IN-MOLD LABELING SYSTEM FOR CONTAINERS
First Claim
1. A method for making an injection-molded article, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a labeling assembly having a top face and a bottom face, wherein the top face comprises a release surface for releasably supporting a label thereon, said release surface being provided by a release layer;
b) positioning said labeling assembly in a mold or die that defines a cavity for molding said article, such that the top face of the labeling assembly is oriented to face outward, toward a wall of said mold or die, and the bottom face of the labeling assembly is oriented to face inward, toward the cavity;
c) introducing moldable material into the cavity to form the article such that the formed article is integrally molded with said labeling assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A container or other article is integrally molded to a labeling assembly. The labeling assembly includes a release surface for releasably supporting an adhesive label for identifying a feature of the container. A method of making a container having an in-mold labeling assembly is also disclosed. A labeling assembly is provided in a mold cavity so that the top face of the labeling assembly faces away from the hollow mold cavity. Moldable material is introduced into the mold cavity to form the container and the formed container is integrally molded to the labeling assembly. A method for tracking the contents of a container using such an assembly is also provided.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for making an injection-molded article, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a labeling assembly having a top face and a bottom face, wherein the top face comprises a release surface for releasably supporting a label thereon, said release surface being provided by a release layer; b) positioning said labeling assembly in a mold or die that defines a cavity for molding said article, such that the top face of the labeling assembly is oriented to face outward, toward a wall of said mold or die, and the bottom face of the labeling assembly is oriented to face inward, toward the cavity; c) introducing moldable material into the cavity to form the article such that the formed article is integrally molded with said labeling assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for tracking the contents of a container, said method comprising:
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a) providing a container having at least one wall with an exterior face, and a labeling assembly integrally molded into said wall and having a release surface for releasably supporting an adhesive label thereon, said release surface being oriented facing outwardly from the exterior face of said wall; b) placing a first set of contents into said container; c) applying a first adhesive label to the release surface of the labeling assembly, wherein the first label bears information relating to the first set of contents; d) at a select point in time subsequent to applying the first label and placing the first set of contents in the container, removing the first set of contents from the container and placing a second set of contents in the container; and e) removing the first label from the release surface and applying a second label to the release surface of the labeling assembly, wherein the second label bears information relating to the second set of contents. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A container comprising:
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an injection-molded article having a wall with at least one exterior face; a labeling assembly integrally molded into said wall and having a release surface for releasably supporting an adhesive label thereon, said release surface oriented to face outwardly from the exterior face of said wall, and said labeling assembly having a bottom face, opposite said release surface, said bottom face being in contact with said wall. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification