Label applicator belt system

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 9221573
  • Patent Number
    9,221,573
  • Date Filed
    Friday, January 21, 2011
    13 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 29, 2015
    8 years ago
Abstract
A label applicator system is described comprising one or more, and preferably two, assemblies of rollers and belts. The assemblies are arranged relative to one another such that at least a portion of the belts of each assembly are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane. The assemblies are arranged and configured such that the lane extends in a zig-zag path, a relatively straight path, and/or an arcuate path. Selection of the lane geometry along with appropriate control of belt velocities enable high rates of applying labels to articles and particularly containers having compound curves.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to equipment and methods for applying labels such as shrink labels to a curved surface, and particularly to a compound curved surface.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to apply labels to containers or bottles to provide information such as the supplier or the contents of the container. Such containers and bottles are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes for holding many different types of materials such as detergents, chemicals, personal care products, motor oil, beverages, etc.


Polymeric film materials and film facestocks have been used as labels in various fields. Polymeric labels are increasingly desired for many applications, particularly transparent polymeric labels since they provide a no-label look to decorated glass and plastic containers. Paper labels block the visibility of the container and/or the contents in the container. Clear polymeric labels enhance the visual aesthetics of the container, and therefore the product. The popularity of polymeric labels is increasing much faster than that of paper labels in the package decoration market as consumer product companies are continuously trying to upgrade the appearance of their products. Polymeric film labels also have superior mechanical properties as compared to paper labels, such as greater tensile strength and abrasion resistance.


Traditional polymeric pressure sensitive (PSA) labels often exhibit difficulty adhering smoothly to containers having curved surfaces and/or complex shapes without wrinkling, darting or lifting on the curved surfaces. As a result, heat shrink sleeve labels have typically been used on these types of containers having compound curved surfaces. Direct screen printing is another method for applying indicia or other markings to curved surfaces. Labeling operations for heat shrink sleeve type labels are carried out using processes and methods that form a tube or sleeve of the heat shrink film that is placed over the container and heated in order to shrink the film to conform to the size and shape of the container. Alternatively, the containers are completely wrapped with a shrink label using a process in which the shrink film is applied to the container directly from a continuous roll of film material and then heat is applied to conform the wrapped label to the container. Regardless, label defects frequently occur during labeling operations of simple or compound shaped bottles during label application or in post label application processes. These misapplied labels result in high scrap or extra processing steps that can be costly.


Other processes for applying pressure sensitive shrink labels are known. In certain applications, a label is applied onto a container, heated, and any resulting defects then wiped to minimize such defects. A potential problem exists with a separate heat and wipe process with pressure sensitive shrink labels where edge defects are initially formed and then removed. Although the formation of the edge defects typically occurs in the same general region of the bottle, the defects are not in the exact same spot, nor of the same size or occur in the same number. These defects, collectively referred to herein as “darts” can in certain instances, be shrunk with heat. As these defects shrink, the area of the label comprising the dart is reduced along with the ink and print on top of the label dart. The shrinkage of the dart will shrink the print as well cause distortion of the print. Depending on the size of the dart and print fidelity, the distortion might be noticed and can in certain cases, be significant. This distortion may limit the type or quality of print in the shrink region of the label. Therefore, avoiding the formation of darts entirely would be of great benefit.


Accordingly, a need exists for a process and related system in which a shrink label could be applied to a curved surface and particularly a compound curved surface without the occurrence of darts or other defects.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The difficulties and drawbacks associated with previously known processes and label application systems are overcome in the present processes and systems, all of which are described in greater detail herein.


In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for applying labels onto articles. The system comprises a first assembly of a first belt and a first plurality of rollers, the first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The system also comprises a second assembly of a second belt and a second plurality of rollers, the second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first assembly and the second assembly are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. In this aspect of the invention, the lane extends in at least two different directions.


In another aspect, the present invention provides a system for applying labels onto articles. The system comprises a first assembly of a first belt and a first plurality of rollers, the first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The system also comprises a second assembly of a second belt and a second plurality of rollers, the second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first assembly and the second assembly are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned and parallel with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. In this aspect of the invention, the velocity of the first belt is different than the velocity of the second belt.


In still another aspect, the present invention provides a system for applying labels onto articles. The system comprises a first assembly of a first belt and a first plurality of rollers, the first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The system also comprises a second assembly of a second belt and a second plurality of rollers, the second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first assembly and the second assembly are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. In this aspect of the present invention, the lane extends in a relatively straight direction.


In still another aspect, the present invention provides a system for applying labels onto articles. The system comprises a first assembly of a first belt and a first plurality of rollers, the first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The system also comprises a second assembly of a second belt and a second plurality of rollers, the second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first assembly and the second assembly are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. In this aspect of the invention, the lane extends in an arcuate fashion.


In yet still another aspect, the present invention provides a method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, and a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers. The first and second assemblies are arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane having a region extending in at least two different directions. The method comprises initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label. The method also comprises moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane. And, the method comprises introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane. The second location is located downstream of the first location and the region of the lane that extends in at least two different directions. As the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.


In another aspect, the present invention also provides a method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers and a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers. The first and second assemblies are arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned and parallel with one another to define an article receiving lane. The method comprises initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label. The method also comprises moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers at a first velocity and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers at a second velocity different than the first velocity. And, the method further comprises introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane. The second location is located downstream of the first location. As the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.


In still another aspect, the present invention provides a method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers and a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers. The first and second assemblies are arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane extending in an arcuate fashion. The method comprises initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label. The method also comprises moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane. And, the method further comprises introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane. The second location is located downstream of the first location. As the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.


And in yet another aspect, the present invention also provides a method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers and a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers. The first and second assemblies are arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane extending in a relatively straight direction. The method comprises initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label. The method also comprises moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane. And, the method comprises introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane. The second location is located downstream of the first location. As the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.


In another aspect, the invention provides a label application system comprising a label assembly including a polymeric film and a layer of adhesive on the film; and equipment for applying labels onto articles. The equipment comprises (i) a first assembly of a first belt and a first plurality of rollers, the first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers, and (ii) a second assembly of a second belt and a second plurality of rollers, the second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first assembly and the second assembly are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. The lane extends in at least two different directions.


In still another aspect, the present invention provides a label application system comprising a label assembly including a polymeric film and a layer of adhesive on the film; and equipment for applying labels onto articles. The equipment comprises (i) a first assembly of a first belt and a first plurality of rollers, the first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers, and (ii) a second assembly of a second belt and a second plurality of rollers, the second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first assembly and the second assembly are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. The lane extends in a relatively straight direction.


In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a label application system comprising a label assembly including a polymeric film and a layer of adhesive on the film; and equipment for applying labels onto articles. The equipment comprises (i) a first assembly of a first belt and a first plurality of rollers, the first belt extending around the first plurality of rollers, and (ii) a second assembly of a second belt and a second plurality of rollers, the second belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first assembly and the second assembly are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. The lane extends in an arcuate fashion.


As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS


FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment system in accordance with the present invention.



FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment system depicted in FIG. 1.



FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view of the roller and belt arrangement used in the system illustrated in FIG. 2.



FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of a roller and belt portion used in the preferred system depicted in FIG. 1.



FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the preferred system depicted in FIGS. 1-2.



FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment belt construction used in the present invention system.



FIG. 7 is a schematic view of another preferred embodiment belt construction used in the present invention system.



FIGS. 8-10 illustrate another system in accordance with the present invention and several contemplated modes of operation.



FIGS. 11-12 illustrate additional systems in accordance with the present invention.





DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides further advances in strategies, methods, components, and equipment for applying labels and films onto curved surfaces such as outer curved surfaces of various containers. Although the present invention is described in terms of applying labels or films to containers, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to containers. Instead, the invention can be used to apply a variety of labels or films onto surfaces of nearly any type of article. The invention is particularly directed to applying shrink labels onto curved container surfaces. And, the invention is also particularly directed to applying labels such as heat shrink labels onto compound curved surfaces of various containers. References are made herein to containers having curved surfaces or compound curved surfaces. A curved surface is a surface defined by a line moving along a curved path. A compound curved surface is a particular type of curved surface in which the previously noted line is a curved line. Examples of a compound curved surface include, but are not limited to, the outer surface of a sphere, a hyperbolic parabloid, and a dome.


It is to be understood that the present invention can be used for applying labels and films onto a wide variety of surfaces, including planar surfaces and simple curved surfaces. However, as explained in greater detail herein, the invention is particularly well suited for applying labels and films onto compound curved surfaces most particularly, upon outwardly extending compound curved surfaces.


Labels/Film


The polymeric films useful in the label constructions, the application of which the present invention is directed, preferably possess balanced shrink properties. The balanced shrink properties allow the film to shrink in multiple directions to thereby follow the contour of a compound curved surface as the label is applied upon the curved surfaces. Films having unbalanced shrink, that is, films having a high degree of shrink in one direction and low to moderate shrink in the other direction, can be used. Useful films having balanced shrink allow for a wider variety of label shapes to be applied to a wider variety of container shapes. Generally, films having balanced shrink properties are preferred.


In one embodiment, the polymeric film has an ultimate shrinkage (S) as measured by ASTM procedure D1204 in at least one direction of at least 10% at 90° C. and in the other direction, the shrinkage is within the range of S+/−20%. In another embodiment, the film has an ultimate shrinkage (S) in at least one direction of about 10% to about 50% at 70° C. and in the other direction, the shrinkage is within the range of S+/−20%. In one embodiment, the ultimate shrinkage (S) is at least 10% at 90° C. and in the other direction, the shrinkage is within the range of S+/−20%. The shrink initiation temperature of the film, in one embodiment, is in the range of about 60° C. to about 80° C.


The shrink film must be thermally shrinkable and yet have sufficient stiffness to be dispensed using conventional labeling equipment and processes, including printing, die-cutting and label transfer. The stiffness of the film required depends on the size of the label, the speed of application and the labeling equipment being used. In one embodiment, the shrink film has a stiffness in the machine direction (MD) of at least 5 mN, as measured by the L&W Bending Resistance test. In one embodiment, the shrink film has a stiffness of at least 10 mN, or at least 20 mN. The stiffness of the shrink film is important for proper dispensing of labels over a peel plate at higher line speeds.


In one embodiment, die-cut labels are applied to the article or container in an automated labeling line process at a line speed of at least 30 units per minute, and preferably from at least 250 units per minute to at least 500 units per minute. It is contemplated that the present invention could be used in conjunction with processes operating as fast as 700 to 800 units per minutes, or more.


In one embodiment, the shrink film has a 2% secant modulus as measured by ASTM D882 in the machine direction (MD) of about 138,000,000 N/m2 to about 2,760,000,000 N/m2, and in the transverse (or cross) direction (TD) of about 138,000,000 N/m2 to about 2,760,000,000 N/m2. In another embodiment, the 2% secant modulus of the film is about 206,000,000 N/m2 to about 2,060,000,000 N/m2 in the machine direction and about 206,000,000 N/m2 to about 2,060,000,000 N/m2 in the transverse direction. The film may have a lower modulus in the transverse direction than in the machine direction so that the label is easily dispensed (MD) while maintaining sufficiently low modulus in the TD for conformability and/or squeezability.


The polymeric film may be made by conventional processes. For example, the film may be produced using a double bubble process, tenter process or may comprise a blown film.


The shrink film useful in the label may be a single layer construction or a multilayer construction. The layer or layers of the shrink film may be formed from a polymer chosen from polyester, polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polylactic acid, copolymers and blends thereof.


Polyolefins comprise homopolymers or copolymers of olefins that are aliphatic hydrocarbons having one or more carbon to carbon double bonds. Olefins include alkenes that comprise 1-alkenes, also known as alpha-olefins, such as 1-butene and internal alkenes having the carbon to carbon double bond on nonterminal carbon atoms of the carbon chain, such as 2-butene, cyclic olefins having one or more carbon to carbon double bonds, such as cyclohexene and norbornadiene, and cyclic polyenes which are noncyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons having two or more carbon to carbon double bonds, such as 1,4-butadiene and isoprene. Polyolefins comprise alkene homopolymers from a single alkene monomer, such as a polypropylene homopolymer, alkene copolymers from at least one alkene monomer and one or more additional olefin monomers where the first listed alkene is the major constituent of the copolymer, such as a propylene-ethylene copolymer and a propylene-ethylene-butadiene copolymer, cyclic olefin homopolymers from a single cyclic olefin monomer, and cyclic olefin copolymers from at least one cyclic olefin monomer and one or more additional olefin monomers wherein the first listed cyclic olefin is the major constituent of the copolymer, and mixtures of any of the foregoing olefin polymers.


In one embodiment, the shrink film is a multilayer film comprising a core layer and at least one skin layer. The skin layer may be a printable skin layer. In one embodiment, the multilayer shrink film comprises a core and two skin layers, wherein in at least one skin layer is printable. The multilayer shrink film may be a coextruded film.


The film can range in thickness from 12 to 500, or 12 to 300, or 12 to 200, or 25 to 75 microns. The difference in the layers of the film can include a difference in thermoplastic polymer components, in additive components, in orientation, in thickness, or a combination thereof. The thickness of the core layer can be 50 to 95%, or 60 to 95% or 70 to 90% of the thickness of the film. The thickness of a skin layer or of a combination of two skin layers can be 5 to 50%, or 5 to 40% or 10 to 30% of the thickness of the film.


The film can be further treated on one surface or both the upper and lower surfaces to enhance performance in terms of printability or adhesion to an adhesive. The treatment can comprise applying a surface coating such as, for example, a lacquer, applying a high energy discharge to include a corona discharge to a surface, applying a flame treatment to a surface, or a combination of any of the foregoing treatments. In an embodiment of the invention, the film is treated on both surfaces, and in another embodiment the film is treated on one surface with a corona discharge and is flame treated on the other surface.


The layers of the shrink film may contain pigments, fillers, stabilizers, light protective agents or other suitable modifying agents if desired. The film may also contain anti-block, slip additives and anti-static agents. Useful anti-block agents include inorganic particles, such as clays, talc, calcium carbonate and glass. Slip additives useful in the present invention include polysiloxanes, waxes, fatty amides, fatty acids, metal soaps and particulate such as silica, synthetic amorphous silica and polytetrafluoroethylene powder. Anti-static agents useful in the present invention include alkali metal sulfonates, polyether-modified polydiorganosiloxanes, polyalkylphenylsiloxanes and tertiary amines.


In one embodiment, the shrink film is microperforated to allow trapped air to be released from the interface between the label and the article to which it is adhered. In another embodiment, the shrink film is permeable to allow fluid to escape from the adhesive or from the surface of the article to escape. In one embodiment, vent holes or slits are provided in the shrink film.


The present invention can be used for applying, processing, and otherwise in association with, a wide array of labels, film, and other members. For example, the invention can be used in conjunction with shrink labels, pressure sensitive labels, pressure sensitive shrink labels, heat seal labels, and nearly any type of label or film known in the packaging and labeling arts.


