Labelling material
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023820821
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-12-22
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-05
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing labeling materials for industrial applications are costly, difficult to laser cut or punch, and not recyclable, while requiring high-quality single-layer polymer films for surface quality and mechanical rigidity.
A dual-layer labeling material with a higher-grade polymer cover layer for printing and a lower-grade polymer base layer for mechanical strength, where the cover layer is thin and easy to mark, and the base layer provides rigidity, allowing for cost-effectiveness and recyclability, with optional adhesive and material weakenings for easy separation and application.
The dual-layer material achieves high-quality printing, ease of laser cutting and punching, and recyclability, reducing costs while maintaining mechanical integrity and flexibility for cylindrical elements, with the option for two-sided printing and efficient separation into individual elements.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Labeling material
[0002] The invention relates to a labeling material for marking elements according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0003] Such a labeling material comprises a cover layer formed from a first polymer material, having a surface for marking with a printing device, and a base layer formed from a second polymer material, wherein the cover layer is arranged on the base layer with a side facing away from the surface.
[0004] In the current state of the art, such marking material is often used for the industrial marking of elements in control cabinet and plant construction, such as for the marking of electrical components, terminal blocks, conductors, cables, pipes, etc. For this purpose, the marking material is typically printed with a marking using a printing device. The marking often contains information regarding the routing of a conductor, for example, which terminal an electrical conductor should be connected to. Additionally or alternatively, the marking can also include an identification number to uniquely identify the element marked in this way.
[0005] Typically, the marking material is provided with the various markings in a single pass, for example, by printing, and then separated into differently marked marking elements to mark different elements. Alternatively, the marking material can also be separated before being marked.
[0006] The printing process requires a high surface quality, such as low roughness and few (preferably no) surface defects, to achieve a good, continuous print image with high contrast. For use of the marking material for industrial marking, a certain thickness of the marking carrier material is required to achieve sufficient mechanical rigidity and strength. Therefore, in the prior art, the printing material was often made of a single layer made of a sufficiently thick film of a high-quality and thus easily printable, but also very expensive, polymer material. Multi-layer marking materials are also known, as described, for example, in DE 10 2019 105 526 A1.The object of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective labeling material that can be marked with high quality and is easily laser cut and / or punched. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a sustainably usable and recyclable labeling material.
[0007] This object is achieved by an article having the features of claim 1.
[0008] Accordingly, the first polymer material comprises a polymer material with a higher quality than the second polymer material.
[0009] The term "grade" may be used herein to refer to at least one inherent characteristic of the polymer material, or to describe the totality of all inherent characteristics of the polymer material. In particular, the term "grade" is intended to refer to the quality of the inherent feature(s). A "higher grade" polymer material may be understood herein to mean a polymer material that has a different melting temperature, crystallization, viscosity, molecular weight distribution, and / or toughness than a "lower grade" polymer material.
[0010] For example, the first polymer material may have very good surface properties and therefore be highly suitable for marking by a printing device, such as a thermal transfer, laser, and / or inkjet printer. Furthermore, the first polymer material may be implemented as a thin layer.
[0011] For example, the second polymer material with a lower grade may be cheaper to produce, but provide good mechanical rigidity and tensile strength during marking and when arranging the label element on the element to be marked. The mechanical properties of the label material can advantageously be determined by the thickness, or rather the ratio of the thicknesses of the layers.
[0012] A further advantage of such a constructed material is also easily deformable and therefore also suitable for application to cylindrical elements, ie for marking these elements.
[0013] In one example, the first polymer material comprises a polyethylene terephthalate material, PET-G, and the second material comprises a polyethylene terephthalate material, PET-A. A PET-G material can be understood as a glycol-modified PET material that has very good surface properties and therefore has a higher quality compared to a PET-A material.
[0014] PET-A (polyethylene terephthalate) can contain up to 100% recycled material and can be amorphous or transparent. PET-A is of lower quality than PET-G, but is inexpensive to produce and offers good stiffness and strength.
[0015] In one example, the cover layer has a thickness D1 and the base layer has a thickness D2, wherein the thickness D1 of the cover layer is less than the thickness D2 of the base layer.
[0016] The top layer and the base layer can be designed, complementary to each other, congruent and unprofiled, or uniform, but the layer thicknesses D1 and D2 can be different in order to advantageously minimize the thickness D1 of the expensive top layer, comprising the material with a higher quality.
[0017] In one example, the thickness D1 of the cover layer is in a range of two to ten times, in particular five times, less than the thickness D2 of the base layer.
