Method of producing a sheet of security tags

p0001The invention relates to a method of the type indicated in the preamble of patent claim 1 is known.

p0002In the prior art high-quality products in retail establishments are protected in such a way against thefts in that a detector is placed in the area of ​​the exit of the sales area, the accommodated with in labels or tags, attached to the sale items fuse element interacts. The latter interacts when falling below a threshold distance electromagnetically, ie. By high-frequency waves, or magnetically with the detector Thus, if a - not previously deactivated by the sales staff - fuse element is passed with the intent to steal it, the detector is responsive to the detector and an acoustic and / or optical and / or electronic warning signal.

p0003The labels are conventionally delivered to carrier tapes on which they are fixed by means of an adhesive bond. The sales staff entferntsie in the labeling of the products manually or by a suitable Handetikettiergerätes from the carrier tape and fixes it by means of on the back remaining adhesive coating on the respective subject. Alternatively, the objects can be provided with security labels already the manufacturer or distribution centers. To save all marked items against theft, all are on a support band strip or -Pulley supplied labels - equipped security elements - always mounted at the same location.

p0004A disadvantage of the not inconsiderable price of security labels is to be considered, which is primarily due to the electromagnetic security elements integrated therein. Through in-depth studies have documented that the highest financial efficiency is achieved if only a certain population at risk of theft item is secured.

p0005The core idea is not the whole (ie any) of the labels or trailer delivered on a strip, but only a fixed share of their number equip (eg., About 80%) and security elements, while the other labels not electromagnetically active or be activated. Since all labels or pendants are made of the same material, are similar and printed from the same strip, is difficult to see, backed by them electromagnetically and which is unsecured which. Be expedient proves, one of the label so that the securing element camouflaged, that is not visually distinguishable from the rest of the label.

p0006Regarding the type of fuse elements are various possibilities:

p0007First, a narrow strip of soft magnetic material can be used. He is in the final inspection supplied with an alternating magnetic field and magnetically reversed in accordance with the respective frequency. Since the strip itself now radiates an alternating field, which is detected by a receiver antenna, takes place an activation of the theft alarm. To deactivate the strip may additionally with vo spaced neinander arranged, are covered hard magnetic metal pieces.

p0008Further, a soft magnetic layer applied on a carrier film, that is vapor-deposited or sputtered thin film layer proposed as a fuse element. To disable may under and / or over a hard magnetic metal foil, are provided such as nickel.

p0009a method is known for producing high-quality security tags from the document EP-A-0578992. It is glued initially on a non-metallic belt a hard magnetic metal strip and then to the metal strip, a support film having such a thickness and elasticity that a punching blade at the location whose Einwirkens caused to the metal strip, an elastic deformation of the metal strip \ and the carrier film which is sufficient to separate the metal strip.

p0010Parts are lifted punched from the nonmetallic belt and the metal strip, which are detached from the carrier film. In the remaining parts of hard magnetic metal strip a soft magne metallic metal strip is applied. Following this, is adhered to one side of the fabricated layer material in the above manner label paper and on the other side of a carrier tape, so that there is an intermediate product, can be punched from the labels. Finally, an alternative to the magnetic securing means electromagnetically operating resonant circuits can be used, which can be realized as a thin-film circuits. At the output of the existing of a capacitor and an inductor resonant circuits are supplied with a high frequency electromagnetic field, so that they also emit waves at resonance, which are detected by means of suitable antennas for alarm.

p0011The object of the invention is to provide an economical process for manufacturing a security label strip.

p0012This object is achieved by a method of the aforementioned type, comprising the steps stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention form the subject matters of the dependent claims.

p0013The basic idea in the inventive method is to replace the fuse elements of a fuse element carrier tape and to donate so that they reach a desired position on a security label or tag. The fuse elements which can be of any shape and size are thus initially fixed by an adhesive connection on a fuse element carrier tape and replaced in the production of security labels successively to a dispensing edge thereof again. The liberated thereby securing element is merged now with the other parts of the label or tag and -laminiert. The decisive factor is that the position of the security element on the (guided past it) label or tag is determined by the time of the operation and thus spend is arbitrarily controllable. In particular, it is possible to provide large labels or tags with much smaller safety elements.

