Textile parts with electronic tags including wired electronic devices and methods for manufacturing such parts - Patents.com

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for making a textile part (A; A1, A2) comprising a step of forming stitched seams (c1, c2, c3; C). The stitched seam step is intended to fasten an electronic tag (1) to the textile part (A; A1, A2). The electronic tag (1) is formed from a strip containing a wired electronic device including a chip (3a) associated with at least one antenna wire (3b), the chip (3a) and the antenna wire (3b) being arranged inside the stitched seams (c1, c2, c3; C). The present invention also relates to a textile part equipped with the tag.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electronic identification tagging of textile parts, such as clothing. [Background technology]

[0002] Tags used in this field are often designated by the name "RFID tag" (an acronym for the phrase "radio frequency identification"). Such tags include an electronic identification chip having radio frequency transmission / reception functions coupled to an antenna.

[0003] According to a first conventional approach, the antenna is formed by conductive tracks arranged on a plastic or paper support. The chip is assembled by bonding its connection pads to the support so as to place them, respectively, in contact with the conductive tracks forming the antenna. The support generally has a rectangular shape, the length and width of which have dimensions of a few centimeters, so as to be able to accommodate the necessary dimensions of the antenna and to facilitate the handling of the tag.

[0004] The functional assembly of the chip and its support is generally referred to in the relevant Anglo-Saxon literature by the term "inlay". Such inlays are generally produced collectively on a backing strip and are available in the form of rolls.

[0005] To form an electronic identification tag from the inlay, the inlay is typically packaged in a protective case, for example made of plastic, as documented with respect to US Patent No. 5,399, 13. The dimensions of the tag thus formed are relatively large in the aforementioned document, 5 mm in height, 150 mm in length, and 22 mm in width.

[0006] In order to facilitate the integration of identification functions in textile products, attempts have been made to give electronic tags a wire form factor. Thus, patents such as US Pat. No. 5,399,663, US Pat. No. 5,493,326, US Pat. No. 5,493,636, US Pat. No. 5,521,666, US Pat. No. 5,521,625, US Pat. No. 5,521,63 ... or US Pat. No. 5,521,635, which incorporate not only antennas and electronic chips but also textile yarns spaced along their length.

[0007] "Textile yarn" or more simply "yarn" refers to elements that can be woven or incorporated into textile products. They therefore have tensile strength, flexibility, and form factors that are conventional in the weaving field to be handled by conventional equipment available in the clothing industry. Such textile yarns incorporating antennas and RFID electronic chips can be integrated into textile products during their manufacture or affixed to these products after they have been manufactured.

[0008] As an example, RFID textile yarns may be provided for use as weft or warp threads in the selvage of a fabric that may be of very large size. By placing RFID devices spaced at regular intervals along the RFID yarns that form the weft or warp threads of the fabric, it is possible to automatically identify the length of fabric, e.g., the winding direction of this fabric on a cylindrical support.

[0009] Therefore, patent document 10 proposes to place a transponder in the seam of the textile part. The transponder is formed by a diode connected to two conductive line sections forming the antenna and by a wired transmission line between these wires, parallel to the diode. The transponder is encapsulated in a dielectric material. The handling of the transponder proposed by this document is difficult with conventional equipment in the clothing sector: it is not fixed to the textile part and it can slip, especially at the seam. It is not easy to sew the transponder to the textile part, since there is a high risk of pricking the transponder when making the seam and rendering it inoperative.

[0010] US Pat. No. 5,399,433 provides for the attachment of a tag incorporating an RFID module to a textile part using the "electric" antenna wire of this module. The antenna is sewn onto the tag, extending on both sides of the tag and therefore not integrated into the tag. The RFID module of this document is bulky, since in such modules the chip is generally connected to a magnetic antenna formed by a conductive track arranged in a loop on a substrate for holding the chip. The integration of this module into the seam requires several tailoring operations, including sewing the "antenna wire", which makes its integration into the seam unsuitable for volume deployment of this solution.