Adhesive and Additional Aspects of Labels


A description of useful pressure sensitive adhesives may be found in Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, Vol. 13, Wiley-Interscience Publishers (New York, 1988). Additional description of useful PSAs may be found in Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 1, Interscience Publishers (New York, 1964). Conventional PSAs, including acrylic-based PSAs, rubber-based PSAs and silicone-based PSAs are useful. The PSA may be a solvent based or may be a water based adhesive. Hot melt adhesives may also be used. In one embodiment, the PSA comprises an acrylic emulsion adhesive.


The adhesive and the side of the film to which the adhesive is applied have sufficient compatibility to enable good adhesive anchorage. In one embodiment, the adhesive is chosen so that the labels may be cleanly removed from PET containers up to 24 hours after application. The adhesive is also chosen so that the adhesive components do not migrate into the film.


In one embodiment, the adhesive may be formed from an acrylic based polymer. It is contemplated that any acrylic based polymer capable of forming an adhesive layer with sufficient tack to adhere to a substrate may function in the present invention. In certain embodiments, the acrylic polymers for the pressure sensitive adhesive layers include those formed from polymerization of at least one alkyl acrylate monomer containing from about 4 to about 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and present in an amount from about 35 to 95% by weight of the polymer or copolymer, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,532. Optionally, the acrylic based pressure sensitive adhesive might be formed from a single polymeric species.


The glass transition temperature of a PSA layer comprising acrylic polymers can be varied by adjusting the amount of polar, or “hard monomers”, in the copolymer, as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,532. The greater the percentage by weight of hard monomers included in an acrylic copolymer, the higher the glass transition temperature of the polymer. Hard monomers contemplated useful for the present invention include vinyl esters, carboxylic acids, and methacrylates, in concentrations by weight ranging from about 0 to about 35% by weight of the polymer.


The PSA can be acrylic based such as those taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,444 (acrylic emulsion), U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,011 (tackified acrylic emulsion) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,982. The adhesive can also be rubber-based such as those taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,551 (rubber hot melt). The adhesive can also include a radiation curable mixture of monomers with initiators and other ingredients such as those taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,958 (UV cured acrylic) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,958 (EB cured). The disclosures of these patents as they relate to acrylic adhesives are hereby incorporated by reference.


Commercially available PSAs are useful in the invention. Examples of these adhesives include the hot melt PSAs available from H.B. Fuller Company, St. Paul, Minn. as HM-1597, HL-2207-X, HL-2115-X, HL-2193-X. Other useful commercially available PSAs include those available from Century Adhesives Corporation, Columbus, Ohio. Another useful acrylic PSA comprises a blend of emulsion polymer particles with dispersion tackifier particles as generally described in Example 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,982. The polymer is made by emulsion polymerization of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, vinyl acetate, dioctyl maleate, and acrylic and methacrylic comonomers as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,444 resulting in the latex particle size of about 0.2 microns in weight average diameters and a gel content of about 60%.


A commercial example of a hot melt adhesive is H2187-01, sold by Ato Findley, Inc., of Wauwatusa, Wis. In addition, rubber based block copolymer PSAs described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,478 also can be utilized in the adhesive constructions of the present invention, and this patent is hereby incorporated by a reference for its disclosure of such hot melt adhesives that are described more fully below.


In another embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises rubber based elastomer materials containing useful rubber based elastomer materials include linear, branched, grafted, or radial block copolymers represented by the diblock structure A-B, the triblock A-B-A, the radial or coupled structures (A-B)n, and combinations of these where A represents a hard thermoplastic phase or block which is non-rubbery or glassy or crystalline at room temperature but fluid at higher temperatures, and B represents a soft block which is rubbery or elastomeric at service or room temperature. These thermoplastic elastomers may comprise from about 75% to about 95% by weight of rubbery segments and from about 5% to about 25% by weight of non-rubbery segments.


The non-rubbery segments or hard blocks comprise polymers of mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and more particularly vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons that may be monocyclic or bicyclic in nature. Rubbery materials such as polyisoprene, polybutadiene, and styrene butadiene rubbers may be used to form the rubbery block or segment. Particularly useful rubbery segments include polydienes and saturated olefin rubbers of ethylene/butylene or ethylene/propylene copolymers. The latter rubbers may be obtained from the corresponding unsaturated polyalkylene moieties such as polybutadiene and polyisoprene by hydrogenation thereof.


The block copolymers of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons and conjugated dienes that may be utilized include any of those that exhibit elastomeric properties. The block copolymers may be diblock, triblock, multiblock, starblock, polyblock or graftblock copolymers. Throughout this specification, the terms diblock, triblock, multiblock, polyblock, and graft or grafted-block with respect to the structural features of block copolymers are to be given their normal meaning as defined in the literature such as in the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, Vol. 2, (1985) John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, pp. 325-326, and by J. E. McGrath in Block Copolymers, Science Technology, Dale J. Meier, Ed., Harwood Academic Publishers, 1979, at pages 1-5.


Such block copolymers may contain various ratios of conjugated dienes to vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons including those containing up to about 40% by weight of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon. Accordingly, multi-block copolymers may be utilized which are linear or radial symmetric or asymmetric and which have structures represented by the formulae A-B, A-B-A, A-B-A-B, B-A-B, (AB)0, 1, 2 . . . BA, etc., wherein A is a polymer block of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon or a conjugated diene/vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon tapered copolymer block, and B is a rubbery polymer block of a conjugated diene.


The block copolymers may be prepared by any of the well-known block polymerization or copolymerization procedures including sequential addition of monomer, incremental addition of monomer, or coupling techniques as illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,251,905; 3,390,207; 3,598,887; and 4,219,627. As well known, tapered copolymer blocks can be incorporated in the multi-block copolymers by copolymerizing a mixture of conjugated diene and vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomers utilizing the difference in their copolymerization reactivity rates. Various patents describe the preparation of multi-block copolymers containing tapered copolymer blocks including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,251,905; 3,639,521; and 4,208,356.


Conjugated dienes that may be utilized to prepare the polymers and copolymers are those containing from 4 to about 10 carbon atoms and more generally, from 4 to 6 carbon atoms. Examples include from 1,3-butadiene, 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene(isoprene), 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, chloroprene, 1,3-pentadiene, 1,3-hexadiene, etc. Mixtures of these conjugated dienes also may be used.


Examples of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons which may be utilized to prepare the copolymers include styrene and the various substituted styrenes such as o-methylstyrene, p-methylstyrene, p-tert-butylstyrene, 1,3-dimethylstyrene, alpha-methylstyrene, beta-methylstyrene, p-isopropylstyrene, 2,3-dimethylstyrene, o-chlorostyrene, p-chlorostyrene, o-bromostyrene, 2-chloro-4-methylstyrene, etc.


Many of the above-described copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl aromatic compounds are commercially available. The number average molecular weight of the block copolymers, prior to hydrogenation, is from about 20,000 to about 500,000, or from about 40,000 to about 300,000.


The average molecular weights of the individual blocks within the copolymers may vary within certain limits. In most instances, the vinyl aromatic block will have a number average molecular weight in the order of about 2000 to about 125,000, or between about 4000 and 60,000. The conjugated diene blocks either before or after hydrogenation will have number average molecular weights in the order of about 10,000 to about 450,000, or from about 35,000 to 150,000.


Also, prior to hydrogenation, the vinyl content of the conjugated diene portion generally is from about 10% to about 80%, or from about 25% to about 65%, particularly 35% to 55% when it is desired that the modified block copolymer exhibit rubbery elasticity. The vinyl content of the block copolymer can be measured by means of nuclear magnetic resonance.


Specific examples of diblock copolymers include styrene-butadiene (SB), styrene-isoprene (SI), and the hydrogenated derivatives thereof. Examples of triblock polymers include styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), alpha-methylstyrene-butadiene-alpha-methylstyrene, and alpha-methylstyrene-isoprene alpha-methylstyrene. Examples of commercially available block copolymers useful as the adhesives in the present invention include those available from Kraton Polymers LLC under the KRATON trade name.


Upon hydrogenation of the SBS copolymers comprising a rubbery segment of a mixture of 1,4 and 1,2 isomers, a styrene-ethylene-butylene styrene (SEBS) block copolymer is obtained. Similarly, hydrogenation of an SIS polymer yields a styrene-ethylene propylene-styrene (SEPS) block copolymer.


The selective hydrogenation of the block copolymers may be carried out by a variety of well known processes including hydrogenation in the presence of such catalysts as Raney nickel, noble metals such as platinum, palladium, etc., and soluble transition metal catalysts. Suitable hydrogenation processes which can be used are those wherein the diene-containing polymer or copolymer is dissolved in an inert hydrocarbon diluent such as cyclohexane and hydrogenated by reaction with hydrogen in the presence of a soluble hydrogenation catalyst. Such procedures are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,113,986 and 4,226,952. Such hydrogenation of the block copolymers which are carried out in a manner and to extent as to produce selectively hydrogenated copolymers having a residual unsaturation content in the polydiene block of from about 0.5% to about 20% of their original unsaturation content prior to hydrogenation.


In one embodiment, the conjugated diene portion of the block copolymer is at least 90% saturated and more often at least 95% saturated while the vinyl aromatic portion is not significantly hydrogenated. Particularly useful hydrogenated block copolymers are hydrogenated products of the block copolymers of styrene-isoprene-styrene such as a styrene-(ethylene/propylene)-styrene block polymer. When a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene block copolymer is hydrogenated, it is desirable that the 1,2-polybutadiene to 1,4-polybutadiene ratio in the polymer is from about 30:70 to about 70:30. When such a block copolymer is hydrogenated, the resulting product resembles a regular copolymer block of ethylene and 1-butene (EB). As noted above, when the conjugated diene employed as isoprene, the resulting hydrogenated product resembles a regular copolymer block of ethylene and propylene (EP).


A number of selectively hydrogenated block copolymers are available commercially from Kraton Polymers under the general trade designation “Kraton G.” One example is Kraton G1652 which is a hydrogenated SBS triblock comprising about 30% by weight of styrene end blocks and a midblock which is a copolymer of ethylene and 1-butene (EB). A lower molecular weight version of G1652 is available under the designation Kraton G1650. Kraton G1651 is another SEBS block copolymer which contains about 33% by weight of styrene. Kraton G1657 is an SEBS diblock copolymer which contains about 13% w styrene. This styrene content is lower than the styrene content in Kraton G1650 and Kraton G1652.


In another embodiment, the selectively hydrogenated block copolymer is of the formula: Bn(AB)oAp wherein n=0 or 1; o is 1 to 100; p is 0 or 1; each B prior to hydrogenation is predominantly a polymerized conjugated diene hydrocarbon block having a number average molecular weight of about 20,000 to about 450,000; each A is predominantly a polymerized vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block having a number average molecular weight of from about 2000 to about 115,000; the blocks of A constituting about 5% to about 95% by weight of the copolymer; and the unsaturation of the block B is less than about 10% of the original unsaturation. In other embodiments, the unsaturation of block B is reduced upon hydrogenation to less than 5% of its original value, and the average unsaturation of the hydrogenated block copolymer is reduced to less than 20% of its original value.


The block copolymers may also include functionalized polymers such as may be obtained by reacting an alpha, beta-olefinically unsaturated monocarboxylic or dicarboxylic acid reagent onto selectively hydrogenated block copolymers of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons and conjugated dienes as described above. The reaction of the carboxylic acid reagent in the graft block copolymer can be effected in solutions or by a melt process in the presence of a free radical initiator.


The preparation of various selectively hydrogenated block copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons which have been grafted with a carboxylic acid reagent is described in a number of patents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,578,429; 4,657,970; and 4,795,782, and the disclosures of these patents relating to grafted selectively hydrogenated block copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl aromatic compounds, and the preparation of such compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,782 describes and gives examples of the preparation of the grafted block copolymers by the solution process and the melt process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,429 contains an example of grafting of Kraton G1652 (SEBS) polymer with maleic anhydride with 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy) hexane by a melt reaction in a twin screw extruder.


Examples of commercially available maleated selectively hydrogenated copolymers of styrene and butadiene include Kraton FG1901X, FG1921X, and FG1924X, often referred to as maleated selectively hydrogenated SEBS copolymers. FG1901X contains about 1.7% by weight bound functionality as succinic anhydride and about 28% by weight of styrene. FG1921X contains about 1% by weight of bound functionality as succinic anhydride and 29% by weight of styrene. FG1924X contains about 13% styrene and about 1% bound functionality as succinic anhydride.


Useful block copolymers also are available from Nippon Zeon Co., 2-1, Marunochi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. For example, Quintac 3530 is available from Nippon Zeon and is believed to be a linear styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer.


Unsaturated elastomeric polymers and other polymers and copolymers which are not inherently tacky can be rendered tacky when compounded with an external tackifier. Tackifiers, are generally hydrocarbon resins, wood resins, rosins, rosin derivatives, and the like, which when present in concentrations ranging from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the total adhesive composition, or from about 45% to about 85% by weight, impart pressure sensitive adhesive characteristics to the elastomeric polymer adhesive formulation. Compositions containing less than about 40% by weight of tackifier additive do not generally show sufficient “quickstick,” or initial adhesion, to function as a pressure sensitive adhesive, and therefore are not inherently tacky. Compositions with too high a concentration of tackifying additive, on the other hand, generally show too little cohesive strength to work properly in most intended use applications of constructions made in accordance with the instant invention.


It is contemplated that any tackifier known by those of skill in the art to be compatible with elastomeric polymer compositions may be used with the present embodiment of the invention. One such tackifier, found useful is Wingtak 10, a synthetic polyterpene resin that is liquid at room temperature, and sold by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio. Wingtak 95 is a synthetic tackifier resin also available from Goodyear that comprises predominantly a polymer derived from piperylene and isoprene. Other suitable tackifying additives may include Escorez 1310, an aliphatic hydrocarbon resin, and Escorez 2596, a C5 to C9 (aromatic modified aliphatic) resin, both manufactured by Exxon of Irving, Tex. Of course, as can be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a variety of different tackifying additives may be used to practice the present invention.


In addition to the tackifiers, other additives may be included in the PSAs to impart desired properties. For example, plasticizers may be included, and they are known to decrease the glass transition temperature of an adhesive composition containing elastomeric polymers. An example of a useful plasticizer is Shellflex 371, a naphthenic processing oil available from Shell Lubricants of Texas. Antioxidants also may be included in the adhesive compositions. Suitable antioxidants include Irgafos 168 and Irganox 565 available from Ciba-Geigy, Hawthorne, N.Y. Cutting agents such as waxes and surfactants also may be included in the adhesives.


The pressure sensitive adhesive may be applied from a solvent, emulsion or suspension, or as a hot melt. The adhesive may be applied to the inner surface of the shrink film by any known method. For example, the adhesive may be applied by die coating curtain coating, spraying, dipping, rolling, gravure or flexographic techniques. The adhesive may be applied to the shrink film in a continuous layer, a discontinuous layer or in a pattern. The pattern coated adhesive layer substantially covers the entire inner surface of the film. As used herein, “substantially covers” is intended to mean the pattern in continuous over the film surface, and is not intended to include adhesive applied only in a strip along the leading or trailing edges of the film or as a “spot weld” on the film.


