WO1993007535A1

WO1993007535A1 - Removable static cling material label for photographic products such as photographs, films, negatives and slides

Info

Publication number: WO1993007535A1
Application number: PCT/US1992/008621
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Douglas Scanlan
Original assignee: John Douglas Scanlan
Priority date: 1991-10-09
Filing date: 1992-10-09
Publication date: 1993-04-15
Also published as: AU2765792A

Abstract

A blank or printed precut removable label made of a static cling material and supplied on a smooth backing sheet. The label is removed from the backing sheet and applied to a photographic material such as a photograph, a photographic film, a photographic negative and a photographic slide. Electrostatic attraction holds the label in place on the photographic material. No adhesive that could damge the photographic material is involved. The label remains attached to the photographic material indefinitely without causing damage to underlying surface. The label can be removed from the photographic material at any time without causing damage to the photographic material. The removed label can be reused or can be stored once more on backing material.

Description

REMOVABLE STATIC CLING MATERIAL LABEL FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRODUCTS SUCH AS PHOTOGRAPHS, FILMS, NEGATIVES AND SLIDES

Field of Invention

This invention relates to labels, specifically to such labels manufactured from static cling material for documenting, identifying and adding comments upon photographic products such as photographs, films, negatives and slides.

Background of the Invention

Labeling is frequently applied to photographic products such as photographs, films, negatives and slides for documentation, identification and addition of comments. In addition, an entire industry has arisen around the creation of entertaining quotes printed on self-adhesive materials for affixing to photographs to create a comic strip effect. Labeling of photographic materials may be performed either by directly marking desired materials with a pen or by applying a self-adhesive label. However, labeling by direct marking or by application of self-adhesive labels will damage and permanently alter the photographic products to such an extent that they cannot be restored to their original states. It is known to use blank self-adhesive labels for the purpose of labelling photographic materials, but such labels are not truly removable. Self-adhesive labels become permanently attached to the photographic product, either immediately or over a period of time. Furthermore, stickers that are intended to be removable, such as Post-its™ brand stickers, leave a residue on the surface of the photographic product. Some of the packaging of Post-its™ stickers warns, "Stickers may leave marks on some surfaces, or lift some inks."

Printed self-adhesive labels for use on photographs are also well known. Dominant brands of such stickers include Photo Talk™, a product of Bernard J. Putt & Associates (Howard, CO), Smart Remarks™ (Peca Products, Janesville, WI), and Chitter Chatter™ (Amcam International, Northbrook, IL). All of these self-adhesive printed labels in time become permanently affixed to the photographic product. Attempts to remove the labels results in damage to the photographic product.

That the printed self-adhesive labels become permanently attached to the photograph sometime after thirty days is the big drawback with all of the currently available labels.

After known self-adhesive labels have become permanently affixed to photogra¬ phic material, attempts to remove the label nearly always results in damage to the photographic material. Attempts to remove the such labels results in damage to the underlying surface or a residue being left on the underlying surface. These defects cause flaws in any duplicates that are made from photographic material from which a self-adhesive label has been removed.

Objects and Summary of the Invention

In view of the above-described shortcomings of currently-available labels for photographic products, it is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient removable label and method to identify, add comments to, edit and modify a photographic product such as a photograph, a photographic film, a photographic negative, and a slides.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable label which can be readily attached to photographic products by an electrostatic charge, which is also referred to as a static electric charge, or static cling.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable label which can be readily detached from a photographic product, without leaving traces of adhesive residue and/or causing damage to the labelled item, and which can be repeatedly reused.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a blank removable label which can be marked just prior to use and which can be readily attached to photographic material without causing damage to underlying surfaces.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide printed labels that are attached by an electrostatic charge to a plastic, vinyl, or vinyl paper substrate, and which can easily be removed from the substrate for labeling photographic material.

Accordingly, the invention provides in combination, a photograph, and a removable label. The removable label comprises a static cling material. The static cling material is a plastic, more particularly, vinyl; even more particularly; polyvinyl chloride. The removable label may additionally comprise a contacting face adapted for contacting the photograph, and a matt face, opposite the contacting face, adapted for being written on.

Alternatively, the removable label may additionally comprise a contacting face adapted for contacting the photograph, and a face, opposite the contacting face, on which words are printed.

The invention also provides a method for labeling photographs, photographic slides, photographic films and photographic negatives. According to the method, a photograph is provided, a removable label comprising a static cling material is provided, and the removable label is placed in contact with the photograph.

Finally, the invention provides a method for making a removable label for marking a photograph. According to the method, a backing sheet of a static cling material is provided, a label sheet of a static cling material is provided. The label sheet is laid on the backing sheet. The label sheet is printed using flexography, and the label sheet is cut into labels, the backing sheet remaining uncut.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 shows a number of blank static cling labels packaged with a liner backing sheet, some of the blank labels being partially removed.

Figure 2 shows a number of preprinted static cling labels packaged with a liner backing sheet.

Detailed Description of Invention

Typical embodiments of a removable label according to'the present invention are illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The labels intended to be sold attached to a backing sheet as shown. In their preferred form, a sheet of labels consists of a backing sheet onto which a suitable static cling (or "electrostatic") material is laid. The static cling material is held in place on the liner by static electrical charge.

