LABELLING MATERIAL

Abstract

Labeling material includes a labeling region to be printed using a printing device and/or for handwritten labeling. The labeling material includes a carrier layer that is at least partially transparent and can be folded over onto the labeling region to cover or seal the labeling region and can be bonded thereto in portions or over the entire surface. One or more adhesive regions, such as an adhesive layer, adhesive dots, adhesive strips, etc., bond the at least partially transparent carrier layer to the labeling region in portions or over the entire surface. The adhesive region and the labeling region are arranged on the same side of the at least partially transparent carrier layer.

Claims

1. A labeling material, comprising: a labeling region which is designed to be printed using a printing device and/or for handwritten labeling; a carrier layer which is at least partially transparent and can be folded over onto the labeling region to cover or seal the labeling region and can be bonded thereto in portions or over the entire surface; and one or more adhesive regions, such as an adhesive layer, adhesive dots, adhesive strips, which are designed to bond the at least partially transparent carrier layer to the labeling region in portions or over the entire surface, wherein the adhesive region and the labeling region are arranged on a same side of the at least partially transparent carrier layer.

2. The labeling material according to claim 1, wherein: the labeling region and the adhesive region are adjacent to one another and adjoin one another in an unfolded state, in which the adhesive region is not bonded to the labeling region, and/or the labeling region, when viewed in a cross section, has a height which corresponds to a height of a flap portion which can be folded over onto the labeling region.

3. The labeling material according to claim 1, wherein the labeling region is formed by a printing layer which is applied to the carrier layer.

4. The labeling material according to claim 3, wherein: the printing layer is a single-layer film, or the printing layer is a multi-layer film, or the printing layer is a coating.

5. The labeling material according to claim 1, wherein: the at least partially transparent carrier layer is a single-layer film, or the at least partially transparent carrier layer is a multi-layer film.

6. The labeling material according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer is made of a transparent material in its entirety.

7. The labeling material according to claim 1, further comprising: a cover sheet that is a peel-off film, wherein the adhesive region, which is designed for bonding the at least partially transparent carrier layer to the labeling region, is covered with the cover sheet, and wherein the cover sheet is removable in order to expose the adhesive region.

8. The labeling material according to claim 7, wherein the cover sheet has a removal aid, such as a tab or a slot.

9. The labeling material according to claim 1, wherein: the one or more adhesive regions include a first adhesive region and a second adhesive region, the second adhesive region is for attaching the labeling material to an object to be marked, the second adhesive region is arranged on a side of the carrier layer facing away from the labeling region, and the second adhesive region is arranged at a level of the labeling region or, in an unfolded state, at a level of a flap portion.

10. The labeling material according to claim 9, the second adhesive region is covered by a cover sheet which can be removed to expose the additional adhesive region.

11. The labeling material according to claim 9, wherein: the carrier layer has a flap portion which can be folded over onto and bonded to the labeling region in order to cover the labeling region, the first adhesive region, which is designed for bonding the at least partially transparent carrier layer to the labeling region, is provided on the flap portion, and the flap portion does not have an adhesive region on a side of the carrier layer facing away from the first adhesive region, and wherein: the carrier layer has a printing portion, the printing portion, when viewed in a height extension of the labeling material, is adjacent to and adjoins the flap region, the labeling region is provided on the printing portion, the second adhesive region is arranged on a side of the printing portion facing away from the labeling region, and the second adhesive region and the region of the flap portion which does not have an adhesive region are adjacent to one another and adjoin one another.

12. The labeling material according to claim 1, wherein the labeling material has a metal component including one or more metal layers, metal particles, or metal threads.

13. The labeling material according to claim 1, further comprising: a detachable adhesive strip, which fixes longitudinal edges of the carrier layer in a folded basic state of the carrier layer, wherein the carrier layer is folded in a center in the folded basic state, when viewed in cross section.