[0018] It has been shown that a thickness ratio in the previously described range is easy to print on, has good mechanical properties and is inexpensive to produce.
[0019] In one example, the thickness D1 of the cover layer is less than or equal to 50 pm, in particular less than or equal to 10 pm.
[0020] For example, polymer films in which the cover layer has a thickness D1 of less than or equal to 50 pm, in particular less than or equal to 10 pm, can advantageously be produced by co-extrusion and calendering.
[0021] In one example, the cover layer or the base layer is colored and the other layer is transparent, in particular the cover layer is colored and the base layer is transparent. For example, by adding pigmentation or a color pattern to one of the layers while the other layer is transparent, a marking can be created independently of the subsequent printing by the printing device. For example, all similar elements to be marked, such as a specific terminal type, can be marked with labeling elements made of the labeling material that have the same color. Furthermore, by making a region of one of the layers colored, a position marking can be created, for example to show the user how the labeling material is to be introduced into the printing device.The position marking can then be detected, for example, by an optical detector such as a light sensor, a light barrier or the like.
[0022] In one example, an adhesive layer is arranged at least partially between the cover layer and the base layer for connecting the cover layer to the base layer.
[0023] The term "adhesive layer" herein refers to an adhesive film that can be applied in liquid form, at least in part, to one of the layers before the other layer is applied to the adhesive film. Furthermore, the two layers can be pressed and / or heated, for example, to create a bonded joint. Other methods, such as heat sealing, can also be used to bond the cover layer and the base layer. For example, only parts of the two layers can be bonded together.
[0024] In one example, the surface of the cover layer is configured to be marked by means of a thermal transfer, laser and / or inkjet printing device.
[0025] Advantageously, a PET-G material is easy to mark and does not, like a PVC material, form acids when exposed to heat, such as can occur from laser beam application. This means that good printing results can be achieved with no or only minor display errors, while at the same time damage to equipment or the health of the system operator is avoided. Another advantage is that the planar design of the cover layer surface means that the distance to the labeling head of the printing device used remains constant, which enables a consistent and distortion-free print image. In one example, the labeling material has an adhesive, wherein the adhesive is arranged at least in sections on an area of the base layer in order to arrange the labeling material on the element to be marked, in particular to arrange it in a material-to-material manner.
[0026] For example, the adhesive can be implemented using double-sided adhesive tape. Advantageously, the labeling material, or the labeling elements derived from the labeling material, can simply be glued to the element to be marked. Alternatively or in addition to applying the labeling material using adhesive, the labeling material, or the labeling elements derived from the labeling material, can also be applied to the element to be marked using a form-fitting and / or force-fitting method.
[0027] In one example, the labeling material is designed as a flat or striped material.
[0028] The labeling material can advantageously be provided in the form of a continuous roll in both printed and unprinted form to save space.
[0029] In one example, at least one material weakening, in particular a perforation, is introduced into the cover layer and / or the base layer in order to separate the labeling material into at least two labeling elements.
[0030] The material weakening can be introduced into the layer material as a punched perforation, for example, the perforation can be designed as a round hole perforation, a slotted hole perforation, etc. Alternatively, the material weakening can also be designed simply as a material taper. Furthermore, the material weakening can also be introduced into the layer material with a laser, or the marking material can be separated into marking elements using a laser. The marking elements can also be punched out of the marking material as a single piece.
[0031] Advantageously, the labeling elements can be removed from the labeling material with a customized geometry, depending on the intended use. This is because a two-layer design of the labeling material, with a cover layer and a base layer, is particularly easy to cut and punch compared to a multi-layer design. Furthermore, the PET material can be easily laser-separated due to its high temperature resistance, making it economically viable to produce even small quantities.
[0032] In one example, at least one further material weakening is introduced into the cover layer and / or base layer of at least one of the isolated labeling elements in order to attach the labeling element to the element to be marked.
[0033] Advantageously, a fastening means, such as a cable tie, can be guided through the further material weakening in the form of a recess or opening, for easy fastening of the labeling element to the element to be marked.
[0034] In one example, the labeling material comprises at least one further cover layer, wherein the further cover layer is preferably arranged opposite the cover layer on the base layer. Alternatively, the further cover layer can also be arranged on a side surface of the base layer at a right angle to the cover layer. In one example, the further cover layer comprises a further first polymer material with a higher quality than the second polymer material of the base layer. The further first polymer material can be the same as the first polymer material, but also a polymer material with a higher quality than the second polymer material, which is different from the first polymer material. For example, the further first polymer material can be another polyethylene terephthalate material, PET, - G.
