BACKGROUND

The present application relates to combined receipt and label rolls, and is particularly directed to a combined receipt and label roll having optimal adhesive patch patterns and a method of manufacturing thereof.

A known combined receipt and label roll 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The combined roll 10 comprises a continuous web 12 of material wound in a spiral around a core 14. The web 12 includes a substrate 16 (FIG. 3) having a front side 18 and a back side 20 opposite the front side. A pattern of adhesive patches 51 are disposed on the back side 20 of the substrate 16. The adhesive pattern 51 covers a portion of the back side 20, and extends along a longitudinal running axis 24 (FIG. 2) of the web 12.

A thermal-sensitive coating 26 is disposed on the front side 18 of the substrate 16. 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 51 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. Sense marks 23 are disposed between patches of adhesive 51. Sense marks 23 tell a printer where a cut should be made to the web 12 to provide an individual combined receipt and label.

During use of the combined roll 10 of FIGS. 1-3 in a direct thermal printer (not shown), the printer thermally images a portion of the thermal-sensitive coating layer 26 to provide receipt information on the thermally-imaged portion. A movable cutting blade of the printer then cuts the web 12 at one of the sense marks 23 in cross-section to provide a combined receipt and label 30 as shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the web 12 may be cut in cross-section by a user manually tearing it against a stationary cutting blade of the printer to provide the combined receipt and label 30.

In an example use of the combined receipt and label 30 of FIG. 4, a retail merchant (such as a fast food restaurant) attaches the combined receipt and label 30 by way of the adhesive 51 to a purchased item (such as an order made by a retail customer in the fast food restaurant). The attached combined receipt and label 30 functions as a temporary label for the merchant to identify the order to be delivered to the particular customer. After the customer receives the order from the merchant, the customer removes the combined receipt and label 30 and can keep it as a permanent receipt of the order transaction.

A drawback of the combined roll 30 of FIGS. 1-3 is that print quality can be significantly reduced when higher viscosity adhesive needs to be used to provide a desired higher adhesive tack. Adhesive tack can be increased by increasing adhesive viscosity. However, adhesive that has been designed to run at a certain viscosity becomes unstable when it has to run at higher viscosity. In addition, the higher viscosity adhesive may be difficult or impossible to flow through an adhesive pump. The higher viscosity adhesive also results in accumulation of adhesive on print heads of printers. The accumulated adhesive blocks printing elements within print heads of printers, and thereby reduces print quality during printing. Accumulated adhesive may also cause jamming during printing. It would be desirable to provide a combined receipt and label roll in which adhesive accumulation is eliminated or at least reduced.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one embodiment, a combined receipt and label roll comprises a core, and a web having a longitudinally-extending axis and wound on the core along the axis. The web includes (i) a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side, (ii) a thermally-sensitive coating disposed on the front side of the substrate, and (iii) a water-based microsphere adhesive disposed on the back side of the substrate along the web axis. The water-based microsphere adhesive comprises at least four separate adhesive patches. The at least four adhesive patches are both sized relative to each other and positioned relative to each other on the back side of the substrate such that any additional tack desired can be obtained by increasing volume of the adhesive patches without having to increase coat weight of the adhesive patches.

In accordance with another embodiment, a combined receipt and label comprises a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The combined receipt and label further comprises a thermally-sensitive coating disposed on the front side of the substrate. The combined receipt and label also comprises a water-based microsphere adhesive disposed on the back side of the substrate and comprising at least four separate adhesive patches. Each one of four quadrants on the back side of the substrate has positioned therein at least some adhesive from the at least four adhesive patches. Size of one of the at least four adhesive patches is a base size from which size of each of remaining adhesive patches of the at least four adhesive patches is calculated.

