Patent Publication Number: US-2019172375-A1

Title: Merchandise marking tag

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/527,477, filed on Jun. 30, 2017, for “Merchandise Marking Tag;” this application is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The banding of merchandise into groups of a size desired by consumers is well known and widely practiced. The band may consist of rubber, a twist-tie, or string and may be positioned about one or more bundles or clumps of merchandise or about a single item such as rolled or folded merchandise (e.g., a newspaper). A particularly popular and well-known practice is that of banding clumps of agricultural produce for easy handling in supply channels and attractive display to consumers. 
     The marking of banded bundles of merchandise with the necessary information for inventory control and accuracy of processing by scanning (as at supermarket check-out counters), as well as for attractiveness of display for the consumer, has led to the development of marking tags having varied styles of hooks and varied holes, openings, or orifices for receiving the band material. The known varied styles of tags having hooks, however, are associated with a single orifice and cause a tag on the banded merchandise to be in an angular relationship with respect to the band. Other tags require the exercise of too much effort, skill and labor time to get properly fixed on the band or are easily dislodged from the band about merchandise, which makes them undesirable or unreliable as markers. 
     SUMMARY 
     In another aspect, a method of attaching a marking tag to a product via a band is described. The method includes obtaining the marking tag, wherein the marking tag includes a body and an interior cut. The body is formed of a sheet material and is configured with an interior area defined by a perimeter cut. An interior cut is disposed in the interior area, the interior cut defining a triangular portion. The interior area does not have any sheet material removed therefrom. The method includes guiding the band along the interior cut past the triangular portion of the marking tag, and retaining the tag relative to the product via frictional engagement of the band and the tag along the interior cut. 
     This summary is provided to introduce concepts in simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the disclosed or claimed subject matter and is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the disclosed or claimed subject matter. Specifically, features disclosed herein with respect to one embodiment may be equally applicable to another. Further, this summary is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Many other novel advantages, features, and relationships will become apparent as this description proceeds. The figures and the description that follow more particularly exemplify illustrative embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosed subject matter will be further explained with reference to the attached figures, wherein like structure or system elements are referred to by like reference numerals throughout the several views. All descriptions are applicable to like and analogous structures throughout the several embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a first exemplary embodiment of a marking tag. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a second exemplary embodiment of a marking tag. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the tag of  FIG. 1  affixed to a bundle of merchandise by a thin band. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tag of  FIG. 2  affixed to a bundle of merchandise by a thicker band. 
     
    
    
     While the above-identified figures set forth one or more embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the disclosure. In all cases, this disclosure presents the disclosed subject matter by way of representation and not limitation. It should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that fall within the scope of the principles of this disclosure. 
     The figures may not be drawn to scale. In particular, some features may be enlarged relative to other features for clarity. Moreover, where terms such as above, below, over, under, top, bottom, side, right, left, etc., are used, it is to be understood that they are used only for ease of understanding the description. It is contemplated that structures may be oriented otherwise. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure relates to a marking tag  10  (referring to tag  10   a  of  FIGS. 1 and 3  and tag  10   b  of  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) for labeling merchandise  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , marking tag  10  is configured to attach to a product  12  via band  18 . Marking tag  10  has a front surface  14  configured to present information, graphics, or decoration, including indicia  16  that is printed, embossed, or otherwise provided on front surface  14  in the illustrated embodiments. It is also contemplated that indicia may additionally or alternatively be provided on a back surface of tag  10 . Tag  10  is configured for ready attachment to an elongated band or strap  18  (referring to band  18   a  of  FIG. 3  and band  18   b  of  FIG. 4 ) for connection to merchandise  12  (illustrated as a clump of broccoli, but may be any article or group of articles). The tag  10  has features useful for the purpose of guiding the elongated band or strap  18  into a locked or held condition, without requiring the formation of a hole or orifice in the tag  10 . The band or strap  18  may be made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, or may be a segment or loop of string, twine, tape, ribbon, a tie-twist fastener or another elongated element by which the tag  10  may be fastened or affixed to merchandise  12 . 
