WO2001029805A1

WO2001029805A1 - Labels and manufacture thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2001029805A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/003950
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Walker
Original assignee: David J. Instance Limited
Priority date: 1999-10-15
Filing date: 2000-10-13
Publication date: 2001-04-26
Also published as: AU7806000A; GB9924508D0

Abstract

A self-adhesive label carried on a backing of release material, the label comprising a pair of self-adhesive support pieces each adhered by a respective rearwardly directed self-adhesive surface to a backing of release material, a multilaminar label portion having a rearmost part which is disposed over a respective portion of each support piece of the pair of support pieces, and a self-adhesive overlaminate which is adhered over the multilaminar label portion and to respective portions of the pair of support pieces on opposed sides of the multilaminar label portion.

Description

LABELS AND MANUFACTURE THEREOF

The present invention relates to a self-adhesive label and to a method of producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material.

It is known to provide resealable multilaminar labels which, after they have been adhered to a product, can be opened to reveal previously hidden surfaces. A particular type of such known labels comprises a self-adhesive support piece which is releasably adhered to a backing of release material by its rear surface which is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Disposed over the support piece is a multilaminar label portion which may be in the form of a leaflet or booklet. A self- adhesive laminar material in the form of a transparent plastics material coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive is adhered by the pressure-sensitive adhesive over the front face of the multilaminar label portion and to the upper surface of the support piece in order to adhere the multilaminar portion to the support piece.

Such a known label is disclosed in EP-A-0232054. The label disclosed in that specification suffers from the problem that when the label is employed to label a non- planar surface, such as a cylindrical surface of a container such as a bottle, the adhesion on opposing sides of the support piece between the overlaminate and the support piece can cause rucking or creasing of the label when it is bent around a radius corresponding to that of the outer surface of the container. This is not only visually unsightly but also the tensions introduced into the label can cause inadvertent pulling away of the overlaminate from the support leading to undesired opening of the label.

WO-A-92/04703 discloses a self-adhesive label in which a multilaminar label portion such as a leaflet or booklet is sandwiched between a lower self-adhesive support piece and an upper self-adhesive transparent plastics overlaminate, with the overlaminate being adhered on one side of the label to the support piece and on the other side of the label to the backing of release material. Such a label can be applied to a cylindrical labelling surface without rucking or creasing. However, that label construction is not particularly suitable for use with labels of relatively narrow width. This is because the provision of an edge region of the overlaminate adhered directly to the release material is required to be a significant minimum width in order to provide the required adhesion of the label to the product, particularly when the label is tensioned as a result of being wrapped around a radius. However, that width constitutes an unlabelled area which, for smaller dimension labels, reduces the useful labelling area as a proportion of the footprint of the entire label. Moreover, for such small dimension labels, the label when wrapped around a tight radius can inadvertently open if the width of the edge portion of the overlaminate adhered to the container directly is reduced.

EP-A-0833295 discloses a self-adhesive label which is a modification of the label disclosed in WO-A-92/04703 in which the edge region of the overlaminate is adhered to an underlying self-adhesive label rather than directly to the release material. However, this label also suffers from the above-mentioned problems with regard to narrow width labels. US5588239 discloses a similar label to EP-A-0833295 in which the edge region of the overlaminate is adhered to a base portion separate from the base portion on which the booklet is disposed.

EP-A-0506202 and WO-A-91/04851 also disclose self-adhesive labels. The labels disclosed in those documents also are not particularly suitable for use on labels having narrow width.

US-A-5766716 and US-A-5863628 additionally disclose self-adhesive labels in which a booklet or leaflet is sandwiched between an overlaminate and an underlying support piece. The labels disclosed in that document are also not particularly suitable for labelling narrow widths.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a self-adhesive label carried on a backing of release material, the label comprising a pair of self-adhesive support pieces each adhered by a respective rearwardly directed self-adhesive surface to a backing of release material, a multilaminar label portion having a rearmost part which is disposed over a respective portion of each support piece of the pair of support pieces, and a self-adhesive overlaminate which is adhered over the multilaminar label portion and to respective portions of the pair of support pieces on opposed sides of the multilaminar label portion. The pair of support pieces are preferably longitudinally spaced to define a gap therebetween, the multilaminar portion being disposed over the gap. The multilaminar portion is preferably disposed over the support pieces in a symmetrical manner with respect to a notional imaginary transversely directed centre line coincident with the gap between the support pieces. It is thus preferred that the multilaminar portion overlies each support piece by an equal amount.

The support pieces preferably have the same dimensions.

