GB2420961A - Plastic vessel treated to stimulate bubble formation - Google Patents

Plastic vessel treated to stimulate bubble formation Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2420961A
GB2420961A GB0426810A GB0426810A GB2420961A GB 2420961 A GB2420961 A GB 2420961A GB 0426810 A GB0426810 A GB 0426810A GB 0426810 A GB0426810 A GB 0426810A GB 2420961 A GB2420961 A GB 2420961A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
vessel
etching
laser
sonic
nucleation
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.)
Granted
Application number
GB0426810A
Other versions
GB0426810D0 (en
GB2420961B (en
Inventor
Leigh Melanie Cranley
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.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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 Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB0426810A priority Critical patent/GB2420961B/en
Publication of GB0426810D0 publication Critical patent/GB0426810D0/en
Publication of GB2420961A publication Critical patent/GB2420961A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2420961B publication Critical patent/GB2420961B/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47GHOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G19/00Table service
    • A47G19/22Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
    • A47G19/2205Drinking glasses or vessels
    • A47G19/2227Drinking glasses or vessels with means for amusing or giving information to the user
    • A47G19/2233Drinking glasses or vessels with means for amusing or giving information to the user related to the evolution of bubbles in carbonated beverages

Landscapes

  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)

Abstract

A plastic drinking or beverage dispensing vessel contains a nucleation area 6 for creating a predetermined size and quantity of bubbles in which the nucleation area has been created using a sonic etching or laser etching process. Etching may be carried out on the base 4 of a complete vessel, or on an initially separate base component. The plastics material of the vessel may be a polycarbonate or a blend of a polymer and/or polycarbonate and/or another material.

