Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Docket M-334 ~117~7~
Background of the Invention
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to composite webs of pressure
sensitive labels, to method of making such webs and to method
of using such webs.
Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the United States to have two-part
labels carried on a web of supporting material in which the
labels are completely severed from each other, in which one
of the labels parts of each label is releasably secured to
the supporting material web and the related label part is
free of adhesive. The two label parts are joined at a line
of weakening or partial severing. The adhesive on the one
label parts releasably secures the labels to the web. Such
labels are often used as "sale labels" in which the regular
; price is marked on the label part with the adhesive and the
sale price is marked on the label part without the adhesive.
The label is removed from the web and adhered to merchandise
and the customer is thus aware of both the regular price and
the sale price. When the sale is over the clerk removes the
other label part, that is, the label part with the sale price,
and only the label part with the regular remains adhered
to the merchandise~ ~n such a two-part label, the label part
without the adhesive causes problems in manufacturing
(especially when the wide composite web is slit into narrow
composite label webs), in handling, and in feeding the
composite web in marking machines such as a hand-held label
printing and applying machine. These problems arise because
the adhesive-free part tends to move away from the supporting
material web as it pivots about the line of partial severing
which divides the label into two parts. The adhesive-free
parts act like loose flaps. The flaps can for example pivot
~r
Docket M-334 1117~76
through 180 and overlie the part which is secured to the
web by means of adhesive. For example, the flap can become
torn or mutilated inside the label printing and applying
machine, causing label waste or incomplete printing of the
label. When applying two-part labels of this type, especially
labels that are relatively wide, there is a tendency for the
label to be applied to certain merchandise in a skewed
orientation because of the fact that only the regular price
label part has adhesive. This is the case especially where
merchandise has a surface characteristic to which it is
difficult to apply a pressure sensitive label, for example, a
wet, waxy or oily surface.
One of the attempts in the United States to overcome
these problems has been to provide a wide web of supporting
material to which a wide web of label material is releasably
secured by pressure sensitive adhesive. The label material
is provided with laterally spaced longitudinally extending
zones of pressure sensitive adhesive. The wide web is partially
severed longitudinally at one edge of each zone, the label
material is severed laterally at longitudinally spaced locations,
the lateral severing being complete, and the wide composite web is
completely severed longitudinally through marginal portions of
the adhesive zones to produce composite webs of two-part labels
in which one (or regular price) label part had a wide zone
of adhesive and the other (or sale price) label part has
a narrow zone of adhesive at its one marginal edge. In
that both label parts are releasably secured to the supporting
material web by pressure sensitive adhesive there are no
loose f laps. However, solving the problem of the loose f laps
in this manner causes other problems. For instance, because
the sale label part has an adhesive coating which is just as
thick as the regular price label part, care must be taken to
keep the adhesive zone on the sale label part precisely the
~ ,,
, -2-
Docket M-334
proper (narrow) width to prevent the sale label part from
adhering too tenaciously to the merchandise to which it is to
be applied. In that the adhesive on both label parts is of the
same composition, namely of a type known in the art as "permanent"
adhesive, it is apparent that too much permanent adhesive on
the sale label part is very problemsome. In addition when
making a two-part label in this manner, the adhesive stripe
or zone on the sale label part extends to its very outer edge
and this makes it more difficult to remove by the clerk
after the conclusion of the sale because the sale label
part is held down to the merchandise to the very edge of the
sale label part and it is difficult to get a hold of it.
In addition, because the sale label part has adhesive on it,
a customer can switch a sale label part ~of one label) which
bears a low price with a sale label part (of another label)
and thus make it appear as if the higher priced merchandise
is actually on sale at a lower price. Moreover, the sale
label part is sticky to the touch and tends to adhere to the
fingers when it is grasped.
It is also known in the United States to provide a
composite web of completely severed two-part labels in which
the one or regular price label parts has a wide zone of
adhesive and the other or sale label part has a narrow zone
of adhesive in which the adhesive on the sale label part is
substantially thinner than the adhesive on the regular price
label part. The two-parts of each label are detachably
connected by a line of partial severing. The adhesive in
both zones can be of the same composition. With certain
merchandise even minimal amounts of merchandise can be detri-
mental because the sale parts adhere too securely to such
merchandise. Such two-part labels are completely severed
~1~7~6
Docket M-334
from each other in one version and are partially severed
so incompletely in another version to require the two-part
labels to be severed from each other by a cut-off knife.
