Patent Application
20110233919
The present invention relates to a shipping label. In particular, the invention relates to a combination shipping slip/address label.
It is known per se to combine a shipping label with a shipping slip. Existing shipping labels may be in pouch form and may require that the shipping slip be foldable therewithin. In these cases the folding and unfolding of the shipping slip may be relatively time consuming for the manufacturer of the shipping label as well as the end user.
It is known to include shipping address information on one side of a shipping label and shipping slip information on the other side of the label. However such labels may require a relatively large number of parts, and/or may not be waterproof and/or may not be readily re-attachable to a shipping package. Also, there is a possibility that shipping address information may be mismatched with shipping slip information. In the alternative, such labels may require relatively complex printing equipment.
The present invention provides a shipping label disclosed herein that overcomes the above disadvantages. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shipping label.
There is accordingly provided a label for a package. The label includes a protective layer having at least a portion that is transparent. The label includes an adhesive layer connected to a side of the protective layer. The label includes a sheet connected to the protective layer via the adhesive layer. The sheet includes a removable outer marginal portion. The protective layer has a corresponding outer marginal portion which is free of the sheet, after the outer marginal portion of the sheet is removed, for attaching the label to the package. The sheet includes a first inner portion containing information arranged on a first side of the sheet. The sheet includes a second inner portion containing shipping address information arranged on the first side of the sheet. The first side of the sheet is disposed to face the package. The second inner portion is removable from the protective layer. The second inner portion is capable of being reversed front-to-back and re-attachable to the protective layer such that the shipping address information faces away from the package for displaying the shipping address information thereby.
According to another aspect, there is also provided a label for a package having a protective layer with at least a portion that is transparent. The label has an adhesive layer connected to a side of the protective layer. The label has a sheet connected to the protective layer via the adhesive layer. The sheet includes a removable outer marginal portion. The protective layer has a corresponding outer marginal portion which is free of the sheet, after the outer marginal portion of the sheet is removed, for attaching the label to the package. The sheet includes a first inner portion containing information arranged on a first side of the sheet. The sheet includes a second inner portion containing shipping address information arranged on the first side of the sheet. The first side of the sheet is disposed to face the package. The second inner portion is removable from the protective layer for separately attaching the second inner portion to the package and displaying the shipping address information thereby.
There is further provided, in combination, a shipping label for a shipping package and a business card for connecting to the shipping label. The label includes a protective layer having at least a portion that is transparent. The label includes an adhesive layer connected to a side of the protective layer. The label includes a sheet connected to the protective layer via the adhesive layer. The sheet includes a removable outer marginal portion. The protective layer has a corresponding outer marginal portion which is free of the sheet, after the outer marginal portion of the sheet is removed, for attaching the label to the package. The sheet has a first inner portion containing information arranged on a first side of the sheet. The first side of the sheet is disposed to face the shipping package. The sheet has a removable second inner portion shaped to accommodate the business card. The portion of the protective layer that is transparent is free of the sheet, after the second inner portion of the sheet is removed, for attaching the business card thereon.
There is yet further provided a method of forming a shipping label for a shipping package. The method includes providing a sheet having a first side for facing the package and a second side opposite the first side. The method includes printing shipping slip information and shipping address information on the first side of the sheet. The method includes separating the sheet into a removable outer marginal portion, a first inner portion containing the shipping slip information and a second inner portion containing shipping address information. The method includes connecting a protective layer to the second side of the sheet via an adhesive. The protective layer has at least a portion that is transparent. The protective layer has an outer marginal portion which is free of the sheet, after the outer marginal portion of the sheet is removed, for attaching the label to the package. The method includes configuring the second inner portion of the sheet to be removable from the protective layer. The method includes removing the second inner portion from the protective layer, reversing front-to-back the second inner portion, and re-connecting the second inner portion to the protective layer such that the shipping address information faces away from the package for displaying the shipping address information thereby.
The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
Still referring to
The technology relating to adhesives and layers that allow objects to be removable, re-attachable and/or replaceable is known per se and therefore will not be described in further detail. In this regard those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials may be used to the same or similar effect.
