Tamper-evident label for beverages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12283206-B2
Application number	US-202318167184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2023
Priority date	Nov 16, 2022
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A tamper-evident label for a beverage cup is provided. The label includes a top portion, a bottom portion, and a middle portion defined within a label substrate. A second middle portion corresponding to the middle portion of the label substrate is defined in a liner substrate. Die cuts in the label substrate separate the top and bottom portions from the middle portion. The middle portion and the second middle portion separate together from the label as a single unit along the die cuts while the top portion and the bottom portion remain adhered to sides of the cup. Once the middle portion and the second middle portion are separated from the label, they are not capable of being reattached to the cup, which provides tamper-evident visual evidence of potential tampering with an opening of the cup to a consumer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liner-label combination, comprising:
a label substrate with first die cuts in the label substrate defining a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion, wherein the label substrate includes second die cuts that separate the middle portion from the first portion and the bottom portion;
a liner substrate with third die cuts in the liner substrate defining a liner middle portion that corresponds to and aligned with the middle portion of the tamper-evident label; and
a tab to separate the tamper-evident label with the liner middle portion adhered to the middle portion along the first die cuts and the third die cuts from the label substrate and the liner substrate as a tamper-evident label;
wherein the tamper-evident label adapted to cover an opening of a beverage lid for a beverage cup with the middle portion and the liner middle portion over the beverage lid and the opening and with backsides of the top portion and the bottom portion adhered to sides of the beverage cup;
wherein the middle portion and the liner middle portion adapted to separate as a single unit from the tamper-evident label when attached to the beverage cup along the second die cuts;
wherein the middle portion includes a thermally sensitive image coating for thermally imaging indicia, symbols, or graphics on at least a portion of the middle portion.

2. The tamper-evident label of claim 1 , wherein the tamper-evident label further includes fourth die cuts along a top center corresponding to the middle portion in the label substrate and the liner middle portion in liner substrate.

3. The tamper-evident label of claim 2 , wherein the fourth die cuts define a flap that flares up above a surface of the tamper-evident label when the tamper-evident label is attached to the beverage cup and covers the opening of the beverage lid.

4. The tamper-evident label of claim 3 , wherein the flap when pulled up away from the surface separates the middle portion and the liner middle portion from the tamper-evident label and exposes the opening of the beverage lid.

5. The tamper-evident label of claim 1 , wherein the tamper-evident label is one of a plurality of tamper-evident labels wound in a roll, wherein the roll adapted to be inserted in a printer for imaging at least a portion of a frontside of the label substrate corresponding to the first portion, the middle portion, and the bottom portion.

6. The tamper-evident label of claim 5 , wherein at least the at least a portion of the frontside includes a thermally sensitive ink coating, and the printer is a thermal printer.

7. A tamper-evident label, comprising:
a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion die cut in a label substrate;
a liner middle portion die cut in a liner substrate and aligned with the middle portion of the label substrate;
a first die cut to define a flap made in both the liner substrate and the liner substrate at a top end corresponding to the middle portion and the liner middle portion;
second die cuts in the label substrate that extend from the first die cut to sides of the label substrate; and
a third die cut in the label substrate that separates the bottom portion from the middle portion;
wherein backsides of the top portion, middle portion, and the bottom portion include adhesive;
wherein a front side of the liner substrate includes a release coating in areas that correspond with the backsides associated with the top portion and the bottom portion but not the middle portion;
wherein the tamper-evident label adapted to fit over an opening of a container with the middle portion aligned over the opening and secured by the adhesive of backsides of the top portion and the bottom portion to sides of the container to seal the opening;
wherein the flap is adapted to extend upward when the tamper-evident label is adhered to the container;
wherein the second die cuts and the third die cut are adapted to break away from the tamper-evident label when the flap is pulled upward separating the middle portion and the liner middle portion as a single unit and exposing the opening in the container;
wherein the middle portion includes a thermally sensitive image coating for thermally imaging indicia, symbols, or graphics on at least a portion of the middle portion;
wherein the middle portion and the liner middle portion are bell shaped, including two bell shapes, a first bell shape oriented with a top toward the top portion and a second bell shape oriented with a top toward the bottom portion and bases of the two bell shapes adjoined together.

8. The tamper-evident label of claim 7 , wherein the middle portion and the liner middle portion are wider than the top portion and the bottom portion.

9. The tamper-evident label of claim 7 , wherein the second die cuts taper from ends of first die cut to the sides of the label substrate.

10. The tamper-evident label of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of a frontside of the label substrate for the tamper-evident label includes a thermally sensitive image coating for terminally imaging indicia, symbols, or graphics on the at least a portion.

11. The tamper-evident label of claim 7 further comprising, fourth die cuts in a center corresponding to middle portion and the liner middle portion made through the label substrate and the liner substrate.

12. The tamper-evident label of claim 11 , wherein the fourth die cuts are shaped in an X and adapted to puncture the center of the middle portion and the liner middle portion when a straw is pushed through to the opening of the cup.

13. The tamper-evident label of claim 7 , wherein the third die cut extends in a straight horizontal line across the tamper-evident label to separate the bottom portion from the middle portion within the label substrate.

14. The tamper-evident label of claim 7 , wherein an end of the bottom portion includes a tab die cut in the label substrate to remove the tamper-evident label from a sheet of the label substrate and liner substrate.

15. The tamper-evident label of claim 7 , wherein the adhesive on the backsides of the top portion, middle portion, and bottom portion is deposited in a uniform coating, a pattern coating, or as patches of adhesive.

Assignees

• Iconex Llc

Inventors

• Livingston Timothy Darren
• Lamb Shane

Classifications

• G09F3/0341

  having label sealing means · CPC title

• G09F2003/0272

  Labels for containers · CPC title

• G09F3/0292 Primary

  tamper indicating labels · CPC title