Apparatus and method for converting and applying labels

An apparatus for affixing releasably-lined die-cut labels to articles, the labels including a base stock having a multiple layer construction of a face web, an adhesive coating on the rear surface of the face web, and a backing liner releasably attached to the adhesive coating, the apparatus comprising:

• a vacuum anvil roller capable of creating suction to hold the face web on the surface of the vacuum anvil roller as it rotates to pull the face web of the base stock at an angle relative to the backing liner;
• an idler roller adapted to pull the backing liner of the base stock at an angle relative to the face web whereby the backing liner is separated from the face web;
• a cutting roller having at least one cutting blade adapted to engage the vacuum anvil roller as the cutting roller rotates, whereby the face web is severed to form a die-cut label and a skeleton waste web held to the surface of the vacuum anvil roller;
• a nip roller downstream from the cutting roller adapted to press the backing liner against the die-cut label on the surface of the vacuum anvil roller, whereby the die-cut label held by suction against the vacuum roller releasably adheres to the backing liner;
• means for uptaking the skeletal waste web;
• means downstream from the nip roller for pulling the backing liner between the nip roller and the vacuum anvil roller;
• and
• means for affixing the die cut label to an article.

An apparatus for converting label base stock to releasably-lined labels, the base stock having a multiple layer construction of a face web, an adhesive coating on the rear surface of the face web, and a backing liner releasably attached to the adhesive coating, the apparatus comprising:

• a vacuum anvil roller capable of creating suction to hold the face web on the surface of the vacuum anvil roller as it rotates to pull the face web of the base stock at an angle relative to the backing liner;
• an idler roller adapted to pull the backing liner of the base stock at an angle relative to the face web, whereby the face web is separated from the backing liner;
• a laser cutting device adapted to emit a laser beam to engage the vacuum anvil roller, whereby the face web is cut from its adhesively-coated rear side to form a label held to the surface of the vacuum anvil roller;
• a nip roller downstream from the cutting roller adapted to press the backing liner against the label on the surface of the vacuum anvil roller, whereby the label held by suction against the vacuum roller releasably adheres to the backing liner;
• and
• means downstream from the nip roller for pulling the backing liner between the nip roller and the vacuum anvil roller.

A method of converting base stock to releasably-lined labels, the base stock having a multiple layer construction of a face web, an adhesive coating on the rear surface of the face web, and a backing liner releasably attached to the adhesive coating, the method comprising:

• separating the base stock into the backing liner and the face web;
• subsequently cutting labels from the face web by providing a vacuum to hold the face web on the surface of a vacuum anvil roller, and by cutting the face web on the vacuum anvil roller with one from a rotating cutter having a cutting blade that engages the vacuum anvil roller to form a label and a laser whereby the vacuum anvil roller acts as the cutting surface for the laser;
• and
• subsequently pressing the labels to the backing liner to form the releasably-lined labels by pulling the backing liner between the vacuum anvil roller and a nip roller downstream from the rotating cutter, wherein the nip roller presses the backing liner against the label on the surface of the vacuum anvil roller.

A method of converting labels and applying labels to articles comprising:

• separating a face web from a release liner;
• creating suction to hold the face web on the surface of a vacuum roller as the vacuum roller rotates to pull the face web;
• butt cutting a discrete label from the face web with a cutting apparatus whereby the vacuum roller is used as a cutting surface;
• creating suction to hold the discrete label butt cut from the face web on the surface of the vacuum roller as it rotates;
• applying the discrete labels serially to the release liner;
• and
• applying the discrete labels on the release liner serially to articles.