EP1916646A2

EP1916646A2 - Labelling form and associated methods

Info

Publication number: EP1916646A2
Application number: EP07254058A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Steven Lee
Original assignee: East Anglian Computer Supplies Ltd
Current assignee: East Anglian Computer Supplies Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-24
Filing date: 2007-10-12
Publication date: 2008-04-30
Also published as: EP1916646A3; GB0621221D0; GB2441398A; GB0712083D0; GB2441398B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a self-adhesive label having a flap for covering a message within the label, and to a method for forming the same. A labelling form (1) for labelling an object comprises a sheet having a substrate layer, at least one line of weakness (42) in the substrate layer, said line(s) separating at least one labelling portion (2) of the labelling form from the rest of the labelling form, wherein the labelling portion (2) includes: on a first side of the substrate layer a first printing surface (35) for writing on and/or printing on; and on a second side of the substrate opposite said first side an adhesive surface (28) and a non-adhesive surface (37), said surfaces defining respectively an adhesive part (39) and a non-adhesive part (38) of the labelling portion (2). A release layer (32) covers at least the adhesive surface (28). The line of weakness (42) in the substrate layer facilitates removal of the labelling portion (2) from the rest of the labelling form (1), the release layer (32) being separable from the adhesive surface (28) so that the adhesive surface can be used to adhere the labelling portion (2) to an object and so that said non-adhesive part (38) of the labelling portion (2) can be folded over to conceal partly or fully said first printing surface.

Description

BACKGROUND

a. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a labelling form and associated methods, and in particular to a self-adhesive label having a flap for covering a message within the label, and to a method for forming the same.

b. Related Art

Gift labels are often applied to presents to convey a written message indicating the recipient and/or the gift giver. The label may have a self-adhesive backing, or be affixed by adhesive tape, string or other means to the gift, which may be wrapped or inside a package or envelope. Either for reasons of security or privacy or simply for temporary concealment, such labels commonly have a flap or material that covers information conveyed within the label. This is a convenient way for an individual to personally label a present, as the individual can write a message on the label either before or after affixing it to the gift.
Such labels are, however, much less convenient in the context of mail order or internet order gifts, when the gift giver places an order with an organisation for a gift to the shipped directly to the recipient. The user may still wish to include with the gift a personal message for the recipient. Although it is possible for the organisation to have an employee write by hand a gift label with the message supplied by the person placing the order, and then affix this to the gift, this can be time consuming. Because of the manual nature of this work, there is also a significant chance that the message will be incorrectly written or illegible or even affixed to the wrong gift. Because of this, most mail order and internet order organisations print off the message on one side of a flat card or plain piece of paper, often together with the shipping information. This card or paper is then packaged loose with the gift or inserted inside a self-adhesive plastic wallet in a similar manner to a shipping note. While this approach avoids the problems associated with manual production of gift tags by employees of the organisation, this loses the personal appearance and presentation of a conventional gift label.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more convenient label and method for making and using such a label

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a labelling form for labelling an object, comprising a labelling portion providing a removable tag label having a self-adhesive backing on part of one side for adhering the tag label to an object; wherein the adhesive backing on the tag label only extends over a part of said one side so that an unadhered portion of the tag label may be folded over or towards the adhered portion of the tag label.
The labelling form may comprise additionally a further labelling portion providing a peel off label with a self-adhesive backing for adhering one side of the label fully to the same or a different object.
Also according to the invention, there is provided a labelling form for labelling an object, comprising a sheet having a substrate layer, at least one line of weakness in the substrate layer, said line(s) separating at least one labelling portion of the labelling form from the rest of the labelling form, wherein the labelling portion includes:

on a first side of the substrate layer a first printing surface for writing on and/or printing on; and
on a second side of the substrate opposite said first side an adhesive surface and a non-adhesive surface, said surfaces defining respectively an adhesive part and a non-adhesive part of the labelling portion;

