Adhesive label liner sheet modifications for retaining unneeded label sections on liner

One or more cuts is provided in a label liner sheet near the area of a cutout within the label, such as the center hole in a CD label, in order to facilitate reliable separation of the cutout from the label and retention of the cutout on the liner sheet as the label is peeled from the liner. The majority of the cut runs generally parallel to the cutout boundary underneath the cutout, and the ends of the cut cross the boundary at two separate boundary crossing points on either side of the portion of the cut running parallel to the boundary. The cut first causes a flap to be created in the liner sheet and partially lifted as the label is beginning to be peeled away. Thereafter, as the peel line passes the flap area, the cutout experiences the full retentive strength of the label's pressure sensitive adhesive primarily at the two boundary crossings, and the cutout is pulled from the label and retained on the liner sheet as the adhesive force overcomes the cohesive force.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to adhesive label sheets, and more particularly to modifications to an adhesive label liner sheet for retaining unneeded label sections on the liner when the label is removed from the liner sheet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Adhesive label sheets having at least one label and a liner sheet, in which the label is releasably adhered to the liner sheet by a pressure sensitive adhesive, are well known. The pressure sensitive adhesive on the back of the labels is usually, though not necessarily, of sufficient strength as to permanently adhere the label to an object to which the label is later affixed after the label has been peeled from the liner sheet and applied to the object. Such a pressure sensitive adhesive is generally referred to as a permanent pressure sensitive adhesive, as opposed to a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive. Even though the pressure sensitive adhesive is often of the permanent type, the labels can be easily removed from the liner because the liner, often referred to as the release liner, is covered with a non stick coating such as a thin layer of silicone. Labels and label sheets of this type are well known.

Labels of this sort can be manufactured and used in a variety of applications. One application for labels of this type is for use in labeling compact discs (CD's). International Publication WO 02/38371-A1, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, describes one such label sheet for CD's. The label sheet is of a standard size such as 8½×11 inches, or A4, for feeding through a standard printer attached to a personal computer such as a laser printer or ink jet printer. The facestock contains two CD labels and several CD jewel case spine labels die cut into the facestock so that they can be removed from the remainder of the label sheet when the user is ready to apply the CD label to a CD, or the spine label to a jewel case spine. Also die cut into the facestock sheet are the center holes or cutouts within the center of the CD labels. The facestock includes holding tabs or “no touch tabs” held to the CD, so that the user can hold the CD label while it is being positioned over the CD for application thereon without touching an adhesive surface. The holding tabs are typically removed from the CD label after the CD label has been placed onto the CD by tearing along perforations or cuts and ties formed in the facestock.

The liner also has various die cuts in it for different purposes. Those cuts include: cuts to allow the two halves of the label sheet to be separated for separate handling after printing; a crescent shaped cut at one each of the holding tabs to assist the user in grasping the tab and using it to peel the CD label from the label sheet; and small cross hairs and arcuate sections in the center hole sections of the CD labels for die alignment purposes when setting up the manufacturing equipment. The holding tab having the crescent shaped cut at its end so that the user can easily grasp it and use it to peel the CD label from the label sheet will be referred to as the peel tab. The various cuts in the facestock and the liner sheet are shown and/or described in WO 02/38371-A1.

Even though the die cuts defining the CD label and the center hole section may pass completely through the facestock, the two sections nevertheless sometimes remain stuck slightly together. This is because the pressure sensitive adhesive on the back of the label spreads and interacts with the pressure sensitive adhesive on the back of the center hole section, causing the two sections to stick together slightly at their edges along the die cut boundary. The sticking of the pressure sensitive adhesive on the back side of the two pieces thus tending to hold the two pieces together is sometimes referred to as cohesion. In contrast, the tendency of the facestock to stick to the liner due to the normal action of the pressure sensitive adhesive is usually referred to as adhesion. For clarity of discussion, the terms “cohesion” and “adhesion” will be used herein in accordance with this nomenclature.

Due to the cohesive bond created by the spreading of the pressure sensitive adhesive on the backs of the CD label and the center hole section, when the CD label is peeled from the label sheet the center hole section sometimes coheres strongly enough to the CD label so that the CD label pulls the center hole section with it from the liner. The user must then perform the separate step of removing the center hole section from the CD label after the CD label's sticky side is already exposed. This separate step can be awkward.

