Proof-of-purchase Label

Abstract

Several embodiments are disclosed of proof-of-purchase labels. In one embodiment, a label made from a material having high wet strength is perforated to divide the label into areas. Each of the areas are affixed to goods with adhesives. Some areas are affixed to the goods with an epoxy adhesive while another area is affixed to the goods with an adhesive soluble in hot water. In a second embodiment, a sheet of mylar is affixed to goods by an epoxy adhesive while a high wet-strength label is adhered to the outer surface of the mylar label with an adhesive soluble in hot water.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to labels for goods and particularly to proof-of-purchase labels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Manufacturers of consumer products often attempt to increase their sales by providing coupons or labels affixed to their goods which can be redeemed or used to purchase additional goods at a reduced price.

There are certain types of promotional programs where the promoting company does not in fact care if the person receiving the benefits of the promotion have already purchased their product. For example, in attempts to sell products one may wish to reduce the price of the product by a few pennies to induce consumers to buy. Often this is done by attaching a coupon or label to the product which can be used to buy a second product of the same manufacturer or a second package of the same product. In this type of promotion, the manufacturer may, in fact, be willing to sell the item at the reduced price to any purchaser. Therefore, he is not particularly concerned whether or not the labels or coupons are in fact proof of prior purchase.

If, however, a promotional campaign is employed wherein a valuable right is given to a consumer upon proof-of-purchase of a particular product, great care must be taken to insure that those consumers exercising these rights in fact have purchased the product. If this is not done, a promoter may find himself dispensing goods in return for coupons or labels which in fact do not evidence sales.

When a lid, a bottle cap, or portion of a container is available to use as proof-of-purchase, a fair degree of assurance can be had that the bearer of the bottle cap, lid or container portion has in fact derived it through a purchase. When a label, however, is used, no such assurance can be had. For example, labels can be easily removed from tin cans or glass bottles while sitting on the shelves in a supermarket. U.S. Pat. No. 814,592 which issued to H. B. Duane on Mar. 6, 1906 recognizes the need for a reliable proof-of-purchase label but offers only a label which can still be ripped off in the store. Certain types of containers, for example aerosol cans, do not in fact have labels on them at all. The decorative and informative information previously applied to containers by labels are printed directly onto the aerosol cans.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a proof-of-purchase label which in fact insures that purchase of a promotors' product has been made.

It is a further object to provide a proof-of-purchase label which is simple but cannot easily be removed in a supermarket without destroying the label.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a proof-of-purchase label which can be used on products which do not normally bear labels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates a package in which an item has a label affixed thereto by an adhesive which will release the item when subjected to a predetermined physical stimulus.

In one embodiment, the label has a portion separated from the rest of the label by perforations. This area is affixed to the package by the stimulus responsive adhesive while the remaining portion if affixed to the package by an adhesive which is nonresponsive to that stimulant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the invention can be had by reference to the following figures and detailed description wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a container with adhesive applied thereto for receiving a proof-of-purchase label of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing a proof-of-purchase label constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing the resultant package when the label of FIG. 2 is applied to the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing a second container having an adhesive applied thereto for receiving a proof-of-purchase label constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a sheet of mylar which is applied to the container shown in FIG. 4 and has an additional adhesive on one face thereof;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a proof-of-purchase label which is applied to the adhesive coated surface of of the mylar shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a top view of the container shown in FIG. 4 with the mylar sheet of FIG. 5 and the proof-of-purchase label of FIG. 6 adhered thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, we see a container 10 such as an aerosol can having an outer surface area 11. In FIG. 2, we see a label 12 made from a paper having a high wet strength and having a portion 13 thereof separated from the remainder of the label 12 by perforations 14 and 16. The label 12 has normal trademark and instructional material printed thereon, for example, in the area designated 17. The portion 13 of the label 12 may have printed matter on both sides thereof.

