EP0947352A1 - Méthode pour imprimer sur un dispositif de fermeture et méthode pour la fabrication d'un dispositif de fermeture pour l'impression par laser - Google Patents

Méthode pour imprimer sur un dispositif de fermeture et méthode pour la fabrication d'un dispositif de fermeture pour l'impression par laser Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0947352A1
EP0947352A1 EP98201057A EP98201057A EP0947352A1 EP 0947352 A1 EP0947352 A1 EP 0947352A1 EP 98201057 A EP98201057 A EP 98201057A EP 98201057 A EP98201057 A EP 98201057A EP 0947352 A1 EP0947352 A1 EP 0947352A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
closure
laser
weight
laser beam
printing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98201057A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Koen Dewaelsche
Eric Cornelis
Theo Helsloot
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Original Assignee
Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA filed Critical Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Priority to EP98201057A priority Critical patent/EP0947352A1/fr
Publication of EP0947352A1 publication Critical patent/EP0947352A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M5/00—Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein
    • B41M5/26—Thermography ; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used
    • B41M5/267—Marking of plastic artifacts, e.g. with laser
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/435—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/47—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material using the combination of scanning and modulation of light
    • B41J2/471—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material using the combination of scanning and modulation of light using dot sequential main scanning by means of a light deflector, e.g. a rotating polygonal mirror
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D51/24—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes
    • B65D51/245—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes provided with decoration, information or contents indicating devices, labels

