Baggage Tag-and-check Device For Airlines And The Like

Abstract

A two-ply tag-and-check device for passenger's baggage delivered to an airline before boarding and to be claimed by the passenger on arrival at his destination, comprising a relatively long baggage-tag portion constituting one of the two plies thereof and a relatively short claim-check portion constituting the other ply thereof and covering and peelably adhered to an area of the baggage-tag portion at or near one end thereof by means of the below-mentioned two sets of juxtaposed adhesive and release coatings on facing and registering areas of the baggage-tag and claim-check, respectively. Such juxtaposed adhesive coatings and release coatings maintain the baggage-tag portion and the claim-check portion in assembled relation to each other prior to the ultimate use of the device. The major portion of the claim-check-covered area of the baggage-tag portion is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a minor portion of said area is coated with a release-coating, as for instance a silicone coating. The area of the claim-check juxtaposed to and covering the adhesive-coated area of the baggage-tag portion is coated with a release-coating, through which such area of the claim-check is peelably adhered to the adhesive-coated area of the baggage-tag. The area of the claim-check juxtaposed to and covering the release-coated area of the tag is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive through which such area of the claim-check is peelably adhered to the release-coated area of the baggage-tag. The outer face of the baggage-tag portion has imprinted thereon the name or symbol of the airline and the name or symbol of the destination of the baggage and the routing information (if not a through-flight) and a baggage-identifying number and the word "flight" with an adjoining delineated area for writing in the flight-number. The outer face of the claim-check portion has corresponding imprinting thereon. After the claim-check portion has been peeled from the baggage-tag portion it is adhered to the passenger's ticket-envelope or folder by means of the pressure-sensitive adhesive-coating on the minor portion of the face thereof opposite its imprinted face, and the baggage-tag portion is looped around the handle of the baggage with the imprinted side thereof facing outwardly and the two ends thereof are adhered to each other by the pressure-sensitive adhesive-coating covering the aforementioned end area thereof.

Description

THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND THE PRIOR-ART

The present invention is in the field of tag-and-check devices for use by airlines and the like in tagging baggage which is checked with the airline and providing a corresponding claim-check to be attached to the passenger's ticket envelope or folder.

The nearest prior-art is believed to be represented by British Pat. Nos. 1,068,891 and 1,071,871 and German Gebrauchsmuster No. 6,930,480, which disclose tag-and-check devices for airline baggage which consist of a relatively long baggage-tag portion and a relatively short claim-check portion variously connected with or attached or assembled to each other and to be detached from each other just prior to use, whereupon the baggage-tag portion is adapted to be looped around the handle of the baggage and to have its ends adhesively secured to each other and the claim-check portion to be stapled or adhesively secured to the passenger's ticket-envelope or ticket-folder. The tag-and-check devices of these prior patents differ however from the tag-and-check device of the present invention as pointed out in the following summary of the disclosures thereof and as indicated in the claims hereof.

In the tag-and-check device of British Pat. No. 1.071,871 the baggage-tag portion and the claim-check portion are formed integrally with and in end-to-end continuation of each other, with a score-line or a line of perforations therebetween; along which line the claim-check is to be torn from the baggage-tag. The unprinted side of the claim-check portion and an adjacent terminal area of the unprinted side of the baggage-tag portion are coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. A release-surfaced adhesive-protecting throw-away "liner" sheet of paper or the like covers and is peelably adhered to the two adjacent adhesive-coated surfaces of the claim-check portion and of the baggage-tag portion, so that these two adhesive-coatings will not adhere to anything until the throw-away "liner" has been peeled therefrom.

