Abstract:
A label for a container has a transparent first foil ( 2 ) consisting of a transparent nonslip material ( 4 ), which can be a thermoplastic elastomer, a transparent second foil ( 3 ) consisting of a transparent material ( 5 ) with tensile strength, such as polypropylene, and an adhesive layer ( 9 ). The second foil ( 3 ) is arranged between the first foil ( 2 ) and the adhesive layer. The second foil ( 3 ) is provided with an imprint ( 17.3 ) on a side facing the adhesive layer ( 9 ) and the imprint ( 17.3 ) is embedded in the adhesive layer. In another embodiment the label includes a transparent foil ( 21 ), which is made of a transparent material ( 24 ) with tensile strength, a nonslip coating ( 22 ) on a first side ( 34 ). The coating ( 22 ) is preferably a lacquer coating ( 23 ). These labels provide a nonslip gripping surface on a container and are dimension stable, which facilities imprinting.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a label for a bottle and, more particularly, to a label for a bottle that provides a nonslip gripping surface and has dimensional stability facilitating imprinting. 
     The invention relates to a foil as generically defined by the preamble to claim  1 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a label for a bottle with a nonslip gripping surface that can be stretched only insignificantly, so that it can be used for the most various purposes by means of simple provisions, especially so that it can be easily imprinted. 
     According to the invention, this object and others which will be made more apparent hereinafter, are attained by a dimension stable label for a container, which comprises a transparent first foil consisting of a transparent nonslip material, a transparent second foil consisting of a transparent material providing tensile strength to the label and an adhesive layer. The transparent second foil is arranged between the transparent first foil and the adhesive layer. The transparent second foil is provided with an imprint on a side facing or closest to the adhesive layer, the imprint is embedded in the adhesive layer and the transparent first foil is joined with the transparent second foil. 
     In another embodiment of the dimension stable label the label comprises a transparent foil made of a transparent material that provides tensile strength and an adhesive layer. The transparent foil has an imprint on a side facing or closest to the adhesive layer and a transparent nonslip coating on an opposite side from the adhesive layer. The nonslip coating is provided by a lacquer coating. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The objects, features and advantages of the invention will now be illustrated in more detail and the aid of the following description of the preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a detailed sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a label according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a detailed sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment; 
     FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of a third exemplary embodiment; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a bottle with a screw cap, which is provided with the first through third exemplary embodiments of the corresponding labels; 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a label according to the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a detailed sectional view of a fifth exemplary embodiment of a label according to the invention, which is joined to an outer wall of a container; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a sixth exemplary embodiment of a label according to the invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is, in a side view, a bottle with a cap having a label according to the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In FIG. 1, a composite foil  1  is shown which comprises a first foil  2  and a further, second foil  3 ; the two foils  2 , 3  are joined together (for instance by a thin adhesive layer  18  in FIG. 2 or by a coextrusion process in FIG.  1 ). The first foil  2  comprises a nonslip material  4  and has a foil thickness A of a maximum of 100 μm. The second foil  3  comprises a material  5  with tensile strength and has a foil thickness B of a maximum of 100 μm. As a nonslip material  5 , a rubberlike material  6  is provided, such as a thermoplastic elastomer  7 . The second foil  3  advantageously comprises polypropylene (PP)  8 . The second foil  3  is provided on its outside with an adhesive layer  9 , and as a result the composite foil  1  can be joined to objects (for instance as a nonslip surface on a floor or a wall or consumer products). The first foil  2  can optionally be provided with an imprint  17 ,  17 . 1  on the outside and/or inside; if there is an imprint  17 . 1  on the inside, the first foil  2  must be transparent. It is also possible, however, for the second foil  3  only, or additionally, to be optionally provided with an imprint  17 . 2 ,  17 . 3  on the outer layer and/or on the side remote from the first foil  2 . In the first instance, only the first foil  2  has to be transparent; in the second instance, the second foil  3  must be transparent as well, so that the imprint  17 . 3  is visible from outside (arrow  20 ). In this second instance, there is also greater contrast of the imprint  17 . 3 , since it is embedded in the adhesive layer  9 . The first foil  2  preferably has a thickness A of approximately 40 μm, and the second foil  3  preferably has a thickness B of approximately 40 μm. The adhesive layer  9  preferably has a thickness C of approximately 20 μm. The first foil  2  can be provided as needed with a selective Shore hardness. As the preferred material for the first foil  2 , a mixture of rubber and thermoplastic, or a plastic mixture with a polyethylene component, or a plastic mixture with a polypropylene component, or a polypropylene-EPDM mixture can be provided. The second foil  3  has, along with the tensile strength of the composite foil  1 , the further substantial advantage that as a result the composite foil  1  can be imprinted in a technologically simpler (and less expensive) way, since it cannot warp shape-elastically. An imprint  17 . 3  on the second foil  3  has the substantial advantage not only of simple imprinting but also that the imprint  17 . 3 , for instance in the form of a label  13  on a bottle  16  (FIG.  2 ), is protected on the outside. All printing techniques, such as screen printing, rotogravure, offset printing and letterpress printing, are possible. 
     In FIG. 2, the composite foil  1  is embodied as a label  13  and is joined to an outer wall  14  of a container  15 . If the outer wall  14  of a bottle  16  is shape-elastic, then the label  13  (preferably with a total thickness of approximately 100 μm) is also embodied in such a way that it can bend correspondingly shape-elastically, for instance to allow the removal of a metered amount of liquid from the bottle  16 , without causing the label  13  to wrinkle. A particular advantage in terms of manipulation is obtained taking a shampoo bottle  16  as an example, and in particular for any bottle  16 , wetted with wash water, that the bottle  16  is provided with one label  13 ,  13  each on the front and the back sides. 
