EP4215375A1 - Procédé de marquage des produits en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire et produit en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire doté d'un marquage - Google Patents

Procédé de marquage des produits en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire et produit en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire doté d'un marquage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4215375A1
EP4215375A1 EP22152440.8A EP22152440A EP4215375A1 EP 4215375 A1 EP4215375 A1 EP 4215375A1 EP 22152440 A EP22152440 A EP 22152440A EP 4215375 A1 EP4215375 A1 EP 4215375A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
plastic
inscription
laser
marking
area
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.)
Pending
Application number
EP22152440.8A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Thomas Kamps
Axel Cramer
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.)
Eppendorf SE
Original Assignee
Eppendorf SE
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 Eppendorf SE filed Critical Eppendorf SE
Priority to EP22152440.8A priority Critical patent/EP4215375A1/fr
Priority to PCT/EP2022/086643 priority patent/WO2023138858A1/fr
Publication of EP4215375A1 publication Critical patent/EP4215375A1/fr
Pending 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
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/54—Labware with identification means
    • B01L3/545—Labware with identification means for laboratory containers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2200/00—Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus
    • B01L2200/12—Specific details about manufacturing devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
    • B01L2300/0809—Geometry, shape and general structure rectangular shaped
    • B01L2300/0829—Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for marking plastic products for laboratory use and a plastic product for laboratory use with a marking.
  • microplates In the biological, chemical, biochemical, medical, forensic or other laboratory, in particular microplates, slides, cuvettes, cell culture vessels, reaction vessels, pipette tips or trays or racks are used to hold pipette tips or vessels. These are preferably single-use items that are only used once in order to avoid carryover between different samples. However, there are also reusable laboratory items, such as trays or racks, which can be fitted with pipette tips or containers from refill packs.
  • Barcodes are used more and more frequently for the clear identification of products for laboratory use (laboratory items), with which a batch and/or serial number can be used to ensure reliable traceability or assignment of the products.
  • laser marking is suitable for providing plastic products with barcodes (barcoding), since no geometric or material-related changes have to be made to the product and the level of investment is reasonable.
  • an optical contrast is usually generated on the product so that the lasered image of the barcode can be read with a camera.
  • the U.S. 6,372,293 describes an open-topped test tube with a machine-readable code on the flat underside of a base.
  • the code is generated using a multi-layer coating on the outside of the floor.
  • the multi-layer coating comprises a first layer of opaque material deposited on the underside of the tray and a second layer of opaque material deposited thereon.
  • the machine-readable code is formed by removing parts of the second layer using laser beams.
  • the disadvantage is that damage to the coating can lead to the marking being illegible.
  • reading the code can be made more difficult by attaching it to the underside.
  • the production is complex, since the multi-layer coating has to be applied before the inscription.
  • the WO 2010/023102 A1 describes a sample tube for biochemical and biological research and clinical diagnostics, which has an identification part on the underside of a flat bottom. This is composed of a opaque material having a first color and a clear cover layer comprising a laser sensitive filler. By irradiation with a laser writing beam, the irradiated area of the transparent covering layer is converted into an opaque area with a second color that contrasts with the first color.
  • the sample tube also has the above disadvantages associated with a multi-layer coating for laser marking.
  • the WO 2011/135398 A1 describes the marking of a transparent container, such as a syringe barrel or drug delivery vial, by applying an ink dot to the outside of the clear wall, heating the clear wall, and laser-engraving a matrix of data into the ink dot. This is intended to mark the container without impairing the mechanical properties, such as the impact strength of the transparent container wall.
  • the transparent container also has the above disadvantages associated with an additional coating.
  • the EP 2 805 770 B1 describes a laboratory container having a body to which is applied an opaque layer having recesses in the form of machine-readable data.
  • the body has at least one local material change which, together with the opaque layer, forms a reading area in which the machine-readable data can be detected from the outside by an optical reading device due to the optical contrast between the material change and the opaque layer.
  • the gaps in the opaque layer and/or the change in material of the body are produced in particular by means of a laser. Attaching the machine-readable data directly to or in the body is intended to provide reliable identification, which is not removable from the body. With this container, too, the readability of the data can be impaired by damage to the opaque layer. In addition, the production costs are increased by the application of the opaque layer.
  • the EP 2 870 998 B1 describes a sample tube for chemical and biological tests that is formed in one piece from a homogeneous and light-transmitting material.
  • the material is made from a homogeneous blend of a base polymer from the metallocene polyolefin family and a polypropylene-based masterbatch with a laser-sensitive additive that changes color to a brown-black color or other contrasting color upon excitation of a laser marker.
  • the disadvantage is that filled samples can be contaminated by the laser-sensitive additive.
  • the effort involved in manufacturing is increased by using the special plastic mixture.
  • the EP 3 003 536 B1 describes a test tube comprising a main body of a first component and a writable area of a second component.
  • the sample tube is made in one piece from the first and the second component in a multi-component injection molding process.
  • the first and second components comprise the same polymer as the basic component and the second component comprises an additive which is writable by laser radiation.