In accordance with yet another embodiment, a method is provided of manufacturing a combined receipt and label based upon a first predetermined adhesive patch size. The method comprises electronically by a processor, calculating a second predetermined adhesive patch size based upon the first predetermined adhesive patch size. The method further comprises applying a first set of at least two water-based microsphere adhesive patches having the first predetermined adhesive patch size on the back side of the label, and applying a second set of at least two water-based microsphere adhesive patches having the second predetermined adhesive patch size on the back side of the label. The method also comprises aligning adhesive patches of the first and second sets of adhesive patches relative to each other on the back side of the label such that peel force of the label is increased without having to increase either viscosity or coat weight of the first and second sets of adhesive patches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known combined receipt and label roll, and showing front side of the roll.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, looking generally in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 1, and showing back side of the known combined receipt and label roll.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken approximately along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 2, and showing layers of material of the known combined receipt and label roll.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a combined receipt and label which has been cut from the known combined receipt and label roll of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to the perspective view of FIG. 2, and showing a combined receipt and label roll constructed in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a back side view of an individual combined receipt and label which has been cut from the combined roll of FIG. 5, and showing an adhesive patch pattern in accordance with one embodiment.

FIGS. 6B-6J are back side views similar to the back side view of FIG. 6A, and showing adhesive patch patterns in accordance with other embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a table showing number of adhesive patches and relative sizes of the adhesive patches for each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A-6J.

FIG. 8 is a line graph illustrating peel force associated with the adhesive patches of FIG. 7 for each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A-6J.

FIG. 9 illustrates adhesive volume and location in the quadrant affect peel force.

FIG. 10 is a line graph illustrating coat weight of three different types of adhesives used in four of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A-6J.

FIG. 11 is a line graph illustrating peel force associated with each of the three types adhesives of FIG. 10 used in the four of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A-6J.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 5, example combined receipt and label roll 110 includes a web 112 of material having a longitudinally-extending axis 124 along a longitudinally-running direction of the web. The web 112 of material is wound on core 114 along web axis 124.

Web 112 includes substrate 116 having front side (not shown) and back side 120 opposite the front side. Thermally-sensitive coating 126 is disposed on an area covering the front side of substrate 116. A pattern of water-based microsphere adhesive patches 153A, 154A are disposed on the back side 120 of substrate 116 along web axis 124.

FIG. 6A is a back side view of an individual combined receipt and label 150A which has been cut from the combined roll 110 of FIG. 5, and shows an adhesive patch pattern in accordance with one embodiment. There is a size relationship among the adhesive patches shown in FIG. 6A. More specifically, each adhesive patch of a first pair 153A of four adhesive patches is substantially of a first predetermined adhesive patch size, and each adhesive patch of a second pair 154A of the four adhesive patches is substantially of a second predetermined adhesive patch size which is different from the first predetermined adhesive patch size. As shown in FIG. 6A, the size of each of the first pair 153A of adhesive patches is smaller than the size of each of the second pair 154A of adhesive patches. Size relationship between the first predetermined adhesive patch size and the second predetermined adhesive patch size for the pattern of adhesive patches 153A, 154A shown in FIG. 6A will be described in more detail later with reference to the table shown in FIG. 7 after other embodiments of adhesive patch patterns are described hereinbelow.

Also, there is a positional relationship among the adhesive patches 153A, 154A shown in FIG. 6A. More specifically, the adhesive patches of the first pair 153A are aligned relative to each other in a diagonal relationship on the back side of the substrate, and the adhesive patches of the second pair 154A are aligned relative to each other in a diagonal relationship on the back side of the substrate.

Release coating 128 is disposed on the front side of substrate 116 along web axis 124 to prevent adhesive from sticking to the front side of substrate 116 when web 112 is wound on core 114. Release coating 128 may be disposed on the entire front side of substrate 116, or on only a portion of the front side of substrate 116. Sense marks 123 are disposed between adhesive patches. Color of sense marks 123 may be black, for example. Sense marks 123 tell the printer where a cut should be made to provide an individual combined receipt and label, such as shown in FIG. 6A and designated with the reference numeral â€œ150Aâ€ .

The pattern of adhesive patches 153A, 154A shown in FIG. 6A is one embodiment. Adhesive patch patterns in other embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 6B through FIG. 6J, are possible. Since embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 6B-6J are generally similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6A, similar numerals are utilized to designate similar components, the suffix letter â€œB, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, Jâ€ being associated with the embodiments of FIGS. 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F, 6G, 6H, 6I, 6J, respectively, to avoid confusion.

