Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2 1 89325
MARK~R ~ NuuM
BACKGROUND OF THE INv~Nl~ION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marker continuum
for use in an article monitoring system. More specifically,
the present invention relates to a marker continuum for use
in a labelling apparatus in which discrete markers are
affixed to articles which are stably detected by a monitoring
system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of antitheft and other preventive systems has
expanded among retail stores such as supermarkets. When
article having a label-like marker adhered thereto is
illegally carried out of a stores (e.g., while being
shoplifted), the article can be detected by a detection
system such as an antitheft system to thereby prevent theft.
On the other hand, the adhesion of printed labels to
bottles or boxes in a factory has heretofore been carried out
by means of a labelling apparatus. Due to the limitation of
the process for feeding labels from a labelling apparatus,
the material that is supplied to the labelling apparatus is a
combination of cut and separated labels arranged in line on a
release paper. Therefore, the operating speed of the
production line is limited to a labelling speed of not more
than 40 m/min to allow for adhesion of the labels.
The recent trend in factories is to affix cut and
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separated label-like markers arranged in line on a release
paper using a labelling apparatus similar to that described
above.
Examples of cut and separated label-like markers
arranged in line on a release paper include those described
in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,660,025, 4,686,516, and 4,797,658.
These markers each comprise an object to be detected by a
detection system. These label-like markers are adhered to
products on a production line is limited to the labelling
speed which is not more than 40 m/min due to the
morphological characteristic of the markers.
However, as adhesion of markers on production lines
in the factory is expanding, there is a need for increasing
the labelling speed. The foregoing marker configuration
having cut and separated labels arranged in line on a release
paper does not adequately meet this demand.
As a solution to the foregoing problem, a tag which
can be attached to products to make their presence detectable
is disclosed in EP Disclosure No. 0673007. This tag is in
the form of a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a first
surface coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition
and a second surface coated with a releasant opposite the
first surface. This tape is a tag material comprising a base
material having a continuous synthetic resin material and a
continuous electromagnetic sensor material which can be
detected by a detector. In other words, this tag material
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comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape adhered to
electromagnetic sensor material. According to this marker
system, a tag can be automatically and rapidly attached to
products at low cost at the factory.
If the object to be detected is a thin flat metallic
material as disclosed in EP 0 673 007, it can be adhered to
products with a marker having the foregoing configuration.
On the other hand, an amorphous metallic fiber having
a circular section is a highly detectable and exhibits little
misdetection. Therefore, this is a desirable sensor material
for detection.
The inventors adhered an amorphous metallic fiber
having a circular section to a pressure-sensitive adhesive
tape to prepare a marker comprising a continuum of objects
for detection having the same configuration as the tag
material disclosed in EP 0 673 007. However, the amorphous
metallic fiber having a circular section has a diameter of
from 60 ~m to 150 ~m, which is greater than the thickness of
ribbon metallic material (i.e., 10 to 30 ~m). Furthermore,
the amorphous metallic fiber has a circular section.
Therefore, when adhered to the pressure-sensitive adhesive
tape, the amorphous metallic fiber contacts a small area of
pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. Accordingly, when a marker
continuum is wound on a paper tube, the amorphous metallic
fiber having a circular section slackens and thus is easily
separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. The
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amorphous metallic fiber at these separated portions is
susceptible to being broken or bent.
Accordingly, when the marker continuum is cut while
being affixed to an article for labelling, the amorphous
metallic fiber is completely separated from the adhesive
tape. As a result, the marker is not reliably affixed to the
products. Furthermore, even if a marker comprising an
amorphous metallic fiber incorporated therein can be affixed,
the detectability of the labelled products is considerably
deteriorated. Thus, the foregoing marker system is inadequate
with respect to detection stability.
In other words, in the foregoing marker continuum,
there is a problem in that the amorphous metallic fiber
having a circular section tends to separate from the tape
base material. Also, products thus labelled have reduced
detectablility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a marker continuum which can be efficiently affixed
to articles to be labelled even in a production line which
runs at a rate of not less than 40 m/min or at a rate of
faster than 40 m/min. Another object of the present
invention is to provide a marker continuum comprising an
amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section (i.e., the
object to be detected), which is not susceptible to becoming
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separated from the tape base material while also exhibiting
stable detection properties.
The inventors extensively studied the above problems
of the prior art. As a result, the present inventors
discovered that a marker continuum comprising a continuous
amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section which is
oriented in the same direction as the labelling direction of
the labelling machine and which is disposed between upper and
lower tapes makes it possible to efficiently affix markers to
articles for labelling on a production line which runs at a
rate of as high as not less than 40 m/min. This structure
prevents the amorphous metallic fiber having a circular
section from becoming separated from the tape base material
while providing markedly enhanced detection stability. The
present invention has been achieved based on the above
findings.
Thus, the present invention provide a marker
continuum for use in a labelling apparatus in which discrete
markers are affixed to articles to be labelled in a labelling
direction of said labelling apparatus, comprising an upper
tape, a lower tape and a continuous amorphous metallic fiber
having a circular section and a longitudinal axis disposed
between said upper and lower tapes, wherein the longitudinal
direction of said metallic fiber is oriented in the labelling
direction of said labelling apparatus.
In accordance with the marker continuum of the
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present invention, markers can be efficiently affixed to
articles to be labelled even on a production line which runs
at a rate of as high as not less than 40 m/min.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment
of the marker continuum of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating
an example of a labelling operation using a marker continuum
of the present invention in a production line; and
Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating
an embodiment of a conventional marker.
The reference numerals of Figs. 1 to 3 are described
below.
1 Object to be detected
2 Upper tape
3, 5 Adhesive
4 Lower tape
6 Marker continuum
7 ~rapping film
8 Rotary cutter
9 Paper tube
Prior art marker
11 Release paper
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be further described in
reference to the drawings.
In a detection system such as an article monitoring
system, an exciting magnetic field is usually generated
across two panel sheets. When an article to be detected
passes through this detection zone, a signal is detected by a
detecting coil to sound an alarm and hence inform people of
such incidence. This article monitoring system is generally
called an antitheft system. This antitheft system is mainly
used to prevent shoplifting in retail stores such as a
supermarket.
A marker monitoring system determines the presence or
absence of a marker to provide a feedback signal at a
subsequent step.
The marker continuum of the present invention can be
used in such systems.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment
of a marker continuum 6 of the present invention. In Fig. 1,
the object to be detected is arranged in the same direction
as the labelling direction of the marker. The labelling
direction is shown by the arrow in Fig. 1.
The object 1 to be detected comprises an amorphous
metallic fiber having a circular section. For example, the
amorphous metallic fiber may comprise a soft magnetic
metallic material which shows a Large Barkhausen jump.
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The alloy constituting the amorphous metallic fiber
having a circular section is preferably a cobalt-based or
iron-based amorphous metallic material, more preferably a
cobalt-based amorphous metallic material such as Co-Fe-Si-B,
Co-Fe-Ni-Si-B, Co-Fe-Mo-Mn-Si-B and Co-Fe-Ni-Mo-Si-B or an
iron-based amorphous metallic material such as Fe-Si-B and
Fe-Mo-Si-B, most preferably a cobalt-based amorphous metallic
material having an alloy composition such as Co88.~Fe4.4Si4.4B3.1,
Co47.3Fe44.8Si5.0B2.9, Co38.6Fe7.6Ni44.5Si7.3B2.0, Co84.0Fe~.4Mo~.7Mn4.~Si6.9Bl.8
and Co82.9Fe4.4Nil.6Si6.3B2.4 (given in terms of % by weight) or an
iron-based amorphous metallic material having an alloy
composition such as Fe92.2Si4.3B3.5 and Fe40Ni37Mo5B18 (given in
terms of % by weight).
The amorphous metallic fiber having a circular
section constituting the object 1 to be detected may be
subjected to drawing and rolling or heat treatment to provide
an enhanced detectability in the detection system.
The amorphous metallic fiber having a circular
section of the present invention has a roundness as defined
below.
