Abstract:
A method for assisting in the removal of a pressure sensitive label from a slender glass vessel wherein said label is wrapped around the circumference of the vessel and extends along the length of the vessel includes positioning a planar cutting blade at two angles relative to the label, drawing the blade down along the length of the label, cutting the label into two opposite cut edges with one edge adhering to the vessel and the other cut edge being raised slightly away from the circumference of the vessel and forming a space between the two cut edges.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates in general to the field of label removal methods and apparatus and in particular to methods and apparatus for cutting a slit in a pressure sensitive label attached to a slender glass vessel 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various reasons exist to remove adhesively applied labels to glass vessels or vessels. One particular need is in the pharmacological field. Typically, pharmaceutical vessels or vessels comprise glass ampoules, syringes, and cartridges (needless syringes) that may, for example contain a single application of a medicine to be injected by a syringe into a patient. Again typically, but not necessarily, the ampoules, syringes or cartridges comprise a small diameter, slender vessel having a length relatively large as compared to the vessel diameter. 
     Such vessels are typically wrapped with a printed pressure sensitive label that is usually transparent and made from a plastic film. In most instances the label ends that are parallel to the axial axis of the vessel overlap each other by a relatively small amount, perhaps 10 to 20 percent of the vessel diameter. In one method to remove the pressure sensitive label, the initial step is to cut, actually slit, the label lengthwise, i.e. along the length of the vessel. The advent of a slit edge provides for a starting location to begin the process of removing the label 
     The type of slit to be cut can vary from one that simply cuts the label in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the vessel or one that provides a space between the slit ends along the periphery of the vessel&#39;s surface. The latter type is more preferred in that a discrete edge is made available that can be advantageously used in the process of label removal. 
     Therefore, what is needed are methods and apparatus for slitting a pressure sensitive label that is affixed to a slender glass vessel such that the label cab be more easily and efficiently removed. The present invention is directed to the process of making a spaced slit along the length of a pressure sensitive label attached to a slender glass vessel and accordingly achieves the aforesaid goal. 
     The above-stated objects as well as other objects which, although not specifically stated, but are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, are accomplished by the present invention and will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Detailed Description of the Invention, Drawings, and the Claims appended herewith. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification herein, which comprises methods and apparatus for providing a slit in a pressure sensitive label in preparation for removal of the label from a slender glass vessel. 
     Typically, pharmaceutical vessels or vessels comprise glass ampoules, syringes, and cartridges (needle-less syringes) that include a pressure sensitive label attached to the vessel. Again typically, the longitudinal edges of the label overlap each other by a small amount. The present method utilizes a sharp instrument that transverses the overlapped area of the label to create a slit in the label. The sharp instrument is angled in two directions such that the slit originates at a top edge of the label and somewhat tangential to the surface of the vessel at the location of the slit. As the sharp instrument traverses downward along the length of the vessel, one cut edge of the label separates from the vessel leaving a small space between it and the vessel. The label is now in a position to be completely removed from the vessel by one or more known methods, such as being peeled from the vessel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following discussion taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic and exaggerated view of a prior art slender glass vessel having a pressure sensitive label attached thereto, 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the prior art vessel of  FIG. 1  illustrating the preferred locations to begin the slit in the label and the preferred direction of the slit, 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic, isometric view of an initial position of a sharp instrument relative to the overlapped portion of the label to be slit, 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of  FIG. 3  illustrating the second angle of the sharp instrument in accordance with the inventive method; and 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the slit created by the method of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. 
     Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like characteristics and features of the present invention shown in the various figures are designated by the same reference numerals. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1  which illustrates a typical prior art glass vessel  11  having a pressure sensitive label  12  attached to the vessel  11 . The label  12  can comprise a plastic film that is wrapped around the outer circumference of the vessel  11 . In most instances, the ends  13  (outer) and  14  (inner) of the label  12  that lie along the length of the vessel  11  overlap each other by a small amount  15 . There is no set amount of overlapping, but since the label  11  includes printing, the overlapped ends includes printing on only one of the overlapped ends  13  or  14 . But again, this is not a fixed variable. The overlap  15  can be appreciable or minimal. Indeed, there may be no overlap such that a space exists between the ends  13  and  14  exposing a partial area of the outer circumference of the vessel  11 . For purposes of the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be assumed that an overlap  15  in the fictitious and approximate amount of 10 to 20 percent of the circumference exists. Further, for similar purposes, it will be assumed that edge  13  is the outside edge and edge  14  is the inside edge. In a preferred embodiment, the point  22  represents the location that the slit is to begin. The dashed longitudinal line  16  represents the line along which the slit is to be made. 
