Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1083~94
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PRESSURE SENSITIVE LABEL STRIP - -
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention : ~:
This in~ention relates to a tape-like, pressure
s~nsitiYe label strip ~for use in a label ~rinting and
: ~ dispensing machine Chereinafter referred to simp~y as a
:~: "label printing machine'`~. More particularly, t}le in- :
.
ention relates to the feeding cuts in t]le label s~rip by
; which.~the label strip:is advanced in the label pri.nting
:10 machine as they are engaged ~ith tlle feedi.ng pins ~ormed ~ -
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on a eeding roller.
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Descri tion of ~he Prior ~rt
P
A label strip of the type to which the in-
vention relates comprises one elo~ngated length of label
material, which has an imprintable top surface an,d an
adhesive coated rear surface, and it comprises a second
elongated length of backing material with a release
material surface to which the adhesive coated surface o
the label material is applied. .
There are two common systems in use for a.d-
10 vancing label strips by using feeding pin rollers. In .
the label strip folding edge system, the complete two '''
layer label strip is directed forward of the platen of - ,~'
the label printing machine and the ba.ckillg material of
the label strip is folded rearward in frollt of t~e p].aten.
Only the strip of backing material is thell brough- i.nto
engagement with the pins of a feeding ro].].er that ~.s .~
located to the rear of the platen. Rotation-of the ,,:
feeding roller in engagement with the,label str;p backi.ng ~'" .~.
mat~r~al pulls the whole Iabel stTip forward through the ,'
20 machine. Label pieces from the strip of label materi.al ' , :: .
are peeled from the strip of backing materi.a.]. at the
label strip folding edge in front of the p].aten.
In the other push-separate-pull system, the ~,
complete two layer label strip is first engaged by the ,, '.
.
~ feeding pins of a feeding roller (fi.rst enga.gement secti.on)
.
before the label strip has reached the platen. This .. '
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pushes the whole label strip forward. The layer of
backing material is then folded into ~ loop in the
narrow space of a folding ~ection in front of the platen.
As in the folding edge system, only the layer of backing
material is brought into engagement with the feeding pins
of the feeding roller ~second engagement section), and
the layer of backing material is then dragged through the .::
label printing machine. In this system, the label pieces
are also peeled from the backing material in the folding
section in front of the platen~
In both systems, the s-trip of backing material
is folded back and is brought into engagement with the
pins of the feeding roller.at least once for advancillg
the label strip.
In order to engage the label stri.l?, w}ii.ch i.s
comprised of laminated layers of a label material and a
backing material, with the feeding pins o~ a feedi.ng
roller, the label strip must be provided wi.t:h some feedi.ng
cuts. Such cuts are disclosed, for examp~.e, i.n ll.S.
Patent No. 3,501,365. In conventio~ layele~l lnbel
strips of the above described kind, the feedi.ng cut.s i.n
the label strip form feed roller pin engageable feeding
tongues to be engaged by the feeding pins of the rolleT.
The cuts are oriented such.that the free OT cut end
portions of feeding tongues that are formed in the strip
of backing material are oriented toward the Iront or
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downstream side or advancing direction of the advancing
label strip9 while the connecting or uncut attached
portions of the feeding tong~es are oriented toward the ',
rear or upstream side ar trailing direction of the ad- ~,
vancing label strip. ,,. .~: -
. When the feeding tongues in the strip of backing .~'
material are formed in the conventional manner by cutting
the forward ends of the tongues, the feeding tongues are ,. '
llable to be pushed fully upright owing to the for~ard
l0 inertia of the backing material during the peeling of ~ ,'
labels which occurs through the rearward ~olding of the .'~
backing material. Especially when the label strip i,s
being advanced rapidly, the feeding tongues are raised ','
upright, and they contact the bottom cover of the ].abe']. '.:
, printing machine. This may cause l:he cut ends of the ' -:~
: feeding tongues to be torn just after being folded rear~
wardly. Owing to this tearing of the feeding tongues, ' I :
the later engagement of the strip of ~ac~ing materi.a].
with the pins of the feeding roller becomes i.mpossible,
and the label strip cannot be advanced through the ma,chi.ne.