As shown in FIG. 6B, combined receipt and label 150B includes at least seven adhesive patches 153B of substantially the same adhesive patch size. The at least seven adhesive patches 153B are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially U-shape arrangement of the adhesive patches on the back side of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 6B.

As shown in FIG. 6C, combined receipt and label 150C is similar to combined receipt and label 150A of FIG. 6A. The positions of a first pair 153C and a second pair 154C of adhesive patches of FIG. 6C are swapped as compared with the positions of the first pair 153A and the second pair 154A of adhesive patches of FIG. 6A.

As shown in FIG. 6D, combined receipt and label 150D is similar to combined receipt and label 150B of FIG. 6B. The positions of at least seven adhesive patches 153C of FIG. 6D are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially U-shape arrangement of the adhesive patches pointing in a direction which is different from the direction in which the substantially U-shaped arrangement of adhesive patches 153B of FIG. 6B is pointing.

As shown in FIG. 6E, combined receipt and label 150E includes at least six adhesive patches in which two adhesive patches 154E of the six adhesive patches are substantially a first predetermined adhesive patch size, and four adhesive patches 153E of the six adhesive patches are substantially a second predetermined adhesive patch size which is smaller than the first predetermined adhesive patch size. The at least six adhesive patches 153E, 154E are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially C-shape arrangement of the adhesive patches on the back side of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 6E.

As shown in FIG. 6F, combined receipt and label 150F includes two pairs of adhesive patches. Each adhesive patch of a first pair 153F of the at least four adhesive patches is substantially of a first predetermined adhesive patch size. Each adhesive patch of a second pair 154F of the at least four adhesive patches is substantially a second predetermined adhesive patch size which is greater than the first predetermined adhesive patch size. The at least four adhesive patches 153F, 154F are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially I-shape arrangement of the adhesive patches on the back side of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 6F.

As shown in FIG. 6G, combined receipt and label 150G includes at least nine adhesive patches 151G of substantially the same adhesive patch size. The at least nine adhesive patches 151G are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially X-shape arrangement of the adhesive patches on the back side of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 6G.

As shown in FIG. 6H, combined receipt and label 150H includes at least five adhesive patches 152H of substantially the same adhesive patch size. The at least five adhesive patches 152H are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially V-shape arrangement of the adhesive patches on the back side of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 6H.

As shown in FIG. 6I, combined receipt and label 150I is similar to combined receipt and label 150H of FIG. 6H. The positions of at least five adhesive patches 152I of FIG. 6I are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially V-shape arrangement of the adhesive patches pointing in a direction which is different from the direction in which the substantially V-shaped arrangement of adhesive patches 152H of FIG. 6H is pointing.

As shown in FIG. 6J, combined receipt and label 150J includes at least five adhesive patches 151J of substantially the same adhesive patch size. The at least five adhesive patches 151J are aligned relative to each other to form a substantially diagonal line arrangement of the adhesive patches on the back side of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 6J.

As mentioned, there is a size relationship between adhesive patches when there are different sizes of adhesive patches in the above-described embodiments of adhesive patches. Size relationships can be better explained with reference to the table of FIG. 7 when different size patches are involved. Columns II, III, IV, and V show four different adhesive patch sizes (i.e., S1, S2, S3, and S4) associated with each adhesive patch pattern shown in column I of FIG. 7. Size S1 is a base size from which the other three sizes (i.e., S2, S3, and S4) are calculated. More specifically, size S2 is 1.8 times the size S1, size S3 is twice the size S1, and size S4 is twice the size S2 or 3.6 times the size S1. Column VI shows the total number of adhesive patches in multiple terms of size S1. Column VII shows the absolute total number of adhesive patches with no reference to any particular adhesive patch size.