Description

P02304UK 20041207 SpAsFi1cd doc I Title: Improved Plastic Vessel The
present invention relates to an improved plastic vessel, in particular a drinking or beverage dispensing vessel. The invention relates in particular to a vessel wherein the plastics material is a plastic, a polycarbonate or a blend of a plastic andlor a polycarbonate and/or another material. The vessel is particularly suitable for containing effervescent fluid.
The improved vessel may be manufactured by any of the processes suitable for the manufacture of non-toxic plastic vessels designed to contain beverages, for example single or twin shot injection moulding, and is in particular suitable for vessels made from a material that has longevity of use together with high impact strength and may or may not be suitable to be washed repeatedly in a dishwasher and/or may be sterilisable. S... S... * * * S..
It is known from European Patent No 703743B1 in the name of Charles (Glassware) Ltd * .: to apply printing on to the inner surface of a glass drinking vessel or fluid container in * : * * order to create a nucleation site for the production or stimulation of bubble formation.
*** 15 :: : While this method is suitable for printing on to the iimer surface of a glass drinking * vessel or fluid container, these methods and the materials described are not successful when applied to a drinking vessel manufactured in plastic, for example polycarbonate or a blend of a polymer and/or a polycarbonate andlor another material, in particular because it is not possible to attain successful apexed and accurate nucleation sites on a plastics material because the apexes of the nucleation peaks become rounded as the polymer and/or paint material changes form as a result of this application of heat. In particular, it is not at all possible to anneal printed nucleation sites on to such a polymer, by firing at a high temperature in an attempt to adhere the printing to the body of the vessel. The vessel itself starts to distort in shape at elevated temperatures such as the temperatures required to anneal the inklpaste in EP0703743B 1, which are typically between 400 C and about 700 C. A plastic vessel cannot withstand such temperatures and still retain its manufactured form. The vessel would effectively distort and melt as a result of any such attempt. By way of example the temperature required to P02304tJK 20041207 SpaAsFi1ed doc 2 manufacture a thermoplastic polycarbonate vessel by injection moulding would be in the range of 275 C to 392 C (mould temperature 85 - 120 C), the crystalline melting point being between 220 and 230 C. These methods are therefore not suitable for creating an accurate nucleation site in a plastic vessel.
It has also been proposed in US Patent No 4,322,008 to roughen the inner surface material of a drinking vessel or container by means of acid etching, sand blasting or grinding with a view to create nucleation sites.
1 0 There are disadvantages to each of these individual methods of creating nucleation sites when using plastic for the manufacture of the drinking vessel or container.
Acid etching is more properly suited to use on glass and it has been found to be unsuccessful with polymer as it causes some distortion of the molecules that cannot be * S. S *... anticipated and is not consistent. Also chemical etching requires the use of chemicals j 5 which may not be compliant with some manufacturers health and safety requirements or indeed with some customers environmental policies due to the impact of disposal of the S...
* resultant chemical waste. *.S * .. S. I
Sand blasting and grinding are methods suitable for creating random nucleation sites.
They are not accurate and both create significant dust particles during the manufacturing process which are inappropriate in some manufacturing environments. These methods require special blast chambers to control the debris in the manufacturing environment and the residue of the plurality of particles is usually left within the vessel requiring special cleaning of the vessel prior to use. In such an environment this is undesirable and to provide an adequate solution would be a very costly exercise, but in any event these methods are not suitable for creating accurate nucleation sites in a plastic vessel.
It has further been proposed in US Patent No 6,601,833 to create an image of a message within the froth, foam or bubbles that emanate from the detachable nucleation site and gather at the top of the glass at the head of the beverage, by for example sandblasting, adhering, die stamping, adhering a printed label, injection moulding, adhering a plurality P023041JK 20041207 SpAsFiled doc 3 of particles or heat stamping.
The methods described are not suitable for creating accurate nucleation sites in a plastics vessel. This is bccause in the case of injection moulding the tool to manufacture the vcsscl is designed with the nucleation site within it and during the manufacturing process the nucleation peaks are subjected to heat and become rounded and as such lose their ability to nucleate the fluid well and accurately. In the case of heat stamping the same problem occurs and furthermore in the case of die stamping the vessel is subjected to stress and this may reduce the useful life of the vessel. Furthermore it is not always an advantage to have a detachable means of nucleation.
UK Patent No 22 58 802B teaches a method of inducing evolution of bubbles by way of specialised laser etching in a drinking vessel and is restricted to a vessel made of glass. I.., *.I.
. TI is an object of the present invention to provide a plastics drinking vessel with * * . nucleation sites and a method for its manufacture in which the above disadvantages are reduced or substantially obviated, it is a further object of the present invention to provide S.......DTD: * 5 a cost effective method for the commercial production of a plastic drinking or beverage *::: : dispensing vessel, in particular a vessel made from a polycarbonate or a blend of a * . polymer and/or a polycarbonate andlor another material, that is able for example to be injection moulded or otherwise manufactured in such a way so as to create an accurate pattern of nucleation required for a specific beverage while adhering to the requirements of food and drink standard agencies, health and safety policy requirements and environmental policy requirements within a manufacturing environment. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a process to create an adequate, accurate and long lasting nucleation site, using an environmentally benign process acceptable to contemporary customers in that it requires no caustic or potentially dangerous chemicals or solvents.
The present invention provides an improved plastic drinking or beverage dispensing vessel which contains a nucleation area for creating a predetermined size and quantity of bubbles in which the nucleation area has been created using a sonic etching or laser P023041JK 20041207 SpAsFi1ed doe 4 etching process.
The present invention further provides a process for manufacturing an improved plastic drinking or beverage dispensing vessel which contains a nucleation area for creating a predetermined size and quantity of bubbles, which comprises the step of creating the nucleation area using a sonic etching or laser etching process.
