Pressure sensitive labels in block form

Abstract

 A block (22) of labels is formed in which each label has a front face with a release coating and a back face having a pressure sensitive adhesive coating. The block (22) is automatically built up with a hollow die (20) as the labels are cut from a continuous stock.

Description

[0001] This invention is concerned with labels for application to products generally but especially to cans and bottles.

[0002] Labels have previously been proposed that have a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on one side thereof, the layer being protected, prior to application of the label to a product, by a backing sheet. Such labels have proved popular despite the complication and waste inherent in the use of the backing sheet.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide labels that have a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, that do not require a backing layer and that are in a form enabling them to be simply applied to a product.

[0004] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of making such labels.

[0005] The present invention is a block of labels comprising superimposed labels each having a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the back face thereof and a release coating on the front face thereof, the adhesive coating overlying the release coating of the adjacent label.

[0006] The present invention is also a method of making a block of labels from a continuous label stock having a front face on which the labels are printed, a release coating on the front face and a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the rear face thereof, the method comprising using a hollow die to cut labels in succession from the label stock such that each label when cut enters the die and pushes previously cut labels further into the die, and removing from the die the block of superimposed labels, adjacent labels having an adhesive coating contacting a release coating.

[0007] The present invention is further a method of applying labels to articles of circular cross section comprising locating a block of labels as defined in the second last preceding paragraph to project laterally into a line of articles for engagement with the peripheral surfaces of the articles, the adhesive surface of the end label adjacent the line being exposed, and rolling the articles past the block of labels so that each article engages the exposed adhesive layer of the end label and peels that label off the block to expose the adhesive layer of the next label to the next article.

[0008] The present invention is additionally apparatus for applying labels to articles of circular cross section comprising a guide spaced from one flight of a continuous belt to define therewith a feed path in which the articles are engaged between the guide and the belt, means for driving the flight of the belt in a feed direction to roll the articles along the guide, and a label holder for feeding a block of labels as defined in the third last preceding paragraph laterally into the feed path so that the adhesive coatings on the labels are presented in succession to the peripheral surfaces of successive articles as they pass the label holder.

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates one stage in the manufacture of blocks of labels according to the present invention; and

Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the application of labels according to the present invention to containers of circular cross-section.

[0010] Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the formation of blocks of labels 10 from a continuous label stock 12. The continuous stock 12 may be performed by a series of conventional, in-line operations in which the label base material is firstly printed with the label design on its front face, and then presented for the application thereto of a release coating on its front face and a pressure sensitive adhesive coating to its rear face, the application of the coatings being associated with respective curing operations if necessary. By suitable choice of adhesive and release coatings the precise method by which the continuous stock 12 is produced may be varied, but essentially the stock 12, when it reaches the last process stage illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a base 15 on which the labels are printed and having a release coating 16 on its front face and a pressure sensitive adhesive coating 17 on its rear face. While the stock is shown face down in Fig. 1, it could equally well be face up.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1 the continuous stock 12 is passed to a die cutting station in which a number, in this embodiment two, of hollow dies 20 are actuated to co-operate with a cutting base 21 to cut the printed labels from the stock 12, operation of the dies being registered with the position of the labels by suitable means, in this embodiment a light scanning device 23 viewing the labels on the incoming stock 12.

[0012] As each label is cut by a die 20, it enters the die and pushes further into the die the label previously cut by the die so that a stack 22 of labels is built up in the die. As the adhesive coating 17 on the rear face of each label adheres slightly to the release coating 16 on the front face of the previously cut label, the stack 22 of labels can be removed from the die as a unitary block which greatly facilitates subsequent handling and is advantageous in simplifying the subsequent application of the labels to the appropriate goods as it dispenses with the unrolling, cutting, and individual label handling operations associated with the application of labels from reels. lt may be desirable to protect the exposed adhesive layer at the end of the stack by means of a release liner during handling and transport.

[0013] Referring now to Fig. 2, there is illustrated one method of applying to containers of circular cross-section, such as cans or bottles, labels from a block 22 of labels. The containers 30, seen in Fig. 2 in plan view, are fed towards the labelling station 35 between guide rails 31 and 32, one guide rail 31 being replaced in the vicinity of the station 35 by a continuous rubber belt 36 entrained round drive/pulley wheels or rollers and which is driven so that its inner flight 37, which engages the containers 30, is moving in the direction of feed. The belt 36 is driven by a motor 39. The spacing between the inner flight 37 of the belt 36 and the guide rail 32 is such that the containers 30 are trapped between the belt and the rail and are thus forced to roll on the guide rail 32 past the labelling station 35. At the labelling station 35 is a label holder or magazine comprising a hollow guide 38 in which a label block 22 is downwardly biased.

[0014] The guide supports the block 22 so that it projects laterally into the feed path and exposes the adhesive layer on the first label to the periphery of the next container. Thus as each container 30 rolls past the end of the magazine it engages the adhesive layer of the label at the end of the block and, as the adhesion of adhesive layer to the container greatly exceeds the adhesion of the release layer to the adhesive layer of the next label in the block, peels the end label from the block and leaves the labelling station with its label correctly in position.

[0015] In a modification of the method illustrated in Fig. 2, the block 22 is inverted so that it is the release coating of each label that is in turn exposed at the end of the guide 38. In this case a fixed vacuum roller beneath the guide 38 peels the labels in succession from the block and deposits them, adhesive side down, on articles passing the roller on the other side of the roller from the guide 38, the velocity of the articles passing the roller matching the peripheral velocity of the roller as it contacts the articles. This method has the advantage that it can apply labels to non-circular articles.

[0016] Thus, by using the block of labels it is possible to achieve very high labelling speeds with very simple equipment compared with conventional labelling methods.

[0017] Clearly modifications may be made to the embodiment described. For example, the belt 36 could be made of a material other than rubber provided only that it is biased into engagement with the containers 30.

Claims

1. A block of labels comprising superimposed labels each having a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the back face thereof and a release coating on the front face thereof, the adhesive coating overlying the release coating of the adjacent label.

2. A block of labels as claimed in claim 1, in which the exposed adhesive coating on the label at one end of the stack is protected by a release liner.

3. A method of making a block of labels from a continuous label stock having a front face on which the labels are printed, a release coating on the front face and a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the rear face thereof, the method comprising using a hollow die to cut labels in succession from the label stock such that each label when cut enters the die and pushes the previously cut labels further into the die, and removing from the die the block of superimposed labels, adjacent labels having an adhesive coating contacting a release coating.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which the die cuts the label stock from the rear face through to the front face thereof.

5. A method of applying labels to articles of circular cross-section comprising locating a block of labels as claimed in claim 1 to project laterally into a line of articles for engagement with the peripheral surfaces of the articles, the adhesive surface of the end label adjacent the line being exposed, and rolling the articles past the block of labels so that each article engages the exposed adhesive layer of the end label and peels that label off the block to expose the adhesive layer of the next label to the next article.

6. Apparatus for applying labels to articles of circular cross-section comprising a guide spaced from one flight of a continuous belt to define therewith a feed path in which the articles are engaged between the guide and the belt, means for driving the flight of the belt in a feed direction to roll the articles along the guide, and a label holder for feeding a block of labels as claimed in claim 1 laterally into the feed path so that the adhesive coatings on the labels are presented in succession to the peripheral surfaces of successive articles as they pass the label holder.

7. A method of applying labels to articles comprising providing a suction roller, locating a block of labels as claimed in claim 1 such that the release coating of the end label of the block engages the periphery of the roller, rotating the roller and applying suction thereto to peel the end label from the rest of the block, and passing articles past the roller to receive from the roller respective successive labels.

Drawing