One method which has been suggested for preventing this cohesion problem and ensuring that the unneeded or waste section of the facestock remains on the liner when the label is peeled away, is by the use of skips. Skips are localized areas on the liner in which the release coating is modified, either by using a different release coating that constitutes a less effective non-stick agent, or by completely eliminating the release coating at the skip. The intended result is that the unneeded facestock section remains strongly adhered to the liner while the label is peeled away from the liner, leaving the unneeded section behind. Examples of label sheets or strips employing skips or other techniques that rely on differential bond strengths are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,580,640; 6,273,987; 6,410,111; 6,423,391; and 6,432,499. One drawback to the conventional skip approach is that attempting to use different release coatings in different areas, or different thicknesses of the same release coating in different areas, complicates the manufacturing process. The labels sheets are usually made in large continuous rolls, and attempting to create local and repeated small areas in those rolls in which the release coating is different, then applying the facestock, and then aligning those small localized areas with the label patterns later die cut into the sheets, undesirably complicates the manufacturing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor of the present invention has discovered that by placing one or more cuts in strategic locations in the liner sheet, the center hole section of a label such as a CD label will more reliably be left on the liner sheet when the label is removed from the liner sheet. In one embodiment, the liner sheet is die cut in such a way as to produce a flap which lifts slightly during the removal of the surrounding label. When that occurs, rather than the center hole label section peeling off of the liner with the rest of the label, the liner flap starts to lift with the center hole label section. When the peeling action reaches the end of the flap, the flap can no longer lift with the facestock sheet. Now there is an entire line through the center hole section along which the adhesive force between the facestock and the liner must be overcome. This adhesive resistance pulls at the center hole section at the two points along the peel line at which the center hole section coheres to the surrounding label. The adhesive force holding the center hole section to the liner is now sufficiently strong to overcome the cohesive force holding the center hole section to the label at the two outer points of the center hole section, and the center hole section begins to separate from the label. Now that the cohesive bond between the center hole section and the label has broken at the two points, the separation process continues rapidly until the flap and the waste facestock portion on the flap separates from the label. The peeling process then continues smoothly and the center hole section is left behind on the liner sheet.

In another view of the present invention, when the liner flap created by the cut in the liner begins to lift, the center hole label section now must be removed by shearing part of the center hole label section from the liner. The force required to remove a label from a surface by pulling it sideways in shear is greater than what is required for peeling the label. The cohesive bond between the label and the center hole label section does not exceed the force required to shear the center hole label section off of the liner, so the cohesive bond is broken and the center hole label section stays on the liner.

In one aspect therefore, the present invention takes a counter intuitive approach to separating the donut hole from the label. Namely, the present invention recognizes that, rather than increasing the force tending to separate the donut hole from the label as taught by prior art skip techniques, one way of ensuring reliable separation of the donut hole from the label is to initially decrease the separation force within a localized area. More specifically, the force tending to separate the donut hole from the surrounding label is initially decreased at a leading edge of the donut hole first reached by the peel line as the peel line progresses across the label.

The method and structure of the invention are particularly effective where the direction of removal of the surrounding label is consistent and known, such as in label sheets produced by the assignee of the present invention in which one or more peel tabs is provided to assist the user in peeling the label from the liner. Where the direction of peel is not consistent, a plurality of cuts may be made in the liner to facilitate separation of the center hole section from the label regardless of the direction of peel.

The present invention can be used for a variety of label sheets in which the label has a cutout therein. For example, in addition to a CD label sheet, the invention can be used for a name badge label sheet in which a hanger hole must be removed from the label. The invention can also be used in a label sheet in which an unneeded or waste section of the label sheet which is desired to be left behind is not necessarily a cutout within a single label. For example, the invention can be used in a label sheet having adjacent generally rectangular labels, with the labels having rounded corners such that an unneeded diamond shaped portion lies at the point where four of the rectangular labels meet. More generally, the invention can be used whenever there is an unneeded facestock section such that it is desirable to remove the label without also lifting the unneeded or otherwise adjacent facestock section with the label.

In another aspect, the invention is of a label sheet having a modified liner, the liner assisting an unused portion of the label being left behind when the label is peeled away from the label sheet, the modification including a cut in the liner, the cut including at least a first cut portion running along a boundary between the label and the unused portion and running underneath the unused portion, and second and third cut portions which curve to cross the boundary near the end points of the cut, thus creating a flap which partially lifts at first away from the general plane of the liner sheet when the label is being peeled away, the cut thereafter assisting the unused portion in separating from the label and remaining on the liner sheet as the label is being removed from the liner sheet. The label sheet can optionally have a tab, printed directions, arrows, or other means for encouraging a user to peel the label off from the liner in a predefined peel direction, with the cut and the peel tab cooperating together to ensure that the peeling progresses in a way that will first lift the leading edge of the flap, and finally reach the hinge of the flap at its rear.

