LABEL STRIP

Abstract

A label strip is provided including a first band and a second band, a label which is optionally provided with a protrusion at each end of the length thereof, wherein each of the first and second bands is provided with a cut out, wherein the first and second bands are located parallel to each other with a gap therebetween, wherein when the label is located between the first and second bands it fits into the gap created between the cut outs of the bands; and wherein a layer of adhesive material is provided on one side of the first and second bands extending over the cut outs such that the label when positioned in the cut outs is held in position by the adhesive material.

Claims

1. A label strip, comprising: a first band and a second band, wherein the first band has a width and a thickness and the second band has a width and a thickness, and wherein the thicknesses of the first and second bands are substantially the same; a label, wherein the label has a width, a length and a thickness; wherein each of the first and second bands is provided with a cut out at least substantially the same width as the width of the label and having a depth of less than the width of each of the first and second bands; wherein the first and second bands are located parallel to each other with a gap therebetween; wherein the gap between the bands, plus the depths of each of the cut outs, is at least substantially the same as the length of the label such that, when the label is located between the first and second bands, the label fits into the gap created between the cut outs of the bands; and wherein a layer of adhesive material is provided on one side of the first and second bands extending over the cut outs such that the label, when positioned in the cut outs, is held in position by the adhesive material.

2. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the label is provided with a protrusion at one end of the length thereof, wherein one of the cut outs is at least substantially the same width as the width of the protrusion and one of the cut outs is at least substantially the same width as the label, and wherein the gap between the bands, plus the depths of each of the cut outs, is at least substantially the same as the length of the label plus protrusion.

3. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the label is provided with a protrusion at each end of the length thereof, wherein each of the cut outs are at least substantially the same width as the width of the protrusion, and wherein the gap between the bands, plus the depths of each of the cut outs, is at least substantially the same as the length of the label plus protrusions.

4. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the label is substantially the same thickness as the thickness of the first and second bands.

5. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the label is greater than the thickness of the first and second bands.

6. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, comprising a second layer of adhesive material is provided on the other side of the first and second bands extending over the cut outs such that the label, when positioned in the cut outs, is held in position by the adhesive material both on the top and on the bottom.

7. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second bands are provided with apertures for use with a continuous feed style printer.

8. A label strip as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the label is provided with a protrusion, the protrusion is substantially the same shape as the cut out.

9. A label strip as claimed in claim 2, wherein the label is provided with a plurality of protrusions and each of the first and second bands is provided with a plurality cut outs of the same shape as the protrusions.

10. A label strip as claimed in claim 2, wherein the label is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and wherein the protrusions on either side of the label are not the same as each other.

11. A label strip as claimed in claim 10, wherein a different number of protrusions are provided on either side of the label.

12. A label strip as claimed in claim 11, wherein one protrusion is provided on one side of the label with a matching cut out in the first band and two protrusions are provided on the other side of the label with matching cut outs in the second band.

13. A label strip as claimed in claim 10, wherein the protrusions are of different shapes to each other.

14. A label strip as claimed in claim 13, wherein the protrusion on one side of the label comprises a circular tab with a matching cut out in the first band and the protrusion on the other side of the label comprises a square tab with a matching cut out in the second band.

15. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end of the label is provided with a perforation configured to allow the label to be detached from the label strip.

16. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the label is configured to be printed on.

17. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the widths of the first and second bands are substantially the same.

18. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the widths of the first and second bands are different such that one is wider than the other.

19. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and/or second bands are configured to be printed on.

20. A label strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the label is a heat shrink label.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

[0053] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] FIG. 4 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0058] FIG. 6 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a label strip 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a first band 12 and a second band 14 and a label 16. The first band 12 has a width and a thickness and the second band 14 has a width and a thickness. The thicknesses of the first and second bands 12, 14 is substantially the same. The label 16 has a width, a length and a thickness. The label 16 is in one alternative the same depth as the thickness of the first and second bands 12, 14, and in another alternative of a greater depth.

