MARKER FOR OBJECTS THAT INDICATES THE DEGREE OF RELEASE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT OF ELEMENTS THAT ARE DIFFICULT OR SLOW TO BIODEGRADE (HARMFUL ELEMENTS)

Abstract

The marker of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment for objects consisting of an element (1, 1′, 1″) with a structure which ostensibly modifies the appearance thereof at a rate in accordance with the wear of the fabric of the article (2) for which it is intended, warning the user about it. Said element consists of a button (1) or a label (1′) comprising two layers that are different in appearance, a surface one (11) and a central or lower one (12), the outer one (11) being “able to be worn out” until it disappears at a rate in accordance with the fabric of the article (2). In another variant, the element is a seam (1″) consisting of a thread that is “able to be worn out” until it disappears at the rate in accordance with the deterioration of the fabric of the article (2) for which it is intended.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A marker of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable into the environment for objects (2) which release elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable into the environment due to use or washing, the marker consisting of: an element (1, 1′, 1″) comprising a variable structure which is modified at a rate in accordance with the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment of the object (2), warning the user when the object is going to enter the phase of exponential or accelerated release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable, wherein said element (1, 1′, 1″) comprises a surface layer (11) and a central layer (12), and wherein the variation of the structure of the element (1, 1′, 1″) is by means of erosion or wear of a surface layer (11) which, when the surface layer disappears, causes the central layer (12) to be accessible by the user.

16. The marker of claim 15, wherein said element is a button (1) comprising two layers, a surface one (11) and a central or lower one (12).

17. The marker of claim 15, wherein said element is a label (1′) comprising two layers, a surface layer (11) and a central layer (12).

18. The marker of claim 15, wherein said element is a thread (1″) comprising two layers, a surface layer (11) and a central layer (12).

19. The marker of claim 15, wherein the surface layer (11) and the central layer (12) have different colours.

20. The marker of claim 15, wherein the surface layer (11) and the central layer (12) have different levels of roughness.

21. The marker of claim 15, wherein the surface layer (11) and the central layer (12) have different sound qualities.

22. The marker of claim 15, wherein the central layer (12) comprises an olfactory component which is released when the central layer comes into contact with air.

23. The marker of claim 15, wherein the central layer (12) comprises an informative element (13) incorporated on a surface thereof with information accessible only when the surface layer (11) has disappeared.

24. The marker of claim 23, wherein the informative element (13) incorporated on the surface thereof with information is accessible only when the surface layer (11) has disappeared is a scannable or readable code.

25. The marker of claim 24, wherein the informative element (13) is a QR or BIDI code.

26. The marker of claim 24, wherein the informative element (13) is a passive electronic label; and in that the surface layer (1) is made of material and/or thickness such that, while the surface layer has not disappeared, the surface layer blocks the excitation of the electronic label preventing the electronic label from emitting the information contained therein.

27. A method of using the marker of claim 15 to detect the entry of the objects into the phase of exponential or accelerated release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] To complete the description, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, this description is accompanied by a set of drawings constituting an integral part of the same, which by way of illustration and not limitation represents the following:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an article of clothing equipped with several examples of the marker of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment for objects, of the invention, specifically one in the form of a label, another in the form of a button and another in the form of a seam;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an example of the marker of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment, according to the invention, in this case as a button, showing the parts it comprises;

[0033] FIGS. 3 and 4 show corresponding plan views of the button shown in the previous figure, shown without wear and partially worn out, respectively;

[0034] FIG. 5-A shows a cross-sectional schematic view of another example of the marker of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment, specifically an example as a label, showing the configuration thereof;

[0035] FIG. 5-B shows an enlarged view of the detail A indicated in FIG. 5-A, which enables the two layers comprised by the label to be seen better; and

[0036] FIGS. 6 and 7 show corresponding plan views of the label shown in the previous figures, shown without wear and partially worn out;

[0037] FIG. 8 shows a label, which has been shown with the surface layer partially worn out, enabling the informative element incorporated by the surface of the central or lower layer of the same to be seen, in an option thereof as a QR label; and

[0038] FIG. 9 shows a label, similar to the one shown in FIG. 8, but in this case with a passive electronic label as an example of informative elements incorporated by the central layer.