It is also known in the United States to provide
a composite web of completely severed two-part labels in
which one label part is releasably adhered to a supporting
material web by means of a coating of a permanent-type
adhesive and in which the other label part is releasably
adhered to the web by means of a coating of a removable-type
adhesive. Thus, both parts are releasably adhered to the
supporting material web. Such composite label webs are made
using a wide composite label web in which the label material
is coated with two types of adhesives in an alternating
pattern, and the wide composite web is subsequently slit to
make narrower composite label webs each having a zone of
permanent-type adhesive and a zone of removable-type adhesive.
However, the cost of making a composite web in which the
label material was coated with two different types of adhesive
made it unattractive for use as a sale label. Moreover, the
holding power or tackiness of the removable-type adhesive on
the removable label part made such a two-part label impractical
for use as a sale label because even a removable-type adhesive
applied in conventional amounts and distribution adheres
tenaciously enough to many types of merchandise to which
price labels are generally applied to prevent quick removal.
Moreover, because the other label part has (removable) ad-
i~ hesive it is subject to being switched and it is sticky to
the touch.
Docket M-334 lli7~7~
It is also known in the United States to provide
a composite label web of the three-part type in which the
label has two outboard label parts which are releasably
secured to a web of supporting material and an inboard label
part free of adhesive which is removably secured to the out-
board label parts by respective lines of partial severing.
In this connection reference is made to U.S. patent No.
3,885,334 to James P. Banks dated May 27, 1975.
U.S. patent No. 3,551,251 to Yo Sato et al dated
December 29, 1070 discloses a label printing and applying
machine in which a knife is used to separate labels from
each other.
U.S. patent No. 3,767,039 to Schroter dated
October 23, 1973 discloses a tape composed of several segments,
coated on both sides with a pressure sensitive adhesive.
The tape is connected but has easily separable sticker
segments arranged on the carrier type. With this kind of
tape structure the result is obtained that a segment pulled
off from the carrier tape draws the following segment after
it is up to the point of tearing away. The tape with
connected but readily separable segments lends itself
particularly well to use in dispensing apparatus in which
the composite tape is pulled off the supply roll and the
carrier tape is pulled around a reversing vane, whereby the
segment reaching this position lifts ~ff the carrier type as
the latter is folded back on itself. By a slight pull this
segment is then torn away from the following one that still
more or less completely adheres to the carrier tape.
--5--
lil~7~
Docket M-~34
Summar~ of the Invention
The invention relates to a composite web which
has the advantages of prior art two-part pressure sensitive
labels without their disadvantages. The composite web according
to a preferred embodiment has a longitudinally extending web
of supporting material with a release coating. The label
material is printable with indicia and has pressure sensitive
adhesive releasably adhering it to the release coating on
the supporting material web. There is a longitudinally
extending line of partial severing in the label material
between its side edges and there are longitudinally spaced
laterally extending lines of severing in the label material
to provide a series of labels carried on the supporting
material web, and each label has first and second label
parts. Only the first label parts have a coating of the
adhesive in an amount and distribution to hold the first
label parts securely to merchandise. It is preferable to
have the second label parts free of adhesive. Longitudinally
spaced lateral lines of severing are incomplete to provide
frangible portions to prevent the second label parts from
moving away from the supporting material web so long as the
respective first label parts are adhered to the supporting
material web. The frangible portion thus prevents the second
label parts from being loose flaps. However, the frangible
portion enables a label which is to be applied to be readily
pulled apart from the next adjacent label during application
of a label. The longitudinal partial severing holds the first
and second label parts to each other relatively securely to
prevent the second label part from being accidentally detached
111?7~7~;
Docket M-334
from the related first label part until ready to be detached
and removed by the user. The force required to pull apart
adjacent labels is less than the force required to pull apart
related first and second label parts. It is preferred that
the frangible portions be only at the second label parts.