  • a disadvantage is the complex production using several components, one of which includes an additive that can contaminate samples.
  • the invention is based on the object of creating a method for marking products made of plastic for laboratory use and a product made of plastic for laboratory use, in which the marking is easily legible and protected from damage.
  • good readability should also be achieved be given if the color of the product is light to medium grey, a shade of yellow, red or light green.
  • the object is achieved by a method according to claim 1. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a product according to claim 14. Advantageous embodiments of the method and the product are specified in the dependent claims and in the following description.
  • a dark-colored contrasting area is produced in the plastic of the product by means of laser beams and a light-colored inscription is produced therein by means of laser beams, or a light-colored contrasting area is produced in the plastic of the product by means of laser beams and a dark-colored inscription is produced therein by means of laser beams.
  • the plastic laboratory product of the invention has a marking comprising a dark colored contrasting area and light colored lettering therein or a light colored contrasting area and dark colored lettering therein, the dark colored area being a carbonized area of the plastic of the article and the light colored area being a microfoamed area of the plastic of the article.
  • the contrast and thus the readability of the marking is increased in that a contrasting surface is produced by means of laser beams and an inscription is produced in the contrasting surface.
  • a contrasting surface is produced by means of laser beams and an inscription is produced in the contrasting surface.
  • the contrasting area is dark and the inscription is light-colored or the contrasting area is light and the inscription is dark-colored.
  • This is achieved by using the laser beams to carbonize the plastic in the dark-colored area and the plastic in the light-colored area is microfoamed. During carbonization, macromolecules are charred in the plastic and become dark or black. During microfoaming, gas bubbles form in the plastic due to the thermal effect of the laser radiation, which causes the plastic to swell lightly or whitish.
  • higher-contrast and better legible markings can be produced on products made of plastic with any color and also made of colorless plastic.
  • products are preferably marked that consist of a plastic with a color that hitherto has not been possible to mark with a good contrast, in particular with light to medium gray, yellow, red or light green colors.
  • the invention is also suitable for better legible marking of plastic products that could already be marked well, for example plastics with white, dark green, blue or black colors.
  • the marking is formed in the plastic of the product, it does not require the application of a coating or other marking carrier, thereby eliminating the risk of detachment or damage to the marking carrier with the result that the marking can no longer be read. In addition, the manufacturing effort associated with the attachment of the marking carrier is saved.
  • the marking can be applied at high speed in the production process at largely freely selectable points on the product.
  • the position of the marking on the product can be selected in particular with regard to good legibility.
  • the marking can in particular be on one side of the Product are positioned, which is easily detected by a camera during use.
  • the mark can be created in the plastic of the product without adding any additives, so contamination of samples by contact with the additives can be avoided.
  • the strength and other mechanical properties of the product are not affected by the marking or are affected to a negligible extent.
  • the marking is insensitive to damage, in particular from mechanical or chemical influences, heat, cold or light.
  • the marking is attached to the product in such a way that it can be detected from the outside by means of a camera or another reading device or visually.
  • the marking is preferably applied to the surface of an outside of the product.
  • the marking can also be arranged on the surface of an outside, between the inside and outside sides or on the surface of the inside. For the desired positioning of the marking, the focus of the laser beam can be adjusted accordingly when marking.
  • the contrasting surface is created in the plastic, leaving areas free for the inscription and the inscription is only created inside the freed areas, or the inscription is made in the plastic and the contrasting surface only next to the Lettering created in the plastic.
  • the contrasting surface is produced in the plastic and partially overwritten by the inscription, or the inscription is produced in the plastic material and the contrasting surface is produced in the plastic material partially over the inscription.
  • the inscription and the contrasting area are produced by means of the same laser and one or more parameters of the laser inscription of the laser are changed in order to produce the contrasting area and inscription.
  • Using the same laser for the contrast area and the lettering is advantageous for the precise alignment of the contrast area and the lettering.
  • the outlay in terms of plant engineering is kept low.
  • the inscription and the contrasting surface are produced using different lasers.
  • the production speed can be increased by using different lasers, since the contrast surface and the inscription can be produced at the same time.
  • different laser types can be used for light coloring and dark coloring, which are particularly suitable for the respective coloring in order to achieve particularly strong contrasts.
  • at least one of the following parameters of the laser for generating the inscription and/or the contrast area is set: power, pulse speed, scan speed, track width, focussing or color of the laser. This can be used to create the contrast area and the lettering using the same laser, changing the setting of the parameters in each case to create the contrast area and the lettering.
  • the adjustability of the parameters can also be used to permanently adjust different lasers in such a way that one laser produces the contrast surface and another laser produces the marking.
  • the laser or lasers is/are a marking laser.
  • the at least one laser is selected from the following group of lasers: CO 2 marking laser, YVO 4 marking laser, fiber marking laser or SHG marking laser.
