EP0119669B1

EP0119669B1 - Method for labelling articles

Info

Publication number: EP0119669B1
Application number: EP84200408A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henricus Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Nolens; Johannes Henricus Kroezen
Original assignee: Thermopatch BV
Current assignee: THERMOPATCH BV
Priority date: 1983-03-22
Filing date: 1984-03-21
Publication date: 1987-11-19
Also published as: DK160784A; ES530875A0; IE56095B1; NO841121L; JPS59209517A; FI841142A; AU2589084A; FI841142A0; IE840699L; ATE30890T1; DE3467553D1; NL8301024A; EP0119669A1; DK160784D0; ES8504054A1

Abstract

Method and apparatus for applying information protected by a transparent cover layer to an article to be marked. Cover layer material attached to a temporary backing is provided with a marking in mirror image on the free side thereof, and the cover layer portion thus marked is supplied to the article to be marked by means of said temporary backing, and attached to the article by hot pressing.

Description

The subject invention relates to a labelling method comprising the steps of supplying an underlayer by means of a temporary backing and affixing it to an article, supplying subsequently a transparent cover layer by means of a temporary backing, the cover layer being provided with markings applied in mirror image on its free surface prior to supply, and affixing the cover layer to the underlayer one to overlie the other as known from NL-A-66,02837.
In the prior method, any markings on the cover layer are preprints and any variable information is always applied to the underlayer after it has been affixed onto the article to be marked and before the cover layer, supplied on its own temporary backing, is affixed to overlie the underlayer by way of protection.
The application of variable information onto an underlayer already affixed to an article does not have to give problems so long as the information is of such a simple nature that it can be applied in handwriting or by means of an easily variable stamp, and if use is made of printing inks which can adhere to the surface of the underlayer which after the removal of the temporary backing is often smooth.
There are conditions, however, for example in laundries, in linen hiring firms and the like, in which it is desirable to apply complicated markings, for example, individual data of customers in the form of a so-clled bar code. The numbers of articles to be marked with the same marking are often small, so that pre-printed label components are unsuitable. Moreover, the application of bar code and other complicated markings require a special printing head, which needs a flat face for printing in order to produce a sharply delineated marking. Accordingly, marking with such a printing head gives problems in printing an underlayer already affixed to a piece of textile.
Another disadvantage of the known method is that the supply of underlayers and cover layers on separate temporary backings require rather complicated mechanical provisions.
In the method according to the present invention, such problems are avoided by the improvement which consists in that the underlayer and the cover layer, are supplied by one and the same temporary backing, and variable information is applied in mirror image to the cover layer while still being adhered to the temporary backing.
The labelling method according to the invention has been found in practice to be suitable for applying complicated variable information with sufficient clearness and sharpness to ensure reliable reading, also in the case of information in the form of a bar code on textile, after. repeated washing or dry cleaning.
The cover layer, often of thermoplastic material, has been found after being affixed to a textile article by means of heat and pressure to impregnate the textile material sufficiently to protect the information markings from external, chemical and similar influences.
Indeed, an underlayer as used in the prior method is only needed if a contrasting background is desirable.
The use of one single temporary backing for both the underlayers and the cover layers simplifies the method steps in applying identification markings. At least one pair of associated underlayer and cover layer sheets are supplied on a common backing, the cover layer is printed with the desired information while still on the temporary backing, and the underlayer and the cover layer are sequentially affixed to an article to be marked one to overlie the other.
For carrying out the labelling method, use can be made of a labelling apparatus comprising a press with heating means and guide means for guiding a continuous temporary backing of label components from a supply roll along a computer-controlled printing head arranged to print information symbols, such as a bar code, in accordance with variable information supplied to the computer, and subsequently guiding the label components along the press, and further comprising signalling means which in response to markings on said continuous temporary backing control said printing head and said press.
In this way an article, such as a piece of clothing in a laundry, can be marked by entering the desired information into the computer, thereby the printing head is set at a corresponding bar code, and this code is printed in mirror image on the free side of a label cover layer supplied by the temporary backing, which during this step can rest on a suitable flat support. Subsequently the cover layer thus printed in situ is supplied to the press. The piece of clothing to be marked then only needs to be introduced into the press for the label to be applied to a desired location thereof.
