AU2008243283A1

AU2008243283A1 - Label sheet design for easy removal of labels

Info

Publication number: AU2008243283A1
Application number: AU2008243283A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Inge Bachner; Jerry G. Hodsdon; Martin Utz; Steven C. Weirather; Galen Wong
Original assignee: Avery Dennison Corp
Current assignee: CCL Label Inc
Priority date: 2003-02-28
Filing date: 2008-11-17
Publication date: 2008-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-28
Also published as: JP2006514335A; JP4029353B2; CN100504964C; AU2008243283B2; EP2277689B1; CN1744987A; DK1597061T3; CA2512250C; CA2512250A1; ES2489515T3; EP1597061A4; WO2004078468A1; EP2277689A1; AU2003217779B2; MXPA05008849A; EP1597061A1; EP1597061B1; AU2003217779A1

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Avery Dennison Corporation Galen Wong and Steven C. Weirather and Jerry G. Hodsdon and Inge Bachner and Martin Utz Address for Service is: SHELSTON IP Margaret Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 CCN: 3710000352 Attorney Code: SW Telephone No: Facsimile No.

(02) 97771111 (02) 9241 4666 Invention Title: LABEL SHEET DESIGN FOR EASY REMOVAL OF LABELS Details of Original Application No. 2003217779 dated 28 Feb 2003 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 46517AUP01 501774448 1 .DC/5844 00

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LABEL SHEET DESIGN FOR EASY REMOVAL OF LABELS z FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to label sheets. More particularly, the present invention relates to a design for label sheets in which the labels may be easily removed.

005 BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 00 Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common O0 0 general knowledge in the field.

Address labels on printable 8/2 x 11 and A4 sheets have been in use for a number of years as a means of printing a medium to large number of addresses or other information in a relatively short period of time. After the label sheets have been printed, these labels must then be removed from the sheet and applied to an envelope or other substrate. The standard method for removing the labels by hand is that the user bends back the label sheet somewhere in the vicinity of one of the edges or corners of the first label to be removed. This causes a separation between the label and the liner. The user grasps the label in the area where the separation has been created, and removes the label from the sheet. This operation is then repeated for each label. This operation can be somewhat difficult and time consuming, and requires a fair amount of manual dexterity.

In addition, some combinations of materials such as a thin or flexible face and thick paper liner can be difficult to die cut without cutting into the liner. When the die cut extends into the liner, the user can accidentally tear off a section of the liner in the process of removing the label from the liner.

Label strips or webs have also been invented for use with automated label removal and placement machinery. U.S. Patent No. 5,788,284 issued to Hirst discloses a label strip with a cut running down the centerline of the release liner and underneath the center of the individual labels. The label strip moves over a V-shaped notch in a separator plate, thereby automatically separating the labels from the release liner.

U.S. Patent No. 5,182,152 issued to Ericson discloses a Bible index label dispensing sheet having a weakened line in the backing and fold lines in the individual labels. A release strip overlies the weakened backing line on one side of each horizontal row of labels. The release strip acts as an adhesive tape to prevent premature rupture of 00 the sheet. The user grasps and pulls away the release strip, and tears off the backing from >a portion of the horizontal row of labels.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

00 It is an advantage of some embodiments of the invention to provide a label sheet assembly which may be fed through a printer such as a laser printer, an ink jet printer, or other printer attached to a personal computer, for desktop printability. Thereafter, a 0 narrow strip of the release liner can be torn off in a single motion. This exposes a narrow strip of each label within a row or column of labels, allowing the labels to be easily removed and placed on some other object or substrate one-by-one. In a label sheet which has a border or matrix surrounding the labels and/or running between the labels or portions of the labels, both the release liner and the matrix have weakened separation lines therein. The separation lines are formed by a series of cuts and ties in the release liner and in the matrix. The ties are preferably strongest near the edges of the sheet and weaker in the interior portion of the sheet. This allows the sheet to resist tearing along the weakened separation lines due to normal handling or printing in the printer, but once the tearing has begun the tearing continues easily until an entire strip of the release liner has been stripped away. A notch is preferably formed in a release liner and the matrix if applicable at each end of the weakened separation line. The notch is aligned with the weakened separation lines in both the liner and in the matrix. The notch helps to ensure that tearing will begin along the weakened separation lines. The two separation lines are sufficiently close together that the user can tear away the strip of release liner from the remainder of the sheet in a single motion without having to remove a separate release strip, and the tearing, once begun, will continue until the release liner is torn entirely away from the remainder of the sheet. The size of the cuts and the size of the ties are chosen so that the assembly is strong enough to be fed through a printer such as a laser printer or an ink jet printer, but weak enough so that the user can tear off the release liner strip along the separation line in an easy and fluid motion without any other mechanical preparation of the label sheet between the printing and the tearing steps. The ratio of cut length to overall separation line length is greater than 95% to ensure ease of separation.

