Container label

• US 4,901,457 A
• Filed: 10/13/1987
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald O. Chandler
• Original Assignee: Donald O. Chandler
• Inventors: Chandler, Donald O.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hakomaki, J.
• Application Number:
  US07/107,272
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 40/306, 40/310, 40/312, 40/107, 116/306, 116/308, 116/316-319, 283/70, 283/71, 283/73, 283/74, 283/81
• US Class Current: 40/306
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0288 Labels or tickets consisting of more than one part, e.g. with address of sender or other reference on separate section to main label; Multi-copy labels

Abstract

A container label of tearable sheet material, such as paper, is formed with an array of open slots. The slots are formed adjacent a discontinuity in the sheet. The discontinuity may be a marginal edge of the label, or slits associated with each slot, or both. The label is physically alterable by a user tearing away a portion of the sheet from a slot toward its discontinuity to thereby alter the appearance of the label and personalize the label.

Claims

1. In combination with a container, a container label comprising:

a tearable sheet having a rear surface disposed entirely against the outer surface of the container, said sheet having at least one continuous marginal edge with a plurality of spaced slots formed in the sheet and that are adjacent to and spaced inwardly from the marginal edge, the portion of the sheet between each slot and the marginal edge being adapted to be adhere to a container and being displaceable by tearing away from the slit to the marginal edge, the sheet portion between each slot and the marginal edge is weakened to facilitate the removal of the sheet portion by tearing.

2. A label in accordance with claim 1 together with indicia on the front surface of the sheet, said indicia being associated with the slots for identifying each slot.

3. A label in accordance with claim 2 wherein the indicium for each slot is unique to that slot.

4. A label in accordance with claim 2 wherein the indicia are located on the portions of the sheet between each slot and the marginal edge.

5. A label in accordance with claim 1 wherein the weakened portion adjacent each slot is defined by spaced slits that extend along a part of the space between the slot and the marginal edge.

6. In combination with a container, a container label comprising:

a tearable sheet having a rear surface disposed entirely against the outer surface of the container, said sheet having at least one continuous marginal edge with a plurality of spaced open slots formed in the sheet and that are spaced inwardly from the marginal edge a short distance, the portion of the sheet between each slot and the marginal edge being adapted to be adhered to a container and being removable by tearing away from the slot to the marginal edge, the sheet also having a pair of spaced slits extending along a portion of the distance between each slot and the marginal edge.

7. A container label, comprising:

a tearable sheet having at least one continuous marginal edge with a plurality of spaced open slots formed in the sheet that are spaced inwardly from the marginal edge a short distance, the sheet portion between the slots and the marginal edge being adapted to be adhered to a container, the sheet portion between each slot and the marginal edge and between adjacent slots being weakened to facilitate the tearing away of the sheet on a line between the slot and the marginal edge and the tearing away between adjacent slots whereby the sheet portion between each slot and the marginal edge will remain connected to the remainder of the label when the sheet portion has been torn along the weakened lines.

9. A container label, comprising:

a tearable sheet adapted to be adhered to a container and having a plurality of spaced open slots formed in the sheet remote from a marginal edge of the sheet, and a pair of spaced slits extending into the sheet from adjacent each slot, the portion of sheet defined by a slot and its adjacent slits being displaceable by tearing away from the slot and along the slits whereby the sheet portion defined by a slot and adjacent pair of slits will remain connected to the label when the sheet portion has been torn along the slits.

8. A container label in accordance with claim 9 wherein the weakened portions adjacent each slot are defined by a slit that extends along a portion of the line between the slot and the marginal edge and a second slit that extends along a portion of the line between adjacent slots.