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(11) | EP 2 498 239 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Universal facilitated reading signalling label |
| (57) An universal facilitated reading signalling label, suitable to be associated with
to a product and comprising a laminar base support (2) made of fabric of synthetic
thermo-fixed material and provided on the outer face (2a) with a plurality of informative
graphic symbols (3) which give data related to the product; in particular, the informative
graphic symbols (3) of the laminar base support (2) are in relief and independently
readable, understandable and/or intuitable by any, non-disabled, blind and visually
impaired person.
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[0001] The current invention concerns an universal facilitated reading signalling or information label, suitable to be particularly applied to garments such as trousers, blue-jeans, shirts, jackets, sheets, tablecloths and so on.
[0002] It is well known that many commonly used fabric handworks, such as garments or clothes (e.g. pants, shirts, sweaters, jackets, coats, underwear items, scarves and so on), carpets, household linen items (for instance towels, tea-cloths, bedspreads, mattress covers and the like), are provided with a proper informative signalling label, however user-accessible although applied in a region of the handwork that, when this is in use conditions, is not immediately visible from the outside in order to protect the aesthetic effect.
[0003] The signalling label comprises a laminar sheet, made of a material of various kinds, for example plastic or paper-based material, having a graphic symbology adapted to provide information relating to the handwork to which the label is applied, for example manner with which the manufacturing company recommends or suggests the end user to wash, dry and/or iron the handwork itself.
[0004] In particular, the most significant information contained in these identification labels and expressed by the aforesaid graphic symbology relate to the temperature and mode of washing, drying and ironing recommended for the fabric handwork.
[0005] However, the signalling labels of known type affecting the present invention present some recognized drawbacks.
[0006] At the current state of the art, indeed, the signalling labels applied to fabric handworks are understandable and intuitable only by non-disabled people since the informative graphic symbols are printed on at least one of the side faces of the laminar body which labels them.
[0007] It follows that the visually impaired and blind people are totally excluded from the possibility to access to the information in a self-sufficient way, in the form of written words and/or graphic symbols, contained in these labels.
[0008] This situation creates for these people a barrier to full and independent usability of information which are in the normal availability of the non-disabled people, notoriously causing relevant, even moral, and in any case not negligible discomforts.
[0009] The solution to put in relief the information carried on the current signalling labels, such as washing temperature or graphic symbols relating to the mode of washing of the nadwork, with the purpose to make them understandable even to the visually impaired and blind people, appears entirely unsuitable to solve the problem just mentioned, because of the huge and complex mass of details provided by such information. Similarly, the solution to provide the fabric handwork of a further signalling label specifically designed for the visually impaired and/or blind people, for example in braille language, beyond to accentuate the virtual psychological barriers between the latter and non-disabled people, appears as impractical due to the high costs that manufacturers should bear.
[0011] In particular, main purpose of the present invention is to provide an universal facilitated reading signaling label which presents one or more graphic symbols, capable to provide information about the product to which is intended, independently accessible and decipherable by any person, whether non-disabled, blind or visually impaired one.
[0012] Otherwise said, primary purpose of the invention is to create an universal facilitated reading signalling label presenting a graphic symbology efficiently and independently understandable by non-disabled people and, at the same time, by visually impaired and blind people.
[0013] Within this purpose, it is task of the invention to embody an universal facilitated reading signalling label that compared to the prior art improves style and quality of life of visually impaired and blind people, setting them free at a greater extent by the need to help of the outside world.
[0014] It is a second purpose of the current invention to provide an universal facilitated reading signalling label which includes a graphic symbology able to effectively transmit the due information to the user. It is another purpose of the invention to devise an universal facilitated reading signalling label simple and economical to be manufactured.
[0015] It is a last but not least purpose of the present invention to provide an universal facilitated reading signalling label able to be favorably accepted by the producers of fabric handworks to which it is intended due to the informative effectiveness of the graphic symbols contained in it.
