JP7737261B2 - Label continuum, labels, and labeled articles - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to label strips, labels, and labeled articles.

Labeled items with POPs that protrude upward from the top surface of the item are known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-182777 discloses a labeled item that includes a container having a top surface and a side surface, and a POP label attached to the side surface of the container. The POP label is attached to the upper edge of the side surface of the item, with its upper portion protruding upward from the top surface of the item.

JP 2015-182777 A

POP labels such as those described in JP 2015-182777 A are difficult to attach to items with complex shapes. Meanwhile, there is a need to give the POP design a three-dimensional feel. There is also a need to prevent the POP label from bending when attached to an item.

The object of the present invention is to provide a label strip, a label, and a labeled article that allows the design to be visually recognized in three dimensions, has a complex outer shape, and is able to suppress bending.

A continuous label strip according to one aspect of the present invention is a continuous label strip containing a plurality of labels arranged in one direction. The continuous label strip comprises a light-transmitting lower base sheet having a shape extending in one direction; a light-transmitting adhesive layer provided on the back surface of the lower base sheet; and a plurality of upper base materials provided on the front surface of the lower base sheet, each of which constitutes a part of a label in the plurality of labels. Each upper base material in the plurality of upper base materials has an outer shape smaller than that of the lower base sheet and a light transmittance lower than that of the lower base sheet and the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer has an adhesive region with adhesive strength and a non-adhesive region with adhesive strength lower than that of the adhesive region. The adhesive region is formed in an area that overlaps only one end of each upper base material in the thickness direction, and the non-adhesive region is formed in an area that overlaps with a portion of each upper base material other than the one end in the thickness direction.

A label according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a lower substrate having optical transparency, a light-transmitting adhesive layer provided on the back surface of the lower substrate, and an upper substrate provided on the surface of the lower substrate, having an outer shape smaller than that of the lower substrate and having optical transparency lower than that of the lower substrate and the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer having an adhesive region with adhesive strength and a non-adhesive region with adhesive strength lower than that of the adhesive region, the adhesive region being formed in an area that overlaps only one end of the upper substrate in the thickness direction of the upper substrate, and the non-adhesive region being formed in an area that overlaps with portions of the upper substrate other than the one end in the thickness direction.

A labeled article according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an article and a label affixed to the article, wherein the label comprises a lower substrate having optical transparency, a light-transmitting adhesive layer provided on the back surface of the lower substrate, and an upper substrate provided on the surface of the lower substrate, the upper substrate having an outer shape smaller than that of the lower substrate and an optical transparency lower than that of the lower substrate and the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer having an adhesive region having an adhesive strength and a non-adhesive region having an adhesive strength weaker than that of the adhesive region, the adhesive region being formed in an area of the upper substrate that overlaps only one end of the upper substrate in the thickness direction and being adhered to the article, and the non-adhesive region being formed in an area of the upper substrate that overlaps a portion of the upper substrate other than the one end in the thickness direction and protruding upward from the article.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a label strip, label, and labeled article that allows the design to be visually recognized in three dimensions and have a complex outer shape, while also suppressing bending.

1 is a front view schematically showing a labeled article according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a label web and a continuous label web. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a test method for a special ball tack test. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a manufacturing process for a labeled article. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line VI in FIG. 5 . 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a manufacturing process of a label sheet. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line VIII in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line IX in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line X in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line XI in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line XII in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line XIII in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the solid line XIV in FIG. 7. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the adhesive layer. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a mask is applied to the adhesive layer. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a modified example of the bonding layer forming step. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a modified example of the cutting step.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the drawings referred to below, identical or equivalent components are designated by the same numbers.

Figure 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a labeled article according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, labeled article 5 includes article B and label 3. Figure 1 illustrates article B as a container capable of containing a liquid or the like. However, article B is not limited to a container. Article B may also be optically transparent.

Label 3 is affixed to the surface of item B. Figure 2 shows a continuous label strip 2 containing multiple labels 3. The continuous label strip 2 has multiple labels 3 arranged in one direction. The continuous label strip 2 is a so-called linerless label that does not have a release paper (liner). The label web 1 is formed by winding and stacking the continuous label strip 2 into a roll. Linerless labels are environmentally friendly labels that are suitable for the SDGs because no release paper is generated as waste when they are affixed to item B.

As shown in FIG. 3, the label 3 comprises a lower substrate 12, a bonding layer 20, an upper substrate 32, a printing layer 35, an overcoat layer 40, and an adhesive layer 50.

