Patent Publication Number: US-2007104915-A1

Title: Composite label web and method of using same

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The field comprises labels, label webs and method of using label webs.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      It is known that distributors of magazines and the like load new magazines into containers and label the containers with composite label sheets. The composite label sheets include label sheets and security seals. The label sheets contain information about the stores to which the labels are to be delivered. Route delivery people deliver the labeled containers of magazines to stores in their trucks. When the container has been unloaded of new magazines at the store, the delivery people load unsold or old magazines for return delivery to the distributor. The distributor grants a refund or credit to the store for the unsold, returned magazines. Once the unsold magazines have been loaded into the containers (which still contain the composite label sheets) by the delivery people, the delivery people remove the security seals from the composite label sheets and use them to seal the containers. If the security seals are tampered with, e.g., undone or broken when a returned container is received by the distributor it indicates tampering, in particular, that some of the magazines may have been pilfered, so the distributor is particularly watchful to see that the store is only granted a refund or credit for the magazines actually received by the distributor. This prior art is further described below in connection with  FIGS. 13 through 17 .  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates to improved composite labels, composite label webs, and methods of using composite label webs. The composite label web includes a carrier web and label sheets or labels disposed along the length of the carrier web. Each label sheet includes a label and at least one and preferably two security seals. The label sheets are releasably adhered by pressure sensitive adhesive to a carrier sheet. The label sheets include labels that carry data. The carrier web is free of any cut that would prevent application of the label sheets onto articles to be labeled. The label sheets are especially capable of being dispensed from and applied directly to articles such as containers using a label applicator. A method of the invention includes providing a composite label web of label sheets having a carrier web with a release coating, and label sheets disposed along the carrier web and having pressure sensitive adhesive releasably adhering the label sheets to the release coating on the carrier web, wherein each label sheet has cut lines to define at least one label and at least one security seal, applying the label(s) and the security seal(s) adhesively to a container to be labeled, thereafter peeling the seal(s) from the container, and applying the seal(s) to the container to indicate tampering if the seal or seals are broken or otherwise defeated. It is preferred to peel the entire label sheet from the carrier web for application to the container by the label applicator. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMMATIC DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a composite label web in accordance with the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the composite label web shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view of a printed label sheet of a composite label web being applied to a container by a label applicator;  
       FIG. 7  is an elevational view of a fragmentary portion of a container and a label sheet adhered to the container by pressure sensitive adhesive;  
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a printed label sheet adhered to a container;  
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of a label of the label sheet adhered to a container;  
       FIG. 10  is a top plan view of security seals which have been peeled from the container;  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a container to which the security seals have been applied to indicate tampering;  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing how a security seal is formed into a closed loop;  
       FIG. 13  is a top plan view of a prior art composite label web;  
       FIG. 14  is a bottom plan view of the prior art composite label web shown in  FIG. 13 ;  
       FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of the prior art composite label sheet of  FIGS. 13 and 14  from which the security seals and a portion of the carrier sheet have been removed;  
       FIG. 16  is an elevational view of the portion of the composite label sheet shown in  FIG. 15  adhered to a container; and  
       FIG. 17  is a bottom plan view of the security seals on an associated portion of the carrier sheet. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a composite label web generally indicated at  20  which includes a carrier web  21  and label sheets generally indicated at  22 . The carrier web  21  has an upper face  23  having a release coating such as silicone across and along the entire face  23 . The label sheets  22  preferably have a uniform coating of a pressure sensitive or tacky adhesive  24  on their undersides except for adhesive-free or tack-free areas or zones at their marginal longitudinally extending side edges  25  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The adhesive  24  is releasably adhered to the release coating on the upper face of the carrier web  21 . The marginal side edges  25  can be rendered non-tacky either by omitting the adhesive or by applying an adhesive deadener over the adhesive  24 . It is preferred that adhesive-free or non-tacky zones exist along the entire longitudinal side edges  25  of the label sheets  22 . Each label sheet  21  and the underlying portion of the carrier web  21  comprises a composite label sheet LS. The label sheets  22  are shown to be fully die cut as is preferred. A fully die cut label or label sheet, such as a label sheet  22 , is said to be fully die cut when all the label material or matrix around a label or label sheet has been removed. However, the label sheet  22  can be semi-die cut or butt cut, if desired. A semi-die cut label is one wherein no label material or matrix is removed between label sheets, but label material or matrix is removed at the side edges of the label sheet. A typical butt cut label is one in which the label material is coextensive with the carrier web and no label material has been removed between end-to-end labels.  