     A particularly suitable method of use of the described tag  10  is for labeling clumps of agricultural produce  12 , especially at the time of harvesting. Suppliers and mass merchandising outlets such as superstores or supermarkets desire scannable merchandise markings as an important means for controlling and tracking inventory. A feature of marking tags  10  is that they are easy to attach to bands  18 , either manually or automatically using application equipment, and stay in place on the merchandise  12  during the several handling, transport, and processing steps in preparing the merchandise  12  for sale to consumers. 
     Marking tags  10  facilitate quick and successful tag affixation to merchandise  12  with minimal worker or machine motions. Speed in affixing a marking tag  10  to agricultural produce  12  at the time of harvesting, for example, is desirably accompanied by reliability of tag affixation and avoidance of tag damage during cleaning, washing, or other steps in moving the produce  12  through harvesting, processing, and marketing channels to the ultimate consumer. Easy and quick affixation without damage to the merchandise and without significant tag loss as a consequence of normal handling are desirable. 
     The illustrated embodiments of exemplary tags  10  show just two variations according to the present disclosure. It is contemplated that many other changes in form and configuration are possible that fall within the scope of the present description. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , marking tag  10  is easily affixed to a band  18 . In this discussion, the term “band” will be used to refer to any suitable elongated component to which tag  10  may be attached, such as segment or loop of a band, strap, string, tape, rod, twist-tie, tin-tie, stem, or vine, for example. Band  18  can be positioned on or attached to merchandise  12 , as illustrated, or may be an inherent part of merchandise  12  (such as a tomato vine, for example). Where the band  18  is elastic, attaching the band  18  to merchandise  12  can include stretching the band. Where the merchandise includes a plurality of elements, attaching the band  18  to merchandise  12  can include bundling the plurality of elements together with band  18 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, tag  10   a  of  FIG. 1  is formed with a cut line  20  that is continuous and is formed in an exemplary embodiment by a single pass through a cutting die (not shown). Tag  10   b  of  FIG. 2  is formed with a perimeter cut line  22  that is continuous, and a separate interior cut line  24 . Tag  10   a  has a body formed of a sheet material and is configured with an interior area defined by a perimeter portion of cut line  20 . Tag  10   b  has a body formed of a sheet material and is configured with an interior area defined by perimeter cut line  22 . 
     In an exemplary method of production, both cut lines  22 ,  24  are formed simultaneously in an exemplary embodiment by a single pass through a cutting die (not shown). A common feature of tags  10   a,    10   b  is that there are no interior holes or orifices through the tag surface in communication with cut lines  20  or  24 . Such interior holes or orifices would require the removal and processing of scrap material during the formation of tags. Additionally, the formation of interior holes or orifices often requires two passes through die cutters: one pass to punch the holes and another pass to make curvilinear and convoluted cuts such as cuts  20  and  24 . Accordingly, the tags  10   a,    10   b  offer advantages of quicker and easier manufacturing because arrays of each can be cut from a sheet of material during a single cutting pass, and the process results in less material waste (i.e., no hole cut-out waste). 
     Additionally, front surface  14  (of tags  10   a,    10   b  such as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) provides more surface area for a visual presentation or display of colors, graphics, or indicia  16 , as no interior portion of front surface  14  inside of the tag perimeter is removed. Another advantage of the absence of interior holes or orifices is that tag  10  is more securely and frictionally held by band  18 , which contacts the surfaces of tag  10  about cut  20 ,  24 . In contrast, with the prior art tags having holes therein, the tag merely hangs from a string (or the like) inserted through the hole. In the illustrated embodiments of tag  10 , because the die-cut line  20 ,  24  does not remove sheet material from the interior of the tag  10 , a maximum resilient closure effect is obtained between tag  10  and band  18 . The additional frictional engagement between tag  10  and band  18  offered by the configuration of tag  10  allows for a relative orientation of tag  10  and product  12  to be more affirmatively maintained, compared to conventional tags having interior holes (i.e., sheet material removed from an interior area of tag  10  defined by perimeter cut line  22  or the perimeter of cut line  20 ). 