BRIEF SUM~RY OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the present
invention to pro~ide an improved label strip Wi.t}1 feeding
tongues~.
It is another object of the in~ention to provide ., ':
such a label strip which protects the ~eeding tongues of
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the ~acking material from tearing when the label strip is moved
forward in a label printing machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide
a pressure sensitive label strip which is comprised of a layer
of a label material and a layer of a backing material, and which
label strip can be brought into smooth engagement with the feed- -
ing pins formed on a feeding roller so as to efficiently advance
the label strip through a label printing machine.
A further object of the present invention is to pro-
vide a pressure sensitive label strip which has improved feed-
ing cuts and which can be produced without difficulty at low
cost, and which is effective in operation.
One aspect of the invention comprehends a pressure
sensitive label strip including a tape like strip of labél ma-
terial, and a tape like strip of backing material, the strip ~ -
of label material being overlaid on and separably adhered by
adhesive material to the strip of backing material. Parting
cut lines extend transversely across the strip of label material
and are spaced at regular intervals so as to form a plurality ;~
of unit label pieces of the label strip material. A plurality ~ -
of first feeding tongue~ are arrayed at spaced intervals along
the length of the strip of backing material, each first tongue
being at a position corresponding to the position of the parting
cut line on the strip of label material. Each first feeding
tongue is defined by a feeding cut through the strip of backing
material. Each first feeding tongue feeding cut is in the shape
of an unclosed geometric figure and has an open uncut side by
which the feeding tongue is connected to the strip of backing
material, the open uncut sides of the first feeding ~ongue
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feeding cuts all facing downstream along the path of motion of
the strip as the strip is advanced, whereby when each first
feeding tongue is engaged, it is upraised in the forward direc-
tion of the motion of the label strip. At least one respective
feeding cut line, i5 formed at and crosses each parting cut
line in the strip of label material and is differently shaped
than the feeding cut of the first feeding tongue, thereby to
define a second feeding tongue in the strip of label material
at each parting cut line. Each second feeding tongue is placed
to overlie a respective first feeding tongue of strip of backing
material.
In a label printing machine, after the label material is
imprlnted, the label material is peeled from the backing
material by rearward folding of the backing material.
Preferably the feeding tongues formed in the backing
material are each in the shape of an unclosed geometric form, -~
for example, a rounded U-shape, a squarish U-shape or a V-shape
and the positions of the feeding cut lines of the first feeding
tongue in the layer of backing material are aligned beneath
a respecti~e pair of the feeding cut lines in the strip of
label material.
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Brief Descri tion of the Dral~in~s
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Other objects and features of the present inven-
tion wili be apparent from ~he following description of the
invention with reference to the accompanying dralYings, in
which:
Figs. 1 to 4 sho~ a first embodiment o~ a f1rst
version o~ a press-lre sensitive label strip according to the
present invention, wherein: .
Pig. 1 is a perspective view of a part of the
first embodiment of the first version of a labcl strip;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same label strip;
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on
the line III-III in Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is also a.vertical cross-sectional view
taken on ~he line IV-IV in Fig. 2; : .
Figs. S to 7 sho~ the advancement o-E a label strip
of the present invention, wherein: ;
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a label
:~ printing machine, in which the machine frame on the near
side is removed;
: ::
~ Fig. 6 is a schematic plan viel~ showing advancement
: o a ~eeding pin of a feeding roller and of the label strip
of the invention; and ::~.
. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross sectional view of the
same;
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Fi~. 8 is a p~r-tially explodecl plan view of a
second embodiment of the flrst ~ersion of a label strip
according to -the invention;
E'ig. 9 is a par-tially exploded plan view of a
third embodiment of the first version of a label strip
according to the invention; and
Fig. 10 is also a parti~lly exploded plan view of
a fourth embodiment of the first version of a label strip
according to the invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments (First Version) -
The first embod~nent of the first version label strip 10 is
shown in Figs. 1-4. The label strip 10 comprises a long, thin
strip layer of label material 1 and a long thin strip layer of
backing material 3. The rear surface of the layer of label
material 1 is provided l~ith an adhesi~re coating layer 2,
while t]le front surface of the backing material 3 is provided
with a release layer 4 so as to fac;litate the peeling of
the label material 1 from the backing material 3. The rear
surface of the layer of label material is overlaid on the
~ront sur~ace of the layer of backing material.
The strip of label material 1 has a plurality of -
transverse parting cut lines 5 spaced at regular intcrvals
along its length. This produces a large number of unit
label pieces la that are arrayed along the length of the
label material strip. A pair o parallel, short length,
; slightly spaced apart feeding cut lines 6~cross eacll parting
cut line 5 at right angles and they are symmetrically spaced
about the cellter of each c~lt line 5. Feeding tongues lb are
~ormed on both sides of cach parting cut line S, on the
adjacent trailing and leading edges of t~o adjacent unit
label pieces la.
. .
Feeding tongues 7 are formed in the strip layer of
bac~ing material 3 by defining therein feeding cut lines 8
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having an open-ellded, geometric U-s}lal)e. 'Ihc positioll o-f
e~ch feeding tongue 7 corresponds to and undorlics ~ pair o~
respective feeding cut lines 6 khat are formed at a partin~
cut line 5. The connected or attached portion 9a of this
alrnost U-shaped fceding tongue 7 is joined to the layer o-f
backing material 3. The connected portion 9a is directed in
the for~ard, dol~nstream or lcading tlirection o~ tllc advallcing
motion of the label strip 10. The arcuate, unconnected free
end 9b oE the tongue 7 is directed in the rear, upstream or
trailing direction. The connected portion 9a of each feeding
tongue 7 is brought into engagement with a feeding pin 22 of
a feeding roller 21 ~described later). This bends the . -
feeding tongues 7 upright forming pressure receiving Eaces.
The advancement of the tap~-like label strip 10
through a label printing machine that uses the above -
described push-separate-pull (P~SoP~) system is now described
with reference to Figure 5.
The label printing machine shown in Fig. 5 comprises ~ ~:
a hand lever 12 that is pivotally secured to a pi~ot shaft
20 13 that is Eormed on a machine frame 19. ~n intcgrally .
formed hand grip 11 extends rearwardly from the frame lg. A
return spring 16 is stretched between spring supporting ~:
members 14 and 15 that are respectively formed on the hand .
lerer 12 and the hand grip 11. The force of spring 16
~eturns the hand lever 12 to the original dol~nward rest
position when the lever is released after being squeezed
The hand lever 12 extends forl~ard (to the left) of .
its pivot.shaft 13, an~ this section of the hand lever is
comprised of a ~rinting section 12a remote from shaft 13 and .~ -~
30 an actuating section 12b nearer to the sha~t 13. The pri.nting : ~
section 12a carries a printing head 17 which carries a ::. -
B~ plurality of stamp belts aligned side by si~e so as to pr.int
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a line of figures. The actuatiny section 12b is provided
with a known sector drive year (not shown) near the pivot
shaft 13. There is an inking roller i6 for applying ink to
the type faces 18 of the printing head 17.
~ main shaft 20, l~hich is nonshi~tably attached to
t~e machine frames 19, rotatably supports a feeding roller
20 having a pawl ~heel (not sholm3 that is engaged ~ith the
drive gear of the actuating section 12b of the hand lever
12. The circumferential surface of the eeding roller 21 is
pr~vided w;th a plurality of projecting feeding pins 22 $hat
are spaced at regular intervals or advancing the tape~ e
label strip 10 of the present invention. As s~lo-~n in F;gs.