[0035] Advantageously, a labeling material designed in this way can be printed on both sides, whereby a multi-layer polymer film designed in this way is more cost-effective than, for example, a single-layer PET-G polymer film.
[0036] The concept underlying the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the figures. They show:
[0037] Figures 1-3 show sectional views through a labeling material according to various embodiments; and
[0038] Figure 4 is a plan view of a labeling material according to a
[0039] Embodiment. Figure 1 shows a sectional view through a labeling material 1 according to one embodiment.
[0040] The labeling material 1 shown comprises a cover layer 3 formed from a first polymer material, having a surface for marking with a printing device, and a base layer 7 formed from a second polymer material, wherein the cover layer 3 is arranged on the base layer 7 with a side facing away from the surface.
[0041] In the embodiment shown, the first polymer material in the cover layer 3 comprises a PET-G material and the second material in the base layer 7 comprises a PET-A material. The PET-G material used has very good surface properties and is therefore very well suited for marking by a printing device, such as a thermal transfer, laser and / or inkjet printer. The PET-A material shown contains up to 100% recycled material and is therefore of lower quality and of lower quality than the PET-G material, but is therefore cheaper to produce and can provide good mechanical rigidity and tensile strength during marking and when arranging the labeling element 1, or the labeling elements obtained from the labeling material 1, as shown below in Figure 4, on the element to be marked.The mechanical properties of the labeling material 1 can advantageously be determined via the thickness of the layers 3, 7.
[0042] In the embodiment shown, the cover layer 3 has a thickness D1 and the base layer 7 has a thickness D2, wherein the thickness D1 of the cover layer 3 is less than the thickness D2 of the base layer 5.
[0043] Furthermore, it is shown that the cover layer 3 and the base layer 7 are complementary, congruent, and unprofiled. Only the layer thicknesses D1 and D2 differ, thereby advantageously minimizing the thickness D1 of the expensive cover layer 3, comprising the PET-A material. In the embodiment shown, the thickness D1 of the cover layer 3 is less than or equal to 50 μm.
[0044] Furthermore, Figure 1 shows that an adhesive layer 5 is arranged between the cover layer 3 and the base layer 7, for connecting the cover layer 3 to the base layer 7. In the embodiment shown, the adhesive layer 5 is arranged as a thin adhesive film between the two layers 3, 7. To connect the two layers 3, 7, in further embodiments, the two layers 3, 7 can also be pressed and / or heated to create a material-to-material bond.
[0045] Figure 2 shows a sectional view through the labeling material 1 previously shown in Figure 1 with an adhesive 9 arranged on the base layer 7. The adhesive 9 shown serves to arrange the labeling material 1, or the labeling elements obtained from the labeling material 1, as shown below in Figure 4, on an element to be marked (not shown).
[0046] In the embodiment shown, the adhesive 9 is realized by a double-sided adhesive tape arranged on a side of the labeling material 1 opposite the printable surface. In embodiments not shown, the labeling material 1, or the labeling elements obtained from the labeling material 1, as shown below in Figure 4, can also be arranged on the element to be marked in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner.
[0047] Figure 3 shows a sectional view through a labeling material 1 comprising a three-layer polymer film according to one embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the labeling material 1 comprises two printable cover layers 3, 11, each comprising a PET-G material. The cover layers 3, 11 are each arranged on opposite sides of a base layer 7 comprising a PET-A material. The labeling material 1 shown in Figure 3 can be printed on both sides, i.e., in contrast to the embodiments of the labeling material shown in Figures 1 and 2.
[0048] Figure 4 shows a plan view of the surface of the cover layer of a labeling material 1 according to one embodiment. The labeling material 1 can, for example, be one of the labeling materials previously shown in one of Figures 1-3.
[0049] The unprinted labeling material 1 shown can be printed in one step using a thermal transfer, laser and / or inkjet printing device.
[0050] In the embodiment shown, eight labeling elements 13A-13N are shown, which can be removed from the labeling material 1 shown after marking. In other embodiments not shown, however, more or fewer than eight labeling elements 13A-13N can be arranged in the labeling material 1 or removed from the labeling material 1. For example, in an embodiment not shown, the labeling material 1 can also be used as a single labeling element.
