Patent Publication Number: US-8539704-B2

Title: Linerless price reduction continuous label, applying method and printing method of linerless price reduction continuous label

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 national phase conversion of PCT/JP2009 050623/, filed Jan. 19, 2009 which claims priority of Japanese Application No. 2008-319388 filed Dec. 16, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. The PCT International Application was published in the Japanese language. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a linerless price reduction continuous label, to an applying method and to a printing method for printing the linerless price reduction continuous label, and more particularly, for indication of price reduction of the formerly indicated price of the merchandise. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Previously, when applying a linerless price reduction label on top of a former price reduction label to conduct multiple price reductions, since a release material is coated over the entire surface of the originally applied linerless price reduction label, it is possible to easily remove the next linerless price reduction label that is applied over the original linerless price reduction label. 
     There is a problem that it is easy to dishonestly reuse (so-called dishonest tampering for replacement of the label) a linerless price reduction label, indicating the price reduction information. Another problem is that the tamper-proof cut itself has no effect, as the label is not torn off from the tamper-proof cut formed on the label base member. 
     Furthermore, when a bar-code label is printed with bar-codes relating to price information of the merchandise, it is required to cover-up at least a part of the bar-code with the price-reduction process to prevent reading of the bar-code. Therefore, it is requested to easily and reliably cover-up the bar-code. 
     In addition, for the purpose of simplification or efficiency of bar-code reading process, the above-mentioned bar-code may be applied on the back side of the merchandise packaging container. However, in order to efficiently sell price-reduced merchandise, there has been a demand to at least indicate a human-readable reduced price at an eye-catching place (typically, on the surface side) after invalidating the bar-code at the back side of the merchandise packaging container. 
     Furthermore, the linerless price reduction label does not have a liner or a release paper as the backing sheet. Therefore, it is necessary to form perforations (the separation perforations) at the borders between neighboring linerless price reduction labels of the linerless price reduction continuous label configured with multiple linerless price reduction labels, in order to separate the continuous label into single pieces of linerless price reduction labels. 
     In addition, as shown in prior art, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application First Publication No. 2006-330673, in a label provided with a cover up label piece, which can be torn off from the label body by the perforations (the tear-off perforations) to cover-up the above-mentioned bar-code relating to the merchandise price information, there is a possibility that either of the price reduction label body portion or the coverup label piece may be carelessly torn off from either of the perforations (the separation perforations or the tear-off perforations). 
     Therefore, there is a possibility that, the coverup label piece may be torn off, or the coverup label piece of the other label body may be torn off at the same time, or the like, before the single piece label body portion is separated from the continuous linerless price reduction label. As a result in actual use (in separating operation or tear-off operation), special attention will be required. Therefore, quick and simple handling of the linerless price reduction continuous label is difficult to achieve. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned problems. The object of the present invention is to provide a linerless price reduction continuous label, an applying method and a printing method of the linerless price reduction continuous label which is applicable for multiple overlays following multiple price reductions. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide such a label method for which the tamper-proof cut formed on the label base member is effectively operable. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide such a label which is capable of easily and reliably invalidating a bar-code relating to price information of merchandise. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide such a, and method label which is capable of invalidating a bar-code, even if the bar-code relating to price information of merchandise is at a not noticeable place such as the back side of a merchandise packaging container, and which is also capable of indicating the reduced price at an eye-catching place, such as on the top surface side. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide such a, and method label which enables separation of a single piece of linerless price reduction label (a label body including a price reduction indication region and a bar-code cover-up region) more easily from the linerless price reduction continuous label than a bar-code cover-up piece (the bar-code cover-up region). 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a, and method label which is capable of stably separating the price reduction indicating region and the bar-code cover-up region as a single piece of linerless price reduction label from the linerless price reduction continuous label. 
     Solution to Problem 
     The present invention joins a price reduction indication region capable of indicating a price reduction information of an original price of a merchandise and a bar-code cover-up region capable of covering-up a bar-code relating to price information of the original price through each perforation, forming an adhesive material layer and a release material layer in stripes (in streaks) on a label, in patterns corresponding to each other on the surface side and the back side of the label base member, and changing either the separation strength or the tear-off strength of the perforations, either (the separation perforation (the second notches) or the tear-off perforations (the first notches). 