The present invention further provides a method of producing a succession of self- adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a succession of pairs of self-adhesive support pieces each adhered by a respective rearwardly directed surface to an elongate backing of release material;

(b) disposing over each pair of self-adhesive support pieces a respective multilaminar label portion having a rearmost part which is disposed over a respective portion of each support piece of the pair of support pieces;

(c) overlaminating the multilaminar label portions and the support pieces with a self-adhesive overlaminate; and

(d) die-cutting through at least the support pieces and the overlaminate to form a succession of self-adhesive labels, each self-adhesive label comprising a pair of the self-adhesive support pieces, a multilaminar label portion having the rearmost part which is disposed over the respective portion of each support piece of the pair, and a portion of the overlaminate which is adhered over the multilaminar label portion and to respective portions of the pair of support pieces on opposed sides of the multilaminar label portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the succession of pairs of self-adhesive support pieces are provided by die-cutting a self-adhesive paper web adhered by a respective rearwardly directed surface to the elongate backing of release material. In a preferred embodiment, the succession of pairs of support pieces are provided in a longitudinal direction with the support pieces in each respective pair longitudinally spaced to define a gap therebetween, the respective multilaminar label portion being disposed over the respective gap. The respective multilaminar portion is preferably disposed over the respective pair of support pieces in a symmetrical manner with respect to a notional imaginary transversely directed centre line coincident with the gap between the respective pair of support pieces.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a self-adhesive label in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention when carried on a backing of release material;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a length of a backing of release material carrying a succession of pairs of self-adhesive support pieces in accordance with a method of the present invention for making the label of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the backing of release material carrying the self-adhesive support pieces of Figure 2 after subsequent application of multilaminar label portions to the support pieces, with subsequent overlamination of the entire assembly by a transparent self-adhesive plastics overlaminate; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the assembly of Figure 3 following a die-cut and removal of a waste web remnant of the overlaminate, the multilaminar label portions and the support pieces to provide a succession of labels in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a self-adhesive label 2 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a pair of support pieces 4A.4B having rear faces 6A.6B which are self-adhesive by being coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive 7A.7B. The label 2 is releasably adhered by the rear faces 6A.6B to a backing 8 of release material, which typically comprises a silicone-coated release liner. Disposed over the front faces 10A,10B of the pair of support pieces 4A,4B is a multilaminar label portion 12 which typically comprises a folded leaflet or booklet, which has been printed . A self-adhesive overlaminate 14, which comprises a transparent plastics material coated on its rear face 16 with a pressure-sensitive adhesive 18, is adhered to the front face 20 of the multilaminar label portion 12 and directly to the support pieces 4A.4B along respective opposed transverse edge regions 22A,22B of the support pieces 4A.4B at opposing transverse sides 24A.24B of the multilaminar label portion 12. In the illustrated embodiment, no adhesive is provided between the rear face 25 of the multilaminar label portion 12 and the pair of support pieces 4A,4B although in other embodiments such adhesive may be provided, either as a water- soluble adhesive or as a hot melt adhesive.

In the illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower longitudinal edges 26,28 are defined by coincident edges of the overlaminate 14, multilaminar label portion 12 and support pieces 4A.4B. In alternative embodiments however, such coincidence is not provided and for example the longitudinal edges of the multilaminar label portion 12 and/or of the overlaminate 14 may be inwardly located relative to the corresponding longitudinal edges of the support pieces 4A.4B.

The support pieces 4A,4B are separated by a transversely directed gap 32 which is covered by the rearmost sheet or panel 33 of the multilaminar label portion 12. The transverse width of the gap depends upon the dimensions of the label and of the intended product to be labelled, for example the radius of the labelling surface of the product to be labelled, and typically comprises a few millimetres. The width of the gap 32 is selected so that when the intended product is labelled with the self- adhesive label 2, the wrapping around the cylindrical labelling surface causes the two support pieces 4A.4B to be urged nearer together, thereby reducing the transverse width of the gap 32 when in the labelled configuration, yet without the two support pieces 4A.4B abutting or overlapping each other. In an alternative embodiment, a slit may be provided instead of the gap 32, with the support pieces 4A,4B being in an abutting relationship. With this latter embodiment, the support pieces 4A.4B may overlap when the label 2 is wrapped around a curved container. The rear face, in particular the rearmost sheet or panel 33, of the multilaminar label portion 12 in the form of a folded leaflet or a booklet is disposed over both of the support pieces 4A.4B, preferably in a symmetrical manner with respect to a notional imaginary transversely directed centre line which is coincident with the gap 32 between the support pieces 4A.4B. Preferably the support pieces 4A.4B have the same dimensions so that they are also symmetrically disposed about that imaginary centre line. In addition, preferably the overlaminate 14 is symmetrically dimensioned and adhered to both the support pieces 4A.4B and the front face 20 of the multilaminar label portion 12. In this way, the preferred label 2 has a substantially symmetrical construction on opposed sides of the imaginary centre line.

The provision of such a symmetrical relationship provides the additional advantage that when the label is adhered to a curved surface, any tension in the label as a result of the wrapping which has not been accommodated by the permitted translational relative movement between the support pieces 4A.4B tends to be substantially equalised on opposed sides of the label 2, thereby reducing the tendency for the label 2 inadvertently to spring open as a result of de-lamination of the overlaminate 14 from either of the support pieces 4A.4B.

