GB2447720A

GB2447720A - Sheet of labels

Info

Publication number: GB2447720A
Application number: GB0800453A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Pattison
Original assignee: Augustus Martin Ltd
Current assignee: Augustus Martin Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-17
Filing date: 2008-01-11
Publication date: 2008-09-24
Also published as: GB0800453D0; GB2447615A; GB0705169D0

Abstract

Provided is an array of labels 18a,b,c on a backing sheet 14, with an intermediate adhesive layer 16. The location of a label 18a within the array is related to a location at which the label 18a will be deployed in relation to the location of a number of products on shelving. The label may contain information ABC identifying individual products.

Description

PRINTED DISPLAY MATERIAL AND THE PRODUCTION AND USE

THEREOF

DESCRIPTION

0 Technical Field

This invention relates to printed display material and the production and use thereof.

The invention is also concerned with labelling systems and labelling formats, and to possible uses for such systems and formats.

Background

It is well known to provide printed display material such as labels, cards and similar items bearing product related indicia in association with shelf-mounted products. In general, such product-related-indicia-bearing printed items are printed separately, e.g. as several rolled strips each item on any one strip bearing the same indicia as the other items on that strip. After the products are placed on (or under) the shelves of a store or warehouse, the several rolled strips are taken from shelf location to shelf location and the appropriate product-related-indicia-bearing printed item is selected, removed from the roll, and mounted on the shelf at that location. This selection process is a very time-consuming operation and often leads to mis-labelling of the products as a result of an inappropriate product-related-indicia-bearing printed items being selected.

It is considered desirable to reduce the time required for this process and to reduce significantly the incidence of mislabelling.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a method for the production of printed display material for use in association with differing shelf-mounted products, wherein the existing or intended placement of said products on or under the shelves is determined as a sequence of shelving locations, data appcrtaining to the product(s) at each location is prescribed in a data sequence related to the sequence of shelving locations, and wherein said data sequence is printed in a sequence of neighbouring ZOIIC5 upon a utility sheet, e.g. of paper, card or other planar material, said zones being separated from one another by cutting, e.g.kiss-cutting, of the utility sheet such that the resultant neighbouring printed zones of the utility sheet are retained to the sheet but can be readily removed individually from the remainder of the utility sheet and in a sequence corresponding to the sequence of shelving locations.

Said cutting, e.g. kiss-cutting, may be effected before, during or after said data is printed.

Preferably the cutting, e.g. kiss-cutting provides a substantially continuous non-perforated boundary around each zone. Optionally, the boundary can be wholly continuous where the utility sheet is one layer, preferably the upper layer, of a layered sheet combination and is removably adhered to a or the layer immediately below it.

Advantageously the utility sheet is also printed with indicia indicative of place where and/or time when the printed utility sheet is to be used. For example, the data may be for a sale promotion in a store forming part of a chain of such stores, and the said indicia may include a store identifier, e.g. the store number or address, and/or the date when the promotion is to commence.

Preferably, in use, each of the individually removed zones of the utility sheet is mounted on the edge of the shelf upon which (or below which) is/are (to he) mounted the product(s) to which the printed data on that zone relates.

s According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided printed display material for use in association with differing shelf-mounted products, said printed display material being obtained by a method according to said lirst aspect of this invention.

According to a third aspect of this invention there is provided a sequence of shelf labels provided by printed display material according to said second aspect of this invention.

It is considered that by matching the sequence of neighbouring zones to the sequence of shelving locations, mis-labelling of the products can be better avoided, and that the time required for large-scale labelling of many different products can be dramatically reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