Preferably, the separation line lies approximately 0.6 centimetres (approximately 4 inch) 00 -3- Sfrom the edge of a column or column of labels. In this way there is sufficient overhang of the exposed portion of the labels that a user can easily grasp the labels, but a sheet of 0 Z labels which has had one column or column of labels partially exposed will not have so _much exposed adhesive area that the label sheet will readily stick to a desk or other surface on which the label sheet is placed.

0 According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a label sheet 00 Sassembly constructed for easy removal of labels by hand, comprising: o") a release liner, and 00 a sheet of facestock material releasably adhered to the release liner, the facestock material including at least one row or column of labels formed therein; wherein: a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner, the first weakened separation line running below and close to an edge of the row or column of labels; and the facestock material is sufficiently the weak in an area between an edge of the assembly and nearby edge of one of the labels to be easily torn by a user, and the weakened separation line in the liner is sufficiently close to an edge of the labels that is parallel to the weakened separation line, such that the user can simultaneously remove both a strip of the liner and a strip of the facestock adhered thereto leaving each label within said row or column of labels with an exposed end and the strip of its liner removed; and wherein said release liner includes a tie near the edge thereof, the tie being provided such that an end of the first weakened separation line does not reach the edge of the release liner.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a label sheet assembly constructed for easy removal of labels by hand, comprising: a release liner, and a sheet of facestock material releasably adhered to the release liner, the facestock material including at least one row or column of labels formed therein; wherein a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner, the first weakened separation line running below and close to an edge of the row or column of labels; 00 -4wherein the facestock material sheet is sufficiently weak in an area between an edge of the assembly and nearby edge of one of the labels to be easily torn by a user, and Z the first weakened separation line in the liner is sufficiently close to an edge of the labels _that is parallel to the first weakened separation line, such that the user simultaneously remove both a strip of the liner and a strip of the facestock adhered thereto leaving each Cc label within said row or column of labels with an exposed end and the strip of its liner 00 removed; and wherein said first weakened separation line runs underneath labels of said row or 00 column of labels and less than 1 cm from an edge of said row or column of labels, such that a partially used label sheet assembly may be placed on a flat surface without creating a significant adhesive bond between said labels and said flat surface, on which said labels are placed.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a label sheet assembly constructed for easy removal of labels comprising: a release liner; and a sheet of facestock material releasably attached to the release liner, the facestock material including at least one row or column of labels formed therein; wherein: a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner, the first weakened separation line running below and close to an edge of the row or column of labels; a second weakened separation line formed in the facestock material in an area that is not part of the labels, the second weakened separation line extending in a direction that is parallel to the direction of the first weakened separation line, the second weakened separation line being offset from the first weakened separation line by less than 1 cm; and wherein said release liner includes a tie near the edge thereof, the tie being provided such that an end of the first weakened separation line does not reach the edge of the release liner.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a label sheet assembly constructed for easy removal of labels, comprising: a release liner, and a sheet of facestock material releasably adhered to the release liner, the facestock material including at least one row or column of labels formed therein; 00- 4a Swherein a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner, the first weakened separation line running below and close to an edge of the row or column of Z labels; wherein a second weakened separation line formed in the facestock material sheet in an area that is not part of the labels, the second weakened separation line extending in a direction that is parallel to the direction of the first weakened separation line, the 00 second weakened separation line being offset from the first weakened separation line by less than 1 cm; and 0 wherein said first weakened separation line runs underneath labels of said row or column of labels and less than 1 cm from an edge of said row or column of labels, such that a partially used label sheet assembly may be placed on a flat surface without creating a significant adhesive bond between said labels and said flat surface, on which said labels are placed.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a label sheet assembly modified for easy removal of labels by hand, comprising a release liner and a sheet of facestock material releasably adhered to the release liner, the facestock material including at least a first column of labels formed therein and a matrix at least partially bordering the labels wherein a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner below the column of labels and offset from a center of the column of labels toward an edge of the labels, and a second weakened separation line is formed in the matrix running generally parallel to the first weakened separation line. The release liner has a notch aligned with the two weakened separation lines, and preferably a notch at either end of the separation lines. The weakened separation lines are offset from each other by a short distance so that a user can tear off a strip of the liner and a strip of the matrix in a single motion leaving each label within the column of labels with a portion of its liner removed, thereby allowing easy removal of the labels from the label sheet assembly after the tearing operation without the need for the user to perform any other physical preparation of the label sheet between the printing and tearing operations. The weakened separation lines are preferably formed by cuts and ties in the liners and cuts and ties in the matrix when present, with the strongest of the ties being positioned next to the edges of the assembly or the notch when present. For label sheets having multiple columns of 00 4b 0 labels, the sheet has a weakened separation line in the liner and in the matrix when present below each column of labels.