The multilaminar label portion is printed with information relating to the product to be labelled, for example instructions for use. When it is desired to read that information, a user can grip either of the free transverse edge portions 34,36 of the overlaminate 14 and pull it away from the underlying support piece 4A.4B thereby to access the multilaminar label portion 12 thereunder. A corner, such as the corner 30, of the overlaminate may be defined as a pull tab, for example by the use of a printing ink covering the pressure-sensitive adhesive or by the provision of an extended flap of a front most sheet or cover of the multilaminar label portion 12.

An embodiment of a method of producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material in accordance with the invention is now described with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

Referring to Figure 2, there is provided an elongate backing of release material 50, otherwise known as a release liner, carrying thereon a succession of previously die- cut pairs of support pieces 52A.52B. For each pair of associated support pieces 52A.52B, there is provided a gap 54 therebetween of a prescribed width, typically a few millimetres. The assembly shown in Figure 2 has typically been produced by providing a conventional iabelstock material, comprising a paper web coated on its rear face with a pressure-sensitive adhesive which is in turn covered by a backing of release material, and die-cutting the Iabelstock material to produce the support pieces 52A.52B and removing the waste web skeleton from the backing of release material 50.

Thereafter the succession of support pieces 52A.52B carried on the backing of release material 50 is conveyed to a station for applying a succession of multilaminar label portions 56 to the support pieces 52A.52B in such a way that each multilaminar label portion 56 substantially covers a respective pair of the support pieces 52A.52B, and therefore covers the gap 54 therebetween. Each multilaminar label portion 56 typically comprises a folded leaflet or a booklet. The rear face of the folded leaflet or booklet is disposed over both of the support pieces 52A.52B of each associated pair. Each multilaminar label portion 56 is pre-printed. The multilaminar label portions 56 are wider in the transverse direction than the support pieces 52A.52B so as to provide extending longitudinal edge portions 58,60 of each multilaminar label portion 56 which are disposed over the backing of release material 50. Furthermore, each multilaminar label portion 60 is shorter in the longitudinal direction than the respective pair of support pieces 52A.52B with the gap 54 therebetween so as to provide exposed transverse edge regions 62A.62B of the respective support pieces 52A.52B which are not covered by the respective multilaminar label portion 56. In the preferred embodiment, the transverse edge regions 62A.62B have the same dimensions, as a result of the support pieces 52A.52B having the same dimensions and also as a result of the multilaminar label portion 56 being symmetrically disposed over the support pieces 52A.52B about a notional imaginary transversely directed centre line passing along the gap 54. As shown in Figure 3, the entire assembly of the multilaminar label portions 56 over the respective pairs of support pieces 52A,52B and the remaining exposed parts of the backing of release material 50 is then completely overlaminated by a transparent plastics self-adhesive overlaminate 64 having a rearwardly directed surface covered with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. As shown in Figure 4, the resultant assembly then passes to a die-cutting station at which the resultant self-adhesive labels 2 are die-cut from the overlaminate 64, the multilaminar label portions 56 and the support pieces 52A.52B. The backing of release material 50 is not die-cut. This forms a succession of self-adhesive labels 66 carried on the backing of release material 50. In the self-adhesive label 66 the die- cutting has been performed so as to provide at the leading and trailing edges 68,70 of each self-adhesive label 66 an edge region 72,74 of the self-adhesive overlaminate 64 which is adhered to a respective support piece 52B.52A thereby to adhere the multilaminar label portion 56 to the support pieces 52A,52B. A waste web remnant, comprising waste portions of the overlaminate 64, the multilaminar label portions 56 and the support pieces 52A.52B is removed from the backing of release material 50.

If desired, the labels 66 may be produced in multiples across the width of the release backing material 50, as is known in the art.

Claims

1. A self-adhesive label carried on a backing of release material, the label comprising a pair of self-adhesive support pieces each adhered by a respective rearwardly directed self-adhesive surface to a backing of release material, a multilaminar label portion having a rearmost part which is disposed over a respective portion of each support piece of the pair of support pieces, and a self- adhesive overlaminate which is adhered over the multilaminar label portion and to respective portions of the pair of support pieces on opposed sides of the multilaminar label portion.

2. A self-adhesive label according to claim 1 wherein a gap is defined between the pair of support pieces, the multilaminar label portion overlying the gap.

3. A self-adhesive label according to claim 2 wherein the multilaminar portion is disposed over the support pieces in a symmetrical manner.

4. A self-adhesive label according to any preceding claim wherein the support pieces have the same dimensions.

5. A method of producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material, the method comprising the steps of:

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the succession of pairs of self- adhesive support pieces are provided by die-cutting a self-adhesive paper web adhered by a respective rearwardly directed surface to the elongate backing of release material.

7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein a gap is defined between each pair of support pieces, the respective multilaminar label portion being disposed over the respective gap.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the respective multilaminar portion is disposed over the respective pair of support pieces in a symmetrical manner.

9. A method according to any of claims 5 to 8 wherein the support pieces have the same dimensions.