Ricoh Electronics, Inc.

Tomoo Shibata

Wissam J Jurdi

Minoru Nomura

John Fickenscher

Otto Ondruska

A thermosensitive recording label includes a thermosensitive color-forming layer disposed on one side of a substrate for creating a display of images when the temperature of selected portions of the thermosensitive color-forming layer are heated above an activated temperature. A remoistenable type adhesive is disposed in viscous form on an opposite side of the substrate and dried thereon without heating the thermosensitive color-forming layer above its activation temperature. The remoistenable adhesive does not include any organic solvents or substances which may cause bleed-through to the substrate and into the color-forming layer. Therefore, a barrier layer is not necessary therebetween. In addition, a protective, or barrier layer, may be disposed on top of the thermosensitive color-forming layer to prevent fading or discoloration by exterior contaminants.

Thermal label with remoistenable adhesive

A thermosensitive pressure sensitive label is provided which includes a substrate, a thermosensitive layer on one side of the substrate and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on an opposite side of the substrate. A barrier layer on top of the thermosensitive layer is covered with a silicone layer which enables the label to be rolled upon itself and unrolled without the use of a conventional backing sheet. In addition, the silicone layer enables color images formed in the thermosensitive layer to have a greater image density than the image density of color images that can be formed in the thermosensitive layer without the silicone layer being disposed thereover.

Non-laminate thermosensitive, pressure sensitive label and method of

A thermal printer and label applicator includes a transport system for moving linerless thermosensitive paper from a stack or roll thereof to a printing station and a cutting station. Thermal print head at the printing station is provided to imprint a preselected heating pattern in the linerless thermosensitive paper in order to form desired visible images thereon. A cutter is provided to separate the linerless thermosensitive paper into individual labels, and a vacuum system transports the separated individual labels from the cutting station to an adhesive activation station and thereafter to a label ejection station. At the adhesive activation station, the adhesive is activated and thereafter a vacuum/blower system at the label ejection station causes airborne transport of the individual separated labels onto goods which have been placed in receiving position by a conveyor system. Operation of the thermal printer and label applicator is coordinated by a control system.

Linerless thermal label printer and applicator

A thermosensitive label rendered unusable by removal from its first application includes a thermosensitive color-forming layer on one side of a substrate and a remoistenable adhesive on an opposite side of the substrate. The substrate is selected to have a tensile strength less than that necessary to separate the substrate from a surface after its first application thereto without ripping. The activation temperature of the thermosensitive color-forming layer is selected so that attempts to remove the label from its first application by means of heat, or steam, cause discoloration of the label.

Thermosensitive label rendered unusable by removal from its first

A process is provided for the manufacture of heat-sensitive, heat-transferred media which includes a solid wax binder pigment and additives. The process provides for the mixing of molten wax binder with a mixture of pigment and water to transfer the pigment from the water into the molten wax binder as particulates. The water is separated and removed from the wax and the pigment-ladened binder mixed with additives such as Tergitol, tall oil and Cosperse to produce a heat-sensitive transfer media. When coated on a polymer backing, the heat-transfer media had a very fine pigment particulate size.

Heat-sensitive transfer media

A thermal printer and label applicator includes a transport system for moving linerless thermosensitive paper from a stack or roll thereof to a printing station and a cutting station. Thermal print head at the printing station is provided to imprint a preselected heating pattern in the linerless thermosensitive paper in order to form desired visible images thereon. A cutter is provided to separate the linerless thermosensitive paper into individual labels, and a vacuum system transports the separated individual labels from the cutting station to an adhesive activation station and thereafter to a label ejection station. At the adhesive activation station, a heater is provided to activate a delayed action adhesive on the label and thereafter a vacuum/blower system at the label ejection station causes airborne transport of the individual separated labels onto goods which have been placed in receiving position by a conveyor system. Operation of the thermal printer and label applicator is coordinated by a control system.

A thermosensitive recording label includes a substrate, a thermosensitive color-forming layer disposed on one side of the substrate, a protective layer disposed on the thermosensitive color-forming layer, a pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesive layer disposed on another side of the substrate and a releasable backing sheet disposed on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. A hot melt adhesive layer absent sufficient modifying resin to prevent migration thereof and unwanted color formation in the color-forming layer enables use of the hot melt adhesive in the label. In addition, the use of hot melt adhesive enables the labels to be placed on refrigerated beef products without discoloration of the beef beneath the label.

Thermosensitive recording label

A thermosensitive recording label includes a thermosensitive color-forming layer disposed on one side of a substrate and a heat reflecting layer disposed on another side of the substrate and a delayed action adhesive disposed on the heat reflecting layer. The thermosensitive recording label may be manufactured and used without a backing sheet, thus considerably reducing the weight and volume of the label. In use, the thermosensitive recording label is drawn from a roll or stack and the delayed action adhesive activated by a heat lamp, or the like, to place it in a tacky condition for placement on goods. The heat reflecting layer disposed between the delayed action adhesive and the thermosensitive color-forming layer prevents activation of the color-forming layer during heating of the delayed action adhesive.

Heat insulated thermosensitive paper

A thermosensitive recording label includes a substrate, a thermosensitive color-forming layer disposed on one side of said substrate, a protective layer disposed on the thermosensitive color-forming layer, and electron beam setting printing ink disposed in a preselected pattern on the protective layer, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on another side of the substrate and a releasing bold backing sheet disposed on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. A visible pattern is thereafter created by exposing the thermosensitive recording label to an electron beam to set, or cure the electron beam setting ink. The electron beam setting ink may be printed additionally on the substrate and the backing sheet to enable product coding information to be printed on the substrate as well as the printing of a manufacturer's logo on the backing sheet.

Releasable heat-sensitive label with E. B. setting printing ink

A thermosensitive recording label includes a substrate, a thermosensitive color-forming layer disposed on one side of the substrate, a protective layer disposed on the thermosensitive color-forming layer, a pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesive layer disposed on another side of the substrate and a releasable backing sheet disposed on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The use of a hot melt adhesive layer enables the thermosensitive label to be placed on plastic films without migration of plasticizers in the film from migrating into the color-sensitive layer. The hot melt adhesive not only prevents such plasticizers migration, but enables the labels to be placed on beef products without discoloration of the beef beneath the label.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Tomoo Shibata