Method of temporarily marking textile using chips, and chip for use in this method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of temporarily marking textile, such as laundry or clothing, for example in the clothing industry, in which a mark is attached to each article, which mark is removed again after some treatment and sorting, wherein marks are used in the form of washable miniature responders, to be referred to as washable chips (5), which are attached to each of the articles to be treated and afterwards are removed again for reuse. The invention also relates to responder chips (5) for use in the method, which chips (5) are provided with a waterproof covering (11,11a,11b) that is resistant to conditions prevailing in a treatment apparatus, such as a washing machine or a chemical bath.

Description: This invention relates to a method of temporarily marking units of textile, such as laundry or clothing, for example in the clothing industry, where a mark is attached to each article, which mark is removed again after some treatment and sorting. In the handling of laundry in laundries, and in the clothing industry, laundry items and articles of clothing must temporarily be marked in some manner for them to be related to some batch of these goods, for example a receipt issued to a client for the laundry submitted. In Britih patent application GB 2,009,989 a method is disclosed in which, when the laundry is taken in, the separate articles are provided with a mark, for example a strip with a number, which strip is attached to the laundry items, for example by stapling. The strip specifies the articles submitted. After washing, the articles that have been washed separately are sorted according to the identification number and finally the identification strips are removed. In German Offenlegungsschrift DE-OS 2,852,190 a variant of this marking system is disclosed which comprises adhering a label to the laundry on which some identification is printed, for example a bar code, by means of a printing apparatus. Data about the laundry and the client, related to the bar code, can be stored in a computer. A problem is that in practice, irrespective of the manner of sorting, insufficient delivery locations are available in the case of large numbers of batches. Some presorting is therefore desirable. This invention aims to provide a method for temporarily marking units of textile, wherein the marking and sorting of the separate articles can be done faster and more efficiently and wherein more possibilities are present for storing data both about the units of textile and, in the case of laundry, about the client. To that effect, according to the invention, marks are used in the form of washable miniature responders, to be referred to hereinafter as washable 'chips' for short, which are attached to each of the units of textile to be treated and afterwards removed again for reuse. In this connection, a chip can be understood to be a circuit comprising discrete components, arranged in a housing that is resistant to conditions prevailing in a treatment apparatus, such as a washing machine or a chemical bath. For pre-sorting to be done in a simple manner, the units of textile belonging to one batch can be made recognizable as such at a glance by attaching, in further elaboration of the invention, a coloured strip or similar group recognition mark, concurrently with attaching each chip. For marking textile units, use can be made of passive, exclusively readable chips, or passive chips which are programmable. When passive chips are used, they can be read when they are attached. The specific number for each chip is entered into a computer as corresponding to a certain batch, and any further data about the batch can be entered and retrieved later, for example data about the client associated with a batch of laundry and, if desired, data about the laundry (washing instructions, a client's special wishes, etc.). The advantage of such a chip as a temporary mark over a label with a bar or dot code attached to an unit of textile is that the chip and the chip number can be used again for another client. When in a shop where laundry can be submitted for laundering, a chip has been attached to an unit of textile (if desired, with concurrent attachment of a coloured strip as a group recognition mark for that branch of a central laundry), in a reading station the data about the client in question, linked to the chip number, are displayed on a terminal. New data, special wishes as to the laundry can be stored, such as the type of clothing, washing temperatures, but also the total weight of the batch and the price to be charged. Thus all items of one and the same batch of laundry are stored in the computer via the chip numbers. The System lends itself eminently to automated administration. When laundry is submitted for cleaning, a specified receipt can be printed on the spot. The chip is removed from the cleaned unit of textile after it has been passed along the reading station. Concurrently, a bill can be printed, or the amount of the bill can be scored for payment by means of a pre-printed giro transfer slip. The numbers associated with the used chips are removed from the database concerning the client and the chips are ready for reuse for another client. The advantages obtained are that no errors can be made in sorting and billing, and billing is automatically taken care of by the computer. Further advantages are that statistical data of each client can be gathered, such as the frequency of visits to a certain shop, the total amount of laundry brought in, etc. The invention also relates to responder chips for use in the method, which chips are provided with a waterproof cover that is resistant to conditions prevailing in a treatment apparatus, such as a washing machine or a chemical bath. Although it is clear that it is more expensive to purchase chips than labels or other conventional temporary marks for textile units, this drawback is compensated by the fact that chips can be reused and they have the great advantage that, as explained hereinabove, they can save a considerable amount of time at various places in a handling and treatment procedure and the chance of errors, such as laundry being mislaid, can be reduced to a minimum. Another possibility of advantageous use of a chip as a temporary mark for units of textile is the following. In certain laundries, special packages are prepared for operating rooms in hospitals. These packages comprise some standard elements, for example a sheet for arranging the instruments on, and further an assortment of textile that is specific to certain operations and of which the elements themselves are finished in different ways. Such packages have heretofore been provided with a bar code and when a package is used, this is registered (via a computer) and the stock is automatically supplemented. According to the invention, a chip can be (fixedly) attached to a standard element of all packages. The element in question, with a chip attached, then forms the temporary mark of the package. To further explain the invention, one embodiment of a highly automated system for use in the temporary marking of units of textile, in particular laundry, will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows the provision of a chip on a laundry item; Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows the apparatus in a centralized laundry; and Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a responder chip. In the laundry establishment according to Fig. 2, the units of textiles such as articles to be cleaned are taken in at different branches (so-called counter shops) 1 and conveyed to a central laundry 2. After cleaning, the articles are returned to the counter shops 1 where they are picked up by the clients. When laundry is taken in, a chip 5 supplied by a magazine 4 is attached to each article of textile 3. Attaching may be done by means of apparatus suitable for the purpose. When the chip 5 leaves the magazine 4, its number is read and this data is entered in a terminal 7 (see Fig. 2) on which the data about the client in question or about the counter shop 1 have been called up for display. The article 3 is placed above a reading station 8, which is also connected to the terminal 7, and by entering an article code, the chip number is related to a specific article, to a specific client and to the counter shop in question. All data can be passed on to a central databank 9 via a modem. When laundry is submitted, to each client a specified receipt can be issued that can be printed on the spot. The articles can be sent in a container from each counter shop 1 to the central laundry. Upon arrival at the laundry 2, the number of articles (the number of chips) is counted and after cleaning and sorting by container it is checked whether each container contains the right number of articles. In the counter shop the articles can be sorted by client on the basis of the chips attached to the articles. Sorting can be further accelerated by attaching a coloured strip 10 simultaneously with attaching a chip, which makes fast pre-sorting possible. As shown in Fig. 3, a responder chip 5 is provided with the responder 6 proper, i.e. the circuit that comprises discrete components, which responder is arranged in a housing comprised of two covers 11, 11b and an intermediate part 11a. The parts 11-11b of the housing are made of a material that is resistant to conditions prevailing in a treatment apparatus, such as a washing machine or a chemical bath, and that is waterproof under these conditions. In the foregoing, the assumption was that chips are used each having a unique number of their own. Alternatively, programmable chips can be used to which a mark of the client in question, for example a number, is given when they are being attached to the laundry item. This creates the possibility of giving one and the same number to all articles of that same batch.

