BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(Field of the Invention)
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a generally tubular label adapted to be
applied around a generally tubular article of manufacture such as a bottle or the
like container and, more particularly, to the generally tubular label of a type having
a pair of portions opposite to each other and connected together while a portion substantially
intermediate of those portions is turned around the tubular article.
(Description of the Prior Art)
[0002] Beverages are nowadays available in the market as filled in a variety of containers
including glass bottles, plastic bottles, carton boxes and metallic cans. Of those
containers, glass bottles and most of the plastic bottles can be reused after the
contents have been consumed. In order for those bottles to be reused, some manufacturers
have made it a routine job to recover used bottles from the market and cleanse them
before beverages are again filled in the recovered and cleansed bottles. The bottles
which can be reused are generally rigid and tough enough to withstand repeated use
thereof and generally have a simple and regular shape.
[0003] It is well known that the beverage containers such as glass or plastic bottles available
in the market are applied with product identifying labels which may concurrently serve
as a protective covering for preventing the containers from being scratched, scribed,
rubbed or damaged in any way whatsoever. Although the product identifying labels are
available in a variety of designs, some of them are of a type having a pair of edges
or ends opposite to each other and applied to the bottle with its edges or ends connected
together while a portion thereof substantially intermediate of the edges or ends is
turned around the bottle.
[0004] The tubular product identifying label of the type referred to above and adapted to
be turned around, for example, the bottle is generally prepared by cutting a web of
sheet material such as plastic film, paper or the like into a generally rectangular
label blank of predetermined dimensions, the opposite ends of such label blank being
subsequently bonded together by the use of a heat-fusion technique or by the use of
adhesive material thereby to complete the tubular product identifying label. The label
may be printed, or otherwise formed in any suitable manner, with product identifying
information and/or vignettes either after or prior to the completion of the tubular
product identifying label. Depending on the type of material of the tubular product
identifying label, the tubular product identifying label may be either mounted on
the bottle and is subsequently allowed to fit around the bottle such as a 'shrinkwrap',
or turned around the bottle prior to the bonding of the opposite ends thereof together.
[0005] When it comes to the reuse of the bottles, the product identifying labels on the
bottles are removed prior to or during the cleansing the bottles and new product identifying
labels are applied after the filling of beverages in the cleansed bottles. Hitherto,
the removal of the product identifying labels from the bottles which have been recovered
from the market poses a number of problems.
[0006] For the removal of the labels from the bottle, a generally practiced method is either
by applying a knife edge to remove the label from the bottle, by applying a highly
heated air to burn the label, or by rubbing the label in a water tank if the label
is made of paper.
[0007] Considering a large number of bottles which are handled in a beverage plant, automated
machinery is required for the removal of the labels from the bottles. The removal
of the labels by the use of the knife edge is not easy to automate and, if successfully
automated, the outcome would be a machine which is complicated in structure, expensive
to make and low in efficiency. Yet, the use of the possibly successfully automated
machine would be limited to the bottles made of glass because, if the bottles are
made of plastics, the plastic bottles would be susceptible to damage imparted by the
knife edge during the cutting of the labels. Even where the bottles are made of glass,
a similar description applies, provided that the bottles are lined with a resinous
protective coating used to prevent the bottles from being scratched, scribed, rubbed
or damaged which would occur when the bottles are brought into contact with each other
during transportation regardless of the presence or absence of the labels.
[0008] The second mentioned technique, that is, the burning of the labels to remove them
from the bottles, appears to be more efficient than the use of the knife edge and
can be easily embodied in an automatic machine. However, this technique cannot be
employed with the bottles made of plastics, or the bottle made of glass and coated
exteriorly with the resinous protective lining, because the plastic bottles or the
resinous protective lining would be thermally deformed or otherwise damaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been devised with a view to providing a generally tubular
label which can be easily and efficiently removed from the article of manufacture
such as, for example, bottle made of either glass or plastics without substantially
giving damage to the article of manufacture during the removal of the label.
[0010] In order to accomplish the above described object, according to one aspect of the
present invention, the generally tubular label comprises a sheet-like label blank
having a pair of portions opposite to each other and a hot-water soluble adhesive
layer connecting the opposite portions of the label blank together, said hot-water
soluble adhesive layer being soluble in contact with heated water of a temperature
not lower than about 50°C, preferably 50° to 70 °C.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hot-water soluble adhesive
layer may comprise a hot-water soluble adhesive material applied to one of the opposite
portions of the label blank so that the other of the opposite portions of the label
blank can be connected with such one of the opposite portions thereof through the
adhesive material to complete a joint between the opposite portions.