By way of example embodiments of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a partially broken away plan view of a sheet according to a first embodiment of this invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of an element that has been removed from the sheet shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic side view (not to scale) of the removed element of Figure 2: Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view (not to scale) along the line IV-IV of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view (not to scale) along the line V-V of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a plan view of a sheet according to a second embodiment of this invention: Figure 7 is a plan view of an element that has been removed from the sheet shown in Figure 6: Figure 8 is a schematic side view (not to scale) of the removed element of Fig. 6: Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view (not to scale) along the line IX-IX of Figure 6; Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view (not to scale) along the line X-X of Figure 6: and Figure 11 is a schematic plan view of part of a sheet according to yet another embodiment of the invention Detailed Description of Example(s) of the Invention Figure 1 illustrates a layered sheet combination 10 which comprises a utility sheet or face sheet 12 of paper, card or like planar material affixed temporarily to a base sheet or carrier or backing sheet 14 by an intermediate adhesive layer 16. The adhesive layer 16 has a greater tenacity to the carrier sheet 14 than to the utility sheet 12. The utility sheet 12 is divided into a plurality of zones 18a, 18b, 18c by cut lines 15 extending at least partially into the utility sheet 12 (preferably wholly through it) but not wholly through the carrier sheet 14. The cut lines 15 can define each zone as a rectangle as shown, or a circle or any other desired shape. The cut lines 15 (shown broken for illustration only) may be continuous or physically broken or staggered such as to provide a perforated effect when a zone 1 8a, I 8b, l8 of the utility sheet 12 is removed. One such renioved zone l8n is shown in Figs 2 and 3, and the gap arising in the layered sheet combination 10 is shown referenced 19 in Fig 1.

From a comparison of Figs 1 and 3 it will be apparent that the removed zone 18fl is substantially free of adhesive on its underneath surface 21; and a comparison of Figs 4 and 5 illustrates that the adhesive layer 16 remains affixed to carrier sheet 12 even after a zone (such as zone 1811) has been removed. The absence of adhesive on underneath surface 21 of removed zone I 8n means that the label or card provided by removed zone 18n is not "sticky" i.e. is non-adherent.

In one preferred arrangement giving effect to the above-described and illustrated B embodiment, the carrier sheet 14 is a sheet of Glassine, the adhesive layer 16 applied to sheet 14 is an adhesive called "URPI4 UItraLITE" [available from SureTECH Adhesive Tapes Ltd, Daventry, Northants, NN1 I 8QJ] and this sub-combination of layers 14,16 is laminated onto a utility sheet 12 provided by smooth uncoated 4CC Premier paper of preferably l6Ogsrn to l9Ogsm thickness rating. The resultant three-layer combination 10 is then slit to a convenient cutting and/or printing width, and the upper surface 22 of utility sheet 12 is kiss-cut along the lines and/or is printed with desired indica 23,24.

If the zones 18a, 18b, 18c are printed, they may all be printed alike (i.e. with is the same indica). Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig 1, they may be printed with different indica 23,24.

One preferred use for the removable cards or labels defined by the printed zones 18a, 18b, 18c of utility sheet 12 is as edge cards for supermarket shelves, i.e. individual price or sale-offer cards that are to be mounted non-adhesively into card holders on the store's shelf edges. To provide one such arrangement, specifically for use as retail display material, the sales message is printed on the top utility sheet 12 which has been adhered to the carrier sheet 14 with a low tack or air-drying adhesivel6. The label or other point-of-sale planar material is printed in zones in the order in which they are to be removed for each individual store. The sheets are either then kiss-cut or are provided pre-cut to the size of the point-of-sale element required. The kiss-cut' penetrates the utility sheet 12 only and not the carrier sheet 14. As a low tack or air-drying adhesive 16 is used, it will either favour the carrier sheet when the point-of-sale element is peeled away or will evaporate. In either case it means that the back of the removed label is not adherent or sticky' and this provides for ease of use.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, as a generality, a method is disclosed for the production of printed display material for use in association with differing shelf-mounted products. These may be in a warehouse, store room, a wholesale establishment or a retail store such as a supermarket. For this method, the existing S or intended placement of the products is determined as a sequence of shelving locations. Then data appertaining to the product(s) at each location is prescribed and consolidated as a data sequence related to the sequence of shelving locations. This data sequence is printed in a sequence of neighbouring zones upon a utility sheet that is temporarily affixed to a carrier sheet by an intermediate layer of an adhesive -preferably an adhesive having a greater tenacity to the carrier sheet than to the utility sheet. The zones are defined by kiss-cut lines extending through the utility sheet but not through the carrier sheet, such cutting being effected before, during or preferably after the printing. By such kiss-cuttiiig the individual zones can be readily removed from the combination of layered sheets 12,14,16 by peeling away is the individual zones from off the carrier sheet so as to provide labels for mounting on the shelves (e.g. the shelf edges).

