Adhesive label and method for the traceable labelling of a reusable food container

Abstract

The invention relates to an adhesive label (100) for the traceable labelling of a reusable food container (15). The adhesive label (100) is constructed in layers and has a first adhesive layer (11), a shrink film (12), a second adhesive layer (13) and a thermal printing paper (14), wherein the thermal printing paper (14) is designed to dissolve at least partially when a washing solution (17) at a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, is applied for an application time of 120 s to 180 s, in particular 150 s, and the shrink film (12) is designed to shrink under the effect of a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, so that the adhesive label (100) can be detached from the food container (15) without leaving residues. The invention also relates to a method (200) for the traceable labelling and washing off of a reusable food container (15), comprising the following steps: providing (50) the food container (15), filling (51) the food container (15) with products, providing (52) an adhesive label (100), the adhesive label (100) being detachably laminated onto a release liner (10), printing (53) the adhesive label (100) with product-related information, removing (54) the release liner (10) from the adhesive label (100), applying (55) the adhesive label (100) to the food container (15), successively removing (56) the products from the food container (15), cleaning (57) the food container (15) and applying (58) a washing solution (17) to the applied adhesive label (100) at a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, for an application time of 120 s to 180 s, in particular 150 s, until it is detached from the food container (15) without leaving residues.

Description

[0001] Adhesive label and method for traceable labeling of a reusable food container

[0002] The invention relates to an adhesive label for traceable labeling of a reusable food container, in particular a reusable food container made of plastic, especially polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for traceable labeling and washing of a reusable food container, in particular a reusable food container made of plastic, especially polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate.

[0004] Restaurants offer a variety of dishes daily, freshly prepared and served with different ingredients. The ingredients required for cooking are prepared beforehand – that is, cleaned, washed, chopped, and seasoned if necessary – and stored in separate containers. During cooking, the ingredients are taken from these containers in portions. Examples of ingredients prepared in this way include tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, lettuce, meat, and fish.

[0005] Food containers filled with prepared food are typically stored in cold storage until they are placed in the kitchen for consumption. Once all the food has been removed from a container, it is cleaned so that it can be filled with more prepared food and, if necessary, stored in a cold storage room.

[0006] The storage of prepared food is subject to strict guidelines for hygiene reasons, ensuring that processed food is consumed promptly. Therefore, food containers are labeled with adhesive labels that provide information about the contents, the time of preparation, and the latest possible processing date.

[0007] The labeled food containers and the adhesive labels used are constantly exposed to changing conditions when applied, so they must meet the following minimum requirements: a) The adhesive labels must be legible and easy to write on. b) The adhesive labels must remain adhered in cold storage rooms at temperatures down to -21°C, and the writing must remain legible. c) The adhesive labels must remain adhered at high temperatures, which are typically found in close proximity to kitchens, and the writing must remain legible. d) To clean the reusable food containers, they are exposed to a washing solution, especially water, at a temperature of approximately 65°C for about 2.5 minutes. Significant increases in the temperature of the washing solution and / or a significant extension of the exposure time should be avoided.During this time, the adhesive labels must therefore detach without leaving any residue, so that the food containers can be clearly labelled again after being filled with other food items.

[0008] The adhesive labels currently known to the art only partially meet these minimum requirements. For example, some adhesive labels adhere to food containers under varying temperature conditions, but these do not come off easily during washing, meaning that adhesive residue usually has to be laboriously removed by hand. Other adhesive labels are optimized for residue-free washing, but tend to detach at higher temperatures, thus compromising traceable labeling.

[0009] Therefore, a first object of the invention is to create an adhesive label for the traceable labeling of a reusable food container, in particular a reusable food container made of plastic, especially polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate, which meets the minimum requirements described above.

[0010] This problem is solved by the adhesive label according to claim 1. According to the invention, the adhesive label is structured in layers and comprises a first adhesive layer, a shrink film, a second adhesive layer, and thermal printing paper, wherein the thermal printing paper is configured to dissolve at least partially when exposed to a washing solution at a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, for an exposure time of 120 s to 180 s, in particular 150 s, and the shrink film is configured to shrink when exposed to a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, so that the adhesive label can be removed from the food container without leaving any residue.

[0011] As the thermal printing paper partially dissolves, the surface of the applied adhesive label loses stability, so that the slight contracting forces of the shrinking film are sufficient for the label to detach, at least partially, from the food container. Tunnel-like channels form on the areas of the label that protrude from the container. The washing solution flows through these channels, dissolving the first adhesive layer and allowing the label to detach completely and without residue.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified below and in the dependent claims.

[0013] Preferably, the adhesive label is laminated onto a release liner in its unapplied state. The release liner is made of glassine or is designed as a PET carrier.

