Linerless Label Media Adhesive Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combined receipt and label rolls face issues with insufficient adhesion, durability, and the tendency to tear or absorb moisture, particularly in fast food service environments, and they often cover up advertising graphics on surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The development of linerless label media featuring a transparent substrate with a thermally-sensitive clear coating, adhesive comprising high-aspect reinforcement particles like needles, fibers, or sheets, and a release coating to prevent adhesion to the front side during winding, along with a tapered adhesive surface for improved adhesion and visibility preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If adhesive is applied to the back side of the substrate to enable label attachment, then adhesion capability is provided, but the adhesive may not provide sufficient adhesion strength and is subject to falling off before reaching the customer
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer is formulated as a composite material containing emulsion polymer particles (providing adhesion) and high-aspect reinforcement particles (providing structural strength). This composite structure enables the adhesive to simultaneously achieve strong bonding to surfaces and sufficient internal strength to prevent detachment during handling and delivery.
2Ease of operation
If the label media covers the intended surface of attachment to provide label functionality, then labeling capability is achieved, but advertising graphics on the surface are covered up
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is applied in a localized pattern (spots or strips) rather than covering the entire back side of the substrate. This localized application provides sufficient bonding strength while leaving large portions of the substrate transparent, allowing advertising graphics on the underlying surface to remain visible through the label media.
3Productivity
If the label media is used in a fast food service environment, then labeling function is provided, but the label lacks durability and tends to tear or absorb moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer incorporates high-aspect reinforcement particles dispersed within the emulsion polymer matrix. These reinforcement particles create a three-dimensional network structure that significantly enhances the adhesive's resistance to tearing and moisture absorption, enabling the label to withstand the demanding conditions of fast food service environments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced adhesion strength, durability, and moisture resistance while allowing graphics to remain visible on attached surfaces, ensuring the label remains intact and does not obscure branding or artwork.
Implementation Method 1
the printer thermally images a portion of the thermal-sensitive coating layer 26 to provide receipt information on the thermally-imaged portion
Implementation Method 2
A release coating 28 is disposed on the thermal sensitive coating 26, and is also disposed on the front side 18 of the substrate layer 16. The release coating 28 prevents adhesive 22 on the back side 20 of the substrate 16 from sticking to the front side 18 when the web 12 is wound on the core 14.
Implementation Method 3
the adhesive comprises emulsion polymer particles and high-aspect reinforcement particles dispersed within the emulsion polymer particles to provide a relatively high level of reinforcement per reinforcement particle
Data Source
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AI summary
Linerless label media (110) comprises a substrate (116), a thermally-sensitive coating (126), and an adhesive (122). The substrate (116) has a front side (118) and a back side (120) opposite the front side (118). The thermally-sensitive coating (126) is disposed on the front side (118) of the substrate (116). The adhesive (122) is disposed on a portion of the back side (120) of the substrate (116). The adhesive (122) may comprise emulsion polymer particles and high-aspect reinforcement particles (166) dispersed within the emulsion polymer particles to provide a relatively high level of reinforcement per reinforcement particle. The adhesive (122) may include a tapered surface (160) interconnecting first and second adhesive edge surfaces (162, 164) which extend substantially parallel to a longitudinally-extending axis (124). The substrate (116) may comprise a transparent material. The thermally-sensitive coating (126) may comprise a clear material.