      The label sheets  22  are cut at a cut line or cut generally indicated at  26  and at a cut line or cut generally indicated at  27 . The cut  26  is shown to be generally U-shaped to define a label  28 . The cuts  26  and  27  define at least one and preferably two security seals generally indicated at  29  and  30  as shown. The label  28  is generally rectangular in configuration. Each label sheet  22  can be cut to provide one or more than two security seals S 1  and S 2 . The seals S 1  and S 2  are shown to be generally L-shaped with respective longitudinally extending leg portions  31  and  32  and transversely extending bight or transverse portions  33  and  34 . A transversely extending line of partial severing  35  in the transverse portions  33  and  34  of such as perforation cuts are shown by a dash-dash line. The partial severing  35  can take a variety of forms such as perforations, scoring, intermittent blanking or the like. The cut  26  has longitudinal cut portions  36  and  37  and a transverse or bight cut portion  38  joined to each other at gradual curved cut portions  39  and  40 . The cut line or cut  27  preferably extends to the leading end LE of the label sheet  22  and to the center of the bight or cut portion  38 . The leg portions  31  and  32  formed by the cut  26  preferably extend to just short of the trailing end TE of the label sheet  22 , and the cut  26  preferably terminates at radiussed ends  42  and  43 . The cut  26  is shown to be interrupted by short, frangible portions or lands  26 ′ which help the entire label sheet LS to be dispensed in tact into label applying relationship to applicator pad  48  and applied in tact to a container. The label sheet LS, therefore, does not become separated from the seals S 1  and S 2  while the label sheet LS is being dispensed by an automatic label applicator as shown at  44  in  FIG. 6 . The lands  26 ′ are spaced from ends  42  and  43  so that preferably two frangible portions  26 ′ are disposed at leg portions  31 , two frangible portions  26 ′ are disposed at leg portions  32 , two frangible portions  26 ′ are disposed at transverse portion  33 , and two frangible portions  26 ′ are disposed at transverse portion  34 . It is only when the seals S 1  and S 2  are intentionally manually separated from the label  28  by the user after the entire label sheet LS has been applied to the container C that the frangible portions  26 ′ are torn as the seals S 1  and S 2  are peeled from the container C.  
      As shown especially in connection with  FIGS. 2 through 5 , the complete cuts  26  and  27  extend through the label sheet  22 , but not through the carrier web  21 , and the partial severing  35  extends into the label sheet  22  to weaken it without completely severing it so that it can form a hinge or fold line as described below. As is most preferred, the carrier web  21  is completely uncut by cuts or partial severing. The carrier web  21  can, however, be provided with cuts or partial severing of a nature that do not destroy the capability of the composite label web  20  to be used in a label applicator. Therefore, certain cuts in the carrier web  21  can be tolerated. It is preferred that transverse partial severing in the carrier web, as are commonly used to separate one composite label sheet LS from an adjacent composite label sheet LS, be avoided because partial severing may cause tearing which would interfere with the capability of the composite label web  20  to be used in a label applicator. Also, if the knives that make the cuts  26  and/or  27  and/or the partial severing  35  cut into the carrier web  21 , that is not a problem so long as the carrier web  21  is not weakened to a point that the carrier web  21  tears during manufacture or application of the leading label sheet or while advancing the composite label web  20  in a label applicator.  
      As shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 6 , the composite label web  20  is disposed in a label applicator generally indicated at  44 . Such an applicator  44  can typically print a label, that is, a label sheet disposed at a printing position between a thermal print head  45  and a platen roll  46 , but other types of printers such as ink jet, xerographic and others can be used instead. As the composite label web  20  is advanced in the direction of arrow A by the platen roll  46  and/or a feeder (not shown) that pulls on the carrier web  21  at a location downstream of the printing position, the print head  45  prints on the leading label. A delaminator  47  such as a peel roller or peel bar disposed downstream causes the carrier web  21  to make a sharp change in direction, which causes the leading label to be dispensed into underlying, label applying relationship to a presser foot or applicator pad  48 . As noted above, the lands  26 ′ prevent the label sheet  22  from separating from the seals S 1  and S 2  or from following around the delaminator  47  while the label sheet LS is being dispensed. Thus, the entire label sheet LS is dispensed into underlying relation to the applicator pad  48  and is applied in tact to container C 1 . The presser foot  48  is reciprocally movable by actuating a rod  49  attached to the presser foot  48 . When the presser foot  48  is moved downwardly as shown in  FIG. 6 , the entire leading label sheet  22  which is beneath the presser foot  48  is applied to an article such as a container C, as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
       FIG. 8  shows the label sheet  22  applied to the container C. As shown, the label sheet  22  includes, in the illustrated embodiment, the label  28  and the security seals S 1  and S 2 .  
       FIG. 9  shows the security seals S 1  and S 2  as having been removed, that is, peeled from the container C, leaving the label  28  in place.  