[0016] Said purposes are achieved by an universal facilitated reading signalling label as the appended claim 1, as hereinafter referred for the sake of exposure brevity. Further technical and constructive detail features of the universal facilitated reading signalling label of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims. Advantageously, the signalling or information label of the invention is easily understandable by both non-disabled people and people with vision problems, that is the blind and the visually impaired.
[0017] This is due to the informative graphic symbols which at least one of the side faces of the laminar base support belonging to the innovative signalling label here described and claimed is provided with.
[0018] These graphic symbols are, indeed, built in relief and with a profile having a continuity with the symbology currently used in the signalling labels understandable and accessible only to the non-disabled people. However, the informative graphic symbols of the signalling label of the invention are somewhat simplified and stylized compared than those ones of the traditional known signalling labels.
[0019] Still advantageously, the signalling label object of the present invention allows blind and visually impaired people to independently gain access to information that, up to date, are precluded to them, with the obvious benefits that this entails both in moral terms and in practical terms, for example from the point of view of the social costs.
[0020] In advantageous manner, therefore, the signalling label of the invention improves the quality of life perceived by more unlucky people under the physical appearance, such as in this case the blind and the visually impaired.
[0021] Equally advantageously, the invention allows the manufacturer to effectively meet with a single constructive pattern of signalling label both the needs of the non-disabled people and visual-disabled people, without the need to dedicate specific labels for each of these categories of persons.
[0022] In essence, the invention allows the manufacturer of signalling labels for fabric items, for example clothes, to be able to finally and conveniently produce signalling labels also for blind and visually impaired people, without having to provide for the production of a specific label having relevant and hitherto considered unjustified costs.
[0023] Said purposes and advantages will appear to a greater extent from the following description, relating to a preferred embodiment of the signalling label of the invention, given by indicative and illustrative, but not limiting, way with the aid of the attached drawing table where the only reported figure, numbered with 1, shows a front view of the signalling label of the invention.
[0024] In such a figure 1 the universal facilitated reading signalling label, suitable to be associated with a product such as for example an article of clothing, is generally indicated with 1.
[0025] As it can be observed, the signalling label 1 comprises a laminar base support 2 made of fabric of synthetic thermo-fixed material and provided on the outer face 2a with a plurality of informative graphic symbols, on the whole indicated with 3, suitable to providing data related the aforesaid product. According to the invention, the informative graphic symbols 3 of the laminar base support 2 are in relief and legible, understandable, accessible and/or intuitable by any, non-disabled, visually impaired and blind person.
[0026] Therefore, on one hand, the informative graphic symbols 3 are tactile, independently decipherable by a blind or partially impaired person, on the other hand and at the same time they are widely and easily understandable even by a non-disabled person.
[0027] The informative graphic symbols 3 of the signalling label 1 of the invention are, indeed, borrowed from the conventional symbology of the labels of known type, with respect to which they are, however, simplified for manufacturing issues and easy to be understood even by visual-disabled persons.
[0028] The informative graphic symbols 3 have thus a minimalist and stylized design compared to the traditional symbols currently adopted to provide guidance and information to non-disabled people: this in order to keep a kind of continuity with the current symbology used in the identification labels to provide information about a particular product, while resorting to alternative simpler and more schematic graphic sings easily intuitable at touch by blind and visually impaired persons.
[0029] Particularly, the informative graphic symbols 3 have a high colour contrast compared to the laminar base support 2 which, in general, has a white or neutral colour.
[0030] In a preferred though not binding manner, the informative graphic symbols 3 comprise a small wave 4 which recalls the wave surface of the water so as to symbolize the washing operation of the product.
[0031] In addition, the informative graphic symbols 3 preferably comprise a circle 5 which recalls the drum of a dryer so as to symbolize the drying operation of the product.
[0032] Moreover, the informative graphic symbols 3 comprise a straight line 6, which recalls the effect of the fabric after ironing so as to symbolize the ironing operation of the product.
[0033] More in detail, the small wave 4, the circle 5 and the straight line 6 are side-by-side and aligned in the face 2a of the laminar base support 2.