Z Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the _claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense 0 of"including, but not limited to".

00 Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be further described below with reference to the drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts.

(Ni 00 SBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG 1 is a plan view of the label sheet according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a close up of the lower right hand corner of the label sheet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the back side of the portion of the label sheet shown in FIG. 2.

FIG.4 shows a first method of using the label sheet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows the label sheet of FIG. 4 after strip 26 has been completely removed.

FIG. 6 shows a second method of using the label sheet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 shows a label sheet according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention without notches at the edges of the assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows label sheet assembly 10 in which the labels can be easily peeled according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The label assembly 10 is preferably of an overall standard size such as 8-1/2 inches by 1 I inches, or A4 (approximately 21 cm x 29.7 cm), or 4 inches by 6 inches, or other size compatible with standard printers used with personal computers. Assembly 10 includes a release liner sheet or simply release liner 16 with a sheet of facestock material releasably adhered thereto via a pressure sensitive adhesive. The release liner 16 is coated with a thin layer of release material such as silicone, or is otherwise constructed or treated such that the labels can be easily removed therefrom. The sheet of facestock material 00

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Z comprises a generally rectangular sheet of paper or film facestock with a plurality of labels 12 formed therein such as by die cutting. The section of the facestock sheet not used for labels constitutes the border or matrix 14. In the figure the facestock sheet is shown smaller than the release liner 16, although it is not necessary that the facestock 00 sheet be smaller than the release liner. Additionally, although the assembly 10 is shown with a matrix, it Is not necessary for the invention that the label assembly Sincludes a matrix 14 surrounding and/or between labels 12.

0O 0 [0018] FIG. 2 shows a close up of the lower right hand comer of the label assembly of FIG. 1. The matrix 14 has a weakened separation line 20 formed therein near one edge of the column of labels. Matrix separation line 20 Includes a plurality of cuts 22 and a plurality of small ties 24, The liner includes a weakened-separation line 30 which is shown in phantom In FIG. 2. This weakened separation line or liner separation line runs generally from one edge of the assembly 10 to an opposite edge of the assembly 10 and runs preferably linearly beneath labels 12 along a column of labels, near an edge of the labels. Preferably liner separation line 30 runs less than one centimeter from the edge of the labels, and more preferably approximately 0.6 centimeters (approximately inch) from the edge of the labels. Liner separation line is shown running vertically underneath a column of labels; however, the assembly can altematively be consiruc-ed such that the separation lines run horizontally beneath a row of labels. Liner 16 also optionally includes a notch 18 generally in alignment with the liner separation line 30 and the cuts ard ties 22/24 In matrix 14. As shown in FIG.

