WO1994016880A1

WO1994016880A1 - Improvements relating to labels

Info

Publication number: WO1994016880A1
Application number: PCT/GB1993/002583
Authority: WO
Inventors: Steve Wilder
Original assignee: Label Converters Limited
Priority date: 1993-01-26
Filing date: 1993-12-17
Publication date: 1994-08-04
Also published as: GB9301484D0; AU5706694A

Abstract

The invention provides that labels (48) are applied to the sides of articles (24) such as bottles or boxes. Each label (48) is in the form of a booklet having several pages (52, 54, 56). The method of producing the labels comprises using high speed continuous web feed machinery to laminate web plies and those web plies (34) which are to form the intermediate pages of the book label (48) have transverse slots (38) to enable the top and bottom web plies (36, 32) to be stuck together through the slots (38), following which the labels (48) are die cut from the laminated plies.

Description

Improvements Relating to Labels

This invention relates to labels of the type which are for connection to articles and objects by virtue of having a self-adhesive surface on one side of the label. The labels are adapted to be applied at high speed by appropriate machinery, and therefore are carried by a carrier or release web which by the nature of its surface on which the labels are applied at spaced intervals, enables the labels to be readily peeled therefrom and applied to the articles.

Such labels are in extensive use and are well known and are applied to a wide variety of articles such as bottles, cans, canisters, drums, boxes and the like.

The labels may be applied to the articles at any position on the article, but a particularly common arrangement is to provide the label on the side or vertical wall of the article, as it is usual for the label to contain a great deal of information concerning the article or its contents, for example how to use the contents, and labels applied in this fashion are easy to read.

The simplest form of label of this type comprises a single sheet of paper with the pressure sensitive adhesive on one side thereof. The labels are produced by laminating a web of paper with the carrier web, followed by a now well established process known as "die cutting" in which a cutting edge or die in the shape of the label is applied to the paper layer so as to cut through the paper layer only. The die is applied repeatedly and at spaced intervals along the length of the laminated web so as to define the labels in the paper web, and subsequently the part of the paper web or skeletal waste which surrounds the die cut labels is peeled away from the laminate, leaving the labels on the carrier web for subsequent detachment in labelling equipment.

Where the labels are to be applied in the most usual manner as described above wherein the labels are applied to the sides of the articles, the carrier web with the labels thereon will be fed in a horizontal direction through the labelling machine, because the articles to which they are to be applied will stand upright as they are conveyed one by one through the labelling machinery. The labelling operation is therefore repetitive and mechanical, successive labels being applied to successive articles on a continuous basis.

More recently, single sheet labels have been replaced by multi-sheet labels in which there is not only a cover layer or ply, but there is also at least one underlayer and frequently there are two or more of such underlayers. The underlayers provide a means of carrying even more information about the article or the contents of the article to which the label is applied. Because of manufacturing techniques and label design, it is usual to provide several lower layers which are hingedly connected to each other concertina fashion so that when the top layer is removed, the lower layers can be opened out and the information thereon read by the user.

International Patent Application No PCT/GB87/00687 discloses multi leaf labels for articles wherein the labels comprise an upper layer and a base layer with a number of intermediate layers therebetween. The layers are adhered together but are adapted to be peeled away and removed one by one or as a continuous strip where the layers (except the base layer) are hingedly connected to each other. The labels are made by continuous stationary manufacturing techniques wherein webs of material are fed lengthwise through appropriate machinery, strips of adhesive being applied to the webs along their length as the webs pass through the machinery. These strips of adhesive form the means connecting the layers of the labels together. The adhered webs are applied to a release web and then die cut to define the labels.

With this method of construction, the labels have the adhesive strips extruding lengthwise of the release web and they cannot conveniently be applied to the sides of upright containers. They are in any event not booklet labels.