[0034] According to the preferred embodiment described herein of the invention, the informative graphic symbols 3 also include a plurality of dots 7 arranged below the small wave 4 and the circle 5 and suitable to indicate the temperature at which the washing operation and the drying operation occur.
[0035] In this case, purely by way of illustration, the signalling 1 label illustrated in figure 1 comprises two dots 7 under the small wave 4 and a dot 7 under the circle 5.
[0036] The two dots 7 under the small wave 4 indicate that the washing of the article of clothing is recommended to take place at an average temperature, approximately equal to 60°C, while the only one dot 7 under the circle 5 indicates that the drying of such an article of clothing is recommended to take place at a low temperature, approximately equal to 30°C.
[0037] It is obviously understood that in other embodiments of the invention, not shown in the drawing table that follows, the informative graphic symbols could include a number of dots, and their combination with the above graphic symbols, different from those one just mentioned, such a number being able to vary starting from one below at least one graphic symbol among the small wave, the circle and the straight line.
[0038] It is stated precisely that the maximum number of dots that can be associated with the small wave, the circle and/or to the straight line is three, where three dots means that the temperature of washing, drying and/or ironing is recommended to be high, approximately equal to 90°C.
[0039] Preferably but not necessarily, the informative graphic symbols 3 comprise an "X", numbered with 8, in this specific case arranged below the straight line 6 so as to symbolize the ban to perform the ironing operation.
[0040] What has been said for the dots applies even for the symbol "X", being possible that it is otherwise combined with the small wave, the circle and/or to the straight line in other constructive solutions of the label signalling of the invention, yet not represented in the drawing table attached.
[0041] Therefore, depending on the aforesaid informative graphic symbols 3 which can be applied to the outer face 2a of the laminar base support 2, the applicant estimates that the possible combinations of these graphic symbols 3 give rise to fifty-six signalling labels according to the technical concept of the present invention.
[0042] In a proper and advantageous way, the graphic symbols 3 are dimensioned and spaced apart each other in such a way as to be clearly and effectively recognized by the blind and visually impaired person through the fingers of the hand, generally the fingertip.
[0043] More specifically, the first graphic symbol 3 introduced above, i.e., the small wave 4, presents a length of 1.5 cm, as well as the third graphic symbol 3, that is the straight line 6.
[0044] Similarly, the second graphic symbol 3 mentioned before (the circle 5) presents a diameter of 1.5 cm, while the two diagonal lines forming the graphic symbol "X" 8 also present a length of 1.5 cm. Furthermore, the graphic symbols 3 are spaced apart each other along a horizontal direction X and along a vertical direction Y by a distance D of value included the range 0.45÷0.5 cm.
[0045] In a preferred but not exclusively way, the laminar base support 2 presents a rectangular profile in front view, having for example a width L equal to 6 cm and a height H equal to 3 cm.
[0046] Figure 1 also highlights that, near a first side edge 2b, the laminar base support 2 is preferably provided with a linear interconnection 9 adapted to receive junction means, such as a seam line G, of the laminar base support 2 itself to the product.
[0047] In this case, purely by way of illustration, the linear interconnection section 9 extends over the entire height H of the laminar base support 2.
[0048] The synthetic material of the base support 2 is any polyester selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and/or similar thermoplastic polymers.
[0049] On the basis of the foregoing, it is, therefore, understood that the universal facilitated reading signalling label, object of the present invention, achieves the objects and reaches the advantages mentioned above.
[0050] The universal facilitated reading signalling label is accessible to any, seeing, blind or visually impaired person, resulting extremely useful and important in the everyday sphere especially for the last two categories of persons just above.
[0051] In addition, the manufacturer of such a signalling label can simultaneously meet the needs of people with physical abilities rather different each other in effective way both from his own production point of view and from the end user's fruition point of view. Upon implementation, changes could be made to the universal facilitated reading signalling label of the invention consisting, for example, in one or more informative graphic symbols applied to also or only the inner face of the laminar base support.
