Peelable label

A peelable or couponable label adapted to be releasably attached to a secondary or base label which is adhered to a labeled article.

The subject invention relates to peelable labels and particularly to coupons adapted to be releasably attached to a secondary or base label which is adhered to a labeled article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Peelable couponable labels are well known in the art. Typically such labels employ a dry adhesive such as is described by Dunsirn et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,838 wherein a “dry residue” adhesive without a release layer is used which results in a tack free bond. However, the dry adhesive of these labels splits leaving adhesive on both label surfaces. Moreover, when a paper label substrate is used in the dry bond approach of the prior art, typically the bond of the dry bond adhesive becomes greater on aging than the strength of the paper fibers resulting in fiber tear on attempting to peel the label or coupon. This results unavoidably in the tearing of one or both of the paper labels if it is an all-paper construction or the transfer of indicia on the paper fiber from one surface to the other which removes required indicia from one face and adheres it unwanted to the other label face. In cases where the substrate is a polymer the problem of increase in bond strength with aging reduces the peelability of the label.

The release layer of the present invention solves the problems associated with the dry bond adhesive approach by utilizing a conventional release layer and pressure sensitive “tacky” adhesive which can be produced on conventional laminating equipment.

The present invention also solves the manufacturing problems associated with the prior art. Namely, costly special machinery is required to laminate two preprinted webs of paper or polymer in register to produce the types of couponable structures of the prior art. In the present invention, by printing label graphics in reverse (random or registered) on the back side of the face label directly on the release layer, the graphics will be transferred to the adhesive on the face of the base label. All of the graphics can be printed on the primary face web in one press pass using the front and back side of the primary web. The graphics printed in reverse on the release layer will adhere and transfer to the tacky adhesive when laminated. By using this technique with registered indica, any conventional adhesive laminator can use tacky adhesive to produce registered couponable labels without special equipment to register two printed webs of paper or polymer. In addition, since the ink is transferring to the surface of the tacky adhesive, there will not be tack in the inked areas since the tacky adhesive is masked by the ink.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a peelable label wherein the base label with the adhered face label is applied to the article to be labeled with greater adhesion of the base sheet to the labeled article than adhesion of the face label to the base label so the top sheet can be removed from the base sheet with the base sheet remaining adhered to the labeled article.

It is another object of the invention to provide a peelable label wherein the use of the release coating facilitates the ease of removability (low bond strength) of the face label from the base label.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a peelable label wherein the printed indicia of the primary and secondary labels are laminated in registry to produce a primary face label with printed indicia registered with the printed indicia of a secondary base label.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a peelable label wherein the indicia of the primary and secondary labels are printed in one printing pass in registry to produce a primary face label with printed indicia registered with the printed indicia of a secondary base label.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a cohesive transfer base to add integrity to the printed image which will mask the tack of the tacky adhesive in the areas applied.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a process for the manufacture of the peelable label of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention comprises a peelable label wherein a primary or face label with or without indicia on the reverse side is coated with a release layer and adhered or laminated with a clear or contact clear tacky adhesive to a secondary or base label. The secondary label can be printed randomly or registered with indicia on the front and/or back side. The primary and secondary substrates can be either paper, polymer or a combination of paper and polymer. In a preferred embodiment, the printed indicia of the primary and secondary labels are laminated in registry to produce a primary face label with printed indicia registered with the printed indicia of a secondary base label.

The back side of the secondary label is affixed to the object to be labeled through the use of adhesives. The base label with the adhered face label is applied to the article to be labeled with greater adhesion of the base sheet to the labeled article than adhesion of the face label to the base label so the top sheet can be removed from the base sheet with the base sheet remaining adhered to the labeled article. The use of the release coating facilitates the ease of removability (low bond strength) of the face label from the base label.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As best seen inFIGS. 1 and 2an embodiment of the peelable label2comprises a primary or face label4which comprises primary substrate6having a front side8and back side10, indicia12disposed on the front side8of said primary substrate6, and a release layer14disposed on said back side10of said primary substrate6. Release layer14of said primary or face label4is adhered or laminated on its surface16with a clear or contact clear pressure sensitive tacky adhesive18to a secondary or base label20. Release layer14is any release layer known in the art such as but not limited to silicone from General Electric or Dow Corning, UV-cured silicone from Rhone-Poulenc or Quillon release polymer from DuPont. An adhesive coating machine (not shown) which is well known in the art may be used to coat release layer surface16. Such a machine may for example consist of a pair of rolls and a supply of pressure sensitive adhesive and a conventional dryer of known design to dry the adhesive to form a tacky pressure sensitive adhesive18on the surface16.

In a preferred embodiment, the amount of tacky pressure sensitive adhesive18is minimized to the lowest coated weight possible to maintain adhesion (a function of the choice of the silicone and adhesive polymers) to aid in the production of the present invention, particularly the die cutting step, by minimizing the amount of tacky adhesive in contact with and available to stick to and gum up the cutting die. Additionally, crosslinking agents such as Poly Functional Aziridine can be added to a carboxylated acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive to crosslink with the adhesive and become harder and less tacky thereby reducing the tack level of the adhesive.

Printed indicia12can be printed on substrate6prior to lamination of release coating14to substrate6or may be printed after such lamination. Indicia12and24may comprise ink or any other suitable indicia known in the art such as but not limited to transfer foil.

The secondary label20comprises secondary substrate22and indicia24. Indicia24can be printed randomly or, in a preferred embodiment, in registry with indicia disposed on the front side26and/or back side28of secondary substrate22.

