1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a label-seal manufacturing method, which belongs to the field of labels and similar self-adhesives and that was developed to provide an optimized way to produce this label.
2. Art Background
The object of another patent claim, from the same applicant, is already known, registered under number MU 82013750-6, this label-seal comprises: a self-adhesive label and a seal or closing comprising: a heat-shrinkable plastic film tape, one side of which remains adhered, for example, to the label's upper side and, from this side the tape mentioned above has an adequate width to extend itself beyond the gap between the recipient and the packaging cover and, preferably, beyond the cover upper face; such label containing the seal is applied on the packaging recipient by means of the usual technique used to apply self-adhesive articles, therefore, the shrinkable plastic tape projects beyond the gap between the recipient and the cover and beyond the upper face of the later, being further submitted to a heat source that causes it to shrink, curve and adhere to the recipient side, the packaging cover and over its upper face. Under these conditions, when the recipient cover is removed, the plastic film ruptures and the opening is then irreversibly marked and if it was done in an unauthorized way this can be evidenced.
This label-seal is produced by means of an appropriate process, that, although adequate, has being the subject of studies intended to improve it.
The method, covered by the present patent, is the result of one of these studies and it makes possible to manufacture the abovementioned label in an optimized way, under both the technical and the economical point of view.
Another advantage of this method is the fact that it is composed by well-known operations in the field of the manufacturing of self-adhesive articles, with the only difference that they are adequately organized for the optimized production of the present label.
Another advantage is that the present method is carried out by the usual equipment for this technique, just conveniently arranged for the optimized production of the label.
Still another advantage provided by the present method is the production of an improved label-seal regarding the original.
The present summary refers to an invention patent for the label-seal and improved label-seal manufacturing method, belonging to the field of labels and similar self-adhesives and that were developed to provide an optimized way to produce this label; such method comprises, essentially, the stages of: A)—Feeding the self-adhesive material tape formed: by a paper, plastic or similar (2) tape; rear adhesive layer (4); and liner (5); B)—First printing performed in the lower region (2)′ of tape (2); C)—Cutting and extraction of the upper tape (2)″ part made of paper, plastic or similar (2) that is not used; D)—Delamination of the self-adhesive material (2)′-(4)-(5) to separate liner (5) of the lower tape (2)′ region; E)—Mounting of the heat-shrinkable plastic film (11) in the lower tape (2)′ region, gluing their overlapped edges; F)—Liner relamination; G) Eventual, printing over the plastic film (11);—H)—Cutting for the formation of label-seals and rewinding of the “skeleton”; and I)—Winding of the label-seal tapes (1)-(10)-(5); label-seal (1)-(10) remains with the plastic film gluing edge (11) under the label body edge (2) and glued to it through its own adhesive (4) of the later and within these solutions of the method and label being foreseen varieties for the label-seal (1)-(10) production with upper film (11) or film upper (11) and lower (11)′ and in such a way that these films are glued under the label (1) with their own rear adhesive (4) or over the label (1) with front glue fillets (100), (100)′ appropriate for this gluing.
The attached drawings refer to the label-seal and label-seal manufacturing method, covered by the present patent, in which:
According to the illustrations in the abovementioned figures, the method, covered by the present invention patent, is intended for the manufacturing of the self-adhesive 1-10 label-seal comprising, essentially (
The self-adhesive label 1 is composed by a paper, plastic or similar body 2 having a front printed layer 3 constituting the label itself; rear pressure-sensible adhesive layer 4, which adheres to the packaging recipient, but which was originally glued and protected by a supporting paper or silliconed plastic tape (liner) 5, to which a number of label-seals 1-10 are glued and, which is supplied in the coil 6.
The heat-shrinkable plastic body 11, by its turn, can also feature a printing 12 and/or a number of parallel cuts that define the tapes 13, extended from the glued edge to the label and destined to make the accommodation to the packaging easier.
Therefore, the label-seal 1-10 manufacturing method, described above, is carried out in an equipment which entrance end continuously feeds, from an unwinding device 50, a tape of self-adhesive material 2-4-5 (paper, plastic or other material 2, rear adhesive layer 4 and liner 5), which continuously passes through stations that perform many stages, A through I, of the method, sequentially positioned and, from the opposite end of the mentioned machine comes out the finished label-seal 1-10-5 tape that is pulled and rewound by the winder 61 of the equipment.
