GB2255958A

GB2255958A - Labelling system for bottles

Info

Publication number: GB2255958A
Application number: GB9211131A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Charles Rawes Jacobs
Original assignee: Solvay Veterinary Ltd
Current assignee: Solvay Veterinary Ltd
Priority date: 1991-05-24
Filing date: 1992-05-26
Publication date: 1992-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 2012-05-26
Also published as: GB9211131D0; GB2255958B

Abstract

A label 1 for a necked container has attachment means 3 consisting of a central hole 7 surrounded by eight radial cuts 8 to define eight resilient tabs 9 between the cuts. The label 1 is attached to a bottle containing a veterinary pharmaceutical by pushing the attachment means 3 on to the neck of the bottle. The resilient tabs 9 flex radially outwardly to allow insertion and then grip the neck so as reliably to secure together the label 1 and the bottle. <IMAGE>

Description

Labellinq System The invention relates to a label for a container and to a method of labelling a container.

It is a common practice among veterinary surgeons to use stick-on labels on bottles containing veterinary products. The veterinary surgeon normally writes information concerning the product, directions for use, dosage and so forth on the label and then sticks it on to the bottle. A problem with this practice is that the stick-on label can sometimes obscure other important information on the bottle. It is a legal requirement to provide a certain amount of information on the bottle but the size of the bottle limits the amount of available space. Moreover, the information written on the label can after a time become difficult to read due to handling of the bottle, particularly if the bottle is exposed to wet conditions which may be the case if the veterinary product is prescribed for a farm animal.

Viewed from one aspect the invention provides a method of labelling a necked container for or containing a veterinary pharmaceutical, the method comprising the steps of putting written information on an information receiving region of the label, and attaching the label to the container by pushing the label on to the neck of the container such that resilient tabs of the label deflect whereby the label is secured on the neck with the neck passing through an opening in the label.

The invention also provides, in combination, a label as defined herein and a necked container for or containing a veterinary pharmaceutical.

With such a labelling system, the label is reliably secured to the container but does not obscure other information on the container. Furthermore, the label can be relatively large as compared to the size of the container so as to provide ample space for the written information. Handling of the container itself does not cause wear to the label so that the information on the label remains legible for an extended period of time.

The labelling system is useful for labelling bottles, vials or other necked containers containing veterinary pharmaceuticals, in particular prescription only medicines. The label can be pushed over the neck of the container such that the resilient tabs engage beneath a widened portion provided on the neck, so that the label is held securely in position. Such a widened portion will cause the deflection of the resilient tabs as the label is pushed on to the neck of the container, and once the label has passed the widened portion the tabs move to a less deflected or undeflected condition.

Such a widened portion may for example be a circumferential flange provided on the neck below a threaded portion for receiving a lid, but preferably the widened portion is formed by a metal crimp which encloses the top of the container and holds in place a bung of e.g. rubber.

The label is preferably cut to form the resilient tabs. The cutting may be effected by a suitably shaped punch, so that the resilient tabs are formed by punching.

The label may be formed in various ways to form the tabs, for example in the shape of an "H" to form two tabs, but preferably a plurality of radially extending slots are formed. Such slots will normally be equiangularly spaced. Thus there may be three slots each at 1200 to the adjacent slots, four slots each at 90" to the adjacent slots, five slots each at 72" to the adjacent slots etc. In a preferred embodiment there are eight slots each at 45 to the adjacent slots and forming eight tabs.

The size of the tabs and/or the length of the slots will normally depend on the size of the neck on to which the label is to be pushed. In general, the tabs must be able to flex sufficiently for the label to pass the widened portion on to the neck.

The opening through which the neck of the container passes may be formed only when the label is pushed on to the neck to deflect the resilient tabs. In a preferred embodiment, however, the attachment means is formed with a central hole and the resilient tabs are arranged about the periphery of the hole. This assists pushing of the label on to the container and the tabs themselves do not need to be too large in the radial direction.

Preferably the resilient tabs are circumferentially adjacent to each other and are separated by radial slots, the resilient tabs having, in the circumferential direction, a greater width than the width of the radial slots. With such an arrangement, the relatively large width of the resilient tabs enables them to resist deflection to the extent that once the label is secured on a container it can be lifted up and carried by the label. This may not be the case if relatively small tabs were provided, when there would be a risk that if handled in this way the container would slip out of the attachment means and fall, with the likelihood of breakage.

Thus, viewed from another aspect, the invention provides a label having a region for receiving written information and means for attaching the label to a container having a neck, the attachment means comprising a central hole and resilient tabs arranged about the periphery of the hole so as to deflect when the label is pushed on to the neck of the container, whereby the label is secured on the neck with the neck passing through the central hole in the label, the resilient tabs being arranged circumferentially adjacent to each other and separated by radial slots, and the resilient tabs having, in the circumferential direction, a greater width than the width of the radial slots.

In this arrangement it is again preferred for the attachment means to be formed by cutting, so that the radial slots are radial cuts. The attachment means may be formed by a punch which simultaneously punches the central hole and the radial cuts.

The central hole is preferably circular and its diameter will depend on the size of the container neck.

The arrangement may be such that once the resilient tabs have passed the widened portion they return to an undeflected condition or alternatively they move to a less deflected condition in which they exert a radially inward force on the neck. In one preferred embodiment the hole has a diameter of 5/8 inch (15.9 mm) and is star cut with radial cuts each about 3.5mm in length to provide eight resilient tabs around the hole. This is suitable for a container neck and a widened portion having respective external diameters of 15.5mm and 20mm.

