Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SCRATCHABLE LABEL SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The following includes information that may be useful in
understanding the present
disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein
is prior art nor
material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any
publication or document
that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of labels and
more specifically
relates to container labels.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0003] Water bottles and other beverage containers are often freely
distributed during
gatherings of people. When many beverage containers are set down in a
gathering of people,
it is sometimes difficult to remember or identify which beverage container
belongs to whom.
When there are marking pens available, individual beverage containers can be
marked to
identify to whom the beverage belongs. However, marking pens are not always
available. A
suitable solution is desired.
[0004] U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0375046 to Yulin Wang relates to customizable
print labels.
The described customizable print labels include a customizable print label
used for various
identification purposes and methods for making the same. In particular, the
disclosed labels
are printed with inks to provide specific images or markings, such as for
example, letters and/or
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numbers, which can be removed or otherwise altered to customize the label to a
user's
preference.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known labels
art, the present
disclosure provides a novel scratchable label system. The general purpose of
the present
disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to
provide a beverage
label which includes scratchable sections for providing a visual indicator to
identify and label
beverage containers and other items.
[0006] A scratchable container label system is disclosed herein. The
scratchable container
label system includes a label member having a body including an outer-surface,
a plurality of
identifier members, and an engaging-surface. The scratchable container label
system includes
the label member having the body defined by the outer-surface and the engaging-
surface. The
plurality of identifier members is/are disposed about the outer-surface of the
body and
configured to be selectively scratched and display identifying indicia. The
engaging-surface of
the label member is configured to be secured to a surface of a container such
as a water bottle
or other beverage container. The identifying indicia when exposed provides a
readily
identifiable visual indicator such that a user is able to differentiate a user-
specific-container
from other the containers. The device allows users to mark containers with
initials or other
identifying indicia and differentiate containers. A kit is also disclosed
herein including a set of
instructions and a label member.
[0007] According to another embodiment, a method of identifying containers
using a
scratchable container label system is also disclosed herein. The method of
identifying
containers using a scratchable container label system includes providing the
scratchable
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container label system, applying a label member to a surface of a container,
removing a
scratchable coating to expose a plurality of identifier members, identifying a
user-specific-
container from other the containers, and optionally removing the label member
from the
surface of the container.
[0008] For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects,
advantages, and novel
features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood
that not necessarily
all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular
embodiment of the
invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that
achieves or
optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without
necessarily achieving
other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the
invention which
are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed
in the concluding
portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and
advantages of the present
invention will become better understood with reference to the following
drawings and detailed
description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The figures which accompany the written portion of this
specification illustrate
embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a scratchable label
system,
constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present
disclosure.
[00010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the scratchable container label system
during an
'in-use' condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
[00011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the scratchable container label system
of FIG. 1,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
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[00012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the scratchable container label system
of FIG. 1,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the scratchable container label system
of FIG. 1,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00014] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use for the
scratchable container
label system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00015] The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be
described in
conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00016] As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a
labels and
more particularly to a scratchable label system as used to improve the
efficiency and
effectiveness of container labeling.
[00017]
Generally, a label or sticker is provided to attach to a label on a beverage
container.
The label or sticker may be scratchable allowing a user to mark a bottle by
selectively
scratching sections to reveal identifying indicia. Initials or other unique
identification may be
used to show that a bottle or container to belongs to a certain user.
[00018] Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of
reference, there is
shown in FIGS. 1-5, various views of a scratchable container label system 100.
FIG. 1 shows
a scratchable container label system 100 during an 'in-use' condition 150,
according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the scratchable
container label system
100 may include a label member 110 having a body 120 including an outer-
surface 122 and
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an engaging-surface 134. The outer-surface 122 of the body 120 is configured
to be selectively
scratched to display identifying indicia 136. The outer-surface 122 comprises
a scratchable
coating configured to be scratched and display the identifying indicia 136
such as a user's
initials or other suitable identifying indicia 136. The label member 110 is
preferably a sticker.