Such a labelling form may then be used to apply any desired information or design on the first printing surface, preferably by a computer driven printer. The remainder of the labelling form may be used for related purposes. In particular, the folded labelling portion may form a gift tag to be adhered to a gift. The invention is particularly useful in the context of a mail order or internet order business where goods may be ordered by one person for delivery as a gift to a second person. In this example, the remainder of the form may be used, for example, as an advertising insert sent to in the same package as the gift to the second person receiving the gift, or as a packing list or confirmation communication to the first person who ordered the gift.
Usually, the extent of the adhesive surface will coincide with the extent on the opposite side of the substrate of the first printing surface on one side of a fold line.
The non-adhesive part of the labelling portion will therefore normally cover partly or fully the adhesive part of the labelling portion.
After folding, the adhesive surface preferably lies on one side of the fold line, with the non-adhesive surface lying on the other side of the fold line.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fold line is pre-formed in the labelling portion in order to facilitate the folding of the labelling portion after separation from the rest of the labelling form.
Also in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the non-adhesive part includes a second printing surface for writing on and/or printing on. As this part is folded over the adhered part of the gift tag, the second printing surface forms a cover for the label. When used as a gift tag, the second printing surface may therefore be printed with an attractive design.
The fold line may be a visible indication provided on the labelling portion to indicate a preferred location of the location fold line, for example by printing a line on the first or second printing surface. The fold line may also be a line of weakness, for example a partial perforation, a scoring or other deformation in the labelling portion.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the line of weakness extends through the release layer so that the release layer forms part of the labelling portion. At least part of the release layer may then be removed together with the rest of the labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form.
The release layer may advantageously extend beyond the edge of the adhesive surface to facilitate removal of the release layer from the adhesive surface. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the release layer presents a non-adhered tab that extends over a portion of said non-adhesive surface to facilitate removal of the release layer from the adhesive surface.
The labelling portion may be bounded on one or more sides by an edge to the substrate sheet. However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the labelling portion is surrounded on all sides by the rest of the labelling form.
Either or both of the first and second printing surfaces may be provided by a printing layer distinct from the substrate layer. Such a printing layer may be adhered directly to the substrate layer.
The labelling form may comprise on one or both sides of the substrate layer at least one additional layer which serves to stiffen the labelling portion. Such an additional layer may be adapted to be written on or printed on, and therefore can serve as either or both of the printing layers.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the labelling portion is a gift tag for adhering to an object with the non-adhesive part of the labelling portion adapted to be folded over to cover partly or fully said first printing surface.
Also in a preferred embodiment, the labelling form comprises additionally at least one further line of weakness in the substrate layer which separates a further labelling portion of the form from the rest of the labelling form. This further labelling portion then includes on one side of the substrate layer a first printing surface for writing on and/or printing on, and on an opposite side of the substrate an adhesive surface extending across said opposite side. The release layer then covers at least this adhesive surface. In use this further line of weakness in the substrate layer facilitates removal of this further labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form, the release layer being separable from the adhesive surface so that the adhesive surface can be used to affix the labelling portion to an object.
The labelling form may therefore be printed with address or delivery information on a separate label from that with the folded non-adhesive portion, all provided on the same labelling form. This is particularly convenient, as this means that information such as a delivery address for a person can be printed at the same time as other information of the folding label, which may then contain a greeting for that same person or other information correlated with that on the further non-folding label.
Also according to the invention, there is provided a method of labelling an object, using a labelling form comprising a sheet having a substrate layer, at least one line of weakness in the substrate layer, said line(s) separating at least one labelling portion of the labelling form from the rest of the labelling form and the labelling portion having on part of one side an adhesive surface covered by a release layer the other part of said one side not having an adhesive surface, wherein the method comprises:

writing and/or printing information and/or a design on a first printing surface provided on a side of the substrate layer opposite the side having the adhesive surface;
using the line(s) of weakness to separate the labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form;
uncovering the adhesive surface by removing the release layer from the adhesive surface;
adhering the adhesive surface to the object; and
folding a non-adhered part of the labelling portion over or towards an adhered part of the labelling portion to conceal at least partially the information and/or the design written on said printing surface.

