Label assemblies

Abstract

 A label assembly comprises a flexible carrier sheet (11) on which one or more labels (10) are disposed. The carrier sheet has a release coating on its front face and each label comprises a base sheet element (13) having on its rear face a coating of an adhesive by which the label is detachably attached to the coated face of the carrier sheet. A transparent cover sheet (15) is bonded along its periphery to the periphery of the base sheet element. The central areas of the cover sheet and the base sheet element are not bonded together and provide between them a housing for an article such as an instruction leaflet or product applicator. The cover sheet may have a line of weakening to facilitate access to the article.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to label assemblies and is primarily concerned with label assemblies intended to carry detachably an article which may be for example a coupon, an instruction or other leaflet for an appliance.

[0002] According to this invention there is provided a label assembly comprising a carrier sheet having a face thereof coated with a release agent, and at least one label detachably attached to the coated face of the carrier sheet which label includes a base sheet element having its rear face coated with an adhesive and detachably secured by the adhesive to said face of the carrier sheet, and a transparent cover sheet covering the base sheet element, the cover sheet and the base sheet element being bonded together along substantially the whole of the periphery, but not the central area, of the front face of the base sheet element, and an article disposed in said central area between the base sheet element and the cover sheet.

[0003] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the base sheet element and the cover sheet are welded together along their peripheries, as by heat or by high frequency welding means.

[0004] Access to the article can be obtained by slitting the cover sheet along an edge of the central area or, if preferred, the cover sheet may have a line of perforations or other line of weakening extending along one edge of the central area to facilitate access to the article.

[0005] In a particularly convenient arrangement for application of the labels to respective products by automatic machinery the carrier sheet is in the form of a strip and the labels are disposed end to end along the strip.

[0006] The base sheet element of the label may carry identifying printed matter relating to the product so that where the article is a leaflet or booklet the front cover of which identifies the product to which the label assembly is to be attached, then when the leaflet or booklet is removed, the identifying printed matter on the front face of the base sheet element is visible through the transparent cover sheet.

[0007] One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a label assembly according to the invention but with a corner of the transparent cover sheet raised to show the construction more clearly, and

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2.2 of Figure 1.

[0008] Referring to the drawings the label assembly comprises a series of labels 10 arranged end-to-end on a flexible carrier strip 11 the front face of which has a coating 12 of a release material. Each label comprises a base sheet element 13, having a coating 14 of a pressure-sensitive adhesive on its rear face by which it is detachably secured to the coated front face of the carrier strip 11. The base element 13 may be made from metal foil or from a thermoplastic plastics material or from a laminate the front face of which is made from metal foil or a thermoplastic plastics material. A flexible transparent cover sheet 15 made from a thermoplastic plastics material is co-extensive with and overlies the base element 13 of the label and is welded, as by heat or high-frequency welding means, to the front face of the base element along a marginal band 16 extending along the full length of the periphery of the label element. Between the central areas of the base element and the cover 15 is disposed an article 17. In the illustrated arrangement the article 17 is an instruction leaflet or booklet, or a coupon, but the article may if desired be an applicator for the contents of the container to which the label is to be applied, or a "free gift" or other product promotion matter. Access to the article may be obtained by slitting the cover sheet adjacent the band of adhesive along one edge of the label element. A line of weakening 18 may alternatively be provided in the cover sheet to facilitate access to the article. In the case of an instruction leaflet the leaflet may after use be replaced in the pocket thus formed between the base element 13 and the cover sheet. Such a leaflet or booklet will normally carry the product name on its cover sheet, and the product name will also preferably be printed on the base element so as to identify the product after the leaflet or booklet has been removed.

[0009] The transparent cover sheet 15 enables the label assembly to show whether the article 17 is present and to show identification of the product to which the label is to be applied, in addition to protecting the label and the article against the weather.

[0010] In an alternative construction, the band 16 may be an adhesive applied to either the front face of the base element or the rear face of the transparent cover sheet 15 and serving to bond them securely together. In this case the base sheet may also be made from a paper material as well as from the materials previously mentioned.

Claims

1. A label assembly comprising a carrier sheet having a face thereof coated with a release agent, and at least one label detachably attached to the coated face of the carrier sheet which label includes a base sheet element having its rear face coated with an adhesive and detachably secured by the adhesive to said face of the carrier sheet, and a transparent cover sheet covering the base sheet element, the cover sheet and the base sheet element being bonded together along substantially the whole of the periphery, but not the central area, of the front face of the base sheet element, and an article disposed in said central area between the base sheet element and the cover sheet.

2. A label assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base sheet element and the cover sheet are bonded together along their peripheries by welding.

3. A label assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover sheet has a line of perforations or other line of weakening extending along an edge of said central area to facilitate access to said article.

4. A label assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base sheet element carries product identification matter on its front face.

5. A label assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the carrier sheet is in the form of an elongate strip and a plurality of said labels are disposed end to end along the strip.

Drawing