MXPA99009413A - Tamper-resistant, indelible and contrasting method for marking objects, in particular labels - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a tamper-resistant and indelible method for marking objects, in particular labels, providing marking with good contrast and enhanced visibility. Said method is essentially characterised in that the marking is carried out in two operations:integral marking, i.e. in the thickness of the object;surface marking;said surface marking being superposed on the integral marking. The invention also concerns a marking label.

Description

PROCEDURE OF MARKING INFUSING, INDELEBLE AND CONTRASTING OF OBJECTS, PARTICULARLY OF LABELS. The present invention relates to a method of infalsificable and visible marking of objects that ensures good contrast and better visibility of the marking and of the objects so marked. The present invention is applied, among other objects, to the marking labels used for cattle but may have other applications. The marking of the cattle is done by fixing one or two labels on the animal's ear. The label bears a marking consisting of signs and / or figures and / or letters of which a part is used by the farmer to identify the animal on the ground. It is necessary that these numbers be indelible so that they are inviolable and make fraud difficult. The label bearing the marking is generally made of synthetic material of known type. Until now, the indelible character of the marking was obtained by the use of a laser that allows to obtain a marking on the mass or on the thickness of the sheet that constitutes the label. However, it does not present an accentuated contrast with respect to the color of the label; therefore, the reading distance is limited. So much so that in France, where the labels are salmon colored for bovines, the use of laser engraving gives a gray color. The present invention aims to avoid these drawbacks. For this purpose, the method according to the present invention of marking infalsificable, indelible and contrasted objects, is essentially characterized in that the marking is carried out through two operations, a marking on the mass, ie the thickness of the object, and a surface marking superimposed on said marking on the mass. According to another characteristic of the invention, the marking is carried out through two operations, a marking by modification of the structure of the object by thermochemical phenomenon and a deposit on the surface. According to another feature of the invention, the marking on the dough is carried out by means of a laser engraving and the surface marking superimposed on the previous one is carried out by means of inking, for example according to the technique called by inkjet; or conversely, that is to say, that the surface marking is fixed first and that the marking on the mass, for example by laser engraving, is done later. According to another feature of the invention, marking on the dough is done with spaced strokes defining the contour of each sign, letter or number, for example, between which a space is left which is covered by the surface marking. According to another characteristic of the invention, the lines are preferably parallel. Other advantages and features of the invention will appear on reading the following description of an embodiment of the invention offered by way of non-limiting example illustrated by the attached drawings and in which: - Figure 1 represents a plan view of a label with marking according to the invention; Figure 2 is a partial view showing a top view of the marking on the dough according to the invention before superimposing the surface marking; - Figure 3 is a sectional view according to line AA; - Figure 4 is a sectional view according to line AA that represents the surface deposit after fixing. As shown in Figure 1, the label for the marking of animals, made according to the process object of the invention to which it belongs in its entirety, is constituted by a sheet of flexible synthetic material, for example of polyurethane. This label bears a marking consisting of signs, specifically by letters and / or figures that constitute the official identification number. The letters and / or digits of small characters of the upper line 1, serve to designate the flock in question. The letters and / or figures of the lower line 2, of greater dimension since they occupy more than half of the useful surface of the label, serve to locate the animal within said livestock. It is evident that if it was indispensable that the whole number be indelible and therefore infalsificabie, it would also be indispensable that the second number, the one that allows the location of the animal, be easy to read, even at a distance, for the farmer so that This number is given a dimensional importance. The search for inviolability and the impossibility of completely or partially erasing the number has quickly led to the use of labeling on the mass. The feasible and known technique of the gravure of the signs constituting the number is not satisfactory since it does not modify the coloration of the material of the label. The coloration by fixation of surface pigments is satisfactory in terms of the level of readability at a distance of the number. However, these pigments can be erased over time and in particular by the use of solvents. According to the invention, the method employed uses a marking through two operations: a marking on the mass of the support constituted by the sheet of the label; - a surface marking superimposed on the marking on the mass, that is, made on the same contour as the signs, figures or letters obtained through the first marking. The reverse process can be carried out, that is to say, that a surface marking can be carried out first and then a marking on the mass superimposed on the first one. This combination of two marked overlays allows to obtain a visible and indelible marking since, even if the surface marking is erased or has been voluntarily erased, the marking on the dough subsists and allows fraud to be discovered. In case of fraud, the signs, letters or figures of the fraudulent marking shall not overlap the marking on the mass. According to the process object of the invention, the marking on the mass is carried out by means of an engraving and therefore it is indelible. The marking is carried out according to an embodiment of the invention by modification of the structure of the label material by thermochemical phenomenon and the surface marking is carried out by a deposit of appropriate material preferably colored or pigmented.

