Container and content containing body, and method for producing container and container producing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12097997-B2
Application number	US-202217749738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2022
Priority date	Jun 8, 2021
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a container including a container body, and an image on the container body. The image includes a plurality of dented portions and non-dented portions. Each of the dented portions is formed of a plurality of processed portions. The plurality of processed portions are disposed linearly, contacting or overlapping each other along a first scanning direction. A width of each of the dented portions in a second scanning direction orthogonal to the first scanning direction changes cyclically along the first scanning direction. Each of the dented portions has bossed portions along the first scanning direction between adjoining ones of the processed portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container, comprising:
a container body; and
an image on the container body,
wherein the image includes a plurality of dented portions and non-dented portions,
each of the dented portions is formed of a plurality of processed portions,
the plurality of processed portions are disposed linearly, overlapping each other along a first scanning direction;
a width of each of the dented portions in a second scanning direction orthogonal to the first scanning direction changes cyclically along the first scanning direction, and
each of the dented portions has bossed portions, the bossed portions are disposed linearly between adjoining and overlapping ones of the processed portions along the second scanning direction.

2. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein in each of the dented portions, a plurality of circular processed portions are disposed linearly, overlapping each other.

3. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the dented portions repeatedly has wide portions and narrow portions alternately along the first scanning direction.

4. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the bossed portions are formed at predetermined intervals along the first scanning direction.

5. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein in a region between any one and next one of the bossed portions provided along the first scanning direction between adjoining ones of the processed portions, a ratio of an area S 1 of each of the processed portions to a sum total of the area S 1 of the processed portions and an area S 2 of a corresponding non-dented portion is 40% or greater and is 95% or less, the ratio being defined by [(S 1 /S 1 +S 2 )×100].

6. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein a visibility value represented by Mathematical formula (1) below is 2 or greater,
Visibility value= b 0 L* 0 ·(1−exp( b 1 ·ΔL *)  Mathematical formula (1)

where in Mathematical formula (1), L* 0 represents a luminosity of the image, AL*ΔL* represents a difference between the luminosity of the image and a luminosity of a portion other than the image, b 0 represents a positive real number, and b 1 represents a negative real number.

7. A content containing body, comprising:
the container according to claim 1 ; and
a content contained in the container.

8. The container according to claim 1 ,
wherein heights of each of the bossed portions change along the first scanning direction.

9. The container according to claim 8 ,
wherein the heights of each of the bossed portions change to gradually increase along the first scanning direction.

10. A method for producing the container according to claim 1 , the method comprising
irradiating the container body with laser light to form the image.

11. The method for producing the container according to claim 10 , further comprising
either or both of rotating the container body about an axis and moving the container body.

12. The method for producing the container according to claim 10 ,
wherein a spot diameter of the laser light is 1 micrometer or greater and is 200 micrometers or less.

13. The method for producing the container according to claim 10 ,
wherein the image is formed under control of an intensity of the laser light.

14. The method for producing the container according to claim 10 ,
wherein the image is formed under scanning of the laser light.

15. The method for producing the container according to claim 10 ,
wherein the image is formed under independent control of intensities of a plurality of rays of the laser light emitted from a plurality of laser light sources.

16. An apparatus configured to produce the container according to claim 1 , the apparatus comprising
an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the container body with laser light to form the image.

17. The apparatus configured to produce the container according to claim 16 , further comprising
either or both of a rotating unit configured to rotate the container body about an axis and a moving unit configured to move the container body.

Assignees

• Serizawa Keiichi
• Fujita Kazuhiro
• Yoshii Masako
• Hino Makoto
• Akatsu Kazuhiro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Serizawa Keiichi
• Fujita Kazuhiro
• Yoshii Masako
• Hino Makoto
• Akatsu Kazuhiro

Classifications

• B41J2/442

  using lasers · CPC title

• B44F1/02

  produced by reflected light, e.g. matt surfaces, lustrous surfaces · CPC title

• B44C1/228

  by laser radiation · CPC title

• B65D25/34 Primary

  Coverings or external coatings (of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/62; covering or external coating for bottles or jars not otherwise provided for B65D23/08; wrappers B65D65/00) · CPC title

• B41M5/24 Primary

  Ablative recording, e.g. by burning marks; Spark recording {(marking by high energetic means, e.g. by laser otherwise than burning or ablative removal B41M5/26; materials or methods for recording or reproduction by optical means G11B7/00)} · CPC title