P2 Tag Protectors ®

Thank you for considering or even buying the P2 Protector (Patent 2006100457 & Design Reg 12441/2006). Why would you, you may ask? Does the world need another Tag Protector others ask? Well I know and hope you will agree, the answer a definite “YES”! Well you will as soon as you read on and find out the positive design features of the P2 Protector that make the P2 Protectors more widely usable. The P2 Protectors are designed for all sorts of uses ranging from protecting Registration Information to Security tags to Collectables to Warranty papers to Safety and Medical Applications. Any application that has a plastic, cardboard or metal tag that must be protected from damage by dirt or settling dust, from ware due to repeated handling, from contaminants like oily or wet fingers.

Additionally;
If the current size doesn't exactly fit your needs and there is enough demand then a version of the P2 Protector, it can be customised up or down to fit your needs.

1. Safety: Made from PET so they are archive safe; no PVC to fade the tags. (see below why this is so important). The corners are either curved or bevelled. The wings at the centre are extended when the P2 Protector is folded closed, to protect whatever the P2 Protector is attached to from any sharpness around the top or bottom of the hinge, where it is cut.

3. Recyclable, but why would you, they are meant to protect your collection for a life time.

4. Hinges that will last a life time (as far as we know). Also PET is TEAR and SCRATCH resistant and a very clear material.

5. Air holes that allow the tag to breath, so no risk of condensation leading to mould.

6. They attach by wrapping the tag and keep the Tag Fastener at right angles so no more bending of the corner of the tag. If the pre-made holes are not quite in the best spot then it won't be too hard to make new holes and slits from the current pre-made ones (but be careful, it would be far safer to request a customised version).

8. One size fits most needs. Designed for A: Tags of Many Sizes, B: Tags On Many Products, C: Tags Made of Many Materials

9. Holes to re-attach the protector, in different settings, even outside the display area so the Tag Fastener no longer even touches the tag.

1: Safety: Made from Archive safe PET.
I have mentioned Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)! Well everyone knows Sunlight is the natural predator of ink on paper and other material and will quite quickly fade the ink. Well PVC, an acid based plastic, is the Man Made Predator. It works slower and can’t be seen for a few years, but it will fade. Worse it will also discolour the white paper on other parts of the item being protected. Over time it will turn it yellow like old newspaper causing damage to both sides of the item. That process is also causing a safety risk if the safety information becomes un-readable or devaluing your collection, a collection, which in some cases, can be worth $10,000 or more.

The National Archive in Canberra Australia has recommended two materials as safe for archival storage of documents that need to be protected from fading;

Polypropylene usually has a frosty finish to it and makes seeing the item once it is inside the protector a bit fuzzy. PET is “Clear” and “Tear Resistant”. These Chemical and Physical properties make PET the perfect choice.

Corners are either rounded or bevelled to protect the item the tag is attached to. In the single protector configuration, the ends of the hinge can be a sharper protrusion. The wings that extend from the clamping mechanism will protect the item.

WARNING: However they are not designed for impact resistance. If you need the P2 Protector to be HARD, try something else.

2: Recyclable.
Really this is a minor feature because you buy a protector to protect something for a very long time. Even if you sell this item it will need protecting by the buyer as well, so sell the protector with it. But in the unlikely situation that you are left with the protectors and nothing to protect, Re-Cycle them.

3: Hinges last a lifetime (we think).
PET is tear resistant and the hinge will open and close thousands of times as far as we know. However because of point 7 below, once they are on the item to be protected, they only ever need to be opened again to move to a new item. Also PET is SCRATCH resistant and a very clear material. Because they are so clear they are great for cards that get a lot of ware but have codes (like bar codes) that need to be seen or scanned like Library memberships. In fact there is ample space to put 2 cards with the codes facing out each side doubling the usefulness. (See below under examples of uses).

4: Air Holes
The P2 Protectors have holes that serve a dual purpose, (see points 5 and 7 below as well). One purpose is to allow the protective void to breath. A lot of people brag about storing their collectable in Air Tight Sealed Plastic bags (which are often PVC, see point 1 above). This in the wrong circumstances, can be the worst practice, worse even than using PVC.

