Method for forming an elastic labeling band

1. A method of forming an elastic labeling band comprises:

covering a central portion of a web of tag material with a release agent;

advancing the web of tag material longitudinally;

disposing a layer of molten elastomer over the advancing web of tag material, including over the release agent on the central portion thereof, so that the elastomer bonds only to those portions of the web not covered with the release agent;

curing the elastomer to define, with the web bonded thereto, an advancing web assembly; and

separating a longitudinal segment from the web assembly to define an elastic labeling band.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the covering step comprises applying a coating over the central portion of the web.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the coating includes silicone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the release agent comprises a separate layer of material.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the separating step comprising perforating the web assembly along a lateral separation line.

6. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

separating a plurality of longitudinal segments from the web assembly to define a plurality of elastic labeling bands therefrom.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the separating step comprises:

cutting a longitudinal strip from the web assembly, and then separating the longitudinal segment from that longitudinal strip.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the disposing step comprises advancing the web of tag material and the layer of molten elastomer thereon through nip pressure between a lamination roll and a back-up roll.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the central portion has a longitudinally extending area that is not covered with the release agent.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the web of tag material has an additional tag material area that extends outwardly past a lateral edge of the layer of elastomer.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the additional tag material area is selectively separable from the remainder of its respective longitudinal segment of the web assembly.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the layer of elastomer has an additional elastomer area that extends outwardly past a lateral edge of the web of tag material.

13. The method of claim 12 , and further comprising:

forming a loop in the additional elastomer area within the longitudinal segment of the web assembly that defines the elastic labeling band.

14. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

prior to the separating step, forming the web assembly into a roll.

15. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

prior to the separating step, die cutting one or more sections of the elastomer along each longitudinal segment of the web assembly to reduce the amount of elastomer on each elastic labeling band.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein longitudinal edge sections of the web of tag material are folded over along each lateral side of the web with the central portion of the web defined therebetween.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the molten elastomer is disposed over the central portion of the web of tag material and at least a portion of each folded over longitudinal edge section of the web.

18. A method of forming a plurality of elastic labeling bands, the method comprising:

advancing a web of a tag material longitudinally, the web having a central portion disposed between a pair of lateral edge portions, wherein the central portion retains a coating of a release agent and the lateral edge portions being free of the release agent;

disposing a molten elastomer over the advancing web, including over the coating of the release agent on the central portion and over the lateral edge portions;

solidifying the deposited elastomer, wherein the solidified elastomer is bonded to the lateral edge portions to define an advancing web assembly having connection zones at the bonds between the solidified elastomer and the lateral edge portions; and

forming perforations along the advancing web assembly to define the plurality of elastic labeling bands, wherein each of the elastic labeling bands includes a tag portion defined by the tag material and a securing mechanism defined by the solidified elastomer, the securing mechanism being bonded to the tag portion at the connection zones.

19. The method of claim 18 , and further comprising tearing at least one of the formed perforations to separate at least one of the elastic labeling bands from an adjacent one of the elastic labeling bands.

20. The method of claim 19 , and further comprising separating the securing mechanism from the tag portion of at least one of the elastic labeling bands at a location adjacent the coating of the release agent to form a loop between the securing mechanism and the tag portion.