[0051] Furthermore, Figure 4 shows a plurality of material weakenings 15A, 15N, which form a perforation. The perforation enables the labeling material 1 to be separated into the labeling elements 13A-13N shown. The material weakenings 15A-15N shown can be introduced into the labeling material 1 as punched perforations. Alternatively, the material weakenings 15A-15N can also be introduced into the labeling material 1 using a laser. The remaining material of the labeling material 1, which is arranged in a frame-like manner around the labeling elements 13A-13N, serves as support material for the labeling elements 13A-13N.
[0052] In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the labeling elements 13A-13N all have the same dimensions. Depending on the intended application, the labeling elements 13A-13N may also have different dimensions in embodiments not shown.
[0053] The embodiment shown in Figure 4 also shows that further material weakenings 17A - 17N are introduced into the labeling material 1 in the areas of the labeling elements 13A - 13N, for fastening the labeling elements 13A - 13N to the respective elements to be marked.
[0054] For example, a cable tie can be passed through the further material weakenings 17A - 17N to easily attach the labeling elements 13A - 13N to the elements to be marked.
[0055] Furthermore, in the labeling material 1 of the embodiment shown in Figure 4, two positioning openings 19A, 19B are provided, for example, for inserting and positioning several sheets of similar labeling material 1 in a supply magazine of the printing device (not shown in Figure 4). To easily insert and remove the labeling material 1 from the supply magazine, a handling recess 21 is provided in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, through which the user can, for example, insert a finger. Also printed on the labeling material 1 of the embodiment shown in Figure 4, for example, is a code 23, which is represented as a barcode. The code 23 can be read by means of a suitable reading means on the printing device, and the information read out can be used in the printing device to create the print image according to the labeling material orthe dimensions and arrangements of the labeling elements 13A - 13N in the labeling material 1.
[0056] List of reference symbols
[0057] 1 labeling material
[0058] 3 Top layer 5 Adhesive layer
[0059] 7 Base layer
[0060] 9 Adhesives
[0061] 11 Additional top layer
[0062] 13A - 13N Labeling elements 15A - 15N Material weakenings
[0063] 17A - 17N Further material weakenings 19A, 19B Position openings 21 Handling recess
[0064] 23 Code
[0065] D1 Layer thickness of the top layer
[0066] D2 Layer thickness of the base layer
Claims
Patent claims 1. Labeling material for marking elements, comprising a cover layer (3) formed from a first polymer material, having a surface for marking with a printing device, and a base layer (7) formed from a second polymer material, wherein the cover layer (3) is arranged on the base layer (7) with a side facing away from the surface, characterized in that the first polymer material comprises a polymer material with a higher quality than the second polymer material.
2. Labeling material according to claim 1, characterized in that the first polymer material comprises a polyethylene terephthalate material, PET, - G and the second polymer material comprises a polyethylene terephthalate material, PET, - A.
3. Labeling material according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover layer (3) has a thickness (D1) and the base layer (7) has a thickness (D2), wherein the thickness (D1) of the cover layer (3) is less than the thickness (D2) of the base layer (7).
4. Labeling material according to claim 3, characterized in that the thickness (D1) of the cover layer (3) is in a range of two to ten times, in particular five times, less than the thickness (D2) of the base layer (7).
5. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness (D1) of the cover layer (3) is less than or equal to 50 pm, in particular less than or equal to 10 pm.
6. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover layer (3) or the base layer (7) is colored and the other layer is transparent, in particular the cover layer (3) is colored and the base layer (7) is transparent.
7. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an adhesive layer (5) is at least partially between the cover layer (3) and the base layer (7) is arranged to connect the cover layer (3) to the base layer (7).
8. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the cover layer (3) is designed to be marked by means of a thermal transfer, laser and / or inkjet printing device.
9. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an adhesive (9), wherein the adhesive (9) is arranged at least in sections on a region of the base layer (7) in order to arrange the labeling material on the element to be marked, in particular to arrange it in a materially bonded manner.
10. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the labeling material is flat or strip-shaped.
11. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one material weakening (15A - 15N), in particular a perforation, is introduced into the cover layer (3) and / or base layer (7) for separating the labeling material into at least two labeling elements (13A - 13N).
12. Labeling material according to claim 11, characterized in that in the cover layer (3) and / or base layer (7) of at least one of the isolated labeling elements (13A - 13N) at least one further material weakening (17A - 17N) is introduced for fastening the labeling element (13A - 13N) to the element to be marked.
13. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a further cover layer (3), wherein the further cover layer (3) is preferably arranged opposite the cover layer (3) on the base layer (7).
14. Labeling material according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the further cover layer (11) comprises a further first polymer material with a higher quality than the second polymer material of the base layer (7).