GB2179910A

GB2179910A - Self adhesive labels

Info

Publication number: GB2179910A
Application number: GB08620613A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Booth
Original assignee: HENRY BOOTH HULL Ltd
Current assignee: HENRY BOOTH HULL Ltd
Priority date: 1985-09-03
Filing date: 1986-08-26
Publication date: 1987-03-18
Also published as: GB8620613D0

Abstract

A label comprises a front sheet 2 with an adhesive coating on its rear face, and a larger area peelable backing sheet 3 overlying the adhesive, said front sheet 2 having perforations 7, 8 to define a primary label 5 and a secondary label 6, and said backing sheet 3 having cuts or perforations 9 (, 10) coincident with the perforations 7, 8 on the front sheet 2, such that when sheet 3 is peeled from sheet 2, the part of sheet 3 bounded by the cuts 9 (, 10) remains adhered to the secondary label 6. In a modification, two lines of perforations may extend from edge to edge across the primary label. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Self adhesive labels This invention relates to self adhesive labels.

Self adhesive labels are known to comprise a facing layer to be applied to a surface, the rearward face of which has a coating of a suitable adhesive, and a peelable backing layer overlaying the adhesive, to be removed immediately prior to the application of the label to the surface.

With certain styles of such labels, they are required to serve a secondary purpose by having a section of the label removable, and preferably subsequent to the application of the label to the surface. Thus, it is known to cut a flap in the label, but the presence of a flap introduces the inherent risk of the inadvertent or accidental removal of the flap both prior to and subsequent to the application of the label to a surface, and to avoid the flap being secured to the surface it is not unknown for the adhesive to be prevented from overlying the flap portion, introducing a complexity in the manufacture of such labels.

The object of the present invention is to provide a label of the type first referred to above, which label is provided with an ability to serve a secondary purpose, but which avoids the disadvantages referred to above.

According to the present invention, a label comprises a facing layer, a coating of an adhesive material over one face of the facing layer, and a peelable backing material overlying the said one face, said facing layer being cut with perforations and said backing material being cut with perforations or cut completely, to define a primary label and a secondary label secured to the primary label by the uncut portions between the perforations, along at least two edges of the secondary label.

Thus, on the application of the label to a surface, the backing material is first peeled from the front layer, to leave a part of the backing material in place over the area occupied by the secondary label. After application of the primary label to a surface, the secondary label, and its backing material, can readily be removed by breaking it along the perforations, the backing material peeled from it, and the secondary label then used to satisfy the secondary purpose.

Whilst the secondary label can occupy any required area of the primary label, for both ease of manufacture and ease of usage, it is preferred that the secondary label extends to at least pne side of the primary label. Thus, two lines of perforations can be cut across the primary label, from edge to edge, or two lines of perforations can extend from one edge of the primary label, and be joined at a point part way across the label.

Whilst, for simplicity, it is preferred to cut perforations in a straight line across the label, either completely, or part way and join by a straight or arcuate perforated line, it will be understood, that the invention permits the production of secondary labels of a number of geometric shapes.

For ease of removal of the backing material from the facing layer of the primary label, it is preferred that the backing layer is marginally greater in size than the facing layer, to leave a peripheral margin of backing material extending beyond the facing material. With the invention in its form where the secondary label extends from at least one edge, this greatly facilitates the removal of the secondary label, in that the cutting of the backing material extends across the peripheral margin of exposed backing material, and whereby, when the backing material is removed from the facing layer, that part of the margin alongside the edge of the secondary label is left in place, to serve as a pull tab when the secondary label needs to be removed.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a self-adhesive label according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the label of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, a label 1 has a facing layer 2 and a backing material 3 held to the facing layer by a coating of adhesive material on the rearward face of the facing layer. When the facing layer is required to be applied as a label to any article, it is simply the case that the backing material is peeled from the facing layer, which can then be secured as a label to the article, by its coating of adhesive material.

To ease the act of peeling the backing material from the facing layer, it is preferred, as shown, for the backing material to be greater in size than the facing layer, to leave a margin 4 that can be gripped by the user.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the facing layer is constructed to comprise a primary label 5 and a secondary label 6. Thus, two spaced lines of perforations 7 are provided extending from one edge of the facing layer, and which are connected by curved line of perforations 8.

As is illustrated in Fig. 2, the backing matrial is cut along lines 9 and 10 that are coincident with the lines of perforations 7 and 8 on the facing layer.

Thus, when the label is first used, the backing material is peeled from the facing layer leaving the area 11 bounded by the cut lines 9 and 10, in place and covering the area on the facing layer defining the secondary label 6.

On the application of the label to an article the area constituting the secondary label is prevented from adhering to the article by the part of the backing material that remains in place.

When the secondary label 6 is required for whatever purpose, it can be removed com plete with its backing layer from the primary label 7 by breaking the lines of perforations, the backing layer removed, and the secondary label secured in place where required. By cutting the backing layer to its side edge, a part of the margin 4 is left in place, after the removal of the remainder of the backing material, to serve as a pull tab easing the removal of the secondary label from the primary label.

Claims

1. A label comprising a facing layer, a coating of an adhesive material over one face of the facing layer, and a peelable backing material overlying the said one face, said facing layer being cut with perforations and said backing material being cut with perforations or cut completely, to define a primary label and a secondary label secured to the primary label by the uncut portions between the perforations, along at least two edges of the secondary label.

2. A label as in Claim 1, wherein the secondary label extends to at least one side of the primary label.

3. A label as in Claim 2, wherein two lines of perforations are cut across the primary label, from edge to edge.

4. A label as in Claim 2, wherein two lines of perforations extend from one edge of the primary label, and are joined at a point part way across the label.

5. A label as in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the backing layer is marginally greater in size than the facing layer, to leave a peripheral margin of backing material extending beyond the facing material.

6. A label as in any of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the cutting of the backing material extends across the peripheral margin of exposed backing material, and whereby, when the backing material is removed from the facing layer, that part of the margin alongside the edge of the secondary label is left in place, to serve as a pull tab when the secondary label needs to be removed.

7. A label substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the acompanying drawings.