Pharmacy label with securable tab and systems associated therewith

• US 8,281,929 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CVS Pharmacy Incorporated (CVS Health Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Franks, Matthew P., Wilson, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Luan K
• Application Number:
  US12/874,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20110155625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 206/459.1, 206/459.5, 206/528, 206/534, 206/538, 206/540, 40310-312, 534/67, 534/71, 534/73, 534/76, 534/78, 283/54, 283/60.1, 283/61, 283/62, 283/81, 283/94, 283/101, 283/106, 283/67, 283/900, 215/365, 215/DIG.3
• US Class Current: 206/534
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/02 Labels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/14 of tags , labels, cards, coupons, decorations or the like B65D23/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/20 characterised by their carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/0273 Labels for bottles, flasks
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0289 Pull- or fold-out labels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 Composite web or sheet

Abstract

A label for a prescription pharmacy bottle includes a panel, a tab, and a flange. The panel defines a first side edge, a second side edge, and an aperture extending through the panel and positioned adjacent the second side edge. The tab extends from the first side edge away from the panel and rotates about the first side edge to selectively move between a first position, in which the tab substantially covers the panel, and a second position, in which the tab extends away from the panel. The flange is initially formed to extend from the second side edge away from the panel and defines a substantially planar surface coated with an adhesive. The flange is folded about the second side edge to extend behind the panel such that the adhesive on the flange extends across and is exposed through the aperture. Other labels, combinations, and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A label comprising:

a panel defining a first side edge, a second side edge opposite the first side edge, and an aperture extending through the panel and positioned adjacent the second side edge;

a tab extending from the first side edge away from the panel, wherein the tab is configured to rotate about the first side edge to selectively move between a first position, in which the tab substantially covers the panel, and a second position, in which the tab extends away from the panel; and

a flange initially formed to extend from the second side edge away from the panel, wherein the flange defines a substantially planar surface coated with an adhesive, and the flange is folded about the second side edge to extend behind the panel such that the adhesive coated on the substantially planar surface of the flange extends across and is exposed through the aperture of the panel.

2. The label of claim 1, wherein the panel, the tab, and the flange are all formed of a common piece of a material sheet.

3. The label of claim 2, wherein the material sheet is layered to include a paper layer, an adhesive layer including the adhesive, and a liner layer.

4. The label of claim 1, wherein:

the panel defines a first substantially planar surface extending between the first side edge and the second side edge of the panel and a second substantially planar surface extending between the first side edge and the second side edge of the panel opposite the first substantially planar surface,

the second substantially planar surface of the panel is coated with the adhesive and is substantially contiguous with the substantially planar surface of the flange that is coated with the adhesive, and

the substantially planar surface of the flange is adhered to the second substantially planar surface of the panel.

5. The label of claim 1, wherein when the tab is in the first position, the tab interacts with the adhesive coated on the substantially planar surface of the flange that is exposed via the aperture of the panel to selectively secure the tab in the first position.

6. The label of claim 1, wherein the tab defines an interior, substantially planar surface and an opposite exterior, substantially planar surface each printed with information regarding a prescription.

7. The label of claim 6, wherein:

the panel defines a first substantially planar surface, which extends between the first side edge and the second side edge of the panel, and a second substantially planar surface, which is opposite the first substantially planar surface and extends between the first side edge and the second side edge of the panel,

the first substantially planar surface of the panel includes indicia regarding the prescription,

the flange is adhered behind the second substantially planar surface of the panel, and

the interior, substantially planar surface of the tab extends directly over the first substantially planar surface of the panel when the tab is in the first position.

8. The label of claim 1, wherein the panel is a first panel, and the label further comprises:

a second panel configured to be applied to an opposite side of a bottle as compared to the first panel and including indicia regarding contents of the bottle.

9. The label of claim 8, wherein the first panel defines a third edge transversely extending between the first edge and the second edge of the first panel, and the label further comprises:

a spine portion extending from the third edge of the first panel to an edge of the second panel such that the first panel, the spine portion, and the second panel are contiguously formed of a single sheet of material, and the spine portion is configured to extend over one of a first side, a second side, a top, and a bottom of the bottle.