     In exemplary embodiments of tag  10 , each interior cut (i.e., a portion of cut line  20  in the interior area of tag  10   a  or interior cut line  24  of tag  10   b ) has a relatively smooth curvilinear shape to smoothly contact and guide band  18  to a desired attached location. Another common feature of tags  10   a,    10   b  is that each of cuts  20 ,  24  forms a triangular portion  26   a,    26   b  on each tag  10   a,    10   b,  respectively, with each triangular portion  26   a,    26   b  configured to pass downward relative to a segment of band  18  to attach tag  10  to band  18 . On tag  10   a,  the interior cut portion of line  20  is configured to guide band  18   a  past triangular portions  26   a  and  29 . On tag  10   b,  the interior cut  24  is configured to guide band  18   b  past triangular portion  26   b.  As shown, the embodiment of tag  10   a  is especially suitable for use with a relatively narrow band  18   a,  and the embodiment of tag  10   b  is especially suitable for use with a wider band  18   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , cut line  20  of tag  10   a  has a continuous, curvilinear, spiraling shape that includes a perimeter portion that is continuous with an interior portion. The illustrated configuration of cut line  20  results in a tag  10   a  with a substantially triangular perimeter notch  28 , triangular portion  29 , triangular portion  26   a  (opposed to triangular portion  29 ), and a rounded portion  30 , with cut  20  ending at terminus  32 . Rounded portion  30  is connected to the rest of tag  10   a  solely by bridge area  33 , disposed between terminus  32  and a linear portion  33   a  of cut  20 , as seen in  FIG. 1 . Additionally, triangular portion  29  is connected to end portion  34   a  of tag  10   a  by bridge area  44 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , in an exemplary method for attaching tag  10   a  to band  18   a,  a user positions an end portion  34   a  of tag  10   a  under band  18   a  so that a portion of band  18   a  slips into notch  28 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , by moving tag  10   a  toward the left direction shown in the drawing, band  18   a  automatically falls into the interior portion of cut  20  and is guided along the interior portion of cut  20 . Once band  18   a  passes to the bottom of round portion  30 , the user moves tag  10   b  toward the right direction shown in the drawing to guide band  18   a  along the interior portion of cut  20  toward terminus  32  of cut  20 . Thus, by guiding band  18   a  past triangular portion  26   a,  triangular portion  29 , linear portion  33   a,  and rounded portion  30 , the user can easily and securely attach tag  10   a  to band  18   a,  and therefore to merchandise  12  attached to or bundled by band  18   a.  The guidance of band  18   a  into notch  28  and along convoluted cut  20  toward its terminus  32  is easily accomplished by a sweeping hand motion of the user. The rounded portion of cut  20  that surrounds round portion  30  serves as a feature past triangular portion  29  that is configured to retain band  18   a  past the triangular portion  29 . 