[0039] FIG. 10 shows by means of a graph the evolution of the number of particles released (lower line) and the evolution of the visual appearance of the article (upper line) as a function of the number of washes that an article undergoes.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0040] In light of the aforementioned figures, and according to the numbering adopted, a non-limiting exemplary embodiment can be seen therein of the marker element of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment for objects susceptible to wearing out due to use and washing and consequently releasing elements that are difficultly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment, such as textile articles, footwear, accessories, bed linens or personal protective equipment (PPE), which comprises what is described in detail below.

[0041] The release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment follows a linear rate until it reaches a point where the rate becomes exponential or accelerated as shown in FIG. 10. In the phase of exponential or accelerated release, the release of the elements is much faster than in the linear release phase, so it would be interesting to avoid using and/or washing the object when it is in the exponential or accelerated release phase. In this figure it can also be seen that the user can only see that the article has lost the functionality thereof (physical appearance), such as the elasticity, much later than the moment when the rate of release of harmful elements changes from linear to exponential or accelerated. A user could wrongly associate that the moment when the rate of release of harmful elements changes from linear to exponential or accelerated occurs when the article loses the functionality thereof (physical appearance). This assumption is wrong since the change in the rate of release of harmful elements occurs before the loss of functionality and therefore if the article is removed when it loses the functionality thereof, the article has been releasing harmful elements at an exponential or accelerated rate for a long time, and therefore contamination has not been prevented.

[0042] Thus, as seen in said figures, the marker element of the invention intended to be incorporated into an object, such as an article (2) of clothing made with a fabric susceptible to releasing elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) due to use and washes, consists of an element (1, 1′, 1″) equipped with a structure that is variable at a rate in accordance with the wear of the fabric of the article (2), warning the user about it.

[0043] Taking into account FIGS. 2 to 4 it is observed how, in an embodiment option, said element is a button (1) comprising two layers, a surface one (11) and a central or lower one (12), the external layer (11) being “able to be worn out” to the point of disappearing, due to friction with use and washes, at a rate in accordance with the deterioration of the fabric of the article (2) for which it is intended.

[0044] The variation of the structure can be the erosion or wear of a surface layer (11) which when it disappears causes a central layer to be accessible by the user. Said central layer (12), in order to warn the user, can have another colour, sound quality, level of roughness than the surface layer (11) or even incorporate an olfactory component which is released when it comes into contact with air.

[0045] Taking into account FIGS. 5-A to 7 it is observed how, in another embodiment option, the marker element of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment consists of a label (1′) comprising two layers, a surface one (11) and a central or lower one (12), which are noticeably different in appearance, for example with a different colour, the external layer (11) being “able to be worn out” to the point of being able to disappear, due to friction with use and due to washes, at a rate in accordance with the deterioration of the fabric of the article (2) for which it is intended.

[0046] In another variant of an embodiment, represented in the article (2) of FIG. 1, the marker element of the degree of release of elements that are difficultly or slowly biodegradable (harmful elements) into the environment consists of a thread (1″) incorporated in some portion thereof, either visible or hidden, comprising two layers, a surface one (11) and a central or lower one (12), which are noticeably different in appearance, for example with a different colour, the external layer (11) being “able to be worn out” to the point of being able to disappear, due to friction with use and due to washes, at a rate in accordance with the deterioration of the fabric of the article (2) for which it is intended.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the central or inner layer (12) in turn comprises an informative element (13) with information accessible only when the surface layer (11) has disappeared.

[0048] In an embodiment option such as the one shown in FIG. 8, the informative element (13) is a scannable or readable code, for example, a QR code or BIDI code or barcode printed on the surface of the central or lower layer (12), such that until it is completely visible due to the disappearance of the surface layer (11), it cannot be correctly scanned and the information it sends when scanned cannot be accessed.

[0049] And FIG. 9 shows another embodiment option, wherein the informative element (13) incorporated by the central or lower layer (12) is a passive electronic label which is only readable when the surface layer (11) has completely disappeared. In this case, the surface layer (11) is made of a material and/or thickness such that, while it has not disappeared, it blocks the excitation of the electronic label, preventing it from emitting the information contained therein.

[0050] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the ways of implementing it, it is not considered necessary to extend its explanation for any expert in the state of the art to understand its scope and the advantages which derive from it.