For use in the labelling method according to the invention, there is provided a continuous backing strip carrying an alternation of cover layer sheets and underlayer sheets and markings for signalling means controlling the movement of the backing strip through a label-application section.
One embodiment of the labelling apparatus according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side-elevational view of the labelling apparatus;
Fig. 2 shows a detail as shown by the arrow II-II of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a label with a partially peeled-off cover layer.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a labelling apparatus comprising a label press with a stationary section 1 and a section 3 movable up and down by means of a pneumatic cylinder 2. The stationary press section 1 carries a heatable press plate 4, and the movable press section 3 carries a heatable press plate 5.
A temporary backing 6 for label components, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, is guided by guide rollers 7, 8, 9 and 10 from a supply roll 11 along a driven pressure roller 12, between the press plates 4 and 5 and to a reel 13. The pressure roller 12 cooperates with a printing head 14. The apparatus is controlled by a computer 15 by means of photocells 16 and 16'.
In the embodiment shown, the apparatus is designed to label textile articles 21 with a label composed of an underlayer 17 which can be affixed to the textile article 21 by hot pressing, for example, owing to the underlayer being made of thermoplastic material, and further a transparent cover layer 18, which can also be affixed by hot pressing. These label components 17 and 18 are sequentially affixed to the temporary backing formed by a continuous strip 6 made of, or coated with, a material having such characteristics that sheets 17 and 18 can easily be peeled off from it. At the position of each underlayer 17, backing 6 is provided in each of its marginal zones with markings 19 and 20. At the position of a cover layer sheet 18, a marking 19 has been applied only, and marking 20 is absent.
The labelling apparatus operates as follows.
In the situation as shown in Fig. 1, an article to be labelled, such as the textile article 21, shown diagrammatically, is positioned on the stationary, heated press plate 4. The movable press plate 5 is in the raised position. Positioned between the pressure roller 12 and the printing head 14, on backing 6, is a transparent cover layer sheet 18, and an underlayer sheet 17 is present in the bagging portion between the printing head 14 and pressure plate 4.
Depending on the length of the backing track over rollers 8, 9 and 2, an underlayer sheet 17 is, for example, positioned at photocells 16, 16', which is detected by the two cells 16 and 16' sensing a marking 20 and 19, respectively. This information is passed to computer 15.
After the entry of the variable information intended for the article 21 into the computer, the labelling apparatus is put into operation. Computer 15 controls printing head 14, which prints the variable information, possibly translated into a bar code, on the cover layer sheet present on the printing roller, in mirror image, whereafter the printing roller 12 is driven so that the underlayer 17 is transferred to the appropriate place over press plate 14. At this moment an underlayer sheet 17 is present on the printing roller, and the presence of a cover layer sheet 18 is detected at the photocells.
The press plate 5 is now lowered, and the underlayer 17 is pressed into the article 21. The press plate 5 is moved upwards again, and, without the printing head 14 having meanwhile become operative, the pressure roller 12 is again driven to position the earlier printed cover layer sheet 18 over the underlayer sheet 17 already affixed to the article 21. Press plate 15 is again lowered and presses the cover layer sheet 18 onto the underlayer 17. The label is now completed and after press plate 5 has been raised, article 21 can be removed. The empty backing is continually wound on reel 13. The apparatus is ready for a next labelling operation.
It is clear that other detection methods can be used, and also the stepwise movement of backing 6 with label components 17 and 18 may be different, for example, so that at the moment when a cover layer sheet 18 is printed simultaneously an underlayer sheet 17 is pressed on to an article 21.

Claims

1. A labelling method comprising the steps of supplying an underlayer (17) by means of a temporary backing (6) and affixing it to an article (21), supplying subsequently a transparent cover layer (18) by means of a temporary backing (6), the cover layer being provided with markings applied in mirror image on its free surface prior to supply, and affixing the cover layer (18) to the underlayer (17) one to overlie the other, characterized in that the underlayer (17) and the cover layer (18) are supplied by one and the same temporary backing (6), and variable information is applied in mirror image to the cover layer while still being adhered to the temporary backing.

2. For use in the labelling method as claimed in claim 1, a continuous strip of material, comprising a continuous backing strip (6) carrying an alternation of cover layer sheets (18) and underlayer sheets (17) and markings (19, 20) for signalling means (16, 16') controlling the movement of the backing strip (6) to a label-application section (1).