Thermoreactive Pricing Label with Deactivation Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pricing label systems are prone to errors and inefficiencies, particularly in the transition from shipping labels to retail price tags, requiring manual creation and potential mislabeling in supermarkets.
Innovation Solution
A pricing label with a thermoreactive layer and a deactivation layer between perforations, allowing for easy separation into non-adhesive price tags, which can be reused as retail price tags, eliminating the need for manual creation and reducing errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If self-adhesive pricing labels are used in supermarkets, then labeling can be applied directly to packaging, but manual creation of price tags is still required and errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The pricing label is divided into two functional segments: an adhesive shipping label portion and a non-adhesive price tag portion separated by perforations. This segmentation allows the label to serve dual purposes - adhering to packaging for shipping identification while providing a separate, error-proof price tag for retail display that cannot be accidentally misapplied.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive material is applied with spatial variation: present on the shipping label portion for adhesion, but deactivated on the price tag portion to prevent adhesion. This local quality differentiation enables the same label structure to provide both adhesive and non-adhesive functions in appropriate regions, eliminating manual tag creation while ensuring pricing accuracy.
2Strength
If adhesive material is applied to the entire back of the pricing label, then the label adheres well to packaging, but the price tag portion cannot be easily separated
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive material distribution is made non-uniform: strong adhesion is provided on the shipping label portion, while the price tag portion has deactivated adhesive material that allows easy separation. This local quality approach resolves the contradiction by providing strong adhesion where needed while enabling easy separation where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive material is pre-deactivated in the price tag area during label production, before the label is applied to packaging. This preliminary action ensures that when the price tag needs to be separated for retail use, it can be easily peeled off without adhesive resistance, while the shipping label portion remains firmly attached.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a deactivation layer is applied to the adhesive material between perforations, then the price tag becomes non-adhesive for retail use, but the shipping label remains adhesive
Solution Approach 1:
A single pricing label structure performs multiple functions: it serves as both an adhesive shipping label for logistics and a non-adhesive price tag for retail display. The deactivation layer enables this multi-functionality by selectively modifying adhesive properties in different regions, allowing the same physical object to fulfill different roles in the supply chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The deactivation layer is applied selectively only to the price tag portion between the perforations, leaving the shipping label portion's adhesive material active. This localized modification creates distinct functional zones within a single label structure, enabling dual-use functionality without requiring separate labels for shipping and retail purposes.
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
Simplifies the labeling process, ensures accurate pricing, and reduces errors by reusing pre-printed shipping labels as price tags, enhancing process reliability and flexibility in retail environments.
Implementation Method 1
The thermo-reactive layer forms black color in places where heat is applied
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a price marking label and a method for producing a price marking label.