As best shown in
The marginal portion 20 includes a top 25 and a bottom 27 opposite the top 25. The marginal portion 20 includes a first side 29 which is on the left from the perspective of
The sheet 14 includes a peel tag 21 adjacent to the marginal portion 20. In this example the peel tag 21 is formed by separating a triangular portion from the marginal portion 20 via a diagonal cut-out 23. The peel tag 21 in this example is disposed adjacent to both the bottom 27 of the marginal portion 20 and the second side 31 of the marginal portion 20, though is not required.
The sheet 14 includes a first inner portion 24. The first inner portion 24 in this example is disposed adjacent to the top 25 and sides 29 and 31 of the marginal portion 20. The first inner portion 24 contains information, such as private information and in this example, shipping slip information 28 on the first side 16 of the sheet 14. Alternatively the information may be, for example, invoice information or customs information. Referring to
Referring back to
The peripheral portion 37 includes a top 45 adjacent to the cut-out 26. The peripheral portion 37 includes a bottom 47 opposite the top 45 and adjacent to the bottom 27 of the marginal portion 20. The peripheral portion 37 has a first side 49 adjacent to the first side 29 of the marginal portion 20. The first side 49 is to the left from the perspective of
The second inner portion 32 as shown in
The manner in which the shipping label 10 is applied to the shipping package will now be described. Referring to
The second inner portion 32 is then removed from the protective layer 12 by peeling it away from the protective layer 12 via corner 40. A rectangular portion 41 of the protective layer 12 bearing the adhesive layer 19 is exposed as a result. The rectangular portion 41 extends between the top 45, bottom 47, and sides 49 and 51 of the peripheral portion 37 shown in
Referring to
Many advantages result from the structure of the present invention. For example, the shipping label 10 as herein disclosed, with its second inner portion 32 that is configured to be reversed front-to-back, provides the advantage of enabling all relevant information to be printed on a single side of the sheet 14, in this example side 16. This may lead to increased efficiency in the manufacture of such labels. Moreover, by enabling all relevant information to be printed on a single side of the sheet, this may act to reduce costly errors resulting, for example, from mismatching shipping addresses and shipping slip information.
By providing a shipping label 10 employing a single sheet 14 having information on both sides, the shipping label 10 provides further advantages. It may be more efficient to read the shipping slip information 28 since this can be done by merely removing the label 10. This is in contrast to labels of the prior art, which may require the shipping slip information to be first unfolded.
The shipping label 10, with its sheet 14, free radical silicone layer 17, adhesive layer 19 and protective layer 12, is very compact and may require fewer parts compared to labels of the prior art. The shipping label 10 may use less material compared to shipping labels of the prior art, because for example it may employ a single sheet 14 with information on one or both sides, rather than for example a sheet that is folded upon itself. This may provide economic savings, reduce weight and reduce bulk.
Because of the adhesive layer 19, the shipping label 10 may also be at least partially re-attachable to the shipping package 44 via parts of adhesive on the outer marginal portion 38 that are not covered by shipping package material. The shipping label 10 may thus be removable and re-usable for re-applying the shipping label 10 to the or another shipping package.
Put another way, the shipping label 10 provides a compact solution where advantageously, for printing and locating purposes, all of the shipping slip and address information is printed on one side of a sheet. This may reduce steps and reduce errors that may otherwise arise when shipping address and shipping slip information are on separate labels. The flipping aspect of the invention as herein described provides a synergy because it combines the simplicity and compactness of printing all of the relevant information on one side of the sheet 14 with the ability to then selectively reveal some of this information via the other side of the sheet 14.
Referring to
The third inner portion 55 of the sheet 14.1 is formed via cut-out 57 and in this example is rectangular in shape. The third inner portion 55 is located in a top left corner, from the perspective of
In applying the label 10.1 to a shipping package, the third inner portion 55 may be removed by peeling it off from the protective layer 12.1 via corner 61 to reveal a corresponding inner portion 63 of the protective layer 12.1 which includes the adhesive layer 19.1. The third inner portion 55 is then reversed front-to-back. The third inner portion 55 is next re-attached to the portion 63 such that the return address shipping information 30.1 is now arranged to face away from the shipping package, as shown in
Thus for the shipping label 10.1, advantageously for printing and locating purposes, all of the shipping slip information 28.1, shipping address information 36.1 and return shipping address information 30.1 is printed on one side of a sheet. This may further reduce errors that may otherwise arise when shipping slip information, shipping address information and return shipping address information are on separate labels. Here too flipping aspect of the invention as herein described provides a further synergy because it combines the simplicity and compactness of printing even more of the relevant information on just one side of the sheet 14.1 with the ability to then selectively reveal some of this information via the other side of the sheet 14.1.
