Machine for producing strips of security labels, separates backing paper from self adhesive tape and inserts labels between paper and tape

<td></td><td>Office for Industrial Property in the Netherlands</td><td> © 1011925</td>

<td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td></td><td colspan="2">© C PATENT²⁰</td>

<td colspan="2">© Patent application: 1011925 © Filed: 28.04.1999</td><td>© Int.CI.⁷G08B13 / 24, B65H37 / 04, B65H39 / 14, B65H35 / 04</td>

<td>@ Signed up:</td><td>© Patent holder (s):</td>

<td> 06.11.2000</td><td>Nederlandse Special Drukkerijen BV in Delft.</td>

<td>© Date:</td><td>© Inventor (s):</td>

<td> 06.11.2000</td><td>Wilhelmus Karei Maria Peltenburg at Flails</td>

<td>(45) Issued:</td><td>Johannes Adrianus Cornells Vendeloo in</td>

<td>02.01.2001 IE 2001/01</td><td>Schiedam © Authorized representative: Dr. R. Jorritsma et al. At 2517 KZ The Hague.</td>

© Method and device for manufacturing a security member.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a security member, in which a strip or a belt (10) is supplied from a supply roll (2) and comprises a layer of base material (11) on which a layer of self-adhesive material (12) is applied, separating the self-adhesive layer (12) from the layer of base material (11), then securing elements (13) between the layers (11, 12), after which the self-adhesive layer (12) and the base material layer (11) are combined into one strip or strip (10) and at least one of the layers (11, 12) is divided into segments by means of cutting lines, such that the protection elements are placed between successive cutting lines. The method according to the invention is characterized in that the security elements (13) are applied to the layer of base material (11), and the cutting lines are applied in the layer of self-adhesive material (12).

NL C 1011925

The content of this patent differs from the original filed description with claim (s) and possible drawing (s). The documents originally submitted can be viewed at the Industrial Property Office.

Method and device for manufacturing a security member

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a security member, in which a strip or a tape is supplied from a supply roll comprising a layer of base material on which a layer of self-adhesive material has been applied, whereby the self-adhesive layer is separated from the layer basic material, one then applies security elements between the layers, after which the self-adhesive layer and the base material layer are combined into one strip or tape and at least one of the layers is divided into segments by means of cutting lines, such that the security elements are placed between successive cutting lines.

Security members are known in the art. Such members may consist of a card or a strip in which a security element is inserted. It is also known to design the security members as stickers, which are provided with a security element. Such stickers are used, for example, for applying a price and / or product information to products that are sold in a supermarket. The security element in the security sticker is used to protect the products against theft. For this purpose, information can be stored in the security element. This information can be read using a control lock or gate located at the exit of a store. When a product has not been paid for, for example, an alarm is triggered when someone wants to leave the store with the product.

The use of security stickers as described above is becoming increasingly important as retailers are increasingly required to protect their products against theft.

International method application WO 9714126 discloses a method and device of the kind mentioned in the preamble. According to this international patent application, the self-adhesive layer is separated from the base material layer, after which the base material layer is guided via guide rollers towards a downstream compression station, the base material layer being reunited with the self-adhesive layer. From the point of separation of the layers, the layer of self-adhesive material is forced in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the self-adhesive layer by means of a roller inclined relative to the direction of movement of the layer of self-adhesive material material. By moving this self-adhesive layer in a direction transverse to the original direction of movement, it is possible to provide space for applying security elements to this layer of self-adhesive material. According to the said document, the security elements are fastened, for example, to the adhesive surface of the layer of adhesive material using compressed air.

Because the security elements are attached to the self-adhesive layer, a certain stretch is exerted on the self-adhesive layer. Certainly in the case that this layer is composed of a plastic, the layer will inevitably deform under the influence of this attachment. This deformation can adversely affect the quality of printed matter that may be present on the adhesive layer. In addition, the positioning of the various parts of the self-adhesive layer is compromised if the stretch of the layer becomes too great.