The label 12 is applied to the container 10 to form a unit as shown in FIG. 3. The portion 13 of the label 12 may be used for promotional purposes as a proof-of-purchase label. The printing on the outside of the portion 13 may contain instructions, for example, on how to remove the proof-of-purchase label without destroying it. In one embodiment, the label 12 has an adhesive on the back side of the portion 13 thereof which is soluble in hot water. Such an adhesive may be a latex or textrine adhesive. These adhesives would hold the label 12 to the container 10 as seen in FIG. 3. It should be noted that since the portion 17 is adhesively affixed to the container 10, an attempt to merely remove it from the container 10 will result in mutilation and therefore destruction thereof. It should be noted that the portion 13 of the label 12 has small perforations thereacross to aid in bringing that portion 13 of the label 12 to the container 10 insuring that an improperly removed label will be mutilated.

In this embodiment to remove the portion 13 from the container 10, one need only to run hot water over the package shown in FIG. 3, specifically over the portion 13. The hot water, for example water over 90.degree. F, will melt and/or dissolve the soluble adhesive thereunder. Then, one may easily remove the portion 13 breaking the perforations 14 and 16. Since the label 12 has high wet strength, there is no fear that the label will be ripped in the process.

In a second embodiment, the label 12 has an epoxy adhesive on the back side thereof in all areas except behind the portion 13. The label 12 is then affixed to the container 10 as shown in FIG. 3. A see-through sheet of material, for example, a high wet-strength, see-through paper having perforations thereacross is adhered on top of the label 12 by the adhesive which is soluble in hot water. This clear sheet may then be removed as outlined above by running it under hot water leaving the label 12 exposed so that the portion 13 may easily be removed along the perforations 14 and 16. In either of these embodiments, the printing on the opposite side of the portion 17 can be read after being removed from the container 10. For example, a promoter may wish to provide instructions as to where to mail the label to receive an item.

It should be understood that if the label 12 were not properly affixed to the container 10, a person merely wishing to have the proof-of-purchase label without purchasing the goods could merely remove the label 12.

It should be understood that other physical stimulus such as the application of common solvents such as lighter fluid, ammonia, liquid detergents or the like could be used to distinguish between two adhesives holding two portions of a label such as label 12 against the container such as container 10. For example, a proof-of-purchase label on a vinegar bottle might require the vinegar to remove the label. In this way, further assurance can be had that the vinegar had been purchased and opened. One can appreciate that while removing a label from an item on the shelf in a store can be done rather easily, it would be much more conspicuous to either open a bottle of vinegar and apply it to the label or more difficult still to find a source of warm water for removing the label.

In certain circumstances due to either the material from which a container is made or the contents therein, a particular physical stimulus may not be applicable to that particular container. For example, certain types of plastic containers cannot withstand particular types of solvents so that a proof-of-purchase label could not be employed by merely applying that solvent to the label.

Referring now to FIG. 4, we see a container 21 having an outer surface 22. A relatively strong sheet of material such as mylar 23, shown in FIG. 5, is applied and held by an adhesive such as epoxy to the container 21. An outer surface 24 of the mylar has an adhesive applied thereto soluble in warm water. A proof-of-purchase label 26, made from a weaker sheet of material shown in FIG. 6 is applied atop the surface 24 and is adhesively secured to the mylar strip 23. Looking to FIG. 6, we see the combination of the container 21, the mylar strip 23, to the proof-of-purchase label 26.

In this embodiment, the container 21 cannot readily withstand the warm water necessary to remove the proof-of-purchase label. Therefore, the mylar strip 23 is interposed between the proof-of-purchase label 26 and the container 21. The epoxy adhesive will not release and the mylar will provide protection for the container 21 while the water soluble adhesive will release the proof-of-purchase label 26. In this embodiment again, printed matter can be on the outer surface 24 of the mylar 23 having trademark and instructional material thereon, while the proof-of-purchase label 26 may have instructional and other material printed on both sides thereof.

It should be understood that again other physical stimulus such as common solvents can be employed to differentiate between the two adhesives binding the proof-of-purchase label 26 to the mylar strip 23 and the mylar strip 23 to the container 21.

