Branded Fibers With Surface Markings for Supply Chain Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current anti-counterfeiting measures in the tobacco industry, such as acetate tow bands, lose supply chain information when converted into cigarette filters, making it difficult to track the origin of illicit cigarettes, and existing solutions are either overt and susceptible to counterfeiting or require chemical additives that may impact product performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating branded fibers with taggant surface markings into acetate tow bands that form a repeated pattern, allowing for the encoding of supply chain information, which can be decoded using imaging technology, maintaining traceability throughout the manufacturing and distribution process without affecting the product's performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If overt anti-counterfeiting measures (such as visible tags or labels) are used on acetate tow bands, then traceability is improved, but the measures become susceptible to counterfeiting and destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the traceability function from visible external tags and labels, and embeds it within the fiber structure itself through branded fibers containing taggant surface markings. This internalization makes the traceability feature inseparable from the product material, preventing removal or destruction while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where taggant surface markings are embedded within branded fibers, which are then incorporated into acetate tow bands during manufacturing. This nested arrangement allows the traceability code to be hidden within the material hierarchy (markings inside fibers inside bands), making it covert yet detectable through specialized imaging technology.
2Reliability
If chemical additives are used to embed traceability information in fibers, then traceability is improved, but product performance may be impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the traceability function in specific branded fibers rather than treating all fibers with chemical additives. The taggant surface markings are applied only to the surface of selected fibers, leaving the bulk material properties unchanged. This localized approach embeds traceability without compromising overall product performance.
3Loss of information
If traditional labeling methods are used on acetate tow bands, then supply chain information is recorded, but the information is lost when converted into cigarette filters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by embedding the traceability code directly into the fiber structure during acetate tow band manufacturing, before the conversion process to cigarette filters. The branded fibers with taggant surface markings are incorporated into the tow band at this early stage, ensuring the information survives subsequent manufacturing conversions and remains detectable in the final filter product.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are fibers comprising one or more branded fibers which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the branded fibers. The branded fibers can be incorporated into yarns or fiber bands to represent supply chain information of the yarns, fiber bands, and/or articles made from the yards or fiber bands. In a specific example, branded fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band The branded fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow used to make the cigarette filter, such as manufacturer, customer, ship to location, and even the acetate tow bale, can be obtained.