摘要：
Various aspects of the invention provide user-customizable labels on containers. In one particular example, a label is affixed to an exterior surface of a beverage container. The label comprises a base and a customizable field, with a removable opaque layer of material on the customizable field covering at least a portion of the underlying base. In another example, a user may uniquely identify a container by selectively removing portions of such a removable opaque layer to reveal an underlying second layer of material. The selectively removed portions can thus define a user-created indicium that uniquely identifies the container as the user's own.
权利要求：
I/We claim:
1. A customizable container, comprising: a container having an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface defines an interior volume; and a label carried by the container, the label comprising a customizable field having a first layer covering at least a portion of a second layer that is positioned closer to the container than the first layer, the first layer having portions selectively removed to expose the underlying second layer, the selectively removed portions defining a user-created indicium.
2. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the container is a disposable beverage container.
3. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the first layer is a removable opaque material and the second layer is a material more resistant to scratching than the first layer.
4. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the first layer is a first color and the second layer is a second color, and the first color contrasts with the second color.
5. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the second layer has a pattern that forms no discernable text.
6. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the first layer comprises a film stack including a plurality of removable opaque layers with each layer being visually distinguishable from each adjacent layer, and the selectively removed portions of the first layer have varying depths, thereby defining a visibly varied user-created indicium.
7. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the first layer is adapted for selective removal using a fingernail.
8. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the label further comprises a flexible sheet attached to the external surface of the container.
9. The customizable container of claim 1 wherein the first layer comprises a polymer printed on the second layer by silk-screening or UV flexographic printing.
10. A customizable container, comprising: a container; and a customizable label carried by the container, wherein a portion of the label is selectively reconfigurable by a user to uniquely identify the container.
11. The customizable container of claim 10 wherein the container is a disposable beverage container.
12. The customizable container of claim 10 wherein the selectively reconfigurable portion of the label has a first layer overlying a second layer, the first layer being a removable opaque material and the second layer being more resistant to scratching than the first layer.
13. The customizable container of claim 10 wherein the selectively reconfigurable portion of the label has a first layer that is a first color overlying a second layer that is a second color, and the first color contrasts with the second color.
14. The customizable container of claim 10 wherein the second layer has a pattern that forms no discernable text.
15. The customizable container of claim 10 wherein the selectively reconfigurable portion of the label is adapted for removal using a fingernail.
16. A beverage container with indicia for customization, comprising: a container having an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the interior surface defines an interior volume; and a label affixed to the exterior surface of the container, the label comprising a base and a customizable field with a removable opaque material covering at least an underlying portion of the base.
17. The beverage container of claim 16 wherein the removable opaque material is a first color and the base is a second color, and the first color contrasts with the second color.
18. The beverage container of claim 16 wherein the removable opaque material is adapted for selective removal using a fingernail.
19. The beverage container of claim 16 wherein the customizable field comprises a polymer printed on the label by silk-screening or UV flexographic printing.
20. A method for uniquely identifying a container, comprising selectively removing portions of a removable opaque layer of material on a customizable label to reveal an underlying second layer of material, the removed portions defining a user-created indicium.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein selectively removing portions of a removable opaque layer comprises scratching the removable opaque material with a user's fingernail.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein the underlying second layer of material is more scratch-resistant than the removable opaque layer of material.
23. A method for uniquely identifying a container, comprising: affixing a customizable label to a container; shipping the container with the customizable label; and after shipping the container, selectively removing portions of a removable opaque layer of material on the customizable label, defining a user-created indicium.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein selectively removing portions of a removable opaque layer comprises scratching the removable opaque material with a user's fingernail.
25. The method of claim 23 wherein the label is a first label and the container is a first container, further comprising: affixing a second label to a second container; shipping the first and second containers together; and after shipping the first and second containers, selectively removing portions of a removable opaque layer of material on the second label, defining a user-created indicium on the second label that is different than the indicium on the first label.