Label structure

Details Label structure Label structure

1998-12-11

2001-05-22

Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)

Printed matter

Having revealable concealed information, fraud preventer or...

Identifier

C283S101000, C283S105000, C283S901000, C283S903000, C040S310000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234536

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to labels and structural features thereof and more particularly to labels having game pieces, coupons, or promotional materials therein and which retain their integrity notwithstanding immersion in liquid for extended periods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,504 to MacGregor, et al., incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, discloses various “secure on-pack promotional coupons.” Such coupons include concealed promotional materials and may be secured to packaging of consumer products. In one embodiment of the assemblies described in the MacGregor, et al. patent, the coupons consist of a set or series of labels, each label formed of a base portion, an intermediate (promotional) portion, and an outer portion.
Repeatedly emphasized in the MacGregor, et al. patent is the requirement that the promotional coupon be
secured to a product by water soluble adhesive, so that the purchaser of the product must run water over the label or coupon in order to expose the coupon . . . and remove it from the product.
See MacGregor, col. 1, lines 56-60; see also id., col. 2, lines 20-23; col. 4, line 67 through col. 5, line 6. According to the MacGregor, et al. patent, this requirement purportedly deters “persons from removing or tampering with the labels prior to purchasing the products.” See id., col. 1, lines 63-65. It is, moreover, based on the assumption that water (or other liquid) is of only “limited availability . . . in stores.” See id., line 61.
While not necessarily erroneous, the assumption made in the MacGregor, et al. patent is inconsistent with certain present-day practices. For example, grocery and convenience stores (among others) now often include freestanding displays in which plastic beverage bottles are wholly or partially immersed in ice water. Conventional coolers and other containers similarly surround bottles with ice water in many cases. In each of these instances, promotional coupons of the type disclosed in the MacGregor, et al. patent may lose their integrity through immersion in or contact with water. As the water contacts the promotional coupons, the effectiveness of the water-soluble adhesive is diminished, resulting in premature separation of the outer portion from the remainder of the assembly and undesired exposure of the intermediate (promotional) portion.
Moreover, some types of plastic and other bottles are cleansed with hot water after all labelling is affixed. This cleansing is also likely to disturb the water-soluble adhesive used in the promotional coupons of the MacGregor, et al. patent and precipitate loss of integrity of the overall label assembly. Again, the result is premature separation of the outer portion and exposure of the promotional material.
Among initial attempts to solve this problem associated with water baths was utilizing a film to attach a paper game piece to a bottle. The larger film, to which adhesive was applied to the perimeter of its underside, effectively sandwiched the game piece against the outer surface of the bottle. Any defect in applying the film to the bottle permitted water to seep beneath the film into contact with the paper game piece, however, diminishing its viability as a solution to the problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By contrast, the present invention avoids problems associated with, among other things, these water baths by providing a multi-ply label structure in which a game piece is sealed from the ambient environment before affixation to a bottle. Because developed for purposes different than the promotional coupons of the MacGregor, et al. patent, moreover, the label structures of the present invention do not utilize water-soluble adhesive to attach components to a bottle. Instead, the innovative labels described herein are designed especially to retain their integrity notwithstanding immersion in either hot or cold water (or other liquid) for extended periods.
One embodiment of the invention includes four plies. In this embodiment the base ply may be a polypropylene or other liner whose underside is adherable to, among other things, a plastic bottle. Positioned atop the liner, and typically (although not necessarily) of lesser length and width, is a first polypropylene or similar film. The underside of the first film may in some cases be temporarily adhered to the upper surface of the liner, thereby forming a laminated structure.
Adhered to the base ply along the perimeter of its upper surface is a second polypropylene or other film. This second film constitutes the top of the multi-ply structure, and together with the base ply forms a pouch in whose central area a game piece, coupon, or other material may reside. The base ply and second films and the adhesive attaching them are selected so as to be water-impervious, thereby sealing the game piece from any water that might contact the label. Thus, neither immersion in water of a bottle containing such a label nor defective affixation of the label to the bottle is likely to destroy the integrity of the multi-ply assembly or the contents of the game piece contained therein.
As noted above, if desired the underside of the first film may contain adhesive to prevent the game piece from changing position within the pouch. The multi-ply assembly additionally may be manufactured on a backing tape or web for easy storage and transport in rolls. Such web, as is conventional, would have an upper surface coated with a release layer to facilitate removal of the assembly for affixing to a bottle. Because the game piece is protected from moisture while within the assembly, furthermore, it may include inks, scratch-off coverings, and other features that it otherwise could not successfully have. Moreover, because the first film may be part of the game piece, in some cases it may provide additional moisture resistance as well.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a label structure that includes a game piece, coupon, or other promotional material.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a label structure which retains its integrity notwithstanding immersion in liquid for extended periods.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a label structure in which the game piece forming part of the assembly is sealed from the ambient environment before being affixed to, e.g., a bottle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a label structure avoiding use of a water-soluble adhesive to attach any portion of the structure to a bottle or other surface.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a four-ply label including two layers of film and a base layer positioned intermediate the film layers and a substrate such as a bottle.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the remainder of the text and the drawings of this application.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3524782 (1970-08-01), Buske
patent: 4479838 (1984-10-01), Dunsirn et al.
patent: 4846504 (1989-07-01), MacGregor et al.
patent: 5024014 (1991-06-01), Swierczek
patent: 5154448 (1992-10-01), Griffin et al.
patent: 5228692 (1993-07-01), Carrick et al.
patent: 5350612 (1994-09-01), Stern et al.
patent: 5992892 (1999-11-01), Schaefer et al.
patent: 654529 (1986-02-01), None

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