Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
  • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
  • B31D1/00—Multiple-step processes for making flat articles ; Making flat articles
  • B31D1/02—Multiple-step processes for making flat articles ; Making flat articles the articles being labels or tags
  • B31D1/021—Making adhesive labels having a multilayered structure, e.g. provided on carrier webs
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/08—Fastening or securing by means not forming part of the material of the label itself
  • G09F3/10—Fastening or securing by means not forming part of the material of the label itself by an adhesive layer
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F2003/0225—Carrier web
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F2003/0225—Carrier web
  • G09F2003/0226—Carrier sheet
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F2003/023—Adhesive
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
  • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
  • G09F2003/0257—Multilayer

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material.
• the present invention aims to provide an improved method of and apparatus for producing labels.
• the present invention provides a method of producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material, the method comprising the steps of:-
• the present invention also provides an apparatus for producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of release material, the apparatus comprsising an adhesive spraying station comprising a spray nozzle for spraying adhesive, means for feeding a succession of printed sheets through the adhesive spraying station so that an exposed surface of each sheet is coated with adhesive and means for adhering the adhesive-coated surface of the sheets to a backing of release material.
• Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of an apparatus for producing labels in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1 along line A-A;
• Figure 3 shows a modification of the endless belt of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a diagrammatic elevation of an apparatus for producing labels in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
• the sheets 6 may be single layer or multi-layer sheets and are printed by any suitable printing method, such as lithographic, screen or laser printing.
• a sheet feeding mechanism 8 is located above the stack of sheets 6 and is adapted to feed from the magazine 4 a succession of sheets 6 from the top of the stack.
• the sheet feeding mechanism 8 is represented as a rotatable drive cylinder but may alternatively comprise any suitable known sheet feeding mechanism.
• the sheets are fed in succession past an electrostatic charging device 10 which is adapted to apply an electrostatic charge of a given polarity across the upper surface of the sheets 6.
• the electrostatic charging device 10 may be omitted when the sheet feeding mechanism 8 is adapted to feed sheets from the stack in such a way that the fed sheets have an electrostatic charge.
• the sheets are fed by the sheet feeding mechanism 8 onto a vacuum drive means incorporating a vacuum conveyor 12 which comprises an endless belt 14 mounted between a pair of drive rollers 16.
• the surface of the endless belt 14 is provided with a series of holes 18 and the space 20 between the opposed inner surfaces of the endless belt 14 is connected to a source of suction.
• the bottom surface 22 of each sheet is sucked through the holes 18 against the upper surface 24 of the endless belt 14. This ensures that each sheet 6 is firmly located on the vacuum conveyor 12.
• the vacuum conveyor 12 conveys the succession of sheets 6 through an adhesive spraying station 26 comprising a spray nozzle 28 for spraying a coating of adhesive 30 onto the exposed upper surface 32 of each sheet 6 passing through the adhesive spraying station 26.
• the spray nozzle 28 is adapted to spray electrostatically charged droplets of adhesive onto the exposed surfaces 32. This may be effected by feeding electrostatic charge from a source of electric power to the spray nozzle 28, the charge being of opposite polarity to that which is applied by the electrostatic charging device 10.
• the adhesive may be a water-or solvent-based pressure-sensitive adhesive or
• the succession of sheets 6 coated with adhesive 30 is then fed by the vacuum conveyor 12 to a laminating station 34 comprising a pair of opposed rollers 36, 38 between which the succession of sheets 6 is laminated to a backing 40 of release material, the laminating being achieved by adhering the adhesive-coated surface 32 of each sheet 6 to the backing 40 of release material.
• the backing 40 of release material is fed out from a reel 42 thereof and typically comprises a wax or silicone-coated paper.
• the adhesive coating 30 is urged against the backing 40 of release material and then the
• the sheets 6 are conveyed through the adhesive spraying station 26 in spaced relation.
• the spraying nozzle 28 may be operated either continuously or intermittently in synchronism with the disposition thereunder of a sheet 6 to be sprayed with adhesive.
• a washing and cleaning mechanism 48 is disposed in contact with the endless belt 14 for cleaning excess adhesive 30 off the outer surface of the endless belt 14.
• the apparatus may also comprise a slitting mechanism at, or downstream of, the laminating station 34 at which the backing 40 of release material and the succession of sheets 6 adhered thereto are longitudinally slit so as to provide two adjacent reels 46 of the self-adhesive labels carried on the backing of release material.
• each printed sheet 6 would have a pair of
• the endless belt 14 may be modified by the provision thereon of a succession of raised pads 58.
• the sheet feeding mechanism 8 feeds the sheets 6 so that each sheet lies on a respective pad 58 above the surface 60 of the endless belt 14. This assists the application of adhesive to the sheets 6 and ensures that those parts of the endless belt 14 which receive extraneous adhesive do not actually contact the edges of the sheets 6.
• FIG 4. A second embodiment of an apparatus for producing labels in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 4. This embodiment is a modification of that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and like parts are identified by like reference numerals.
• the vacuum conveyor 50
• each sheet 6 engages the upper surface of the printing cylinder 52 which is rotatably driven and conveys the sheet 6 through the adhesive spraying station 26 to the laminating station 34.
• adhesive spraying station 26 is additionally provided with a pair of shields 54, 56 which are located on ups.tream and downstream sides, in relation to the direction of feeding of the sheets 6, of the spray nozzle 28.
• the shields 54, 56 are arranged so as to control the application of the spray of adhesive 30 to within defined boundaries. If desired, the operation of the spray nozzle 28 is controlled so as to be intermittently synchronized with the location of a sheet 6 between the shields 54, 56.
• the apparatus may be modifed by the addition thereto of a slitter for longitunally slitting the assembly of self-adhesive labels carried on the release material.
• the apparatus may be modifed by the addition thereto of a slitter for longitunally slitting the assembly of self-adhesive labels carried on the release material.
• electrostatic charge initially on the sheets as they enter the adhesive spraying station is either neutralised by the

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Labeling Devices (AREA)
• Making Paper Articles (AREA)
• Adhesives Or Adhesive Processes (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10677173

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (4)

• 1990
  • 1990-06-06 GB GB9012640A patent/GB2244674B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1991
  • 1991-06-06 ES ES91911485T patent/ES2079070T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1991-06-06 DE DE69112646T patent/DE69112646T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1991-06-06 CA CA002084670A patent/CA2084670C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1991-06-06 DK DK91911485.0T patent/DK0600872T3/da active
  • 1991-06-06 EP EP91911485A patent/EP0600872B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1991-06-06 WO PCT/GB1991/000906 patent/WO1991018737A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1991-06-06 AT AT91911485T patent/ATE127075T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1995
  • 1995-08-31 HK HK139395A patent/HK139395A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1995-11-22 GR GR950403294T patent/GR3018175T3/el unknown

Patent Citations (4)

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