Because the sequence of neighbouring zones on the utility sheet corresponds to the pre-set sequence of shelving locations, correct labelling of the products on (or below) the shelves, or information messages relating to those products, can be provided.

For example, an A4-size layered sheet combination 10 may have a 6 x 5 array of like-sized zones in landscape format. Certain zones, for example the first and second "zones" of the first row (of the 6 rows), may not be pre-cut, but instead may simply be marked with indicia indicative of the place where the labels defined by the other zones are to be used, e.g. the store number and/or address identification.

Alternatively or additionally, the first and second "zones" of the first row (of the 6 rows) may not be pre-cut, but instead may simply be marked with indicia indicative of the time when the labels of the other zones are to be employed, e.g. the date when a particular promotion is to be announced. For those other zones, in this example, identical first product data relating to the same first product may be printed on the remaining 3 zones of the first row, on all the 5 zones of the second row, on all the 5 zones of the third row and on the first 4 zones of the fourth row.

Identical secoiid product data relating to the same second product may be printed on the remaining zone of the fourth row and on all 5 Zones of the last row.

In another example, an A4-size layered sheet combination 10 may have a 3 x 7 array of zones in portrait mode, with each ZOflC containing different data appertaining to a different one of 21 different products.

It will he apparent that these examples of use embodying the present invention provide a layered sheet combination having mutually adjacent, pre-cut zones of the combination's utility sheet arranged in an ordered array of labels (paper, card or like planar material) that can he readily removed in a progressive sequence corresponding to the progressive pre-ordained sequence of locations associated with the products to which the labels relate, and thus provide a simple technical way of improving the accuracy of human association between articles available to be picked (from off a shelf) and the data information relating to them.

After use as an individual card or label, that removed card or label l8n can be re-attached to the carrier sheet 14 by placing its underneath surface 21 onto the revealed zone 19 of adhesive layer 16 from which it, or a similarly dimensioned label or card, had been removed. It can then be again removed from the carrier sheet 14 at a future time for reuse. Re-attachment of several cards or labels can be likewise effected in sequence.

It will be appreciated that the removable labels or cards provided by zones I 8a, l8b, 18c, ... may, when removed, have no residual tackiness or residual adhesive on them. They can be provided by a continuous peripheral line cut 15 for each zone so as to provide no perforations and thus be simply peelable from off the carrier sheet 14 without tearing. The labels or cards provided by zones 18, 18b, 18c can be of any desired shape and several different shapes may be provided on any single sheet 12 of the layered combinations 10. It will also he appreciated that the construction provides ease of use and handling, and any one zone l8a, 18b, l8c can be removed individually without removing an adjoining zone, and can be readily replaced after use (or if removed in error).

It will be further appreciated that embodiments of this invention may employ suitable materials other than those specified above. For example, it is envisaged that the carrier sheet need not be Glassine but may be an alternative release liner or base paper such as a super-calendered Kraft paper or a clay-coated Kraft paper.

Another example is the embodiment illustrated in Figs 6 to 10 which comprises a single layer, unbacked utility sheet 110 of paper, card or like planar material. This utility sheet 110 is divided into a plurality of zones I 18a, I 18b, I 18c by cut lines 115 extending at least partially into the utility sheet. The cut lines 115 can define each zone as a rectangle as shown, or a circle or any other desired shape.