[0011] The present invention aims to provide an electronic identification tag that differs from the state of the art. The present invention also aims to provide a textile product incorporating the electronic identification tag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Patent US8212676 [Patent Document 2] US6329917 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2016038342 (WO2016038342) [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 201116136 (WO201116136) [Patent Document 5] British Patent No. 2472025 (GB2472025) [Patent Document 6] British Patent No. 2472026 (GB2472026) [Patent Document 7] US201147462 [Patent Document 8] International Publication No. 20018080245 (WO20018080245) [Patent Document 9] International Publication No. 2019175509 (WO2019175509) [Patent Document 10] International Publication No. 2009136837 (Document WO2009136837) [Patent Document 11] French Patent No. 3036823 (Document FR3036823) [Patent Document 12] Document EP2585628 [Patent Document 13] International Publication No. 20191755509 (Document WO20191755509) [Patent Document 14] U.S. Patent No. 8782880 (US8782880) [Patent Document 15] European Patent Specification No. 2810299 (EU2810299) [Patent Document 16] International Publication No. 2018193198 (WO2018193198) [Patent Document 17] Document EP3319168 Summary of the Invention

[0013] With a view to achieving at least some of these objectives, the subject matter of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a textile part, comprising a step of forming stitched seams, characterized in that the stitching seam step also serves to fasten an electronic tag to the textile part, the electronic tag being formed from a strip including a wired electronic device including a chip electrically connected to at least one antenna wire, the chip and the antenna wire being disposed inside the stitched seam.

[0014] According to other advantageous, non-limiting characteristics of the invention, the following are employed, either alone or in any technically feasible combination: - stitched seams are seams selected from the list including: single-thread blind stitches, overcasting stitches, satin or zigzag stitches, overlock stitches, cover stitches, straight stitches, - the stitched seam includes an overlock stitch, and the tip and antenna wire are disposed under the loop of the overlock stitch; - the electronic tag is sewn to the textile part by at least a part of a stitched seam; - the chip is an electronic identification chip with high frequency transmission and reception function; - the wired electronic device comprises a chip and at least one antenna wire, the chip having at least one pad to which the at least one antenna wire is electrically connected; The antenna wire is arranged along and parallel to the edge of the tag.

[0015] According to another aspect, the present invention provides a textile component with an electronic tag formed from a strip including a wired electronic device including a chip associated with at least one antenna wire, the electronic tag being held by a stitched seam, the chip and antenna wire being disposed inside the stitched seam.

[0016] According to other advantageous, non-limiting features of this aspect of the invention, the following are employed, either alone or in any technically feasible combination: - the stitched seam includes an overlock stitch, and the tip and antenna wire are disposed under the loop of the overlock stitch; - the electronic tag is sewn to the textile part by at least a part of a stitched seam; - a stitched seam runs along one edge of the textile part; - the chip is an electronic identification chip with high frequency transmission and reception function; - the wired electronic device comprises a chip and at least one antenna wire, the chip having at least one pad to which the at least one antenna wire is electrically connected; - the chip and antenna wire are covered by at least one textile covering yarn and / or by coating with a protective material; The antenna wire is arranged along and parallel to the edge of the tag. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] [Figure 1a] 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic tag according to the present invention; [Figure 1b] 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic tag according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic tag according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing an electronic tag according to the invention and a device making it possible to implement this method; [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an embodiment of a textile part incorporating an electronic tag according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an embodiment of a textile part incorporating an electronic tag according to the present invention. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an embodiment of a textile part incorporating an electronic tag according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] With reference to Figures 1a and 1b, an electronic identification tag 1 forming a first aspect of the present description is described. The tag 1 has a rectangular (and more generally trapezoidal) shape with a length of a few centimetres, typically 3 cm to 20 cm. The corners of the tag 1 may have a rounded shape. The length of the tag 1 is sufficient to accommodate the antenna wire 3b of the RFID device 3, as will be made clear in the remainder of this description. Advantageously, this antenna wire 3b extends in a straight manner in the length of the tag. It can extend from one end of the tag to the other, as shown in Figure 1a, or it can approach these ends without joining them, as shown in Figure 1b. The antenna wire 3b can also be arranged along a diagonal direction of the tag, making it more compact. Provision can also be made for the antenna wire to be not perfectly straight, but to have at least one curvature in the plane of the tag, so as to be able to accommodate any elastic deformations of the tag. The width of the tag 1 is generally less than its length, typically less than 1 centimeter, and typically between 2 mm and 8 mm. It has a thickness which may be between 0.1 mm and 2 mm.

