Applications of Ultra High Solids emulsions

Abstract

Processing and use of ultra-high solids formulations wherein no drying step is needed for the formulation to be incorporated in a wide variety of applications. Adhesives, top-coatings, sealants, fasteners are amongst the use areas.

Claims

1. A method to a coat a substrate comprising applying a ultra-high solids adhesive formulation on the substrate without the use of any subsequent drying equipment to dry the applied formulation.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is water sensitive, temperature sensitive or heat sensitive substrate.

3. A process according to claim 1 where the f results in either a tacky or non-tacky surface.

4. The process of claim 1 in direct or transfer coating a formulation to a substrate.

5. The process of claim 1 in the making of an adhesive construction.

6. The process of claim 1 in the making of an adhesive label construction.

7. The process of claim 1 in sealant applications.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. Any product made by the process of claim 1.

12. The product of claim 11 wherein the coated product is an adhesive construction.

13. The product of claim 11 wherein the high solids formulation is used as a sealant.

14. The coating method of claim 1 where the coated label is further individually dispensed and applied onto the surface of an object to be labeled.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the substrate is either a preprinted roll of labels or a stack of sheets of labels.

16. The method of claim 14 where the adhesive is directly or indirectly coated onto the substrate.

17. The method of claim 14 where the ultra-high solids adhesive is patterned.

18. A continuous labeling process comprising (a) coating a label substrate roll with ultra-high solids adhesive, (b) individually dispensing the coated label, (c) applying the individual coated label onto the surface of an object to be labeled.

19. The process of claim 18 where the adhesive is directly or indirectly coated.

20. The process of claim 18 where the label substrate is a sheet or a continuous web.

21. The process of claim 18 where the label substrate is either pre-printed or in-line printed before the coating step (a).

22. The process of claim 18 where .sub.the label substrate is perfed or is inline perfed before the coating step (a).

23. The process of claim 18 where the ultra-high solids adhesive is patterned.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1A A typical web roll of adhesive construction fed to a labeling machine.

[0023] FIG. 1B Cross section of web roll

[0024] FIG. 2 Conventional label application process in a labeling machine

[0025] FIG. 3 Direct and Transfer Coating of adhesive to make a label construction

[0026] FIG. 4A Web Format Embodiment

[0027] FIG. 4B Discreet Label Format Embodiment

[0028] FIG. 4C Coat directly on packages Format Embodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0029] Inventive Combination of Label Making and Label Application Process with UHS Emulsions.

[0030] A label facestock can be directly coated with the ultra-high solids adhesive and laminated to the box or bottle substrate in one pass. There is no longer a need for pre-prepared label construction rolls shown in FIG. 1A. This inventive process greatly simplifies both the label making and application process. It allows the labeler to adhesive-coat the labels on his machine as needed cost-effectively.

[0031] The drastic reduction of the water load by using ultra-high solids adhesives and the resulting lack of a drying step can be of significant economic benefit in labeling operations. It also presents an opportunity to combine the steps of direct coating and label application into one continuous operation. It is interesting to note that we do not see such a combination in the industry today with conventional emulsion adhesives due to their high water content.

[0032] The combination of label roll construction (in web form or discreet stackable form) and label application into one single operation results in a process that requires no dryers, reduces overall equipment footprint, provides operational simplicity by reducing inventories of rolls, reduces liner waste and maintains high label quality.

[0033] An ultrahigh solids emulsion eliminates the need for a special drying step altogether. An ultra-high solids adhesive has significantly less waterlow enough to be capable of drying without ovens. Rogue natural drying will occur and will be adequate to functionally dry the adhesive upon application to the box or the bottle substrate. Ultra-high solids emulsions have a water content of less than 35%. This reduced level of water when compared with conventional emulsions leads to many operating advantagesno drying step, elimination of the need for release liners since the adhesive is coated at the labeler, no wrinkling of facestock from excessive water due to reduced water content.

[0034] In one embodiment, in a continuous web format, as shown in FIG. 4A, the label facestock is per (oration cut to the label size desired, then direct pattern coated with the UHS adhesive on one side such that the adhesive coated area matches the perfed label facestock areas. The coated label area is then separated from the remainder facestock matrix after application onto the box or bottle substrate. The UHS adhesive dries quickly without any drying oven and has instant tack prior to lamination onto the box or bottle substrate.