       FIG. 10  shows the security seals S 1  and S 2  as having been removed from the container C and ready to be formed into security loops. In that there is no longer a carrier web portion under the seals S 1  and S 2 , it is unnecessary to remove it.  FIG. 12  shows one of the security seals S 1  formed into a closed loop or a security loop. The transverse portion  33  has been folded about the partial severing line or hinge  35  with end portion  31 ′ disposed or sandwiched between portions  33 ′ and  33 ″ of the transverse portion  33 . The adhesive  24  permanently holds the seal S 1  for example in loop form until the seal S 1  is broken by tearing the leg portion  31  or peeling portions  33 ′ and  33 ″ apart to release marginal end portion  31 ′ of the leg portion  31 . Security cuts  50  in the portions  33  and  34  assist in indicating tampering in the event portions  33 ′ and  33 ″ are attempted to be peeled apart to release the captive end portion  31 ′.  
      The adhesive  24  is preferably of an adhesivity that enables the entire label sheet  22  including the seals S 1  and S 2  to be applied to containers C without tearing, but enables the seals to be thereafter peeled or removed from the containers C and formed into loops ( FIG. 12 ) which cannot be torn, undone or peeled apart without indicating tampering.  
       FIG. 11  shows that the container C has four sides  51 , a bottom  51 ′ joined to the sides  51  and two, hinged, pivoted flaps  52  and  53 . The container C and its flaps  52  and  53  are constructed of substantially rigid plastics material. When the flaps  52  and  53  are in the closed position, the flap  53  prevents the flap  52  from opening. The flap  52  has projections  52 ′ which underlie projections  53 ′ on the flap  53 . Leg portions  31  and  32  of security seals S 1  and S 2  pass through holes  54  in the flap  53  and through holes (not shown) in a flange  55  of the container C. If the security seals S 1  and S 2  are broken or opened, it indicates tampering.  
      The composite label web  20  is usable in the following manner. The web  20  in either roll or fanfold form is disposed or loaded into a suitable label applicator  41  of the type, for example, that applies the label sheet  22  automatically onto a container C moving down a conveyor line. The automatic label applicator  44  typically includes a printer or print engine which prints data on the label sheet  22  before being dispensed into label applying relationship under the presser foot  48 . The container C was previously loaded with articles such as magazines or books. Only when the container C reaches its destination at the publisher or distributor are the security seals S 1  and S 2  to be broken and the contents accounted for by the recipient.  
      The prior art composite label web and its use are illustrated in  FIGS. 13 through 16 . The prior art composite label web generally indicated at  60  includes label sheets  61  on a carrier web  62 . The composite label web  60  is capable of being printed in a printer and the label sheets  61  are applied by hand but the composite label web  60  is not capable of being dispensed in a label applicator because it would be torn while the label sheets  61  were being dispensed. The carrier web  62  includes carrier sheets  63  hingedly connected at transversely extending lines of partial severing  64 , namely, perforations. Each label sheet  61  and its underlying label carrier sheet  63  constitute a composite label sheet LS connected at partial severing lines  64 . The partial severing lines  64  aid in tearing one composite label sheet  64  from the adjacent composite label sheet  64  by hand. Generally U-shaped continuous cuts  65  (shown by solid lines) in the label sheets  61  terminate a substantial distance from the trailing end TE of the label sheet  61 , and thus leg portions  66  and  67  of security seals S 3  and S 4  are relatively short. Therefore, the loops made by the seals S 3  and S 4  are short. A cut  68  through each label sheet  61 , together with the cut  64 , form security seal S 3  and S 4 . The label sheets  61  have pressure sensitive or tacky adhesive  69  on its entire underside except for marginal edges  61 ′ ( FIG. 14 ). The carrier web  62  has U-shaped cuts  70  (shown by solid lines in  FIG. 14  and by a light dash-dash line in  FIG. 13 ) which are slightly offset from the cuts or cut lines  65 . The cuts  70  extend completely through he carrier sheets  63  of the carrier web  62 , but preferably not into or through the label sheets  61 . Cuts of partial severing  71  in the security seals S 3  and S 4  provide a hinge that enables portions  72  and  73  to be folded upon each other.  
      The portions of the carrier sheets  63  that lie within the U-shaped cuts  70  comprise covers  74  for the adhesive  69 . The covers  74  act as tabs which facilitate manual removal and exposure of the adhesive  24 , but they prevent the composite label sheet LS′ from being dispensed in a label applicator. As shown in  FIG. 15 , the seals S 3  and S 4  and the underlying portions of the carrier sheet  63  have been separated from the remainder of the composite label sheet S′. The seals S 3  and S 4  do not stick to the container C because of the underlying portions of the carrier sheet  63 . The cover or tab  74  has been removed by grasping it manually and tearing it off. This act results in separation of not only the portion of the cover  74  within the cut line  70  but also tearing of an additional portion of the carrier sheet along jagged lines  75  in the carrier sheet  63 . Thereafter, the exposed adhesive  69  is used to apply the remainder of the composite label sheet LS′ to a container such as the container C as shown in  FIG. 16 . The security seals S 3  and S 4  and the underlying portions of the carrier sheet  63  are shown in  FIG. 17 . The security seals S 3  and S 4  can now be peeled from the carrier sheet  63  and formed into loops to seal the container, such as the container C.  
      Other embodiments and modifications of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.