p0014The advantages are mainly in the fact that the production costs of security labels or safety trailer can be reduced by reducing the areas of safety elements, as can be found in any small security elements use. In addition, it is possible to apply a standardized securing element on labels and tags of any type and size, which has a decisive reduction in storage costs because only one type of fuse elements must be kept in stock. Obviously, the proposed method is also suitable to equip all labels or trailer of a strip with security elements.

p0015For secure connection with the security labels - or with plastered with them objects - or the followers is proposed, such glue the safety elements on the securing element carrier tape that their carrier tape facing side even after the spend process, that remains after removal from the fuse element carrier tape, adhesive , The for fixing the fuse element serves on the fuse elements carrier tape adhesive layer can thus also serve for the spend process for fixing it.

p0016There are various possibilities with respect to the lamination. In an advantageous embodiment, the fuse elements are applied to a surface provided with a self-adhesive coating surface of the coating layer; the fixing of the securing elements is thus carried by the already existing on the covering adhesive layer. A security tag to be able to stick to an object onto a large area as possible, in this case, the adhesive coating of the securing elements - which serves to their attachment on the backup element carrier belt - is positioned such that it faces the self-adhesive coating of the top layer.

p0017In the specific case is a topcoat use, the self-adhesive surface is fixed on any support belt that is hereinafter referred to as the top layer carrier tape. The latter is withdrawn from the top layer, so that the self-adhesive surface is exposed, and the fuse elements are donated to it. Subsequently, the now equipped with security elements covering layer is applied to the carrier tape. The top layer and the carrier tape take the security elements in the manner of a sandwich in between them.

p0018As an alternative to administration of the securing elements on the outer layer, they can be glued to the carrier strip, on which subsequently the covering layer is applied. The fixing of the security elements to the carrier tape is preferably carried out with the same adhesive coating, which was fixed before the process Spend at the fuse element carrier belt, the securing element. As a rule, also the passing band in contact with the carrier surface of the top layer is provided with a self-adhesive coating.

p0019In this case, it is advisable to use a top layer which is secured with a self-adhesive surface on a top layer carrier tape. The latter is withdrawn from the covering layer before it is bonded onto the carrier strip with the securing elements.

p0020Furthermore, it is possible to merge the top layer in the form of already punched with the securing elements. The alternative to punch the outer layer after the laminating with the locking elements in their final label and tag shape is also conceivable.

p0021As the material of the cover layer primarily paper, cardboard and plastic are suitable. If the top layer of printable label paper and the carrier tape made with silicone coated paper, security labels can be produced which can be used in conventional Handetikettiergeräten. From cardboard or plastic durable security tag may in particular be prepared as described for example for labeling of textiles used.

p0022In the following embodiments of the invention are explained in detail with reference to the drawing. They show in a schematic representation in<ul><li>Figure 1: the production of carrier tape strip with regularly arranged security elements,</li><li>Figure 2: the production of carrier tape strip with randomly arranged locking elements,</li><li>Figure 3: the production of carrier tape strips with dummy security elements,</li><li>Figure 4: the production of carrier tape strips with differently positioned security elements with several heads Spend, </li><li>Figure 5: the production of carrier tape strips with differently positioned security elements with a head Spend,</li><li>Figure 6: the production of carrier tape strips using stamped labels.</li><li>Figure 7: the production of carrier tape strips using not stamped labels,</li><li>Figure 8: the preparation of carrier tape strip, wherein the securing elements are donated to a carrier tape.</li></ul>

p0023In Figure a rotatable on rollers (5) mounted carrier tape (1) is transported from left to right. A Spend head (4) brings electromagnetic security elements (2) of any kind on the carrier tape (1), wherein on the basis of - corresponding four labels (3) - portions (6, 6 ') is seen that the order of the securing elements ( 2) after the transport of the carrier tape (1) for four labels (3) by appropriate control of the drive of Spend head (4) repeats, respectively the second label (3) is not with a securing element (2). In the right drawn portion (6 ') are already provided with labels (3) on the carrier tape (1) positioned securing elements (2) by means of a not shown, second Spend head.

