Technical Field

The present invention relates to a container with label.

Background Art

in various commodity sectors, the application is known on a container of a label showing indications and information as to the contents of the container itself. With particular, but not sole reference to the beverage industry, e.g., beverages such as water, beer, wine and soft drinks are usually distributed on the market inside glass or plastic bottles to which is affixed a label bearing the commercial . brand of the beverage, as well as a series of other details concerning the product, such as the ingredients, the date of bottling, the date of expiry, the producer, etc. The label consists of a sheet of plastic or paper, which is wrapped and glued around the cylindrical surface of the bottle.

The label can also be used as a support and vehicle for auxiliary members not necessarily directly related to the bottled product.

In some cases, for example, the label has a portion which must be cut awa from the rest of the label and which acts as a discount coupon for the purchase of other products, or as an element to be put aside and collected to complete a point collection, an album or the like.

These containers with label do, however, have some drawbacks.

The labels having a portion to be cut away, e.g., inconveniently need the end user to cut the label, with considerable loss of time by same and the risk, of him/her, due to laziness or indolence, not performing the operation and of the label being thrown away together with the bottle without the label having been cut.

It must also be underlined that the portion to be cut away is usually arranged in view and, in particular, is clearly visible for the end user at the time of purchase. In some cases, however, the producer is interested in keeping the auxiliary member concealed, to create a sort of suspense and increase the buyer's curiosity, but clearly, such labels are not very suitable for achieving this purpose.

In other cases, instead, to the outer surface of the label, a gadget is attached (e.g., a pack of cards or other gift of any kind), which the buyer can remove from the label and use separately.

in these cases as well, however, a number of drawbacks exist

The occasions are frequent in fact in which the gadget knocks against other objects during the transport of the bottle, with the risk of damaging or separating accidentally from the bottle before this is purchased by the end user, in these cases, the gadget cannot be exploited by the end user and represents a pointless waste of materials and an unnecessary cost for the producer, it is further underlined that, similarly to the portions of label to be cut, in these cases as well, the gadget attached to the outer surface of the label remains in view and clearly visible for the end user at the time of purchase.

Description of the Invention .

The main object of the present invention is to provide a container with label which js practical, easy and functional to use to distribute auxiliary members such as discount coupons, gadgets, elements to be put aside and collected, etc. Another object of the present invention is to provide a container with label that allo ws overcoming the mentioned drawbacks of the background art in the ambit of a simple, rational ^' , easy, effective to use and low cost solution.

The above objects are achieved by the present container with label, comprising: - a containment member suitable for containing at least one substance and having an outer surface; and

at least a sheet label which can be combined with said outer surface and having at least a first face substantially facing said outer surface and a second face opposite said first face;

characterized by the fact that it comprises at least a sheet auxiliary member housed face to face between said outer surface and said first face, said label being removable from said containment member for picking up said auxiliary member.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred, but not sole, embodiment of a container with label, illustrated purely as an example but not limited to the annexed drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an axonometnc view of the container according to the invention; ^' Figure 2 is a section view, on enlarged scale; of a detail of the container according to the invention;

Figure 3 is an axonometnc view of the container according to the invention during the label removal nhase;

Figures 4 and 5 show, in a sequenc _. of .axonometnc views, the manufacturing process of the container according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a side, schematic and partial view which illustrates a machine usable for implementing the process of Figures 4 and 5 ;

Figure 7 is a side, schematic and partial view which illustrates an alternative embodiment of the machine of Figure 6;

Figures 8 and 9 are axonometnc views of an alternative embodiment of the container according to the invention,

Embodiments of the Invention ^' ·

With particular reference to such figures, globally indicated by 1 is a container with label. ■ ^,

The container 1 comprises a containment member 2 suitable for containing one or more substances.

The substances contained in the containment member 2 are preferably in liquid state (such as, e.g., water, soft ^■ drinks, alcoholic drinks, etc.) or in powder state (like flour, sugar, etc.), but other embodiments cannot be ruled out wherein the containment member 2 is intended to contain substances in solid state.