Description

[0052] The invention is described in greater detail in the following with reference to drawings showing embodiments, in which, schematically:

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a labeling material according to the invention;

[0054] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the labeling material from FIG. 1;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows the labeling material in a fully assembled state;

[0056] FIG. 4A shows the labeling material in a folded basic state;

[0057] FIG. 4B shows an additional labeling material in a folded basic state;

[0058] FIG. 5 shows an additional labeling material.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a labeling material 2 comprising a labeling region 4 which is designed to be printed using a printing device.

[0060] The labeling material 2 has a carrier layer 6, which is at least partially transparent and can be folded over onto and bonded to the labeling region 4 to cover the labeling region 4 in the printed state.

[0061] On a first side 8 of the carrier layer 6, a first adhesive region is formed in the form of an adhesive layer 10, which is designed for bonding the carrier layer 6 to the labeling region 4. The adhesive layer 10 and the labeling region 4 are arranged on the same side 8 of the carrier layer 6.

[0062] For improved understanding of the following configurations, the coordinate system shown in FIG. 1 is introduced, the x axis being oriented in parallel with a longitudinal extension of the labeling material 2, the y axis denoting a thickness or wall thickness direction of the labeling material 2, in which a thickness or a wall thickness of the labeling material 2 or individual layers is determined, and the z axis defining a height extension of the labeling material, in which a height of individual portions of the labeling material 2 or of the labeling material 2 is measured as a whole.

[0063] In the present case, the labeling region 4 is formed by a printing layer 12 which is applied to the carrier layer 6 on its first side 8. In the present case, the printing layer 12 is a single-layer film, which is designed for labeling by means of a thermal transfer printer.

[0064] In the present case, the carrier layer 6 consists of a transparent, single-layer film 6. In the present case, the carrier layer 6 is made of a transparent plastics material.

[0065] A cover sheet in the form of a peel-off film 14 is attached to the first side 8 of the carrier layer 6. The adhesive layer 10 is covered by means of the peel-off film 14, the peel-off film 14 being peelable or detachable in order to expose the adhesive layer 10. The peel-off film 14 can therefore be peeled off from the adhesive layer 10 such that the adhesive layer 10 remains substantially completely adhered to the first side 8 of the carrier layer 6.

[0066] The peel-off film 14 has a removal aid in the form of a tab 16, which is arranged at a distance from the carrier layer 6.

[0067] An additional adhesive region in the form of an additional adhesive layer 20 is arranged on a second side 18 of the carrier layer 6 facing away from the first side 8 of the carrier layer 6. The adhesive layer 20 is designed to attach the labeling material 2 to an object to be marked. Therefore, the adhesive layer 20 is arranged on the side 18 of the carrier layer 6 facing away from the labeling region 4.

[0068] The additional adhesive layer 20 is covered by a cover sheet in the form of a support layer 22, which can be detached or peeled off in order to expose the additional adhesive layer 20. The support layer 22 can be peeled off from the adhesive layer 20 such that the adhesive layer 20 remains substantially completely on the second side 18 of the carrier material 16.

[0069] The carrier layer 6 has a flap portion 24 which can be folded over onto the labeling region 4 and bonded thereto by means of the adhesive layer 10 in order to cover the labeling region 4 in the printed state. The flap portion 24 extends in the height direction along the height H1.

[0070] The adhesive layer 10 is provided on the flap portion 24, the flap portion 24 not having an adhesive layer or being free of adhesive on the side 18 of the carrier layer 6 facing away from the adhesive layer 10.

[0071] The carrier layer 6 also has a printing portion 26 which, when viewed in a height extension of the labeling material 2 along the z axis, is adjacent to and adjoins the flap region 24.

[0072] The labeling region 4 is provided on the printing portion 26 of the carrier layer 6. The additional adhesive layer 20 is arranged on the side 18 of the printing portion 26 facing away from the labeling region 4. The additional adhesive layer 20 and the region of the flap portion 24 which does not have an adhesive layer are adjacent to one another and adjoin one another on the side 18.

[0073] The printing portion 26 extends in the height direction z along the height H2. The total height of the labeling material 2 therefore corresponds to H1+H2 in the unfolded state.

