AU676336B2

AU676336B2 - Printing system for linerless labels

Info

Publication number: AU676336B2
Application number: AU68871/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David P. Beaty; Karl Schroeder
Original assignee: Premark FEG Corp
Current assignee: Premark FEG LLC
Priority date: 1993-08-02
Filing date: 1994-08-02
Publication date: 1997-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-02
Also published as: CA2129068A1; EP0637547A1; EP0637547B1; DE69400739D1; JPH07172006A; AU6887194A; KR950005566A; DE69400739T2

Description

P/00/011 I Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

:ORIGINAL

**0 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: PREMARK FEG CORPORATION .::::Actual Inventor(s): Karl Schroeder and David P. Beaty Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 278 High Street, Kew, 3101, Victoria, Australia Invention Title: "PRINTING SYSTEM FOR LINERLESS LABELS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- ,8 IS 1 Docket No. 06593-1342-Cl

PATENT

PRINTING SYSTEM FOR LINERLESS LABELS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application Serial No. 08/101,512 filed August 2, 1993.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the printing of merchandising labels for wrapped packages and, more particularly, to the printing and conveying of linerless labels.

2. Description of the Prior Art In product merchandising, such as in the supermarket business for example, products are wrapped typically in stretch or shrink film, then conveyed to a labeler which automatically prints and attaches a label to the product package giving price, or other information about the product.

The labels are provided in the form of a narrow continuous strip of paper stock and are joined at tearable perforations so that individual labels may be printed and separated from the strip for attachment to the package.

Label stock of the type currently in use is supplied in roll form. The labels are made from thermosensitive paper and have an adhesive backing on them so that they will adhere to the plastic wrapping of the package. In order to keep the labels from sticking to themselves while in roll form or during handling, the labels are mounted on a continuous backing, or liner. The typical liner is a paper material coated on one side with silicone. The silicone coating allows the labels to be readily separated from the liner prior to attachment to a package.

A disadvantage of using conventional label stock having a liner is that the spent liner must be collected and disposed of. This typically involves providing a take-up reel for storing the used liner. The reel must be changed periodically in the operation of the labelling machine and the full reel must be discarded or replaced with an empty reel, involving down time of the label machine.

Label stock is available which is linerless. That is, the label material is supplied in roll form but without a silicone-coated backing paper. The labels are coated on their print side with silicone so that their adhesive side will not stick appreciably to the print side when in roll form. A problem with using linerless S label stock is that the adhesive side of the labels will adhere to the conveying l members when the label stock is transported through the printer. This is particularly a problem at the thermal print head where the label must be pressed against the print head to obtain an acceptably printed label. The typical means o, for pressing the label against the print head is neoprene roller juxtaposed next to the print head. Without a liner, the label stock will adhere to the print roller S and be incapable of being transported to the package.

~SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for using linerless label stock in a commercial package labelling machine. In accordance with the invention there is provided apparatus for printing linerless labels having an adhesive coating on one side thereof, comprising: a print head for printing indicia on a print side of said labels; -2- 2Ol II96!'It/ L2,SI'U,2 a print roller disposed in close proximity to said print head and adapted to press said labels against said print head during printing; a peel bar positioned in spaced relation to said print roller; and an endless belt adapted to travel around said print roller and peel bar; wherein said labels are adhered to said belt at said print head and are conveyed to said peel bar where they are released from said belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art label printing apparatus for use with conventional label stock having a liner; and Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a label printing apparatus in accordance with the invention for use with linerless label stock.

3'5: Fig. 3 is a schematic view of an apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

i:D _DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS S S Referring initially to Fig. 1, a prior art label printing apparatus, designated generally by the reference number 10, includes a conventional :PO: thermal print head 12 disposed in close proximity to a print roller 14. Label stock 16 is supplied from a supply reel 18. The label stock -3- 20/12;961,1'7812.SII,3 Docket No. 06593-1342-Cl 16 includes thermally sensitive paper 20 backed by a relatively non-stick liner 22. When the printing apparatus is in operation, the label stock 16 is fed between .he print head 12 and print roller 14 whereupon appropriate indicia is printed on the label paper 20. In the configuration illustrated, the print side of the label stock 16 is facing downwardly while the liner 22 is on the upward side of the label stock 16.