  • the laser is preferably a YVO 4 marking laser or a CO 2 marking laser, since these laser types are very well suited for producing a color change in the plastic.
  • the product is provided with the mark by the manufacturer of the product.
  • the product is provided with a mark by the user of the product.
  • the user is, for example, a bottler who fills the product with a reagent, an active ingredient composition or the like, or the user of the product in a laboratory who uses the product to examine samples.
  • the user can mark in particular for Identification of a filled reagent, drug composition or sample can be used.
  • the plastic has a light to medium gray, yellow, red or light green color.
  • the clearly legible marking of plastics with the colorings mentioned is difficult and a great improvement in legibility is achieved according to the invention.
  • the plastic contains at least one additive that causes a stronger color change during lasering.
  • This type of embodiment is particularly suitable when the product or a part of the product made of plastic does not come into contact with a sample or the additive is inert with respect to the sample.
  • the inscription is a bar code and/or a 2D code.
  • the 2D code is a data matrix code or a QR code.
  • the at least one plastic of the product is selected from the following group of plastics: polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene and styrene copolymers such as ABS.
  • the product can consist of just one of the plastics mentioned or of several of the plastics mentioned.
  • the plastics can be connected to one another in particular in the multi-component injection molding process.
  • the product can be in one piece or in several pieces.
  • the product is provided with several separate markings, each comprising a contrasting area and an inscription, or the product has several separate markings, each comprising a contrasting area and an inscription.
  • a microplate 1 comprises a frame 2 with a substantially rectangular planar plate 3 and four side walls 4, 5, 6, 7 pointing vertically downwards from the four lateral edges of the plate 3, forming a shell 8 as a whole.
  • the jacket 8 has a peripheral widening 9 at the bottom, which is designed to accommodate the upper edge of an identically designed microplate 1 in order to stack a plurality of microplates on top of one another.
  • a plurality of tubular vessels 10 are connected to the plate 3 .
  • the vessels 10 are each connected to the plate 3 at their upper edge. They each have an opening 11 accessible from above in the plane of the plate 3. Furthermore, they each have a tubular receptacle 12 which projects downwards from underneath the plate 3 and is closed at the bottom by a bottom.
  • FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a microplate 1 in which the vessels 10 are particularly deep and the jacket 8 is particularly high. This design is also referred to as a "deepwell plate”.
  • the openings 11 of the vessels are arranged in the plate 3 in eight rows and 12 columns, so that a total of 96 vessels 10 are present.
  • the microplate 1 is standardized according to ANSI/SBS Standard 1-2004.
  • the microplate 1 is made in one piece from a plastic (e.g. polypropylene).
  • the plastic is yellow in color.
  • a marking 13 is arranged on the outside of the side wall 4, which includes a data matrix code 14 and an alphanumeric product identification 15.
  • the marking 13 has a light-colored contrasting area 16 and a dark-colored inscription 17 within the contrasting area 16 which includes the data matrix code 14 and the alphanumeric product identification 15 .
  • the yellow-colored plastic of the microplate 1 exhibits a color change from the yellow color to a light (e.g. light gray) hue.
  • the plastic of the microtiter plate 1 has a color change from yellow to a dark or black color.
  • In 3 is the method of marking the microplate 1 of 1 or another product shown roughly schematically.
  • a laser is provided or parameters of a laser are set in such a way that the laser beams of the laser cause a color change from the specified (eg yellow) basic color of the product to as light a gray as possible.
  • the laser usually has a higher marking intensity than when producing the dark lettering.
  • the bright contrasting area is marked, in which the laser beam of the laser adjusted or provided in this way irradiates the area of the product in which the contrasting surface 16 is to be formed.
  • the areas in which the inscription 17 is to be produced are preferably left free.
  • a laser is provided or parameters of a laser are set in such a way that the irradiation of the product with the laser beam of the laser causes a color change from the basic color to a gray that is as dark as possible.
  • the marking intensity of the laser is usually lower than when producing the bright contrasting surface.
  • a fourth step 21 the inscription 17 is produced in the exposed areas of the contrast surface 16 with the aid of the laser provided or adjusted in this way.
  • the color change becomes the light basic color of the product the dark color of the lettering 17 causes and in the Figures 1 and 2 mark 13 shown completed.
  • an inscription 17 in the form of a dark coloring produced in a conventional manner in a product made of plastic with a yellow coloring by means of laser beams has little or no readability.
  • a two-color marking with a light-colored inscription 17 within a dark-colored contrasting area 16 introduced in a manner according to the invention into a product made of a yellow plastic by means of laser beams has a good contrast and good legibility.
  • a two-colored marking with a dark-colored inscription 17 within a light-colored contrasting area 16 likewise introduced in a manner according to the invention into a product made of a yellow plastic by means of laser beams, also has good contrast and good readability.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Thermal Transfer Or Thermal Recording In General (AREA)
EP22152440.8A 2022-01-20 2022-01-20 Procédé de marquage des produits en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire et produit en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire doté d'un marquage Pending EP4215375A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP22152440.8A EP4215375A1 (fr) 2022-01-20 2022-01-20 Procédé de marquage des produits en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire et produit en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire doté d'un marquage
PCT/EP2022/086643 WO2023138858A1 (fr) 2022-01-20 2022-12-19 Procédé permettant de marquer des objets réalisés en matière plastique pour une utilisation en laboratoire, et objet réalisé en matière plastique pour une utilisation en laboratoire, ledit objet comprenant un marquage