In a preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, the laser etching is carned out by the application of near infrared light at a wavelength of 1064 nanometers through lamp-pumped neodymium-doped, yttrium-aluminium garnet (Nd: Yag) laser etching or by CO2 at 10,640 nanometer wavelength.
Where the laser etching is carried out using Nd: Yag technology, a visible mark may be I...
created; where the pattern created at the nucleation area is a trade mark, this may provide I...
an added benefit which may be exploited by a trademark owner. I. I * I S
* Some plastics, polycarbonate and polycarbonate containing materials respond well to this I.....
* process, in which for example computer controlled scanning mirrors, usually numbering * 5 two, are able, through a focus optic to generate sufficient energy to provide precision * resurfacing to form the nucleation site without undue stress to the material, generally within 0.002 to 0.005 inch diameter. According to the invention in the case of these polymers the thermal-chemical reaction which is benign to the environment will result in resurfacing the inner surface of the vessel with the minimum of distortion. This may be achieved by single, continuous or repeated pulse action of the laser, which improves the accuracy without distorting the polymer molecules unnecessarily and can therefore produce accurate nucleation sites which in turn improves the effectiveness of the nucleation. The use of short pulse widths may increase this accuracy as these enable the creation of small predetermined abrasions, and this is achieved in the process according to the invention through the use of selected crystals to create resonators with short pulse widths that emanate from the laser machine. When multiple short pulse width exposure, usually of the order of 8-16 nanoseconds, is applied thermal reaction occurs in the polycarbonate without the production of latent heat; although some minor gas emission P023041JK 20041207 SpAsFi1ed doc 5 is experienced it is minimal and does not cause any damage to the environment.
The sonic etchrng or laser etching process according to the present invention may be carried out as a final operation on the internal surface, in particular the base of a complete vessel or may be carried out on a separate plastic base component which is then attached to the side wall section of the vessel by adhesion using for example an ultra violet curable adhesive or sonic or laser welding, as is approved for use for containing beverage for human consumption within the USA and the EU.
None of the above methods would allow for the nucleated base component to become detached from the vessel under normal repeated use, either when being used to contain a beverage or when being exposed to a hostile environment such as a dishwasher to be cleaned in either a domestic or commercial environment or a sterilising or microwave *..: machine. The exact quantity and quality of nucleation can be controlled and produced I...
.,.*. according to the requirements of the designer of the vessel by altering the landscape of * * * the internal aspect of the vessel irrespective of the viscosity of the material used.
*...I.
* 15 The material is preferably predominantly a plastic or polycarbonate resin or blend of *::: . plastic and/or polycarbonate and other material and or other complex polymers usually, * but not limited to, those that are or would be capable of being produced in a clear or S...
transparent form.
It is a particular advantage of the process according to the present invention that the nucleation site is not exposed to excessive heat following the process because it is a characteristic of amorphous engineering thermoplastics such as polycarbonates that they undergo interfacial reactions at the surface of the material if this occurs.
This may cause several problems where it is being attempted to create a nucleated surface that s capable of lasting for repeated use because the material can attempt to recover its original form if exposed to such heat; therefore methods of creating a nucleated surface as described above which surface patterns may or may not be visible to the naked eye and may be used to optimise or minimise the bubble size and quantity P02304UK 20041207 SpAsFiIed doe 6 according to a specification. By appropriately selecting and utilising these options, a cost effective method is provided of not only determining the longevity of the eruption of the foam or bubbles, but also the depth to which they accumulate at the top of the vessel and the taste from the beverage that a beverage producer that might commission the manufacture of the vessel wishes to keep consistent with his or her requirements where the option to use glass is not an available or desirable option. Where the vessel must maintain its quality and form and its ability to nucleate the beverage and the beverage must remain of a consistent quality, which is particularly relevant to beverage where quality control is important, such as branded or non-branded stouts, lagers, beers and ales, sparkling alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic soft drinks and non-alcoholic beers and protected recipe beverages. When a non-porous plastics vessel according to the invention is used, no pre-processing or post-processing is required to ensure the success of the nucleation resurfacing and therefore successful nucleation results, particularly for, but not exclusively for effervescent beverages that require nucleation support, for example S...
5 some canned, bottled, or draught lagers or beers. S. * * *5
* The vessel according to the invention may be of any shape or size, with or without a S.....
* handle, hut will be designed specifically for the purpose of being used as a drinking *::: : vessel or a vessel for dispensing a beverage. -. * . S...
The nucleation area may be of any desired pattern, shape or size and may be continuous or discontinuous.
The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plastic or blended polymer drinking vessel which has been provided with a nucleation site by laser etching; Figure 2 is a view of the base of the vessel of Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a plastic or blended polymer drinking vessel which has been provided with a nucleation site by laser etching.
P02304UK 20041207 SpuAsFi1cd doc 7 As can be seen from Figure 1, a vessel shown generally at 10 comprises a substantially cylindrical vessel 10 having a cylindrical side wall 2 and a base 4. A star design 6 has been etched using a laser onto the base 4 to create an area which encourages nucleation.
The shape of the vessel may vary from this example. The design of the nucleated site may vary from this example In use, an effervescent beverage such as a beer, lager or soft drink is poured into the vessel and a head forms on the top of the beverage. The nucleated site produces bubbles that are emitted over time.
In the alternative embodiment shown in Figure 3, the vessel shown generally at 30 comprises a cylindrical portion 32 and a separate base portion 34 onto which a star design 36 has been etched using a laser to create an area which encourages nucleation.
I *141 * a..
In order to assemble the vessel, the base component 34 is welded to the cylindrical portion 32 by laser or sonic welding or by adhesion to result in a vessel similar to the vessel of Figures 1 and 2.
a..... * a lb.
a I.15 4* I I. .* a I
III