The lower substrate 12 is made of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene terephthalate or polypropylene. The lower substrate 12 is made of a light-transmitting material. In this specification, "light-transmitting" means that the haze value is less than 20%. The haze value of the lower substrate 12 is preferably 10%, and more preferably less than 7%. The thickness of the lower substrate 12 is approximately 9 μm to 50 μm.

The upper substrate 32 is provided on the surface of the lower substrate 12 via the bonding layer 20. The adhesive strength of the bonding layer 20 is preferably 3 N/25 mm or more, and more preferably 5 N/25 mm or more. The upper substrate 32 has an outer diameter smaller than that of the lower substrate 12. The upper substrate 32 may have a lower optical transparency than that of the lower substrate 12, or may have an optical transparency similar to that of the lower substrate 12. The upper substrate 32 is made of synthetic resin, paper, or the like. The thickness of the upper substrate 32 is preferably approximately 30 μm to 100 μm.

The upper substrate 32 has a first upper substrate portion 32a and a second upper substrate portion 32b. The second upper substrate portion 32b is provided at a position spaced apart from the first upper substrate portion 32a in the one direction. The outer shape of the second upper substrate portion 32b may be larger than the outer shape of the first upper substrate portion 32a. If the item B is a container, for example, the first upper substrate portion 32a can be used as a design part for the pop, and the second upper substrate portion 32b can be used as a design part for the body of the item B.

The lower substrate 12 includes a first lower substrate portion 12a supporting the first upper substrate portion 32a, a second lower substrate portion 12b supporting the second upper substrate portion 32b, and a connecting lower substrate portion 12c connecting the first lower substrate portion 12a and the second lower substrate portion 12b. The first lower substrate portion 12a refers to the portion of the lower substrate 12 that overlaps with the first upper substrate portion 32a in the stacking direction, and the second lower substrate portion 12b refers to the portion of the lower substrate 12 that overlaps with the second upper substrate portion 32b in the stacking direction. The stacking direction refers to the direction in which the upper substrate 32 is stacked on the lower substrate 12 (the left-right direction in FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a cutting guide portion CL such as a perforation may be provided in the portion of the label 3 between the first upper substrate portion 32a and the second upper substrate portion 32b (the portion including the connecting lower substrate portion 12c).

As shown in FIG. 3, a recess 12d is formed on the surface of the lower substrate 12, following the outer contours of the first upper substrate portion 32a and the second upper substrate portion 32b. The recess 12d is recessed from the front surface of the lower substrate 12 toward the rear surface. The recess 12d is formed at a position that coincides with the outer edge of the first upper substrate portion 32a and the outer edge of the second upper substrate portion 32b when viewed in plan view of the label 3.

The printing layer 35 is provided on the surface of the upper substrate 32. In this embodiment, the printing layer 35 is provided on the surface of the first upper substrate portion 32a and the surface of the second upper substrate portion 32b. The printing layer 35 is a layer that displays a design, etc. The printing layer 35 may be omitted.

The overcoat layer 40 is provided on the surface of the lower substrate 12 and the surface of the upper substrate 32. The overcoat layer 40 protects the surface of the lower substrate 12 and the surface of the upper substrate 32. The overcoat layer 40 contains a material that has peelability. For example, the overcoat layer 40 is made of a material in which a silicone resin or a fluorine resin is added to an acrylic ester resin. The overcoat layer 40 is optically transparent.

As shown in FIG. 3, the overcoat layer 40 has a lower substrate covering portion 42, an upper substrate covering portion 44, and a side covering portion 46.

The lower substrate covering portion 42 covers the surface of the connecting lower substrate portion 12c of the lower substrate 12 surrounding the first upper substrate portion 32a and the surface of the connecting lower substrate portion 12c of the lower substrate 12 surrounding the second upper substrate portion 32b. Gaps are formed between the lower substrate covering portion 42 and the first upper substrate portion 32a, and between the lower substrate covering portion 42 and the second upper substrate portion 32b.

The upper substrate covering portion 44 covers the surface of the first upper substrate portion 32a and the surface of the second upper substrate portion 32b. Here, "the surface of the first upper substrate portion 32a" refers to the surface of the printing layer 35 if the printing layer 35 is provided on the surface of the first upper substrate portion 32a, or refers to the surface of the first upper substrate portion 32a if the printing layer 35 is omitted. The same applies to the "surface of the second upper substrate portion 32b."