In the embodiments shown in the illustrations, e.g., the containment member 2 consists in a bottle for containing liquids.

It remains understood, in any case, that the containment member 2 consists in any type of vessel, can, brick, box, case, crate, cask, folder, tin, etc..

The containment member 2 has an outer surface 2a which, e.g., has a circular- section cylindrical shape.

To the outer surface 2a is associable at least a label 3 in sheets.

The label 3 is made of a substantially flexible material, such as a plastic film (e.g., PET) or a sheet of paper. When the label 3 is made of PET, its thickness varies between about 0.1 and 0.8 mm.

. When instead the label 3 is made of paper, its gram weight varies between 50 and 350 g m2.

Such thickness/gram weight values permit obtaining a label 3 in the form of a sheet flexible enough to wrap around the containment member 2.

More in detail, the label 3 consists in a band with height varying between 5 and 20 cm which wraps around the bottle 2 along the entire circumference of the outer surface 2a. . ^'

The label 3 has a ^' first face 3a, which is turned substantially facing the outer surface 2a of the containment member 2, and a second face 3b, which is opposite the first face 3a and which bears i ndi cations/ i format i on 4 concerning the substance contained in the containment member 2,

The first face 3a is combined with the outer surface 2a by interposition of a first layer of adhesive material 5.

This does not necessarily imply that the whole surface of the label 3 is covered with the first layer of adhesive material 5; on the contrary, the first layer of adhesive material 5 is preferably only applied on a small part of the label 3. The first layer of adhesive material 5, in fact, is only applied on a first portion of the first face 3a, a second portion of the first face 3a being instead completely without the first layer of adhesive material 5.

The removal of the label 3 from the containment member 2 is by tearing off, i.e., lacerating the label in correspondence to the first layer of adhesive material 5.

To make it easier to remove the label 3, the first layer of adhesive material 5 consists of an adhesive of the removable type and, preferably, it is a glue of the non-reusable type suitable for allowing the separation of the label 3 from the containment member 2 and preventing any fresh gluing again.

In other words, the first layer of adhesive material 5 produces an adhesive force that can be overcome by the user to manually separate the label 3 from the containment membe 2.

Once the label 3 has been removed, however, the adhesive capacity of the first layer of adhesive material 5 is used u and the label 3 can no longer be reattached to the containment member 2 and must be discarded as waste.

The container 1 also comprises at least one auxiliary member 6 in sheets.

The auxiliary member 6, e.g., consists of a discount coupon, an advertising sheet, a collectable card, a point collection element or the like.

In general, the auxiliary member 6 shows any other type of indication information 7, not necessarily relating to the indications/information 4 shown on the label 3.

The auxiliary member 6 is housed face to face between the outer surface 2a and the first face 3a, the label 3 being removable from the containment member 2 to pick up the auxiliary member 6.

in this respect, it is specified that, in the present treatise, to say that the auxiliary member 6 is housed face to face between the outer surface 2a and the first face 3 a means that the auxiliary member 6 is inserted in the space between the - containment member 2 and the label 3, with a face turned towards the outer surface 2a of the containment member 2 and a face turned towards the first face 3a of the label 3.

Preferably, the auxiliary member 6 is made of a substantially flexible material, such as a plastic film or a sheet of paper, in a similar way to the label; it cannot however be ruled out that, alternatively, the auxiliary member 6 consists in a substantially rigid sheet, of the type of a fiche, a card or any sort of sheet gadget. ^'

The auxiliary member 6 has a surface extension smaller than the surface extension of the label 3 and is completely covered by the label 3.

This means that, on the one hand, the label 3 acts as a physical protection for the auxiliary member 6. and that it is not exposed outwards, and, ^" on the other hand, it permits keeping the auxiliary member 6 concealed and not visible until the label itself is removed.