The term "roundness" as used herein means Rmin/Rmax x
100 wherein Rmax and Rmin are the longest axis diameter and
the shortest axis diameter, respectively, on the same section
of an amorphous metallic fiber. The amorphous metallic fiber
having a circular section of the present invention has a
roundness of not less than 70~ as defined above. The
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21 898~5
roundness of the amorphous metallic fiber is preferably not
less than 80%, more preferably not less than 85%.
The diameter of the amorphous metallic fiber
constituting the object 1 to be detected is preferably from
10 ~m to 500 ~m, more preferably from 30 ~m to 200 ~m. If
the diameter of the amorphous metallic fiber is less than 10
~m, the signal that is generated when detected is too small
for practical use. On the other hand, if the diameter of the
amorphous metallic fiber exceeds 500 ~m, the resulting marker
continuum exhibits increased rigidity that causes defective
winding or shortens the life of the cutter blade which cuts
the marker continuum.
In the present invention, the foregoing object to be
detected is disposed between an upper tape and a lower tape.
In Fig. 1, the upper tape 2 having an adhesive layer
3 is adapted to hold the object 1 to be detected as a marker
with the lower tape 4. An adhesive layer 5 provided on the
lower surface of the lower tape 4 is adapted to fix the
marker to the article to be labelled.
In the present invention, the upper tape 2 having the
adhesive layer 3 or the lower tape 4 having the adhesive
layer 5 may be a pressure-sensitive tape coated with a
pressure-sensitive adhesive. The tape base material is
preferably a synthetic resin film or paper. The synthetic
resin film is preferably a polyester film, polypropylene
film, polystyrene film or the like.
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The thickness of the tape base material is preferably
from 10 ~m to 200 ~m, more preferably from 15 ~m to 100 ~m.
The adhesive incorporated into the adhesive layer 3
or 5 may be a rubber, acrylic or silicone adhesive. The
thickness of the adhesive layers 3 and 5 is preferably from
15 ~m to 60 ~m.
The marker continuum 6 having the structure shown in
Fig. 1 may have a release paper provided on the adhesive
layer 5 side of the lower tape 4. Alternatively, if the
marker continuum 6 has no release paper on the adhesive layer
5 side, it may be treated with silicone for easy release on
the upper side of the upper tape 2. If the marker continuum
6 is labelled on the article with the release paper being
peeled off at a high speed by means of a labelling
apparatus,the release paper thus peeled can interfere with
the labelling operation can be disturbed by the release paper
thus peeled. Further, it takes considerable time to dispose
of the release paper thus peeled. Accordingly, a marker
continuum treated with silicone on the upper side of the
upper tape 2 is preferred because it can be easily used to
label an article without producing waste release paper.
Referring to the labelling process, the marker
continuum of the present invention is affixed to an article
while being cut by means of a rotary cutter, shear cutter or
the like.
Fig. 2 illustrates an example of the labelling
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~1 '89825
operation using the marker continuum 6 on a production line.
In Fig. 2, the marker continuum 6 of the present invention is
labelled on a wrapping film 7 while being cut by means of a
rotary cutter 8. The labelling direction is shown by the
arrow in Fig. 2.
The marker of the present invention may comprise a
semi-hard magnetic material for deactivating the amorphous
metallic fiber (i.e., object not to be detected).
The semi-hard magnetic material there preferably has
a coercive force of from 10 to 500 Oe, and more preferably is
a Vicalloy or a FeCoCr alloy.
An arrangement of the semi-hard magnetic material in
magnetic contact with the object to be detected means that
when the semi-hard magnetic material is magnetized, the
effect of the magnetic flux extends to the object to be
detected. Preferably, the object to be detected and the
semi-hard magnetic material are arranged in direct contact
with one another.
The semi-hard magnetic material may be in the form of
strip or circle. The shape and length of the semi-hard
magnetic material are not particularly limited. The semi-
hard magnetic material is preferably in the form of a strip
having a length of from 3 to 20 mm, a width of from 0.5 to 10
mm and a thickness of from 0.02 to 0.5mm.
