Label, especially for a reusable container

Abstract

A proposal is made for a label ( 1 ) which can be adhered to an article ( 5 ), more particularly to a beverage bottle, and can be detached again in a washing liquid at a washing temperature of at least 5O° C., in the form of a laminate at least with the following layers: a biaxially stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) which shrinks at the washing temperature, a printed decoration layer ( 11 ), and an adhesive layer ( 13 ), more particularly a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, for adhering the label ( 1 ) to the article ( 5 ). The polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed in such a way that in the laminate at the washing temperature within a maximum time span of less than 5 minutes, in particular less than 3 minutes, it attains degrees of contraction in its two stretching directions which differ from one another by less than 50% and are lower than 50%. As a result of this, whereas the adhesive force between the label ( 1 ) and the article ( 5 ) is high, the label ( 1 ) can be washed off from the article ( 5 ) without splitting.

1 . A label ( 1 ) adapted to be adhered to an article ( 5 ), more particularly a beverage bottle, and adapted to be detached in a washing liquid at a mandated washing temperature from a temperature range between about 50° C. and about 95° C., the label being in the form of a laminate comprising at least the following layers: a biaxially stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) adapted to recontract at the mandated washing temperature, a printed decoration layer ( 11 ), and an adhesive layer ( 13 ), more particularly a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, for adhering the label to the article ( 5 ), characterized in that the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed such that the laminate, at the mandated washing temperature and within a maximum time span of less than 5 minutes, more particularly less than 3 minutes, and with the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) being allowed to freely contract in its two stretching directions, achieves maximum degrees of contraction which differ from one another by less than 50%, and in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is, further, designed in such a way that the laminate, in the two stretching directions of the polymeric film layer ( 9 ), at the mandated washing temperature and within the maximum time span, attains a contraction tension of at least 0.6 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of at least 0.5%. 
     
     
         2 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed such that the laminate, at the mandated washing temperature, within the maximum time span, and on free contraction, in the two stretching directions of the polymeric film layer, achieves maximum degrees of contraction which are lower than 65%, more particularly lower than 50%. 
     
     
         3 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed in such a way that the laminate, in the two stretching directions of the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) and within the maximum time span
 a) at a washing temperature of 60° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 3.5 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 20%   and/or   b) at a washing temperature of 70° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 15 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 55%   and/or   c) at a washing temperature of 80° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 18 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 60%   and/or   d) at a washing temperature of 90° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 20 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 65%.   
     
     
         4 . A label ( 1 ) adapted to be adhered to an article ( 5 ), more particularly a beverage bottle, and adapted to be detached in a washing liquid at a mandated washing temperature from a temperature range between about 50° C. and about 95° C., the label being in the form of a laminate comprising at least the following layers:
 a biaxially stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) adapted to recontract at the mandated washing temperature, a printed decoration layer ( 11 ), and an adhesive layer ( 13 ), more particularly a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, for adhering the label to the article ( 5 ), characterized in that the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed such that the laminate at the mandated washing temperature and within a maximum time span of less than 5 minutes, more particularly less than 3 minutes, and with the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) being allowed to freely contract in its two stretching directions, achieves maximum degrees of contraction which differ from one another by less than 50% and are lower than 50%, and in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is, further, designed in such a way that the laminate, in the two stretching directions of the polymeric film layer ( 9 ), at the mandated washing temperature and within the maximum time span, attains a contraction tension of at least 0.6 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of at least 0.5%. 
 
     
     
         5 . The label of  claim 3 , characterized in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed in such a way that the laminate, in the two stretching directions of the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) and within the maximum time span
 a) at a washing temperature of 60° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 3.5 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 13%   and/or   b) at a washing temperature of 70° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 12 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 36%   and/or   c) at a washing temperature of 80° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 18 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 46%   and/or   d) at a washing temperature of 90° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 20 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 50%.   
     
     
         6 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed in such a way that the laminate, in the two stretching directions of the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) and within the maximum time span
 a) at a washing temperature of at least 70° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of at least 1.5 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of at least 4%   and/or   b) at a washing temperature of 80° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of at least 0.8 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of at least 2%.   
     
