Separatable label assembly

Abstract

A label assembly including a face sheet, a back sheet, and a layer of an adhesive positioned between the face sheet and the back sheet. A separation line divides the label assembly into at least two portions. The separation line is formed by a first tearable line of separation extending across the back sheet and a second tearable line of separation extending across the face sheet. The first tearable line of separation is offset with respect to the second tearable line of separation, and at least one of the first and second tearable lines of separation includes a non-linear portion directed toward and/or an angled portion extending at an angle to an other of the at least one of the first and second tearable lines of separation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A label assembly, comprising:
 a back sheet;   a face sheet releasably adhered to the back sheet, the face sheet including a label column of a plurality of labels defined in part by a first tearable line of separation, the face sheet further including a matrix bordering the label column, wherein the first tearable line of separation extends beyond the label column and into the matrix;   a second tearable line of separation formed in the back sheet, the second tearable line of separation including a first portion running below the labels within the label column, the first portion at least generally parallel to and offset from at least portions of the first tearable line of separation, and the second tearable line of separation including an angled portion extending at an angle from the first portion of the second tearable line of separation toward the first tearable line of separation.   
     
     
         2 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the angled portion comprises a die cut or a kiss cut. 
     
     
         3 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a plurality of cuts and ties. 
     
     
         4 . The label assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the angled portion comprises a die cut or a kiss cut. 
     
     
         5 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second tearable lines of separation comprises a die cut line, a score cut line, a kiss cut line, a perforation line, or a microperforation line. 
     
     
         6 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first tearable line of separation comprises a die cut or a kiss cut and the second tearable line of separation comprises a plurality of cuts and ties. 
     
     
         7 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first tearable line of separation forms one side of the label column. 
     
     
         8 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the angled portion extends between the label column and an edge of the label assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second tearable lines of separation forms a separation line dividing the label assembly into two portions, and further comprising a second separation line in combination with a second label column. 
     
     
         10 . The label assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second tearable lines of separation comprises an angled portion extending at an angle to the other of the first and second tearable lines of separation, and the angled portion of the first tearable line of separation is at an opposite end of the separation line from the angled end portion of the second tearable line of separation. 
     
     
         11 . In a method for using a label assembly having a face sheet adhered to a back sheet and the face sheet including a plurality of labels disposed in a label column, the method comprising:
 portioning the label assembly by separating the back sheet along a first tearable line of separation which extends across the back sheet and separating the face sheet along a second tearable line of separation that is offset with respect to the first tearable line of separation and that extends between an edge of the label assembly and the label column, and the first tearable line of separation having a first non-linear section near a first edge of the label assembly and/or the second tearable line of separation having a second non-linear section near a second edge of the label assembly, each of the first tearable line of separation and the second tearable line of separation having a linear section.   
     
     
         12 . In the method according to  claim 11 , wherein the first non-linear section and/or the second non-linear section is tearable along an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         13 . In the method according to  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the arcuate shape has a radius of curvature in a range from about 0.05 feet to about 5.0 feet. 
     
     
         14 . In the method according to  claim 11 , wherein the first non-linear section is tearable in a first direction toward a first edge of the label assembly, and the second non-linear section is tearable toward a second edge of the label assembly in a second direction which is generally opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . In the method according to  claim 11 , wherein the first tearable line of separation is torn to intersect the first edge at a distance from an intersection of the second tearable line of separation and the first edge. 
     
     
         16 . In the method according to  claim 11 , wherein the second tearable line of separation is torn to intersect the second edge at a distance from an intersection of the first tearable line of separation and the second edge. 
     
     
         17 . In the method according to  claim 11 ,wherein the second tearable line of separation is torn to intersect the second edge at an intersection of the first tearable line of separation and the second edge. 
     
     
         18 . In the method according to  claim 11 , wherein the first tearable line of separation is torn to intersect the first edge at an intersection of the second tearable line of separation and the first edge. 
     
     
         19 . In a method for using a label assembly having a face sheet adhered to a back sheet and the face sheet including a plurality of labels disposed in a label column, the method comprising:
 separating the label assembly along a linear section of a first tearable line of separation extending across said back sheet and spaced apart from a second tearable line of separation extending across said face sheet, and separating the first tearable line of separation at a first arcuate end portion of the first tearable line of separation which extends to a first edge of the label assembly, and separating the second tearable line of separation at a second arcuate end portion of the second tearable line which extends to a second edge which is different from the first edge.   
     
     
         20 . In the method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first tearable line of separation intersects the first edge at a distance from an intersection of the second tearable line of separation and the first edge.