[0035] In yet another embodiment, the UHS adhesive coating the a label facestock may be accomplished by a transfer process wherein the adhesive is coated onto another surface at first which then subsequently is made to release the coated adhesive layer to a label facestock surface in a two step adhesive coating process.

[0036] In another embodiment, a single label is dispensed from a stack of facestock labels, as shown in FIG. 4B, is then transported to a UHS adhesive coating station where the facestock is coated on one side with the UHS adhesive. The coated label is then applied to the box or bottle substrate. Once again no drying step.

[0037] In yet another embodiment, the mechanism to dispense a stacked label onto bottles can be similar to a laser printer. Labels are dispensed one by one by a roller and sensor mechanism, the label facestock is then coated with an adhesive and subsequently rolled onto a bottle substrate. The target bottle can simply act like one of the rollers at the exit of the coating stage.

[0038] In yet another embodiment as shown in FIG. 4C, a UHS adhesive is coated directly on the final box or bottle substrate. Precut label facestock is dispensed and laminated on top of the coated adhesive layer to complete the labeling application. This provides a lot of simplicity in the label application process. Alternatively, the UHS adhesive coating on the target bottle or box substrate may be accomplished by a transfer process wherein the adhesive is coated onto another surface at first which then is subsequently made to release the coated adhesive layer to a box or bottle substrate in a two step adhesive coating process.

[0039] In yet another embodiment, a UHS adhesive can be applied directly onto paper and allowed to thy. The coated adhesive can be laminated to the box or bottle substrate in a wrinkle free manner to result in a high quality lamination.

[0040] The adhesive can be applied by various direct coating methods including but not limited to knife coating, roll coating, wire coating, extrusion coating, slot coating, gap coating, rod coating, gravure coating, reverse gravure coating, air knife coating. Any coating process capable of metered delivering the UHS adhesive to the facestock substrate is envisioned. The coatings can be pattern coated if desired.

[0041] The UHS adhesive can also be applied directly onto the label facestock in a wiping action. The term coating above also encompasses such a wiping action.

[0042] The adhesive may also be printed onto the label facestock such as jet printers, nozzle printers, gravure printers and other machines capable of printing patterns of UHS adhesive onto a web.

[0043] The label stock can be directly coated in web roll form or precut stack form. The web roll form allows continuous processing as the labels are transported by a moving web between the coating and the laminating stations while the stack form allows easy dispensing and discrete label processing of each individual label. In principle the whole process can also be accomplished manually by first coating an individual label with a UHS adhesive and then applying the label to a box or bottle substrate.

[0044] The adhesive can be deposited onto continuous label stock web or it can be applied to cut-out individual labels. Alternatively, the adhesive can be applied directly to a target substrate and then a matching facestock (label) can be laminated over the adhesive over a matching target area. In principle, all of these processes can be automated or manual.

[0045] The adhesive can be supplied to the coating head from a cartridge under pressure, or it can be fed into a nip of rollers and subsequently metered onto a substrate.

[0046] The process of elimination of liners in such a coating process results in a liner-less mode of operation thereby resulting is cost savings.

[0047] The choice of box or bottle substrate language is intended to make the descriptions clearer. It is not intended to limit the range of application substrates in any manner.

[0048] The UHS emulsions can also be effectively used in sealant applications making the package sealing processes very cost-effective and efficient. This would include all sealing applications where the UHS emulsion would serve as a sealant. All the methods described herein can be applied to such substrates used in sealing applications.

[0049] The UHS emulsions can also be used for in place sealant duty such as in sealant caulkings. The reduced water drying load of UHS emulsions enables such applications.

[0050] The UHS emulsions could also be formulated into fast drying paint. They would present less pollution to the environment as less volatiles would be present.

[0051] Formulations can be made to be tacky or non-tacky. Each can lead to a separate set of applications in various areas.

[0052] UHS adhesives can also be used in simple glueing applications as in arts and crafts projects. Similarly other fastening applications can also be considered.

[0053] Substrates coated can be temperature sensitive, heat sensitive or water sensitive. For example a PVC film can be heat sensitive, paper can be water sensitive (forms wrinkles with excess water), a topo coated film for thermal printers can be temperature sensitive. The use of high solids formulation in processing eliminates the need to subject the coated substrate to thigh temperature or water. As a result many new cost saving processing options open up in converting such sensitive materials.

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