[0052] Moreover, varying executive solutions of the signalling label claimed herein could exist where the laminar base support includes a number of informative graphic symbols in relief different from that one shown in the appended figure 1, which does not affect the advantage brought by the present invention.
[0053] It is underlined that the universal facilitated reading signalling label of the invention could be applied not only to articles of clothing but also to cans or boxes of food, such as for example pasta, salt and sugar, as well as to boxes of detergents and so on for the purpose to help non-disabled, blind, visually impaired and elderly people in the daily live.
[0054] It is finally clear that several other changes could be made to the signalling label in question, without departing from the principle of novelty intrinsic in the inventive idea expressed herein, as it is clear that, in the practical implementation of the invention, materials, shapes and sizes of the illustrated details could be changed, as needed, and replaced with others technically equivalent.
[0055] Where the constructive features and techniques mentioned in the following claims are followed by reference numbers or signs, those reference signs have been introduced with the sole objective of increasing the intelligibility of the claims themselves and therefore they have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified, by way of example only, by these reference signs.
1. Universal facilitated reading signalling label (1), suitable to be associated with
a product and comprising a laminar base support (2) made of fabric of synthetic thermo-fixed
material and provided on at least one of the faces (2a) with one or more informative
graphic symbols (3) suitable to give data related to said product, characterized in that said informative graphic symbols (3) of said laminar base support (2) are in relief
and independently readable, understandable and/or intuitable by any, non-disabled,
blind and visually impaired person.
2. Label (1) according to claim 1) characterized in that said synthetic material is any polyester selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate,
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and/or similar thermoplastic polymers.
3. Label (1) according to claim 1) or 2) characterized in that said informative graphic symbols (3) present a high colour contrast in comparison
with said laminar base support (2) and a minimalist and stylized appearance in comparison
with conventional symbols currently used to provide guidance and information to non-disabled
people.
4. Label (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said graphic symbols (3) are dimensioned and spaced apart each other in such a way
as to be clearly and effectively recognized by the blind and visually impaired person
through the fingers of the hand.
5. Label (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that each of said graphic symbols (3) has a width, length and/or diameter equal to 1.5
cm.
6. Label (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said graphic symbols (3) are spaced apart each other along a horizontal direction
(X) and along a vertical direction (Y) by a distance (D) of value in the range of
0.45÷0.5 cm.
7. Label (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said informative graphic symbols (3) comprise a small wave (4) recalling the wave
surface of the water so as to symbolize the washing operation of said product.
8. Label (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said informative graphic symbols (3) include a circle (5) recalling the drum of a
dryer so as to symbolize the drying operation of said product.
9. Label (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said informative graphic symbols (3) comprise a straight line (6) recalling the effect
of the fabric after ironing so as to symbolize the ironing operation of said product.
10. Label (1) according to in claim 9) characterized in that said small wave (4), said circle (5) and said straight line (6) are mutually side-by-side
and aligned in said face (2a) of said laminar base support (2).
11. Label (1) according to claim 9) or 10) characterized in that said informative graphic symbols (3) comprise at least one or more dots (7) arranged
below at least one among said small wave (4), said circle (5) and said straight line
(6) so as to indicate the temperature at which said washing operation, said drying
operation and/or said ironing operation is recommended to take place.
12. Label (1) according to claim 11) characterized in that said dots which can be associated to at least one among said small wave, said circle
and said straight line are in the maximum number of three.
13. Label (1) according to any one of the claims from 9) to 12) characterized in that it comprises at least one "X" (8) arranged below said small wave (4) and/or said
circle (5) and/or said straight line (6) so as to symbolize the ban to perform said
washing operation, said drying operation and/or said ironing operation.
14. Label (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that, near a first side edge (2b), said laminar base support (2) is provided with a linear
interconnection section (9) suitable to receive junction means (G) of said laminar
base support (2) to said product.
15. Label (1) according to claim 14) characterized in that said linear interconnection section (9) extends over the entire height (H) of said
laminar base support (2).