GB2191756A - A label - Google Patents

Abstract

A label for attachment to a container 34 comprises a longitudinal strip divided into panels 4, 6, 8 by transverse fold lines 10, 12 and the panels being divided into first and second parts such as 4A, 4B by a longitudinal fold line 16, the strip being folded about line 16 and then about the lines 10, 12 whereby panels 4 and 6 respectively constitute front and back covers for enveloping the remaining panel 8 or panels the free end edges of panel 4 being adhered together at 22 to form a pocket and panel 8 being divided from panel 6 by a tear line 14, and a support web 30 to which the rear face of panel 6 is adhered, the free transverse edge of panel 4 being releasably adhered at 28 to web 30 or panel 8, panel 8 being insertable into the pocket of panel 4 after being torn off along line 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A label The present invention relates to a la bei for attachment to a container such as a bottle, packet our tin and in particularto a self-adhesive label which can be carried on a length of release backing material.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a so-called "extended text" label which can be unfolded to reveal previously hidden surfaces.

The present invention provides a label for attachment to a container, the label comprising a longitudinal strip which is divided into a series of panels by a plurality of transverse fold lines and the panels being divided into respective first and second parts by a longitudinal fold line, the strip being folded about the longitudinal fold line whereby the second part of each panel is superposed overthe respective first part and about the transverse fold lines whereby a first end panel and the adjacent panel respectively constitute front and back covers ofthestripforenvelopingthe remaining panel or panels of the strip when folded, the free end edges of the first and second parts of the front panel being adhered together so that the front cover panel forms a pocket and the remaining panel or panels being divided from the front and back cover panels by a weakened tearline, and asupportwebto which the rear face of the back cover panel is adhered, the free transverse edge of the front cover panel being releasably adhered either to the support web orto the remaining panel or panels whereby the front cover panel can be selectively detached or reattached thereby to open and close the label, the remaining panel or panels being separable from the front and back cover panels by tearing along the weakened tear line and being insertable into the pocket ofthe front cover panel after use.

Preferably, the first part of at least thefront cover panel is longer in the transverse direction than the respective second part and the front face of the front cover panel consists ofthe second part of the front cover panel and that portion of the first part of the front cover panel which is not covered by the second part of the front cover panel. This arrangement provides that the torn-off panels can be easily inserted into the pocket since the two free edges of the pocket are not coincident but are displaced from one another.

Preferably, the first part of each panel is longer in the transverse direction than the respective second part.

Furthermore, the longitudinal strip may be rectangular. This provides the advantage that the strip is regular in shape and can be easily cut, together with other strips, from a largersheetwith no wastage of material.

An embodiment ofthe present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a longitudinal strip for use in a label according to the invention; Figure2 shows the strip of Figure 1 when folded about a longitudinal fold line; Figure 3shows the other side of the folded strip of Figure 2; Figure 4shows the strip of Figure 3 where folded furtherabouttransversefold lines and adhered to a support web to form the label of the invention; Figure Sshows the label of Figure 4when opened; and Figure 6shows the label of Figure 5 when re-closed and having a tear-off portion thereof being inserted into a pocket, the label also being adhered to a container.

Referring to Figure 1, a longitudinal strip 2 e.g. of paper is divided into a series of panels 4,6,8 by a pluralityoftransversefold lines 10,12. The transverse fold line 12 coincides with a transverse line of perforations 14. The panels 4,6,8 are each divided into respective first and second parts 4A, 4B; 6A,6B; 8A,8B bya longitudinalfold line 16which extends between the opposed transverse edges 18, 20 of the strip 2. The longitudinal fold line 16 is not at the centre of the strip 2 whereby the first parts 4A, 6A, 8A are longer in the transverse direction than the second parts 4B,6B,8B.

Thefirstpanel 4 is longerin the longitudinai direction than remaining panels 6,8. At the transverse edge 18 ofthefirst panel 4 is a band 22 which bridges the longitudinal fold line and extends as far as the longitudinal edge 24 of the second part 48 and the same distance towards (but not as far as) the longitudinal edge 26 of thefirst part4A.

Thestrip2 isfoldedaboutthelongitudinalfold line 16 to the configuration shown in Figure 2 in which thefirst and second parts 4A, 4B; 6A, 6B; 8A, 8B of the panels 4,6,8 are superposed over each other.

The superposed parts of the band 22 are adhered together byan adhesive such as a PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) adhesive. The outerface of the folded strip 2 is shown in Figure 2 and comprises the second parts 4B,6B,8B and those portions ofthe first parts 4A, 6A, 8Awhich are not covered by the second parts 4B,6B, 8B.

The innerface ofthefolded strip 2 is shown in Figure 2 and comprises the first parts 4A, 6A, 8A. The inner face ofthe folded strip 2 is provided at the transverse edge ofthe first part 4A of the first panel 4 with a band of resealable adhesive 28, the longitudinal width of which is equal to or less than the difference in longitudinal width between the first panel 4 and each ofthe remaining panels 6,8.

Referring to Figure 4, to make the label of the invention,the second panel 6 constitutes a back cover panel and the outer face thereof is adhered to a supportweb 30 which is self adhesive and is carried on a release backing material 32. The third panel 8 is folded over the back cover panel 6 and then the first panel 4, which constitutes a front cover panel, is folded over the third panel 8 and adhered by the band of resealable adhesive 28 to the supportweb 30. In this way, the third panel 8 is safely enveloped between the front and back cover panels 4,6 and the label is held in a closed configuration by the band of resealable adhesive 28. In use, the self-adhesive surface ofthe support web 30 is adhered to a container, such as container 34 shown in Figure 6.

