Labels and containers

Abstract

The objective is to provide novel labels and containers. [Solution] The label of the present invention is a label made of three or more layers. The outer layer and inner layer of the label are made of a heat-adhesive resin, and the heat-adhesive temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C. The label has a peel-off tab 18 on one side edge. A release layer 24 is formed on the outer surface of the outer layer, near the other side edge of the label. The container 3 of the present invention is a container in which the label having the above configuration is in-mold molded. The label has an overlapping portion 15 in which one side portion of the label rests on the other side portion of the label. The peeling piece 18 is located on the release layer 24.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel label. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a novel container using this label.

Background Art

[0002] A container manufactured by in-mold molding is one in which a label and a plastic container body are integrally molded by injection molding. Even when decoration is required, it has printability without the need for secondary processing and can form a wide printing range.

[0003] From the perspective of recycling, it is preferable to peel off the label from the container body for a container formed by in-mold molding. In order to ensure barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc., a label containing aluminum or the like may be used. Thus, when using a label made of a material different from the container body, it cannot be recycled if the label remains attached to the container body. This container needs to be treated as industrial waste, resulting in treatment costs.

[0004] Various containers with in-mold molded labels have been disclosed. In an in-mold label container in which a label and a container body are integrally molded with an injection resin, a label overlapping portion is provided by making the length of the label wound around the container body circumference longer than the length around the container body circumference, and the portion is formed into a non-adhesive portion and an adhesive portion, and a labeled container with a design applied thereto has been reported (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0005] A container in which a container body and a label are integrally molded by injection molding, and in which the length of the label is made longer than the peripheral length of the side wall portion of the container body and an overlapping portion of the label is provided, and a container provided with an adhesive layer between the overlapping portions has been reported (for example, see Patent Document 2).

[0006] A heat-adhesive film is used as the base film, and a release agent layer is applied to the back of the portion that will be cut off from the label. Labels have been reported in which the cut-off portion adheres to the surface of the container but is not adhesive, and can be easily peeled off and cut with the fingertips (see, for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-081036 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-027705 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-076972 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, the aforementioned Patent Documents 1 to 3 have the following problems. In the container described in Patent Document 1, the label is made of water-resistant paper and synthetic paper, and the labels are not adhered to each other in the overlapping areas. Adhering the labels requires processing of the labels, which presents problems in terms of cost and mass production.

[0009] In the container described in Patent Document 2, adhesive must be applied to the labels in order to bond them together, which presents problems in terms of cost and mass production. Furthermore, in areas where the labels overlap, the adhesive strength is insufficient, resulting in the labels easily peeling off. In addition, considerable force is required to remove the labels from the container body, making it difficult to remove them.

[0010] In the label described in Patent Document 3, a perforated line is provided between the main body of the label and the label's cut-off piece. Therefore, while the label's cut-off piece can be peeled off the plastic container, there is a problem in that the main body of the label cannot be peeled off.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for the development of new labels that can solve these problems. Furthermore, there is a need for the development of new containers that utilize this label.

[0012] This invention has been made in view of these problems and aims to provide a novel label. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a novel container that uses this label. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] To solve the above problems and achieve the objectives of the present invention, the label of the present invention is a label made of three or more laminated layers, wherein the inner layer is made of a heat-adhesive resin, and the heat-adhesion temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C.

[0014] The label of the present invention is a label comprising three or more layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, and the heat-adhesion temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C.

[0015] The label of the present invention is a label comprising three or more layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, the heat-adhesion temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C, the label has a peel-off tab on one side edge, and a release layer is formed on the outer surface of the outer layer near the other side edge of the label.

[0016] The label of the present invention is a label comprising three or more layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, the heat-adhesion temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C, the label has a peel-off tab on one side, and a release layer is formed on the peel-off tab on the inner surface of the inner layer.

[0017] The label of the present invention is a label having any of the above configurations, characterized in that it has a notch at the upper end of one side of the label.

[0018] The container of the present invention is an in-mold formed container with any of the above-described labels, and is characterized by having an overlapping portion where one side edge portion of the label is placed on top of the other side edge portion of the label.

[0019] The container of the present invention is an in-mold formed container with a label having the above-described configuration, and has an overlapping portion where one side edge portion of the label is placed on top of the other side edge portion of the label, and is characterized in that the peeling piece is present on the peeling layer.

[0020] The container of the present invention has a flange portion at the upper end of the side wall portion, and any of the above-described labels is in-mold formed on the side wall portion, and has an overlapping portion where one side edge portion of the label is placed on top of the other side edge portion of the label, and is characterized in that a notch portion is present in the flange portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] The present invention has the following effects.

[0022] The label of the present invention is a label in which three or more layers are laminated, and the inner layer is made of a thermally adhesive resin, and the thermal adhesion temperature of the thermally adhesive resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C, so that a novel label can be provided.

[0023] The label of the present invention is a label in which three or more layers are laminated, and the outer layer and the inner layer are made of a thermally adhesive resin, and the thermal adhesion temperature of the thermally adhesive resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C, so that a novel label can be provided.

[0024] The label of the present invention is a label in which three or more layers are laminated, and the outer layer and the inner layer are made of a thermally adhesive resin, and the thermal adhesion temperature of the thermally adhesive resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C, and has a peeling piece on one side edge portion of the label, and a peeling layer is formed near the other side edge portion of the outer surface of the outer layer, so that a novel label can be provided.

[0025] The label of the present invention is a label made of three or more laminated layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, the heat-adhesive resin has a heat-adhesive temperature in the range of 70 to 115°C, and the label has a peel-off tab on one side edge, and a release layer is formed on the peel-off tab on the inner surface of the inner layer, thereby providing a novel label.

[0026] Since the label of the present invention is one of the labels with the above configurations having a notch at the upper end of one side of the label, it is possible to provide a novel label.

[0027] The container of the present invention is a container in which a label having any of the above configurations is in-mold molded, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label rests on the other side of the label, thus providing a novel container.

[0028] The container of the present invention is a container in which a label having the above configuration is in-mold molded, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label is on top of the other side of the label, and the peeling piece is on top of the release layer, thus providing a novel container.

[0029] The container of the present invention has a flange portion at the upper end of the side wall, a label of any of the above configurations is in-mold molded onto the side wall, one side of the label has an overlapping portion on the other side of the label, and a notch is present in the flange portion, thus providing a novel container. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the outer surface of the label. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the inside of the label. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the label AA' in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a magnified view of portion a of the label in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the container. [Figure 6] This is a front view of the container. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the container BB' in Figure 6. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged view of portion b in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is a bottom view of the container. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged view of the upper portion in Figure 9. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of CC' in Figure 10. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of DD' in Figure 10. [Figure 13] This is a diagram showing the outer surface of the label. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing the inside of the label. [Figure 15] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the label at EE'. [Figure 16] This is a perspective view of the container. [Figure 17] This is a front view of the container. [Figure 18] Figure 17 is an enlarged front view of the container. [Figure 19] This is a cross-sectional view of the container FF' in Figure 17. [Figure 20] This is a magnified view of portion c in Figure 19. [Figure 21] This is a bottom view of the container. [Figure 22] This is an enlarged view of the upper portion in Figure 21. [Figure 23] This is a cross-sectional view of GG' in Figure 22. [Figure 24] This is a cross-sectional view of HH' in Figure 22. [Figure 25] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Figure 26] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Figure 27] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Figure 28] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Figure 29]This is a diagram showing the outer surface of the label. [Figure 30] This is a front view of the container. [Figure 31] Figure 30 is an enlarged front view of the central portion of the container. [Figure 32] This is a diagram showing the outer surface of the label. [Figure 33] This is a diagram showing the inside of the label. [Figure 34] This is a cross-sectional view of the label II' in Figure 32. [Figure 35] This is a perspective view of the container. [Figure 36] This is a front view of the container. [Figure 37] Figure 36 is an enlarged front view of the container. [Figure 38] This is a cross-sectional view of the container at JJ' in Figure 36. [Figure 39] This is a magnified view of portion d in Figure 38. [Figure 40] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Figure 41] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Figure 42] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Figure 43] This is a diagram illustrating the process of peeling off a label. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] A description will be given of an embodiment for carrying out the first invention relating to labels and containers.

[0032] First, the label of the present invention will be explained using Figures 1 to 4. The label of the present invention is a label made of three or more layers, wherein the inner layer is made of a heat-adhesive resin, and the heat-adhesion temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C.

[0033] The label of the present invention is a label made of three or more laminated layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, and the heat-adhesion temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C.

[0034] Figure 1 shows the outer surface 11 of label 1. Here, label 1 is a component that will be in-mold molded into a container (described later). The outer surface 11 of label 1 is the surface that will be on the outside of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0035] The upper edge 13 of label 1 is the edge that will be above the side wall of the container (described later) when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container. The lower edge 14 of label 1 is the edge that will be below the side wall of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0036] Figure 2 shows the inner surface 12 of label 1. Here, the inner surface 12 of label 1 is the surface that becomes the inside of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0037] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of label 1 at AA' in Figure 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of portion a of label 1 in Figure 3.