[0060] Each of the first and second bands is provided with a cut out 24 substantially the same width as the width of the label 16 and a depth of less than the width of each of the first and second bands 12, 14.

[0061] The first and second bands 12, 14 are located parallel to each other with a gap in between them

[0062] The gap between the bands 12, 14 plus the depths of each of the cut outs 24 is substantially the same as the length of the label 16 such that when the label 16 is located between the first and second bands 12, 14 it fits into the gap created between the cut outs 24 of the bands 12, 14.

[0063] A layer of adhesive material 18 is provided on one side of the first and second bands 12, 14 extending over the cut outs 24 such that the label 16 when position in the cut outs 24 is held in positon by the adhesive material 18. The adhesive material 18 may be provided either on the top of or the bottom of the first and second bands 12, 14.

[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the label strip shown in FIG. 2 wherein an additional layer of adhesive material 20 is provided on the other side of the first and second bands 12, 14 extending over the cut outs 24 such that the label 16 when position in the cut outs 24 is held further in positon by the additional layer adhesive material 20.

[0065] FIG. 7 illustrates a further alternative where perforations 224 are provided in the label 216 such that the label 216 can be removed from the label strip leaving the portion of the label held in position by the adhesive material 18 in situ.

[0066] FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a label strip 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a first band 12 and a second band 14 and a label 116. The first band 12 has a width and a thickness and the second band 14 has a width and a thickness. The thicknesses of the first and second bands 12, 14 is substantially the same. The label 116 has a width, a length and a thickness. The label 116 is provided with a protrusion 122 at each end of the length thereof. The label 116 is in one alternative the same depth as the thickness of the first and second bands 12, 14 and in another alternative of a greater depth.

[0067] In the embodiment illustrated a single protrusion is provided, however, in the alternative a plurality of protrusions may be provided each with a respective cut out in each of the first and second bands. In one alternative the cut out is a mirror image of the protrusion. Further in the alternative the protrusions can be any size or shape with mirror image cut outs provided in each of the first and second bands. As discussed above the protrusions, if provided, on either side of the label do not themselves need to be mirror images of each other, so for example on one side of the label there might be only one protrusion with a matching cut out in the first band and on the other side of the label there might be two protrusions with matching cut outs in the second band. The protrusion on one side of the label could be a circular tab like one finds on a traditional jigsaw puzzle with a matching cut out in the first band and on the other side of the label the protrusion is instead a square tab with a matching cut out in the second band. It may also be that a protrusion is provided only on one side of the label.

[0068] Each of the first and second bands is provided with a cut out 24 substantially the same width as the width of the protrusion 122 of the label 116 and a depth of less than the width of each of the first and second bands 12, 14.

[0069] The first and second bands 12, 14 are located parallel to each other with a gap in between them

[0070] The gap between the bands 12, 14 plus the depths of each of the cut outs 24 is substantially the same as the length of the label 116 plus protrusions 122 such that when the label 116 is located between the first and second bands 12, 14 it fits into the gap created between the cut outs 24 of the bands 12, 14.

[0071] A layer of adhesive material 18 is provided on one side of the first and second bands 12, 14 extending over the cut outs 24 such that the label 116 when position in the cut outs 24 is held in positon by the adhesive material 18.

[0072] An additional layer of adhesive material (not shown) may be provided on the other side of the first and second bands 12, 14 extending over the cut outs 24 such that the label 16 when position in the cut outs 24 is held further in positon by the additional layer adhesive material.

[0073] FIG. 8 illustrates a further alternative where perforations 324 are provided in the label 316 such that the label 316 can be removed from the label strip leaving the protrusions 322 in situ.

[0074] FIG. 4 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein a single strip of adhesive material 18 is provided which extends the full width of each of the bands 12, 14.

[0075] FIG. 5 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein a single strip of adhesive material 18 is provided which only extends across of portion of the width of each of the bands 12, 14.

[0076] FIG. 6 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a label strip according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein two strips of adhesive material 18, 20 are provided which each only extends across of portion of the width of each of the bands 12, 14.