Usefully, the auxiliary member 6 is combined with at least one between the outer surface 2a and the first face 3a by interposition of a second layer of adhesive material 8.

Preferably, the auxiliary member 6 is glued to the first face 3a of the label 3 and is applied to the containment member 2 together with the label itself.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein, instead, the auxiliary member 6 is glued to the outer surface 2a of the containment member 2.

The second layer of adhesive material 8 consists in an adhesive of the removable type, e.g. a weak glue or the like, which allows keeping in position the auxiliary member 6 between the outer surface 2a and the first face 3a as long as the label ^' 3 remains combined with the containment member 2, and separating the auxiliary member 6 from the label 3 when the label 3 is removed _, from the containment member 2.

Usefully, the second layer of adhesive material 8 is only applied on a small part of the auxiliary member 6, so as to ensure its easier remo val.

The second layer of adhesive material 8 is only applied on the second portion of the first face 3a, i.e. the one without the first layer of adhesive material 5.

To obtain the container 1 shown in the illustrations from 1 to 3 the manufacturing process has to be performed comprising the steps of:

providing the containment member 2 having the outer surface 2a;

providing the label 3 having the first face 3a and the second face 3b;

providing the auxiliary member 6;

- combining the label 3 with the outer surface 2a, with the first face 3 a substantially facing the outer surface 2a and the auxiliary member 6 housed face to face between the outer surface 2a and the first face 3a, the label 3 being removable from the containment member 2 for picking up the auxiliary member 6.

Preferably, the step of providing the label 3 comprises providing a sheet 9 wrapped in a reel 10 and cutting the sheet 9 to obtain the label 3 (figure 4).

The use of a reel 10 makes the mechanization and the automation of the process easier, making it possible to obtain a plurality of. labels 3 in a practical and easy way. ^{' "}

The fact of starting from the reel 10, moreover, permits gluing the- auxiliary member 6 to the sheet 9 before the cutting phase.

This way. the label 3 separated from the reel 10 already supports the auxiliary member 6 and only has to be applied to the containment member 2.

The application of the auxiliary member 6 to the reel 10, e.g., can be done by means of a machine 1 1 of the type shown in the figures 6 and 7, which comprises:

- a base -frame 12;

an unwinding unit 13, which is combined with the base frame 12, supports the ^Λ reel 10 and allows it to be unwound. The unwinding unit 13, e.g., comprises a first roller 14, which supports the reel 10 in a rotatable way . around its axis arranged substantially horizontal and one or more unwinding cylinders 15, which extend the sheet 9;

a worktop 16, combined with the base frame 12 and on which runs the sheet 9 coming from the unwinding unit 13;

an application unit 17, fitted above the workto 16 and suitable for applying the auxiliary members 6 on the sheet 9;

- a rewinding unit 18, which is combined with the base frame 12 and is suitable for winding the sheet 9 coming from the worktop 16 and for forming a new reel 10. The rewinding, uni 18, e.g., comprises a second roller 19, which is motor driven and supports the new reel 10; and

- a series of control sensors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f combined with the base frame 12 and intended to check the correct operation of the machine 1 1.

The control sensors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d ₅ 20e, 2 Of, e.g., comprise;

a first sensor 20a arranged in correspondence to the unwinding unit 13 (i particular in correspondence to the first roller 14) and suitable for detecting the end of unwinding;

a second sensor 20b arranged in correspondence to the unwinding unit 13 (in particular in correspondence to the unwinding cylinders 15) and suitable for detecting any breakage of the sheet 9 which could negatively affect the normal operation of the machine 1 1;

- a third sensor 20c fitted above the worktop 16, downstream of the ■ application unit 17, and suitable for detecting the presence of the auxiliary member 6 on the sheet 9; a fourth sensor 20d fitted above the worktop 1.6, downstream of the application unit 17, and suitable for detecting the correct centring of the auxiliary member 6 on the sheet 9;

a fifth sensor 20e fitted in the proximity of the rewinding unit 18 and suitable for detecting the end of rewinding;

a sixth sensor 20f fitted in the proximity of the second roller i 9 and suitable for checking the correct tensioning of the sheet 9.