In one embodiment, an adhesive deadener is applied to portions of the adhesive layer to allow the label to more readily adhere to complex shaped articles. In one embodiment, non-adhesive material such as ink dots or microbeads are applied to at least a portion of the adhesive surface to allow the adhesive layer to slide on the surface of the article as the label is being applied and/or to allow air trapped at the interface between the label and the article to escape.


A single layer of adhesive may be used or multiple adhesive layers may be used. Depending on the shrink film used and the article or container to which the label is to be applied, it may be desirable to use a first adhesive layer adjacent to the shrink film and a second adhesive layer having a different composition on the surface to be applied to the article or container for sufficient tack, peel strength and shear strength.


In one embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive has sufficient shear or cohesive strength to prevent excessive shrink-back of the label where adhered to the article upon the action of heat after placement of the label on the article, sufficient peel strength to prevent the film from label from lifting from the article and sufficient tack or grab to enable adequate attachment of the label to the article during the labeling operation. In one embodiment, the adhesive moves with the label as the shrink film shrinks upon the application of heat. In another embodiment, the adhesive holds the label in position so that as the shrink film shrinks, the label does not move.


The heat shrinkable film may include other layers in addition to the monolayer or multilayer heat shrinkable polymeric film. In one embodiment, a metalized coating of a thin metal film is deposited on the surface of the polymeric film. The heat shrinkable film may also include a print layer on the polymer film. The print layer may be positioned between the heat shrink layer and the adhesive layer, or the print layer may be on the outer surface of the shrink layer. In one embodiment, the film is reverse printed with a design, image or text so that the print side of the skin is in direct contact with the container to which the film is applied. In this embodiment, the film is transparent.


The labels of the present invention may also contain a layer of an ink-receptive composition that enhances the printability of the polymeric shrink layer or metal layer if present, and the quality of the print layer thus obtained. A variety of such compositions are known in the art, and these compositions generally include a binder and a pigment, such as silica or talc, dispersed in the binder. The presence of the pigment decreases the drying time of some inks. Such ink-receptive compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,288.


The print layer may be an ink or graphics layer, and the print layer may be a mono-colored or multi-colored print layer depending on the printed message and/or the intended pictorial design. These include variable imprinted data such as serial numbers, bar codes, trademarks, etc. The thickness of the print layer is typically in the range of about 0.5 to about 10 microns, and in one embodiment about 1 to about 5 microns, and in another embodiment about 3 microns. The inks used in the print layer include commercially available water-based, solvent-based or radiation-curable inks. Examples of these inks include Sun Sheen (a product of Sun Chemical identified as an alcohol dilutable polyamide ink), Suntex MP (a product of Sun Chemical identified as a solvent-based ink formulated for surface printing acrylic coated substrates, PVDC coated substrates and polyolefin films), X-Cel (a product of Water Ink Technologies identified as a water-based film ink for printing film substrates), Uvilith AR-109 Rubine Red (a product of Daw Ink identified as a UV ink) and CLA91598F (a product of Sun Chemical identified as a multibond black solvent-based ink).


In one embodiment, the print layer comprises a polyester/vinyl ink, a polyamide ink, an acrylic ink and/or a polyester ink. The print layer may be formed in the conventional manner by, for example, gravure, flexographic or UV flexographic printing or the like, an ink composition comprising a resin of the type described above, a suitable pigment or dye and one or more suitable volatile solvents onto one or more desired areas of the film. After application of the ink composition, the volatile solvent component(s) of the ink composition evaporate(s), leaving only the non-volatile ink components to form the print layer.


The adhesion of the ink to the surface of the polymeric shrink film or metal layer if present can be improved, if necessary, by techniques well known to those skilled in the art. For example, as mentioned above, an ink primer or other ink adhesion promoter can be applied to the metal layer or the polymeric film layer before application of the ink. Alternatively the surface of the polymeric film can be corona treated or flame treated to improve the adhesion of the ink to the polymeric film layer.


Useful ink primers may be transparent or opaque and the primers may be solvent based or water-based. In one embodiment, the primers are radiation curable (e.g., UV). The ink primer may comprise a lacquer and a diluent. The lacquer may be comprised of one or more polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyester copolymers, polyurethanes, polysulfones, polyvinylidine chloride, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, ionomers based on sodium or zinc salts or ethylene methacrylic acid, polymethyl methacrylates, acrylic polymers and copolymers, polycarbonates, polyacrylonitriles, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and mixtures of two or more thereof. Examples of the diluents that can be used include alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol and butanol; esters such as ethyl acetate, propyl acetate and butyl acetate; aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene; ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone; aliphatic hydrocarbons such as heptane; and mixtures thereof. The ratio of lacquer to diluent is dependent on the viscosity required for application of the ink primer, the selection of such viscosity being within the skill of the art. The ink primer layer may have a thickness of from about 1 to about 4 microns or from about 1.5 to about 3 microns.


A transparent polymer protective topcoat or overcoat layer may be present in the labels applied in accordance with the invention. The protective topcoat or overcoat layer provide desirable properties to the label before and after the label is affixed to a substrate such as a container. The presence of a transparent topcoat layer over the print layer may, in some embodiments provide additional properties such as antistatic properties stiffness and/or weatherability, and the topcoat may protect the print layer from, e.g., weather, sun, abrasion, moisture, water, etc. The transparent topcoat layer can enhance the properties of the underlying print layer to provide a glossier and richer image. The protective transparent protective layer may also be designed to be abrasion resistant, radiation resistant (e.g., UV), chemically resistant, thermally resistant thereby protecting the label and, particularly the print layer from degradation from such causes. The protective overcoat may also contain antistatic agents, or anti-block agents to provide for easier handling when the labels are being applied to containers at high speeds. The protective layer may be applied to the print layer by techniques known to those skilled in the art. The polymer film may be deposited from a solution, applied as a preformed film (laminated to the print layer), etc.


When a transparent topcoat or overcoat layer is present, it may have a single layer or a multilayered structure. The thickness of the protective layer is generally in the range of about 12.5 to about 125 microns, and in one embodiment about 25 to about 75 microns. Examples of the topcoat layers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,982.


The protective layer may comprise polyolefins, thermoplastic polymers of ethylene and propylene, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyacryls, polymethacryls, epoxy, vinyl acetate homopolymers, co- or terpolymers, ionomers, and mixtures thereof.


The transparent protective layer may contain UV light absorbers and/or other light stabilizers. Among the UV light absorbers that are useful are the hindered amine absorbers available from Ciba Specialty Chemical under the trade designations “Tinuvin”. The light stabilizers that can be used include the hindered amine light stabilizers available from Ciba Specialty Chemical under the trade designations Tinuvin 111, Tinuvin 123, (bis-(1-octyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl) sebacate; Tinuvin 622, (a dimethyl succinate polymer with 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidniethanol); Tinuvin 770 (bis-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl)-sebacate); and Tinuvin 783. Additional light stabilizers include the hindered amine light stabilizers available from Ciba Specialty Chemical under the trade designation “Chemassorb”, especially Chemassorb 119 and Chemassorb 944. The concentration of the UV light absorber and/or light stabilizer is in the range of up to about 2.5% by weight, and in one embodiment about 0.05% to about 1% by weight.


The transparent protective layer may contain an antioxidant. Any antioxidant useful in making thermoplastic films can be used. These include the hindered phenols and the organo phosphites. Examples include those available from Ciba Specialty Chemical under the trade designations Irganox 1010, Irganox 1076 or Irgafos 168. The concentration of the antioxidant in the thermoplastic film composition may be in the range of up to about 2.5% by weight, and in one embodiment about 0.05% to about 1% by weight.


A release liner may be adhered to the adhesive layer to protect the adhesive layer during transport, storage and handling prior to application of the label to a substrate. The liner allows for efficient handling of an array of individual labels after the labels are die cut and the matrix is stripped from the layer of facestock material and up to the point where the individual labels are dispensed in sequence on a labeling line. The release liner may have an embossed surface and/or have non-adhesive material, such as microbeads or printed ink dots, applied to the surface of the liner.


Label Applicator Systems


The preferred label applicator systems in accordance with the present invention generally comprise a first assembly of a belt and a collection of rollers, and a corresponding second assembly of a belt and a collection of rollers. In each of the first and second assemblies, the belt extends around at least some of the rollers and preferably, around all of the rollers. The first and the second assemblies are arranged relative to one another such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are generally aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane between the portion of the first belt and the portion of the second belt. In accordance with a significant feature of the present invention, the lane extends in at least two different directions. Typically, the number of occurrences in change in direction of the lane ranges from at least two to six or more, hence the term “zig-zag” configuration is used to refer to the configuration resulting from the arrangement of the first and second assemblies of belts and rollers.


Preferably, each of the first and second assemblies is similar to one another and utilize the same number and types of belts and rollers. Most preferably, the two assemblies are symmetrical with respect to one another as explained herein. However, it will be appreciated that in no way is the invention limited to the use of symmetrical assemblies. Instead, the invention includes the use of assemblies that are non-symmetrical and/or different from one another.


Each assembly preferably comprises a collection of rollers that includes at least one drive roller and at least two lane-defining rollers. Thus, the first assembly includes one or more drive rollers and at least two lane-defining rollers. And the second assembly includes one or more drive rollers and at least two lane-defining rollers.


Preferably, the two assemblies are arranged such that one of the lane-defining rollers of the first assembly is positioned between two of the lane-defining rollers of the second assembly; and one of the lane-defining rollers of the second assembly is positioned between two of the lane-defining rollers of the first assembly. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention includes a wide range of other arrangements and configurations for the assemblies and/or their various rollers and belts.


As noted, upon appropriate arrangement of the first and second assemblies, an article receiving lane is defined between portions of the belts of the two assemblies. The lane includes an article entrance location generally upstream in the resulting system and a corresponding article exit location downstream. The lane preferably is formed or otherwise defined between portions of two belts. As explained in greater detail herein, the belts are arranged relative to one another such that upon motion of the belts, once an article is brought into contact between the belts, the article is contacted by belts on opposing sides of the article. The belts each exhibit a deformable characteristic along their article-contacting face. Preferably, the belt portions forming the lane are generally parallel to one another and spaced apart such that areas of the belts contacting the article are deformed, thereby engaging and retaining the article captured therebetween.


In a preferred aspect, the lane undergoes at least two changes in direction as previously noted, and thus is generally described herein as having a zig-zag configuration. The extent of directional change can be expressed relative to an axis along which the lane-defining rollers are positioned. Preferably, each change in direction ranges from about 5° to about 45°, more preferably from about 10° to about 35°, and most preferably from about 20° to about 25°. Preferably, the lane undergoes alternating changes in direction and so the net change in direction over the entire lane is typically less than 10°. Most preferably, the total angular change in direction that the lane undergoes between the article entrance location and the article exit location sums to less than 5°. For example, if the lane undergoes a first change in direction of 30° and then a second change in direction of −30° (the negative sign denoting that the second change in direction is opposite that of the first change in direction), then the net change in direction is 0°. Thus, articles exiting the lane are traveling in generally the same direction as they were traveling upon initially entering the lane. However, it will be understood that the present invention includes systems in which articles exiting the lane are traveling in a significantly different direction than the direction of articles entering the lane.


Additional details and aspects are now provided concerning the rollers and belts of the noted assemblies. The rollers are not limited to any particular size or shape. However, generally the rollers are cylindrical in shape and from about 46 cm (about 18 inches) to about 15 cm (about 6 inches), more preferably from about 38 cm (about 15 inches) to about 23 cm (about 9 inches), and most preferably about 30 cm (about 12 inches) in diameter. The rollers are preferably rotatable about a vertical axis, and so their cross sectional shape taken along a horizontal plane is circular. Sufficiently sized rollers, e.g. having diameters of at least about 15 cm (about 6 inches), have been found to protect the belt backing material. If instead relatively small diameter rollers are used, such as having a diameter of less than about 10 cm (about 4 inches), significant stress is placed upon the belt backing material which can lead to material fatigue, excessive wear, and failure of the belt. The height of the rollers is generally greater than the width of the corresponding belt, although the invention includes the use of rollers with significantly different proportions. All rollers in an assembly preferably have the same height. Preferably, the rollers, or at least their outer surface, are formed from durable and wear-resistant materials that exhibit a relatively high degree of engagement upon contact with a belt. As will be appreciated, this characteristic minimizes efficiency losses resulting from slippage between the rollers and belt.


The belts are preferably flexible, strong, durable, and wear-resistant. A multilayer belt construction is preferably used as described in greater detail herein. A significant feature of the belts is that the side of the belt that contacts the article(s) to be directed through the label applicator system, is deformable. Generally, this deformable layer is a flexible cellular material such as a foamed polymeric material. Preferably, the foam is a closed cell foam, and is resistant to relatively high temperatures. The deformable layer is compressible upon application of a force. Preferably, the deformable layer for use in the belts of the present invention system can be compressed to 75% of its uncompressed height upon application of a pressure of from about 13.8 kilopascals (about 2 psi) to about 34.5 kilopascals (about 5 psi). Generally, the deformable layer used in the preferred belts satisfies the requirements of ASTM D-1056 2D1. The deformable layer of the belts preferably, also exhibits a 50% compression set after 22 hours at 100° C. (212° F.), in accordance with ASTM D-1056. The foamed polymeric material can be formed from a medium density silicon based foamed polymer exhibiting relatively high heat resistance. The thickness of the deformable layer may range from about 0.6 cm (about 0.25 inches) to 2.5 cm (about 1.0 inch) thick, with 1.3 cm (0.5 inches) being preferred.


As noted, the belts preferably have a multilayer configuration. The article-contacting side of the belt is deformable as previously described. The roller-contacting side of the belt is flexible, wear-resistant, and exhibits a relatively high tensile strength. The layer providing the roller-contacting side of the belt is generally referred to herein as a belt substrate. The roller-contacting side of the belt or belt substrate is preferably formed from a fiberglass silicon layer. A wide array of belt configurations and constructions can be utilized. Generally, all preferred belts used in the present invention systems include a belt substrate layer for contacting and engaging one or more rollers, and a deformable layer for contacting and engaging article(s) and/or label(s) or other components to be attached. The preferred embodiment belts may also include one or more layers or other components as desired. For example, one or more strength promoting layers may be included in the belts. In addition, if further increased conformance of the belt to article(s) is desired, it is contemplated that additional conformable layers could be incorporated in the belts.


The previously described first and second assemblies of rollers and belts are each independently controllable such that the belt speed of the first assembly can be independently controlled with regard to that of the second assembly, and vice versa. Generally for certain methods and systems described herein, during operation it is preferred that the belt speeds of the two assemblies are identical or at least within 10%, more preferably within 5%, and most preferably within 2% of each other. Belts that are operating at such velocities are referred to herein as having velocities that are “substantially the same.” However, the present invention includes operating the two assemblies at different belt velocities. For example, depending upon the application, article configuration, and label placement, the belts of the opposing assemblies can be operated at different speeds. This may be desired, for example, to selectively rotate or partially rotate one or more, or all of the articles traveling between the belts through the lane.