When it is desired to open the label to gain access to the third panel 8, as is shown in Figure 5 a user pulls the band of resealable adhesive 28 away from the support web 30. The third panel 8 which typically constitutes a sheet of instructions relating to the product in the container may then be torn awayfrom the front and back cover panels 4,6 by tearing along the line of perforations 16. The third panel 8 can then be unfolded and read by a user. To protectthe unfolded front cover panel 4from accidental damage bytearing orsoiling,the band ofresealableadhesive 28 is again readheredtothesupportweb 30to maintain the label in its closed or folded configuration.

Referring now to Figure 6, when the user has read the third panel 8, it can then be refolded and inserted into the pocket which is formed by the adhered together first and second parts 4A, 4B of the front cover panel 4. In thiswaythethird panel 8 can be safely and securely kept in the label for subsequent use and protected from damage by being held within the pocket.

In an alternative arrangement, there may be further panels of the strip 2 which are connected to the third panel 8 and are removed together with the third panel 8 when the line of perforations 16 is torn in the manner described above. The number and dimensions ofthe panels may be chosen to suitthe desired requirements. Furthermore, the line of perforations need not be coincident with the transverse fold line between the second and third panels but may be located in any other convenient position therebyto vary the shape and sizeofthe tear-off strip.

In addition, the front cover panel can be dimensioned so that the band of resealable adhesive 28 is adhered to the third panel 8 (or, when there are further panels,to one of those further panels) rather than to the support web 30.

In a further alternative arrangement the front cover panel is releasably adhered in its closed configuration by a band of hydrophobic material, which is provided on the free transverse edge offirst cover panel 4 instead ofthe band of resealable adhesive 28, and a corresponding band of resealable adhesive (i.e. a water-soluble adhesive such as PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) which is provided on the support web 30 adjacent the transverse fold line between the second and third panels 6,8. The hydrophobic material may be a mixture of a polysiloxane and a varnish such as that disclosed in my British Patent Specification No.2141994 published 9th January 1985. The hydrophobic materials contains from 90to 99.5 vol % polysiloxane and from 0.5 to 10 vol % varnish, such as an overprinting varnish.

The present invention provides a label which is inexpensive and convenientto manufacture and is convenient in use. A succession of the self-adhesive labels of the invention may be provided on a length of release backing material from which they may be successively applied to containers or products to be labelled by an automatic labelling machine.

The labels of the present invention may be made by either ofthe methods which are disclosed in British Patent Specification No.2127378 published on 11th April 1984 in the name of David J Instance.

In those methods, a length of pressure-sensitive stock, consisting of an elongatewebofself-adhesive paper which is carried on a backing of release material 32 is passed, in turn,through a die-cutting station at which a succession of support webs 30 are cutintheelongatewebandthroughan adhesive applying station at which a succession of layers of adhesive are applied to the succession of support webs 30. The part of the elongate web which is outside the support webs 30 is removed as a waste web remnant either before orafterthe adhesive applying station. The succession of support webs 30 on the release backing material 32 then passes through a label applying station at which a succession of the folded longitudinal strips 2, having the band of resealable adhesive or hydrophobic material already provided thereon, are applied to the succession of supportwebs 30 so that each folded longitudinal strip 2 is adhered to a respective support web 30 by a respective layer of adhesive.

The resultant labels on the release backing material 32 are wound up onto a reel from which they may subsequently be removed for application to containers.

Claims (8)

1. A label for attachment to a container, the label comprising a longitudinal strip which is divided into a series of panels by a plurality of transverse fold lines and the panels being divided into respective first and second parts by a longitudinal fold line, the strip being folded aboutthe longitudinal fold line whereby the second part of each panel is superposed over the respective first part and about the transverse fold lines whereby a first end panel and the adjacent panel respectively constitute front and back covers ofthe strip for enveloping the remaining panel or panels of the strip when folded, the free end edges of the first and second parts of the front panel being adhered together so that the front cover panel forms a pocket and the remaining panel or panels being divided from the front and back cover panels by a weakened tear line, and a support web to which the rearface of the back cover panel is adhered, the free transverse edge of the front cover panel being releasably adhered eitherto the support web or the remaining panel or panels whereby the front cover panel can be selectively detached or reattached thereby to open and closethe label,the remaining panel or panels being separable from the front and back cover panels by tearing along the weakened tear line and being insertable into the pocket of the front cover panel after use.

2. A label according to Claim 1 wherein the first part of at least the front cover panel is longer in the transverse direction than the respective second part and the front face of the front cover panel consists of the second part of the front cover panel and that portion ofthefirst part of the front cover panel which is not covered by the second part of the front cover panel.

3. A label according to Claim 2 wherein the first part of each panel is longer in the transverse direction than the respective second part.

4. A label according to Claim 3 wherein the longitudinal strip is rectangular.

5. A label according to any foregoing Claim wherein the weakened tear line coincides with that transverse fold line which is between the back cover panel and the remaining panel or panels.

6. Alabel according to anyforegoing Claim wherein the rear face of the supportweb is self-adhesive.

7. A label for attachmentto a container substantially as hereinbefore described with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

8. A length of release backing material carrying thereon a succession of labels as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7.