[0038] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, label 1 has a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer 21, an intermediate layer 22, and an inner layer 23.

[0039] Here, the outer layer 21 is made of a heat-adhesive resin. The heat-adhesive resin is preferably polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0040] The thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is preferably in the range of 70 to 115°C. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is in the range of 75 to 109°C.

[0041] A heat bonding temperature of 70°C or higher has the advantage of allowing the heat-bonding resin to withstand the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, thus preventing the formation of air bubbles. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the heat bonding temperature is 75°C or higher.

[0042] A key advantage of a thermal bonding temperature of 115°C or lower is that the thermal bonding resin melts due to the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, resulting in stronger adhesion. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the thermal bonding temperature is 109°C or lower.

[0043] Here, the "thermal bonding temperature" (°C) is measured and defined by the following method: Two strip-shaped test pieces, 15 mm wide, are cut from a single-layer film of the thermal bonding resin. These two test pieces are stacked together to form a sample. Using a sealing device, the sample is compressed and heated in a sealing bar under conditions of 23°C and 50% RH. The heat seal temperature (°C) of this sealing bar is varied at various temperatures, and the heat seal strength of the bonded sample is measured. The heat seal temperature (°C) at which the heat seal strength of the bonded sample becomes 3 N / 15 mm width is defined as the "thermal bonding temperature" (°C). The definition of "thermal bonding temperature" (°C) described below is the same.

[0044] It should be noted that the numerical ranges for the thermal bonding temperatures mentioned above are merely preferred or even preferred ranges. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0045] The intermediate layer 22 is preferably made of a barrier layer that has barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc. Here, aluminum (Al) foil, aluminum-deposited polyethylene terephthalate (VMPET), etc. can be used as the barrier layer.

[0046] The inner layer 23 is made of a heat-adhesive resin. Here, the heat-adhesive resin is preferably polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0047] The thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is preferably in the range of 70 to 115°C. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is in the range of 75 to 109°C.

[0048] A heat bonding temperature of 70°C or higher has the advantage of allowing the heat-bonding resin to withstand the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, thus preventing the formation of air bubbles. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the heat bonding temperature is 75°C or higher.

[0049] A key advantage of a thermal bonding temperature of 115°C or lower is that the thermal bonding resin melts due to the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, resulting in stronger adhesion. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the thermal bonding temperature is 109°C or lower.

[0050] It should be noted that the numerical ranges for the thermal bonding temperatures mentioned above are merely preferred or even preferred ranges. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0051] Label 1 is not limited to the three-layer structure described above. Label 1 may have a four-layer or more-layer structure. Furthermore, the outer layer 21 and inner layer 23 described above can be used as the outer layer and inner layer, respectively. In addition, the intermediate layer 22 described above can be used as the intermediate layer. Between the outer layer and the inner layer, there may be one or more other layers besides the intermediate layer.

[0052] Next, the container of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 12. The container of the present invention is a container formed by in-mold molding of a label having the above-described configuration, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label rests on the other side of the label.

[0053] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the container. Figure 6 is a front view of the container.

[0054] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the container 3 is a resin container in which the label 1 described above is in-mold molded. The container 3 has an opening 34 at the top of the drawing. When viewed from above the container 3, this opening 34 is circular. The container 3 also has an inverted truncated cone shape. The bottom of the container 3 has a base 33 (see Figure 9). The peripheral portion of this base 33 has a threaded foot at the bottom and a wall at the top. Here, the threaded foot and the wall together are defined as the side wall portion 31. At the upper end of the side wall portion 31, there is a flange portion 32 of a perforated concentric disc formed horizontally.

[0055] An overlapping portion 15 is formed in the side wall portion 31. This overlapping portion 15 is the area where one side edge portion 16 of the label 1 overlaps the other side edge portion 17 when the label 1 is in-mold molded into the container 3. The overlapping portion 15 will be described later. The resin portion of container 3 is preferably made of polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0056] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of BB' of the container in Figure 6. Figure 8 is an enlarged view of portion b in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the cross-sectional shape of the side wall portion 31 is circular.

[0057] As shown in Figure 8, the container 3 has an overlapping portion 15 where one side portion 16 of the label 1 is placed on top of the other side portion 17 of the label 1. One side 16 of label 1 is exposed to the outside of container 3. The other side 17 of label 1 is hidden beneath the one side 16 of label 1.

[0058] In the overlapping portion 15, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are bonded together. Both the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are made of a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are fused and bonded together by the heat of the molten resin during injection molding. The lower corner of the tip of the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 is rounded and deformed by the heat of the molten resin during injection molding.

[0059] As described above, both the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are made of a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 fuse together due to the heat of the molten resin during injection molding, which has the advantage of increasing adhesive strength.

[0060] Furthermore, the increased adhesive strength in the overlapping portion 15 provides the following benefits. In other words, in conventional containers, when there is no overlapping portion and there is a gap between the sides of the label, cracking of the container occurs during injection molding due to the orientation of resin molecules caused by the flow of molten resin in the gap. In contrast, in the container 3 of the present invention, by forming an overlapping portion 15, it is possible to prevent cracking of the container 3 caused by the orientation of resin molecules.

[0061] Furthermore, in conventional containers, if there is no overlapping portion and there is a gap between the sides of the label, oxygen, light, etc. can penetrate from the outside of the container into the inside through that gap, making it impossible to ensure barrier properties. In contrast, in the container 3 of the present invention, by forming the overlapping portion 15, barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc. can be ensured.

[0062] In Figure 8, the distance from the end 161 of one side portion 16 to the end 171 of the other side portion 17 is defined as the width m of the overlapping portion. Preferably, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 is at least long enough to prevent the container from cracking and to ensure barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc.

[0063] Figure 9 is a bottom view of container 3. Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the upper part of Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9, the overlapping portion 15 is the area enclosed by the end 161 of one side portion 16, the end 171 of the other side portion 17, the upper edge 13 of label 1, and the lower edge 14 of label 1.

[0064] As shown in Figure 10, the end 161 of one side portion 16, which is the right-hand boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located on the side wall portion 31. Furthermore, the end 161 of one side portion 16 is also located on the flange portion 32. Furthermore, the end portion 171 of the other side portion 17, which is the left-hand boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located in the side wall portion 31. In addition, the end portion 171 of the other side portion 17 is also located in the flange portion 32.

[0065] Furthermore, the upper edge 13 of label 1, which is the upper boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located on the flange portion 32. Therefore, the overlapping portion 15 consists of an overlapping portion 151 in the side wall portion 31 and an overlapping portion 152 in the flange portion 32.

[0066] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of CC' in Figure 10. That is, Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the end portion 161 of one side portion 16. In the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31, the end portion 161 of one side edge portion 16 is formed on the outside of the side wall portion 31. The end face of the end portion 161 of one side edge portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, the other side portion 17 is formed by adhering it to the inside of the end portion 161 of the other side portion 16. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0067] In the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, the end portion 161 of one side portion 16 is formed on the outside of the flange portion 32. The end portion 161 of one side portion 16 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The end face of the end portion 161 of one side portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, the other side portion 17 is formed by adhering it to the inside of the end portion 161 of the other side portion 16. The other side portion 17 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0068] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view along DD' in Figure 10. That is, Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view along the cross-sectional line DD' that passes between the end 161 of one side portion 16 and the end 171 of the other side portion 17.

[0069] In the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31, one side portion 16 is formed on the outside of the side wall portion 31. The cross-section of the one side portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, one side portion 16 is bonded to the inside of the other side portion 17. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0070] In the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, one side portion 16 is formed on the outside of the flange portion 32. The one side portion 16 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the one side portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, one side portion 16 is bonded to the inside of the other side portion 17. The other side portion 17 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0071] In the container 3 described above, the cross-sectional shapes of the opening 34, flange portion 32, and side wall portion 31 are circular when viewed from above. However, these shapes are not limited to being circular. Other shapes such as ellipses, rounded triangles, rounded polygons such as quadrilaterals, and shapes that combine curves and straight lines can also be adopted.

[0072] Furthermore, in the above explanation, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 is the value obtained when the side wall portion 31, which has a curved surface and an inclined surface, is unfolded into a plane.

[0073] Next, we will describe embodiments for carrying out the second invention relating to labels and containers. Here, we will describe embodiment (1) for carrying out the second invention relating to labels and containers.

[0074] First, the label of the present invention will be explained using Figures 13-15. The label of the present invention is a label made of three or more laminated layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, the heat-adhesive temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C, the label has a peeling tab on one side edge, and a release layer is formed on the outer surface of the outer layer near the other side edge of the label.

[0075] The label of the present invention is a label having the above-described configuration, wherein a notch is provided at the upper end of one side of the label.

[0076] Figure 13 shows the outer surface 11 of label 1. Here, label 1 is a component that will be in-mold molded into a container (described later). The outer surface 11 of label 1 is the surface that will be on the outside of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0077] The upper edge 13 of label 1 is the edge that will be above the side wall of the container (described later) when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container. The lower edge 14 of label 1 is the edge that will be below the side wall of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0078] Label 1 has a peel-off tab 18 on one side edge 16. This peel-off tab 18 will be described later. Label 1 has a notch 19 at the upper end of one side edge 16. This notch 19 will be described later.