Therefore, when the labelling form comprises at least one further line of weakness in the substrate layer which separates at least one further labelling portion of the labelling form from the rest of the labelling form and when this further labelling portion has across one side an adhesive surface covered by a release layer, this method may comprise additionally the steps of writing and/or printing information on a first printing surface provided on a side of the substrate layer opposite the side having the adhesive surface, using the line(s) of weakness to separate the labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form, uncovering the adhesive surface by removing the release layer from the adhesive surface, and then adhering the adhesive surface to the object.
The method may also comprise the steps of printing on the first printing surface of the folding labelling portion a message and printing, preferably at the same time, on the first printing surface of the non-folding further labelling portion address/delivery information, such that the message and address/delivery information are correlated with each other.
The message may be any type of message, for example a textual message, a graphical or pictorial message or a combination of different types of message.
The invention further provides a method of providing a gift labelled with a gift tag to a recipient, using a folding labelling form according to the invention, in which one labelling portion provides a foldable gift tag, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an order to provide the gift to the recipient;
receiving a message to go with the gift and a delivery address for the recipient;
writing and/or printing said message on said first printing surface of the gift tag;
using the line(s) of weakness to separate the gift tag from the rest of the labelling form and uncovering the adhesive surface by removing the release layer from the adhesive surface;
adhering the adhesive surface to the gift;
folding a non-adhered part of the gift tag over or towards an adhered part of the gift tag to conceal at least partially said message written on said first printing surface; and
despatching the labelled gift to the recipient at the delivery address.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of one side of a label form according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, showing on the form one rectangular peel-off address label and one rectangular gift tag label which can be pressed out of the form and folded in half;
Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of an opposite side of the label form of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the address label of Figure 1, taken along a long axis of the address label as indicated by arrows III-III;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the gift tag label of Figure 1, taken along a long axis of the gift tag as indicated by arrows IV-IV;
Figure 5 is a cross-section view through the address label of Figure 1, taken along a short axis of the address label as indicated by lines V-V;
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are three cross-sectional views through the gift tag label of Figure 1 taken respectively along lines VI-VI, VII-VII and VIII-VIII;
Figure 9 is a schematic plan view of one side of a label form according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, showing on the form one rectangular peel-off address label and one rectangular gift tag label which can be pressed out of the form and folded in half;
Figure 10 is a schematic plan view of an opposite side of the label form of Figure 9;
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the address label of Figure 10, taken along a short axis of the address label as indicated by arrows XI-XI;
Figures 12A and 12B are cross-sectional views of two variant designs of the gift tag label of Figure 10, taken along a long axis of the gift tag as indicated by arrows XII-XII;
Figure 13 is a plan view of a label form after the address label and gift tag label have been removed from the form; and
Figure 14 shows how the gift tag label may be folded in half along a short axis and then affixed to a gift prior to packing the gift in a box which is then labelled with the address label.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a plan view of one side of a label form 1. The label form 1 has integrated within the form two label portions, a gift tag label portion 2 and an address label portion 4. The gift tag portion 2 can convey a message 6 while the address label portion 4 can be printed with a person's name and address 8.
The gift tag and address label portions 2, 4 are provided on a lower portion 10 of the form 1 separated by a tear strip 12 from the remainder 14 of the form 1. The remainder 14 of the form can carry any other useful information 16. In this example a label form 1 is suitable for use in a mail order or internet order business where a customer may order a gift to be delivered to a recipient. In this example, the address label portion 4 carries the recipients name and address 8 while the gift tag label portion 2 carries an appropriate greeting 6. The remainder 14 of the form can be separated at a tear line 12 and may be posted to the person 16 placing the order, for example to confirm dispatch of the gift.
Reference is now also made to Figure 2, which shows a reverse side of the label form 1, and also to Figures 3-8 which show various cross-sections through the gift tag label portion 2 and address label portion 4.
The label form 1 is based on an A4 size sheet of 115 g paper suitable for laser printing on both sides. The A4 paper forms a substrate layer 18. Behind the address label portion 4 a rectangular release layer 20 is adhered in a border region 26 around its edges to a reverse side 22 of the substrate layer 18. In one method of assembly, prior to adhering the release layer 20, a thin adhesive layer is applied to the reverse surface 22 of the substrate layer 18 to provide an adhesive surface 24 across substantially the full extent of the back of the address label portion 4. The release layer 20 may be formed from a backing layer of paper material 19 which includes on one side a silicone release coating 25. The extent of the adhesive backing 24 and its orientation inside the adhered border region 26 of the release layer 20 is shown in phantom outline in Figure 2. The silicone release coating 25 need not extend to the edges of the release layer 20 as illustrated. If the silicone release coating 25 does not extend full across the border region 26, then this can improve the adhesion to the paper substrate 18 in the border region 26.
