FR2871097A1 - Identification badge e.g. for reception staff is made from folded plastic material to receive printed card or label visible through window - Google Patents

Abstract

The badge (B) is made from a substrate of polyethylene terephthalate with a shape memory effect, stamped e.g. with a logo and formed with a window (3) to show the wearer's name and/or other information. An independent claim is also included for a method of making the badge comprising cutting the substrate out to the required shape, folding its lower portion up behind the upper one while the material is hot, and forming a slot to receive a printed card or label that is visible through the window. The badge can have a transparent film or varnish coating to avoid damage from solvents contained in printing inks, and it is completed with a fastening such as a clip, pin or magnet for attaching it to the wearer's clothing.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for

  realization of a badge. It applies more particularly, but not exclusively, to identification badges, especially to reception staff.

  In general, these badges are often in the form of pockets including at least one transparent wall behind which it is possible to slide a label on which information such as the name of the person, his function, his company, the logo appears. of his company this pouch generally comprising fastening means on a garment such as a clip or a pin.

  However, on the one hand, these badges are thick and heavy, their shapes imposed and limited and on the other hand, the customization and the pose of the label are complex.

  The object of the invention is to eliminate these drawbacks by making it possible to produce lighter badges having custom-made shapes and dimensions with simple customization of the label, moreover in a very short time by means of manufacturing means (processes of printing) allowing very high production rates.

  For this purpose, it proposes a method for producing a badge comprising the following steps: a front and / or back printing flat of personalization elements and / or a base layer on a substrate made in a sheet in shape memory material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) while retaining at least one window through which it is possible to see through the substrate, a flat cut of the substrate to form the blank of a badge, a hot folding followed by a cooling under pressure so as to produce an elastic clamp formed of two flaps parallel to each other, respectively anterior and posterior, applied against each other and connected by a hinge elastic clip, this clip being intended to pinch a label having a printed range placed next to the window to display information such as the identity of the badge wearer or a logo or any desired customization object.

  According to a first advantage, the substrate may be made of a transparent material. In this case, the aforesaid window will consist of a reserve made in a bottom layer covering the front and / or back of the substrate.

  In the case where the substrate is made of an opaque material the window will consist of a through recess made in the substrate. In this case, it will be possible to provide a transparent film covering one of the faces of this substrate.

  In any case, the aforesaid window may have various shapes and dimensions.

  According to a second advantage, said flat blanking may allow a realization on demand of various forms and various of the badge and more particularly the front flap.

  According to a third advantage, the printing and personalization of said labels can easily be carried out on paper boards, for example of A4 format, pre-cut according to dimensions according to the customer's badge by means of a conventional word processing software such as Microsoft's Microsoft Word: No specific software is required.

  Of course, the front flap may include the window (s) and personalization elements.

  The method according to the invention may further comprise the production of a means for attaching a badge to a garment. For this purpose, it will be possible to fix on the rear face of the back flap of the badge a fastening device such as for example a clip, a pin, a magnetic fastener or a combination of these means.

  A transparent film or varnish may be placed after printing on the plate, this film and / or this varnish to prevent peeling and / or neutralize the harmful effects of the solvents contained in the inks used for printing.

  The folding of the badges can be achieved by means of a V-shaped heat press. The bending temperature may be between 150 and 190 ° C. and preferably 170 ° C.

  The pressure exerted during cooling may be between 300 and 650 psi.

  Embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a front view of a badge made from the method according to FIG. 'invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the badge of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a front view of a second badge made from the method according to the invention; Figure 5 is a fastener of a badge made from the method according to the invention.

  The badges visible in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 made from the method according to the invention comprise two parallel flaps P, P 'connected by a hinge C, the front flap P comprising at least one window.

  Figure 1 shows a badge B which only the front flap P is visible. This flap P has a rectangular base 1 surmounted by a curved portion 2. A window 3 extends into the rectangular base 1.

  Figure 2 shows the badge B of Figure 1 in cross section. The rear flap P 'is rectangular in shape with the same dimensions as the rectangular base 1 of the front flap P. An attachment system, in this case a safety pin 4, is fixed on the rear face of said rear flap P'.

  The two flaps P, P 'are joined at their base to form the hinge C. A label or an AC card containing the elements to be displayed in the window is slid between the two flaps P, P' and inserted up to said hinge C so as to be held in position by pinching.