The cut lines 115 (shown broken for illustration only) may be continuous or physically broken or staggered such as to provide a perforated effect when a zone I l8a, I 18b, 118 of the utility sheet 110 is removed. One such removed zone 1 18n is shown in Figs 7 and 8. and the gap or aperture arising in the sheet 110 is shown referenced 119 in Fig 6.

In one preferred arrangement the utility sheet 110 is provided by smooth uncoated 4CC Premier paper of preferably l6Ogsm to l90gsni thickness rating. The sheet 110 is slit to a convenient cutting and/or printing width, and its upper surface 122 is kiss-cut along the lines 115 and/or is printed with desired indica 123,124.

Sonic or all of the zones I l8a, 1 18b, 1 18c may he printed alike (i.e. with the same indica). Alternatively, they may he printed with different indica 123,124.

One preferred use for the removable cards or labels defined by the printed zones I 18a, 1 18b, I 18c of utility sheet 110 is as edge cards for supermarket shelves, i.e. individual price or sale-offer cards that are to be mounted non-adhesively into card holders on the store's shelf edges. To provide one such arrangement, specifically for use as retail display material, the sales message is printed Ofl the top surface 122 of the label or other point-of-sale planar material, in a sequence of neighbouring zones in the order in which they are to be removed for each individual store. The sheet 110 is then kiss-cut and the kiss-cut' almost, hut not completely, penetrates the utility sheet 110 to provide for ease of removal of each ZOflC when it is to he used.

It will be appreciated that because the sequence of neighbouring zones 1 l8, 1 18b, 118c of the utility sheet 110 corresponds to the pre-set sequence of shelving locations, correct labelling of the products on (or below) the shelves, or information messages relating to those products, can be provided in an accurate and rapid way.

A modification of the embodiment of Figs 6 to 10 is illustrated schematically in Fig. 11. In this modification, a single layer, unbacked utility sheet 210 of paper, card or like planar material is provided and this utility sheet 210 is divided into a plurality of zones such as 218 by cut lines 215 extending wholly through the utility sheet all around the intended zone boundary except for a minimal number of small tab-like attachment pieces 217, e.g. one along each side of the zone. Apart from these small tab-like attachment pieces 217, the cut lines 215 can define each zone as a rectangle as shown, or a circle or any other desired shape.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deenied within the ambit and scope of the invention, and the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described may be varied in construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought. -10-

Claims

1. A method for the production of printed display material for use in association with differing shelf-mounted products, wherein the existing or intended placement of said products Ofl or under the shelves is deterniined as a sequence of shelving locations, data appertaining to the product(s) at each location is prescribed in a data sequence related to the sequence of shelving locations, and wherein said data sequence is printed in a sequence of neighbouring zones upon a i o utility sheet, said zones being separated from one another by cutting, e.g. kiss-cutting, of the utility sheet such that the resultant neighbouring printed zones of the utility sheet are retained to the sheet but can be readily removed individually from the remainder of the utility sheet and in a sequence corresponding to the sequence of shelving locations.

2. A method according to Claim I wherein said cutting, e.g. kiss-cutting, is effected before, during or after said data is printed.

3. A method according to either preceding Claim wherein the cutting, e.g. kiss-cutting, provides a continuous non-perforated boundary around each zone.

4. A method according to any preceding Claim wherein the utility sheet is also printed with indicia indicative of place where and/or time when the printed utility sheet is to be used.

5. A method according to Claim 4, wherein the data is tbr a sale promotion in a store forming part of a chain of such stores, and the said indicia includes a store identifier, e.g. the store number or address, and/or the date when the promotion is to commence.

6. A method according to any preceding Claim wherein each of the individually removed zones of the utility sheet is mounted on the edge of the shelf upon which (or below which) is/are mounted the product(s) to which the printed data on that zone relates.

7. A method according to any preceding Claim wherein the utility sheet is of paper, card or other planar material.

8. A method acording to Claim 1 and substantially as herein described with io reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Printed display material for use in association with differing shelf-nîounted products, said printed display material being obtained by a method according to any one of the preceding Claims.

10. A sequence of shelf labels provided by printed display material according to Claim 9.