10. The label of claim 9, in combination with the bottle, wherein:

the bottle defines the first side, the second side opposite the first side, the top, the bottom, and a side wall,

each of the top, the bottom, and the side wall extend between the first side and the second side of the bottle,

the first panel is adhered to the first side of the bottle,

the second panel is adhered to the second side of the bottle, and

the spine portion extends over one of the top, the bottom, and the side wall of the bottle.

11. The label of claim 1, in combination with a container defining an exterior surface, wherein the panel is adhered to the exterior surface of the container such that the flange is positioned between the panel and the exterior surface of the container.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein a portion of the tab opposite the first side edge of the panel extends beyond an outermost edge of the container when the tab is in the first position such that the portion of the tab is visible from an opposite side of the container.

13. The combination of claim 11, further comprising a prescription medication enclosed within the container.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein:

the panel is a first panel,

the exterior surface of the container defines two opposite substantially planar portions,

the first panel is adhered to one of the two opposite substantially planar portions,

the label includes a second panel adhered to the other one of the two opposite substantially planar portions of the container, and

both the first panel and the second panel include indicia regarding the prescription medication.

15. The combination of claim 14, further comprising:

a spine portion extending from a third edge of the first panel to an edge of the second panel such that the first panel, the spine portion, and the second panel are formed of a contiguous piece of material.

16. A label for a bottle, the label comprising:

means for providing information regarding contents of the bottle, the means for providing information being configured to adhere to the bottle and defining an opening near a first side of and formed entirely through the means for providing information;

means for providing adhesive extending across the opening, wherein the means for providing adhesive is contiguous with and folded relative to the means for providing information; and

means for selectively covering the means for providing information configured to transition between a first position covering the means for providing information and a second position extending away from the means for providing information, wherein when the means for selectively covering is in the first position, the means for selectively covering is selectively secured in the first position by interaction between the means for selectively covering and the means for providing adhesive through the opening.

17. The label of claim 16, wherein the means for providing information and the means for providing adhesive are contiguously formed from a common piece cut from a substantially planar sheet of material.

18. The label of claim 17, wherein the substantially planar sheet of material is formed of multiple layers including a first exterior layer, an adhesive layer, and a liner layer.

19. The label of claim 17, wherein the means for selectively covering is formed by the common piece cut from the substantially planar sheet of material.

20. The label of claim 17, the means for providing information defines a second side opposite the first side, wherein:

the means for providing adhesive extends from the first side of the means for providing information, and

the means for selectively covering extends from the second side of the means for providing information.

21. The label of claim 20, wherein:

the means for providing adhesive is folded in a first direction about the first side to extend across the opening through the means for providing information; and

the means for selectively covering is folded in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to cover the means for providing information in the first position.

22. The label of claim 16, in combination with the bottle filled with a medication, wherein the label is adhered to the bottle such that the means for providing adhesive is positioned between the bottle and the means for providing information.

23. A method of labeling a container, the method comprising:

providing a sheet of material;

defining a panel, a flap extending from a first edge of the panel, and a stub extending from a second edge of the panel, wherein;

the second edge of the panel is opposite the first edge of the panel, and

at least a rear surface of the panel and a rear surface of the stub are coated with an adhesive;

defining an aperture through the panel near the second edge;

folding the stub about the second edge such that the adhesive on the rear surface of the stub is exposed through the aperture;

folding the flap about the first edge to a first position covering the panel and to interact with the adhesive on the rear surface of the stub that is exposed through the aperture, wherein interaction between the flap and the adhesive on the rear surface of the stub selectively holds the flap in the first position.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

printing on both sides of the sheet of material such that at least one surface of the panel and at least two opposing surfaces of the flap are printed with indicia relating to contents of the container.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

adhering the panel to an exterior surface of the container such that the stub is positioned between the panel and the exterior surface of the container.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

filling the container with contents.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the contents include a prescription medication.