The label applicator system of the present invention preferably includes one or more heaters for heating the label(s) and/or articles or portions thereof. As previously explained, such heating may be utilized to induce shrinking of heat-shrink label material, initiate or accelerate adhesive cure, and/or otherwise promote affixment of the label of interest to an article such as a container. Preferably, heating is provided by radiant heaters such as infrared lamps. The present invention includes other modes of heating such as for example heating by forced hot air and heating by use of electrically resistant elements proximate or in contact with the articles and/or labels. Preferably, one or more heaters are arranged and/or positioned proximate to the belts such that the belts reach a steady-state temperature as measured proximate the article entrance location of the lane during operation of the assemblies of at least 50° C. (122° F.). This temperature ensures that for a typical residence time of article and label in the system and for a typical heat activated label or adhesive, the articles and/or labels are sufficiently heated. It will be appreciated that the particular temperature to which the belts, articles, and/or labels are heated will vary depending upon the particular process, label, and/or adhesive requirements.


The present invention is not limited to assemblies of rollers and belts arranged to provide a zig-zag configuration for the lane. Instead, although less preferred, the present invention includes a system of two or more assemblies in which the portions of opposed belts are oriented parallel to one another or substantially so to define relatively straight lanes. Moreover, it is also contemplated that arrangements could provide lanes that extended in an arcuate path.


The present invention also provides various methods for applying labels onto articles using the assemblies and systems described herein. Preferably, the methods utilize a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, and a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers. The first and second assemblies are arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane. The method generally comprises initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label. The method also comprises moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane. And, the method further comprises introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane. The second location is located downstream of the first location. As the article is transported from the first location to the second location and engaged between the two deformable belts, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.


In the previously described method, the lane may be in a variety of different configurations. For example, the lane may be relatively straight or extend in an arcuate fashion. Most preferably, the lane extends in at least two different directions, i.e. in a zig-zag configuration.


In all of the noted methods, the assemblies are selectively controlled such that the velocity of the belts is controlled. Specifically, depending upon the lane configuration and desired pattern of article movement through the lane, the velocities of the belts can be controlled so as to be different or to be the same or substantially the same as one another.


Furthermore, in all of the methods, one or more heating operations can be undertaken to provide specified amounts of heat to the belts, articles, and/or labels prior to or during label application.



FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a preferred embodiment system in accordance with the present invention. Specifically, the preferred system 1 comprises a first assembly 10 and a second assembly 110 arranged and configured as follows. The first assembly 10 includes a drive roller 20 and two or more lane-defining rollers 30a and 30b. The first assembly 10 may also optionally include one or more secondary rollers 40, such as 40a and 40b. The first assembly 10 includes a belt 50 extending about the collection of rollers 20, 30a, 30b, 40a, and 40b.


The second assembly 110 includes a drive roller 120 and two or more lane-defining rollers 130a and 130b. The second assembly 110 may also optionally include one or more secondary rollers 140, such as 140a and 140b. The second assembly 110 includes a belt 150 extending about the collection of rollers 120, 130a, 130b, 140a, and 140b.


Referring further to FIG. 1, it will be understood that the two assemblies 10 and 110 are arranged such that a portion of the first belt 50 extends alongside a portion of the second belt 150 to thereby define an article receiving lane. The article receiving lane is shown in FIG. 1 as extending between the assemblies 10 and 110 generally in the direction of arrows A and B. The assemblies 10 and 110 are operated such that their respective belts move around their corresponding collections of rollers in opposite directions. This results in the belt portions defining the lane, moving alongside one another in generally the same direction. In FIG. 1, the belt 50 of the first assembly 10 is displaced about the collection of rollers 20, 30a, 30b, 40a, and 40b, in the direction of arrow C. The belt 150 of the second assembly 110 is displaced about the collection of rollers 120, 130a, 130b, 140a, and 140b, in the direction of arrow D. Thus, the belts generally travel alongside one another within the lane, extending from an article receiving location proximate arrow A to an article exit location proximate arrow B.



FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment system 1 illustrating a collection of articles 80 and labels 82 each partially adhered to a corresponding article 80 at an article entrance location 90 and the articles 80 and labels 82 each fully adhered to a corresponding article 80 at an article exit location 92. It will be appreciated that one or more conveyors or other article transport systems are preferably utilized to transport the articles 80 and labels 82 to the entrance location 90 and from the exit location 92.


Referring further to FIG. 2, the system 1 may include additional features as follows. Each of the lane-defining rollers such as rollers 30a and 30b of the first assembly 10 and rollers 130a and 130b of the second assembly 110, is provided with a positioning adjustment component, generally designated as 135. The positioning adjustment component 135 is configured to primarily move its respective roller in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the roller. However, other aspects of positioning are provided as described in greater detail herein. As will be appreciated, such displacement of a roller serves to alter the path of the belt and/or change the belt tension.


The system 1 is depicted in FIG. 2 as disposed upon a frame assembly, generally denoted as 125. It will be appreciated that in no event is the system of the invention limited to such a configuration. For example, the present invention readily includes systems that are arranged directly upon floor surfaces and thus which do not include elevated frame assemblies such as 125.



FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view of two lane-defining rollers of assemblies 10 and 110, and belts 50 and 150 extending therebetween. FIG. 3 further illustrates various preferred aspects of the zig-zag configuration described herein. Specifically, it will be noted that the rollers 30a and 30b are positioned relative to one another such that their respective axes of rotation are defined along a roller axis A1. And, the rollers 130a and 130b are positioned relative to one another such that their respective axes of rotation are defined along a roller axis A2. As described herein, the belts 50 and 150 extend through the lane-defining rollers in alternating different directions. Specifically, as the belts 50 and 150 travel from arrow A to arrow B, upon contact, direct and indirect, with the roller 130a; the belts undergo a change in direction of from about 10° to about 35° and more preferably from about 20° to about 25°. After undergoing the noted directional change, the belts travel in the direction denoted as line B1. Thus, the angular change from axis A2 to line B1 is from about 10° to about 35° and more preferably from about 20° to about 25°. The belts continue to travel until they contact, indirectly and directly, roller 30a. The belts 50 and 150 then undergo another change in direction, preferably in an opposite direction from the previous change in direction. Concerning the extent of angular change in direction, after the belts 50 and 150 revert back to a direction parallel with the roller axis A1, preferably, the belts undergo a further change in direction to an extent that is equal to the previous change in direction, i.e. from about 10° to about 35° and most preferably from about 20° to about 25°. The belts then travel from roller 30a to then contact, directly and indirectly, roller 130b at which the previous process is repeated. This pattern of alternating changes in direction is the noted zig-zag configuration.



FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a typical roller and its engagement with a belt, such as a lane-defining roller 30a and the first belt 50. The previously noted positioning adjustment component 135 is configured to provide selective adjustment of the location of the rotational axis of the roller. For example, the component 135 can be selectively adjusted to change the roller rotational axis from V0 to V1 in order to reduce belt tension, or to change V0 to V2 in order to increase belt tension. Component 135 can also be adjusted to change the orientation of the axis such as from V0 to V3. Moreover, component 135 preferably includes one or more biasing members such as springs to exert a predetermined force upon the belt via its engagement with the roller.



FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the system 1 comprising the first and second assemblies 10 and 110. This figure further illustrates the preferred arrangement of rollers and belts. The frame 125 is further depicted as elevating the system 1. A controller 70 is preferably provided for powering the drive rollers such as roller 20. The controller 70 generally includes one or more electrical motors and corresponding control modules, sensor, and related components as known in the art to provide a selectively adjustable and controllable drive source for at least the drive rollers. The drive system and related controls are provided using known technology and so no further description is provided concerning these aspects.



FIG. 6 is a schematic view depicting a preferred orientation of a belt relative to a roller and an article and label to be affixed thereto. Specifically, a belt such as belt 50 of the first assembly 10 is shown in an exploded form illustrating a preferred multilayer construction. The belt 50 includes a substrate layer 52 and a deformable layer 54. The belt 50 is oriented relative to a roller such as roller 30, such that the substrate layer 52 of the belt 50 contacts the outer surface of the roller 30. Similarly, the belt 50 also includes a deformable layer 54 that is oriented for contacting one or more article(s) 80 and label(s) 82.


The present invention includes additional belt constructions such as the incorporation of one or more additional layers in the belt laminate. For example, FIG. 7 illustrates another belt 50a comprising a substrate layer 52, a deformable layer 54, and two secondary layers 56a and 56b. The secondary layers 56 can be located anywhere in the belt laminate so long as the deformable layer 54 is oriented and exposed for contact with article(s) and label(s).


The present invention also includes the use of a wide array of different lane configurations besides the zig-zag configuration depicted in FIGS. 1-3. For example, in certain embodiments, systems may be provided that utilize a relatively straight lane configuration. In this version of the invention, the articles being displaced through the lane can be selectively rotated or otherwise positioned by selectively varying the velocities of the belts of the corresponding assemblies. For example, FIGS. 8-10 schematically illustrate a system 301 comprising a first assembly 310 and a second assembly 410 arranged to form a lane E extending between a portion of the belts of assemblies 310 and 410. A collection of articles 380 is displaced through lane E by contact from the belts moving in the directions of arrows F and G.



FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate additional embodiments for lane configurations in accordance with the present invention. Another contemplated lane configuration is an arcuate lane path. For example, in FIG. 11, an arcuate lane H is defined between corresponding belts 510 and 610. The lane H can extend about an arc in either direction or both directions as shown in FIG. 11. The radius of the arc about which the lane H extends can vary depending upon the characteristics of the articles and labels. For lane configurations in which multiple arcuate paths are undertaken by the lane, the radii of the various arcs can be the same as in FIG. 11 where RI equals RJ, or different as depicted in FIG. 12. Specifically, in FIG. 12, an arcuate lane K is defined between corresponding belts 710 and 810. In a first lane segment, the lane K extends through an arc defined by radius RL. In a second lane segment, the lane K extends through an arc defined by radius RM. And in a third lane segment, the lane K extends through an arc defined by radius RN. Radii RL, RM, and RN are all different from one another.


Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the various arcuate lane configurations are not limited to a lane or lane segment extending through an arc of 90° as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Instead, the lane or lane segment(s) may extend through an arc of from about 5° to about 180°, and more preferably from about 45° to about 120°.


Although the present invention and its various preferred embodiments have been described in terms of applying labels, and particularly pressure sensitive shrink labels, onto curved surfaces of containers, and most preferably outwardly extending compound curved surfaces, it will be understood that the present invention is applicable to a host of other operations such as applying labels, films, or other thin flexible members upon other surfaces besides those associated with containers. Moreover, it is also contemplated that the invention can be used to apply such components onto relatively flat planar surfaces.


Additional details associated with applying pressure sensitive labels, and particularly pressure sensitive shrink labels, are provided in WO 2008/124581; US 2009/0038736; and US 2009/0038737.


Many other benefits will no doubt become apparent from future application and development of this technology.


All patents, published applications, and articles noted herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.


As described hereinabove, the present invention solves many problems associated with previous type devices. However, it will be appreciated that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

Claims
  • 1. A method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers, the first and second assemblies arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane having a region extending in at least two different directions, the method comprising: initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label;moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane;introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane, the second location being located downstream of the first location and the region of the lane that extends in at least two different directions, whereby as the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.
  • 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: heating at least one of the first belt and the second belt to a temperature of at least 50° C.
  • 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is different than the velocity of the second belt.
  • 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is substantially the same as the velocity of the second belt.
  • 5. A method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers, the first and second assemblies arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane extending in an arcuate fashion, the method comprising: initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label;moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane;introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane, the second location being located downstream of the first location, whereby as the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.
  • 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising: heating at least one of the first belt and the second belt to a temperature of at least 50° C.
  • 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is different than the velocity of the second belt.
  • 8. The method of claim 5 wherein the moving of the first belt and moving of the second belt is performed such that the velocity of the first belt is substantially the same as the velocity of the second belt.
  • 9. A method of applying labels onto articles using a system including a first assembly of a first belt extending about a first collection of rollers, a second assembly of a second belt extending about a second collection of rollers, the first and second assemblies arranged such that a portion of the first belt and a portion of the second belt are aligned with one another to define an article receiving lane having a zig-zag configuration, the method comprising: initially adhering a label onto an outer surface of an article to receive the label;moving the first belt about the first collection of rollers and moving the second belt about the second collection of rollers such that the first and second belts are generally displaced alongside one another within the lane;introducing the article and label initially adhered thereto at a first location in the lane such that the first and second belts contact and transport the article and label to a second location in the lane, the second location being located downstream of the first location, whereby as the article is transported from the first location to the second location, the label is fully contacted with and applied onto the article.
  • 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.
  • 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.
  • 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first collection of rollers includes at least one first drive roller and at least two first lane-defining rollers; and wherein the second collection of rollers includes at least one second drive roller and at least two second lane-defining rollers.
  • 13. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the at least two first lane-defining rollers is disposed between two of the at least two second lane-defining rollers.
  • 14. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the at least two second-lane-defining rollers is disposed between two of the at least two first lane-defining rollers.
  • 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first belt includes a substrate layer for contacting rollers and a deformable layer for contacting articles.
  • 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the deformable layer comprises a flexible cellular material.
  • 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the flexible cellular material is a foamed polymeric material.
  • 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the flexible cellular material is a closed cell foam.
  • 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two different directions include a first direction and a second direction; wherein an angular change between the first direction and the second direction is from about 10° to about 35°.
  • 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the angular change is from about 20° to about 25°.
  • 21. The method of claim 5, wherein the first collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.
  • 22. The method of claim 5, wherein the second collection of rollers includes (i) at least one drive roller and (ii) at least two lane-defining rollers.
  • 23. The method of claim 5, wherein the first collection of rollers includes at least one first drive roller and at least two first lane-defining rollers; and wherein the second collection of rollers includes at least one second drive roller and at least two second lane-defining rollers.
  • 24. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has a compound curved outer surface.
  • 25. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a sphere.
  • 26. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid.
  • 27. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a dome.
  • 28. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has a compound curved outer surface.
  • 29. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a sphere.
  • 30. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid.
  • 31. The method of claim 5, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a dome.
  • 32. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has a compound curved outer surface.
  • 33. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a sphere.
  • 34. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid.
  • 35. The method of claim 9, wherein the article has an outer surface in the shape of a dome.
  • 36. The method of claim 5, wherein an arcuate segment of the article receiving lane extends through an arc of 90°.
  • 37. The method of claim 5, wherein an arcuate segment of the article receiving lane extends through an arc of from about 5° to about 180°.
  • 38. The method of claim 5, wherein an arcuate segment of the article receiving lane extends through an arc from about 45° to about 120°.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a 371 of International Application No. PCT/US2011/021968, which was published in English on Aug. 4, 2011, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/299,151 filed Jan. 28, 2010 which is incorporated herein by reference in it.

PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind 371c Date
PCT/US2011/021968 1/21/2011 WO 00 7/30/2012
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO2011/094117 8/4/2011 WO A
US Referenced Citations (588)
Number Name Date Kind
2356951 Runton et al. Aug 1944 A
2524945 Von Hofe Oct 1950 A
2873040 Manas Feb 1959 A
3178329 Rohbogner Apr 1965 A
3235433 Cvacko et al. Feb 1966 A
3434902 Bliss Mar 1969 A
3515270 Tonn et al. Jun 1970 A
3586580 Dullinger Jun 1971 A
3718495 Tomita Feb 1973 A
3769147 Komendat et al. Oct 1973 A
3779829 Wolff Dec 1973 A
3802942 Amberg et al. Apr 1974 A
3823050 La Mers Jul 1974 A
3834607 Muylle Sep 1974 A
3884396 Gordon et al. May 1975 A
3908827 Bemmels et al. Sep 1975 A
3923198 Brochman Dec 1975 A
3928115 Kerwin Dec 1975 A
3953635 Dunning Apr 1976 A
4007067 Dunning Feb 1977 A
4011122 Ashcroft Mar 1977 A
4021285 Amberg May 1977 A
4025381 Amberg May 1977 A
4139099 Daly et al. Feb 1979 A
4172163 Magnotta Oct 1979 A
4188249 Fujio Feb 1980 A
4198560 Dietrich Apr 1980 A
4210621 Snover et al. Jul 1980 A
4214937 Geurtsen et al. Jul 1980 A
4217263 Magnotta Aug 1980 A
4225049 Inoue Sep 1980 A
4240854 Massey et al. Dec 1980 A
4250686 Fujio Feb 1981 A
4275856 Harvey Jun 1981 A
4286421 Fujio Sep 1981 A
4287700 Fujio Sep 1981 A
4290992 Fujio Sep 1981 A
4293364 Fujio Oct 1981 A
4300974 Bauer Nov 1981 A
4313986 Magnotta Feb 1982 A
4343856 Goswami et al. Aug 1982 A
4410011 Andrii et al. Oct 1983 A
4427744 Hume, III Jan 1984 A
4486366 Reddy Dec 1984 A
4497275 Johnson et al. Feb 1985 A
4511425 Boyd et al. Apr 1985 A
4518468 Fotland et al. May 1985 A
4536434 Magnotta Aug 1985 A
4566933 Crankshaw et al. Jan 1986 A
4585679 Karabedian Apr 1986 A
4595544 Maruyama et al. Jun 1986 A
4610744 Smith et al. Sep 1986 A
4629663 Brown et al. Dec 1986 A
4699842 Jorgensen et al. Oct 1987 A
4714515 Hoffmann Dec 1987 A
4726865 Treat Feb 1988 A
4732641 Nechay et al. Mar 1988 A
4735664 Asghar et al. Apr 1988 A
4771891 Sorensen et al. Sep 1988 A
4792376 Denley Dec 1988 A
4801348 Takagaki Jan 1989 A
4801514 Will et al. Jan 1989 A
4822631 Beaudet Apr 1989 A
4831799 Glover et al. May 1989 A
4832783 Nechay et al. May 1989 A
4835217 Jorgensen et al. May 1989 A
4844962 May et al. Jul 1989 A
4863768 Ishio et al. Sep 1989 A
4871553 Huhndorff Oct 1989 A
4872931 Mitchell Oct 1989 A
4874454 Talalay et al. Oct 1989 A
4874665 Doheny Oct 1989 A
4875962 Breakspear Oct 1989 A
4910941 Nagano et al. Mar 1990 A
4911994 Will et al. Mar 1990 A
4923557 Dickey May 1990 A
4924714 Gross May 1990 A
4950344 Glover et al. Aug 1990 A
4956963 Johnson Sep 1990 A
4961978 Doheny, Jr. et al. Oct 1990 A
4963418 Isaka et al. Oct 1990 A
4980008 Woods et al. Dec 1990 A
4982872 Avery Jan 1991 A
4983238 Yoshida et al. Jan 1991 A
4997239 Crisp et al. Mar 1991 A
5021204 Frost et al. Jun 1991 A
5022941 Doheny, Jr. et al. Jun 1991 A
5030306 Lastra Jul 1991 A
5032477 Will et al. Jul 1991 A
5043204 Itaba et al. Aug 1991 A
5069953 Kishikawa et al. Dec 1991 A
5070680 Nagano Dec 1991 A
5071167 O'Brien Dec 1991 A
5091237 Schloegl et al. Feb 1992 A
5102733 Zawadzki Apr 1992 A
5111953 Faust et al. May 1992 A
5132074 Isozaki et al. Jul 1992 A
5135261 Cusack et al. Aug 1992 A
5143570 Freedman Sep 1992 A
5145728 Itaba et al. Sep 1992 A
5147040 Koike et al. Sep 1992 A
5158815 Doheny, Jr. et al. Oct 1992 A
5158836 Schirmer et al. Oct 1992 A
5164444 Bernard Nov 1992 A
5167974 Grindrod et al. Dec 1992 A
5169714 Kondo et al. Dec 1992 A
5173266 Kenney Dec 1992 A
5176948 Nguyen et al. Jan 1993 A
5183841 Bernard Feb 1993 A
5186782 Freedman Feb 1993 A
5187235 Bordoloi et al. Feb 1993 A
5189126 Bernard Feb 1993 A
5190609 Lin et al. Mar 1993 A
5196504 Scholz et al. Mar 1993 A
5212009 Peiffer et al. May 1993 A
5219666 Schirmer et al. Jun 1993 A
5221706 Lee et al. Jun 1993 A
5223315 Katsura et al. Jun 1993 A
5234733 Schloegl et al. Aug 1993 A
5234736 Lee Aug 1993 A
5240529 Hoffman Aug 1993 A
5240989 Bernard et al. Aug 1993 A
5242650 Rackovan et al. Sep 1993 A
5245456 Yoshimi et al. Sep 1993 A
5246762 Nakamura Sep 1993 A
5252155 Nowicki et al. Oct 1993 A
5262216 Popat et al. Nov 1993 A
5262251 Will et al. Nov 1993 A
5264532 Bernard Nov 1993 A
5290842 Sasaki et al. Mar 1994 A
5292561 Peiffer et al. Mar 1994 A
5296081 Morin et al. Mar 1994 A
5298708 Babu et al. Mar 1994 A
5300353 Yoshimura et al. Apr 1994 A
5302402 Dudenhoeffer et al. Apr 1994 A
5306549 Isozaki et al. Apr 1994 A
5312712 Will et al. May 1994 A
5316344 Popat et al. May 1994 A
5318815 Newing et al. Jun 1994 A
5322876 Sasaki et al. Jun 1994 A
5326644 Scholz et al. Jul 1994 A
5326654 Will et al. Jul 1994 A
5346259 Mocilnikar et al. Sep 1994 A
5358804 Will et al. Oct 1994 A
5366575 Staff et al. Nov 1994 A
5376394 Dudenhoeffer et al. Dec 1994 A
5383568 Tusick et al. Jan 1995 A
5385965 Bernard et al. Jan 1995 A
5395478 Sattler et al. Mar 1995 A
5397615 Van Beersel et al. Mar 1995 A
5403416 Bright et al. Apr 1995 A
5403454 Taniguchi et al. Apr 1995 A
5407718 Popat et al. Apr 1995 A
5407752 Fukuzumi et al. Apr 1995 A
5411295 Bates et al. May 1995 A
5417901 Hartman et al. May 1995 A
5420195 Mayer et al. May 1995 A
5421932 Fujio Jun 1995 A
5428209 Babu et al. Jun 1995 A
5443765 Yoshimura et al. Aug 1995 A
5443895 Peiffer et al. Aug 1995 A
5460878 Hostetter Oct 1995 A
5466499 Takagi et al. Nov 1995 A
5477192 Black et al. Dec 1995 A
5478422 Bright et al. Dec 1995 A
5490658 Coward et al. Feb 1996 A
5491017 Todt Feb 1996 A
5492950 Brown et al. Feb 1996 A
5512120 Hinton et al. Apr 1996 A
5516393 Freedman May 1996 A
5536787 Scholz et al. Jul 1996 A
5536800 Scholz et al. Jul 1996 A
5544770 Travisano Aug 1996 A
5558913 Sasaki et al. Sep 1996 A
5563205 Mayer et al. Oct 1996 A
5565055 Croci Oct 1996 A
5585193 Josephy et al. Dec 1996 A
5593747 Georgelos Jan 1997 A
5597654 Scholz et al. Jan 1997 A
5607790 Hughen et al. Mar 1997 A
5614333 Hughen et al. Mar 1997 A
5618033 Owen et al. Apr 1997 A
5623011 Bernard Apr 1997 A
5653927 Flynn et al. Aug 1997 A
5663228 Sasaki et al. Sep 1997 A
5665443 Hata et al. Sep 1997 A
5683774 Faykish et al. Nov 1997 A
5688456 Kuriu et al. Nov 1997 A
5690628 Huskey et al. Nov 1997 A
5691043 Keller et al. Nov 1997 A
5705551 Sasaki et al. Jan 1998 A
5709770 Asghar et al. Jan 1998 A
5709937 Adams et al. Jan 1998 A
5712031 Kelch et al. Jan 1998 A
5713567 Owen et al. Feb 1998 A
5718958 Scholz et al. Feb 1998 A
5721041 Baratto Feb 1998 A
5725966 Abe et al. Mar 1998 A
5726220 Tokushige et al. Mar 1998 A
5728440 Good Mar 1998 A
5728469 Mann et al. Mar 1998 A
5733615 Rackovan et al. Mar 1998 A
5741563 Mehta et al. Apr 1998 A
5747192 Hughen et al. May 1998 A
5753326 Blackwelder May 1998 A
5759337 Fujio et al. Jun 1998 A
5759675 Hamada et al. Jun 1998 A
5766795 Will et al. Jun 1998 A
5806153 Dolan et al. Sep 1998 A
5817426 Spada et al. Oct 1998 A
5827609 Ercillo et al. Oct 1998 A
5830571 Mann et al. Nov 1998 A
5833273 Strenk et al. Nov 1998 A
5843362 Yoshii et al. Dec 1998 A
5843549 Mingus Dec 1998 A
5846451 Nakano et al. Dec 1998 A
5851610 Ristey et al. Dec 1998 A
5851615 Kay Dec 1998 A
5856387 Sasaki et al. Jan 1999 A
5859116 Shih Jan 1999 A
5865331 Jacobs Feb 1999 A
5866634 Tokushige et al. Feb 1999 A
5869160 Mason et al. Feb 1999 A
5876816 Freedman Mar 1999 A
5878554 Loree et al. Mar 1999 A
5879496 Bright et al. Mar 1999 A
5884425 Baldwin Mar 1999 A
5891537 Yoshii et al. Apr 1999 A
5892892 Popat et al. Apr 1999 A
5897722 Bright Apr 1999 A
5900091 Kenney May 1999 A
5904804 Kouda et al. May 1999 A
5904973 Coward et al. May 1999 A
5908694 Makar et al. Jun 1999 A
5914165 Freedman Jun 1999 A
5925432 Kian et al. Jul 1999 A
5935730 Will et al. Aug 1999 A
5948517 Adamko et al. Sep 1999 A
5952122 Shacklett, III Sep 1999 A
5954907 LaRose et al. Sep 1999 A
5961766 Chang et al. Oct 1999 A
5972444 Patel et al. Oct 1999 A
5976691 Noguchi et al. Nov 1999 A
5982284 Baldwin et al. Nov 1999 A
5985075 Freedman Nov 1999 A
5990400 Hoshino et al. Nov 1999 A
5993961 Ugolick et al. Nov 1999 A
5998018 Murakami et al. Dec 1999 A
6004682 Rackovan et al. Dec 1999 A
6016618 Attia et al. Jan 2000 A
6016641 Nagano Jan 2000 A
6025079 Ciocca et al. Feb 2000 A
6042930 Kelch et al. Mar 2000 A
6070750 Kubitz Jun 2000 A
6074747 Scholz et al. Jun 2000 A
6083338 Scholz et al. Jul 2000 A
6099927 Freedman Aug 2000 A
6107411 Toya et al. Aug 2000 A
6113838 Flynn et al. Sep 2000 A
6113996 Amon et al. Sep 2000 A
6127024 Weiss et al. Oct 2000 A
6150013 Balaji et al. Nov 2000 A
6156252 Freedman Dec 2000 A
6165609 Curatolo Dec 2000 A
6176966 Tsujimoto et al. Jan 2001 B1
6183862 Ko et al. Feb 2001 B1
6187432 Krish et al. Feb 2001 B1
6194501 Okada et al. Feb 2001 B1
6197419 Hyde et al. Mar 2001 B1
6209605 Lee et al. Apr 2001 B1
6210524 Josephy Apr 2001 B1
6225194 Noguchi et al. May 2001 B1
6228486 Kittel et al. May 2001 B1
6231958 Kim et al. May 2001 B1
6248427 Ast Jun 2001 B1
6254712 Enlow et al. Jul 2001 B1
6270866 Okuda et al. Aug 2001 B1
6270871 Scholz et al. Aug 2001 B1
6277740 Goldstein Aug 2001 B1
6280557 Peloquin et al. Aug 2001 B1
6284337 Lorimor et al. Sep 2001 B1
6284338 Bauman et al. Sep 2001 B1
6293037 Spada et al. Sep 2001 B1
6294111 Shacklett, III et al. Sep 2001 B1
6294236 Freedman Sep 2001 B1
6296129 Kawasaki Oct 2001 B1
6296732 Enlow et al. Oct 2001 B1
6299716 Bettinger Oct 2001 B1
6299956 Freedman Oct 2001 B1
6299975 Takahira et al. Oct 2001 B1
6312800 Noguchi et al. Nov 2001 B1
6322883 Williams Nov 2001 B1
6325879 Heckman et al. Dec 2001 B1
6329113 Bourdelais et al. Dec 2001 B1
6336988 Enlow et al. Jan 2002 B1
6342281 Hayakawa et al. Jan 2002 B2
6344269 Makar et al. Feb 2002 B1
6352768 Hseih et al. Mar 2002 B1
6358587 Saint et al. Mar 2002 B1
6372074 Holguin et al. Apr 2002 B1
6376069 Bilodeau et al. Apr 2002 B1
6383627 Hashimoto et al. May 2002 B2
6391132 Kinnemann et al. May 2002 B1
RE37764 Good Jun 2002 E
6398892 Noguchi et al. Jun 2002 B1
6413596 Okuda et al. Jul 2002 B1
6416858 Ercillo et al. Jul 2002 B1
6417307 Oi et al. Jul 2002 B1
6418995 Sadrakula et al. Jul 2002 B1
6423406 Bilodeau Jul 2002 B1
6436496 Rackovan et al. Aug 2002 B1
6436501 Steadman Aug 2002 B1
6436795 Noguchi et al. Aug 2002 B2
6461555 Freedman Oct 2002 B1
6461706 Freedman et al. Oct 2002 B1
6461707 Scholz et al. Oct 2002 B1
6461722 Kittel et al. Oct 2002 B1
6485803 Bright Nov 2002 B1
6489387 Mallya et al. Dec 2002 B2
6503620 Xie et al. Jan 2003 B1
6509087 Uehara et al. Jan 2003 B2
6524669 Ito et al. Feb 2003 B2
6525129 Su et al. Feb 2003 B1
6534189 Burns et al. Mar 2003 B1
6540865 Miekka et al. Apr 2003 B1
6541098 Venkatasanthanam et al. Apr 2003 B2
6547887 Ko et al. Apr 2003 B1
6547912 Enlow et al. Apr 2003 B2
6553700 Hirayama et al. Apr 2003 B1
6562402 Scholz et al. May 2003 B2
6579915 Kroll et al. Jun 2003 B2
6581972 Nojima et al. Jun 2003 B2
6602790 Kian et al. Aug 2003 B2
6616727 Koyama et al. Sep 2003 B1
6627283 Freedman Sep 2003 B1
6638582 Uchiyama et al. Oct 2003 B1
6649259 Hu et al. Nov 2003 B1
6663928 Ito et al. Dec 2003 B2
6663947 Freedman et al. Dec 2003 B2
6680097 Amberger et al. Jan 2004 B1
6691439 Miyashita et al. Feb 2004 B1
6698958 Emery et al. Mar 2004 B2
6702910 Noguchi et al. Mar 2004 B2
6706355 Holguin et al. Mar 2004 B2
6709761 Hirose et al. Mar 2004 B2
6716501 Kovalchuk et al. Apr 2004 B2
6718223 Iwakata et al. Apr 2004 B1
6720085 Ito et al. Apr 2004 B2
6723446 Seta et al. Apr 2004 B2
6726969 Balaji et al. Apr 2004 B1
6727970 Grace et al. Apr 2004 B2
6730253 Etesse May 2004 B2
6733609 Leonarda van Heck May 2004 B2
6733870 Young et al. May 2004 B2
6748994 Wien et al. Jun 2004 B2
6755012 Frankefort Jun 2004 B2
6756095 Sandt et al. Jun 2004 B2
6762124 Kian et al. Jul 2004 B2
6765070 Tamura et al. Jul 2004 B2
6773804 Enlow et al. Aug 2004 B2
6774036 Goldstein Aug 2004 B2
6780765 Goldstein Aug 2004 B2
6786376 Pitzen et al. Sep 2004 B1
6787208 Galovic Sep 2004 B2
6796352 Geurtsen et al. Sep 2004 B1
6808776 Mientus et al. Oct 2004 B2
6808822 Rajan et al. Oct 2004 B2
6821592 Rodick Nov 2004 B2
6823867 Avery et al. Nov 2004 B2