It should be understood that other material such as tin foil and the like can be used to protect the container 21 instead of the mylar.

It should be understood that while the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, numerous others will become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the light of this disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In combination:

an item having an area of the surface thereon for accepting a label; said surface being resistant to a predetermined physical stimulus;

a label for covering said area of said surface, said label being resistant to said predetermined physical stimulus;

means for securing said label to said area of said surface so that said label cannot be removed therefrom without mutilation except upon application of said predetermined physical stimulus, said securing means being responsive to said predetermined physical stimulus for releasing said label from said area of said surface without mutilation of said label, said area of said surface having printed material thereon,

said label having a first side and a second side, and said label having printed matter on both said first and second sides thereof.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 in which said predetermined physical stimulus is water having a temperature of above 90.degree. F and said securing means is an adhesive soluble in water having a temperature above 90.degree. F.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 in which said label is made from paper having a high wet strength.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1 in which said securing means is an adhesive responsive to said predetermined physical stimulus and said label is perforated thereacross to insure that said adhesive will secure said label to said area until said predetermined physical stimulus is applied thereto.

5. In combination:

an item having an area of the surface thereon for accepting a label, said area having a first portion and a second portion in edge to edge relation, said surface being resistant to a predetermined physical stimulus;

a label for covering said area of said surface, said label having a first portion thereof for covering said first portion of said surface and a second portion thereof for covering said first portion of said surface, said label first portion being in edge to edge relation with said label second portion;

second adhesive means for securing said second portion of said label to said second portion of said area of said surface, said second adhesive securing means being non-responsive to said predetermined physical stimulus thereby holding said second portion of said label to said second portion of said area of said surface when said first portion of said label is released from said first portion of said area of said surface; and

first adhesive means for securing said first portion of said label to said first portion of said area of said surface so that said first portion of said label cannot be removed therefrom without mutilation except upon application of said predetermined physical stimulus, said first adhesive securing means being responsive to said predetermined stimulus for releasing said first portion of said label from said first portion of said area of said surface.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 in which said label is perforated between said first and second portions thereof.

7. The combination as defined in claim 6 in which said label has a first side and a second side, and said first portion of said label has printed matter on both said first and second sides thereof.

8. The combination as defined in claim 6 in which said predetermined physical stimulus is water having a temperature of about 90.degree. F.

9. The combination as defined in claim 8 in which said label has a first side and a second side, and said first portion of said label has printed matter on both said first and second sides thereof.

10. In combination:

an item having an area of a surface thereon for accepting a label, said area having a first portion and a second portion, said surface being resistant to a predetermined physical stimulus;

a label for covering said area of said surface, said label having a first portion thereof for covering said first portion of said surface and a second portion thereof for covering said second portion of said surface;

means for securing said second portion of said label to said second portion of said area of said surface, said second portion securing means being nonresponsive to said predetermined physical stimulus thereby holding said second portion of said label to said second portion of said area of said surface when said first portion of said label is released from said first portion of said area of said surface; and

a sheet of material and means for securing said sheet of material atop said label so that said sheet of material cannot be removed therefrom without mutilation, said sheet of material securing means being responsive to said predetermined physical stimulus for releasing said sheet of material from said label so that said first portion of said area may be removed.

11. The combination as defined in claim 10 in which said sheet of material is transparent.

12. In combination:

an item to be labeled;

a first means being non-responsive to a predetermined physical stimulus and having an area of the surface thereon for accepting a label;

a second means for securing said first means to said item with said area of said surface exposed, said second means being non-responsive to said predetermined physical stimulus;

a label resistant to said predetermined physical stimulus;

third means for securing said label to said area of said surface so that said label cannot be removed therefrom without mutilation except upon application of said predetermined physical stimulus, said third means being responsive to said predetermined physical stimulus for releasing said label from said area of said surface without mutilation of said label; and

said area of said surface covered by said label having printed matter thereon.

13. The combination as defined in claim 12 in which said label has a first side and a second side, and said label has printed matter on both said first and second sides thereof.