The current multi sheet labels do not lend themselves to production on web fed equipment, nor high speed application to the sides or vertical walls of containers and other articles insofar as the established methods of manufacture have not permitted the manufacture of labels wherein the resulting label is in the form of a booklet having a spine along one edge which will be vertical when the label is applied to the side or wall of an article, whereby the booklet can be presented at the correct disposition for the user to open the booklet as he or she would do a normal book when he or she holds the article in an attitude for reading the instructions. Such attitude will be normal hand holding without for example having to turn the article upside down or on its side.

The present invention seeks therefore to provide an arrangement wherein novel labels can be produced at high speed on web fed machinery to enable high speed application of labels from a carrier web whereby the labels in booklet form can be provided and applied to the articles in an optimum attitude.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of producing booklet labels on web fed machinery comprises feeding at least three web plies and a carrier web in superimposed relationship thereby defining a top ply at least a first intermediate ply a base ply with pressure sensitive adhesive on its underside and a carrier web in that order, characterised in that the said at least first intermediate ply has transverse slot means at spaced intervals corresponding to the label pitching required and the plies are adhered together by adhesive extending transversely of the direction of the length of the plies at spaced intervals corresponding to the pitch of the labels whereby at each pitching, the top ply, at least one intermediate ply and the base ply web are adhered together along a line which forms the spine of the label to be subsequently formed, and at a side opposite the spine the top ply and base ply are adhered together through the slot means, following which the plies except the carrier web are die cut to define the labels, the die cutting registering with said slots so that in the finished label said spine is formed at one edge of the label which extends transversely to the length direction of the plies, and at the opposite edge the top ply and the base ply are adhered together by adhesive which can be released by the user to detach said plies at said edge and at such edge said at least one intermediate ply is free for being turned in the nature of a page of a book.

It can be seen therefore that use is made of the provision of the slot means in the at least one intermediate ply, and in this connection there may be two or more intermediate plies, for forming relatively narrower booklet pages under the top ply of the booklet label, said pages being anchored by the adhesive at the spine side of the label.

As the adhesive strips forming the spines and edge seals of the labels lie at right angles to the length direction of the plies, so it is a simple matter to apply the resulting labels from the carrier web to the articles such as bottles, cans or the like in the correct attitude described above. The said slot means may comprise slots punched in the one or more intermediate plies of the label and the said slot means may lie inwardly of each of the edges of the appropriate intermediate ply, or may extend and open to one of the intermediate ply edges.

The intermediate ply may be hingedly connected to the top ply, in which case the plies would be formed from a single web of appropriate material such as paper, the slots being initially provided therein, and then the single sheet being folded in two to form the respective plies.

Equally, where multiple intermediate plies are used, these may be formed in a single web which is folded lengthwise and concertina fashion or otherwise to define the appropriate number of plies. Formation of the slot means in these plies may take place prior to or after folding thereof.

The carrier web may be pre laminated to the base ply of paper or the like.

If it is desired to connect the top ply to the web along the top edge or bottom edge of the label, it is possible to provide further slotting in the or each intermediate ply in a direction along the length of the intermediate ply or plies in addition to the transverse slot means.

Also according to the invention there is provided die-cut booklet labels arranged at spaced intervals on a carrier web, wherein the labels are in booklet form and each comprises an upper layer, at least one intermediate layer and a lower layer, said lower layer being releasably adhered to the carrier web, and wherein the labels have opposed edges lying transverse to the length direction of the carrier web and wherein the layers are connected at one of said edges to define a spine for the booklet and at said other edge the upper and lower layers are adhered by peel adhesive so that the upper layer can be peeled opens the or each intermediate layer slopping short of said other edge so as to be capable of being turned in the nature of a page of a book when the upper layer is peeled open.

