Abstract:
A label feeder which applies labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon to a linerless label material or liner label material having graphic information thereon is disclosed. The label feeder provides information to and retrieves information from the labels with electromagnetic wave information before the graphic label is applied on the product. The linerless label material or liner label material can be covered with adhesive on one side and with a low adhesion substrate on the other side or be partly covered on both sides, both longitudinally or transversely. By using a label feeder using a label material, it is possible to print graphic information on an even label material, application of a label with electromagnetic wave information providing or receiving information, and inline control before application. A method for making labels is also disclosed.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/744,943 filed Mar. 13, 2001 entitled “LABEL FEEDER”. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a label feeder in which labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon are applied on a linerless label material or a liner label material.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     When self-adhesive labels with electromagnetic wave information today are applied, the most common method is first to apply a label with electromagnetic wave information and then a graphic label on top thereof. The reason for positioning a graphic label, for example, a price label, usually on top thereof is for concealing the label with electromagnetical wave information, for example, an alarm. A currently used technique is that at label manufacture, before the labels are stamped out of their carrier web, the combined, self-adhesive label front material web is removed from its carrier web, usually silicon paper, whereupon the label with electromagnetic wave information, for example, a label with a memory circuit and an antenna or a coil/capacitor with an antenna, is applied on the adhesive. The self-adhesive front web is then joined with the carrier web, whereupon the label is stamped out of the front web, so that the label with the electromagnetic wave information is below and concealed. This label can then be applied on the product in an ordinary label dispenser. In this case, thermo printing or thermo transfer printing is a problem since thermo printing requires a plane surface, and with a label with electromagnetic wave information below, the surface is uneven.  
         [0004]     Another technique is to apply the label with electromagnetic wave information in a laminate between two material layers, which gives the same problem as described above.  
         [0005]     Another problem today is that each and every mechanical influence or passing of an undesireable electromagnetic field in certain cases influences the stored information on a label or prevents the label from receiving the desired information. For this reason, the mechanical or electromagnetic field influence should be as small as possible.  
         [0006]     The function of a label with electromagnetic wave information is, for example, to receive information via radio waves and store this information in a memory device. This information is then later emitted via radio waves on another occasion. The label may also have a circuit with coil and capacitor, which in a radio wave field emits a wave length of its own, which then can be indicated as an alarm.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is a label feeder which applies labels with electromagnetic wave information to a linerless label material or a liner label material having graphic information thereon. The label feeder provides information to and retrieves information from the labels with electromagnetic wave information shortly before the graphic label is applied on the product. The linerless label material or liner label material can be covered with adhesive on one side and with a low adhesion substrate on the other side or be partly covered on both sides, both longitudinally or transversely.  
         [0008]     By using a label feeder with liner or linerless label material as carriers and as covering elements, it is possible to print graphic information on an even material web, i.e., the label material, and to apply thereto the labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon in line before the application on a product, whereby a material saving and thus cheaper design is obtained. By using this label feeder, other functions may also be accomplished.  
         [0009]     The present invention makes it possible to print graphic material over the entire label surface since the electromagnetic wave information thereon, e.g., alarm tags, chips or the like (which otherwise constitutes an uneven surface), are added after the printing. Further, it is possible to be selective in applying alarm tags, chips or other types of labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon to label material to form individual labels. For example, labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon may be added to the label material such that only a predetermined number of individual labels, for example every second, fifth or tenth individual label, may be provided with a label with electromagnetic wave information thereon. This will aid in keeping costs down and still create unsurity among potential shoplifters since they will not know which individual labels have alarm tags or other labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon.  
         [0010]     These objects and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Referring to the drawings:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a first embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of a second embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of a third embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of a fourth embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of a fifth embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a side view of a sixth embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of a seventh embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  shows a side view of an eighth embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of a ninth embodiment of a label feeder of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     The present invention is a label feeder  20  which applies a plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information thereon to a label material  28 , such as a linerless label material  28 ′ or a liner label material  28 ″, having graphic information thereon. The label feeder  20  provides information to and retrieves information from the plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information shortly before the graphic label is applied on the product.  