[0020] The tag 1 of the example of Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b consists of two parts, textile strips 2a, 2b, assembled and sealed to each other by their main faces. A segment of RFID yarn 3 is sandwiched between these two faces, said segment including an electronic chip 3a and an antenna wire 3b. The strip parts, and thus the tags, have sufficient flexibility so as not to modify the flexibility of the textile part in which they are intended to be integrated. Likewise, they may have an elasticity that allows them to adapt to the elasticity of this textile part. They may therefore have an elongation capacity between 0% (and integrated in textile parts made up of jeans, or in this case the thick canvas of a work suit, i.e. a fabric that is difficult to stretch) and 100% (and can be integrated in textile parts made up of elastic fibers), and preferably between 5% and 20% (integrated in textile parts in classic knits such as T-shirts).

[0021] For this reason of integration into the textile part, the use of textile strips to constitute the tag 1 forms its preferred embodiment, however, this is not the only possible embodiment. Thus, the strip portions 2a, 2b can consist of or contain a wide variety of materials, chosen according to the sealing technique used or according to the nature of the textile part in which the tag is intended to be incorporated.

[0022] By way of example, and when the two strip parts are sealed by soldering, at least one of the parts comprises a fusible material for moderate temperatures, for example below 400°C, and generally between 100°C and 400°C. This temperature must be higher than the temperatures of the processes that the tag is likely to undergo during its use, and lower than temperatures that would lead to the chip 3a being exposed to excessive temperatures (typically of the order of 200°C). Such a fusible material may correspond to the thermoplastic materials usually used in the field of clothing (for example polyamides, whose melting points are in the order of about 250°C, or polyesters, whose melting points are in the order of about 200°C to 250°C). It may also correspond to plastic materials.

[0023] It is not necessary for all surfaces of the strip portions 2a, 2b to be sealed together: the tag may thus only have weld lines or points located near the edges that form its length, and possibly the edges that form its width, for example. Thus, when the weld points or weld lines are peripheral, and thus relatively far from the electronic chip 3a, welding the strips together may locally and briefly expose the strips to temperatures above their melting temperature, but the electronic chip 3a itself is not exposed to temperatures above about 200°C.

[0024] When the sealing is facilitated by applying an adhesive layer to at least one of the strip portions or by a seam, the nature of the strip from which the portions 2a, 2b are extracted can be chosen more freely.

[0025] At least one of these strip portions 2a, 2b may also be formed from a laminate having one layer of shrinkable material and another layer of non-fusible material such as cotton. The non-fusible layer then forms at least one of the exposed surfaces of the tag 1, which makes it possible to give it an appearance and texture that allows it to be easily integrated into textile parts.

[0026] In all cases, the RFID yarn segment 3 of the tag 1 includes at least one electronic identification chip 3a electrically assembled to at least one conductive wire 3b having radio frequency transmitting and receiving capabilities and forming an "electrical" transmitting and receiving antenna. In the remainder of this description, "wired electronic identification device" refers to a chip 3a electrically assembled to at least one antenna 3b (at least one conductor wire or at least one conductor track) included in a segment of the RFID yarn, and "RFID yarn" refers to an element having a wired form factor and including multiple wired electronic identification devices arranged along its length.

[0027] As described in the introduction of this application, such a segment of RFID yarn 3 can be manufactured in several ways.

[0028] It may in particular be an RFID yarn as described in the introduction of this application. In such yarns, the wired electronic identification device is generally covered by at least one textile covering yarn, for example by winding the covering yarn. It is also possible to provide a core yarn along which the wired electronic identification device is arranged collinearly or helically. In addition to or as an alternative to the covering yarn and / or the core yarn, provision may be made for coating the wired electronic identification device with an encapsulating material, which may be a plastic formed by extrusion.