     It is conceivable that the user might fail to cause band  18   a  to slide up to terminus  32 . Nevertheless, it is contemplated that a joint of band  18   a  and tag  10   a  at any location past a tip of triangular portion  26   a  will be adequate to attach tag  10   a  to band  18   a  and deter unintentional mutual detachment. The material of tag  10   a  surrounds the captured portion of band  18   a  in all directions at the area where band  18   a  extends through cut  20 . Accordingly, the frictional engagement of tag  10   a,  band  18   a  and merchandise  12  at the area between tag  10   a  and band  18   a  inhibits relative motion and therefore decreases the susceptibility of detachment of tag  10   a  from band  18   a.  Additionally, in a case where band  18   a  has elastic properties (such as a rubber band, for example), the compressive forces exerted by band  18   a  further contribute to the attachment of tag  10   a  to merchandise  12 . A tag  10  as configured, wherein passage of a band therethrough is accomplished via a cut rather than a hole, tends to better hold tag  10   a  in a desired display position relative to merchandise  12  than a tag with a hole. For example, with tag  10  as configured, an affirmative hold is accomplished by the material contact between tag  10  and band  18 . In contrast, in a tag wherein the band passes through a hole, undesirable motion of the tag can be caused by slippage of the tag about the band, as the tag is suspended from the band inserted through its hole. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , in an exemplary embodiment of tag  10   b,  a substantially rectangular perimeter cut  22  is not continuous or in communication with interior cut  24 . However, because there is no need to remove scrap material from an interior of surface  14 , cuts  22  and  24  in an exemplary embodiment can be formed simultaneously in a single pass through a die cutter. In the illustrated embodiment, interior cut  24  of tag  10   b  has a continuous, curvilinear configuration that results in triangular portion  26   b,  two triangular wings  36 , two oval-shaped ears  38 , and two ends at termini  40 . The wing portions of cut  24  that surround wings  36  serve as features past triangular portion  26   b  that are configured to retain band  18   b  past the triangular portion  26   b.  Each ear  38  is connected to the rest of  10   b  solely by bridge area  41 , disposed between its respective terminus  40  and triangular wing  36  of cut  24 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , in an exemplary method for attaching tag  10   b  to band  18   b,  a user pushes back on triangular portion  26   b  to form a slip passage for band  18   b  at cut  24 , slips triangular portion  26   b  behind band  18   b,  and pulls downward on tag  10   b  to lodge a portion of band  18   b  across a bridge area  42  of tag  10   b  (and between ears  38  and above wings  36 ). The band  18   b  is thus retained within the form of cut  24  adjacent each ear  38 , by a portion of the cut  24  extending over each triangular wing  36 , proximate end portion  34   b.  The user thereby easily and securely attaches tag  10   b  to band  18   b,  and therefore to merchandise  12  bundled by band  18   b . The lengths of interior cut  24  between contact points with band  18   b  and cut termini  40  allows for a greater range of motion of triangular portion  26   b  out of plane with a remainder of tag  10   b.  The additional flexibility offered by the cuts forming ears  38  allows for easier attachment of tag  10   b  to band  18   b  than a tag without the extended cut formation. Additionally, the configuration of interior cut  24  allows for different attachment arrangements than illustrated. For example, portions of band  18   b  could pass in front of ears  38  if desired. Other formations will also be suitable. 
     The material of tag  10   b  surrounds the captured portions of band  18   b  in all directions at the two areas where band  18   b  extends through interior cut  24 . Accordingly, the frictional engagement of tag  10   b,  band  18   b  and merchandise  12  at the areas between tag  10   b  and band  18   b  inhibits relative motion and therefore decreases the susceptibility of detachment of tag  10   b  from band  18   b,  and also tends to better hold tag  10   b  in a desired display position relative to merchandise  12 . Moreover, to further lodge band  18   b  against interior cut line  24 , the user can pull or push upward on tag  10   b  to lock an upper surface of wings  36  against the bottom of band  18   b.  Additionally, in a case where band  18   b  has elastic properties (such as a rubber band, for example), the compressive forces exerted by band  18   b  further contribute to the attachment of tag  10   b  to merchandise  12 . 
     While particular methods of attachment of tag  10   a,    10   b  are illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , it is to be understood that the use of tag  10  can vary, depending on the configuration and type of band  18  and merchandise  12 . For example,  FIG. 3  shows band  18   a  attached near a bottom of tag  10   a,  while  FIG. 4  shows band  18   b  attached near a top of tag  10   b.  In other applications, tags  10  can be attached any orientation relative to merchandise  12 . Moreover, indicia  16  can be provided on tag  10  in any orientation to achieve a desired display effect. 
