Abstract:
A two part identifying and instructional booklet having a label part and a booklet part. The front of the label has a small unvarnished region. The booklet is folded and glued closed with the free edges secured interiorly. An adhesive is printed onto the unvarnished region of the label and the folded booklet is adhered to the unvarnished region. The booklet has a tab portion to facilitate opening of the book during use. The tab portion faces the identifying portion of the label which extends longitudinally outwardly from the unvarnished region. The label may be placed onto a cylindrical container and bent in the longitudinal direction whereby the spine and folds of the booklet remain straight, flat and parallel to each other.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a product label bearing an instructional multi-page booklet. More particularly, it relates to a configuration of the multi-page booklet wherein the elongated pages are folded over to enclose the free ends thereof. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Frequently product containers are identified by applying an adhesive-backed label to an outer surface of the container. Such labels retain their product-identifying purpose by remaining permanently affixed to the container. 
     Certain products which require extensive instructions or which are subject to significant government regulations require additional printed matter which is typically inserted into the product container. In the case of pharmaceuticals, the printed matter may be in the form of printed sheets, printed inserts, or printed outserts. An example of such may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,530. While these various forms of printed matter have the benefit of providing a relatively large amount of information, their overall effectiveness is limited if they become separated from the product container. 
     Fold-out labels made from single sheets are shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,366 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,550. An example of a booklet which incorporates certain advantages of a label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,559. The patent discloses a relatively simple booklet containing four sheets, i.e., eight pages. In all of these patents, the first page contains information which would otherwise be placed on the product label. The entire back page is adhered to the container leaving only the intermediate pages for instructional information. A further drawback of these patents lies in the fact that if their first page becomes detached from the booklet the product container would be unlabeled. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an identifying and instructional document which combines the permanent nature of an adhesive label with the instructional capacity of a multi-page booklet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a permanent identifying label in combination with a large capacity instructional booklet. 
     It is further an object of the present invention to mount the booklet onto the label such that the entire assembly can be adhered to the product just like a conventional label. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such a booklet wherein the free ends are enclosed within the folds of the booklet. 
     It is a further object of the present invention that only a minor portion of one page be utilized in securing the booklet to the label. 
     These and other related objects are achieved according to the invention by providing a label which is adhered to a product container with its outer surface being visible to the user. A portion of the outer surface contains identifying indicia, for example printed text covered by varnish to impart scuff resistance and water resistance thereto. Another portion of the label constitutes an unvarnished region. 
     In combination with the label, there is provided a booklet including two or more sheets which are bound together at one end forming a. spine. Starting at the free end of the booklet, opposite the spine, a minimum of three panels are folded over to enclose the free ends inside of the final folded booklet. To secure the booklet in its folded form, one or more dots of permanent or releasable adhesive are applied, for example on the cover page adjacent the spine. The folded, secured booklet is attached to the label by adhering it to the unvarnished region of the label which has a releasable or permanent adhesive printed thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and feature of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views; 
     FIG. 1 is a front side elevational view of an identifying label which forms one part of the document according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a multi-page booklet which forms the second part of the document. 
     FIG. 2B is a front side elevational view of the booklet. 
     FIG. 2C is a bottom side elevational view of the booklet. 
     FIGS. 3A,  3 B and  3 C are further bottom side elevational views illustrating a sequence of two folds to form a first embodiment of a folded, secured folded booklet. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom side elevational view illustrating another embodiment of a secured booklet having three folds. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view from FIG. 1 taken along the line V—V showing the adhesive backed label with either folded, secured booklet mounted thereon. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the booklet opened to an interior page thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in detail to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, there is shown a label  10  forming the identifying part of the document according to the invention. Another instructional part of the document is shown in the other figures. In the context of this application the word “document” bears one of its ordinary meanings—a writing conveying information. As used herein, the word document includes labels with writing or other identifying indicia. As used herein, document also includes booklets containing writing, drawings, diagrams or other meaningful content in any form. 
     Label  10  has a backside  12  which may be provided with a permanent adhesive  13  for attachment to a product container. A release backing (not shown) covers adhesive  13  during manufacturing and is removed just prior to use. Label  10  also includes a front side  14  divided into an unvarnished region  16  and a further region  18  containing identifying printed matter under a protective varnish. Unvarnished region  16  is preferably square or rectangular in shape conforming in size to the base panel of the booklet which will be described in greater detail below. In order to mount the booklet, unvarnished region  16  is covered with a releasable or permanent adhesive  50 , for example by printing the adhesive uniformly across the entire region  16 . 
     FIGS. 2A,  2 B and  2 C show various views of a multi-page booklet  30  forming the instructional part of the document according to the invention. The booklet includes two or more sheets, and for the purposes of illustration, the booklets here are shown with four sheets  32   a ,  32   b ,  32   c  and  32   d . The sheets are bound together at one end thereof, for example with adhesive, to form a spine  34 . It should be understood that any number of single sheets or folded over double sheets may be used to form the booklet. In one embodiment, sheets  32   a  and  32   d  are a unitary piece folded in half. In addition, sheets  32   b  and  32   c  are another unitary piece folded in half. The unitary pieces are glued together at the folds. In addition the separate sheets within the booklet may originate from the same or multiple master sheets. Opposite spine  34  each sheet has a free end  36   a ,  36   b ,  36   c  and  36   d , which are collectively referred to as  36 . 
