LABELS

Abstract: A method of labelling goods using an adhesive label. One portion of the adhesive label is adhered to the goods themselves and a second portion is adhered to a reinforcing member. The reinforcing member is detachable with the second portion from the first portion, for use in an automatic checking system.

Description: LABELS This invention relates to labels. British Patent Specification 1,380,047 describes and claims a system for use in supermarkets and the like which uses a plurality of price/weight tokens which are attached to or otherwise associated with individual items of merchandise and which at a check¬ out are fed into suitable apparatus which totals the price and weight information and checks the weight information with the weight of a trolley.and the merchandise contained therein on a weighing platform. Such a system is capable, when put into practice, of substantially facilitating the speed and efficiency of checking out in supermarkets and so of reducing the staffing requirements in such establishments. In putting the invention to effect, it is necessary to produce labels which are attachable to merchandise which can nevertheless be machine processed as just indicated. The production and attachment of such labels to the merchandise should naturally be as efficient as possible, particularly in terms of cost and speed. A particularly desirable approach is to print labels with optically readable bar codes. These can be printed using known apparatus but such apparatus functions best when the printing is on relative thin paper stock. Such bar codes can be optically read OMPI ^ * easily using a hand held sensor, but the system described in the above British Patent Specification requires that the labels be detached from the merchandise and read automatically. Automatic label reading and like equipment naturally prefers to read a rather more substantial item than a flimsy label. According to the present invention there is provided a method of labelling goods using an adhesive label wherein a first portion of the adhesive label is adhered to the goods themselves and a second portion is adhered to a reinforcing member detachable with the second portion from the first portion. Using such a system, a label giving price and weight data may be printed and adhered partly to a reinforcing member and partly to a product. By a suitable choice of label material and adhesive, it may be ensured that the part of the label bearing the reinforcing member can be torn simply and cleanly from that adherent to the goods, enabling a plurality of such labels to be torn from the merchandise and put together into suitable mechanical handling apparatus for processing as described in the Patent Specification referred to above. The label may be printed with price and weight data using conventional machinery adapted to handle relatively flimsy label paper and thereafter the label adhered to the goods simultaneously with or - subsequently to the adherence to part thereof of the reinforcing member. In an alternative, the label may be made effectively oversize and part of the label folded back on itself to stick to itself to give a reinforced portion. " When a separate reinforcement member is used, this may be made of any convenient material, for example, card or a plastics sheet. The rein orcing member may be of appropriate shape to facilitate the mechanical handling of the detached portions of the labels at, e. g. a supermarket check-out. In a particularly preferred system, apparatus is used which prints price and weight data including an optically readable bar code on to pre-prepared label stock consisting of relatively thin label paper releasably adhered to release-coated paper tape . Each label is then detached automatically from the release-coated paper tape and applied to the goods to be labelled simultaneously with the introduction between the label and -the goods of a piece of card approximately half the size of the label . Thus, half of the label sticks to the goods and the other to the card. The card itself is not stuck to the goods but merely attached by means of the label . When the card is grasped, it can simply be torn away from the goods taking with it the half of the label carrying the optically readable bar code . The detached part can then be processed by automatic machinery as indicated. Copending application 8225324, filed on even date, gives more details.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of labelling goods using an adhesive label wherein a first portion of the adhesive label is adhered to the goods themselves and a second portion is adhered to a reinforcing member detachable with, the second portion from the first portion. 2. A method according to* claim 1 wherein the label material and adhesive are so chosen that the part of the label bearing the reinforcing member can be torn simply and cleanly from that adherent to the goods. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the label is printed with price and weight data using conventional machinery adapted to handle relatively flimsy label paper and thereafter the label adhered to the goods simultaneously with or subsequently to the adherence to part thereof of the reinforcing member. 4. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the label is made effectively oversize and part of the label folded back on itself to stick to itself to give a reinforced portion. 5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the reinforcing member is a card or a plastics sheet. 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 5 wherein price and weight data including an •optically readable bar code are printed on to prε- prepared label stock consisting of relatively thin label paper releasably adhered to release-coated paper tape, and each label is then detached e/ 'j+ ■ > automatically from the release-coated paper tape and applied to the goods to be labelled simultaneously with the introduction between the label and the goods r of a piece of card approximately half i_he size of the V 5 label .

Inventors: HANNING BERNARD WILLIAM, HANNING, BERNARD, WILLIAM
Applicants: HANNING BERNARD W, HANNING, BERNARD, WILLIAM
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G09F3
IPC codes: G09F3