A number of advantages result by providing combined receipt and labels 150A-150J shown in FIGS. 6A-6J, respectively. One advantage is that increased tack of adhesive patches can be achieved by increasing adhesive volume without having to increase either viscosity or coat weight of adhesive patches. This advantageous feature is illustrated in the line graph of FIG. 8 which shows the peel force (and therefore the adhesive tack) associated with the different adhesive patch sizes of FIG. 7 for each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A-6J.

As can be seen from FIG. 8, the highest adhesive tack was obtained from adhesive patch pattern A with a peel force of 4.7 lbf (pound-force). The lowest adhesive tack was obtained from adhesive patch pattern J with a peel force of 0.7 lbf. The line graph FIG. 8 can be explained further using the following equations to calculate results shown in FIG. 8.

To calculate the amount of adhesive per quadrant to determine an optimal configuration of the adhesive patches to achieve higher peel strength, the procedures are as follows:

Equation 1 is used to calculate the coat weight (dry mass) of adhesive on the patches (S_i) in each quadrant.

A_i=[(CW_Si)/Î£P_iS_i)]Ã—(P_iÃ—S_i)â€ƒâ€ƒ(Equation 1)

Where:

A_i=adhesive dry mass in gsm (grams per square meter) in each quadrant
CW_Si=adhesive coat weight (measured)

The combined receipt and label is divided into four quadrants. The number of adhesives patches (whole or fraction of a patch) in each quadrant is multiply by the size of the patch (expressed in terms of S₁as demonstrated in Equation 2 below:

Î£P_iS₁=P₁Ã—S₁₊P₂Ã—S₂₊P₃Ã—S₃₊P₄Ã—S₄â€ƒâ€ƒ(Equation 2)

The first term of the equation P₁Ã—S₁represents the first quadrant of the combined receipt and label.

- P=number of patches (the number can be whole or fraction)
- i=refers to the patch in each quadrant (1 refers to the first quadrant, 2 to the second quadrant, and so forth)
- S₁=is the size of the patch in each quadrant, with:
  - a. S₁=the smallest patch that has a value of 1
  - b. S₂=1.8 S₁
  - c. S₃=2S₁
  - d. S₄=3.6S₁

Example

To calculate the number of patches of size S₁for FIG. 6E, the equation would be:

$\begin{matrix} âˆ‘ î¢ž P_{i} î¢ž S_{i} = î¢ž (1 Ã— S_{4} + 1 Ã— S_{3}) + (1 Ã— S_{3}) + (1 Ã— S_{4} + 1 Ã— S_{3}) + (1 Ã— S_{3}) \\ = î¢ž (1 Ã— 3.6 î¢ž î¢ž S_{1} + 1 Ã— 2 î¢ž î¢ž S_{1}) + (1 Ã— 2 î¢ž î¢ž S_{1}) + \\ î¢ž (1 Ã— 3.6 î¢ž î¢ž S_{1} + 1 Ã— 2 î¢ž î¢ž S_{1}) + (1 Ã— 2 î¢ž î¢ž S_{1}) \\ = î¢ž (5.6 + 2 + 5.6 + 2 = 15.2) î¢ž S_{1} \\ = î¢ž 15.2 î¢ž î¢ž S_{1} \end{matrix}$

The values for the size of the patches that go in each quadrant and for total patches are shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1Calculation of adhesive volume in terms of S_iper quadrantÎ£P_iS_iP₁Ã— S_{1 in}P₂Ã— S_{2 in}P₃Ã— S_{3 in}P₄Ã— S_{4 in}Total VolumePatchQuadrantQuadrantQuadrantQuadrantof Patches inPattern1234Term of S1A23.63.6211.2B434314C3.6223.611.2D343414E5.625.6215.2F5.605.6011.2G2.252.252.252.259H1.82.71.82.79I2.71.82.71.89J0.252.252.250.255

Substituting values for CW_Si, Î£ P_iS_iand (P_iÃ—S_i) to find A_iin equation 1 we get the results are shown in the Table 2 below:

