Tabbed nameplate on a ring

Example embodiments relate to a tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus and a method of moving a plurality of nameplates. In at least one nonlimiting example embodiment the method includes providing a first nameplate, inserting a holding member through a first aperture of a first tabbed portion of the first nameplate, and closing the holding member by moving a first end of the holding member to a second end of the holding member and using a connector to connect the first end to the second end. In at least one nonlimiting example embodiments the first nameplate has a first nameplate body and a first tabbed portion separated from each other by a cut.

BACKGROUND

Example embodiments relate to a tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus and a method of moving nameplates from one location to another. In example embodiments the tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus may temporarily retain nameplates in an orderly fashion and may be configured to facilitate removal of a nameplate body from a release liner.

2. Description of the Related Art

Nameplates are generally used to display information. Some nameplates, for example, are used to identify a piece of equipment. Other nameplates are used to identify persons. Yet other nameplates are used to identify rooms.

Nameplates are often produced in large volumes and are usually transported from one location to another for installation. To simplify installation, the nameplates are often provided in a box in a predetermined order. A drawback of using a box, however, is the risk the ordered nameplates may become disordered during transport. For example, when a box is used, there is chance the box may be bumped or jolted and the nameplates therein may be moved around. As another example, the box may be dropped and the nameplates may simply scatter on the ground. Thus, even if nameplates in a box are arranged in a particular order, there is still a chance the nameplates may become disordered during transport.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments relate to a tab nameplate on a ring apparatus. In example embodiments the tab nameplate on a ring apparatus may temporarily retain nameplates in an orderly fashion and may be configured to facilitate removal of a nameplate body from a release liner.

In accordance with example embodiments, a tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus may include at least one nameplate having a nameplate body and a tabbed portion separated from each other by a cut. In at least one embodiment the nameplate may have a release liner under the nameplate body and the tabbed portion. The tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus may include a holding member threaded through an aperture in the tabbed portion. The tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus may also include a stopper on the holding member. In at least one example embodiment, the holding member may resemble a loop with two ends connected to one another.

In accordance with example embodiments, a method of moving a plurality of nameplates may include providing a first nameplate. In example embodiments the first nameplate may have a first nameplate body and a first tabbed portion separated from each other by a cut. The tabbed nameplate may also have a release liner under the first tabbed portion and the first nameplate body. In example embodiments the method may further include inserting a holding member through a first aperture of the first tabbed portion and closing the holding member by moving a first end of the holding member to a second end of the holding member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity.

In this application, it is understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “attached to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, directly attached to, directly connected to, or directly coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements that may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly attached to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

In this application it is understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements and/or components, these elements and/or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, and/or section from another elements, component, region, layer, and/or section. Thus, a first element, component region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of example embodiments.

Embodiments described herein will refer to planform views and/or cross-sectional views by way of ideal schematic views. Accordingly, the views may be modified depending on manufacturing technologies and/or tolerances. Therefore, example embodiments are not limited to those shown in the views, but include modifications in configurations formed on the basis of manufacturing process. Therefore, regions exemplified in the figures have schematic properties and shapes of regions shown in the figures exemplify specific shapes or regions of elements, and do not limit example embodiments.

The subject matter of example embodiments, as disclosed herein, is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different features or combinations of features similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other technologies. Generally, example embodiments relate to tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus and a method of moving a plurality of nameplates.

FIG. 1is a top view of a tabbed nameplate100. The tabbed nameplate100may include a nameplate body103and a tabbed portion101. The tabbed portion101and the nameplate body103may be separated by a cut104. The cut104may be a die cut, a die cut score, or a die cut crease. Having a cut104in the tabbed nameplate100may allow a person to separate the tabbed portion101from the nameplate body103by snapping or breaking the tabbed nameplate100along the cut104. On the other hand, the cut104may be a kiss cut. In this latter embodiment, the cut104may be made down to a release liner203of the tabbed nameplate100and the tabbed portion101and the nameplate body103may be made by peeling the nameplate body103off of the release liner203. Regardless, the cut104must be configured so a person, without the aid of a tool, can separate the tabbed portion101from the nameplate body103.

FIG. 2is a cross sectional view of the tabbed nameplate100. As shown inFIG. 2, the tabbed nameplate100may include a metal layer201, an adhesive202on the metal layer201, and a release liner203which may function as a carrier material for the adhesive202. In at least one example, the release liner203may keep the tabbed portion101and the nameplate body103together as the cut104may be kiss cut to the release liner203. The cut104, however, doesn't have to be a kiss cut to the liner, rather, it may also be die scored, or creased as described above.

FIG. 3illustrates a tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300. The tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300may be configured to hold a plurality of tabbed nameplates100. The tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300may include a holding member301which may be, but is not required to be, a rope, a cable, a string, a thread, a wire, a chain, a braided cable, or a line. In addition, the holding member301may be fabricated from a variety of materials including plastic, ceramic, and/or metal. Regardless, the holding member301may be a substantially thin member which pay pass through an aperture102of the tabbed portion101of the nameplate100. InFIG. 3, element304may be substantially identical to the tabbed nameplate100and element305represents a plurality of tabbed nameplates which may be substantially identical to the tabbed nameplate100.