[0079] A rectangular release layer 24 is formed near the other side edge 17 of the outer surface 11 of the outer layer (described later) of label 1. This release layer 24 will be described later.

[0080] Figure 14 shows the inner surface 12 of label 1. Here, the inner surface 12 of label 1 is the surface that becomes the inside of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container. The release layer 24 is formed on the outer surface 11 of the outer layer (described later) of label 1 and is not visible from the inner surface 12, so it is shown with a dotted line.

[0081] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of label 1 in Figure 13, EE'. As shown in Figure 15, label 1 has a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer 21, an intermediate layer 22, and an inner layer 23.

[0082] Here, the outer layer 21 is made of a heat-adhesive resin. The heat-adhesive resin is preferably polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0083] The thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is preferably in the range of 70 to 115°C. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is in the range of 75 to 109°C.

[0084] A heat bonding temperature of 70°C or higher has the advantage of allowing the heat-bonding resin to withstand the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, thus preventing the formation of air bubbles. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the heat bonding temperature is 75°C or higher.

[0085] A key advantage of a thermal bonding temperature of 115°C or lower is that the thermal bonding resin melts due to the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, resulting in stronger adhesion. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the thermal bonding temperature is 109°C or lower.

[0086] Here, the "thermal bonding temperature" (°C) is measured and defined by the following method: Two strip-shaped test pieces, 15 mm wide, are cut from a single-layer film of the thermal bonding resin. These two test pieces are stacked together to form a sample. Using a sealing device, the sample is compressed and heated in a sealing bar under conditions of 23°C and 50% RH. The heat seal temperature (°C) of this sealing bar is varied at various temperatures, and the heat seal strength of the bonded sample is measured. The heat seal temperature (°C) at which the heat seal strength of the bonded sample becomes 3 N / 15 mm width is defined as the "thermal bonding temperature" (°C). The definition of "thermal bonding temperature" (°C) described below is the same.

[0087] It should be noted that the numerical ranges for the thermal bonding temperatures mentioned above are merely preferred or even preferred ranges. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0088] The intermediate layer 22 is preferably made of a barrier layer that has barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc. Here, aluminum (Al) foil, aluminum-deposited polyethylene terephthalate (VMPET), etc. can be used as the barrier layer.

[0089] The inner layer 23 is made of a heat-adhesive resin. Here, the heat-adhesive resin is preferably polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0090] The thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is preferably in the range of 70 to 115°C. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is in the range of 75 to 109°C.

[0091] A heat bonding temperature of 70°C or higher has the advantage of allowing the heat-bonding resin to withstand the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, thus preventing the formation of air bubbles. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the heat bonding temperature is 75°C or higher.

[0092] A key advantage of a thermal bonding temperature of 115°C or lower is that the thermal bonding resin melts due to the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, resulting in stronger adhesion. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the thermal bonding temperature is 109°C or lower.

[0093] It should be noted that the numerical ranges for the thermal bonding temperatures mentioned above are merely preferred or even preferred ranges. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0094] Label 1 is not limited to the three-layer structure described above. Label 1 may have a four-layer or more-layer structure. Furthermore, the outer layer 21 and inner layer 23 described above can be used as the outer layer and inner layer, respectively. In addition, the intermediate layer 22 described above can be used as the intermediate layer. Between the outer layer and the inner layer, there may be one or more other layers besides the intermediate layer.

[0095] The release layer 24 is formed on the outer surface 11 of the outer layer 21, near the other side edge 17 of the label 1. Forming the release layer 24 on the outer surface 11 of the outer layer 21 has the advantage of simplifying the formation process of the release layer 24 and reducing costs.

[0096] The method for producing the release layer 24 is as follows: First, the release layer coating is applied to the outer surface 11 of the label 1. Then, this release layer coating is allowed to dry. As a result, the dried release layer coating becomes the release layer 24.

[0097] The release layer 24 adheres to the outer surface 11 of the label 1 during the drying process of the release layer coating. This release layer 24 has weak adhesion to the inner surface 12 of the inner layer 23 of the label 1, which is made of heat-activated adhesive resin. The process of this adhesion will be described later.

[0098] Next, the container of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 28. The container of the present invention is a container formed by in-mold molding of a label having the above-described configuration, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label rests on the other side of the label.

[0099] The container of the present invention is a container in which the label having the above configuration is in-mold molded, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label is on top of the other side of the label, and the peeling piece is located on the release layer.

[0100] The container of the present invention has a flange portion at the upper end of the side wall, and a label of any of the above configurations is in-mold molded onto the side wall, with one side of the label overlapping the other side of the label, and a notch is present in the flange portion.

[0101] Figure 16 is a perspective view of the container. Figure 17 is a front view of the container.

[0102] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, container 3 is a resin container in which the label 1 described above is in-mold molded. Specifically, container 3 is a resin container in which the label 1 described above is in-mold molded onto the side wall portion 31 of container 3. Container 3 has an opening 34 at the top of the drawing. When viewed from above, this opening 34 is circular. Container 3 also has an inverted truncated cone shape. Below container 3 is a bottom portion 33 (see Figure 21). The peripheral portion of this bottom portion 33 has a threaded foot at the bottom and a wall at the top. Here, the threaded foot and the wall together are defined as the side wall portion 31. At the upper end of the side wall portion 31 is a flange portion 32 of a perforated concentric disc formed horizontally.

[0103] A peeling layer 24 is formed on the side wall portion 31. The peeling layer 24 will be described later. A peeling piece 18 is formed on the release layer 24. The peeling piece 18 will be described later.

[0104] An overlapping portion 15 is formed in the side wall portion 31. This overlapping portion 15 is the area where one side edge portion 16 of the label 1 overlaps the other side edge portion 17 when the label 1 is in-mold molded into the container 3. The overlapping portion 15 will be described later. The resin portion of container 3 is preferably made of polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0105] Figure 18 is an enlarged front view of the container in Figure 17.

[0106] The peeling piece 18 is located on the peeling layer 24. The area of ​​the peeling piece 18 is defined as follows: There are two intersection points between the boundary line 241 on the left side of the peeling layer 24 and the line of the end 161 of one of the side edges 16. These are the upper intersection point p and the lower intersection point q. The area enclosed by the line segment pq connecting intersection points p and q, and the line of the convex end 161, is defined as the area of ​​the peeling piece 18. The longest horizontal distance between the line segment pq and the line of the convex end 161 is defined as the width n of the peeling piece 18. The distance between intersection point p and intersection point q is defined as the height l of the peeling piece 18.

[0107] The convex end 161 of the peel-off piece 18 has a horizontal Mount Fuji-like shape. The shape of the convex end 161 is not limited to this shape. In addition, the shape of the convex end 161 can be a polygon such as a triangle or quadrilateral, a curve such as a semicircle or semiellipse, or a line consisting of a combination of a curve and a straight line.

[0108] The line of the convex end portion 161 of the peel-off piece 18 has one convex portion. The shape of the line of the convex end portion 161 is not limited to having one convex portion. In addition, the shape of the line of the convex end portion 161 may have multiple convex portions.

[0109] The peeling piece 18 is located approximately in the center in the vertical direction of the side wall portion 31 of the container 3. The position of the peeling piece 18 is not limited to this position. In addition, the position of the peeling piece 18 may be any position on the side wall portion 31 of the container 3 in the vertical direction, such as above, in the center, or below the side wall portion 31.

[0110] The width n of the peel-off piece 18 is preferably such that it can be grasped with at least two fingers. The height l of the peeling piece 18 may be a part of the height of the side wall 31 of the container 3 in the vertical direction, or it may be the entire height of the side wall 31.

[0111] In the explanation in Figure 18 above, the upper and lower ends of the boundary line 241 on the left side of the peeling layer 24 are located to the right of the end 161 of one of the side portions 16. The upper and lower ends of the boundary line 241 are not limited to these positions. The upper and lower ends of the boundary line 241 may coincide with the end 161 of one of the side portions 16. Also, part or both of the upper and lower ends of the boundary line 241 may be located to the left of the end 161 of one of the side portions 16.

[0112] The line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point p in the peel-off piece 18 to the upper end of the side wall portion 31 will be described. Let angle α be the angle between the tangent line of the end portion 161 at intersection point p and the horizontal line.

[0113] The angle α is preferably within the range of 30 to 80°. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the angle α is within the range of 40 to 75°.

[0114] When the angle α is within the range of 30 to 80°, it is possible to prevent the cutting of one side portion 16 when peeling it away from the other side portion 17, and the peeling force is distributed, making it easier to peel off one side portion 16. Furthermore, this effect becomes even more pronounced when the angle α is within the range of 40 to 75°.

[0115] It should be noted that the numerical range of angle α mentioned above represents only a preferred or even preferred range. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0116] The line at end 161 may be a curve, a straight line, or a combination of a curve and a straight line. Here, if the line at end 161 is a curve or a combination of a curve and a straight line, it is preferable that the curvature of the curve changes smoothly.

