Label assembly and method of using the same to label articles durably yet removably

Abstract

A label assembly and method of using the same to label articles durably, yet removably. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an image removing laminate. The image removing laminate includes (i) a remover support, and (ii) a remover layer secured to the remover support, the remover layer, upon being activated by at least one of heat and light, being bondable to an ink image on a garment in such a way that the bonding between the remover layer and the ink image is stronger than the bonding between the ink image and the garment. The method then includes bonding the remover layer of the image removing laminate to the ink image on the garment and, then, detaching the ink image from the garment by separating the image removing laminate away from the garment.

1 . A method of removing an ink image secured to a garment, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing an image removing laminate, said image removing laminate comprising
 (i) a remover support, and 
 (ii) a remover layer secured to said remover support, said remover layer, upon being activated by at least one of heat and light, being bondable to said ink image on said garment in such a way that the bonding between said remover layer and said ink image is stronger than the bonding between said ink image and the garment; 
   (b) bonding said remover layer of said image removing laminate to said ink image on the garment; and   (c) then, detaching said ink image from said garment by separating said image removing laminate away from the garment.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the garment is made from at least one of cotton, nylon, polyester, rayon, Lycra, and Spandex. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said remover layer is bonded directly to said remover support. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said remover layer is secured to said remover support by an intermediate tie layer. 
     
     
         5 . A method for processing a garment, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) printing an ink image on a support;   (b) then, bonding said ink image and said support to the garment;   (c) then, bonding, using at least one of heat and light, a remover layer to said ink image in such a way that the bonding between said remover layer and said ink image is stronger than the bonding between said ink image and the garment; and   (d) then, removing said ink image from said garment by separating said remover layer from the garment.   
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said bonding of step (b) comprises bonding said support directly to the garment. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said bonding of step (b) comprises bonding said support to the garment using an adhesive. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said adhesive is a heat-activated adhesive. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said support has a surface roughness not exceeding 15 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  further comprising, after said printing step, positioning a protective layer over said ink image. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the garment is a fabric garment. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said printing step comprises printing said ink image using at least one of screen printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said printing step comprises printing said ink image using at least one of thermal transfer printing, ink jet printing and laser printing. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said printing step comprises printing a first portion of said ink image using at least one of screen printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing and printing a second portion of said ink image using at least one of thermal transfer printing, ink jet printing and laser printing. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said remover layer is securely coupled to a remover support. 
     
     
         16 . A method for processing a garment, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a support;   (b) then, printing an ink image on said support;   (c) then, transferring said ink image from said support to the garment whereby said ink image is bonded to the garment;   (d) then, bonding, using at least one of heat and light, a remover layer to said ink image in such a way that the bonding between said remover layer and said ink image is stronger than the bonding between said ink image and the garment; and   (e) then, removing said ink image from said garment by separating said remover layer from the garment.   
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said support comprises a carrier and a release and wherein said printing step comprises printing said ink image directly onto said release. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said transferring step comprises bonding said ink image directly to the garment. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said transferring step comprises bonding said ink image to the garment using an adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising, prior to said printing step, the step of depositing a protective layer over said support, wherein said printing step comprises printing said ink image on said protective layer and wherein said transferring step comprises transferring said ink image and said protective layer from said support to the garment. 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said printing step comprises printing said ink image using at least one of screen printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing. 
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said printing step comprises printing said ink image using at least one of thermal transfer printing, ink jet printing and laser printing. 
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said printing step comprises printing a first portion of said ink image using at least one of screen printing, gravure printing and flexographic printing and printing a second portion of said ink image using at least one of thermal transfer printing, ink jet printing and laser printing. 
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said remover layer is securely coupled to a remover support.