As an alternative to this process, the structure composed of the adhesive 24 and the release layer 20 could be manufactured as a combined structure which is later applied to the reverse side 22 of the paper substrate 18. This can be done by web-coating on an extended length of disposable backing material (not shown) first the adhesive layer 24, and then by applying the release layer 20 to the adhesive layer 24. This can be done in a reel-to- reel manufacturing process. The release layer 20 can be formed from a similarly extended length paper material onto which has been coated with the silicone release coating 25. Optionally the silicone is applied in patches so as not to extend into the border region 26, in which case, the size of the silicone release coating 25 is the same as or slightly more than the size of the address label portion 4, to leave the border region 26 free of the silicone release coating 25.
This completed combined structure can then be cut and stamped onto the reverse side 22 of the paper substrate 18 in a process in which the disposable backing material is discarded, so that the adhesive layer is adhered to the address label portion 4, and the border region 26 is adhered to the paper substrate reverse side 22 surrounding the address label portion 4.
If the adhesive 24 is applied directly to the back of the address label portion 4, rather than to a disposable backing material as described above, a similar adhesive layer 28, for adhering in use the gift label to a gift, can be applied at the same time to a portion of a reverse surface 37 of the gift tag label portion 2. Figure 2 shows in phantom outline the extent and orientation of the adhesive surface 28 in the gift tag label portion 2. As can be seen, the adhesive surface 28 in the gift tag portion 2 only extends over about half of the reverse surface 37 of the gift tag portion 2, thereby defining a non-adhesive part 38 of the gift tag and an adhesive part 39.
Although the weight of the paper used to form the label form 1 is sufficient for an address label that is to be fully adhered to an object, a gift tag should preferably be more rigid. Therefore, both sides of the substrate layer 18 in the gift tag portion 2 are bonded to reinforcing layers 30, 31 by means of corresponding adhesive layers 41, 43 so that the substrate layer 18 is sandwiched between the reinforcing layers 30, 31. The adhesive layer 28 in the gift tag portion 2 is therefore applied to the reverse or exposed surface of the rear reinforcement layer 31, which here provides the reverse surface 37 of the gift tag portion 2.
The gift tag portion 2 also has a release layer 32 which fully covers the adhesive surface 28 and which has a border region 27 on three sides 33 which is bonded to the rear surface 37 of the rear reinforcement layer 31. A fourth side 34 of this backing layer 32 is not bonded to any layer or in contact with the adhesive surface 28 and therefore provides a free tab 36 the function of which will be explained below. The release layer 32 may be formed from a backing layer of paper material 21 which includes a silicone release coating 29, which does not extend as far as the border region 27 but which does extend to the fourth side 34.
As with the address label portion 4, the gift tag portion 2 layers 27, 28, 29, 32, 43 on the reverse side 22 of the paper substrate 18 may be formed in a separate web-coating and laminating process onto a length of disposable backing material, from which patches are cut or stamped onto the reverse side 22 of the paper substrate 18.
During manufacture of the label form 1, one or both sides of the substrate layer 18 may be printed with information or designs. This printing is done before application of the adhesive surfaces 24, 28, but after the application of the gift tag reinforcing layers 30, 31. Both the reinforcing layers 30, 31 have respective external surfaces 35, 37 suitable for laser printing and so can be printed with designs or decorative elements, particularly on the non-adhesive portion or part 38 of the gift tag label portion 2 beside the adhesive surface 28. After this initial printing of the label form 1, the adhesive layers 24, 28 are applied followed by the release layers 20, 32.
The label form 1 is then pressed by a die (not shown) in order to impart lines of weakness, which are here rectangular cuts 40, 42. The rectangular cut 40 in the address label portion 4 extends fully through at least the substrate layer 18 but not the backing layer 20. The rectangular cut 42 in the gift tag label portion 2 extends fully through the substrate layer 18, the reinforcing layers 30, 31 and also the backing layer 32 except at isolated points 44 where the gift tag label portion 2 remains attached to the remainder of the label form 1.
Figures 9 and 10 show plan views of opposite sides of a second embodiment of a label form 101, in which features corresponding with those of Figures 1 and 2 are indicated with reference numeral incremented by 100. As with the label form described above, an integrated gift tag label portion 102 is printed with address information 108 and address label portion 104 which can convey a message 106.
The gift tag and address label portions 102, 104 are provided on a lower portion 110 of the form 101 separated by a tear strip 112 from the remainder 114 of the form 101 on which can be printed any other useful information 116.
Reference is now also made to Figure 11 which shows a cross-section through the address label portion 104, which has the same structure as that of the first embodiment 4. Reference is also made to Figures 12A and 12B, which show two alternative structures for the gift tag label portion 102, 102'.