[0012] Alternatively, the hot-water soluble adhesive layer may comprise a length of hot-water
soluble tape bonded to the opposite portions of the label blank with the use of any
suitable bonding agent to complete a joint between the opposite portions.
[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, the generally tubular label
comprises a sheet-like label blank having a pair of portions opposite to each other
and a base-soluble adhesive layer connecting the opposite portions of the label blank
together, said base-soluble adhesive layer being soluble in contact with an inorganic
or organic base in liquid or vapor form or a solution, suitably an aqueous solution
of an inorganic or organic base, either heated or at ambient temperature. It is preferred
that the base by one which, upon contact with water, delivers a pH greater than 7.5.
However, where the article of manufacture around which the tubular label of the present
invention is fitted according to the present invention is apt to be damaged in contact
with a strong base solution, the solution should have a pH value not exceeding 10.
[0014] In any event, any readily available inorganic bases include ammonia, aqueous ammonia
and aqueous solutions of hydroxides or carbonates of alkali metal or alkaline earth
metal, for example, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and the
like. On the other hand, any readily available organic bases include, for example,
primary amines, secondary amines, and tertiary amines, which may be aliphatic, alicyclic,
aromatic, heterocyclic, or combination thereof. This list is in no way intended to
be limiting but rather illustrative of the wide range of bases which may be employed
for the purpose of the present invention.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base-soluble adhesive layer
may comprise an base-soluble adhesive material applied to one of the opposite portions
of the label blank so that the other of the opposite portions of the label blank can
be connected with such one of the opposite portions thereof through the adhesive material
to complete a joint between the opposite portions.
[0016] Again alternatively, the base-soluble adhesive layer may comprise a length of base-soluble
tape bonded to the opposite portions of the label blank with the use of any suitable
bonding agent to complete a joint between the opposite portions.
[0017] According to the present invention, because of the unique adhesive layer, the label
applied to the bottle which has been recovered for the purpose of reuse thereof can
readily be removed from the bottle only by causing the labeled bottle to contact the
heated water or the base solution. The contact of the labeled bottle with the heated
water or the base solution may be carried out either by immersing the labeled bottle
in a bath containing the heated water or the base solution, or by spraying the heated
water or the base solution to the labeled bottle. Upon contact of the label on the
bottle with the heated water or the base solution, the unique adhesive layer is dissolved
to permit the label to release naturally from the bottle.
[0018] In a beverage plant, the method of the present invention can be embodied by transporting,
by the use of a conveyor, at least one row of recovered bottles a label removing station
where a bath of heated water or base solution is installed or where a number of spray
nozzles are installed for spraying the heated water or the base solution. Therefore,
the equipments required to accomplish this should be simple in structure and inexpensive
to make.
[0019] When forming the joint between the opposite portions, of the label blank, the opposite
portions of the label blank may be connected together by means of the unique adhesive
layer according to the present invention in either a butt-weld fashion, wherein the
opposite portions of the label blank adjoin with each other with or without a gap
formed therebetween, or a lap-weld fashion wherein the opposite portions of the label
blank overlap with each other. In particular, where the butt-weld fashion is employed
with a gap existing between the opposite portions of the label blank, the use of the
unique adhesive layer in the form of the hot-water or base soluble tape is recommended
to cover up the gap.
[0020] Where the hot-water soluble adhesive layer is employed to connect the opposite portions
of the label blank to complete the generally tubular label, the temperature the heated
water at which the hot-water soluble adhesive layer can dissolve should be not lower
than 50° because of the following reason. In general, so long as the beverage bottles
are distributed and circulated in the consumer market, it is not unusual for those
bottles to be brought into contact with water. For example, the bottles may be wet
or be damped in the rain and/or in a household kitchen. As far as the household kitchen
is concerned, hot water is occasionally used to wash tableware and it may occur that
the labeled bottle may be washed as well with hot water. If the tubular label applied
around the bottle has its opposite portions connected together with the usual adhesive
material soluble at a temperature lower than about 50°, the label may separate from
the bottle with the adhesive material dissolved by either the rain water or the cleansing
water in the household kitchen. The hot water available from a kitchen faucet is generally
of a high of a temperature comparable to the human body temperature and not higher
than about 35° and, therefore, the use of the adhesive material soluble at this low
temperature should be avoided in the practice of the present invention in order for
a higher percentage of bottles to be recovered from the market for reuse without having
been damaged.