[0029] US Pat. No. 5,999,493 and US Pat. No. 5,999,496 (incorporated herein by reference) disclose various preferred embodiments of RFID yarns compatible with the present description, but which do not form the only possible embodiments. These documents provide, inter alia, embodiments in which wired electronic identification devices can be incorporated into textile yarns at evenly spaced and selected intervals. In the RFID yarns described by these documents (collectively referred to as "wrapped"), the antenna conductive wires of the wired electronic identification devices are arranged collinearly or helically around a core yarn, which may have elastic properties. When the antenna wire is arranged helically, it has a high elongation capability that makes the incorporation of this RFID yarn segment particularly suitable for elastic textile parts.

[0030] Protecting wired electronic identification devices using covering textile yarns and / or by coating with a protective material has the advantage of protecting the conductive wire forming the antenna. In particular, this conductive wire does not pass through the strip parts 2a, 2b in which it is sandwiched, especially when these parts 2a, 2b are made of textile material. Such a phenomenon can be caused when a tag 1 with integrated segments of RFID yarn is fixed to a textile part that is prone to wrinkling, for example during its washing.

[0031] It should be noted that the RFID yarn segment 3 incorporated into the tag 1 is not necessarily in the form of the "wrapped" textile yarn just presented, even though this embodiment is preferred.

[0032] Thus, an RFID thread may consist of a simple chain of wired electronic identification devices, i.e., several electronic identification chips linked together by at least one conductive line (and preferably two conductive lines) forming the antenna. Such a chain actually constitutes an RFID thread within the meaning of the present description. Further details regarding possible features of such a chain are described in US Pat. No. 5,399,623, US Pat. No. 5,499,637, US Pat. No. 5,499,647, or US Pat. No. 5,499,653, which are incorporated in the present application by reference. Provision may be made for protecting the chain, or parts thereof, by wrapping it in a covering thread, or by coating or extruding it with a protective material such as a resin. A segment of such a chain may thus consist of an electronic chip 3a on a pad to which the conductive line forming the antenna is electrically assembled (for example by soldering), the whole of which may be at least partially embedded in the protective material. Such a segment may be perfectly suitable for being sandwiched and integrated between two strips and for forming a tag 1 according to the present description.

[0033] It is also conceivable that the RFID thread consists of chips assembled on a wired strip on which elongated conductive tracks forming the antennas are placed. These tracks may be formed by depositing thin layers of aluminum, as is well known per se. The chips are assembled, for example, by bonding to the wired strip in order to contact their connection pads with the conductive tracks and thus to form a multi-functional wired electronic identification device. The wired strip may be made of plastic, paper or fabric. The conductive tracks may also be formed by one or more conductive lines sewn or embroidered on the strip, whether this is fabric, plastic or paper. It is also conceivable that the tracks are printed on the strip. The term "wired strip" means that the strip has a flat surface, its width must match the wired form factor of the electronic identification device according to the present description and has a width of less than 1 mm or 2 mm. When the part is cut to separate the wired electronic identification device, the length of the wired strip is determined by the required antenna length and is typically between 3 cm and 20 cm.

[0034] To manufacture an RFID yarn strip, conductive tracks forming antennas are formed on a substrate of very large dimensions (e.g. 1 m to 2 m wide, e.g. 1.4 m, and may be several tens of meters long) along rows of the substrate's length, then RFID electronic chips are assembled on this substrate to contact their connection pads with the conductive tracks or with the sewn conductive lines. After this step, the strip substrate can be cut along the rows and thus form the RFID yarn in strip form of this embodiment that can be spooled.

[0035] It should be noted that the electronic chip 3a of the tag 1, in addition to the transmission / reception and identification functions, may be configured to present functions other than the identification function, such as a measurement function (of temperature, humidity, pressure) or even a luminescence function.

[0036] On the tag 1 shown in Fig. 1, the RFID thread segment 3 comprises a single chip 3a. Provision may be made to integrate several electronic chips between the strip portions 2a, 2b, each chip possibly having the same identification function (for reliability reasons) or different functions (for example one chip has an identification function and the other chip has its own measurement function). An example of such a configuration is presented, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,399,433. It would also be possible to provide for several thread segments 3 to be arranged between the two films 2a, 2b, for example parallel to each other.