[0117] The line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point q in the peeling piece 18 to the lower end of the side wall portion 31 will be described. Let angle β be the angle between the tangent line of the end portion 161 at intersection point q and the horizontal line.

[0118] The angle β is preferably in the range of 30 to 80°. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the angle β is in the range of 40 to 75°.

[0119] When the angle β is within the range of 30 to 80°, it is possible to prevent the cutting of one side portion 16 when peeling it away from the other side portion 17, and the peeling force is distributed, making it easier to peel off one side portion 16. Furthermore, this effect becomes even more pronounced when the angle β is within the range of 40 to 75°.

[0120] It should be noted that the numerical range of angle β mentioned above represents only a preferred or even preferred range. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects in ranges other than these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0121] The line at end 161 may be a curve, a straight line, or a combination of a curve and a straight line. Here, if the line at end 161 is a curve or a combination of a curve and a straight line, it is preferable that the curvature of the curve changes smoothly.

[0122] An overlapping portion 15 is formed in the side wall portion 31. The area of ​​the overlapping portion 15 is defined as follows: The area enclosed by the line of the end portion 161 from intersection point p to the upper end of the side wall portion 31, the line segment pq connecting intersection point p and intersection point q, the line of the end portion 161 from intersection point q to the lower end of the side wall portion 31, the notch portion 19 of the label 1 (described later), the lower edge 14 of the label 1, and the line of the end portion 171 of the other side edge portion 17 is defined as the area of ​​the overlapping portion 15.

[0123] The width of the overlapping portion 15 is defined as follows: If the end 161 of one side portion 16 is not included in the peeling layer 24, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 is defined as the horizontal distance from the end 161 of one side portion 16 to the end 171 of the other side portion 17. If the end 161 of one side portion 16 is included in the peeling layer 24, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 is defined as the horizontal distance from the line segment pq connecting intersection point p and intersection point q to the end 171 of the other side portion 17. Thus, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 changes depending on the vertical position of the side wall portion 31.

[0124] A peeling layer 24 is formed on the side wall portion 31. The release layer 24 has a rectangular shape. However, the shape of the release layer 24 is not limited to this shape. In addition, the shape of the release layer 24 can be a polygon such as a triangle or a square, a curve such as a circle or an ellipse, or a combination of curves and straight lines. In this case, it is preferable that the release layer 24 includes the entirety of the peeling piece 18.

[0125] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the container FF' in Figure 17. Figure 20 is an enlarged view of portion c in Figure 19. As shown in Figure 19, the cross-sectional shape of the side wall portion 31 is circular.

[0126] As shown in Figure 20, the container 3 has an overlapping portion 15 where one side portion 16 of the label 1 is placed on the other side portion 17 of the label 1. One side 16 of label 1 is exposed to the outside of container 3. The other side 17 of label 1 is hidden beneath the one side 16 of label 1.

[0127] In the overlapping portion 15, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are bonded together. Both the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are made of a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are fused and bonded together by the heat of the molten resin during injection molding.

[0128] As described above, both the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are made of a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 fuse together due to the heat of the molten resin during injection molding, which has the advantage of increasing adhesive strength.

[0129] Furthermore, the increased adhesive strength in the overlapping portion 15 provides the following benefits. In other words, in conventional containers, when there is no overlapping portion and there is a gap between the sides of the label, cracking of the container occurs during injection molding due to the orientation of resin molecules caused by the flow of molten resin in the gap. In contrast, in the container 3 of the present invention, by forming an overlapping portion 15, it is possible to prevent cracking of the container 3 caused by the orientation of resin molecules.

[0130] Furthermore, in conventional containers, if there is no overlapping portion and there is a gap between the sides of the label, oxygen, light, etc. can penetrate from the outside of the container into the inside through that gap, making it impossible to ensure barrier properties. In contrast, in the container 3 of the present invention, by forming the overlapping portion 15, barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc. can be ensured.

[0131] In Figure 20, the distance from the end 171 of the other side portion 17 to the boundary line 241 on the left side of the peeling layer 24 is the width m of the overlapping portion 15. In Figures 18 and 20, it is preferable that the changing width m of the overlapping portion 15 is at least long enough to prevent cracking of the container and to ensure barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc.

[0132] As shown in Figure 20, the other side edge 17 of the label 1 has a peel-off piece 18. The peel-off piece 18 is exposed on the outside of the container 3. The other side 17 of the label 1 is hidden beneath the peel-off piece 18.

[0133] The release layer 24 is adhered to the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17. The peeling piece 18 is located on top of the release layer 24. In the peel-off piece 18, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are not adhered due to the presence of the release layer 24. Furthermore, the lower corner of the tip of the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 is rounded and deformed due to the heat of the molten resin during injection molding.

[0134] In Figure 20, the distance from the end portion 161 of one side portion 16 to the boundary line 241 on the left side of the peeling layer 24 is the width n of the peeling piece 18.

[0135] Figure 21 is a bottom view of container 3. Figure 22 is an enlarged view of the upper portion shown in Figure 21. As shown in Figure 22, the overlapping portion 15 is the area enclosed by the end 161 of one side portion 16, the end 171 of the other side portion 17, and the notch 19 of the label 1.

[0136] As shown in Figure 22, the end portion 161 of one side portion 16, which is the right-hand boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located on the side wall portion 31. Furthermore, the end portion 171 of the other side portion 17, which is the left-hand boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located in the side wall portion 31. In addition, the end portion 171 of the other side portion 17 is also located in the flange portion 32.

[0137] The notch 19 of label 1, which is the upper boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located in the flange portion 32. Therefore, the overlapping portion 15 consists of an overlapping portion 151 in the side wall portion 31 and an overlapping portion 152 in the flange portion 32.

[0138] In Figure 22, point s is the end 161 of one side portion 16 located at the upper end of the side wall portion 31. Point t is the tip of the end 171 of the other side portion 17 located at the flange portion 32. The notch portion 19 is a straight line connecting the starting point s and ending point t.

[0139] The starting point is not limited to point s. Let point v be the end 171 of the other side portion 17, which is located at the upper end of the side wall portion 31. Let point u be a point located below point s. Here, the perimeter vs and the straight-line distance su are equal. Note that the straight-line distance su is the value when the side wall portion 31, which has a curved surface and an inclined surface, is unfolded into a plane. The starting point can be any point between point s and point u. If the starting point is between point s and point u, one side portion 16 of the flange portion 32 can be peeled off with little force at the overlapping portion 152. This will be explained later.

[0140] The endpoint is not limited to point t. Let point w be the point where the extension of the end 161 of one side portion 16 intersects the edge of the label. Let x be another point on the edge of the label. Here, the straight-line distance ws and the perimeter xw are equal. The endpoint can be any point on the edge of the label between point t and point x. If the endpoint is between points t and x on the edge of the label, then one side portion 16 of the flange portion 32 can be peeled off with little force at the overlapping portion 152. This will be explained later.

[0141] The line of the notch 19 may be a curve, or a combination of a curve and a straight line, etc. Here, it is preferable that the curvature of the curve changes smoothly.

[0142] Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of GG' in Figure 22. In other words, Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of the end portion 161 of one side portion 16. In the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31, the end portion 161 of one side edge portion 16 is formed on the outside of the side wall portion 31. The end face of the end portion 161 of one side edge portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, the other side portion 17 is formed by adhering it to the inside of the end portion 161 of the other side portion 16. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0143] In the flange portion 32, the other side portion 17 is formed on the outside of the flange portion 32. The other side portion 17 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0144] Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view of HH' in Figure 22. That is, Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view along the cross-sectional line HH' that passes between the end 161 of one side portion 16 and the end 171 of the other side portion 17.

[0145] In the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31, one side portion 16 is formed on the outside of the side wall portion 31. The cross-section of the one side portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, one side portion 16 is bonded to the inside of the other side portion 17. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0146] In the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, one side portion 16 is formed on the outside of the flange portion 32. The one side portion 16 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the one side portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, a portion of the other side portion 17 is bonded to the inside of the other side portion 16. The remaining portion of the other side portion 17 is formed on the outside of the flange portion 32. The other side portion 17 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0147] In the container 3 described above, the cross-sectional shapes of the opening 34, flange portion 32, and side wall portion 31 are circular when viewed from above. However, these shapes are not limited to being circular. Other shapes such as ellipses, rounded triangles, rounded polygons such as quadrilaterals, and shapes that combine curves and straight lines can also be adopted.

[0148] The process of peeling label 1 from container 3 will be explained using Figures 25-28. Figures 25-28 illustrate the label removal process. Note that the container cools and shrinks after injection molding. Figures 25-28 show the shape after shrinkage.

[0149] First, as shown in Figure 25, the peeling piece 18 is peeled off from the other side portion 17 by hooking a fingernail or the like onto the end 161 of one side portion 16. Next, pinch the peeling piece 18 with your fingers and peel it off further. Here, the peeling piece 18 can be peeled off from the other side portion 17 with minimal force. This is thought to be because the inner layer 23 of the peeling piece 18 has weak adhesive force to the release layer 24.