The side surface covering portion 46 covers the side surface of the first upper substrate portion 32a and the side surface of the second upper substrate portion 32b. The side surface covering portion 46 is connected to the upper substrate covering portion 44. The lower end of the side surface covering portion 46 may be in contact with the surface of the lower substrate 12 or may be spaced apart from the surface of the lower substrate 12. A gap is formed between the side surface covering portion 46 and the lower substrate covering portion 42. However, as long as a gap is formed between the first upper substrate portion 32a and the lower substrate covering portion 42 and a gap is formed between the second upper substrate portion 32b and the lower substrate covering portion 42, the lower end of the side surface covering portion 46 may be connected to the lower substrate covering portion 42.

The adhesive layer 50 is provided on the back surface of the lower substrate 12. The adhesive layer 50 is the layer that comes into contact with the surface of the article B. The adhesive layer 50 is made of a light-transmitting material. The adhesive layer 50 may also be made of a sticky material. The thickness of the adhesive layer 50 is approximately 20 μm.

The adhesive layer 50 has a shape that extends in the one direction from the end on the side where the second upper substrate portion 32b is located (lower side in FIG. 3) toward the side where the first upper substrate portion 32a is located (upper side in FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 3, the adhesive layer 50 has a support adhesive portion 52. The support adhesive portion 52 is configured at the end of the adhesive layer 50 on the side closer to the first upper substrate portion 32a in the one direction (upper side in FIG. 3). The support adhesive portion 52 is formed in a region that overlaps in the stacking direction only with the end of the first upper substrate portion 32a on the side facing the second upper substrate portion 32b (lower side in FIG. 3).

The adhesive layer 50 is made of a material that is activated by light energy such as ultraviolet or infrared light, or a material that is activated by thermal energy such as hot air. In this embodiment, the adhesive layer 50 is made of a material that contains ultraviolet-curing resin, i.e., a material that is activated by light energy. The main components of the material that makes up the adhesive layer 50 include, but are not limited to, olefin rubber, styrene-based resin, tackifier, etc. Additives such as plasticizers, olefin wax, amide-based resins, and cellulose-based resins may also be added to these main components.

The adhesive strength of the adhesive layer 50 is ball No. 4 or less in the special ball tack test before activation of the adhesive layer 50, ball No. 8 or more in the special ball tack test immediately after activation of the adhesive layer 50, and ball No. 6 or more in the special ball tack test 5 seconds after activation of the adhesive layer 50. It is preferable that the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer 50 is ball No. 5 or more in the special ball tack test 15 seconds after activation of the adhesive layer 50.

The special ball tack test is similar to the standard tilted ball tack test. The special ball tack test omits the approach section of the tilted ball tack test. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the special ball tack test uses a rolling ball apparatus 300 similar to that used in the tilted ball tack test. The rolling ball apparatus 300 has an inclined surface 310 with an inclination angle of 30°. A sample 320 measuring 10 mm wide and 70 mm long or larger is placed on the inclined surface 310. Specifically, the surface of the sample 320 is formed by an adhesive layer 50, and the sample 320 is placed on the inclined surface 310 with the adhesive layer 50 facing upward. Unlike the standard tilted ball tack test, in this special ball tack test, a ball 330 is placed on the top end of the sample 320 so as not to apply pressure to the adhesive layer 50. The ball 330 rolls under its own weight and stops on the adhesive layer 50, and the highest ball number measured is the ball number.

As shown in Figure 3, label 3 has an overlapping area A10 and a non-overlapping area A20.

The overlapping region A10 is the region that overlaps with the first upper substrate portion 32a or the second upper substrate portion 32b in the stacking direction (left-right direction in Figure 3) of the lower substrate 12 and the upper substrate 32. The non-overlapping region A20 is the region that does not overlap with the first upper substrate portion 32a or the second upper substrate portion 32b in the stacking direction. In other words, the non-overlapping region A20 is the region surrounding the first upper substrate portion 32a and the second upper substrate portion 32b when the label 3 is viewed in plan.

The haze value of the overlapping region A10 is greater than the haze value of the non-overlapping region A20. The haze value of the non-overlapping region A20 is preferably less than 15.0, and more preferably less than 10.0.

The non-overlapping region A20 has an outer region A21 and an inner region A22. The outer region A21 is a region that overlaps with the lower substrate covering portion 42 in the stacking direction. The inner region A22 is a region that does not overlap with the lower substrate covering portion 42 in the stacking direction. The inner region A22 is formed inside the outer region A21 and around the overlapping region A10 in a planar view of the label 3. The haze value of the inner region A22 is smaller than the haze value of the outer region A21.

