Unitary flexible tag article

A unitary tag article is provided that may be characterized as a one-piece elastic sheet. The one-piece tag includes a fastener portion and a label portion that are formed from the same elastic sheet. The fastener portion is adapted to fasten onto an item, and the label portion is adapted to identify the item or provide information about the item. In one or more embodiments, the one-piece tag may serve a dual purpose of bundling items and identifying or providing information about said items.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a unitary flexible tag article. The present invention further relates to an elastic tag article including a label in unitary communication with an elastic fastener.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various products and methods are known and used for labeling merchandise involving the use of elastic bands such as rubber bands. Some devices mechanically connect a fastener to a label. For example, certain devices rely upon a two-step approach. In a first step, a rubber band is secured around an item of merchandise, or around a bundle of items, and then in a second step, a tag is mechanically attached to the rubber band. One example of this approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,656 for a slotted orifice locking tag.

Other labeling devices are prepared by adhesively or thermally bonding a tag to an elastic band. One example of this approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,631,599. It has been recognized that two-part labels may become detached under conditions of force or stress.

Therefore, a need exists in the art for an improved elastic tag article that includes a unitary label tag and fastener.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of one aspect of the present invention to provide a unitary flexible tag article. In one or more embodiments, the invention provides a unitary flexible tag article comprising a label having a first surface, a second surface, and an edge, said second surface opposing said first surface, said edge extending between said first and second surfaces, and a fastener in unitary communication with and extending away from said label, said fastener including an aperture and a band that completely surrounds said aperture.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a sheet of tag articles comprising a plurality of tag articles, each tag article comprising a label being in unitary communication with a fastener, said unitary connection occurring at a connection zone, each tag article having an outer boundary, at least a portion of each said outer boundary of each tag article being shared with another tag article.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

In one or more embodiments, a unitary tag article is provided that may be characterized as a one-piece elastic sheet. The one-piece tag includes a fastener portion and a label portion that are formed from the same elastic sheet. The fastener portion is adapted to fasten onto an item, and the label portion is adapted to identify the item or provide information about the item. In one or more embodiments, the one-piece tag may serve a dual purpose of bundling items and identifying or providing information about said items.

A tag article is generally indicated by the numeral10and includes a label12in unitary communication with a fastener14. Tag article10may be defined by outer boundary18. In one or more embodiments, tag article10includes label12, which flatly, unitarily communicates along a connection zone17with fastener14, and fastener14extends away from connection zone17.

As used herein, unitary communication is intended at least to mean that tag article10is formed of a common material. As used herein, unitary communication is intended at least to mean that tag article10is not formed by connecting label12to fastener14through the use of an adhesive or bond zone. Based on the unitary communication, an additional assembly step is not required to communicate fastener14with label12.

Tag article10may comprise elastic material, and therefore, in one or more embodiments, tag article10may also be described as elastic tag article10. In these or other embodiments, fastener14may also be described as elastic fastener14or more generally as a fastener band.

The entire article10is sheet-like in the sense that it is of a flat nature, although it may be drapeable and floppy and thus not always displayed in flat form. Label12and fastener14are in flat, unitary communication. It may be said that the sheet character of each extends unitarily into the sheet character of the other, giving a total unitary sheet-like character to article10.

In one or more embodiments, fastener14is characterized by a loop-like shape that has flat sides20that define fastener band14along with a proximate fastener end22and a distal fastener end24. Distal end24of fastener14is the end furthest from connection zone17, and proximate end22of fastener14is closest to connection zone17. In one or more embodiments, distal end24is rounded.

Fastener14includes aperture16, having a circumference26that defines opening16within fastener14. The proximate end22of fastener14may be said to unitarily merge into connection zone17. Fastener14is also defined by an outer boundary30. Both aperture circumference26and outer boundary30are substantially in the flat plane of fastener14, and thus the sides20of fastener14are also substantially flat.

In one or more embodiments, aperture16may be an oval shaped slit. In other embodiments, aperture16may be of any shape. However, it has been found that a rounded opening is advantageously able to withstand more torsional force before tearing, when compared to a pointed opening. Similarly, it has been found that a rounded opening is advantageously able to withstand more torsional force before tearing, when compared to an opening having sharp corners. Thus, in one or more embodiments, aperture16does not include any pointed corners.

