Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGED ARTICLE COMPRISING A LENTICULAR LABEL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a packaged article comprising a lenticular
label. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a packaged article comprising a
lenticular label
adhered to the rear surface of a substantially transparent container. In one
aspect, the present
invention relates to a packaged article as described above which contains a
liquid product which
is at least semi-transparent. In another aspect, the present invention relates
to a method of
packaging a liquid product which is at least semi-transparent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Successful sales of a product depend not only on the quality of the product
itself, but also
on the uniqueness of the advertising for the product. Advertising takes many
forms and spans
many media, but often the best advertising is on the product itself or on its
packaging. However,
it is not uncommon for dozens of varieties of packaged articles to be placed
next to one another
on shelving in the store. To improve sales, bright color schemes and
extravagant decor are often
utilized to call potential customers' attention to the product. Some
manufacturers utilize a
particular shape, size, or color of packaging so that potential customers can
readily differentiate
their products from other similar products. Often, labels are attached to one
or more of the
exterior surfaces of the packaged article, such as on a container or a bottle,
in order to appeal to
and catch the attention of the customer. Labels are also used to provide
information about the
content of the packaged article, including details about the product and the
identity of the
manufacturer.
Labels that are intended to be applied to containers or bottles generally
consist of a paper
or plastic sheet, or the like, having a front face which has printed or
reproduced thereon writing or
designs intending to decorate the container or relating to the product
contained in the container.
The label is generally applied to the external surface of the container by
spreading a suitable .
adhesive on the rear side thereof or by means of heat-shrinking of the plastic
from which the label
may be made. Usually, a label of the conventional type has a printing surface
provided with
writing, designs, or images on its front face, whereas the rear face is
entirely hidden or not visible,
being solely intended to adhere to or be glued to the body of the container or
the bottle.
Some have recognized that the face of the label adhered to a container can be
advantageously utilized to convey information to the customer. At least one
company prints
pictorial images on the adhered side of the back label so as to be viewable
through the front of a
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container. A combination of front and back images can be used to convey the
source of the
container and its contents and other pertinent information or further
decoration. However, this
configuration is limited in that any pertinent information or decoration is
two-dimensional, as it is
presented on a two-dimensional or planar face of a label made of a paper or
plastic sheet or the
like.
Others have recognized that labels and other decorative features can be
inserted into and
attached to an interior surface of a container or bottle or may even float in
a liquid product in the
container while being attached to an interior surface. Another type of label
or decorative feature
is one that can be inserted into and suspended within a container without
being attached to an
interior surface of the container. These configurations can allow for
physically three-dimensional
decorations. However, manufacture and assembly of such labels or decorative
features can be
more cumbersome and thus more costly than using conventional two-dimensional
labels. Further,
the degree of extravagance of the label or decorative feature is limited to
its physical dimensions
or physical design, which in turn limits the ability to appeal to, and catch
the eye of, a customer.
As a result, there is a continuing need to provide improved aesthetics and
better
decoration of packaged articles which allows for distinctiveness and greater
extravagance in
design while maintaining the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of conventional
manufacturing and
assembly.
Recently, lenticular lens technology, which allows for multidimensional
imaging on a
two-dimensional or planar surface, has come into increasing use in product and
point-of purchase
displays. Lenticular lenses are well known and commercially available. A
lenticular lens can be
incorporated into label assemblies that can be applied to objects, such as
containers or bottles,
using conventional labeling equipment, which allows for manufacturing and
assembly efficiency
to be maintained. Thus, lenticular technology is already in use on a variety
of items, such as
promotional buttons, magnets, coasters, collectibles, display posters, signs,
menu boards,
packaging on boxes, postcards, and business cards, as well as on point-of
purchase materials such
as labels and the like. However, these applications have a common
characteristic in that the
lenticular technology has been applied generally as a lenticular lens with its
rear face adhered to
an exterior surface of a substrate and its front face, upon which a
multidimensional image is
viewable, facing away from the substrate. Stated differently, a viewer views
the lenticular lens
through what can be termed a lens / air interface. For example, in this
typical configuration, a
lenticular lens is placed face-up on the outside of a container or a bottle.
While lenticular technology allows for multidimensional imaging on a two-
dimensional
or planar surface, which can provide improved aesthetics and better decoration
of packaged
articles, there are some shortcomings in its conventional application,
particularly relating to
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packaging and point-of purchase materials such as labels and the like. When
viewing a
multidimensional image of a lenticular lens through a lens / air interface, as
is conventional in the
variety of uses described above, the multidimensional image can appear blurred
or out-of focus.
