LABELS AND MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME
The present invention relates to self-adhesive labels and to a method for the manufacture of self-adhesive labels. In particular, the present invention relates to such labels that are folded and hide hidden information and can be opened by a user when attached to a product in order to reveal previously hidden information. Consumer product manufacturers sometimes want to promote products using so-called "win instantly" promotions. In such promotions, a large number of products is provided either directly or indirectly with hidden information that is revealed by a user who can then claim a prize of the product that is identified as a winning product. A large number of products are identified as non-winning products and a small number of products are identified as winning products. It is necessary that the information that indicates whether the product is a winning product or a non-winning product is substantially inaccessible until after the user has purchased the product, and as evidence of the spoilage that is present as a result of a user having access to information. For example, current instant win promotions involve the insertion of winning tickets into sealed product packaging, the printing of information inside metal cans and the printing of so-called promotions of raster on product packaging. . All these promotion techniques require substantial modification to the packaging or labeling requirements of the product. The object of the present invention is to provide an instant promotional system in the form of a self-adhering label evident to the spoilage that can be adhered to the product as a secondary label, the primary label carries the standardized information concerning the product for the consumer. Secondary labels in the form of brochure labels have been known for many years for consumer use. Said labels may be provided with tear lines in the front cover, as disclosed in EP-A-0043179, or alternatively may be overlaminated, for example as in EP-A-0180365. Said previous brochure labels are not suitable for use as promotion labels for the present because they do not provide the required level of security together with the evidence of attempted enforcing. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a self-adhesive label suitable for use as an instant win promotion label that provides the necessary level of security and evidence of tampering intent. Accordingly, the present invention provides a self-adhesive label carried on a backing of releasable material comprising a self-adhesive backing piece having a self-adhesive surface directed towards the back adhered to the back of the releasable material, a bent portion disposed on the front surface of the support piece, the bent portion includes the front and rear covers that house therebetween an intermediate part, and a self-adhesive sheet material that covers and adheres on the bent portion, the material laminar that extends beyond the edges of the support piece and the bent portion to form a peripheral border of the label having a rearward facing surface to form a peripheral border of the label having a backward facing surface coated with a permanent pressure sensitive adhesive that is adhered to the backing of the releasable material, and in where the intermediate part can be accessed by cutting or tearing the sheet material. The present invention further provides a method for producing a series of self-adhesive labels carried on a backing of releasable material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a roll of continuous self-adhesive backing paper on a backing of material liberable; (b) adhering a series of folded sheets along the length of the continuous supporting paper roll, each folded sheet comprising a front cover portion, a rear cover portion, and an intermediate portion housed therebetween; (c) cutting with matrix the bent sheet set and the continuous supporting paper roll as soon as the releasable material thereof is cut into a series of intermediate labels, each comprising a folded leaflet cut from one of the folded sheets and adhered to a support piece cut from the continuous paper roll of support; (d) removing the waste material that surrounds the intermediate labels from the backing of the releasable material; (e) overlaminating the labels with a continuous paper roll of a self-adhering sheet material coated with a permanent pressure sensitive adhesive such that each intermediate label is encapsulated by the sheet material; and (f) cutting with matrix through the sheet material around each intermediate label thereby forming a peripheral edging of the sheet material surrounding each intermediate label and adhering to the backing of the releasable material. One embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the self-adhesive label according to an embodiment of the present invention. on the backing of the releasable material; Figure 2 is a section in elevation along line A-A of the self-adhesive label illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of an apparatus for use in a first step of a method of manufacturing a series of self-adhesive labels of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a schematic side view of an additional apparatus for use in performing a second step of the method. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a self-adhesive label 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown when transported on a continuous paper roll of a backing 4 of releasable material, for example paper coated with silicone. In general terms, a series of said labels 2 is carried on the back 4 of releasable material and wound on a reel for the automatic application of the self-adhesive labels 2 to the products that will be labeled by an automatic labeling machine. The self-adhesive label 2 comprises a lower self-adhesive support part 6 comprising a sheet 8, typically made of transparent plastics such as polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene, coated on its underside with a layer 10 of adhesive sensitive to the pressure releasably adhering the support piece 6 to the front surface of the backing 5 of release material. In the label 2, a folded booklet 12 comprises a back cover 14, a front cover 16 folded on the back cover 14 on a first fold line 18 and an intermediate panel 20 that lies between the front and rear covers 16, 14 and connected to the back cover 14 by a second fold line 22. The rearmost surface of the back cover 14 is adhered to a main portion of the front surface of the support piece 6 by a layer 24 of permanent adhesive, typically an adhesive to the back cover 14. water base such as PVA adhesive. The front cover 16 includes an extended flange 16 extending beyond the second fold line 11 and disposed adjacent the front surface of the support piece 6. The front cover 16 of the self-adhering label 2 conceals any information printed on the surfaces of the intermediate panel 20. When the self-adhesive label 2 is to be used in an instant win promotion, said hidden printed information may include an indication of whether the label is a winning or non-winning label. The support piece 6 and the folded leaflet 12 are sized at the same time in a longitudinal direction as the continuous paper roll of the backing 4 of release material and the folded booklet 12, that is, in an extended direction between the first bent line 18 and the extended flange 26, the support piece 6 extends longitudinally beyond the first fold line 18 and the extended flange 26 so as to form two portions of the same. opposite edges 28, 30 that are not covered by the folded leaflet 12. The second portion 30 has a longer length in the longitudinal direction than the first portion 28 and is placed on the side of the folded leaflet 12 which is opened by a user. As described below with reference to the method of manufacturing the self-adhesive label 2, the opposite transverse edges 32, 34, of the folded leaflet / support piece assembly comprise matching edges of the folded leaflet 12 and of the support piece 6 which they have been formed by cutting with a matrix. The bent strip / support member assembly is overlaminated and completely encapsulated by a self-adhesive sheet material 36 which preferably comprises a sheet of clear plastic, usually of polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene, coated on its back surface with a layer 40 of pressure sensitive adhesive. The pressure sensitive adhesive is permanent adhesive as is known in the art. The particular permanent adhesive formulation is selected in order to form a strong reliable adhesive bond with the surface of the particular product to be labeled. The sheet material 36 extends longitudinally beyond the edge portions 28, 30 of the support piece 6 and transversely beyond the transverse edges 32, 34 to form a rim 42 surrounding the folded leaflet assembly / support piece , the edging 42 is adhered all around its periphery with the backing 4 of the releasable material by the layer 40 of pressure sensitive adhesive. In Figure 1, the sheet material 34 is transparent so that the folded leaflet assembly / support piece is visible thereunder. The sheet material 36 is adhered by the layer 40 of the pressure sensitive adhesive to the front surface of the front cover 16 and to the front surfaces of the two opposite edge portions 28, 30 of the support piece 6. The self-adhesive label Adhesive 2 is provided with an opening line 44 extending transversely through the label 2 and in particular through the extended flange 26. The opening line 44 may comprise a printed line indicating where the label 2 should be cut to open, said configuration is used when the label is intended to be adhered to a substrate that can be cut from the product, e.g. a film of plastic wrap. Alternatively, the opening line 44 may comprise a perforated tear line, which extends through the sheet material 36 and the extended flange 24, when the label is intended to be adhered to a coarse or solid substrate, e.g. a box or container. During use, the self-adhering label is applied to a product to be labeled and is permanently adhered to it by the self-adhering edging 42 and by the self-adhesive support piece 6. This ensures a strong adhesive bond between label 2 and the product so that the self-adhering label 2 is not inadvertently opened. Since the sheet material 4 completely encapsulates the folded booklet 12, there is no danger that the folded booklet 12 becomes inadvertently accessible to a user. In particular, since the edging 42 extends outwardly along the transverse edges cut with matrix 32, 34, of the folded booklet assembly / support piece, it is not possible for a person wishing to have access to the printed surfaces interiors of the folded brochure 12 see inside the brochure body through the transverse edges without positively opening the label. The adhesive sensitive to the pressure of the material laminar 34 is selected so as to have a permanent adhesive bond with the surface of the particular product to be labeled whereby the self-adhering label 2 can not be read upon being detached from the product or opened without cutting or tearing along the opening line 44. This reduces the incidence of people trying to open the label without buying the product in order to determine whether or not the product is a winning or non-winning product. In this way the label 2 can provide an obvious aspect of tampering that can be opened only by a cutting or tearing mechanism. After the sheet material 36 and the flange 26 have been cut or torn, a person can then manually access the intermediate panel 20 and pull the intermediate panel outwardly forming the pocket defined by the front and rear covers 16, 14. In this form, the user can reveal the hidden information previously printed on the panel Intermediate 20, such as if the product is a winning product in a winning promotion. A method for producing self-adhering labels according to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. With