Claims: A method of temporarily marking units of textile (3), such as laundry or clothing, for example in the clothing industry, wherein a mark (5) is attached to each unit of textile (3), which mark (5) is removed again after some treatment and sorting, characterized in that marks are used in the form of washable miniature responders (5), to be referred to as washable chips, which are attached to each of the units of textile (3) to be treated and afterwards are removed again for reuse. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that simultaneously with applying each chip (5), a coloured strip (10) or similar group recognition mark is attached. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that use is made of passive, exclusively readable chips (5). A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that use is made of passive chips (5) that can be programmed. A method of temporarily marking units of textile (3) according to one of the claims 1-4, in which the units of textile (3) are special packages of laundry all containing at least one textile element that is the same for all packages, for example packages intended for operating rooms in hospitals, all containing a sheet for arranging instruments on and further an assortment of textile that is specific for certain operations, characterized in that a chip (5) is attached to a standard element of all packages (3), and the element in question, with a chip (5) attached thereto, forms the temporary mark of the package. A responder chip (5) for use in the method according to any one of the preceding claims, which chip (5) is provided with a waterproof covering (11-11b) that is resistant to conditions prevailing in a treatment apparatus, such as a washing machine or a chemical bath.

Inventors: KROEZEN J H, NOLENS H J W M, KROEZEN, J.H., NOLENS, H.J.W.M.
Applicants: THERMOPATCH BV, THERMOPATCH B.V.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: D06F93
IPC codes: D06F93