The holding member301may include a connector302, for example, a clasp, which may hold different ends of the holding member301together to form a loop. On the other hand, the connector302may be omitted and ends of the holding member301may be formed as hooks so ends of the holding member301may engage each other. The loop shape may allow the holding member301to act as a handle for the tab nameplate on a ring apparatus300. In example embodiments, the tab nameplate on a ring apparatus300may further include a stopper303. The stopper303may be configured to prevent the tabbed portion101of the tabbed nameplate100from moving along the holding member301.

In example embodiments, the tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300may be used to transfer nameplates, for example304and/or305, from one place to another. By holding onto any portion of the holding member301the nameplates304and/or305may be moved from one location to another without having any of the nameplates304and/or305lost or having an order thereof lost.

One advantage of using the tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300is that a sequence of nameplates304and/or305may be easily maintained. For example, the nameplates304and/or305may be placed on the tab nameplate on a ring apparatus300in a predefined order and the holding member301of the tab nameplate on a ring apparatus300may prevent the nameplates304and/or305from becoming disordered. For example, if nameplate304was printed with an image “1” and the last nameplate in the plurality of nameplates305was printed with an image “11” and these plates were in sequential order, the sequential order would stay the same until the nameplate/nameplates were used and/or applied. It is understood the above is only one example of how the invention may be practiced as the nameplates304and/or305are not intended to be limited to nameplates having numbers as such nameplates may, instead, have pictures, symbols, photographs, letters, names, or no printing or image at all.

In example embodiments the tab nameplate on a ring apparatus300may also be used to remove the liner203from the nameplate100. For example, this may be done by grabbing nameplate304and moving the nameplate304in a direction away from the plurality of nameplates305and towards the stopper303. Once the tabbed portion101of the nameplate304comes into contact with the stopper303the nameplate body103of nameplate304may be further moved while the tabbed portion101remains pressed against the holding member301. Continued movement of the nameplate body103away from the holding member301allows the nameplate body103to separate from the release liner203. An advantage of this method is that contamination of adhesive202on the nameplate body103may be reduced and/or minimized, if not eliminated entirely. As one skilled in the art would readily appreciate, this is vital to a proper application of said nameplates to another structure. Contamination of adhesive can hinder application and quality of a product.

In example embodiments the nameplates304and/or305are captured by the holding member301as the holding member301is generally threaded through the holes102of the nameplates304and/or305. In one embodiment the stopper303is fixed at a location and cannot move on the holding member301. In another embodiment the stopper303may be movable along the holding member301and fixed in place by another member such as, but not limited to, a set screw (not shown). For example, in this latter embodiment the stopper303may resemble a short cylinder having a threaded hole exposing the holding member301and the set screw may be inserted into the threaded hole and turned until it contacts the holding member301to fix the stopper303in place. While one skilled in the art would appreciate the advantages of a stopper303, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in another embodiment, the tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300may be fabricated without the stopper303.

FIG. 4is another view of a tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300. The apparatus is substantially identical to the tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300illustrated inFIG. 3in that it has a holding member301which may be, but is not required to be, a rope, a cable, a string, a thread, a wire, a chain, a braided cable, or a line. In addition, the holding member301may be fabricated from a variety of materials including plastic, ceramic, and/or metal, polyvinyl, or a polyester. Regardless, the holding member301may be a substantially thin member which pay pass through an aperture102of the tabbed portion101of the nameplate100. InFIG. 4, element304may be substantially identical to the tabbed nameplate100and element305represents a plurality of tabbed nameplates which may be substantially identical to the tabbed nameplate100.

InFIG. 4, the holding member301may include a connector302which may connect ends of the holding member301together. For example, the connector302may be a clasp or some similar structure. However, rather than having a stopper303, the tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300ofFIG. 4includes a slip over member308. The slip over member308may, for example, resemble an elastic member which elastically deforms allowing the element304to move past the slip over member308, but is configured in such a way that the element304cannot move backwards through the slip over member308. For example, as shown inFIG. 5Aelement304may be moved along the holding member301towards the slip over member308. The slip over member308may have flanges that elastically deform allowing the element304to move past the slip over member308. However, once element304moves beyond the slip over member308the flanges elastically return to their original configuration. The distance between ends of the flanges of the slip over member308may be larger than the diameter of the hole102of element304, thus, backwards motion of element304is prevented.

In example embodiments various elements of the example tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatuses300may be combined. For example, as shown inFIG. 6, another example of a tabbed nameplate on a ring apparatus300is provided which includes both a stopper303and a slip over member308. This combined apparatus has advantages of the prior described tab nameplate on a ring apparatuses300in that it has a slip over member308to keep tabbed portions101of tabbed nameplates (where the nameplate body103is removed) separate from elements304where the nameplate bodies103and the tabbed portions101are intact while still having a stopper303as an aid to removing the a tabbed portion101of an element304from element304′ a nameplate body103.

Example embodiments of the invention have been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of example embodiments are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.