[0037] Advantageously, the RFID yarn segment 3 is, in the example shown, located along its length, along and parallel to the edge of the tag. It may be centrally located with respect to its width, as shown in Figure 1. Thus, there is an "inert" surface on top of the tag and on each side of the RFID yarn segment that may allow the tag 1 to be attached to a textile product without affecting the operation of the RFID textile yarn, as will be explained in detail in the remainder of this description.

[0038] The exposed surfaces of the tag 1, i.e. the main surfaces of the strip portions 2a, 2b that are not bonded together, may serve as a printing surface for receiving, for example, a visual identification code (barcode, QR code) and / or any other textual information that one wishes to associate with the textile product to which the tag is intended to be affixed.

[0039] For this purpose, it is possible to provide an electronic tag with an extended shape so that this visual code 4a and / or this text message 4b ​​can be placed on at least one of its exposed surfaces, as shown in Figure 2. In this case, it may be advantageous not to place the RFID thread centrally positioned with respect to the width of the tag, but along and close to one of its sides.

[0040] In any case, one chooses to maintain a minimum distance d between the RFID yarn segment and the edge of the tag that allows one to define an inert strip of material wide enough to place a stitch that allows the tag to be fixed to the textile part. This minimum distance d can be between 1 mm and 4 mm.

[0041] The electronic tags 1 can be produced in large quantities and at high speed in a very simple manner. With reference to Fig. 3, the method of manufacturing the tags 1 thus comprises the step of supplying a very long RFID thread 5 containing a large number of wired electronic identification devices. The RFID thread may be in the form of a spool 5a, and the supplying step may consist of unwinding this spool. Each electronic identification device is symbolized in Fig. 3 by a dot indicating an electronic chip 3a. As already mentioned, the long RFID thread 5 may correspond to a wrapped RFID thread, or to a chain of electronic identification devices, or else in its "strip" form.

[0042] In the manufacturing method of Fig. 3, the RFID yarn 5, which unwinds from its spool 5a, is guided to be placed between two strips 6a, 6b. These strips may be supplied in the form of spools. A number of guide rollers or pressers 8 and guide parts may be provided to guide and synchronously drive the movement of the strips 6a, 6b and of the RFID yarn 5.

[0043] During this transfer, and in the area where the RFID thread 5 is sandwiched between the two strips 6a, 6b, the two strips 6a, 6b are sealed to each other to form a functionalized strip (i.e. a continuous strip on which and along which a wired identification device is disposed).

[0044] As already explained in detail in the previous paragraph, the nature of each of the strips 6a, 6b is related to the sealing technique used, which can be quite diverse. For example, it is possible that at least one of the contact surfaces of the strips 6a, 6b is provided with an adhesive material. In this case, a presser roller may make it possible to promote adhesion of the surfaces.

[0045] Alternatively, and as shown in Fig. 3, a sealing station 9 may be provided, which allows the two surfaces to be sealed in contact with the strip. This device may, for example, include a heating element combined with applying pressure to the surfaces to facilitate sealing by heat sealing. It is understood that the temperature and pressure must be moderate so as not to damage the RFID textile yarn 5, and in particular the electronic chip it contains.

[0046] According to a particularly advantageous variant embodiment, this sealing is performed by cold welding, by ultrasound, for example by means of one or more sonotrode(s) arranged in the sealing station 9 .

[0047] It is also possible to envisage sealing the strips 6a, 6b by means of a seam or several seams.

[0048] In the case of sealing by welding, it is advantageously possible to form welding spots or lines on the edges of the strip sufficiently distant from the RFID thread so as not to damage it by excessive heating, as already explained in the previous paragraph. It is also possible to envisage arranging welding spots or lines in the cutting zone of the functionalized strip so that the strip parts 2a, 2b of each tag 1 taken from the functionalized strip are sufficiently sealed over their entire periphery. Advantageously, at least one such welding spot or line is formed on the antenna wire in the cutting zone in order to hold the former between the two strip parts. This advantage may also be obtained by providing a seam that at least partially covers the cut-out area when sealing is performed by sewing.