The engraving is done by a laser beam or by any other means.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a label after the embodiment on which the laser marking identified with the reference number 3 is represented. Figure 4 is a sectional view of a label after the embodiment on which the surface marking identified with the reference number 4 is represented, the marking or laser engraving 3 being shaded with strokes being represented. According to the invention, the marking is carried out by modifying the structure of the label (or of the object to be marked) by thermochemical phenomenon and by a deposit on the surface of colored and / or pigmented material. The marking by means of laser beam gives signs, letters or figures of matte color, in gray tones; However, it has the advantage of penetrating deep into the mass by thermal and chemical transformation of the mass. Therefore, it is indelible. Preferably, the surface marking is carried out by applying a coloring pigment, which makes it possible to obtain a good visibility effect of the marking. The pigments can come from an ink according to the technique known as an ink jet or can be fixed by any appropriate means. As shown in FIG. 2, which is a very enlarged partial view of a sign fixed on a label according to the invention, marking on the dough is carried out according to one embodiment by means of parallel lines 5 defining at least the outline of each of the signs, figures or letters to be made. Between each of the lines 5 an interval 6 or space is left which is covered only by the surface marking, which also covers the entire area delimited by the marking on the mass, the one and the other being superimposed. The laser marking can also be performed without the intervals 6 outlined above. According to another embodiment, the laser marking is carried out by lines forming curves or other geometric figures and defining at least the outline of each of the signs, figures or letters to be made, the lines being sufficiently spaced to leave between them intervals or spaces intended to be covered by surface marking.

In the field of the realization of a marking according to the invention on a label for livestock, at least a part of the signs, for example those of the lower line, are made by superimposing the marking on the mass and the surface marking. However, all the marking of the label can be done by superimposing the two markings.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS:

1. Marking process infalsificabie, indelible and contrasted objects, characterized in that the marking is done through two operations: - a marking on the mass, ie the thickness of the object; - a marking on the surface; said marking on the surface overlaying the marking on the mass. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the marking is carried out through two operations: - a marking on the surface; - a marking on the mass, that is to say on the thickness of the object, said marking being superimposed on the mass on the surface marking. Method according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the marking on the mass is carried out by means of a laser engraving and that the surface marking is carried out by inking. Method according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that the marking on the mass is carried out by lines defining the contours of each sign constituting the marking between which a space covered by the surface marking remains. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the lines are parallel. 6. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the lines form curves. 7. Label for the marking of animals made according to the method of claim 1 and any of claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, said label being made of synthetic material and characterized in that the signs constituting the marking that it carries are made, at least a part of them, by a marking on the mass on which a surface marking is fixed and superimposed. 8. Label for the marking of animals according to claim 7, characterized in that all the signs constituting the marking are made by a marking on the dough and because some of them receive a surface marking superimposed on the marking on the dough. 9. Label for the marking of animals according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the marking on the dough is done by engraving and because the surface marking is done by fixing a pigment. 10. Label for the marking of animals according to claims 7 and 8 characterized in that the marking is performed by modification of the structure of the label by a thermochemical phenomenon and by a deposit on the surface.