     A first aspect of the present invention includes: a linerless price reduction continuous label comprising: a label base member; an adhesive material layer formed on a back side of the label base member; a heat-sensitive color forming layer formed on a surface of the label base member; a release material layer formed on an upper layer of the heat-sensitive color forming layer. There is a price reduction indication region capable of indicating a price reduction information of an original price indicated on a merchandise and there is a bar-code cover-up region capable of covering-up a bar-code relating to price information of the original price, separable by a region separation line. The price reduction indication region and the bar-code cover-up region are separably connected as a unit label of a linerless price reduction label by a unit joining line. The region separation line configured of a first perforation including a first notch formed widthwise inwardly from both end portions of the label base member. The unit joining line is configured of a second perforation including a second notch formed widthwise inwardly from both end portions of the label base member. The second notch is formed longer than the first notch. 
     A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method of applying a continuous linerless price reduction label. The linerless price reduction continuous label comprises: a label base member, an adhesive material layer formed on the back side of the label base member. A heat-sensitive color forming layer is formed on surface of the label base member. A release material layer is formed on an upper layer of the heat-sensitive color forming layer. A price reduction indication region is capable of indicating a price reduction information of an original price indicated on a merchandise. A bar-code cover-up region is capable of covering up a bar-code relating to price information of the original price. These regions are separable by a region separation line. The price reduction indication region and the bar-code cover-up region are separably connected as a unit label of a linerless price reduction label by a unit joining line. 
     The method of applying the linerless price reduction continuous label includes: configuring the region separation line with a first perforation including a first notch formed widthwise inwardly from both end portions of the label base member, and configuring the unit joining line with a second perforation including a second notch formed widthwise inwardly from both end portions of the label base member. The second notch is formed longer than the first notch. The bar-code cover-up region is separated from the price reduction indication region at the region separation line of the linerless price reduction continuous label. The bar-code cover-up region is applied such that it is overlaying on the bar-code relating to the original price information. 
     A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method of printing a linerless price reduction continuous label. The linerless price reduction continuous label comprises: a label base member, an adhesive material layer formed on a back side of the label base member, a heat-sensitive color forming layer formed on a surface of the label base member release material layer formed on an upper layer of the heat-sensitive color forming layer. A price reduction indication region is capable of indicating price reduction information of an original price indicated on a merchandise. A bar-code cover-up region is capable of covering up a bar-code relating to original price information. Those regions are separable by a region separation line. The price reduction indication region and the bar-code cover-up region are separably connected as a unit label of a linerless price reduction label by a unit joining line. 
     The method of printing the linerless price reduction continuous label includes: configuring the region separation line to be a first perforation including a first notch formed widthwise inwardly from both end portions of the label base member, and configuring the unit joining line by a second perforation including a second notch formed widthwise inwardly from both end portions of the label base member; and forming the second notch longer than the first notch. Then the price reduction information is printed on the price reduction indication region. Then the bar-code relating to the price reduction information is printed on the bar-code cover-up region. 
     The first perforations of the above region separation line may have shorter notches widthwise inwardly from the first notches facing both end portions of the label base member, and the second perforations on the unit joining line may have shorter notches widthwise inwardly from the second notches facing both end portions of the label base member. 
     The adhesive material layers on the back side of the label base member may be formed in stripes. The release material layers on the surface of the label base member may be formed in stripes corresponding to the adhesive material layers in stripes on the back side. 
     The non-adhesive material regions adjacent to the adhesive material layers on the back side of the label base member may be provided alternately with the adhesive material layers, and the non-release material regions adjacent to the release material layers on the surface of the label base member may be provided alternately with the release material layers. 
     The adhesive material layers may be positioned at both end portions of the label base member on the back side of the label base member, and the release material layers may be positioned at both end portions of the label base member on the surface of the label base member. 
