The present disclosure relates generally to forms and, more particularly, to forms having a removable hang tag.
In the manufacturing of business forms, it is often desirable to produce a form that contains a hang tag that can be removed and suspended from another surface. For example, the Department of Motor Vehicles for a state may need a mailable form that contains a disabled or handicap parking permit, which can be removed from the form and suspended from a recipient's rear view mirror in his automobile.
Typically, hang tag forms are separately manufactured and mailed to a recipient in an envelope such as, for example a No. 10 envelope, along with an informational or instructional letter from the sender. Mailing an envelope filled with a hang tag and an instructional letter increases the weight of the mailing, which increases the costs associated with mailing the package, as compared to mailing a postcard or an integrated form. Indeed, postal rates for first class mailing differ substantially between letters and postcards. For non-automation mailings, the difference in rates between a regular-size envelope and a regular-size postcard is $0.15.
In addition, hang tags are typically laminated to increase the durability of the hang tag and prolong its useful life. Typical laminates used to protect hang tags include a certain percentage of silicon. However, a silicon-based laminate is unable to support printing, such as laser printing, on the top of the laminated surface. Consequently, with some known laminated tags, any information or images have to be included or applied prior to the lamination process.
An example form 101 having a removable hang tag 102 is illustrated in
In the example form 101, the removable hang tag 102 is disposed on the second panel 113. The removable hang tag 102 in the example shown in
The hang tag 102 of the second panel 113 is removably coupled to the outer periphery of the second panel 113 by lines of weakness 115. The lines of weakness 115 may be any line of weakness, such as perforated lines, die-cut lines, and/or folds. Alternatively, the lines of weakness 115 may be outlines that the recipient can cut with scissors or any other cutting instrument. Furthermore, the lines of weakness 115 may coincide with fold lines 110, 111 so that the hang tag 102 composes substantially the entirety of the second panel 113.
The hang tag 102 includes a removable portion 116 that may be removed to create an opening. Once the removable portion 116 has been removed, the hang tag 102 may be suspended from a surface such as, for example, an interior rear view mirror of a vehicle, by slipping a portion of the rear view mirror through the opening or hole created by the removal of the removable portion 116. The removable portion 116 is coupled to the hang tag 102 via perforations or die-cut lines 117. In alternative examples, the perforations 117 can be any type of lines of weakness or outlines as described above in connection with lines of weakness 115. In some examples, the removable portion 116 may be removed before the form 101 is folded and mailed to the recipient.
The hang tag 102 further includes informational areas 118 on the first and second faces 104, 105. The informational areas 118 can be used to display information such as, for example, the recipient's name or other identifying information, an expiration date, and/or any other relevant data.
The hang tag 102 is coated with a laminate layer 119 on the front and back faces 104, 105. See
Also, in the illustrated example, the laminate layer 119 coincides with the dimensions of the hang tag 102. However, the laminate layer 119 may alternatively extend over the full dimensions of the second panel 113. In addition, the lines of weakness 115, 117 extend through the laminate layer 119.
The first face 104 of the substrate 103 includes a first adhesive pattern 120. In the illustrated example of
Similarly, the second face 105 of the substrate 103 includes a second adhesive pattern 122. In the illustrated example of
Furthermore, the adhesive used in the first or second adhesive patterns 120, 122 may be a pressure activated adhesive or any other type of adhesive that can be used to create a removable bond. The use and configuration of the adhesive patterns 120, 122 may be guided by the standards set forth in the United States Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual. As an alternative, the adhesive patterns 120, 122 may be substituted with tabs or spots (not shown) of adhesive in the corners of the panels 112, 113, 114, which would releasably hold the panels together in a postcard formation when the form 101 is Z-folded about the fold lines 110, 111.
The form 101 also includes an outgoing address area 123 on the first face 104 of the first panel 112. The first face 104 of the first panel 112 also includes a return address area 124 and a postage area 125 for the placement of the appropriate postage to mail a folded form 101. In addition, the third panel 114 includes an area 126 that can be used to display additional information to the recipient of the hang tag 102.