6 and 7, ~he horizontal or transverse cross-section of each
feeding pin 22 is semi-circular, with the planar portion o-E
the pin 22 being oriented tolrard the leading or do~rnstream
direction ~sho~n by an arro~) orming a fceding surface 22a
for advancing the label strip 10.
~ hen the label strip 10 is advanced through the
label printing machine during operation thereo~, a rolled
label strip 10' is supported by a label supporting section
23 of the machine. The free end oE the label strip 10 is
passed through the space bet-~een the ~eeding roller 21 and a
- label pushing member 25 by way o~ a label guide member 24.
The ree end of the label strip is further led onto a platen
26 which is supported insi~le the machille frame in OppOSition
to the printing head 17O In this advancing o the label
strip 10, the eeding cut lines 8 and 6 in the strip of
the backlng matcrial 3 and of the label mate~ial 1 are first
brougilt into cngagcment ~ith the ceding pins 22 on the
feeding roller 21 and the label pushing member 25 is then
fitted over the upper surface of the label strîp 10.
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~hen the lland lever 12 is rcleasccl a~ter it is
squeezed, the ~eedin~ roller 21 is ~urned countcrclock~ise
intermittcntly by the length of one label piece. This
correspondingly advances the label strip 10. During advancing
of the label strip 10, as sho~n in Figs. 6 and 7, as each
feeding tongue 7 of the backing material 3 en~ages a ~eeding
pin 22, it is raised up by the feeding pin 22. To cnsure
that each ~eeding tongue 7 is bent upright along the connected
portion 9a, it comes into surface contact with the ~lat
feeding face 22a o the feeding pin 22. Therefore, any
instability in feeding ol~ing to concentrat~d loa~ g can be
eliminated by distributing the load throughout the cntire
contacting sur~aces. ~s a feeding pin 22 lifts a feeding
tongue 7 o the backing material 3, it is also inserted into ~;
the space de~ined between the overlying feedîng cut lines 6
and the associated parting cut line 5, and the feeding pin
22 also lifts the feeding tongues lb in rectan~ular shape on
both sides of the parting cut line 5. Thus, the lcading or
front feeding tongue lb, i.e. at the trailing elld of the
associated label piece la is bent upright l~ith the other
feeding tongue 7 of the bac~ing material 3. The pushing
force of the feeding pin 22 can be borne by both o the
feeding tongues 7 and lb when the label strip 10 is advanced.
As the label strip 10 is advanced onto the platen 26,
its upper surface is printed by the type faces 18 oE the
printing head ].7 as the head 17 descends upon the squeezing
of the hand lever 12. Inking roller 36 applies ink to the
type faces 18 of the printing head 17 as the printing head
moves to the platen 26.
After the printing step, the layer of backing material 3 :
of the label strip lO is shifted in front of the platen 26
and is bent downwardly and rearwardly forming a bending ~. ..... .portion 29 of a loop in the narrow space 28 between
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the b~ttom cover ~ ~n~ a keep plate 27 holding the
platen therebctween. Once it is bent re~rwardly,
the backing material 3 is urtllcr le(l rearlYllrdly all(l is
brough~ into engagement ~ith the feeding pins 22 of the
above descrihed feeding roller 21, so that the label strip
10 can be pulled by the roller 21. T-~o label pushing members
32 are attached on the ins~de of a bottom cover 30, ~hich is
pivotally secured to a pin 34 that is attached to t}le lo-~er
front end of the machine body. The p~sition and shape of
the label ~ sllillg melllbers 32 correspolld to t]losc o tllc
lower face of the feeding roller 21. Thus, both sidc edge
portions of the backing strip 3 are pressed against the
feeding roller 21, and the backing strip 3 is brcugllt into
engagement with the ~eeding pins 22 oE the feeding ~oller 21
so as to be passed out fro]n the rear portion of thc machine
body.