The composite web described above is preferably
made from a composite web or laminate in which the label
material is provided with laterally spaced longitudinally
extending zones of adhesive wherein the intervening zones
are preferably free of adhesive. The label material of
the wide composite web is partially severed longitudinally
ad~acent one side edge of each adhesive zone, and the label
material is severed laterally at longitudinally spaced
intervals but the severing is incomplete at least at the
second label parts. It is preferred that the severing is
complete at the first label parts but incomplete only at
the second label parts. Both the label material and the
supporting material web are severed adjacent the other
edges of the adhesives zones. The longitudinal severing
and the lateral incomplete severing is such that the force
required to pull apart labels is less and preferably sub-
stantially less than the force required to pull apart related
first and second label parts. According to the method of
using the above-mentioned composite label web, there is
provided a method comprising printing indicia on both the
first and second label parts. When using the invention as a
sale label, the first label part is imprinted with the
regular price and the second label part is imprinted with the
-7-
Docket M-334 1 1~ 7~j7 ~
sale price. The supporting material web ~s thereafter drawn
around a relatively sharp bend until the just printed label
part is advanced to a position at which only a trailing
marginal end portion is adhered to the supporting material
S web and the label is in label applying relationship with
respect to a label applicator. The label is applied using the
label applicator while pulling the trailing marginal end
portion of the label away from the supporting material web
and simultaneously pulling and thereby tearing the frangible
portion which connects the label which is being applied to
the next adjacent label. The second label part can thereafter
be detached from the first label part by the user. It is
preferred to use the composite label web of the inve~tion in
a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus in which
the label is printed and thereafter dispensed directly to
label applying position relative to the label applicator, and
moving the machine so that the applicator presses the dispensed
label onto the merchandise and pulls the label from the
supporting material web and pulls the label apart from the
adjacent label to which it is connected by means of the
frangible portion.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIGURE 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view
showing the manner in which a composite web of pressure
sensitive labels is shown in relationship to a print head,
a delaminator, an applicator and a toothed feed wheel;
FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a composite
web of labels according to the invention in use in a hand-
held label printing and applying apparatus;
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.
Docket M-334 ~.170~:6
FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the composite web
with ~ome of the label material removed to show the supporting
material web;
FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the label material;
FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing a label
according to the invention applied to merchandise;
FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner
in which the label is disposed relative to the applicator and
to the delaminator at the beginning of the label application;
FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 but showing
the leading label as having been pulled from the supporting
material web and as having been torn from the next successive
label;
FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing
lamination of a wide web of supporting material to a wide
web of pattern gum label material; and
FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view showing how
composite webs in accordance with the invention are made.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to FIGURES 1 and 3 initially, there is
shown a composite web generally indicated at 10 which includes
a web of supporting material generally indicated at 11 and
label material generally indi~ated at 12. The supporting
material has a release coating 13 indicated by light stippling
in the drawings. The label material 12 is shown to have a
stripe or zone of adhesive 14 indicated by heavy stippling.
The adhesive 14 reieasably adheres the label material 12 to
the release coating 13 on the web 11. The label material is
severed laterally as indicated at 15 except for lands or
frangible portions 16. The severing 15 divides the label
Docket M-334
material 12 into a series of labels 17 which are detachably
connected by the frangible portions 16. The labels 17 are
divided into label parts 18 and 19 by a line of partial
severing 20. Each frangible portion 16 is shown to include
only one interruption in the severing 15 as is preferred but
it can include more than one interruption. The frangible
portion 16 is preferably made by failing to cut the label
material 12, but it can be made by scoring or creasing the
label material 12. It is preferred that the frangible portions
16 be made only at the label parts 19 as shown. It is also
preferred to have the adhesive 14 only at the underside of
the label part 18 so that the label part 19 is free of
adhesive. The partial severing 20 is preferably made by
perforation cuts which extend entirely through the label
material 12 but leave intervening lands or frangible portions
as shown in the drawings, however, the expression partial
severing, as used herein, includes scoring and/or creasing.