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for printing by means of a laser beam a character on the inside of a mono-component recipient closure, said closure being made of a plastic material comprising a high density polyethylene or polypropylene.
  • Printing one or more characters on the inside of a recipient closure is known and used for example for promotional purposes. Because the characters are on the inside, generally on the backside of the top, they can not be read without removing the closure from the recipient, which is generally a bottle. The customer is thus obliged to buy the recipient and remove the closure to see which character or characters he randomly selected. By printing the characters inside the closure, the random aspect of the promotion is safeguarded.
  • a mask and a laser are used, which mask determines the shape of the character to be printed.
  • a two-component closure is used i.e. a closure provided with a liner on the inside.
  • a drawback of the known method is that the use of a mask is also not suitable for printing a limited number of closures, which is the case for a promotion campaign. Indeed for each different character to be printed a dedicated mask is required and such masks are expensive to manufacture. As for a promotion campaign a plurality of characters and thus of masks is required in order to safeguard the random aspect, the known method is rather expensive to apply. On the other hand printing with ink on a mono-component closure that is not provided with a liner forming a barrier between the contents of the recipient and the ink of the printed character, has to be avoided for health reasons.
  • the object of the invention is to propose a method which enables to print, in an economical way, a variety of characters on the inside of a mono-component closure.
  • a method according to the present invention is therefore characterised in that the plastic material of said closure further comprises between 0,10 % by weight and 1,5 % by weight of a laser beam absorbent additive and wherein said character is printed by having said material absorbing an energy emitted by said laser beam and situated in a range of 1J/cm 2 to 12J/cm 2 , in particular between 2J/cm 2 and 5J/cm 2 so as to cause a colour change on the location where the laser beam is incident.
  • the addition of a laser additive to the base material of the closure opens the possibility to have the energy emitted by the laser beam absorbed by that additive causing a colour change at the point of impact of the laser beam on the material.
  • the selected range of the added additive and the energy range cause the colour change to take place without damaging the material neither diminishing the closure properties.
  • a mask is no longer needed.
  • the printing further enables to print a large variety of characters by simply controlling the laser beam and having the incident laser beam applied at the required location. Moreover no ink is used as the printing is realised by the colour change of the material at the impact location of the laser beam.
  • said character is dotwise printed.
  • the dotwise printing of the characters enables an easy printing of a large variety of characters by simple orientation of the laser beam.
  • a first preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention is characterised in that said laser beam is pulsed with a pulse frequency of at least 5 kHz, in particular 14 kHz. A higher printing speed is thus obtained as the energy of the pulses is higher.
  • a second preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention is characterised in that said laser beam is produced by a Nd : Yag-laser.
  • a laser enables to emit a high energy causing a high resolution print of high quality.
  • a predetermined number of said closures is linewise set up and immobilised during printing. This enables to print in a continuous manner and to buffer the closures so as to enable a standing still of the closures during the printing process.
  • the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a mono-component closure to be printed with the method of the invention described here before.
  • a method for manufacturing a mono-component closure to be printed with the method of the invention described here before.
  • Such a method is characterised in that said plastic material is mixed with at least 0,10 % by weight and at most 1,5 % by weight of a laser additive provided for absorbing laser light and changing colour upon absorption of the laser light.
  • said laser additive comprises titandioxide and antimonium dotted zincoxide.
  • This laser additive has proved to be particularly suitable for laser printing on plastic material.
  • said colour substance comprises at least 50 % by weight of a carrier material, 25 % by weight pigment, 4 % by weight of a slip-additive and 5 % by weight of said laser additive.
  • a carrier material 25 % by weight pigment
  • 4 % by weight of a slip-additive 4 % by weight of a slip-additive and 5 % by weight of said laser additive.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a recipient closure 1, on which inside a character 2 has been printed.
  • the closure is provided with screw thread 3 (figure 2) for enabling a screwing on the recipient.
  • the closure is a mono-component closure and is therefore provided with a seal 4, which upon closure of the recipient enters in contact with the top of the recipient's neck in order to provide a tight closure.
  • Such a mono-component closure is for example described in US-PS 8602754.
  • the closure is a mono-component closure
  • the character 2 to be printed on the inside of the closure can not be printed with ink. Indeed with mono-component closures, the backside 5 of the closure's top is in direct contact with the substance inside the recipient. If ink should be used, the ink could contaminate the substance or if the substance is acid, which is the case with some soft drinks, the ink would dissolve therein.
  • the method according to the present invention does not use ink as the beam 6 of a laser 7 is used for printing on the inside of the closure 1 as illustrated in figure 3.
  • the printing is realised by having the plastic material, of which the closure 1 is made, absorbing the light of the laser beam incident on the closure. This however requires that the plastic material of which the closure is made can absorb the energy of the laser beam and change colour due to this absorption, so that the printed character becomes visible.
  • the closures are generally made of a plastic material such as high density polyethylene or polypropylene.
  • laser additives have however to be added to the material.
  • 0,10 % by weight to 1,5 % by weight of the material is formed by a laser beam absorbent additive.
  • the total amount of laser additive is dependent on the colour of the closure.
  • the latter is mixed with a colour substance comprising a carrier material, preferably a low density polyethylene and the pigment for colouring the closure.
  • a slip-additive is preferably also included in the colour substance in order to facilitate the opening of the closure.
  • the colour substance forms at least 1 % of the total material of which the closure is made.
  • the total amount of colour substance varies however in function of the desired colour and forms 2 to 4 %, preferably 3 % of the total plastic material of which the closure is made.
  • the carrier material forms at least 50 % of the total colour substance and the pigment 25 to 30 %, whereas the slip-additive ranges from 0 to 6 %, preferably 5 % and the laser additive ranges from 5 to 20 % preferably 13 %.
  • the laser additive forms preferably 0,39 % of the total material. Increasing the laser additive above 1,5 % by weight leads to a saturation whereas under 0,10 % by weight it does not provide a homogeneous mixture.
  • the printing on the closure is realised by means of a laser beam 6 produced by a laser 7.
  • a laser beam 6 produced by a laser 7.
  • an Nd : Yag-laser manufactured by Tampoprint was preferably used. This laser proved to be able to write with a high resolution on a 20 x 20 mm surface, which is enough as the inner surface of a closure generally has a diameter of +/-20 mm.
  • the laser beam 6 emitted by the laser is incident on a first mirror 8 mounted on the axis of a first galvanometer scanner 9.
  • the beam reflected by the first mirror is oriented towards a second mirror 10 mounted on the axis of a second galvanometer scanner 11.
  • the beam is then oriented by the second mirror towards a lens 12, preferably an F-theta lens, which focuses the light of the beam on the inside of the closure 1.
  • the first 9 and second scanner 11 are controlled by a data processing unit 13, in order to move the mirrors 8 and 10 for enabling to write the desired character.
  • the data processing unit 13 is also connected to the laser 7 in order to control the operation of the latter.
  • the word character not only includes letters of the alphabet but also numbers, digits, symbols, figures and so on.
  • the data processing unit then generates a series of control signals which are supplied to the scanners 9 and 11 in order to orient the mirrors 8 and 10. By this latter orientation the beam 6 is deflected according to the character to be printed.
  • the used Nd Yag laser output a beam with a maximum power of 90 W and a wave length of 1.064 ⁇ m.
  • the maximum output energy of the laser is preferably not used.
  • the laser beam was pulsed with a pulse frequency of at least 5 kHz, preferably 14 kHz and a pulse width of 50 ⁇ s rather than using a continuous wave beam. In such a manner the energy is accumulated in pulses and pulsewise shot on the closure so that the printing is dotwise realised. A higher printing speed is thus obtained as well as an improved resolution as only small high energy dots are successively printed.
  • the printed dots are of course very small so that the dotted character is not visible to the human eye.
  • the successive dots are obtained by pulsewise applying the energy of the laser beam.
  • the dots could also be obtained by emitting a continuous beam and having the mirrors 8 and 10 stepwise moved.
  • the laser is used either in mono-mode or in multi-mode condition.
  • the printing is realised on a continuous supply of closures in order to reach a high throughput.
  • the closure has to be fixed during printing in such a manner that the laser beam can be deflected according to the pattern of the character to be printed.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a device enabling to buffer the closures 1 supplied continuously at the input 14. The supplied closures are divided by a first division station 15 into two channels 16 and 20. Channel 16 is then further divided by a second division 17 into channels 18 and 19 which extend in parallel with channel 20.
  • the closures then travel along the channels 18, 19 and 20 to reach a first stopper 21.
  • a second stopper 22 is placed downstream stopper 21.
  • Stoppers 21 and 22 serve to stop the stream of closures in the channels and thus to block the closures in the space between both stoppers during printing.
  • stopper 21 When stopper 21 is open, the closures can reach stopper 22, which is closed so as to stop the progression of the closures. The latter are then aligned according to a matrix.
  • stopper 21 closes. The subsequently arriving closures are then buffered upstream stopper 21. Now that the closures are aligned and kept immobile between the stoppers, the printing process can start.
  • the laser beam is oriented along the first row in channel 18 and prints the closures 1 A - D. Consequently the closures in channels 19 and 20 are successively printed.
  • stopper 22 opens channel 18 in order to remove the closures from that channel. Stopper 22 closes once that all the closures 1 A - D have been removed and thereafter stopper 21 is opened in order to supply a new series of closures.
  • the same process is applied on channels 19 and 20 after printing. In such a manner the closures are linewise set up in order to enable a linewise printing. In such a manner it is possible to print the closure in one channel and to fill another channel simultaneously.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Dot-Matrix Printers And Others (AREA)
EP98201057A 1998-04-03 1998-04-03 Méthode pour imprimer sur un dispositif de fermeture et méthode pour la fabrication d'un dispositif de fermeture pour l'impression par laser Withdrawn EP0947352A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98201057A EP0947352A1 (fr) 1998-04-03 1998-04-03 Méthode pour imprimer sur un dispositif de fermeture et méthode pour la fabrication d'un dispositif de fermeture pour l'impression par laser

