Abstract: A thermal printer for printing linerless labels is operated so that the pressure sensitive adhesive of the second face of the labels does not stick to a drive roller which advances and reverses the labels, and cooperates with the thermal print head to effect printing. A cutter is disposed downstream of the print head and drive roll from a linerless label roll takeoff. Between the cutter and the drive roller is an air knife which directs a substantially uniform flow of gas to the peripheral surface of the drive roller to prevent the adhesive of the labels from sticking to the drive roller peripheral surface. Air flow through the air knife is at a pressure of about 20-50 psi (preferably about 30 psi) and the air flow may be provided continuously or only during initiation and continuation of printing and advancing the printer.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing linerless labels is operated so that the pressure sensitive adhesive of the second face of the labels does not stick to a drive roller which advances and reverses the labels, and cooperates with the thermal print head to effect printing. A cutter is disposed downstream of the print head and drive roll from a linerless label roll takeoff. Between the cutter and the drive roller is an air knife which directs a substantially uniform flow of gas to the peripheral surface of the drive roller to prevent the adhesive of the labels from sticking to the drive roller peripheral surface. Air flow through the air knife is at a pressure of about 20-50 psi (preferably about 30 psi) and the air flow may be provided continuously or only during initiation and continuation of printing and advancing the printer.

Abstract: A rewinding apparatus is configured to accommodate linerless labels. The apparatus includes a thermal printer for processing an unprinted roll of labels, a rewinder disposed in the vicinity of the thermal printer for rewinding the printed roll after the unprinted roll is processed by the thermal printer, and a base plate supporting the rewinder to position the rewinder in a predetermined position relative to the thermal printer. With linerless labels, the roll of processed labels is wound spaced from a rewinder main body to avoid catching the media adhesive on a side guide, thereby preventing bubbles and wrinkles from being induced in the rewound roll.

Abstract: A semi-automatic linerless label dispenser effectively dispenses labels from a support for a supply of continuous form linerless labels, each label having a pressure sensitive adhesive face and an adhesive-release material face. First and second grooved drive rolls engage the labels and first and second sets of stripper and guiding fingers disposed in at least some of the grooves of the drive rolls guide the labels and prevent them from sticking to the drive rolls. At least the first drive roll and the first set of stripper fingers have adhesive-release material portions (e.g. plasma coatings) which engage the adhesive face of labels from the supply. An automatic cutter mounted on the opposite side of the stripper and guiding fingers from the support includes pivotally movable and stationary blades, and a silicone-impregnated felt wiper.

Abstract: A dispensing mechanism dispenses labels having a pressure sensitive adhesive face and an adhesive release material coated face. A guide serves to guide the labels in web form along plasma-coated surfaces to a printer and then to a cutter mechanism for forming discrete labels and dispensing the labels. An open-cell foam sponge is provided for wiping the rotary cutter using silicone oil wicked into the wiper. A plate projects from the exit opening of the dispenser at an angle to the guide path to maintain the cut label on the dispenser plate. Additionally, a hub assembly is provided wherein the hub has a contact area in excess of 50% of the available contact area along the inside of the core mounting the label supply.

Abstract: A label assembly includes a string of a plurality of non-quadrate (e.g., circular) linerless labels disposed in-line with at least one tie about 0.018-0.030 inches in width connecting consecutive labels in the string together. Each label has a first face with adhesive release material and a second face with pressure sensitive adhesive. The string may be in roll form and taken off the roll and run through a burster for bursting the ties between the labels. The labels may initially also be tied to a matrix from which the string labels is continuously separated. The burster may include high and low speed rolls with a non-stick surface between them and a bursting blade above the non-stick surface. Downstream of the high speed rolls is a sensor, and a mechanism for applying the separated linerless labels to a surface, such as a reciprocating plunger, air blast nozzles, a vacuum cylinder, or a conveyor belt.

Abstract: A thermal printer prints linerless labels in such a way that printer components will not stick to the adhesive face of linerless labels. Substantially stationary printer components, such as a label guide, transport plate, front panel, and stripper blade, preferably have the adhesive face engaging surfaces thereof plasma coated so that adhesive will not stick to them. An optional cutter provided downstream of the stripper blade also has plasma coated surfaces. A driven platen roller has a surface thereof coated with or covered by a high release silicone, which will not stick to the adhesive, but has high friction characteristics to facilitate drive of the labels. In a direct thermal printer, a plasma coated tear off surface is downstream of the driven platen roller, and stripper belts, a second roller with O-rings, and the like are provided to prevent the labels from wrapping around the driven platen roller.

Abstract: Linerless labels are dispensed from a roll and detached along perforation lines using a set of low speed rolls, a set of high speed rolls, and a breaker blade between the sets of rolls. The label-engaging tip of the breaker blade, and at least one roll of each sets of rolls, has a surface that will not stick to the adhesive associated with the linerless labels. One or more conveyor belts, also with non-stick surfaces, may transport the linerless labels from the low speed rolls to the high speed rolls, and transport detached labels away from the high speed rolls. A sensor downstream of the high speed rolls senses the presence of a detached label, and then shuts down both sets of rolls. The apparatus may be operated in an automatic mode so that when a detached label is manually removed from the high speed rolls both sets of rolls automatically start up again, or in a manual mode that requires the operator to activate a switch to restart the detacher each time.

Abstract: Linerless labels in a continuous web, in roll form, are dispensed. The roll is mounted for rotation by a vertical shaft, and periodically a drive roller with conveyor tapes wrapped around it is rotated to pull the web from the roll in an amount sufficient to unwind approximately one length of label from the roll. The adhesive face of the web engages the circumferential periphery of the drive roller and the conveyor tapes past the drive roller, the exit roller effecting separation of the leading label from the conveyor tapes. An idler roller engages and tensions the web between the roll and the drive roller, and a knife blade is mounted at about the point that the web leaves the drive roller. The components are disposed so that the web engages at least about 170 degrees of the circumferential periphery of the drive roller, with the adhesive face contacting the drive roller circumferential periphery and conveyor tapes.

Abstract: A dispenser dispenses linerless labels in a web from a roll. The dispenser includes a housing with a shaft in the housing for receipt of the core of a roll of labels mounting them for rotation about an axis. First and second substantially planar guide surfaces guide movement of the labels away from the shaft in a plane substantially parallel to a plane containing the axis of rotation, and first and second rollers are mounted at the end of the guide surfaces for rotation about axes parallel to the axis of rotation of the roll. Each roller may comprise a stationary rod with a freewheeling tube over the rod. The labels are maintained taut during dispensing to assist the process of one label being stripped from another. The dispenser is used in a method of dispensing linerless quadrate pressure sensitive adhesive labels by pulling the labels between the rollers and alternately breaking them over the first roller, and then the second roller, to strip each label from its trailing label.