Claims (1)

  1. P02304UK 20041207 SpAsFi1ed doc 8 Claims 1. An improved plastic drinking
    or beverage dispensing vessel which contains a nucleation area for creating a predetermined size and quantity of bubbles in which the nucleation area has been created using a sonic etching or laser etching process.
    52. A vessel according to claim 1 wherein the plastics material is a polycarbonate or a blend of a polymer and/or polycarbonate and/or another material.
    3. A process for manufacturing an improved plastic drinking or beverage dispensing vessel which contains a nucleation area for creating a predetermined size and quantity of bubbles, which process comprises the step of creating the nucleation area : " 10 using a sonic etching or laser etching process. * I..
    S I S*l
    4. A process according to claim 3 wherein the laser etching is carried out by the application of near infrared light at a wavelength of 1064 nanometers through lamp- I.,...
    * pumped neodymium-doped, yttrium-aluminium garnet (Nd: Yag) laser etching or by : CO2 at 10,640 nanometer wavelength or other laser technology. * C l.a.
    1 55. A process according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the laser etching is carried out by single, continuous or repeated pulse action of the laser using short pulse widths.
    6. A process according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein the sonic etching or laser etching process is carried out as a final operation on an internal surface of a complete vessel.
    7. A process according to claim 6 wherein the sonic etching or laser etching process is carried out on the base of a complete vessel.
    8. A process according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein the sonic etching or laser etching process is carried out on a separate plastic base component which is then attached to the internal base of the vessel by adhesion or sonic or laser welding.
    P02304UK 20041207 SpuAsFi1ed doc 9 9. A vessel substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. S...
    S S... * S *..S S. * * . S * S.
    S I.... * S S..
    S S S S* S *5.. S * S...
GB0426810A 2004-12-07 2004-12-07 Plastic vessel with nucleation area for stimulating bubble formation Expired - Fee Related GB2420961B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0426810A GB2420961B (en) 2004-12-07 2004-12-07 Plastic vessel with nucleation area for stimulating bubble formation

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0426810A GB2420961B (en) 2004-12-07 2004-12-07 Plastic vessel with nucleation area for stimulating bubble formation

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0426810D0 GB0426810D0 (en) 2005-01-12
GB2420961A true GB2420961A (en) 2006-06-14
GB2420961B GB2420961B (en) 2008-09-17

Family

ID=34073303

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0426810A Expired - Fee Related GB2420961B (en) 2004-12-07 2004-12-07 Plastic vessel with nucleation area for stimulating bubble formation

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2420961B (en)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010048488A1 (en) * 2008-10-23 2010-04-29 The Coca-Cola Company Bottles with controlled bubble release
CN103237742A (en) * 2010-10-20 2013-08-07 百事可乐公司 Control of bubble size in a carbonated liquid
US8719944B2 (en) 2010-04-16 2014-05-06 Bank Of America Corporation Detecting secure or encrypted tunneling in a computer network
US8782794B2 (en) 2010-04-16 2014-07-15 Bank Of America Corporation Detecting secure or encrypted tunneling in a computer network
US8799462B2 (en) 2010-01-26 2014-08-05 Bank Of America Corporation Insider threat correlation tool
US8959624B2 (en) 2007-10-31 2015-02-17 Bank Of America Corporation Executable download tracking system
US9038187B2 (en) 2010-01-26 2015-05-19 Bank Of America Corporation Insider threat correlation tool
US9604775B2 (en) 2012-08-14 2017-03-28 Diageo Ireland Beverage container

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2946282A1 (en) * 2014-04-18 2015-10-22 James A. Trulaske Enhanced nucleating beverage container, system, and method

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2531891A1 (en) * 1982-08-17 1984-02-24 Schott Zwiesel Glaswerke Small recesses made in vessels by laser beam
GB2258802A (en) * 1991-08-17 1993-02-24 Bass Plc Glass and method of inducing evolution of bubbles
WO1994012083A1 (en) * 1992-11-30 1994-06-09 Permacrest (Aust) Pty. Limited A container for controlling the release of gas(es) from an effervescent fluid and a method and device for producing said container
EP1157806A1 (en) * 2000-05-26 2001-11-28 Fort James Corporation Injection blow-molded disposable tumbler and method of making same
JP2003061804A (en) * 2001-08-30 2003-03-04 Toyo Sasaki Glass Co Ltd Cup and production method of the cup

