Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Check – label – or tag – Cup- – saucer- – plate- or tray-carried indicia
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-04-10
Davis, Cassandra H. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Check, label, or tag
Cup-, saucer-, plate- or tray-carried indicia
C040S506000, C206S309000, C215S252000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212803
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to labels and more particularly to a rotatable label system on a drinking vessel and method for constructing same.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many drinking vessels, such as the kind obtained in fast food restaurants or at sporting events, display information in the form of written indicia. The written indicia is typically arranged directly on the exterior surface of the vessel or on a label affixed around the vessel. This information may include the name of the restaurant, advertisements, promotions, and artwork.
A problem associated with conventional drinking vessels is that insufficient space is available on the exterior surface of the vessel to display all of the information a manufacturer desires to provide to a consumer. In order to accommodate all of the desired information on the exterior surface of the vessel, the manufacturer may reduce the size or typeface of some or all of the indicia. Furthermore, the indicia may be more closely spaced together. However, the reduction in size of text and/or graphics may adversely affect the visual appeal of the vessel, and may render some or all of the information illegible to the consumer.
To provide additional space for the presentation of information, it has been proposed that a rotatable outer label be positioned about the drinking vessel having an inner label or indicia imprinted on the vessel exterior surface. The outer label typically has a transparent portion, which when rotated relative to the vessel, allows for viewing of the inner label or exterior surface through the transparent portion. This construction permits information display on both the outer label and the inner label or vessel surface; thus increasing the display area.
Despite the advantages of having a rotatable outer label on a drinking vessel, it has been impractical to employ rotatable outer labels due to the difficulty of applying such a rotatable label to a vessel in an efficient and rapid manner. Conventionally, a label is attached to a vessel with an adhesive applied to either the label or the vessel. However, this manner of application yields a label that is fixed, and not rotatable, relative to the vessel. Consequently, there is a need for a system and method by which a rotatable label may be rapidly disposed about a drinking vessel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes or substantially alleviates problems associated with display of information on a prior art drinking vessel. In general, the present invention provides a drinking vessel having an inner label or written indicia disposed directly thereon and a rotatable outer label of heat-shrinkable material (referred to herein as “shrinkwrap” material) disposed about the exterior of the drinking vessel and conforming thereto.
The rotatable label may include at least one transparent window which, when rotated relative to the vessel about a central vertical axis thereof, allows selective viewing of co-located indicia arranged on the exterior of the vessel (either on an inner label affixed to the vessel or printed directly on the exterior surface of the vessel). Because indicia may be disposed both on the inner and rotatable labels, the manufacturer may advantageously provide a substantially increased amount of information to the user.
The present invention discloses various methods of constructing a rotatable label system on a drinking vessel. According to the preferred embodiment, a drinking vessel with written indicia disposed thereon is inverted. A shrinkwrap shell constituting the outer label is lowered about the inverted vessel. The longitudinal movement of the shell is hindered when the circumference of the drinking vessel equals that of the shell. Heat is then applied to the shell, causing the shell to conform to the surface features of the drinking vessel. The diameter of the shell, as well as the duration and conditions of the heat-shrinking process, are carefully controlled such that the resultant label does not adhere to the vessel and can be easily rotated relative to the vessel.
In certain embodiments of the invention, the vessel is shaped or provided with surface contours to inhibit vertical displacement of the shell. Furthermore, the shell may be adapted with a set of perforation lines, including at least one horizontally oriented perforation line extending circumferentially about the shell. The perforations define lines of weakening which enable a user to quickly and easily activate the rotatable label system.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a rotatable label system that may be efficiently constructed, and which permits written indicia disposed directly on a vessel exterior surface or on an inner label to be viewed through a transparent window of an outer rotatable label. Other advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and detailed description as set forth below.
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Carr & Ferrell LLP
Davis Cassandra H.
Stephen Key Design, LLC
Yee Susan
LandOfFree
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