     In the price reduction indication region, the tamper-proof cuts may be formed within the adhesive material layer regions. 
     In the bar-code cover-up region, it is possible to have a bar-code relating to the price reduction information printed. 
     The original price of the merchandise may be indicated in any form, such as the price indication label showing the original price applied on the packaging container of the merchandise, or the price indication of the original price previously printed on the packaging container of the merchandise. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     In a linerless price reduction continuous label, applying method and printing method of the linerless price reduction continuous label of the present invention, since the label is formed with the second perforations (the unit joining line) including the second notches from both end portions and the first perforations (the region separation line) including the first notches from both end portions, also with the second notches formed longer than the first notches, it is possible to reliably and stably separate the linerless price reduction label as a unit label at the second perforations. 
     In other words, from the linerless price reduction continuous label, first, it is possible to separate a single piece label, then from this linerless price reduction label (the price reduction indication region), it is possible to tear off a bar-code cover-up region as a bar-code cover-up piece, so that stable use can be ensured. 
     According to the first aspect of the invention, since the second notches are formed longer than the first notches, without carelessly separating the bar-code cover-up region from the price reduction indication region, it is possible to stably tear-off the single piece labels from the linerless price reduction continuous label. 
     According to the second aspect of the invention, the bar-code cover-up region is made such that by overlaying the bar-code relating to the price information of the original price, it is possible to prevent read errors by covering-up the original price. 
     According to the third aspect of the invention, since the reduced price is printed in the price reduction indication region and also the bar-code relating to the price reduction information is printed in the bar-code cover-up region, it is possible to cover-up the bar-code of the original price and also to read the bar-code of the new price reduction information on the same face (the face where the bar-code of the original price is indicated, for example, on the back side). This contributes to improvement of the efficiency of a calculation process at the cash resister. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view diagram of a linerless price reduction continuous label according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view diagram of a linerless price reduction continuous label of  FIG. 1  along the line II-II according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view diagram of a linerless price reduction continuous label wound in a rolled state according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view diagram of the surface side of a merchandise applied with an original price indication label indicating the original price according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a back side view diagram of a merchandise according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view diagram of a linerless price reduction continuous label according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a back side view diagram of a merchandise as in  FIG. 5  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a linerless price reduction continuous label, an applying method and a printing method of the linerless price reduction continuous label with superior functionality, operability and safety, as it is made to vary the length of the second perforations at the ends (the second notches) of the second perforations (the unit joining line) for separation of a single piece linerless price reduction label as a unit label from the linerless price reduction continuous label from the length of the first perforations as the ends (the first notches) of the first perforations (the region separation line) for separation of a bar-code cover-up region as a bar-code cover-up piece. 
     Hereinafter, a linerless price reduction continuous label  1 , applying method and printing method of the linerless price reduction continuous label according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on  FIGS. 1 through 5 . 
     The linerless price reduction continuous label  1  is provided with a label base member  2 , adhesive material layers  3  formed on the back side of the label base member  2 , a heat-sensitive color forming layer  4  formed on the surface of the label base member  2 , and release material layers  5  formed on the upper layer of the heat-sensitive color forming layer  4 . 
     The adhesive material layers  3  on the back side of the label base member  2  are formed in longitudinal stripes in an array spaced along the width direction of the linerless price reduction continuous label  1 . The release material layers  5  are on the surface side of the label base member  2  at locations corresponding to those of the adhesive material layers  3  at the back side, and are also formed in longitudinal stripes or streaks in an array spaced apart along the width direction. 
     The non-adhesive material regions  3 A which are adjacent to and alternate with the adhesive material layers  3  extend in the length direction of the linerless price reduction continuous label  1 . Also, the non-release material regions  5 A which are adjacent to and alternate with the release material layers  5  extend in the length direction of the linerless price reduction continuous label  1 . 
     In addition, a pair of the adhesive material layers  3  is positioned at both lateral edge regions of the label base member  2  on the back side of the label base member  2 , and a pair of the release material layers  5  is positioned at both lateral edge regions of the label base member  2  on the surface side of the label base member  2 . 