The frangible portions 16 prevent the label parts 19 from moving
away from the supporting material web 11, as by pivoting about
partial severing 20 or as by curling, so long as the respective
label parts 18 are adhered to the supporting material web ~y
means of the adhesive 14. The frangible portions 16 are,
however, sufficiently weak to enable a label 17 which is being
applied (FIGURES 1, 6 and 7~ to be readily pulled apart from
the next adjacent label. The partial severing 20 holds the
label parts 18 and 19 to each other relatively securely to
prevent the label part 19 from being accidentally detached
from the related label part 18 until ready to be detached
--10--
1117~76
Docket M-334
and removed by the uqer. The partial severing 20 leaves
the label parts 18 and 19 attached more securely than the
frangible portions 16 attach adjacent labels, thus the
force required to pull adjacent labels 17 apart from each
other is less and most preferably substantially less than
the force required to pull apart label parts 18 and 19.
FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically the manner in which
the composite web 10 is used. The composite web 10 is advanced
to a platen 21 with which a print head 22 shown diagrammatically
by phantom lines in FIGURE 1 is cooperable. A delaminator 23
is disposed adjacent or at the terminal end of the platen 21,
and an applicator 24 shown to be in the form of a roll is
shown in label applying relationship with respect to the
leading label 17. The composite web has groups of cuts 25
shown to be arranged in two columns. The cuts 25 as shown to
be in both the label material 12 and the supporting material
web 11. The cuts in the label material 12 are indicated at
- 25L and the cuts in the supporting material are indicated at
25S. A toothed driver 26 is specifically shown to be a feed
wheel with teeth 27. The teeth 27 break through the supporting
material web 12 at cuts 25S and when the driver 26 is rotated
clockwise (FIGURES 1 and 2) the composite web is advanced,
thereby drawing the web 11 about the delaminator 23 and
advancing the labels 17. The composite web 10 can be used in
commercially available hand-held label printing and applying
apparatus sold by Monarch Marking Systems, Inc., Da~ton, Ohio
U.S.A. as illustrated in their U.S. patent No. 3,957,562
granted on May 18, 1976 to Paul H. Hamisch, Jr. FIGURE 2 of
the drawings of the present application shows the composite
web in a labeler 28, the precise construction of which is
better illustrated in their U.S. patent No. 3,948,172 granted
on April 6, 1976 to Paul H. Hamisch, Jr. The composite web
--11--
111 7076
Docket M-334
10 i~ shown to comprise a roll R from which the free end
portion is paid out. The composite web 10 is guided to the
platen 21 and from there the web 11 passes to the toothed
driver 26. The label 17 is first printed by the print head
22 and thereafter advanced by the toothed driver 26. As
shown in FIGURE 2 and as better shown in FIGURE 6 when the
composite web 10 is fully advanced following printing, the
leading label 17 is at a position at which its trailing
marginal end portion 17t is still adhered to the supporting
material web 11. The apparatus 28 has a handle 29 at which
an actuator 30 is disposed. The user grasps the handle 29
and the actuator 30 in one hand and upon squeezing the actuator
30 the print head 22 moves into cooperation with the platen
21 and when the user releases the actuator 30 return spring
means (not shown) effects movement of the print head 22 away
from the platen 21 and effects clockwise rotation of the
toothed driver 26. The user applies the label 17, which has
been dispensed into label applying position with respect to
applicator 24, by causing the label to be pressed by means of
the applicator 24 against the surface of the merchandise M.
The user moves the apparatus 28 so that the applicator 24
pulls the trailing marginal end portion 17t of the label 17
away from the supporting material web 11 and pulls the label
17 apart from the adjacent label 17 to which it is connected
by means of the frangible portion 16, thereby separating the
leading label 17 from the supporting material web 11 and from
the next adjacent label 17 as shown in FIGURE 7. FIGURE 5
shows the label 17 applied to merchandise M by means of the
adhesive 14. The ruptures 16' at the frangible portions 16
3~ are indicated in FIGURE 5, for example. The user can tear
the label part 19 from the label part 18 at line 20 of partial
severing.
-12-
~'~
- Docke t M- 3 3 4
7~
The label 17 is preferably printed with indicia
18' for example "Reg. Price~ on label part 18 and indicia 19'
for example ~Sale Price" on label part 19. The indicia 18'
and l9' have been omitted from FIGURES 1, 3 and 9 for clarity
but each label part i8 and 19 would be printed with these
respective indicia. The user sets the print head 22
to print both the regular price and the sale price, and it is
apparent that the regular price is higher than the sale price.
