Clean/biohazard transportation identification tag

Abstract

A tag for positioning on containers for carrying item(s). The tag includes a base layer having a second status identifier that comprises a status identification symbol. The tag also includes a front layer having a top portion and a bottom portion and a removable tab connecting the top portion and the bottom portion. The bottom portion and the top portion are secured to the base layer. When the front layer is secured to the base layer, the front layer covers the second status identifier. The removable tab includes a first status identifier that is visible when the tab is retained to the front layer and, when the tab is removed, the second status identifier is visible.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tag for positioning on containers for carrying item(s), the tag comprising:
 a base layer having a second status identifier that comprises a status identification symbol wherein the base layer has a second length and a second width; and 
 a front layer having a first width and a first length, the front layer having a top portion and a bottom portion and a removable tab connecting the top portion and the bottom portion, the bottom portion and the top portion are secured to the base layer, wherein when the front layer is secured to the base layer, the removable tab covers the second status identifier, wherein the removable tab includes a first status identifier that is visible when the tab is retained to the front layer and wherein when the removable tab is removed the second status identifier is visible wherein the first width of the front layer is less than the second width along substantially all of the second length of the base layer and wherein the second length of the base layer is substantially the same as the first length of the front layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The tag of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer has a front surface and a back surface, and wherein the front layer is secured to the front surface of the base layer, and wherein a portion of the front surface of the base layer is visible when the front layer having the first width is secured to the front surface of the base layer having the second width. 
     
     
       3. The tag of  claim 2 , wherein the portion of the front surface of the base layer that is visible comprises a sequence identifier for removing the removable tab. 
     
     
       4. The tag of  claim 1 , wherein the removable tab is defined by an upper perforated line, across the first width of the front layer and located at a first connection junction between the removable tab and the top portion of the front layer, and a lower perforated line across the width of the front layer and located at a second connection junction between the removable tab and the bottom portion of the front layer. 
     
     
       5. The tag of  claim 4 , wherein the removable tab comprises a pull-up flap located on a side of the removable tab between the upper perforated line and the lower perforated line. 
     
     
       6. The tag of  claim 5 , wherein the pull-up flap is substantially semi-circular or semi-elliptical in shape. 
     
     
       7. The tag of  claim 1 , wherein both the first status identifier and the second status identifier are related to a cleanliness of the item(s). 
     
     
       8. The tag of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first status identifier and the second status identifier comprises at least one of a word identifier related to the cleanliness of the items or a color identifier related to the cleanliness of the items, and wherein the status identification symbol is an identifier for a bio-hazardous material. 
     
     
       9. The tag of  claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer removably secured to the base layer. 
     
     
       10. The tag of  claim 1 , further comprising a tag-reordering-information portion removably attached to at least one of the base layer or the front layer. 
     
     
       11. A tag for positioning on containers for carrying item(s), the tag comprising:
 a base layer comprising a front surface and a back surface, the front surface having at least one of a first status identifier or a second status identifier, and the back surface having a first portion that is coated with an adhesive and a second portion that is not coated with the adhesive, such that only the first portion of the back surface is securable to other surfaces wherein the base layer has a second length and a second width; and 
 a front layer having a first length and a first width, the front layer comprising a tab configured to be secured over the base layer, wherein when the tab is secured over the base layer, the tab covers one of the first status identifier or the second status identifier, and wherein the other one of the first status identifier or the second status identifier is visible wherein the tab comprises a pull-up flap located on a side of the tab wherein the flap has a first edge and a second edge and having an arcuate configuration extending from the first edge to the second edge wherein the first width of the front layer is less than the second width along substantially all of the second length of the base layer and wherein the first length of the front layer and the second length of the base layer are substantially the same. 
 
     
     
       12. The tag of  claim 11 , wherein the other one of the first status identifier or the second status identifier that is visible is included on the tab, and wherein the tab is removable to expose the covered one of the first status identifier or the second status identifier. 
     
     
       13. The tag of  claim 11 , wherein both the first status identifier and the second status identifier are included on the base layer, and wherein the tab is movable between a first position in which the tab covers only the first status identifier and a second position in which the tab covers only the second status identifier. 
     