The form 101 includes a plurality of additional lines of weakness 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148. The first panel 112 includes a line of weakness 143 adjacent to the side 108 to form a removable strip 161. The first panel 112 also includes a line of weakness 144 adjacent to the side 109 to form a removable strip 162. Finally, the first panel 112 includes a line of weakness 141 adjacent to the fold line 110 that extends between the lines of weakness 143, 144 and defines a removable strip 151 which, in the example illustrated in
The second panel 113 includes a line of weakness 145 adjacent to the side 108 to form a removable strip 163. The second panel 113 also includes a line of weakness 146 adjacent to the side 109 to form a removable strip 164. The lines of weakness 145, 146 may coincide with the lines of weakness 115. In addition, the lines of weakness 115, 110, 145, 146 form a strip 152 near the top of the second panel 113, and the lines of weakness 115, 111, 145, 146 form a strip 153 adjacent to the bottom of the second panel 113.
The third panel 114 includes a line of weakness 147 adjacent to the side 108 to form a removable strip 165. The third panel 114 also includes a line of weakness 148 adjacent to the side 109 to form a removable strip 166. Finally, the third panel 114 includes a line of weakness 142 adjacent to the bottom side 107 that extends between the lines of weakness 147, 148 and defines a removable strip 154. As shown in
The lines of weakness 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148 may be die cuts, perforations or any other type of weakness and, as described below, are intended to enable the disassociation of the strips 151, 152, 154, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165 from the form 101, as described below.
As the first and second panels 112, 113 are joined, the strip 153 is adhered to the back face 105 of the first panel 112 near the top edge 106. The strips 151, 152 oppose each other and may be joined to form a portion of a third removable tab 181. In addition, the removable strips 162 and 164 are joined to form a portion of a second removable tab 183, and the removable strips 161 and 163 are joined to form a portion of a first removable tab 185. When the form 101 is folded along the fold line 111 so that the front face 104 of the third panel 114 opposes the front face 104 of the second panel 113, the removable strip 154 is adhered to the removable strip 152 to complete the third removable tab 181. Furthermore, the removable strip 166 is adhered to the removable strip 164 to complete the second removable tab 183, and the removable strip 165 is adhered to the removable strip 163 to complete the first removable tab 185.
After the recipient has unfolded the form 101, i.e., broken the bonds created by the first and second adhesive patterns 120, 122, the recipient may then fully view the contents of the form 101 and remove the removable hang tag 102. The hang tag 102 may be removed by the recipient along the lines of weakness 115, and the removable portion 116 may be removed by disassociating the removable portion 116 from the hang tag 102 along the lines of weakness 117. The hang tag 102 may then be suspended from a surface or object such as, for example, an interior rear view mirror in a vehicle.
The second form 201 illustrates that the two hang tags 202, 203 may be included in the second panel 113. The hang tags 202, 203 have all the same features as the hang tag 102 of the prior example, except the dimensions of the hang tags 202, 203 are smaller and the hang tags 202, 203 are coupled to each other by a line of weakness 204. The line of weakness 204 may be die-cut, perforations, a fold, or an outline indicating to the user where to cut with scissors or other cutting instrument. Either or both of the hang tags 202, 203 are removed from the form 201 in a similar manner as that described above with respect to hang tag 102 and form 101.
The hang tag form 300 is able to be run through an ink jet printer. The form 300 would be constructed and run through, for example, a flexo press for printing. Then the form 300 may be taken to another piece of equipment to receive a decal. Finally, the form 300 would be finished by for example, incorporating the form 300 into another form, placing the form 300 in an envelope, addressing the form 300, etc.
When the recipient receives the hang tag 301, the recipient can pull the hang tag 301 from the substrate 304 by breaking the releasable bond formed by the first and second cohesive layers 306, 308 and their respective, adjacent layers. Once the bond is broken, the cohesive layers 306, 308 are no longer tacky, i.e., cohesive. Further, once removed, the hang tag 301 can to be suspended from a surface or an object.
Although certain example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.