The label form 101 uses the same format and weight of paper substrate 118 as the first embodiment 1. Behind the address label portion 104, a rectangular release layer 120 is adhered in a rectangular border region 127 around its edges to a reverse side 122 of the substrate layer 118. The release layer 120 may be formed from a backing layer of paper material 119 which includes on one side a silicone release coating 125. In one method of assembly, prior to adhering the release layer 120, a thin adhesive layer 124 is applied to the reverse surface 122 of the substrate layer 118 to provide an adhesive surface across substantially the full extent of the back of the address label portion 104. The extent of the adhesive backing 124 and its orientation inside the adhered border region 127 of the release layer 120 is shown in phantom outline in Figure 10. The silicone release coating 125 need not extend to the edges of the release layer 120 as illustrated. If the silicone release coating 125 does not extend fullly across the border region 127, then this can improve the adhesion to the paper substrate 18 in the border region 127.
As an alternative to this process, the structure composed of the adhesive 124 and the release layer 120 could be manufactured as a combined structure which is later applied to the reverse side 122 of the paper substrate 118. This can be done by web-coating in a reel-to-reel manufacturing process onto an extended length of disposable backing material (not shown) first the adhesive layer 124, and then by applying the release layer 120 to the adhesive layer 124. The release layer 120 can be formed from a similarly extended length paper material 119 onto which has been coated on one side the silicone release coating 125. Optionally the silicone is applied in patches so as not to extend into the border region 127, in which case, the size of the silicone release coating 125 is the same as or slightly more than the size of the address label portion 104, to leave the border region 127 free of the silicone release coating 125.
This completed combined structure can then be cut and stamped onto the reverse side 122 of the paper substrate 118 in a process in which the disposable backing material is discarded, so that the adhesive layer is adhered to the address label portion 104, and the border region 127 is adhered to the reverse side 122 of the paper substrate 118 surrounding the address label portion 104.
Two alternative variants of the gift tag label portion 102, 102' are illustrated in Figures 12A and 12B. Both these variants differ from the gift tag label portion 2 of the first embodiment 1 mainly in that the release layer 132, 132' extends fully across the back of the gift tag label portion 102, 102', and in that the die cuts 142 around the gift tag label portion 102, 102' extend only as deep as the release layer 132, 132'. Therefore, the release layer 132, 132' remains attached to the reverse side 122 of the paper substrate 118 when the gift tag is removed from the form 101.
Both of the variants of the gift tag label portion 102, 102' are formed of a number of layers adhered on the reverse surface 122 of the paper substrate 118. The preferred manufacturing process is similar to the web coating and lamination process described above in relation to the address label portion 102. First, an adhesive layer 143 is web coated on a length of a disposable length of plastic material (not shown), for example in a reel-to-reel manufacturing process.
Although the weight of the paper 118 used to form the label form 101 is sufficient for an address label 104 that is to be fully adhered to an object, a gift tag should preferably be more rigid. Therefore, a web of reinforcing layer 131 is next applied onto the adhesive 143. In use, a rear surface 137 of this reinforcing layer 131 provides the outer back and front cover surfaces of a folded gift tag, while the substrate upper layer 135 provides the inner surfaces of a gift tag.
A second adhesive layer 128 is then applied over a portion or strip of the reverse surface 137 of the rear reinforcement layer 131, which when assembled with the paper substrate 118 provides the adhesive part 139 for the gift tag label portion 102, 102'.
Figure 10 shows in phantom outline the extent and orientation of the adhesive surface 128 in the gift tag label portion 102, 102'. As can be seen, the adhesive surface 128 in the gift tag portion 102, 102' only extends over about half of the reverse surface 137 of the gift tag portion, thereby defining a non-adhesive part 138 of the gift tag and an adhesive part 139.
The variants of Figures 12A and 12B differ in that in former case, the non-adhesive part 138 includes a so-called "dry peel" layer 147 in contact with the exposed part of the reinforcing layer 131, while the adhesive part 139 includes a silicone release coating 129 in contact with the adhesive layer 128, while in the latter case, both the non-adhesive and adhesive parts 138, 139 have just the silicone release coating 129' in contact with both the exposed part of the reinforcing layer and the adhesive layer 128. In use, the effect is the same, because in both variations, the dry peel layer 147 and/or the silicone release coating 129, 129' is coated onto the paper backing layer 119 to form the release layer 132, 132'. The release layer 132, 132' separates easily from both the non-adhesive and adhesive parts 138, 139, and because the release layer 132, 132' is not cut through, this remains attached to the paper substrate 118 when the gift tag is to be removed from the form 101.
During manufacture of the label form 101, one or both sides of the substrate layer 118 may be printed with information or designs. This printing may be done before application of the adhesive surfaces 124, 128 but after the application of the gift tag reinforcing layers 130, 131. Both the reinforcing layers 130, 131 have respective external surfaces 135, 137 suitable for laser printing and so can be printed with designs or decorative elements, particularly on the non-adhesive portion or part 138 of the gift tag label portion 102, 102' beside the adhesive surface 128. After this initial printing, the adhesive layers 124, 128 are applied followed by the release layers 120, 132, 132'.