  The device for carrying out the method according to the invention can comprise, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a treatment chain supplied by a substrate 5 that can be in the form of a continuous band of sheets of unitary plates of a transparent shape-memory material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and comprising: a flat front and / or back printing station 6 of the PET substrate 5 for affixing a basecoat and personalization elements while by keeping a transparent window, a flat coating station 7 of a varnish or a coating on at least the printed face of the PET substrate 5, this varnish or coating providing good peel strength and neutralizing the harmful effects solvents contained in the toners used for printing, - a flat cutting station 8 of the substrate 5 for producing badge blanks, a folding station 9 blanks by means of a V-shaped heat press so to form the hinge C of said badges, the temperature being between 150 and 190 C and preferably 170 C, a pressure cooling station 10 badges so as to force the two flaps to remain in contact with each other the pressure being between 300 and 650 psi, a fastening station 11 for attaching the badge to a garment.

  According to one variant, the shape memory material is opaque. In this case, during the cutting phase, a window must be cut in the substrate to reveal the desired elements of the label.

  The substrate can then be covered on at least one of its faces by a transparent cover film before undergoing a new cut for forming the blank.

  A second variant is to cut in a single step the window and the blank.

  FIG. 4 illustrates a variant of a badge made according to the method according to the invention. The front flap P is of rectangular shape, locations are provided in the upper part and in the lower part for printed personalization elements, for example, a logo 13 in the upper part and text 14 in the lower part. A window 15 is cut in the middle part of the flap.

  Figure 5 shows a fastener consisting of a clamp 16 fixed on the rear face of the rear flap P 'for example by a double-sided adhesive tape.

  The invention is not limited to the examples described above. For example, the windows provided in the badges may allow the display of a logo or any other element of personalization.

  Indeed, the labels can be in three dimensions; the inscriptions on said labels may be printed in relief, for example embossed.

  It is also possible to consider sticking objects on the labels and / or badges.

Claims (16)

claims   1. A method for producing a badge, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a front and / or back printing flat of personalization elements and / or a bottom layer on a substrate ( 5) made in a sheet of shape memory material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) while retaining at least one window (3, 15) through which it is possible to see through the substrate (5), a cutout flattening of the substrate (5) to form the blank of a badge, a hot bending followed by a cooling under pressure so as to produce an elastic clamp formed of two flaps (P, P ') parallel to one another; to the other, respectively anterior and posterior, applied against each other and connected by an elastic hinge (C), this elastic clip being intended to clamp a label (CA) having a printed range placed opposite the window (3, 15) to display information such as the identity of the badge wearer or a logo or any desired personalization object.   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the realization of a means for attaching a badge on a garment.   3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the embodiment of said means comprises fixing a fixing device on the rear face of the rear flap (P ') of the badge.   4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that said fixing device is a clamp, a pin (4), a magnetic fastener or a combination of these means.   5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said cut allows a realization on demand of various forms and various of the window and / or the badge and more particularly the front flap.   6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing, the personalization of said labels are performed on pre-cut paper boards according to dimensions according to the customer's badge by means of conventional word processing software.   7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the laying of a transparent film or a varnish after printing on the plate, this film and / or this varnish to prevent peeling and / or neutralize the harmful effects of the solvents contained in the inks used for printing.   8. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a treatment chain fed by a substrate (5) which may be in the form of a continuous strip of sheets of single plate d a shape memory material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and comprising: - a flat front and / or back printing station (6) of the PET substrate (5) for affixing a basecoat and / or personalization elements while retaining at least one window (3, 15) through which it is possible to see through the substrate (5), - a flat coating station (7) of a varnish or a coating on at least the printed face of the PET substrate (5), this varnish or coating providing good peel strength and / or neutralizing the harmful effects of the solvents contained in the toners used for printing, a post of flat cutting (8) of the substrate for producing badge blanks, a post folding (9) the blanks by means of a V-press so as to form the hinge (C) of the badges, a pressure cooling station (10) of the badges so as to constrain the two flaps, anterior (P) and posterior (P '), to remain in contact with one another, a fastening station (11) of a fastener for fixing the badge on a garment.   9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the front flap comprises the window (s) and the personalization elements.   10. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said substrate is made of a transparent material.   11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the window (3) consists of a reserve made in a bottom layer covering the front and / or back of the substrate.   12. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said substrate is made of an opaque material.   13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the window (15) is cut in the substrate.   14. Device according to one of claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the substrate is covered on at least one of its faces by a transparent cover film before undergoing a new cut for forming the blank.   15. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the bending temperature is between 150 and 190 C and preferably 170 C.   16. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the pressure exerted is between 300 and 650 psi.