Often, a viewer will experience some degree of image degradation or other
problem relating to
clarity, sharpness, or quality of the image. This effect can reduce the
aesthetics of, for example,
packaging or point-of purchase materials to which a lenticular lens is applied
in a conventional
manner.
As a result, there is a continuing need to provide improved quality of
multidimensional
images of lenticular lenses, such that blurring and image degradation are
reduced and the overall
visual and aesthetic effect is enhanced, particularly relating to the
application of lenticular
technology to packaging and point-of purchase materials such as labels and the
like.
Accordingly, a need still exists for improved aesthetics and better decoration
of packaged
articles which utilize lenticular lenses but reduce image blurring and enhance
image quality, while
maintaining the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of conventional
manufacturing and assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A packaged article is provided which comprises a substantially transparent
container
having a longitudinal axis, a first surface, and a second surface opposing
said first surface; and a
lenticular label having a front face and a rear face, wherein the front face
of the lenticular label
comprises a multidimensional image, and wherein the front face of the
lenticular label is adhered
in a facing relationship to the second surface of the substantially
transparent container.
In one aspect of the present invention, a packaged article is provided which
comprises
a substantially transparent container having a longitudinal axis, a first
surface, and a second
surface opposing said first surface; a lenticular label comprising a front
face, a rear face, a
plurality of lenticules, and a plurality of interlaced component images; and a
liquid product which
is at least semi-transparent; wherein the front face of the lenticular label
comprises a
multidimensional image which imparts at least one visual illusion, and wherein
the front face of
the lenticular label is adhered in a facing relationship to the rear surface
of the substantially
transparent container; and wherein the plurality of interlaced component
images are arranged in
correspondence with the plurality of lenticules such that the multidimensional
image is viewable
by a viewer substantially free of distortion through the first surface of the
substantially transparent
container and through the liquid product at a viewing distance which allows
said viewer to
perceive said visual illusion.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of packaging a liquid product
which is at
least semi-transparent is provided, said method comprising the steps of (a)
providing a
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substantially transparent container having a longitudinal axis, a first
surface, and a second surface
opposing said first surface; (b) providing a lenticular label having a front
face and a rear face,
wherein the front face comprises a multidimensional image which imparts at
least one visual
illusion; (c) adhering the front face of the lenticular label in a facing
relationship to the second
surface of the substantially transparent container; and (d) providing the
liquid product which is at
least semi-transparent in said substantially transparent container.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention
will become
evident to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While the specification concludes with claims which particularly point out and
distinctly
claim the invention, it is believed the present invention will be better
understood from the
following description.
Packaged articles of the present invention include a lenticular label and a
substantially
transparent container. Each of these essential components, as well as
preferred or optional
components, is described in detail hereinafter.
A. Lenticular Label
A packaged article of the present invention includes a lenticular label. The
lenticular
label is included to provide the packaged article with unique decoration and
improved aesthetics
which may attract the attention of a potential customer and which also may
convey information to
a potential customer.
The lenticular label has a front face and a rear face. The front face of the
lenticular label
comprises a lenticular lens and thus contains a multidimensional image. As
used herein, a
"multidimensional image" is an image that imparts a visual illusion such as
depth andlor motion
to a viewer, and may include any combination of graphics, logos, text, or
other visual information.
The rear face of the lenticular label comprises a label substrate, which can
be made from paper,
plastic, or any other suitable material.
Lenticular lenses are well known and commercially available. The manufacture
of
lenticular lenses forms no part of this invention. Lenticular lenses are thin,
transparent lenses that
are flat on a first, or rear side and include a plurality of parallel, linear,
side-by-side lenticules -
elongated, convex lenses - on a second, or front side. Each lenticule is
typically a section of a
long cylinder that focuses on, and extends over, the full length of a section
of an underlying
image. Typically, the underlying image is printed on or adhered to the flat,
or rear side of the lens
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to create a visual illusion when the underlying image is viewed through the
lenticules as a
multidimensional, or lenticular, image.
Lenticular lenses are typically made of a plastic material, for example, one
or more of
polyester, vinyl, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene
terephthalate (PET),
amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET), and the like. Lenticular lenses
can be made in a
variety of ways, such as casting, embossing, and extrusion. In general, these
methods for making
lenticular lenses are known.
A lenticular lens typically has a gauge thickness and each lenticule has
characteristic
parameters that include a focal length, an arc angle, and a width, as
described in, for example, US
Patent No. 6,424,467. The gauge thickness of a ribbed or hemispherically-
profiled lens is
typically the thickness as measured from the outermost edge of the curved
surface of the lens to
the flat back surface of the lens. Lenticular lenses having a gauge thickness
on the order of at
least about 10 mils are termed "high resolution" lenticular lenses.