The label form 101 is then pressed by a die (not shown) in order to impart lines of weakness, which are here rectangular cuts 140, 142. The rectangular cut 140 in the address label portion 104 extends fully through at least the substrate layer 18, 118 but not the backing layer 120.
In the gift tag label portion, the layers are cut through 142 the substrate 118 down to, but not through the release layer 132, 132'. The rectangular cut 142 in the gift tag label portion 102, 102' extends fully through the substrate layer 118, the reinforcing layer 131 but not the backing layer 132, 132' which remains adhered to the paper substrate 118 in the peripheral region 127.
It should be noted that the use of the second reinforcing layer 30 on the front side of the substrate 18 is optional, and so may be omitted from the first embodiment 1, or added to the second embodiment 101. Thus the degree of stiffness of the gift tag may be varied by varying the number of reinforcing layers in the structure.
Reference is now made also to Figures 13 and 14. When an order is received to send a gift 50 to a recipient 8, 108 the label form 1 is sent through a suitable printer, for example a laser printer (not shown) in order to print the recipient's information 8, 108 on the address label portion 4, 104 on the printing surfaces 35, 135, 37, 137 inside the rectangular cuts 40, 140 and also at the same time an appropriate message 6, 106 on either the printing surface 35 of the upper reinforcing layer 30 or the upper surface 135 of the substrate 118 in the gift tag label portion 2, 102, 102' within the rectangular bounds of the cuts 42, 142. The message 6, 106 may be printed on any part of the printing surface 35, 135 of the upper reinforcing layer 30, 130 but is preferably printed on the portion opposite the adhesive surface 28, 128.
At the same time, other information 16, 116 may be printed on one or both sides of the remainder 14, 114 of the label form 1, 101.
When the gift 50 is ready for despatch, a worker (not shown) presses out the gift tag portion 2, 102, 102' from the label form 1, 101. In the first embodiment 1 this involves tearing through the intermittent attachments 44 with the rest of the label form 1. In the second embodiment 101, this involves peeling the structure formed by the substrate 118, reinforcing layer 131 and intermediate adhesive 143 off the release layer 132, 132'. Preferably, the gift tag portion 2, 102, 102' has either a visible indication, or a fold line or other line of weakness 52, 152 which is aligned with an edge of the adhesive surface 28, 128. This fold line 52, 152 may divide the gift tag label portion 2, 102, 102' in half, in this example along a short dimension of the rectangular gift tag label portion 2, 102, 102'. Alternatively, the fold line may be off-centre, in which case the wider folded half can have a retention feature such as a cut line (not shown), for example a semicircular cut line which receives the edge of the narrower folded half, so that the gift tag is held fully closed by the retention feature until opened by the recipient.
The worker can then fold the pressed-out label portion 2, 102, 102' in half along the fold line so that the message 6, 106 is at least partially concealed. In the first embodimnent 1, the free tab 36 of the release layer 32 may then be gripped and pulled off the remainder of the pressed-out gift tag.
The folded, self-adhesive gift tag 60 can then be adhered to the gift 50, as shown in Figure 14. The non-adhesive portion 38, 138 of the gift tag label portion having a decorative design then forms a cover 62 for the folded gift tag 60.
The gift 50 may then be packaged in any suitable container 64 after which the worker can peel off an address label 66 from the address label portion 4, 104 after which the packaged gift 50, 64 can be dispatched to the recipient 8, 108.
After this, the remaining label form 1' illustrated in Figure 13 may then be torn along the tear line 12, 112 after which the remainder 14, 114 of the label form may be sent to the person 16, 116 who placed the order for the gift as confirmation of dispatch of the gift.
Alternatively, the remainder 14, 114 of the label form 1' may be used for other purposes, for example as retained paperwork to do with the order, or for any other desired purpose to do with the processing of the gift order.
A significant advantage of the invention is that the gift tag label portion 2, 102, 102' and address label portion 4, 104 are printed respectively with a message and address/delivery information which are correlated with each other. This printing can be done on the upper printing surface 35, 135 after the structure of the form has been created, for example at a laser printing stating next to where the gifts are packed and labelled. The worker processing the order has everything to hand and can apply an attractive folded gift tag and also an address label with minimal effort.
The invention is, however, also applicable to other situations in which it is desired to affix a folded label to an object, whether or not it is necessary also at the same time to apply a non-folded label to the same or another related object. For example, an identification tag may be attached to an object with a name or product number printed on the tag. Other types of labels may convey other information, such as the contents of a package, ingredients of a composition or food product, or instructions for using a device. After applying a portion of the back of such a label to an object, with a label flap covering information inside the label, a user or another person can at a later time then lift the flap to gain access to the information concealed within the label.
Although the invention is particularly applicable to machine printing of the label form 1, the invention may also be used in a situation where it is desirable to write by hand a message and/or address or delivery information. The invention therefore provides a convenient and useful label form for applying at least the folded tag label 60 to an object. The invention is particularly useful where the tag is a gift tag that may be affixed to a gift with a message written on the tag.