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP22152440.8A EP4215375A1 (fr) 2022-01-20 2022-01-20 Procédé de marquage des produits en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire et produit en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire doté d'un marquage

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4215375A1 true EP4215375A1 (fr) 2023-07-26

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP22152440.8A Pending EP4215375A1 (fr) 2022-01-20 2022-01-20 Procédé de marquage des produits en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire et produit en matière plastique destiné à être utilisé dans un laboratoire doté d'un marquage

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4215375A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2023138858A1 (fr)

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5977514A (en) * 1997-06-13 1999-11-02 M.A. Hannacolor Controlled color laser marking of plastics
US6372293B1 (en) 1999-09-20 2002-04-16 Matrix Technologies Corporation Test tube with data matrix code markings
WO2010023102A1 (fr) 2008-08-25 2010-03-04 Tecan Trading Ag Tube d’échantillon avec identification
WO2011135398A1 (fr) 2010-04-30 2011-11-03 Becton Dickinson France Procédé de marquage d'un récipient transparent
EP2805770A1 (fr) * 2013-05-02 2014-11-26 Weidmann Medical Technology AG Récipient pour le domaine des laboratoires et procédé de caractérisation d'un tel récipient
EP2870998A1 (fr) 2012-07-04 2015-05-13 Nirco, S.L. Tube à essai
EP3003536A1 (fr) 2013-06-05 2016-04-13 Alstom Technology Ltd Système de broyage a la vapeur utile pour la régulation du mercure

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5977514A (en) * 1997-06-13 1999-11-02 M.A. Hannacolor Controlled color laser marking of plastics
US6372293B1 (en) 1999-09-20 2002-04-16 Matrix Technologies Corporation Test tube with data matrix code markings
WO2010023102A1 (fr) 2008-08-25 2010-03-04 Tecan Trading Ag Tube d’échantillon avec identification
WO2011135398A1 (fr) 2010-04-30 2011-11-03 Becton Dickinson France Procédé de marquage d'un récipient transparent
EP2870998A1 (fr) 2012-07-04 2015-05-13 Nirco, S.L. Tube à essai
EP2805770A1 (fr) * 2013-05-02 2014-11-26 Weidmann Medical Technology AG Récipient pour le domaine des laboratoires et procédé de caractérisation d'un tel récipient
EP2805770B1 (fr) 2013-05-02 2016-11-30 Weidmann Medical Technology AG Récipient pour le domaine des laboratoires et procédé de caractérisation d'un tel récipient
EP3003536A1 (fr) 2013-06-05 2016-04-13 Alstom Technology Ltd Système de broyage a la vapeur utile pour la régulation du mercure

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2023138858A1 (fr) 2023-07-27

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