     Thus, even if the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  is wound in a rolled state as shown in  FIG. 3 , the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  lying as a lower layer and an upper layer, the release material layers  5  on the surface (the upper layer side) control the adhesion with the adhesive material layers  3  on the back side (the lower layer side). Therefore, handling of the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  is not obstructed. 
     The above adhesive material layers  3  and the release material layers  5  may be provided in stripes in any way. It may be formed in the conveying direction (the length direction) or in the width or diagonal direction of the linerless price reduction continuous label  1 . For each width of the adhesive material layers  3  and the release material layers  5 , any width may be adopted according to the usage mode. 
     The linerless price reduction continuous label  1  is a continuous plurality of linerless price reduction labels  10  as single piece labels or unit labels. Each of the linerless price reduction labels  10  is provided with a price reduction indication region  11  which is the label body, and a bar-code cover-up region  12  which becomes a bar-code cover-up piece. 
     The price reduction indication region  11  is capable of indicating the price reduction information of the original price indicated on the merchandise. 
     The bar-code cover-up region  12  is capable of covering-up the bar-code relating to the original price information. The price reduction indication region  11  and the bar-code cover-up region  12  are separable from each other at the region separation line  13 . 
     Furthermore, as unit labels of linerless price reduction labels  10 , the price reduction indication region  11  and the bar-code cover-up region  12  are separably joined with the linerless price reduction label  10  by the unit joining lines  14 . 
     The region separation line  13  is configured of first perforations including the first notches or cut lines  15  formed widthwise inwardly from both lateral edge end portions of the label base member  2 . The first notches  15 , at least, may be a single notch, and as in the shown example, the first notches  15  are formed as a pair of uniform right and left perforations at the lateral edge end portions of the label base member  2 . 
     The unit joining line  14  is configured of second perforations including second notches  16  formed widthwise inwardly from both lateral edge end portions of the label base member  2 . Each second notch  16 , at least, may be a single notch. As in the shown example, the second notches  16  are formed as a pair of uniform right and left perforations at the lateral edge end portions of the label base member  2 . 
     The second notches  16  are formed longer in the lateral direction than the first notches  15 . 
     The first perforations of the region separation line  13  comprise shorter length notches  15 A and connected portions  15 B widthwise inwardly from the first notches  15  at both end portions of the label base member  2 . The second perforations of the unit joining line  14  comprise shorter length notches  16 A and connected portions  16 B widthwise extending inwardly from the second notches  16  inward from both lateral edge end portions of the label base member  2 . 
     Furthermore, on the backside of the each linerless price reduction label  10 , there are position detecting marks  17  that are printed in advance, that are used when loading and conveying to a thermal printer (not shown) to print a rolled linerless price reduction continuous label  1 . 
     Furthermore, in the price reduction indication region  11 , at least in the region (the release material layer  5  region) provided with the adhesive layers  3 , any number and form of tamper-proof cuts  18  are formed. The tamper-proof cuts  18  may also be formed in the non-adhesive material regions  3 A (the non-release material regions  5 A). 
     In addition, to the regions on the surface of the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  (the linerless price reduction labels  10 ), as necessary, it is possible to perform color coding according to any color design. 
     For example, as in the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the ground color of the portion from the bar-code cover-up region  12  to the price reduction indication region  11  can be shown in dark red ground color (in  FIG. 1 , shown with darks spots relatively high in density), and adjacent to this red ground color, a portion of the price reduction indication region  11  is shown in yellow ground color (in  FIG. 1 , shown with spots relatively coarse in density). By showing the other price reduction indication regions  11  with white ground color, it is possible to appeal the price reduction process to the consumers. 
     With the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  (the linerless price reduction labels  10 ) configured as above described, the price reduction information is printed on the price reduction indication region  11  by loading the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  on a thermal printer (not shown in the diagram). For this price reduction information, as well as the information relating to the price reduction process or the reduced price, it is possible to print a bar-code  22  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) relating to this price reduction information. 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view diagram of the surface side of a merchandise M applied with an original price indication label  19  indicating the original price, and  FIG. 5  is a back side view diagram of a merchandise M. On the surface side of the merchandise M, to a position adjacent to the original price indication label  19  or to an eye-catching place, the linerless price reduction label  10  is applied to indicate the reduced price information. 
