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The subject of the present invention is a method of packaging stacked
labels as well as a unitary package which is obtainable by the method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A customary method of packaging labels is to gather the labels during or
after their manufacture into individual packets of about a thousand single
labels, to bundle such packets by means of paper strips, and to wrap the
packets one by one or in groups with packing paper or the like. This
heretofore known method due to the relatively small packets is very
tedious and expensive. By means of the paper strips no solid assemblage of
the packet is obtainable, and consequently the labels may easily get out
of place during transport. The reloading of the label magazine or label
container of labeling machines with the label packets is extremely time
consuming because only a small quantity of labels can be unpacked at a
time and, after removal of the bundling strip, be inserted. Again, during
the reloading the labels may get out of place and thereby upset the
functioning of the labeling apparatus.
Another method has heretofore been known wherein a larger number of labels
is held together by a bundling strip. In this manner, however, a label
stack which is in itself a stable unit cannot be obtained, especially if
the bundling strips are perforated to provide a tearline. The stack,
therefore, must be manipulated together with a trough shaped thick walled
transport container and inserted into a matching, specially desinged
magazine of a labeling machine, by means of which the label stack is
transferred from the transport container which conforms with the shape of
the labels, into the label container of a labeling machine. This
heretofore known method causes high packaging costs and entails a large
amount of machinery to provide the required magazine on the labeling
machine. The labels are only insufficiently protected by the transport
container, and a changeover to different label shapes is extremely
wearisome and expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an adaptable,
cost-saving method of packaging labels as well as a unitary label package
whereby the label container of a labeling machine may be readily and
quickly refilled and malfunctionings due to out-of-place labels are
positively prevented.
With respect to the method this object is achieved by gathering several
thousand single identical labels into a continuous stack and then, by
means of a tapelike binding element which extends lengthwise of the stack,
tying the labels into a stable transport and refill unit which is directly
insertable into the magazine of a labeling machine. This method has
several important advantages. By making up a stable manipulation unit from
several thousand labels into the form of a label bar, the labor to package
and replenish the labels is materially reduced. The packaging operation
may, therefore, be automated, especially if the transport and refill unit
is, as further contemplated by the invention, wrapped with a shrinkable
synthetic film and the latter is shrunk in place after sealing of seams,
if any, by welding. However, the transport units may also be wrapped
individually or in groups with packing paper or the like. During reloading
the complete transport and refill unit is inserted into the label
container of a labeling machine after the wrapping, if used, has been
partly or completely removed; and the tapelike binding element is then
severed and removed. The labels may therefore not get out of place either
during the packing or during transport and reloading. It is also important
to note that the insertion of the refill unit into a label container or
the like is not impeded by the tapelike binding element, and that the
packaging costs may be kept low.
The invention further contemplates to bind the individual labels together
by means of at least one adhesive tape. Surprisingly, it has been
discovered that in this manner a stack of about 7000 individual labels can
easily be tied into a stable transport and refill unit, particularly if
the adhesive tape is arranged so that it extends along two opposite
longitudinal sides of the stack from one end face thereof to the other. In
that case it is best if the cohesion of the stick coating and its adhesion
to its backing strip are greater than the adhesion of the stick coating to
the labels.
The invention further contemplates to tie the individual labels together by
means of at least one weldable synthetic tape which may also be
shrinkable. This is also a suitable manner to make up an extremely stable
transport and refill unit with little effort, because a single tape which
exends along two opposite longitudinal sides and across the two end faces,
and which exerts a certain pressure upon the labels, is entirely
sufficient.
A further possibility, according to the invention, is to tie the individual
labels together by at least one rubber band. This manner of holding the
labels together is particularly advantageous if, as further contemplated
by the invention, several thousand identical labels are gathered into a
continuous stack and are tied together by means of a binding element which
at least extends lengthwise of the stack and with at least one elongated
backing element so as to provide a stable transport and refill unit that
may be inserted directly into the magazine of a labeling machine. In this
case, part of the stabilizing effect is produced by the backing element
which preferably consists of a channeled cardboard section. This procedure
is particularly adapted for the packing of relatively small labels.