[0150] Next, as shown in Figure 26, one side portion 16 is peeled away from the other side portion 17 in the overlapping portion 15. A small force is required to peel one side portion 16 away from the other side portion 17. This is because, in the overlapping portion 15, there is no release layer 24 on the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17. Therefore, it is thought that the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are adhered together.

[0151] Next, as shown in Figure 18, one side portion 16 is peeled off from the other side portion 17 along the line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point p in the peeling piece 18 to the upper end of the side wall portion 31, and along the line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point q in the peeling piece 18 to the lower end of the side wall portion 31. Here, the force required to separate one side portion 16 from the other side portion 17 gradually increases. This is thought to be because the vertical distance of the portion of one side portion 16 being separated gradually increases. The effects of having angles α and β within a favorable range are as described above.

[0152] Next, as shown in Figure 22, one side portion 16 is peeled away from the other side portion 17 along the notch portion 19. One side portion 16 can be peeled away from the other side portion 17 with little force. The reason why it can be peeled away with little force is thought to be as follows: In conventional containers, as shown in Figure 11, the end portion 161 of one side portion 16 is located in the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, so a large force is required to peel away the end portion 161 of one side portion 16.

[0153] In contrast, in the container of the present invention shown in Figure 23, the flange portion 32 does not have an end portion 161 of one side portion 16. Therefore, the end portion 161 of one side portion 16 can be peeled off with little force at the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31. Also, as shown in Figure 24, in the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, one side portion 16 gradually becomes larger. Therefore, in the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, one side portion 16 can be peeled off with little force.

[0154] Next, as shown in Figure 27, the inner layer 23 of label 1 breaks. The reason for this is thought to be as follows: The inner layer 23 of label 1 and the resin portion 35 of the side wall 31 are strongly bonded together. The force required to break the inner layer 23 is less than this bonding force. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of label 1 breaks.

[0155] The force required to break the inner layer 23 of label 1 is a slightly larger force. In the comparison label, a large force was required to break the inner layer. The "comparison label" has a three-layer structure. The material of the intermediate layer is aluminum-coated polyethylene terephthalate (VMPET), and the material of the inner layer is polypropylene (PP) with a heat bonding temperature of 135°C. The composition is the same for all "comparison labels" below.

[0156] In contrast, the label of the present invention has the effect of requiring only a slightly larger force to break it. This is thought to be because the inner layer 23 of the label 1 of the present invention uses a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature, resulting in a smaller breaking force compared to the comparative label.

[0157] Furthermore, by requiring a slightly greater force to break the inner layer 23 of label 1, the following effects can be obtained: Even if the peeling piece 18 and overlapping portion 15 of label 1 are peeled off due to vibration during container transport, further peeling can be prevented. Also, even if the peeling piece 18 and overlapping portion 15 of label 1 are peeled off for the purpose of vandalism or tampering, further peeling can be prevented.

[0158] Next, as shown in Figure 28, peel the intermediate layer 22 of label 1 from the inner layer 23. Only a small force is needed to peel the intermediate layer 22 from the inner layer 23. In the comparative label, a large force was required to peel the intermediate layer 22 from the inner layer 23. In contrast, the label of the present invention has the effect of requiring only a small force to peel it off. This is thought to be because the inner layer 23 of the label 1 of the present invention uses a heat-adhesive resin with a low heat bonding temperature, so the adhesive force between the intermediate layer 22 and the inner layer 23 is smaller than that of the comparative label.

[0159] As shown in Figures 25-28, the label 1 can be peeled off the container 3. The peeled-off label contains a different material (such as aluminum foil) than the resin part 35, so it is disposed of as industrial waste. This reduces the volume of industrial waste. On the other hand, the remaining resin part 35 and the inner layer 23 attached to it are made of the same material and can be used as recycled material.

[0160] In the above description, the width n of the peeling piece 18, the height l of the peeling piece 18, the width m of the overlapping portion 15, the angle α, and the angle β are the values ​​when the side wall portion 31, which has a curved surface and an inclined surface, is unfolded into a plane.

[0161] Next, a second embodiment (part 2) for carrying out the second invention relating to labels and containers will be described.

[0162] This section describes items that differ from the first embodiment for carrying out the second invention relating to labels and containers. The descriptions of other items are the same as those in the first embodiment for carrying out the second invention relating to labels and containers.

[0163] First, the label of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 29. The label of the present invention is a label made of three or more laminated layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, the heat-adhesive temperature of the heat-adhesive resin is in the range of 70 to 115°C, the label has a peeling tab on one side edge, and a release layer is formed on the outer surface of the outer layer near the other side edge of the label.

[0164] The label of the present invention is a label having the above-described configuration, wherein a notch is provided at the upper end of one side of the label.

[0165] Figure 29 shows the outer surface 11 of label 1. Label 1 has a peel-off tab 18 on one side edge 16. This peel-off tab 18 will be described later.

[0166] A release layer 24 is formed on the outer surface 11 of the outer layer of label 1, near the other side edge 17 of label 1. This release layer 24 will be described later.

[0167] Next, the container of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 30 and 31. The container of the present invention is a container formed by in-mold molding of a label having the above-described configuration, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label rests on the other side of the label.

[0168] The container of the present invention is a container in which the label having the above configuration is in-mold molded, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label is on top of the other side of the label, and the peeling piece is located on the release layer.

[0169] The container of the present invention has a flange portion at the upper end of the side wall, and a label of any of the above configurations is in-mold molded onto the side wall, with one side of the label overlapping the other side of the label, and a notch is present in the flange portion.

[0170] Figure 30 is a front view of the container. Figure 31 is an enlarged front view of the central portion of the container in Figure 30.

[0171] A peeling layer 24 is formed on the side wall portion 31. The peeling layer 24 will be described later.

[0172] A peeling piece 18 is formed on the peeling layer 24. The convex end 161 of the peel-off piece 18 has a horizontal Mount Fuji-like shape. The shape of the convex end 161 is not limited to this shape. In addition, the shape of the convex end 161 can be a polygon such as a triangle or quadrilateral, a curve such as a semicircle or semiellipse, or a line consisting of a combination of a curve and a straight line.

[0173] The line of the convex end portion 161 of the peel-off piece 18 has one convex portion. The shape of the line of the convex end portion 161 is not limited to having one convex portion. In addition, the shape of the line of the convex end portion 161 may have multiple convex portions.

[0174] The peeling layer 24 has a horizontal, Mount Fuji-shaped form on its right side, which is larger than the peeling piece 18. The edge of the peeling layer 24 and the edge of the peeling piece 18 are separated by a distance d.

[0175] The distance d is preferably within the range of 0 to 5 mm. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the distance d is within the range of 0 to 1 mm.

[0176] If the distance d is 0 mm or greater, there is the advantage that a starting point for peeling off the peeling piece 18 can be secured.

[0177] When the distance d is 5 mm or less, the design of the side wall 31 is improved, resulting in a better appearance. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the distance d is 1 mm or less.

[0178] It should be noted that the numerical range of distance d mentioned above merely indicates a preferred or even preferred range. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even in ranges other than these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0179] The shape of the peeling layer 24 is not limited to a horizontal Mount Fuji-like shape. In addition, the shape of the peeling layer 24 can be a polygon such as a triangle or a square, a curve such as a circle or an ellipse, or a combination of curves and straight lines. Here, it is preferable that the release layer 24 encompasses the entire peeling piece 18. Furthermore, it is preferable that the edge of the release layer 24 and the edge of the peeling piece 18 are separated by a distance d.

[0180] Next, a description will be given of a third embodiment for carrying out the label and container.

[0181] First, the label of the present invention will be explained using Figures 32-34. The label of the present invention is a label made of three or more laminated layers, wherein the outer layer and inner layer are made of a heat-adhesive resin, the heat-adhesive resin has a heat-adhesive temperature in the range of 70 to 115°C, the label has a peel-off tab on one side edge, and a release layer is formed on the peel-off tab on the inner surface of the inner layer.

[0182] The label of the present invention is a label having the above-described configuration, wherein a notch is provided at the upper end of one side of the label.

[0183] Figure 32 shows the outer surface 11 of label 1. Here, label 1 is a component that will be in-mold molded into a container (described later). The outer surface 11 of label 1 is the surface that will be on the outside of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0184] The upper edge 13 of label 1 is the edge that will be above the side wall of the container (described later) when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container. The lower edge 14 of label 1 is the edge that will be below the side wall of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0185] Label 1 has a peel-off tab 18 on one side edge 16. This peel-off tab 18 will be described later. Label 1 has a notch 19 at the upper end of one side edge 16. This notch 19 will be described later.

[0186] The release layer 24 is formed on the inner surface of label 1 (described later) and is not visible from the outer surface 11, so it is shown with a dotted line.

[0187] Figure 33 shows the inner surface 12 of label 1. Here, the inner surface 12 of label 1 is the surface that becomes the inside of the container when label 1 is in-mold molded into the container.