The engaging-surface 134 of the label member 110 comprises adhesive. The
engaging-surface
134 of the label member 110 is configured to be secured to a surface of a
container 5 or lid of
the container 5. The label member 110 comprises a planar profile and is
configured to conform
to a container-body. The identifying indicia 136 when exposed provides a
readily identifiable
visual indicator such that a user is able to differentiate a user-specific-
container 10 from other
containers 5.
[00019] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the scratchable container label
system 100 of
FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the
scratchable
container label system 100 may include the label member 110 having the body
120 having the
outer-surface 122, the plurality of identifier members 130, and the engaging-
surface 134. The
scratchable container label system 100 includes the label member 110 having
the body 120
defined by the outer-surface 122 and the engaging-surface 134. The plurality
of identifier
members 130 are disposed about the outer-surface 122 of the body 120 and
configured to be
selectively scratched and display identifying indicia 136. The engaging-
surface 134 of the label
member 110 is configured to be secured to a surface of a container 5. The
identifying indicia
136 when exposed provides a readily identifiable visual indicator such that a
user is able to
differentiate a user-specific-container 10 from other the containers.
[00020] Referring now to FIG. 3 showing a perspective view of the scratchable
container
label system 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. As above,
the scratchable container label system 100 may include the label member 110
having the body
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120 having the outer-surface 122, the plurality of identifier members 130, and
the engaging-
surface 134. The label member 110 may be applied to a container 5. The
container 5 is
preferably a beverage container such as a water bottle. The label member 110
is flexible and
non-removeable. In certain embodiments the label member 110 is a sticker with
a removeable
panel to expose adhesive. The engaging-surface 134 of the label member 110
comprises
adhesive and may be adhered to a container 5 on top of an existing label. The
label member
110 comprises a planar profile and is configured to conform to a container-
body.
[00021] The identifying indicia 136 are arranged adjacent to one another. The
identifying
indicia 136 is alphanumeric (and/or may include other symbols/logos or the
like). The
identifying indicia 136 may include a plurality of characters and a plurality
of alphanumeric-
characters comprising letters and numbers for use. The identifying indicia 136
may also
include a date-indicator. The plurality of identifier members 136 comprise a
scratchable
coating which when removed exposes the plurality of identifier members 130.
[00022] According to one embodiment, the scratchable container label system
100 may be
arranged as a kit 105. In particular, the scratchable container label system
100 may further
include a set of instructions 107. The instructions 107 may detail functional
relationships in
relation to the structure of the scratchable container label system 100 such
that the scratchable
container label system 100 can be used, maintained, or the like, in a
preferred manner.
[00023] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for method of
identifying containers
500 using a scratchable container label system 100, according to an embodiment
of the present
disclosure. In particular, the method for method of identifying containers 500
may include one
or more components or features of the scratchable container label system 100
as described
above. As illustrated, the method for method of identifying containers 500 may
include the
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steps of: step one 501, providing the scratchable container label system 100;
step two 502,
applying a label member 110 to a surface of a container 5; step three 503,
removing a
scratchable coating to expose a plurality of identifier members 130; step four
504, identifying
a user-specific-container 10 from other the containers; step five 505,
removing the label
member 110 from the surface of the container 5.
[00024] It should be noted that step five 505 is an optional step and may not
be implemented
in all cases. Optional steps of method of use 500 are illustrated using dotted
lines in FIG. 5 so
as to distinguish them from the other steps of method of use 500. It should
also be noted that
the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different
orders according
to user preference. The use of "step of" should not be interpreted as "step
for", in the claims
herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f). It
should also be
noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design
preference, user
preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available
materials,
technological advances, etc., other methods for identifying containers using a
scratchable
container label system, are taught herein.
[00025] The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and
numerous
modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to
achieve
substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced
within the spirit and
scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to
enable the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the
scientist, engineers
and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms
or phraseology, to
determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the
technical disclosure
of the application.
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