The just printed unit label piece la is peelcd
f~om the bending portion 2~ o the backing material 3 and is
p~shed out beneath the lol~er sur~ace o-f an applicator ~oller
35 so as to be applied to the surface o-E a commodity.
When the layer of backing material 3 is bent
rear~ardly, the feeding tongue 7 is turned from facing for-
wardly to facing rearwardly. Howevcr, tearin~ at tl~c enaS
of cut line 8 owing to the inertia of forward movement does
not occur since the feeding cu* line 8 extends in the rearward
direction ~and the arcuate portion at the free cnd o-f the
feeding tongue 7 is oriented in the rearward direction). ~ -
Further~ the feeding -tongue 7 is not set up, but is instead
laid clown after the backing material 3 is bent rcarwardly.
~s a result, tl~e ~acking m.ltcrial 3 c~n bc smoot]lly ~)assc(l
~- througll thc tapered narrow space 31 between the platen 26
`~ and the bottom cover 30 in thc lowcr ront portion oE the
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macllinc body.
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If -the Eeeding ton~ue 7 had been orientecl to :Eac~
for~Yard~ as in the conventional art, khe ~ree e3ld o~ the
feeding tongue 7 i~ould be caught by the cnd ~ortion of thc
narro~Y space 31 and be drawn up. The ends of cut line at the
connected end 9a would be pulled, and the feeding tongu~s 7 would
be torn.
There is a locking dcvice 33 for th~ botto~ cover 30. . ~,'
In the second, third and fourth embodiments of the first versi
' of the present invention, shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, respectiveiy,
the parting cut lines 5 and,the feeding tongues lb that are formed
by the parting cut lines,5 and by the feeding cut lines 6 o~ the
:. : -
strips of label material 1 of label strips 10a, 10b and l0c,
are the same as those of the above described first embodiment.
Accordingly, further description of them is omittcd.
In the strip of backing material 3a of the second ~n~o~-
iment (flrst version), as shown in Fig. 8, the feeding tongue 7a is
defined by a modified U-shaped Eeeding cut line 8. The
arcuate end portion 9b o the eeding cut line ~ is oriented ;~
tolYard the trailing or rear end of the label strip lOa as ,'
it is advanced and the connected portion 9a is orieqlted
.
toward the leading or forward end`of the strip, as in the
~irst embodiment. On the insicles o the end portions of
feedin~ cut line 8, arcuate portions 8a are ormed for
preventing the strip of backing material 3 from tearing.
In the strip of backing mater;al 3b o the third ~mbodi- -
ment (first version) as shown in Fig. 9, the feeding tongue 7b is .. . .
defined by an unclosed V-shaped feeding cut line 8. In tl-is
modification, the apex or closed end ~b of the eeding cut
line 8 is oriented toward the trailina or rcar end of the
label stri~ 10b as it is advanced, IYhile the con3lectcd
portion 9a is disposed tolYard the leadin~ or ~or~ard end~
also as i31 the irst e~nbodiment.
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In thc ~ourth embodiment (first version) of the present inven-
tion shown in Fig. lO, the feeding tongue 7c is defined by an un-
closed generally squarish or rectangular, U-shaped ~eeding
cut line 8O The open end portion 9b of the feeding cut line
8 is oriented tol~ard the trailing or rear end o~ tlle label
strip lOc in like manner as~the foregoing embodiments and
the connected portion 9a is disposed to~ard the leading or
front end.
In all of the above-described embodiments, the
strips of label material 1 are all provided ~ith -feeding
tongues lb~ Hol~ever, in the aforementioned folding edge
feeding system, since the label pieces la are not pierced by
feeding pins 22, the longitu~inal feeding cut lines 6 can be
omitted. Furthermore, the feeding tongue in the label
material can be formed if only one feeding cut line 6 is
provided9 so that the invention is not restricted to t~o
feeding cut lincs 6 for each parting cut line 5 ~hich is the
version illustrated in the above embodlments.