The label is preferably in the form of a substantially flat sheet. It may be made of a durable material such as plastics. Such a material can provide the necessary resilience of the attachment tabs. One preferred material is laminated PVC 0.3mm thick. There may be a region for receiving written information on just one face of the label, but preferably such regions are provided on both faces. The or each region may be formed with a surface which can be written on by a writing implement such as a ball point pen. The write on panel may for example be formed by screening a clear screen ink on top of a laminate. Although the written information may be added by printing, typing or the like, it is expected that the usual method will be for the information to be hand-written. The label may thus be provided with a suitably surfaced panel on one or both sides for receiving written information. The written information may be put on the label after it has been attached to the container, but in general it will be easiest to add the information before attachment. In a preferred embodiment the label is generally elongate and the attachment means is at one end of the label and the or each region for receiving information is at the other end. The label may have a narrow portion where the attachment means is located and a wider portion where the region for receiving written information is provided.

Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a front face of a label according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the rear face of the label; and Figure 3 is a plan view of part of another label according to the invention to a larger scale.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the label 1 has a head portion 2 where attachment means 3 is located and a wider body portion 4 where front and rear panels 5,6 for written information are located. The attachment means consists of a central hole 7 surrounded by eight radial slots in the form of radial cuts 8 evenly distributed about the periphery of the hole to define eight resilient tabs 9 between the cuts.

The front and rear information panels 5,6 are each formed with a surface on which it is easy to write.

Thus if the label as a whole is formed of plastics sheet, as is generally preferred, a special coating may be provided to form the panels 5,6. The label is preprinted with indications of the information required to be put on the panels. This may conveniently be divided into two categories of information, with one category on the rear face of the label and the other category on the front face. Thus one category may be information which can be added before a veterinary surgeon visits the client, such as the name and address of the client and of the veterinary practice, whilst the other category may be information to be added during the visit, such as the name of the product, the identity of the animal for whom the prescription is made, directions for use, dosage and date.

In the second embodiment of Figure 3, the attachment means 3 has a modified arrangement of the radial cuts 8. The cuts 8 taper as they extend radially outwardly from the central hole 7, until they meet a circular end hole 20. As in the first embodiment, the width of the resilient tabs 9 in the circumferential direction is substantially greater than the width of the cuts 8. This applies particularly at the radially outer extent of each cut 8 and end hole 20, giving each tab a considerable circumferential width A at its radially outer region where it tends to deflect during insertion on or removal from a container, as compared to the width B of the end hole 20. For both embodiments, this ensures a secure grip on the container.

In the second embodiment, the total length C of each cut 8 and end hole 20 is 4 mm, the diameter D of the central hole 7 is 16 mm, and the width B of the end hole 20 is 2 mm. The width of each cut 8 at its radially inner end is also width B.

In use, once all the necessary information has been written on the label, it is attached to a bottle containing the relevant product such as a prescription only medicine by pushing the attachment means 3 on to the neck of the bottle. The resilient tabs 9 flex radially outwardly to define an opening large enough for the label to be passed on to the neck past any lid and circumferential flange below the lid. The tabs 9 engage beneath the flange and tend to grip the neck so as to reliably secure the label in position. The information on the label as well as any on the bottle itself can be easily read with the label in this secured position. No other means of attachment is required.

It will thus be seen that by preforming a label with attachment means as described herein, a particularly effective labelling system for necked containers is provided. The system has significant advantages for veterinary surgeons who are required by law to provide a substantial amount of information regarding pharmaceutical products which they prescribe, since the label can give ample space for such information whilst being easy to attach to a container in a reliable manner.

Claims

1. A method of labelling a necked container for or containing a veterinary pharmaceutical, the method comprising the steps of putting written information on an information receiving region of the label, and attaching the label to the container by pushing the label on to the neck of the container such that resilient tabs of the label deflect whereby the label is secured on the neck with the neck passing through an opening in the label.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising forming the attachment means with a central hole with the resilient tabs arranged about the periphery of the hole, the resilient tabs being arranged circumferentially adjacent to each other and separated by radial slots, and the resilient tabs having, in the circumferential direction, a greater width than the width of the radial slots.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, comprising forming the attachment means with eight radial slots each at 45"C to the adjacent slots so as to define eight resilient tabs.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, comprising cutting the label to form the attachment means.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the label is in the form of a substantially flat sheet made of plastics.

6. A label having a region for receiving written information and means for attaching the label to a container having a neck, the attachment means comprising a central hole and resilient tabs arranged about the periphery of the hole so as to deflect when the label is pushed on to the neck of the container, whereby the label is secured on the neck with the neck passing through the central hole in the label, the resilient tabs being arranged circumferentially adjacent to each other and separated by radial slots, and the resilient tabs having, in the circumferential direction, a greater width than the width of the radial slots.

7. A label as claimed in claim 6, wherein the attachment means comprises eight radial slots each at 45"C to the adjacent slots so as to define eight resilient tabs.

8. A label as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the label is cut to form the attachment means.

9. A label as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, in the form of a substantially flat sheet made of plastics.

10. In combination, a label as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, and a necked container for or containing a veterinary pharmaceutical.

11. A method of labelling a necked container for or containing a veterinary pharmaceutical, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A label substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. In combination, a label as claimed in claim 12, and a necked container for or containing a veterinary pharmaceutical.