When labels according to the invention are applied to articles such as containers, bottles, cans, canisters or the like, which are top filled in filling equipment and therefore must remain vertical, the labels are applied directly by established techniques and applied such that the booklet when applied to the side of the container will be in the correct disposition for opening in a manner similar to the opening of a conventional book without the container having to be turned upside down or on its side, or without the label having to be applied to the top of the container (which limits the application of booklet labels) as is the case with the majority of multi-sheet type labels available on the market today.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein:-

Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically how labels on a carrier web are produced;

Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the elements of the method of applying the labels of the web of Fig. 1 to containers;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view in exploded form showing the webs of labels according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the resulting composite web produced by laminating the webs of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows one of the labels formed in the web of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows the label of Fig. 5 in its open condition;

Figs. 7 and 8 show in views similar to Fig. 3 two further embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 9 shows a sample of a label produced from the webs shown in Fig. 8; and

Figs. 10 and 11 show two further embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 is shown a conventional method of producing carrier webs with labels thereon. The carrier web is illustrated by reference numeral 10, and it is assumed to be moving in the direction of arrow 12. The carrier web 10 may comprise a silicon coated material to provide a release characteristic for a pressure sensitive adhesive, such pressure sensitive adhesive being provided on the underside 13 of a second web 14 which may be of paper or the like and which is laminated to the upper surface of the web 10 by the said pressure sensitive adhesive. The release characteristic of the web 10 is such that the paper web 14 can be readily peeled therefrom, the adhesive remaining with the web 14 so that the web or labels produced therein can be stuck to other articles.

As the laminated web 10/14 travels in the direction of arrow 12, it is subjected to the application of a die 16 which in the arrangement illustrated reciprocates as indicated by arrow 18 whereby labels 20 are die cut in the web 14 (but not the web 10) and are arranged at equally spaced intervals as shown. The laminated web 10/14 with the die cut labels 20 therein continues its movement, until a position at which the portion of the web 14 which surrounds the labels 20 (the skeletal waste 22) is caused to separate from the laminate 10/14, and so that the carrier web 10 remains as shown with the labels 20 thereon. The web 10 with the labels 20 thereon may subsequently be wound and stored ready for use, and Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically how typically it is used.

In Fig. 2, containers 24 are shown, and these containers may typically be bottles which are top filled, and which in the label applicator machine travel as indicated by arrow 26. As the containers move, so the web 10 with the labels 20 thereon is fed horizontally but in a vertical plane to a detaching device 28 at which the labels are detached and are applied as shown at 20A to the containers on the side walls thereof. Such equipment and methods are well known and are not further described herein but suffice to say that the labels 20 are applied so as to be upright on the sides of the containers 24, and as it is relevant to the preferred embodiment of this invention, to be able to identify the respective sides, top and edge of the labels, it is assumed that for the purposes of this description that the labels are rectangular and are applied to the containers 24 with the longer sides upright and the shorter sides forming the top and bottom of the label.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the web 14 is of a single ply, but there is a demand to provide labels which are in multi-sheet form, and the present invention by various embodiments seeks to provide a label in booklet form which can be produced and applied in the manner for example as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

A first and simple embodiment of the invention and the method thereof is illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein web fed machinery (not shown) feeds three webs of web material in the direction of arrow 30. The webs comprise a base ply 32, an intermediate ply 34, and a top ply 36.

The base ply 32 has pressure sensitive adhesive on its underside and thereby is laminated a carrier web 29 which is similar to web 10. It is assumed for the purposes of this description and the description of each of the further embodiments given herein, that the base ply 32 is laminated to a carrier web 29 of pressure sensitive adhesive release characteristic material.

The intermediate ply 34 is provided with slot means in the form of spaced slots 38 the spacing being at the pitching of the required labels.

On the base ply 32 on the upper surface thereof are provided transverse trips of adhesive 40 again pitched in register with the pitching of the labels, and of each strip 40, this is divided into two sections namely a front section 42 of permanent glue type, and a second section 44 of a peel-reseal type glue. The peel re-seal type glue may be applied by jet printing of hot melt adhesive applied in a pattern which is electrically controlled. Section 44 registers with the slots 38.

