WO2016004544A1

WO2016004544A1 - Label for delivering expert information relating to the optimum condition for consuming and/or using a product

Info

Publication number: WO2016004544A1
Application number: PCT/CL2015/050025
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gabriel GATICA CASANOVA; Diego CARRASCO GUBERNATIS
Original assignee: Tband Spa
Priority date: 2014-07-09
Filing date: 2015-07-08
Publication date: 2016-01-14
Also published as: CL2014001818A1

Abstract

The invention describes a smart label which contains fixed and dynamic information, associated with an expert consumption opinion for best appreciation of the organoleptic properties of the product to which said label is adhered. The label changes colour in accordance with the variable to be measured, for example temperature, the operation thereof being capable of being personalised for each type of product, according to the properties of same which are to be appreciated.

Description

LABEL FOR DELIVERING EXPERT INFORMATION REGARDING THE OPTIMAL CONSUMPTION CONDITION AND / OR USE OF A PRODUCT

Scope.

The present invention relates to the product label industry, more specifically the invention corresponds to a reversible smart label that presents an expert opinion of consumption for the best appreciation of the organoleptic properties of a product to which it is attached, together with An expert suggestion depending on the situation in which the product is. This opinion and / or suggestion and / or expert message depends on a variable, which can be temperature, and whose operation is customized for each type of product according to the properties that present and that you want to appreciate or highlight.

Description of the Prior Art

Currently there are multiple types of labels which present information based on a variable such as time and / or temperature, indicating by means of a color code if the object or product to which they are attached presents a problem regarding its quality and / or condition of consumption, defining a threshold value or a certain range within which it is the optimum of consumption and / or storage. These labels are composed of a static component that stores information that does not vary over time, such as product name, date of manufacture, etc. and a dynamic component that changes according to the variable to be sensed, for example, a thermochromic or thermochromatic sensor in the case of temperature being the variable to be considered.

There are multiple labels that meet the condition of containing fixed and dynamic information on the same label, focused on informing the quality or condition of the product to be consumed. These include document US2005 / 0104035, "INTELLIGENT LABEL FOR INFORMING CONSUMERS OF PRODUCT QUALITY CRITERIA", which describes an intelligent label that informs the consumer about the quality criteria of a product, including a reversible or irreversible indicator that responds to a change in temperature

Similarly, products that incorporate thermochromic attic technology have been seen in their labels to report a particular temperature of a product. An example corresponds to the product "CINEMATOGRAPHIC WINE WITH THERMOSENSIBLE LABEL" that allows to know if the wine contained in the bottle is at the ideal temperature. The same company Cruzcampo, which has incorporated in its cans and bottles a thermosensitive sensor in the form of a snowflake that changes color according to the temperature of the container. Document W02006021953, "INDICATING DEVICE FOR TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE PRODUCTS", describes a device capable of exhibiting a temperature and time dependence by visual changes according to the conditions of said variables.

None of the devices of the state of the art describe a label that allows to change its visual indications in a dynamic and reversible way, according to the environmental condition in which the product is located and indicate to the user an expert opinion of product consumption, for the best appreciation of its organoleptic properties.

Summary

The invention describes an intelligent label that contains fixed and dynamic information, associated with an expert opinion of consumption for the best appreciation of the organoleptic properties of the product to which it is attached. The label varies its color condition according to the variable to be measured, for example temperature, and its operation can be customized for each type of product according to the properties that are present and that you want to appreciate.

Brief Description of the Figures.

Figure 1: Diagram of the label and its fields. Figure 2. Example of use of the basic version of the label. Figure 3. Diagram of Layers that make up the label. Figure 4: Quadrant overlap graph. Figure 5: Calibration curves.

Figure 6: Example graph of empirical test of color intensity change with respect to temperature using Liquid Crystals, for Cold, Ideal and Hot quadrant.

Figure 7: Graphs obtained empirically from a real label, with a test calibration.

Figure 8: Diagram of the process for defining smart tag requirements (Customization).

Detailed description.

The invention corresponds to a device of the tag type that serves as a means or physical channel to summarize and communicate visually the condition of a particular product, in addition to indicating one or more expert opinions on said product, dynamically and instantaneously, based on variables whose movement intervals have been predefined.

Most consumer products have conditions under which they must be transported, stored and / or consumed. The optimal conditions for each of these stages must be defined to each product in particular by an expert, so that this information is incorporated into the label, so that later, the label can show and / or suggest to the logistic manager, seller and / or consumer the action to be performed according to the stage in which it is, to have the product in optimal conditions.

The label of the present invention is composed of fields or quadrants, where each one represents a pre-established condition and which will be activated according to the condition of the variable to be sensed (temperature, ultraviolet radiation, time, gamma radiation, chemicals, pressure, etc)

Figure 3 shows an option of the parts that constitute a label according to the present invention, which consists of a transparent protective material (1) of the foil type that has filtering and anti-reflective properties. Under this protective sheet and on an absorbent material (3) are the compounds or colorimetric elements (2) that act as sensors and that change color according to the variable (s) to be measured. Finally, an adhesive layer (4) allows the label to be attached to the product.

