Patent EP0577241A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0577241A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for handling linerless label material
Assignee: Moore Business Forms Inc
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Filing: 1993-03-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-03-23
Abstract
Abstract Linerless labels (24) are produced by feeding a tape (11) having a release coated face (14) and an adhesive face (13) to a hardened anvil vacuum cylinder (21), utilizing a non-stick circumferential surface feed roll (18). A knife blade (27) on a cutting cylinder (26) is rotated into contact with the tape at the anvil cylinder to cut the tape into linerless labels, and release liquid is applied (at 29) to the blade after each cut. From the anvil cylinder the labels are deposited on a plurality of spaced conveyor tapes (32) of circular cross section with the adhesive faces contacting the conveyor tapes. A vacuum chamber (34) assists in holding the labels on the conveyor tapes. The release coat faces of the labels conveyed by the conveyor tapes may be heated and then printed with hot melt ink from an ink jet printer (36). The labels are separated from the conveyor tapes using a peeler roll (39) and non-stick stripper rings (38), and then immediately contact a moving web (31) or other elements to which they are to be applied, with the label and web passing through nip rolls (40) to activate the pressure sensitive adhesive.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas P. Nash
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:07
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65C; B65C9/00; B65C9/08; B65C9/18; B65C9/1803; B65C9/183; B65C9/46; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1052; Y10T156/1062; Y10T156/1075; Y10T156/12; Y10T156/1317; Y10T156/1322; Y10T156/1339; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1712
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of applying linerless labels to moving elements, the labels comprising a substrate having a release coated face and an opposite pressure sensitive adhesive coated face, comprising the steps of: feeding tape comprising a substrate with a release coated face and an opposite pressure sensitive adhesive coated face from a supply to a cutting position; cutting the tape into individual labels at the cutting position while the tape is being continuously fed through the cutting position; continuously transporting the labels away from the cutting position to an applying position; and continuously applying the labels to moving elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 characterised by printing on the release coated face of each label while it is being transported to the applying position and before it is applied to the moving elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 2 characterised in that the printing is practised by ink jet printing with hot melt ink and further comprising the step of heating the release coated faces of the labels just prior to the printing.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
36 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the substrate is moved from the supply to the cutting position by contact with a non-stick circumferential rotating surface of a feed roll.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
42 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the labels are moved away from the cutting position and towards the applying position by being disposed on conveyor tapes with the adhesive coated faces contacting the conveyor tapes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 5 characterised in that the labels are separated from the conveyor tapes by simultaneously bending and mechanically deflecting the labels away from the conveyor tapes while simultaneously applying the separated labels to the moving elements.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
66 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the tape is cut into individual labels by bringing the release coat face of the tape into contact with a hardened anvil vacuum cylinder and rotating a knife blade extending radially from a cutting cylinder into contact with the tape at the anvil cylinder, the knife blade extending transversely to the conveying direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 7 characterised by the further step of applying a release liquid material to the knife blade after each cut of the tape therewith.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
61 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the elements to which the labels are applied comprise moving envelopes and by the further step, after application of a label to a moving envelope, of mechanically pressing the pressure sensitive adhesive coated face of the label into contact with the envelope to ensure proper adherence between them.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
18 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 9 characterised in that no skeletal web is formed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for handling linerless labels, comprising: means (12) for mounting a supply of linerless label tape (11) having a release coated face (14) and an adhesive face (13); cutting means (21, 26, 27) for cutting the tape into individual labels, the cutting means comprising, an anvil vacuum cylinder (21), a rotatable cutting cylinder (26) with radially extending knife blade (27), means (18) for substantially continously feeding the tape from said supply to said anvil vacuum cylinder so that the release coated face is in contact with said anvil vacuum cylinder, and means for mounting said cutting cylinder next to, and for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of, said anvil cylinder so that said knife cuts the tape into individual linerless labels (24), severing a portion of the tape forming an individual label from the rest of the tape in a dimension transverse to the direction of feed of the tape at said anvil vacuum cylinder; and means (30) for transporting the individual linerless labels away from said anvil vacuum cylinder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 11 characterised by a wiper roll (29), and means for mounting said wiper roll next to, and for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of, said cutting cylinder so that said knife comes into contact with said wiper roll after said knife cuts the tape.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 11 or claim 12 characterised by means (29) for applying a liquid release material to said knife blade after each cut of the tape therewith.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