On the other hand, if the marker continuum 6 of the
present invention is wound on the paper tube 9, it can be
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21:8:9~25
traverse-wound as shown in Fig. 2 to effect extended winding
of the marker continuum 6 without markedly increasing the
external diameter of the winding. In this arrangement, the
frequently of renewing the marker continuum in a factory
labelling apparatus can be mi n;mi zed, thus making it possible
to operate the labelling apparatus more efficiently. The
traverse width and pitch (traverse feed of the marker
continuum per wind) are not particularly limited. The
traverse width is preferably from 4 to 50 mm, and the
traverse pitch is preferably from 1 to 30 mm.
The marker of the present invention is capable of
being used to label articles on a production line which runs
at a rate of 40 m/min or faster. However, the marker of the
present invention can also be used on a production line which
runs at a rate of less than 40 m/min.
EXAMPLES
The present invention will be further described in
the following Examples and comparative examples. However,
the present invention should not be construed as being
limited thereto.
Example 1
An amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section
(roundness: 85%), a diameter of 94 ~m~ and an alloy
composition of Co47.3Fe44.8Si50B29 (given in terms of % by
weight) was used as an object to be detected. Two pressure-
sensitive adhesive tapes were used comprising upper and lower
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2~ 89~2S
tapes having an adhesive layer. A marker continuum
comprising an object to be detected was prepared using these
materials. The object to be detected was disposed in as the
labelling direction (machine direction) and sandwiched
between the two pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes.
The base material of the upper pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape constituting the marker continuum was a
polyester film having a thickness of 38 ~m. The base
material of the lower pressure-sensitive adhesive tape was a
polyester film having a thickness of 25 ~m.
The adhesive layer provided on the pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape was an acrylic adhesive. The thickness of the
adhesive layer was 30 ~m.
The upper surface of the upper pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape was treated with silicone for easy release.
Using this marker continuum, markers were labelled on
a dry battery wrapping line running at a rate of 600 m/min.
A rotary cutter was used to cut the marker continuum. Thus,
the marker continuum was labelled (affixed) on a dry battery
wrapping film while being cut.
In Example 1, markers were labelled without any
failure even on a production line running at a rate of 600
m/min. The percent labelling was 100~.
Furthermore, the labelled article was passed through
a detection system to check the detectability of the markers.
As a result, all article on which the disconnected
21 89825
(discrete) markers had been affixed were detected by the
detection system. These results demonstrate that the marker
continuum of the present invention provides stable detection.
Comparative ExamPle 1
An amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section
(roundness: 85%), a diameter of 94 ~m~ and the same alloy
composition as in Example 1 (Co47.3Fe44.8Si5.0B2.9 (given in terms
of % by weight)) was used as an object to be detected. Thus,
a marker continuum was prepared comprising the object to be
detected retained by a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.
The base material of the pressure-sensitive adhesive
tape constituting the marker continuum was a polypropylene
film having a thickness of 60 ~m. The adhesive layer
constituting the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape was an
acrylic adhesive. The thickness of the adhesive layer was 25
~m.
The pressure-sensitive adhesive tape was treated with
silicone for easy release on the side thereof opposite the
adhesive layer.
Using this marker continuum, markers were labelled on
a dry battery wrapping line running at a rate of 600 m/min in
the same manner as in Example 1. A rotary cutter was used to
cut the marker continuum. The marker continuum was labelled
on a dry battery wrapping film while being cut.
In Comparative Example 1, when the markers were
labelled, the amorphous metallic fiber having a circular
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section protruded from the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape
and was nearly separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive
tape. When the amorphous metallic fiber was cut by the
rotary cutter under these conditions, it was completely
separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. Thus,
some markers labelled on the articles had no amorphous
metallic fiber affixed thereto.
As a result, the percent labelling of markers
comprising an amorphous metallic fiber having a circular
section affixed thereto was as low as 70% of attempts as
compared with Example 1.
The dry batteries on which markers comprising an
amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section affixed
thereto were then passed through a detection system to check
the detectability of the markers.
- As a result, 25% of the batteries on which markers
had been labelled were not detected by the detection system.
The markers which had not been detected by the
detection system were then examined. As a result, the
amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section was found
to be broken or bent at some positions.
Thus, the marker continuum comprising an amorphous
metallic fiber having a circular section retained by only a
single pressure-sensitive adhesive tape provided considerably
reduced detectability and therefore could not be put into
practical use.
