Patent Abstract:
An attachment for name tags that is easily replaceable and a system of displaying additional information on name tags. The name tag includes at least one projection, and the attachment includes a corresponding cutout in the shape of the projection. The attachment can be secured to a name tag by a friction fit between the projection and the cutout. Likewise, the attachment can be easily removed by removing the projection from the cutout. As a result, the promotional information displayed on name tags can easily be changed by adding and removing attachments.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/956,609, filed Aug. 17, 2007, and entitled “Name Tag Attachment,” the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to an attachment for name tags and to a system of displaying additional information on name tags. More specifically, the present invention involves an attachment for name tags that snaps onto the name tag so that the attachment is easily attachable and removable. 
         [0004]    2. Brief Discussion of Related Art 
         [0005]    Name tags, identification tags, and badges are often used in retail stores and other places of business to display employee names and promotional information. A conventional name tag includes a front display surface having information printed or written thereon and a rear surface having at least one attachment means for securing the name tag to an employee&#39;s uniform or clothing. The attachment means is typically a safety pin, but magnets or adhesives can be used to secure the name tag. 
         [0006]    Throughout the year, retail stores run different promotions, such as holiday specials or sales. To advertise the promotions, it is advantageous to put the promotional information on employee name tags so that customers are made aware of the promotion when they are greeted or otherwise interact with employees. For example, a name tag could include a drawing of Dracula to advertise a Halloween sale. 
         [0007]    However, retail stores typically have a number of different promotions and sales during the year. Consequently, the stores will have to purchase new name tags for each promotion to effectively advertise each promotion. As a result, advertising store promotions on employee name tags is costly. Such advertising is also ponderous, since employees are responsible for a number of different name tags. Thus, there exists a need for a system to efficiently advertise promotions or otherwise display information on name tags. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present invention is directed to an attachment for name tags that is easily replaceable and to a system of displaying additional information on name tags. An attachment displaying promotional information or other additional information snaps onto a name tag or badge so that the attachment can be quickly attached or removed. As a result, additional information can be displayed on a name tag so as to eliminate the need to have a different name tag design for each event or promotion. 
         [0009]    The name tag includes at least one projection, and the attachment includes a corresponding cutout in the shape of the projection. The attachment can be secured to a name tag by a friction fit between the projection and the cutout. Likewise, the attachment can be easily removed by removing the projection from the cutout. As a result, the promotional information displayed on name tags can easily be changed by adding and removing attachments. 
         [0010]    In light of the name tag and attachment designs of the present invention, it is an object of the invention to provide an advertising system that allows promotional information to be easily added to employee name tags. It is a further object of the invention to provide an advertising system wherein promotional information is easily changed and updated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    A better understanding of the invention will be had with reference to the attached drawings wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front planar view of a name tag with an attachment secured thereto in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a rear planar view of the name tag and attachment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top elevational view of the name tag and attachment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a rear planar view of the name tag and an attachment of  FIG. 1  showing how the attachment fits onto the name tag; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a name tag with an attachment secured thereto; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a rear planar view of the name tag and attachment of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a top elevational view of the name tag and attachment of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a rear planar view of the name tag and an attachment of  FIG. 5  showing how the attachment fits onto the name tag; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , a name tag  10  includes a front surface  12  for displaying information, such as a store name, slogan, employee name, or employee information, and a rear surface  14  having an attaching means  16  for securing the name tag onto an employee&#39;s uniform or clothing. In a preferred embodiment, the attaching means  16  is a pin, such as a safety pin. However, any suitable attaching means, such as magnets or adhesive, or any combination of attaching means can be used. 
         [0021]    In addition to the attaching means  16 , the rear surface  14  of the name tag  10  includes a projection  18 . The projection  18  preferably extends a few millimeters from the rear surface  14  and is an elongated ovular shape, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . However, the projection can be of any suitable shape, size, or cross-section. Further, the projection  18  is preferably integrally formed with the name tag  10 , but the projection can be formed of any suitable material and attached to the name  10  via any appropriate means. 
         [0022]    The name tag  10  is preferably rectangular in shape so that the front surface  12  has sufficient surface area to display information. Further, the name tag  10  is preferably made from a lightweight, durable, plastic material. However, the name tag  10  can be any size, shape, color, or material. 
         [0023]    An attachment  20  includes a front surface  22  for displaying information, such as promotional, advertising, sales, or seasonal information, and a rear surface  24 . The attachment  20  also preferably includes an area A that corresponds to the shape of the name tag  10 . As a result, when the attachment  20  is secured to the name tag  10 , the area A will be located behind and hidden by the name tag  10 . 
         [0024]    The attachment  20  further includes a first cutout  26  and a second cutout  28 . The shape of the first cutout  26  corresponds to the shape of the attaching means  16  of the name tag  10  so that when the attachment  20  is secured to the name tag  10 , the attaching means project through or are otherwise accessible through the first cutout  26 . The shape of the cutout  28  corresponds to the shape of the perimeter of the projection  18  of the name tag  10  so that the projection  18  can be received within the cutout  28  to create a friction fit. 