British Pat. No. 1,068,891 discloses, in FIGS. 1 & 2 thereof, a tag-and-check device in which a terminal area of the baggage-tag is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and a release-surfaced piece of paper or card-like material, constituting a "liner" and having an area the same as and co-extensive with the adhesive-coated area of the baggage-tag, covers and is peelably adhered to such adhesive-coated area of the baggage-tag; with the claim-number and other needed checking information imprinted on the outer face of such liner-sheet so as to make it useable as a claim-check. However, such claim-check has no pressure-sensitive adhesive on it, so that it cannot be quickly attached to the ticket envelope or folder, and must be stapled thereto. FIG. 3 of this British patent discloses another tag-and-check device in which a terminal area of the baggage-tag is likewise coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and there is a pressure-sensitive adhesive-coating over the entire facing surface of the claim-check which is the same size as and is co-extensive with the adhesive-coated area of the baggage-tag. A double-faced liner-sheet (coated on both sides thereof with a release-coating) is formed integrally with and in end-to-end continuation of the claim-check and is folded back upon the claim-check so that it is sandwiched between the adhesive-coating of the baggage-tag portion and the adhesive-coating covering the entire facing side of the claim-check portion. This patent also mentions two modifications of the device shown in FIGS. 1 & 2 thereof, which modifications are however not illustrated by any drawing. In one of these modifications the claim-check constituting liner-sheet has a small extension at one end thereof devoid of release-coating and extending beyond the adhesive-coated area of the tag, and such extension is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and the such adhesive-coated extension is folded-back upon the claim-check and into contact with the release-coated face thereof. Such folded-back adhesive-coated extension must be peeled and unfolded from the rest of the claim-check after the claim-check as a whole has been peeled from the baggage-tag. In the other unillustrated modification suggested by this patent, a small extension of the claim-check (which small extension is devoid of release-coating) extends over a portion of the tag which is devoid of pressure-sensitive adhesive and is permanently glued thereto, whereby the claim-check is permanently affixed to the baggage-tag so that if the release-coated adhesive-protective strip constituting the claim-check is prematurely peeled back, in error, it can be replaced on the baggage-tag without detriment prior to final severance therefrom. In this modification the claim-check must be torn from its extension which is permanently glued to the tag.

German Gebrauchsmuster No. 6,930,480 discloses a tag-and-check device in which an adhesive-protecting liner, such as glassine paper, is sandwiched between the facing adhesive-coated areas of the baggage-tag portion and of the claim-check portion.

The provision of a separate adhesive-protecting liner-sheet as in British Pat. No. 1,071,871 and in FIG. 3 of British Pat. No. 1,068,891 and as in Gebrauchsmuster No. 6,930,480 substantially increases the cost of the tag-and-check device, and where such liner is one which is thrown away (as in British Pat. No. 1,071,871 and in the Gebrauchsmuster) the device is conducive to undesirable and potentially hazardous litter. Where a double-faced liner is a folded-back appendage of the claim-check portion as in FIG. 3 of British Pat. No. 1,068,891 it is not only costly but also cumbersome both in the resultant necessary double peeling and also when such liner-sheet becomes a free flap extending from the claim-check after the latter has been adhesively attached to the ticket envelope or folder. Where a small adhesive-coated terminal extension of the otherwise release-coated claim-check is folded back upon the claim-check into contact with the release-coating thereof, the added and awkward operation of unfolding the in-turned and adhered adhesive-coated extension mitigates against the all-important speed of checking the passenger's baggage and attaching his claim-checks to his ticket envelope or folder by cognizant airline personnel at the check-in counter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention obviates the aforementioned disadvantages of the tag-and-check devices of the prior-art by eliminating the liner-sheet and by coating a very small part of the area of the unprinted side of the claim-check portion of the device with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and coating the major part of such area (adjacent to such minor adhesive-coated area thereof) with a release-coating such as silicone coating, and coating an end-area of the baggage-tag portion in juxtaposition to and registration with the release-coated area of the claim-check with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and coating an adjacent portion of the baggage-tag in juxtaposition to and registration with the adhesive-coated area of the claim-check with a release-coating, so that when the small adhesive-coated area of the claim-check is pressed against the small registering release-coated area of the baggage-tag and the large release-coated area of the claim-check is pressed against the large registering adhesive-coated area of the baggage-tag, the claim-check and the baggage-tag are peelably adhered and detachably assembled to each other, and so that when the claim-check is peeled away from the baggage-tag its small adhesive-coated end-area can be pressed against and so adhered to the ticket envelope or folder thereby securing the claim-check to such envelope or folder without the aid of any stapler or other extraneous device and so that the baggage-tag can then be looped around the handle of the baggage and have its ends secured to each other by pressing the two ends together with the adhesive-coating on one end thereof facing its other end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a tag-and-check device embodying the present invention, with the claim-check portion thereof on top and the baggage-tag portion underneath and with the thicknesses of the two sheets of tag-stock paper and with the thicknesses of the juxtaposed adhesive and release coatings necessarily exaggerated for the sake of clearer illustration.

