Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A SELF-ADHESIVE LABEL FOR RESEALABLE PACKAGING
AND A METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION
The present invention relates to a self-adhesive label,
of the type used in resealable packaging, which has a
removably self-adhesive surface.
It also relates to a method for the production of such
self-adhesive labels.
Self-adhesive labels of the type described are used, for
example, on resealable packets of food products, like
baked products such as toast slices, biscuits and the
like, the contents of which are not consumed in one go.
Until the contents are finished, the packet must be
resealed, with the same label, thus protecting the food
product from air, odours and the like in order to
preserve its physical and organoleptic properties.
These self-adhesive labels are therefore intended to be
detached by the consumer at the moment of opening the
resealable packet and reused, by the same consumer; to
seal the packet. To this end, the label must be easily
removable, without tearing or losing its ability to stick
once again to the resealable packet.
In order to satisfy the above requirement, prior art
self-adhesive labels are provided with a grip portion
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defined by an area of the removable self-adhesive surface
wh1C11 iS free of glue and includes an edge portion.
This. portion, as it is not stuck, remains slightly
separate from the resealable packet so that the consumer
can grip it easily and remove the label.
However, though the production of this type of self-
adhesive labels is not exactly difficult it is somewhat
laborious and; in particular where industrial mass
production is concerned, is the cause of not neglic~ble
extra cost.
Furthermore, the presence of a separating line is
reguired to define the glue-free portion, separating it
from the rest of the self-adhesive surface which is stuck
to the resealable packet.
This separation line, however, may constitute an easy
rupture point, both for the label which may tear and no
longer be usable and for the paper wrapping of the
resealable package.
The technical problem of the present invention is to
provide a self-adhesive label which overcomes the
disadvantages mentioned in connection with the prior art.
In one embodiment of the invention, a resealable package
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comprises a wrapping constituted by a sheet and including
a closure side with a flap, and a self-adhesive label
superposed on the flap, the label having a removably self-
adhesive surface and an edge. The self-adhesive label
includes a structurally independent tongue, which is
removably attached to a.n area of the self-adhesive ~;urface
which includes a portion of the edge. The self-adhesive
surface is completely coated with glue.
The invention alsc> provides a method for producing labels,
the method comprising the steps of providing an uncut: strip
of material having a first sheet of label paper stuck to
the surface of a support sheet; cutting a succession of
labels in said first sheet of label paper at a first
cutting station; cutting a succession o.f tongues in said
support sheet at a ;=eCOIld cutting station, each one c>f said
tongues having at least a portion of its edges overlapping
an edge of a corresponding label; removing from said
support strip the excess first sheet label paper which does
not form a label; and winding the remaining strip of
material onto a roll.
In a preferred embodiment, the tongue of the label projects
from the edge of the flap. The tongue and self-adhesive
label may be made of the paper material known as glassine.
This problem is solved by a label of the type specif=ied,
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characterised in that it includes a structurally
independent tongue which is removably attached to an area
of the self-adhesive surface which includes a portion of
the edcre .
The main advantage of the self-adhesive label of the
invention is that the self-adhesive surface is completely
coated with glue, thus eliminating laborious and costly
steps from the production of labels, while still enabling
the label to be easily gripped and removed.
The present invention also relates to a method for the
production of labels as described above, these labels
being arranged in succession on a support strip of paper
material known as glassine, characterised in that it
includes a step of cutting the support strip from beneath
to form a succession of cuts which define the tongues
corresponding to each self-adhesive label.
Further characteristics and advantages of the label and
of the method for its production according to the
invention will be apparent from the detailed description
of one embodiment, given hereafter with reference to the
appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-
limitative example and referring in this example to a
resealable packet of toast slices.
In the drawinns:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closed
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resealable packet with a label according to the
invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the packet of
Figure 1 open;
Figure 3 is a view of a length off a rolled sheet of
labels according to the invention; and
Figure 4 is a schematic illustratian of a method for
the production of the sheet of Figure 3.
with reference to Figures 1 and 2, a resealable packet is
generally indicated 1. It has a parallelepipedal
wrapping 2 constituted by a food-quality sheet 3 which
has been appropriately blanked and folded so as to obtain
a closure side 4, substantially like an envelope, which
includes a flap 5.
