GB2250501A - Peelable and reclosable labels and closures - Google Patents

Abstract

A closure or label, such as a reclose label 10 for a bag, and a method of making the same provides areas with differing levels of adhesion, in which the label or closure is coated with a single layer of adhesive, but in some areas 18, 20 the adhesive is treated in order to change its level of adhesion. The treatment may be by application of a varnish which masks the adhesive. The masking effect may be produced in spaced areas arranged in a pattern, such as stripes or dots. The single layer of adhesive may be a permanent adhesive, and the masking effect may render it peelable. An area 20 of the adhesive may be totally coated with varnish to render it non-adhesive. The closure or label may be printed prior to the application of the adhesive. <IMAGE>

Description

LABELS AND OTHER CLOSURE This invention relates to labels and other closures.

An example of an application of the invention is a socalled "re-close" label in which the label is used to reclose an article or product, for example a plastic bag or envelope used for containing food in a deep freeze. The re-close label includes a portion which is permanently adhered to the freezer bag, and a portion which is peelable therefrom to open the bag to remove a part of the contents, and which can then be re-adhered to the freezer bag so as to temporarily re-close same. It is also desirable in such a closure or label to provide a portion which is not adhered at all to the bag, forming a flap or lip at one edge of the peelable portion, so that this can be used to commence the peeling operation.It has already been proposed to provide a re-close label having a permanent adhesive portion and a peelable portion, but this has been achieved in a relatively complex and expensive way by means of the use of two different adhesives, one permanent, the other peelable. What is required is an improvement on this technique whereby the production of the re-close label is simplified and/or made less expensive, and/or one or more other improvements may be made.

According to the invention there is provided a closure or label, such as a re-close label, having portions of permanent adhesive and peelable adhesive, in which at least the peelable and permanent adhesive zones of the label are coated with a permanent adhesive, but, at least in the peelable zone, this permanent adhesive is treated in order to render it peelable. The invention also provides a closure in which areas of differing levels of adhesion are provided by applying a layer of a single adhesive over said portions, and then treating one or more of same in order to change its level of adhesion.

Preferably, the level of adhesion is changed by treatment of the adhesive with an ultraviolet varnish The ultraviolet varnish may be applied in a pattern, the pattern may consist of spaced areas of varnish, between which the permanent adhesive may still act. The pattern may consist of strips or dots or other spaced areas, according to requirements.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided a label construction and a method of making same, in which at least the permanent adhesive and peelable adhesive zones of the label are both coated with the same permanent adhesive. In the peelable zone of the label, the adhesive is subjected to a subsequent treatment to render it peelable. In one embodiment of the invention this is achieved by means of a printing technique. An ultraviolet varnish is applied to the adhesive. The varnish is applied in a suitable pattern, for example a pattern of dots Between the dots, the permanent adhesive can act. The dots themselves however mask-out a substantial preportion of the permanent adhesive, and thus render it, effectively, peelable The pattern of varnish applied to the peelable zone may be varied accordingly to requirements.For example, where the label is to be applied to a paper product, which might tear, a lower level of adhesion is appropriate than in the case of a label for application to a plastic product, and so on. For example, a pattern may consist of 30% of the dots required to completely blank-off the adhesive The printing of the varnish is effected after printing of information on the adhesive side of the label. In the embodiment described below the zone of the label to be permanently attached is not printed at all, the peelable zone carries printed text and a suitable pattern of varnish, and the lip for a user to raise to commence peeling is completely masked by being printed with the varnish The varnish is subsequently cured by ultrabviole.

treatment in the printing press.

In the preferred embodiment, the use of a single permanent adhesive greatly simplifies the production technique. For example, the label may be manufactured from a single web of paper entirely covered on one side with the permanent adhesive, and this is printed with the necessary text and with the varnish in order to produce the zones of differential adhesion, namely permanent adhesion, peelable adhesion and zero adhesion, the latter for the lip.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig 1 shows, somewhat enlarged, a front view of a reclose label; and Fig 2 shows a corresponding rear view of the label.