It is intended that one or more objects may be placed in opening16in order to be surrounded and/or secured by the fastener14. Fastener14may be made to surround and secure one or more objects by manual intervention or machine intervention. Article10may hang from an object, such as a bottle neck, once fastener14is placed around said object.

Alternatively, the fastening process, i.e. the process of affixing or securing the tag article around an object, may take advantage of the elastic nature of fastener14. In one or more embodiments, elastic fastener14may be stretched as to enlarge aperture16to be wider than the one or more objects to be secured in order to secure the objects, such as stretching fastener14around an assemblage of produce. Once the tag article is in place and the stretching force is discontinued, the elasticity of fastener14causes it to seek to return to its original shape and the fastener thus fits tightly around the object or objects. In one or more embodiments, the fastening process may utilize machinery, as further described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,225, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Where fastener14is placed around one or more objects, label12may provide identifying information. Notably, although label12is made from elastic material, when fastener14is securing one or more objects, label12is not in a stretched or stressed position. Thus, if identifying information is present on label12, it is not distorted when fastener14is placed around one or more objects and may therefore be read easily by a user or a machine.

As said above, label12is in unitary communication with fastener14. This communication may be described as connection zone17. When fastener14is positioned as to secure one or more objects therein, connection zone17will receive at least some of the applied stress that occurs when fastener14is elastically opened.

Connection zone17is located between a proximate end33of label12and a proximate end22of fastener14. The distal end35of label12and the distal end24of fastener14are the ends furthest from connection zone17. It may be said that proximate end33and distal end35of label12are in communication by way of the body of label12and that proximate end22and distal end24of fastener14are in communication by way of the sides20of fastener14.

Connection zone17may be said to include two lateral shoulders34that are formed by curved neck indentations, generally indicated by the numeral36. The curve of the curved neck indentations36helps in allowing connection zone17to receive the applied stress without tearing. Sharp corners in the material may increase the propensity of the material to tear.

Each lateral shoulder34may be said to merge into label12. As represented in the figures, shoulders34may have either an entirely curved boundary38, as shown inFIG. 1, or shoulders34may have a boundary containing a point40, as shown inFIG. 4. As will be discussed later, the shape of the shoulder boundary may advantageously be selected based upon the desired alignment of a plurality of tag articles10into a sheet, and so that waste may be reduced during the production process.

The shape of label12is not particularly limited. That is, label12may have any suitable shape, and may be primarily decorative in some embodiments, or the shape may have a particular informational value in other embodiments. Examples of suitable shapes for label12include circles, ovals, hearts, crosses, letters, numbers, and others too numerous to mention.

In one or more embodiments, label12may include cut-out portions, for either decorative or informational purposes.

In one or more embodiments, label12is a flexible sheet. Label12includes a first surface that may be described as a front surface, and a second surface that may be described as a rear surface. The second surface opposes the first surface and is connected to the first surface by an edge extending between the first and second surfaces.

In one or more embodiments, label12comprises three straight sides that are at approximately right angles to each other. In these or other embodiments, label12comprises a generally rectangular or square shape.

In one or more embodiments, label12may further include an informative and/or decorative layer such as an arrangement of text or designs on one or more surfaces of label12. In one or more embodiments, the informative and/or decorative layer is printed or stamped onto a surface of label12. In one or more embodiments, the informative and/or decorative layer is adhered to a surface of label12. In one or more embodiments, the informative and/or decorative layer is on the front surface of label12.

In one or more embodiments, article10may further include at least one coating. The nature and purpose of the coating is not limited. In one or more embodiments, the coating is a receptive coating that prepares the surface of article10for being printed on, such as by ink jet printing. In one or more embodiments, a receptive coating is selected from the group consisting of acrylics, polyurethanes, and polyvinyl chloride. In one or more embodiments, a receptive coating is receptive to an ink system selected from the group consisting of ink jet, solvent, aqueous, eco-solvent, and ultraviolet cure. Other suitable receptive coatings and methods of printing on receptive coating are generally known to those skilled in the art. In one or more embodiments, the coating is an overcoat that protects the informative and/or decorative layer.

