GB2571086A

GB2571086A - A foldable sheet of material

Info

Publication number: GB2571086A
Application number: GB1802406.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joanne Crookall Ellen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-02-14
Filing date: 2018-02-14
Publication date: 2019-08-21
Also published as: GB201802406D0

Abstract

A foldable sheet of material 1 having a coating on one surface 2 comprising latex and no more than 50 % by weight of the coating. Preferably the coating is no less than 5 % by weight, more preferable between 5 and 40 % by weight, even more preferably 10 to 30 % and most preferably 10 to 20 %. The coating preferably covers substantially all of the surface, preferably all of one side of the sheet and may be present on both sides 2,3 of the sheet, preferably covering substantially all of both sides. The sheet is preferably paper. The coating may be substantially transparent. Also included are claims to the method of coating a sheet of material comprising coating it with the above latex. The coating may be applied by printing, dipping, spraying or spreading. The method may further comprising applying a colour, pattern, ornament or design to at least one surface of the sheet, preferably wherein said pattern is applied with the coating.

Description

The invention relates to a foldable sheet of material, and especially, but not solely, a sheet of wrapping material, such as wrapping paper.

Conventionally when wrapping parcels or gifts, the wrapping paper is cut to size and wrapped and folded around the article to be wrapped. The wrapping paper is secured in place using adhesive tape during the wrapping process.

This conventional wrapping paper has disadvantages. For example, it is necessary for the person wrapping the article to purchase or obtain both wrapping paper and adhesive tape. In addition, if the tape is positioned incorrectly during the wrapping process and is required to be removed or repositioned, this can result in accidental damage to the wrapping paper such as tearing of the paper, removal of the top surface of the wrapping paper or removal of a pattern or design printed on the paper, from the surface of the wrapping paper. These can be especially problematic if the wrapping paper is printed gift wrapping paper.

There is also the problem of having to hold the wrapping paper in position around the article while attempting to unwind and cut an appropriate length of adhesive tape to secure the wrapping paper in position.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable sheet of material having a coating on at least one surface, wherein the coating comprises latex and the latex is no more than 50% by weight of the coating.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of coating a foldable sheet of material, the method comprising applying a coating to at least one surface of the sheet, the coating comprising latex and the latex being no more than 50% by weight of the coating.

An advantage of the invention is that by providing a foldable sheet of material with a coating comprising latex and the latex being no more than 50% by weight of the coating, the latex coating can itself be used to secure the sheet of material in position around an article to be wrapped. The invention also has the advantage that if the composition of the coating and in particular, the proportion of latex is chosen correctly, the sheet of material can also be removed and or repositioned around the article to be wrapped without damaging the wrapping material.

Preferably, the latex is between 5% and 40% by weight of the coating and more preferably, the latex is between 10% and 30% of the coating by weight. Most preferably the latex is between 10% and 20% by weight of the coating.

Optionally, the coating can also include other additives, such as at least one of: ammonia, PVA, PVOH and water. Typically, the other additives are used as stabilisers, diluents and/or fillers.

Preferably, the ingredients of the coating are chosen such that the resulting coating when dry on the wrapping material, is substantially transparent.

Preferably, the coating does not include any ingredients which could cause the latex to harden.

Typically, the coating covers substantially all of the surface of the sheet of wrapping material.

Preferably, the coating is applied to both surfaces of the sheet.

The composition of the coating, and in particular, the percentage of latex used in the coating is chosen such that when the wrapping material is pressed onto itself, the coating causes the wrapping material to stick to itself. However, adherence of the coating is sufficiently weak to enable the wrapping material to be removed from itself without causing visible damage to the wrapping material.

Preferably, the coating forms a pressure sensitive adhesive on the surface of the wrapping material.

Typically, the weight of the coating is from 2grrr²to 10grrr²

In one example, the coating may have a viscosity of 400 cP to 600 cP when applied to the surface of the sheet.

Preferably, the foldable sheet of material is a sheet of wrapping material. For example, the foldable sheet of material may comprise paper or plastic film, such as wrapping paper.

The sheet of material may have a colour, pattern, ornament or design incorporated onto at least one surface. Preferably, if the material incorporates a colour, pattern, ornament or design on at least one surface that also has the coating applied, the colour, ornament, design or pattern is incorporated prior to application of the coating. However, in one example of the invention, it is possible that the colour, pattern, ornament or design may be incorporated into the coating.

In another example, the coating may be applied to one surface of the sheet and a colour, pattern, ornament or design may be incorporated on to the other surface of the sheet of material.

Preferably, the colour, ornament, pattern or design is incorporated onto the at least one surface by a printing process.

The coating may be applied by any suitable process. Examples of possible processes that may be used to apply the coating are a printing process, such as gravure, screen printing or lithography. Alternatively, the coating may be applied by dipping the sheet in the coating mixture.

An example of a foldable sheet of material in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a sheet of wrapping paper; and

Fig. 2 shows a box being wrapped in the sheet of paper shown in Fig.

1.