[0074] According to further embodiments of the labeling material, it may be provided that the carrier film 6 itself can be printed in the labeling region 26, such that no separate printing layer 12 is required on the carrier layer 6.

[0075] The labeling material 2 has a metal component (not shown) which is designed for the automated detection of the labeling material, in particular for the food industry. It is clear that, in accordance with alternative embodiments, such a metal component can be dispensed with.

[0076] For improved understanding of the structure of the labeling material, the labeling material 2 is shown in FIG. 2 in an exploded view, in order to make the individual layers visible.

[0077] FIG. 3 shows the labeling material from FIGS. 1 and 2 in a fully assembled state. For this purpose, the labeling material 2 was first fed to a printing device in the state shown in FIG. 1, the labeling region 4 having been printed with symbols or characters. The peel-off film 14 was then removed (FIG. 3) and the flap region 24 was folded over onto the labeling region 4 in order to protect the labeling produced from environmental influences by means of the transparent covering formed by the carrier film 6.

[0078] In the next step, the support layer 22 was removed in order to expose the additional adhesive layer 20. Finally, the labeling material 2 was applied and bonded to the object 28 to be labeled by means of the additional adhesive layer 20. The peel-off film 14 and the support layer 22 according to FIG. 3 can be disposed of as waste and have no further function.

[0079] A labeling material 2 can be provided in a folded basic state according to FIG. 4A, which is provided for feeding to a printing device.

[0080] The labeling material 2 is characterized by a detachable adhesive strip 30, which fixes or holds longitudinal edges 32, 34 of the carrier layer in the folded basic state of the carrier layer 6, the carrier layer 6 being in particular folded in the center in the folded basic state, when viewed in cross section. By means of the adhesive strip 30, the folded basic state can be reliably secured during printing.

[0081] After the printing, the adhesive strip 30 is removed, in particular without leaving any residue, such that the longitudinal edges are no longer fixed or held and the labeling material can be unfolded into the unfolded state shown in FIG. 1. The cover sheets can then be removed, the labeling region can be sealed and the labeling material can be bonded thereto (cf. FIG. 3).

[0082] FIG. 4B shows a variant of the labeling material, the labeling region 4 being part of the carrier layer 6 which can be printed or labeled directly.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows another variant of the labeling material, an adhesive strip 30 being provided for holding a folded state comparable to FIGS. 4A and 4B. According to the variant in FIG. 5, the adhesive strip is used to hold the folded state in which the flap portion 24 adheres to the adhesive strip during printing. After printing, the labeling material 2 can be unfolded into the position shown in FIG. 5. The adhesive strip can then in particular be removed without leaving any residue.

[0084] Furthermore, the variant of the labeling material 2 described in FIG. 5 has a fold-over aid 36 having the height H3, which specifies a predetermined folding point for folding over the flap portion 24 onto the printing or labeling portion 26. The fold-over aid 36 may alternatively be configured as a punched-out region or local tapering region between the flap portion and the labeling portion. The fold-over aid 36 extends over the entire longitudinal extension of the labeling material 2, measured along the x axis. In the present case, the fold-over aid 36 forms a film hinge 36. According to alternative embodiments, a fold-over aid may be formed as a locally weakened region that extends in a straight line in the x direction, such as a perforation or the like, or as a pre-folded region.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0085] 2 Labeling material [0086] 4 Labeling region [0087] 6 Carrier layer [0088] 8 First side [0089] 10 Adhesive layer [0090] 12 Printing layer [0091] 14 Peel-off film [0092] 16 Tab [0093] 18 Second side [0094] 20 Adhesive layer [0095] 22 Support layer [0096] 24 Flap portion [0097] 26 Printing portion/labeling portion [0098] 28 Object [0099] 30 Adhesive strip [0100] 32 Longitudinal edge [0101] 34 Longitudinal edge [0102] 36 Fold-over aid [0103] H1 Height [0104] H2 Height [0105] z Height direction [0106] x Longitudinal direction [0107] y Thickness direction