The appropriate materials or compounds to comply with the visual interaction established and derived from expert opinion may be, for example, for in the case of the temperature variable, the use of thermochromatic liquid crystals, microencapsulations or any compound or technology that generates a colorimetric change when a temperature change occurs and the use of said elements in different combinations (configurations) to visually indicate an opinion expert and an action to perform.

Figure 1 shows the label of the invention that can be attached to a container, for example, to a bottle. It distinguishes three quadrants that correspond to 3 temperature ranges. These intervals or temperature ranges are defined by the producer according to the characteristics or optimal conditions of consumption of the product that contains the bottle. In this way, the information of the expert must be stored in each quadrant according to the composition of the compounds or colorimetric elements used, correlating said expert opinion with the temperature ranges within which each quadrant must be activated or deactivated.

The operation of the label and its application and use in a bottle containing wine is described below by way of example. As can be seen in Figure 2, before the product is consumed, the label must be displayed to know, through its fields, the status or condition of the product and the possible action to be taken for optimum consumption There is a natural association of colors at a certain temperature condition, such as, for example, light blue or blue at a cold condition, red at a heat condition and green at a favorable or ideal condition. However, according to the combination of the colorimetric elements, different colors can be defined for each field for different conditions, according to the needs of the manufacturer of the product to which the label will be incorporated.

As an example, in Figure 1, the "COLD" quadrant turns blue when the temperature at which the product is is below the optimum or ideal consumption value. The "HOT" dial turns red when the temperature is above the preset optimum or ideal value. As the temperature varies, the quadrants of the ends change their indication according to the temperature they feel, that is, they act as thermometers. The central quadrant "IDEAL" indicates the action to be performed according to the stored information that corresponds to the expert's recommendation for this specific product. Therefore, when consuming the product, the user must visualize which field or quadrant of the label is activated and act according to the visual and suitable recommendation indicated by the label. The activation by color display of one or more of the quadrants, when changes occur in the variable (s) to be measured, is due to the phase overlap of the quadrants (Figure 4) in which the quadrant overlap is shown using as an example the COLD, IDEAL and HOT quadrants and graphically showing how the intensity of color varies with respect to the temperature of each quadrant as a whole (without considering the change in intensity of each color channel within each individual quadrant) in the example of A label with temperature sensors. In this way, the central field of the label of Figure 1, can also be activated or deactivated next to another of the fields, changing color according to the condition of the variable to be measured, so as to suggest an action to perform on the product by the user in order to achieve the optimum or ideal consumption condition of the user. Table 1 presents the possible combinations that may arise according to how the label fields of Figure 1 are activated and the corresponding actions to be performed according to the expert opinion expressed by the label. QUADRANT CONDITION

1 Cold Ideai Hot

2 Ideal cold (color "A" Colorimetric range is ►petrific) Hot

3 Ideal cold (color "B" Colorimetric range ^and pecific) Hot

4 Ideal Cold (color "C" Colorimetric range is Specific) Hot

5 Cold Ideal Hot

6 Cold Ideal Hot

7 Cold Ideat Hot

8 Cold Ideal Hot

Table 1: Condition indication and expert recommendation according to the label in Figure 1.

Under condition 1, the central field corresponding to the expert opinion is activated and the lateral fields off. The indication of the label is that the product is in an ideal temperature range of consumption and / or service according to expert opinion, so it can be consumed.

In condition 2, 3 and 4, the central field is lit with a specific colorimetric range which can be defined according to the compounds, technologies, markets and forms that the label adopts in its definition and / or customization stage according to Expert opinion As an example, it is considered that in case of sensing the temperature variable, the following definition of colors for the action to be performed can be used for the central field of the label of Figure 1:

Color "A": Red, the product is under the ideal temperature (cold), which implies that the recommended action is to heat the product to reach

"B",

Color "B": Green, the product is at an ideal temperature for consumption.

Color "C": Blue, the product is above the ideal temperature (hot), which implies that the recommended action is to cool the product to reach "B".

In the same way, in the case of the lateral fields (COLD, HOT) of the label of Figure 1, it is necessary that if the COOL field is turned on it is because the product is under the IDEAL temperature and on the contrary, if Turn on the HOT field is because the product is above the ideal temperature. In condition 5 and 6 of table 1, the above can be seen. In these cases the central field is off, that is, the product is outside its ideal consumption condition, so the action recommended by the label would be the opposite of that indicated by the lateral fields. Performing the appropriate action, in the In the case of the condition (5) of heating and the condition (6) of cooling, the threshold of the ideal condition that manages to ignite the IDEAL central field must be reached, that is, to bring the product to the optimum consumption temperature, according to the opinion that the expert defined on the label.

Condition 7 and 8 corresponds to a phase overlap point, since the central field is on next to one of the ends. That is, according to the expert, the product is in the IDEAL condition to be consumed COLD or HOT according to a specific situation suggested.

Figure 5 describes the intensity versus temperature calibration curves for the following label conditions:

11: corresponds to the activation of the "COLD" field.

12: corresponds to the activation of the "HOT" field.