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98201057A EP0947352A1 (fr) 1998-04-03 1998-04-03 Méthode pour imprimer sur un dispositif de fermeture et méthode pour la fabrication d'un dispositif de fermeture pour l'impression par laser

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0947352A1 true EP0947352A1 (fr) 1999-10-06

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EP98201057A Withdrawn EP0947352A1 (fr) 1998-04-03 1998-04-03 Méthode pour imprimer sur un dispositif de fermeture et méthode pour la fabrication d'un dispositif de fermeture pour l'impression par laser

Country Status (1)

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EP (1) EP0947352A1 (fr)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1022226A1 (fr) * 1999-01-25 2000-07-26 "P1" Handels GmbH Bouchon en matière thermoplastique moussée
WO2003024828A1 (fr) * 2001-09-19 2003-03-27 Tampoprint Gmbh Bouchon et procede de production d'un bouchon
EP1321271A2 (fr) * 2000-02-07 2003-06-25 Guala Dispensing S.P.A. Fermeture pour récipients, notamment un bouchon pour bouteilles
AT412710B (de) * 2002-07-17 2005-06-27 P1 Handels Gmbh Pfropfen aus geschäumtem, thermoplastischen kunststoff
WO2006066866A1 (fr) * 2004-12-22 2006-06-29 Guizzardi, Maria, Morena Procede et dispositif de marquage de bouchons synthetiques
ES2336987A1 (es) * 2007-12-31 2010-04-19 ON-LASER SYSTEMS & APPLICATIONS, S.L. Procedimiento y dispositivo de marcaje rotativo.
WO2010060123A1 (fr) * 2008-11-03 2010-06-03 Teich Aktiengesellschaft Platine
EP3466708A1 (fr) 2017-10-04 2019-04-10 Borealis AG Composition de polyolefines pour impression laser améliorée
EP3584089A1 (fr) 2018-06-19 2019-12-25 Borealis AG Composition de polyoléfine fournissant un contraste amélioré de marques au laser

