Patent Grant
11996013
This application is a National Phase Application of PCT International Application No. PCT/IB2020/054192, having an International Filing Date of May 4, 2020 which claims priority to Italian Application No. 102019000006478 filed May 2, 2019, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a label with a handle for hanging a bottle in an upside-down position, and a label with a handle which can be obtained by such method.
A label with a handle applicable to a bottle is illustrated in prior art document EP0356574A2 in which such handle protrudes free from the upper edge of the label when it is not in use.
Such solution has the main disadvantage of being technically complex and costly. Further solutions of this type are known, for example, from US 2006/057313 A1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,878,901 A, 5,135,125 A, CN 201 685 500 U.
A similar solution is disclosed in US2006057313.
Document WO2018220660 shows a label consisting of a single layer resting on a silicone-coated backing layer (indicated by reference numeral 5 in
A label with a handle made by joining two separate adhesive films is known instead from prior document EP2246266A1, by the same owner.
As shown in such document, a lower film comprises the wording required to identify the infusion container, while a transparent upper film is joined in an adhesive manner to the lower film and makes the handle for turning the container up-side-down when administering its contents to a patient.
A drawback related to this prior technique is that, when the label is applied to a bottle, any printed characters placed on the surface tend to be damaged due to the mechanical stresses to which the bottle and the label are subjected at the labeling machine.
A further drawback related to this prior technique relates to the limited extension of the handle with respect to the width or height of the adhesive label, a limit which, in the case of small bottles, makes the handle unusable or difficult to use to suspend the bottles to which it is applied.
Furthermore, the need is strongly felt to have a handle label with separable secondary labels to identify the product contained in the bottle also in a separate document, separating at least one of these secondary labels, e.g. with pre-printed product indications, and applying it to the separate document, e.g. a medical record.
The present invention provides a method and a self-adhesive label capable of overcoming the drawbacks described with reference to the prior art.
In particular, the method and label according to the present invention have been designed to make the hanging handle simple to make and easy to use even if the container to which it is applied is small. Additionally, the method and label according to the present invention are designed to make the secondary label print characters resistant to abrasion forces. Furthermore, according to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the secondary label is designed to be writable on the surface using ordinary writing instruments.
The object of the present invention will now be described in detail, with reference the appended drawings, in which:
In accordance with a general embodiment, the aforesaid objectives are achieved through a method for manufacturing a label 1 with a hanging handle 2 which comprises the steps of:
In accordance with a general embodiment, the aforesaid objectives are achieved through a method for manufacturing a label 1 with a hanging handle 2 which comprises the steps of:
According to a general embodiment, a label 1 with a hanging handle 2 which can be obtained through the method according to the preceding embodiment, comprises:
According to a general embodiment, a label 1 with a hanging handle 2, which can be obtained through the method according to the preceding embodiment, comprises:
In accordance with an embodiment of the method, the aforesaid objectives are achieved through a method for manufacturing a label 1 with a hanging handle 2, comprising the steps of:
According to an alternative embodiment of the method, in step vii) the separation of the hanging handle 2 and of at least one secondary label 34 in a different zone 36 occurs in a direction opposite with respect to the forming of the label outline 38 in the first frontal layer 8 so that the hanging handle 2 is placed, with label 1 formed, partly overhanging beyond the label outline 38.
In accordance with a further embodiment, in step vii) separating and forming are die-cutting steps.
For example, the secondary labels 34 may be a plurality of secondary labels 34.
According to an embodiment, the different zone 36 may be superimposed only on the release promoter of the first layer 12 (when two layers of promoter are provided).
According to a variant, the hanging handle 2 is partly overhanging and extends beyond a label width 100. In other words, such handle protrudes outside the first frontal layer 8.
In an embodiment, the first laminated material 4 and/or the second laminated material 20 are initially in the form of a strip, which extends along a prevailing development direction X, X′.
According to a further embodiment, the first frontal layer 8 and/or the second frontal layer 28 may comprise or consist of a plastic film.
According to a yet further embodiment, the first frontal layer 8 and/or second frontal layer 28 may have an average density of about 50-500 g/m2, optionally 70-300 g/m2, e.g. about 150 g/m2.
In a variant, the frontal surface 10 of the first frontal layer 8 and/or a frontal surface 94 of the second frontal layer 28 are essentially planar and are optionally printable. In particular, one or both of these surfaces are configured so that graphic layers 56, 58 can be distributed and adhere to them.
At least part of the frontal surface 10 of the first frontal layer 8 will, therefore, remain visible on a bottle when label 1 is applied to it, specifically by virtue of the transparency of the second frontal layer 28.