Alternative solutions cannot however be ruled out wherein one or more of the above sensors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f is not present.

in the embodiment shown in figure 6, the auxiliary members 6 to be applied on the sheet 9 consist in a series of self-adhesive labels which, therefore, have an own layer of glue and. are rolled to form a roll 21 ^' , ^' . ·

The application unit 17, therefore, consists in a system that unwinds the roil 21 , detaches the ^' self-adhesive labels 6 from the roll 21 and _. applies them on the sheet. 9 which slides along the worktop 16.

in the embodiment shown in figure 7, instead, the auxiliary members 6 to be applied on the sheet 9 are without glue and are arranged one on the other to form a stack 22.

The application unit 17, therefore,; comprises ^' a dispenser 23 arranged in the proximity of the worktop 16 and suitable for applying the second layer of adhesive material 8 on the sheet 9.

Downstream of the dispenser 23, the application unit 17 comprises a distributor

24 which takes the auxiliary members 6 one by one from the stack 22 and applies them on the sheet 9 which slides along the worktop 1.6.

Thanks to the machine 11 , the labels 3 and the auxiliary members 6 are collected together in the new reel 10, which is subsequently cut to separate the various labels 3. ,

After cutting, the process contemplates gluing the label 3 to the outer surface 2a (figure 5).

In an altemative embodiment of the container 1 shown in the figures 8 and 9, the label 3 is made of shrink-wrap material and is shaped to form a tube.

The tube 3 is joined to the container 1 , without using glue because, once positioned around the containment member 2, it is combined with this by shrink-wrapping.

In other words, the tube 3 initially has a diameter such as to allow inserting the containment member 2 inside it.

By applying heat at a certain temperature, the label 3 shrinks and strongly adheres to the walls of the containment member 2.

For its removal from the container 1, the tube-shaped label 3 comprises at least one pre-established fracture area 25 which can be easily torn.

The pre-established fracture area 25 extends along the vertical direction of the container 1 and consists, e.g., of a perforation line or a section with reduced cross section.

To obtain the container 1 shown in the figures 8 and 9, the previously illustrated fabrication procedure is implemented, with due adaptations.

The application of the auxiliary members 6 to the labels 3, e.g., can be _. again performed by means of one of the machines 1 shown in the figures 6 and 7.

Once the auxiliary members 6 have been glued, the sheet 9 must only be rolled around' itself to form the tube to be applied to the containment member 2 by shrink-wrapping, as shown in the figures 8 and 9,

It has in fact been ascertained how the present invention acliieves the preset objects.

in this respect, it must also be added that the container according to the invention is such as to facilitate its complete disposal and recycling;.

It must in fact be remembered that most containers of the traditional type having a label are made of different materials (e.g., cardboard/aluminium for the containment member and PET for the label or glass for the containment member and paper for the label) which, after use, must be separated and recycled separately.

In many cases however, because of negligence or superficiality, the users forget to separate the label from the contaimiient member, with obvious problems of an ecological nature.

The presence of the auxiliary member 6, on the other hand, requires the user to separate the label 3 from the containment member 2 to recover the auxiliary member itself.

With reference to the embodiment of the figures from 1 to 3, furthermore,, the particular solution of providing a first layer of adhesive material 5 of the removable, non-reusable type, means that, once the label 3 has been detached, it can no longer be joined to the containment member 2, forcing the user to dispose of it separately.

Similar considerations can also be made with reference to the embodimeni of the figures 8 and 9.

The tube-shaped label 3 rolled around the contaimiient member 2 must be removed by tearing the pre-established fracture area 25, after which it is no longer possible to join it again to the containment member 2.