IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,325,207
Granted Patent B2
US 12,325,207 · App. 18/023,780 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Linerless label

Inventor: Juha Kivimaki (Helsinki, FI)
Assignee: UPM RAFLATAC OY
B31D1/021B31D1/027G09F3/10G09F2003/0211G09F2003/0258
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,325,207
App. No.
18/023,780
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a direct thermal linerless label web ( 100 ), the direct thermal linerless label web ( 100 ) comprising a face ( 110 ) having a multilayer structure comprising at least three layers, the face comprising a base layer ( 113 ), a direct thermal printable coating ( 115 ), and an intermediate layer ( 114 ) disposed between the base layer and the direct thermal printable coating, wherein the intermediate layer has a grammage in a range between 0.9 g/m 2 and 7 g/m 2 , total amount of mineral pigments in the intermediate layer is equal to or less than 4 g/m 2 , and a mineral pigment content of the intermediate layer is less than 85 wt. %, preferably equal to or less than 75 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the intermediate layer, wherein the method comprises: supplying the face ( 110 ), applying a water-based acrylic adhesive coating ( 121 ), and the thermally drying the adhesive coating ( 121 ) into a pressure sensitive adhesive coating ( 120 ), wherein the water-based acrylic adhesive coating ( 121 ) is applied onto the face, or the water-based acrylic adhesive coating ( 121 ) is applied on to a carrier material, and the method further comprises: transferring the pressure sensitive adhesive coating from the carrier material on to the face. This invention further relates to a direct thermal linerless label web ( 100 ), and a use of a direct thermal linerless label ( 100 ) in on-demand printing.

Claims (61)

1. A method for manufacturing a direct thermal linerless label web, the direct thermal linerless label web comprising a face having a multilayer structure comprising at least three layers, the face comprising

a base layer,

a direct thermal printable coating, and

an intermediate layer disposed between the base layer and the direct thermal printable coating,

wherein

the intermediate layer has a grammage in a range between 0.9 g/m 2 and 7 g/m 2 ,

the intermediate layer comprises

a binder, and

at least one pigment selected from a group consisting of a mineral pigment and a non-mineral pigment,

total amount of the mineral pigments in the intermediate layer is between 0 and 4 g/m 2 , and

a mineral pigment content of the intermediate layer is between 0 wt. % and less than 85 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the intermediate layer,

a total mineral content of the direct thermal linerless label web is in a range between 0 and 20 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the direct thermal linerless label web, and

wherein the method comprises

supplying the face,

applying a water-based acrylic adhesive coating, and

thermally drying the adhesive coating into a pressure sensitive adhesive coating, wherein

the water-based acrylic adhesive coating is applied on to the face, or

the water-based acrylic adhesive coating is applied on to a carrier material, and the method further comprises:

transferring the pressure sensitive adhesive coating from the carrier material on to the face.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the base layer is an uncoated base paper having

a grammage in a range between 38 g/m 2 and 82 g/m 2 , and/or

a mineral pigment content of equal to or less than 18 wt. %.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive coating comprises

an emulsified silicone additive, the amount of the emulsified silicone additive being in a range between 1 wt. % and 6 wt. %, calculated from the total dry weight of the adhesive coating.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a grammage in a range between 1 g/m 2 and 5 g/m 2 .

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the total amount of mineral pigments in the intermediate layer is equal to or less than 2 g/m 2 .

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mineral pigment content of the intermediate layer is equal to or less than 60 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the intermediate layer.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a binder content of the intermediate layer is equal to or more than 20 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the intermediate layer.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive coating has a coat weight in a range between 10 g/m 2 and 25 g/m 2 , calculated as total dry weight of the adhesive coating.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive coating is on a second side of the face and a total coverage of the adhesive coating is in a range between 10% and 90%, calculated from the total area of the second side.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the direct thermal printable coating has a grammage in a range between 1 g/m 2 and 5 g/m 2 .

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the face further comprises a top coating on the direct thermal printable coating, wherein the top coating has a grammage in a range between 0.5 g/m 2 and 3 g/m 2 .

12. A direct thermal linerless label web obtainable by a method according to claim 1 .

13. A direct thermal linerless label web comprising

a face, and

a water-based acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the face, wherein the face comprises:

a base layer,

a direct thermal printable coating, and

an intermediate layer disposed between the base layer and the direct thermal printable coating,

wherein

the intermediate layer has a grammage in a range between 0.9 g/m 2 and 7 g/m 2 ,

the intermediate layer comprises

a binder, and

at least one pigment selected from a group consisting of a mineral pigment and a non-mineral pigment,

a total amount of the mineral pigments in the intermediate layer is between 0 and 4 g/m 2 , and

a mineral pigment content of the intermediate layer is between 0 wt. % and less than 85 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the intermediate layer, and

a total mineral content of the direct thermal linerless label web is in a range between 0 and 20 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the direct thermal linerless label web.

14. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the base layer is an uncoated base paper having

a grammage in a range between 38 g/m 2 and 82 g/m 2 , and/or

a mineral pigment content of equal to or less than 18 wt. %.

15. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive coating comprises

an emulsified silicone additive, the amount of the emulsified silicone additive being in a range between 1 wt. % and 6 wt. %, calculated from the total dry weight of the adhesive coating.

16. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the intermediate layer has a grammage in a range between 1 g/m 2 and 5 g/m 2 .

17. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the total amount of mineral pigments in the intermediate layer is equal to or less than 2 g/m 2 .

18. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the mineral pigment content of the intermediate layer is equal to or less than 60 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the intermediate layer.

19. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein a binder content of the intermediate layer is equal to or more than 20 wt. %, calculated from total dry weight of the intermediate layer.

20. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the adhesive coating has a coat weight in a range between 10 g/m 2 and 25 g/m 2 , calculated as total dry weight of the adhesive coating.

21. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive coating is on a second side of the face and a total coverage of the adhesive coating is in a range between 10% and 90%, calculated from the total area of the second side.

22. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the direct thermal printable coating has a grammage in a range between 1 g/m 2 and 5 g/m 2 .

23. The direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 , wherein the face further comprises a top coating on the direct thermal printable coating, wherein the top coating has a grammage in a range between 0.5 g/m 2 and 3 g/m 2 .

24. A method of using a direct thermal linerless label web according to claim 13 in on-demand printing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2023
From: KIVIMAKI, JUHA
To: UPM RAFLATAC OY
Reel/Frame 063044/0975 →
Priority Claims (2)
EP 20198915 · Sep 29, 2020 · regional
EP 20217744 · Dec 30, 2020 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230286243A1 · Sep 14, 2023
References Cited (20)
US 5840657A · Mehta et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 20090169282A1 · Keeton · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20150159054A1 · Wild et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 111986555A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
DE 2906284A1 · 1980 [cited by applicant]
EP 1407994A1 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
EP 2551838A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP H09127871A · 1997 [cited by applicant]
JP H1058829A · 1998 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012218311A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 6649618B2 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 9118739A1 · 1991 [cited by applicant]
WO 9315159A1 · 1993 [cited by applicant]
WO 9917906A1 · 1999 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016012652A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020175649A1 · 2020 [cited by examiner]
WO 2021123490A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
European Search Report for the corresponding European Application No. 20198915; Date of report: Mar. 4, 2021; 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Search Report for the corresponding European Application No. 20217744; Date of report: Jun. 15, 2021; 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for the corresponding International Application No. PCT/EP2021/076618; International Date of Filing: Sep. 28, 2021; Date of Mailing: Aug. 22, 2022; 21 pages. [cited by applicant]