With respect to the unitary package, the object of the invention is
achieved by the provision of a continuous stack of several thousand
identical individual labels and at least one tapelike binding element
which ties the individual labels into a stable transport and refill unit
which may be inserted directly into the magazine of a labeling machine.
Such a unitary package substantially facilitates the packaging and
refilling of the labels.
Another solution of the stated problem is possible by providing a
continuous stack of several thousand identical individual labels, at least
one elongated backing element, and at least one tapelike binding element
which extends in the longitudinal direction of the stack and which ties
the individual labels and the backing element into a stable transport and
refill unit which may be inserted directly into the magazine of a labeling
machine.
According to a particularly advantageous practice, the object of the
invention is achieved by the provision of covering elements at the end
faces of the barlike label stack and by the provision of at least one pair
of adhesive tapes which extend respectively along longitudinal sides and
across both end faces of the stack, which exert a preloading pressure upon
the end faces of the label stack, which stick to the edges of the labels
and whose ends are connected together. In this manner it is possible to
produce stacks of 6000 and more individual labels, which have an extremely
stable configuration and which may be manipulated without auxiliary
equipment and inserted directly into the label container of a labeling
machine. The stabilization of the stack is obtained in part by the
friction between the labels which is caused by the preloading pressure,
and in part by the sticking of the adhesive tapes to the labels. Pressure
activated or thermally activated adhesive tapes may be used and care
should be taken that the cohesion of the stick coating and its adhesion to
the backing strip is greater than the adhesion of the stick coating to the
labels so that none of the stick coating remains on the labels after the
adhesive tape has been peeled off. The preloading pressure may be produced
by compressing the stack longitudinally before the adhesive tape is
applied, and/or by applying the adhesive tape while it is kept in a
preloaded or elastically tensioned condition. The costs of producing such
a stack are extremely low because the packing of the stack consists only
of a few stretches of adhesive tape and of the two covers for the end
faces.
As further contemplated by the invention, it is particularly advantageous
to provide the two end covers of the stack by the two end labels. In this
manner the costs for special end covers are saved and only the two end
labels are wasted.
As another refinement, the invention contemplates to form a tab like handle
by the connected ends of the adhesive tapes. In this manner the handling
of the stack is facilitated, particularly during the pulling of the tapes
from the stack.
While one pair of adhesive tapes is sufficient in case of relatively small
labels, stacks of larger labels are tied together, according to the
invention, by two pairs of adhesive tapes which cross each other at the
end faces of the stack and at which the tablike extensions are offset
relative to each other.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, two pairs of adhesive
tapes are provided which extend along the same longitudinal sides of the
stack. This arrangement too affords a particularly stable label stack and
is particularly adapted for what is known as chest labels.
A label stack embodying the invention may be inserted, as has already been
stated, directly into the conventional label containers of labeling
machines. This is made possible by dimensioning the width of a stack,
depending on the arrangement of the adhesive tapes, exactly as large as
the width of an individual label or only as large as the combined label
width and twice the tape thickness. Since during the refilling several
thousand labels are inserted at a time, the efficiency is high. By using
several pairs of adhesive tapes or by using tapes of different widths
widely varying label shapes and sizes may be taken care of.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become
more fully apparent as this specification proceeds with reference to the
accompanying drawings wherein FIGS. 1-6 are perspective views of several
label transport units embodying the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those
skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments
herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in
other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the
claims appended hereto.