6824001 Johnson et al. Nov 2004 B2
6824839 Popat et al. Nov 2004 B1
6835462 Sun et al. Dec 2004 B2
6841261 Matsui et al. Jan 2005 B2
6844391 Iyer et al. Jan 2005 B1
6846531 Mientus et al. Jan 2005 B2
6855406 Takayasu et al. Feb 2005 B2
6856086 Grace et al. Feb 2005 B2
6867983 Liu et al. Mar 2005 B2
6872462 Roberts et al. Mar 2005 B2
6875485 Kanai et al. Apr 2005 B2
6890400 Scholz et al. May 2005 B2
6891589 Hata et al. May 2005 B2
6897151 Winter et al. May 2005 B2
6908687 Mendes et al. Jun 2005 B2
6919113 Therrian et al. Jul 2005 B2
6926339 Gentile Aug 2005 B2
6926959 Kroll et al. Aug 2005 B2
6932135 Tabuchi Aug 2005 B2
6940408 Ferguson et al. Sep 2005 B2
6951596 Green et al. Oct 2005 B2
6989418 Ko et al. Jan 2006 B2
6991828 Husemann et al. Jan 2006 B2
7014920 Kuriu Mar 2006 B2
7019067 Holguin et al. Mar 2006 B2
7051493 Cook et al. May 2006 B2
7079204 Hata Jul 2006 B2
7093362 Dallmeyer et al. Aug 2006 B2
7101437 Boutilier et al. Sep 2006 B2
7105226 Noguchi et al. Sep 2006 B2
7130007 Hata et al. Oct 2006 B2
7138703 Maida et al. Nov 2006 B2
7156528 Weiss et al. Jan 2007 B2
7156944 Moeller et al. Jan 2007 B2
7160949 Ota et al. Jan 2007 B2
7165888 Rodick Jan 2007 B2
7166342 Hayakawa et al. Jan 2007 B2
7168815 Shipman et al. Jan 2007 B2
7182998 Takagi et al. Feb 2007 B2
7189462 Matsui et al. Mar 2007 B2
7193014 Wilkey et al. Mar 2007 B2
7195822 Hiruma Mar 2007 B2
7215839 Kawahara et al. May 2007 B2
7223460 Kwok et al. May 2007 B2
7232857 Hirasawa Jun 2007 B2
7236222 Yoda et al. Jun 2007 B2
7247389 Umeda Jul 2007 B2
7264852 Koishi et al. Sep 2007 B2
7273894 Shelby et al. Sep 2007 B2
7330873 Yoshida et al. Feb 2008 B2
7344765 Hayakawa et al. Mar 2008 B2
7351767 Hartsock et al. Apr 2008 B2
7361390 Yoda et al. Apr 2008 B2
7365816 Kawai et al. Apr 2008 B2
7368153 Barmore et al. May 2008 B2
7388146 Fraas et al. Jun 2008 B2
7422779 Van Rijn et al. Sep 2008 B2
7427019 Haertel Sep 2008 B2
D579344 Kunz Oct 2008 S
7435456 Nakamura et al. Oct 2008 B2
7473473 Verrocchi Jan 2009 B2
7491432 Kachi et al. Feb 2009 B2
7502088 Suzuki et al. Mar 2009 B2
7525463 Saunders et al. Apr 2009 B2
7588807 Hayashi et al. Sep 2009 B2
7625612 Ohmori et al. Dec 2009 B2
7638203 Inagaki et al. Dec 2009 B2
7700189 Amon et al. Apr 2010 B2
7709417 Yukawa May 2010 B2
7727620 Yamada et al. Jun 2010 B2
7749584 Hayakawa et al. Jul 2010 B2
7758938 Hseih et al. Jul 2010 B2
7846517 McDaniel Dec 2010 B2
20010007395 Gentile Jul 2001 A1
20010014492 Noguchi et al. Aug 2001 A1
20010014729 Hayakawa et al. Aug 2001 A1
20010038920 Hashimoto et al. Nov 2001 A1
20010050287 Namba et al. Dec 2001 A1
20010052385 Enlow et al. Dec 2001 A1
20020006723 Goldstein Jan 2002 A1
20020007903 Enlow et al. Jan 2002 A1
20020016381 Kroll et al. Feb 2002 A1
20020025432 Noguchi et al. Feb 2002 A1
20020045055 Ito et al. Apr 2002 A1
20020056513 Tabuchi May 2002 A1
20020064611 Kanai et al. May 2002 A1
20020074078 Van Heck Jun 2002 A1
20020090502 Ito et al. Jul 2002 A1
20020098303 Rackovan et al. Jul 2002 A1
20020098680 Goldstein Jul 2002 A1
20020119294 Monkarsh et al. Aug 2002 A1
20020124931 Etesse Sep 2002 A1
20020136848 Yoshii et al. Sep 2002 A1
20020150780 Ito et al. Oct 2002 A1
20020153345 Johnson et al. Oct 2002 A1
20020157772 Enlow et al. Oct 2002 A1
20020168453 McCutchan Nov 2002 A1
20020186120 Tamura et al. Dec 2002 A1
20020192412 Satani et al. Dec 2002 A1
20020197499 Hirose et al. Dec 2002 A1
20030029544 Noguchi et al. Feb 2003 A1
20030031866 Noguchi et al. Feb 2003 A1
20030039775 Kong Feb 2003 A1
20030054164 Zimmermann et al. Mar 2003 A1
20030054165 Yamanaka et al. Mar 2003 A1
20030068453 Kong Apr 2003 A1
20030092267 Kian et al. May 2003 A1
20030102080 Mallik Jun 2003 A1
20030134062 Rajan et al. Jul 2003 A1
20030143415 Seta et al. Jul 2003 A1
20030147042 Kawamoto et al. Aug 2003 A1
20030152792 Takayasu et al. Aug 2003 A1
20030157354 Van Veghel et al. Aug 2003 A1
20030170427 Ito et al. Sep 2003 A1
20030192541 Avery et al. Oct 2003 A1
20030199604 Kroll et al. Oct 2003 A1
20030201007 Fraas et al. Oct 2003 A1
20030203166 Dronzek Oct 2003 A1
20030218274 Boutilier et al. Nov 2003 A1
20030222100 Husband et al. Dec 2003 A1
20040010257 Cachia et al. Jan 2004 A1
20040023488 Goldstein Feb 2004 A1
20040028862 Burwell et al. Feb 2004 A1
20040038012 Cook et al. Feb 2004 A1
20040039775 Yoshida et al. Feb 2004 A1
20040071962 Tanimoto Apr 2004 A1
20040091625 Winter et al. May 2004 A1
20040119922 Hata et al. Jun 2004 A1
20040124661 Gentile Jul 2004 A1
20040131806 Barmore et al. Jul 2004 A1
20040142195 Roberts et al. Jul 2004 A1
20040175520 Van Rijn et al. Sep 2004 A1
20040180229 Hayakawa et al. Sep 2004 A1
20040214142 Sutula, Jr. Oct 2004 A1
20040258938 Yamanaka et al. Dec 2004 A1
20040263731 Hata et al. Dec 2004 A1
20040265361 Kuniya et al. Dec 2004 A1
20050018328 Hata et al. Jan 2005 A1
20050019514 Takegawa et al. Jan 2005 A1
20050031860 Okada et al. Feb 2005 A1
20050095379 Hayakawa et al. May 2005 A1
20050100689 He et al. May 2005 A1
20050106342 Dawes et al. May 2005 A1
20050118406 Shelby et al. Jun 2005 A1
20050119359 Shelby et al. Jun 2005 A1
20050151230 Maida et al. Jul 2005 A1
20050157389 Shipman et al. Jul 2005 A1
20050157390 Weiss et al. Jul 2005 A1
20050165164 Moeller et al. Jul 2005 A1
20050187344 Wilkey et al. Aug 2005 A1
20050191439 Hirose et al. Sep 2005 A1
20050196563 Ito et al. Sep 2005 A1
20050213320 Kazuhiro et al. Sep 2005 A1
20050274687 McCutchan Dec 2005 A1
20060019071 Akita Jan 2006 A1
20060028601 Kawahara et al. Feb 2006 A1
20060043169 Haertel Mar 2006 A1
20060048417 Leykamm Mar 2006 A1
20060057323 Yukawa et al. Mar 2006 A1
20060062934 Hayashi et al. Mar 2006 A1
20060066787 Yoda et al. Mar 2006 A1
20060071826 Saunders et al. Apr 2006 A1
20060072057 Yano et al. Apr 2006 A1
20060077320 Hata et al. Apr 2006 A1
20060089457 Hartsock et al. Apr 2006 A1
20060115667 Verrocchi et al. Jun 2006 A1
20060121219 Shelby et al. Jun 2006 A1
20060132688 Yoda et al. Jun 2006 A1
20060157438 Livingston et al. Jul 2006 A1
20060159878 Wakai et al. Jul 2006 A1
20060170848 Kawai et al. Aug 2006 A1
20060177607 Ohmori et al. Aug 2006 A1
20060177697 Kachi et al. Aug 2006 A1
20060186581 Etesse et al. Aug 2006 A1
20060215079 Suzuki et al. Sep 2006 A1
20060216435 Nakamura Sep 2006 A1
20060222874 Umeda Oct 2006 A1
20060233984 Suzuki et al. Oct 2006 A1
20060246231 Koishi et al. Nov 2006 A1
20060275592 Tsuchida et al. Dec 2006 A1
20060292104 Guskey et al. Dec 2006 A1
20070004813 Shelby et al. Jan 2007 A1
20070009732 Tsai et al. Jan 2007 A1
20070043169 Kwok et al. Feb 2007 A1
20070071967 Inagaki et al. Mar 2007 A1
20070087191 Kaya et al. Apr 2007 A1
20070099017 Hayakawa et al. May 2007 A1
20070172669 Amon et al. Jul 2007 A1
20070175574 Crank Aug 2007 A1
20070212539 Yamada et al. Sep 2007 A1
20070224345 Metz et al. Sep 2007 A1
20070240806 Suzuki et al. Oct 2007 A1
20070275319 He et al. Nov 2007 A1
20070281137 Tsai et al. Dec 2007 A1
20070289840 Ranger Dec 2007 A1
20080017605 Zhang et al. Jan 2008 A1
20080026170 Yamada et al. Jan 2008 A1
20080050651 Wakai et al. Feb 2008 A1
20080057236 Yamada et al. Mar 2008 A1
20080185093 Ward et al. Aug 2008 A1
20080289986 Goto et al. Nov 2008 A1
20080314909 Takeo et al. Dec 2008 A1
20090022916 Yamada et al. Jan 2009 A1
20090038736 Lorence et al. Feb 2009 A1
20090038737 Lorence et al. Feb 2009 A1
20090042024 Fujii et al. Feb 2009 A1
20090142456 Segal et al. Jun 2009 A1
20090202757 Fujio Aug 2009 A1
20090278187 Toba Nov 2009 A1
20090313427 Ukai et al. Dec 2009 A1
20100051200 Mueller et al. Mar 2010 A1
20100112263 Lorence et al. May 2010 A1
20100307692 Lorence et al. Dec 2010 A1
20110198024 Lorence et al. Aug 2011 A1
20120118503 Lorence et al. May 2012 A1
20130022797 Lorence et al. Jan 2013 A1
20140048196 Lorence et al. Feb 2014 A1
20140129184 Mehrabi et al. May 2014 A1
20150191632 Lorence et al. Jul 2015 A1
Foreign Referenced Citations (576)
Number Date Country
86106943 Jul 1987 CN
2154164 Jan 1994 CN
1786009 Nov 1971 DE
2362108 Jun 1975 DE
2627312 Dec 1977 DE
2362108 Sep 1983 DE
8618893 Dec 1986 DE
8702448 Apr 1987 DE
3543317 Jun 1987 DE
19642110 Apr 1998 DE
10106383 Aug 2002 DE
102004004827 Sep 2005 DE
0019718 Dec 1980 EP
0050702 Mar 1981 EP
0060667 Sep 1982 EP
0121371 Oct 1984 EP
0187044 Jul 1986 EP
0208261 Jul 1986 EP
0189986 Aug 1986 EP
0210646 Feb 1987 EP
0313406 Apr 1989 EP
0317499 May 1989 EP
0319258 Jun 1989 EP
0326039 Aug 1989 EP
0340579 Nov 1989 EP
0342854 Nov 1989 EP
0395585 Oct 1990 EP
0400456 Dec 1990 EP
0261923 May 1991 EP
0445445 Sep 1991 EP
0447636 Sep 1991 EP
0448400 Sep 1991 EP
0454333 Oct 1991 EP
0456890 Nov 1991 EP
0460672 Dec 1991 EP
0477944 Apr 1992 EP
0482620 Apr 1992 EP
0510213 Oct 1992 EP
0588456 Mar 1994 EP
0220885 May 1994 EP
0478868 May 1994 EP
0621310 Oct 1994 EP
0628598 Dec 1994 EP
0663285 Jul 1995 EP
0664534 Jul 1995 EP
0667300 Aug 1995 EP
0486690 Nov 1995 EP
0688720 Dec 1995 EP
0570512 Jan 1996 EP
0698424 Feb 1996 EP
0575333 Apr 1996 EP
0730944 Sep 1996 EP
0733459 Sep 1996 EP
0582242 Oct 1996 EP
0616716 Mar 1997 EP
0772521 May 1997 EP
0779911 Jun 1997 EP
0805110 Nov 1997 EP
0578750 Jun 1998 EP
0852240 Jul 1998 EP
0812450 Oct 1998 EP
0884766 Dec 1998 EP
0930322 Jul 1999 EP
0930329 Jul 1999 EP
0785869 Aug 1999 EP
0959447 Nov 1999 EP
0963292 Dec 1999 EP
0979722 Feb 2000 EP
0983138 Mar 2000 EP
0989162 Mar 2000 EP
0999250 May 2000 EP
1019290 Jul 2000 EP
1024162 Aug 2000 EP
1043360 Oct 2000 EP
1055721 Nov 2000 EP
1072632 Jan 2001 EP
0675806 Feb 2001 EP
0858395 Feb 2001 EP
1074593 Feb 2001 EP
1083014 Mar 2001 EP
1083129 Mar 2001 EP
0891255 Jun 2001 EP
1107214 Jun 2001 EP
1116667 Jul 2001 EP
1120352 Aug 2001 EP
1122776 Aug 2001 EP
1124214 Aug 2001 EP
1145846 Oct 2001 EP
1151847 Nov 2001 EP
1157943 Nov 2001 EP
1160272 Dec 2001 EP
1172782 Jan 2002 EP
1176100 Jan 2002 EP
1184167 Mar 2002 EP
1201585 May 2002 EP
1205193 May 2002 EP
1205194 May 2002 EP
1205195 May 2002 EP
1227119 Jul 2002 EP
1234854 Aug 2002 EP
1238916 Sep 2002 EP
1262523 Dec 2002 EP
1270203 Jan 2003 EP
1270652 Jan 2003 EP
1270664 Jan 2003 EP
1275670 Jan 2003 EP
1299293 Apr 2003 EP
1304219 Apr 2003 EP
0932654 May 2003 EP
0831994 Aug 2003 EP
1333043 Aug 2003 EP
1336641 Aug 2003 EP
1340609 Sep 2003 EP
1361260 Nov 2003 EP
1391294 Feb 2004 EP
1118885 Mar 2004 EP
1398360 Mar 2004 EP
1179563 May 2004 EP
1418042 May 2004 EP
1426165 Jun 2004 EP
1431782 Jun 2004 EP
1460101 Sep 2004 EP
1464994 Oct 2004 EP
1464995 Oct 2004 EP
1489437 Dec 2004 EP
1491219 Dec 2004 EP
1491581 Dec 2004 EP
1491585 Dec 2004 EP
1505136 Feb 2005 EP
1288249 Mar 2005 EP
1420951 Mar 2005 EP
1514680 Mar 2005 EP
1538554 Jun 2005 EP
1550690 Jul 2005 EP
1566261 Aug 2005 EP
1571639 Sep 2005 EP
1616695 Jan 2006 EP
1368442 Feb 2006 EP
1632343 Mar 2006 EP
1084815 Apr 2006 EP
1646023 Apr 2006 EP
1647847 Apr 2006 EP
1525572 May 2006 EP
1659425 May 2006 EP
1661536 May 2006 EP
1467857 Jun 2006 EP
1684255 Jul 2006 EP
1688233 Aug 2006 EP
1695818 Aug 2006 EP
1698461 Sep 2006 EP
1712352 Oct 2006 EP
1714912 Oct 2006 EP
1723038 Nov 2006 EP
1724740 Nov 2006 EP
1733874 Dec 2006 EP
1737912 Jan 2007 EP
1747882 Jan 2007 EP
1752285 Feb 2007 EP
0854890 Jun 2007 EP
1810822 Jul 2007 EP
1839849 Oct 2007 EP
1862517 Dec 2007 EP
1876019 Jan 2008 EP
1915418 Apr 2008 EP
1537175 May 2008 EP
1692226 Jun 2009 EP
1692217 May 2010 EP
2159976 Oct 2001 ES
1187382 Sep 1959 FR
2007335 Jan 1970 FR
2164680 Aug 1973 FR
2581621 Nov 1986 FR
2023061 Dec 1979 GB
2142900 Jan 1985 GB
2204048 Nov 1988 GB
2310398 Aug 2007 GB
2488666 Sep 2012 GB
45-12936 May 1970 JP
52-115855 Sep 1977 JP
52115855 Sep 1977 JP
55044846 Mar 1980 JP
56078932 Jun 1981 JP
57025349 Feb 1982 JP
57034921 Feb 1982 JP
58005355 Jan 1983 JP
58118207 Jul 1983 JP
58185230 Oct 1983 JP
59-097175 Jun 1984 JP
59145114 Aug 1984 JP
60-099826 Jun 1985 JP
60219030 Nov 1985 JP
62014687 Jan 1987 JP
62-286726 Dec 1987 JP
63122518 May 1988 JP
63-049702 Oct 1988 JP
63-268743 Nov 1988 JP
63-272680 Nov 1988 JP
63272680 Nov 1988 JP
11-68426 Jul 1989 JP
2019230 Jan 1990 JP
3-114868 May 1991 JP
1991-187826 Aug 1991 JP
