NZ508082A - Reversible self-adhesive label for use on inside of windscreen or on outside of trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

The label is constructed so that it can be adhered to the inside of a windscreen by removal of layer 2. Alternatively, it can be adhered to a trailer by removal of layer 7.

Description

intellectual property office of n.z. " 8 FEB 2002 RECEIVED Patents Form No. 5 Our Ref: CC503123 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 Complete After Provisional No. 508082 Filed: 10 November 2000 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION REVERSIBLE SELF-ADHESIVE LABEL We, WALKER DATAVISION LIMITED, a New Zealand company of 11-15 Railway Street, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand hereby declare the invention, for which We pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: PT0586665 REGii020207i0MARK 2 :i6386CW'LETE PAT- =250.00 R53i i02020710HARK 2 i68B68ST 2 REVERSIBLE SELF-ADHESIVE LABEL TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a reversible self-adhesive label and in particular, but not exclusively, a reversible self-adhesive label suitable for selectively displaying information through a transparent surface or from an opaque surface.

BACKGROUND Labels are typically used to display information relating to the object to which they are attached. Therefore, labels are used in a wide variety of applications. One particular application of labels is in the identification of vehicles. For example identification of vehicle registration, vehicle fitness or other information 15 may be displayed on a vehicle for easy reference by the owner and the relevant authorities.

Due to the importance of this information to the owner of the vehicle, it is important that the information displayed is protected from the elements and minor 20 abrasions. In providing this function, it is known to provide a transparent protective layer over the surface of the label on which the information is printed. This may be achieved through laminating the printed label, which is then secured to the surface of the object from which the information is to be displayed.

At present in New Zealand, car registration information is displayed on a card which is placed within a plastic pocket secured the windscreen. While this method of displaying the registration information through the windscreen is effective, a different type of label is required should the information need to be affixed to an opaque surface, for example, on a trailer. This increases the cost of 30 manufacture of the labels as two different types need to be produced.

Furthermore, manufacture of both the pocket and the cards is required, necessitating the use of separate machinery for the label and label pocket.

Therefore, both the capital cost and cost of manufacture of these labels is unnecessarily high.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a reversible self-adhesive label which overcomes or at least alleviates problems in labels for displaying information through or from a surface at present or at least one which will provide the public with a useful alternative.

Further objects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a label construction for selectively displaying information through a surface or away from a surface, the label construction including: a transparent or semi-transparent layer having a first and a second face and constructed from one or more plies of material; an adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer; and a printing layer constructed from at least one ply of material, the printing layer including a first and a second face, wherein the first face is disposed over the adhesive and the second face is suitable for printing thereon and wherein the printing layer is severed along a line or includes a line of weakening that defines a printing surface and a non-printing surface within the second face of the printing layer; wherein the affinity of the first face of the printing layer to the adhesive allows the printing layer to be removed from the adhesive substantially without damaging the printing layer and wherein the severed line or line of weakening facilitates removal of the portion of the printing layer incorporating the printing surface and the portion incorporating the non-printing surface from the adhesive independently of each other.

Preferably the printing layer may include: a release layer constructed from one or more plies of material and including a first and a second face, wherein the first face of the release layer is also the first face of the printing layer; a further adhesive disposed on the second face of the release layer; and a printing ply disposed on the further adhesive, the printing ply having a surface suitable for printing information thereon that is also the second face of the printing layer and wherein the affinity of the second face of the release layer and the printing ply to the further adhesive is greater than the affinity of the first face of the release layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer.

Preferably, the affinity of the second face of the printing layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer may be greater than the affinity of the first face of the printing layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer.

Preferably, the affinity of the second face of the printing layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer may be sufficient so as to visibly degrade information printed on the second face of the printing layer if the second face of the printing layer is removed from the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer.

Preferably, the transparent or semi-transparent layer may be a polyester resin.

Preferably, the transparent or semi-transparent layer may be coloured.