A further drawback of the known method is that the self-adhesive layer is forced in the direction transverse to the original direction of movement of the self-adhesive layer, at the moment that the self-adhesive layer has been removed from the layer of base material. This means that the method and the device according to the prior art require a relatively large amount of space, and therefore mounting the device according to the prior art in an existing production machine is virtually impossible.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for efficiently manufacturing security members, such as stickers, in which substantially all members are provided with a security member.

To this end, the present invention provides primarily a method in which the security elements are applied to the layer of base material, and the cutting lines are applied in the layer of self-adhesive material.

The measures of the invention ensure that the security elements are attached to the layer of base material, which usually shows little stretch. In addition, no adhesive is usually present on the base material layer. That is, any suitable method known in the art can be used to attach the security elements to the base material layer. In a simple embodiment, the security elements are attached to the layer of base material using a normal sticker machine (for example a Pagomat). In the first place, it is hereby possible that the method is carried out by means of a standard production machine to which a simple sticker machine is added. Something similar as indicated above is not possible with the prior art method.

The strips that are supplied can first be passed through a printing press. In this way, security members can be provided effectively and quickly, which are provided on the outside thereof with information, such as product information. For the manufacture of security devices in the form of stickers, the present invention further provides a method in which a strip or a belt is supplied from a stock roll from a layer of base material on which a corresponding layer of self-adhesive material is applied, whereby the self-adhesive layer is separated from the layer of base material, one then applies security elements to one of the layers and the self-adhesive material and the base material are reassembled into one material strip. The fact that the cutting lines are applied in the layer of self-adhesive material ensures that the security stickers can be manufactured using a machine. The security elements can, for example, be applied to the base material with a sticker machine. In addition, it is achieved that the security elements can be arranged between two strips of material. Individual elements or stickers are formed from these strips of material only after the security elements have been applied. When the security elements are designed as sticker elements which are applied to the layer of base material with the aid of a sticker machine, it is ensured that the security sticker that is produced can be removed relatively easily from the base material. After all, the base material has properties that make it possible to pull a self-adhesive element from the base material. In addition, the security element that is formed over its entire surface will be provided with an adhesive, so that the security stickers can be glued with a whole surface thereof on a substrate.

The present invention further provides a device for the manufacture of self-adhesive security stickers, said device comprising:

- a storage container for a tape or strip, of a layer of base material on which a layer of self-adhesive material is applied,

- transport means for moving the belt or strip in the device,

- separating means for separating the layer of base material and the layer of self-adhesive material from each other, which separating means are placed downstream of the storage container, and

- means for applying security elements to the layer of self-adhesive material, which means are placed downstream of the separating means.

In addition, it is possible that the device further comprises means for joining the base material and the layer of self-adhesive material together, said means being placed downstream of the means for applying the security element.

According to the invention it is further possible that the device comprises punching means for dividing the layer of self-adhesive material into separate sticker elements, which punching means are placed downstream of the means for joining the layer of self-adhesive material and the base material.

Due to the presence of the punching means, it is possible to divide only the layer of self-adhesive material into separate elements. The base material is not split into parts. After a punching operation, the base material, with the stickers produced thereon, can for instance be rolled up for further processing.

According to the invention, it is possible that the means for applying a security element to the base material are formed by an application device, such as a sticker device. This sticker device can for instance be a Pagomat (brand name). According to the invention it is further possible that the device comprises printing means for printing the tape or strip, which printing means are placed upstream of the punching means.

By these measures it is achieved that the security stickers according to the present invention can be manufactured using a standard printing device for the manufacture of stickers. The outside of the tape or the strip of material is first printed with the aid of the printing means. Then,

as described above, the base material is separated from the layer of adhesive material. At the location of this separation, a machine, such as a Pagomat, can be placed in the printing device which feeds the security elements.

The present invention will be further elucidated on the basis of two drawings.

Figure 1 shows a total overview of the device according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows part of the base material on which these security elements are mounted.

Figure 1 shows the device 1 according to the present figure. In Figure 1, the device 1 is arranged for the production of security stickers. A strip of material 10 is supplied to the device 1 from a supply roll 2. The material 10 consists of a base material 11, such as a layer of paper on which a layer of self-adhesive material 12 is applied. The stickers are ultimately formed from this self-adhesive layer 12.

