Abstract:
A label with booklet comprises a liner material and a label having an upper and lower surface located on the liner. The label is secured to the liner by an adhesive layer on its lower surface such that the label can be peeled off the liner with the adhesive remaining on the lower surface of the label. A booklet is affixed to the upper surface of the label and comprises a plurality of stacked pages having edges including a top page and a bottom page, each of the pages being coextensive with each other and of smaller dimensions than the label. The booklet further comprises a cover member entirely covering the top page and extending beyond at least two opposing edges of the top page, the cover member having an upper non-adhesive surface, and a lower surface having an adhesive thereon by means of which the lower surface of the cover member is permanently adhered to the upper surface of the top page. The booklet is completely removable from the label by removing at least a portion of the cover member.

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to labels, and particularly for labels on bottles and other surfaces in a medical or health setting. The labels of the invention may comprise a base liner which is adhered to the surface, the base liner further having on an upper surface thereof at least a booklet which can be easily removed from the surface when needed. The upper surface of the liner may further include printed materials, hangers, peel-off labels or the like, all of which are located below the booklet. 
     A number of labels having booklets thereon are known in the art. Many of such labels are designed so that the booklet mounted thereon can be opened and resealed against the label. This permits multiple viewings of the contents of the booklet by opening and resealing a cover or other means holding the booklet. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,363 (Gartner) discloses a multi-layer hinged label as two layers which may be repeatedly partially separated and re-adhered to one another. As further background showing the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,721 (Pedroli) teaches a label for packaged products and includes a bottom layer and an upper layer of clear plastic film laminated to the bottom layer so as to substantially cover a printed surface. The upper layer has a window cut therein to allow printing on the material below it. 
     Another example of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,273 (Kobayashi) which shows booklet type labels including outer label members with an adhesive band which can be peeled away to release the outer label member to expose the contents below. U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,427 (Instance) describes a self-adhesive label including self-adhesive edge portions on opposed sides of a multi-lamina label portion, the edge portions being releasably adhered to a portion of the label. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the present invention comprises a label having a liner comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface having an adhesive thereon so that the label can be applied to a surface such as a bottle or the like, and a booklet comprising a plurality of pages, the booklet being located on the upper surface of the liner so that it can be easily removed and opened. 
     Preferably, the booklet, when removed, has no adhesive or sticky surfaces, projections or other materials which make it more difficult to handle. 
     In many instances when leaflets or other forms of foldable pages containing information are placed on a label, this is usually accomplished by having an adhesive material hold the booklet on the label, so that when the booklet is removed, there are adhesive edges or projections which interfere with the easy opening of the booklet. It is often convenient, especially in medical environments, to have a booklet on a label which can be easily removed, opened and read without the book having any adhesive surfaces which can interfere with the handling thereof. The invention teaches a label with booklet having these features. 
     Preferably, the booklet is located such that it covers the entire, or almost the entire, upper surface of the liner. 
     In another aspect, the label may further comprise a hanging ring on the upper surface of the liner, the hanging ring being constructed such that it can unfold to permit the bottle upon which the label is adhered to be suspended in an inverted position from a bracket, peg or the like. 
     The label may further comprise removable strips, for example, upon which the lot number, expiry date or other information can be written, the removable strip being easily separable from the remainder of the label. The label may additionally incorporate other types of peel-off or secondary labels. 
     In all instances where the label generally comprises the hanger, peel-off or other types of labels, the booklet is mounted so as to cover all these components, which become accessible once the booklet has been removed. 
     In one form, the booklet preferably comprises an elongate strip of paper which has been folded and refolded upon itself to form the booklet, and an adhesive cover which keeps the booklet on the remainder of the label. The cover preferably comprises an upper surface and a lower surface upon which an adhesive layer is applied. This adhesive layer adheres to the uppermost page of the booklet, and extends beyond the peripheral edges of the booklet so as to provide at least two edges which adhere to the base label. In one embodiment, the cover has perforations or lines of weakness which will easily tear when force is applied so that the booklet can be removed. The lines of weakness are preferably coextensive with the peripheral edge of the booklet so that that portion of the cover actually covering the booklet will be removed with the booklet when it is parted from the label, with the remainder of the cover portion remaining on the label. In this way, the booklet can be removed and easily read without having to deal with overhanging adhesive projections or portions, which may make it difficult to open an read the contents of the booklet. 
