Method in labelling and use of an adhesive

Abstract

A method for attaching an adhesive label to an item. The label includes a substrate having face and rear sides and an adhesive layer applied on the rear side. The adhesive layer is non-tacky but activatable by external energy from an energy source to become tacky. The adhesive layer includes a deactivating agent that is activatable by the external energy exerted on the adhesive layer from an energy source so that the deactivating agent, when activated, begins to transform the adhesive layer to become non-tacky. The deactivating agent is activated with the energy source to start the transformation of the adhesive layer. A delay is arranged during which the thermal effect of external energy used for activation reduces in the label. The label is attached to the item so that the adhesive surface comes in contact with the surface of the item. The use of an adhesive in labelling.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method for attaching an adhesive label to an item, the label comprising a substrate having a face side and a rear side, and an adhesive layer applied on the rear side of the substrate, said adhesive layer being non-tacky but activatable by external energy from an energy source to become a tacky surface, the adhesive layer further comprising a deactivating agent which is activatable by the external energy exerted on the adhesive layer from an energy source so that said deactivating agent, when activated, begins to transform the adhesive layer to become non-tacky, the method comprising:
 activating the deactivating agent with the energy source to start said transformation of the adhesive layer;   arranging a delay during which the thermal effect of external energy used for activation from the energy source reduces in the label; and   attaching the label to the item so that the adhesive surface becomes in contact with the surface of the item to be labelled.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the adhesive layer is activated to become tacky surface and the deactivating agent is activated by the same external energy from the same source. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the adhesive layer is activatable to become tacky by external energy and the deactivating agent is deactivatable by the same external energy which originate from diverse sources. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the energy source provides energy in the form of heat, infra-red radiation, microwaves, or a combination of at least two of heat, infra-red radiation, microwaves. 
     
     
         34 . The method according  claim 30 , wherein the delay is selected such that the temperature of the label has reached substantially room temperature. 
     
     
         35 . The method according  claim 30 , wherein the delay is selected to be in the range of 1 to 20 minutes. 
     
     
         36 . Use of an adhesive in labelling, the adhesive layer applied on the rear side of a label, said adhesive layer being first non-tacky but activatable by external energy from an energy source to become a tacky adhesive surface, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a segmented polyurethane structure and isocyanate groups, polyisocyanate or some other agent as a deactivating agent, wherein said deactivating agent is activatable by external energy exerted on the adhesive layer from an energy source so that said deactivating agent, when activated, begins to transform the adhesive layer to become non-tacky. 
     
     
         37 . The use according to  claim 36 , wherein the adhesive layer is activated to become tacky surface and the deactivating agent is activated by the same external energy from the same source. 
     
     
         38 . The use according to  claim 36 , wherein the adhesive layer is activatable to become tacky by external energy and the deactivating agent is deactivatable by the same external energy which originate from diverse sources. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a segmented polyurethane structure and isocyanate groups, polyisocyanate or some other agent as a deactivating agent. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a segmented polyurethane structure and a isocyanate deactivating agent. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the deactivating agent is deactivatable by the same external energy from the same source to activate the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the external energy used to activate the adhesive layer and the deactivating agent originate from diverse sources. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the energy source provides energy in the form of heat, infra-red radiation, microwaves, or a combination of at least two of heat, infra-red radiation, microwaves.