Next, a method for manufacturing the labeled article 5 will be described with reference to Figure 5. The method for manufacturing the labeled article 5 includes a preparation process, a feeding process, a cutting process, an activation process, a transport process, and an attachment process.

The preparation process involves preparing a label web 1 that is wound and stacked to form a continuous label strip 2 in a roll.

The unwinding process is a process in which the continuous label strip 2 is unwound from the label web 1. The blocking value when unwinding the continuous label strip 2 from the label web 1 is preferably 1.0 N/15 mm or less, and more preferably 0.7 N/15 mm or less.

The blocking value is measured as follows. First, a second test piece (15 mm wide) of label 3 is placed on top of a first test piece (15 mm wide) of label 3 so that the adhesive layer 50 of the second test piece is in contact with the surface of the overcoat layer 40 of the first test piece. Then, in a heat seal tester, the first and second test pieces are pressurized at 80°C and 0.5 MPa for 10 seconds, and the T-peel strength of the first and second test pieces is measured. The tensile strength (adhesive strength) at this time corresponds to the blocking value.

The cutting process involves cutting the unwound continuous label strip 2 into individual labels 3 each having a single upper substrate 32 (first upper substrate portion 32a and second upper substrate portion 32b). As shown in Figure 5, in this process, the continuous label strip 2 is cut by the cutting unit 110. As shown in Figure 6, the cutting unit 110 cuts the continuous label strip 2 along the intended cutting line L1 located on the lower substrate covering portion 42 provided between a pair of adjacent upper substrates 32. Note that the continuous label strip 2 may or may not be provided with a marking or other indication indicating the intended cutting line L1.

The activation process is a process for activating the adhesive layer 50 of the label 3. As shown in FIG. 5 , in this process, the energy irradiation unit 120 irradiates the adhesive layer 50 with light energy (ultraviolet light, etc.) that activates the adhesive layer 50. This activates the adhesive layer 50 of the label 3. The label 3 may contain an energy absorbing material that absorbs light energy. The energy absorbing material is preferably added to the adhesive layer 50 or the overcoat layer 40. In this embodiment, an ultraviolet absorbing material is added as an energy absorbing material to at least one of the adhesive layer 50 and the overcoat layer 40, and the energy irradiation unit 120 irradiates ultraviolet light. Note that if the adhesive layer 50 is made of a material that is activated by thermal energy, the energy irradiation unit 120 applies thermal energy, such as hot air, to the adhesive layer 50.

The conveying process is a process of conveying activated labels 3A, which are labels 3 having an activated adhesive layer 50. As shown in FIG. 5, in this process, a conveyor 130 conveys the activated labels 3A. The conveying speed of the conveyor 130 can be adjusted to any speed between a relatively low first speed, which is used during startup, and a relatively high second speed, which is used during mass production. Light energy is not irradiated in the area of the conveyor 130 downstream of the energy irradiation unit 120. In other words, in the conveying process, the activated labels 3A are conveyed with their adhesive layer 50 in an unactivated state from the activation position (the position irradiated with light energy by the energy irradiation unit 120), where the adhesive layer 50 is activated, to a separation position spaced apart from the activation position. In other words, in the conveying process, the activated labels 3A are conveyed from the activation position to the separation position while the adhesive strength of their adhesive layer 50 is reduced.

The attachment process is a process of attaching an activation label 3A to an item B at a position spaced apart from the energy irradiation unit 120. The item B is transported by a conveyor or the like. When the conveyor 130 is transporting at the first speed, the attachment process may be performed, for example, within 15 seconds after the activation process, i.e., when the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer 50 is ball No. 5 or greater in a special ball tack test. When the conveyor 130 is transporting at the second speed, the attachment process may be performed, for example, within 5 seconds after the activation process, i.e., when the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer 50 is ball No. 6 or greater in a special ball tack test.

Next, we will explain the manufacturing method of the label material 1 with reference to Figures 7 to 14. The manufacturing method of the label material 1 includes a laminating process, a printing process, a cutting process, a removing process, a coating process, and an adhesive layer forming process.

The lamination process is a process of laminating an upper base sheet 30 onto the surface of a lower base sheet 10 via a bonding layer 20. The lower base sheet 10 is a sheet including multiple lower base materials 12 and has a shape that extends in one direction. The portion of the lower base sheet 10 between a pair of intended cutting lines L1 constitutes the lower base material 12. The upper base sheet 30 is a sheet including multiple upper base materials 32 arranged at intervals in one direction and has a shape that extends in one direction.