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE29508096U1 (de) * 1995-05-17 1995-08-03 Kuchenbecker Klaus Innenseite der Verschlüsse von Getränkeflaschen zur Aufnahme von bedruckten Symbolen
EP0684144A1 (fr) * 1994-05-25 1995-11-29 Sodirep Sarl Compositions destinées au marquage coloré des matériaux plastiques par irradiation laser
EP0754562A2 (fr) * 1995-07-17 1997-01-22 Quarzwerke GmbH Polyoléfines pour marquage par laser, feuilles et corps moulés marqués par laser et procédé pour la fabrication

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0684144A1 (fr) * 1994-05-25 1995-11-29 Sodirep Sarl Compositions destinées au marquage coloré des matériaux plastiques par irradiation laser
DE29508096U1 (de) * 1995-05-17 1995-08-03 Kuchenbecker Klaus Innenseite der Verschlüsse von Getränkeflaschen zur Aufnahme von bedruckten Symbolen
EP0754562A2 (fr) * 1995-07-17 1997-01-22 Quarzwerke GmbH Polyoléfines pour marquage par laser, feuilles et corps moulés marqués par laser et procédé pour la fabrication

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
GRAFF G: "ADDITIVES MAKE POSSIBLE LASER MARKING OF POLYOLEFIN COMPONENTS", MODERN PLASTICS INTERNATIONAL, vol. 26, no. 4, April 1996 (1996-04-01), pages 24/25, XP000627075 *
MVERS J: "LASERS MAKE THEIR MARK ON VARIETY OF PLASTICS PARTS", MODERN PLASTICS INTERNATIONAL, vol. 23, no. 10, 1 October 1993 (1993-10-01), pages 29/30, 32, XP000397542 *

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1022226A1 (fr) * 1999-01-25 2000-07-26 "P1" Handels GmbH Bouchon en matière thermoplastique moussée
AU752536B2 (en) * 1999-01-25 2002-09-19 Merck Patent Gmbh Stopper of foamed thermoplastic synthetic material
US6528152B1 (en) 1999-01-25 2003-03-04 “P1”Handels GmbH Stopper of foamed thermoplastic synthetic material
EP1321271A2 (fr) * 2000-02-07 2003-06-25 Guala Dispensing S.P.A. Fermeture pour récipients, notamment un bouchon pour bouteilles
EP1321271A3 (fr) * 2000-02-07 2004-01-07 Guala Dispensing S.P.A. Fermeture pour récipients, notamment un bouchon pour bouteilles
WO2003024828A1 (fr) * 2001-09-19 2003-03-27 Tampoprint Gmbh Bouchon et procede de production d'un bouchon
AT412710B (de) * 2002-07-17 2005-06-27 P1 Handels Gmbh Pfropfen aus geschäumtem, thermoplastischen kunststoff
WO2006066866A1 (fr) * 2004-12-22 2006-06-29 Guizzardi, Maria, Morena Procede et dispositif de marquage de bouchons synthetiques
ES2336987A1 (es) * 2007-12-31 2010-04-19 ON-LASER SYSTEMS & APPLICATIONS, S.L. Procedimiento y dispositivo de marcaje rotativo.
WO2010060123A1 (fr) * 2008-11-03 2010-06-03 Teich Aktiengesellschaft Platine
EP3466708A1 (fr) 2017-10-04 2019-04-10 Borealis AG Composition de polyolefines pour impression laser améliorée
WO2019068815A1 (fr) 2017-10-04 2019-04-11 Borealis Ag Composition de polyoléfine pour impression laser améliorée
EP3584089A1 (fr) 2018-06-19 2019-12-25 Borealis AG Composition de polyoléfine fournissant un contraste amélioré de marques au laser
WO2019243134A1 (fr) 2018-06-19 2019-12-26 Borealis Ag Composition de polyoléfine fournissant un contraste amélioré de marques laser

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