The unitary package 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a continuous stack of for
instance 7000 identical labels 2 of rectangular shape, and two adhesive
tapes 3. The two adhesive tapes 3 are fastened to two relatively opposite
longitudinal sides of the stack and their ends extend partly over the two
end faces of the stack. By means of the adhesive tapes 3 the labels 2 are
tied into a stable transport and refill unit. "Stable" in the sense of the
invention means that the stack when manually or mechanically picked up and
moved does not fall apart and the labels do not lose their mutual
orientation. A certain flexibility or twistability of the unit is
therefore entirely permissible. A particularly great stability is obtained
if the adhesive tapes exert a certain pressure upon the end faces of the
stack and the friction between the labels is thus enhanced. The transport
and refill unit is completely surrounded by a wrapping of shrink film, not
shown, which, for instance, may consist of a length of tubing which is
sealed by welding at the two end faces of the stack. In this manner the
labels are particularly well protected against environmental influences.
The package unit 4 according to FIG. 2 differs from the one shown by FIG. 1
in that the individual labels are tied into a stable transport and refill
unit by means of an endless synthetic band 5 which, as applied, is in a
pretensioned condition. This band extends along two relatively opposite
longitudinal sides of the stack and across its end faces, and end portions
of the band are joined by welding or gluing. The band 5 may also be made
up by joining two lengths thereof together.
The method of producing a unitary package according to FIG. 1 is as
follows: First, after the labels have been cut or stamped, a continuous
stack of about 3000 to 8000 individual labels is made up. The suitable
size of the stack depends on the material of the labels and on the type of
the connecting means. The gathering of the labels may be accomplished for
instance, in the discharge chute of a trunk-type stamping press by
partitioning and temporary acceleration of the respective labels. At the
same time, two adhesive tapes which have previously been attached to the
leading label, are pulled from supply reels at opposite sides of the
discharge chute; the tapes are pressed against the longitudinal sides of
the advancing stack; they are attached to the last label; and the tapes
are then cut off. For best results the adhesive tapes may be applied while
in a certain pretensioned condition, or the stack may be compressed
lengthwise while the adhesive tapes are being applied, in order to enhance
the friction between the labels. The individual labels are thus tied by
the adhesive tapes into a stable transport and refill unit.
Thereafter, the finished transport and refill units are passed through a
film attaching and welding station where they are wrapped with shrink film
and the seams of the shrink film are sealed by welding. Subsequently, the
units are conveyed through a tunneltype furnace in which the shrink film
is brought into close contact with the stack and with tie elements
thereof. The unitary package is then ready for shipment.
The method of producing the package unit 4 according to FIG. 2 differs from
the above described method in that instead of an adhesive tape a band of
synthetic material is applied to each of two opposite sides of the stack.
In practice, the bands are welded together ahead of the stack, then strung
around the stack, again connected by welding behind the stack and cut off.
In this case it is particularly important that the band exerts a certain
pressure upon the end faces of the stack. This may be accomplished simply
by using shrinkable synthetic film for the band and tensioning it by heat
treatment which, if desired, may be effected together with the shrinking
of the wrapping material.
At the consumer of the labels the refill units are inserted into the label
container of the labeling machine after the shrink foil has been removed
in its entirety or in part, whereupon the adhesive tapes or synthetic
bands are also cut and removed together with any remaining portion of the
wrapper.
The package unit 6 according to FIG. 3 comprises a continuous stack of, for
instance, 7000 identical arcuate labels 7, a trough shaped backing section
8 and two rubber bands 9 which tie the labels 7 and the backing section 8
into a transport and refill unit. The backing section 8 consists of a bent
cardboard portion conforming with the shape of the labels, and it embraces
the label stack as its bottom face and partly at its side faces, whereby
adequate stability is insured. The rubberbands are at one side thereof in
contact with one longitudinal side of the stack, and at the other side
with the backing section and they extend across the two end faces. At one
or at both end faces of the backing section 8 tabs, not shown, may be
provided which abut the end face or end faces of the stack. The transport
or refill unit is completely surrounded by a wrapping of shrink film, not
shown.
The package unit 10 according to FIG. 4 differs from the one shown in FIG.