As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the lamination process includes a bonding layer formation process in which a bonding material supply unit 20A supplies bonding material to the surface of the lower base sheet 10 to form a bonding layer 20 on the lower base sheet 10, and a placement process in which the upper base sheet 30 is placed on the bonding layer 20. The bonding material supply unit 20A forms the bonding layer 20 by printing, for example. Examples of printing methods used by the bonding material supply unit 20A include letterpress printing, flexography, and gravure printing.

The printing process is a process of forming a printing layer 35 on the surface of the upper base sheet 30. The printing layer 35 includes characters, graphics, and other markings. As shown in Figures 7 and 10, in the printing process, the printing unit 35A forms the printing layer 35 on the surface of the upper base sheet 30. Examples of printing methods used by the printing unit 35A include letterpress, flexography, and gravure. Note that if an upper base sheet 30 is used in which at least one of the front and back surfaces has been printed in a separate process, the printing process may be omitted.

The cutting process is a process of cutting the upper substrate sheet 30 along the outlines of multiple upper substrates 32 to form multiple upper substrates 32 (first upper substrate portions 32a and second upper substrate portions 32b) spaced apart in one direction. As shown in Figures 7 and 11, in the cutting process, the upper substrate sheet 30 is cut by a cutting unit 210 along the outlines of each of the first upper substrate portions 32a and second upper substrate portions 32b. The cutting unit 210 may have a blade shape that follows the outlines of the first upper substrate portion 32a and second upper substrate portion 32b. In the cutting process in this embodiment, the upper substrate sheet 30 is cut from the surface of the upper substrate sheet 30 toward the lower substrate sheet 10 to form recesses 12d (see Figure 12) on the surface of the lower substrate sheet 10 that follow the outlines of each of the first upper substrate portions 32a and second upper substrate portions 32b.

The removal process is a process of removing portions of the upper base sheet 30 other than the multiple upper base materials 32 from the lower base sheet 10. In the removal process of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 and 12, portions of the upper base sheet 30 and the printing layer 35 other than those overlapping with each upper base material 32 in the stacking direction are peeled off. These peeled portions are taken up by a roller. After this process, as shown in Figure 12, recesses 12d are formed on the surface of the lower base sheet 10 in areas surrounding each of the first upper base material portions 32a and each of the second upper base material portions 32b.

The coating process is a process of forming an overcoat layer 40 on the surface of the lower substrate sheet 10 and the surfaces of the multiple upper substrates 32 by supplying a coating material to the surface of the lower substrate sheet 10 and the surfaces of the multiple upper substrates 32. As shown in FIG. 7, in the coating process, the coating material is supplied to the surface of the lower substrate sheet 10 and the surfaces of the multiple upper substrates 32 by a coating material supply unit 40A. As shown in FIG. 13, in this coating process, the lower substrate covering portion 42 and the upper substrate covering portion 44 are formed, and the coating material is supplied to the surface of the lower substrate sheet 10 and the surfaces of the multiple upper substrates 32 so as to form gaps between the lower substrate covering portion 42 and each upper substrate 32. In this embodiment, in addition to the lower substrate covering portion 42 and the upper substrate covering portion 44, the coating process also forms side covering portions 46, and the coating material is supplied so as to form the gaps between the lower substrate covering portion 42 and the side covering portion 46. Note that the gaps refer to the space on the surface of the lower substrate sheet 10 between the end of the lower substrate covering portion 42 and the edge of the upper substrate 32. Therefore, as long as the gap is formed, the lower end of the side covering portion 46 may be connected to the end of the lower substrate covering portion 42. The coating material supply unit 40A forms the overcoat layer 40 by, for example, printing. In particular, with printing methods using a roll plate, the gap can be easily formed by utilizing the thickness of the upper substrate 32.

The adhesive layer formation process is a process of forming an adhesive layer 50 on the back surface of the lower base sheet 10 by supplying an adhesive material to the back surface of the lower base sheet 10. As shown in FIG. 7, in the adhesive layer formation process, an adhesive material is supplied to the back surface of the lower base sheet 10 by an adhesive supply unit 50A. The adhesive supply unit 50A forms the adhesive layer 50 by, for example, printing. As shown in FIG. 14, the adhesive layer 50 extends from a portion outside the portion that overlaps in the stacking direction (thickness direction of the upper base 32) with the outer end (lower end in FIG. 14) of the second upper base material 32b in the direction connecting the first upper base material 32a and the second upper base material 32b (the one direction), to a portion that overlaps in the stacking direction with the end of the first upper base material 32a facing the second upper base material 32b. The portion of this adhesive layer 50 that overlaps in the stacking direction with the first upper base material 32a constitutes the support adhesive portion 52.