[0049] In the case of sealing by welding, whether thermal or ultrasonic, the nature of at least one strip is selected to comprise a material that is fusible at moderate temperatures below 400°C, so that when the temperature of the strip exceeds this temperature, locally and for a short period of time, the electronic chip 3a is not exposed to excessive temperatures that could damage it.

[0050] Of course, it is possible to combine sealing by welding and / or sealing by applying adhesive and / or sealing by sewing.

[0051] As already mentioned, the strip may be a laminated strip. This lamination step can be carried out during the manufacturing method shown in Figure 3. In this case, it is possible, for example, to place a sealing strip, unwound from a dedicated spool (not shown in Figure 3), between the two main strips and then seal them. The sealing strip may have two faces with a layer of adhesive or may be made of a fusible material, depending on the sealing technique chosen.

[0052] Other stations may be provided in the apparatus for producing functionalized strips, such as a printing station 11 and / or a station for cutting or pre-cutting the strips into tags. When not cut into tags, the functionalized strips may be collected on a spool of strips 10.

[0053] In a variant of this embodiment, the RFID yarn is not continuously unwound from the spool in order to be continuously inserted between the two strips 6a, 6b. On the contrary, a station is provided for cutting the RFID yarn immediately downstream of its packaging spool so as to take functional segments of this yarn (i.e. segments each including a wired electronic identification device). The taken segments are inserted one by one between the two strips 6a, 6b, which are continuously movable. For this purpose, provisions can be made for the taken segment from the RFID yarn cutting station to be transported via a pipe, possibly assisted by a jet of compressed air injected into this pipe, to an insertion area where it can be captured by the movement of the strips 6a, 6b so as to be sandwiched between these two strips.

[0054] This embodiment is advantageous because it allows the RFID thread segment to be inserted between the two strips 6a, 6b in a perfectly controlled manner. In particular, a sufficient distance can be left between the two segments to allow sealing and cutting of the two strips. In the tag 1 produced in this way, shown in FIG. 1b, the antenna 3b of the wired electronic identification device 3 does not extend in the length direction from one end of the tag 1 to the other, and this antenna is not open or flush with the sides of the tag. The two strips 6a, 6b can be completely sealed together over the entire periphery of the tag 1 to completely enclose the device 3.

[0055] When the RFID thread to be integrated between the two strips takes the form of an RFID thread strip, it is possible to try to integrate the manufacturing step of the RFID thread strip into the manufacturing step of the tag. As mentioned before, such an RFID thread strip is generally formed in rows on a large substrate before being cut into strips. Provision may be made to incorporate into this manufacturing method, and before cutting the substrate into strips, an assembly step aimed at placing the substrate (or a part thereof) with the electronic identification device between two widths made of the same material as already described for the strip parts 2a, 2b. In this case, it is preferable to provide the assembly of the two widths by adhesive, but if this assembly is carried out by welding, it will be tried to form a weld spot so as to at least partially define the area around the electronic identification device and thus predefine the tag 1. Once this assembly is completed, it can be cut into strips.

[0056] Alternatively, provision can be made to place the sealing step after the step of cutting the assembly and substrate formed by the two widths into strips, the sealing step and the steps subsequent to this sealing being then in this case very similar to the steps described with reference to FIG.

[0057] In a variation of this embodiment, a single width is used and assembled onto the surface of the substrate having the electronic identification device, and then the other width is replaced by the substrate itself in this variation.

[0058] It should be noted that this manufacturing method leading to placing a wired identification device between two widths can also be implemented for any form of RFID yarn. In this case, extended sections of the RFID yarn are placed in parallel rows on one of the larger widths, which is then covered with the second width. The assembly can then be cut into strips along the parallel rows of yarn.

[0059] In yet another embodiment, the plurality of electronic tags are formed by weaving an RFID thread in a textile strip. In such a case, the functionalized strip consists of an RFID thread woven into the textile strip. After the strip is cut, the electronic identification tag incorporates at least one wired electronic device woven into a portion of the strip. The RFID thread, which may be of the wrapped type, may for example be pulled between the warp threads of the textile strip during its manufacture. Conversely, it may be integrated after this strip has been manufactured.