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ComParative Example 2
A prior art marker 10 comprising a plurality of
separated objects 1 to be detected, provided perpendicular to
the length of a release paper 11 or the labelling direction
and tentatively affixed to the release paper 11 as shown in
Fig. 3, was labelled on the same dry battery wrapping line as
in Example 1. The labelling direction is shown by the arrow
Fig. 3.
The tape constituting the marker 10 was made of a 60-
~m thick paper. The tape had a length of 10 mm and a width
of 65 mm. The adhesive layer was an acrylic adhesive.
The labelling of these markers was carried out using
an ALS350 labelling machine (corresponding m-ximum line
speed: 40 m/min; m~x;mum maker labelling rate: 800/min;
available from Avery Corp.).
As a result, the markers were labelled on the dry
battery wrapping film by means of the foregoing labelling
apparatus. However, since the production line ran faster
than the operating rate of the labelling apparatus operated,
the percent labelling was as very low as 15%.
ExamPle 2
An amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section
(roundness: 81%), diameter of 125 ~m~ and an alloy
composition of Fe92.0Si46B3.4 (given in terms of % by weight)
was used as an object to be detected. Two pressure-sensitive
adhesive tapes were used comprising upper and lower tapes
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2 1 89825
having an adhesive layer. A marker continuum comprising an
object to be detected was thus prepared. The object to be
detected was disposed in labelling direction and sandwiched
between the two pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes.
The base material of the upper pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape constituting the marker continuum was a
polypropylene film having a thickness of 60 ~m. The base
material of the lower pressure-sensitive adhesive tape was a
polyester film having a thickness of 25 ~m.
The adhesive layer provided on the pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape was an acrylic adhesive. The thickness of the
adhesive layer was 35 ~m.
The upper surface of the upper pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape was treated with silicone for easy release.
Using this marker continuum, markers were labelled on
a bottle wrapping line running at a rate of 250 m/min. A
shear cutter was used to cut the marker continuum. Thus, the
marker continuum was labelled on a bottle wrapping film while
being cut.
In Example 2, markers were labelled without any
failure on a production line running at a rate of 250 m/min.
The percent labelling was 100~.
Furthermore, the labelled article was passed through
a detection system to check the detectability of the markers.
As a result, all the article on which the
disconnected markers had been labelled (affixed) was detected
21 89825
by the detection system. These results show that the marker
continuum of the present invention provides stable detection.
Example 3
An amorphous metallic fiber having a circular section
(roundness: 88%), a diameter of 79 ~m~ and an alloy
composition of Co47.3Fe44.8Si5.0B2.9 (given in terms of % by
weight) was used as an object to be detected. Two pressure-
sensitive adhesive tapes were used comprising upper and lower
tapes having an adhesive layer. A marker continuum
comprising an object to be detected was prepared using these
materials. The object to be detected was disposed in the
labelling direction (machine direction) and sandwiched
between the two pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes.
The base material of the upper pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape constit~ting the marker continuum was a
polyester film having a thickness of 50 ~m. The base
material of the lower pressure-sensitive adhesive tape was a
polyester film having a thickness of 16 ~m.
The adhesive layer provided on the pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape was a rubber adhesive. The thickness of the
adhesive layer was 25 ~m.
The upper surface of the upper pressure-sensitive
adhesive tape was treated with silicone for easy release.
Using this marker continuum, markers were labelled on
the same dry battery wrapping line as in Example 1 running at
a rate of 600 m/min. A rotary cutter was used to cut the
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2 1 8~825
marker continuum. Thus, the marker continuum was labelled on
a dry battery wrapping film while being cut.
In Example 3, markers were labelled without any
failure on a production line running at a rate of 600 m/min.
The percent labelling was 100%.
Furthermore, the labelled article was passed through
a detection system to check the detectability of the markers.
As a result, all the article on which disconnected
markers had been labelled was detected by the detection
system. These results show that the marker continuum of the
present invention provides stable direction. It should
further be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
changes in form and detail of the invention as shown and
described above may be made. It is intended that such
changes be included within the spirit and scope of the claims
appended hereto.
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