Abstrict A label for a blood bag comprising a microporous plastic film including
a matrix of interconnected pores for allowing gas to flow into and
out of the blood bag through a labeled area. The pores allow ink
to be absorbed at least on an outer surface of the label allowing
the label to be printed and/or written on. The labels of the present
invention have breathability with respect to gas that is similar
to paper. However, the label is more durable than a paper label
in that it can tolerate moisture, abrasion, temperature extremes,
dimensional changes, and the like. Accordingly, the labels do not
crack or wrinkle as easily as paper labels.
Claims I claim:
1. A method for labeling a blood bag comprising the steps of:
providing a plastic label that includes a microporous plastic film
having a matrix of interconnected pores that allow gas transmission
into and out of the blood bag through the label, wherein the pores
located on an outer surface of the label receive ink to form labeling
indicia;
applying the label to a blood bag; and
allowing gas to flow through pores into and out of the blood bag.
2. The method of claim 1 including the step of sealing the label
to the blood bag by using a heat sensitive adhesive.
3. The method of claim 1 including the step of sealing the label
to the blood bag by using a pressure sensitive adhesive.
4. The method of claim 1 including the step of placing a bar code
on the label.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to blood bags generally. More specifically,
the present invention relates to labels for blood bags.
It is known to house blood components in flexible plastic containers.
These containers referred to as blood bags can be used to receive
a blood component, process the blood component, store the blood
component, and assist in infusing the blood component into a recipient.
Of course, it is necessary to provide some means for identifying
certain information on the blood bag, e.g., the type of storage
solution, anticoagulant, or blood component, the collection date,
manufacturer's product code and lot number, etc.
To this end, it is known to provide labels for blood bags. Typically,
these labels have heretofore comprised a paper substrate that is
secured to the container. These paper labels provide many characteristics
that are necessary and/or desirable for a blood bag label.
Blood bags must provide a container that allows gas transmission
through the container in order to maintain the viability of the
cells to be housed therein. In this regard, it is necessary that
the bag allow carbon dioxide to flow out of the blood bags and oxygen
to flow therein. Paper provides a substrate that allows for a flow
of gas through the labeled area of the blood bag; a paper label
does not decrease the effective area of the bag that allows gas
transmission beyond acceptable limits.
Paper also provides a surface that can be written or printed on.
Thus, a paper label provides a substrate that allows one to easily
indicate necessary information on the blood bag. In this regard,
the label typically will receive printed as well as handwritten
information. It is also known to use bar codes on such labels.
Paper, however, does exhibit certain disadvantages when used as
a label for a blood bag. Paper labels are not very durable to moisture,
abrasion, temperature extreme, and are not elastic to allow for
dimensional changes that occur to the blood bag. It is known to
process the blood components stored within the blood bags by centrifuging
the bag in addition to other processes. During such processes the
labels can become wet and subjected to extreme temperatures. Paper
labels can crack or wrinkle during such processes. The cracking
or wrinkling of a label is especially detrimental to the use of
bar codes on such labels. Unless a smooth uninterrupted surface
is provided, the bar codes may be unreadable by a bar code reader.
This forces manual entering of data into a computer thus increasing
the chance for errors.
There are a number of other requirements that a blood bag label
must meet. Some such requirements are set forth in the labeling
requirements that have been instituted by the: American Blood Commission's
Uniform Labeling Guidelines, 1985; or NBTS "Spec for Uniform
Labeling of Blood and Blood Products."
It is also desirable that blood bag labels be easily applied to
the blood bag. Such labels must also endure the typical manufacturing
processing conditions that are typically utilized. In this regard,
the bag and label must be sterilizable. Further, the labels must
be able to withstand the processing conditions that the containers
may be subjected to by the customer, for example, centrifugation,
liquid freezing, water bath thawing to name a few.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a label for a blood bag that provides
the desirable characteristics of a paper label but not the disadvantages.
The labels of the present invention have a permeability with respect
to gas that is similar to paper. Additionally, the label will accept
printing as easily as paper. However, the label is more durable
than a paper label in that it can tolerate moisture, abrasion, temperature
extremes, dimensional changes, and the like. Accordingly, the labels
do not crack or wrinkle as easily as paper labels.
The present invention provides a label for a blood bag comprising
a microporous plastic film including a matrix of interconnected
pores for allowing gas to flow into and out of the blood bag through
a labeled area. The pores allow ink to be absorbed at least on an
outer surface of the label allowing the label to be printed and/or
written on.
In an embodiment, the label includes either a pressure or heat
sensitive adhesive on a bottom surface thereof for allowing the
label to be secured to the blood bag.
In an embodiment, the label includes one or more bar codes printed
thereon.
The present invention also provides a blood bag that includes a
label that is constructed from a microporous plastic film including
a matrix of interconnected pores for allowing gas to flow into and
out of the blood bag through a labeled area. At least the pores
located on an outer surface of the label are so constructed and
arranged to receive ink allowing the label to be written on.
In an embodiment, the label is secured to the blood bag by a pressure
or heat sensitive adhesive.
The present invention also provides a method for labeling a blood
bag comprising the steps of: applying a label comprising microporous
plastic film to the blood bag; allowing gas to flow through pores
in the label into and out of the blood bag; and writing on the label
by causing ink to be received within pores located on an outer surface
of the label.
An advantage of the present invention is that the microporous surface
of the label also allows other labels to be applied to the original
bag labels such that their adhesives utilize the porous surface
of the first label to form permanent bonds.