The preferred material for the labels is a clear or colored static cling material. The static cling material is preferably polyvinyl chloride. Alternatively, the static cling material may be other vinyl plastics, or other plastics capable of holding an electrostatic charge. The backing sheet is also preferably made from plastic or vinyl, preferably polyvinyl chloride, preferably laid on a paper or cardboard backing, although the paper or cardboard can be omitted if desired.

The labels are precut during manufacture by stamping so that they can be peeled away from the backing sheet and readily attached to a photographic product. Once placed on the photographic product, they remain held in place by electrostatic attraction between the label and the photographic product. This mode of affixing the label to the photographic material holds the label in place without causing any damage to the photographic material to which the label is attached. The label can be peeled off the photographic material and can be used again.

A label according to the invention does not deposit any kind of residue while attached to a photographic product. Removing a label according to the invention from a photographic product does not cause any material damage. This characteris¬ tic is most important for labels used for labelling one-of-a-kind, original, and sensitive items such as photographic materials.

The labels are printed with words, as shown in Figure 1, or with a matt surface that can be written on, as shown in Figure 2. Art work for the embodiments of the labels shown was created on computer by using drawing software, such as PageMaker by Aldus. Camera-ready copies were made from the computer- generated art work. A process called flexography for high-speed printing on plastics is used to print the art work onto the label material. The printing process uses rubber plates on a web press (web letter press) to transfer volatile inks, which dry almost instantly, to the label material. Plates for flexography are made by photographing camera-ready copies of the art work, and using the resulting negative to burn a master plate of etched material. The master plate is then used to make a plastic mold from which plastic or rubber printing plates can be made, and put on the web letter press.

Metal dies shaped according to the desired outline shape of artwork are used to stamp and cut the labels. Stamping is done such that only the static cling material is cut and not the backing sheet.

Removable labels according to the invention have been tested on various photographic products. The removable labels according to the invention readily attached to photographs, films, negatives and slides, and remained attached until removed. Adhesion was optimum on glossy photographic products and weaker on those with rough surfaces. However, in all cases there was no evidence of damage to the photographic product when the static cling label was peeled off. Furthermore, there was no evidence of damage or difficulty of removal even after moderate amounts of heat were applied to static cling label attached to photographic product. Photographic materials which had removable labels according to the invention affixed to them, and then removed, produced duplicates without flaws.

After a removable label according to the invention has been removed from a photographic product, the label can be stored on the backing sheet. The label adheres to the backing sheet by electrostatic attraction. Blank labels according to the invention can also be re-used. Many types of marking ink can be removed from the label simply by rubbing the label with alcohol. A label according to the invention is used to label a photographic product by peeling the label off the backing sheet and applying the label to the desired location on the photographic material. Gentle pressure is applied to affix the label in place on the photographic product. Labels according to the invention attach best to photographic products having smooth, non-porous surfaces. Once applied, the label will remain on the photographic material indefinitely without causing damage to underlying surface. At any time, the label can be removed by peeling. The label can then be stored on the backing sheet, or can be reused on another photographic material. If the label is blank, it can be written on with a suitable pen. To avoid damaging the photograph, this is preferably done while the label is attached to the backing sheet. The label is then peeled off the backing sheet and applied to the photograph¬ ic product, as described above.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that certain modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

ClaimsI claim:

1. In combination, a photograph, and a removable label, the removable label comprising a static cling material.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the static cling material is a plastic.

3. The combination claim 1 wherein the static cling material is vinyl.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the static cling material is polyvinyl chloride.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the removable label additionally comprises: a contacting face adapted for contacting the photograph, and a matt face, opposite the contacting face, adapted for being written on.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherem the matt face comprises matt printing ink.

7- The combination of claim 1, wherein the removable label additionally comprises: a contacting face adapted for contacting the photograph, and a face, opposite the contacting face, whereon words are printed.

8. A method of labeling photographs, photographic slides, photographic films and photographic negatives, the method comprising the steps of: providing a photograph; providing a removable label comprising a static cling material; and placing the removable label in contact with the photograph.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the step of providing a label comprising a static material, the static cling material is a plastic.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the step of providing a label comprising a static cling material, the static cling material is vinyl.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the step of providing a label comprising a static cling material, the static cling material is polyvinyl chloride.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing a removable label provides a removable label additionally comprising: a contacting face adapted for contacting the photograph, and a matt face, opposite the contacting face, adapted for being written on, and the step of placing the removable label in contact with the photograph includes placing the contacting face of the removable label in contact with the photograph.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, in the step of providing a removable label comprising a matt face, the matt face comprises matt printing ink.

14. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising the step of writing on the matt face of the removable label.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing a removable label provides a label additionally comprising: a contacting face adapted for contacting the photograph, and a face whereon words are printed.

16. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising the steps of: providing a backing sheet to which the removable label is attached; and peeling the removable label off the backing sheet prior to the step of placing the removable label in contact with the photograph.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the step of providing a backing sheet, the backing sheet comprises a static cling material.

18. A method of making a removable label for marking a photograph, the method comprising the steps of: providing a backing sheet of a static cling material; providing a label sheet of a static cling material; laying the label sheet on the backing sheet; printing the label sheet using flexography; and cutting the label sheet into labels, the backing sheet remaining uncut.

19. The method of claim 19, wherein, in the step of printing the label sheet includes printing a the label sheet with a matt surface adapted for being written on.