Referring to
A business card 54 may then be attached to the inner portion 52, as shown in
The shipping label 10.2 thus provides added versatility in enabling a business card to be incorporated into the label. This may save time in some circumstances or be more convenient in circumstances where, for example, business cards are readily available. The shipping label 10.2 may also provide the advantage of providing the end user with the ability to better customize their shipping labels by incorporating their own business cards therewith.
In a variation, the second inner portion 32 and/or the peripheral portion 37 may be removed from the protective layer 12 of the shipping label 10, shown in
Referring to
The third inner portion 58 is formed via cut-out 60 and in this example is rectangular in shape, preferably in the shape of a business card. In this example the third inner portion 58 is located in a top left corner, from the perspective of
A business card 64 may then be attached to the inner portion 65, as shown in
The shipping label 10.3 may thus provide the added versatility of enabling a business card to be incorporated within its configuration, for use, for example, in displaying return address shipping address information. It also provides the advantage of enabling the end user to better customize their shipping labels in a convenient manner.
The second part 71 of the label 10.4 includes a peripheral portion 70 and the second inner portion 32.4. The peripheral portion 70 has a top 72 adjacent to the bottom 27.4 of the outer marginal portion 20.4. The peripheral portion 70 has a bottom 74 opposite the top 72. The peripheral portion 70 has a first side 76 that is to the left, from the perspective of
In this embodiment the second part 71 of the label 10.4 is detachable from the first part 69 of the label 10.4. In particular perforations 79 separate the bottom 27.4 of the outer marginal portion 20.4 from the top 72 of the peripheral portion 70, in this example.
For the second part 71 of the label 10.4, an adhesive layer 84 coats the sheet 14.4., namely, the second inner portion 32.4 of the sheet 14.4 and, in this example, the peripheral portion 70, though this is not required. The adhesive layer 84 in a preferred embodiment is a hot melt/permanent adhesive. A free radical silicon layer 86 coats the area of the protective layer 12.4 that faces the peripheral portion 70 and the second inner portion 32.4. Put another way, a free radical silicon layer 86 coats the area of the protective layer 12.4 disposed at the second part 71 of the label 10.4.
To apply the label 10.4, the second inner portion 32.4 is peeled away from the protective layer 12.4. This may be accomplished by peeling away corner 88 to reveal side 90 of the second inner portion 32.4. Side 90 of the second inner portion 32.4 is coated with the adhesive layer 84. The second inner portion 32.4, with its adhesive layer 84, may next be applied to the shipping package 44.4, as shown in
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that for any of the above embodiments, the peripheral portion 37 is not required. For example and referring to
In the preferred embodiments described herein the sheet 14 is a direct thermal sheet of paper. Printing devices use heat to print an image (for example desired information) on the direct thermal sheets with the advantage being that the replacement of parts and maintenance is reduce compared to traditional printing devices. For example with direct thermal sheets the user need not continually change printing ribbons. However in the alternative the sheet 14 for example may be a photocopy sheet, with printing ribbons employed to stamp on (or print) desired information.
While in the description mention is made of coating either the sheet 14 or protective layer 12 with either the adhesive layer or free radical silicon layer, the sheet 14 and protective layer 12 may alternatively have sporadic or spot coating.
For the second part 71 of the label 10.4 shown in
The second inner portion 32.4 may be arranged in another configuration along the label 10.4. For example, the second part 71 may be omitted altogether and the second inner portion 32.4 may be disposed somewhere in the first part 69 with spot reverse layering—that is coating of adhesive onto only the second inner portion 32.4 and corresponding coating of free radical silicon only on the corresponding protective layer 12.4, as required. This may be arranged with two silicone application stations on the press. Each station may apply the silicone to the areas required on each sheet.
It will be understood by someone skilled in the art that many of the details provided above are by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is to be determined with reference to the following claims.