In a further aspect the invention is of a label sheet having a facestock and a liner, the facestock sheet including a label and an unneeded portion lying at least partially internal to the label, the liner sheet being cut near the boundary area between the label and the unneeded portion in order to create a flap that allows the following steps to occur in sequence as a user is removing a label from the liner sheet: (a) a first corner of the internal portion is pulled upward away from a primary plane of the liner sheet, the first corner remaining adhered to a corresponding section of the liner sheet not lying within the primary plane; (2) the internal portion begins separating from the label; and (3) the internal portion completely separates from the label and is left behind on the liner sheet.

In yet another aspect the invention is of a method for altering the liner sheet such that, when a label is being peeled away from the liner sheet, the label having an internal portion that is not intended to be used as a label, a tensile force that would otherwise act to begin removing a leading corner of the internal portion is initially reduced, with the leading corner not being removed from the liner until the peel line has passed by that leading corner.

One advantage of this invention is that, when the liner sheet is already to be cut for some other purpose as in previous manufacturing processes, the center hole section can be induced to reliably separate from the label by the use of a simple and inexpensive cut which does not require any additional manufacturing steps.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be further described below with reference to the drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

A typical label sheet includes a facestock sheet and a liner sheet. The facestock sheet includes one or more labels die cut therein, and one or more unused or waste portions of the facestock. The facestock is usually made of paper which may be written upon or printed upon by a laser printer or other printer attached to a personal computer, although the facestock material may be a printable metal foil, paper/metal foil, MYLAR®, plastic, or any other suitable material. For purposes herein, all such materials will be referred to as paper, and the assembly will be referred to as a paper assembly. A printable coating, such as an inkjet receptive coating, may be applied to the top surface so that the surface can be printed thereon. For purposes herein, it will be understand that the term “printing” includes writing by pen or ink, typewriting, laser printing, ink jet printing, or any other manner of placing text or graphics thereon. The facestock sheet has a pressure sensitive adhesive on it which typically is strong enough to permanently adhere to whatever the label is placed on after being removed from the liner. The liner, however, is coated with a nonstick release material such as a thin layer of silicone so that the label can be easily peeled from the liner. It is not necessary that the pressure sensitive adhesive be a permanent pressure sensitive adhesive; it can be a removable adhesive i.e., a weak pressure sensitive adhesive. The foregoing is well known within the art of label sheet manufacturing.

Label sheets may come in a variety of configurations. InFIG. 1label sheet or label assembly10includes a release liner or liner sheet12, and a facestock or facestock sheet18. Also made from the facestock material are areas14and16. Area14can include, for example, jewel case spine labels die cut into the facestock. Area16can include, for example, additional jewel case spine labels, or can contain written instructions for using the label sheet. In the exemplary embodiment label assembly10as shown the label assembly includes two CD labels20defined by respective circular die cuts22within the facestock18. Each CD label20includes a peel tab25and a holding tab24formed in the facestock18. The peel tabs25and holding tabs24are attached to the CD labels along weakened separation lines26which may be created by perforations or cuts and ties. A crescent shaped slot28is cut all the way through the facestock sheet18and the liner12at the peel tab25on each CD label20in order to facilitate grasping the tab25and using the tab25to peel the CD label20away from the liner. Internal to each CD label20is a round cutout section or center hole section30. For ease of discussion, center hole section30will hereafter be referred to as the donut hole30, and it will be understood that donut hole30refers to the unneeded portion30of the facestock18which is not used as part of CD label20. It will also be understood, however, that the present invention is in no way limited to use with round holes or round labels, but is widely applicable to many label sheet configurations in which it is desirable to peel one section of a facestock away while leaving another section of the facestock on the release liner. Such configurations could include not only label sheets having waste portions, but label sheets having adjacent labels in which it is desirable to peel away only one label for use at a time, leaving the other label behind for peeling away later. Donut hole30is defined by die cut32, which defines the boundary between CD label20and donut hole30. Up to this point, the foregoing CD label sheet is described in greater detail in International Publication No. WO 02/38371-A1, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