Preferably, the label may be used for displaying vehicle registration or warrant of fitness information.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a multi-laminate label suitable for selectively displaying information through a surface or away from a surface, the method including: applying an adhesive to a first face of a transparent or semi-transparent layer; placing a first face of a printing layer constructed from at least one ply of material over the adhesive; and severing the printing layer along a line or forming a line of weakening in the printing layer to define a printing surface and a non-printing surface within the printing layer; wherein the adhesive and material of the first face of the printing layer are selected so that the affinity of the first face of the printing layer to the adhesive allows the printing layer to be removed from the adhesive substantially without damage thereto and wherein the severed line or line of weakening facilitates selective removal of either the portion of the printing layer defining the printing surface or the portion defining the non-printing surface from the adhesive.

Preferably, the method may include providing a printing layer having a second surface having sufficient affinity with the adhesive so as to visibly degrade information printed on said second surface if it is removed from the adhesive.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-laminate label substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Further aspects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only and in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1: shows a cross-section representation of a multi-laminate label according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 2: shows the label of Figure 1 viewed from direction A.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring first to Figure 1, a cross-sectional representation of a label according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The label, generally referenced 1 includes a transparent or semi-transparent layer 2 (hereinafter transparent layer 2) with an adhesive 3 disposed on a surface of the transparent layer 2. The label also includes a printing layer 4, which includes a release layer 5, a further adhesive 6 and a printing ply 7. The printing layer 4, may include one or more plies of material depending on the specific requirements for the label 1. Similarly, if required, the transparent layer 2 may be constructed from multiple plies if required.

The affinity of the printing layer 4 to the adhesive 3 is selected so as to allow the printing layer 4 to be removed from the adhesive 3 without damaging the printing layer 4. To enable the removal of the entire printing layer 4, the release layer 5 and printing ply 7 have a greater affinity for the adhesive 6 than the release layer 5 has for the adhesive 3. This greater affinity within the printing layer 4 is maintained for any further plies within the printing layer 4. For example, in Figure 1, the release layer 5 has two plies of material 5A and 5C secured to each other with a further adhesive layer 5B. Layers 5A and 5C have a greater affinity to adhesive layer 5B and 6 than ply 5A as for adhesive layer 3.

The transparent layer 2 may be constructed from a polyester resin, for example, polyethylene, terephthalate (PET). The adhesives 3, 6, 5B, release layer 5 and printing ply 7 may be formed by any suitable materials provided that the affinities to the adhesive layers as aforementioned are maintained and that the printing ply 7 is suitable for printing on the distal side from the layer 6.

Optionally, the transparent layer 2 may be coloured or varied in texture.

This may be used to provide quick identification of information. For example, for vehicle registrations, the colour of the transparent layer 2 may vary from year to year to provide easy identification of unregistered vehicles.

Referring to Figure 2, a view of a label from direction A in Figure 1 is shown. The label includes a severed line or line of weakening 8 extending around the perimeter of a printing surface P, thereby also defining a non-printing surface N. The printing surface P may be any shape and may occupy any portion of the 5 printing layer 4 as required.

An additional severed line or line of weakening 9 may be provided through the non-printing surface N (or the printing surface P depending on the relative positioning of the printing surface) to facilitate removal of the surface P (or N) from the adhesive 3.

The severed lines or lines of weakening 8, 9 extend through the printing layer 4 only so that the portion of the printing layer incorporating the printing surface P and the portion incorporating the non-printing surface N may be removed from the transparent layer independently. Therefore, if the label 1 is to be affixed to a surface so that the information is to be displayed through that surface, for example on the interior of a glass pane or windscreen, the portion of the printing layer 4 including the non-printing surface N is removed from the transparent layer 2. This exposes the adhesive layer 3, allowing the label 1 to be affixed to the transparent surface by pressing the transparent layer 2 and adhesive layer 3 against the transparent surface. Information printed on the printing portion P of the printing layer 4 is then enclosed between the surface to which the label is affixed and the transparent layer 2. This protects the information from the elements and abrasions.