reference to Figure 3, an apparatus designated generally as 50 is illustrated, to perform a The first step of the method wherein a series of folded leaflets is adhered to a roll of continuous supporting paper carried on the backing of the releasable material, and then the booklets and the underlying supporting continuous paper roll carried on the backing of the releasable material are cut with matrix to form a series of intermediate labels that are then overlaminated with a continuous paper roll of self-adhering sheet material. Figure 4 illustrates an apparatus for performing a second step of the method wherein the overlaminate assembly of the bent brochure / support piece assemblies with matrix is subjected to a second matrix cutting step wherein the self-adhesive labels of the first embodiment They are formed and wound on a reel of releasable backing material. With particular reference to Figure 3, there is provided a spool 52 of a duplex pressure sensitive material comprising a roll of continuous plastic transparent pressure sensitive paper 54 carried on a continuous backing paper roll 56 of releasable material. The duplex continuous paper roll is unwound from the reel 52 and fed past an adhesive application station 58 in which an adhesive applicator 60 applies a series of patches 62 of liquid adhesive, for example a water soluble adhesive a length of the top surface of the plastic continuous paper roll 54. The duplex continuous paper roll is then transported to a folded sheet applicator station 64 in which a series of folded sheets 66 are applied by a booklet applicator, generally represented by the ramp 68, with the series of patches 62 of adhesive. It will be seen that the folded sheets 66 are applied in register with the adhesive patches 62 whereby the back cover 65 of each folded sheet 66 is adhered to the plastic continuous paper roll by a respective adhesive patch 62. The folded sheets 66 adhered to the continuous plastic paper roll 54 are then transported to a matrix cutting station 68. The matrix cutting station 68 is provided with a cutter roll with upper die 70 and a backup roll 71 through which is passed the duplex continuous paper roll carrying the folded sheets 66. The die cutting roller 70 cuts through the folded sheets 66 adhered through the plastic paper roll 54 up, but not through, the backing 56 of releasable material, so that it cuts the support piece 6 and the folded leaflet 16 adhered to it of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. This forms the series of intermediate labels 78. The waste material surrounding the intermediate labels 78 consists of the cutting frame of the roll of plastic paper of sheet material 54 carrying the cut portions of the folded sheets 66 adhered to it forming a roll of waste paper io 74 that is removed from the backing 56 of the releasable material and wound onto the reel 76. The intermediate labels cut with matrix 78 then pass to a rolling station 80 in which a continuous paper roll of transparent, self-adhering plastic sheet material 81 is rolled out of a spool 84 thereof and laminated by a roller 86 over the series of labels intermediate 78 on the back 56 of the releasable material. Each intermediate label 78 is completely encapsulated by the sheet material 82 extending past both the longitudinal and transverse cut edges of the intermediate labels 78. The resulting series of overlaminate intermediate labels 78 is then rolled on a spool 88. The second stage of the The method is illustrated in Figure 4 in which the overlaminate intermediate label assembly 78 is fed out of the spool 88 thereof and transported to a second matrix cutting station 90 comprising an upper die cutter roll 92 and a backing roller. lower 94. Matrix cutting roller 92 cuts only through the continuous paper roll overlaminate 81 so as to cut the outer periphery of the sheet material 36 of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. The frame of the continuous waste paper roll The resultant 96 is wound onto a reel 98. This step of cutting with matrix forms the self-adhesive labels. of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. When the opening line 44 is a perforated tear line, this can be cut by the die cut roller 92. The backing 56 of release material carries the self-adhesive labels 4 wound on a reel 100. In the method of the invention, each folded sheet 66 can be cut to form a plurality of folded leaflets 16 transversely spaced through the continuous paper roll and die cut can be carried out so that a plurality of self-adhesive labels 2 are provided across the width of the backing 56 of releasable material with the backing 56 being cut into strips to form a plurality of reels 100. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that in the drawings the thickness of some of the layers of the label has been greatly exaggerated in order to make the illustration clearer. In the illustrated embodiment, the self-adhesive label comprises a folded leaflet having three panels. In the alternative embodiments of the present invention, a large number of panels can be provided. The self-adhesive label of the present invention comprises a smart, simple and easy-to-manufacture brochure label that has sufficient security to constitute a winning promotional label. The provision of an overlaminated label not only produces a level of security to the label that prevents inadvertent opening of the label and discourages people from opening the label without authorization, but also the laminar material provides a high degree of physical protection to the label. folded paper brochure underlying. The present invention avoids the need for major changes to the product packaging or to the packaging line of the product. The present invention also avoids the need to tear labels requiring special apparatus and printing ink and is not really suitable for application to a product to be labeled due to tearing regions that may inadvertently be damaged and torn during handling. of the product.