GB2311762A

GB2311762A - Product labelling readable by the blind

Info

Publication number: GB2311762A
Application number: GB9607003A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Graham Addison; Keith James Flint
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-04-02
Filing date: 1996-04-02
Publication date: 1997-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2016-04-02
Also published as: GB2311762A8; GB2311762B; GB9607003D0

Abstract

A product label 10, which may be an integral part of a product package, or a separate item affixed to a product package, carries both printed product information 12,14 which can be read by sighted people and embossed markings 18 representing product information readable by blind or visually impaired people. The embossed markings 18 are applied to the label by a blind embossing process and include an embossed boundary line 16 and, within the boundary line, embossed product information. The boundary line 16 may be continuous or discontinuous and a circle, triangle or other shape. The embossed markings may be of Braille, letters, numerals or ideograms. The product may be a can or a cigarette packet and the information on the label may include health or hazard warnings.

Description

PRODUCT LABELLING This invention relates to product labelling. Included within the scope of the invention are packages which form both the container for the product and the substrate on which labelling information is printed, as well as preprinted labels for application to packages.

It is a requirement, often a legal requirement, to provide information on the packaging of products about the package contents. This is conventionally done by printing, either directly, on for example, a carton, or indirectly by printing on a label which is then affixed to, for example, a bottle. Types of information which may be provided in this way include nutrition information, safety and/or hazard warnings or directions for use. While such information can be readily presented by well known printing techniques for the benefit of sighted people, it is also necessary for blind or visually impaired people to be given the same information, and for the labelling for imparting information to blind or visually impaired people to be easy and inexpensive to apply.

In this specification, the term 'label' will be used to refer not only to preprinted labels but also to areas of a package which carry information for users of the packaged product. Therefore the term label does not necessarily mean, in the context of this specification, an item separate from a package.

According to the invention, there is provided a product label carrying both printed product information which can be read by sighted people and embossed markings representing product information readable by blind or visually impaired people, wherein the embossed markings are applied to the label by a blind embossing process and include an embossed boundary line and, within the boundary line, embossed product information.

The boundary line may be a circle (conventionally used to give information) or a triangle (conventionally used to convey warnings) or any other shape. The line will preferably be continuous, but may be interrupted over short lengths. For example, the boundary line could be a dotted line.

The embossed markings are preferably positioned on the label independently of the printed markings. Because embossed markings may require more space than printed markings to convey information, the embossed markings preferably extend across a major part of the label.

The embossed product information may be in the form of Braille characters or in the form of letters or numerals or in the form of an ideogram or ideograms.

Embossing is a very well known process. It is carried out by using an embossing die which produces a raised design on the surface being embossed. Embossing can be carried out on a substrate, ie a piece of material in sheet form, in series with other printing operations, as no heat has to be applied, and no waiting time is required as would be needed, for example, in processes involving moulding of plastics.

In blind embossing no ink is placed in the die, and the raised design is not readily visually discernible. This is particularly the case when the surface being embossed is also printed with visually discernible matter, some of which extends across the embossed area. The technique described here therefore allows an embossed 'tactile' marking to be incorporated into a label without seriously affecting or compromising the visual impact of the label on sighted people.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a label according to the invention laid out in flat form; Figure 2 is a section through the label of Figure 1, on the line II-II; Figure 3 shows an example of a cigarette pack incorporating a label in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a can of tomatoes on which is applied a label in accordance with the invention; and Figure 5 is an alternative perspective view of the can of Figure 4.

Figure 1 shows a label 10 which, in use, will be attached to the cylindrical surface of a can. In the Figure however the label is shown before attachment to a can, and in a flat state. The label 10 is printed, using any suitable printing process, with pictures 12 and text 14, in the conventional way. The label is also blind embossed with a circular boundary line 16, and Braille characters 18 within the boundary line. In the Figure, the embossed lines and characters are visible as faint lines. In practice, there will be no colour differences between the embossed lines/characters and the surrounding areas of the label; the embossed lines/characters will only be visible to a sighted person to the extent that they cast shadows. On the other hand a blind or visually impaired person who feels the surface of the label will be unaware of the printed surface but will notice and be able to 'read' or otherwise interpret the embossed information.

It will be noted that the diameter of the circular boundary line 16 is as large as can reasonably be accommodated on the label, and that its size and position is entirely unrelated to the size, position and arrangement of the printed area.

Figure 2 shows in section how the embossed areas are formed by locally distorting a substrate 20 out of its plane.

The substrate 20 which, after printing and embossing, forms the label will normally be paper or card. It should be capable of being embossed in a process running at throughput speeds very similar to those of conventional printing, so that the embossing does not slow up the label production process. The substrate could however be other materials in sheet form capable of being embossed; it may be possible to emboss information in this form directly into the walls or top of a tin can.

Figure 3 shows a warning triangle pattern 22 embossed onto the face of a cigarette packet 24. The triangle contains warning information in tactile form, both as raised letters 26 and as raised Braille characters 28. In this Figure, no printing is shown, but this is merely to allow the embossed line/characters to be seen clearly; in practice, the surface of the pack will be printed in the normal way with pictorial and/or written matter.

Figures 4 and 5 show a tin can with a label 30 wrapped around it in a conventional way. At one part of the label circumference, there is printed information 32. The printed information may go all the way around also. At another part of its circumference, the label has embossed markings in the form of a boundary circle 34, and raised letters 36 within the circle. In this example, the raised information is presented only as raised letters.

Because the raised information is (virtually) invisible to sighted people and the printed information cannot be seen by blind or visually impaired people, the two types of marking can be positioned on the label so that each presents its information in the best possible way, without compromise.

Labels as described here can be used for labelling many different products, particularly those where the product may be hazardous or requires some type of health warning.

Tobacco and alcohol are examples of two such products.

Claims

1. A product label carrying both printed product information which can be read by sighted people and embossed markings representing product information readable by blind or visually impaired people, wherein the embossed markings are applied to the label by a blind embossing process and include an embossed boundary line and, within the boundary line, embossed product information.

2. A label as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the boundary line is a circle.

3. A label as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the boundary line is a triangle.

4. A label as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the line is continuous.

5. A label as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the line is interrupted over short lengths.

6. A label as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the boundary line is a dotted line or a series of dots which together form a geometric shape.

7. A label as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the embossed markings are positioned on the label independently of the printed markings.

8. A label as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the embossed markings extend across a major part of the label.

9. A label as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the embossed product information is in the form of Braille characters or other recognised tactile alphabet.

10. A label as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the embossed product information is in the form of letters or numerals.

11. A label as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the embossed product information is in the form of an ideogram or ideograms.

12. A cigarette packet carrying both printed product information which can be read by sighted people and embossed markings representing product information readable by blind or visually impaired people, wherein the embossed markings are applied to the packet by a blind embossing process and include an embossed boundary line and, within the boundary line, embossed product information.

13. A product label substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.