1, a similar structure of weakened separation lines and notches Is created at the top right hand comer of the assembly. Additionally, assembly 10 includes two other sets of weakened separation lines and notches, one set for each column of labels with the weakened separation lines running underneath the column of labels at approximately 0.6 centimeters from one edge thereof. If the assembly 10 had been laid out to include a different number of columns of labels, e.g. two columns, four columns, five columns, etc., the assembly would Include a corresponding number of sets of separation lines and notches. Arrows printed on the facestock material Instruct or encourage the user to begin tearing the assembly at notches 18. Alternatively, other instructional Indicia or 00 0

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Z written instructions, such as the words "Tear Here" or the like, could be printed on the assembly.

[0019] The distance between liner separation line 30 and the cuts and ties 22/24 in the Smatrix which form matrix separation line 20 is exaggerated in the figures for illustration; 00 cl purposes. The separation lines in the liner and in the matrix are preferably placed close enough together such that, after assembly 10 has been printed on by a printer, a user 0o can tear off the strip 26 of liner and matrix as illustrated in FIG. 4 in a single fluid motion without any further physical preparation of assembly 10 being required between the CI printing and the tearing steps. At the same time, the separation lines are slightly separated so that the portion of the matrix overlying liner separation line 30 helps to keep liner 16 from prematurely tearing, and the portion of the liner underneath matrix separation line 20 helps to keep the matrix from prematurely tearing. Another reason for offsetting the two separation lines has to do with the manufacturing process. If the.

separation line in the facestock were to be die cut directly over the separation line in the liner, the die pressing into the facestock would have a tendency to deform the facestock material rather than cut cleanly into it because there would be Insufficient liner strength to support the dies cutting into the facestock. Therefore, the two separation lines are preferably offset by enough distance such that normal manufacturing tolerances are unlilely to produce a cut-on-cut situation. Prierably, atrin, separation line 20 is offset the liner separation line 30 by less than 6 mm: more preferably, the two are separated by less than 2 mm; more preferably still, the two are separated by less than 1 mm. It has been found that an offset distance of approximately 0.5 mm produces good results for typical sheets of paper labels. However, the exact separation distance is not critical.

Furthermore, the preferred separation distance can vary depending upon the thickness and strength of the liner and matrix, the strength of the pressure sensitive adhesive and the effectiveness of the release liner, the overall size of the assembly, and other factors.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows the back side of the lower right hand corner of the label assembly Illustrated in FIG. 2. Liner separation line 30 is illustrated in greater detail. It includes a plurality of cuts 32, and plurality of ties 36 and 38. In the embodiment shown two small ties 36 lie underneath the matrix, and one small tie 38 lies. underneath each 00

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Slabel 12. The particular locations of the ties are not critical. Additionally, release liner 16 includes a large tie 31 near notch 18 or, If no notch is present, near the edge of release liner 16.

00 n [0021] Both the matrix separation line 20 and the liner separation line 30 run parallel to Cl the edge of a column of labels and disposed about 0.6 centimeters from the edge of the 7 column. The exact distance is not critical. Preferably, however, the separation lines are 00 offset from the edge of the column of labels far enough so that when strip 26 is removed 0 labels 12 can be easily grasped and removed by the user. At the same time, the separation lines are cose enough to the edge of the labels such that when strip 26 is removed a narrow enough edge of the labels is exposed so that when the label sheet is placed onto a table or similar surface, the exposed edge of the unremoved labels 12 do not easily and inadvertently stick to the table.

10022] The purpose of these structures will now be described with reference to FOGS.