Preparation of the underlying image is well known in the art. The underlying
image is a
composite of a plurality of component images that are themselves preferably of
photographic
quality, or of any other quality suitable for the desired use. The component
images are selected
based upon the desired features of the multidimensional image. The component
images are then
arranged, segmented, interlaced, and mapped to create the underlying image
which must be
properly aligned, or arranged in correspondence, with the appropriate
lenticules of the lenticular
lens to produce the desired multidimensional image and visual illusion
therein. Processes of
arranging, segmenting, interlacing, and mapping the component images are
described in, for
example, US Patent Nos. 5,488,451, 5,617178, 5,847,808, and 5,896,230. The
process of
ensuring that the component images are properly aligned, or arranged in
correspondence, with the
appropriate lenticules of the lenticular lens requires consideration of the
specific physical
properties of the lenticular lens selected, the distance from which the
multidimensional image will
ordinarily be viewed, whether the component images will be viewed through an
interface
including one or more physical media in addition to the lenticular lens and
the air, and the specific
physical properties of the one or more additional physical media. In
embodiments of the present
invention, compensating for the physical properties of the material of the
substantially transparent
container and/or of the liquid product which is at least semi-transparent when
arranging,
segmenting, interlacing, and mapping the component images in correspondence
with the plurality
of lenticules, as otherwise described in the art, may ensure that the
multidimensional image is
viewable substantially free of distortion.
When the component images are not properly aligned, or arranged in
correspondence,
with the appropriate lenticules of the lenticular lens, image degradation and
image distortion, or
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other problems relating to clarity, sharpness, or quality of the
multidimensional image, may occur.
Additionally, image distortion, which is when the image appears blurred or out-
of focus, also may
occur depending on the quality, material, thickness, and/or other
characteristic of the lenticular
lens. As used herein, the terms "degradation", "distortion", and/or other
characterizations relating
to clarity, sharpness, or quality of the multidimensional image are determined
in the context of a
viewer viewing the multidimensional image at a viewing distance which allows
the viewer to
perceive the visual illusion, as discussed more below.
The front face of the lenticular label comprises a multidimensional image that
imparts a
visual illusion such as depth and/or motion to a viewer. Generally, visual
illusions may include
"depth", "motion", "flipping", "zooming", and "morphing". A visual illusion of
"depth" provides
an image being viewed to appear as if it is in three dimensions. A visual
illusion of "motion"
provides an image being viewed to appear as if it is undergoing movement. A
visual illusion of
"flipping" provides an image being viewed to appear as if it abruptly changes
its orientation or as
if it disappears and reappears. A visual illusion of "zooming" provides an
image being viewed to
appear as if it changes size, moving either closer to or away from a viewer. A
visual illusion of
"morphing" provides an image being viewed to appear as if it transitions or
undergoes
metamorphosis to another image. Generally, a multidimensional image may impart
one or more
visual illusions as desired.
At a viewing distance which allows the viewer to perceive the visual illusion,
the viewer
is able to observe and to distinguish the intended visual illusion imparted by
the multidimensional
image. It is preferred that the viewing distance is from about 30 cm (about 12
inches) to about 91
cm (about 36 inches).
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the multidimensional
image
includes images of flowers, plants, fruits, and/or combinations thereof,
wherein the flowers,
plants, or fruits appear to be in three dimensions, appear to bloom or
otherwise morph, and/or
appear to sway in a breeze or move as if by the wind.
A visual illusion may be viewable by a viewer when the viewer and packaged
article,
which contains the lenticular label bearing the multidimensional image, move
relative to one
another. Generally, the viewer and the lenticular label may move relative to
one another when a
packaged article to which the lenticular label is adhered is moved by the
viewer, or when the
viewer moves past a packaged article to which the lenticular label is adhered,
for example, when a
viewer walks past a packaged article displayed on a shelf.
Importantly, the orientation of the lenticules governs the orientation of the
desired visual
illusion. As described above, a lenticular label includes a plurality of
parallel, linear, side-by-side
lenticules. A lenticular label may be adhered to a packaged article, such as a
container or a bottle
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having a longitudinal axis, so that each of the plurality of lenticules is
substantially parallel to the
longitudinal axis. Thus, more particularly, a visual illusion may be viewable
by a viewer when a
packaged article to which the lenticular label is adhered is rotationally
translated by the viewer
about the longitudinal axis. Rotational translation may occur when the viewer
holds the packaged
article and turns, twists, or rotates the packaged article. Alternatively, a
visual illusion may be
viewable by a viewer when a packaged article to which the lenticular label is
adhered is
horizontally translated perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Horizontal
translation may occur
when the packaged article itself is laterally moved by a viewer, or when a
viewer laterally moves
past the packaged article. Preferably, the lenticular label is oriented so
that each of the plurality
of lenticules is substantially vertical in direction and, thus, substantially
parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the substantially transparent container.
