EP2288743B1 - Washable product - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a washable product according to the preamble of the claim (see FR-A-2 901 041 ). For washable products for commercial purposes, hard tags are currently used for the identification, either by Thermopatch on z. B. lingerie can be applied or fastened in a pocket on the hem. Hard tags have reading ranges of 10 - 30 cm typical. Older technologies in the 125 KHz range can not read a laundry pulse as they do not control anticollision. However, newer technologies in the 13.56 MHz range dominate anticollision.

In order to detect incoming laundry items, which are usually in dirty laundry bags, reading tunnels are used, but where only small bags can be pushed through the limited reading range.

With UHF technology, which also allows several meters of range, detection stations could be set up both in the dirty laundry entrance area and in the clean laundry exit area, where no older piece of equipment, but only the weight of the respective deliveries are currently recorded with older technologies.

In addition, hitherto used Hardtags have the serious disadvantage that they are noticed as a foreign body in the garment or flat linen in the scarcity area are not used at all. The mechanical stress to which the laundry items are exposed in the defect, immediately leads to the destruction of hard day or to punching the flat linen at the point where the hard day is appropriate.

From the FR-A-2901041 is a label with an electronic article surveillance and a UHF RFID chip and associated dipole antenna known. The RFID chip is coupled to the UHF antenna via an inductive coupling loop. The UHF antenna consists of an aluminum strip on a support. The UHF antenna is asymmetrical. From a coupling loop, with which the RFID chip is coupled, a first leg kinks for a distance that half Beam width corresponds, at right angles and ends after a distance that also corresponds to half the beam width.

Next bends a second leg to a distance that also corresponds to half the beam width, at right angles, then extends over a full beam width, bends again at right angles and ends after a distance that corresponds to three quarters of the beam width.

The invention has for its object to provide a washable product with a contactless readable UHF detector wafer, which remains comfortable to handle and portable, in which the detector plate is also readable in a Wäschepulk and in which no damage to the washable product by the presence of the Detektierplättchens or damage to the Detektierplättchens itself occurs.

This object is achieved with a washable product according to the preamble of claim 1 by the features of this claim.

The inventive design of the UHF detector wafer results in a highly flexible soft day, which adapts to the flexibility of the washable product and thus does not affect the handling and portability. In addition, the UHF detector plate is readable over long distances also in the pulp with other washable products also equipped with similar UHF detector plates and insensitive to mechanical and chemical damage during handling before, during and after washing.

The dipole antenna has an unusual shape, which initially extends on both sides in mutual longitudinal direction starting from the coupling loop of the chip module, then kinks at right angles, meanders at least once and then kinks oppositely at right angles and in turn expires in the longitudinal direction.

In this form of the dipole antenna, an increased proportion of a magnetic H-field is generated which allows a better selection of adjacent detection plates during reading and thus facilitates a separate detection even of products lying close to each other. This is especially true for flat linen to, which is folded in a clean state and delivered tightly superimposed.

• Fußmatten, um entsprechend dem Logo des Nutzers das Produkt nach der Wäsche wieder der bestimmungsgemäßen Verwendung und dem Einsatzort zuzuordnen;
• OP-Wäsche, die in Deutschland nachweislich richtig gereinigt werden muss, da bei Infektionen und fehlendem Nachweis sonst das Krankenhaus in der Haftung steht;
• Feuerwehrschutzbekleidung, bei der die Anzahl der Reinigungszyklen erfasst werden müssen, da sie über die Nutzungshäufigkeit bzw. Waschhäufigkeit hinaus ihre Unbrennbarkeitseigenschaft verlieren.

A reliable identification of the individual washable products is absolutely necessary in the following commercial use:

• Floor mats, in accordance with the user's logo, to return the product to its intended use and location after washing;
• Surgical underwear, which has been proven to be properly cleaned in Germany, as otherwise the hospital is liable for infections and missing evidence;
• Fire-brigade protective clothing, in which the number of cleaning cycles must be recorded, because they lose their incombustibility property in addition to the frequency of use or washing frequency.

According to a development of the multifilament conductor may consist of stainless steel wires.

This achieves improved electrical conductivity while at the same time reducing the risk of breakage. In addition, a multifilament ladder has textile-like properties.

The stainless steel wires of the multifilament conductor may be coated with a copper layer.

The copper layer increases the electrical conductivity, so that the dipole antenna has a better efficiency and thus allows an increased reading range of the UHF detector wafer.

In addition, the multifilament conductor may have a plastic jacket.

As a result, the multifilament conductors are protected from excessive buckling and permanent deformation when the washable product is bent.

For so-called soft tags two versions are provided, namely one for retrofitting and one for installation in the manufacture of the product.