A latex adhesive solution known as L1379AC and supplied by Sealock Ltd of Andover, Hampshire, United Kingdom was mixed with water in the ratio of 1 part L1379AC to 3 parts water by weight. L1379AC consists of 60 to 65% latex by weight together with stabilisers, diluents and fillers, such as ammonia, water and PVA. Therefore, after dilution, in the ratio mentioned above, the resulting solution has a latex concentration of approximately 15% to 16.25% by weight.

The resulting solution was spread over both sides 2, 3 of a sheet 1 of wrapping paper to form a coating on the sheet 1 (see Fig. 1). The coating was then allowed to dry.

As shown in Fig. 2, the sheet 1 of wrapping paper with the coating was wrapped around a box 4. When the surface 3 of the wrapping paper 1 was pressed down onto surface 2, as indicated by arrow 5, the wrapping paper sheet 1 remained adhered to itself due to the pressure sensitive adhesive properties of the coating on both sides 2, 3 of the sheet. In addition, where the sheet 1 is folded over on itself at ends 6 of the box 4, such as when flap 7 is folded back onto triangular section 8 of the sheet 1, the surfaces of flap 7 and section 8 will adhere to each other due to the pressure sensitive adhesive properties of the coating on side 2.

However, the wrapping paper sheet 1 could also be removed from the box 4 without causing noticeable damage to either the sheet 1 or the coating. Therefore, this enabled the wrapping paper to be repositioned on the box 4, to be re-wrapped if necessary or the wrapping paper to be re-used.

Therefore, the coating applied to the surfaces 2, 3 is such that it will adhere to itself for example, when side 3 is pressed onto side 2 or when one of the sides are pressed onto itself, such as flap 7 onto section 8. However, the coating does not adhere to the surface of the box 4 and there is no visible damage to the box 4 when the sheet 1 is removed from the box 4.

The liquid solution can be applied to the sheet 1 to form the coating by any suitable technique, including:

1. Printing the liquid solution onto the sheet 1 using a conventional printing technique, such as gravure, lithography or screen printing;

2. Dipping the sheet 1 into the liquid solution;

3. Spreading the liquid solution across both surfaces of the sheet 1; or

4. Spraying the solution onto both sides of the sheet 1.

It is also possible that a backing paper or release liner could be applied to one or both surfaces of the sheet 1 to minimise the risk of it sticking to itself prior to use.

A pigment may also be incorporated into the coating such that the coating is a coloured coating that is applied to the surface of the sheet 1 to colour the surface 2, 3 of the sheet 1 or to create a pattern, ornament or design on a surface 2,3 of the sheet 1. The colour, ornament, patter or design may be applied to only one surface 2 of the sheet or applied to both surfaces 2, 3.

Alternatively, a number of coatings could be provided each with a different pigment and the coatings used in a similar manner to inks to print a pattern or design on one or both surfaces 2, 3 of the sheet 1 of wrapping material.

Alternatively, a pattern or design could be incorporated separately onto one or both surfaces 2, 3 of the sheet 1 of material, such as by printing. Preferably, the pattern or design is incorporated into one or both surfaces 2, 3 of the sheet 1 of wrapping material prior to application of the coating.

An advantage of the invention is that it enables an article to be wrapped and the wrapping material to be fixed in position without requiring the use of adhesive tape, as the coating effectively forms a pressure sensitive adhesive enables the wrapping material to be adhered to itself.

Claims

1. A foldable sheet of material having a coating on one surface, wherein the coating comprises latex and the latex is no more than 50% by weight of the coating.

2. A sheet according to claim 1, wherein the latex is no less than 5% by weight of the coating.

3. A sheet according to claim 2, wherein the latex is from 5% to 40% by weight of the coating.

4. A sheet according to claim 3, wherein the latex is from 10% to 30% by weight of the coating.

5. A sheet according to claim 4, wherein the latex is from 10% to 20% by weight of the coating.

6. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the coating covers substantially all of the surface.

7. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the foldable sheet of material comprises paper.

8. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the coating covers substantially all of one side of the sheet.

9. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the coating is on both surfaces of the sheet.

10. A sheet according to claim 9, wherein the coating covers substantially all of both sides of the sheet.

11. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the weight of the coating is between 2 gm-2 to 10 gm-2.

12. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the coating is substantially transparent.

13. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the foldable sheet of material is a wrapping material.

14. A method of coating a sheet of wrapping material, the method comprising applying a coating to at least one side of the sheet, the coating comprising latex and the latex being no more than 50% by weight of the coating.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising applying the coating to both sides of the sheet.

16. A method according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the coating has a viscosity of 400 cP to 600 cP when applied to the surface of the sheet.

17. A method according to any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the coating has a weight of 2 gm-2 to 10 gm-2 when applied to the sheet.

18. A method according to any of claims 14 to 17, wherein the coating is applied by a printing process.

19. A method according to any of claims 14 to 18, wherein the coating is applied by one of: a dipping process, a spraying process and a spreading process.

20. A method according to any of claims 14 to 19, further comprising applying at least one of a colour, pattern, ornament and design to at least one surface of the sheet.

5

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the at least one of a colour, pattern, ornament and design is applied with the coating.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1802406.7

Claims searched: 1-21

Examiner: Dr Peter Aspinall

Date of search: 20 July 2018