FIG. 2 represents a similar perspective view of the tag-and-check device of the present invention, but with the baggage-tag portion thereof on top and the claim-check portion thereof underneath.

FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of the claim-check portion alone, with its adhesive and release coated side facing upwardly.

FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of the baggage-tag portion alone, with its adhesive and release coated side facing upwardly.

FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a suitcase or other item of baggage, with the baggage-tag portion looped around the handle thereof and with the ends of such baggage-tag portion adhesively secured to each other.

FIG. 6 represents a perspective view of a ticket folder or envelope, to the cover or flap of which the small adhesive-coated end of the claim-check portion has been secured.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION ILLUSTRATED IN THE DRAWINGS

The baggage-tag portion 2 and the claim-check portion 1 are each about one inch wide, more or less. The baggage-tag portion 2 is about eight or eight and a half inches long, more or less, and the claim-check portion 1 is about three or three and a half inches long, more or less. The baggage-tag portion 2 is preferably formed of suitable tag-stock or the like, of suitable strength and tear-resistance, and its thickness is of the general order of 0.0075 inch (more or less). The claim-check portion 1 is preferably formed of the same stock as that of which the baggage check portion 2 is formed.

The major area 3 of the unprinted inner face of the claim-check 1 is zone-coated with a release-coating 3, and a minor area thereof is zone-coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive-coating 4, as indicated in FIG. 3. Such minor portion 4 need only be about a one-fourth inch to one-half inch wide (more or less), measured in a direction longitudinal of the tag-and-check device. The area 5 of the baggage-tag portion 2 which faces and is generally co-extensive and in registration with the adhesive-coated area 4 of the claim-check portion 1 is zone-coated with a release coating 5 of a suitable release-material such as silicone or the like, while the area 6 thereof facing and generally co-extensive and in registration with the release-coated area 3 of the claim-check portion 1 is zone coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive 6, as indicated in FIG. 4. The release-coated area of each sheet (1 & 2) fully covers all the adhesive-coated area of the other sheet.

The release-coating 3 is zone-coated onto the area 3 of the claim-check portion 1, and the release-coating 5 is zone-coated onto the baggage-tag portion 2. Thereafter, two separate and spaced-apart zone-coatings of pressure-sensitive adhesive are simultaneously applied either to the baggage-tag portion or to the claim-check portion; with the spacing between such two adhesive-coatings being of the general order of one-eighth inch (more or less). One of these two adhesive-coatings is of a width (longitudinal of the claim-check or longitudinal of the baggage-tag) the same as or slightly less than the width of the release-coating 3 on the tag-check portion and is in general registration with such release-coating, while the other of these two adhesive-coating is of a width the same as or slightly less than the release-coating 5 on the baggage-tag 2, and is in general registration with such release-coating. Thereafter, the claim-check portion 1 and the baggage-tag portion 2 are pressed together, with the release-coating 3 of the claim-check in registration with and fully covering the adhesive-coating 6 of the baggage-tag 2 and with the release-coating 5 of the baggage-tag 2 in registration with and fully covering the adhesive-coating 4 of the claim-check 1.