[0188] A release layer 24 is formed on the peel-off piece 18 of the inner surface 12 of the inner layer (described later) of label 1. This release layer 24 will be described later.

[0189] Figure 34 is a cross-sectional view of label 1 in Figure 32, II'. As shown in Figure 34, label 1 has a three-layer structure consisting of an outer layer 21, an intermediate layer 22, and an inner layer 23.

[0190] Here, the outer layer 21 is made of a heat-adhesive resin. The heat-adhesive resin is preferably polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0191] The thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is preferably in the range of 70 to 115°C. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is in the range of 75 to 109°C.

[0192] A heat bonding temperature of 70°C or higher has the advantage of allowing the heat-bonding resin to withstand the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, thus preventing the formation of air bubbles. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the heat bonding temperature is 75°C or higher.

[0193] A key advantage of a thermal bonding temperature of 115°C or lower is that the thermal bonding resin melts due to the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, resulting in stronger adhesion. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the thermal bonding temperature is 109°C or lower.

[0194] Here, the "thermal bonding temperature" (°C) is measured and defined by the following method: Two strip-shaped test pieces, 15 mm wide, are cut from a single-layer film of the thermal bonding resin. These two test pieces are stacked together to form a sample. Using a sealing device, the sample is compressed and heated in a sealing bar under conditions of 23°C and 50% RH. The heat seal temperature (°C) of this sealing bar is varied at various temperatures, and the heat seal strength of the bonded sample is measured. The heat seal temperature (°C) at which the heat seal strength of the bonded sample becomes 3 N / 15 mm width is defined as the "thermal bonding temperature" (°C). The definition of "thermal bonding temperature" (°C) described below is the same.

[0195] It should be noted that the numerical ranges for the thermal bonding temperatures mentioned above are merely preferred or even preferred ranges. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0196] The intermediate layer 22 is preferably made of a barrier layer that has barrier properties against oxygen, light, etc. Here, aluminum (Al) foil, aluminum-deposited polyethylene terephthalate (VMPET), etc. can be used as the barrier layer.

[0197] The inner layer 23 is made of a heat-adhesive resin. Here, the heat-adhesive resin is preferably polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0198] The thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is preferably in the range of 70 to 115°C. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the thermal bonding temperature of the heat-bonding resin is in the range of 75 to 109°C.

[0199] A heat bonding temperature of 70°C or higher has the advantage of allowing the heat-bonding resin to withstand the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, thus preventing the formation of air bubbles. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the heat bonding temperature is 75°C or higher.

[0200] A key advantage of a thermal bonding temperature of 115°C or lower is that the thermal bonding resin melts due to the temperature of the molten resin during injection molding, resulting in stronger adhesion. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the thermal bonding temperature is 109°C or lower.

[0201] It should be noted that the numerical ranges for the thermal bonding temperatures mentioned above are merely preferred or even preferred ranges. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0202] Label 1 is not limited to the three-layer structure described above. Label 1 may have a four-layer or more-layer structure. Furthermore, the outer layer 21 and inner layer 23 described above can be used as the outer layer and inner layer, respectively. In addition, the intermediate layer 22 described above can be used as the intermediate layer. Between the outer layer and the inner layer, there may be one or more other layers besides the intermediate layer.

[0203] The release layer 24 is formed on the peel-off piece 18 on the inner surface 12 of the inner layer 23 of the label 1. When the release layer 24 is formed on the inner surface 12 of the inner layer 23, it is possible to make the display on the peel-off piece 18 and the display in the adjacent area continuous on the side wall portion 31 of the container 3 in which the label 1 is in-mold molded, which has the advantage of being aesthetically pleasing.

[0204] The method for producing the release layer 24 is as follows: First, the release layer coating is applied to the inner surface 12 of the label 1. Then, this release layer coating is allowed to dry. As a result, the dried release layer coating becomes the release layer 24.

[0205] The release layer 24 adheres to the inner surface 12 of the label 1 during the drying process of the release layer coating. This release layer 24 has weak adhesion to the outer surface 11 of the outer layer 21 of the label 1, which is made of heat-activated adhesive resin. The process of this adhesion will be described later.

[0206] Next, the container of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 35 to 43. The container of the present invention is a container formed by in-mold molding of a label having the above-described configuration, and has an overlapping portion where one side of the label rests on the other side of the label.

[0207] The container of the present invention has a flange portion at the upper end of the side wall, and a label of any of the above configurations is in-mold molded onto the side wall, with one side of the label overlapping the other side of the label, and a notch is present in the flange portion.

[0208] Figure 35 is a perspective view of the container. Figure 36 is a front view of the container.

[0209] As shown in Figures 35 and 36, container 3 is a resin container in which the label 1 described above is in-mold molded. Specifically, container 3 is a resin container in which the label 1 described above is in-mold molded onto the side wall portion 31 of container 3. Container 3 has an opening 34 at the top of the drawing. When viewed from above, this opening 34 is circular. Container 3 also has an inverted truncated cone shape. Below container 3 is a bottom portion 33 (see Figure 21). The peripheral portion of this bottom portion 33 has a threaded foot at the bottom and a wall at the top. Here, the threaded foot and the wall together are defined as the side wall portion 31. At the upper end of the side wall portion 31 is a flange portion 32 of a perforated concentric disc formed horizontally.

[0210] An overlapping portion 15 is formed in the side wall portion 31. This overlapping portion 15 is the area where one side edge portion 16 of the label 1 overlaps the other side edge portion 17 when the label 1 is in-mold molded into the container 3. The overlapping portion 15 will be described later. The resin portion of container 3 is preferably made of polypropylene (PP) or the like.

[0211] Figure 37 is an enlarged front view of the container in Figure 36.

[0212] The area of ​​the peel-off piece 18 is defined as follows: There are two intersection points between the boundary line 241 on the left side of the peel-off layer 24 and the line of the end portion 161 of one of the side portions 16. These are the upper intersection point p and the lower intersection point q. The area enclosed by the line segment pq connecting intersection points p and q, and the line of the convex end portion 161, is defined as the area of ​​the peel-off piece 18. The longest horizontal distance between the line segment pq and the line of the convex end portion 161 is defined as the width n of the peel-off piece 18. The distance between intersection point p and intersection point q is defined as the height l of the peel-off piece 18.

[0213] The convex end 161 of the peel-off piece 18 has a horizontal Mount Fuji-like shape. The shape of the convex end 161 is not limited to this shape. In addition, the shape of the convex end 161 can be a polygon such as a triangle or quadrilateral, a curve such as a semicircle or semiellipse, or a line consisting of a combination of a curve and a straight line.

[0214] The line of the convex end portion 161 of the peel-off piece 18 has one convex portion. The shape of the line of the convex end portion 161 is not limited to having one convex portion. In addition, the shape of the line of the convex end portion 161 may have multiple convex portions.

[0215] The peeling piece 18 is located approximately in the center in the vertical direction of the side wall portion 31 of the container 3. The position of the peeling piece 18 is not limited to this position. In addition, the position of the peeling piece 18 may be any position on the side wall portion 31 of the container 3 in the vertical direction, such as above, in the center, or below the side wall portion 31.

[0216] The width n of the peel-off piece 18 is preferably such that it can be grasped with at least two fingers. The height l of the peeling piece 18 may be a part of the height of the side wall 31 of the container 3 in the vertical direction, or it may be the entire height of the side wall 31.

[0217] The line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point p in the peel-off piece 18 to the upper end of the side wall portion 31 will be described. Let angle α be the angle between the tangent line of the end portion 161 at intersection point p and the horizontal line.

[0218] The angle α is preferably within the range of 30 to 80°. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the angle α is within the range of 40 to 75°.

[0219] When the angle α is within the range of 30 to 80°, it is possible to prevent the cutting of one side portion 16 when peeling it away from the other side portion 17, and the peeling force is distributed, making it easier to peel off one side portion 16. Furthermore, this effect becomes even more pronounced when the angle α is within the range of 40 to 75°.

[0220] It should be noted that the numerical range of angle α mentioned above represents only a preferred or even preferred range. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects even outside of these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0221] The line at end 161 may be a curve, a straight line, or a combination of a curve and a straight line. Here, if the line at end 161 is a curve or a combination of a curve and a straight line, it is preferable that the curvature of the curve changes smoothly.

[0222] The line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point q in the peeling piece 18 to the lower end of the side wall portion 31 will be described. Let angle β be the angle between the tangent line of the end portion 161 at intersection point q and the horizontal line.

[0223] The angle β is preferably in the range of 30 to 80°. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the angle β is in the range of 40 to 75°.

[0224] When the angle β is within the range of 30 to 80°, it is possible to prevent the cutting of one side portion 16 when peeling it away from the other side portion 17, and the peeling force is distributed, making it easier to peel off one side portion 16. Furthermore, this effect becomes even more pronounced when the angle β is within the range of 40 to 75°.

[0225] It should be noted that the numerical range of angle β mentioned above represents only a preferred or even preferred range. Therefore, it is certainly possible to achieve the aforementioned effects in ranges other than these preferred or even preferred ranges.

