Patent Application
20090026755
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates to labels to identify products, and in particular, to labels for layered sheets as in rolled drawings, stacks of papers or other sheet goods, book pages, etc. where the label is perpendicular to the sheet goods and is applied to the edges of the sheets and is removable and reusable.
One of the challenges of any office environment is to stay organized and be able to find things quickly. A well-designed label or tag facilitates finding the relevant document, drawing, file, or record easily and quickly. For example, vertical and hanging file folders have appended labels oriented toward the top to facilitate a quick scan by a person opening the drawer. File cabinets include external vertical labels to identify the contents of each drawer. Individual sheets or stacks of papers have stick-on notes to aid the filing person identify its contents. In fact, the prior art provides ample examples of various label devices adapted for pretty much any flat, vertical surface. However, there is no label device for edges of sheets such as rolled drawings or stacks of paper or other sheet goods. The present invention, called a drawing label, specifically addresses this problem.
Generally, the surfaces or edges of rolled drawings are uneven and not suitable for labels such as “Post it” brand notes (available from 3M Corporation) or other self adhering labels because such self-adhesive labels fall off easily. Known labels placed on the outer surface of a rolled drawing can not be easily seen especially if multiple drawings are stored together on shelves or in bins. In the case of stacked sheet goods the edges are the most visible surface yet conventional labels do not adhere to edges. What was needed was a label that could be seen on the end of rolled drawings or stacks of sheet goods, stay in place and be viewed easily.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art label devices. Further, in one embodiment, the present invention is thin yet rigid and consists of a sign portion (face) and an attachment portion (tongue) that are angular to each other. The tongue will easily slip between sheets of papers or other sheet goods and stay in place, and the face will be at about a 90-degree arrangement with respect to the tongue, which provides a highly visible sign area The sign area (face) can be written on by hand or may be used as a backer to hold self adhering labels. As a backer, the drawing label can be used repeatedly.
Traditional prior art labels deal with flat surfaces only. U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,288 issued to Carney, Jr., on 23 Jun. 1998 is an adhesive-backed label suitable for applying to flat surfaces. Thus it can be seen only on the surface of the material it is applied to. The current invention, drawing label, is angular and when applied by inserting the tongue portion between sheets, the label portion is visible perpendicular to the sheet face. The drawing label specifically addresses the condition of ends of sheets and/or rolled goods. Its method of adherence is through friction and the weight of the material above it.
A label wherein the body or “sign” area is angled to the application portion (tongue). The tongue is of a slight size that allows it to slip between sheets of paper or films while the “sign” portion is larger for annotating information. The sign portion may also be used as a backer to apply conventional self-adhering labels thus making the drawing label reusable.
The angular label allows layered or rolled sheet items to be easily identified, marked and organized. It provides for a “sign” to be applied in the most easily recognizable area—the exposed edges of sheets or rolls.
Referring to
In the preferred form the whole label is made of a polycarbonate, vinyl, or plastic-type material that is die-cut from flat sheets. The preferred form is 10 to 15 mil thickness to provide rigidity, fold retention, and still have a thin profile for slipping between sheets. The face area 1 is for annotating descriptive information. As an alternative to annotating the label, the label face may be used as a backer to accept self adhesive labels. Thus self-adhesive labels may be printed independently of the drawing label and applied at any time. The label face may be made in colors to add visibility to the label.
The tongue 2 of the label is narrower than the body and is inserted between sheets and held in place by friction and the weight of the sheets. The tongue 2 is bent on the fold line 3 to form an angled part. The preferred angle is 90 degrees to the face 1 but may be modified by the user. The tongue 2 is inserted between sheets in stacks or rolls. The tongue is formed in a triangular shape with the apex to the outside. The narrow apex allows the tongue to penetrate sheets easily. The broader base of the tongue increases the surface area of the tongue and increases the holding power of the label.
With reference to
While there has been shown and described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the described device without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, other materials such as composite papers or films or other processes such as injection molding can be used to replicate the form and function of the part. Accordingly, to ascertain the full scope of the invention, reference must be made to the following claims.