The adhesive-coating 6 in juxtaposition to the release-coating 3 will adhere to the baggage-tag 2 and the adhesive-coating 4 in juxtaposition to the release-coating 5 will adhere to the claim-check 1 when the latter is separated or peeled from the baggage-tag, and there is a gap of one-eighth inch (more or less) between the release-coating 3 and the adhesive-coating 4 of claim-check 1, on the one hand, and between the release-coating 5 and the adhesive-coating 6 on the baggage-tag 2, on the other hand, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The foregoing is in contrast to first coating non-registering off-set areas of each of the two sheets with release material and thereafter applying a single continuous coating or film of pressure-sensitive adhesive to one of the sheets, covering the release-coated area thereof and also covering the uncoated area thereof which is in registration with the release-coated area of the other sheet, and thereafter pressing the two sheets together so that the portion of such continuous adhesive film which has been applied over the release-coated area of the adhesive-coated sheet will adhere to the other sheet in the uncoated area thereof adjacent to the release-coated area thereof. In such contrasting construction the continuous film of adhesive must be ripped apart along a line or zone between the two off-set release-coated areas of the two sheets when the two sheets are peeled apart for use.

By first applying off-set release-coatings to the two sheets and thereafter applying two separate and spaced-apart adhesive-coatings to one of the sheets, with one of said coatings being of a width the same as or slightly less than the width of the juxtaposed release-coating on the other sheet and with the other adhesive-coating being of the width the same as or slightly less than the width of the juxtaposed release-coating on the sheet to which the adhesive-coating is applied, the disadvantage of having to rip apart a continuous adhesive film when peeling the sheets from each other (as in the aforementioned contrasting construction) is obviated.

The aforementioned silicone or other release-coatings 3 and 5 may be of a thickness of the general order of 0.0005 inch to 0.0007 inch (more or less), and the thickness of the adhesive-coatings 4 and 6 may be of the general order of 0.0010 inch (more or less), although the release-coatings 3 and 5 may be generally of the same thickness as that of the adhesive-coatings 4 and 6.

The adhesive-coating 6 on the baggage-tag portion 2 is preferably of a more or less permanent type. The adhesive-coating 4 on the claim-check portion 1 may be the same as the adhesive-coating 6 on the baggage-tag portion 2. However, the adhesive-coating 4 may be slightly less adherent, so that it may be removable from the ticket-envelope or ticket-folder by pulling it with sufficient force, but with a force generally greater than that required to peel the claim-check portion 1 from the baggage-tag portion 2.

Although in the accompanying drawings the small release-coated area 5 of the baggage-tag portion 2 is shown as being at or near the end thereof and the large adhesive-coated portion 6 thereof is shown as being inwardly from area 5 thereof, the location of these two coated areas 5 and 6 may be reversed so that the large adhesive-coated area 6 terminates at or near the end of the tag portion 2, with the small release-coated area 5 thereof disposed inwardly of the inner end of the adhesive-coated area 6 thereof. In such case, the small adhesive-coated area 4 of the claim-check 1 will be adjacent the inner end thereof and the large release-coated area 3 thereof will be disposed outwardly thereof and will terminate generally at the outer end of the claim-check.

A short terminal portion of the claim-check 1 and the corresponding juxtaposed portion of the baggage-tag may be left entirely uncoated, so as to provide a peel-tab which can be more readily grasped when it is desired to peel the claim-check 1 from baggage-tag 2.

Claims

Having illustrated and described an embodiment of the invention, the following is claimed:

1. A tag-and-check device for identifying and checking baggage, said device including a baggage-tag portion and a claim-check portion superimposed on and covering an area of the baggage-tag portion, said baggage-tag portion and claim-check portion being peelably adhered and detachably assembled to each other by the below-mentioned two sets of juxtaposed co-operating adhesive-surfaced and release-surfaced areas thereof, a portion of the claim-check-covered area of the baggage-tag portion having a pressure-sensitive-adhesive surface and another portion of the claim-check-covered area thereof having a release surface, and the area of the claim-check portion which is juxtaposed to and in general registration with the adhesive-surfaced area of the baggage-check portion having a release-surface and the area of the claim-check portion which is juxtaposed to and in general registration with the release-surfaced area of the baggage-tag portion having a pressure-sensitive-adhesive surface, whereby the claim-check portion and the baggage-tag portion are releasably adhered and detachably assembled to each other and whereby the aforementioned adhesive-surfaced area of the baggage-tag portion is adapted to secure the two ends thereof to each other after the baggage-tag portion has been looped around the handle of the baggage and whereby the aforementioned adhesive-surfaced area of the claim-check portion is adapted to secure the claim-check to the ticket envelope, folder or the like.