Depending on the temperature and moisture content, of the air and the item, at the time of placing the item in the bag and sealing, the temperature where they are stored, the moisture can condense on the inside of the plastic bag or the protector, and cause mould. Just imagine the joy of taking a $400 Collectable or a $20,000 Barbie, out of safe protected storage to find black mould spots on the Fur, Tag, Box or Face.

There are known cases where collectables and registration papers have become mouldy because the bag or protector they were in didn't breath.

5: Keep the Tag Fastener at right angles to the tag.
One of the last things a tag protector should do is actually cause damage. The Tag Fastener must be kept at right angels to the hole or it may crease the corner by turning it up, to leave a pressure mark on the back or front of the tag from the Tag Fastener or the Head at the end of the Tag Fastener, or wear the sides of the hole or the area around the hole. They can even cause a combination of these forms of damage. The P2 Protector avoids this by providing slits cut from the edge to the dual purpose access/breathing holes.

It also has one extra dual purpose holes to allow the items tag to be cut off and placed in the P2 Protector and re-attached in one of many different positions or configurations. See both point 7 and the How to Use Section below.

6: Will remain closed.
The raised area around the outside of the tag is both for strength and to act as a clamp that holds the P2 Protector closed. The placement of these areas is symmetrical so that you can more than double the size of the tag being protected by turning over a second P2 Protector and clipping two together. This gives you twice the flat area plus the hinge area and will hold really large tags. See both point 7 and the How to Use Section below.

7: One size fits most needs
The P2 protector is designed to hold items that range from very, very small up to an item that is 65mm wide by 95mm tall. It is designed to hold tags, cards or items that are single flat pieces of cardboard or that are folded book style. Depending on the location of the hole, it will hold those tags “as is”. That is no need to move the Tag Fastener. But if the item is attached via a hole that is positioned away from all the pre-cut holes, then there is an external hole in the opening/closing finger grip and the items tag can simply be cut off and placed inside the protector and the whole lot re-attached via the finger grip hole.

8: Holes to re-attach the protector.
The P2 Protector is designed to fit most items and most peoples needs. But some people have special needs, practically collectors. Many collectables have special messages or printing errors and flaws, these are one-off or recurring and rare, and some collectors like to be able to show off this printing to other collectors. If those subtleties are inside a folded tag when the protector is closed then the protector will need to be opened and closed for viewing. While the P2 Protectors hinge will last a VERY long time it is inconvenient to open and close for just a few seconds viewing.

Well the P2 Protector is deliberately designed so that many tags on many items can simply be cut off, and opened up and one hole in the tag re-aligned with a pre-cut hole in the P2 Protector and re-attached to the item with a Tagging Gun, if you have one, or access to one. With lager items it may be required to use two P2 Protectors together, see point 6 above.

9: Low cost.
Now for a feature that every one can relate to, Cost! These are priced at very competitive rates, and bulk discounts are provided on a sliding scale

Order Size	Cost	GST	Prices (inc GST)
1 to 10	$ 0.54545	$ 0.05455	$ 0.60
11 to 25	$ 0.50909	$ 0.05091	$ 0.56
26 to 50	$ 0.48182	$ 0.04818	$ 0.53
51 to 100	$ 0.46364	$ 0.04636	$ 0.51
101 to 250	$ 0.44545	$ 0.04455	$ 0.49
251 to 500	$ 0.42727	$ 0.04273	$ 0.47
501 to 1000	$ 0.40909	$ 0.04091	$ 0.45
1001+	$ 0.38182	$ 0.03818	$ 0.42

Many more minor features.
The raised area around the outside can serve three purposes. The main and critical purpose is re-enforcing to strengthen the tag to do its job. The second is to hold the tag closed. The third minor feature is a lateral thought process, for the collectors who are of a mind to do so, the firm flat surface that doesn’t block your view of the tag, can be covered with a sticky backed paper (like a narrow label) that information can be written on. E.g. a price, purchase date, owner (if there are several collectors in the one family, who store their collection in one place) or patients name. This opens up the mind to a mass of optional uses..

The dual purpose holes also provide extra protection to the sides of the tag’s holes by absorbing the wear on the sides because the P2 Protector is Heavier than the Tag so it pulls on the Tag Fastener not the tag. The tag mostly floats inside the Protector.