After the label stock 16 passes between the print head 12 and roller 14 the label stock travels to a peel bar 24 where the liner 22 is stripped from the label paper 20. The used liner 22 then proceeds around the peel bar 24 to a take-up reel 26 on which it is stored for later disposal.

The label paper 20 continues to advance, with its adhesive side exposed, to a package labeling station (not shown).

Turning now to FIG. 2, a label printing apparatus in accordance with the invention is designated by the reference numeral 30 and includes a conventional thermal print head 32 positioned adjacent a print roller 34. Label stock 36 of the linerless type is provided from a supply reel 38 with its adhesive side up, as viewed in FIG. 2. The label stock 36 passes between the print head 32 and print roller 34 where it is intercepted by an endless belt 40. The endless belt 40 passes around a peel bar 42, the print roller 34 and an idler pulley 44. The idler pulley 44 is tensioned by a suitable biasing means 46 so that the belt 40 remains taut as it is driven by the print roller 34.

The beli 40 is preferably formed from a fabric material coated on its outward surface with silicone. A porous roller 48 filled with liquid silicone may be positioned in contact with the belt 40 to apply a continuous film of silicone to the belt surface.

-4- Docket No. 06593-1342-Cl In operation of the apparatus 30 it can be appreciated that as the strip of linerless label stock 36 passes between the print head 32 and roller 34, where it is intercepted by the endless belt 40, the adhesive of the labels 36, which is f-ing upwardly as viewed in FIG. 2, causes the labels 36 to .re to the belt 40 and be transported to the peel bar 42.

At the peel bar 42 the belt 40 makes an abrupt change of direction causing the belt 40 to separate from the label strip 36, whereupon the strip of labels 36 is free to proceed substantially in a straight line from the supply reel 38 through the printer 32 and then to a label applying station (not shown). The belt 40 thus serves as a temporary liner for the label stock 36 during the printing process and completely eliminates the need for linered label stock.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the belt passes around idler rollers 44 and 45 and the peel bar 42 is located outside the endless belt adjacent to the print roll 34 where the peel bar functions to direct the labels 36 to the label applying station. In this embodiment, the print roll 34 has a small enough diameter that the labels separate from the belt 40 as the belt passes around the print roll 34 without positioning the peel bar 42 within the belt 40. Because the labels separate from the belt as the belt passes around the print roll and the peel bar functions merely to direct the labels to the label applying station, in a further embodiment of the invention, the peel bar can be eliminated altogether and other means can be used to direct the labels to the label applying station.

What is claimed is:

Claims

1. Apparatus for printing linerless labels having an adhesive coating on one side thereof, comprising: a print head for printing indicia on a print side of said labels; a print roller disposed in close proximity to said print head and adapted to press said labels against said print head during printing; a peel bar positioned in spaced relation to said print roller; and an endless belt adapted to travel around said print roller and peel bar; wherein said labels are adhered to said belt at said print head and are conveyed to said peel bar where they are released from said belt.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including an idler pulley with said belt travelling around said print roller, peel bar and idler pulley.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 further including means o S for applying a non-stick coating to said belt as said belt is travelling around said S. 1: print roller and peel bar.

4. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein said peel bar is positioned outside of said belt adjacent said print roller such that ~said peel bar directs said labels away from said belt. A method of printing indicia on a strip of printable material having an exposed adhesive coating on one side thereof comprising the steps °9 of: positioning a roller and a peel bar in spaced parallel relation to one another; rotating an endless belt around said roller and peel bar such that said belt makes an abrupt change of direction at said peel bar; positioning a print head in close proximity to said roller; 2V 12!%1.1i78 12.811.6 M passing said strip of material between said print head and roller with said adhesive coating facing said roller such that indicia is printed on said strip and said strip is adhered to said belt; and detaching said strip from said belt as the belt passes around said peel bar.

6. Apparatus for printing linerless labels having an adhesive coating on one side thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. *9*9* 9 o 9 9 a. .9

9. 9 9.* o 9 9 9.99 9 9 o e

999. 9 9 99* 99* 99* 9 99.9 9 .9.9 99* 9. 9 DATED this 20th day of December, PREMARK FEG CORPORATION By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE

1996. 4;A -7- 20/12MI'11812Sl'li. A BSTR ACT Apparatus for printing linerless labels. a0. a a00.. 2 1 11SPH( I F, I 0