GB2441993A

GB2441993A - Method and Label for Date Marking an Object

Info

Publication number: GB2441993A
Application number: GB0618601A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Barnett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-09-21
Filing date: 2006-09-21
Publication date: 2008-03-26
Also published as: GB0618601D0

Abstract

A method of marking a date on an object is disclosed which comprises providing on the object a scratch layer that can be removed by rubbing. The scratch layer bears a visible printed image displaying date markings. By rubbing off at least one region of the scratch layer, a date 10 to be displayed can be selected.

Description

Method and Label for Date Marking an Object

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method and a label for date marking an object, such as a package.

Background of the invention

It is known to mark food packaging with various dates such as a "Display Until" date, a "Sell By" date and/or a "Use By" date and such markings are more commonly applied by the producer or the vendor rather than the end user. There are, however, also occasions when an end user needs to mark a date on packaging or objects. For example, when freezing prepared food, produce or fish, it is advisable to mark when a package was placed in the freezer as it can only be used safely within a limited time. Also, some foodstuffs may have a very long shelf life provided they remain sealed but must be consumed within a limited period once the seal of the package has been broken.

In offices, there arises a need to mark dates on dockets. For example, when a docket ceases to be active, it needs to be retained for some time but, as it cannot be stored indefinitely, it is normally marked with a date after which is may be destroyed.

It is furthermore desirable to mark a date on any object that is purchased with a time limited guarantee, to indicate when the guarantee period has expired.

One can use a pen to mark the packaging but many people fail to do so for a variety of reasons. For example a person may not have a pen to hand, or the article may be too small to write on or it may be made of a material, such as glass, on which one cannot write easily.

Summary of the invention

With a view to mitigating the foregoing problems, there is provided in accordance with a first aspect of the invention a method of marking a date on an object which comprises providing on the object a scratch layer that can be removed by rubbing, the scratch layer bearing a visible printed image displaying date markings, and rubbing off at least one region of the scratch layer to select a date.

The invention makes use of technology already in use in scratch cards which are known from a variety of security applications. In a scratch card, a scratch layer is used to conceal secure information such as a PIN number. Until the scratch layer is removed, the user has no means of knowing the information that it conceals. By contrast, in the present invention there is no secure information beneath the scratch layer and it is the removal of information visible on the exposed surface of the scratch layer that is used to enable a user to mark a date on a package without the use of a pen. Because a finger nail, a coin or any sharp object can be used to rub away the region or regions of the scratch layer displaying the desired date, there is no requirement for a pen that will mark the surface of the packaging.

Furthermore, because a scratch layer is insoluble, the date display will not be impaired by water, ice or moisture and there is no risk of ink soiling the hands of the user or contaminating any food.

In the case of foodsti.ffs which are sold with a recommendation for them to be used within a certain time of the seal being broken, the scratch layers and the printed date markings may be applied directly to the package by its producer. Alternatively, it is possible to use dating labels that may be adhered to the package after its seal has been broken.

Such dating labels can be applied not only to food packaging but to any object with which one wishes to associate a date.

S Thus, in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a label for marking a date on an object, comprising a substrate having on one side an adhesive coating to enable the label to be attached to an object and on its opposite side a scratch layer that can be removed by rubbing, the scratch layer supporting a visible printed layer which includes date markings.

The substrate may simply be blank beneath the scratch layer whereupon the date would be represented by the date which can be seen to have been scratched off from the remaining date markings on the scratch layer.

Preferably, however, the scratch layer is opaque and the surface of the substrate beneath the scratch layer is printed with date markings which are aligned with but visually distinguishable from the date markings of the visible printed layer. For example the same date markings may be printed in different colours above and below the scratch layer, whereupon all the available date markings will remain visible even after the part of the scratch layer has been removed but the selected date will be highlighted in a different colour from the remaining dates on the calendar.

For certain applications, it is further preferred for the date markings printed directly onto the substrate to be printed in colours that differ from one another, so as to enable different selected and displayed dates to be distinguished from one another by their colour.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows a label having a scratch layer on which date markings are printed, Figures 2 is a schematic section through the label of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing the same label after two regions on the scratch layer have been rubbed off to display the date of 16 May, and Figure 4 is a similar to Figure 3 showing the label after a day and a month region have been rubbed off.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

The drawings show a label comprising a base layer or substrate 10 which may be formed of any suitable material, such as paper. The label is coated on its underside with an adhesive layer 12. The label may conveniently be supplied in a roll, being carried on a web having a silicone release coating to allow individual labels to be peeled off as and when required.

The side of the substrate 10 facing away from the adhesive layer 12 is coated with a scratch layer 14. The chemical composition of this layer is well known in the art and need not be described herein in detail. The important property of the scratch layer is that it should he capable of being rubbed off the substrate 10 when scratched with a sharp object or implement, such as with a finger nail or a coin. A printed ink layer 16 is applied to the top surface of the scratch layer 14 and, optionally, a second printed ink layer carrying the same information as the ink layer 16 is applied directly to the substrate 10 beneath the scratch layer 14.

Figure 1 shows the appearance of the label before a date is marked on it. It is essentially a calendar with twelve squares representing the months of the year and thirty one squares representing the maximum number of days in a month. Of course, if desired, the markings could additionally include squares offering a choice of calendar years.

To mark an object, a label is peeled off the supply roll and adhered to the object. Next the required day and month are scratched off. Figure 3 shows the label of Figure 1 after it has been scratched to display the date of 16 May, the removal of the scratch layer 14 being shown in the section of Figure 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, removal of the scratch layer reveals the ink layer 20 that is applied directly to the substrate 10. The displayed image conveys the same date information as the squares of the ink layer 16 that have been scratched off, i.e. the date of 16 May, however, the displayed date is now in a different colour or otherwise readily distinguishable from the other dates of the calendar. Of course, in the absence of the ink layer 20, one would still be able to determine the date that has been scratched off from the layout of the remaining dates of the calendar.

The illustrated label is intended for food packaging and accordingly it is should preferably be made small.

Furthermore, there is Httle need to include t.he calendar year as foodstuffs are seldom stored for such long periods.

For other applications, however, the calendar year would need to be included and the size and shape of the label may need to be chosen to suit the objects on which it is to be placed.

For example, in office applications, a dating label may be shaped to fit on to the spine of files and folders so that the date may be seen without the need to remove a file from its cabinet. Also for this application, it may be desirable for the dates revealed after the scratch layer has been removed to be printed in different colours, so that all files marked for action at a particular time can be identified readily by scanning the shelves of the cabinet.

Claims

1. A method of marking a date on an object which comprises providing on the object a scratch layer that can be removed by rubbing, the scratch layer bearing a visible printed image displaying date markings, and rubbing off at least one region of the scratch layer to select a date.

2. A label for marking a date on an object, comprising a substrate having on one side an adhesive coating to enable the label to be attached to an object and on its opposite side a scratch layer that can be removed by rubbing, the scratch layer supporting a visible printed layer which includes date markings.

3. A label as claimed in claim 2, wherein the scratch layer is opaque and the surface of the substrate beneath the scratch layer is printed with date markings which are aligned with but visually distinguishable from the date markings of the visible printed layer.

4. A label as claimed in claim 3, wherein the date markings printed directly onto the substrate are printed in colours that differ from one another, so as to enable different selected and displayed dates to be distinguished from one another by their colour.

5. A label substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.