The label strip of the p:resent invention has a
number of advantages.
The feeding tongues are formed by feeding cut
lines in an unclosed shape and they are ormed at least in
the strip of bac~ing material, but they may also be ormed
in the strip of label material. The free end portions of
the feeding tongues in the bacXing material are oriented to
~ace to~ard the rear or trailing end of the label strip as
it is being advanced, while the attached connectcd portions
the feeding tongues are or;ented to~ald the leading or
ront end oE the label strip as it is being advanced.
Therefore, the label strip is prevented Erom tearillg which
may be caused by the inertia of the advanc:;ng la~el strip
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and by the contact o:E the ccding ton~lucs ~ith ~hc bottorn
cover. Ihe~ lattcr contact could also rcsult in the Eceding
tongues being ~olcled up when the bac~ing strip is bent rear-
~ardly. Accordingly, the strip o bac~ing material can be
reliably engaged with the feeding pins of the feeding roller,
and this results i.n reliabl~ advancing of the compl~te label
strip.
Since the strip of label material h~vin~ feeding
tongues formed by cut lines is laminated with the strip of
backing material having the feeding tongues, even ~hen both
layers of material are laminated, they can be brought into ~: .
engagement with the feeding pins of the feeding roller. .
Therefore, advancement of the label strip can be reliably
at~ained.
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~L~133~39L
SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
As described in the disclosure as originally filed, the
first version of -the label strip of the present invention is
comprised of a layer of label material and a layer of backing
material which are laminated together, and the label material
is peeled from the backing material by bending the layer of
backing material rearwa~dly in the label printing machine.
The backing material in the first version is provided
with feeding tongues of an undisclosed shape by the feeding cut
lines. The position of each feeding -tongue 7 formed in the
backing material 3 corresponds to and underlies a pair of
respective feeding cut lines 6 that are formed at a parting
line cut 5. Accordingly, in that first version, the space bet-
ween the pair of cut lines in the label ma~erial is the same as
the space between the corresponding pair of cut lines in the
backing material~ The corresponding pairs of cut lines in the
strips of label and backing material overlie each other.
The feeding cut lines in the layer of backing material
may however be misaligned slightly from respective pairs of
feeding cut lines in the label material. For Example, the
space between each pair of the feeding cut lines forme~ in the -
label material is made different from the space between each
of the pair of feeding cut lines formed in the backing material,
eg. the space may be smaller or larger. ~;
Accordingly, in this supplementary or seco~d version of
the invention, the posltion of each feeding tongue formed in
the backing material roughly corresponds to but does not ~
precisely correspond to the position of each pair of feeding ~ - -
cut lines formed in the label material. Although in this
version, the feeding cut lines of the label material and the
backing material may be formed by means of separate pattern
cutter rollers enabling the line cutting process to be carried
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out quite easily, the label strip still has excellent shifting
characteristics for use in the label printing machine.
Accordingly, the second version herein contemplates a
pressure sensitive label strip, including a tape-like strip of
a label material having a rear side and a tape-like strip of
backing material having a front side, the rear side of the -
strip of label material and the front side of the strip of
backing material being separably adhered together by adhesive
material. A plurality of parting cut lines extend transversely
across the strip of label material and are spaced at regular
intervals so as to form a plurality of unit label pieces of the
label material. Pairs comprising two first feeding cut lines
are defined across the parting cut lines in the label material,
the two feeding cut lines of each pair being separated suffi-
ciently that the label material will not normally tear. Each
feeding cut line pair and the respective parting cut line form
respective feeding tongues of unit label pieces. Second feed-
ing cut lines are defined in the backing material and each is
in the shape of an unclosed geometric figure to form a respec-
tive feeding tongue in the backing material at a position
generallv corresponding to a respective pair of first feeding
cut line~ of the label material; but the positions of the
second feeding cut lines of the backing material are not in
accurate alignment with the respective pairs of first feeding -
cut lines of the label material.