2. A tag-and-check device according to claim 1, in which the adhesive-surfaced portion of the claim-check-covered area of the baggage-tag portion of the device is a major portion of such area and in which the release-surfaced portion of the claim-check covered area of the baggage-tag portion of the device is a minor portion of such area.

3. A tag-and-check device according to claim 1, in which there is a significant clearance gap therebetween the adhesive-coated area and the release-coated area of the claim-check portion and in which there is a significant clearance gap between the adhesive-coated area and the release-coated area of the baggage-tag portion.

4. A tag-and-check device according to claim 1, in which the outer face of the baggage-tag portion has imprinted thereon the name or symbol of the airline or other transportation medium and a baggage-identifying number and the name or symbol of the destination and a word like "flight" adjacent a write-in area in which the flight-number or the like is adapted to be written in, and in which the outer face of the claim-check portion has imprinted thereon the name or symbol of the airline or other transportation medium and a corresponding baggage-identifying number.

5. A tag-and-check device for tagging and checking baggage, said device including a relatively long baggage-tag portion and a relatively short claim-check portion superimposed upon and covering an end-area of the baggage-tag portion, said baggage-tag portion being peelably adhered and detachably assembled to each other by the two below-mentioned two sets of juxtaposed co-operating adhesive-surfaced and release-surfaced areas thereof, a pressure-sensitive-adhesive coating on a portion of the claim-check-covered area of the baggage-tag portion and a release coating on another portion of the claim-check-covered area thereof, and a release coating on the area of the claim-check portion which is juxtaposed to and in general registration with the adhesive-coated area the baggage-tag portion and a pressure-sensitive-adhesive coating on the area of the claim-check portion which is juxtaposed to and in general registration with the release-coated area of the baggage-tag portion, whereby the claim-check portion and the baggage-tag portion are releasably adhered and detachably assembled to each other and whereby the aforementioned adhesive coating on the baggage-tag portion is adapted to secure the two ends thereof to each other after the baggage-tag portion has been looped around the handle of the baggage and whereby the aforementioned adhesive coating on the claim-check portion is adapted to secure the claim-check to the ticket-envelope, ticket-folder or the like.

6. A tag-and-check device according to claim 5, in which the adhesive-surfaced portion of the claim-check-covered area of the baggage-tag portion of the device is a major portion of such area and in which the release-surfaced portion of the claim-check-covered area of the baggage-tag portion of the device is a minor portion of such area.

7. A tag-and-check device according to claim 6, in which the outer face of the baggage-tag portion has imprinted thereon the name or symbol of the airline or other transportation medium and a baggage-identifying number and the name or symbol of the destination and a word like "flight" adjacent a write-in area in which the flight-number or the like is adapted to be written in, and in which the outer face of the claim-check portion has imprinted thereon the name or symbol of the airline or other transportation medium and a corresponding baggage-identifying number.

8. A tag-and-check device according to claim 5, in which there is a significant clearance gap between the adhesive-coated area and the release-coated area of the claim-check portion and in which there is a significant clearance gap between the adhesive-coated area and the release-coated area of the baggage-tag portion.

9. A tag-and-check device according to claim 5, in which the outer face of the baggage-tag portion has imprinted thereon the name or symbol of the airline or other transportation medium and a baggage-identifying number and the name or symbol of the destination and a word like "flight" adjacent a write-in area in which the flight number or the like is adapted to be written in, and in which the outer face of the claim-check portion has imprinted thereon the name or symbol of the airline or other transportation medium and a corresponding baggage-identifying number.