In the former embodiment, the UHF detector wafer may be mounted on a substrate and the substrate coated with a hot melt or rubber adhesive and adhesively attached to the washable product.

In the second-mentioned embodiment, several alternatives are possible.

The UHF detector wafer may be mounted on a substrate and sewn into a hem of the washable product.

The UHF detector wafer may be mounted on a substrate and sewn directly to a hem of the washable product.

In this case, the dipole antenna of the UHF detector wafer can be sewn in the seam and only the chip with the coupling loop and a portion of the dipole antenna inductively coupled with the coupling loop can be arranged outside the seam.

In addition, the UHF detector wafer may be sewn into a hem of the washable product.

In this case, the multifilament conductors of the dipole antenna are preferably fixed by an additional hem seam against curling.

In all versions of the seam ensures that the detector plate is either protected by the seam itself or indirectly indirectly protected by the already increased in thickness in the immediate vicinity seam. At the same time, the hem seam serves to fix the detector plate. An additional bulging of a product stack by the thickness of the UHF detector wafer is avoided.

In the case of a rubber coated debris scraper, the UHF detector can be vulcanized into a rubber layer of the washable product.

Preferably, the UHF detector wafer is positioned midway between the ends of a washable product.

Since the products of grippers are gripped at the corners during the automatic handling of washable products and, above all, flat linen is folded in a clean state, the UHF detection platens are located both outside the gripping area and outside the folding area and thus remain undamaged during normal handling.

The invention will be explained with reference to exemplary embodiments, which are illustrated in the drawing.

Fig. 1

ein UHF-Detektierplättchen auf einem Trägermaterial zur nachträglichen Anbringung,

Fig. 2

ein Kleidungsstück mit einem UHF-Detektierplättchen nach Fig. 1

Fig. 3

ein UHF-Detektierplättchen ohne Trägermaterial,

Fig. 4

ein Flachwäschestück mit einem in einem Saum eingenähten UHF-Detektierplättchen nach Fig. 3

Fig. 5

ein UHF-Detektierplättchen auf einem Trägermaterial mit gestreckter Dipolantenne zum Ein- oder Annähen,

Fig. 6

ein UHF-Detektierplättchen auf einem Trägermaterial mit mäanderförmiger Dipolantenne zum Ein- oder Annähen,

Fig. 7

einen Schnitt durch einen Saum mit eingenähtem UHF-Detektierplättchen,

Fig. 8

und einen Schnitt durch einen Saum mit angenähtem UHF-Detektierplättchen.

In the drawing show:

Fig. 1

a UHF detector wafer on a substrate for retrofitting,

Fig. 2

a garment with a UHF detector token Fig. 1

Fig. 3

a UHF detector wafer without carrier material,

Fig. 4

a flat laundry with a sewn in a hem UHF detector plate after Fig. 3

Fig. 5

a UHF detector wafer on a carrier material with a stretched dipole antenna for sewing or sewing in,

Fig. 6

a UHF detector wafer on a carrier material with a meander-shaped dipole antenna for sewing or sewing on,

Fig. 7

a section through a hem with sewn UHF detector plate,

Fig. 8

and a section through a hem with a sewn UHF detector plate.

Fig. 1 shows a UHF detector wafer 10 on a substrate 12 for subsequent attachment to a washable product. The UHF detector wafer 10 consists of a chip module 14 with a chip 16 and a coupling loop 18 and a dipole antenna 20 inductively coupled to the coupling loop 18. The dipole antenna 20 comprises a multifilament conductor made of stainless steel wires which has a plastic jacket made of teflon. The stainless steel wires in turn may be coated with a layer of copper.

The chip module 14 with the chip 16 and the coupling loop 18 is protected by boards or potting material against mechanical and chemical influences. The coupled with the coupling loop 18 dipole antenna 20 is also protected by the plastic sheath against mechanical and chemical influences. The choice of material stainless steel also prevents corrosion due to the penetration of moisture. The training multifilament ladder provides an enlarged surface for improved conductivity at high frequencies and high flexibility in the handling of washable products. The conductivity and thus the efficiency of the dipole antenna can be further increased by a copper layer.

The dipole antenna 20 has a shape which, starting from the coupling loop 18 of the chip module 14, initially extends on both sides in the mutual longitudinal direction 22, then kinks at right angles, meanders twice at locations 24, 26 and then kinks oppositely at right angles and in turn expires in the longitudinal direction 28. This will be in a center 30 generates an increased proportion of a magnetic H-field, which allows a better selection of adjacent detection plates in reading.

Chip module 14 and dipole antenna 20 are arranged on a carrier material 12 that is coated with a hot melt adhesive 32.

