The invention relates to a product containing releasing active compound(s) and to method for manufacturing and using such a product. Background of the technology

Conventionally releasing active compounds, such as scented compounds, have been added to products by dosing them directly to the base material either by immersion or spraying releasing active compounds, e.g., on printed products. Known techniques have the problem that it is both laborious and expensive to dose the releasing active compound or the methods do not allow dosing the releasing active compound in large enough quantities to the printed product. The aroma can also be provided by encapsulating a scent and breaking this later on by rubbing or abrading. Examples are micro encapsulation for instance "Scratch and Sniff" technology. Also this method is laborious and technically complicated. General description of the invention

A method is now invented a product, wherein releasing of active compound is particularly advantageously controlled.

To achieve this object, the invention is characterised in facts, which are presented in the independent claims. The other claims present some preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the product according to the invention, at least one releasing active compound has been covered by printed network comprising moving small-scale windows, which are opened and/or closed depending on the light conditions. The way of printing provides the advantage that its release can be adjusted. This is well- suited to a great variety of base materials. These small-scale windows and releasing active compound are attached to at least one surface of the base material. Small-scale windows can be e.g. separate spot(s), area(s) or make uniform film. Releasing active compound can be e.g. in holes in small-scale window, beneath it, in the material or on the material. This small scale window can be e.g. hole, open- ing, gap, band, cutting, cut-off, flexible part and extensible part. The invention provides extremely wide application alternatives in most diversified objects. They render the applications according to the invention even more versatile.

According to an object of the invention, the base material of the product is select- ed from a group containing paper, board, cardboard, wood products, plastic, rubber, metal, glass, ceramic products and textiles, such as blanket, clothes, decoration and camping equipment. They render the applications according to the invention even more versatile.

According to another object of the invention, at least one printing ink, adhesive and/or varnish is also printed on the base material of the product by some other printing method, such as the offset printing technique. Consequently, the method can be utilized in a great variety of applications. It can be used in the initial treatment of the product or already in the after-treatment of the product, or it can be used in a mixed printing technique. The invention provides advantages in various printed products that contain releasing active compound. The invention can preferably be utilized, e.g., as following products: beer mat boards, cardboard pictures, selling racks, bins, display boxes, brochures and catalogues, document cases, folders, mobiles, table racks, floor racks, price wobblers, product packages, packaging materials, casings, packs, brochures, calendars, rulers, displays, containers, dispensers, beer mats, business cards, catalogues, forms, envelopes, holdalls, bags, writing pads, plastic folders, briefcases, background advertisements, product information cards, table talkers, boxes or other equipment or products intended for sales promotion, marketing or direct mailing. According to the invention, releasing active compound is attached to at least one surface of the base material. Such a product can be, e.g., a beer mat board. According to an object of the invention, releasing active compound is attached to two or more surfaces of the product, such as the opposite surfaces of the base material. Such a product can be, e.g., a cardboard picture or brochure. For example, a product can also be manufactured, on one side of which there is a different releasing active compound than on the other side.

According to an object of the invention, moving printed network comprise liquid- crystalline polymer crystal network. According to an object of the invention, said printed network comprise comprises azobenzene dye(s). According to an object of the invention, said small-scale window is at least partly reversible opened and closed depending on the external source. This gives very good and precise methods to control the releasing of active compound(s).

According to an object of the invention, said external stimulator is light, tempera- ture, moisture, physical, chemical and/or biological stimulator. The invention thus provides advantageously variable embodiments.

According to an object of the invention, said moving small-scale windows are at least partly opened and/or closed depending on visible light, such as 490 nm or 540 nm. According to an object of the invention, said moving small-scale windows are at least partly opened and/or closed depending on UV-light, such as 358 nm or 366 nm. According to an object of the invention, said moving small-scale windows are at least partly opened and/or closed depending on polarized light. These gives very practical and cost-effective methods to control the releasing of active compound(s). The releasing active compound can be any substance, compound or mixture, which emits at least some kind of a scent that can be sensed or measured. It may contain only one such substance, mixture or compound or it may contain two or more substances, compounds and/or mixtures in different proportions. The releasing active compound can also be, e.g., a plant or a part thereof that contains one or more substances, compounds or mixtures that produce a scent. The releasing active compound can also be herb extract, for example. The particular releasing active compound herein refers to a compound that mainly or at least partly produces the particular scent in question. However, the scent of such a particular releasing active compound may vary; e.g., the scent of an apple may be that of a sour or sweet apple and, e.g., the scent of bread may vary widely.

According to an object of the invention, embossed symbols, depressions and holes, such as embossed symbols by the Braille method or another similar method, are also printed on the product that is printed by the screen printing process. In that case, combinations are preferably provided for the use of, e.g., the blind and sight-impaired. It can also preferably be utilized in objects, where the product is handled in dim light, for example.