According to an embodiment, the backing layer 6 serves as a releasable support for the completed label 1 and not only for the first frontal layer 8.
According to an embodiment, the second frontal layer 28 is only partially opacified at the hanging handle 2 to reveal its presence, according to an embodiment without concealing the first graphic layer 56 superimposed on the first frontal layer 8.
In other words, the partial opacification of the second frontal layer 28 allows, on the one hand, identifying the first graphic layer 56 (by virtue of the partial transparency of such layer 28), and, on the other hand, identifying the hanging handle which is partially superimposed on the first graphic layer 56 (by virtue of the opaque component, partially impervious to light, of such layer 28).
According to an embodiment, at the secondary label 34, the label 1 comprises an opaque contrast layer 104 (e.g. see
As a result, the opaque contrast layer 104 is a layer configured to opacify the transparency of the second frontal layer 28, and further to act as a background and create contrast with the second graphic layer 58.
The protective layer 106 is superimposed on the second graphic layer 58 (and preferably also on the opaque contrast layer 104) so that the abrasive phenomena which occur when the label is applied to a bottle do not remove or smudge the second graphic layer 58, or the opaque contrast layer 104 and second graphic layer 58 (according to the variant).
For example, for a dark or black second graphic layer 58, the opaque contrast layer 104 may be a soft and/or neutral color, e.g. white.
According to an embodiment, the protective layer 106 is applied at least over the second graphic layer 58 using a flexographic method.
According to an embodiment, the protective layer 106 is applied at least over the second graphic layer 58 by a method other than a flexographic method.
According to an embodiment, the protective layer 106 is applied with a thickness of at least 1 μm or more.
According to an embodiment, the protective layer 106 delimits a writable surface 108 through an ink writing instrument, e.g. a ballpoint pen (jotter), or with inline markings, e.g. heat transfer.
In other words, the protective layer 106 performs the dual function of protection (as discussed above) and of writable substrate to annotate customized information on the secondary label 34.
According to an embodiment, the second frontal layer 28 is opacified through a pigment or color mixed with a release promoter substance of a layer of release promoter 12, 18.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the first laminated material 4 and a precursor 22 of the second laminated material 20 comprise corresponding or substantially identical layers. A definition of the term “identical” is given in the following description.
In an embodiment, such layers comprise, mutually superimposed, a backing layer 6, a de-adhesive layer 24 (e.g. silicone-based), an adhesive layer 26, 26′ and a first frontal layer 8/second frontal layer 28. According to such variant, step iv) comprises a step of separating, and optionally discarding, the backing layer and the de-adhesive layer of the precursor 22 upstream of step v).
During the optional step vi), the second layer of release promoter 18 is then solidified (e.g.: cured) in contact with the adhesive layer 26′, so as to bond such layers, and optionally so that the adhesive layer cannot perform its adhesive function as it is at least partially covered (and therefore rendered inert) by the second layer of solid release promoter 18.
In other words, according to such variant, the second layer of release promoter 18 works by “transfer” because, although it covers the first layer of release promoter 12, the second layer of release promoter 18 transfers to the adhesive layer 26′ to make it inert in step vi).
In a further embodiment, the solidification step comprises a step of solidifying or cross-linking through electromagnetic radiation, e.g. UV radiation, or thermal radiation.
For example, step vi) may take place upstream of step vii).
According to a variant, the hanging handle 2 comprises at least one gripping portion 30 in which—in step iii)—the handle zone 16 also extends at such gripping portion 30.
In the embodiments shown, the hanging handle 2 and, if present, the gripping portion 30 comprises a portion protruding from an optionally curved outer edge 32 of the handle 2. For example, the protruding portion is not in adhesive contact with the first frontal layer 8, either by virtue of the double layer of the release promoter or because of its overhanging position with respect to it.
According to a further variant, step vii) comprises at least one sub-step of creating at least one creasing line 42, 44 on the second frontal layer 28, in order to deform the second frontal layer 28 and facilitate lifting of a portion, e.g. a peripheral portion, of the secondary label 34 and/or the hanging handle 2. According to an embodiment, the creasing line 44 is made at the gripping portion 30 to lift a peripheral portion.
In a variant, step vii) comprises at least a first step of die-cutting-creasing 82, and optionally a second step of die-cutting 84, described hereinbelow.
According to an embodiment, step vii) is carried out outside the free zone 14, so that in the zone 14 the second frontal layer 28 creates a single anchoring foot 46 of the hanging handle 2, from which a pair of arms 48, 48′ mutually connected in a ring extend.