[0021] Therefore, the use of the hot-water soluble adhesive layer soluble at the specific
temperature not lower than about 50° is desirable. Where the bottle is made of plastics,
the unique hot-water soluble adhesive layer used in the practice of the present invention
must have an upper limit temperature dependent on the temperature which the plastics
can withstand. In general, most of the beverage containers made of plastics can exhibit
a heat resistance up to 80° to 140°C.
[0022] When it comes to the base soluble adhesive layer, the base solution used to dissolve
it may be either of an ambient temperature or of an elevated temperature, although
the use of the base soluble adhesive layer soluble at the elevated temperature is
most preferred by a reason similar to that discussed above in connection with the
hot-water soluble adhesive layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The present invention will become more clearly understood from the following description
of preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
which are given only for the purpose of illustration and explanation and in which:
Figs. 1 is a schematic perspective view, with a portion cut away, of a generally tubular
label according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which a soluble
adhesive tape is employed;
Figs. 2 and 3 are views similar to Fig. 1, showing the use of the soluble adhesive
tape in conjunction with different types of joint between opposite ends of a label
blank;
Figs. 4 to 7 are schematic perspective views, with a portion cut away, of the tubular
label according to different embodiments of the present invention, respectively, in
which a deposit of soluble adhesive material is employed;
Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a bottle provided with the tubular label
having its opposite ends connected together by means of the deposit of soluble adhesive
material; and
Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the bottle showing the manner in which the
tubular label applied to the bottle shown in Fig. 8 is separated from the bottle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] In describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to
the accompanying drawings, like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout
the several view thereof.
[0025] Referring first to Fig. 1, a tubular label generally identified by 1 comprises a
generally rectangular label blank 2 made of any known film of plastics which may be
either thermally shrinkable or stretchable. The thermally shrinkable plastic film
is the one which undergoes shrinkage when heated in contact with water or air of elevated
temperature whereas the stretchable plastic film is the one having an elasticity.
The rectangular label blank 2 has its opposite ends 2a and 2b connected together by
means of a length of adhesive tape 3 to render the label blank to represent a generally
tubular shape as shown.
[0026] In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank 2 is
butted together while the length of adhesive tape 3 preferably equal in length to
the length of the tubular label 1 is applied over the resultant end-to-end joint so
as to bridge therebetween. This length of adhesive tape 3 is secured to the opposite
ends 2a and 2b by means of a deposit of any suitable bonding material 4.
[0027] In accordance with the present invention, the length of adhesive tape 3 is of a type
capable of being dissolved in contact with a hot-water of a temperature not lower
than 50°C. Where the bottle around which the tubular label 1 is fitted is made of
plastics, the length of adhesive tape 3 is preferred to be of a type capable of being
dissolved in contact with the hot water of a temperature within of 50° to 70°C by
the reason which has been discussed previously.
[0028] The length of adhesive tape 3 referred to above is made of polyvinyl alcohol resins,
examples of which include "K. Kuraray POVAL Film" (manufactured and sold by Kabushiki
Kaisha Kuraray), "AICELLO VINYLON Film" and "SOLUBLON" (both manufactured and sold
by AICELLO Chemical Co., Ltd.) and "BOVLON" (manufactured and sold by Nippon Gosey
Co., Ltd.).
[0029] Alternatively, the length of adhesive tape 3 may be of a type capable of being dissolved
in contact with an base solution. The base soluble adhesive tape 3 may be available
in two types; one being of a type soluble in contact with the base solution of normal
or ambient temperature and the other being of a type soluble in contact with the heated
base solution. In particular, where the length of adhesive tape 3 soluble in contact
with the heated base solution is advantageous in that, because the lack of one of
heat and alkalis from the solution does not result in a dissolution of the length
of adhesive tape 3 and, in other words, because the action of heat and the action
of alkalis are simultaneously required to dissolve the length of adhesive tape 3,
the length of adhesive tape can permit the label to be retained on the bottle for
a relatively prolonged period of time.
