Article and code engraving method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10489696-B2
Application number	US-201615737458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

An article allows an engraved code to be detected. The engraved code includes a plurality of dot dented portions defined on the article. Each of the dot dented portions has a quadrilateral pyramid shape with a coating layer on a prior stage dented portion having a quadrilateral pyramid shape. Corner dented portions dented at acute angles outward along a diagonal direction are defined at four corner positions of an opening peripheral edge portion of the prior stage dented portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article comprising:
an engraved code including a plurality of dot dented portions,
wherein:
each of the plurality of dot dented portions is defined by coating a prior stage dented portion with a coating layer,
the prior stage dented portion includes a polygonal prior stage opening peripheral edge portion, and
a corner dented portion dented at an acute angle outward is defined at a corner position of the prior stage opening peripheral edge portion.

2. The article according to claim 1 , wherein:
the prior stage dented portion has a quadrilateral shape, and
the corner dented portion is dented at the acute angle outward along a diagonal direction of the prior stage opening peripheral edge portion.

3. The article according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of dot dented portions has a quadrilateral pyramid shape including a quadrilateral opening peripheral edge portion with the coating layer defined on the prior stage dented portion having a quadrilateral pyramid shape including the prior stage opening peripheral edge portion.

4. The article according to claim 3 , wherein, for each of the plurality of dot dented portions, an angle defined by a wall surface of the dot dented portion and a surface orthogonal to a depth direction of the dot dented portion is 25 degrees or smaller.

5. The article according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the prior stage dented portion has a spherical shape.

6. The article according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the coating layer at the corner dented portion is thicker than another portion.

7. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the prior stage dented portion is defined by laser processing.

8. An article comprising:
a readout code including a plurality of dented dots defined on a surface of the article,
wherein:
an opening portion of each of the plurality of dented dots has a polygonal shape, and a corner of the opening portion includes a V-shaped corner protruding portion which protrudes at an acute angle outward in a diagonal direction, and
surface processing is performed on the plurality of dented dots.

9. An engraving method for engraving a readout code on an article, the engraving method comprising:
smoothing a surface of the article with laser light;
forming a plurality of dented dots as the readout code, on the surface of the article which has been smoothed, in a dented manner with laser light; and
performing surface processing on the readout code formed in the dented manner,
wherein an opening portion of each of the plurality of dented dots has a polygonal shape, and a corner of the opening portion includes a V-shaped corner protruding portion which protrudes at an acute angle outward in a diagonal direction.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Yasushi
• Take Toshiyuki
• Murakami Takashi
• Nakayama Kokichi
• Imamura Kazushi

Classifications

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• B23K26/3576

  Diminishing rugosity, e.g. by grinding, polishing or smoothing · CPC title

• B23K26/362

  Laser etching · CPC title

• G06K1/12

  otherwise than by punching · CPC title

• G06K19/06121 Primary

  the marking having been punched or cut out, e.g. a barcode machined in a metal work-piece · CPC title