     The label including the booklet of the invention may be applied on bottles containing pharmaceutical products, and contain detailed information of the type typically found in boxes in which the bottle is wrapped. Therefore, an advantage of the invention is that the bottle (or other container) in which the pharmaceuticals are directly located need not be further packaged within a box, since the pharmaceutical information can be applied in a suitable manner directly to the bottle and be easily removed, where necessary. 
     In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for applying such labels, including booklets, to a bottle, and for making the label including the booklet. 
     In one preferred form, the method comprises a supply reel of base labels which is unwound and passed over a plate and thereafter taken up by a take-up reel. Over the plate, a further supply of booklets is provided, such that the application of the booklets to the base label is synchronized with the movement of the base labels over the plate. In a preferred form, both the booklet and labels are pre-arched so that when the label is applied to a bottle, it will not cause creasing or stretching. The amount of pre-arching in assembling the label with booklet of the invention will depend upon the size of the bottle to which the label is to be applied, with a smaller diameter of bottle requiring more extensive pre-arching. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic top view of a label with booklet of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom end view of the label with booklet as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG.  3 ( a ) is a diagrammatic exploded view of a label with booklet showing the label with various components and the booklet mounted thereon; 
     FIG.  3 ( b ) shows another embodiment of the label illustrated in FIG.  3 ( a ); 
     FIG.  3 ( c ) shows yet another embodiment of the label illustrated in FIG.  3 ( a ); 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side view of the booklet with cover which forms part of the label with booklet of the invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic representation showing the apparatus used for manufacturing a label with booklet of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference is now made to the drawings which show various forms and embodiments of a label with a booklet applied thereto. The label with booklet may simply comprise the liner and booklet, or it may comprise a liner including several other components, such as a hanging ring, peel-off label or secondary label. In those situations where the label with booklet includes these other components, these components would lie intermediate the liner and the booklet, with the booklet being applied so as to cover all of these structures. 
     FIG. 1 shows a version of the label with booklet without any of the other components forming part of the label. The label, generally designated by the reference numeral  10 , comprises a liner  12 , of generally rectangular and elongate shape mounted on a backing strip  15 . The liner  12  has an upper surface  14  and a lower surface  16 , the lower surface  16  including an adhesive layer  18 . This adhesive layer  18  adheres to the backing strip  15  but is easily removable therefrom, and thereafter is applied and adhered to a surface, such as a bottle or other container to which the label will be applied. 
     The upper surface  14  of the label may include a printed layer with identifying information such as the name of the product, quantity or amount of the product to be contained in the bottle, and other basic information. 
     The backing strip  15  is a continuous strip of appropriate material which is designed to hold a plurality of labels  10  in a serial end-to-end arrangement, with each label  10  being easily removable from the backing strip  15 . The label  10  has upper and lower edges  20  and  22  respectively, and side edges  24  and  26 . The side edge  26  of one label  10  will be immediately adjacent, but separate from, the side edge  24  of an adjacent label  10 . The upper and lower edges  20  and  22  correspond with, or are just slightly within, the upper and lower edges  28  and  30  of the backing strip  15 . 
     On the upper surface  14  of the label  10 , there is mounted a booklet  32  which comprises a plurality of pages. The pages may be formed by folding and refolding a continuous elongate strip of paper so as to form a book-like construction, or the booklet  32  may alternatively comprises a series of coextensive separate sheets formed in a stack. The booklet has a top page  34 , best seen is FIG. 2 of the drawings, a bottom page  36  which rests directly on the upper surface  14  of the label  10 , and one or more intermediate pages  38 . 
     Extending over the top page  34  of the booklet  32 , there is mounted a cover member  40 , which is typically made of a thin plastic transparent or clear material. The cover member  40  is of slightly larger dimension than the various pages of the booklet, and has a top edge  42  and bottom edge  44  which extend slightly beyond the upper and lower edges of the booklet. Furthermore, the cover member comprises a pair of parallel side edges  46  and  48 , extending beyond the side edges  50  and  52  of the booklet  32 . 
     The cover member  40  has an upper surface  54 , and a lower surface  56  upon which is formed an adhesive layer  58 . The adhesive layer  58  extends generally over the entire area of the lower surface  56  of the cover member  40 , and will therefore adhere to both the top page  34  of the booklet as well as the label  10  where it overextends the side edges  50  an  52  and/or top and bottom edges of the booklet. 
     The cover member comprises a perforation  60 , or a line of weakness such as a score, along which the cover member may tear or come apart when a force is applied along the perforation. The perforation  60  is of rectangular shape, and is substantially coextensive with the outer periphery or edges of the booklet. When forces tear the perforation, the cover member  40  will separate so as to comprise a central rectangular portion which still adheres to the top page  34  of the booklet, and a rectangular peripheral strip  63  which remains adhered to the upper surface  14  of the label. Since the cover member  40  is generally transparent or clear, the remaining peripheral strip  63  on the upper surface  14  will not cover or otherwise obstruct any printed material or information on the upper surface  14 . 