As described above, fastener14and label12may have a variety of shapes. Thus, tag article10may have a variety of shapes. In one or more embodiments, the shapes of fastener14, label12, and tag article10are selected such that a plurality of tag articles may be proximately positionable with each other, such that they each share a portion of outer boundary30with at least one other tag article.

Thus, one or more embodiments of the present invention further provides a unitary elastic sheet that includes a plurality of the tag articles as described herein. Each tag article can be integrally joined along at least one edge to another tag article. The joined edge(s) may be perforated or otherwise be breakably connected to allow easy separation.

In one or more embodiments, at least four tag articles may be positionable in a sheet-like fashion, with some of the tags occupying positions at the edges of the sheet, and the other tags in inner positions. In one or more embodiments, at least four tag articles may be positionable in a sheet-like fashion, with two of the tags on opposing ends, and the other tags in inner positions. In these or other embodiments, the inner tags may share a portion of outer boundary18with two other tag articles. The plurality of tags may be breakably connected, such as by perforations.

Outer boundary18includes and is continuous with outer boundary30of fastener14, outer boundary42of label12, and shoulder boundary38or40. Any portion of outer boundary18may be shared with one or more tag articles. That is, in one or more embodiments, the orientation of each tag article may be alternated, so that a first tag article shares outer label boundary42with a second tag article's outer fastener boundary30. This arrangement is generally shown inFIG. 3. In other embodiments, not shown in the figures, all tag articles could be in the same orientation, so that the boundary that is shared is outer label boundary42.

In one or more embodiments, where curved shoulder boundaries38are utilized, a first article10′ may be adjacently positionable with a second article10″ as shown inFIG. 3. At least a portion of a side of outer boundary30of fastener14of first article10′ may be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the side outer boundary42of label12of second article10″. Further, the shoulder boundary38of first article10′ may be positioned adjacent to shoulder boundary38of second article10″ and at least a portion of a side of the outer boundary42of label12of first article10′ may be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a side of the outer boundary30of fastener14of second article10″. Then, a third article10′ may be positioned adjacent to second article10″ in the same manner as first article10′. This pattern may be repeated countless times as to form a sheet, generally indicated by the numeral44, containing a plurality of articles10.

Where shoulder boundaries containing a point40are utilized, a first article10′ may be adjacently positionable with a second article10″ as shown inFIG. 6. A side of outer boundary30of fastener14of first article10′ may be positioned adjacent to a side of outer boundary30of fastener14of second article10″. Further, the shoulder boundary40of first article10′ may be positioned adjacent to a portion of distal end24of fastener14of second article10″. At least a portion of a side of the outer boundary42of label12of first article10′ may be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a side of the outer boundary42of label12of third article10″. The second side of outer boundary30of fastener14of second article10″ may be positioned adjacent to a side of outer boundary30of fastener14of third article10″. Then, a fourth article10″″ may be positioned adjacent to second article10″ and third article10′″ in the same manner. This pattern may be repeated countless times as to form a sheet, generally indicated by the numeral48, containing a plurality of articles10.

As shown inFIG. 3, a portion of a first article10′, the portion generally indicated by the numeral50, may extend beyond the end of an adjacent second article10″. This extension portion50may offer one or more advantages, such as serving as a pull tab for separating an article from a sheet.

In one or more embodiments, tag article10comprises a single uniform composition. That is, the fastener portion and label portion may be formed from a single sheet. In one or more embodiments, the composition of tag article10is a rubbery polymer that has elastic properties. Advantageously, the elastic properties enable fastener14to stretch around and secure one or more objects.

In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10may be formed from a thermoset elastomer. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10may be made from a thermoplastic elastomer. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10may be made from a silicone polymer. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10comprises one or more rubbery polymers selected from the group consisting of polyisoprene, ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), butadiene rubber (BR), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic olefinic elastomer (TPO), thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV).