     In exemplary embodiments, indicia  16  include scannable bar codes for product identification such as those commonly called Universal Product Codes (UPC—a combination of bar code and numbers for product identification and usually also a price specification) and Product Look-Up (PLU) numbers. In the case of agricultural produce merchandise, indicia  16  may also include recipes, nutritional information, serving suggestions, storage directions, origin of product information (such as “Produced in the U.S.A.”), and other information that may assist suppliers in monitoring inventory, consumers in making purchasing and consumption decisions, and retailers at check-out counters, for example. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , tag  10  is easily and securely attachable to band  18 , but is also easily removable therefrom (or repositioning thereon) by intentional motions to reverse the attachment steps. In exemplary embodiments, tag  10  is formed of a sheet material (or laminated layers of sheets materials, for example) and is generally flat in character, although tag  10  may be drapeable and floppy and thus not always displayed in flat form. Rectangular style tags  10  are especially practical for economy purposes, but tags  10  may take different forms such as octagonal shapes, triangular shapes, rhomboidal shapes, circular shapes, oval shapes, and irregular shapes. 
     Suitable sheet material for tag  10  is preferably relatively thin, generally not over about 15 or 40 mils (i.e., 0.015 or 0.040 inch) in thickness. The tag material should be flexible and pliable but is preferably not elastic, and is therefore dimensionally stable, for most applications. In exemplary embodiments, tag  10  is flexible but not overly so, thereby possessing some stiffness or rigidity, so that it does not deform extensively from the attachment or detachment motions relative to a band  18 . In exemplary embodiments, the sheet material for the tag  10  is also sufficiently water resistant to not disintegrate and not significantly pucker or wrinkle or otherwise disfigure or deform when exposed to or placed in water. In some embodiments, indicia  16  are provided on front surface  14  and/or an opposite back surface. Such indicia  16  may be printed, embossed, or otherwise provided. In exemplary embodiments, indicia  16  are sufficiently water resistant to avoid disintegration or destruction when repeatedly subjected to water and washing operations (as is common for produce displays in supermarkets). The sheet material for tag  10  also should be somewhat tough in the sense of being sufficiently tear resistant to deter damage to it during banding, storage, transport and display, or by staff or customer handling. 
     Especially suitable materials for forming tag  10  include non-woven fabrics, non-woven films, paper, polystyrenic thermoplastics, polyolefinic thermoplastics, polyesters, and others that exhibit the properties discussed (which can vary depending on how the bundling article is to be used). Suitable materials include thermoplastic materials and polymers of styrene, ethylene, propylene, as well as a variety of other monomers and mixtures of monomers (e.g., to make co-polymers and ter-polymers, etc.). Any of a variety of commercially available inks compatible with, or accepted on, a tag sheet and retained thereon, and in any desired color, may be used to print indicia  16  on tag  10  if desired. Moreover, if it should be desired to use water-soluble ink markings, a thin film of water-insoluble plastic may be applied over the ink to enhance water resistance. 
     High-impact polystyrene sheets are especially useful as tag material. To improve impact properties, a styrene-butadiene-styrene impact modifier can be useful in amounts up to about 40 percent of the weight of the polystyrene itself. Tags  10  of such material are highly dimensionally stable against stretching and have desired flexibility balanced by a slight stiffness that contributes to ease of handing during manufacture and use. Such tags  10  also can be reliably printed, especially when first subjected to a surface treatment such as, for example, a corona treatment such as available from Pillar Technologies of Hartland, Wis., a division of Illinois Tool Works. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable process for the manufacture of the marking tags  10  of the disclosure can be employed. Batch processing is useful for limited production runs. Conveyor processing with indexing from station to station for specific operations can be useful, especially for uniquely designed or shaped tags. Web-based processing is especially suitable from the standpoint of economy. Lateral and longitudinal positioning of the web of tag material is controlled as it is passed in proper registration to die cutters and printers. 
     Although the subject of this disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, any feature disclosed with respect to one embodiment may be incorporated in another embodiment, and vice-versa.