JPH056470A - Bar code - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To present a bar code by which the effective use term of a commodity, the time elapsed after the storage start time of the commodity, or the like is easily visually discriminated without raising the cost of commodity term management. CONSTITUTION:A bar code 5 obtained by printing image forming materials in a prescribed pattern is characterized by the use of image forming materials whose color is changed with time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bar code attached to various products such as products and their packaging, or pallets on which products are placed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Bar codes are formed by combining bars of various thicknesses into a predetermined pattern, and are generally printed using black ink. The information contained in the bar code cannot be read only by visual inspection, and a dedicated reader is used to read the various information contained in the bar code.

[0003]

Therefore, in a warehouse or the like in which a large number of products are stacked and stored, for example, when checking the effective use period of the products, a reader is provided for each of the products. There is a problem that it takes time to work because it is necessary to check the effective usage period. The problem regarding the product management is not limited to the effective use period of the product, and the same applies to other management items such as the storage period.
In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to write or print the effective use period of the product, the start of storage, etc., in addition to the bar code, but doing so increases the cost required for product management. . The present invention has been devised in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to effectively use a product or to start storing the product without increasing the cost required for managing the deadline of the product. It is to provide a bar code that allows easy visual judgment of the elapsed date and time.

[0004]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a barcode formed by printing an image-forming material in a predetermined pattern, wherein the color of the image-forming material changes with time. It is characterized by the use of changing things.

With such a structure, the commodity manager does not need to put a reader on each of the commodities, and the expiration date of the commodity can be easily managed by visually observing the color of the bar code.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a barcode label 1, which comprises a label 3 and a barcode 5,
The bar code 5 is formed in a predetermined pattern containing various information by combining lines 7 of various thicknesses. FIG. 2 shows a printing machine 9 for a bar code 5. Immediately after being printed by the printing machine 9, the printed bar code label 1 is printed.
Is attached to the wrapping paper 11A of the product 11 as shown in FIG. Then, when storing the product 11 to which the barcode label 1 is attached, the products 11 are stacked so that the barcode label 1 can be seen. As an image forming material for printing the barcode 5, in the embodiment, the color changes every unit time when exposed to ultraviolet rays,
Moreover, the ink that can read the information of the barcode 5 even after the color is changed is used. Examples of such ink pigments include Pigment Blue 2 and Pigment Blue 2
5, Pigment Green 4, Pigment Blue 18, Ritopon, etc. This color change is shown in FIG. 4, and in this example, a color change was used every day. And, the warehouse uses lights that emit ultraviolet rays.

Since the present embodiment is constructed as described above, when managing the deadlines of the products 11 stacked in the warehouse, it is not necessary to attach a reader to each bar code label 1 as in the conventional case. Since the elapsed date from the start of storage can be visually determined, deadline management can be easily performed. In the example, ink that changes color when exposed to ultraviolet light was used, but the color changes every unit time when exposed to light of another wavelength such as near infrared light regardless of the presence or absence of ultraviolet light. Even if you use a thing, you can easily manage the deadline. As such an image forming material, there is a cyanine-based near infrared absorbing dye or the like. Further, it is also possible to use one that changes its color every unit time by reacting with oxygen or humidity in the air. As such an image forming material, there is, for example, a dye-coloring type thermosensitive recording paper using a leuco dye. Depending on the developer, sensitizer and binder to be combined, the leuco dye changes its color when the effective use period of the product 11 has passed, or a predetermined number of days before the effective use period of the product 11 has passed. It is also possible to use a product whose color changes with the color of the product 11 after the effective use period of the product 11 has elapsed. By doing so, the effective use period of the product 11 can be easily managed, and the product 11 that can be used
It is possible to easily sort the commodities 11 that cannot be obtained.

Further, the discoloring time can be adjusted by using a head matching agent, a water resistance-imparting agent, an oil resistance, a plasticity resistance improving agent, a light resistance improving agent, a background antifoggant, etc. Further, in the embodiment, the case where the effective use period of the product 11 is managed has been described. However, the problem regarding the product management is not limited to the effective use period of the product 11, and other management items such as management of the storage period, for example. Is similarly applicable.

[0009]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to manage the expiration date of a product by visually observing the color of the bar code. This makes it possible to manage products easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a barcode label.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a barcode printer.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a stored state of products.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a color change of a barcode.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Bar code label 3 labels 5 barcode 9 Bar code printing machine 11 products

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A bar code formed by printing an image forming material in a predetermined pattern, wherein the image forming material is one whose color changes with the passage of time. code. 2. The color of the image-forming material changes in proportion to the time when the image-forming material is exposed to sunlight, fluorescent light, ultraviolet light, or the like. Barcode. 3. The bar code according to claim 1, wherein the image forming material gradually changes into a plurality of different colors with the lapse of a predetermined time.