[0226] The line at end 161 may be a curve, a straight line, or a combination of a curve and a straight line. Here, if the line at end 161 is a curve or a combination of a curve and a straight line, it is preferable that the curvature of the curve changes smoothly.

[0227] An overlapping portion 15 is formed in the side wall portion 31. The area of ​​the overlapping portion 15 is defined as follows: The area enclosed by the line of the end portion 161 from intersection point p to the upper end of the side wall portion 31, the line segment pq connecting intersection point p and intersection point q, the line of the end portion 161 from intersection point q to the lower end of the side wall portion 31, the notch portion 19 of the label 1 (described later), the lower edge 14 of the label 1, and the line of the end portion 171 of the other side edge portion 17 is defined as the area of ​​the overlapping portion 15.

[0228] The width of the overlapping portion 15 is defined as follows: If the end 161 of one side portion 16 does not constitute a peeling piece 18, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 is defined as the horizontal distance from the end 161 of one side portion 16 to the end 171 of the other side portion 17. If the end 161 of one side portion 16 constitutes a peeling piece 18, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 is defined as the horizontal distance from the line segment pq connecting intersection point p and intersection point q to the end 171 of the other side portion 17. Thus, the width m of the overlapping portion 15 changes depending on the vertical position of the side wall portion 31.

[0229] The convex line on the right side of the drawing in the peeling layer 24 has a horizontal, Mt. Fuji-like shape, matching the line of the convex end 161 on the peeling piece 18. The shape of the convex line on the right side of the drawing in the peeling layer 24 is not limited to this shape. In addition, the shape of the convex line on the right side of the drawing in the peeling layer 24 can be a polygon such as a triangle or quadrilateral, a curve such as a semicircle or semiellipse, or a line consisting of a combination of curves and straight lines, matching the line of the convex end 161 on the peeling piece 18.

[0230] The convex line on the right side of the drawing in the release layer 24 has one convex portion. However, the shape of this convex line is not limited to having one convex portion. In addition, the shape of the convex line on the right side of the drawing in the release layer 24 may have multiple convex portions, matching the shape of the convex end portion 161 of the peeling piece 18. In this case, it is preferable that the release layer 24 includes the entirety of the peeling piece 18.

[0231] Figure 38 is a cross-sectional view of the container at JJ' in Figure 36. Figure 39 is an enlarged view of portion d in Figure 38. As shown in Figure 38, the cross-sectional shape of the side wall portion 31 is circular.

[0232] As shown in Figure 39, the container 3 has an overlapping portion 15 where one side portion 16 of the label 1 is placed on the other side portion 17 of the label 1. One side 16 of label 1 is exposed to the outside of container 3. The other side 17 of label 1 is hidden beneath the one side 16 of label 1.

[0233] In the overlapping portion 15, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are bonded together. Both the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are made of a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are fused and bonded together by the heat of the molten resin during injection molding.

[0234] As described above, both the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are made of a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 fuse together due to the heat of the molten resin during injection molding, which has the advantage of increasing adhesive strength.

[0235] Furthermore, the increased adhesive strength in the overlapping portion 15 provides the following benefits. That is, in a conventional container, when there is a gap between the side edges of the label without providing an overlapping portion, cracks in the container occurred due to the orientation of resin molecules caused by the flow of molten resin in the gap during injection molding. In contrast, in the container 3 of the present invention, by forming the overlapping portion 15, cracks in the container 3 due to the orientation of resin molecules can be prevented.

[0236] Also, in a conventional container, when there is a gap between the side edges of the label without providing an overlapping portion, oxygen, light, etc. entered from the outside of the container into the inside in that gap, and the barrier property could not be ensured. In contrast, in the container 3 of the present invention, by forming the overlapping portion 15, the barrier property against oxygen, light, etc. can be ensured.

[0237] In FIG. 39, the distance from the end portion 171 of the other side edge portion 17 to the boundary line 241 on the left side of the drawing of the release layer 24 is the width m of the overlapping portion 15. In FIGS. 37 and 39, the changing width m of the overlapping portion 15 is preferably at least a length that can prevent cracks in the container and ensure the barrier property against oxygen, light, etc.

[0238] As shown in FIG. 39, the other side edge portion 17 of the label 1 has a peeling piece 18. The peeling piece 18 is exposed on the outside of the container 3. The other side edge portion 17 of the label 1 is hidden under the peeling piece 18.

[0239] The release layer 24 is adhered to the inner surface 12 of the inner layer 23 of the one side edge portion 16. In the peeling piece 18, the inner layer 23 of the one side edge portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side edge portion 17 are not adhered due to the presence of the release layer 24. Note that the corner under the tip of the inner layer 23 of the one side edge portion 16 is rounded and deformed by the heat of the molten resin during injection molding.

[0240] In FIG. 39, the distance from the end portion 161 of the one side edge portion 16 to the boundary line 241 on the left side of the drawing of the release layer 24 is the width n of the peeling piece 18.

[0241] The overlapping portion 15 in the container of the embodiment for carrying out the third invention is the same as the overlapping portion 15 in the container of the embodiment (1) for carrying out the second invention. Therefore, the overlapping portion 15 will be explained using Figures 22 to 24.

[0242] As shown in Figure 22, the overlapping portion 15 is the area enclosed by the end 161 of one side portion 16, the end 171 of the other side portion 17, and the notch 19 of the label 1.

[0243] As shown in Figure 22, the end portion 161 of one side portion 16, which is the right-hand boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located on the side wall portion 31. Furthermore, the end portion 171 of the other side portion 17, which is the left-hand boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located in the side wall portion 31. In addition, the end portion 171 of the other side portion 17 is also located in the flange portion 32.

[0244] The notch 19 of label 1, which is the upper boundary of the overlapping portion 15 in the drawing, is located in the flange portion 32. Therefore, the overlapping portion 15 consists of an overlapping portion 151 in the side wall portion 31 and an overlapping portion 152 in the flange portion 32.

[0245] In Figure 22, point s is the end 161 of one side portion 16 located at the upper end of the side wall portion 31. Point t is the tip of the end 171 of the other side portion 17 located at the flange portion 32. The notch portion 19 is a straight line connecting the starting point s and ending point t.

[0246] The starting point is not limited to point s. Let point v be the end 171 of the other side portion 17, which is located at the upper end of the side wall portion 31. Let point u be a point located below point s. Here, the perimeter vs and the straight-line distance su are equal. Note that the straight-line distance su is the value when the side wall portion 31, which has a curved surface and an inclined surface, is unfolded into a plane. The starting point can be any point between point s and point u. If the starting point is between point s and point u, one side portion 16 of the flange portion 32 can be peeled off with little force at the overlapping portion 152. This will be explained later.

[0247] The endpoint is not limited to point t. Let point w be the point where the extension of the end 161 of one side portion 16 intersects the edge of the label. Let x be another point on the edge of the label. Here, the straight-line distance ws and the perimeter xw are equal. The endpoint can be any point on the edge of the label between point t and point x. If the endpoint is between points t and x on the edge of the label, then one side portion 16 of the flange portion 32 can be peeled off with little force at the overlapping portion 152. This will be explained later.

[0248] The line of the notch 19 may be a curve, or a combination of a curve and a straight line, etc. Here, it is preferable that the curvature of the curve changes smoothly.

[0249] Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of GG' in Figure 22. In other words, Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of the end portion 161 of one side portion 16. In the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31, the end portion 161 of one side edge portion 16 is formed on the outside of the side wall portion 31. The end face of the end portion 161 of one side edge portion 16 is visible. Furthermore, the other side portion 17 is formed by adhering it to the inside of the end portion 161 of the other side portion 16. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0250] In the flange portion 32, the other side portion 17 is formed on the outside of the flange portion 32. The other side portion 17 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0251] Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view of HH' in Figure 22. That is, Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view along the cross-sectional line HH' that passes between the end 161 of one side portion 16 and the end 171 of the other side portion 17.

[0252] In the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31, one side portion 16 is formed on the outside of the side wall portion 31. The cross-section of the one side portion 16 is visible. On the inner side of one side portion 16, the other side portion 17 is adhesively bonded to form. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0253] In the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, one side portion 16 is formed outside the flange portion 32. One side portion 16 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of one side portion 16 is visible. Also, a part of the other side portion 17 is adhesively bonded to form on the inner side of one side portion 16. And the remaining part of the other side portion 17 is formed outside the flange portion 32. The other side portion 17 is bent from the side wall portion 31 toward the flange portion 32. The cross-section of the other side portion 17 is visible.

[0254] In the above-mentioned container 3, the cross-sectional shapes of the opening portion 34, the flange portion 32, and the side wall portion 31 are circular when viewed from above the container 3. However, these shapes are not limited to being circular. These shapes can also adopt other shapes such as curved shapes like ellipses, rounded triangles, rounded polygons like quadrilaterals, shapes combining curves and straight lines, etc.

[0255] The operation of peeling the label 1 from the container 3 will be described using FIGS. 40 to 43. FIGS. 40 to 43 are diagrams for explaining the label peeling operation. The container is cooled and shrinks after injection molding. FIGS. 40 to 43 show the shape after shrinkage.