When the sale is over, the clerk simply tears off the label
part (or sale label part) 19 and the label part (or regular
price label part) 18 remains securely adhered to the merchandise
by the adhesive 14. It is apparent that only the label part
18 of each label has a coating of the adhesive 14 in an
amount and distribution to hold the label 17 securely to the
merchandise M. The label part 19 does not have adhesive in
an amount and distribution to hold the label part 19 securely
to the merchandise M, and preferably the label parts 19 are
entirely free of adhesive.
With reference to FIGURE 8, a wide composite web lOW
is made by laminating a wide web of supporting material llW to a
wide web of label material 12W. The web llW has a release
coating 13 and the web 12W has laterally spaced zones of the
adhesive 14. The zones Z are spaced apart by intervening zones
which are preferably free of adhesive as shown. The wide
composite web lOW can be processed into the composite webs 10
in high speed rotary presses. FIGURE 9 is a greatly simplified
diagrammatic representation of such a press. In such presses
the web moves at high speed along both straight and curvilinear
lines and without the frangible portions 16 the label parts
19 would fold outwardly once the web lOW is slit by knives
31 into relatively narrow composite webs 10. As shown the
web lOW is provided with cuts 25 by cooperating rolls 32 and
33. The roll 33 is provided with knives 34. The web lOW
passes between cooperating rolls 35 and 36. The roll 35 has
-13-
Docket M-334
laterally spaced perforating knives 37 which make th0 lines
of partial severing 20. The knives 37 preferably do not make
perforation cuts into or through the supporting material web
llW. The web lOW also passes between rolls 38 and 39. The
roll 38 has knives 40 which make the lateral lines of severing
15. The knives 40 preferably do not make any cut into or
through the supporting material web llW. The knives 40
have notches 41 which form the lands or frangible portions 16.
Following slitting of the web lOW, that is, both the label
material web 12W and the supporting material web llW by knives
31 along lines of severing 42, the composite webs 10 can be
wound into rolls R which can be used in the apparatus 28.
It is preferred that adjacent labels 17 can be
separated from each other more easily than related label
parts 18 and 19 can be separated from each other. More
specifically the force required to pull apart labels 17
should be large enough to prevent the loose flap problem but
small enough to enable the leading label 17 to be pulled apart
from the adjacent label 17 during application of the leading
label 17 to the merchandise M and the force required to pull
apart label parts 18 and 19 should be large enough to prevent
accidental tearing along the line of partial severing 20
when the label 17 is applied to merchandise M but small enough
to enable the label parts 19 to be torn from the respective
label parts 18 by the user while being applied using a label
printing and applying machine. More preferably the force
required to pull apart the labels 17 should be substantially
less than the force required to pull apart label parts
18 and 19.
By way of example, not limitation, using label
material which weighs 45 pounds per ream (a ream equals
475,000 square inches), a frangible portion 16 was about
-14-
Dock~t M-334 ~ 7~ ~
0.028 inch long. A test of the force required to pull apart
adjacent labels 17 by pulling at 180, that is, in opposite
directions averaged about 60 grams. Using partial severing
20 made by a cutter having 13 teeth per inch with each inter-
vening land being 1/64th inch in length, the label lengthmeasured lengthwise of the partial severing 20 was 0.733
inch, the force required to pull apart label parts 18 and 19
by pulling at 180~, that is, in opposite directions, averaged
about 1340 grams. In another example, when using a frangible
portion 16 which was 0.041 inch in length, the force required
to pull apart adjacent labels averaged about 415 grams.
It is apparent that because of the nature of paper which
comprises the label material 12, increasing the length
of the land or frangible portion 16 greatly increases the
force required to separate the labels 17. ~y way of example,
not limitation, it is preferred when using label material of
the 45 pounds per ream weight to have the length of the
frangible portion be between about 0.020 inch and about
0.041 inch in length, it is preferred that the average
pulling force required to separate labels 17 frcm each other
be held below about 415 grams and most preferably in the
range of about 50 grams to 200 grams, and it is preferred
that the average force required to pull apart label parts 18
and 19 be held below about 2500 grams and more preferably to
be held to between about 1100 and 1800 grams.
Other embodiments and modifications of this invention
will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all
such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are
included within its scope as best defined by the appended
claims.
