Simulated Brush Stroke System

Abstract

A laminated assembly comprising a substrate with an image thereon, has a first film with a brush stroke texture embossed therein, a second film with a canvas texture embossed therein to create a final product having the appearance of a piece of fine art.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for creating a laminated structure comprising the steps of:
 a) preparing a first film by
 utilizing angularly-related brush strokes in creating a template with a unique pattern; 
 scanning the pattern and generating a digital image file showing various brush strokes within the template; 
 digitally enhancing the digital image file to amplify a contrast of the various brush strokes in the template; 
 engraving a roller with a simulated brush stroke pattern and texture using the enhanced digital image to create an embossing roller; 
 and transferring the simulated brush stroke pattern and texture to the first film; 
   b) positioning an image-carrying substrate having first and second opposed outer surfaces between
 1) the first film having an outer surface with the brush stroke pattern and texture embossed therein and an inner surface with a first adhesive thereon and overlaying the first outer surface of the substrate and, 
 2) a second film having an outer surface with a canvas texture embossed therein and an inner surface with a second adhesive thereon and overlaying the second outer surface of the substrate; and, 
   c) laminating the image-carrying substrate between the first and second films.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has an outer perimeter edge and the step of positioning the substrate includes aligning outer perimeter edges of the first and second films so that such perimeter edges are either aligned with the outer perimeter edge of the substrate or extend outwardly beyond the outer perimeter edge of the substrate and align with the perimeter edges of one another so as to form a marginal edge between the perimeter edges of the films and the perimeter edge of the substrate disposed therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the first and second films are vinyl and the adhesive for the first and second films is thermally activated and the step of laminating is performed by a thermal laminating machine. 
     
     
         4 . A laminated structure manufactured according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . An improvement to a laminated structure including an image-carrying substrate having first and second opposed outer surfaces, and a first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate adhered to the first outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by a first thermal adhesive layer and having an outer surface and an opposing inner surface which is adhered to the first outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by the first thermal adhesion layer, wherein the improvement comprises:
 a simulated pattern of a plurality of angularly-related brush strokes embossed into the outer surfaced of the first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate prior to adhesion of the inner surface of the first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate to the first outer surface of the image-carrying substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The improvement to a laminated structure of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a second thermoplastic polymer overlaminate adhered to the second outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by a second thermal adhesive layer and having opposing inner and outer surfaces wherein the inner surface is adhered to the second outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by the second thermal adhesive. 
 
     
     
         7 . The improvement to a laminated structure of  claim 6  wherein the outer surface of the second thermoplastic polymer overlaminate has a simulated canvass-like texture embossed therein prior to adhesion of the second thermoplastic overlaminate to the image-carrying substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The improvement to a laminated structure of  claim 7  wherein an engraved embossing roller is used to impart the simulated pattern of a plurality of angularly-related brush strokes in the outer surface of the first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate. 
     
     
         9 . The improvement to a laminated structure of  claim 8  wherein the engraved embossing roller is engraved with a simulated brush stroke pattern and texture produced from an enhanced digital image created from a digital enhancement amplifying a contrast of various simulated brush strokes within a template created from of a unique brush stroke pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The improvement to a laminated structure of  claim 8  wherein the first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate has a thickness no thinner than 11 mil. 
     
     
         11 . The improvement to a laminated structure of  claim 10  wherein the first and second thermoplastic polymer overlaminates are vinyl films. 
     
     
         12 . A laminated structure comprising:
 an image-carrying substrate having first and second opposed outer surfaces;   a first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate adhered to the first outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by a first thermal adhesive layer, the first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate having an outer surface with a plurality of angularly-related brush stroke textures embossed therein and formed prior to adhesion of the first thermoplastic overlaminate to the image-carrying substrate and an opposing inner surface adhered to the first outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by the first thermal adhesion layer; and   a second thermoplastic polymer overlaminate adhered to the second outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by a second thermal adhesive layer, the second thermoplastic polymer overlaminate having opposing inner and outer surfaces wherein the inner surface is adhered to the second outer surface of the image-carrying substrate by the second thermal adhesive layer.   
     
     
         13 . The laminated structure of  claim 12  wherein the outer surface of the second thermoplastic polymer overlaminate has a canvass-like texture embossed therein prior to adhesion of the second thermoplastic overlaminate to the image-carrying substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The laminated structure of  claim 13  wherein the first and second thermoplastic polymer overlaminates are vinyl films. 
     
     
         15 . The laminated structure of  claim 14  wherein the first thermoplastic polymer overlaminate has a thickness no thinner than 11 mil.