         [0022]     While the labels  26  are described throughout as labels  26  with electromagnetic information thereon, it is to be understood that the labels  26  may be of various label structures, for example more intelligent label types such as labels which carry sophisticated information about the product on which it will be placed, as well as alarm tags or the like.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , the label feeder  20  comprises a first roll  22  having label material  28  thereon, a second roll  24  having a plurality of labels  26 , a driven roller means  34  for combining the plurality of labels  26  and the label material  28  together, and a terminal severing or cutting means  30  for making individual labels. The label material  28  on the first roll  22  may be a linerless label material  28 ′, as shown for example in  FIGS. 1-3 ,  6 - 9 , or a conventional web liner label material  28 ″, as shown for example in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  
         [0024]     In a preferred embodiment, the driven roller means  34  preferably has an upper roller and a lower roller. A nip is formed between the upper roller and the lower roller. Either one or both of the rollers may be driven to provide the driven roller means  34 .  
         [0025]     The linerless label material  28 ′ is a label material with self-adhesive material on the lower side and with low adhesion material or substrate, such as usually silicon, on the upper side. The linerless label material  28 ′ can have such self-adhesive and low adhesion substrates over its entire surface or a part thereof. The linerless label material  28 ′ can also have self-adhesive and/or low adhesion substrates on the lower side and/or the upper side.  
         [0026]     The liner label material  28 ″ is a conventional web label material with an adhesive material such as a self-adhesive material, on the lower side and a liner  32  thereon and with a low adhesion material or substrate, such as silicon, on the upper side. The liner label material  28 ″ can have adhesive over its entire surface or a part thereof. In an embodiment having liner label material  28 ″, the liner  32  is preferably separated from the base label material after thermo printing and before the base label material is fed through the driven roller means  34  and combined with the plurality of labels  26  as described in further detail hereafter.  
         [0027]     The label material  28  on the first roll  22  passes a printer head  36 , which adds graphic information to the label material  28 , usually by thermo or thermo transfer printing, before the driven roller means  34  and combining with the label material  28 .  
         [0028]     In one embodiment, the plurality of labels  26  may be a continuous roll of labels  26 ′, i.e., continuous label web, which is cut or separated into individual labels by a primary severing or cutting means  40  before being fed through the driven roller means  34  and combined with the label material  28 . In another embodiment, the plurality of labels  26  may be individual self-adhesive labels  26 ″ on a carrier web  38  on the second roll  24 . In this embodiment, the individual labels  26 ″ are separated from the carrier web  38  before being fed through the driven roller means  34  and combined with the label material  28 . The empty carrier web  38  is then rolled onto a carrier web roll  42 . The plurality of labels  26  are labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon which is usually a memory circuit or a self-oscillating coil/capacitor.  
         [0029]     The plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information thereon are preferably applied on the lower side of the label material  28  by feeding the plurality of labels  26  through the driven roller means  34 . The driven roller means  34  makes the plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information thereon stick to the adhesive on the label material  28  preferably by means of pressure. For example, the label material  28 , i.e., a linerless label material  28 ′ or a liner label material  28 ″, and the plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information thereon, i.e., a continuous roll of labels  26 ′ having labels cut therefrom or individual labels  26 ″ on a carrier web  38 , are combined by the driven roller means  34  to form a combined web material  50 .  
         [0030]     The driven roller means  34  may also optionally combine the label material  28 , the plurality of labels  26  and a liner  32 , such as from the liner label material  28 ″, as shown for example in  FIG. 4 , or a separate liner  32 ′, such as from a separate roll  52 , as shown for example in  FIG. 6 , such that the liner  32 , 32 ′ is combined to the lower side of the plurality of labels  26  at the driven roller means  34  to form the combined web material  50 .  
         [0031]     In another embodiment, the liner  32  separated from the label material  28  may be combined with the label material  28  and the plurality of labels  26  in a later step after the label material  28  and plurality of labels  26  are combined by the driven roller means  34 . In this embodiment, a drive feeder roller  66  may optionally be positioned after the driven roller means  34  to optionally combine the liner  32  with the already combined label material  28  and plurality of labels  26  to form the combined web material  50 .  
         [0032]     In another embodiment (not shown), the drive feed roller  66  may alternatively combine a separate liner  32 ′ to the label material  28  and the plurality of labels  26  after the label material  28  and the plurality of labels  26  are combined to form the combined web material  50  as described above.  
