter coating.

[0046] The transparent protective layer may be sprayed on the decoration face of the vanity patch for instance by spraying a polyurethane varnish.

[0047]FIG. 2 the vanity patch (100) is intended to be born by a customizable item (200) such as a baseball cap, but also a bag or any piece of apparel.

[0048] To this end, the customizable item (200) may comprise at least one vanity area (210) comprising means for attaching the attachment face of the vanity patch to the vanity area. As non-limiting examples these means may be loops for a hook-and-loop fastening, protrusion with a mushroom-shaped protrusion, magnets or combination thereof.

[0049] For instance, thin disc magnets (220) may be inserted and sewn between an external fabric (201) of the customizable item and an internal lining (202).

[0050]FIG. 3 one or more blank (unsigned) and ready to sign assemblies (310), each ready to be signed assembly comprising a indicium layer and an attachment layer, may be set on a rigid board (390) comprising a pen (190) adapted to the nature of the decoration face of the ready to sign assemblies.

[0051] The rigid board (390) may comprise a receiving surface comprising attachment means such as loops, magnets or mushroom-shaped protrusions for retaining the ready to sign assemblies (310)

[0052] Each ready to sign assembly (310) may comprise a unique reference (141) such as a smart code, alphanumeric characters or a hologram.

[0053] The rigid board (390) with the blank, ready to sign, assemblies (310), the pen (190) along with a transparent protective layer (not shown) make a signing request kit (300).

[0054] Such a signing request kit (300) may be used in at least two ways.

[0055] According to a first exemplary implementation, the signing request kit (300) may be used, for instance, by a retailer of signed vanity patches. In such a case the celebrity will sign a bunch of blank vanity patches, those will be sealed with the protective layer after being signed, either by sticking a protective film or by spraying a polyurethane varnish on the decoration face.

[0056] The retailer will register the unique reference (141) of each signed vanity patch along with additional information such as part or all of: the name of the celebrity, the place and date of signing, a statement of the celebrity, a picture of the signature.

[0057] The retailer may sell each signed vanity patch along with an authentication certificate based on the registered information. The authentication certificate may be a paper document and/or an electronic certificate accessible through a web site.

[0058] According to another implementation, the signature request kit may be sold blank and used by an autograph hunter. The kit owner may approach the celebrity and obtain a signature on a blank vanity patch. The kit owner may then seal the patch with the protective layer and connect to a web site to register information in view of authenticating the signature.

[0059] For instance, the kit owner may register the unique reference of the patch, his name, the name of the celebrity, the place and date of signing, a picture of the signed patch, information about the circumstance of the signing, and a picture of the celebrity signing the patch.

[0060] Given the registered information the issuer of the signature request board may issue an authentication certificate in paper or electronic form.

[0061] According to a specific embodiment each signed vanity patch, either produced by a retailer or obtained by an autograph hunter may be associated with a Non-Fungible Token registered in a bock chain

[0062] A blockchain is a combination of a database or ledger, and a network, the ledger being updated and shared across many computers, or nodes, in a network, allowing peer to peer transactions implementing tokens that may be in the form of a cryptocurrency. Well known but non limiting examples of decentralized blockchains are Bitcoin® or Ethereum®.

[0063] Blockchain technology offers a tamper proof ledger that records transactions between users. Tokens are called crypto-assets.

[0064] The use of tokens in a platform that is built on a blockchain, assures the authenticity of the crypto asset by eradicating the possibility of counterfeiting and double spending.

[0065] While most crypto assets like Bitcoins® are fungible, tokens may be non-fungible. A Non Fungible Token (NFT) is unique and cannot be exchanged blindly for one another. A NFT is a token having a unique identification number or identification string.

[0066] Using the unique identification of a NFT, said NFT may be connected to an asset, such as an artwork, a collectible or memorabilia, in the real world, the platform implementing such a NFT will, as a for instance, comprise a list associating each unique identification with a specific asset from the real world. Thus, a NFT transports such a real world asset or an avatar of this real world asset in the digital world, enabling transactions over this asset. The ownership of such a NFT bears the characteristics of private property.