GB2387590A

GB2387590A - Label with insert

Info

Publication number: GB2387590A
Application number: GB0208941A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Stevenson; Raymond Young
Original assignee: DITONE LABELS Ltd
Current assignee: DITONE LABELS Ltd
Priority date: 2002-04-19
Filing date: 2002-04-19
Publication date: 2003-10-22
Also published as: GB0208941D0

Abstract

A label (10) comprises a body (12) and a detachable insert (16) mounted on the body (12) by a film (14). The film (14) comprises a cover section (30) defined between two spaced apart frangible connections (24) whereby the insert (16) is accessed by separating the cover section (30) from the remainder of the film (14) along the frangible connections (24). A method of making such a label comprises mounting the insert (16) on the body (12) by bonding a film (14) to the body, sandwiching the insert (16) therebetween, and forming the pair of spaced apart frangible connections (24) in the film (14). The insert (16) may be an information leaflet, pamphlet or folded booklet, or a toy or sachet. Strips (26) of release material may be provided on the label in line with the perforations (24). The film (14) may be of transparent plastics. The label (12) may have an adhesive rear layer (20) protected by a removable backing layer (22).

Description

l 1 2387590

5 TITLE: LABEL

10 DESCRIPTION

15 The present invention relates to a label, and more particularly, but not exclusively to a label containing an information leaflet or pamphlet.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a label comprising a body, an 20 insert mounted on the body by a film laminated to the body, the film comprising a cover section defined between two spaced apart frangible connections whereby the insert is accessed by separating the cover section from the remainder of the film along the frangible connections.

25 The frangible connection may comprise a line of perforations. The spaced apart frangible connections may extend adjacent either side of the insert. Once detached, a consumer may store the insert for future reference

independently of the remainder of the label.

The film may be bonded to the body on either side of the insert and a nonsetting adhesive may be used for the bond. On at least one or both of the other sides of the 5 insert, the label may comprise an opening between the film and the body. The or each opening may run along an edge of the label extending between the frangible connections and is designed to facilitate removal of the cover section to access the insert. Thus, there is no need to use a knife 10 or scissors which may be awkward, damaging or dangerous to access the insert which may be cooking instructions or medical dressing instructions.

A release coating may be provided on the body to assist in breaking the bond between the film and body when 15 the cover section is removed. The release coating may be in the form of strips of release ink or varnish which may be aligned under the frangible connections.

The film may be bonded to the front face of the insert and the frangible connections may be either side of the 20 insert so that detaching the cover section from the rest of the film also detaches the insert from the label. Release additive may be provided on the front face of the insert to prevent the film bonding to the insert. The frangible connections may be define a cover section which wholly or 25 partially covers the insert and which when detached provides an opening in the film through which the insert may be accessed.

The film may be transparent and may be made of any

suitable material e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, vinyl or acetate. A film may provide protection in damp or dirty environments, possibly increasing the longevity of the label, whilst a transparent film still 5 allows consumers to see the front of the insert therethrough. The insert may have any desired form, for example a leaflet, a toy or a sachet. The leaflet may include at least one fold, whereby the leaflet may be unfolded when 10 detached from the body. The leaflet may comprise several folds whereby the leaflet may be unfolded into a single sheet of say A4 size. The leaflet may comprise promotional or advertising material, e.g. vouchers. The leaflet may comprise information on a product in the container, 15 including drawings showing how to construct the product.

The information may be in one or more languages or in larger print for the visually impaired. By folding the leaflet to form a booklet, a large amount of information may be presented on one label without necessitating a large 20 area of label.

The body of the label may be made of any suitable material e.g. paper, card, polypropylene, polyethylene or acetate or combinations thereof. The body of the label may have an adhesive rear surface to attach the label to a 25 product. The remainder of the label may thus remain adhered to the product when the leaflet is removed. The label or a series of labels may be mounted on a backing layer which may be silicon based.

The body of the label may be printed with information, e.g. general product information, including brand name and Purpose. According to a second aspect of the invention, a 5 method of making a label comprises providing a body for forming the label; mounting a detachable insert on the body by bonding a film to the body, sandwiching the insert therebetween; and forming a pair of spaced apart frangible connections in the film to define a cover section which is 10 detachable from the remainder of the film along the frangible connections to access the insert.

The frangible connections may be perforations and may be located on opposed sides of the insert. The film may be bonded to the body on either side of the leaflet. A 15 release additive may be provided on the body to assist in breaking the bond between the film and body when the cover section is removed. The release coating may be applied in strips which are preferably aligned with the frangible connections. 20 The label may be supported on a carrier, e.g. a backing layer. The film may be transparent and may be applied by unwinding the film from a reel and rolling the film on to the body and insert.

The method may further comprise cutting the label to 25 the desired dimensions. The film and body may be cut to form an opening between the film and the body, the opening extending along one edge of the label between the frangible connections. Openings on both edges of the label Or

All may be formed.

The method may comprise winding the cut label onto a reel and may comprise winding waste onto a waste reel. The method may comprise printing the body, for example, using 5 flexography, letterpress, digital, lithographic, screen, hot and cold foil, or inkjet printing processes.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 10 Figure la is a plan view of a label embodying the present invention; Figure lb is a crosssection view of the label of Figure la along line AA; Figure 2 is a plan view showing the various stages of 15 manufacture of the label shown in Figure la, and Figure 3 is a schematic side view of apparatus for manufacturing the label of Figure la.

