ROLL-UP LABEL STRIP AND LABEL FOR APPLICATION ON BAGS

Abstract

A roll-up strip (100, 101) of labels (10, 11) separable by a transverse cut, distinguishing on each label a main portion (2) from at least one of the longitudinal opposite ends (21, 22) of which extends a longitudinal extension (3, 4) of a smaller width than the main portion (2) and which distal end (31, 41) defines a joining area (A) attachable to a bag by application of an accessory pressing element, the strip able to be devoid of reinforcement or filler made of plastic material, and a longitudinal cut or slit (6) in each joining area (A) of the labels. The cut or slit defines two portions (61, 62) to reduce the resistance offered by the joining area to a deformation by transverse constriction to which it is subject when the accessory pressing element is applied from the outside in the bag closing operation.

Claims

1. A roll-up strip of labels, which contour follows a repetitive pattern which defines a linear succession of labels that can be separated by a transverse cut of the strip, the labels being especially suitable for application on bags of fruit and vegetable products, such as mesh bags, distinguishing for this purpose on each label, longitudinally a main portion, bearing information printed or otherwise transferred to the strip on at least one of its faces, and from at least one of the opposite longitudinal ends of which it extends; a longitudinal extension of a smaller width than that of the main portion and which distal end defines a joining area that is intended to be used to attach the label to a previously tightened portion of a bag and to be secured to the same by external application of an accessory pressing element, in a bag closing operation, wherein a longitudinal cut or slit is made in the strip in each joining area of the labels, the purpose of which is to reduce the resistance offered by the said joining area to a deformation by transverse constriction to which it will be subject when the accessory pressing element is applied to it from the outside in the bag closing operation.

2. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the strip is devoid of any reinforcement or filler made of plastic material.

3. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the strip is a paper strip, which is selected from a paper substrate with a grammage of 80-160 g/m.sup.2; and a thickness of 100-185 μm; or a paper complex with a grammage of 100-200 g/m.sup.2; and a thickness of 110-210 μm.

4. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the paper is a thermal paper.

5. The strip according to claim 1, characterised in that wherein the width (a) of the strip in the joining areas is from 6 to 14 mm, preferably from 8 to 12 mm; and this width (a) does not represent any widening of the associated longitudinal extension.

6. The strip according to claim 1, wherein all the joining areas have parallel edges and a constant width (a).

7. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal cut or slit defines two equal halves in the associated joining area.

8. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the cut or slit made in the associated joining area passes through the thickness of the strip.

9. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the cut or slit is a continuous cut or slit.

10. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the cut or slit is a discontinuous or intermittent cut or slit.

11. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the cut or slit combines at least one through area, which passes through the thickness of the strip, with at least one non-through area, which does not pass through the thickness of the strip but marks a preferential fold line.

12. The strip according to claim 1, wherein a respective longitudinal extension of a smaller width than that of the main portion extends from each of the two longitudinally opposite ends of the main portion of each label, each with a corresponding distal end, that defines a joining area, two consecutive labels of the strip being joined without a solution of continuity by respective joining areas, each longitudinal cut or slit being associated with a section of a common cut or slit that extends along the said two following joining areas of the strip.

13. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the length of the common longitudinal cut or slit that extends along two following joining areas of the strip is from 15 to 45 mm, preferably from 20 to 40 mm.

14. The strip according to claim 1, wherein only one of the two longitudinally opposite ends of the main portion of each label extends a longitudinal extension of a smaller width than that of the said main portion, two consecutive labels of the strip being joined without a solution of continuity by the connection between the joining area of a label and the end of the main portion devoid of extension of the label that follows it on the strip, the longitudinal cut or slit extending along the joining area and also, by a smaller length, through the main portion of the label that follows it on the strip.

15. The strip according to claim 1, wherein the length of the longitudinal cut or slit that extends along the joining area and that extends through the main portion of the label that follows it on the strip is from 5 to 40 mm, preferably from 10 to 30 mm, remaining within the joining area by at least 80%.

16. A label that can be obtained by a transverse cut of a strip according to claim 1 coinciding with at least a joining area thereof, which joining area or areas now the end or ends of the label is subdivided into two longitudinal portions that hang like a fringe from the end of the associated extension.

