WO1998013203A1

WO1998013203A1 - Method for preparing labeling/packaging

Info

Publication number: WO1998013203A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/016996
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cecil M. Keeney; Richard D. Evans; George F. Archer, Iii; John D. Enoch; Dale L. Nason
Original assignee: Walle Corporation
Priority date: 1996-09-27
Filing date: 1997-09-19
Publication date: 1998-04-02
Also published as: AU4495297A

Abstract

A method of preparing a flexible or continuous web of material (20) for labeling/packaging a product includes printing graphics and information on the material (20) in any desired format and color utilizing a pigmented ink providing a visible light signature and printing or otherwise providing an invisible eye spot/registration mark (24) on the material (20) utilizing a composition providing a nonvisible light signature adapted to identify an end of one label/package (22) and the beginning of another. Preferably, the eye spot/registration mark (24) extends fully across one dimension (e.g. width) of the material (20). Printing compositions for the eye spot/registration mark (24) are also disclosed.

Description

METHOD FOR PREPARING LABELING/PACKAGING

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a method of preparing a continuous web of material for labeling/packaging a product.

Background of the Invention

The packaging of aggregate materials in flexible film, paper, foil and laminated combinations of such materials is becoming increasingly popular. Similarly, the labeling of containers by applying pre-printed labels of film, paper, foil and laminated combinations of such materials is becoming an increasingly popular approach rapidly supplanting many other state of the art labeling/packaging techniques. In fact, it has been found that plastic containers, metal cans, glass bottles and even cartons ^■ ay all be very effectively and economically labeled or assembled with continuous roll printing of the type being described. In accordance with the pre-printed film labeling/packaging procedure, a continuous web of labeling/packaging material is printed with a series of labels. Registration marks or eye spots in a highly visible color at spaced locations along the continuous web are printed in order to mark the end of each label along the web. During the labeling operation the continuous web of material is fed toward a label applicator station. During this feeding operation the continuous web eye spot is scanned and an individual label is cut to size. The scanned eye spot or registration mark information is used to insure that each label is cut from the continuous web of material at the appropriate point . Adhesive is then applied to the newly cut label which is then adhered to the container.

A high labeling speed is a critical consideration in production canning and bottling plants. Specifically, the labeling process must not be allowed to impede the productivity of the battling or canning line. The high speed of operation necessitates that the cut off registration mark of each label be properly identified to allow the correct cut from the infeeding roll of labels to proper size for placement on the container being labeled. Any mistake at the high speeds of production required may mean hundreds of containers are mis-labeled in a matter of seconds. Not only is the stripping of any such mis-labeled products and re-labeling costly, but it should also be appreciated that the production line must be shut down out of necessity to correct a mis-labeling problem.

Accordingly, it should be appreciated that it is critical for scanners to be able to quickly identify the end of the labels for proper label cutting. To achieve this end, the eye spots or registration marks are typically printed with the highest possible contrast and most readily detectible color appearing on the label. Further, the eye spots or registration marks are printed in a quiet zone: that is in an area of the label where no background graphics or other marking of any type occurs since such markings could interfere with accurate scanning.

While the quiet zone allows the scanners to operate accurately, it represents a significant limitation on the graphic designers during development of the label. Specifically, the graphic designers must design around the necessary eye spot and quiet zone required to make the eye spot/registration mark scannable by the labeling/packaging equipment. Further, the quiet zone limits the amount of information, size and shape of the graphics; including the trademark or logo that is presented on the container. The quiet zone is a particularly important concern to the product manufacturei s marketing and legal departments which want the producer's trademark to stand out but also are obligated to use considerable label space to provide certain product information on the label in accordance with government requirement . Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method of preparing a continuous web of label material for labeling a product or flexible package material for packaging a product wherein the web is printed in such a manner that the graphic designer is free to exercise full and complete control over the color scheme and layout of the label/package which no longer requires quiet zones and unsightly and obtrusive registration marks or eye spots.

Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved method is provided for preparing a continuous web of material for labeling/packaging a product. The method includes the steps of (a) printing graphics and information on the web of material in any desired format and color providing a visible-light signature and (b) printing an eye spot/registration mark on the material in a luminescent printing agent providing a nonvisibie- light signature adapted to identify the end of one individual label/package and the beginning of another individual label/package along the continuous web. Preferably, the method includes the overprinting of the eye spot/registration mark on the graphics or other information previously printed on the continuous web. Further, it is preferred that the overprinting of the eye spot/registration mark be fully across the width of the continuous web.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a printing composition is provided for printing an eye spot/registration mark on a continuous web of material. The printing composition includes a luminescent agent in a substantially clear vehicle. The printing agent provides no visible-light indication (i.e. no visible light spectra) but bears a clearly identifiable nonvisibie-light signature. The printing composition comprises by weight percent 0.1- 50% luminescent agent and 50-99.9% clear vehicle and more preferably 73.0 weight percent of a polyester acrylic emulsion (e.g. Lucidene 1500), 12.8 weight percent of a water based polymer (e.g. Lucidene 337), 7.7 weight percent of a pH buffer solution (e.g. 5% borax in water), 1.0 weight percent surfactant (e.g. Tego Wet 250), 0.5 weight percent d©.foamer (e.g. Tego Foamex 1435) and 5.0 weight percent of a luminescent agent (e.g. EP 594).

Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention and together with the description serves to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a continuous web of labeling material printed in accordance with the teachings of the prior art ; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a continuous web of labeling material printed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Reference will now be made in Re ail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Detailed Description of the Invention

Reference is now made to Figures 1 and 2 which are presented to illustrate the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1, in accordance with the prior art method for printing a continuous web of material

12, individual labels/packages 14 are printed in series along the web. A break or quiet zone 16 is provided at each end of a label/package 14. Specifically, no graphics or other color similar to the eye spot is presented in the quiet zone 16 prior to the eye spots/registration marks 18. Additionally, the registration marks or eye spots 18 are provided in the quiet zone 16 at each end of a label/package 14. The eye spots/registration marks 18 are printed by the application of pigmented ink in as high contrast color as practical which contrasts from the quiet zone of the label .

As a result of this color selection and the printing of the eye spots/registration marks 18 in the quiet zone 16, the eye spots/registration marks are normally (but not always) easily identified and detected by a visible light scanner (not shown) connected to the labeling machine . -^ Accordingly, relatively high speed labeling/packaging is possible whereby the continuous web of material 12 is fed, the eye spots/registration marks 18 are scanned and detected and the individual label/package 14 is cut to size. Adhesive is then applied and the label 14 is affixed to the container or, the package is formed, filled and sealed. This is a continuous process which depends upon the accuracy and speed of identification of the eye spots/registration marks 18. Of course, the failure to detect an eye spot/ registration mark 18 or misidentification of graphics or other printed mark as an eye spot/registrati^'on mark such as an ink splatter leads to a defective improperly cut label/package 14. During high speed operation such an error may lead to literally hundreds of containers being mis-labeled. Not only does this result in the necessity of destroying packages or stripping labels from the mis-labeled containers and re-packaging or relabeling those containers but it also typically requires a costly shutdown of the production line until the error is corrected. Of course, ispackaging may prove particularly costly as often the product cannot be salvaged, nor the packages reclaimed. This is the primary reason the graphic designers have been forced to develop labels/packages including eye spots/registration marks 18 in prominent colors made even more prominent by their presence in surrounding, quiet zones 16. This type of eye spot/registration mark 18 is often the limiting factor on the speed and capacity of product filling and labeling lines. Reference is now made to Figure 2 showing a continuous web of material printed in accordance with the method of the present invention. Specifically, the continuous web of material 20 also includes a series of labels/packages 22. It should be appreciated, however, that the labels/packages 22 are not separated by a quiet zone such as shown at 16 in the prior art approach illustrated in Figure 1. In fact, the entire surface area of the continuous web 20 may be printed with graphics or other information without the restrictions of any quiet zone. This frees the graphics designer from such a restriction and thereby allows the graphic designer to make better use of the available space and full spectrum of colors as desired to emphasize product features and the product trademark for better sales presentation.

It should also be appreciated that the continuous web of material 20 does not include any visible eye spots/registration marks 24. Instead, invisible, luminescent eye spots/registration marks 24 with a non- visible light signature are provided (note, phantom line showing in Figure 2) . The eye spots/registration marks 24 are prepared from a printing composition including a luminescent agent in a substantially clear vehicle that provides no visible light indication. Such a vehicle may include a water based emulsion or a solvent (e.g. alcohol, ketone, aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbon, ester) , nitrocellulose or radiation curable system. Preferably, such a printing composition includes in weight percent between 0.1- 50.0% luminescent agent and 50.0-99.9% clear vehicle and more preferably between 2-10% luminescent agent and 90-98% clear vehicle. Still more specifically, the printing composition comprises by weight percent 40-

99.5% polyester acrylic emulsion; 0-50 weight percent acrylic emulsion resin; 0.5-6.0 weight percent luminescent agent; 0-5 weight percent water; 0-5 weight percent solvent; 0-2 weight percent>araines ; 0-2 weight percent surfactant; and 0-2 weight percent defoamer. Most preferred is a printing composition comprising substantially 73.0 weight percent polyester acrylic emulsion; 12.8 weight percent water based polymer; 7.7 weight percent pH buffer solution; 1.0 weight percent surfactant, 0.5 weight percent defoamer; and 5.0 weight percent luminescent agent.

