Method of making and applying combination article security target and printed label

A method of forming mounted label and target combinations for use in an electronic article security system wherein the mounted label and target combinations each include a substrate, a printed label having indicia on a front surface thereof and having pressure sensitive adhesive on a back surface thereof securing the label to the substrate, and a thin flat electronic article security target secured between the label and the substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a label-bearing web having a web layer of backing material and a layer of preprinted pressure sensitive labels each having a preprinted image on the front thereof and pressure sensitive adhesive on the back thereof securing the label to the web layer of backing material of the label-bearing web;
• separating the labels from the web layer of backing material;
• providing a plurality of electronic article security targets each having a circuit therein that is capable of being disabled by an electronic article security system;
• securing each of the separated labels to the substrate with each target secured between the substrate and the pressure sensitive adhesive on one of the labels with the label in adhesive contact with the substrate;
• and
• while securing the labels to the substrate with a target between the labels and the substrate, controlling electrostatic charge on the target so as to prevent rapid discharge damaging to the target by contacting a web bearing the target with materials having electrical conduction properties selected so as to gradually remove charge from the target to prevent damage of the target by the rapid discharge of electricity.

A method of manufacturing a web of label and target combinations for use with articles to be protected in an electronic article security system, the method comprising the steps of:

• separating from a web of backing material a plurality of preprinted labels having pressure sensitive adhesive on one side thereof that joins the labels to the backing material web;
• securing together, with the pressure sensitive adhesive that is on the one side of the labels, a label layer that includes the separated labels and a web layer that includes a web of backing material;
• adhesively applying, with pressure sensitive adhesive, a plurality of thin flat electronic article security targets to one of the layers before the layers are secured together, so that each target is laminated between one of the labels of the label layer and the web layer;
• moving a web layer of backing material on web guides of non-electrically conductive material after targets have been applied thereto;
• and
• directing an ionized gas toward the moving web layer to reduce electrostatic charge thereon.