17. A mesh bag with a tightened end and closed by application of an accessory pressing element with interposition of a joining area of a label that can be obtained from a strip according to claim 1, placed so that the longitudinal extension of the main portion of the label extends coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the bag, embracing the joining area of the label at least partially to the mass of tightened mesh with the two portions of said joining area folded around the cut or slit made in this area of the label.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a practical example of a deteriorated joining area on a label joined to a tightened longitudinal portion of a mesh by application of an accessory pressing element, in the form of a band folded or flattened on itself, compressing the mesh and the aforementioned label joining area;

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a practical example of a joining area of a label that can be obtained from a strip according to the invention joined to a tightened longitudinal portion of a tubular mesh by application of an accessory pressing element, in the form of a band folded or flattened on itself, compressing the mesh and the label joining area;

[0046] FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c exemplify a first variant of the invention and show, specifically in this order, a portion of a strip that comprises a separable label of the strip, a band from which several labels of this strip can be obtained without loss of material, and a mesh bag to which a separable label of the strip has been attached by a joining area of the same using a staple that is applied to keep a previously tightened end of the bag closed; and

[0047] FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c exemplify a second variant of the invention and show, specifically in this order, a portion of another strip that comprises a separable label of the strip, a band from which several labels of this other strip can be obtained without loss of material, and a mesh bag to which a separable label of this other strip has been attached, in this case by two joining areas of the same using staples that are applied to keep two previously tightened ends of the bag closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0048] The invention is exemplified in two strips 100, 101 made of paper material without reinforcements or fillers made of plastic material and without reinforced paper laminates with natural fibres.

[0049] The two strips 100, 101, which are respectively represented in FIGS. 3a and 4a, have a contour that follows a repetitive pattern which defines a linear succession of labels 10 and 11, respectively, labels that can separated by a transverse cut of the strips. In these FIGS. 3a and 4a, a thicker line thickness has been used to identify a label therein.

[0050] It is common for the labels 10 and 11 to have a main portion 2 wide enough to be used as a tag and have printed information, or information otherwise transferred to the strip, of a size that can be read by a user.

[0051] For the case of the strip 101 of FIG. 4a, a respective straight, longitudinal extension 3, 4 of a smaller width than that of the main portion 2 extends from each of the two longitudinally opposite ends 21, 22 of this main portion 2 of the label 11, each extension with a corresponding distal end 31, 41 that defines a joining area A.

[0052] FIG. 4a shows how, on the strip 101, consecutive labels 11, 11′ are joined without a solution of continuity by respective joining areas A, A′.

[0053] With its two opposite joining areas A, the label 11 is designed to be attached to a bag 1, using the accessory pressing elements 5 that are applied to keep respective previously tightened ends of the same closed, as illustrated in FIG. 4c. In other words, the label 11 will be attached to the bag 1 by its joining areas A, thus connecting the areas of the bag 1 closed by the application of the aforementioned accessory elements.

[0054] For the case of the strip 100 of FIG. 3a, only one of the two longitudinally opposite ends 21, 22 of this main portion 2 of the label 10 extends a straight longitudinal extension 3 of a smaller width than that of the main portion 2, with a corresponding distal end 31 that defines a joining area A that is intended to be used to attach the label 10 to a bag 1, using an accessory pressing element 5 that is applied to keep a previously tightened end of the same closed, as illustrated in FIG. 3c. In other words, the label 10 will be attached in this case to the bag 1 by a single end, giving rise to a sort of hanging label.

[0055] FIG. 3a shows that on the strip 100 two consecutive labels 10, 10′ are joined by connection between the joining area A of a label 10 and the end of the main portion 2′ devoid of extension of the label 10′ that follows it on the strip.

[0056] Characteristically and common to both strips 100 and 101, a longitudinal cut or slit 6 is made in the strips in each joining area A of the aforementioned labels, said cut or strip which divides the joining area into two portions 61, 62, a cut or slit that will reduce the resistance offered by the said joining area A to a deformation, by transverse constriction, to which it will be subject when the accessory pressing element is applied to it in a bag closing operation.

[0057] The longitudinal cut or slit 6 extends only through the mentioned joining areas A.

[0058] In these examples, the two portions 61, 62 are equal, i.e., the cut or slit 6 is made in such a way that it subdivides the joining area A into two equal halves. This is a preferred variant of the invention.

[0059] This accessory pressing element 5 can be implemented in the form of a foldable metal band, or with a metal core, or any flattenable staple, in the form of a clip or other shapes. As previously indicated, this bag closing operation in this description interchangeably refers to a stapling operation, or simply stapling.

[0060] Although the bag is a mesh bag in the examples, the invention is applicable to bags made of any other flexible material.

[0061] FIGS. 3b and 4b have the purpose of illustrating that the object of the invention, for the case exemplified in the form of the strips 100 and 101, can be obtained without loss from an original paper band, and especially illustrating that the cuts or slits 6 can be made using one same die tool by which the contour of the various strips that can be separated is cut out on the original band, thus guaranteeing precision in the location of these cuts or slits and avoiding having to subject the strips to additional steps to finish them.

[0062] Both the strip 100 and the strip 101, or others that can be designed within the scope of the invention, can be, by way of non-limiting example, made of standard paper or thermal paper.