Advantageously, since the eye spots/registration marks 24 are invisible (i.e. have no visible light signature) , the graphic designer need not take them into account during design of the label/package. Further, the invisible eye spots/registration marks 24 may be made larger for easier detection by a luminescent pick-up scanner (such as manufactured by SICK OPTIC - Electronic Inc. of Eden Prairie, MN) and may in fact extend laterally across the entire width of the continuous web 20. In this way, a scanner may scan along any vertical position of the label/package 22 and detect the eye spots/registration marks 24 to provide the proper registration for cutting of the individual labels/packages 22. This is important when one considers that a particular labeling/packaging machine may therefore be effectively set up to utilize different continuous webs of material to label/package different products without having to make any change in the orientation or angle of the scanner utilized to detect the eye spots/registration marks 24.

Summarizing, the present method includes the step of printing graphics and information on the continuous web of material in any desired format and color utilizing any pigmented ink providing a visible-light signature. Next is the printing of an invisible eye spot/registration mark on the material, preferably with an invisible printing composition including a luminescent agent in a clear vehicle that provides a clearly discernable nonvisibie light signature easily detectable by scanner at, for example, ultraviolet light frequencies. Preferably, this includes the overprinting of the eye spots/registration marks on the graphics or information previously printed on the continuous web of material since the eye spot/registration mark does not visibly alter those graphics/information. Further, the overprinting of the eye spot/registration mark may be laterally across the full width of the continuous web so that it is more easily detected by the scanner used to identify the point of cutting the individual labels. Of course, it should be appreciated that in certain applications it may be preferred to underprint with the luminescent printing composition and this may be successfully done if a higher concentration of luminescent agent is used to readily allow scanner detection.

Various invisible, luminescent printing compositions may be utilized in the present method. Examples of these are presented below.

Example 1

74.5 weight percent of a polyester acrylic emulsion (Lucidene 1500) was mixed with 13.1 weight percent of a water based polymer (Lucidene 337), 7.9 weight percent of a pH buffer solution (10% borax in water), 1.0 weight percent surfactant (Tego Wet 250), 0.5 weight percent defoamer (Tego Eoamex 1435) and 3.0 weight percent of a luminescent agent (EP 594) .

Example 2

97 weight percent polyester/acrylic emulsion (Lucidene 1500) was mixed with 3 weight percent luminescent agent (Glo-Sperse Invisible Blue Dispersion EP 594) . Example 3

99 weight percent of a polyester acrylic emulsion (Lucidene 1500) was mixed with 1 weight percent of luminescent agent (Glo-Sperse Invisible Blue Dispersion EP 594) .

Example 4

52 weight percent of a polyester acrylic emulsion (Lucidene 1500) is mixed with 48 weight percent of luminescent agent (Glo-Sperse Invisible Blue Dispersion EP 594) .

Example 5

50.6 weight percent of an acrylic emulsion (e.g. Vancryl 960) was mixed with 40.5 weight percent of acrylic solution resin (Vancryl 710), 1.0 weight percent of an amine (dimethylethanolamine) , 2.2 weight percent water, 0.4 weight percent surfactant (Surfynol 420), 1.0 weight percent defoamer (Surfynol DF-75), 1.3 weight percent solvent (ethylene glycol diacetate) and 3.0 weight percent luminescent agent (Glo-Sperse Invisible Blue Dispersion EP 594) . Example 6

65 weight percent of an acrylic emulsion polymer (Joncryl 74) is mixed with 20 weight percent of an acrylic polymer solution (Joncryl 61), 7.0 weight percent water and 8.0 weight percent of a luminescent agent (EP 594) .

Example 7

93 weight percent of a UV curable water based urethane resin (Neorad 440) is mixed with 3.0 weight percent of a photo initiator (Darour 1173) and 4.0 weight percent of a luminescent agent (Tinopal SFP) .