The cuts shown in phantom inFIG. 1and the slit33formed in liner12are not described in International Publication No. WO 02/38371-A1 and do form part of the present invention according to a first embodiment used for CD label sheets. In the figure, donut hole30is shown in fragment. The rear portion of the donut hole30, peeled away last, is shown still attached to liner12. The leading edge of donut hole30, which in the figure as illustrated would be separated from label20and attached to liner12including the flap formed by slit33, is cut away and not shown in order to reveal the structure and operation of the slit33in liner12. Although exemplary label assembly10is shown with discrete facestock areas14,16and18on liner sheet12with gaps between the separate areas, many other configurations are possible including label sheets in which the facestock completely covers the liner sheet. It will also be understood and apparent in view of the description which follows that the invention can be used with many other configurations of labels and label sheets.

The structure of the liner12including modifications thereto according to the one embodiment of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4, which are close ups of only donut hole30and the immediately surrounding area of CD label20. Cuts40,42and44are formed in the liner sheet by die cutting immediately below donut hole30, and are shown in phantom. Cuts42and44are merely for die alignment purposes and form no part of the present invention; such cuts are shown but not described in International Publication No. WO 02/38371-A1. Cut40includes three sections: a first cut section41and two end sections45and49. First cut section41lies inside the boundary32which separates donut hole30from surrounding CD label20, and generally parallels or follows the contour of the boundary32for some distance. Arcuate or semicircular cuts45and49at the ends of cut40cause the cut to cross boundary32at first and second boundary crossing points43and47. It is preferred, but not strictly necessary, that the ends45and49of the cut be arcuate or semi-circular, and cross the boundary at generally right angles to boundary32. The two boundary crossings43and47define a line50which cuts through an interior portion of donut hole30, and also define an uncut chord56along line50, the uncut chord56also defining a hinge which in turn defines flap58within liner sheet12. Preferably, first cut section41runs less than 5 mm, more preferably less than 2 mm, and more preferably runs approximately 1 mm, from donut hole/label boundary32, and runs underneath donut hole30. Thus, flap58formed within liner12lies underneath donut hole or other unused portion30. It will also be understood that although portion30is referred to as being unused or unneeded, it need not be strictly unused or unneeded for any other purposes. Rather, the words “unused” and “unneeded” in the specification and in the claims will refer merely to the fact that it is desirable for this portion of the facestock to be left behind on the liner sheet when the label is peeled away.

Flap58, cut40in liner12, and boundary crossings43and49are most advantageously oriented as shown inFIG. 4with respect to the anticipated peel direction. More particularly, the leading edge of flap58is preferably oriented such that the peel line first reaches flap58at the flap's leading edge, and thereafter continues parallel to uncut chord56until it reaches and passes uncut chord56. In this way, the peel line reaches boundary crossings43and47roughly simultaneously. Additionally, the first cut section41between the first and second label boundary crossings43,47has a tangent that is perpendicular to the anticipated peel direction. InFIG. 1, flap58is oriented with respect to the peel direction by orienting flap58with respect to peel tab25such that the peel progresses in the desired direction. Together, peel tab25and boundary crossings43and47define an isosceles triangle, with the base of the isosceles triangle defining the uncut chord56through donut hole30. Preferably, uncut chord56covers at least 60 degrees of arc along label boundary32, more preferably covers at least 90 degrees of arc, and more preferably still covers about 160 degrees of arc. Similarly, the curvature of the flap encompasses at least 60 degrees of arc, more preferably covers at least 90 degrees of arc, and more preferably still covers about 160 degrees of arc.

Without cut40, as with prior art labels, when the peeling of the label progressed along the peel direction to reach leading edge36of the donut hole30, the adhesive on the back of label20and donut hole30created a cohesive force that tended to hold donut hole30to label20as label20was being peeled away from liner12. At the leading edge of donut hole30only a small area of donut hole30opposed the cohesive force. The cohesive force along the boundary at leading edge36would be stronger than the adhesive force tending to hold donut hole30to liner12, thus causing donut hole30to begin peeling away from liner12without separating from label20. Once started, this peeling of donut hole30with label20up from liner12would normally continue until entire donut hole30was removed from liner12, still attached to label20by cohesion.

