权利要求：
Claims 1. A covering for application to a surface top comprises i) a semi-
permanent adhesive layer to be in contact with the top, ii) a clear carrier layer, iii) a display layer which is printed on the carrier layer.
2. A covering as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising a substrate of release paper to be removed before application of the covering to a surface.
3. A table covering as claimed in Claim 1, arranged to cover substantially all of the surface top.
4. A covering according to Claim 1,2 or 3, in which the covering is made to cover substantially the whole of the surface top, but the display layer is substantially less in area than the carrier layer.
S. A covering according to Claim 1 or 2, which is of a size and/or shape suitable to extend only over a part of a surface top.
6. A covering as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the clear carrier layer has a thickness of not more than 100 microns.
7. A covering according to any preceding claim, in which the thickness of the clear carrier layer is in the range 10 to 100 microns.
8. A covering according to any preceding claim, in which the thickness of the clear carrier layer is in the range 15 to 70 microns.
9. A covering according to any preceding claim, in which the clear carrier layer is a polyethylene terephthalate film.
10. A covering according to any preceding claim, which includes a layer of polymer film which is to protect the display layer and is glued over the display layer by means of a second layer of adhesive.
11. A covering according to Claim 10, in which the layer of polymer film is made from clear oriented polypropylene.
12. A covering according to Claim 10 or 11, in which the layer of polymer film has a thickness in the range 5 to 20 microns.
13. A covering according to Claim 10,11 or 12, in which the layer of adhesive is a clear EVA adhesive.
14. A covering according to Claim 10, 11, 12 or 13, wherein, the layer of polymer film is a material approved for food contact applications.
15. A covering according to preceding claim, which comprises additionally a second layer of release paper on the surface of the covering opposite to said substrate, the second layer of release paper being an aid to handling of the covering during its application to a surface top.
16. A covering according to any preceding claim, in which the printed display layer is discontinuous.
17. A covering according to any preceding claim, in which the semipermanent adhesive layer comprises a solvent-based water clear acrylic adhesive.
18. A covering according to any preceding claim, wherein the clear carrier layer is a polymer.
19. A table covering comprising a covering as claimed in any preceding claim for application to table, wherein said surface top is a table top.
20. A method of finishing a table top which comprises providing a smooth table surface which is free of protuberances and applying to the table top a table covering in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, the layer (i) of release paper being removed from the table covering to allow the semi-permanent adhesive layer (ii) to adhere to the table top.
21. A method of finishing a table top according to Claim 20, in which the table covering includes a second layer of release paper on the surface of the covering opposite to the said substrate, to facilitate handling of the table covering.
22. A method according to Claim 20 or 21, in which the edge or edges of the table covering which are on the table top are not more than 50 mm, from the edge of the table top.
23. A method according to Claim 20, 21 or 22, in which the table covering is of a shape and size to wrap over a part or parts of one or more edges of the table top to which it is applied.
24. A table covering substantially as described herein in relation to any one of the accompanying drawings.
Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A surface top covering for use in a commercial eating and/or drinking establishment by a customer using the surface top, said covering being applicable to the surface top and including a clear carrier film layer bearing a printed area forming a printed display layer constituting a promotional medium and extending over the whole area of the covering, and a semi-permanent adhesive layer to be in contact with the surface top and to grip the surface top securely whilst the covering is in use by customers in the commercial eating and/or drinking establishment whilst not allowing the covering to be removed readily or damaged by customers and yet allowing complete removal and replacement of the covering with the clear carrier film layer, printed display layer and semi-permanent adhesive layer after a specified length of time.
2. A surface top covering for use in a commercial eating and/or drinking establishment by a customer using the surface top, said covering being applicable to the surface top and including a clear carrier film layer having opposing faces, a printed area printed on one of the opposing faces of the clear carrier film layer and forming a printed display layer constituting a promotional medium and extending over the whole area of the covering, a second clear film layer which is of a polymer and which is glued over the printed display layer by a clear adhesive layer to protect the printed display layer, and a semi-permanent adhesive layer on the other of the opposing faces of the clear carrier film layer to be in contact with the surface top and to grip the surface top securely whilst the covering is in use by customers in the commercial eating and/or drinking establishment whilst not allowing the covering to be removed readily or damaged by customers and yet allowing complete removal and replacement of the covering with the second clear film layer, clear adhesive layer, clear carrier film layer, printed display layer and semipermanent adhesive layer after a specified length of time.
3. A surface top covering as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second clear film layer is of a material approved for food contact applications.
4. A surface top covering as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the promotional medium is advertising material.
