Conformable holographic labels
This invention relates to a facestock comprising a polymeric film, and a holographic layer on a surface of the facestock, wherein the film is conformable. The invention also relates to label stocks prepared from the facestocks, and labels made therefrom. The labels are useful on squeezable containers. An advantage of these labels is that there is little or no cracking or flaking of the holographic image.
1 . A conformable facestock comprising a polymeric film having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a holographic layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film.
2 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the holographic layer comprises a cured casting resin and a reflective material overlying at least a portion of the casting resin.
3 . The conformable facestock of claim 2 wherein the casting resin has at least one said holographic image therein.
4 . The conformable facestock of claim 2 wherein the reflective material covers the entire surface of the casting resin.
5 . The conformable facestock of claim 3 wherein the reflective material covers the portion of the casting resin having the holographic image therein.
6 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of a polystyrene, a polyolefin, a polyamide, a polyester, a polycarbonate, a polyvinyl alcohol, a poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol), a polyurethane, a polyacrylate, a poly(vinyl acetate), an ionomer and mixtures thereof.
7 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the polymeric film comprises a polyolefin.
8 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the polymeric film comprises a monolayer film.
9 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the polymeric film comprises a multilayer film.
10 . The conformable facestock of claim 9 wherein the multilayer film comprises a base layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, and at least a first skin layer bonded to the upper surface of the base layer.
11 . The conformable facestock of claim 10 wherein the base layer comprises (a) a polyethylene, (b) a propylene homopolymer or copolymer, or (c) a blend of (i) a polyethylene or a propylene homopolymer and (i) at least one propylene copolymer.
12 . The conformable facestock of claim 11 wherein the base layer comprises a propylene homopolymer.
13 . The conformable facestock of claim 11 wherein the propylene copolymer of the base layer comprises a copolymer of propylene and up to about 40% by weight of at least one α-olefin selected from ethylene and α-olefins containing from 4 to about 8 carbon atoms.
14 . The conformable facestock of claim 13 wherein the a-olefin comprises ethylene, 1-butene, or 1-octene.
15 . The conformable facestock of claim 11 wherein the base layer comprises a blend of (a) a propylene homopolymer and (b) a propylene-ethylene or a propylene-1-butene copolymer.
16 . The conformable facestock of claim 10 wherein the skin layer comprises a blend of (a) a polyethylene, (b) a propylene homopolymer and (c) a propylene-ethylene or a propylene-1- butene copolymer.
17 . The conformable facestock of claim 11 wherein the base layer further comprises at least one nucleating agent.
18 . The conformable facestock of claim 10 wherein the base layer is oriented in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of from about 3:1 to about 9:1.
19 . The conformable facestock of claim 10 wherein the base layer is oriented in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of at least about 2:1.
20 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the polymeric film is oriented in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of from about 3:1 to about 9:1.
21 . The conformable facestock of claim 9 wherein the polymeric film comprises a coextruded film.
22 . The conformable facestock of claim 10 further comprising a second skin layer bonded to the lower surface of the base layer.
23 . The conformable facestock of claim 22 wherein the composition of the second skin layer is different from the composition of the first skin layer.
24 . The conformable facestock of claim 22 wherein the composition of the second skin layer is essentially the same as the composition of first skin layer.
25 . The conformable facestock of claim 22 wherein the second skin layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer.
26 . The conformable facestock of claim 22 wherein the second skin layer comprises at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, polyamides, polystyrenes, polystyrene-butadiene, polyesters, polyester copolymers, polyurethanes, polysulfones, polyvinylidene chloride, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, styrene acrylonitrile copolymers, ionomers based on sodium or zinc salts of ethylene methacrylic acid, polymethylmethacrylates, cellulosics, fluoroplastics, acrylic polymers and copolymers, polycarbonates, polyacrylonitriles, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
27 . The conformable facestock of claim 22 wherein the second skin layer comprises a mixture of a polyethylene and a propylene homopolymer or copolymer.
28 . The conformable facestock of claim 22 wherein the second skin layer is bonded to the lower surface of the base layer through a tie layer.
29 . The conformable facestock of claim 28 wherein the composition of the second skin layer is different from the composition of the first skin layer.
