Composite labels, package labeling systems and labeling methods

Details Composite labels, package labeling systems and labeling methods Composite labels, package labeling systems and labeling methods

1998-03-05

2001-08-14

Osele, Mark A. (Department: 1734)

Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture

Methods

Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

C156S247000, C156S289000, C428S040100, C229S074000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06273986

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to composite labels, package labeling systems and labeling methods, and more particularly to labeling systems which utilize a composite label construction and the related labeling methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the context of shipping packages containing goods, the typically utilized label construction consists of a face stock on which indicia may be printed, such as shipping information or other labeling information. The face stock has a primary adhesive (such as a pressure sensitive adhesive) on the back surface thereof and the face stock and adhesive are carried on a release or liner backing. In use, the label face sheet is removed from the liner and affixed to a package by means of the primary adhesive. The shipping label is thereby semi-permanently secured to the package. What is meant by “semi-permanently secured, ” as compared with “releasably secured,” is that the label is not intended to be readily removable from the package, and forcible removal of the label generally results in disruption of either the label, the package, or both. In automated labeling systems, the typical label construction described above is printed and applied to the package in a “print and apply” machine which prints the desired indicia on the label, removes the label from the liner and applies the label to the package.
Again in the context of shipping packages containing goods, a packing list typically is included with the package for the purpose of listing the contents thereof, and any other pertinent information. Presently, it is commonplace for packing lists to be computer generated in a multiple carbonless copy format, manually folded and inserted into a clear plastic envelope attached to the outside of the package being shipped. In this typical scenario, the package recipient removes the packing list from the plastic envelope, can utilize it to verify the package contents, and can retain a file copy for record keeping purposes, etc. Packing lists as described above add appreciable costs to the shipping process in terms of materials (copies and plastic envelopes) and labor (applying envelopes, folding and inserting the packing lists).
There have been attempts to streamline shipping label and packing list procedures and construction in the shipping industry. Companies such as Intermec and Standard Register have developed certain systems that provide a combination shipping label and packing list. These label systems, however, remain costly and somewhat cumbersome to use.
What is needed for the package shipping industry is a simplified, economical labeling system and method for providing shipping labels and packing lists in combination that may be particularly adaptable for “print and apply” users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a composite label construction, labeling system and method which are simplified and economical relative to prior systems and methods. More particularly, in a preferred embodiment, the label construction and system of the present invention comprises the combination of two or more labels of the “coupon” type placed one over the other onto a package. The outer coupon-type label serves as the shipping label and the inner coupon-type label serves as the packing list. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention is not to be construed as limited to shipping and packing list labels, but is applicable to all other types of labeling or identification of packages.
Coupon-type labels generally comprise a face stock with a fugitive adhesive on the back surface thereof to releasably attach the face stock to a middle ply, which may be clear film or opaque paper stock. The middle ply itself has an adhesive backing which is a primary adhesive (of the pressure sensitive type) and affixes the coupon-type label to a release liner. Upon peeling the entire label from the release liner, the primary adhesive is utilized to affix the label to the desired surface by pressure application. The term “coupon-type” label is used because in one common application of this label type the face stock can be peeled off of the middle ply and may have printing thereon so it can be used as a coupon. The use of a fugitive adhesive on the back of the face stock is advantageous because no appreciable adhesive residue is left on the middle ply, which remains affixed to the package surface by virtue of the primary adhesive. One producer of coupon-type labels is MPI Label Systems who sell such labels under the product name Prime Plus®. In the context of the present invention, the shipping label and packing list label are the removable “coupons” in the coupon-type labels utilized.
In the present invention, the two labels are applied in registration with one another so that the packing list information is concealed until such time as the recipient removes the shipping label to reveal the packing list beneath it. The aligned labels may also have bar code or other corresponding indicia on them so that the shipping label and packing label can be correlated and verified such as by utilizing an automatic scanner for verification. An additional advantage of the use of two or more coupon-type labels is that both can be applied using “print and apply” equipment, thereby simplifying and streamlining the labeling process. It will be appreciated, however, that the present invention is in no way intended to be limited to print and apply labeling processes. The composite labels of the invention could certainly be pre-printed or printed by the user and hand-applied.
In one preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a combination shipping label and packing list which can be applied to a package for shipment. The overall composite construction comprises the following layers in sequence from outer to inner:
shipping label with shipping or address information printed thereon;
fugitive adhesive;
middle ply;
primary adhesive;
packing list;
fugitive adhesive;
base ply;
primary adhesive; and
package surface.
In this example, the middle ply is preferably a clear or substantially transparent film layer; although in certain applications that may not be necessary and an opaque layer would be suitable as the middle ply. It will also be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that techniques other than fugitive adhesives may be utilized in adhering the shipping label to the middle ply and the packing list to the base ply. One possible alternative is the use of a thermal bond or lamination to releasably adhere the shipping label and packing list to the middle ply and base ply, respectively. Thermal lamination or bonding is a technique known in the label art as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,544,590 and 4,568,403.
In a preferred method of use, a package is conveyed along a conveyor to a first print and apply station for application of the packing list label, which is printed and applied utilizing techniques well known in the art for print and apply labeling. Thereafter the shipping label is applied on top of and in at least partial registration with the packing list label. Depending on the context, the shipping label may completely cover the packing list or it may only cover a portion thereof. In one embodiment, the shipping label and packing list label each have corresponding indicia, such as a bar code, for manual or automatic verification at a further downstream location in the conveyance of the package.
Upon receipt of a package utilizing the label system of the present invention, the recipient simply peels off the shipping label and discards it or retains it for record keeping, etc., if desired. The fugitive adhesive (or thermal lamination, if that technique is used) on the back of the shipping label is advantageous since it does not leave a residue and does not destroy or deleteriously affect the underlying label layers. The use of a clear film layer beneath the shipping label may be important when it is desired for the recipient to view through the clear film to the exposed packing list label surface for the packing li

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