3, in that the connection between the backing section 8 and the labels 7
is formed by an adhesive tape 3 which extends in the longitudinal
direction of the stack. The adhesive tape covers a longitudinal side and
the two end faces of the stack and is attached to the underside of the
backing element. In this case it is sufficient if only those portions of
the adhesive tape which are in contact with the backing section are
provided with a layer of adhesive. An endless band according to FIG. 2 may
also be used.
The method of producing the package units 6 and 10 according to FIGS. 3 and
4 is initially the same as that which has been described hereinbefore with
reference to FIG. 1. However, after or during the gathering of the
individual labels into a continuous stack the labels are transferred into
the backing section, for which purpose the backing section may, for
instance, be integrated with the discharge chute of a trunk type stamping
press. Thereafter, the rubber bands are slipped on or the adhesive tape 3
is applied to the stack and fastened to the backing section. In this
manner the labels and the backing section are tied into a stable transport
and refill unit. The further method steps for the wrapping of the
transport unit may then be carried out as in the method described
hereinbefore with reference to FIG. 1.
At the label consumer the complete refill units including the backing
sections are inserted into the label container of a labeling machine.
Thereafter, the tie elements are cut and may be removed together with the
backing section from the container. The wrapper is either completely
removed before the insertion into the container, or it is opened at one
end face only and removed together with the backing section and the tie
elements.
The package unit 11 according to FIG. 5 comprises approximately 6000
identical closely stacked and aligned breast labels 12 and a pair of
adhesive tapes 13. The two adhesive tapes extend tightly stretched along
the upper and lower longitudinal sides of the stack and adhere to the
edges of the labels. They continue across the two end labels which serve
as covers; they adhere to the end labels and they are connected together
at their ends in the form of a handling tab 14. The adhesive tapes 13
exert a pressure in the longitudinal direction of the stack via the end
labels upon the intermediate labels so as to enhance their mutual
friction. As a result, and due to the sticking of the labels to the
adhesive tapes, the labels are tied into a stable, barlike manipulation
and transport unit. Small elastic torsional twists or bendings of the
stack are entirely permissible since the fixation of the labels is thereby
not affected. In the case of larger labels, two pairs of adhesive tapes
may be used which are preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to
the center axis of the stack and extend along the upper and lower
longitudinal sides of the stack parallel to each other.
The package unit 11 may be produced, for instance, by partitioning a
corresponding number of labels in the discharge chute of a label stamping
press and by compressing the partitioned labels from opposite ends.
Thereafter, the compressed stack is guided toward two adhesive tapes which
are connected together at their free ends and are pulled under tension
from two supply reels at opposite sides of the chute. Advance movement of
the stack is continued until the adhesive tapes cover the leading end face
and two longitudinal sides of the stack. The tapes are then joined
together by pressing them against each other behind the stack, and they
are then cut within the zone of the joint.
At the consumer of the labels the adhesive tapes are first severed at one
end face of the stack and the leading label is swung away. The refill unit
is then inserted bodily into the label container or the like of a labeling
machine, whereupon the adhesive tapes may be pulled off entirely and the
label stack is engaged with the automatic label feeding mechanism.
The package unit 15 according to FIG. 6 comprises about 6000 identical
closely stacked and aligned rectangular main labels 16 and two pairs of
adhesive tapes 17 and 18. The pair 17 extends along the two side faces
while the other pair 18 runs over the lower and upper longitudinal sides
of the stack. At the two end faces the adhesive tapes cross each other and
again provide handling tabs 14. The two handling tabs at one end face are
spaced from the center of the latter, that is, the handling tab of one
pair is offset from the handling tab of the other pair of adhesive tapes.
It is sufficient, however, to locate the handling tab 14 of the tapes 18,
which are covered by the tapes 17, in an off center position. The handling
tab 14 of the tapes 17, on the other hand, may be located on center over
the tapes 18.
The production and use of the transport and refill unit 15 are similar in
principle to the production and use of the transport and refill unit 11,
and the two pairs of adhesive tapes may be applied at the same time or one
after the other.
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