According to a further embodiment, during step ii) and/or step iii), the first frontal layer 8 and/or the first (or only) layer of release promoter 12 are partially covered with one or more protective masks (not shown) which prevent the coating of some zones 52, 50 with the first layer of release promoter 12 and/or the second layer of release promoter 18, to modulate the separation force of an edge 32 (e.g. the outer edge) of the hanging handle 2 and/or a lifting portion 54 of the secondary label 34.
By way of example, at least one protective mask may comprise approximately punctiform protective elements, spaced along the extension of the edge 32 and/or the lifting portion 54 with predefined density.
As regards such density, it will be commensurate with the size of handle 2 and secondary label 34 and to the nature of the adhesive layer 26′.
According to a variant, the second frontal layer 28 is at least partially transparent to light to reveal an optional first graphic layer 56 distributed on the first frontal layer 8 (in particular upstream of step ii), e.g. as shown in
Specifically, the pigment or color may be mixed with the release promoting substance of the layer of release promoter 18 (e.g. the second layer).
According to an embodiment, step vii) is followed by at least one step of scrap removing 60 in which, outside the hanging handle 2 and/or secondary label 34, the second frontal layer 28 and the first frontal layer 8 in its sole part, die-cut and placed under the portion of the hanging handle 2 that will be overhanging, is taken as continuous scrap 62, to create a lifting step 64 about the hanging handle 2 and/or secondary label 34 and to make a part of the overhanging hanging handle 2.
The aforesaid objectives are also achieved through a label 1 with a hanging handle 2 as described below.
Since a variant of the label provides manufacturing by the previous method, even where not expressly stated, the label may comprise any characteristic that can be inferred—from the point of view of the process—from the description above.
According to an embodiment, the label 1 comprises:
Optionally, the second layer of release promoter 18 is solidified in contact with the adhesive layer 26′, to bond the layers 18, 26′.
According to a variant, the hanging handle 2 comprises at least one gripping portion 30, wherein the handle zone 16 also extends at such gripping portion 30.
According to a further variant, the second frontal layer 28 delimits at least one creasing line 42, 44 to facilitate lifting of a portion, e.g. a peripheral portion, of the secondary label 34 and/or the hanging handle 2.
According to a yet further variant, in the free zone 14, the second frontal layer 28 comprises a single anchoring foot 46 of the hanging handle 2, from which a pair of arms 48, 48′ mutually connected in a ring extends.
Optionally, the pair of arms 48, 48′ may be rotated with respect to the anchoring foot 46 (around a rotation axis R, in accordance with an embodiment, common to both arms), to allow the handle to be carried folded out of the label, and to act as hanging element of a bottle associated with it, in an upside-down position.
According to an embodiment, the second frontal layer 28 is at least partially transparent to light to reveal an optional first graphic layer 56 distributed on the first frontal layer 8.
According to an embodiment, the second frontal layer 28 is only partially opacified at the hanging handle 2 to reveal its presence without concealing the first graphic layer 56 superimposed on the first frontal layer 8.
According to an embodiment, at the secondary label 34, the label 1 comprises an opaque contrast layer 104, superimposed on the second frontal layer 28 to substantially eliminate its transparency, at least a second graphic layer 58 superimposed on the opaque contrast layer 104 and at least a protective layer 106 of the second graphic layer 58, at least partially transparent to light.
Optionally, a layer of release agent (e.g. second layer 18) may comprise at least one pigment or color to make apparent at least one part of the hanging handle 2, according to a variant without concealing the first graphic layer 56.
According to an embodiment, outside the hanging handle 2 and/or secondary label 34, the second frontal layer 28 is missing, to create a lifting step 64 about the handle and/or such secondary label 34.
According to an embodiment, the protective layer 106 is applied at least over the second graphic layer 58 using a flexographic method.
According to an embodiment, the protective layer 106 is applied with a thickness of at least 1 μm or more.
According to an embodiment, the frontal surface 10 of the first frontal layer 8 is coated with a first 12 and a second 18 mutually superimposed layers of release promoter outside the secondary label 34.
The manufacturing method diagrammatically shown in
At first, a first laminated material 4 and a precursor 22 of a second laminated material 20 are fed from two separate feeding reels, indicated by reference numerals 66, 68.
According to an embodiment, the first laminated material 4 and the precursor 22 are identical materials, or corresponding materials, fed from the two different reels 66, 68.
In the present description, the term “identical” indicates a material with the same laminations, although different layers may, in principle, be chemically different between the first laminated material and the precursor (and therefore also between the first and second laminated material).