     Furthermore, where the upper surface  14  of the label contains other components, as will be described below, including, for example, a hanging ring with base, secondary or peel-off labels, the cover member  40  will be located on the upper surface  14  of the label  10  in such a manner so that it will not interfere with any of the functions or movements of these other components. 
     In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cover member  40  has peripheral edges which extend beyond the peripheral edges of the booklet  32 . In such case, the perforations extend all the way around the booklet, near the periphery thereof. However, in another embodiment, the upper and lower edges of the cover member may be precisely coextensive with the top and bottom edges of the book so that no perforations at or neat the top and bottom edges of the booklet will be required. In such an embodiment, only the side portions, represented by reference numerals  64  and  66  in FIG. 1, of the cover member  40  will adhere to the upper surface  14 . Thus, the perforation  60  will only extend down the side edges  50  and  52 , coextensive with the booklet, such that when the booklet is removed, only the side portions  64  and  66  will remain on the surface  14  of the label  10 . 
     Reference is now made to FIG.  3 ( a ) of the drawings which shows the basic label illustrated in FIG. 1, but also includes additional components on the label which are located intermediate the label  10  and the booklet  32 . FIG.  3 ( a ) shows an exploded view of the label  10 , and the booklet  32 , with an indication as to how the booklet  32 , together with its cover  40  are substantially the same size as the label  10 , and coextensive therewith. When the booklet  32  and cover  40  are located on the upper surface  14  of label  10 , the entire label  10 , or a substantial part thereof, will be covered by the booklet  32  and cover  40  combination. 
     In FIG.  3 ( a ), it will be noted that the upper surface  14  of the label  10  has located thereon a hanger member  70 , a peel-off label  72  and a secondary label  74 . Each of these components is either mounted upon the upper surface  14  of the label  10 , or integrated into the surface, as will be described below, so that they may be utilized once the booklet  32  and most of the cover  40  have been removed. 
     The hanging member  70  comprises a base elongate strip  76  extending across most of the entire length of the label  10 , and a hanging ring  78  extending upwardly form the elongate strip  76 . The hanging ring  78  comprises a central portion  80 , and two side portions  82  and  84 , the side portions having ends  86  which are integral and connected to the elongate strip  76 . The central portion  80  of the hanging ring  78  includes a notch  86  which is adapted to receive a bracket or peg, and prevent the hanging ring  78  from sliding on the bracket, thus contributing to the stability of the bottle to which the label  10  may be attached. 
     The elongate strip has a pair of recessed or looped cut-outs  88  at each end  86  of side portions  82  and  84  which are continuous with the inner and outer edges of the side portions  82  and  84 . These recessed cut-outs  88  help prevent tearing of the hanging ring  78  from the elongate strip  76  when the hanging ring  78  is supporting the weight of a bottle. 
     The elongate strip  76  has a lower surface which has an adhesive thereon, allowing it to be firmly and securely bonded to the upper surface  14  of the label  10 . The lower edge  90  of the elongate strip is coextensive with the lower edge  22  of the label  14 . The elongate strip  76  has a first side edge  92  which is substantially coextensive with the side edge  26  of the label, and a second side edge  94  which extends to near, but does not reach, the side edge  24  of the label  10 . The space between the second side edge  94  on the elongate strip  76  and the side edge  24  of the label  10  is occupied by a secondary label  74 , which will be briefly described below. 
     The elongate strip  76  has one or more scores or lines of weakness  96  extending transversely across its width. These scores  96  permit some stretching of the elongate strip  76  when applied onto a bottle. This stretching is advantageous and ensures that the label  10 , or other components, will not crease as a result of the mounting of the label  10  and hanger member  70  on a bottle, where small differences in diameter may otherwise cause such creasing. 
     It will be noted that the perforations  60  in the cover member  40  may have a similar function (i.e. stretching), in addition to providing the ability to remove the booklet easily and without having adhesive edges or projections. Where perforations  60  are provided only at the side edges, and the upper and lower edges of the cover member  40  are coextensive with the upper and lower edges of the booklet member and no upper and lower tearing is therefore required, these perforations also provide the added advantage of permitting the booklet, which will have a slightly larger diameter than the label when mounted on a bottle, to stretch or otherwise adapt to this change. 