Another advantage of plastic labels of the present invention is
that the label does not contain some of the typical undesirable
chemical constituents of paper, such as formaldehyde.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are
described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description
of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a blood bag including the label of the present
invention.
FIG. 2a is a photomicrograph of a surface magnification (3000
times) of the labeling surface of a current (prior art) paper label.
FIG. 2b is a photomicrograph of a surface magnification (3000
times) of the labeling surface of an embodiment of a label of the
present invention.
FIG. 3a is a photomicrograph of a cross-sectional magnification
(300 times) view of a current (prior art) paper label including
an adhesive layer.
FIG. 3b is a photomicrograph of a magnification (300 times) of
the labeling surface of the paper (prior art) label of FIG. 3a.
FIG. 4a is a photomicrograph of a cross-sectional magnification
(300 times) view of an embodiment of a label including an adhesive
layer of the present invention.
FIG. 4b is a magnification (300 times) of the labeling surface
of the embodiment of the label of FIG. 4a.
FIG. 5 is a surface magnification (10000 times) at higher magnification
of an embodiment of the label of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention provides an improved label for blood bags
and the like. The label exhibits the desirable properties of paper
labels, but does not also exhibit a number of disadvantages associated
with paper, such as lack of durability.
The labels of the present invention provide gas transmission, permeability
through the label, into and out of the blood bag, similar to a paper
label. Further, the labels are as easily printed on, either by writing
or a printing process, as a paper label. However, the labels of
the present invention are more durable with respect to moisture,
abrasion, temperature extremes, and dimensional changes than are
paper labels. Accordingly, the labels do not crack and wrinkle as
easily as paper labels.
The labels of the present invention comprise a microporous plastic
film. The microporous plastic film is constructed by processing
methods that cause the material to consist of a matrix of interconnected
microsize pores that allow gases and vapors to flow freely therethrough.
A number of processes can be used to create such a film including,
but not limited to, stretching the film, radiation treatment of
the film, and addition of film additives such as fillers that may
or may not be removed from the film during processing.
Referring now to FIG. 1 a blood bag 10 including the blood label
12 of the present invention is illustrated. As illustrated, the
blood bag 10 defines a container for receiving and storing a blood
component. The blood bag 10 is constructed from a plastic material,
such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride. Such blood bags are available
from Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Fenwal Division, Deerfield,
Ill.
The label 12 is secured to the blood bag 10 to allow one to identify
the blood bag. To this end, as illustrated, the label can be printed
on, as well as include a bar code. It is also common practice to
write on the label. The label 12 of the present invention allows
one to easily identify the blood bag for inventory purposes, to
determine what is in the blood bag, expiration date, and the like.
The label 12 includes interconnected microsize pores that allow
gases and vapors to flow freely through the blood bag 10 and label
12. In this regard, carbon dioxide generated within the container
will flow out of the blood bag 10 and oxygen necessary for the cell's
viability will flow into the blood bag. The size of the pores and/or
controlled coatings between the adhesive layer and back side of
the label can be varied to control the rate of gas exchange. As
set forth in detail below, the labels 12 of the present invention
provide sufficient gas permeability.
It has been found that the microporous label of the present invention
meets the necessary and desirable requirements for a blood bag label.
These requirements include being non-removable, in an intact state,
from the bag, or not reappliable, tamper evident, to another bag
once removed by the customer.
Due to the microporous structure of the label, the label can easily
be written on or printed on. To this end, the pores near the outer
surface of the label will receive ink and therefore allow the label
to be written on or printed on, such as with a bar code 16. In this
regard, the label will accept writing or ink stamping on its surface
and will not smear five seconds after being printed on with a variety
of means.
The label when scanned with a bar code reader will read accurately.
An advantage of the label of the present invention over a paper
label is that the label will not wrinkle or crack during processing
conditions and accordingly, can be bar code read accurately by a
standard bar code reader multiple times without deterioration of
read rates.
The label is visually acceptable from an aesthetic standpoint and
is not adversely effected by manufacturing and processing conditions,
i.e., it will not wrinkle, crack, split, scuff, fade, etc., during
processing conditions.
The label additionally complies with the American Blood Commission's
"Uniform Labelling Guidelines" (1985 & Draft 1989).
The labels of the present invention can also be applied using currently
available labeling equipment and methods with minimal modification.
To this end, the label can either include a pressure or heat sensitive
adhesive 14 to be sealed to the blood bag.
The label is not adversely affected by processing conditions of
manufacturing. These processing conditions include sterilization,
such as: steam sterilization in plastic overwraps; steam pasteurization,
in foil pouch; ozone pasteurization; Eto sterilization; and Gamma
or E-Beam sterilization.
The labels of the present invention are not adversely affected
by warehouse/shipping conditions during useful shelf life of finished
product (i.e., 30-36 months) or raw label materials before application
(i.e., 2 years).
An example of a microporous label material that can be used in
the present invention includes Teslin, a microporous polyolefin
film manufactured by PPG Industries.
Referring now to FIGS. 2-5 electron microscopy photographs at
different magnifications for currently used paper labels and labels
of the present invention are illustrated. The label of the present
invention illustrated in the photos (FIGS. 2b, 4a, 4b, and 5) are
made with Teslin from PPG Industries. The microphotographs are consistent
with the test results set forth above demonstrating porosity at
least as good as the porosity of paper labels.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications
to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be
apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications
can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is
therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered
by the appended claims. |