As described above, in the manufacturing method of the label web 1 of this embodiment, the portions of the upper substrate sheet 30 other than the multiple upper substrates 32 are removed from the lower substrate sheet 10 in the removal process, and then a coating material is supplied in the coating process, forming gaps between the lower substrate covering portion 42 of the overcoat layer 40 and each of the first upper substrate portions 32a and second upper substrate portions 32b. Therefore, the outlines of each of the first upper substrate portions 32a and second upper substrate portions 32b are clearly defined, and the designs of each of the first upper substrate portions 32a and second upper substrate portions 32b are clearly visible in a three-dimensional and distinctive manner.

In addition, in the manufacturing method of the labeled article 5 in the above embodiment, the activated label 3A is transported from the activation position to a separated position, where the attachment process is performed. Therefore, by separating the device that activates the adhesive layer 50 (energy irradiation unit 120) from the device that attaches the activated label 3A to the article, versatility can be enhanced. In other words, because the adhesive layer 50 of the label 3 has a relatively long open time after activation, in the attachment process of this manufacturing method of the labeled article 5, it is possible to attach the activated label 3A to the article B using a simple device such as a conventional tack labeler.

In addition, in the label 3 of the above embodiment, the lower substrate 12 and adhesive layer 50 are optically transparent, and the haze value of the non-overlapping region A20 is less than 10.0. Therefore, when the label 3 is attached to item B, the area of the lower substrate 12 and adhesive layer 50 surrounding the upper substrate 32 essentially blends in with item B in a planar view of the label 3, making the outline of the upper substrate 32 clear. Furthermore, because the upper substrate 32 is provided on the surface of the lower substrate 12, the area of the label 3 that overlaps with the upper substrate 32 is clearly visible in a three-dimensional and distinctive manner as the main design element in a planar view of the label 3.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the adhesive layer 50 may have an adhesive region 50a and a non-adhesive region 50b. The adhesive region 50a has adhesive strength to the article B. The non-adhesive region 50b has adhesive strength weaker than that of the adhesive region 50a. The adhesive region 50a is formed in a region that overlaps only one end of the upper substrate 32 in the thickness direction (the stacking direction) of the upper substrate 32. In the example shown in FIG. 15, the adhesive region 50a is formed in the region from the lower end of the lower substrate 12 to the lower end of the first upper substrate portion 32a, i.e., in the region that overlaps the entire second upper substrate portion 32b and the lower end of the first upper substrate portion 32a in the thickness direction. The non-adhesive region 50b is formed in a region that overlaps a portion of the upper substrate 32 other than the one end in the thickness direction, i.e., in a portion of the back surface of the lower substrate 12 other than the adhesive region 50a. The non-adhesive region 50b is formed by applying a masking 55 to the adhesive layer 50, which reduces the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer 50. In the above embodiment, the region where the adhesive layer 50 is formed (the region attached to the article B) corresponds to the adhesive region 50a, and the region where the adhesive layer 50 is not formed (the region separated from the article B) corresponds to the non-adhesive region 50b. As shown in FIG. 16 , the non-adhesive region 50b is formed by applying a masking 55 to the back surface of the adhesive layer 50 after the adhesive layer formation step.

As shown in FIG. 17, the bonding material supply unit 20A may form a bonding layer 20 on the lower base sheet 10, the bonding layer 20 having a central bonding portion 21 whose outer shape corresponds to the outer shape of the first upper base material portion 32a or the second upper base material portion 32b, and a peripheral bonding portion 22 formed around the central bonding portion 21. The peripheral bonding portion 22 has an outer shape larger than the outer shape of the first upper base material portion 32a or the second upper base material portion 32b, and has a weaker adhesive strength than the central bonding portion 21. The peripheral bonding portion 22 is formed, for example, by gradation printing.

