Directional tearing polymeric labels for clean removability

Abstract

Method and elements are described for placing a closure element on a container where the closure element functions as a sanitary seal or a tamper evident seal. The (a) providing a sized uniaxially oriented polymer film having a discontinuity on an edge that is substantially perpendicular to the machine direction of said uniaxially oriented polymer; (b) applying an adhesive to at least a portion of said sized uniaxially oriented polymeric film having a discontinuity of an edge to form a closure element bearing an adhesive; and (c) placing on said container, said closure element bearing an adhesive, with the edge of said closure element having a discontinuity being substantially perpendicular to the direction in which sized uniaxially closure element is to separated.

1 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in with the opening of said container, said method comprising: 
 (a) providing a sized uniaxially oriented polymer film having a discontinuity on an edge that is substantially perpendicular to the machine direction of said uniaxially oriented polymer;    (b) applying an adhesive to form a closure element bearing an adhesive; and    (c) placing on said container, said closure element bearing an adhesive, with the edge of said closure element having a discontinuity being substantially perpendicular to the direction in which sized uniaxially closure element is to separated.    
   
   
       2 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein said closure element is a tamper evident seal for a container having a cap and said edge having the discontinuity is placed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container.  
   
   
       3 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein said closure element is a sanitary seal for a container.  
   
   
       4 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein said polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyester, polyamides, and polystyrene.  
   
   
       5 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 4  wherein the polymer is polypropylene.  
   
   
       6 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein in step (b) an adhesive is first placed on at least a portion of a surface of the polymer film before placing the polymer film on the container.  
   
   
       7 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein in step (b) the adhesive is placed on all of the surface of the polymer film.  
   
   
       8 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein in step (b) the adhesive is placed on a part of the surface of the polymer film.  
   
   
       9 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 2  wherein the closure element is applied so that the discontinuity on the edge of said closure element is applied in register with an area on said container where said cap ends and said container begins.  
   
   
       10 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein the adhesive is applied to said closure element just prior to placing said closure element on said container.  
   
   
       11 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein the adhesive is applied to said closure element and is dried and rewetted just prior to placing said closure element on said container.  
   
   
       12 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein the adhesive is a hot melt adhesive.  
   
   
       13 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein the adhesive is a cold glue adhesive.  
   
   
       14 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.  
   
   
       15 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein said closure element has a print enhancing layer.  
   
   
       16 . A method of providing a container with a closure element which is adapted to be separated in connection with the opening of a container as defined in  claim 1  wherein said closure element has a print enhancing layer and printed indicia.  
   
   
       17 . A closure element for a container, said closure element being made of a uniaxially oriented polymeric film having a discontinuity on an edge which is perpendicular to the machine direction of the orientation of said polymeric film, said closure element being at least partially coated on one side with an adhesive.  
   
   
       18 . A closure element for a container as defined in  claim 17 , said closure element being made of a uniaxially oriented polymeric film having a discontinuity on an edge which is perpendicular to the machine direction of the orientation of said polymeric film, said closure element being fully coated on one side with an adhesive.  
   
   
       19 . A closure element for a container, said closure element being made of a uniaxially oriented polymeric film having a discontinuity on an edge which is perpendicular to the machine direction of the orientation of said polymeric film as defined in  claim 15  wherein said polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of films of polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyester, polyamide and polystyrene.  
   
   
       20 . A closure element for a container, said closure element being made of a uniaxially oriented polymeric film having a discontinuity on an edge which is perpendicular to the machine direction of the orientation of said polymeric film as defined in  claim 15  wherein said polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene films.  
   
   
       21 . A closure element for a container, said closure element being made of a uniaxially oriented polymeric film having a discontinuity on an edge which is perpendicular to the machine direction of the orientation of said polymeric film as defined in  claim 15  wherein said adhesive is selected from the group consisting of hot melt adhesives, heat activated adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives and cold glue adhesives.  
   
   
       22 . A container having a closure element as defined in  claim 15.