     FIG. 3 shows a composite foil  1 . 1  with an (additional) third foil  10  (thickness D approximately 30 μm) and a further adhesive layer  12  (layer thickness E approximately 20 μm), so that for further processing the imprint  17 . 3  (layer thickness approximately 6-8 μm) is already protected immediately after being imprinted. 
     FIG. 4 shows an upper part of a bottle  16  with a screw cap  19 . A label  13 ,  13 . 1 ,  13 . 2  can optionally be joined to the outer wall  30  of the bottle  12 ; the label  13 ,  13 . 1 ,  13 . 2  can also extend all the way around the bottle  12 . To make it easier to screw on, the screw cap  16  is provided on the outside with a cap label  13 . 3  extending all the way around, which can have the same nature as the labels  13 ,  13 . 1 ,  13 . 2 , optionally with or without an imprint  17 ,  17 . 1 ,  17 . 2 ,  17 . 3 . 
     In FIG. 5, a foil  21  with a nonslip surface is shown that comprises a material  24  with tensile strength and has a thickness F of a maximum of 100 μm. On a first side  34 , a nonslip rubberlike coating  22  with a thickness G of a maximum of 100 μm is provided. As the coating  22 , a transparent lacquer coating  23  (optionally colorless or colored) is provided, which is preferably created by spraying or rolling on of a suitable lacquer (such as matte coating lacquer with a velvet-soft surface made by Schekolin A G, Liechtenstein, catalog number 508583 and 508586, or elastic coating lacquer with a rubberlike, silky-soft surface with a good grip made by Schekolin A G, Liechtenstein, catalog number 508216). 
     Particularly by spraying, a very thin thickness G of the lacquer coating  23  can be achieved. As a result of the transparent lacquer coating  23 , an imprint  33 . 1  (FIG. 6) on the first side  34  of the foil  21 , which can be nontransparent, is visible from the first side  34  (arrow  39 ). By means of a transparent foil  21 , an imprint  33  (FIGS. 5-7) on the second side  34  of the foil  21  can be seen from the first side  34  (arrow  38 ). In the case of an external imprint  33 . 2  (FIG. 6) on the first side  34 , the coating  22  and the foil can be nontransparent. The foil  21  advantageously comprises polypropylene (PP)  27  and is provided on a second side  35  with an adhesive layer  5 , allowing it to be joined to objects (for instance as a nonslip surface on a floor or on a consumer product). The foil  21  or the coating  22 ,  23  can optionally be provided with an imprint  33 ,  33 . 1 ,  33 . 2  (FIGS. 5-7) on a first and/or second side  34 ,  35  and can also be used as a label  29 . Preferably, the foil  21  has a layer thickness F of approximately 40 μm, and the coating  22  has a layer thickness G of 40 μm, so that the intrinsic weight is very low and the flexibility is high. The adhesive layer  25  preferably has a layer thickness H of approximately 20 μm. 
     In FIG. 6, the foil  21  is embodied as a label  29 . 1  and is joined to an outer wall  30  of a container  31 . The label  29 . 1  is embodied such that if the outer wall  30  of a bottle  32  is shape-elastic, it can bend shape-elastically as well, for instance to allow the removal of a metered amount of liquid from the bottle  32  by manual pressure, without making the label  29  wrinkle. Taking a shampoo bottle  37  as an example, and in particular any bottle  32  wetted with wash water, a special advantage with regard to handling (a firm grip) is obtained by providing the bottle  32  with one label  29 . 1 ,  29 . 1  each on the front and back sides. 
     In FIG. 7, the foil  21  is additionally provided with a second foil  26  (layer thickness I approximately 30 μm) of a modified polypropylene (OPP)  27 . 1  and a further adhesive layer  28  (layer thickness J approximately 20 μm). As a result, immediately after it has been printed, the imprint  33  (layer thickness approximately 6-8 μm) is already protected for the sake of further processing by the second foil  26 , which is joined to the adhesive layer after the printing and after the adhesive layer  5  has been applied, and the imprint can then be used as a label  29 . 2 . 
     In FIG. 8, an upper part of a bottle  32  with a screw cap  36  is shown. A label  29 ,  29 . 1 ,  29 . 2  can optionally be joined to the outer wall  30  of the bottle  32 , and the label  29 ,  29 . 1 ,  29 . 2  can also extend all the way around the bottle  32 . To make it easier to screw on, the screw cap  36  is provided on its outside with a cap label  29 . 3  extending all the way around, which can have the same nature as the labels  29 ,  29 . 1 ,  29 . 2 , optionally with or without an imprint  33 ,  33 . 1 ,  33 . 2 . 
     In summary, the following advantages are obtained with the inventions: 
     Warp-proof foil despite a nonslip surface. 
     Objects such as bottles can be made slip-proof and secure to handle (with a good grip) merely by means of suitable labeling. 
     Unproblematic imprinting of the foil as a label, since the foil can be stretched only insignificantly (dimensional stability). 
     Screwing a screw cap on is made easier by a cap label. 
     Lessening of a feeling of cold with cold objects. 
     Lessening of a feeling of heat with hot objects. 
     Pleasing soft feel to the grip. 
     Increase in the subjective quality of an object. 
     Usable in manifold ways as an anti-slip foil because of a very thin foil (approximately 100 μm).