In this way, as shown in Figure 18, even if the printing layer 35 and the first upper substrate portion 32a are cut at a position slightly offset from the normal cutting position of the first upper substrate portion 32a during the cutting process, peeling of the edge of the first upper substrate portion 32a from the lower substrate 12 is prevented. This also applies to the second upper substrate portion 32b. In Figure 18, the normal cutting position is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

Alternatively, the second upper substrate portion 32b may be omitted, and the upper substrate 32 may consist only of the first upper substrate portion 32a, which functions as the design portion of the pop.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments described above are specific examples of the following aspects:

The continuous label strip in the above embodiment is a continuous label strip containing a plurality of labels arranged in one direction, and comprises a light-transmitting lower base sheet having a shape extending in one direction; a light-transmitting adhesive layer provided on the back surface of the lower base sheet; and a plurality of upper base materials provided on the front surface of the lower base sheet, each of which constitutes a part of a label in the plurality of labels. Each upper base material in the plurality of upper base materials has an outer shape smaller than that of the lower base sheet and a light transmittance lower than that of the lower base sheet and the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer has an adhesive region with adhesive strength and a non-adhesive region with adhesive strength lower than that of the adhesive region. The adhesive region is formed in an area that overlaps only one end of each upper base material in the thickness direction, and the non-adhesive region is formed in an area that overlaps with a portion of each upper base material other than the one end in the thickness direction.

In this label continuum, labels are formed by cutting between adjacent upper substrates. The label has a lower substrate with an outer shape larger than that of the upper substrate and an adhesive layer provided on its backside. This allows the label to be attached to an article such as a container regardless of the outer shape of the upper substrate. Furthermore, in this label, the lower substrate and adhesive layer are optically transparent, and the optical transparency of the upper substrate is lower than that of the lower substrate and adhesive layer. Therefore, when the label is attached to an article, in a planar view of the label, the areas of the lower substrate and adhesive layer surrounding the upper substrate essentially blend in with the article, and the area of the label that overlaps with the upper substrate in a planar view of the label is visually recognized three-dimensionally as the main design portion. This makes it possible to create a design that is visually recognized three-dimensionally and has a complex outer shape. Additionally, when the article is a container, the adhesive region of the adhesive layer is attached to the article, and the label is attached to the article so that the non-adhesive region protrudes upward from the article. This supports the label, preventing the label from bending and allowing the label to be used as a pop.

The label in the above embodiment comprises a lower substrate having optical transparency, a light-transmitting adhesive layer provided on the back surface of the lower substrate, and an upper substrate provided on the surface of the lower substrate, having an outer shape smaller than that of the lower substrate and having optical transparency lower than that of the lower substrate and the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer having an adhesive region with adhesive strength and a non-adhesive region with adhesive strength lower than that of the adhesive region, the adhesive region being formed in an area that overlaps only one end of the upper substrate in the thickness direction of the upper substrate, and the non-adhesive region being formed in an area that overlaps with portions of the upper substrate other than the one end in the thickness direction.

In this label, the lower substrate and adhesive layer are optically transparent. Therefore, when the label is affixed to an article, the areas of the lower substrate and adhesive layer surrounding the upper substrate essentially blend in with the article in a planar view of the label, making the outline of the upper substrate clear. Furthermore, because the upper substrate is provided on the surface of the lower substrate, the area of the label that overlaps with the upper substrate is clearly visible in three dimensions as the main design element in a planar view of the label. In addition, when the article is a container, the adhesive area of the adhesive layer is affixed to the article, and the non-adhesive area is affixed to the label so that it protrudes upward from the article. This supports the label and prevents the label from bending, allowing it to be used as a POP.

The upper substrate may also have a first upper substrate portion and a second upper substrate portion disposed at a position spaced apart from the first upper substrate portion, and the lower substrate may have a first lower substrate portion supporting the first upper substrate portion, a second lower substrate portion supporting the second upper substrate portion, and a connecting lower substrate portion connecting the first lower substrate portion and the second lower substrate portion. In this case, it is preferable that the region overlapping only the one end of the upper substrate extends from a portion overlapping in the thickness direction with the outer end of the second upper substrate portion in the direction connecting the first upper substrate portion and the second upper substrate portion, to a portion overlapping in the thickness direction with the end of the first upper substrate portion facing the second upper substrate portion.

In this aspect, for example, a label including a first upper substrate portion and a second upper substrate portion can be attached to an article in a single step. Furthermore, if the article is a container, the label can be attached to the article so that the second upper substrate portion functions as the design of the body of the article, and the first upper substrate portion functions as a pop. In this case, the pop is less likely to peel off from the article than when the pop and the label attached to the body are separate entities.

Furthermore, the labeled article in the above embodiment comprises an article and a label affixed to the article, wherein the label comprises a lower substrate having optical transparency, a light-transmitting adhesive layer provided on the back surface of the lower substrate, and an upper substrate provided on the surface of the lower substrate, having an outer shape smaller than that of the lower substrate and having optical transparency lower than that of the lower substrate and the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer having an adhesive region with adhesive strength and a non-adhesive region with adhesive strength weaker than that of the adhesive region, the adhesive region being formed in an area of the upper substrate that overlaps only one end of the upper substrate in the thickness direction and is adhered to the article, and the non-adhesive region being formed in an area of the upper substrate that overlaps a portion of the upper substrate other than the one end in the thickness direction and protruding upward from the article.