[0030] The length of adhesive tape 3 soluble in contact with the base solution of ambient
temperature may be made of a film of water soluble polyvinyl alcohol resin having
one surface coated with an base soluble lining. The film of water soluble polyvinyl
alcohol resin may be a commercially available film known as "Kuraray POVAL Film" or
"SOLUBLON" and the base soluble lining applied to the water soluble polyvinyl alcohol
film may be a commercially available material known as "HYDRIC GT Medium" or "WGK
Medium" both manufactured and sold by Dainichseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co., Ltd.
[0031] The length of adhesive tape 3 soluble in contact with the heated base solution, that
is, the base solution of elevated temperature may be made of a film of hot-water soluble
polyvinyl alcohol resin having one surface coated with an base soluble lining. The
film of hot-water soluble polyvinyl alcohol resin may be a commercially available
film known as "Kuraray Vinylon Film", "AICELLO VINYLON Film" and "SOLUBLON" and the
heated base soluble lining applied to the hot water soluble polyvinyl alcohol film
may be a commercially available material known as "HYDRIC GT Medium" or "WGK Medium".
[0032] As previously described, the deposit of bonding material 4 used to secure the length
of adhesive tape 3 to the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank to complete the
tubular label 1 may be of any known material such as generally used in the manufacture
of a dry laminate, that is, a multiply sheet material.
[0033] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank
2 have been shown and described as butted together while they are connected together
by the use of the length of adhesive tape 3 bonded thereto. However, the opposite
ends 2a and 2b of the label blank may be overlapped one above the other and the length
of adhesive tape 3 may be bonded to the outermost end 2a and a portion of the label
blank adjacent the innermost end 2b as shown in Fig. 2. Again, the opposite ends 2a
and 2b of the label blank 2 may be spaced a distance smaller than the width of the
length of adhesive tape 3, in which case the deposit of bonding material 4 should
be formed in at least two rows one on each of the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label
blank 2 as shown in Fig. 3.
[0034] In any one of the foregoing embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the use has been made
of the length of adhesive tape 3 for connecting the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the
label blank 2 to form the tubular label 1. However, in the embodiments which will
now be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 7, respectively, no length of soluble
adhesive tape is employed and, instead thereof, a deposit of soluble adhesive material
is employed to connect the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank together.
[0035] The deposit of soluble adhesive material 5 used in any one of the respective embodiments
of Figs. 4 to 7 is identified by 5 and may be of a type soluble in contact with either
the hot water of a temperature not lower than 50°C, or within the range of 50° to
70°C where the bottle is made of plastics, or the base solution of either an ambient
temperature or elevated temperature.
[0036] The deposit of soluble adhesive material 5 can be formed by applying the soluble
adhesive material, which is of the type soluble in contact with either the hot water
or the base solution, to one of the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank 2,
substantially as shown in Fig. 4, where the joint therebetween is desired to be in
lap weld fashion.
[0037] Alternatively, where the joint between the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank
2 is desired to be in butt weld fashion, the soluble adhesive material are to be applied
in at least two rows one on each of the opposite ends 2a and 2b to form respective
deposits of soluble adhesive material 5 and a length of cover-up tape identified by
6 is laid over the deposits of soluble adhesive material 5 as shown in Fig. 5. As
far as this alternative of Fig. 5 is concerned, the deposit of soluble adhesive material
5 may be formed on the length of cover-up tape 6 which is subsequently applied to
the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank 2 to complete the tubular label 1.
[0038] The length of cover-up tape 6 having the deposit of soluble adhesive material 5 may
also be employed on the overlapping opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank 2 to
connect them together as shown in Fig. 6.
[0039] Also, with the aid of the length of cover-up tape 6, the opposite ends 2a and 2b
of the label blank 2 can be connected together in a fashion similar to that shown
in and described with reference to Fig. 3. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 7,
the opposite ends 2a and 2b of the label blank 2 may be spaced a distance smaller
than the width of the length of cover-up tape 6 and the deposit of soluble adhesive
material 5 is formed in at least two rows one on each of the opposite ends 2a and
2b of the label blank 2.
[0040] The length of cover-up tape 6 used in any one of the embodiments shown in and described
with reference to Figs. 5 to 7 may not be of a type soluble in contact with water
or base solution.
