Patent Application
20070051473
The invention relates to a label made of polyester fibers according to the precharacterizing clause of claim 1 and to an installation for the production thereof according to the precharacterizing clause of claim 8.
A label of the type mentioned at the beginning is known for example from WO 94/29503. The label comprises two layers of fabric which are woven to each other along the longitudinal sides and between which a transponder is arranged. To produce this label, a strip is produced in a weaving machine, which strip is formed with two layers, at least in certain regions, and forms a cavity in between, which is created in sections in at least two partial steps. In the first partial step, a beginning section of the piece of web is formed with an initially still open pocket in the double-layered region, the weaving process is stopped and the transponder is introduced into the interior of the pocket through the pocket opening. In a second partial step, an end section of the piece of web with a pocket closure is created in the double-layered region, completing the pocket with the transponder contained in it to form a closed cavity. Finally, the fabric web provided with the transponder is cut up into its individual pieces of web, that is to say labels. The cavity receiving the transponder may be joined on each of both sides by web extensions, which serve for fastening the label. Furthermore, the label may be provided with representations, such as graphic or alphanumeric information.
It is disadvantageous that the production of such a label is very complex, since on the one hand a double-layered strip has to be produced and the weaving process interrupted for the introduction of the transponder while the cavity is not yet closed. On the other hand, precautions must be taken on the weaving machine to make it possible for the transponder to be introduced into the cavity in the first place, i.e. the expanders and hold-down devices for guiding the fabric web that are customary for weaving machines cannot be used.
The object of the invention is to provide a label and an installation for the production thereof with which the disadvantages mentioned are avoided.
The set object is achieved:
The fact that the production of the label with the transponder takes place independently of the production of the two layers of fabric allows each production operation to be optimized in itself, i.e. the weaving process for the individual layers of fabric is no longer interrupted by the introduction of a transponder and the production of the label can be set up entirely for the introduction of the transponder between the two layers of fabric.
Advantageous refinements of the label are specified in claims 2 to 7 and advantageous refinements of the installation for the production thereof are specified in claims 9 to 14.
In principle, it is possible to delimit the cavity receiving the transponder only on two sides, preferably the longitudinal sides, and leave it open on the two other sides. More advantageous, however, is a refinement according to claim 2, according to which the fabric web are joined to each other on at least one further side by means of spot welding.
The spot welding of the layers of fabric brings the advantage that the joining seam is flexible and the label can therefore adapt itself better to unevennesses. Furthermore, a spot joining seam is softer and in this way increases the wearing comfort of the label where it is arranged in a garment. However, this does not preclude such a weld seam being formed if need be according to claim 3 as a continuous weld seam. It may possibly also be expedient to arrange a continuous weld seam in addition to a spot weld seam.
It may also possibly be expedient to provide a join that is provided by sewing, this being the case in particular on the transverse sides joining the longitudinal sides.
According to claim 4, at least one layer of fabric may be a strip with cut longitudinal edges. According to claim 5, at least one layer of fabric may also be formed as a strip with woven or knitted longitudinal edges.
The label may be substantially limited to the size of the installed transponder, but more advantageous is a form according to claim 6, according to which there are free strip sections extending from the transponder on opposite sides, preferably on the narrow sides. Such free strip sections may serve in particular for the fastening of the label to an object.
According to claim 7, at least one of the layers of fabric of the label may contain printed-on and/or woven-in or knitted-in representations. Such representations may serve for informative and/or decorative purposes.
The installation for producing the label has a bringing-together station, at which a first fabric strip, fed from a first supply device, and a second fabric strip, fed from a second supply device, can be brought into contact one on top of the other to enclose fed-in transponders. The bringing-together station is assigned joining devices for joining the fabric strips, at least in the region of the longitudinal edges of the fabric strips lying one on top of the other.
There are a wide variety of possibilities for the feeding of the transponders. Particularly preferred is a form according to claim 9, according to which one of the fabric strips has pre-mounted, for example adhesively attached, transponders. According to claim 10, the installation may also be equipped with a third supply device for transponders detachably fastened on a carrier material, which device has a transfer element, assigned to the bringing-together station, for transferring the transponders from the carrier material to the bringing-together station. It is also conceivable for a third supply device to contain a magazine for the transponders, from which a transfer element introduces transponders between the fabric strips.
According to claim 11, the feeding station may be assigned a joining device acting transversely in relation to the strip running direction, in order for example to close the cavity for the transponder at least on a third side.
According to claim 12, arranged downstream of the bringing-together station is a separating device, acting transversely in relation to the strip running direction, in order to cut off individual labels from the continuous label strip.
There are numerous refining possibilities for the refinement of the joining device on the one hand and the separating device on the other hand. The joining device may, for example, be a sewing device. Also conceivable is an ultrasonic device for welding the strips of fabric together. Particularly preferred, however, is the form of a joining device according to claim 13 as a laser gun.
There are also a wide variety of forming possibilities for the separating device, which apart from mechanical shears may comprise in particular a thermal cutting device. Particularly preferred is the form according to claim 14 as a laser gun. The thermal devices not only bring about severing of the fabric webs but also make it possible in particular for the cut edges to be welded and for them to be joined between the fabric strips.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below on the basis of the drawings, in which:
The label 2a shown in
A transponder is generally a data carrier, which usually includes a transmitting and receiving unit and a microchip. Some transponders additionally have a voltage supply of their own. Such transponders may be designed and used for a wide variety of tasks. A widely known area is that of protecting products sold in the retail trade from theft and use in logistics.
A transporting device 62, comprising a supporting roller 64 and a pressing roller 68, pressed by means of a spring device 66, at least one of which rollers is driven, provide the transporting of the brought-together fabric strips. Respectively provided at the longitudinal edges is a joining device 70, which is preferably formed as a laser gun and serves for joining the fabric strips 44, 48 at the longitudinal edges. A downstream separating device 72 cuts up the label strip 74 into individual labels 2, which are collected in a collecting container 76. The separating device 72, which is preferably likewise formed as a laser gun, serves not only for severing the label strip 74 but also at the same time for joining the first and second fabric strips 44, 48.
List of Designations
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 900/03 | May 2003 | CH | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CH04/00133 | 3/5/2004 | WO | 6/5/2006 |