As described above, the lenticular label has a front face and a rear face. The
front face of
the lenticular label is adhered in a facing relationship to the rear surface
of the substantially
transparent container. Stated differently, the lenticular label is adhered or
otherwise securely
attached facedown to the second surface of the substantially transparent
container. Thus, a viewer
views the lenticular lens through what can be termed a lens / container
material / air interface.
Adhering the lenticular label may be done by any means as is known in the art,
for example with a
suitable adhesive, provided that the means for adhering does not interfere
with or reduce the
quality of the visual illusion imparted by the multidimensional image.
The rear face of the lenticular label faces up and away from the second
surface of the
substantially transparent container. The rear face of the lenticular label may
be opaque and may
contain any additional image, printing, design, or visual information, as
desired, provided that
such additional image, etc., does not show through on the front face of the
lenticular label and/or
otherwise interfere with the multidimensional image which is contained on the
front face of the
lenticular label. Alternatively, the rear face of the lenticular label may be
blank.
B. Substantially Transparent Container
The lenticular label of the present invention is adhered to a substantially
transparent
container. Further, because the lenticular label is adhered in a facing
relationship to the second
surface of the substantially transparent container, the substantially
transparent container provides
physical media in addition to the lenticular lens (i.e., at least the first
and second surfaces of the
substantially transparent container) through which the multidimensional image
can be viewed. As
described above, a viewer views the lenticular lens through what can be termed
a lens / container
material / air interface as opposed to a conventional configuration providing
a lens / air interface.
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It has been discovered that adhering the front face of the lenticular label in
a facing relationship to
the second surface of the substantially transparent container, such that the
multidimensional image
is viewed through at least the first and second surfaces of the substantially
transparent container in
a lens / container material / air interface, provides improved image quality,
reducing blurring and
image degradation and enhancing the overall visual and aesthetic effect of the
multidimensional
image.
While not intending to be limited by theory, it is hypothesized that the
material of the
substantially transparent container acts similarly to a corrective lens in the
interface between the
multidimensional image of the lenticular lens and the viewer.
The substantially transparent container may be generally a vessel, receptacle,
holder, or
the like, and may be of any suitable or desired shape, so long as its general
structure provides an
encompassing continuous wall in which a first, or front surface can be defined
as being disposed
generally opposite from a second, or rear surface. In one embodiment of the
invention, at least
one of the first surface and the second surface is arcuate in shape. Having at
least one of the first
surface and the second surface arcuate (i.e., curved or rounded) in shape
provides further
enhancement of the overall visual and aesthetic effect of the multidimensional
image. An
example of this particular embodiment is a bottle having a generally oval or
elliptical cross-
sectional area. Another example of this particular embodiment includes a
bottle having a
generally cylindrical cross-sectional area.
The material of the substantially transparent container is of a sufficient
transmittance to
allow enough light to penetrate it so that objects or images beyond it can be
plainly and clearly
seen through it at a viewing distance which allows the viewer to perceive the
visual illusion. It is
preferred that the viewing distance is from about 30 cm (about 12 inches) to
about 91 cm (about
36 inches). The substantially transparent container may be clear or it may be
tinted in some color
or shade, provided that the sufficient transmittance described above is
allowed. The material of
the substantially transparent container has an index of refraction in the
range of about 1.3 to about
1.8.
The substantially transparent container may be made of any suitable material,
for
example, glass or one or more of a plastic material such as polyethylene
terephthalate (PET),
polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and high
density polyethylene
(HDPE).
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C. Optional Liquid Product Which Is At Least Semi-Transuarent
A packaged article of the present invention optionally may include a liquid
product in the
substantially transparent container wherein the liquid product is at least
semi-transparent. The
liquid product which is at least semi-transparent optionally may be included
in the substantially
transparent container to provide another physical medium in addition to the
lenticular lens
through which the multidimensional image can be viewed. Thus, a viewer views
the lenticular
lens through what can be termed a lens / container material l liquid product /
air interface. It has
been discovered that adhering the front face of the lenticular label in a
facing relationship to the
second surface of the substantially transparent container, such that the
multidimensional image is
viewed through a liquid product which is at least semi-transparent and the
first and second
surfaces of the substantially transparent container in a lens / container
material / liquid product /
air interface, provides improved image quality, reducing blurring and image
degradation and
enhancing the overall visual and aesthetic effect of the multidimensional
image.