     In practical embodiments thereof, Length L of spine  34  is equal to the corresponding dimension of unvarnished region  16 . Alternatively, Length L is equal to or is slightly smaller than the corresponding dimension of label  10 . For example, unvarnished region  16  may extend across the entire length of label  10 . Distance D is at least two to three times longer than Length L or the corresponding dimension of unvarnished region  16 . 
     FIG. 2C shows the booklet divided into three generally equally-sized panels consisting of spine panel or base panel  38   a , intermediate panel  38   b  and end panel  38   z . While a minimum of three panels is required, longer sheets may be divided into four or more generally equally-sized panels without detracting from the spirit and scope of the invention. Interior panel, may be shorter than the exterior panels. For example, end panel  38   z  may be significantly shorter than the other panels, thereby forming a short leg. In general spine panel  38   a  is slightly shorter than the adjacent exterior panel, as will be discussed in greater detail below. 
     FIGS. 3A,  3 B and  3 C show the booklet from FIG. 2C in schematic form and illustrate an example of folding end panel  38   z  along fold line  40  onto intermediate panel  38   b  to form a first folded booklet  30   a . First folded booklet  30   a  is then folded along second fold line  42  and secured with an adhesive dot, bead or region  46  to form final folded booklet  30   z . FIG. 4 shows the booklet from FIG. 2C in schematic form in another example of a final folded booklet  30   z  which includes an additional intermediate panel  38   c  and a third fold line  44 . It should be noted that in FIG.  3 C and FIG. 4 spine panel  38   a  defines a short leg wherein the remaining panels extend outwardly beyond spine  34  thereby providing a tab portion  48 . 
     In a practical embodiment of the folded booklet shown in FIG. 3C, Distance D is about three times Length L. When folded over twice, the folded booklet is approximately square. In a practical embodiment of the folded booklet shown in FIG. 4, Distance D is about four times Length L. When folded over three times, the folded booklet is approximately square. 
     FIG. 5 shows label  10  with an adhesive  50  printed onto the unvarnished region  16 . One of the final folded booklets  30   z  is mounted onto adhesive layer  50  whereby the entire back surface of spine panel  38   a  contacts adhesive layer  50 . As used herein, a minor portion of the back sheet means less than one-half of the sheet. As seen in FIG. 3A, the minor portion is panel  38   a  which is approximately one-third of the entire back page. With respect to the booklet of FIG. 4, the minor portion is approximately one-quarter of the entire back page. A minor portion of the label means less than one-half of the label&#39;s front surface. As seen in FIG. 1, the minor portion  16  is approximately two-fifths of the entire front surface of the label. 
     For an eight page (FIG. 2C) folded booklet (FIG. 3C) with D=3L, the minor portion of the booklet only occupies {fraction (1/24)} of the booklet&#39;s pages or 4.2%. For an eight page folded booklet with D=4L (FIG.  4 ), the minor portion of the booklet only occupies {fraction (1/32)} of the booklet&#39;s pages or 3.1%. Accordingly, the booklet format and folding configuration of the invention provides a compact instructional booklet wherein greater than 95% of the surface area is available for printing. The folded booklet of FIG. 3C increases the available surface area of the unvarnished region by 23 times. The folded booklet of FIG. 4 would increase the available surface area of the unvarnished region by 31 times. 
     Adhesive layer  50  may be a releasable adhesive wherein the final folded booklet  30   z  may be detached from label  10  without damaging the back surface of spine panel  38   a . For example in the case of a single use product, booklet  30   z  can be removed for convenient reference by the user. Alternatively adhesive layer  50  may be a permanent adhesive having greater adhesive strength than adhesive dot  46 . Accordingly, booklet  30  may be opened and read while remaining attached to label  10  as shown in FIG.  6 . Adhesive dot  46  may be a releasable adhesive so that after the booklet is read, it may be refolded and re-secured in its initial state, as shown in FIG.  5 . Alternatively adhesive dot  46  may be a permanent adhesive so that upon lifting the tab member at least one of the pages in contact with adhesive  46  becomes damaged evidencing that the booklet was opened. 
     The label of FIG. 5 is ideally suited for placement onto a curved or cylindrical container  60 . Spine  34  as well as all of the folds remain flat, straight and parallel, with the various panels conforming to the arc of the container. Accordingly, unfolding the booklet, reading the booklet and refolding the booklet may take place without interference from the curved product container. 
     As can be seen, the various objects of the invention have been met with the combination label and booklet described herein. A permanent identifying label is provided which can be adhered to flat or curved surfaces like any conventional label. A large capacity instructional booklet is adhered to the label in a manner which only occupies minor portions of the label and booklet. The adhesive on the label and the adhesive dot within the booklet may be selected from various types to accommodate different applications. The booklet may be easily folded and secured with releasable adhesive when not in use. 
     Accordingly, while only several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.