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The second version of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description of the invention
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figs. 11 to 14 show a firs-t embodiment of a second
version of a pressure sensitive label strip according to
the presen-t invention, wherein:
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a par-t of the
first embodiment of the second version of the label strip;
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the same label strip;
Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken
on the line XIII-XIII inFig. 12; and
Fig. 14 is also a vertical cross-sectional view
taken on the line XIV-XIV in Fi~. 12;
E'igs 15 to 18 are plan views of pressure sensitive
:Label strips showing the second to fifth embodiments of
the second version of the present invention, respectively,
and in which a part of the label material is removed in ~:
each Figure;
Fig. 19 is a plan view of the main parts of the first
embodiment of the second version of the label strip and
showing a feeding pin formed on the feeding roller, ;
for showing the advancement of the label strip through
a label printing machine of the type shown in Figure 5; and
Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional side view of the elements ~-
shown in Fig. 19. ~ -
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (SECOND VERSI~N)
The first embodiment of the second version of
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label strip 100 is shown in Figs. 1] to 1~. The lal~el s~ri~
100 comprises a long, thin strip layer of label ma-terial 101
and a long -thin strip layer of backing ma-terial 103. The
rear surface of the layer of label material 101 is provided
with an adhesive coating layer 102 while the front surface
of the backing material 103 is provided with a release
layer 104 so as to facilitate the peeling of the label
material 101 from -the backing material 103. The rear
surface of the layer of label material is overlaid on the
front surface of the layer of backing material.
The strip of label material 101 has a plurality
of transverse parting cut lines 105 spaced at regular
intervals along its length. This produces a large number
of unit label pieces lOla that are arrayed along the length
of the label material strip. A pair of parallel, short
length, slightly spaced apart feeding cut lines 106 cross
each parting cut line 105 at right angles and they are
symmetrically spaced about the center of each cut line 105.
Feeding tongues lOlb are formed on both sides of each
20 parting cut line 105, on the adjacent trailing and leading -
edges of two adjacent unit label pieces lOla.
Feeding tongues 107 are formed in the strip layer
of backing material 103 by defining therein feeding cut
lines 108 having an open-ended, geometric U-shape. The
position of each feeding tongue 107 corresponds to and
underlies a pair of respective feeding cut lines 106 that ~-
:, . .
- are formed at a parting CUt line 105.
The width between the feeding cut lines ]0~ is
somewhat larger than the width _ between the end portions ;
or arms of the U-shaped feeding cut line 108. The widths a
and b have the relationship a ~ _. More particularly,
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the width a be-tween the two feeding cut lines 106 may be,
for example, about 2.6 mm to 3.~ mm and the width b of
the U-shaped feeding cut line 108 may be about 2.~ mm.
The connected portion lO9a of the almost U-shaped
feeding tongue 107 is joined to the layer of backing material
103. The connected portion ~09a is directed in the forward,
downstream or leading direction of the advancing motion
of the label strip 100. The arcuate, unconnected free end
lO9b of the tongue 107 is directed in the rear, upstream or
trailing direction. The connected portion lO9a of each
feeding tongue 107 is brought into engagement with a feeding
pin 22 of a feeding roller 21 of a label printing machine
of the type shown in Figure 5 above. This bends the feeding
tongues 107 upright forming pressure receiving faces.
Further, if desired, other cut lines 106a can be
formed in each unit label piece lOla of the label material
101. The cut lines 106a prevent the intentional replacement
of a label that has been applled on a commodity since
only one section of the label at a time of an applied label -
can be intentionally removed.
