Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1304937
MULTIPLE WRAP LABEL
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to labels of the multiple
layer type.
Backqround of the Invention
It is often desirable to provide detailed
in~ormation relative to the use of a product contained
in a package, or to provide a coupon or the like to be
associated with the package. Further the requirement for
instructions may be accentuated when the instructions
must be in more than one language. In addition, for
sales and display purposes, it is important that the
product name and appropriate colorful wrapping appear
prominently on the outside of the package or sales
container. To accommodate these requirements, small
pamphlets have heretofore been included in a separate
carton containing a bottled product: and in some cases a
double thickness label has been used, with the outer
layer or portion of the label being removable. Typical
structures of this last-mentioned type are shown in the
following patents:
British Patent No. 1,510,638, published May 10,
1978.
French Patent No. 2,317,718, published February 4,
1977.
However, it is relatively complicated and expensive
to have separate packages containing pamphlets with
additional printed material; and double thickness labels
with a portion which may be torn away, of the type shown
in the above patents, often do not have the space needed
for the desired additional written material, and may
require complex manufacturing steps.
Accordingly, a principal object of the present
invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive
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technique for providing additional space for written
material on a package, while still having the desired
outer display surface available for bold lettering and
bright colors.
Reference is also made to U.S. Patent No. 4,312,523
which discloses an elongated strip label having (1) a
short section coated with adhesive, (2) with an adjacent
perforation, (3) an extended uncoated section, (4) a
transverse strip of adhesive, (5) a short uncoated pull
tab, (6) followed by a perforation, and then a
repetition of sections (3) through (5). Apparently it
is intended that the adhesive is a non-permanent type of
pressure-sensitive adhesive, and that the pharmacist
will rip off the first section, using the pull tab and
pulling the label off by unsticking the transverse band
of pressure-sensitive adhesive; and that the patient
will rip off the second section, leaving a final short
identification section on the bottle. However, this
system appears to have a number of drawbacks. First,
the initial pacXage has an initial loose tab which could
interfere with packaging or be inadvertently ripped off.
Secondly, the portions which are to be pulled off would
have a transverse strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive
on them. And finally, with a non-permanent type of
pressure sensitive adhesive being used which may be
pulled loose, the final identifying tab may easily be
pulled off or come off, so that the drug tablets are
unidentified. As a final point, the patent includes no
indication as to how the labels are to be applied, or
how they might be mounted on a backing strip, if one is
used.
An important object of the present invention is to
provide a multiple-wrap label for commercial products
which has none of the disadvantages of U.S. Patent No.
4,312,523 discussed hereinabove.
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Summary of the Invention
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a
multiple wrap label and product assembly comprises:
a product container;
a multiple wrap label extending at least all of the
way around said container, and having the innermost layer
of said label secured by permanent adhesive to said
product container, said label further extending around
said product container with an inner area free of
adhesive, and having means including a transverse layer
of permanent adhesive at its outer edge for holding the
outer layer or layers of said label onto the outer
surface of an inner layer of said label;
said label including printed or colorful material
both on the inner and outer layers of said label; and
said label including means including transverse
perforations for readily separating at least one area of
the adhesive-free portion of said label from the
remainder of said label.
In accordance with one specifi~ illustrative
embodiment of the invention the foregoing objects may be
achieved by using a multiple wrap label, which may be
wrapped around the package more than a single time. The
inner wrap of the label may be fully adhesive coated with
a permanent adhesive to permanently adhere to the
container or other basic package, and the outer wrap or
wraps may be provided with adhesive only on the final
edge thereof, with an immediately adjacent tear strip, so
that the outer wrap or wraps may be unwound to reveal the
desired supplemental written material.
In addition, at the boundary between the inner
permanently adhered wrap and the outer layers which are
free of adhesive, a transverse perforation line may be
provided so that the outer wraps may be ripped off and
separately perused.
In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer may be
entirely printed with colorful and eye-catching material;
1304937
3a
while the innermost layer, which remains after the outer
layer or layers are peeled off, or unwrapped, may include
some portion such as one-quarter or one- third of its
surface with a boldly colored name identification, and
the remainder of the innermost label being devoted to
special instructions or guidance relative to the use of
the product. The back side of the outer label may be
provided with written instructions, for example,
information about possible side effects or the like when
a drug is involved. Particularly where the notices are
to be in more than one language, the additional space is
very useful.
While the multiple wrap label is shown as applied to
a small round container for capsules or tablets, the
multiple wrap label could also be applied to containers
of square or rectangular configuration, for example.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention,
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1304937
the elongated multiple layer labels may be mounted on a
backing strip, with the lsngitudinal axis of the
successive labels being aligned with that of the backing
strip, and the labels being applied to containers or 5 packages by separating the label from the backing strip
by the usual peeling-blade-type of arrangement.