Figures la and lb shows a label 10 comprising a body 12 and a leaflet 16 in the form of a folded booklet. A film 20 14 covers the whole label and is bonded to the body 12 on two opposed sides of the leaflet whereby the leaflet 16 is held to the body 12. The leaflet 16 extends across the width of the body 12 and thus the label has openings 28 along the other sides of the leaflet. The openings are held 25 substantially closed by the adhesive bonding between the film 14 and the body 12 so that the leaflet 16 may not slip through either opening. The body 12 is supported on a backing layer 22 which has a larger area than that of the

label 10.

The film 14 comprises a cover 30 defined between two lines of perforations 24 which run across the width of the label adjacent the leaflet 16. Strips of release ink or 5 varnish 26 are located on the body 12 in line with the perforations 24. The strips prevent the film 14 adhering to the body 12. Access to the leaflet is gained by separating the releasable cover 30 from the other sections of film and the body 12 by tearing along the lines of 10 perforations. The openings are large enough to facilitate release of the cover but.

The body 12 is printed with images 18 on its front face and has an adhesive layer 20 on its rear face. Thus the body 12 may be affixed to an object and when the cover 15 is removed, the body 12 and the rest of the film 14 remain attached to the object.

Figure 2 shows the formation of the label of Figures la and lb from a body 12 carried on a backing layer 22 and Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of apparatus used to 20 produce a label according to the invention. The apparatus comprises a reel 30 of sheet material 32 which comprises label bodies mounted on a backing layer and a series of printing stations 34 downstream of the reel 30 which may print on the sheet material.

25 Downstream from the printing stations 34 are a varnish unit 36 for applying release varnish to the body, means (not shown) for applying the leaflets 16 or other inserts and a reel for feeding film 14 to be laminated.

The leaflet may be pre-printed and pre-folded to the required size.

Further downstream is a cutting station 40 in the form of a rotary and/or flat bed cutter which cuts the 5 labels to size and adds the perforations. Additional cutters (not shown) may be included to trim and finish the label outline. Waste material is rolled onto a waste reel 42 and the finished labels on the backing layer are drawn on to a reel 44.

10 The apparatus operates according to the following method steps illustrated in Figure 3: a) The body 12 which may be a base substrate of pressure sensitive self-adhesive material wound on a silicon backing paper is printed in a number of colours or 15 designs by the printing stations 34.

b) Two spaced apart parallel strips of release ink or varnish 26 are applied to the printed face of the body 12 by the varnish unit. The strips extend across the width of the body 12.

20 c) A leaflet 16 or other insert is placed via a hopper or the like on the printed face of the body 12 in the space between the strips which thus define a location for the leaflet. The edges of the leaflet partly overlap the strips.

25 d) A film 14 having an adhesive coating on its underside is unwound from the reel 38 and applied over the body 12, the film bonding to the body 12 to seal the leaflet 16 between the film 14 and the body 12. The

film may be a self-wound clear overlaminate. The width of the film 14 is less than that of the backing layer 22 whereby openings along two sides of the leaflet 16 are defined.

5 e) Perforations 24 are cut in the film 14 along both sides of the leaflet 16. The perforations 24 are aligned with the strips of release varnish and may or may not cut into the body 12.

f) As the perforations are cut, the label is cut to its 10 final dimensions by removing any excess areas of body 12, leaflet 16 or film 14.

g) The finished label on its backing layer is wound onto a reel 44 and the waste 46 on to a waste real 42.

The label is supplied on the reel 44, the diameter of 15 which may be dictated by a customer. The reels 46 may be fed into conventional labelling equipment and thus no extra time is required to apply labels according to the invention. Furthermore, investment costs in specialist equipment or extra costs for hand-applying the labels may 20 be avoided. Alternatively, the process may be adapted to supply the label on sheets if required.

Claims

CLAI MS

1. A label comprising a body, a detachable insert mounted on the body by a film laminated to the body, the film comprising a cover section defined between two spaced apart 5 frangible connections whereby the insert is accessed by separating the cover section from the remainder of the film along the frangible connections.

2. A label according to claim 1, wherein the frangible connections each comprise a line of perforations.

10

3. A label according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the frangible connections extend adjacent opposed sides of the insert.

4 A label according to any preceding claim, wherein release additive is provided on the body on either side of 15 the insert.

5. A label according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one opening between the film and the body to facilitate removal of the cover section.

6. A label according to any preceding claim, wherein the 20 insert is in the form of a printed leaflet.

7. A label according to claim 6, wherein the leaflet is in the form of a folded booklet.

8. A label according to any preceding claim, wherein the body has an adhesive rear surface to attach the label to a 25 product.

9. A label according to claim 8, wherein the label is mounted on a backing layer.

10. A label according to any preceding claim, wherein the

film is bonded to a front face of the insert.

11. A label according to any preceding claim, wherein the body of the label is printed.

12. A method of making a label comprising providing a 5 body for forming the label; mounting an insert on the body by bonding a film to the body, sandwiching the insert therebetween; and forming a pair of spaced apart frangible connections in the film to define a cover section which is detachable from the remainder of the film along the 10 frangible connections to access the insert.

13. A method according to claim 12, comprising forming the frangible connections adjacent opposed sides of the insert.

14. A method according to claim 13, comprising applying a 15 release additive on the body adjacent opposed sides of the insert before applying the insert.

15. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, comprising cutting the film and body to form an opening along at least one edge of the insert which is not 20 adjacent the frangible connections.

16. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, comprising printing the body.

17. A label substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures la and lb.