[0014] The thermal printing paper of the adhesive label is preferably printable in the unapplied state using a thermal printer and has a basis weight of 65 g / m². 2 up to 85 g / m² 2 , especially 70 g / m² 2 up to 80 g / m² 2 The first adhesive layer preferably consists of a UV-curable acrylic hot-melt adhesive. The shrink film is preferably coated with the first adhesive layer across its entire surface. When the adhesive label is applied, the side of the label fully coated with the first adhesive layer rests against the food container.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, the side of the first adhesive layer facing away from the shrink film can be partially neutralized, preferably with 30% to 60%, and more particularly 50%, of the surface area of ​​the first adhesive layer being neutralized. This facilitates the formation of tunnel-like channels between the food container and the first adhesive layer, allowing the washing solution to penetrate between the food container and the first adhesive layer with particular ease. This promotes the dissolution of the first adhesive layer and the residue-free removal of the adhesive label. The neutralized sections of the first adhesive layer preferably have a varnish coating.

[0016] According to an advantageous further development, the shrink film is made of polyethylene terephthalate and has a thickness of 30 pm to 50 pm, in particular 35 pm to 45 pm.

[0017] The second adhesive layer preferably consists of a permanent adhesive, in particular an acrylate or hot melt adhesive.

[0018] A second object of the invention is to propose a method for traceable labeling and washing of a reusable food container, in particular a reusable food container made of plastic, especially polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate, which meets the aforementioned conditions.

[0019] This problem is solved by the method according to claim 12. According to the invention, the following steps are carried out:

[0020] • Providing the food container;

[0021] • Loading the food container with products, in particular foodstuffs; • Providing an adhesive label, wherein the adhesive label is detached and laminated onto a release liner;

[0022] • Printing the adhesive label with product-related information;

[0023] • Peel the release liner off the adhesive label;

[0024] • Applying the adhesive label to the food container;

[0025] • Gradually remove the products from the food container;

[0026] • Cleaning the food container and applying a washing solution to the applied adhesive label at a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, for an exposure time of 120 s to 180 s, in particular 150 s, until it detaches from the food container without leaving any residue, wherein the washing solution is preferably water that is free of sodium hydroxide.

[0027] The printing of product-related information onto the adhesive label is preferably done using a thermal printer. Removing the release liner from the label and applying the label to the food container is preferably done manually.

[0028] A specific embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the figures. These show:

[0029] Fig. 1a shows a cross-sectional view of an unapplied adhesive label;

[0030] Fig. lb shows a cross-sectional view of an applied adhesive label;

[0031] Fig. lc shows a cross-sectional view of the applied adhesive label along the

[0032] Cross-sectional plane AA;

[0033] Fig. Id shows a cross-sectional view of a not yet completely detached

[0034] Adhesive labels during cleaning of the food container;

[0035] Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of a process.

[0036] Fig. 1a shows a non-applied adhesive label 100 designed for traceable labeling of a reusable food container made of plastic, in particular a food container made of polypropylene.

[0037] The adhesive label 100 has a layered structure and is laminated onto a release liner 10 in a peelable manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the release liner 10 is made of glassine. The adhesive label 100 comprises a first adhesive layer 11, a shrink film 12, a second adhesive layer 13, and a thermal printing paper 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the first adhesive layer 11 consists of a UV-curable acrylic hot melt adhesive. The thermal printing paper 14 is designed to dissolve at least partially when exposed to a washing solution at a temperature of 65°C for a duration of 150 seconds. The thermal printing paper 14 of the adhesive label 100 is printable in its unapplied state using a thermal printer (not shown) and has a basis weight of 70 g / m². 2 up to 80 g / m² 2The second adhesive layer 13 consists of a permanent adhesive, which in the illustrated embodiment is an acrylate or hot-melt adhesive. The shrink film 12 is designed to shrink under the influence of a temperature of 65°C. The shrink film 12 consists of polyethylene terephthalate and has a thickness of 35 pm to 45 pm.

[0038] Fig. 1b shows the adhesive label 100 in an applied state on a reusable food container 15 made of plastic, the food container 15 being made of polypropylene. The shrink film 12 is preferably coated over its entire surface with the first adhesive layer 11. The side of the first adhesive layer 11 facing away from the shrink film 12 is partially neutralized by having a lacquer layer 16 applied to the neutralized areas (Fig. 1c).

[0039] To clean the used food container 15, it is exposed to a washing solution 17 at a temperature of 65°C for 150 seconds (Fig. Id). During this process, the thermal printing paper 14 partially dissolves (arrow 18), and the surface of the applied adhesive label 100 loses stability. This allows the comparatively weak contracting forces of the shrinking film 12 to be sufficient for the adhesive label 100 to detach, at least partially, from the food container 15. Tunnel-like channels 19 form in the areas of the adhesive label 100 that protrude from the food container 15. The washing solution 17 flows through these channels, dissolving the first adhesive coating 11 and allowing the adhesive label 100 to detach completely and without residue.The partial neutralization of the first adhesive layer 11 promotes the formation of the tunnel-like passages 19 between the food container 15 and the first adhesive layer 11, so that the washing solution 17 can penetrate between the food container 15 and the first adhesive layer 11 in a particularly easy way, which improves the dissolution of the first adhesive layer 11 and the residue-free removal of the adhesive label 100.