     In addition, on the back side of the merchandise M, a bar-code label  20  is applied on which a bar-code  21  relating to the price information of the original price is printed. 
     In  FIG. 5 , the bar-code cover-up region  22  is separated from the price reduction indication region  11  by the region separation line  13  portion of the linerless price reduction label  10 . In  FIG. 5 , the bar-code cover-up region  12  is applied placed on top of the bar-code  21  relating to the price information of the original price. 
     Covering up the bar-code  21  by the bar-code cover-up region  12  makes optical reading of the bar-code  21  impossible. On the linerless price reduction label  10  (at the price reduction indication region  11 ), the bar-code  22  relating to the price reduction information is printed so as to enable reading of this bar-code  22  at the cash register. 
     The bar-code cover-up region  12  is separated from the price reduction indication region  11  at the region separation line  13 . The linerless price reduction label  10  is separated from the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  at the unit joining line  14 . Since the second notches  16  of the unit joining line  14  are formed longer widthwise across the strip of labels than the first notches  15  of the region separation line  13 , the linerless price reduction labels  10 , including  11  and  12  are easily separated from the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  at the line  14 . 
     After this first separation, the price reduction indication region  11  and the bar-code cover-up region  12  of the linerless price reduction label  10  can be separated. This avoids problems, such as the bar-code cover-up region  12  being separated before the linerless price reduction label  10  is separated from the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  or two pieces of bar-code cover-up region  12  being separated with one piece of linerless price reduction label  10 . 
     Therefore, when separating the linerless price reduction label  10 , the operator who is carrying out the price reduction process by using the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  (the linerless price reduction label  10 ) can achieve efficient processing without requiring unnecessary attention. 
     Furthermore, as the adhesive material layers  3  and the release material layers  5  are formed in stripes on the surface side and the back side of the linerless price reduction labels  10 , even if a multiple pieces of linerless price reduction labels  10  are overlaid and applied for multiple times of price reduction any of the adhesive material layers  3  at the upper layer side can be adhered to the non-release material regions  5 A at the lower layer side such that their adhered state can be established and kept. Even if the linerless price reduction labels  10  are configured with the tamper-proof cuts  18  in the adhesive material regions  3 , the tamper-proof function can be maintained. 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view diagram of a linerless price reduction continuous label  30  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. With the linerless price reduction continuous label  30 , the linerless price reduction label  31  is a unit label, wherein the price reduction indication region  32  and the bar-code cover-up region  33  can be separated along the region separation line  13  including the first notches  15  and at the unit joining line  14  including the second notches  16  (formed longer than the first notches  15 ). This is the same as the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  ( FIG. 1 ). However, as the bar-code cover-up region  33  has a white ground color, the bar-code  22  relating to the price reduction information of the original price can be printed in the bar-code cover-up region  33 . 
     The linerless price reduction continuous label  30  (the linerless price reduction label  31 ) with such configuration, can be used in the same manner as the linerless price reduction continuous label  1  of  FIG. 1 , and can assure stable separation at the region separation line  13  and the unit joining line  14  portions. 
       FIG. 7  is a back side view diagram of the same merchandise M as in  FIG. 5 , wherein the bar-code cover-up region  33  printed with the bar-code  22  relating to price information of original price is applied to the portion of the bar-code  21  of the bar-code label  20  so as to cover-up the bar-code  21 . By the application of the bar-code cover-up region  33  itself, it is possible to keep indicating the bar-code  22  on the same back side surface. 
     Therefore, at the cash register, it is not necessary to each time turn over the entire merchandise to read bar-code relating to price reduction information which is to be indicated on the surface side of the merchandise M as shown in  FIG. 4 . In other words, since it is possible to optically read the bar-code  22  on the back side of the merchandise M in the same manner as the normal merchandise M without price reduction, the bar-code reading process is efficient. 
     Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.