[0060] Thus, very generally, the method for producing the electronic tag 1 includes the following two steps: - placing at least one wired electronic device (which may be incorporated in the RFID yarn or a segment of the RFID yarn) between two parts (which may be strips, or widths, or width and a substrate of an electronic chip), - sealing the two parts together to define at least one electronic tag. This sealing can be done before the assembled width of the chip substrate is cut into strips or after this cutting. It can be achieved by welding, adhesive, sewing, etc.

[0061] Independently of the chosen manufacturing technique, at the end of the manufacturing method a functionalized strip is available, i.e. a strip (a band of flexible material, e.g. narrow, long and flat fabric) into which the entire length of the RFID yarn is integrated or into which segments of the RFID yarn are integrated at a distance from one another. The RFID yarn can be of any type, e.g. wrapped or of a strip, or indeed composed of a simple chain of wired electronic identification devices.

[0062] To obtain electronic tags according to the invention, segments of the functionalized strip are removed, for example by tearing or cutting them off at the cutting marks previously formed by the printing station 11 or by a precutting station, ensuring, of course, that each cut portion of the strip of RFID textile yarn section contains an intact and functional electronic identification device (chip and antenna).

[0063] In all cases, the strips functionalized according to the embodiments described in this description and the tags 1 taken from said strips have form and rigidity factors that allow them to be very easily handled in order to integrate them into products or textile parts using conventional equipment of this industrial sector. In particular, the tags can be sewn to textile parts by running stitches in the inactive zones of the tag, for example on one side and / or the other of the RFID textile thread 3.

[0064] According to a particularly advantageous approach, which forms an embodiment of the invention itself, at least one tag is fixed to the textile part by a stitched seam, advantageously at one edge of said textile part. Such a stitched seam is a seam whose main function is to process the textile part so as to make it a finished product. The invention takes advantage of this stitched seam to provide for the integration of a tag therein, such that at least a wired electronic identification device is located in said seam. In this way, the electronic device is effectively protected with a sewing thread and it can be integrated very simply.

[0065] The stitches that make up the seam can be very diverse in nature, as documented in ISO 4915. Thus, it can be a single-thread blind stitch (class 103 according to ISO standard 4915), an overcast stitch, a satin or zigzag stitch (class 304), a cover stitch (class 406 or 407), an overlock stitch (according to one of the stitches of class 500), a straight stitch (class 301 or 2 × 301).

[0066] Without excluding other types of stitches, the seam enabling the tag 1 to be fixed to the textile part is advantageously formed by an overlock stitch, and the wired electronic identification device is placed in / under the loop of the overlock stitch. It should be recalled that in the overlock stitch, a thread is looped around the edge of the textile part. These stitches form a step in the process of making a textile part aimed at treating the edge of this part. It is typically implemented by a serger, a textile manufacturing device that allows simultaneously assembling, finishing the edges and cutting off the excess fabric. It allows the pieces of fabric to be assembled by overcasting the edges of these pieces. Such equipment is equipped with several needles fed by several textile threads (at least two, sometimes five or more) coming from spools that allow simultaneously sewing and overcasting the textile part(s). It notably allows the formation of hems. It is also equipped with a blade to cut off the excess fabric.

[0067] Thus, FIG. 4 shows a textile piece A to which an electronic identification tag 1 according to the invention has been fixed by placing it completely between the loops of the overlock.

[0068] In this figure, it can be seen that tag 1 may be held to the textile piece A by a first straight seam c1 formed by a first needle of the serger and substantially parallel to the RFID textile yarn, on the one hand, and tag 1 (and the RFID yarn segment it comprises) is further held to the textile piece by an overlock loop c3 formed by one or more other needles.

[0069] Of course, it is possible to provide other seams formed by other needles, for example a second seam c2 in FIG. 4 parallel to the first seam, all of which form an overlock stitch.

[0070] To fix the tag 1 and to reach the textile part A shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to position the tag 1 manually on the part beforehand and to slide the assembly under the sliding foot of a serging equipment. However, advantageously, provision can be made for additional tools to position and guide the RFID tag during the sewing operation to be integrated into this seam. It is also possible to provide an automatic device on which the functionalization strip is attached, for example in the form of a spool. The device can then move the functionalization strip, cut it and insert this tag so as to define it and thus introduce it into the seam during its manufacture.