These three webs 32, 34 and 36 are laminated together by means of the adhesive 40 and further strips of adhesive 46 of permanent type extending from side to side on the upper surface of the intermediate web 34 and in register with the adhesive strips 42. The resulting web structure is shown in plan view in Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 also indicates where the die cutting 16 subsequently is effected in order to define labels 48 in the laminate in the same manner as described in relation to Figs. 1 and 2. However, the die cutting is located so that the cut line lies in the adhesive strip 44. The effect of this is that when the label 48 is separated from the skeletal waste as shown in Fig. 5, each label comprises at one of the sides 50 a permanent adhesive spine which firmly connects the top leaf 52, intermediate leaf 54 and the bottom leaf 56 of the label, these leaves respectively being formed by the plies 34, 36 and 32, and at the other side 58, only the top leaf 52 and the bottom 56 being adhered by the peel-reseal adhesive 44 so that in fact as shown in Fig. 6 edge 58 can be opened to provide that the label forms a booklet with the respective leaves 52, 54 and 56. The peel-reseal adhesive is indicated in Fig. 6 by reference 60 and the label can be re-closed. This effect is achieved in that the slot 38 in effect makes the inner leaf 54 of narrower width than the top and bottom leaves 52 and 56.

These labels have the advantage that by virtue of using the slots 38, the permanent spine edge 50 will be vertical when the labels are applied to the articles 24 as shown in Fig. 2 and by the method shown in Fig. 2. This has not been possible previously with booklet type labels.

Fig. 7 shows that the intermediate ply 34 and the top ply 36 can be formed from the same web by simply punching the web to form the slots 38 and then folding it in two as shown in Fig. 7.

Again, Fig. 8 shows that two intermediate webs 34 and 34A may be provided for creating booklet labels having two intermediate leaves 54A as shown in Fig. 9.

It will be understood that as many intermediate leaves as are required may be provided, and Figs. 10 and 11 show two further embodiments wherein the intermediate leaves are created by multiple folding a single web into a number of plies.

In the arrangement of Fig. 10, the web is folded twice upon itself to create four plies, and then the punching of the slots 62 may be effected. Alternatively the slots could be initially punched in the web before it is folded.

In the arrangement of Fig. 11, the web is folded concertina fashion into four plies and again may be pre or post punched to provide slots 62.

In each case, the permanent adhesive strips 42, 46 must be applied between plies to create the spine. The application of the adhesive strips presents no difficulty and can be performed by established methods as the webs are fed through continuous feed machinery.

The slots which have been shown as being provided in the intermediate web or webs extend from positions inside the edges of each ply, but in a modified arrangement, the slot could extend to and open to one of the said edges, although it is important that the plies should continue to remain in feedable web form as the invention has particular application to the manufacture of the labels when they are web fed to enable high production rates to be achieved.

The plies may be made of any suitable material such as paper, and it will be appreciated that the labels will end up on a release characteristic web such as web 10 and indeed in the basic format shown in Fig. 1 prior to application to the articles for example as shown in Fig. 2 and that the undersurface of the bottom ply will have pressure sensitive adhesive by which it is held to the carrier sheet and by which it is applied to the article.

In a modification, should it be required that the inner leaf such as 54, 54A and so on require to be short of the top and bottom of the label, then the intermediate plies can be provided with slots which extend lengthwise of the web at the appropriate position(s), so that the top and bottom layers will be adhered directly also at the top and/or bottom as well as one of the sides.

The labels may be formed in multiple parallel rows on the carrier sheet, the carrier sheet being for subsequently cutting into strips, each strip having a single row of labels.

The carrier sheet may be provided with transverse lines of perforations defining fold lines so that the carrier sheet may be fan folded for storage purposes.

