Abstract:
An adhesive pattern for a label system is disclosed. The adhesive pattern includes a label sheet having a plurality of non-adhesive sections, and a plurality of adhesive sections connected to the non-adhesive sections. The non-adhesive sections and the adhesive sections are in alternate arrangement to form the label sheet. The label sheet also includes a plurality of labels having a first end and a second end, and the first end is attached to a non-adhesive section. Upon removal of the label from a non-adhesive section, the label has a non-sticking surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/435,570, filed on Dec. 20, 2002, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention is directed to an adhesive pattern for a label system, and more particularly, to an adhesive pattern for labeling faceplates, surface mount boxes, patch panels and marker ties.  
           [0003]    Adhesive patterns for labeling a 24-port or 48-port installation with one sheet have been utilized in the telecommunications industry. For example, Hellermann Tyton&#39;s  606 Basic Plus package utilizes different label sizes on one sheet to label a 24-port or 48-port installation. Moreover, adhesive label sheets having only one size label placed thereon are also known. However, none of the prior label sheets have utilized the same adhesive pattern on sheets of one-port, two-port, three-port, four-port and six-port labels, each sheet having only one label size, as well as on sheets having a combination of different label sizes.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It would be desirable to provide an adhesive pattern utilized on sheets of one-port, two-port, three-port, four-port and six-port labels, each sheet having only one label size.  
           [0005]    It would also be desirable to provide the same adhesive pattern utilized on sheets having a combination of different label sizes, such as one-port, two-port, three-port, four-port and six-port labels.  
           [0006]    An adhesive pattern for a label system is disclosed. The adhesive pattern includes a label sheet having a plurality of non-adhesive sections, and a plurality of adhesive sections connected to the non-adhesive sections. The non-adhesive sections and the adhesive sections are in alternate arrangement to form the label sheet. The label sheet also includes a plurality of labels having a first end and a second end, and the first end is attached to a non-adhesive section. Upon removal of the label from a non-adhesive section, the label has a non-sticking surface.  
           [0007]    Preferably, the second end of each label is attached to an adhesive section. Alternatively, the second end of each label may be attached to a non-adhesive section.  
           [0008]    Preferably, the label sheet comprises only one label size. Alternatively, the label sheet may comprise more than one label size.  
           [0009]    Preferably, the labels are one-port, two-port, three-port, four-port or six-port labels.  
           [0010]    Preferably, the non-adhesive sections are narrower than the adhesive sections. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a plan view of an adhesive pattern of the present invention, showing one-port labels;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the adhesive pattern of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the adhesive pattern of FIG. 1, showing two-port labels;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the adhesive pattern of FIG. 1, showing three-port labels;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the adhesive pattern of FIG. 1, showing four-port labels;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a plan view of the adhesive pattern of FIG. 1, showing six-port labels; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a plan view of the adhesive pattern of FIG. 1, showing a combination label sheet having one-port, two-port, three-port and four-port labels. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    The illustrated embodiments of the invention are directed to an adhesive pattern for labeling faceplates, surface mount boxes, patch panels and marker ties.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 shows an adhesive pattern  10  having eight columns of one-port labels  12 . However, it is likewise contemplated that any number of columns of one-port labels  12  can be formed on the label sheet. Preferably, each one-port label is 0.236 inches in height and 0.68 inches in width. As shown in FIG. 1, two adhesive patterns are formed on a 20″ wide continuous web. The web is die cut to form individual 8½×1 sheets, each having an adhesive pattern  10 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 shows adhesive pattern  10  having alternating non-adhesive and adhesive sections, such as non-adhesive section  14  and adhesive section  16 . Preferably, non-adhesive section  14  is narrower than adhesive section  16 . The left end of one-port labels  12  is attached to non-adhesive section  14 , and the right end of one-port labels  12  is attached to adhesive section  16 . Thus, one-port labels  12  should be removed from the label sheet by peeling each label from left to right, that is, from non-adhesive section  14  to adhesive section  16 . Because of the label sheet composition, upon removal of one-port labels  12  from left to right, one-port labels  12  have a non-sticking surface. If one-port labels  12  are removed from right to left, that is, from adhesive section  16  to non-adhesive section  14 , one-port labels  12  will have a sticking surface. The non-sticking label surface can be inserted in a pocket on a telecommunication device, such as a faceplate, patch panel, etc. A cover snaps over the label to retain the label therein.