Example 8

20 weight percent of a nitrocellulose resin (% sec. SS nitrocellulose) is mixed with 5 weight percent plasticizer (dioctyl phthalate) , 56 weight percent ethanol solvent, 14 weight percent n-propyl acetate solvent and 5.0 weight percent luminescent agent (Tinpol DCS Liquid) . Example 9

10 weight percent nitrocellulose resin (% sec. AS nitrocellulose) is mixed with 20 weight percent flexibilizing resin (Pentalyn 856), 53.6 weight percent ethanol solvent, 13.4 weight percent n-propylacetate solvent, 3.0 weight percent water and 1.0 weight percent luminescent agent (Tinopal SFP) .

Example 10

35 weight percent of an epoxy diacrylate resin (Ebecryl 3700) is mixed with 60 weight percent of reactive diluents (40.0 weight percent of TRPGDA and 20.0 weight percent of Ebecryl 110), 3.0 weight percent of a photoinitiator (Darocur 1173) and 2.0 weight percent of a luminescent agent (Tinpol DCS Liquid) .

Example 11 v 10 weight percent of an aromatic urethane acrylate resin (Ebecryl 6700) is mixed with 81.5 weight percent reactive diluent (38.1 weight percent PETA-K, 33.4 weight percent TMPTA and 10.0 weight percent vinyl acetate), 5.0 weight percent photoinitiator (Irgacure

184), 0.5 weight percent silicone wetting agent (DC-

193) and 3.0 weight percent luminescent agent (Tinpol

DCS Liquid) . * * ** * * * * * * * * * *** * * * * **

The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the present invention may even be utilized in a variety of packaging applications, that use eye spots/registration marks to control the cut-off of web fed material in manufacturing. Such products include but are not limited to: bag, pouch, rigid and flexible package manufacturing.

Further, while this invention is described above with respect to application on a continuous web of packaging material, it should be appreciated that it may be utilized on all forms of flexible packaging including but not limited to bread bags, snack food packaging and candy wrappers other than roll -fed labels. Further, if desired an eye spot/registration mark may be printed on the backside of the printed material or both the back and front side depending upon the application. ,

The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled,

v

Claims

In the Claims

1. A method of preparing a continuous web of material (20) for labeling/packaging a product comprising: printing graphics and information on said continuous web of material (20) in any desired format and color utilizing a pigmented ink providing a visible-light signature; printing an invisible eye spot/registration mark (24) on said continuous web of material (20) utilizing a printing composition providing a nonvisibie light signature adapted to identify an end of one label/package (22) and the beginning of another label/ package .

2. The method set forth in claim 1, including overprinting said eye spot/registration mark (24) on said graphics or information.

3. The method set forth in claim 1, including overprinting said eye spot/registration mark (24) fully laterally across said continuous web,, of material (20) .

4. A continuous web of a material printed in accordance with the method set forth in claims 1, 2 or 3.

5. A printing composition for printing an invisible eye spot/registration mark (24) on a continuous web of material (20) comprising by weight percent : 73.0 weight percent of a polyester acrylic emulsion;

12.8 weight percent of a water based polymer;

7.7 weight percent of a pH buffer solution; 1.0 weight percent surfactant ; 0.5 weight percent defoamer; and

5.0 weight percent of a luminescent agent .

6. A printing composition for printing an invisible eye spot/registration mark (24) on a continuous web of material (20) comprising by weight percent :

0.1-50% luminescent agent; and 50-99.9% clear vehicle.

7. A printing composition for printing an invisible eye spot/registration mark (24) on a continuous web of material (20) comprising by weight percent : 2-10% luminescent agent; and 90-98% clear vehicle.

8. A printing composition for printing an invisible eye spot/registration mark (24) on a continuous web of material (20) comprising by weight percent : 40-99.5 weight percent polyester/acrylic emulsions;

0-50 weight percent acrylic emulsion resi ; 0.5-6.0 weight percent luminescent agent; 0-5 weight percent water; 0-5 weight percent solvent; 0-2 weight percent amine; 0-2 weight percent surfactant; and 0-2 weight percent defoamer.

9. A method of preparing a flexible material for labeling/packaging a product comprising: printing graphics and information on said flexible material in any desired format and color utilizing a pigmented ink providing a visible-light signature; printing an invisible eye spot/registration mark (24) on said flexible material utilizing a printing composition providing a nonvisibie light signature adapted to identify an end of one label/package (22) and the beginning of another label/package (22) .

10. The method of claim 9 including printing said eye spot/registration mark (24) to extend laterally across substantially an entire dimension of said flexible material.

11. A method of preparing a flexible material for packaging a product comprising: printing graphics and/or information on said flexible material in any desired format and color utilizing a pigmented ink providing a visible light signature ; and providing an eye spot/registration mark (24) on said flexible material so as to extend across substantially an entire dimension of said flexible material.