30 . The conformable facestock of claim 28 wherein the second skin layer comprises at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, polyamides, polystyrenes, polystyrene-butadienes, polyesters, polyester copolymers, polyurethanes, polysulfones, polyvinylidene chloride, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, styrene acrylonitrile copolymers, ionomers based on sodium or zinc salts of ethylene methacrylic acid, polymethylmethacrylates, cellulosics, fluoroplastics, acrylic polymers and copolymers, polycarbonates, polyacrylonitriles, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
31 . The conformable facestock of claim 28 wherein the polymeric film is oriented in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of at least about 2:1.
32 . The conformable facestock of claim 28 wherein the polymeric film comprises a coextruded film.
33 . The conformable facestock of claim 32 wherein the polymeric film is oriented in the machine direction at a stretch ratio of from about 3:1 to about 9:1.
34 . The conformable facestock of claim 8 wherein the polymeric film comprises a blend of (a) a propylene homopolymer or copolymer and (b) an alkylene-alkyl-acrylate or methacrylate copolymer; wherein the polymeric film is machine direction oriented.
35 . The conformable facestock of claim 34 wherein the alkylene of (b) is an α-olefin containing from 2 to 8 carbon atoms.
36 . The conformable facestock of claim 34 wherein the alkyl-acrylate of (b) is a C 1 to C 8 alkyl acrylate or methacrylate.
37 . The conformable facestock of claim 34 wherein (b) is ethylene butylacrylate copolymer.
38 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the polymeric film is from about 0.5 mils to about 10 mils.
39 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the polymeric film is less than about 6 mils.
40 . The conformable facestock of claim 1 further comprising a protective layer overlying the lower surface of the holographic layer.
41 . A label made from the conformable facestock of claim 1 .
42 . The conformable label of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is continuously adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film.
43 . The conformable label of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is continuously adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film through a tie layer.
44 . The conformable label of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric film comprises at least one layer oriented in the machine direction only.
45 . The conformable label of claim 1 , wherein the holographic layer comprises a holographic image and when the conformable facestock is applied to a squeezable container and is deformed, the holographic image remains substantially free of cracking or flaking.
46 . A conformable labelstock for use in adhesive labels comprising: a conformable facestock comprising a polymeric film having an upper surface and a lower surface and a holographic layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film; and an adhesive layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the adhesive layer is adhered to the lower surface of the holographic layer.
47 . The conformable labelstock of claim 46 wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.
48 . The conformable labelstock of claim 46 further comprising a release liner releasably adhered to the lower surface of the adhesive layer.
49 . A pressure sensitive adhesive label die-cut from the conformable labelstock of claim 46 .
50 . The conformable labeistock of claim 46 , wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is continuously adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film.
51 . The conformable labelstock of claim 46 , wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is continuously adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film through a tie layer.
52 . The conformable labelstock of claim 46 , wherein the polymeric film comprises at least one layer oriented in the machine direction only.
53 . The conformable labelstock of claim 46 , wherein the holographic layer comprises a holographic image and when the conformable labelstock is applied to a squeezable container and is deformed, the holographic image remains substantially free of cracking or flaking.
54 . A conformable labelstock for use in adhesive labels comprising: (a) a multilayer conformable facestock comprising a base layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, a first skin layer bonded to the upper surface of the base layer by a tie layer, and a holographic layer on the lower surface of the base layer; wherein the base layer comprises (i) a propylene homopolymer or copolymer, or (ii) a blend of a propylene homopolymer and at least one propylene copolymer; (b) an adhesive layer having an upper surface and a lower surface wherein the upper surface of the adhesive layer is adhesively joined to the holographic layer.
55 . The conformable labelstock of claim 54 having a thickness up to about 20 mils.
56 . The conformable labelstock of claim 54 having a thickness of from about 0.6 to about 12 mils.
57 . The conformable labeistock of claim 54 further comprising a release coated liner in contact with and releasably joined to the lower surface of the adhesive layer.
58 . The conformable labelstock of claim 54 , wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is continuously adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film.
59 . The conformable labelstock of claim 54 , wherein the upper surface of the holographic layer is continuously adhered to the lower surface of the polymeric film through a tie layer.
60 . The conformable labelstock of claim 54 , wherein at least the base layer is oriented in the machine direction only.