GB2249773A - Method of and means for identifying items such as luggage - Google Patents

Abstract

A means for identifying personal items such as luggage comprises sheet members (10) with a distinctive outer peripheral profile and colour. The member or members is pre-selected by a user from a kit-of-parts with several groups of members (10) with different shapes but all with the same colour. The chosen member (10) is applied to the item of luggage and fixed with a contact adhesive. The user then keeps a counterpart or replica of the chosen member (10) for proof of ownership and identification. <IMAGE>

Description

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR IDENTIFYING ITEMS SUCH AS LUGGAGE The present invention relates to a method of and means for identifying items such as personal luggage, parcels, envelopes and packages, footware and clothing.

In connection with luggage, for example, it is often a problem at airports and at bus and railway stations to identify personal luggage since many suitcases and bags are similar or identical in appearance. Similarly with children and adults clothes, footware and sportswear.

Although labels, belts and tags of various kinds are usually employed to enable an owner to identify his luggage these measures are not particularly effective and identification still often requires a close visual inspection as a final check. In these days where security checks and regulations impose added disciplines it is sometimes incumbent on a traveller to identify his own luggage quickly to the satisfaction of security personnel.

There is a need for a simple way in which such items as a person's personal luggage can be distinguished from others.

One known attempt at providing a method for marking luggage in particular is disclosed in US Patent 4180284.

This method involves a traveller purchasing a kit which includes a rectangular tag with an adhesive coating which is fixed to a piece of luggage. The tag has on its outer face a visible region with a selected geometric shape, an alphanumeric character and a colour. From a distance such a tag is simply seen as a rectangular label and it is quite easy to confuse one tag with another.

An object of the invention is to prove an improve method and means for identification of items such as personal luggage.

In one aspect of the invention there is provided identification means comprising one or more sheet members fixed to a surface of the item to be identified as is known per se, but each sheet member has a distinctive outer edge or peripheral profile providing a recognizable shape and a distinctive surface colour or pattern which combine to form an emblem or part of an emblem. This emblem can be of reasonable size so as to provide visual recognition at some distance. The shape defined by the sheet member profile can represent familiar articles such as trees, birds, animals , tools, utensils or more abstract designs. The sizes or proportions of the shapes of the sheet members may assist in distinguishing one from another. It is generally preferred not to have very simple regular shapes since these may not be distinctive on their own.Nevertheless, simple regular shapes can be used in combination to form a more distinctive appearance e.g. triangles with circles or annuli. Conveniently the members are fixed to the items with the aid of contact adhesive. The members may be made from a paper or plastics material or composites thereof with contact adhesive and a tear-off backing sheet on the rear face.

Essentially, the member or members would be selected by a user from a plurality of members forming a kit-ofparts. The kit-of-parts may comprise members with the same colour or surface pattern and sub-divided into groups of members with the same shape. The choice offered by each kit-of-parts offered to a customer could be unique or as near unique as feasible. It is preferable to have the kit-of-parts further comprise a record card onto which a user can place a replica or counterpart of the selected member or members.

Unlike simple luggage tags or labels the sheet members forming the identifying means of the invention can be viewed and easily recognized at a considerable distance to enable someone to verify more quickly that an item which looks overall familiar is indeed his own.

The sheet members, also usable on items other than luggage, enable a user to personalise his possessions in a pleasing manner while providing the necessary distinguishing visual features which establish the basis for identification.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 shows an item of luggage carrying several sheet members in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 depicts some examples of possible shapes for members for applying to the item of luggage; Figure 3 shows a record card usable in a kit-ofparts embodying the invention; and Figure 4 shows the record card as a display for groups of members for purchase as the kit-of-parts.

As represented in the drawing, the identifying means in accordance with the invention would be sold as a kitof-parts comprising a plurality of sheet members 10 with the same colour or surface patterns with a contact adhesive backing and composed of family groups of such members each with a distinct shape which is the same. A purchaser would then chose from the groups one or more members 10 for fixing to his own personal items such as piece of luggage 9 (Figure 2). It is envisaged that purchaser would be presented with several kits-of-parts each with particular group of members 10 with different shapes but the same colour. Preferably the kit-of-parts would include a record card 20 (Figure 3) onto which counterparts or replicas 10' of the chosen members 10 are placed.In the context of luggage, any receipts or labels 31 concerning the transfer of the luggage can be kept with the card 20, say in a pocket 25 formed by another flexible sheet 26 fixed to the card 20 and with the replica identification members 10', form a reliable means for verification of luggage ownership.