         [0033]     The combined web material  50  then preferably passes a programming station  60 , where the plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information thereon receive additional information, such as for example by radio waves. This information is preferably then stored.  
         [0034]     Further, the combined web material  50  preferably passes a control station  62  which controls the functioning of the plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information thereon. For example, the control station  62  controls the radio waves added by the programming station  60  so that the plurality of labels  26  with electromagnetic wave information function properly.  
         [0035]     The combined web material  50  finally passes a terminal severing or cutting equipment  30 , which cuts the combined web material  50  into suitable lengths of electromagnetic wave information-containing labels/graphic labels.  
         [0036]     The various embodiments of the plurality of labels  26 , label material  28  and optional liner  32 , 32 ′ may be used in conjunction to provide various embodiments of the label feeder  20  of the present invention. For example, some of these embodiments are as follows.  
         [0037]     As shown for example in  FIGS. 2 and 8 , a linerless label material  28 ′ on the first roll  22  passes a thermo printer head  36  which adds graphic information to the linerless label material  28 ′. The linerless label material  28 ′ preferably has an adhesive at least on its lower side. A continuous roll of labels  26 ′ on the second roll  24  is fed through driven feed roller  68  and then cut into individual labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon by a primary severing means  40 , as shown for example in  FIG. 8  or cut into pieces of labels, as shown for example in  FIG. 2 . The labels  26 ′ and label material  28 ′ are combined by the driven roller means  34  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60  and receives additional information. The combined web material  50  then passes a control station  62  which controls the functioning of the labels  26 ′ with electromagnetic wave information thereon. The combined web material  50  finally passes a terminal severing means  30  which cuts the combined web material  50  into suitable lengths of electromagnetic wave information-containing labels/graphic labels.  
         [0038]     As shown for example in  FIGS. 3 and 9 , a linerless label material  28 ′ on the first roll  22  passes a thermo printer head  36  which adds graphic information to the linerless label material  28 ′. The linerless label material  28 ′ preferably has an adhesive on at least its lower side. Individual labels  26 ″ on a carrier web  38  on the second roll  24  are separated from the carrier web  38 . The empty carrier web  38  is then rolled onto a carrier web roll  42 . The labels  26 ″ with electromagnetic wave information thereon and the label material  28 ′ are combined by the driven roller means  34  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60  and receives additional information. The combined web material  50  then passes a control station  62  which controls the functioning of the labels  26 ″, with electromagnetic wave information thereon. The combined web material  50  finally passes a terminal severing means  30  which cuts the combined web material  50  into suitable lengths of electromagnetic wave information-containing labels/graphic labels.  
         [0039]     As shown for example in  FIG. 3 , the carrier web roll  42  may be positioned such that the carrier web  38  is operatively positioned on a lower side of the labels  26 ″. As shown for example in  FIG. 9 , the carrier web roll  42  may be positioned such that the carrier web  38  is operatively positioned on an upper side of the labels  26 ″.  
         [0040]     As shown for example in  FIG. 4 , a liner label material  28 ″ on the first roll  22  passes a thermo printer head  36  which adds graphic information to the liner label material  28 ″. The liner  32  is then preferably separated from the base label material. The base label material preferably has an adhesive at least on its lower side. A continuous roll of labels  26 ′ with electromagnetic wave information on the second roll  24  is fed through driven feed rollers  68  and then cut into individual labels by a primary severing means  40 . Then the liner  32 , labels and base label material are combined by the driven roller means  34  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60  and receives additional information. The combined web material  50  then passes a control station  62  which controls the functioning of the labels  26 ′ with electromagnetic wave information thereon. The combined web material  50  finally passes a terminal severing means  30  which cuts the combined web material  50  into suitable lengths of electromagnetic wave information-containing labels/graphic labels.  
         [0041]     In another embodiment (not shown), the individual labels  26 ″ on a carrier web  38  may be combined with a liner label material  28 ″ and a liner  32  as described above.  