Therefore, the method is comprised, essentially, by the stages of (
A)—Feeding, accomplished by the manufacturing equipment's entry unwinder 50 that provides and feeds a self-adhesive material tape 2-4-5, composed by a paper, plastic or front similar tape 2, pressure-sensible intermediate adhesive layer 4 and paper, plastic or another silliconed (liner) 5 rear layer;
B)—First printing, performed by the first printing station 51 of the manufacturing equipment that prints a number of printing layers 3 that constitutes, successively, the labels themselves along the lower region 2′ of the paper, plastic or similar tape 2, so, from this point on tape 2-3-4-5 starts forming and circulating in the machine the, composed by the paper, plastic or similar tape 2 featuring the printing 3 in its lower region 2′ that is glued by means of the pressure-sensible adhesive layer 4 to the liner tape 5;
C)—Cutting and extraction of the upper part 2″ of the paper, plastic or similar tape 2 that is not used, performed by the knife 52 and the rewinder 53 that belong to the manufacturing equipment and that performs the continuous longitudinal cut 70 made between the upper 2″ and lower 2′ regions of the paper, plastic or similar tape 2 and without cutting liner 5 and the delamination (ungluing) and rewinding of the extracted tape corresponding to the upper tape region 2″, so, from this point on a self-adhesive material tape 2′-3-4-5 is formed, composed by a paper, plastic or similar tape comprised by the lower region 2′ of the original tape already containing the printing 3 that constitute the label itself and that is glued by means of the pressure-sensible adhesive 4 over the corresponding lower region of the liner tape 5;
D)—Delamination of the self-adhesive material tape 2′-3-4-5 performed by the delaminator 54 of the manufacturing equipment and comprised by the delamination (ungluing) and separation of the lower tape region 2′ of liner 5, so, from this point on the lower tape region 2′, containing the front printing 3 and the rear pressure-sensible adhesive 4, and the liner 5 start moving separately along the machine;
E)—Mounting of the heat-shrinkable plastic film performed by a laminator 55 and a plastic film unwinder 56 of the manufacturing equipment and that will use the heat-shrinkable plastic film 11 tape; unwinding it in the direction of the lower tape region 2′ (containing the printing 3 and adhesive 4) so the edge of the mentioned heat-shrinkable plastic film 11 tape facing the said lower tape region 2′ constitutes a gluing edge and is placed parallel to and under the upper edge of the mentioned lower tape region 2′; and lamination (gluing) of the mentioned edges overlapped by means of the pressure-sensible adhesive layer 4 itself of the lower tape region 2′;
F)—Liner relamination, performed preferably at the relamination station 55 of the manufacturing equipment and simultaneously to the lamination of the heat-shrinkable plastic film 11, comprised by the relamination (regulating) of liner 5 on the tape composed by the heat-shrinkable plastic tape 11 and lower tape region 2′, glued one to the other by adhesive 4, so, from this point on, tape 2′-3-4-5-11 is formed composed by the heat-shrinkable plastic 11 tapes and lower tape region 2′ made of paper, plastic or similar material (containing the printing 3 and adhesive 4) glued one to the other and glued to liner 5;
G)—Eventually, the second printing performed by the printing station 58 of the manufacturing equipment and that prints over the heat-shrinkable plastic material tape 11 glued to lower tape region 2′;
H)—Cutting, for the formation of the label-seals and rewinding of the “skeleton” performed by knife 59 and rewinder 60 of the manufacturing equipment and that performs the cut (s) 71 that define the contours of the label-seal, made on the tape composed by the heat-shrinkable plastic tapes 11 and lower tape region 2′, thus separating the label-seals 1-10 one from the other and from the skeleton 20′ (regions adjacent to the labels); the said stage is also comprised by the rewinding of skeleton 20′, so, from this point on a finished tape of label-seals 1-10-5 is formed, composed by a number of label-seals 1-10 glued at regular spaces on liner tape 5; and
I)—Rewinding of the finished label-seal tapes 1-10-5 performed in the rewinder 61 located in the exit of the manufacturing equipment and from which the entire tape is pulled to circulate through the equipment and that rewinds the finished label-seal tapes 1-10-5 composed by the label-seals 1-10 glued on liner 5, to form label-seal coil 6.
The printing stages are performed in one or two or three or four colors, according to the needs.
The label-seal 1-10, obtained through the method described above, comprises as the improved detail (
The present label-seal 1-10 is used in packaging composed by recipient 80 and cover 81 (
Such technique comprises, for example (
At the end of the application (
The opening of cover 81, therefore, will only be possible by the rupture of the plastic tape 11, thus evidencing the violation of the packaging if the opening has been made without authorization.
Within the basic construction, described above, the method and the label-seal, covered by the present invention patent, may present modifications regarding material, dimensions, construction and/or functional configuration and/or ornamental details, without departing from the requested coverage.
Therefore, the label body 2 is obtained from paper or plastic, in this case from: BOPP; PVC; Polyethylene; Polyester or others normally used.
The heat-shrinkable plastic film can be made, preferably, of Polyvinyl Chloride—PVC or optionally of PET; PET-G; OPS; BOPP; OPP; PE and similar shrinkable films. The thickness can be from 20 to 100 microns, preferably 25 to 50 microns. Shrinking in the MDO direction 12% a 75%, preferably 20% a 50% and in the TDO direction 0 to 10% and preferably 0 to 5%.
