Reusable information tag

Details Reusable information tag Reusable information tag

2001-05-11

2003-04-22

Fridie, Jr., Willmon (Department: 3722)

Printed matter

Having revealable concealed information, fraud preventer or...

Identifier

C283S107000, C283S075000, C283S070000, C040S299010

Reexamination Certificate

active

06550813

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to erasable labels and more specifically to a reusable information tag for use with gifts, luggage and the like.
2. Background Art
It is frequently desirable to identify the owner, user or intended recipient of an article merely by glancing at the exterior of the article. For example, gifts often need external identification to clarify the giver and the intended recipient so that the proper person unwraps the gift and knows who gave it to him or her. Similarly, luggage often needs external identification so that the owner can readily distinguish his or her luggage from other people's similar-looking luggage. This is especially useful in places where the luggage has been grouped together, such as airports. External identification also allows others to quickly and easily determine ownership of lost articles. For these and other reasons, people frequently place external information tags on gifts, luggage, band instruments, backpacks, gym bags, sports equipment, and myriad other items.
The current state of the art in gift tags is exemplified by the paper gift tags widely used at Christmas. These usually have holiday-related scenes printed on one side, along with the words “TO” and “FROM.” The gift giver writes her name after “FROM” and the intended recipient's name after “TO.” These tags typically are attached to the gift with a piece of adhesive tape applied from the tag to the gift wrapping paper. Some tags have an adhesive strip, which is covered with protective paper, such as wax-coated paper, already attached to the back. The user peels the protective paper from the strip, then sticks the tag to the gift.
Identification tags for luggage typically consist of a piece of heavyweight paper with blank lines for the name, address and telephone number of the owner, along with a plastic or leather case to hold and protect the piece of paper once it has been filled out. The paper slides into the case and the information thereon can be read through a transparent piece of plastic on one side of the case.
In addition to their practical function, information tags often have a decorative function. As noted, gift tags frequently have decorations printed on them, such as red and green Christmas ornaments. Identification tags sometimes come in fancy leather cases with designs, and possibly a retailer's name, tooled into them. This serves both a decorative function and provides advertising for the company.
Current-art gift and identification tags are generally meant to be written upon only once. If the user writes on the tag with a felt or ball point pen, the writing cannot be removed without damaging the tag. Even if the user writes on the tag with a pencil, erasing the names will generally damage any graphics and indicia on the tag, as well as the tag itself. As a result, gift tags are usually thrown away once the gift has been opened. Although identification tags often have a longer life span, for the same reasons they are still limited to the information initially placed on them.
Current-art gift tags also suffer frequent attachment failure. Due to the fact that the tags are designed to be for only one usage of short duration, manufacturers generally make the tags from relatively insubstantial materials, such as heavy paper. It is therefore not unusual to find in actual use that the tags have become separated from the gifts, leaving one to guess at which tag belongs with which gift.
Moreover, adhesive tape generally cannot be removed from the front of the gift tag without damaging, or even destroying, the tag. Adhesive strips applied to the back of the tag are also difficult to separate from the gift or the tag and are intended for one-time use.
Current-art gift and identification tags are significantly limited in decorative variety by the fact that the graphics and indicia are printed on or otherwise directly applied to the top surface of the tag. This method results in an appreciable cost associated with changing the decorations on the tags. Manufacturers therefore generally prefer to produce large numbers of tags with the same few decorative styles. Where a separate protective case is provided, such as with many luggage tags, the cost of the tag is greatly increased. Moreover, there is very little flexibility in changing the decorative design of the case, giving consumers little choice if they desire personalized identification tags which show their individual interests.
For example, it would be desirable to provide identification tags to all of the members of a school band for their instrument cases. More desirable and fun would be to provide each member with an identification tag which, in addition to the lines for the name, address and telephone number, would have a graphic of that student's instrument, such as a trumpet, on the face of the tag. Even more desirable would be to have these tags be inexpensive yet durable even when subjected to rain and snow, with no need for a separate case. Still more desirable would be to have these tags be reusable each year by new students, who could simply erase the last student's identifying information and fill in the new student's identifying information.
It should also be recognized that many people enjoy handicrafts. They receive considerable pleasure from making articles which they and others can enjoy for years to come. This is especially true when the articles reflect their artistic skills and have personal significance to them or the people to whom they give their handicrafts.
Erasable labels are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,901 to Woods (1988); U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,332 to Stachler (1991); U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,296 to Yerger (1991); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,499 to Mason (1993) disclose typical erasable labels. These generally are intended for video cassettes, floppy disks, and the like. Although they can be written upon and erased without damage to the label, they are not meant to be transferred from article to article. In fact, they teach the use of adhesive coatings on the backside for permanent attachment to one article. Moreover, they do not provide for a separate middle layer on which is disposed graphics and indicia. They also teach the use of special dry and wet erase markers. As a gift tag, this would greatly limit reusability by anyone who receives the tag, since it is not practical to include a special pen with each gift for reuse of the gift tag. As an identification tag, which is likely to be subjected to considerable wear and even inclement weather, including rain, it is questionable whether the information printed on such a label would survive. Erasable labels also rely on reuse instructions printed on the packaging or on a separate piece of paper. Accordingly, they are not readily transferrable from person to person, since it is not practical to include a copy of the reuse instructions with each label.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved information tag which is inexpensive, durable and reusable by anyone having common household items such as felt markers, isopropyl rubbing alcohol, string and adhesive tape; which can be economically manufactured with numerous different graphics and indicia for every holiday, occasion, event, use and interest; and which can also be made from kits by private individuals in their own homes.
SUMMARY
The present invention satisfies this need. A reusable information tag comprises a substantially flat substrate; a middle layer on which are disposed graphics and indicia, the middle layer being bonded to the substrate; a top layer comprising a transparent or translucent non-porous erasable film or sheet adapted to receive writing, the top layer being bonded to the middle layer; and a means for attachment comprising a through hole and a string, wire, cord, twine, ribbon, band, strap or similar flexible elongated material providing strength and durability sufficient

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