     
       14. A method of forming a tag for positioning on containers for carrying items(s), the method comprising:
 providing a base layer having a second status identifier that comprises a status identification symbol wherein the base layer has a second length and a second width 
 providing a front layer having a first length and a first width, the front layer having a top portion and a bottom portion and a removable tab connecting the top portion and the bottom portion, wherein the removable tab comprises a first status identifier wherein the first width of the front layer is less than the second width along substantially all of the second length of the base layer, and wherein the second length of the base layer is substantially the same as the first length of the front layer; and 
 securing the top portion and the bottom portion of the front layer to the base layer in a position in which the removable tab covers the second status identifier and the first status identifier is visible when the tab is retained to the front layer, and wherein when the tab is removed by gripping an arcuate flap extending from the tab such that the second status identifier is visible. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising shaping a portion of the removable tab into a pull-up flap. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising removably securing a backing layer to the base layer. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first status identifier and the second status identifier comprises at least one of a word identifier related to the cleanliness of the items or a color identifier related to the cleanliness of the items, and wherein the status identification symbol is an identifier for a bio-hazardous material. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein when the top portion and the bottom portion of the front layer are secured to the base layer in the position in which the removable tab covers the second status identifier, a portion of a front surface of the base layer is visible, and wherein the portion of the front surface of the base layer that is visible comprises a sequence identifier for removing the tab. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the base layer is a permanent base layer that is cleanable. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 28 and further comprising:
 securing the multi-layer label to the transportation cart or hand-held container, wherein the multi-layer label comprises:
 the base layer having the second status identifier that is the bio-hazardous material indicator on a first surface and a pressure sensitive adhesive on a second surface thereof, and 
 the top layer secured to the first surface of the base layer and covering the bio-hazardous material indicator, the top layer having the first status identifier thereon that is the non-bio-hazardous material indicator such that the non-bio-hazardous material indicator is visible on the cart or container.  
   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20, wherein removing the top layer comprises separating the top layer from the base layer via a pull-up flap located on a side of the top layer.  
     
     
       22. The method of claim 20, wherein a portion of the front surface of the base layer is visible when the top layer is secured to the front surface of the base layer.  
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, wherein the portion of the front surface of the base layer that is visible comprises a sequence identifier for removing the top layer.  
     
     
       24. The method of claim 20, wherein the top layer comprises a removable tab defined by an upper perforated line, across a width of the front layer and located at a first connection junction between the removable tab and a top portion of the top layer, and a lower perforated line across the width of the top layer and located at a second connection junction between the removable tab and a bottom portion of the top layer.  
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24, wherein a pull-up flap is located on a side of the removable tab between the upper perforated line and the lower perforated line.  
     
     
       26. The method of claim 20, further comprising removing a backing layer secured to the base layer to expose the pressure sensitive adhesive for securing the label to the surface of the cart or container.  
     
     
       27. The method of claim 20, further comprising a tag-reordering-information portion removably attached to at least one of the base layer or the top layer.  
     
     
       28. A method of updating a bio-hazardous status of a transportation cart or a hand-held container for bio-hazardous contents identification in a medical clinic or hospital, the method comprising:
 updating the status identification from a first status identification that is a non-bio-hazardous status indicator to a second status identification that is a bio-hazardous status indicator after bio-hazardous materials have been placed in the cart or container by removing a top layer having the non-bio-hazardous status indicator thereon, from a base layer of a multi-layer label wherein prior to removing the top layer, the top layer covers the bio-hazardous status indicator displayed on a front surface of the base layer of the multi-layer label and wherein removing the top layer makes visible the bio-hazardous status indicator.    
     
     
       29. The method of claim 28, wherein each of the first status identifier and the second status identifier comprises at least one of a word identifier related to the cleanliness of the items or a color identifier related to the cleanliness of the items, and wherein the status identification symbol is an identifier for a bio-hazardous material.  
     
     
       30. The method of claim 28, and further comprising removing a backing layer secured to the base layer to expose a pressure sensitive adhesive for securely applying the label to the cart or container.