Heat-Activated Pressure-Sensitive Labels
AssigneeWausau Coated Products, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Paul Stogbauer, William Myles Reif
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A linerless pressure-sensitive label uses a heat-activated, non-tacky dead coat to cover a pressure sensitive substratum. Upon heat activation, the dead coat melts and admixes with an underlying pressure-sensitive adhesive substratum thereby resulting in an exposed pressure-sensitive adhesive. The label can then be applied to packaging or an end product by pressing the adhesive side of the label to the packaging or end product similar to a conventional pressure-sensitive label, however, no silicone-coated release liner is required. The elimination of the silicone-coated release liner results in lower material costs, lower shipping costs and less waste.
Claims22
A heat-activated, pressure-sensitive label stock comprising:
- a printable label material having a print face adapted to receive printing and a back surface adapted to receive pressure-sensitive adhesive;
- a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive substratum applied to the back surface of the printable label material;
- and
- a dead coat completely covering the adhesive substratum, the dead coat providing a non-tacky, anti-blocking surface for the label stock when the dead coat is kept at a temperature below its melting point;
- wherein, upon heat activation, the dead coat melts and admixes with the adhesive substratum thereby resulting in an exposed pressure-sensitive adhesive with a significant open time.
A method of making a heat-activated, pressure-sensitive label stock comprising the steps of:
- providing the web of label stock having a print side and a back side;
- applying a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive substratum to the back side of the label stock;
- cooling the adhesive substratum to solidify the adhesive substratum on the back side of the label stock;
- applying a dead coat over the solidified adhesive substratum such that the dead coat covers the entire surface of the adhesive substratum coated on the back side of the label stock, said dead coat comprising a micronized plasticizer within a liquid carrier;
- and
- drying the dead coat layer on the label stock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.