The adhesive, composed by adhesive layer 4, can be any of those normally used in the manufacturing of self-adhesive articles, as hot melt, acrylic and others.
The protection and supporting tape 5 can be made of paper or plastic, coated with sillicon (silliconed) or other usual material.
Optionally, another possibility to perfume the method comprises stages (
B)—First printing, performed by first printing station 51 of the manufacturing equipment that prints a number of printing layers 3 constituting the label itself successively along the central tape region 2′″ of the paper, plastic or similar tape 2;
C)—Cutting and extraction of the upper 2″ and lower 2′ parts of the paper, plastic or similar tape 2 that is not used, performed by two sets of knife 52 and rewinder 53 belonging to the manufacturing equipment, which performs continuous longitudinal cuts 70 and 70′ in paper, plastic or similar tape 2, performed between the upper 2″ and central 2′″ regions and between this one and the lower tape region 2′, without cutting liner 5 and delaminating (ungluing) and rewinding the tapes extracted corresponding to the tape's upper 2″ and lower 2′ regions, so, from this point on, a self-adhesive material tape is formed, composed by a paper, plastic or similar tape composed by the central region 2′″ of the original tape, containing the printing 3 that constitutes the label itself, glued by adhesive 4 over the corresponding central region of the liner tape 5;
D)—Delamination of the central tape region 2′″ performed by delaminator 54 of the manufacturing equipment, which delaminates (detaches) and separates the central tape region 2′″ of liner 5, so, from this point on, central tape region 2′″ and liner 5 start to move separately along the machine;
E)—Mounting of the heat-shrinkable plastic film performed by laminator 55 and the plastic film unwinders 56 of the manufacturing equipment, which foresees two upper 11 and lower 11′ heat-shrinkable plastic film tapes; the unwinding of these tapes 11, 11′ in the direction of the central tape region 2′″, so the edges of such tapes 11, 11′ facing central tape region 2′″, constitute gluing edges placed under and parallel to the corresponding upper and lower gluing edges of the later; and the overlapped lamination (gluing) of these edges by their own pressure-sensible adhesive layer 4 of central tape region 2′″, so, from this point on tape 11-2′″-11′ is formed, composed by upper 11 and lower 11″ heat-shrinkable plastic tapes interposed by central tape region 2′″ of paper, plastic or similar tape, glued one to the other by means of pressure-sensible adhesive layer 4;
G)—Eventually, second printing performed by two printing stations 58 of the manufacturing equipment that prints over the upper 11 and lower 11′ plastic material heat-shrinkable tapes glued to central tape region 2′″.
Stages A, F, H and I in the present execution of the process remain substantially equal to the first version.
Label-seal 1-10, obtained by this second possibility of performing the method is comprised by (
In another possibility of performing the method, instead of the self-adhesive material tape 2-4-5 have its liner 5 delaminated; the shrinkable film 11 being glued to the rear face of the self-adhesive material tape 2-4-5, through its own adhesive layer 4 and liner 5 being relaminted, as it happens in stages D, E and F of the methods above described; shrinkable film 11 is glued over the front face of the self-adhesive material tape 2-4-5 through the application of an appropriate glue for this purpose.
Under these conditions, after the cutting, extraction and rewinding of stage C, part of upper tape 2″ that is not used forming lower tape region 2′ that is used or the cutting, extraction and rewinding of the upper 2″ and lower 2′ parts, which are not used forming the central tape region 2′″ that is used, made by the usual ways as in the methods described above. A stage J, is foreseen, composed by the glue dispenser 57 that applies one glue fillet 100 (
Stages A, B, C, G, H, I are substantially equal to the methods described above.
The label-seal obtained by the method as described above, is comprised, essentially (
In the method accomplishment form shown in
Optionally, the method to produce label-seals 1-10 with an upper film section 11 or with an upper film section 11 and other lower 11′, glued under the body of label 2′, 2′″ with the own pressure-sensible adhesive layer 4 or glued over the body of label 2′, 2′″ with glue fillets 100 or 100 and 100′ appropriate for this gluing, comprises an additional stage G′ of shrinkable plastic film cutting, performed after stage G of printing over it, through the appropriate single or double knife 62 of the manufacturing equipment, which performs parallel cuts in the direction of the glued edge in label 1 towards the free edge of the shrinkable plastic film 11, to form the accommodation stripes 13, as shown in
Optionally, stage G′ is a stage for punching the upper 11 or upper 11 and lower 11′ shrinkable plastic film sections, made with another type of knife of the manufacturing equipment and that produces the punching line(s) 14 parallel and close to the edge(s) of label 1 (
The label-seals 1-10 obtained by the methods described may be used for several types de packaging, as those shown in
This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/876,769, filed Jun. 25, 2004, entitled “A Package With A Re-Sealable Closure For Opening and Closing”, and Brazilian Patent Application No. MU 82013750-6.