5. A surface top covering as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the clear carrier film layer has a thickness in the range of 15 to 70 microns. ill
6. A surface top covering as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, or claim 4 as dependent on claim 2 or 3, wherein the clear carrier film layer has a thickness in the range of 15 to 70 microns and the second clear film layer has a thickness in the range of 5 to 20 microns.
7. A surface top covering as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the clear carrier film layer is of polyethylene terephthalate.
8. A surface top covering as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the semi- permanent adhesive layer is a solvent-based water clear acrylic adhesive.
9. A surface top covering as claimed in claim 6, or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the second clear film layer is of clear oriented polypropylene.
to. A surface top covering as claimed in claim 6, or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the clear adhesive layer that glues the second clear film layer over the printed display layer is a clear EVA adhesive.
11. A surface top covering as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, further including a substrate of release paper which covers the semipermanent adhesive layer and which is to be removed before application of the covering to the surface top and a second layer of release paper which covers that surface of the covering that is opposite to said substrate, the second layer of release paper being an aid to handling of the covering during its application to the surface top.
12. A surface top covering for use in a commercial eating and/or drinking establishment by a customer using the surface top, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.
13. A method of converting a surface top into a promotional medium in a commercial eating and/or drinking establishment in which the surface top is used by customers, said method including providing a surface top covering having a clear carrier film layer bearing a printed area forming a printed display layer constituting the promotional medium and extending over the whole area of the covering and having a semi-permanent adhesive layer, ensuring that the top surface top is clean, smooth and free of la protuberances, applying the covering to the surface top by contacting the semi-permanent adhesive layer with the clean and smooth surface top to grip the surface top securely whilst the covering is in use by the customers whilst not allowing the covering to be removed readily or damaged by the customers and yet allowing complete removal of the covering, completely removing the covering with the clear carrier film layer, printed display layer and semi-permanent adhesive layer from the surface top after a specified length of time, and replacing the removed covering by applying another surface top covering having said clear carrier film layer, printed display layer constituting the promotional medium and semi-permanent adhesive layer to the surface top by contacting the semi-permanent adhesive layer with the surface top.
14. A method of converting a surface top into a promotional medium in a commercial eating and/or drinking establishment in which the surface top is used by customers, said method including providing a surface top covering having opposing faces and a printed area printed on one of the opposing faces of the clear carrier film layer and forming a printed display layer constituting the promotional medium and extending over the whole area of the covering, a second clear film layer which is of a polymer and which is glued over the printed display layer by a clear adhesive layer to protect the printed display layer, and a semi-permanent adhesive layer on the other of the opposing faces of the clear carrier film layer, ensuring that the surface top is clean, smooth and free of protuberances, applying the covering to the surface top by contacting the semi-permanent adhesive layer with the clean and smooth surface top to grip the surface top securely whilst the covering is in use by the customers whilst not allowing the covering to be removed readily or damaged by the customers and yet allowing complete removal of the covering, completely removing the covering with the second clear film layer, clear adhesive layer, clear carrier film layer printed display layer and semi-permanent adhesive layer from the surface top after a specified length of time, and replacing the removed covering by applying another surface top covering having said second clear film layer, clear adhesive layer, clear carrier film layer, printed display layer constituting the promotional medium, clear non-printed area and semi-permanent adhesive layer to the surface top by contacting the semipermanent adhesive layer with the surface top.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second clear film layer is of a material approved for food contact applications.
16. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the promotional medium is advertising material.
17. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the clear carrier film layer has a thickness in the range of 15 to 70 microns.
18. A method as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, or claim 16 as dependent on claim 14 or 15, wherein the clear carrier film layer has a thickness in the range of 15 to 70 microns and the second clear film layer has a thickness in the range of 5 to 20 microns.
19. A method as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the clear carrier film layer is of polyethylene terephthalate.
20. A method as claimed in and one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the semipermanent I, adhesive layer is a solvent-based water clear acrylic adhesive. a, J
21. A method as claimed in claim 18, or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the second clear film layer is of clear oriented polypropylene.
22. A method as claimed in claim 18, or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the clear adhesive layer that glues the second clear film layer over the printed display layer is a
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clear EVA adhesive.
23. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 22, further including removing a substrate of release paper which covers the semi-permanent adhesive layer before application of the covering to the surface top and providing a second layer of release paper which covers that surface of the covering that is opposite to said substrate, and which is an aid to handling of the covering during its application to the surface top.
24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 23, wherein the surface top covering is applied to a table surface top.
25. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 24, wherein the covering is replaced at regular intervals.
26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the regular intervals are one month.
27. A method of converting a surface top into a promotional medium in a commercial eating and/or drinking establishment in which the surface top is used by customers, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.