Elastic tag article10may be characterized by the tensile strength or elongation percentage of the material used to manufacture elastic tag article10. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength in the range of from 700 psi or more to 5000 psi or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength in the range of from 900 psi or more to 1300 psi or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength in the range of from 2200 psi or more to 3000 psi or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength in the range of from 4500 psi or more to 5000 psi or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength of 1100 psi or approximate thereto. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength of 2200 psi or approximate thereto. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength of 3000 psi or approximate thereto. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a tensile strength of 4700 psi or approximate thereto.

In one or more embodiments, tag article10may be characterized by an ultimate elongation, which is sometimes referred to as elongation at point of failure or elongation at break, of at least about 100%, in other embodiments, at least about 300%, in other embodiments, at least about 1300%, in other embodiments, at least about 1400%. In one or more embodiments, tag article10may be characterized by an elongation at break in the range of from 100% or more to 1500% or less, in other embodiments, 200% or more to 500% or less, in other embodiments, 300% or more to 400% or less, and in other embodiments, 1300% or more to 1400% or less.

In one or more embodiments, tag article10may be characterized as being autoclavable. In one or more embodiments, tag article10may be characterized as being suitable for contact with food. In one or more embodiments, tag article10may be characterized as being suitable for use as an indirect food contact grade material under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations and the related Code of Federal Regulations. The relevant FDA regulations and CFR portions are incorporated herein by reference.

In one or more embodiments, the tag article may further comprise a removable release layer. The removable release layer may comprise a paper, film, or foil substrate coated with a release agent. Typically, release agents are chemically based upon silicone thermosetting resins, fluorosilicone thermosetting resins, or octadecyl carbamate resins. In one embodiment, the removable release layer comprises silicone-treated release paper.

In a method of manufacturing tag article10, rubbery polymer may be processed as known to one skilled in the art to produce a sheet. The sheet may be cut or otherwise shaped to produce individual tag articles, or to produce a plurality of tag articles that are removably connected by perforation. In one or more embodiments, outer boundary18and aperture16may be formed in a single cutting step. Alternatively, the aperture circumference26may be cut after outer boundary18is cut.

The cutting described herein may be done by any technique known in the art. Examples of devices for cutting include a rotary die cutter, a continuous roll cutter, a die stamp cutter, a laser, and a water jet.

In one or more embodiments, the tag articles may be completely separated from each other by a continuous cut that extends all the way through the sheet. In other embodiments, the sheet is perforated, leaving the tag articles breakably connected by perforations. The partially cut boundary lines will tear or break when suitable force is exerted thereon. The removably connected tag articles may collectively be referred to as a chain. The chain may be broken and the individual tag articles separated by hand or by use of a separating device or by any method known in the art.

When the sheet is perforated along boundary lines to form two or more adjacent articles, one or more breakable connections are formed between the adjacent articles. When the connection is broken and the articles are separated, one or more protrusions46may remain on the edge of the tag article, as shown inFIG. 4.

The optional coating and the informative/decorative layer(s) may be applied to a surface of article10before or after the step(s) of cutting and/or the step of separating the tag articles.

In one or more methods of manufacturing elastic tag article10, tag article10can be formed by injection molding. In one or more methods of manufacturing elastic tag article10, tag article10can be formed by additive manufacturing. Injection molding and additive manufacturing can be particularly useful for forming individual tag assemblies10, rather than forming a sheet of tag assemblies10. The relevant details of injection molding and additive manufacturing are generally known to those skilled in the art.

In one or more embodiments, label12may include one or more colors, and the color may have significance for either identification or decoration. In one or more embodiments, label12includes one or more identifying or decorative indicia on one or more of its surfaces. As seen inFIGS. 2 and 3, such indicia may include text52and/or Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes54. Other representative labels include Quick Response Codes (QR Code), symbols, and images. For purposes of this specification, the term “indicia” should be interpreted broadly to include text, symbols, tokens, designs, codes, insignias and other types of distinguishing marks.