Apparatus as recited in any of claims 11 to 13 characterised in that said means (18) for substantially constantly feeding the tape from the supply to said anvil vacuum cylinder includes a feed roll with a non-stick circumferential surface, adjacent to, and rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of, said anvil vacuum cylinder, so that the adhesive face of the tape comes in contact with the non-stick surface of said feed roll, said non-stick surface preventing the build up of adhesive on said feed roll, but not being so slippery as to prevent positive feeding of the tape by said feed roll.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for handling linerless labels comprising: means (12) for mounting a supply (11) of linerless label tape having a release coated face (14) and an adhesive face (13); cutting means (21, 26, 27) for cutting the tape into individual linerless labels (24); means (18) for substantially continuously feeding the tape from said supply to said cutting means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll (18) with a non-stick circumferential surface preventing the build up of adhesive on said feed roll, but not being so slippery as to prevent positive feeding of the tape by said feed roll, and means for directing the tape into contact with said feed roll so that the adhesive face of the tape engages the non-stick circumferential surface of said feed roll; and means (30) for transporting the individual linerless labels away from said cutting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus as recited in any of claims 11 to 15 characterised in that said means (30) for transporting the individual linerless labels away from the cutting means transports them in a transport direction, and comprises: a plurality of conveyor tapes (32) spaced from each other in a direction substantially transverse to said transport direction, the individual labels (24) being delivered to the tapes with the adhesive face (13) contacting the conveyor tapes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
113 words
Apparatus for handling linerless labels comprising: means (12) for mounting a supply (11) of linerless label tape having a release coated face (14) and adhesive face (13); cutting means (21, 26, 27) for cutting the tape into individual linerless labels; means (18) for substantially continuously feeding the tape from said supply to said cutting means; and transporting means (30) for transporting the individual linerless labels away from said cutting means, in a transport direction, said transporting means comprising a plurality of conveyor tapes spaced from each other in a direction substantially transverse to said transport direction, the individual labels being delivered to the conveyor tapes with their adhesive faces contacting the conveyor tapes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 16 or claim 17 characterised in that said conveyor tapes (32) are substantially circular in cross section so as to provide minimal areas of contact with the labels.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as recited in any of claims 16 to 18 characterised in that said transporting means further comprise a vacuum chamber (34) assisting in holding the labels on the conveyor tapes to be transported thereby.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
112 words
Apparatus as recited in any of claims 16 to 19 characterised by separating means (38, 39) for effecting separation of the labels from said conveyor tapes to facilitate application of the labels onto a receiving element (47), said separating means comprising a plurality of stripper elements (138) mounted between said conveyor tapes and having non-stick surfaces thereof gradually extending above said conveyor tapes to deflect the labels away from said conveyor tapes, and/or a peeler roll (139) mounted above said conveyor tapes, and adjacent the labels being transported by said conveyor tapes so as to cause, preferably in conjunction with said stripper elements, the labels to travel away from said conveyor tapes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
158 words
Apparatus for conveying, and then discharging from the conveyor, elements (24) having a sticky face (13), comprising: a plurality of conveyor tapes (32) spaced from each other in a first direction; means (43, 44) powering said conveyor tapes so that they transport sticky faced elements thereon in a second direction (33), substantially perpendicular to said first direction; and means (28, 29) for effecting separation of the sticky faced elements being conveyed by said conveyor tapes, said separation effecting means comprising a plurality of stripper elements (28) mounted between said conveyor tapes and having non-stick surfaces thereof gradually extending above said conveyor tapes to deflect the sticky faced elements away from said conveyor tapes and/or comprising a peeler roll (39) mounted above said conveyor tapes, and adjacent the sticky faced elements being transported by said conveyor tape so as to cause, preferably in conjunction with said stripper elements, the sticky faced elements to travel away from said conveyor tapes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as recited in any of claims 11 to 21 characterised by printing means (36) mounted in association with said means for transporting (30) for printing indicia on the release coated face (14) of the labels being conveyed by said means for transporting.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 22 characterised in that said printing means (36) prints with hot melt ink; and further comprising a heater (37) mounted above said conveyor tapes just before said printing means in said transport direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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