3, 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows one method of using the label sheet assembly of FIG. 1. For purposes of this discussion, it will be assumed that the upper right hand comer of label assembly 10 has a structure that Is the mirror image of the structure shown In FIG. 2, with corresponding parts having the same reference designators. The user grasps one comer of label assembly 10 at approximately position 27 with one thumb and forefinger, and withthhe other thumb and foref nger grasps the narrow strip 26 of release liner and matrix so as to focus the shear forces at notch 18 and large tie 31, and begins tearing strip 26 away from the rest of the sheet. After large tie 31 is broken, the tearing away of matrix liner strip 26 progresses relatively easily through small ties 36 and 38 within release liner 16, and through small ties 24 within matrix 14, until strip 26 is completely torn off. This leaves the label assembly 10 as shown in FIG. 5, with one column of labels 12 mostly attached to the release liner 16 but having a relatively narrow strip of the labels with the underlying liner portion removed. The user can then easily peel off the individual labels 12 by hand one-by-one as desired without having to bend and manipulate the assembly 10 each time the user wishes to remove the next label.

[0023] FIG. 6 shows a second method of using label sheet assembly 10 of FIG. 1.

The assembly includes three sets of vertical separation lines, one set of separation lines 00 0 Z associated with each column of labels. The separation lines divide the assembly into Sthree individual portions 40, 50 and 60 which may be individually separated from each other. In FIG. 6, the left hand portion 40 has been separated from the center portion Sand right hand portion 60. The labels within left hand portion 40 are now ready to be 0 easily peeled one by one from the liner and applied to envelopes or other substrate.

SSections 50 and 60 do not have any portions of the labels with their adhesive sides N exposed. Thus, portions 50 and 60 can be handled and/or stored for later use without 0any degradation of the adhesive on the backs of those labels. Remaining portion 50/60 N could even be fed through a printer for later printing. For example, if only ten or fewer lab6ds needed to be prited and used, the user could run assembly 10 through the printer and print only on labels within the column of labels In section 40. The user would then separate section 40 and use the labels within that section. Remaining sections 50/60 would be stored for later use. When additional labels are ready to be printed, the label assembly could be fed through the printer beginning with the right hand edge of section 60. Alternatively, the software could be instructed to shift the printing of labels over to the right slightly from the normal position, such. that section 50/60 could be fed through the printer beginning with the left hand side of section 50. The sdftware. could be commanded to make such an adjustment by a selectable software switch or option.

Using this latter metho, a first column of labeal 40 could be printed, torn off, and used; at a later time a second column of labels 60 could be printed, torn off, and used; and at a later time still a third column of labels 60 could be printed and used.

[0024] Of course, the labels on the label sheet need not be generally rectangular in shape and butting against each other as in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The labels could be virtually any shape and could be completely separated from each other by matrix therebetween or by bare liner. FIG. 7 shows one such possibility in which the labels are round and slightly separated one from another.

[0025] The size of the cuts and the size of the ties are chosen so that the assembly is strong enough to be fed through a printer such as a laser printer or an ink jet printer, but weak enough so that the user can tear off the release liner strip along the separation line In an easy and fluid motion without any other mechanical preparation of the label 00

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Ssheet between the printing and the tearing steps. The ratio of cut length to overall separation line length Is greater than 95% to ensure ease of separation. It has been found that an average tensile strength of the facestock and liner along the separation c lines of 6 gm/cm produces good results, and it is expected that values of about 4 gm/cm 00 to 10 gm/cm would also produce good results, and that value of about 2 gm/cm to Sgm/cm would also be acceptable.

00 [0026] FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment similar to the embodiment shown In FIG. 1, except that the label assembly does not Include notches.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the facestock material is slightly smaller than the, liner 16 such that matrix 14 does not extend to the edge of the label assembly. If the facestock were to extend to the edge of the label sheet, it would be desirable to form notch 18 in both matrix 14 and liner 16.

[0028] In yet another possible embodiment, the label assembly would not even Include a matrix bordering the labels. In FIG. 1, for example, matrix 14 could be entirely stripped from the label sheet before the product is sold. Alternatively, the entire sheet of facestock material could be die cut such that the entirety of the facestock material formed labels. The facestock material could either take up the same amount of facestock area shown in FO. 1, or a significantly smaller area. Rgardlass of how the facestock material were constructed, shaped, and cut, a label sheet without a mairix could still employ the present invention so that a narrow strip of liner material could be easily removed In a fluid motion from a number of labels at a single time, thus exposing a minor portion of those labels so that they could thereafter be easily removed from the remaining portion of the liner.

