FIGURE 1 is a box diagram indicating exemplary method steps that may be performed in the practice of an exemplary method according to the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a side view, with the layers greater exaggerated in size for clarity of illustration, of an exemplary roll form of labels or stickers according to the present invention; and
FIGURE 3 is a perspective schematic view illustrating utilization of an individual label or sticker according to the present invention on the inside surface of a window of an automobile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 illustrates schematically abase paper web 10, of cellulose material, or including cellulose material, or a like material, which is optionally first non-variably imaged on a first side thereof as indicated atbox 11. The non-variable information may be printed on the web atstage 11 by laser, thermal, ion deposition, ink jet, magnetography, or like printing techniques. Subsequently, theweb 10 passes tostage 12 wherein adhesive is substantially full face coated on the first face of the web, over the non-variable imaged material. Theweb 10 then passes on tostage 13 where a release coat is provided on the second face of the web, opposite the first face.

Stages

12 and 13 may be reversed in order.

The adhesive that is utilized may be any suitable adhesive for the application desired. Most desirably it is pressure sensitive adhesive, such as repositional adhesive such as sold by Moore Business Forms, Inc. of Lake Forest, Illinois under the trademark "CLEANTAC". The release coating applied atstage 13 may be any release coating which will not stick to the particular adhesive applied atstage 12.

Afterstage 13, the web is preferably wound up into a roll as indicated atstage 14, and then transported to a further use or utilization site as indicated at 15 in FIGURE 1. At the use or utilization site 15 the web is then unwound from the roll form as indicated at 16, and then is non-contact printed at stage 17.

At stage 17, noncontact printing is used to apply ink to the adhesive on the first face of theweb 10. Preferably the noncontact printing practiced is ink jet printing, and multicolored inks may be utilized if desired.

After stage 17 there is the optional stage -- as indicated in dotted line at 18 in FIGURE 1 -- of taking up the web into a roll again before shipping it to the final use site (e.g., the shop where stickers are applied to cars). Alternatively, the web can be separated into individual forms (labels or stickers) immediately after stage 17, as indicated bystage 19 of FIGURE 1. After separation into individual forms, the forms may optionally be formed into a pad as illustrated by dotted line at 20 in FIGURE 1 to further facilitate use in the field.

Ultimately, after the imaged web has been separated into individual labels or stickers, the labels or stickers are applied to a transparent surface as indicated at 21 in FIGURE 1. Normally the transparent surface is the inside of a car window, the non-variable and variable imaged indicia relating to price and other information about the vehicle.

FIGURE 2 schematically illustrates an exemplary roll of labels or stickers according to the present invention, as they exist immediately after step 17. The roll configuration is illustrated generally byreference numeral 25 in FIGURE 1, with the component parts exaggerated in size. The labels or stickers as illustrated in FIGURE 2 comprise abase paper 26, which may be cellulose paper or the like, which has arelease coating 27 applied atstage 13, on the second face thereof, withadhesive coating 28 applied atstage 12 on the first face thereof.Non-variable imaged indicia 29 is shown on the first face, theindicia 29 having been applied atstage 11, while indicia formed by ink from an ink jet printer is shown schematically byreference numeral 30 in FIGURE 2, being provided on the full faceadhesive coat 28. As also schematically illustrated in FIGURE 2, the individual labels or stickers may be separated byperforations 31 or other lines of weakness from the rest of the forms in theroll 25. In theroll 25, therelease coating 27 is preferably on the outside of the roll, with theadhesive coating 28 contactingunderlying release material 27 in the spiral configuration of theroll 25.

FIGURE 3 schematically illustrates an exemplary label orsticker 33 produced according to the invention shown attached to the inside surface of anautomobile window 34. Non-variable information is indicated byreference numeral 29, while the variable information is illustrated byreference numeral 30. Thesticker 33 is not likely to separate from theautomobile window 34 due to the fact that it is full face coated, and if theadhesive 28 is repositional adhesive, it may be readily removed without leaving a significant residue, either when the vehicle is purchased, or to move it to another spot on the vehicle. By non-contact printing the variable information on the adhesive, it is simple for a purchaser or user of forms to apply the variable information right on site, with associated advantages, while still having a label or sticker that will not come inadvertently detached from theautomobile window 34.

While the invention has been primarily described with respect to automobile stickers, it is, of course, understood that many other environments may also be provided for utilization of the labels orstickers 33 according to the invention, and a wide variety of non-variable and variable indicia may be provided thereon.

While the invention has been herein shown and described in what is presently conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment thereof, many modifications may be made thereof within the scope of the invention, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and methods.

Claims

A method of manufacturing a label/sticker, comprising the steps of:
(a) substantially full face coating a first face of a web with adhesive;
(b) substantially full face coating a second face of the web with release material which does not stick to the adhesive;
(c) imaging variable information onto the adhesive on the first face of the web; and
(d) separating the variable information imaged web into individual labels/stickers.
A method as recited in claim 1 characterised in that step (c) is practiced by non-contact printing, for example by ink jet printing.
A method as recited in claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that steps (a) - (d) are practiced substantially sequentially.
A method as recited in any of claims 1 to 3 characterised by the further steps, between steps (a) and (c), of (e) taking the web up into a roll with the release coat contacting the adhesive coat, and (f) unwinding the roll.
A method as recited in any of claims 1 to 4 characterised by the further step, prior to step (a) of imaging non-variable information on the first face of the web.
A method as recited in any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that step (a) is practiced by coating the first face with repositional and/or pressure sensitive adhesive.
A method as recited in any of claims 1 to 6 characterised by the further step, after step (d), of applying the first face of a label/sticker to a transparent surface so that the imaged information is visible through the transparent surface, and the adhesive connects the label/sticker to the transparent surface.
A method as recited in any of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that step (c) is practiced using multicolored inks.
A method as recited in claim 4 characterised by the further step between steps (c) and (d), of taking the web up into a roll form again.
A method as recited in any of claims 1 to 8 characterised by the further step, after step (d), of forming the labels/stickers into a pad.
A label or sticker comprising a cellulose base (26) having a first face substantially full coated with adhesive (28), and a second face substantially full coated with release material (27) which does not stick to the adhesive; and ink, forming indicia (29), disposed on the adhesive of the first face.
A label or sticker as recited in claim 11 characterised in that the adhesive is repositional adhesive.
A label or sticker as recited in claim 11 or claim 12 characterised in that the coated base is in a roll configuration (25) with the adhesive face (28) contacting the release material face (27), and the release material is on the outside of the roll.