Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some cases, the apparatuses and methods involve providing a deposition device, such as a printing device; providing a transfer component; depositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component with the deposition device; modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article.

Embodiments of a griddle of the type for an outdoor cooking station is provided herein. The griddle includes a flat cooking surface with a splash guard extending along a periphery of the flat cooking surface. The flat cooking surface defines a trough positioned adjacent a rear end of the cooking surface such that the trough includes a sloping surface extending downward toward a rear opening defined in the splash guard along and adjacent the rear end of the flat cooking surface. With this arrangement, as a user cooks food on the griddle, unwanted grease may be pushed to the rear of the griddle and into the trough so that the grease funnels down the sloped surface and through the rear opening and into a grease container centered below the rear opening.

Methods for forming high shrink wrap label sleeves directly from a roll are disclosed herein. A seaming agent is applied to the label, where the trailing edge will overlap the leading edge to form a seam. The seaming agent is then exposed to radiation to cure the seaming agent and form a sleeve. The label comprises a film with at least one external layer that has a Hildebrand solubility parameter, and the seaming agent includes a component having a Hildebrand solubility parameter that is within 2.2 MPa.sup.1/2 or within 4.4 calories.sup.1/2.Math.cm.sup.3/2 of the Hildebrand solubility parameter of the external layer of the film. The seaming agent also has a viscosity of at least 1 centipoise and less than 1000 centipoise when measured at any temperature between ambient temperature and 60 C.

Provided is a label fitting system which can, even if a container has a narrowed portion, appropriately fit a cylindrical label to the outer periphery of the container. A label fitting system is provided with a label arrangement mechanism which pushes down a cylindrical label having been supplied to a location above a cylindrical container and is disposed about the outer periphery of the cylindrical label. The label arrangement mechanism is provided with a vertically movable annular base and a plurality of legs extending downward from the base. The legs have elasticity which enables the legs to be displaced radially, and have lower ends coming into contact with the upper end of the cylindrical label. When the base descends, the lower ends of the legs push down the cylindrical label while descending along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical container.

The present disclosure relates to a method of attaching a shrinkable label on at least one product wherein the shrinkable label comprises a film comprising heat shrinkable material and photothermic material, the method comprising: transporting a plurality of products on a product conveyor through an irradiation volume defined by a plurality of UV light emitters arranged sideways of the product conveyor; arranging at least one reflector between consecutive products on the product conveyor while the at least one product is being transported; controlling the UV light emitters to emit UV-light towards the shrinkable label arranged around the at least one product in the irradiation volume and towards the at least one reflector arranged between consecutive products in order for the photothermic material of the shrinkable label to heat up causing the heat shrinkable material to shrink around the at least one product.

A beverage container label including a label having an outward surface, an inward surface, removable stickers, and a removable cover. The label is defined by the outward surface and the inward surface and includes the removable stickers disposed about a top edge and a bottom edge of the label. The inward surface of the label has adhesive such that the inward surface of the label is configured to be adhesively applied to a surface of a beverage container. The removable cover may be peeled off to expose the removable stickers for use. The removable stickers include graphics. The removable stickers may be selectively removed from the label and re-applied to the surface of the beverage container providing a modular, customizable, and user-arranged personalized message.

A machine for applying tubular film to products includes a film feed path along which a supply of continuous tubular film is fed, and a sleeve eject station at which the film tubing is cut into sleeves that are ejected onto products passing the sleeve eject station. At least one sensor is positioned along the film feed path upstream of the sleeve eject station for detecting a splice in tubular film traveling along the film feed path. A controller is configured for controlling the machine such that, upon detection of a splice in the tubular film, a defective sleeve that includes the splice thereon is ejected into a gap between successive products so as to prevent application of the defective sleeve to any product.

In one aspect, an article includes a first sleeve formed from a first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet, the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet having opposed first and second edges, wherein the first sleeve is formed with a first seam proximate the first edge. A portion of the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet extends between the first sleeve and the second edge. A tag is bonded to the portion of the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet proximate the second edge at a first overlap zone of the tag and the portion of the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet. In another aspect, an article includes a heat-shrinkable polymer sheet and a tag bonded to the sheet. The heat-shrinkable polymer sheet has a central area and a plurality of slits disposed through the sheet, at least one of the plurality of slits oriented to partially surround the central area.

Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some cases, the apparatuses and methods involve providing a deposition device, such as a printing device; providing a transfer component; depositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component with the deposition device; modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article.

An apparatus for applying a tubular band from a supply of flat tubular material to a container includes a flat film feed path and a cutter positioned for cutting tubular material traveling along the feed path. A former is positioned downstream of the cutter for opening the tubular material and includes a film passage with an inlet side and an outlet side. The flat film feed path enters the film passage and a cut segment of tubular material is opened within the film passage to create an opened tubular band. A pusher pushes the opened tubular band out of the outlet side of the former for container application. The pusher includes a film engaging portion that is aligned with and movable into and out of the film passage. The film engaging portion is offset from the flat film feed path to prevent interference with flat tubular film entering the passage.