With cut40, a different sequence occurs. As the peel line is progressing in the peel direction shown inFIG. 4, first cut portion41causes a leading edge of flap58to begin lifting along with the leading edge36of donut hole30. That is, the modification to the liner is such that when the label is being peeled away from the liner sheet, a peel force or tensile force tending to pull leading edge36of the donut hole away from liner12is actually initially reduced due to the existence and action of flap58. In one view, flap58allows the area of adhesion and hence the potential adhesive force to accumulate as the peel line passes leading edge36. As the peel line progresses toward uncut chord56, liner sheet flap58continues to lift along with label20. Finally, the peel line reaches the hinge formed along uncut chord56. At that point, the relatively large adhesive force created by adhesion along line56and the surrounding areas which has been allowed to accumulate, along with shear forces resulting from the changed angle of the label, oppose any further upward movement of donut hole30. Because the area of adhesion was initially allowed to accumulate, the area of adhesion and hence the adhesive force which opposes the cohesion is now increased. This opposition to any further upward movement is concentrated primarily at boundary crossing points43and47and the immediate vicinity. At this point, the adhesive force tending to hold donut hole30down onto liner12is sufficiently strong to overcome the cohesive force along boundary32at boundary crossings43and47, and the donut hole30begins to separate from label20at the boundary crossing points. Once begun, the separation rapidly progresses along boundary32toward donut hole leading edge36. Meanwhile, as the peeling of label20continues the separation of donut hole30from label20continues in the peel direction away from leading edge36of donut hole30.

FIG. 2is a closeup side perspective view of the center hole label section ofFIG. 1, but showing the leading edge of donut hole30and liner flap58just beginning to lift from the rest of liner12. Sequentially,FIG. 2would occur slightly beforeFIG. 1. The thickness of flap58inFIG. 2is exaggerated for illustration purposes. In this figure, donut hole30is still cohered to label20. The peeling action or peel line has now reached the back of flap58. Slit33created by cut41is at its fully open position. Any further peeling action will tend to pull donut hole30out from the center of label20because the flap can no longer lift and any further lifting of donut hole30is opposed by a relatively large area of adhesion between donut hole30and liner12.

FIGS. 6A-6Dare sequential close up cross sectional views of the CD label20and donut hole30as the label is being peeled away from the liner sheet. The thicknesses of the label20, donut hole30, and liner12are exaggerated for illustration purposes.

InFIG. 6B, which approximately corresponds toFIG. 2, label20is being removed from liner12. The peel line has just reached the beginning edge of donut hole30. Even though donut hole30is completely or nearly completely cut away from label20by the die cut in the facestock, the cohesion between the adhesive on the back of label20and the adhesive on the back of donut hole30along label boundary32keeps donut hole30attached to label20along their respective edges. Cut41in liner12allows liner flap58to begin lifting with donut hole30, such that flap58no longer lies in the same plane as the major plane of liner sheet12. As used herein, the term “major plane” refers to the primary plane of liner sheet12in the area generally surrounding donut hole30, without regard to small or localized bends, wrinkles, or waves in liner sheet12.

InFIG. 6C, which approximately corresponds toFIG. 1, the peel line has reached boundary crossing47at the back of flap58, and flap58can rise no further. Now the adhesive force tending to hold flap58to donut hole30across a significant area of donut hole30is strong enough to overcome the cohesive forces along the label boundaries, especially at boundary crossing47, and donut hole30separates from label20.

InFIG. 6Dflap58has relaxed back down to the major plane of liner12. Donut hole30remains fixed to liner12, and has separated completely from label20. Thus, the invention takes the counter intuitive approach of actually initially decreasing the force which would tend to separate the donut hole's leading edge from the liner.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, the user is encouraged to peel the label along a predefined peel direction via crescent shaped cutout28within liner12and peel tab25. The construction and use of this cutout are described more fully in International Publication No. WO 02/38371-A1. Other means of encouraging the user to peel along a particular direction, such as by straight cuts across the length of the liner or written directions, are also well known within the label making art, and can also be used in conjunction with the present invention. If the user were equally encouraged or prone to peel the label in either direction made possible by pulling on either peel tab25or holding tab24, the liner could be modified to take either direction into account.FIG. 5shows an embodiment in which the liner12underneath donut hole30is modified by forming first cut140, and additionally second cut142. Both cuts140and142follow a contour of boundary132between the donut hole and surrounding label area, and both cuts cross boundary132at each of two points143,147and145,149, respectively. As described above with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4, the two boundary crossings143,147and145,149for each of the first and second cuts140,142define lines150,151which cut through an interior portion of donut hole30, and also define uncut chords156,157along lines150,151, respectively, the uncut chords156,157also defining hinges which in turn define first and second flaps158,159within liner sheet12. In this way the label separates from the donut hole just as easily regardless of whether the label is peeled off in one direction or in the opposite direction.

