US 5,378,300 AGranted

Method for removing labels adhered to a diskette and de-labeling means for doing so

OwnerGary S. Huvard, Alfred D. Loboinventors

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Abstract

A de-labeler made with easily available structural elements which cooperate to remove a normally non-removable label from a labeled surface of a casing for magnetic media, film, and the like, without using a solvent of any kind. The labeled surface is heated just enough to cause desired viscous deformation of a thin layer of adhesive, or a sufficient decrease of viscosity to loosen the label and enable it to be manually removed, preferably by adhesive failure of the thin adhesive layer. A typical pressure sensitive adhesive ("PSA") is heated to a temperature in the range from 32.degree. C.-65.degree. C. for an interval of time from 5 to 30 seconds, in inverse relationship to the temperature at which the labeled surface is heated. The label is manually peeled away from the surface with a force in the range from 0.5 lb-force to about 10 lb-force, without distorting or otherwise damaging either the casing or the magnetic recording medium encased therein. A de-labeler has a housing with a receptacle adapted to hold the diskette between opposed first and second heater boxes, one larger than the other, mounted spaced-apart, preferably so as to heat only the labeled area; (c) control elements including (i) a timer element to provide a predetermined duration of current of requisite amperage and continuous voltage to at least said first heater box, (ii) a starting switch, and (iii) a signal recognizable by human senses, said control elements being connected to at least said first heater box means.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method of manually delaminating an indicia-bearing laminar substrate or identification label secured with a thin layer of adhesive, from an exterior surface of a standard diskette having a magnetic recording storage medium rotatably disposed within a relatively rigid synthetic resinous casing having an upper portion and a lower label portion, said upper portion having a slidable gate, said lower label portion having asymmetric front and rear label portions upon which said label is adhesively non-removably secured, each of said label portions being inwardly off-set from the remaining uncovered portion of the exterior surface of the casing, said method comprising,

(a) depositing said diskette into a receptacle and locating means in a heating zone of a de-labeling means;
(b) heating said asymmetric front and rear label portions to a desired delamination temperature within a desired interval of time, said interval being less than 30 sec, said temperature being in a delamination range from above 32.degree. C. (90.degree. F.) but below that at which thermal damage to said casing or to said storage medium occurs;
(c) causing viscous thermal deformation of said adhesive to weaken bonding of said label to said surface sufficiently to allow said label to be parted from said surface with a force less than that required to tear the label;
(c) removing said diskette from said receptacle and locating means after said interval elapses;
and,
(d) manually peeling away said label from said surface while maintaining said adhesive at a temperature within said delamination range.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.