         [0025]    The attachment  20  can be made of any shape or design that has a front surface with sufficient surface area to display information. For example, the attachment  20  shown in  FIGS. 1-4  is shaped like Dracula to advertise a Halloween sale. The attachment is preferably made of a laminated paper material but any suitable material can be used. 
         [0026]    To display additional information on the name tag  10 , the attachment  20  including the additional information is secured to the name tag  10 . To secure the attachment  20  to the name tag  10 , the rear surface  14  of the name tag  10  is aligned with the area A on the front surface  22  of the attachment so that the name tag  10  covers the area A. When the name tag  10  is aligned with the area A, the first cut out  26  and the second cut out  28  of the attachment  20  are aligned with the attaching means  16  and the projection  18 , respectively. 
         [0027]    The projection  18  is then pressed into the second cutout  28  so that the attachment  20  is secured to the name tag  10  via a friction fit. Once the attachment  20  is secured to the name tag  10 , the attaching means  16  projects through or is otherwise accessible through the first cutout  26  so that the name tag  10  with the attachment  20  can be placed on an employee&#39;s uniform or clothing. As a result, in light of the attachment  20 , customers are made aware of the promotion when they are greeted or otherwise interact with employees. 
         [0028]    To remove the attachment  20  from the name tag  10 , the projection  18  is pulled out of the second cutout  28  to release the friction fit. Once the attachment  20  is removed, the name tag  10  can be worn without any attachment or another attachment can be added to display new information. 
         [0029]    An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 5-8 . A name tag  30  includes a front surface  32  for displaying information, such as a store name, slogan, employee name, or employee information, and a rear surface  34  having an attaching means  36  for securing the name tag onto an employee&#39;s uniform or clothing. In a preferred embodiment, the attaching means  36  is a pin, such as a safety pin. However, any suitable attaching means, such as magnets or adhesive, or any combination of attaching means can be used. 
         [0030]    In addition to the attaching means  36 , the rear surface  34  of the name tag  30  includes two projections  38 A and  38 B. The projections  38 A and  38  preferably extend a few millimeters from the rear surface  34  and have a round shape, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . However, the projections can be of any suitable shape, size, or cross-section. Further, the projections  38 A and  38 B are preferably integrally formed with the name tag  30 , but the projections can be formed of any suitable material and attached to the name  30  via any appropriate means. 
         [0031]    An attachment  40  includes a front surface  42  for displaying information, such as promotional, advertising, sales, or seasonal information, and a rear surface  44 . The attachment  40  further includes cutouts  48 A and  48 B. The shapes of the cutouts  48 A and  48 B correspond to the shapes of the perimeters of the projections  38 A and  38 B, respectively, so that the projections  38 A and  38 B can be received within the cutouts  48 A and  48 B, respectively to create a friction fit. 
         [0032]    Similar to the name tag  10 , the name tag  30  is preferably rectangular in shape so that the front surface  32  has sufficient surface area to display information. Further, the name tag  30  is preferably made from a lightweight, durable, plastic material. However, the name tag  30  can be any size, shape, color, or material. Similar to the attachment  20 , the attachment  40  can be made of any shape or design that has a front surface with sufficient surface area to display information. 
         [0033]    To display additional information on the name tag  30 , the attachment  40  including the additional information is secured to the name tag  30 . To secure the attachment  40  to the name tag  40 , the cutouts  48 A and  48 B are aligned with the projections  38 A and  38 B respectively. The projections  38 A and  38 B are then pressed into the second cutouts  48 A and  48 B so that the attachment  40  is secured to the name tag  30  via friction fits between the projection  38 A and the cutout  48 A and between the projection  38 B and the cutout  48 B. As a result, in light of the attachment  40 , customers are made aware of the promotion when they are greeted or otherwise interact with employees. 
         [0034]    To remove the attachment  40  from the name tag  30 , the projections  38 A and  38 B are pulled out of the cutouts  48 A and  48 B, respectively, to release the friction fits. Once the attachment  40  is removed, the name tag  30  can be worn without any attachment or another attachment can be added to display new information. 
         [0035]    In addition to the preferred embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-8 , the advertising system of the invention can utilize any suitable means and methods for attaching an attachment to a name tag. For example, the attachment may include projections that correspond to cutouts in the name tag. The present invention also anticipates the use of any number, size, and shape of projections and corresponding cut outs. Alternatively, other means, including magnets, metal snaps, Velcro®, and any combination thereof, may be used to secure the attachment to the name tag. In addition, the attachment can be attached to any surface of the name tag, including a front surface. 
         [0036]    The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by all of the embodiments encompassed within the following claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6