As shown in Figure 4 the card 20 may be separable e.g. with perforations 38 from a larger display sheet 21 presenting the groups of members 10 in side-by-side rows and/or columns. A selected member 10 can be drawn off from a backing sheet 29 on the front of the display sheet 21 to expose the rear surface with its contact adhesive for application to the item of luggage or some other item. It is envisaged that each kit-of-parts would have two, three or four members 10 with the same shape forming a family group 39 with at least two, three or four different family groups 39. By providing a large number of colours and patterns and shapes in various kits the choice of a person becomes less reproducible or predicable and this provides a measure of safety.For example one traveller departing from an airport might select a kit-of-parts with a number of groups of green members 10 from which he is able to select for that journey one or more shapes say trees and/or bananas. The traveller then affixes to his luggage the particular green member or members he has chosen as his unique emblem for the journey and he puts counterparts of the members which are on his luggage onto the record card 20 so he can show this to security staff or to porters as a means of verification of the identification of his luggage.

Another traveller on the same journey may have an identical item of luggage, say a grey suitcase, made in a particular style by a particular manufacturer.

Outwardly the items of luggage look the same but if one traveller uses members of a particular shape say the trees and bananas it is unlikely the other traveller will also chose green as a colour and other members of the same particular shape. (It is envisaged there will be a number of kits of the same colour but each with a unique or near unique range of shapes available at one time).

The invention thus also provides a method of identifying items such as luggage comprising selecting one or more sheet members with a particular edge profile or peripheral shape and a particular colour or pattern from a range of such members, applying the selected member or members to an item to be identified and keeping a record of the member or members selected and applied.

Claims (7)

1. Means for identifying items, such as items of personal luggage; said means comprising one or more sheet members for fixing to at least one surface of the item to be identified, each sheet member having a distinctive outer edge or peripheral profile providing a recognisable shape and a distinctive surface colour or pattern, the one or more members having been selected by a user from a plurality of members of different shape forming a kit-ofparts.

2. A kit-of-parts for providing sheet members according to Claim 1 and further comprising a record card onto which replicas or counterparts of the one or more selected member are placed.

3. A kit-of-parts according to Claim 2 wherein the sheet members are provided with a contact adhesive for fixing to the item to be identified.

4. A kit-of-parts according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the sheet members are all of the same colour or pattern and other kits-of-parts each have sheet members which are all of the same colour or pattern but different to the members forming the remaining kits-of-parts and wherein sheet members of the kit-of-parts comprise groups of sheet members of different shape with several members in each group with the same shape.

5. A method of identifying items, such as luggage comprising selecting one or more sheet members each with a particular shape defined by its edge or peripheral profile and a particular colour or pattern from a range of such members, applying the selected member or members to the items to be identified and keeping a record of the member or members as applied.

6. A method of or a means for identifying items substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

7. A kit-of-parts for identifying items substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

7. A kit-of-parts or means for identifying items substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. Means for identifying items, such as items of personal luggage; said means comprising one or more sheet members for fixing to at least one surface of the item to be identified, each sheet member having a distinctive outer edge or peripheral profile providing a recognisable shape and a distinctive surface colour or pattern, both of which combine to provide recognisable visual identification on the basis of the intrinsic character of the shape and the colour or pattern without reference to the other qualities, such as numerical values, the one or more members having been selected by a user from a plurality of members of different shape forming a kit-ofparts.

2. A kit-of-parts for providing sheet members according to Claim 1 and further comprising a record card onto which replicas or counterparts of the one or more selected member are placed.

3. A kit-of-parts according to Claim 2 wherein the sheet members are provided with a contact adhesive for fixing to the item to be identified.

4. A kit-of-parts according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the sheet members are all of the same colour or pattern and other kits-of-parts each have sheet members which are all of the same colour or pattern but different to the members forming the remaining kits-of-parts and wherein sheet members of the kit-of-parts comprise groups of sheet members of different shape with several members in each group with the same shape.

5. A method of identifying items, such as luggage comprising selecting for use one or more sheet members each with a particular shape defined by its edge or peripheral profile and a particular colour or pattern from a range of such members which then combine to provide recognisable visual identification on the basis of the intrinsic nature of these characteristics without reference to other qualities, such as numerical values, applying the selected member or members to the item to be identified and keeping a record of the member or members as applied.

6. A method of or a means for identifying items substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.