Used in Tandem they fit Trading cards and they are extremely clear for viewing as well.

Suitable for 2 Library cards back to back with barcodes facing out OR emergency first aid information

How to use
While the P2 Protector can be used for Beanies and Dolls, it is suitable for any type of item that fits. It can be used for any purpose where protecting an item is important. Some applications may be Collectables. Instructions for safety equipment, Medical Information on patients or Security Tags. Uses for the P2 Protectors are going to be as diverse as peoples imagination however I’ll describe in the context of Collectables and leave the readers mind to wonder and discover other uses.

Single Protector use;
Fig 1:

This will be the use that the P2 Protector is most put to. Holding the P2 Protector with the recycle symbol on the left and at the bottom, it is designed to have the Tag Fastener held by the balloon shaped end in one hand (I suggest the left Hand) and the Tag Fastener slipped into the split on the left side (A) and through into the hole (B). While continuing to hold the Tag Fastener the tag is positioned in the 1mm depression on the left side then the right side is closed over the top and the Tag Fastener slipped through the split in the right side (C). Then I suggest that you squeeze the Tag in between the two halves of the protector with your finger to stop it slipping and being damaged while you clip the male and female parts (D) of the locking mechanism together. The male part of the lock has cambers (slopes) on the left 1/2 of the P2 Protector, above and below the split (E), to help line up the two parts. Note: it is sometimes necessary to fold back the curl either side of the split (A). This curl is caused by the heat during the moulding process and can make closing difficult if not curled back before trying to use. Fortunately this is only required to be done the first time the P2 Protector is used.

I usually find that starting at the end of either clamp nearest the hinge and working towards the end near the split to be the best. The added bonus of this technique is you have more control and can watch the tag doesn't slip and move in between the clamps and get damaged. This is a design flaw common to all tag protectors and to eliminate it would make simple tag protectors cost too much.

Because the P2 Protector is made of PET. rather than PVC it has a different feel to what most people are used to. Also because it is designed to meet so many needs it takes a little getting used to. Just practice a few times and you'll get the hang of it.

In the single use configuration small book style tags can be opened and placed in at right angles and re-attached through the air holes (F) or the spare hole in the corner (G). If the pre-made holes are not in the correct position for you tags, then it won't be too hard to make new holes with a hole punch and new slits with scissors from the pre-made holes and slits.

Tandem Protector use;
Fig 2:
The P2 Protector is designed asymmetrically so that when two are used together and the top one is flipped (like turning a book over through the hinge (H)) and they are put face-to-face, they can clip together and be used for larger tags. In this configuration tags that are of a book style can be kept open and their insides viewed at all times. Depending on the tag, it is strongly suggested that when used in this configuration that the Tag Fastener be cut and the tag placed in the protector and re-attached with a tagging gun either through the gap above the hinge (I) or the spare hole in the corner. Otherwise the pressure created by the Tag Fastener being curved through the tag will damage the inside of the tag.

Pictures for the following explanations will be up loaded shortly.

Large Tags are best done by placing 2 P2 Protectors in the tandem position and fully clamping one half and slipping the tag in between then slipping the Tag Fastener in to the slit at the back.

Then slip the tag fastener into the slit at the font and then position the tag ready for closing the top half.

In single protector mode, Slip the tag fastener into the left side of the P2 Protector and hold the tag in the 1mm depression while you close the right half over the left.

After positioning the tag in the depression, clamp both halves and the tag with the fingers of the right hand, so it doesn't move and slip the tag fastener through the front half of the P2 Protector. Then clamp the 2 halves together working from the hinge out. It's best to do one side at a time, always using the other hand to hold the tag and the P2 Protector still. When done correctly the tag fastener will be able to move freely through the tag and the P2 Protector and not cause any damage.

When using in tandem to allow the inside of the tag to be displayed, once the top P2 Protector has been flipped, clamp the 2 halves on the left together then ship the tag in through the right side.

Manoeuvre the seam of the tag (if it's a book style) in line with the hinge. Then clamp the right side of the two P2 Protectors together.
Then re-attach the tag through the hole and the cut out gap at the top of the hinge or through the spare hole in the corner.