The releasing active compound according to the invention can also be printed on packaging material, for example. In that case, e.g., a packaging material can preferably be manufactured, which is intended to be used with a product that has an essentially same scent. A packaging material can also be manufactured, which is intended to be used with a product, the scent of which is to be enhanced or limited in some way. This provides extremely versatile possibilities.

According to an object of the invention, the releasing active compound is allergy- tested and/or does not cause allergies, does not make one hypersensitive, light- sensitive or does not generally irritate those exposed to its influence. The use of such products is especially safe in various objects. The releasing active compound can preferably also be suitable for alimentary use.

According to an object of the invention, the releasing active compound contains one or more organic releasing active compounds. They render the applications according to the invention even more versatile. They provide, for example, scent combinations, which otherwise would have to be made on the level of scented raw materials. For example, by combining the scent of raw tobacco with the scent of vanilla, a combination resembling a vanilla cigar is obtained. According to an object of the invention, the releasing active compound contains one or more inorganic releasing active compounds. They render the applications according to the invention even more versatile.

According to an object of the invention, a product comprising releasing active compound(s) additionally comprise paper inks, plastic inks, textile inks and/or UV inks. The paper inks can be solvent-based and water-based. Furthermore, different degrees of gloss, e.g., matt surfaced or glossy inks can be used. In addition, a scratch-off ink, which is used, e.g., in lottery tickets, or a fluorescent ink, which thus binds light and glows in the dark, or light-reflecting inks can also be used. Such an application can be utilized in objects, which should simultaneously have both a colour attraction and a scent attraction, such as in the manufacture of lure coatings or, e.g., in scented reflectors or scented hunting waistcoats, the purpose of which is to cover the specific human scent, which the animals avoid.

According to an object of the invention, releasing active compound is selected from a group containing:

- scented compound;

- etheric compound

- pharmaceutical compound;

- alternative medicine;

- control substance; - repelling agent;

- insecticide;

- indicator;

- neutralizing chemical;

- activating chemical;

- deactivating chemical

According to an object of the invention, releasing active compound is a scented compound selected from a group containing:

- scented compound of a tar product, such as tarring or pit tar;

- scented compound of a smoke, such as a scented compound of a chimneyless sauna or tar smoke;

- scented compound of a drink, such as coffee, cocoa, tea, mead, wine or beer;

- scented compound of a plant, such as mint or birch;

- scented compound of a spice, such as garlic, black pepper or white pepper;

- scented compound of a piece of fruit, such as apple;

- scented compound of a flower, such as rose or lily of the valley;

- scented compound of a foodstuff, such as bread, plain coffeebread, smoke- cured meat or smoked fish;

- scented compound of an animal, such as horse;

- scented compound of a berry, such as raspberry.

Azobenzene is a chemical compound composed of two phenyl rings linked by a N=N double bond. It is the best known example of an azo compound.

The photo-isomerisation of azobenzene is extremely rapid, occurring on picose- conds timescales. This molecule can be "longer" and more "compact". You can ask "so what" if it happens on the molecular scale but this can also lead to motion on much larger length scales. What that means is that the changes in shape on the molecular level can lead to the changes in shape on the of the material on "human" level (cm or even meters) Polymer solutions and solids that contain light-sensitive molecules can undergo photo-contraction, whereby light energy is converted into mechanical energy. A single film of a liquid-crystal network containing an azobenzene chromophore can be repeatedly and precisely bent along any chosen direction by using linearly polarized light. This striking photomechanical effect results from a photoselective volume contraction and may be useful in the microscale or nanoscale applications, for example in microrobots in medicine or optical microtweezers. All-polymer microdevices can be fabricated using inkjet printing technology in combination with self-organizing liquid-crystal network actuators. The process is easily adapted for roll-to-roll fabrication, allowing for large-scale and low-cost production of miniaturized active polymer systems. There is also space for macro (normal size) applications.

Using the LCPs -Azobenzene have e.g. following solution:

1 . Pack the scented product in your normal packaging plastic;

2. Include a small or a big window covered with made of Liquid- crystalline polymers (LCPs) crystal network containing an azobenzene chromophore; 3. Then one can fast open and close this window depending on the light conditions (dark, light) as many times as you want (reversible process).

It seems it may be quite feasible to produce a versatile coating for the release from fragrance saturated paper which would be triggered by light, quick reversible (e.g. meaning light=release, darkness= no release), possible to mass produce by printing techniques.

The product can be a semi-finished product or a product and it can be directed, e.g., to sales and marketing, as well as consumers.