[0256] First, as shown in FIG. 40, by applying a claw or the like to the end portion 161 of one side portion 16, the peeling piece 18 is started to be peeled from the other side portion 17. Next, the peeling piece 18 is pinched with a finger and the peeling piece 18 is further peeled off. Here, the peeling piece 18 can be peeled from the other side portion 17 with a minute force. The reason is considered to be that the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 has a weak adhesive force with respect to the release layer 24.

[0257] Next, as shown in Figure 41, one side portion 16 is peeled away from the other side portion 17 in the overlapping portion 15. Only a small force is required to peel one side portion 16 away from the other side portion 17. This is because, in the overlapping portion 15, there is no release layer 24 on the inner surface 12 of the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16. Therefore, it is thought that the inner layer 23 of one side portion 16 and the outer layer 21 of the other side portion 17 are adhered together.

[0258] Next, as shown in Figure 37, one side portion 16 is peeled off from the other side portion 17 along the line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point p in the peeling piece 18 to the upper end of the side wall portion 31, and along the line of the end portion 161 from the intersection point q in the peeling piece 18 to the lower end of the side wall portion 31. Here, the force required to separate one side portion 16 from the other side portion 17 gradually increases. This is thought to be because the vertical distance of the portion of one side portion 16 being separated gradually increases. The effects of having angles α and β within a favorable range are as described above.

[0259] Next, as shown in Figure 22, one side portion 16 is peeled away from the other side portion 17 along the notch portion 19. One side portion 16 can be peeled away from the other side portion 17 with little force. The reason why it can be peeled away with little force is thought to be as follows: In conventional containers, as shown in Figure 11, the end portion 161 of one side portion 16 is located in the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, so a large force is required to peel away the end portion 161 of one side portion 16.

[0260] In contrast, in the container of the present invention shown in Figure 23, the flange portion 32 does not have an end portion 161 of one side portion 16. Therefore, the end portion 161 of one side portion 16 can be peeled off with little force at the overlapping portion 151 of the side wall portion 31. Also, as shown in Figure 24, in the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, one side portion 16 gradually becomes larger. Therefore, in the overlapping portion 152 of the flange portion 32, one side portion 16 can be peeled off with little force.

[0261] Next, as shown in Figure 42, the inner layer 23 of label 1 breaks. The reason for this is thought to be as follows: The inner layer 23 of label 1 and the resin portion 35 of the side wall 31 are strongly bonded together. The force required to break the inner layer 23 is less than this bonding force. Therefore, the inner layer 23 of label 1 breaks.

[0262] The force required to break the inner layer 23 of label 1 is a slightly larger force. In the comparison label, a large force was required to break the inner layer. The "comparison label" has a three-layer structure. The material of the intermediate layer is aluminum-coated polyethylene terephthalate (VMPET), and the material of the inner layer is polypropylene (PP) with a heat bonding temperature of 135°C. The composition is the same for all "comparison labels" below.

[0263] In contrast, the label of the present invention has the effect of requiring only a slightly larger force to break it. This is thought to be because the inner layer 23 of the label 1 of the present invention uses a heat-bonding resin with a low heat bonding temperature, resulting in a smaller breaking force compared to the comparative label.

[0264] Furthermore, by requiring a slightly greater force to break the inner layer 23 of label 1, the following effects can be obtained: Even if the peeling piece 18 and overlapping portion 15 of label 1 are peeled off due to vibration during container transport, further peeling can be prevented. Also, even if the peeling piece 18 and overlapping portion 15 of label 1 are peeled off for the purpose of vandalism or tampering, further peeling can be prevented.

[0265] Next, as shown in Figure 43, peel the intermediate layer 22 of label 1 from the inner layer 23. Only a small force is needed to peel the intermediate layer 22 from the inner layer 23. In the comparative label, a large force was required to peel the intermediate layer 22 from the inner layer 23. In contrast, the label of the present invention has the effect of requiring only a small force to peel it off. This is thought to be because the inner layer 23 of the label 1 of the present invention uses a heat-adhesive resin with a low heat bonding temperature, so the adhesive force between the intermediate layer 22 and the inner layer 23 is smaller than that of the comparative label.

[0266] As described above in Figures 40-43, the label 1 can be peeled off the container 3. The peeled-off label contains a different material (such as aluminum foil) than the resin part 35, so it is disposed of as industrial waste. In this case, the volume of industrial waste can be reduced. On the other hand, the remaining resin part 35 and the inner layer 23 attached to it are made of the same material, so they can be used as recycled materials.

[0267] In the above description, the width n of the peeling piece 18, the height l of the peeling piece 18, the width m of the overlapping portion 15, the angle α, and the angle β are the values ​​when the side wall portion 31, which has a curved surface and an inclined surface, is unfolded into a plane.

[0268] Next, a description will be given of an embodiment for carrying out the invention relating to the method of manufacturing a container.

[0269] The manufacturing method for the container 3 of the present invention will now be described. The container 3 of the present invention can be manufactured by an injection molding method in which the label 1 is in-mold molded. The injection molding process includes a label transport process, a label loading process, a mold closing process, a molten resin filling process, a mold opening process, and a mold release process.

[0270] In the label transport process, label 1 is introduced between the movable mold and the fixed mold, which are separated from each other. In the label loading process, label 1 is loaded into the fixed mold. For loading label 1, commonly used methods such as air suction or static electricity can be employed.

[0271] In the mold closing process, the movable mold is moved toward the fixed mold. Once the mold closing process is complete, a space corresponding to the container 3 is formed between the movable mold and the fixed mold. In the molten resin filling process, the molten resin injected from the gate flows into the space corresponding to the container 3. As the molten resin flows through this space, it presses the label 1 against the fixed mold. As a result, the label 1 adheres tightly to the inner surface of the fixed mold.

[0272] In the mold opening process, after the molten resin in the space has cooled, the movable mold is moved away from the fixed mold. The injection-molded product, container 3, moves while remaining in close contact with the movable mold. In the demolding process, a stripper is used to release the injection-molded product from the movable mold. This release process allows the container 3, which is the injection-molded product, to be obtained.

[0273] The method for manufacturing the container 3 of the present invention is not limited to the injection molding method described above. Other commonly used manufacturing methods can also be employed for manufacturing the container 3 of the present invention.

[0274] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can take various other configurations without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0275] 1...Label, 11...Outer surface, 12...Inner surface, 13...Top edge, 14...Bottom edge, 15...Overlapping portion, 151...Overlapping portion of side wall, 152...Overlapping portion of flange, 16...One side edge, 161...End, 17...Other side edge, 171...End, 18...Peel-off piece, 19...Notch, 21...Outer layer, 22...Intermediate layer, 23...Inner layer, 24...Release layer, 241...Boundary of release layer, 3...Container, 31...Side wall, 32...Flange, 33...Bottom, 34...Opening, 35...Resin portion

Claims

1. A label made of three or more layers, The outer layer is made of heat-bonding resin. The thermal bonding temperature of the aforementioned heat-bonding resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C. A label characterized by the following features.

2. A label made of three or more layers, The outer and inner layers are made of heat-bonding resin. The thermal bonding temperature of the aforementioned heat-bonding resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C. A label characterized by the following features.

3. A label made of three or more layers, The outer and inner layers are made of heat-bonding resin. The thermal bonding temperature of the aforementioned heat-bonding resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C. The label is used in a container manufactured by an injection molding method that in-molds the label. The container has an overlapping portion where one side of the label rests on the other side of the label. In the overlapping portion, the inner layer of one side and the outer layer of the other side are fused and bonded together by the heat of the molten resin during injection molding, forming a fused bond portion. A label characterized by the following features.

4. A label made of three or more layers, The outer and inner layers are made of heat-bonding resin. The thermal bonding temperature of the aforementioned heat-bonding resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C. The label is used in a container that is in-mold molded with the label. The container has an overlapping portion where one side of the label rests on the other side of the label. In the overlapping portion, the inner layer of one side and the outer layer of the other side are fused and bonded together to form a fused bond portion. A label characterized by the following features.

5. The container is manufactured by injection molding, which involves in-mold molding of the label. The label has an overlapping portion where one side is placed on top of the other side of the label, The label is constructed by laminating three or more layers, with the outer and inner layers being made of heat-adhesive resin. The thermal bonding temperature of the aforementioned heat-bonding resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C. In the overlapping portion, the inner layer of one side and the outer layer of the other side are fused and bonded together by the heat of the molten resin during injection molding, forming a fused bond portion. A container characterized by the following features.

6. The label is an in-mold molded container. The label has an overlapping portion where one side is placed on top of the other side of the label, The label is constructed by laminating three or more layers, with the outer and inner layers being made of heat-adhesive resin. The thermal bonding temperature of the aforementioned heat-bonding resin is within the range of 70 to 115°C. In the overlapping portion, the inner layer of one side and the outer layer of the other side are fused and bonded together to form a fused bond portion. A container characterized by the following features.

Images