As shown in the drawings, a re-close label 10 has an upper or front side 12 seen in Fig 1 and a rear or lower side 14 seen in Fig 2.

Label 10 comprises a rectangular area 16 for permanent adhesion to a product, a polygonal area 18 for peelable adhesion to the product, and a lip or flap 20 which is not adhered to the product at all and serves as an aid for peeling the area 18.

As shown in Fig 2, area 18 has printed thereon, on the reverse side 14 thereof text relating to the relevant product. In this case the text concerns cooking suggestions for the food product contained in the bag to which the label is to be applied.

On the rear side 14 of the label there are provided areas of adhesive in the zones 16 and 18 providing, respectively, permanent and peelable adhesion. These zones are provided by means of a single coating of permanent adhesive applied to the whole of the rear surface 14 of label 10. Areas 20 and 18 are then subsequently treated to modify their adhesion, leaving area 16 with the adhesive in its fully effective permanent adhesive form. It will be understood that prior to use, the labels are adhered to a sheet (not shown) of release material such as siliconecoated paper.

In order to render zone 18 of the label in peelable form, a pattern of dots of ultraviolet varnish is applied by a printing technique using a printing plate having the required pattern of dots, whereby the ultraviolet varnish is applied in this pattern, and in the area of each dot the permanent adhesive is effectively masked, and thereby rendered either non-adhesive or only partly adhesive whereby the area in which the adhesive acts is significantly reduced. According to requirements, the pattern of dots or other masked zones can be varied in order to decrease or increase the level of adhesion according to the requirements of product in question.

In area 20 where no adhesion at all is required, the ultraviolet varnish is applied so as to completely mask the permanent adhesive. After application the varnish is cured by ultraviolet radiation in the label-making press The printing of the label with the text required, or other matter, is effected prior to application of the adhesive.

Interestingly, the above embodiment provides a reclose label in which manufacturing simplicity is greatly enhanced by the use of only a single form of adhesive.

This can be applied in a single coating operation. The subseqent zone modification technique is readily carried out by means of printing plates. Manufacturing costs and hence product costs are thereby reduced.

Claims (18)

CLAIMS :

1 A closure or label, such as a re-close label, having portions of permanent adhesive and peelable adhesive, in which at least the peelable and permanent adhesive zones of the label have been coated with a permanent adhesive, but, at least in the peelable zone, this permanent adhesive has then been treated in order to render it peelable.

2 A closure or label in which areas of differing levels of adhesion are provided by applying a layer of a single adhesive over said portions, and then treating one or more of same in order to change its level of adhesion.

3 A closure or label according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the level of adhesion is changed by treatment of the adhesive with an ultraviolet varnish.

4 A closure or label according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the level of adhesion is changed by masking the adhesive to reduce its level of adhesion.

5 A closure or label according to claim 4 wherein said masking is effected by treatment of the adhesive in spaced areas.

6 A closure or label according to claim 5 in which said spaced areas are disposed in a pattern.

7 A closure or label according to claim 6 wherein said pattern comprises strips and/or dots.

8 A closure or label according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein said masking is effected by a varnish.

9 A closure or label according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said treatment effects complete masking of the adhesive in a defined area.

10 A closure or label according to any one of the preceding claims in which text is printed thereon prior to application of said adhesive.

11 A closure or label substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12 A method of making a closure or label having portions of permanent adhesive and peelable adhesive comprising coating both said peelable and permanent adhesive zones with a permanent adhesive and treating the permanent adhesive in said peelable zone in order to render it peelable

13 A method of making a closure or label having areas of differing levels of adhesion comprising applying a layer of a single adhesive to said portions, and then treating one or more of said portions in order to change its level of adhesiveness.

14 A method according to claim 12 or claim 13 comprising effecting said treatment step by masking said adhesive in order to change its level of adhesiveness,

15 A method according to claim 14 comprising the step of masking said adhesive in spaced areas.

16 A method according to any one of claims 12 to 15 comprising effecting said treatment of said adhesive by application of a varnish.

17 A method according to any one of claims 12 to lS comprising the step of printing said closure or label prior to application of said adhesive.

18 A method of making a closure or label substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.