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2531891A1 (en) * 1982-08-17 1984-02-24 Schott Zwiesel Glaswerke Small recesses made in vessels by laser beam
GB2258802A (en) * 1991-08-17 1993-02-24 Bass Plc Glass and method of inducing evolution of bubbles
WO1994012083A1 (en) * 1992-11-30 1994-06-09 Permacrest (Aust) Pty. Limited A container for controlling the release of gas(es) from an effervescent fluid and a method and device for producing said container
EP1157806A1 (en) * 2000-05-26 2001-11-28 Fort James Corporation Injection blow-molded disposable tumbler and method of making same
JP2003061804A (en) * 2001-08-30 2003-03-04 Toyo Sasaki Glass Co Ltd Cup and production method of the cup

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8959624B2 (en) 2007-10-31 2015-02-17 Bank Of America Corporation Executable download tracking system
WO2010048488A1 (en) * 2008-10-23 2010-04-29 The Coca-Cola Company Bottles with controlled bubble release
CN102196966A (en) * 2008-10-23 2011-09-21 可口可乐公司 Bottles with controlled bubble release
US8799462B2 (en) 2010-01-26 2014-08-05 Bank Of America Corporation Insider threat correlation tool
US9038187B2 (en) 2010-01-26 2015-05-19 Bank Of America Corporation Insider threat correlation tool
US8719944B2 (en) 2010-04-16 2014-05-06 Bank Of America Corporation Detecting secure or encrypted tunneling in a computer network
US8782794B2 (en) 2010-04-16 2014-07-15 Bank Of America Corporation Detecting secure or encrypted tunneling in a computer network
CN103237742A (en) * 2010-10-20 2013-08-07 百事可乐公司 Control of bubble size in a carbonated liquid
CN103237742B (en) * 2010-10-20 2015-06-03 百事可乐公司 Product including the beverage container
US9327462B2 (en) 2010-10-20 2016-05-03 Pepsico, Inc. Control of bubble size in a carbonated liquid
US10501259B2 (en) 2010-10-20 2019-12-10 Pepsico, Inc. Control of bubble size in a carbonated liquid
US9604775B2 (en) 2012-08-14 2017-03-28 Diageo Ireland Beverage container

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0426810D0 (en) 2005-01-12
GB2420961B (en) 2008-09-17

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
GB2420961A (en) Plastic vessel treated to stimulate bubble formation
AU669993B2 (en) Drinking vessel
CN1281288C (en) Golf club head with insert having integral tabs
EP2655083B1 (en) Food service articles bearing decorative markings, images, and/or custom content and method therefor
EP1897695A2 (en) A process for recording into rewritable recording medium of non-contact type
JP7552948B2 (en) Container and container
CN102196966A (en) Bottles with controlled bubble release
WO2021117899A1 (en) Substrate, container, product, production method, and production apparatus
EP4083569B1 (en) Laser irradiation apparatus and method
US20160332123A1 (en) Enhanced nucleating beverage container, system and method
US20170313114A1 (en) System and Method for Scoring and Applying a Pigment Solution to a Substrate
JP4668076B2 (en) Synthetic resin cap, closing device, beverage-containing closing device, and synthetic resin cap manufacturing method
JP2021017248A (en) Producing method of pet bottled beverage product and pet bottle container
JPH08242998A (en) Manufacture of porous thin film to promote bubbling property of carbonated beverage or to prevent bumping at time of liquid boiling, and container with porous thin film
JP3118828U (en) Glass products
EP4200100A2 (en) Pattern forming apparatus
JP2005029216A (en) Shrink label free from ink crack and its manufacturing method
CN112592071B (en) Glass container with graphic data carrier
EP4183587A1 (en) Container body, laser processing apparatus, and laser processing method
BE1020237A5 (en) GLASS CONTAINER FOR TEMPORARILY CONTAINING A CO2 BEVERAGES.
KR20240117847A (en) A cylindrical cosmetic container manufacturing method in which metal sticker is fused and a cylindrical cosmetic container by this manufacturing method
JP2001063730A (en) Can having code mark
WO2022050362A1 (en) Method for producing glass plate with resin frame for vehicle window and device for producing glass plate with resin frame for vehicle window
JP2023018696A (en) Storage container, storage body, device for manufacturing storage device, and method for manufacturing storage container
CN116457280A (en) Pattern forming apparatus for substrate, pattern forming method, substrate, and container

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20101207