The primary and secondary substrates6and22can be either paper, polymer or a combination of paper and polymer. In a preferred embodiment, the printed indicia12of the primary label4and the printed indicia24of secondary label20are laminated in registry to produce a primary label4with printed indicia12registered with the printed indicia24of secondary base label20.

Now referring toFIG. 3, primary label4can be laminated with secondary label20to ensure registry between printed indicia12and24. Primary label4in the form of a web7is unwound from roll5and passed through a printing station50which prints indicia12on front side8of said primary substrate6. Secondary label20in the form of a web11is unwound from a roll21and passed through a printing station52which prints indicia24on for example front side26of said secondary substrate22. Alternatively, when secondary substrate22is clear or translucent indicia24can be printed on back side28. Primary label4and secondary label20then pass simultaneously between a pair of pressure rolls33and35ensuring that the labels4and20are laminated together with indicia12and24in registry.

Now referring toFIG. 4, in a preferred embodiment primary label4comprises primary substrate6, indicia12, release layer14and indicia24disposed on release layer surface16. Secondary label20comprises secondary substrate22and pressure sensitive adhesive18disposed on the front side26of secondary substrate22. Now also referring toFIG. 5, in this preferred embodiment the indicia for the secondary label20of the present invention is disposed on the label4by printing label indicia24in reverse (random or registered) on the back side of the primary label4directly on the release layer14. In this manner, upon separation of primary label4from secondary label20after lamination indicia24will be transferred to the pressure sensitive adhesive18on the surface of the secondary label20. This embodiment of the present invention is advantageous in that indicia12and24can be printed on the primary label web17in one pass through a printing press58which may employ multiple printing stations using the front side8and back side18of the primary web17. The indicia printed in reverse on the release layer14will adhere and transfer to the tacky pressure sensitive adhesive18when laminated. By using this technique with registered indicia to preprint the primary label, any conventional adhesive laminator can use tacky adhesive to produce registered couponable labels without special equipment to register two printed webs of paper or polymer. In addition, since the ink of indicia24is transferring to the surface of the tacky adhesive18, there will not be tack in the inked areas since the tacky adhesive18is masked by the ink.

In this embodiment, primary label4can be laminated with secondary label20in a manner ensuring registry between printed indicia12and24. Primary label4in the form of a web17is unwound from roll60and passed through a printing press58which prints indicia12in registry using the front side8and back side18of the primary web17. The indicia24is printed in reverse on the release layer14so that it will adhere and transfer to the tacky pressure sensitive adhesive18when laminated. Secondary label substrate20in the form of a web19is unwound from a roll62. Primary label4and secondary label20then pass simultaneously between a pair of pressure rolls37and39ensuring that the labels4and20are laminated together with indicia12and24in registry.

The back side28of the secondary label20is affixed to the object to be labeled36through the use of an adhesive (not shown). Die cut labels can use conventional wet labeling glue such as but not limited to Henkel BL300 for brewery applications, Aqueous adhesives or Hot Melt adhesives from Fuller, Findley, or National Starch and Chemical for wrap around labels, Morton International Aqueous 37P295 or Solvent 33P5 type Gel Lacquer heat activated adhesives or pressure sensitive adhesives such as Nacor 4990 from National Starch and Chemical Company.

The secondary label20with the adhered primary or face label4is applied to the article36to be labeled with greater adhesion of the secondary substrate22to the labeled article36than adhesion of the primary label4to the secondary label20so the primary or face label4can be removed from the secondary or base label20with the secondary or base label remaining adhered to the labeled article36. The use of the release coating14facilitates the ease of removability (low bond strength) of the primary or face label4from the secondary or base label20.

Now referring toFIG. 6, in a most preferred embodiment the peelable label2further comprises protective layer40disposed between release layer14and pressure sensitive adhesive18. Protective layer40is preferably clear or contact clear. Protective layer40can be any protective layer known in the art such as but not limited to Manders Flexcon Release Lacquer 82-3-92821. In this embodiment, primary label4comprises primary substrate6, indicia12, release layer14and indicia24disposed on release layer surface16. Indicia24is disposed on protective layer40. Application of protective layer40, which may be clear or contact clear, may be made onto release layer14with 100% coverage or, alternatively, only in the area from which the indicia will be transferred. Protective layer40is typically comprised of a high cohesive strength water or solvent based polymer.

Secondary label20comprises secondary substrate22and pressure sensitive adhesive18disposed on the front side26of secondary substrate22. Now also referring toFIG. 5, in this most preferred embodiment the lamination step is preferably carried out in the same manner as that described in the preferred embodiment and illustrated in FIG.5. The indicia of the present invention is disposed on the labels4and20by printing label indicia24in reverse (random or registered) on the primary label4directly on the clear protective layer40and the indicia24will be transferred to the pressure sensitive adhesive18on the face of the base label. Protective layer40provides a cohesive transfer base to add integrity to the printed indicia24and also will mask the tack of the tacky adhesive18in the areas applied when the primary and secondary labels are separated during use.

In the most preferred embodiment, in use, when the primary label4, usually a coupon, is removed from the secondary label20, the primary label (coupon)4is non-tacky and the secondary label20retains a slight tack except in the area of indicia24. When the protective coating coats the entire release layer14, both the primary label (coupon)4and the secondary label20are non-tacky.

From the foregoing, it is seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objectives hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are inherent in the structure. Variations of the present invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art in light of the above-detailed description. All such variations and modifications are within the full intended scope of the appended claims.