     
         7 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is formed of a plastics material based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyester or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polystyrene (PS) or polypropylene (PP) or
 polyethylene (PE) or polylactic acid (PLA) or cycloolefin copolymer (COC).   
     
     
         8 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) has an elasticity modulus of at least 2500 MPa. 
     
     
         9 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is a layer constituent of a film composite layer ( 19 ), in particular a laminate composite layer or a coextruded composite layer, wherein the film composite layer ( 19 ) comprises at least one further polymeric film layer ( 23 ), preferably an unstretched or a monoaxially or biaxially stretched polymeric film layer which contracts on exposure to heat. 
     
     
         10 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the adhesive layer ( 13 ) is formed of a polymer, more particularly of a crosslinking polymer, and is joined via an interlayer ( 15 ) of crosslinking laminating adhesive to the laminate. 
     
     
         11 . The label of  claim 10 , characterized in that the interlayer ( 15 ) comprises two-component polyurethane adhesive as its base substance. 
     
     
         12 . The label of  claim 10 , characterized in that the adhesive layer ( 13 ) comprises as its base substance an adhesive which is adapted to be excited to crosslinking by radiation, more particularly by ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         13 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the polymeric; film layer ( 9 ) is composed of transparent plastics material, and the printed decoration layer ( 11 ) is disposed between the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) and the adhesive layer ( 13 ). 
     
     
         14 . The label of  claim 1 , characterized in that the decoration layer ( 11   b ) and the adhesive layer ( 13   b ) are disposed on opposite sides of the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9   b ), and the decoration layer ( 11   b ) is disposed between the stretched polymeric film layer ( 9   b ) and a protective layer ( 27 ). 
     
     
         15 . The label of  claim 14 , characterized in that the polymeric layer ( 27 ) is designed as a protective varnish layer or as a polymeric film layer, more particularly as a monoaxially stretched, preferably biaxially stretched, polymeric film layer which is adapted to contract on exposure to heat. 
     
     
         16 . A container, more particularly a beverage bottle, characterized in that a label ( 1 )  claim 1  is adhered to the container. 
     
     
         17 . A method of adhering a label ( 1 ) to an article ( 5 ), more particularly a beverage bottle, and detaching the label ( 1 ) from the article ( 5 ), wherein the label ( 1 ) is adapted to be adhered to the article ( 5 ) and is in the form of a laminate with at least the following layers: a biaxially stretched polymeric film layer ( 9 ) which recontracts when exposed to heat, a printed decoration layer ( 11 ), and an adhesive layer ( 13 ) which is adhesive to the article ( 5 ), wherein the label ( 1 ) is adhered by its adhesive layer ( 13 ) to the article
 ( 5 ), and is treated, for the purpose of detachment of the label, with a washing liquid which has a mandated washing temperature in the range between about 50° C. and about 95° C., such that the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) recontracts and, in so doing, overcomes the adhesive force of the adhesive layer ( 13 ), characterized in that the polymeric; film layer ( 9 ) is designed such that the laminate, at the mandated washing temperature and within a maximum time span of   less than 5 minutes, more particularly less than 3 minutes, and with the polymeric; film layer ( 9 ) being allowed to freely contract in its two stretching directions, contracts by less than 65%, in particular by less than 50%, and the degrees of contraction in the two stretching directions differ from one another by less than 50%, and in that the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is, further, designed in such a way that the laminate, in the two stretching directions, at the mandated washing temperature and within the maximum time span, attains a contraction tension of at least 0.6 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of at least 0.5%.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , characterized in that the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) is designed in such a way that the laminate, in the two stretching directions of the polymeric film layer ( 9 ) and within the maximum time span
 a) at a washing temperature of 60° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 3.5 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 20%, more particularly of maximally 13%   and/or   b) at a washing temperature of 70° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 15 N/mm 2 , more particularly of maximally   12 N/mm 2 , and a degree of contraction of maximally 55%, more particularly of maximally 36%   and/or   c) at a washing temperature of 80° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 18 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 60%, more particularly of maximally 46%   and/or   d) at a washing temperature of 90° C. does not exceed a contraction tension of maximally 20 N/mm 2  and a degree of contraction of maximally 65%, more particularly of maximally 50%.