The “common” laminated material is optionally formed by the following layers, superimposed from bottom to top in the order specified below: a backing layer 6, a de-adhesive layer 24 (e.g. silicone), an adhesive layer 26, 26′ and a first frontal layer 8/second frontal layer 28, e.g. printable.
The aforesaid layers are mutually superimposed completely, with a substantially full surface, or in a prevalent manner.
The backing layer 6 and the de-adhesive layer 24 are immediately removed from the precursor 22 coming from the reel 68. They are separated and wound back onto a reject reel 70, while the adhesive layer 26′ and the second frontal layer 28 form the second laminated material 20 which will continue towards a joining point 72 in the direction F1.
According to an embodiment, at the arrow 102 (i.e. after separation), on the second laminated material 20, the opaque contrast layer 104 superimposed on the second frontal layer 28, the second graphic layer 58 superimposed on the opaque contrast layer 104 and the protective layer 106 of the second graphic layer 58 are distributed/printed in the area in which the secondary label 34 will be created.
According to a variant, a first graphic layer 56 (e.g. containing product information) is distributed/printed on the first laminated material 4 coming from the reel 66 and, a single layer of release promoter, or a first 12 and a second 18 layers of release promoter, e.g. silicone paint, are superimposed over the first graphic layer 56 to obtain the intermediate material 74.
The first or single layer of release promoter 12, in contact with the first graphic layer 56, occupies a smaller surface area than the frontal surface 10 of the first frontal layer 8. More precisely, the first or single layer of release promoter 12 is applied to leave a free zone 14 from which the first layer of release promoter 12 is missing.
For example, the layer of release promoter 12 may be applied in a retracted position with respect to a first longitudinal edge 76 of the first laminated material 4, so as to offer a free surface to the second laminated material 20—which will be superimposed on the intermediate material 74 at the joining point 72—onto which an anchoring foot 46 of the hanging handle 2 made from the second laminated material 20 can firmly adhere.
Instead, the optional second layer of release promoter 18, superimposed and optionally in contact with the first layer of release promoter 12, will be applied with registration with the preset position of the hanging handle, in liquid or semi-liquid form.
In the present description, the term “registration” means an application on a layer with a specific shape, in this case substantially corresponding to the surface of the hanging handle.
Appropriately shaped masks may be used for this purpose, covering the underlying first layer of release promoter 12 to prevent depositing the second layer of release promoter 18 outside the profile of the handle 2.
Regarding the expression “semi-liquid” used above, it is worth noting that, in this description, the term “semi-liquid” means any liquid substance capable of flowing, even with low fluidity, in particular at the working temperature of step iii).
By way of non-exhaustive example, such term may mean any viscous, gelatinous and/or pasty substance.
According to a variant, the hanging handle 2 is made apparent through a partial opacification/pigmentation/coloring of the second frontal layer 28, which creates a visual or chromatic separation from the first frontal layer.
Optionally, the partial opacification/pigmentation/coloration of the second frontal layer 28 may be achieved through the characteristics of the layer of release promoter 18, which specifically comprises a pigment/color.
For example, such pigment or color may be mixed with the release promoter substance of the second layer of release promoter 18 or placed on the surface of the second layer of release promoter 18 facing the second frontal layer 28.
The function of the optional second layer of release promoter 18 is, of course, to neutralize adhesion power of the adhesive layer 26′ of the second layer material 20, or make it almost completely inert, through the transfer mechanism described above, to facilitate lifting of the handle (alone).
The intermediate material 74 and the second laminated material 20 are then joined at the joining point 72, being joined and pressed by a pair of rollers 78, 80, thus creating the laminated material 40.
After the manufacturing of the laminated material 40, the optional second layer of release promoter 18 is then solidified in contact with the adhesive layer 26′, e.g. by UV radiation, to bond such layers 18, 26′ and to make the adhesive layer “passive” 26′.
At a later step, the method continues with a first step of die-cutting-creasing 82, and a second step of die-cutting 84, each followed by a step of eliminating production scraps 62, 86.
During the first step of die-cutting-creasing 82, a tool configured to fold/crease, without scoring, the second frontal layer 28 at the hanging handle 2 (in particular at the gripping portion 30 thereof, when provided) and/or the lifting portion 54 of a secondary label 34 may optionally be used.
As far as the position of the secondary label 34 is concerned, the latter will, in accordance with an embodiment, be positioned above the first layer of release promoter 12 only, because the adhesive power of the secondary label 34 must not be eliminated (or rather must not be made inert) entirely, as in the case of the hanging handle.