[0029] In a still further embodiment, the label sheet could be symmetrical. For example, a label sheet could include two columns of labels. For the right hand column of labels, separation lines would be offset slightly from the right hand edge of that right hand column of labels, and for the left hand column of labels, separation lines would be offset slightly from that left hand edge of the left hand column of labels.

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Z (0030] Additionally, it will be understood that the present invention can be used with various types and media of labels such as metallic foil, clear plastic, MYLAR®, and other well known materials. The labels could be colored or clear, and could contain pre- Sprinted Indicia such as text, two dimensional graphic or photographic Images, or 0 holographic images. The invention could be used with a variety of printing devices including but not limited to printers for use with a personal computer.

oo [0031] The present Invention is well suited for applications in which the labels will be 0individually removed by hand. However, the Invention is not limited to hand use. The Invention could be used with automated machinery for tearing strip 26 away and thereafter placing labels 12 on a substrate. The invention could also be used in applications in which a plurality of labels are to be positioned over one or more substrate objects and applied thereto as a group in the same relative positions on which those labels are found on label assembly [0032] It will be appreciated that the term "present Invention" as used herein should not be construed to mean that only a single invention having a single essential element or group of elements is presented. Although the present invention has thus been described in detail with regard to the preferred embodiments and drawings thereof, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various adaptations and modifications of the present invention may be accomplished without departing fiom hes spirit and the scope of the invention. For example, different sizes of label assemblies could be used, either with or without matrices. The labels could be of various shapes and sizes, and need not all be of the same shape or size. The pressure sensitive adhesive could be weak or strong. The term "standard size" will be understood to mean approximately standard size, and "8-1/2 in, x 11 in." and and the like will be understood to mean approximately those sizes. The weakened separation lines could be formed by various known methods. The weakened separation lines are generally linear and parallel, but need not be strictly linear or strictly parallel. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the detailed description and the accompanying drawings as set forth hereinabove are not intended to limit the breadth of the present invention, which should be inferred only from the following claims and their appropriately construed legal equivalents.