13: corresponds to the activation of the "IDEAL" field.

Each of the temperature ranges defined in Figure 5, has associated the corresponding condition of table 1.

Figure 6 shows an example of a correlation between the temperature ranges and the intensity of the color associated with those ranges.

The graph (Α ') in Figure 6 shows that the blue color is activated from 0 ° C to 14 ° C, decreasing its intensity as increase the temperature until it goes off at 16 ° C. The inverse effect is observed in the graph (C) where the red color is activated from 20 ° C to 28 ° C. In the graph (Β ') the active green color is observed around 18 ° C, decreasing its intensity as the temperature drops, going through a reddish color from 16 ° C to 14 ° C, finally turning off. The same effect is seen as the temperature increases where the green color gradually decreases its intensity, passing through a blue color from 20 ° C to 22 ° C, at which point the color goes out. The interaction or overlap of the graphs (Α '), (Β') and (C) allow to visualize the phase overlap of the label of the present invention and its operation, visualizing how said phase overlap allows the activation of one or more Label fields according to temperature variation ranges. Figure 7 shows graphs representing the colorimetric result for a test label such as that described in the present invention.

The block diagram of Figure 8 describes the steps of the process or method to be used for the creation and use of the custom device which is composed of the following steps. - define the product or object on which the label will be applied; - establish the place of the product where the label will be attached; establish the variable that defines the optimal condition of use and / or consumption of the object and / or product;

- determine the intervals or ranges within which the variable must remain so that the object and / or product is in an optimal condition of use and / or consumption (customize the label);

- establish the number of fields to be used on the label so that visual information on the status of the product and the recommended action can be delivered;

- define the compounds or colorimetric elements to be used;

- correlate the configuration of the compounds or colorimetric elements to be used with the information associated with the product, establishing phase overlap between the fields;

- adhere the label to the product;

- incorporate the product into the production, logistics, marketing and / or consumption chain;

- before consuming and / or using the product, display the label to determine if it is in the optimum condition for consumption; if it is in the optimal condition, use and / or consume the product; and if it is not in the optimal condition, follow the recommendation indicated by the label, until the product reaches the optimal condition of use and / or consumption by the user.

The invention can integrate the use of other technologies according to the product in which it will be used. For example, it could include an integrated RFID circuit for a tracking system or a two-dimensional code (for example QR or DATAMATRIX) to obtain more information about the product, using a technological platform and a smartphone, tablet or other device capable of reading the code. This code could provide, in conjunction with a computer system and platform, more information regarding the situation in which the product is. For example, if the product is within the ideal-hot range of service temperature, recommended in some occasions of consumption, the application and computer platform may indicate how it corresponds to consume said product in each particular situation. On the other hand, the integration of an RFID, NFC or other technology circuit allows the label to become part of an inventory tracking and control system.

Claims

one . Label to be applied to a product, to deliver expert information regarding the optimal condition of its consumption and / or use, which includes: fields of static information; and fields with dynamic information;

CHARACTERIZED because: dynamic information fields comprise means that are activated according to the variable to be sensed, where an overlap of phases with respect to color intensity allows one or more of them to be activated.

2. The label according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because the phase overlap is defined according to the ranges of the variable to be sensed.

3. The label according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because the dynamic information fields vary over time according to the sensor means incorporated therein.

4. The label according to claim 3, CHARACTERIZED because the sensor means can be temperature, ultraviolet rays, pH, time, gamma radiation, chemicals, pressure.

5. The label according to claim 3 and 4, CHARACTERIZED because the sensor means that change color correspond to compounds, elements, substances or combination thereof.

6. The label according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED because the configuration of the colorimetric compounds determines the information to be stored.

7. The label according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED in that the colorimetric compounds react to a change in the variable to be reversibly sensed.

8. The label according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because the information stored corresponds to the opinion of an expert regarding the optimal conditions of logistics, consumption and / or use of the product.

9. The label according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because at least one of the fields visually delivers an expert recommendation of the action to be performed on the product to obtain an optimal consumption condition.

10. Method to customize a label to be applied to a product, to deliver expert information regarding the optimal condition of its consumption and / or use, CHARACTERIZED because it comprises: define the product or object on which the label will be applied; establish the place of the product where the label will be attached; establish the variable that defines the optimal condition of use and / or consumption of the object and / or product; determine the intervals or ranges within which the variable must remain; set the number of fields to use; define the compounds or colorimetric elements; correlate the configuration of the components or colorimetric elements with the information associated with the product, establishing phase overlap between the fields; adhere the label to the product; incorporate the product into the production, marketing and / or consumption chain; and before consuming and / or using the product, display the label to determine if it is in the optimum condition for consumption; where, if it is not in the optimal condition, follow the recommendation indicated by the label by reading the colors, until the product reaches the optimal condition of use and / or consumption by the user; and where, if it is in the optimal condition, use and / or consume the product.

eleven . The method according to claim 10, CHARACTERIZED in that the fields to be used allow displaying information on the status of the product and the recommended action.

12. The method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED because the recommended action corresponds to the opinion of an expert.