Other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will become apparent from a consideration of
the following detailed description, and from the
accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawinas
Figure l is a perspective view of a container
having a multiple wrap label on its outer surface,
illustrating the principles of the present invention:
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along
lines II-II of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a container
provided with a multiple wrap label and with the outer
layer of the label unwrapped to provide access to
additional written information:
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along
lines IV-IV of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a top view of a multiple wrap label
mounted on a strip of backing paper;
Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken
along lines VI-VI of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a bottom view of the label of Figure 5
showing the areas where the self-adhesive layer is
located, and the location of additional written
information; and
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to that
of Figure 2, but showing a three layer label.
Detailed Description
Referring more particularly to the drawings, Figure
~30A9~7
1 is a perspective view of a container 12 having a cap
14, and provided with a multiple layer label 16.
The physical construction of the label 16 of Figure
1 is shown to advantage in Figure 7 which is a bottom
view of the label. The label 16 includes a self-
adhesive coated portion 18, which will be the inner
layer and which appears to the right in Figure 7. To
the left in Figure 7 is a second portion 20 of the
label, for the most part not covered with self-adhesive,
which will be the outer layer of the label 16 of Figure
1.
It may be noted that the e~treme left-hand edge of
label 16 as shown in Figure 7 is provided with a strip
of adhesive 22 to hold this outer layer securely in
place wrapped around the inner layer 18 of the label. A
tear strip 24 is provided so that the outer portion of
the label may be unwrapped, as shown in Figures 3 and 4,
~or example. A line of perforations 26 is also provided
so that the outer wrap may be readily detached if
desired. As indicated in Figure 7 of the drawings, the
underside of the label, not visible in the configuration
of Figure 1, may be provided with some valuable and
useful information, such as instructions and/or
cautions, in the use of the contents of the package.
The outside and inside of the outer layer 20 and
the outer surface of the inner layer 18 may of course be
provided with any desired written material. In
practice, the outer surface of the outer layer 20 will
normally be provided with a colorful and eye-catching
display, with the name of the product prominent. The
outer side of the inner layer 18 will normally clearly
identify the product but may include some specific
instructions as to the use of the product. ~n the rear
side of the outer layer 16, as shown in Figure 7, to the
left, more detailed notices and instructions may appear.
Particularly where medical instructions or warnings are
~304937
to be included and/or where it is desired that the
instructions be in more than one language, as shown in
Fig. 7, the extra space is most helpful.
Figure 5 shows one of the labels 16 mounted on a
strip of backing paper 32. A series of additional
labels, sush as that shown at 34 in Figure 5, are also
mounted on the strip 34. The labels are secured to the
backing paper or tape 32 by the pressure-sensitive
adhesive on the labels. A release layer on the backing
tape 32 prevents permanent adhesion of the labels to the
backing tape, and permits the application of the labels
to the product containers by sharply bending the backing
tape back on itself, over a peeling blade, as the
product container is brought into engagement with the
leading edge of the label, in a manner known per se in
the labeling appartus field. In the case of the present
labels, the label is held in engagement with the product
contain~r as the container is rotated at least twice, so
that the final edge 22, coated with a transverse strip
of adhesive, is positively secured in place.
Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken
along lines VI-VI of Figure 5. ~isible in Figure 6 are
the backing tape 32, and one end of label 16, including
the end 22, provided with an adhesive strip 38, the tear
strip 24 and the outer layer 20 which is not coated with
adhesive.
Figure 7 is a rear view of the label 16 removed
from the backing sheet 32. As shown by the darkened
speckled areas on the end 22, and on the inner layer 18,
these portions are coated with adhesive. On the other
end, the tear strip 24 and the outer layer 20 are free
of adhesive.
Figure 8 shows a container 42 provided with a three
layer label 44. As in the case of the embodiment of
Figures 1 - 7, the embodiment of Figure 8 may have the
inner layer fully coated with adhesive, and an outer end
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having a transverse strip of adhesive, with an adjacent
tear strip. One or more transverse perforations may be
provided to separate the two outer labels from the inner
label, or sections of the outer two labels from one
another.
~ n conclusion, it is to be understood that the
foregoing detailed description and the accompanying
drawings relate to one illustrative preferred embodiment
of the invention. Howeverl various modifications and
variations may be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention. Thus, instead of an even
number of layers, the label may include one and one-half
or two and one-half wraps; and the position of the
perforations and the tear strip may be inter-changed.
Also, the multiple wrap labels could be applied to
products of virtually any desired shape, including
frustoconical as in the illustrated embodiment,
circular, square, or rectangular, by way of specific
examples, but not of limitation. Accordingly, the
present invention is not limited to the embodiment as
shown in the drawings and as described in detail
hereinabove.