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the label sheet adhesive pattern shown in FIG. 1. The label sheet comprises seven layers: 1) a twenty-eight pound liner  18 ; 2) a 0.0005 inch no tack dry adhesive layer  20 ; 3) a 0.001 inch polyester layer  22 ; 4) a hot melt adhesive layer  24  with non-adhesive sections  25 ; 5) a 0.001 inch polyester layer  26 ; 6) a 0.0005 inch pressure sensitive adhesive layer  28 ; and 7) a top liner  30 . Top liner  30  is utilized to protect the label sheet during transportation. Thereafter, top liner  30  is removed and a 0.004 inch polyester layer is added to the label sheet. The label sheet is then die cut to the hot melt adhesive layer  24  to produce a sheet of one-port, two-port, three-port, four-port or six-port labels. The label sheet can also be die cut to produce a combination sheet having different label sizes, such as one-port, two-port, three-port, four-port and six-port labels.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 shows adhesive pattern  10  having four columns of two-port labels  32 . However, it is likewise contemplated that any number of columns of two-port labels  32  can be formed on the label sheet. Preferably, each two-port label is 0.236 inches in height and 1.315 inches in width. As in FIG. 1, the left end of two-port labels  32  is attached to non-adhesive section  14 , and the right end of two-port labels  32  is attached to adhesive section  16 . Thus, two-port labels  32  should be removed from left to right to achieve a non-sticking surface. If two-port labels  32  are removed from right to left, two-port labels  32  will have a sticking surface.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 shows adhesive pattern  10  having three columns of three-port labels  34 . However, it is likewise contemplated that any number of columns of three-port labels  34  can be formed on the label sheet. Preferably, each three-port label is 0.236 inches in height and 1.95 inches in width. As in FIGS. 1 and 3, the left end of three-port labels  34  is attached to non-adhesive section  14 , and in column one, the right end of three-port labels  34  is attached to adhesive section  16 . Thus, in column one, three-port labels  34  should be removed from left to right to achieve a non-sticking surface. If three-port labels  34  are removed from right to left, three-port labels  34  will have a sticking surface. However, unlike in FIGS. 1 and 3, in columns two and three, the right end of three-port labels  34  is attached to non-adhesive section  14 . Thus, in columns two and three, three-port labels  34  can be removed from left to right or from right to left to achieve a non-sticking surface.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 shows adhesive pattern  10  having two columns of four-port labels  36 . However, it is likewise contemplated that any number of columns of four-port labels  36  can be formed on the label sheet. Preferably, each four-port label is 0.236 inches in height and 2.585 inches in width. As in FIGS. 1 and 3, the left end of four-port labels  36  is attached to non-adhesive section  14 , and the right end of four-port labels  36  is attached to adhesive section  16 . Thus, four-port labels  36  should be removed from left to right to achieve a non-sticking surface. If four-port labels  36  are removed from right to left, four-port labels  36  will have a sticking surface.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 shows adhesive pattern  10  having two columns of six-port labels  38 . However, it is likewise contemplated that any number of columns of six-port labels  38  can be formed on the label sheet. Preferably, each six-port label is 0.236 inches in height and 3.855 inches in width. As in FIGS. 1, 3 and  5 , the left end of six-port labels  38  is attached to non-adhesive section  14 , and the right end of six-port labels  38  is attached to adhesive section  16 . Thus, six-port labels  38  should be removed from left to right to achieve a non-sticking surface. If six-port labels  38  are removed from right to left, six-port labels  38  will have a sticking surface.  
         [0026]    As described above, FIGS.  1 - 6  show adhesive pattern  10  having columns of one-port labels  12 , two-port labels  32 , three-port labels  34 , four-port labels  36  and six-port labels  38 . FIG. 7 shows adhesive pattern  10  having a combination of one-port labels  12 , two-port labels  32 , three-port labels  34  and four-port labels  36 . However, it is likewise contemplated that six-port labels  38  can be provided in the combination label sheet.  
         [0027]    The disclosed invention provides an adhesive pattern utilized on sheets of one-port, two-port, three-port, four-port and six-port labels, each sheet having only one label size, as well as on sheets having a combination of different label sizes. It should be noted that the above-described illustrated embodiments and preferred embodiments of the invention are not an exhaustive listing of the form such an adhesive pattern in accordance with the invention might take; rather, they serve as exemplary and illustrative of embodiments of the invention as presently understood. By way of example, and without limitation, the adhesive pattern can be utilized on a combination label sheet having any combination of the five different label sizes described above. Many other forms of the invention are believed to exist.