4-041902 Feb 1992 JP
4-161324 Jun 1992 JP
4-339652 Nov 1992 JP
5-092548 Apr 1993 JP
5-305664 Nov 1993 JP
6-122152 May 1994 JP
6122152 May 1994 JP
62-91555 Oct 1994 JP
63-49702 Dec 1994 JP
7-165945 Jun 1995 JP
8-323859 Dec 1996 JP
9-239833 Sep 1997 JP
9-254257 Sep 1997 JP
9-272182 Oct 1997 JP
10-007168 Jan 1998 JP
10-020788 Jan 1998 JP
10-059412 Mar 1998 JP
10-095454 Apr 1998 JP
10-095470 Apr 1998 JP
10-194328 Jul 1998 JP
10-254364 Sep 1998 JP
10-209771 Nov 1998 JP
10-291252 Nov 1998 JP
10-305867 Nov 1998 JP
10-333577 Dec 1998 JP
10-337796 Dec 1998 JP
63-317493 Dec 1998 JP
11-079210 Mar 1999 JP
11-115133 Apr 1999 JP
11-158241 Jun 1999 JP
11-208667 Aug 1999 JP
11-224049 Aug 1999 JP
11-272172 Oct 1999 JP
11-292135 Oct 1999 JP
11-338356 Dec 1999 JP
2000-025112 Jan 2000 JP
2000-029392 Jan 2000 JP
2000-043156 Feb 2000 JP
2000-047770 Feb 2000 JP
2000-053154 Feb 2000 JP
2000-056689 Feb 2000 JP
2000-057399 Feb 2000 JP
2000-142791 May 2000 JP
2000-177763 Jun 2000 JP
2000-212527 Aug 2000 JP
2000-229357 Aug 2000 JP
2000-305460 Nov 2000 JP
2000-305461 Nov 2000 JP
2000-313754 Nov 2000 JP
2000-326934 Nov 2000 JP
2000-335658 Dec 2000 JP
2000-343139 Dec 2000 JP
2001-002014 Jan 2001 JP
2001-004678 Jan 2001 JP
2001-010663 Jan 2001 JP
2001-019017 Jan 2001 JP
2001-051601 Feb 2001 JP
2001-082868 Mar 2001 JP
2001-088839 Apr 2001 JP
2001-125489 May 2001 JP
2001-145985 May 2001 JP
2001-154587 Jun 2001 JP
2001-158408 Jun 2001 JP
2001-171620 Jun 2001 JP
2001-175179 Jun 2001 JP
2001-180622 Jul 2001 JP
2001-188476 Jul 2001 JP
2001-196033 Jul 2001 JP
2001-206379 Jul 2001 JP
2001-206407 Jul 2001 JP
2001-215880 Aug 2001 JP
2001-219961 Aug 2001 JP
2001-225855 Aug 2001 JP
2001-236019 Aug 2001 JP
2001-247652 Sep 2001 JP
2001-266806 Sep 2001 JP
2001-271022 Oct 2001 JP
2001-272915 Oct 2001 JP
2001-290425 Oct 2001 JP
2001-294282 Oct 2001 JP
2001-296805 Oct 2001 JP
2001-315260 Nov 2001 JP
2000-347571 Dec 2001 JP
2001-341773 Dec 2001 JP
2001-350411 Dec 2001 JP
2002-001878 Jan 2002 JP
2002-020705 Jan 2002 JP
2002-032024 Jan 2002 JP
2002-036356 Feb 2002 JP
2002-046715 Feb 2002 JP
2002-047358 Feb 2002 JP
2002-059969 Feb 2002 JP
2002-068150 Mar 2002 JP
2002-072890 Mar 2002 JP
2002-080074 Mar 2002 JP
2002-087432 Mar 2002 JP
2002-096863 Apr 2002 JP
2002-120862 Apr 2002 JP
2002-128133 May 2002 JP
2002-132159 May 2002 JP
2002-154506 May 2002 JP
2002-160710 Jun 2002 JP
2002-193235 Jul 2002 JP
2002-193321 Jul 2002 JP
2002-196677 Jul 2002 JP
2002-203525 Jul 2002 JP
2002-205712 Jul 2002 JP
2002-205713 Jul 2002 JP
2002-215044 Jul 2002 JP
2002-253894 Sep 2002 JP
2002-208228 Oct 2002 JP
2002-284173 Oct 2002 JP
2002-294392 Oct 2002 JP
2002-308228 Oct 2002 JP
2002-308240 Oct 2002 JP
2002-309202 Oct 2002 JP
2002-316360 Oct 2002 JP
2002-326613 Nov 2002 JP
2002-332016 Nov 2002 JP
2002-337880 Nov 2002 JP
2002-337941 Nov 2002 JP
2002-351333 Dec 2002 JP
2002-361741 Dec 2002 JP
2003-020013 Jan 2003 JP
2003-020014 Jan 2003 JP
2003-026127 Jan 2003 JP
2003-029638 Jan 2003 JP
2003-034369 Feb 2003 JP
2003-040219 Feb 2003 JP
2003-043922 Feb 2003 JP
2003-049131 Feb 2003 JP
2003-054520 Feb 2003 JP
2003-054561 Feb 2003 JP
2003-058057 Feb 2003 JP
2003-063536 Mar 2003 JP
2003-095225 Apr 2003 JP
2003-104330 Apr 2003 JP
2003-128021 May 2003 JP
2003-165512 Jun 2003 JP
2003-166133 Jun 2003 JP
2003-175964 Jun 2003 JP
2003-200528 Jul 2003 JP
2003-200529 Jul 2003 JP
2003-205946 Jul 2003 JP
2003-252384 Sep 2003 JP
2003-255839 Sep 2003 JP
2003-261171 Sep 2003 JP
2003-267437 Sep 2003 JP
2003-271062 Sep 2003 JP
2003-280528 Oct 2003 JP
2003-292029 Oct 2003 JP
2003-300516 Oct 2003 JP
2003-305771 Oct 2003 JP
2003-312723 Nov 2003 JP
2003-321055 Nov 2003 JP
2003-335343 Nov 2003 JP
2004-067117 Mar 2004 JP
2004-067189 Mar 2004 JP
2004-106848 Apr 2004 JP
2004-122385 Apr 2004 JP
2004-123213 Apr 2004 JP
2004-147360 May 2004 JP
2004-168350 Jun 2004 JP
2004-170468 Jun 2004 JP
2004-170469 Jun 2004 JP
2004-170715 Jun 2004 JP
2004-196918 Jul 2004 JP
2004-249706 Sep 2004 JP
2004-256143 Sep 2004 JP
2004-258115 Sep 2004 JP
2004-302125 Oct 2004 JP
2004-354743 Dec 2004 JP
2005-001729 Jan 2005 JP
2005-004017 Jan 2005 JP
2005-015030 Jan 2005 JP
2005-022089 Jan 2005 JP
2005-029216 Feb 2005 JP
2005-035238 Feb 2005 JP
2005-041552 Feb 2005 JP
2005-041891 Feb 2005 JP
2005-070066 Mar 2005 JP
2005-070739 Mar 2005 JP
2005-077677 Mar 2005 JP
2005-082225 Mar 2005 JP
2005-098900 Apr 2005 JP
2005-132453 May 2005 JP
2005-139423 Jun 2005 JP
2005-148331 Jun 2005 JP
2005-162262 Jun 2005 JP
2005-173611 Jun 2005 JP
2005-178886 Jul 2005 JP
2005-183093 Jul 2005 JP
2005-186991 Jul 2005 JP
2005-193984 Jul 2005 JP
2005-196151 Jul 2005 JP
2005-212226 Aug 2005 JP
2005-219767 Aug 2005 JP
2005-221982 Aug 2005 JP
2005-239246 Sep 2005 JP
2005-239948 Sep 2005 JP
2005-266592 Sep 2005 JP
2005-280727 Oct 2005 JP
2005-280782 Oct 2005 JP
2005-280789 Oct 2005 JP
2005-283738 Oct 2005 JP
2000-318105 Nov 2005 JP
2005-313944 Nov 2005 JP
2005-335764 Dec 2005 JP
2005-338304 Dec 2005 JP
2006-001573 Jan 2006 JP
2006-027641 Feb 2006 JP
2006-044797 Feb 2006 JP
2006-047499 Feb 2006 JP
2006-056552 Mar 2006 JP
2006-063139 Mar 2006 JP
2006-116874 May 2006 JP
2006-151479 Jun 2006 JP
2006-156755 Jun 2006 JP
2006-159901 Jun 2006 JP
2006-160796 Jun 2006 JP
2006-168753 Jun 2006 JP
2006-169285 Jun 2006 JP
2006-193215 Jul 2006 JP
2006-201534 Aug 2006 JP
2006-213341 Aug 2006 JP
2006-215245 Aug 2006 JP
2006-225009 Aug 2006 JP
2006-240697 Sep 2006 JP
2006-240721 Sep 2006 JP
2006-248539 Sep 2006 JP
2006-256665 Sep 2006 JP
2006-281584 Oct 2006 JP
2006-282246 Oct 2006 JP
2006-337635 Dec 2006 JP
2006-349749 Dec 2006 JP
2007-025174 Feb 2007 JP
2007-112719 May 2007 JP
2007-156928 Jun 2007 JP
2007-156930 Jun 2007 JP
2007-160543 Jun 2007 JP
2007-160544 Jun 2007 JP
2007-191606 Aug 2007 JP
2007-242248 Sep 2007 JP
2007-291342 Nov 2007 JP
2007-308165 Nov 2007 JP
2007-311527 Nov 2007 JP
2007-334086 Dec 2007 JP
2008-022250 Jan 2008 JP
2008-106252 May 2008 JP
2009-058687 Mar 2009 JP
2009-058722 Mar 2009 JP
2009-066966 Apr 2009 JP
2009-114380 May 2009 JP
2009-272564 Nov 2009 JP
2009-301393 Dec 2009 JP
2010-070247 Apr 2010 JP
1032392 Mar 2008 NL
WO 9005672 May 1990 WO
WO 9208611 May 1992 WO
WO 9211997 Jul 1992 WO
WO 9213923 Aug 1992 WO
WO 9217306 Oct 1992 WO
WO 9301251 Jan 1993 WO
WO 9414611 Jul 1994 WO
WO 9515461 Jun 1995 WO
WO 9521775 Aug 1995 WO
WO 9602386 Feb 1996 WO
WO 9607699 Mar 1996 WO
WO 9610274 Apr 1996 WO
WO 9611804 Apr 1996 WO
WO 9627178 Sep 1996 WO
WO 9633864 Oct 1996 WO
WO 9642115 Dec 1996 WO
WO 9707490 Feb 1997 WO
WO 9711115 Mar 1997 WO
WO 9713645 Apr 1997 WO
WO 9714558 Apr 1997 WO
WO 9729523 Aug 1997 WO
WO 9731076 Aug 1997 WO
WO 9735719 Oct 1997 WO
WO 9814825 Apr 1998 WO
WO 9832786 Jul 1998 WO
WO 9852742 Nov 1998 WO
WO 9856662 Dec 1998 WO
WO 9915599 Apr 1999 WO
WO 9929490 Jun 1999 WO
WO 9952788 Oct 1999 WO
WO 9967768 Dec 1999 WO
WO 0004396 Jan 2000 WO
WO 0029469 May 2000 WO
WO 0061371 Oct 2000 WO
WO 0119598 Mar 2001 WO
WO 0119692 Mar 2001 WO
WO 0138434 May 2001 WO
WO 0155276 Aug 2001 WO
WO 0164435 Sep 2001 WO
WO 0183612 Nov 2001 WO
WO 0187751 Nov 2001 WO
WO 0190227 Nov 2001 WO
WO 0027631 Jan 2002 WO
WO 0206133 Jan 2002 WO
WO 0238192 May 2002 WO
WO 0238193 May 2002 WO
WO 0238194 May 2002 WO
WO 0238641 May 2002 WO
WO 02066569 Aug 2002 WO
WO 02072441 Sep 2002 WO
WO 03006229 Jan 2003 WO
WO 03016026 Feb 2003 WO
WO 03016053 Feb 2003 WO
WO 03039775 Feb 2003 WO
WO 03029002 Apr 2003 WO
WO 03033262 Apr 2003 WO
WO 03055937 Jul 2003 WO
WO 03061957 Jul 2003 WO
WO 03073401 Sep 2003 WO
WO 03078152 Sep 2003 WO
WO 2004012938 Feb 2004 WO
WO 2004013831 Feb 2004 WO
WO 2004014635 Feb 2004 WO
WO 2004018198 Mar 2004 WO
WO 2004018204 Mar 2004 WO
WO 2004022646 Mar 2004 WO
WO 2004033541 Apr 2004 WO
WO 2004071962 Apr 2004 WO
WO 2004052644 Jun 2004 WO
WO 2004094139 Nov 2004 WO
WO 2004110750 Dec 2004 WO
WO 2004112684 Dec 2004 WO
WO 2005045385 May 2005 WO
WO 2005048218 May 2005 WO
WO 2005056292 Jun 2005 WO
WO 2005061595 Jul 2005 WO
WO 2005061596 Jul 2005 WO
WO 2005061628 Jul 2005 WO
WO 2005063485 Jul 2005 WO
WO 2005068521 Jul 2005 WO
WO 2005073468 Aug 2005 WO
WO 2005075296 Aug 2005 WO
WO 2005086122 Aug 2005 WO
WO 2005083000 Sep 2005 WO
WO 2005085381 Sep 2005 WO
WO 2005092721 Oct 2005 WO
WO 2005095106 Oct 2005 WO
WO 2005095381 Oct 2005 WO
WO 2005100498 Oct 2005 WO
WO 2005110746 Nov 2005 WO
WO 2005113699 Dec 2005 WO
WO 2005118288 Dec 2005 WO
WO 2005123525 Dec 2005 WO
WO 2006004094 Feb 2006 WO
WO 2006013967 Feb 2006 WO
WO 2006015884 Feb 2006 WO
WO 2006047655 May 2006 WO
WO 2006047665 May 2006 WO
WO 2006051628 May 2006 WO
WO 2006051884 May 2006 WO
WO 2006051920 May 2006 WO
WO 2006060766 Jun 2006 WO
WO 2006062742 Jun 2006 WO
WO 2006070933 Jul 2006 WO
WO 2006075634 Jul 2006 WO
WO 2006077845 Jul 2006 WO
WO 2006084214 Aug 2006 WO
WO 2006095730 Sep 2006 WO
WO 2006109662 Oct 2006 WO
WO 2006113488 Oct 2006 WO
WO 2006121118 Nov 2006 WO
WO 2006134647 Dec 2006 WO
WO 2007015244 Feb 2007 WO
WO 2007054661 May 2007 WO
WO 2007069615 Jun 2007 WO
WO 2008044221 Apr 2008 WO
WO 2009124228 Jan 2009 WO
Non-Patent Literature Citations (155)
Entry
Examiner's First Report on corresponding Australian Application No. 2008-237210 dated Jun. 28, 2011.
Patent Examination Report No. 1 issued in corresponding Australian Application No. 2012-202782 dated Jan. 21, 2012.
Notification of First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200880018553.2 dated Jun. 25, 2012.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 09 108 718 dated Oct. 9, 2012.
Notice of Preliminary Rejection issued in corresponding Korean Application No. 10-2009-7023046 dated May 30, 2011.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2008/059397 dated Jun. 2, 2009.
International Search Report and Written Opinion of the ISA issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2008/059397 dated Aug. 18, 2008.
Reply to ISA Written Opinion submitted in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2008/059397 dated Oct. 16, 2008.
Reply to the Written Opinion of the IPEA submitted in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2008/059397 dated May 8, 2009.
Written Opinion of the IPEA issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2008/059397 dated Mar. 9, 2009.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Russian Application No. 2009/140660 dated Oct. 8, 2012.
Advisory Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Nov. 8, 2012.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Mar. 29, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Oct. 10, 2012.
Notice of Allowance issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Dec. 11, 2012.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Dec. 30, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Jun. 13, 2012.
Response to Restriction Requirement submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Oct. 18, 2011.
Restriction Requirement issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/532,845 dated Aug. 11, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated Mar. 11, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated May 17, 2012.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated Oct. 3, 2011.
Notice of Allowance issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated Jun. 8, 2012, and Corrected Notice of Allowability dated Aug. 7, 2012.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated Dec. 19, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated May 3, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated Sep. 15, 2010.
Response to Restriction Requirement submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated Jul. 28, 2010.
Restriction Requirement issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,737 dated May 17, 2010.