[0071] It is not necessary for the entire tag 1 to be placed between the overlock loops of the textile part. This is especially true when the tag has a pattern 4a, 4b (barcode, text instructions) that needs to be visible on at least one of their exposed surfaces. Figure 5 therefore shows a configuration in which only part of the tag 1, in particular the wired electronic identification device 3, is placed between the overlock loops. This ensures good protection and good operation of the RFID yarn segments.

[0072] 6 shows another way of making a textile part, where the tag 1 is placed between two basic textile parts A1, A2 held together by a seam C. Again, provision is made to place at least the RFID thread in the loops of the overlock stitches, and possibly throughout the tag 1. At least one straight seam allows the tag to be fixed to the two basic textile parts between which it is placed.

[0073] It should be noted that because the electronic identification device 3 is in wired form and precisely positioned on the tag 1, it is easily possible to sew the tag 1 without damaging the device 3 (and especially the antenna 3a), which is not necessarily the case with prior art tags.

[0074] Tag 1 can be integrated in a repeatable, reliable and robust manner: it uses proven tailoring techniques and it is integrated into existing tailoring steps, so it does not incur excessive additional costs.

[0075] Of course, the invention is not limited to the described embodiments and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0076] As has already been mentioned, it is not essential that the electronic chip of the electronic device consists of an electronic identification chip. More generally, it may be any type of electronic chip, for example an electronic chip capable of forming a sensor that may optionally incorporate a transmitting and receiving function connected to an antenna and communicating these measurements. Alternatively, it may be an electronic chip with a light emitting function. Thus, from this point of view and in general, the invention relates to an electronic tag comprising a wired electronic device integrated in a strip.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a textile part (A; A1, A2) comprising the step of forming a stitched seam (c1, c2, c3; C) including an overlock stitch, wherein the step of forming the stitched seam also serves the purpose of fixing an electronic tag (1) to the textile part (A; A1, A2), wherein the electronic tag (1) is formed from a strip including a wired electronic device including a chip (3a) electrically associated with at least one antenna wire (3b), the chip (3a) and the antenna wire (3b) being positioned inside the stitched seam (c1, c2, c3; C) and located under the loops of the overlock stitch.

2. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic tag (1) is sewn to the textile part by at least a part of the stitched seams (c1, c2, c3; C).

3. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chip (3a) is an electronic identification chip having high frequency transmission and reception capabilities.

4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wired electronic device comprises the chip (3a) and at least one antenna wire (3b), the chip having at least one pad to which the at least one antenna wire (3b) is electrically connected.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the antenna wire (3b) is arranged along and parallel to the edge of the tag (1).

6. A textile article (A; A1, A2) comprising an electronic tag formed from a strip including a wired electronic device including a chip (3a) associated with at least one antenna wire (3b), the electronic tag being held by a stitched seam (c1, c2, c3; C) including an overlock stitch, the chip (3a) and the antenna wire (3b) being positioned inside the stitched seam and under the loop of the overlock stitch.

7. 7. The textile part (A; A1, A2) according to claim 6, characterized in that the electronic tag is sewn to the textile part by at least a part of the stitched seam.

8. 8. A textile part (A; A1, A2) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the stitched seam (c1, c2, c3; C) runs along one edge of the textile part.

9. 9. The textile part (A; A1, A2) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the chip (3a) is an electronic identification chip with high frequency transmission and reception capabilities.

10. The textile component (A; A1, A2) according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the wired electronic device consists of the chip (3a) and at least one antenna wire (3b), the chip having at least one pad to which the at least one antenna wire (3b) is electrically connected.

11. The textile part (A; A1, A2) according to claim 10, characterized in that the tip (3a) and the antenna wire (3b) are covered by at least one textile covering thread and / or by coating with a protective material.

12. 12. The textile part (A; A1, A2) according to any one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the antenna wire (3b) is arranged along the tag (1) and parallel to its edge.

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