Special effects device

Abstract

A special effects device is disclosed having a transparent, flexible, static-cling backing for removable attachment to glass or other smooth surfaces, a shatter object attached to the backing, and a shatter pattern imprinted on the backing. When attached to a surface such as glass or plastic, the device gives the visual effect of the shatter object having broken and partially penetrated the surface. A message, logo, or other alphanumeric identification can be imprinted on the shatter object for advertising purposes.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A special effects device comprising: 
 a flexible static cling (PCV) backing; and    a shatter object attached to the backing.    
     
     
         2 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the backing is made of static cling vinyl known as PCV.  
     
     
         3 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shatter object is a fractional portion of a normally whole object specifically machined, sanded, filled, and in some cases, coated for appropriate preparation to the backing.  
     
     
         4 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the backing is made of a transparent PCV material that has no adhesives or requires any tools for its application to flat surfaces such as glass.  
     
     
         5 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shatter object has a substantially flat base achieved either through cutting and sanding, or through cutting, sanding, application of a primer for surface tension translation, and a circular tin for better material adhesion.  
     
     
         6 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising: a specific adhesive produced by 3M for use between the shatter object surfaces and the unique nature of the PCV backing for attaching the attachment surface of the shatter object to the backing.  
     
     
         7 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the backing is irregular in specific shape due to custom designed die molds made specifically for this product to create the enhanced illusionary effect of shatter object in the surface.  
     
     
         8 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a shatter pattern imprinted on the backing.  
     
     
         9 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shatter pattern is comprised of a plurality of lines.  
     
     
         10 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the lines are printed in white with a UV vinyl link or other specialty ink such as glow in the dark type inks.  
     
     
         11 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the shatter pattern is comprised of a plurality of lines decreasing in density at increasing radial distances from the center of the backing derived from photographs of actual shattered glass.  
     
     
         12 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shatter object is comprised of a fractional portion of a sports object, such as a baseball, golf ball, hockey puck, softball, tennis ball, or other sports object.  
     
     
         13 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the shatter object is machined by cutting, sanding and preparing the surface for adhesion, which may include injection of rigid high density polyurethane foam and/or the coating of such surfaces with an activator to modify the surface tension of the object.  
     
     
         14 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shatter object is comprised of a fractional portion of a beverage container or other type of containers.  
     
     
         15 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the shatter object is injected with a rigid high density polyurethane foam and then machined by cutting, sanding, and preparing the surface for adhesion.  
     
     
         16 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the shatter object requires the form to be custom dyed to match another object such as cola, beer, foam, or other colors associated with the shatter object.  
     
     
         17 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shatter object is comprised of a non-sports object such as a rock, brick, hammer, tools, auto parts, computer components, outdoor equipment.  
     
     
         18 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the shatter object is comprised of a fractional portion representation of a normally living thing.  
     
     
         19 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the interior of the shatter object is filled with a rigid high density polyurethane foam.  
     
     
         20 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an imprinting on the shatter object.  
     
     
         21 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an imprinting on the backing.  
     
     
         22 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a plastic-coated transfer sheet for display of the attachment of the special effects device.  
     
     
         23 . A special effects device in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein the mounting sheet has a dark-colored surface.  
     
     
         24 . A method of advertising, comprising the steps of: 
 imprinting a promotional message on the shatter object of a special effects device;    and attaching the special effects device onto a display surface.    
     
     
         25 . A method of advertising, comprising the steps of: 
 imprinting a promotional message on the backing attached to the shatter object of a special effects device; and attaching the special effects device onto a display surface.    
     
     
         26 . A method of manufacturing a special effects device, comprising the steps of: 
 portioning a normally whole object via filling with foam, cutting, sanding, and surface preparation to create a shatter object; 
 preparing some surfaces, specifically foam or low surface tension objects, with a specialty application of glues, enamels, and other circular tins;  
 adhering the shatter object to a PCV flexible backing to form a special effects device; and  
 attaching the special effects device onto a display surface.  
   
     
     
         27 . The method of manufacturing a special effects device of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of imprinting a message or image on the backing.  
     
     
         28 . The method of manufacturing a special effects device of  claim 26 , wherein the step of “attaching” further comprises the step of attaching a specialty adhesive tape designed to interface PCV to the base of the shatter object.  
     
     
         29 . The method of manufacturing a special effects device of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of imprinting a shatter pattern on the backing wherein the shatter pattern is derived from photographs of actual shattered glass; and the shatter pattern is printed in a wide UV vinyl ink or in other specialty inks such as glow-in-the-dark inks.  
     
     
         30 . The method of manufacturing a special effects device of  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of dying foam to meet shatter object color needs; injecting or filling a hollow shatter object with a rigid high density polyurethane foam; allowing the foam to harden; sanding the hardened foam to form a substantially flat base; and final preparation of the foam with glues or enamels and circular tins to create an adhesible surface.  
     
     
         31 . The method of manufacturing a special effects device of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of die-cutting the backing in irregular patterns from the vinyl sheets.  
     
     
         32 . A method of displaying a special effect, comprising the steps of: 
 removably attaching a special effects device having a shatter object attached to a flexible backing onto a blister coated card;    sealing the special effects device to the card utilizing a blister seal covering custom designed with specific molds to fit the shatter objects.