     The position of the vessel  11  in  FIG. 1 , that is up-right, is a preferred position to fixture the vessel in advance of the slitting operation; however a horizontal position of the vessel can also be used. Any commonly known fixture can be used for this purpose. For example, a base of the fixture can be provided with a blind opening having the diameter of the vessel. An upper part of the fixture can comprise a cap that is spring loaded so as to apply pressure to the top of the vessel  11  and capture it within the fixture. Another example of a known fixture can be similar to battery cradle in an electronic device where the battery lies in a semicircular groove that is spring loaded at one end. In this example, the vessel would be similarly cradled in a semicircular groove and held by a clamp to prevent rotation during the slitting process. Other fixturing methods can be readily envisioned by one of ordinary skill. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an enlarged cross sectional view of the vessel  11  and the label  12  wrapped around the circumference of the vessel  11 . The overlap is seen as the area bounded by reference numeral  15 . For descriptive purposes, the slit  16  will be made along the line  17 . In this manner, the slit  17  will penetrate through the overlap  15 . Alternatively, the slit can be made at locations  17 A,  17 B,  17 C, or any other location across the label  12 . Or. slit  17  can be made in a direction  180  degrees opposite of the slit locations shown in  FIG. 2 . The object being to provide a slit  16  across the overlapped ends  13  and  14  in a direction that ranges from being tangential to the circumference of the vessel  12  to an angle of approximately twenty degrees away from the tangential. In testing, it has been shown that a slit angled and separated from the opposite cut end  27  as stated provides sufficient separation of the cut end  26  so as to provide sufficient subsequent gripping of the cut end  26  to accomplish the subsequent label  11  removal. The invention is however not to be limited to the stated preferred embodiment. So long as some separation of cut end  26  occurs, the subsequent process of label removal can be adequately accomplished. 
       FIG. 3  schematically illustrates the initiation of the slit  16  along the line  17  using a sharp blade  21 . The initial point of contact of the blade  21  with the label  12  is at point  22  which is located at the top of the label  12  at the top of the slit line  16  as also seen in  FIG. 1 . Thus, at the initiation of the slitting process, the top cutting edge  23  of blade  21  is positioned above the top edge  24  of label  12  with the top cutting edge  23  being positioned against the periphery or outer circumference of the vessel  11 . Such positioning results in the cutting edge  25  of blade  21  being angled downward and outward away from the circumference of the vessel  11 . Such positioning also results in the plane of the blade  21  being angled away from the line  17  of the slit  16 . It is this double angularity that results in the slit  16  being separated or the ends  26  and  27  being spaced apart as seen in  FIG. 5 . The angularity of the cutting edge  25  of blade  21  is seen in  FIG. 3 . The angularity of the plane of the blade  21  relative to the angle  17  of the slit  16  is seen in  FIG. 4 . 
     With the blade  21  being maintained in the aforesaid position, the blade is brought downward in a straight line, along the length of slit line  16 . As the blade  21  so progresses, the cut end  26  of label  12 , together with a portion of the inner overlapped end of label  12  is gently but firmly directed outward away from the circumference or outer surface of vessel  11  (due to the above described double angle of blade  21 ) as schematically shown in cross section in  FIG. 5 . When the blade  21  completely traverses the slit line  16 , the cut end  26  of label  12  is located away from the vessel  11  along the entire length of slit line  16 . It is now extremely more convenient to use the cut end  26  of label  12  to continue the label removal process 
     The above described slitting operation can be accomplished by hand using a fixture as above described to hold the vessel  11 . Or, the blade  21  can affixed to, for example a plate attached to a linear motion bearing such that it can be pivoted away from the vessel fixture to allow loading of a vessel and pivoted back toward the vessel in the preferred cutting position and then either mechanically or by hand drawn along the slit line  16 . 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in certain terms or certain embodiments or modifications which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be nor should it be deemed to be limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.