p0024In Figure 2, no fixed order of the security elements (2) can be seen in contrast to Figure 1; while only a label (3) is secured in the first, left drawn portion (6), the labels (3) both in the right section (6 ') shown are equipped with security elements (2).

p0025Figure 3 illustrates the manufacture of a carrier tape strip, the labels are provided in part with securing elements (2) and partly with dummies (7). While the security elements are applied by means of the left marked Spend head (4) to the carrier tape (1), a second Spend head (4 ') is used to apply the shape and color with the security elements matching dummies (7).

p0026In Figure 4, the carrier strip (1) of two different laterally (ie in the plane of the labels (3), orthogonal to the conveying direction) and in the feeding direction of the carrier tape (1) offset Spend heads (4, 4 ') with security elements (2 ) provided. Based on the portions (6, 6 ') can be seen that some positions remain free, as a result, not all labels (3) are provided with security elements (2). Additionally, the order of the security elements (2) randomly varied. The depicted apparatus can on the one hand serve to securing elements (2) for laterally arranged side by side labels (3) to the carrier tape (1) applying, on the other hand over the entire width of the carrier tape (1) extending labels (3) with security elements (2) varying to provide positions. In both cases, individual labels (3) free of security elements (2) can remain. There is also the possibility that spend heads (4, 4 ') for varying the position of the securing elements (2) in the lateral direction to pivot. Finally, the position of the securing elements (2) can be varied in the direction of movement of the carrier tape (1) by appropriate control of the timing of application.

p0027In contrast to Figure 4, the carrier tape (1) is provided in Figure 5 by means of a single Spend head (8) with security elements (2). However, the dispensing head (8) comprises three laterally arranged side by side Spend channels and is thus suitable, three juxtaposed labels (3) provided with security elements (2), wherein in each case only a part of the adjacent labels (3) to receive securing elements, if Spend the channels are mutually activated separately. Alternatively, a label (3) at three different positions with a securing element (2) are equipped.

p0028In Figure 6 is a Spend head (8) is used to separate on a fuse element carrier tape pasted security elements (2) of the latter and to donate to an already into the final shape of the label (3) punched cover layer (9). The top layer (9) is initially adhered to a carrier tape cover layer (10) and is at a dispensing edge (11) detached therefrom. In general, the speed at which the covering layer (9) is moved past the Spend head (8), a constant? On the exposed top layer (9), the security elements (2) by means of Spend head (8) are applied now successively. The fuse element carrier tape with the security elements (2) is not continuous but stepwise moved. At each step, a fuse element (2) in a known manner is separated on a (not shown) from its dispensing edge fuse element carrier belt and enters into an adhesive bond with the outer layer (9). The now finished security label is eventually applied to the carrier tape (1). It is obvious that the position of the securing element (2) is set to the finished security tag by the time at which the securing element (2) is separated from its carrier tape locking elements, and thus is arbitrarily controllable.

p0029In Figure 7, a top layer (9 ') is processed with greater length than in FIG. 6 This cover layer (9 ') is for example a laminate that is then still to punch into the final shape; therefore it is provided with a plurality of securing elements (2).

p0030In figure 8, the covering layer (9), which can be a punched as well as a not yet punched laminate moved at an approximately constant speed and at the dispensing edge (11) from the top layer carrier belt (10) separately and on the carrier band (1 ) applied. The securing elements (2) are applied, in contrast to the preceding Figures 6 and 7, however, by means of the Spend head (8) on the carrier tape (1) which moves at the same speed as the top layer (9). Only thereafter the outer layer (9) is laminated thereon. It remains that the shoulder straps (1, 10) - without or with the top layer (9) - are unwound from rolls and wound up on other roles.

p0031It is apparent that the invention makes it possible to mount the fuse elements at any position of the labels or tags. Another advantage is that the inventive method in any kinds of labels and tags can come to use. In the result erhältman a security label strip, which is characterized by value for money and high levels of theft protection.