Should the label 1 be required to be affixed to a surface so that the information is projected away from that surface, for example on to the side of a trailer, the portion of the printing layer 4 including the printing surface P is removed from the adhesive layer 3, reversed and replaced. Therefore, information printed on the printing surface P is viewable through the transparent layer 2. The portion of 30 the printing layer 4 including the non-printing surface N is then removed and the label 1 is affixed to the surface of the trailer or the object by pressing the transparent layer 2 and adhesive layer 3 against the trailer or other surface. In this case, the printing layer 4 is still enclosed between the object and the transparent layer and, therefore, the information is protected.

Optionally, the printing ply 7 may have a greater affinity with the adhesive layer 3 than the release layer 5 has with layer 3. This affinity may be such as to destroy or seriously degrade the information on the printing portion P should the label attempt to be removed after being reversed. This may provide some security against tampering of the information when the label is placed on to a surface so that the information is displayed away from that surface.

The vertices 10 of the label 1 may optionally be cut-away. The labels 1 may be produced in sheets with a perforation or other line of weakening extending between the vertices 10 allowing individual labels 1 to be removed from the sheet.

Where in the foregoing description, reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

Claims:

1. A label construction for selectively displaying information through a surface or away from a surface, the label construction including: a transparent or semi-transparent layer having a first and a second face and constructed from one or more plies of material; an adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer; and a printing layer constructed from at least one ply of material, the printing layer including a first and a second face, wherein the first face is disposed over the adhesive and the second face is suitable for printing thereon and wherein the printing layer is severed along a line or includes a line of weakening that defines a printing surface and a non-printing surface within the second face of the printing layer; wherein the affinity of the first face of the printing layer to the adhesive allows the printing layer to be removed from the adhesive substantially without damaging the printing layer and wherein the severed line or line of weakening facilitates removal of the portion of the printing layer incorporating the printing surface and the portion incorporating the non-printing surface from the adhesive independently of each other.

2. The label construction of claim 1, wherein the printing layer includes: a release layer constructed from one or more plies of material and including a first and a second face, wherein the first face of the release layer is also the first face of the printing layer; a further adhesive disposed on the second face of the release layer; and a printing ply disposed on the further adhesive, the printing ply having a surface suitable for printing information thereon that is also the second face of the printing layer and wherein the affinity of the second face of the release layer and the printing ply to the further adhesive is greater than the affinity of the first face of the release layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer.

3. The label construction of either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the affinity of the second face of the printing layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer is greater than the affinity of the first face of the printing layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the 5 transparent or semi-transparent layer.

4. The label construction of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the affinity of the second face of the printing layer to the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer is sufficient so as to visibly 10 degrade information printed on the second face of the printing layer if the second face of the printing layer is removed from the adhesive disposed on the first face of the transparent or semi-transparent layer.

5. The label construction of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transparent or 15 semi-transparent layer is a polyester resin.

6. The label construction of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transparent or semi-transparent layer is coloured. 20

7. The label construction of any one of the preceding claims when used for displaying vehicle registration or warrant of fitness information.

8. A multi-laminate label substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 25

9. A method of constructing a multi-laminate label suitable for selectively displaying information through a surface or away from a surface, the method including: applying an adhesive to a first face of a transparent or semi-transparent 30 layer; placing a first face of a printing layer constructed from at least one ply of material over the adhesive; and severing the printing layer along a line or forming a line of weakening in the 11 printing layer to define a printing surface and a non-printing surface within the printing layer; wherein the adhesive and material of the first face of the printing layer are selected so that the affinity of the first face of the printing layer to the adhesive 5 allows the printing layer to be removed from the adhesive substantially without damage thereto and wherein the severed line or line of weakening facilitates selective removal of either the portion of the printing layer defining the printing surface or the portion defining the non-printing surface from the adhesive.

10.The method of claim 9 including providing a printing layer having a second surface having sufficient affinity with the adhesive so as to visibly degrade information printed on said second surface if it is removed from the adhesive. END OF CLAIMS