TABLE 2Adhesive total coat weight (CW) and distribution per quadrantPatchPatternCWA₁A₂A₃A₄Peel ForceF8.514.2604.2602.91G9.542.392.392.392.392.81J9.80.494.424.420.490.67A9.841.763.163.161.764.16C9.883.181.761.763.184.68H10.332.073.102.073.101.69D11.272.423.222.423.224.14E11.474.231.514.231.513.99B11.663.332.503.332.504.17I13.293.992.663.992.661.51

FIG. 9 illustrates adhesive volume and location in the quadrant affect peel force. In particular, FIG. 9 shows that at the same mass (coat weight) of 9.8 gsm, the peel force of the adhesive patch pattern shown in FIG. 6J is only 0.67 lbf, whilst the peel force for the one in FIG. 6C is 4.68 lbf. This significant increase in peel force is achieved by the size of patches used and the distribution of these patches in each of the four quadrants. Adhesive patch pattern J of FIG. 6J has a volume of only 0.25 S_ion quadrants 3 and 4 and 2.25 S_iin quadrants 1 and 2. That is, quadrants 3 and 4 had very little adhesive 0.25 S_i. Adhesive patch pattern â€œCâ€ of FIG. 6C has a volume of 3.6 S_iin quadrants 1 and 3 and 2 S_iin quadrants 2 and 4. The volume in each quadrant is fairly well distributed.

The above advantageous feature can be explained further with reference to the line graphs of FIGS. 10 and 11 in which a comparison is made among three different types of adhesives using four of the adhesive patterns shown in FIGS. 6A-6J. The three types of adhesive being compared in FIGS. 10 and 11 are the L7183A (standard tack) provided by Bostik, Inc located in Wauwatosa, Wis.; the L7259 (high tack) also provided by Bostik, Inc.; and the E5521 provided by Avery Products Corporation located in Mentor, Ohio. Adhesive patch patterns of â€œAâ€ , â€œCâ€ , â€œEâ€ , â€œFâ€ shown in FIGS. 6A, 6C, 6E, 6F, respectively, are the four adhesive patch patterns being compared in FIGS. 10 and 11.

More specifically, the line graph of FIG. 10 shows a comparison of coat weight of the three types of adhesives used in the four adhesive patch patterns of â€œAâ€ , â€œCâ€ , â€œEâ€ , â€œFâ€ . The line graph of FIG. 11 shows a comparison of the peel force associated with each of the three types of adhesives used in the four adhesive patch patterns of â€œAâ€ , â€œCâ€ , â€œEâ€ , â€œFâ€ .

It should be apparent from the line graphs of FIGS. 10 and 11 that an adhesive patch pattern may be selected to optimize peel force for a given coat weight of adhesive. As an example, even though the coat weight of the L7259 adhesive is pretty much constant for all four adhesive patch patterns (as shown in the line graph of FIG. 10), the adhesive patch pattern A may selected to provide the highest relative peel force (as shown in the line graph of FIG. 11). As another example, even though the coat weight of the E5521 adhesive is lower than the coat weight of the L7183A adhesive (as shown in the line graph of FIG. 10), the peel force associated with the E5521 adhesive is greater than the peel force associated with the L7183A adhesive (as shown in the line graph of FIG. 11). This was true for all four adhesive patch patterns A, C, E, and F.

Another advantage is that accumulation of adhesive on print heads of printers is reduced since viscosity associated with water-based microsphere adhesives is relatively low. Reducing accumulation of adhesive on print heads of printers helps to reduce chance of a jam occurring. Reducing accumulation of adhesive on print heads of printers also helps to improve print quality.

Still another advantage is that any regular thermal printer can be used to print linerless labels since adhesive tack associated with water-based microsphere adhesives is relatively low. Accordingly, printing of linerless labels can be performed without being restricted to use of special printers dedicated for purpose of printing linerless labels. As an example, printing of linerless labels using water-based microsphere adhesives need not be limited to using thermal printers designed for only thermal paper with adhesive on the opposite side of the thermal paper.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of example processes and system components, and while the various processes and components have been described in detail, applicant does not intend to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional modifications will also readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broadest aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, implementations, or illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.