Linerless Record Material Heat-Activated Adhesive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermally responsive record materials for linerless labels often require isolation or blocking layers, which can interfere with image formation, cause background discoloration, or lead to printhead debris and image defects, and lack sufficient adhesive strength for point-of-sale applications.
Innovation Solution
A record material with a heat-activated adhesive layer composed of film-forming acrylic polymer latex emulsion, including a plasticizer and tackifier, and an ink receptive coating with a colorless dye precursor and acidic developer, applied without a blocking layer, providing high peel strength and image integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If isolation or blocking layers are used in conventional thermally responsive record materials, then adhesive strength is improved, but image formation is interfered with, background discoloration occurs, and printhead debris and image defects are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the isolation or blocking layer from the label structure entirely. The label consists of a substrate with adhesive applied directly to its back surface, eliminating the layer that causes background discoloration and image defects while maintaining adequate adhesive strength for point-of-sale applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite adhesive system comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a heat-activated adhesive layer. This composite structure provides enhanced adhesive strength and reliability without requiring an isolation layer, thereby avoiding the harmful effects associated with blocking layers while maintaining both adhesive performance and image quality.
2Reliability
If liner material is used with tacky or pressure sensitive adhesives, then adhesive protection is improved, but resource conservation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the liner material from the label system. The label is supplied as a linerless product with the adhesive already applied to the substrate back surface, ready for direct application. This removes the need for liner material entirely, achieving resource conservation while maintaining adhesive protection through proper adhesive formulation and application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable linerless label design where the label itself serves as the complete product without a reusable or recyclable liner. The adhesive is formulated to provide adequate protection and performance in this linerless configuration, eliminating waste associated with liner material while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If thermally responsive material is used for bar coding, then imaging convenience is improved, but bar width growth and image integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes thermally responsive materials that change color or form images when exposed to controlled thermal energy from printheads. By optimizing the thermal parameters (temperature, exposure time, energy density), the system achieves both imaging convenience and precise bar code formation with controlled bar width and intact image quality, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
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 enables high contrast, intense, and scuff-resistant images for bar coding and point-of-sale imaging without background discoloration or layer lift-off, maintaining image integrity and adhesive strength post-activation.
Implementation Method 1
the adhesive is a film forming acrylic polymer latex emulsion... the heat activated adhesive having substantially no tack at 23°C... wherein the adhesive layer has a peel strength of at least 300 grams/inch upon application of 7 mJ/mm²
Implementation Method 2
upon application of 7 mJ/mm²... the heat activated adhesive having substantially no tack at 23°C
Implementation Method 3
a heat sensitive coating comprising a substantially colorless dye precursor and an acidic developer material in substantially contiguous relationship
Data Source
AI summary
The invention describes a composition and method of providing an improved recording material, such as an ink receptive recording material or thermally responsive record material useful for linerless labels. The record material comprises a support having provided thereon on one surface an adhesive material, and on at least one other surface, an ink receptive coating or a heat sensitive imaging coating. The method comprises applying to a first surface a first layer of a coating of an ink receptive material or of a heat sensitive color- forming composition comprising a binder material and a substantially colorless dye precursor and an acidic developer material in substantially contiguous relationship. The adhesive is heat activated. The record material exhibits substantially no tack at 23°C, 40% relative humidity when pressure is applied, however develops high peel strength (300 grams/inch) upon application of 7 mJ/mm2 to 13 mJ/mm2 of heat energy.