[0041] The tubular label 1 according to the present invention is adapted to be mounted on
a bottle 10 so as to encircle the body thereof as shown in Fig. 8. Where the tubular
label 1 is made of thermally shrinkable plastic film, the tubular label 1 has an inner
diameter greater than the outer diameter of the body of the bottle 10 as shown by
the phantom line in Fig. 8 and is, after having been mounted so as to encircle the
bottle body, allowed to shrink to fit around the bottle body as shown by the solid
line in Fig. 8. In order to accomplish this, a blast of hot air of a temperature required
for the tubular label 1 to undergo shrinkage is applied.
[0042] Alternatively, where the tubular label 1 is made of stretchable plastic film, the
tubular label 1 may have an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter
of the body of the bottle 10 so that the tubular label 1 can be mounted on the bottle
so as to encircle the body of the bottle by radially outwardly expanding the tubular
label 1 against its own elasticity by the application of an external force and then
by releasing the application of the external force, after the tubular label 1 has
been mounted so as to encircle the bottle body, to allow the tubular label 1 to fit
to the bottle body.
[0043] Again alternatively, the tubular label 1 may be formed in situ on the bottle 6. In
other words, the tubular body 1 may be formed by turning the rectangular label blank
2 around the body of the bottle 10 and then connecting the apposite ends 2a and 2b
of the label blank 2 together in the manner as hereinbefore described with reference
to and shown in any one of Figs. 1 to 7.
[0044] The removal of the tubular label 1 from the bottle 10 as shown in Fig. 9 can be readily
accomplished by causing the labeled bottle to contact the heated water or the base
solution. As hereinbefore discussed, the contact of the labeled bottle with the heated
water or the base solution may be carried out either by immersing the labeled bottle
in a bath containing the heated water or the base solution, or by spraying the heated
water or the base solution to the labeled bottle. The removal step during which the
tubular label 1 is removed from the bottle 10 may be provided either preceding the
cleansing step or in the cleansing step. Advantageously, the removal step during which
the hot water or the base solution is employed may concurrently serve as the cleansing
step.
[0045] Although the present invention has fully been described in connection with the preferred
embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings used only for the
purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will readily conceive numerous changes
and modifications within the framework of obviousness upon the reading of the specification
herein presented of the present invention. Accordingly, such changes and modifications
are, unless they depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention as delivered
from the claims annexed hereto, to be construed as included therein.
1. A generally tubular label (1) adapted to be fitted around an article of manufacture,
which label comprises a sheet-like label blank (2) having a pair of portions (2a,
2b) opposite to each other and a hot-water soluble adhesive layer connecting the opposite
portions of the label blank together, said hot-water soluble adhesive layer being
soluble in contact with heated water of a temperature not lower than about 50°C.
2. A generally tubular label as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said hot-water soluble
adhesive layer (4) is soluble in contact with the heated water of a temperature within
the range of 50° to 70°C.
3. The generally tubular label as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the hot-water soluble
adhesive layer (4) comprises a hot-water soluble adhesive material applied to one
of the opposite portions (2a, 2b) of the label blank (2) so that the other of the
opposite portions of the label blank can be connected with such one of the opposite
portions thereof through the adhesive material to complete a joint between the opposite
portions.
4. A generally tubular label as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the hot-water soluble
adhesive layer (4) comprises a length of hot-water soluble tape (3) bonded to the
opposite portions (2a, 2b) of the label blank with the use of a bonding agent to complete
a joint between the opposite portions.
5. A generally tubular label (1) adapted to be fitted around an article of manufacture,
which label comprises a sheet-like label blank (2) having a pair of portions (2a,
2b) opposite to each other and an base-soluble adhesive layer (4) connecting the opposite
portions of the label blank together, said base-soluble adhesive layer being soluble
in contact with an aqueous solution of alkalis of predetermined temperature.
6. A generally tubular label as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the base-soluble adhesive
layer (4) comprises an base-soluble adhesive material applied to one of the opposite
portions (2a, 2b) of the label blank (2) so that the other of the opposite portions
of the label blank can be connected with such one of the opposite portions thereof
through the adhesive material to complete a joint between the opposite portions.
7. A generally tubular label as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the base-soluble adhesive
layer (4) comprises a length of base-soluble tape (3) bonded to the opposite portions
(2a, 2b) of the label blank with the use of any suitable bonding agent to complete
a joint between the opposite portions.