In one or more embodiments, label12includes at least one complete indicia, generally represented by indicia56inFIG. 6, having its entirety fully on the surface of label12. It will be understood that label12may also include one or more incomplete indicia, as generally indicated by the numeral58inFIG. 6. Such incomplete indicia58may be tolerated so that non-precision printing may be used. The details of non-precision printing are known to those skilled in the art and non-precision printing is intended to mean that the printer is not aware of the position of article10. An example of non-precision printing is the use of a rotary printer.

Where non-precision printing is utilized, as by the use of a rotary printer, the printing clearances may be designed to ensure that at least one full height H (FIG. 6) of label56,58is included within the width W of label12. One example of this design is by requiring that the dimension of W be two or more times the dimension of H. This ensures that at least one full height H will be printed within the width W of label12. Such can be accomplished by adjusting print clearances.

In one or more embodiments, precision printing may be used to impart one or more labels on to label12. Precision printing includes printing techniques that allow the printer to print an image in a predetermined location on an article. For example, alignment dots or notches may be used to align the article to be printed. Advantageously, aperture16may serve the additional function of aiding in the alignment of tag10for precision printing.

One or more aspects of printing an indicia onto a tag may be further described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,729,305 and 5,113,757, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Indicia may be printed, stamped, or applied to the label portion of the tag in a variety of methods. Materials that may be used to form the indicia include ink such as elastic inks, non-elastomeric inks, polymeric inks, and dye stain inks. The term “ink” should be broadly construed to include many different types of colorant, pigments, and dyes.

Advantageously, the tags may be arranged on a sheet in a configuration that reduces that amount of cut-away waste material during the manufacture of the tags. More specifically, because a plurality of articles may be adjacently positioned, the amount of cutaway waste may be reduced. Additionally the adjacent arrangement allows for non-precision printing while still ensuring that at least one complete indicia will be visible on the tag.

Advantageously, the size and thickness of tag article10is not particularly limited. It is envisioned that tag article10may be made in any suitable size and thickness. Particular sizes or thicknesses may be designed based on the intended use of article10.

Tag article10may be characterized by its overall dimensions. In one or more embodiments, tag article10has a length in the range of from 2 inches or more to 4 inches or less. In one or more embodiments, tag article10has a length in the range of from 1 inch or more to 6 inches or less.

In one or more embodiments, tag article10has a width in the range of from 1 inch or more to 3 inches or less. In one or more embodiments, tag article10has a width in the range of from 0.5 inches or more to 5 inches or less.

Tag article10may be characterized by the ratio of its length to its width. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the length to the width of tag article10is in the range of from 1:1 to 3:1. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the length to the width of article10is in the range of from 1.5:1 to 2:1.

Tag article10may be characterized by the size of label12. In one or more embodiments, label12has an area in the range of from 0.5 square inches or more to 10 square inches or less. In one or more embodiments, label12has an area in the range of from 1 square inch or more to 5 square inches or less. In one or more embodiments, label12has an area in the range of from 2 square inches or more to 3 square inches or less.

Tag article10may be characterized by the ratio of the area of label12to the area of fastener14. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the area of label12to the area of fastener14is in the range of from 1:3 to 5:1. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the area of label12to the area of fastener14is in the range of from 1:1 to 3:1. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the area of label12to the area of fastener14is in the range of from 2:1 to 3:1.

As shown in the side view inFIG. 5, tag article10has a certain thickness. The thickness of tag article10may be designed based on the desired application, particularly for the objects to be secured by fastener14. If more strength is required, a larger thickness may be utilized. If greater elasticity is desired, a smaller thickness may be utilized. The thickness may also be selected based on a desired holding strength for fastener14. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a thickness in the range of from 1/16 inches or more to ⅛ inches or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a thickness in the range of from 1/32 inches or more to 1/16 inches or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a thickness of 1/32 inches or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a thickness of 1/16 inches or less. In one or more embodiments, elastic tag article10has a thickness of ⅛ inches or less.

Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention provide an elastic tag article that does not require or include a bond zone between two different materials. Embodiments of the invention provide an elastic tag article having a shape that requires less waste material in the manufacturing process. In one or more embodiments, unitary elastic sheets are provided that contain a plurality of integrally joined tag articles.