FIG. 7shows a further embodiment in which label220is a name badge label having a hanger hole230therein so that the label may be placed around hanger hardware. In this embodiment, it is not presumed that the label will be peeled along any particular predefined peel direction. Rather, three cuts240,242and244are each die cut into the liner sheet in the area near the boundary between label220and center hole230. The user is unlikely to peel the label beginning at the top edge directly above center hole230, and for that reason no fourth cut is provided at the edge of center hole230nearest to the top edge. Instead, the user is likely to, or can be encouraged to, peel the label from the liner at either the left edge of label220, the right edge of label220, the bottom edge of label220, or any one of the four corners shown. Whichever of those ways the user begins peeling the label, the peeling will encounter one or more cuts in a liner sheet according to the present invention, thus facilitating reliable separation of center hole230from label220as the label is peeled away for use. Although it is desirable to orient the cut in a particular direction with respect to the peel line, it is not strictly necessary to do so, as illustrated inFIG. 7in which the exact peel direction is not necessarily known.

A fourth environment and fourth embodiment are shown inFIGS. 8 and 9. InFIG. 8, a label sheet60contains a number of generally rectangular shaped labels62. The corners of the labels62are rounded. As shown in the close up ofFIG. 9, at the area where four of the generally rectangular labels62come together an unused diamond shaped portion of the facestock is formed. Cut80is formed in the liner sheet below the unused diamond shaped facestock portion. Cut80includes a first cut portion82, and second and third cut portions84and86. First cut portion82generally follows a contour of a boundary64between label62and the unused portion, and second and third cut portions84and86include arcuate semi-circular cut portions which cross the boundaryies.

The present invention is useful in facilitating separation of donut holes from labels where the donut hole or other hole lies completely internal to a label. However, the invention can also be used in applications where the unused section is not completely internal to the label.FIGS. 10 and 11show embodiments in which the unused portions of the facestock do not lie completely internal to the label. InFIG. 10, for example, a label or adhesive applique330is formed by die cutting a label sheet or applique sheet310. Unused portion332, for example, lies partially but not completely internal to label330. Die cut341assists label330in peeling away from sheet310while leaving unused portion332on the liner.FIG. 11shows an additional embodiment in which the unneeded facestock portion432lies partially but not completely internal to label430. In this embodiment, peel tab424encourages the user to peel label430along a peel direction that makes most advantageous use of cut441, similarly to as described in the embodiments ofFIGS. 1-5and their accompanying descriptions.

FIG. 12is a top plan view of a fifth embodiment of the invention, in which the label is a name badge label520and the cutout530within the label is a hanger hole, with a single continuous cut544in the liner sheet.

FIG. 13is a top plan view of a sixth embodiment of the invention, in which the cuts541,542, and544are rotated at an angle α with respect to the peel direction. It has been found that rotating the cuts at an angle of α=20°-45° from the peel direction produces generally good results. In other words, uncut chord550defined by the points at which cut541crosses underneath the boundary of the cutout, defines an angle of approximately 45°-70° with respect to the intended peel direction.

It will be appreciated that the term “present invention” as used herein should not be construed to mean that only a single invention having a single essential element or group of elements is presented. Rather, any new and nonobvious element, and any new and nonobvious combination of elements, constitutes a separate invention. Although the present invention has thus been described in detail with regard to the preferred embodiments and drawings thereof, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various adaptations and modifications of the present invention may be accomplished without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. For example, the principles of the present invention can be used with many shapes and configurations of labels and unneeded sections, and with many different materials and types of adhesives and release coatings. Although the shapes of the cuts illustrated herein have been found to be particularly advantageous, the invention is not necessarily limited to particularly shaped cuts. Similarly, peel tabs can come in many shapes and configurations, and the term “peel tab” as used in the claims should not be limited to any particular shape or configuration. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the detailed description and the accompanying drawings as set forth hereinabove are not intended to limit the breadth of the present invention, which should be inferred only from the following claims and their appropriately construed legal equivalents. In the claims, where the term “means for” appears, that phrase is intended to be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6; similarly, where the term “means for” does not appear in a claim, the claim is intended to not be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6.