     The hanging member  78  has an upper surface  98  and a lower surface  100 . Neither the upper nor lower surfaces  98  and  100  respectively have any adhesive thereon. Any adhesive which may have been on the lower surface is either deadened or covered, or, when adhesive is applied to the elongate strip  76  in order to enable it to bond strongly to the upper surface  14  of the label  10 , such adhesive is not placed on the lower surface  100  of the hanging ring  78 . The hanging ring  78  is therefore capable of movement between a first position, as shown in FIG.  3 ( a ), where it is right up against the upper surface  14 , and a second position, wherein the hanging ring folds about notional lines  102 , which represent the boundary between the presence of adhesive on the elongate strip, and the absence of adhesive on the hanging ring  78 . The hanging ring  78  folds through approximately 180°, so that the bottle upon which it is mounted can hang in an inverted manner. The ends  86  of the side portions  82  and  84  are spaced from each other by a distance which represents the diameter of the bottle, so that the bottle can hang in an inverted position, as is well known in the art. 
     The upper surface  14  of the label  10  shown in FIG.  3 ( a ) also includes a peel-off label  72 . The peel-off label  72  may be a “piggy-back” label which is applied on the upper surface, by means of an adhesive layer which is partially deadened to facilitate easy removal thereof and application onto another surface as desired. Alternatively, the peel-off label  72  may be a cut-out from the thickness of the upper surface  14  of the label  10 , appropriately treated with adhesive deadeners or the like, so that it can be removed and applied to another surface as desired. 
     Reference is now made to the secondary label  74 . The secondary label  74  is rectangular, and extends entirely between the upper and lower edges of the label  10 . The secondary label  74  may include a pull-tab  104  so that it can be easily removed. 
     As described above, the label  10  comprises a liner  12  which is mounted on a backing strip  15 . The label may be multi-laminate, comprising a base layer, and additional layers including printing layers so that relevant information can be seen on the label. The nature of the secondary label  74 , and how it is configured with respect to the remainder of the label, will depend on the number of layers. Thus, the secondary label  74  may comprise a part of the liner  12  thickness, or all of the liner  12 , but separated from the remainder of the label by a cut  106 . The lower surface of the secondary label  74  would be treated with partial deadeners, or other processes, such that it can be removed from either the remainder of the label  10 , or from the backing strip  15  or other surface on which its is mounted, and thereafter applied to another surface as desired. In other words, the lower surface of the secondary label would have adhesive properties sufficient to attach it to the label as a part thereof, but enable it to be fairly easily removed with its adhesive properties, and thereafter adhered to another surface. 
     Where the secondary label  74  comprises the entire thickness of the liner  12 , and is not a layer or a portion of that thickness only, the secondary label  74  may be separated from the remainder of the label  10  by a series of tabs which ensure that the secondary label  74  does not become removed from the remainder of the label  10 , especially when the label  10  is removed from the backing strip  15  and placed on a bottle. 
     In the embodiment in FIG.  3 ( a ) of the drawings, the cover member  40  has its upper and lower edges coextensive with the upper and lower edges of the booklet  32 . The side edges  50  and  52  of the booklet  32  are at or very near the perforations  60 . When the cover  40  is torn along the perforations  60 , the top page  34  of the booklet  32  will be substantially or entirely covered by the torn off portion of the cover member  40 , but there will be little in the way of adhesive edges or projections on the removed booklet which may catch on other surfaces or otherwise interfere with the easy reading of the contents of the booklet  32 . 
     It will also be noted that the side portions  64  and  66  of the cover member  40  would be applied to the upper surface  14  of the label  10  in such a manner so as not to interfere with any other components on the upper surface. Thus, the side edge  66 , for example, would not be placed over the peel-off label  72 , while the side edge  64  would be between the secondary label and the side portion  82  of the hanging ring, interfering with none of these components. It is important that the side portions  64  and  66  are so placed, since, after removal of the booklet  32 , they remain on the upper surface and should not interfere with other components on the upper surface  14 . Where there are no other components on the upper surface  14 , it is, of course, not important where these remaining side portions  64  and  66  (or other remaining portions of the cover member) may be. 
     In another embodiment, the hanging ring  78  may be dimensioned such that its upper edge  108  on the central portion extends above the upper surface  20  of the label  10 . This is shown in FIG.  3 ( b ). The projection of this upper edge  108  makes it easier to access and use the hanging ring  78 , since it will be easier to grip with the fingernails and separate it from the upper surface  14 . In yet another embodiment, shown in FIG.  3 ( c ),the hanging ring  78  does not extend beyond the upper edge  20  of the label, but a recess  110  is cut in the label  10  which, once again, allows the hanging ring  78  to be easily gripped and separated from the surface. 
