MANTEGAZZA A ARTI GRAFICI (IT)
VIVARELLI ULISSE (IT)
| EP0123392A2 | 1984-10-31 | |||
| EP0566801A2 | 1993-10-27 | |||
| US5573851A | 1996-11-12 | |||
| US3382655A | 1968-05-14 |
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 7, no. 55 (M - 198) 5 March 1983 (1983-03-05)
| 1. | A yarn, characterized in that it comprises at least a readable fiber which can be identified by a suitable reading sensor. |
| 2. | Yarn according to claim 1, characterized in that said fiber is an optical fiber. |
| 3. | Yarn according to claim 1, characterized in that said fiber carries printed readable information. |
| 4. | Yarn according to claim 3, characterized in that said information consist of a writing which is readable by a lens. |
| 5. | Yarn according to claim 3, characterized in that said information consist of a bar code. |
| 6. | Yarn according to claim 3, characterized in that said information consist of a magnetic code. |
| 7. | Yarn according to claim 3, characterized in that said information consist of an hologram. |
| 8. | Yarn according to claim 3, characterized in that said information consist of a twodimensional point code. |
| 9. | Authentication method of a product, characterized in that at least a yarn according to claims 1 to 8 is applied to said product. |
| 10. | Authentication method of a product, characterized in that a yarn according to claims 1 to 8 is utilized to fix a seal to said product. |
Background art Protection from counterfeit products is a well-known problem in many markets, for example in the fashion and the accessory goods fields.
The real identity of a product is usually ensured by attached seals which are conceived in order to make it as difficult as possible to be fraudulently reproduced.
Although these seals are often efficient, it is quite clear that reproducing them is often possible, which makes them useless.
Detailed description of the invention The invention provides a very useful way to ensure the authenticity of a product by a yarn, preferably a multi-thread yarn, comprising at least one fiber, or a single thread, hidden inside the yarn and which can be identified by a suitable reading device.
Depending on the structure of the selected yarn and fiber, the latter can be threaded into the multi-threated yarn, can constitute the internal core of the yarn or can be alternatively arranged as internal element of a coaxial yarn.
The fiber of the invention can be an optical fiber or a fiber carrying information data which can be read by a suitable device.
For example, a textile fiber can be identified by dipping it, at a final stage of its manufacturing process, into an impregnating bath of optical-sensitive elements.
Alternatively, said information data can consist of a particular writing, a code bar, an holographic code or a code obtained by magnetic materials.
Therefore, the suitable reading device depends on the specific nature of the selected fiber which can be read by means of a lens (fiber carrying a writing), by UV rays irradiation (optical fiber), by a bar code reader (fiber carrying a bar code), by a laser device (fiber carrying an hologram) or by a magnetic detector (fiber
carrying a magnetic code).
The fiber can be arranged inside and constitute the core of a yarn of the usual type (preferred solution where the yarn is a synthetic yarn manufactured by extrusion). The fiber can also be threaded with the other fibers or threads (natural or synthetic) of the yarn or, for example when fabrics are concerned, can be embedded in the fabric or sewn into a predetermined part of an article of clothes.
In view of the above, it evident that a yarn or a fiber according to the invention provides an highly efficient and reliable way to verify the authenticity of a product.
This result is obtained simply by checking with the suitable reading device whether or not a fiber is inserted in the predetermined position of the product to be verified.
A yarn according to the invention can also be used to fix a conventional seal to a product, because the replacement or the cutting of the yarn which binds the seal to the product could be easily verified. On the other hand, neither is it possible to cut the yarn in order to apply the same seal to a counterfeited product.