Claims

2. A label sheet assembly according to claim 1 wherein: the facestock material further includes a matrix on at least two opposing sides of said assembly and positioned over said first weakened separation line; a second weakened separation line is formed in the matrix, the second weakened separation line running generally parallel to the first weakened separation line; and said first and second weakened separation lines are slightly separated so that a user can tear offa strip of the liner and a strip of the matrix in a single motion leaving each label within said row or column of labels with the strip of its liner removed.
3. A label sheet assembly constructed for easy removal of labels by hand, comprising: a release liner, and 00 -12- a sheet of facestock material releasably adhered to the release liner, the facestock material including at least one row or column of labels formed therein; 0 Z wherein a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner, the first weakened separation line running below and close to an edge of the row or colunm of labels; Swherein the facestock material sheet is sufficiently weak in an area between an 00 edge of the assembly and nearby edge of one of the labels to be easily torn by a user, and the first weakened separation line in the liner is sufficiently close to an edge of the labels 00 that is parallel to the first weakened separation line, such that the user simultaneously remove both a strip of the liner and a strip of the facestock adhered thereto leaving each label within said row or column of labels with an exposed end and the strip of its liner removed; and wherein said first weakened separation line runs underneath labels of said row or column of labels and less than 1 cm from an edge of said row or column of labels, such that a partially used label sheet assembly may be placed on a flat surface without creating a significant adhesive bond between said labels and said flat surface, on which said labels are placed.
4. A label sheet assembly according to claim 3 wherein: the facestock material sheet further includes a matrix on at least two opposing sides of said assembly and positioned over said first weakened separation line; a second weakened separation line is formed in the matrix, the second weakened separation line running generally parallel to the first weakened separation line; and said first and second weakened separation lines are slightly separated so that a user can tear off a strip of the liner and a strip of the matrix in a single motion leaving each label within said row or column of labels with the strip of its liner removed. A label sheet assembly according to claim 2 or claim 4 wherein said first weakened separation line is defined by a plurality of cuts and ties formed in the release liner, and said second weakened separation line is defined by a plurality of cuts and ties formed in the matrix. 00 -13-
6. A label sheet assembly according to claim 1 or claim 3 wherein said first Sweakened separation line includes at least one tie underneath each label within said row 0 Z or column of labels.
7. A label sheet assembly according to claim 2 or claim 4 wherein said release liner has a notch formed therein, the notch being positioned adjacent to and aligned with both 00 the first and second separation lines to facilitate a user tearing off the strip of liner and 3 the strip of matrix along the first and second separation lines. 00
8. A label sheet assembly according to claim 7 wherein said sheet of facestock material is smaller than the release liner, and the notch in the liner does not extend to the facestock.
9. A label sheet assembly according to claim 7 wherein the strongest of the ties of the weakened separation line in the liner is placed adjacent to the notch. A label sheet assembly according to claim 7 wherein said sheet of facestock material is smaller than the release liner, and the notch in the release liner does not extend to the facestock material sheet.
11. A label sheet assembly according to claim 7 wherein the strongest of the ties of the weakened separation line in the release liner is placed adjacent to the notch.
12. A label sheet assembly according to claim 2 or claim 4 wherein said first weakened separation line is offset from said second weakened separation line by an offset distance of less than 2.0 mm.
13. A label sheet assembly according to claim 2 wherein: the weakened separation lines exhibit a combined average tensile strength within the range of 2 gm/cm to gm/cm; said first weakened separation line is defined by a plurality of cuts and ties in the liner; and a ratio of cut length to overall separation line length for said first weakened separation line is greater than 00 -14-
14. A label sheet assembly according to claim 4 wherein: the weakened separation lines exhibit a combined average tensile strength within the range of 2 gm/cm to Z gm/cm; _said first weakened separation line is defined by a plurality of cuts and ties in the release liner; and Sa ratio of cut length to overall separation line length for said first weakened 00 separation line is greater than
15. A label sheet assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first weakened 00 Sseparation line runs underneath labels of said row or column of labels and less than 1 cm 10 from an edge of said row or column of labels, such that a partially used label sheet assembly may be placed on a flat surface without creating a significant adhesive bond between said labels and said flat surface on which said labels are placed.
16. A label sheet assembly constructed for easy removal of labels comprising: a release liner; and a sheet of facestock material releasably attached to the release liner, the facestock material including at least one row or column of labels formed therein; wherein: a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner, the first weakened separation line running below and close to an edge of the row or column of labels; a second weakened separation line formed in the facestock material in an area that is not part of the labels, the second weakened separation line extending in a direction that is parallel to the direction of the first weakened separation line, the second weakened separation line being offset from the first weakened separation line by less than 1 cm; and wherein said release liner includes a tie near the edge thereof, the tie being provided such that an end of the first weakened separation line does not reach the edge of the release liner.
17. A label sheet assembly according to claim 16 wherein the second weakened separation line extends from at least near an edge of the facestock to at least near an edge of a nearest label. 00
18. A label sheet assembly according to claim 3 wherein said first weakened separation line runs underneath labels of said row or column of labels and lies 0.6 Z centimeters from an edge of said row or column of labels.
19. A label sheet assembly constructed for easy removal of labels, comprising: a release liner, and 00 a sheet of facestock material releasably adhered to the release liner, the facestock (N Smaterial including at least one row or column of labels formed therein; i wherein a first weakened separation line is formed in the release liner, the first 0 Sweakened separation line running below and close to an edge of the row or column of o10 labels; wherein a second weakened separation line formed in the facestock material sheet in an area that is not part of the labels, the second weakened separation line extending in a direction that is parallel to the direction of the first weakened separation line, the second weakened separation line being offset from the first weakened separation line by less than 1 cm; and wherein said first weakened separation line runs underneath labels of said row or column of labels and less than 1 cm from an edge of said row or column of labels, such that a partially used label sheet assembly may be placed on a flat surface without creating a significant adhesive bond between said labels and said flat surface, on which said labels are placed. A label sheet assembly according to claim 19 wherein the second weakened separation line extends from at least near an edge of the facestock material sheet to at least near an edge of a nearest label.
21. A label sheet assembly constructed for easy removal substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.