Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21~9979
Self-adhesive label for reclosing packets
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a self-adhesive label of a type used
for reclosable packages, in particular bags.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Self-adhesive labels of the type specified are typically used for
reclosable packets of food products, for example baked products such as
biscuits and the like, where the contents are not all consumed at one time.
Until the contents are completely exhausted, therefore, the packet must be
reclosable with the same label, protecting the food product from the air,
odours etc, in order to maintain unaltered its physical and organoleptic
properties.
The said self-adhesive labels are not used for closing such packets
before they have been opened by the consumer for the first time. This
closure is achieved by a non-reusable means while the self-adhesive label
is attached to the packet but has no active function.
Following initial opening, the self-adhesive label can be used for
releasablely reclosing the packet.
For the greatest convenience of the consumer, the already attached
self-adhesive label of the type specified can be removably adhesively fixed
to the packet in a suitable position to effect the reclosure.
In this case, however, the self-adhesive releasable adhesive must be
chosen carefully with respect to the type of surface of the packet, usually
paper.
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Certain adhesives can however be too sticky with the result that when
the self-adhesive label is removed from the packet, it may be torn rendering
the label unusable for its purpose.
The choice of particular self-adhesive adhesives according to the type
5 of packet to be reclosed, makes industrial mass-production processes
complex, and therefore costly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The technical problem on which the present invention is based is to
devise a self-adhesive label which allows the cited problem of the prior art to
10 be overcome.
This problem is resolved by a self-adhesive label of the type specified,
characterised by the fact that it comprises a first layer which has a
permanently self-adhesive side intended to be stuck to the packet, and a
second layer which has a releasable self-adhesive side intended to be stuck
15 to the first layer.
The principal advantage of the self-adhesive label according to the
invention lies in the fact that the label is usable on all packets of the
specified type whatever type of paper surface it has.
Further characteristics and advantages of the self-adhesive label
20 according to the invention will become apparent from the detailed description
of a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limitative example, applied
to a reclosable packet in the form of a bag for baked products, with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packet to be reclosed with a self-
adhesive label according to the invention attached.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the packet in figure 1 reclosed with
5 the self-adhesive label according to the invention.
Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a self-adhesive label
according to the invention with the first and second layers adhering to each
other.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the self-adhesive label of figure 3
10 with the first and second layers partially separated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings a reclosable packet in the form of a bag for baked
products such as biscuits and the like, is indicated 1. This has an outer
surface 2 of paper, and a border portion 3. To gain access to the product in
15 the packet it may be necessary to cut the packet 1 with a pair of scissors
close to the border portion 3 and parallel to it.
On the outer surface 2, near to the border portion 3, the packet 1 has
a self-adhesive label 4 according to the present invention.
It comprises a first layer 5, with an edge 5', which has an entirely
20 coated, permanently self-adhesive side 6 which, in use, is adhered to the
outer surface 2 of the packet to be reclosed 1. The said first layer 5, in a
preferred embodiment, is of an elongate rectangular shape and is positioned
perpendicular to the border portion 3.
The self-adhesive label 4 further includes a second layer 7, with an
25 edge 7', having the same shape and dimensions as the first layer 5, and
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having a releasable self-adhesive side 8. The second layer 7 is adhered to
the first layer 5 so as to be superimposed perfectly with the edges 5' and 7'
coinciding.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the releasable self-
5 adhesive side 8 of the second layer 7 is partially coated with adhesive so asto define a flap 9, which facilitates the gripping of the second layer 7 at that
edge of the self-adhesive label 4 facing the border portion 3.
Close to the other edge, however, the second layer has two incision
lines 10a and 10b, which are symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the
label 4 and which start from respective points 13a, 13b on the long sides 7'
of the second layer 7, delimiting two retaining portions, 11a and 11b
respectively, of the second layer 7.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention each incision line 10a,
10b, starting from the points 13a, 13b, describes a curve which is convex
towards the flap 9 and has a respective apex 14a,14b, from which the curve
turns in an opposite direction to the starting direction and has a portion
substantially parallel to the long side passing the respective points 13a, 13b
of the edge 7' and terminating in a further portion extending towards the edge
7' and with a respective free end 12a, 12b spaced from the edge 7' of the
20 second layer 7.
The said retaining portions 11 a,11 b constitute means for limiting the
removable separation of the first layer 5 from the second layer 7, as will be
more clearly seen from the description of the functioning of the self-adhesive
label 4.
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Similarly, the apices 14a, 14b constitute the point of first separation
between the retaining portions 11 a, 11 b and the second layer 7.
When the packet 1 is opened for the first time and its contents are not
entirely consumed, it is necessary to reclose the packet 1 to safeguard the
baked products which degrade rapidly on exposure to the open.
To this end it suffices to refold the border portion 3 down on itself
(Figure 2), remove, the second layer 7 from the first layer 5, by gripping the
flap, and place it over the border portion 3 in such a way that it remains
refolded, thereby closing the packet 1.
The retaining portions 11a, 11b are present to prevent the second
layer 7 detaching itself completely from the first layer 5.
The retaining portions 11a, 11b do not in fact participate in the
removal of the second layer 7 (Figure 2 and 4) because they are delimited
by the incision lines 10a, 10b which stop the force of removal as applied to
the flap 9 acting on the portions 11a, 11b.
These portions remain adhered to the first layer 5 while the remaining
part of the second layer 7 lifts up along the incision lines 10a, 10b. The
lifting is interrupted, however, by the free ends 12a, 12b because from this
point on, the force of removal is opposed by a reaction due to the adherence
of the portions 11 a and 11 b to the first layer 5.
The separation of the second layer 7 during its lifting from the
retaining portions 11a, 11b starts at the points of first separation 14a, 14b
that are those points on the incision lines 10a, 10b closest to the flap 9 and
that are spaced at a predetermined distance from the edge 7' of the second
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layer 7, so that this separation doesn't start from a point on the edge 7' with
the risk of tearing the second layer 7 along a random line.
Besides the above-mentioned advantage, the self-adhesive label 4
according to the invention is structurally simple, inexpensive and adapted to
5 industrial mass-production.
In addition, it can be adapted to be applied mechanically to packets
to be reclosed.
Furthermore, the label is applicable to a wide range of packets to be
reclosed after opening.
The presence of the points of first separation between the second
layer and the retaining portions, in a position that is part of the second layer
and far from its edge, ensures that the removal occurs properly and the
retaining portions grip better.
For the self-adhesive label to reclose packets according to the
15 invention, an expert in the field, in order to satisfy specific, contingent
requirements, can introduce numerous variations, all being within the
boundaries of protection of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
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