[0063] The technical requirements that have been shown to be optimal when using standard paper are the following:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Preferred technical requirements for using standard paper to make a strip according to the invention. Preferred Wide Property Unit range range Standard Grammage g/m.sup.2 100-140  80-160 — Thickness μm 140-160 100-185 ISO 534 Tensile strength MD kN/m >10 >9 ISO 1924/1 Tensile strength CD kN/m >6 >5 ISO 1924/1 Tear strength MD cN >1100 >900 ISO 1974 Tear strength CD cN >1200 >1000 ISO 1974 BENDTSEN ml/min <100 <500 ISO/DP 8791-2 smoothness FS BENDTSEN ml/min <500 <700 ISO/DP 8791-2 smoothness RS CIE whiteness % >85 >80 SCAN P 66 D65/10° Brightness 75° % 15-25 10-30 TAPPI 480

[0064] A paper candidate that meets these requirements is MG Bleached Kraft paper that is calendered, water-resistant and has a grammage of 120 g/m.sup.2.

[0065] Another paper candidate that meets these requirements is the commercially available paper with reference CBE MG NOB WS.

[0066] A thermal paper candidate that also meets these requirements is the commercially available paper with reference TF 8067.

[0067] The technical requirements that have been shown to be optimal when using a paper complex are the following:

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Preferred technical requirements for using thermal paper to make a strip according to the invention. Preferred Wide Property Unit range range Standard Grammage g/m.sup.2 140-180 100-200 — Thickness μm 150-190 110-210 ISO 534 Tensile strength MD kN/m >10 >9 ISO 1924/1 Tensile strength CD kN/m >6 >5 ISO 1924/1 Tear strength MD cN >1100 >900 ISO 1974 Tear strength CD cN >1200 >1000 ISO 1974 BENDTSEN ml/min <100 <500 ISO/DP 8791-2 smoothness FS BENDTSEN ml/min <500 <700 ISO/DP 8791-2 smoothness RS CIE whiteness % >85 >80 SCAN P 66 D65/10° Brightness 75° % 15-25 10-30 TAPPI 480

[0068] A paper complex that meets these requirements can be obtained from a combination between, or of, MG Bleached Kraft, TF 8067 and CBE MG NOB WS paper.

[0069] For the case of the example corresponding to a strip 100 like the one in FIG. 3a, the preferred geometric specifications are the following:

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Geometric specifications of a label, example of implementation of a variant of the invention, which corresponds to that of a hanging label. Preferred Wide Dimension Unit range range Label length mm 99-160 80-180 Main portion length mm 45-140 40-160 Main portion width mm 38-47  35-50  Extension width (a) mm 8-12 6-14 Cut or slit length (l) mm 10-30  5-40

[0070] It should be noted that in order to accommodate possible deviations that may occur when transversely cutting the strip 100 to separate a label 10 or in order to accommodate possible deviations when positioning the label or the accessory element used in the stapling operation, the cut or slit 6 extends along the joining area A of the label and also, by a smaller length, through the main portion 2′ of the label 10′ that follows it on the strip.

[0071] For the case of the example corresponding to a strip 101 like the one in FIG. 4a, the preferred geometric specifications are the following:

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Geometric specifications of another label, example of implementation of a variant of the invention, which corresponds to that of a label joined by two opposite ends to respective closed portions of a bag. Preferred Wide Dimension Unit range range Label length mm 160-320 140-340  Main portion length mm 100-260 80-280 Main portion width mm 40-98 35-105 Extension width (a) mm  8-12 6-14 Cut or slit length (L) mm 20-40 15-45 

[0072] It should be noted that, similarly to the previous case, in order to accommodate possible deviations that may occur when transversely cutting the strip 101 to separate a label 11 or in order to accommodate possible deviations when positioning the label or the accessory element used in the stapling operation, the cuts or slits 6, 6′ made in adjacent joining areas A, A′ on the strip 101 are continuous sections of one same common cut or slit which midpoint is, in the example, equidistant to the two main portions 2, 2′ of the adjacent labels 11 and 11′, consequently the cuts or slits 6 and 6′ are of equal length.

[0073] Although the cuts or slits 6, 6′ have been shown in the drawings in a continuous manner, the invention provides for some variants.

[0074] Thus, for example, the cuts or slits 6 made in the joining areas A on each label 10, 11 can pass through the thickness of the strips, either along the entire length of the cut or slit 6 or in at least one section of the same. Likewise, the cuts or slits 6 are intended to be continuous or intermittent. Likewise, an cut or slit 6 is intended to combine at least one through area, which passes through the thickness of the strip, with at least one non-through area, which does not pass through the thickness of the strip but marks a preferential fold line. Likewise, not all the cuts or slits 6 made in one same strip are intended to be the same, being able to alternate cuts of different configurations in one same strip. Likewise, the cuts or slits are not intended to be straight, being able to follow a waved path, as a non-limiting example, avoiding zigzag or crenelated paths with breaks that can be starting points for tearing. Likewise, the cuts or slits 6 are intended to have a closed contour, forming a type of narrow window, or a succession of small windows, which empties material from the corresponding joining area.