Fig. 2 shows as an application example a commercially used garment 34, in which in the vicinity of the collar a Detektierplättchen 10 after Fig. 1 adhesive is attached.

Fig. 3 shows a UHF detection wafer 10 without a carrier material, which is suitable for attachment to a flat garment in the hem. The UHF detector wafer 10 consists of a chip module 14 having a chip 16 and a coupling loop 18 and a dipole antenna 20 inductively coupled to the coupling loop 18, here in an elongated form. The dipole antenna 20 is made of the same material as that of FIG Fig. 1 , A fixation between chip module and dipole antenna is effected by a common foil or a potting material.

Fig. 4 shows a flat laundry piece 36 with a sewn in a hem 38 UHF detection wafer 10 after Fig. 3 , The dipole antenna 20 is fixed here by an additional seam 40 with respect to the usual hem seam 44, so that it can not curl during the handling and thus become out of tune.

Fig. 5 shows a non-inventive UHF detector wafer 10 on a support material 12 with stretched Dipolantenne 20 for sewing or sewing. The dipole antenna 20 may already be woven into the carrier material, as explained in FIGS. 9 to 11, or be glued or sewn onto the carrier material 12. The chip module 14 is fixed on the carrier material 12 by means of an adhesive strip 42.

Fig. 6 shows a non-inventive UHF detector wafer 10 on a substrate 12 with a meandering dipole antenna 20 for sewing or sewing. The dipole antenna 20 may be glued or sewn onto the substrate 12. The chip module 14 is likewise fixed on the carrier material 12 by means of an adhesive strip 42. The meander structure of the dipole antenna 20 results in a similar radiation property, as related to Fig. 1 explained.

Fig. 7 shows a section through a seam 38 with a sewn UHF detector wafer 10, as shown in the FIGS. 5 and 6 is described. The UHF detector wafer 10 is fixed by the same seam 44, which also fixes the seam 38 itself. In this case, the UHF detector wafer 10 is directly protected by the seam 38.

Fig. 8 shows a section through a seam 38 with sewn UHF Detektierplättchen 10, as shown in the FIGS. 5 and 6 is described. The UHF detection wafer 10 is fixed by the same seam 44, which also fixes the seam 38 itself, but is located outside the seam 38. In this case, the UHF detector wafer 10 is indirectly protected by the adjacent increase in the seam 38.

Claims (13)

1. A washable product with a contactlessly readable UHF detection plate (10), consisting of a chip module (14) having a chip (16) and a coupling loop (18), and a dipole antenna (20) inductively coupled to the coupling loop (18), characterised in that the dipole antenna (20) consists of a multifilament conductor and has a shape which, starting from the coupling loop (18) of the chip module (14), firstly extends on both sides in the mutual longitudinal direction (22), then bends at a right angle, meanders at least once (24, 26) and subsequently bends at right angles in opposite directions and in turn ends in the mutual longitudinal direction (28).
2. The washable product according to Claim 1, characterised in that the multifilament conductor consists of high-grade steel wires.
3. The washable product according to Claim 2, characterised in that the high-grade steel wires of the multifilament conductor are coated with a copper layer.
4. The washable product according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the multifilament conductor has a plastic sheathing.
5. The washable product according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the UHF detection plate (10) is fixed onto a carrier material (12) and the carrier material (12) is coated with a hot-melt adhesive (32) and adhesively attached to the washable product.
6. The washable product according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the UHF detection plate (10) is fixed onto a carrier material (12) and the carrier material (12) is coated with a rubber adhesive and adhesively attached to the washable product.
7. The washable product according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the UHF detection plate (10) is fixed onto a carrier material (12) and is sewn into a seam (38) of the washable product (36).
8. The washable product according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the UHF detection plate (10) is fixed onto a carrier material (12) and is sewn directly onto a seam (38) of the washable product (36).
9. The washable product according to Claim 8, characterised in that the dipole antenna (20) of the UHF detection plate (10) is sewn up in the seam (38) and only the chip (16) with the coupling loop (18) and a portion of the dipole antenna (20), which is inductively coupled to the coupling loop, is arranged outside of the seam (38).
10. The washable product according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the UHF detection plate (10) is vulcanised into a rubber layer of the washable product.
11. The washable product according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the UHF detection plate (10) is sewn into a seam (38) of the washable product (36).
12. The washable product according to Claim 11, characterised in that the multifilament conductors of the dipole antenna (20) are secured against curling by an additional sewing seam.
13. The washable product according to any one of Claims 5 to 12, characterised in that the UHF detection plate (10) is positioned in the middle between the ends of a washable product (36).

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