In such manner, through the transfer and solidification of the optional second release promoter in (semi-)liquid form, it will be possible to make the adhesive layer 26′ at the hanging handle 2 inert, without conditioning the adhesive power of the secondary label 34.
In all other portions, other than the creasing lines 42, 44, the die-cutting depth 82, i.e. the cutting depth of the laminated material 40, will extend until at least the second frontal layer 28, and optionally also the second layer of release promoter 18, are scored, possibly without notching the layer 12 underneath it.
The scoring depth of the coupled material 40 in this first step 82 is indicated by the arrows 90 in
The profile of the first step of die-cutting-creasing 82 is such as to create, both internally and externally, the shape of the handle, and is such as to cut out the second frontal layer 28 in part (e.g.: along a pair of optionally orthogonal sides 97, 98;
The portion removed as continuous scrap 62 downstream of the first step of die-cutting-creasing 82 is, therefore, a ribbon of complementary shape to the lifting step 64 shown in
During the second step of die-cutting 84, a cutting tool is used, configured to score the laminated material 40 from its surface 94 at least up to the first frontal layer 8, and optionally up to the adhesive layer 26 of the original laminated material 74, as diagrammatically shown by the arrows 88 schematically shown in
In any case, within the exposed surface of the label 1, this second step of die-cutting 84 will cut the label outline 38 about the first frontal layer 8 and the hanging handle 2.
For the secondary label 34, the single or first layer of release promoter 12 may be specially modulated, by depositing the promoter only in some zones, thus preventing the formation of an inert layer under the adhesive layer of the secondary label.
In this regard, protective masks may be used to prevent covering certain zones 52 (
On the contrary, in
The second step of die-cutting 84, therefore, has the function of creating the separation between adjacent labels 1, and the continuous scrap 86 will be shaped as a ribbon in which empty seats are obtained (rectangular seats according to the shapes shown), of a shape complementary to the label outline 38 of each label, interspersed with separating partitions corresponding to the material removed to divide the labels 1.
After eliminating the second continuous scrap 86, the labels 1 have been created and can be wound on a collection reel 92 (
Innovatively, the method and label of the present invention allow brilliantly overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.
More precisely, the method and handle of the present invention allow obtaining in a simple manner a handle which extends well beyond the label outline 38.
Furthermore, the method and handle of the present invention allow modulating transparencies and opacity of the second frontal layer, so as not to conceal the first graphic layer, to show the position of the hanging handle, to suppress the transparency of such layer to the secondary label to achieve a contrast for the second graphic layer and to protect the second graphic layer.
According to an embodiment, the method and label of the present invention allow obtaining a label with handle in a single production step, without having to perform special operations (e.g. such as gluing the handles one-by-one), in a simple, reliable and cost-effective manner.
According to an embodiment, the method and label of the present invention allow obtaining a secondary label which can be written, thus allowing it to be handwritten according to needs.
According to an embodiment, the method and the label of the present invention provide an innovative system of coating in liquid or semi-liquid form, and subsequent solidification or targeted cross-linking, to create a passive layer by transfer under the handle.
Furthermore, the handle is easy to handle because it is dry to the contact.
According to an embodiment, the method and label of the present invention allow achieving an important economy of production, not only by virtue of raw materials involved in manufacturing.
According to an embodiment, the method and the of the present invention allow obtaining an excellent grip on the handle and/or secondary label.
According to an embodiment, the method and label of the present invention provide an extremely cost-effective way to locate the handle without covering the underlying graphics.
According to an embodiment, the method and the label of the present invention allow creating specific ergonomic portions to ensure easy interaction with the user.
According to an embodiment, the risk of tearing the handle or one of its arms from the foot is virtually absent under normal conditions of use.
According to an embodiment, the method and the label of the present invention provide an additional system to regulate the adhesive power of the portions which can be lifted from the plane of the label.
According to an embodiment, the method and the label of the present invention allow obtaining labels which can be applied as a continuous strip, so that their application on bottles in automated processes is simplified.
According to an embodiment, the method of the present invention is cost-effective, and the label described can be produced at a low cost.
In order to meet specific needs, those skilled in the art may make variants or substitutions of elements with functionally equivalent ones to the embodiments of the method and label above.
Such variants are also contained within the scope of protection as described and claimed herein.
Furthermore, each variant described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be implemented independently from the other described variants.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102019000006478 | May 2019 | IT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2020/054192 | 5/4/2020 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/222209 | 11/5/2020 | WO | A |
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| 201685500 | Dec 2010 | CN |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220284834 A1 | Sep 2022 | US |