[0040] Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of a process 200 for traceable labeling and washing of the reusable food container 15, with the steps:

[0041] • Provide 50 of the food container 15;

[0042] • Loading 51 the food container 15 with products, especially food;

[0043] • Providing 52 of the adhesive label 100, wherein the adhesive label 100 is detached and laminated onto a release liner 100;

[0044] • Print 53 of the adhesive label with product-related information;

[0045] • Peel off 54 of the release liner 10 from the adhesive label 100;

[0046] • Apply 55 of the adhesive label 100 to the food container 15;

[0047] • Successive removal of 56 of the products from the food container 15;

[0048] • Cleaning 57 of the food container 15 and applying 58 of the applied adhesive label 100 with the washing solution 17 at a temperature of 65°C for an exposure time of 150 s until it is completely removed from the food container 15, wherein the washing solution 17 is water that is free of sodium hydroxide.

[0049] Printing the product-related information 53 onto the adhesive label 100 is preferably done with a thermal printer (not shown). Removing the release liner 10 54 from the adhesive label 100 and applying the adhesive label 100 55 to the food container 15 is preferably done manually. Reference numerals

[0050] 100 adhesive labels

[0051] 200 procedures

[0052] 10 Release Liners

[0053] 11 first adhesive layer

[0054] 12 shrink film

[0055] 13 second adhesive layer

[0056] 14 thermal printing papers

[0057] 15 food containers

[0058] 16 coats of lacquer

[0059] 17 Washing solution

[0060] 18 Arrow

[0061] 19 gear

[0062] 50 Provide

[0063] 51 Assemble

[0064] 52 Provide

[0065] 53 Print

[0066] Subtract 54

[0067] 55 Apply

[0068] 56 Take out

[0069] 57 Cleaning

[0070] 58 impacts

Claims

Claims 1. Adhesive label (100) for traceable labeling of a reusable container food container (15), in particular a reusable food container (15) made of plastic, in particular of polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate, characterized in that the adhesive label (100) is constructed in layers and comprises a first adhesive layer (11), a shrink film (12), a second adhesive layer (13) and a comprising thermal printing paper (14), wherein the thermal printing paper (14) is configured to dissolve at least partially when exposed to a washing solution (17) at a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, for an exposure time of 120 s to 180 s, in particular 150 s, and the shrink film (12) is configured to shrink when exposed to a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, so that the adhesive label (100) can be removed from the food container (15) without leaving any residue.

2. Adhesive label (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive label (100) is laminated onto a release liner (10) in the unapplied state.

3. Adhesive label (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the release liner (10) is made of glassine or is designed as a PET carrier.

4. Adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the thermal printing paper (14) of the adhesive label (100) is printable by means of a thermal printer in the non-applied state.

5. Adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the thermal printing paper (14) has a basis weight of 65 g / m² 2 up to 85 g / m² 2 , especially 70 g / m² 2 up to 80 g / m² 2 , exhibits.

6. Adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first adhesive layer (11) consists of a UV-curable acrylic hot melt adhesive.

7. Adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the shrink film (12) is coated over its entire surface with the first adhesive layer (11).

8. Adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the side of the first adhesive layer (11) facing away from the shrink film (12) is neutralized section by section, wherein preferably 30% to 60%, in particular 50%, of the area of ​​the first adhesive layer (11) is neutralized.

9. Adhesive label (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the neutralized surface sections of the first adhesive layer (11) have a lacquer layer (16).

10. Adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the shrink film (12) consists of polyethylene terephthalate and has a thickness of 30 pm to 50 pm, in particular 35 pm to 45 pm.

11. Adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the second adhesive layer (13) consists of a permanent adhesive, in particular an acrylate or hot melt adhesive.

12. Method (200) for traceable labeling and washing of a reusable food container (15), in particular a reusable food container (15) made of plastic, in particular of polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate, comprising the steps: • Providing (50) the food container (15); • Loading (51) the food container (15) with products, especially food; • Providing (52) an adhesive label (100) according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the adhesive label (100) is releasably laminated onto a release liner (10); • Printing (53) the adhesive label (100) with product-related information; • Peel (54) the release liner (10) from the adhesive label (100); • Apply (55) the adhesive label (100) to the food container (15); • Successive removal (56) of the products from the food container (15); • Cleaning (57) the food container (15) and applying (58) a washing solution (17) at a temperature of 63°C to 67°C, in particular 65°C, for an exposure time of 120 s to 180 s, in particular 150 s, until it detaches from the food container (15) without leaving any residue.

13. Method (200) according to claim 12, characterized in that the washing solution (17) is water that is free of sodium hydroxide.

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