The strip of material 10 is supplied via feed rollers 3 to a first printing unit 4, by means of which the outside of the roll can be printed. The first printing unit 4 can for instance be formed by a number of so-called stack printing units. The strip of material 10 is then conveyed to further printing means, for example in the form of cylinder printing units 5. With the aid of the stack printing units 4 and the cylinder printing units 5 it is possible to apply all desired information, in all desired colors, on the outside of the material strip 10. Subsequently, the strip of material is supplied to means 6 by means of which the strip of material 10 is split into the base layer 11 and the self-adhesive layer 12, respectively. These layers 11, 12 are separately fed in the device 1. Firstly, the layer of base material 11 is guided via guide rollers 14 along a sticker device 15. As sticker device 15, for example, a Pagomat (brand name) can be used. With the aid of this Pagomat 15, security elements 13 can be applied to the base paper.

Downstream of the Pagomat, the self-adhesive layer 12 and the base material layer 11, now provided with the security elements 13, are again combined at the guide roller 16. The strip of material 11, 12, 13 is supplied to a punching device 20 via further guide rollers 17. for example, are carried out in the form of cylinder punches. The individual elements or stickers are stamped from the self-adhesive layer 12 by means of the punching device 20. The punching is carried out by means of control means in such a way that a security element is applied to each individual element of the layer 12 of self-adhesive material.

13 is present. Downstream of the die-cutting device 20, the waste material generated during die-cutting is discharged in the direction of a waste roll 21. The final products formed are fed to an end roll 22.

The stickers formed using the device and method of the present invention can be used for a variety of purposes. Firstly, it is possible to use the stickers only to display product information and to protect products. In addition, the stickers can be used for promotional purposes, where, for example, an action seal is applied to the sticker. Such action stickers can, for example, be combined with a product such as a Fix-a-Form (brand name).

A Fix-a-Form is a folded paper element that can be glued to a product in a folded state, whereby the product can be folded open to an open position via a tear line. Base material for such a Fix-aForm can be supplied from a second stock roll 23. From this stock roll 23, the base material for the Fix-a-Form can be folded using folding cylinders (not shown). The final Fix-a-Form product can be added to the material web 11,12,13 by means of a feed 24 (shown schematically) and a glue device 25 (for example a hot melt device). The final shape of the Fix-a-Form products is achieved together with the punching out of the individual stickers from the self-adhesive layer 12 using the punching device 20.

Figure 2 schematically shows a number of security stickers. Figure 2 shows that security elements 13 are arranged on the base layer 11. The self-adhesive layer 12 is applied to the base layer 11 and the fastening elements 13. A punching operation is then carried out with the aid of the punching device 20. The final punching lines formed by this punching operation are schematically indicated by dotted lines 30. Figure 2 shows the case where the security elements 13 are smaller than the sticker stamped from the layer of adhesive material.

From the above it appears that with the aid of the method and the device according to the present invention a sticker product is created in which both the top of the sticker and the bottom of the sticker (the base layer) can be provided with an image. This image may concern product information, for example. In addition, the sticker includes the security element 13. The stickers created in this way can be used to protect the products against theft. For this purpose, the security element 13 must be adapted to, for example, a security gate at a door of a store. The security elements must be equipped in such a way that the activating effect of the stickers can be switched off, for example at a cash register.

It is also possible that the security element contains information that can be used to pay for products. This means that someone who does groceries in a supermarket can place a large number of products in a shopping cart and drive past the checkout. With the aid of an electronic device it is possible to read the information that is applied to the security elements 13 of the various stickers of the products. This means that in that case the products do not have to be individually displayed at a cash register for payment. Obviously, that would be a huge time saver.

As already indicated above, the method and the device according to the invention can also be used for manufacturing a security member from two strips, wherein security elements are placed between the strips. For this application, one should think, for example, of paper tickets that can serve as a security body. The supply of the security elements 13 in this case can also be carried out with a sticker machine, such as a Pagomat.

Also, the strips and the security element, or only the strips can be glued together using a hot-melt device as shown with reference number 25 in figure 1. In that case a Pagomat 13 is placed close to this hot-melt device 25 . A first strip is supplied via the rollers 16 and 17. A second strip is supplied via the rollers 24.