Claims

A labelling form for labelling an object, comprising a labelling portion providing a removable tag label having a self-adhesive backing on part of one side for adhering the tag label to an object; wherein the adhesive backing on the tag label only extends over a part of said one side so that an unadhered portion of the tag label may be folded over or towards the adhered portion of the tag label.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 1, comprising additionally a further labelling portion providing a peel off label with a self-adhesive backing for adhering one side of the label fully to the same or a different object.
A labelling form for labelling an object, comprising a sheet having a substrate layer, at least one line of weakness in the substrate layer, said line(s) separating at least one labelling portion of the labelling form from the rest of the labelling form, wherein the labelling portion includes:
- on a first side of the substrate layer a first printing surface for writing on and/or printing on; and

- on a second side of the substrate opposite said first side an adhesive surface and a non-adhesive surface, said surfaces defining respectively an adhesive part and a non-adhesive part of the labelling portion;
wherein a release layer covers at least the adhesive surface and said at least one line of weakness in the substrate layer facilitates removal of the labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form, the release layer being separable from the adhesive surface so that the adhesive surface can be used to adhere the labelling portion to an object and so that said non-adhesive part of the labelling portion can be folded over to conceal partly or fully said first printing surface.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 3 , in which said non-adhesive part of the labelling portion can be folded over to cover partly or fully the adhesive part of the labelling portion.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which the labelling portion includes a fold line on one side of which is the adhesive surface and on the other side of which is the non-adhesive surface.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 5, in which the fold line is pre-formed in the labelling portion that facilitates the folding of the labelling portion.
A labelling portion as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first printing surface is provided by a printing layer distinct from the substrate layer.
A labelling form as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said non-adhesive part includes a second printing surface for writing on and/or printing on.
A labelling portion as claimed in any Claim 8, in which the second printing surface is provided by a printing layer distinct from the substrate layer.
A labelling form as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the line of weakness extends through the release layer so that the release layer forms part of the labelling portion.
A labelling form as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the release layer extends beyond the edge of the adhesive surface to facilitate removal of the release layer from the adhesive surface.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 11, in which the release layer presents a non-adhered tab that extends over a portion of said non-adhesive surface to facilitate removal of the release layer from the adhesive surface.
A labelling form as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9, in which the line of weakness does not extend through the release layer so that the release layer is retained to the labelling portion when the tag form is removed from labelling portion.
A labelling form as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the labelling portion is surrounded on all sides by the rest of the labelling form.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 14 in which the printing layer is adhered directly to the substrate layer.
A labelling form as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising on one or both sides of the substrate layer at least one additional layer which serves to stiffen the labelling portion.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 16, in which said additional layer is adapted to be written on or printed on.
A labelling form as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the labelling portion is a gift tag for adhering to an object with the non-adhesive part of the labelling portion adapted to be folded over to cover partly or fully said first printing surface.
A labelling form as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising additionally at least one further line of weakness in the substrate layer, said line(s) separating a further labelling portion of the form from the rest of the labelling form, wherein said further labelling portion includes:
- on one side of the substrate layer a first printing surface for writing on and/or printing on;