A self-adhesive label, generally indicated 6, is
superposed on the flap 5 and has a removably self-
adhesive surface 8 and an edge 9.
The self-adhesive surface 8 has removably attached
thereto a paper tongue 10 which is approximately disc
shaped, structurally independent and arranged in
correspondence with the edc_re ~7 of the label 6 so that it
includes a portion of this edge 9.
In a preferred embodiment, this tongue 10 projects from
the edge 9.
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In order to open the resealable package 1 therefore, one
has only to grip the self-adhesive label 6 by the tongue
and. pull, detaching the label 6 from the flap 5 of the
closure side 4 which is thus free to open.
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In order to close the package 1, one need only reapply
the label 6, still holding it by the tongue 10.
Appropriate handling of the tongue 10 makes it possible
10 to open the package 1 after only partially detaching the
label 6 so that only the glue of the self-adhesive
surface 8 which sticks directly to the food wrapper 3 and
not to the flap 5 deteriorates, with the result that,
when the glue loses its effectiveness, one need only
detach the tonctue 10 from the label 6 to uncover an area
of the self-adhesive surface 8 with fully effective glue.
In this way it is possible to reseal the package 1 by
usinc_t this new area, thus lengthening the useful life of
the self-adhesive label 6 of the invention.
The self-adhesive label 6 thus conceived provides
important advantages not only with regard to its use on
resealable packaging but also with regard to its mass
production.
At present, labels are produced in a line on a support
strip, generally of calendered, siliconised paper,
commonly known as glassine, which has special properties
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of anti-adhesiveness and strength and on which the glue
is initially spread, this glue subsequently transferring
to the self-adhesive surface 8 of the labels G. The glue
is deposited on the support strip in one or more
continuous longitudinal stripes, leaving glue-free bands
which constitute the known gripping portions.
The self-adhesive label 6 of the invention, not having
glue-free areas on its self-adhesive surface 8, does not
require separate stripes of glue to be deposited on the
support strip, but simply requires the glue to be spread
evenly along this strip, which is both easier and
cheaper.
In additions the formation of the tongue 10 is also
particularly simple, as will become clear from the
description of a method for the production of self-
adhesive labels 6 according to the invention, provided
hereafter with reference to Figures 3 and 4.
In Figure 3, a rolled sheet of labels 6 is indicated 11.
This includes a support strip 15, of the aforesaid paper
like material glassine, with a surface 12 on which the
labels 6 are applied in succession in a single line, and
an opposite surface 13.
With reference on the other hand to Figure 4, a roll is
indicated 14 of still unprocessed rolled sheet 11' for
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the production of labels 6 which is constituted by an
upper sheet 16 of label paper, stuck to the surface 12 of
the support strip 15.
At a first cutting station 17, the edges 9 of the labels
6 are cut in the upper sheet 16 and, subsequently, at a
second cutting station 18, edges 20 defining the tongues
are cut, the cutting being effected from the opposite
surface 13 of the support strip 15.
At this point, the excess upper sheet 16 is removed,
giving the rolled sheet 11 of Figure 3 with the self-
adhesive labels 6 and their tongues 10, ready to be wound
for subsequent application onto the resealable packets 1.
The tongue 10 is therefore formed directly out of the
glassine support strip 15 and its strength is therefore
excellent.
In a preferred embodiment, the upper label-paper sheet 16
of the unprocessed strip 15 for the production of labels
6 is also made of glassine, that is of the type of paper
generally used for the rolled support sheets of labels.
Glassine's resistance to tearing means that it is
possible to use a glue in aqueous solution, which is
generally very strong, rather than a solvent-based glue
which could have a deleterious effect on the food
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products contained in the resealable packets 1.
It is clear that an expert in this field will be able to
make numerous variations to the structure of a label
according to the invention for resealable packaging, in
order to satisfy particular contingencies, without
departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by
the following Claims.