While not intending to be limited by theory, it is hypothesized that the
material of the
substantially transparent container and the liquid product which is at least
semi-transparent act
similarly to corrective lenses in the interface between the multidimensional
image of the lenticular
lens and the viewer.
As an example of an enhanced visual effect, with the addition of a liquid
product which is
at least semi-transparent in the substantially transparent container, the
multidimensional image
can appear as if it is floating three-dimensionally within the liquid product.
The liquid product which is at least semi-transparent is of a sufficient
transmittance to
allow enough light to penetrate it so that objects or images beyond it can be
at least effectively
seen through it at a viewing distance which allows the viewer to perceive the
visual illusion. It is
preferred that the viewing distance is from about 30 cm (about 12 inches) to
about 91 cm (about
36 inches). The liquid product which is at least semi-transparent may be clear
or it may be tinted
in some color or shade, provided that the sufficient transmittance described
above is allowed. The
liquid product which is at least semi-transparent has an index of refraction
in the range of about
1.2 to about 1.7. It is preferred that the liquid product which is at least
semi-transparent has an
index of refraction that is similar to that of the material of the
substantially transparent container,
such as within about 0.5 of the other.
As used herein, the term "liquid product" includes substances that exhibit
fluid
characteristics, as well as gels and other viscous semi-solid substances. The
liquid product which
is at least semi-transparent may be, for example, a shampoo, a conditioner, a
hair rinse, a hair gel
styling composition, a liquid soap, and a shower gel. It is preferred that the
liquid product which
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is at least semi-transparent is substantially free of bubbles when at chemical
and physical
equilibrium.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a shampoo or a
conditioner, which
is at least semi-transparent, is contained in a clear plastic bottle having a
generally elliptical cross-
sectional area, wherein the front face of the lenticular label is adhered in a
facing relationship to
the second surface of the plastic bottle. In this exemplary embodiment, the
multidimensional
image of the lenticular label includes images of flowers, plants, fruits,
and/or combinations
thereof, wherein the specific flowers, plants, or fruits included in the
multidimensional image are
representative of or complementary to a fragrance, one or more ingredients, or
other
characteristics of the shampoo or the conditioner contained in the plastic
bottle. When a viewer
views the plastic bottle at a viewing distance of about 30 cm (about 12
inches) to about 91 cm
(about 36 inches) and simultaneously moves relative to the plastic bottle, the
flowers, plants, or
fruits appear to be in three dimensions, appear to bloom or otherwise morph,
and/or appear to
sway in a breeze or move as if by the wind.
D. Optional Additional Design
A packaged article of the present invention optionally may include at least
one additional
design on the first surface of the substantially transparent container. An
additional design may
include any combination of graphics, logos, text, or other visual information
that may be used to
provide the packaged article with decoration and improved aesthetics, and
which may attract the
attention of and/or convey information to a potential customer, provided that
the additional design
does not substantially obstruct the view of the multidimensional image of the
lenticular label. The
design may be, for example, a label which is adhered to the first surface of
the substantially
transparent container. Alternatively, the design may be, for example, screen-
printed directly on
the first surface of the substantially transparent container. The design may
also be a second
lenticular label, provided that it does not substantially obstruct the view of
the multidimensional
image of the first lenticular label. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the design is
complementary to the multidimensional image of the lenticular label. A design
may be
complementary to the multidimensional image when the design comprises
graphics, logos, text, or
other visual information that is generally of the same or similar motif or
theme as that of the
multidimensional image.
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E. Method of Packa~in~ a Liauid Product Which Is At Least Semi-Transparent
Another aspect of the invention is a method of packaging a liquid product
which is at
least semi-transparent. The method provides a packaged article with improved
aesthetics and
better decoration which utilizes lenticular lenses but reduces image blurring
and enhances image
quality.
The method of packaging a liquid product which is at least semi-transparent
comprises
the steps of (a) providing a substantially transparent container having a
longitudinal axis, a first
surface, and a second surface opposing said first surface; (b) providing a
lenticular label having a
front face and a rear face, wherein the front face comprises a
multidimensional image which
imparts at least one visual illusion; (c) adhering the front face of the
lenticular label in a facing
relationship to the second surface of the substantially transparent container;
and (d) providing the
liquid product which is at least semi-transparent in said substantially
transparent container.
As described above, and while not intending to be limited by theory, it is
hypothesized
that the material of the substantially transparent container and the liquid
product which is at least
semi-transparent act as corrective lenses in the interface between the
multidimensional image of
the lenticular lens and the viewer, resulting in the benefits described above.
All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in
relevant part,
incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be
construed as an
admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that are
within the scope of this invention.