Claims

CLAIM

1. A method of producing booklet labels on web fed machinery comprises feeding at least three web plies (32, 34, 36) and a carrier web (29) in superimposed relationship thereby defining a top ply ((36) at least a first intermediate ply (34) a base ply (32) with pressure sensitive adhesive on its underside and a carrier web (29) in that order, characterised in that the said at least first intermediate ply (34) has transverse slot means (38) at spaced intervals corresponding to the label pitching required and the plies (32,34,36) are adhered together by adhesive extending transversely of the direction of the length of the plies (32,34,36) at spaced intervals corresponding to the pitch of the labels whereby at each pitching, the top ply (36), at least one intermediate ply (34) and the base ply (32) web are adhered together along a line (50) which forms the spine of the label to be subsequently formed, and at a side (58) opposite the spine the top ply (36) and base ply (32) are adhered together through the slot means (38), following which the plies (32, 34, 36) except the carrier web (29) are die cut to define the labels (48), the die cutting registering with said slots (38) so that in the finished label (48) said spine (50) is formed at one edge of the label which extends transversely to the length direction of the plies, and at the opposite edge (58) the top ply (36) and the base ply (32) are adhered together by adhesive which can be released by the user to detach said plies (32,34,36) at said edge (58) and at such edge (58) said at least one intermediate ply is free for being turned in the nature of a page of a book.

2. A method according to Claim 1, characterised in that adhesive strips (42,46) forming the spines (50) and edge seals (60) of the labels (48) lie at right angles to the length direction of the plies (32,34,36), so it is a simple matter to apply the resulting labels from the carrier web (29) to the sides of articels (24) such as bottles, cans or the like with the spines (50) vertical.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said slot means (38) comprises slots (38) punched in the one or more immediate plies (34) of the label (48).

4. A method according to Claim 3, characterised in that said slot means (38) either lie inwardly of each of the edges of the appropriate intermediate ply (34), or extend and open to one of the intermediate ply edges.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that intermediate ply (34) is hingedly connected to the top ply (36), these plies (34, 36) being formed from a single web of appropriate material such as paper, the slots (38) being initially provided therein, and then the single sheet being folded in two to form the respective plies (34, 36).

6. A method according to any of Claims 1 to 3 characterised by multiple intermediate plies (34), these being formed in a single web which is folded lengthwise and concertina fashion or otherwise to define the appropriate number of plies, the slot means being provided in these plies prior to or after folding thereof.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the carrier web (29) is laminated to the base ply (32) prior to adhering together of the plies (32, 34, 36).

8. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the top ply (36) is connected to the base ply (32) along the top edge or bottom edge of the label (48) and there is further slotting in the or each intermediate ply in a direction along the length of the intermediate ply or plies in addition to the transverse slot means (38).

9. Labels produced by the method according to any preceding claim.

10. Articles such as containers, bottles, cans, canisters or the like, which are top filled in filling equipment and therefore must remain vertical, characterised by the labels according to Claim 9 applied to the sides thereof such that the labels are in the correct disposition for opening in a manner similar to the opening of a conventional book without the container having to be turned upside down or on its side.

11. Die-Cut booklet labels arranged at spaced intervals on a carrier web, wherein the labels are in booklet form and each comprises an upper layer, at least one intermediate layer and a lower layer, said lower layer being releasably adhered to the carrier web, and wherein the labels have opposed edges lying transverse to the length direction of the carrier web and wherein the layers are connected at one of said edges to define a spine for the booklet and at said other edge the upper and lower layers are adhered by peel adhesive so that the upper layer can be peeled opens the or each intermediate layer stopping short of said other edge so as to be capable of being turned in the nature of a page of a book when the upper layer is peeled open.

12. Booklet labels according to claim 11, wherein the said top layer is adhered to said bottom layer by peel and reseal adhesive.

13. A die-cut label comprising an upper layer, at least one intermediate layer, and a lower layer said label comprising a first side or spine edge, a second side or opening edge a top edge and a bottom edge, and wherein at said spine edge the layers are connected together, and at said opening edge the intermediate layer or layers is/are free and stops or stop short of bottom layer and top layer which are adhered by a peelable adhesive and at the top and bottom edges the layers are either not connected or are conntected together in such a fashion as not to prevent the top layer and the or each intermediate layer from being turned in the nature of the pages of a book when the top layer is peeled away from the bottom layer at said opening edge.

14. A label according to claim 13 wherein the top layer and bottom layer are connected at said opening edge by peel and reseal adhesive.