- on an opposite side of the substrate opposite said first side an adhesive surface extending across said opposite side; and
wherein a release layer covers at least said adhesive surface of said further labelling portion and in use said at least one further line of weakness in the substrate layer facilitates removal of the said further labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form, the release layer being separable from the adhesive surface so that the adhesive surface can be used to affix the labelling portion to an object.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 19, in which said further labelling portion is an address/delivery label.
A labelling form as claimed in Claim 20, when appendant from Claim 19, in which the first printing surfaces of the labelling portion and of said further labelling portion are printed respectively with a message and address/delivery information which are correlated with each other.
A method of labelling an object, using a labelling form comprising a sheet having a substrate layer, at least one line of weakness in the substrate layer, said line(s) separating at least one labelling portion of the labelling form from the rest of the labelling form and the labelling portion having on part of one side an adhesive surface covered by a release layer the other part of said one side not having an adhesive surface, wherein the method comprises:
- writing and/or printing information and/or a design on a first printing surface provided on a side of the substrate layer opposite the side having the adhesive surface;

- using the line(s) of weakness to separate the labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form;

- uncovering the adhesive surface by removing the release layer from the adhesive surface;

- adhering the adhesive surface to the object; and

- folding a non-adhered part of the labelling portion over or towards an adhered part of the labelling portion to conceal at least partially the information and/or the design written on said printing surface.
A method as claimed in Claim 22, using a labelling form comprising at least one further line of weakness in the substrate layer, said line(s) separating at least one further labelling portion of the labelling form from the rest of the labelling form and said further labelling portion having across one side an adhesive surface covered by a release layer, wherein the method comprises:
- writing and/or printing information on a first printing surface provided on a side of the substrate layer opposite the side having the adhesive surface;

- using the line(s) of weakness to separate the labelling portion from the rest of the labelling form;

- uncovering the adhesive surface by removing the release layer from the adhesive surface; and

- adhering the adhesive surface to the object.
A method as claimed in any of Claims 21 to 23, wherein said object is a parcelled gift, the labelling portion of Claim 21 is a gift tag adhered to a gift wrapped within a parcel, and said further labelling portion of Claim 18 is an address label adhered to the parcel.
A method as claimed in any of Claims 21 to 24, comprising the steps of writing and/or printing information or a decorative pattern on a second printing surface provided on said other part of said one side not having an adhesive surface so that said information or decorative pattern is exposed when said non-adhered part of the labelling portion is folded over or towards said adhered part of the labelling portion.
A method as claimed in Claim 25, comprising the steps of printing on the first printing surface of the labelling portion of Claim 24 a message and printing (preferably at the same time) on the first printing surface of the said further labelling portion of Claim 25 address/delivery information, said message and address/delivery information being correlated with each other.
A method as claimed in any of Claims 24 to 26, wherein said object is a parcelled gift, the labelling portion of Claim 24 is a gift tag adhered to a gift wrapped within a parcel, and said further labelling portion of Claim 21 is an address label adhered to the parcel.
A method as claimed in any of Claims 24 to 27, comprising the steps of writing and/or printing information or a decorative pattern on a second printing surface provided on said other part of said one side not having an adhesive surface so that said information or decorative pattern is exposed when said non-adhered part of the labelling portion is folded over or towards said adhered part of the labelling portion.
A method of providing a gift labelled with a gift tag to a recipient, using a labelling form as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 21 in which one labelling portion provides a foldable gift tag, comprising the steps of:
- receiving an order to provide the gift to the recipient;

- receiving a message to go with the gift and a delivery address for the recipient;

- writing and/or printing said message on said first printing surface of the gift tag;

- using the line(s) of weakness to separate the gift tag from the rest of the labelling form and uncovering the adhesive surface by removing the release layer from the adhesive surface;

- adhering the adhesive surface to the gift;

- folding a non-adhered part of the gift tag over or towards an adhered part of the gift tag to conceal at least partially said message written on said first printing surface; and

- despatching the labelled gift to the recipient at the delivery address.
A method of providing a gift labelled with a gift tag to a recipient, using a labelling form as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 21 in which one labelling portion of provides a foldable gift tag and a further labelling portion provides an address label, comprising the steps of:
- receiving an order to provide the gift to the recipient;

- receiving a message to go with the gift and a delivery address for the recipient;

- writing and/or printing said message on said first printing surface of the gift tag;

- writing and/or printing said delivery address on said first printing surface of the address label;

- using said line(s) of weakness to separate both the gift tag and the address label from the rest of the labelling form and uncovering the adhesive surfaces by removing the release layers from said adhesive surfaces;

- adhering the adhesive surface of the gift tag to the gift;

- folding a non-adhered part of the gift tag over or towards an adhered part of the gift tag to conceal at least partially the message written on said first printing surface;

- packaging the gift for shipping;

- adhering the adhesive surface of the address label to the packaged gift; and

- using the adhered address label to despatch the labelled gift to the recipient at the delivery address.