     In yet another embodiment, the hanging ring  78 , instead of being clear, is tinted a color, such as blue, or any other color that contrasts with the base, to make the hanging ring much more easy to identify on the label, and thus expedite its movement from the folded to the unfolded position when the bottle upon which it is mounted needs to be suspended in an inverted position. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 4 of the drawings, which shows a more detailed view of the cover member  40  and the booklet  32 . The cover  40  comprises a clear laminate layer  114  with the adhesive  58  clearly shown on the lower surface  56 . The upper surface  54  of the cover has no adhesive. The perforations  60  are located near the edges of the cover member  40 , and correspond substantially with the side edges  50  and  52  of the booklet. The upper surface of the top page  54  is adhered to the adhesive layer  58 , while the bottom page  36  has a lower surface  116  which simply rests on the upper surface  14  (or other components) on the label  10 . Thus, tearing the perforations  60  has the effect of removing all but the side portions  64  and  66  of the cover member  40 , together with the booklet  32 . Since the lower surface  116  simply rests on the upper surface  14  of the label  10 , its removal is accomplished by simply lifting it off, and no remaining portions will stay on the upper surface  14 . In the embodiment in FIG. 4, the booklet  32  comprises a continuous elongate strip of paper which is folded and refolded on itself to form a booklet. However, as mentioned above, any configuration of the booklet would be suitable, and it may therefore be comprised of separate pages, all of which may be joined along one of their edges. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 5 of the drawings, which shows a system and method for manufacturing the label with booklet of the invention. The apparatus comprises a base plate  120  over which a continuous length of the backing strip  15 , including the label  10  moves. The backing strip moves off a supply reel  122 , over the upper surface  124  of the plate  120 , and on to a take-up reel  126 , which receives the finished product. 
     A booklet supply reel  128  is provided, and contains a continuous strip  130 , comprising a backing upon which the booklet  32  with cover member  40  are mounted. The continuous strip  130  passes through a series of guide rollers  132 ,  134  and  136  and eventually passes over the upper surface  124  of the base plate  120 . The continuous strip moves towards the guide roller  138 , about which it moves through almost  180 °, and then is taken up by take-up reel  140 . At the guide roller  138 , the booklet  32  and cover member  40  are removed from the continuous strip  130 , and placed over the label  10  on the backing strip  114 , as they move over the base plate  120 . Of course, the movement of the continuous strip  130  and the backing strip  114  are synchronized to ensure that the booklet will be placed with precision over the label  10 , in a manner as generally illustrated in FIG.  1 . At the guide roller area  138 , there is also located a brush roller  142  including a brush  144  which assists in the removal of the booklet  32  from its continuous strip  130  and cover  40  from the continuous strip  130 , and places it as appropriate on the label  10 . 
     The upper surface  124  of the base plate  120  may be rounded or otherwise contoured so that the label  10  is in a pre-arched condition when the booklet  32  and cover  40  are applied thereto. The extent of the arched contour can be preselected and varied, and would emulate the circumference of the bottle upon which the label with booklet is intended to be applied. This pre-arching is advantageous for two reasons. First, it enables a better fit of the label with booklet on the bottle, without any creasing or stretching of the various components, and, second, it allows the take-up reel  126  to receive and accommodate the label with booklets such that the booklet subjected to reduced amounts of squashing or creasing on this take-up reel  126 . It will be appreciated that the take-up reel is circular, and, since the booklet is slightly radially outwardly arranged of the label  10 , the arching facilitates both the easy packing on the take-up reel, as well as the mounting on a bottle. 
     The apparatus as shown in FIG. 5 may include appropriate sensors for detecting the position of the booklet and label as they unwind from their supply reels  122  and  128  respectively. The sensors ensure proper synchronization and application of the booklet on the label so that it is precisely mounted. 
     The booklet preferably covers the entire label, as well as components thereon such as the hanger, secondary label and peel-off label. It therefore offers some protection for these components while in the packing and application stage. However, the booklet may be smaller than the label, and the invention is not limited to booklets which entirely cover the label. 
     Some advantages of the invention include the fact that the perforated edges are arranged near the edges of the booklet so that after removal of the booklet form the label, there will be no adhesive edges which causes unnecessary sticking. Further, the application of the booklet on the label may well obviate the need for further packaging, such as the placing of the bottle in a box. 
     The invention is not limited to the precise details described herein, but variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.