In the second embodiment of the second version, as
shown in Fig. 15, the label strip lOOa has the same elements
as the label strip 100. The relationship between the
widths a and _ in the second embodiment is a ~ b,
which is the reverse of this relationship in the firs-t
embodiment. However, the function of feeding for -the
tape like label strip (described later) can still be
attained. More particularly, for example, the width b of
the U-shaped feeding cut line 108 that is formed in the
backing material 103 may be the same as that of the first
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embodiment while the width a between the -two feeding cut
lines 106 is made narrower.
In both of the first and second embodiments of
the second version, the two feeding cut lines 106 in the
label material 101 do not overlie or conform to the respective
U-shaped feeding cut line 108 so that the respective cut
lines do not pass through the label material 1 and the
backing material 103 at same positions. The reason for the
positional disagreement is that, when these cuts are
defined, great mechanical skill would be required in
order to cause the positions of the cut lines to precisely
coincide. This is because the cut lines on each layer of - -
material must be separately formed by different pattern
cutter rollers, and the disagreement is a consequence of -
inevitable errors of cutter roller settings.
In the third, fourth and fifth embodiments of the second
version of the present invention, shown in Figs. 16 to 18,
respectively, the parting cut lines 105, the feeding cut lines
106 and the feeding tongues IOlb that are formed by the
lines 105 on the strips of label materlal lOl of label
strips lQOb, lOOc and lOOd, are the same as those described
above ln the first embodiment of label strip 100. ~ccordingly,
further description of them is omitted.
~ In the strip of backing material 103a of the third
~: ~
embodiment of the second version, as shown in Fig. 16, the
feeding tongue 107a is defined by a modified U-shaped feeding
cut line lQ8. The arcuate end portion 109b of the feeding
cut line 108 is oriented toward the trailing or rear side of
, . .
~; the label strip lOOa as it is advanced, and the connected
portion lOga is oriented toward the leading or forward end
of the strip, as in the first embodimént. On the insides
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of the end port;ons ofEeedingcut line 108 at the connected
portion lO9a, arcuate portions 108a are formed for p~evclltillcJ
the strip of backing material 103a from tearing.
In the s-trip of backing material 103b of the fourth
embodiment of the second version, as shown in Fig. 17, the
feeding tongue 107b is defined by an unclosed U-shaped feeding
cut line 108. The apex or closed end lO9b of the feeding
cut line 108 is oriented toward the trailing or rear end
of the label strip lOOb as it is advanced, while the connected
portion lO9a is disposed toward the leading or forward end,
also as in the first embodiment.
In the fifth embodimen~t of the second version of the
p~esent invention shown in Fig. 18, the feeding -tongue
107c is defined in the backing material 103c by an unclosed
generally squarlsh or rectangular, U-shaped feeding cut
line 108. The open end portion lO9b of the feeding cut line
108 is oriented toward the trailing or rear end of the
label strip lOOc as in the foregoing embodiments, and the
connected portion lO9a is disposed toward the leading or
front end.
The widths a of the cuts in the label materials 1
of the third, fourth and fifth embodiments are larger
than the widths _ of tbe cuts in the backing materials 103,
just as in the first embodiment. However, the relation
between the widths a and b of the cuts can be reversed
in-to a ~ b (now shown) as in the second embodiment.
Further, if necessary, other cut lines (not shown),
like lines 106a, for pre~enting lntentional replacement
of the label may be defined in each unit label piece lOla
3 of the label material 101. ~`
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The advancement of the second version of tape-Like
label strip 100 in a label printing machine by usin~ the
above described push-separate-pull system is the same
as in the various embodiments of the first version of the
invention, and, therefore, it is not here described again.
Figs. 19 and 20 show ad~vancement of the first embodiment
of the second version correspondingly to the advancement of
the first embodiment of -the first version as shown in Figs.
6 and 7.
Although the present invention has been described
in connection with a plurality of preferred embodiments of
preferred versions thereof, many variations and modifications
will now become apparent to those skilled ln the art. It
is preferred~ therefore, that the present invention be
limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by
ehe appended clalms.
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