Patent ID: 7263037

Claim:
A self-expiring badge or label comprising: an upper substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, an adhesive activator layer on the lower surface, a protective layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface removably attached to and overlaying the adhesive layer, a lower substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface removably attached to and overlaying the second surface of the protective layer, a migrating ink pattern on the lower surface of the lower substrate, whereby removing the upper substrate and at least a portion of the lower substrate from the protective layer to leave a remaining portion having the migrating ink pattern thereon, and contacting the migrating ink pattern to the exposed adhesive activator layer on the lower surface of the upper substrate to activate the migrating ink pattern to migrate through the adhesive activator layer and upper substrate in a selected time interval for viewing from the upper surface of the upper support layer to indicate an expired badge or label.