GB2084077A

GB2084077A - Identification labels

Info

Publication number: GB2084077A
Application number: GB8129240A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: JOEL ARONOFF UK Ltd
Current assignee: JOEL ARONOFF UK Ltd
Priority date: 1980-09-26
Filing date: 1981-09-28
Publication date: 1982-04-07

Abstract

A laminated product comprises a carrier or backing sheet one surface of which is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a plurality of distinct labels, one surface of each of which comprises a heat activable adhesive, the labels being retained in position on the backing sheet by having the surfaces thereof which comprise said heat activable adhesive in contact with said pressure sensitive adhesive. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Identification labels This invention relates to identification labels.

In many large establishments it is desirable to identify personnel by attaching lables or other identification means to their working garments.

Problems arise in providing a satisfactory means of effecting such identification without the use of detachable badges or the like which can become separated from garments and lost. Permanent printed labels also having drawbacks since it is desirable that, although the labels should not be readily removable, it should be possible to remove them by special techniques if required to enable the garments to be issued to different personnel. Such labels should also be capable of withstanding frequent laundering and problems arise in the supply and handling of large numbers of individual separate labels of relatively small size which can readily be confused with one another or mislaid.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of these disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a laminated product comprising a carrier or backing sheet one surface of which is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a plurality of distinct labels, one surface of each of which comprises a heat activable adhesive, the labels being retained in position on the backing sheet by having the surfaces thereof which comprise said heat activable adhesive in contact with said pressure sensitive adhesive.

Preferably the labels are defined by cutting from a larger sheet of material previously laminated to the backing or carrier sheet in an uncut condition.

Thus according to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a laminated product comprising a series of labels supported on a backing or carrier, the method comprising laminating a carrier sheet having one surface coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive to a label-forming sheet one surface of which comprises a heat activable adhesive with their adhesive faces in contact, and subsequently effecting a cutting operation on the label-forming sheet to cut through same without cutting into the carrier sheet, whereby to form a series of discrete labels detachably secured to the carrier sheet.

The portions of the label-forming sheet surrounding the labels after cutting may be removed from the carrier sheet leaving the labels secured thereto in spaced relation.

The label-forming sheet may comprise a textile fabric and the heat activated adhesive may be chemically affected by a suitable solvent to enable subsequent release of the label from a garment or the like to which it has been attached.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through one form of laminated product according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a view of the product in the direction of the arrow II in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the product comprises a support or backing sheet 5 of paper or card construction, the upper surface of which is coated wtih a layer 6 of a pressure sensitive adhesive. Superimposed on the backing sheet 5 is a label-forming sheet 7 formed from a woven polyester-cotton fabric the undersurface of which is coated with a layer 8 of heat activable adhesive. The two sheets are superimposed one upon the other with their adhesive coated faces in contact. In the example the article is of strip form being perhaps 2" to 3" wide and of indefinite length.

The heat activable adhesive comprises an adhesive which is non-tacky at room temperature but will fuse and bond to a supporting substrate such as the surface of a garment when heated and can be removed from the surface by use of a solvent compatible with the constituents of the adhesive. As it is non-tacky at room temperature the layer 8 of adhesive will not itself adhere to a supporting substrate and hence the backing sheet 5 is provided with the coating 6 of pressure sensitive adhesive in order to effect a bond between the two sheets.

The label-forming sheet is divided by cutting into a series of discreet labels 9 surrounded by waste material 10. The cutting does not extend through to the backing sheet which remains intact. The layer 6 of the pressure sensitive adhesive retains the labels 9 in position on the backing sheet 5 until required for use at which time they may be peeled from the sheet and applied to a garment or the like by application of heat. Generally the waste material 10 will remain around the labels 9 after the cutting operation, but if desired the waste material 10 may be removed from the backing sheet and discarded.

In producing the article a laminated strip material is formed by bringing a continuous strip of backing material 5 and a continuous strip of labelforming material 7 into contact with their adhesivecoated faces directed towards one another such that the two sheets are maintained together by the adhesive effect of the layer 6 of pressure sensitive adhesive. Thereafter the laminated product is subject to a cutting operation which effects cutting of the label-forming sheet to produce the discreet labels 9 separated by the residual or waste material 10. The cutting operation is confined to the label-forming sheet 7 so that the backing sheet 5 remains intact.

The laminated product consisting of the separate labels 9 attached to the backing sheet may therefore be supplied to customers as a continuous strip which, since the materials are flexible may be conveniently rolled, folded or otherwise reduced to a compact shape and size. When the user wishes to use the labels they may be readily peeled from the backing sheet as required and attached to the garment by application of heat as previously described.

By virtue of the arrangement described a plurality of identification labels are provided in a unitary interconnected form but may be readily removed individually for use as required. The product may also be readily and quickly manufactured by laminating two sheets of material together prior to forming of the labels themselves and after formation of the labels the product may be rolled, folded or otherwise reduced to readily manageable compact dimensions.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example various different materials may be used both for the support or backing sheet and the label-forming sheet and the latter need not incorporate a textile fabric. The compositions of the pressure sensitive and heat activated adhesives may also be varied.

Claims

1. A laminated product comprising a carrier or backing sheet one surface of which is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a plurality of distinct labels, one surface of each of which comprises a heat activable adhesive, the labels being retained in position on the backing sheet by having the surfaces thereof which comprise said heat activable adhesive in contact with said pressure sensitive adhesive.

2. A laminated product according to claim 1 wherein the heat activable adhesive may be chemically affected by a solvent which permits subsequent release of said labels from a garment or the like to which they have been attached by means of said heat activable adhesive.

3. A laminated product according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the labels are defined by cutting from a larger sheet of material previously laminated to the backing or carrier sheet in an uncut condition.

4. A laminated product according to claim 3 wherein the portions of the label-forming sheet surrounding the labels after cutting are removed from the carrier sheet leaving the labels secured thereto in spaced relation.

5. A laminated product according to any preceding claim wherein said carrier or backing sheet comprises a roll or strip of material having said labels arranged in spaced relation therealong.

6. A laminated product according to any preceding claim wherein said label-forming sheet incorporates a textile fabric.

7. A laminated product according to any preceding claim wherein said carrier or backing sheet comprises paper or card.

8. A laminated product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of producing a laminated product comprising a series of labels supported on a backing or carrier, the method comprising laminating a carrier sheet having one surface coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive to a label-forming sheet one surface of which comprises a heat activable adhesive with their adhesive faces in contact, and subsequently effecting a cutting operation on the label-forming sheet to cut through same without cutting into the carrier sheet, whereby to form a series of discreet labels detachably secured to the carrier sheet.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the portions of said lable-forming sheet surrounding the labels after cutting are removed from the carrier sheet leaving the labels secured thereto in spaced relation.

11. A method according to claim 9 or 10 wherein said heat activable adhesive is such that it may be chemically affected by a suitable solvent to permit' subsequent release of said labels from a garment or the like to which they have been attached by means of said heat activable adhesive.

12. A method according to any of claims 9 to 11 wherein said label-forming sheet incorporates a textile fabric.

13. A method according to any of claims 9 to 12 wherein said backing or carrier sheet comprises paper or card.

14. A method of producing a laminated product comprising a series of labels supported on a backing or carrier substantially as hereinbefore described.

15. A laminated product produced by the method according to any of claims 9 to 14.

16. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.