This labeled item allows the design to be visually recognized in three dimensions and have a complex outer shape, while also preventing the label from bending.

The embodiments and examples disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered limiting. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the description of the above embodiments and examples, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

1 Label roll, 2 Label continuous strip, 3 Label, 5 Labeled article, 10 Lower substrate sheet, 12 Lower substrate, 12a First lower substrate portion, 12b Second lower substrate portion, 12c Connecting lower substrate portion, 12d Recess, 20 Bonding layer, 20A Bonding material supply unit, 21 Central bonding portion, 22 Peripheral bonding portion, 30 Upper substrate sheet, 32 Upper substrate, 32a First upper substrate portion, 32b Second upper substrate portion, 35 Printing layer, 35A Printing unit, 40 Overcoat layer, 40A Coating material supply unit, 42 Lower substrate covering portion, 44 Upper substrate covering portion, 46 Side covering portion, 50 Adhesive layer, 50a Adhesive region, 50A Adhesive material supply unit, 50b Non-adhesive region, 52 Support adhesive portion, 110 Cutting unit, 120 Energy irradiation unit, 130 Conveying unit, 210 Cutting unit, 300 rolling device, 310 inclined surface, 320 sample, 330 ball, A10 overlapping area, A20 non-overlapping area, A21 outer area, A22 inner area, B article.

Claims (4)

A label continuum including a plurality of labels arranged in a line along one direction,
a lower base sheet having a shape extending in one direction and having optical transparency;
an adhesive layer provided on the back surface of the lower base sheet and having optical transparency;
a plurality of upper substrates provided on the surface of the lower substrate sheet, each of which constitutes a part of each of the plurality of labels;
Each upper base material among the plurality of upper base materials has an outer shape smaller than an outer shape of the lower base material sheet and has a light transmittance lower than the light transmittance of the lower base material sheet and the adhesive layer,
The adhesive layer is
an adhesive region having adhesive force;
a non-adhesive region having an adhesive strength smaller than that of the adhesive region,
The adhesive region is formed in a region overlapping only one end of each of the upper base materials in a thickness direction of the upper base materials,
The non-adhesive region is formed in a region of each of the upper substrates that overlaps with a portion other than the one end portion in the thickness direction. a light-transmitting lower substrate;
an adhesive layer provided on the rear surface of the lower substrate and having optical transparency;
an upper substrate provided on the surface of the lower substrate, having an outer shape smaller than that of the lower substrate and having a light transmittance lower than that of the lower substrate and the adhesive layer;
The adhesive layer is
an adhesive region having adhesive force;
a non-adhesive region having an adhesive strength smaller than that of the adhesive region,
the adhesive region is formed in a region that overlaps only one end of the upper base material in a thickness direction of the upper base material,
The non-adhesive region is formed in a region of the upper substrate that overlaps with a portion of the upper substrate other than the one end portion in the thickness direction. The upper substrate is
a first upper substrate portion;
a second upper substrate portion provided at a position spaced apart from the first upper substrate portion,
The lower substrate is
a first lower substrate portion supporting the first upper substrate portion;
a second lower substrate portion supporting the second upper substrate portion;
a connecting lower substrate portion that connects the first lower substrate portion and the second lower substrate portion,
The label described in claim 2, wherein the region overlapping only one end of the upper substrate extends from a portion overlapping in the thickness direction with the outer end of the second upper substrate portion in the direction connecting the first upper substrate portion and the second upper substrate portion to a portion overlapping in the thickness direction with the end of the first upper substrate portion facing the second upper substrate portion. Items and
a label attached to the article;
The label comprises:
a light-transmitting lower substrate;
an adhesive layer provided on the rear surface of the lower substrate and having optical transparency;
an upper substrate provided on the surface of the lower substrate, having an outer shape smaller than that of the lower substrate and having a light transmittance lower than that of the lower substrate and the adhesive layer;
The adhesive layer is
an adhesive region having adhesive force;
a non-adhesive region having an adhesive strength smaller than that of the adhesive region,
the adhesive region is formed in a region that overlaps only one end of the upper base material in the thickness direction of the upper base material, and is adhered to the article;
A labeled article, wherein the non-adhesive area is formed in an area of the upper base material that overlaps with a portion other than the one end portion in the thickness direction and protrudes upward from the article.