Advisory Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Apr. 12, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Jun. 16, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Dec. 6, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Jun. 18, 2012.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Mar. 22, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Oct. 15, 2012.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Oct. 20, 2010.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Apr. 20, 2010.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Dec. 16, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Jul. 8, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Jun. 28, 2012.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Nov. 23, 2012.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated Jan. 7, 2013.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated Jun. 19, 2012.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated May 6, 2011.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated Nov. 28, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated Dec. 19, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated Feb. 18, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated Jul. 6, 2012.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/845,037 dated Jun. 17, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/628,076 dated Dec. 26, 2012.
Response to International Preliminary Report on Patentability submitted in European Application No. 10 740 088.9 dated Sep. 18, 2012.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2010/043343 dated Jan. 31, 2012.
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2010/043343 dated Feb. 9, 2011.
Invitation to Pay Additional Fees issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2010/043343 dated Nov. 9, 2010.
Response to Invitation to Pay Additional Fees submitted in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2010/043343 dated Dec. 7, 2010.
Written Opinion issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2010/043343 dated Jan. 27, 2012.
Notification of First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200980120882.2 dated Sep. 22, 2011.
Notification of Second Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200980120882.2 dated Jun. 6, 2012.
Notification of the Decision of Rejection issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200980120882.2 dated Jan. 16, 2013.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 10 122 737 dated Oct. 30, 2012.
European Search Report issued in corresponding European Application No. 11 002 942 dated May 27, 2011.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2009/039392 dated Jul. 16, 2010.
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2009/039392 dated Jul. 2, 2009.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Canadian Application No. 2,720,568 dated Mar. 23, 2012.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200980120884.1 dated Sep. 23, 2011.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200980120884.1 dated May 31, 2012.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 10 122 742 dated Oct. 20, 2012.
First Office Action issued in corresponding European Application No. 09 727 646.3-1261 dated Jan. 26, 2012.
Response to IPRP submitted in corresponding European Application No. 09 727 646.3-1261 dated Dec. 20, 2010.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2009/039398 dated Oct. 14, 2010.
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2009/039398 dated Jul. 2, 2009.
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2011/021968 dated Nov. 17, 2011.
Invitation to Pay Additional Fees issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2011/021968 dated Jun. 14, 2011.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 11-36744 dated Nov. 27, 2012.
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2010/061272 dated May 27, 2011.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/973,211 dated Oct. 26, 2012.
ASTM D 1204-94, Standard Test Method for Linear Dimensional Changes of Nongrid Thermoplastic Sheeting or Film at Elevated Temperature, pp. 256-257.
Definition of term “compound curve” from Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Istvan Benedek and Luc J. Heymans, “Pressure Sensitive Adhesives Technology”, 1997, Marcel Dekker, Inc., pp. 262-263 and 435-442.
Jiri George Drobny, “Heat Shrinkable Films and Tubing” from Handbook of Thermoplastic Elastomers, 2007, William Andrew Publishing, pp. 132-133.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Canadian Application No. 2,671,723 dated May 3, 2013.
Notification of Second Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200880018553.2 dated Apr. 11, 2013.
Notification of Third Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200880018553.2 dated Oct. 25, 2013.
Notification of Decision of Final Rejection issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200880018553.2 dated Jul. 29, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 09 108 718A dated Apr. 8, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 09 108 718B dated Apr. 8, 2014.
Office Action issued in corresponding EP Application No. 08 745 103.5 dated Sep. 27, 2013.
First Examination Report issued in corresponding IN Application No. 6153/DELNP/2009 dated Jan. 16, 2015.
Office Action issued in corresponding JP Application No. 2010-502320 dated Apr. 2013.
Substantive Examination Report issued in corresponding Malasian Application No. PI20094136 dated Feb. 15, 2013.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Russian Application No. 2009/140660 dated Feb. 2, 2013.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Russian Application No. 2012146605 dated Feb. 2014.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Russian Application No. 2012146605 dated Oct. 2014.
Notice of Allowance issued in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated Jun. 7, 2013.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 12/237,761 dated May 23, 2013.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 13/628,076 dated Nov. 24, 2014.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/628,076 dated May 15, 2014.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 13/628,076 dated Apr. 10, 2014.
Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 13/628,076 dated Oct. 10, 2013.
Amendment submitted in U.S. Appl. No. 13/628,076 dated Jun. 26, 2013.
Examination Report No. 1 issued in corresponding Australian Application No. 2010281481 dated Mar. 21, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201080042689.4 dated Oct. 22, 2013.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201080042689.4 dated Dec. 26, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201310397352.0 dated Oct. 17, 2014.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201310397352.0 dated Apr. 15, 2015.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201310397478.8 dated Oct. 28, 2014.
Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 12-012438 dated Oct. 20, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding EP Application No. 10 740 088.9 dated Apr. 26, 2013.
Extended EP Search Report issued in corresponding Application No. 13 001 452.5 dated Apr. 26, 2013.
Extended EP Search Report issued in corresponding Application No. 13 001 451.7 dated May 8, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Application No. 2012-522955 dated Sep. 30, 2014.
Restriction Requirement issued in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 13/384,649 dated Mar. 20, 2013.
Response to Restriction Requirement submitted in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 13/384,649 dated Apr. 16, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 13/384,649 dated May 23, 2013.
Amendment submitted in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 13/384,649 dated Nov. 21, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 13/384,649 dated Jun. 9, 2015.
Examination Report issued in corresponding Australian Application No. 2009231681 dated Apr. 9, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding Canadian Application No. 2,720,590 dated Mar. 12, 2015.
Notification of Third Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200980120882.2 dated Sep. 26, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Application No. 2011-503195 dated Apr. 31, 2013.
Substantive Examination Report issued in corresponding Malaysian Application No. PI2010004659 dated May 25, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Australian Application No. 2009231682 dated Sep. 4, 2013.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Canadian Application No. 2,720,568 dated Jan. 24, 2013.
Third Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200980120884.1 dated Feb. 5, 2013.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Application No. 2011/503196 dated Apr. 30, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Application No. 2011/503196 dated May 10, 2013.
Substantive Examination Report issued in corresponding Malaysian Application No. PI2010004660 dated Apr. 30, 2014.
Office Action issued in corresponding Russian Application No. 2010145233 dated Jun. 26, 2013.
Examination Report issued in corresponding Australian Application No. 2011209848 dated Mar. 28, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201180016909.0 dated Dec. 19, 2013.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201180016909.0 dated Sep. 30, 2014.
Office Action issued in corresponding Columbian Application No. 12-126532 dated Oct. 31, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding European Application No. 11 702 340.8 dated May 17, 2013.
Extended EP Search Report issued in corresponding European Application No. 14 001 198.2 dated Jun. 12, 2014.
Extended EP Search Report issued in corresponding European Application No. 14 001 197.4 dated Jun. 12, 2014.
Extended EP Search Report issued in corresponding European Application No. 14 001 196.6 dated Jun. 12, 2014.
Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Application No. 2012-551201 dated Jan. 23, 2015.
Office Action issued in corresponding Russian Application No. 2012-551201 dated Dec. 24, 2014.
Examination Report No. 1 issued in corresponding AU Application No. 2010291892 dated Mar. 14, 2014.
Examination Report No. 2 issued in corresponding AU Application No. 2010291892 dated May 22, 2015.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201080003311.3 dated Jan. 16, 2015.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Chinese Application No. 201080003311.3 dated Jan. 2, 2014.
First Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Application No. 2012/551159 dated Sep. 5, 2014.
Second Office Action issued in corresponding Japanese Application No. 2012/551159 dated May 29, 2015.
Amendment submitted in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 12/973,211 dated Mar. 2, 2015.
Amendment submitted in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 12/973,211 dated Apr. 26, 2013.
Amendment submitted in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 12/973,211 dated Nov. 13, 2013.
Office Action issued in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 12/973,211 dated Aug. 29, 2014.
Office Action issued in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 12/973,211 dated Jun. 19, 2015.
Office Action issued in corresponding U.S. Appl. No. 12/973,211 dated Jul. 18, 2013.
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2013/069035 dated Feb. 18, 2014.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2013/069035 dated May 12, 2015.
Written Opinion issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2013/055244 dated Apr. 4, 2014.
International Search Report issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2013/055244 dated Apr. 4, 2014.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2013/055244 dated Feb. 17, 2015.
Brochure of CorTuff™ High-Abuse Shrink Film from Sealed Air, retrieved on Sep. 30, 2013.
Related Publications (1)
Number Date Country
20120318430 A1 Dec 2012 US
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
61299151 Jan 2010 US