         [0042]     As shown for example in  FIG. 5 , a liner label material  28 ″ on the first roll  22  passes a thermo printer head  36  which adds graphic information to the liner label material  28 ″. The liner  32  is then preferably separated from the base label material. The base label material preferably has an adhesive on at least its lower side. Individual labels  26 ″ on a carrier web  38  on the second roll  24  are separated from the carrier web  38 . The empty carrier web  38  is then rolled onto a carrier web roll  42 . The labels  26 ″, the base label material and the liner  32  are combined by the driven roller means  34  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60  and receives additional information. The combined web material  50  then passes a control station  62  which controls the functioning of the labels  26 ″ with electromagnetic wave information thereon. The combined web material  50  finally passes a terminal severing means  30  which cuts the combined web material  50  into suitable lengths of electromagnetic wave information-containing labels/graphic labels.  
         [0043]     In another embodiment (not shown), the liner  32  may be combined with the combined labels  26 ″ and the base label material in a step after the labels  26 ″ and the base label material have already been combined. A driven feed roller  66  may optionally be used to combine the liner  32  with the already combined labels and base material.  
         [0044]     In another embodiment (not shown), a roll of continuous labels  26 ′ cut into individual labels may be combined with the base label material and then combined with the liner  32  in a separate step as described above.  
         [0045]     As shown for example in  FIG. 6 , a linerless label material  28 ′ on the first roll  22  passes a thermo printer head  36  which adds graphic information to the linerless label material  28 ′. The linerless label material  28 ′ preferably has an adhesive on at least its lower side. A continuous roll of labels  26 ′ on the second roll  24  is fed through driven feed rollers  68  and then cut into individual labels with electromagnetic wave information by a primary severing means  40 . The linerless label material  28 ′, the labels  26 ′ and a separate liner  32 ′ from roll  52  are combined by the driven roller means  34  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60  and receives additional information. The combined web material  50  then passes a control station  62  which controls the functioning of the labels  26 ′ with electromagnetic wave information thereon. The combined web material  50  finally passes a terminal severing means  30  which cuts the combined web material  50  into suitable lengths of electromagnetic wave information-containing labels/graphic labels.  
         [0046]     In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the linerless label material  28 ′ and the labels  26 ′ may be combined by the driven roller means  34 . A separate liner  32 ′ may then be combined with the already combined linerless label material  28 ′ and labels  26 ′ by a driven feeder roller  66  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60 , a control station  62  and terminal severing means  30  as described above.  
         [0047]     As shown for example in  FIG. 7 , a linerless label material  28 ′ on the first roll  22  passes a thermo printer head  36  which adds graphic information to the linerless label material  28 ′. The linerless label material  28 ′ preferably has an adhesive on at least its lower side. Individual labels  26 ″ on a carrier web  38  on the second roll  24  are separated from the carrier web  38 . The empty carrier web  38  is then rolled onto a carrier web roll  42 . The linerless label material  28 ′, the labels  26 ″ and a separate liner  32 ′ are combined by the driven roller means  34  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60  and receives additional information. The combined web material  50  then passes a control station  62  which controls the functioning of the labels  26 ″ with electromagnetic wave information thereon. The combined web material  50  finally passes a terminal severing means  30  which cuts the combined web material  50  into suitable lengths of electromagnetic wave information-containing labels/graphic labels.  
         [0048]     In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the linerless label material  28 ′ and the labels  26 ″ may be combined by the driven roller means  34 . A separate liner  32 ′ may be combined with the already combined linerless label material  28 ′ and labels  26 ″ by a driven feeder roller  66  to form a combined web material  50  which then passes a programming station  60 , a control station  62  and a terminal severing means  30  as described above.  
         [0049]     The present invention makes it possible to print graphic material over the entire label surface since the labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon, e.g., alarm tags, chips or the like (which otherwise constitutes an uneven surface), are added after the printing. Further, it is possible to be selective in applying alarm tags, chips or other types of labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon to label material to form individual labels. For example, labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon may be added to the label material such that only a predetermined number of individual labels, for example, every second, fifth or tenth individual label, may be provided with a label with electromagnetic wave information thereon. This will aid in keeping costs down and still create unsurity among potential shoplifters since they will not know which individual labels have alarm tags or other labels with electromagnetic wave information thereon.  
         [0050]     While the above embodiments of the label feeder  20  are preferred, the components of the label feeder  20  may be in any suitable arrangement.  
         [0051]     The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the appended claims.